Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
~- 2089221
REI RACTABLE SPIKE ASSEMBLY FOR FOOTWEAR SOLE OR HEEL
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
a) field of the invention
The present invention is concerned with an assembly of retractable
spikes for use in the heels and/or soles of footwear articles, such as showes orboots, to make them non slippery whenever required.
More particularly, the invention is concerned with an improvement to
10 the structure of the retractable spike asse"~bly disclosed in Canadian patent No.
955,398 granted on October 1st, 1974 to the same Applicant.
b) brief description of the Prior art
It is known that spikes can be used under certain conditions to prevent
slipping. They are advantageous for pedestrians on icy roads, sportsmen or
15 ~sl,ennen on rock or wet grass, workmen on wooden scaffolding, lumbermen on
logs, etc...
It is also known that the use of spikes under a footwear article is
convenient and even dangerous for example on hard surfaces such as streets and
sidewalls. Under certain circlJ" ,~ nces,spikes cannot be used as they may damage
2 o the surfaces, as in the case of the floor of a residence.
It has already been proposed to make spikes which are retractable
within the heel or sole of a shoe so that they can be extended when needed and
pulled in when they are not wanted. In this connection, reference can be made toU.S. patent Nos. 351,415 ~\NELLER); 1,361,078 (LYNN); 1,487,976 (ROSSI et al);
25 1,607,296 (NOEL); 2,920,404 (ROSS) and 3,343,283 ~HENRY).
The above mentioned Canadian patent No. 955,398 g,anled to the
Applicant discloses a retractable spike assembly comprising a carrier plate to which
a plurality of spikes, called "cleats", are secured. The plate and the cleats are sized
and devised to be mounted within a cavity made in a heel or a sole. The assembly30 also comprises a plurality of compression springs urging the plate into retracted
position within the cavity, and a rotatable cam mounted above the carrier plate and
~' 20892~1
engageable with a central part thereof in order to move it down in an extended
position, where the cleats projects downwardly out from the heel or sole.
This arrangement ensures proper operation of the mechanism even if
5 it becomes clogged with mud. Indeed, even if the springs fail to retract the plate and
spikes, the next contact with the grownd will do so. Another advantage of the
assembly disclosed in this Canadian patent is that the carrier plate is allowed a
certain amount of swing, ensuring that all the spikes will come in contact with the
ground in the extended position.
The marginal portions of the carrier plate of the assembly disclosed in
this Canadian patent are pe,foralecl for the passage of guide pins secured to a
bottom plate, the springs being mounted around these guide pins. Thanks to this
feature, the assembly forms a unitary structure which c~n be mounted as such into
the heel or sole cavity either during manufacture ~,i the shoe, or later.
Moreover, the roldl~le cam of this prior art assembly comprises a
shaft extending from the cavity to the side of the heel or sole, the shaft having one
end flush with such a side and provided with a slot for turning it. With this
arrangement, all that is visible is the slotted end of the shaft so that the appearance
of the shoe is not arre~;led and there are not pro~ecting parts that may catch on
20 things or get broken off Turning of the shaft may be done with a coin so that no
separate keys or tools are required.
The shaft also has a portion of reduced diameter at its end opposite
its slotted end which forms a shoulder. A compression spring is located between the
cam and the wall of the cavity at the slotted shaft end to urge the shoulder against
25 the opposite cavity wall.
Thus, the rel, aclable spike assembly disclosed in the above mentioned
Canadian patent No. 955,398 granled in 1974 to the Applicant presents a variety of
advantages of construction, inslalldlion and operation over the other mechanisms of
the same type that were known at that time.
``- 208~221
OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has recently been discovered by the Applicant that the retractable
S spike assembly disclosed in his Canadian patent No. 965,398 could still be made
simpler in structure and thus much less costly to manufacture and install, whilekeeping the same efficiency in operation.
Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide a
- retractable spike assembly insertable into a cavity made for this purpose in the
bottom surface of a footwear heel or sole, which is of the same type as the one
disclosed in Canadian patent No. 955,398, but is simpler in structure and installation
while being as efficient in operation.
In accordance with the invention, this object is ach.~vcd with a
retractable spike assembly comprising a bottorll plate extending flush with the
bottom surface of the sole or heel when the assembly is mounted in the cavity. Aguide pin is rigidly connected to the bottom plate so as to project centrally upwardly
with in the cavity when the assembly is mounted in the cavity.
The assembly also comprises a carrier plate e~lencling parallel to the
bottom plate above the same, and at least two spaced apart spikes integral to and
2 0 dow. .~ardly projecting from the carrier plate. The spikes have lower ends extending
through guiding holes provided for this purpose in the bottom plate.
The assembly further comprises a L-shaped member having a first,
vertically upstanding arm and a second perpendicular arm extending parallel to the
carrier plate. The first arm have one end rigidly attached to the carrier plate and
2~ another end integrally extended by the second arm which itself comprises a central
hole sized to receive the guide pin. The L-shaped member is sized and attached to
the carrier plate in such a way that the guide pin extends through the central hole
of the second arm when the spikes extend through the guiding holes in the bottomplate.
A compression spring is mounted onto the guide pin between the
bottom plate and the second arm of the L-shaped member to permanently push up
the L-shaped member together with the carrier plate and spike.
- 2089221
In addition, the assembly comprises a cam rotatable about a rotation
axis orthogonal to the bottom plate and to the guide pin, respecffvely. The cam has
a central portion offset the rotation axis and two opposite end portions aligned with
the rotation axis, the end portions of the cam acting as pivot means.
Cam-holding means are provided for pivotably holding the cam above
the carrier plate in such a manner that, in one given angular position hereinafter
called "extended position", the central portion of the cam positively engages the
carrier plate and holds it down against the action of the compression spring, with the
spikes projecting downwardly beyond the bottom surface of the heel or sole, and,in another given angular position perpendicular to the first one and hereinafter called
"retracted position", the cental portion of the cam does not bear onto the carrier plate
and let it free to move up under the action of the compression spring so as to retract
the spikes within the cavity. Advantageously, the c~m holding means may comprisetwo opposite wings inlegral to the bottom plate, th~ wings upwardly extending within
the cavity and facing each other when the assembly is mounted in the cavity, each
of the wings comprising a round hole sized and posiboned to pivotably receive and
hold one of the end portions of the arm.
Cam-actuating means are also provided. These means are accessiL,le
and operable from one side of the heel or sole to pivot the cam between the
extended and rebracted positions so as to move the spikes out of the cavity in
operabve posibon and to retract them within the cavity, whenever required.
Advantageously, these cam-actuating means may comprise a cylindrical peg
insertable into a cylindrical through hole provided in a side wall of the cavity, this
through hole being aligned with the rotation axis of the cam when the assembly is
inserted in the cavity, the peg having: an inner end operatively connectable to one
of the end portions of the cam; an outer end extending flush with the one side of the
heel or sole where the through hole opens, the outer end of the peg having a
diametrically extending slot useful as a grip to rotate the peg and the cam connected
thereto; and a locking groove peripherally exlendi,lg all around the peg in a plane
perpendicular to the rotation axis.
In this particular embodiment, the peg may be held in the through hole
by a locking pin insertable into a blind hole tangentially inlerse(;ling the through hole,
~ 208~221
this blind hole being positioned so that the locking pin, once inserted, engages the
Iocking groove of the peg and locks this peg within the through-hole.
As can be appreciated, the retractable spike assembly accordi, Ig to the
invention is much simpler in structure than the retr~ct~hlc cleat assembly disclosed
in Applicant's Canadian patent No. 955,398. Indeed, it comprises only one singlecompression spring to move all the spikes in and out, and it needs no compression
coil spring and bea,ings to hold the cam in operative position. Thanks to its
structure, the peg used as cam-actuating means can be inserted in the through hole
after inslallalion of the assembly into the cavity, thereby making the whole inst~4tion
much easier to carry out.
