Feb. 16, 1926.
`
`1,573,299
`
`H. BULLOCK
`SHOE
`Filed May 29, 1924
`
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`-verto
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`33. fag 2 /u. a duez.7 fa?
`&ltrotics
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`Skechers EX1024-p.1
`Skechers v Nike
`
`

`

`1573,299
`Panta Feb. 16, 1926.
`UNITED STATE s
`PATENT OFFICE.
`
`.
`
`
`
`HUGE BULLOCK, OF ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTs, ASSIGNOR TO CONVERSE RUBBER
`. .
`.
`. .
`SHOE Co., A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS,
`sHoE.
`Application filed May 29, 1924. Serial No. 716,822.
`To all whom it may concern:
`the invention as embodied in a shoe com
`Beit known hiti, Fitch. Buttock, a
`monly used for basketball, tennis or other
`athletic use; i.
`citizen of the United States, residing at
`Fig. 2 is a side view of the shoe;
`Andover, in the county of Middlesex and
`Fig. 3 is a rear view showing the cut-out
`5 State of Massachusetts, have invented cer
`portion as worn when the shoe is level with
`tain new and useful Improvements in Shoes,
`the ground;
`of which the following is a specification.
`Fig. 4 is a view.showing the spreading of
`In certain types of shoes known generally
`the sides of the cut-out portion when the
`as ankle height shoes, discomfort is often
`10 produced by the upper rear part of the shoe
`heel is raised.
`Figs. 5 and 6 are views showing other
`rubbing, chafing or cutting the Achilles
`shapes for the cut-out portion.
`tendon. This is particularly true with
`Referring now to the drawings, the shoe
`shoes subject to active use, such as in basket
`comprises, the sole 1, quarter or upper 2,
`ball or tennis. In fact, basketball players
`back-stay 3 and eyelet stay 4, at the front
`15 are sometimes kept out of the game by in
`of the quarter or upper.
`flammation and swelling due to the upper
`At the upper rear portion of the quarter
`edge of the shoe cutting into the skin and
`2 is a cut-out portion 5, the depth and
`point where it is
`the Achilles tendon at a
`shape of which may be varied as desired, but,
`more or less exposed.
`which in the preferred form, is substantially
`According to this invention, a shoe is
`20.
`U-shaped.
`provided which furnishes adequate and
`In the preferred form, the sides 6 defin
`proper support for the ankle of the wearer
`ing the cut-out portion 5 are disposed at an
`which is very necessary particularly in ath
`angle to the back-stay 3 and at an angle to
`letic shoes, and at the same time obviates
`the upper horizontal edge of the quarter.
`25 the inflammation, chafing, swelling and dis
`80
`The warp and woof threads of the quarter
`comfort, due to the upper rear part of the
`are usually vertical and horizontal. The
`shoe cutting into the leg of the wearer, near
`upper eyelet 4 is preferably slightly above
`where the Achilles tendon is most exposed.
`the level of the top of the back stay 3 so
`A shoe made in accordance with this in
`that there is an upward or bias pull imposed
`30 vention, has an upper or quarter for fur
`substantially along the line A-A, Figs, 1
`nishing adequate and firm support for the
`ankle, the important point being that the
`and 2. This bias pull, from the fact that it
`is not directly perpendicular to the Achil
`upper rear edge of the shoe upper or quarter
`les tendon, lessens the tendency of the back
`is provided with a cut-out portion or notch,
`of the shoes to cut into the tendon. Fur
`which is located with respect to the Achilles
`90
`thermore, this bias pull is diagonal with re
`tendon at a. point where that tendon is more
`spect to the warp and woof threads of the
`or less exposed.
`-
`.
`quarter, and so there is a stretching action
`The cut-out portion or notch may be of
`of the cloth due to such diagonal pull; that
`any desired width, depth or shape, the pre
`is to say, when there is a strain along the
`40 ferred form, however, being illustrated in
`95
`the accompanying drawings.
`line A-A, the cloth gives and stretches and
`so takes up the strain that otherwise would
`The line of pull from the upper eyelet at
`the front of the shoe is diagonally upward
`act to cut into the Achilles tendon.
`Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be
`from the bottom of the notch, which lessens.
`seen that the upper edge of the back-say
`45 the tendency of the back of the shoe to cut
`terminates substantially at the lower edge
`into the tendon, due to the fact that such
`of the cut-out portion 5. When in use, with
`pull is not perpendicular to the tendon, and
`the shoe level on the ground, the edges of the
`also due to the fact that such bias pull is at
`cut-out portion are substantially as shown
`an angle to the threads of the cloth of the
`in Fig. 3. When the wearer lifts his heel
`upper, so that the cloth gives and stretches
`from the ground, and the back of the shoe
`and so absorbs the force that otherwise
`would tend to cut into the Achilles tendon,
`would tend to cause a cutting and chafing
`the edges 6 spread as shown in Fig. 4, and so
`of the tendon.
`prevent chafing, cutting and soreness due to
`. In the drawings,
`friction at this point.
`Fig. 1 is a perspective view, illustrating
`
`75
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`6)
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`65
`
`85
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`00
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`105
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`liO
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`50
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`55
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`Skechers EX1024-p.2
`Skechers v Nike
`
`

`

`1,573,299
`s
`The invention is particularly applicable
`vided at its top, rear part with a substan
`to that type of athletic shoe having a rubber
`tially U-shaped notch, the edges of which
`sole and a canvas quarter, where the top of
`extend partly around the Achilles tendon
`the quarter is a little above the ankle bone.
`of the wearer, whereby the pull from the
`The Achilles tendon is probably most ex
`lacing means is distributed and chafing of
`posed at about the level of the angle bone
`the tendon prevented.
`and the cut-out portion is substantially at
`2. An angle height shoe, provided at its
`this level, although the level of the cut-out
`top rear part with a cut-out portion forming
`may be varied.
`a notch, the edges of which extend partly
`It should, however, be distinctly under
`around the Achilles tendon of the wearer,
`stood that the invention is not limited to
`and having the usual lacing eyelets at the
`40
`athletic shoes, but is applicable to any oth
`front, the upper eyelet being above the level
`er forms of shoes for general wear and that
`of the bottom of the cut-out portion, where
`the width, depth and proportions of the
`by a bias pull is imposed across the upper
`5 cut-out portion may be varied as desired.
`part of the shoe.
`The invention may also be applied to low
`3. An ankle height shoe having a quarter
`shoes commonly known as oxfords, as well
`of woven material, the top, rear part of the
`as to ankle-height shoes.
`quarter having a cut-outportion forming
`For example, in Fig. 5, the cut-out portion
`a notch, the edges of which extend partly
`10 is practically a narrow slot. In Fig. 6,
`around the Achilles tendon of the wearer,
`the cut-out portion is substantially V
`the quarter being provided with eyelets at
`shaped.
`the front, the upper eyelet being above the
`While I have illustrated my invention in
`level of the bottom of the cut-out portion,
`some detail, it should be understood that it
`whereby a bias pull is imposed along the up
`may be carried out in other ways as ex
`per part of the quarter.
`pressed in the following claims.
`In testimony whereof I affix my signa
`I claim as my invention:-
`ature.
`1. An ankle height athletic shoe, having
`lacing means at the front thereof, and pro
`
`HUGHBULLOCK.
`
`5
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`0
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`25
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`30
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`35
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`45
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`50
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`55
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`Skechers EX1024-p.3
`Skechers v Nike
`
`