US746862A - Ventilated shoe. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED M115, 1903;

No. M1362.

c. H. MATSON, VENTILATBDSHOE. I `A=PPL10AT10N FILED rms. 17., 1902.

N0. MUDEL.

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UNITED- STATES Patenten neeemter" 15, 190s.

PATENT OFFICE,

CHARLES H. MATSON, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND CHARLES P. ANDERSON, OE WORCESTER, MASSACHU- SETTS.

VENTILATED SHOE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 746,862, dated December 15, i903. Application filed February 1'7 1902 .'I Serial No. 94,399. (No modell) This invention relates to that class of ventilated shoes or other footwear in which pro' vision is made for a circulation of air in the space between the inner sole and outsole of t the shoe.

The especial objects of this invention are to provide an inlet or air-supply passage which is so located as to be less liable to become choked or filled up than in other constructions which have been heretofore em? ployed, to provide an improved form of flexible separating-piece or middle sole for separating the inner and ou ter sole, to provide an additional welt, and to arrange the parts so that a surrounding air-channel will be formed extending substantially around the outline of the shoe and forming a connection between the separated air chambers or cells into which open the perforations through `theinner sole.

To these ends this invention consists of the ventilated shoe as an article of manufacture and of the combinations of parts therein, as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claim at the end of this specication.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional view of a ventilated shoe constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the same with the outsole removed, and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary side view showingthe position of thejnlet passage or opening. v- Y To provide a ventilated shoe or other form of footwear, it has heretofore been proposed to provide a collapsible air chamber or passage inside of the sole of the shoe, which is compressed or collapsed when a persons weight is resting thereon and which expands when the pressure is relieved, so that the airchamber will act substantially as a' bellows for causing a circulation of air through the sole of the shoe and up through perforations of the inner sole to the inside of the shoe. In

sole ltending substantially around the outer edge V,of the shoe.

the use of this class of footwear it has been found difficult to provide a construction which will permanently retain its shape, thev repeated collapsing of the air-passage in the sole of thel shoe usually resulting in a speedy permanent bending in of the outer sole. To overcome this objection, a ventilated shoe or -other article of footwear constructed according to my invention is provided with a sepalrating-piece or middle sole, which is usually formed of rubber or other compressible material and which is provided with a central rib or body portion which forms an efficient support for the center of the outsole and which is also provided with arms or fingers extending from the opposite sides of its body portion to form small air cells or channels.

In the preferredconstruction the parts of a shoe or other article of footwear constructed according to inyinveution are preferablyarranged so that a continuous air-channel extends around the separating-piece or middle connecting the several air-cells and ex- The airfchambers'of a shoe or other article of footwear constructed according to my invention may be supplied with air from any suitable inlet, although in practice l prefer to locate an airdnlet on the inner side of the shoe, over the heel, as I have found in practice liable to be stopped up by mud or dust than when located either directly at the toe or heel of the shoe or at points on the outer side of the shoe.'

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a detail description of a shoe constructed according to my invention as herein illustrated, the shoe comprises an upper A, within which is an insole B, which is stitched onto or united to a welt C, which welt C is united to a supplemental welt D, the welts C and D being secured to the outsole E, having the ordinary heel F. These parts may be put together as in the ordinary seWed-shoe construction, and while in practice I prefer to employ'two welts C and D in order to provide a sufficient air-chamber between the inner sole and outer sole of a shoe constructed lthat an inlet-opening as thus located is less ICO according to my inventionI may employ only one welt, if desired, or may secure the desired amount of air-space by usinga welt of greater than ordinary thickness.

Located in the air chamber or space between the inner sole and the outer sole,`I provide a special form of separating-piece or middle sole. As herein illustrated, this separating piece or middle sole is preferably stamped out of rubber and is provided with a central rib or body portion 10, havingarms or fingers 11, extending from opposite sides thereof to form separate air cells or chambers. This form of separating-piece ormiddle sole I have found in practice will provide an ef-V cient support for the outer sole, which will prevent the outer sole from dishing into permanentlydistorted position, while at the same time the separating-piece or middle sole -is sufficiently collapsible to insure the desired pumping or forcing of the air.

In practice I prefer to stamp out the separating-piece or middle sole of such size that a continuous air-channel will be left completely around the separating-piece, so as to form a connection between the separate air cells or chambers between the arms or fingers which project from the central rib of the separating-piece, and opening into each of these separate air chambers or cells is a perforation 12, extending up through the inner sole.

To prevent the collapse of the shank or instep portion of the shoe, I preferably use a stiffener or sole-supporter comprising a plate carrying a spring 14, and to support the cen-4 ter of the heel of the shoe I preferably provide a rubber heel-separating piece 15.

The inlet for the introduction of air is preferably provided through a metallic tube or bushing which is set into place on the inner side of the shoe, over the heel, an air-inlet as thus located being found in practice to be less liable to be choked up than when located either at the front orv extreme rear of the shoe or on the outer edge thereof, the air-inlet 16 providing fo'r a direct admission of air without requiring the same to be drawn down through a comparatively long tube or passage, as has been suggested in a number of prior constructions. A I l I am aware that numerous changes may be made in practicing my invention by those who are skilled in the art Without departing from the scope thereof .as expressed in the claim.

VI do not wish, therefore, to be limited to the construction I have herein shown and described norto the application of my invention to shoes alone, as the same construction may be employedto advantage for ventilatingthe heavier boots or other articles of footwear.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, s-

As an article of manufacture, a ventilated shoe having aniinsole, an outsole, a separating-piece or middle sole formed of rubber and having a central rib or body portion with arms extending from opposite sides thereof, -a perforation from each air cell or chamber between the arms of the middle sole opening up through the insole, a spring-fork-separating device for separating the outsole and insole at the shank of the shoe, a compressible heelpiece arranged between the outsole and insole, and an air-supply tube opening at the inner side of the sole, substantially above the heel.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES H. MATSON.

Witnesses:

PHILIP W. SOUTHGATE, Louis W. SOUTHGATE.

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