GB1112950A - Expandable shoe - Google Patents

Abstract

1,112,950. Boots &c. H. H. ENGLAND. 23 Dec., 1966 [31 Oct., 1966], No. 57662/66. Heading A3B. A boot or shoe which can be elongated by one increment in size has a two part sole 20 and insole, a heel 24 underlying the juncture 58 between the sections of the sole 20, an upper 14 having an expandable section 34 overlying the juncture 58 and means for retaining the sole in its shortened or elongated condition. In a first embodiment a shoe 12 has an expandable portion 34 e.g. of crinkled leather, in the upper 14 and an expandable portion 37 in the welt 22. The insole 23 and sole 20 are both formed in two parts having skived overlapping edges 58 and a two part shank stiffener 40 is positioned between the sole 20 and insole 23. The shank stiffener 40 has two parts 42, 44 joined by rivet 46 and slot 48 connections, the part 44 being secured to the rear section of the shoe and the part 42 being secured to the forward section. A tongue 52 on the part 44 engages one of the two slots 50 on the part 42 to hold it in its shortened or elongated position. The heel 24 is secured to the rear section of the shoe by fasteners 26 and fasteners 62 hold the forward portion of the shoe in position. To increase the length of the shoe the fasteners 62 are removed, the two parts of the shoe are then pulled apart until the tongue 52 in the shank stiffener 40 reaches the second slot and the fasteners 62 are then replaced to retain the shoe in its elongated position. In a modification the two parts of the insole 23 may be joined by a folded strip which unfolds when the shoe is elongated. The two parts of the sole may have butted ends which leave a gap when the shoe is elongated, the gap being filled by a plug.