The present invention and its advantages will be better understood
upon reading the following non-restrictive clesc~ lion of a prerer~e(l embodiment
thereof, given with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the bottom of a shoe heel
with a r~t,actable spike assembly accorcling to the invention installed therein;2 0 Fig. 2 is a side elevational, cross-section view of the retractable spike
assembly and shoe heel of Fig. 1, showing the spikes in r~l,a1led position; and
Fig. 3 is a view similar to the one of Fig. 2, showing the spikes in
extended position.
DESCRIPTION OF A PRt~thrttu EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION
The retractable spike ~sselllbly according to the invention as shown
in the accompanying drawings is intended to be inserted into a cavity 1 made for this
purpose in the bottom surface 3 of a footwear heel or sole 5.
This assembly comprises a bottom plate 7 extending flush with the
bottom surface 3 of the heel 5 when the assembly is mounted in the cavity, as isbetter shown in Figs. 2 and 3. In use, this bottom plate can be protected by an
` ~ ~08~221
undersole 3' fixed to the bottom surface 3 of the heel 5 after installation of the
assembly.
A guide pin 9 is rigidly connected to the bottom plate 7 so as to project
ce~,l,dlly upwardly within the cavity 1 when the assembly is mounted in the cavity.
The assembly also comprises a carrier plate 11 extending parallel to
the bottom plate 7 above the same. The carrier plate 11 supports two s~ " "~ll ically
spaced apart spikes 13 that are rigidly fixed thereto by screwing or welding in such
a manner as to downwardly project towards and through the bottom plate, the spikes
having lower ends extending through guiding holes 15, 15' provided for this purpose
in the bottom plate 7 and the undersole 3' whenever present. The carrier plate also
supports a L-shaped member 17 having a first, vertically upstanding arm 19 and asecond arm 21 that is perpendicuiar to the first one and extends parallel to thecarrier plate 11. As can be seen, the first arm 19 has one end rigidly attached to the
carrier plate and another end integrally extended by the second arm 21 which
comprises a central hole 23 sized to receive the guide pin 9. As is better shown in
Figs. 2 and 3, the L-shaped member 17 is sized and attached to the carrier plate 11
in such a manner that the guide pin 9 extends through the central hole 23 of theseco, Id arm 21 when the spikes 13 extend through the guiding holes 15 made in the
bottom plate 7. Advantageously, the carrier plate 11 and the L-shaped member 17
are made from the same metal sheet, by metal slall"~ing.
A compression coil spring 25 is mounted onto the guide pin 9 between
the bottom plate 7 and the second arm 21 of the L-shaped member 17 to
permanently push up this L-shaped member together with the carrier plate and
spikes connected thereto.
The asse",bly further comprises a cam 27 rotatable about a rotation
axis 29 orthogonal to the bottom plate and to the guide pin, respectively. The cam
27 has a central portion 31 of ~set the rotation axis and two opposite end portions 33
and 35 aligned with the rotation axis. The end portions 33, 35 which are preferably
in the form of flat tabs, act as pivot means, as will be explained hereinafter.
Cam-holding means are provided for pivotably holding the cam 27
above the carrier plate 11 in such a manner that, in one given angular position
shown in Fig. 3 and hereinafter called "e,~lended position", the edge of the central
208~221
portion 31 of the cam 33 positively engages the carrier plate 11 and holds it down
against the action of the compression spring 25, with the spikes projecting 13
downwardly beyond the bottom surface 3 of the heel or sole 5, and, in another given
angular position shown in Fig. 2, which is perpendicular to the first one and
5 hereinafter called "retracted position", the edge of the central portion 31 of the cam
does not bear onto the carrier plate 11 and let it free to move up under the action
of the compression spring 25 so as to retract the spikes 13 within the cavity.
