US3747236A

US3747236A - Flotation shoes

Info

Publication number: US3747236A
Application number: US00203133A
Authority: US
Inventors: D Sidlauskas
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-11-30
Filing date: 1971-11-30
Publication date: 1973-07-24
Anticipated expiration: 1990-07-24

Abstract

A pair of shoes for being worn by a person so to enable him to walk upon the surface of a body of water, the device consisting of elongated shoes made of floatable material, each shoe being sufficiently large so to support the weight of the wearer, each shoe being provided with a fin tail so that the shoe moves forwardly instead of slipping sideward, and each shoe being provided with a downward extending fins or vanes on the under side thereof so to allow maximum forward motion with a minimum of slipping, the under side vanes in one form of the invention being stationary and in another form of the invention being of pivotable type so to retract into an inoperative position when the shoe is moved forwardly and wherein the vane extend downwardly into the water for holding against the water when the shoe is intended to be stationary.

Description

nited States Patent [1 1 Sidlauskas July 24, 1973 FLOTATION SHOES [76] Inventor: Donald M. Sidlauskas, 3950 N. W. 32nd Terrace, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. 335 15 22 Filed: Nov. 30, 1971 211 Appl.No.:203,133

[52] US. Cl. 36/25 AA [5 1] Int. Cl A43b 00/00 [58] Field of Search 36/2.5 R, 2.5 AA, 36/25 AB [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,412,474 12/1946 Scott-Paine et al 36/25 AA 3,082,548 3/1963 Hartman .Q 36/25 AA r m a ine-Pa ri k. ave? Attorney-Seth Natter and Howard Natter [57] ABSTRACT A pair of shoes for being worn by a person so to enable him to walk upon the surface of a body of water, the device consisting of elongated shoes made of floatable material, each shoe being sufficiently large so to support the weight of the wearer, each shoe being provided with a fin tail so that the shoe moves forwardly instead of slipping sideward, and each shoe being provided with a downward extending fins or vanes on the under side thereof so to allow maximum forward motion with a minimum of slipping, the under side vanes in one form of the invention being stationary and in another form of the invention being of pivotable type so to retract into an inoperative position when the shoe is moved forwardly and wherein the vane extend downwardly into the water for holding against the water when the shoe is intended to be stationary.

4 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 1 FLOTATION SHOES This invention relates generally to footwear. More specifically it relates to footwear for use upon water.

A principal object of the present invention is to provide a pair of flotation shoes so to permit a person to walk upon the surface of a body of water.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pair of flotation shoes which can be worn upon a persons feet and from which the person can quickly release himself when necessary.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a pair of flotation shoes wherein the under side thereof are provided with downwardly extending vanes for holding against the water while a person tries to walk.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a pair of flotation shoes wherein the downwardly extending vanes in one form of the invention are stationary and in anothe form of the invention are retractable so that when the shoe is moved forwardly the vanes are retracted to provide a streamline under side for more effective walking.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a pair of flotation shoes which are simple in design, inexpensive to manufacture, rugged in construction, easy to use and efficient in operation.

These and other objects will be readily evident upon a studyof the following specification and the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of one form of the present invention shown incorporating stationary vanes.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a modified design of the invention shown partly in cross section and illustrating pivotable type of vanes.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side cross sectional view of a modified form of the construction illustrated in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, and more particularly at this time to FIG. 1 thereof, the reference numeral represents one of a pair of flotation shoes according to the present invention wherein the shoe comprises an elongated member made preferably of a material that is stiff and which will float so that it can support a persons foot 11 placed there upon and support the wearer upon the surface of a body of water such as a lake, river or the like. The material accordingly is preferably made of polystirene for meeting such requirements and which is quite inexpensive. The forward end of the shoe 10 can be tapered to a point 12 for being pushed through the water, and the rear end may be formed to include a fish tail or rear fin 13.

