Detachable Soles

Abstract

A shoe that includes at least a lower sole, an upper sole, and a flexible upper, which are detachable and interchangeable, said lower sole having a peripheral recess, surmounted with a peripheral flange, itself eventually surmounted with a peripheral inwardly bowed welt, said upper sole having a peripheral flange, surmounted with a peripheral recess, itself eventually surmounted with a peripheral flange, said flexible upper being placed and maintained between both soles, by corresponding inter-engagement of the said flanges and recesses, the peripheral recess of said lower sole incasing the peripheral lower flange of said upper sole, the peripheral recess of said upper sole receiving the peripheral flange of the lower sole. The flexible upper could be a usual sock, stocking or the like, without necessity of any special reinforcement, or any aperture thereon, or therethrough.

Description

This invention relates to articles of footwear. According to the present invention there is provided an article of footwear, the sole of said article having at least two parts which are connected to one another and which define between them a continuous free space the width of which corresponds to the thickness of an upper which is entered into or which passes through said space and is held in position by the inter-engagement between the sole parts, the upper being held in position in said space without the necessity of providing apertures therethrough.

In the preferred form, one of the sole parts has a continuous recess around its periphery and the other sole part has a corresponding rib.

Additionally, the sole parts may be provided with magnetic or ferromagnetic inserts by means of which the sole parts are held in their desired relative position with respect to one another, but this is not claimed, as being prior art.

For a better understanding of the present invention, a survey of the prior art, has discovered that the following ideas are in the public knowledge,

-- separability of soles and uppers, or of soles and shoes

-- the bottom of uppers could be placed and held between two corresponding soles.

But, these Patents were not successful, because:

-- pieces were difficult to be manufactured

-- pieces were necessitating time and tools for construction (screws, discontinuous buttons, rings, snap fasteners, straps)

-- usual socks or stockings could not be used without perforation.

-- or, embedded grasping additional pieces were used, like metal springs, tensile wire, hems with rings provided.

With the simplicity of this particular invention, these inconveniences are avoided; and with this invention we have now, the following advantages:

-- soles are easily manufactured (by moulding or injection, plastics, as an example, . .)

-- soles are easily and rapidly joined or separated by the customers, without necessitating any tools.

-- simple socks could be used without spoilation

-- the large universality of possibilities gives a complete liberty to follow any shoe-fashion, and any use (town, beach, laboratory, plant, holiday, flat . . . and also, for wounded feet)

Reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through an article of footwear shown in an "exploded" condition;

FIG. 2 illustrates the article of footwear of FIG. 1 in its assembled condition:

FIGS. 3 and 3A illustrates two modified articles of footwear; and

FIGS. 4 to 7 are half-sections through further constructional forms of footwear.

FIGS. 8 and 9 relate to separate not claimed ideas.

Referring firstly to FIGS. 1 and 2, the article of footwear illustrated has two sole parts referenced 2 and 3 which can be of leather, wood, rubber, metal, polyurethane, PVC, or other synthetic plastics material. The parts can be moulded. The two soles are firmly secured together by providing one of them with a continuous internal recess 11 and the other with a continuous mating flange 12. As shown in FIG. 3, an upper 1 is secured in place between the sole parts 2 and 3 without it being necessary to perforate or otherwise damage the upper in any way. The dimensions of the sole parts 2 and 3 are such that when the upper sole part 3 is pressed into the lower part 2 in the absence of an upper 1, a continuous gap remains which has a width substantially equal to the thickness of the material of the upper.

The upper 1 is made of any material which is sufficiently flexible, at least in the lower part thereof, to adopt the desired configuration between the sole parts 2 and 3.

FIG. 3 illustrates an arrangement in which the upper 1 and sole part 3 are substantially the same as that illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2. However, the sole part 2 is, in the right hand part of the Figure, provided with an additional recess 11 for receiving a further upper 5. In the left hand part of the Figure there is an intermediate sole part 4 and a further upper 5 which is held in place between the intermediate sole part 4 and the sole part 2. Any number of protective uppers 5 and intermediate sole parts 4 can be provided. The article of footwear illustrated in this Figure is particularly intented for use in environments where the foot of the wearer must be protected from corrosive agents. It could also be used in space or where there was a danger of the wearer receiving an electric, or chemical shock or anyelse.

In FIG. 4 the recess in the sole part 2 is directed outwardly and the sole part 3 has a depending peripheral flange which engages with the recess 2.

In FIG. 5 the lower sole part 2 has an upwardly open recess and the upper sole part 3 has a corresponding head which is downwardly directed and is pressed into the recess of the lower sole part.

The arrangement of FIG. 6 comprises an upper 1, a lower sole part 2 and upper sole part 3. The upper and lower sole parts are provided with ferromagnetic or magnetic parts 6 which draw the sole parts together to hold the upper 1 in position, only shown for memory.

In FIG. 7 the upper sole 3 is held in place by a wire 7 which passes through a loop-formation 8. The wire 7 is tensioned to enhance its grip on the upper sole part 3.

Sole part 2 of FIG. 8 is provided with hooks 9 grasping textils uppers, and shows curve 10 on FIG. 9. Both FIGS. 8 and 9, are shown for memory, only.

The sole part 3 could be shaped to provide a comfortable fit for a person with a foot deformity or other ailment. The upper could, if desired, be of cotton or other soft material so as to make the article of footwear suitable for a person with sensitive or injured feet.

When using a simple sock, sole part 3 is introduced in this sock, and the bottom of this sock is held between sole parts 2 and 3, by pressing one into the other.

Claims

What I claim is:

1. A shoe comprising an outer sole, an inner sole and a flexible upper;

said outer sole having an upstanding flange formed on the upper peripheral edge of said sole, an inwardly directed rib on said upstanding flange forming a recess thereunder;

said inner sole having a thickness approximately equal to the height of the upstanding flange on said outer sole, a recess formed in the peripheral edge face of said inner sole with flanges above and below said recess to form said recess;

the recess and flanges of said inner sole being complimentary to the rib and recess on said outer sole and received therein;

the lower outer portion of said flexible upper positioned between the said recess and flanges of said inner sole and the said rib and recess of said outer sole and secured in position by the interfitting of said recesses, flanges and rib of said soles.

2. A shoe according to claim 1 wherein said outer sole upstanding peripheral flange has a groove formed in the upper surface, said upper including an additional layer to that received between the edge of said inner sole and the flange of said outer sole, the lower edge of said additional layer of said upper positioned in said groove in the upper surface of said upstanding flange and secured therein.

3. A shoe according to claim 1 wherein said flexible upper includes a sole portion continuous with the lower side portions of said upper, said sole portion of said upper positioned between the bottom surface of said inner sole and the upper surface of said outer sole.