P,ererably to cam holding means comprises two opposite wings 37,
39 that are integral to the bottom plate 7 and so positioned as to upwardly extend
10 within the cavity and face each other when the assembly is mounted in the cavity.
Each of the wings 37, 39 that are prererably made from the same metal sheet as the
bottom plate by metal slamping, comprises a round hole 41, 43 sized and positioned
to pivotably receive and hold one of the end portk)ns 33, 35 of the cam 27.
The holes 41, 43 are prererably positioned above the bottom plate at
15 such a height that the cam 27 may act as a retainer to limit the upwards movement
of the carrier plate 11 when the same is moved in the r~l,a~ed position. This isshown in Fig. 2.
The assembly further comprises cam-actuating means accessihle and
operable from one side 45 of the heel or sole 5 to pivot the cam 27 between the
20 extended and retracted positions and thus move the spikes 13 out of the cavity in
operative position or to retract them within the cavity, whenever required.
As is shown in the accompanying drawings, the cam actuating means
pr~r~:rably comprises a cylindrical peg 47 i"se~lable into a cylindrical through hole
49 provided in the side 45 of the heel or sole 5. Of course, this through hole is and
2S must be aligned with the rotation axis 29 of the cam 27 when the assembly is
i"se, led in the cavity.
As is better shown in Fig. 1, the peg 47 has an inner end 51 operatively
connectable to the end portion 33 of the cam. For this purpose, the inner end 51of the peg 47 is provided with a slot 53 that engages the adjacent tab 33 when the
30 peg is locked within the through-hole.
The peg 47 also has an outer end extending flush with the one side 45
of the heel or sole where the through hole 49 opens. This outer end 55 has a
'- 2089221
diametrically slot 57 useful as a grip to rotate the peg and the cam connected
thereto. Advantageously, the slot 57 in the outer end 55 of the peg 47 is sized to be
engaged by, and grip the edge of a coin, whereby this coin can be used as a toolto ~ct(l~te the cam 27.
The peg 47 further has a tocking groove 59 peripherally extending all
around it in a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis 29.
The peg 47 is held in position within the through hole 49 by means of
a locking pin 61 insertable into a blind hole 63 tangentially intersecting the through
hole 49 so that the locking pin, once i"se, led, engages the locking groove 59 of the
peg 47 and locks this peg within the through-hole 49.
To make the installation easier and the peg and through-hole water-
tight, use can be made of a sleeve 65 snuggably insertable into the through hole 49
for use as a water-tight lining for the peg. Of course, this sleeve 65 must be
provided with a peripheral slot 67 to be locked by, and give room to the locking pin
61 to, lock the peg 47.
Also to make the installation easier, the bottom plate 7 is pre~erably
made longer than the cavity 19 to act as a stopper when the assembly is insertedinto the cavity. In such a case, the wings 37 and 39 of the bottom plate are also
sized so that their vertical edges may engage slots 69 provided in opposite corners
of the cavity 1. This permits to center the assenlbly within the cavity with the rotation
axis 29 of the cam 27 an alignment with the through hole 49.
In accordance with a further, particularly prere, l ed embodiment of the
invention, the cam 27 is so positioned as to be rotatable in a direction "D" opposite
to the L-shaped member 17 when it is rotated in the extended position. Thanks tothis feature, when the cam has reached and slightly passed the extended positionas is shown in Fig. 3, it is automatically locked in a neutral position by the combined
action of the compression spring 25 and of the end of the L-shaped member 17 that
is attached to the carrier plate 11. This prevents the spikes from inadvertentlyretracting, with the associated risk of accident.
Of course, slight modifications could be made to the above assembly
without departing from the scope of the present invention as defined in the
appended claims. Thus, for example, the ~iffe~e,ll structural elements such as the
208922i
g
carrier plate and the L-shaped me",ber could be assembled by welding rather thanmade by metal stamping.