A plurality of vanes 14 are integrally formed on the under side 15 of the shoe body, each of the vanes comprising a transverse element that extends downwardly and inclined rearwardly so that it has a streamlined front side 16 for allowing the shoe tobe pushed easily forwardly through the water, and each fin has a rear side 17 for holding against the water so that the shoe can be retained in a stationary position between each step while walking on the water.

Upon the upper side 18 of the shoe body there are I provided a toe receiving member 19 and a heel member 20 so that a person may place his foot there between and from which he can in case of necessity.

Referring now to FIG. 2 of the drawing, there is shown a modified design of flotation shoes 21 which is likewise made of an elongated body 22 made perferably of polystirene material so to be stiff and to float. It includes the foot holding members 19 and 20 described above. In this form of the invention, a plurality of pivotable vanes 23 are located on the under side 24 thereof, each of the vanes 23 being pivotable about a transverse pin 25 supported at its opposite ends within longitudinally extending brackets 26 secured to the under side of the shoe body 24 by means of securing posts 27 molded within the body 22. A plurality of pockets 28 are formed on the under side of the body 22 and into which a forward end of the vanes are pivotable so that the rear ends of the vanes will depend downwardly into the water as shown in FIG. 2 and thus adaptable for holding the shoe in a stationary position while a person slides the other shoe on his other foot forwardly. When the shoe 21 is desired to be moved forwardly in the water, the vanes pivot into a horizontal position adjacent the under side 24 of the shoe body so, that the shoe is in a streamlined position for feathering the water so to move frictionally free there through. Thus a modified form of the invention has been provided.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawing, there is shown a further modified design of flotation shoe 29 which incorporates the features of the retractable vanes illustrated in FIG. 2. However in this form of the invention, the shoe body 30 made of polystirene is fitted on its under side there with a flexible rubber cover 31 provided with a plurality of transverse extending pockets 32 so that downwardly extending flaps 33 are formed, each one of the flaps being readily moveable between a horizontal position and the downwardly depending position as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 so that the flaps serve the same purposes as vanes 23 above described. In this form of the invention, there are no mechanical extra parts so that the flap simply pivots about a fold line rather than about a pivot pin. Advantage of this structure is that a person can walk with the shoe quickly release himself upon the groundwith out danger of injuring any mechanical parts. Additionally this form of construction is exceedingly inexpensive while accomplishing the same purposes.

Thus several forms of flotation shoes have been indicated.

What I now claim is:

1. In a flotation shoe, the combination of an elongated shoe body made of stiff material that is floatable within water, said elongated shoe body having means upon its upper side for attachment to a persons foot, and the under side of said shoe body having means for'selectively holding said shoe in a stationary position while a shoe body on the person's other foot is forwardly moved during a walking operation 'upon water, said means on the under side of said shoe body comprising a plurality of transverse vanes projecting therefrom, a forward end of said shoe box body being tapered to a point for frictionally moving through the water, and a rear end of said shoe box body being provided with a fish depending rear tail fin.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for receiving a persons foot comprises a toe said vanes 0n the under side of said shoe body are movable between a substantially horizontal position and a pivotably downward rearwardly inclined position.

Claims

1. In a flotation shoe, the combination of an elongated body made of stiff material that is floatable within water, said elongated body having means upon its upper side for attachment to a person''s foot, and the under side of said body having means for selectively holding said shoe in a stationary position while a shoe on the person''s other foot is forwardly moved during a walking operation upon water, said means on the under side of said shoe body comprising a plurality of transverse vanes, a forward end of said shoe box being tapered to a point for frictionally moving through the water, and a rear end of said shoe box being provided with a fish tail fin.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for receiving a persons foot comprises a toe member and a heel member mounted upon the upper side of said shoe body.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 2 wherein said vanes on the under side of said shoe body are integral and stationary respective to said shoe body.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 3 wherein said vanes on the under side of said shoe are movable between a horizontal position and a pivotably downward rear inclined position.