This invention relates generally to the field of equestrian equipment and more specifically to a footwear integrated strapless spur system.
Horseman and cowboys have long attached spurs to their boots as a practical and fashionable accessory. A conventionally designed English spur has a generally U-shaped metal member, referred to as a band that fits about the rear of the rider's boot adjacent the heel and has a rearward projection which often carries a point or a rowel having a multiplicity of points. In conventional designs, each English spur normally has one strap that is inserted through one end of the band, passed underneath the boot's heal, and passed through the opposite end of the band and serves to releasably attach the spur to the rider's boot. The typical spur mounting apparatus attaches firmly to the boot by the use of clamps, chain or the like, so as to rigidly hold the spurs in their proper position behind the heel of the boot.
Prior spur designs have included means to prevent the riding up of the spur to prevent misalignment of the spur and thus detracting from one of its purposes of stable engagement to the boot. Attaching additional upper straps to the band or including a ridge element that can be wedged between the heel of the boot and the upper portion of the boot are two examples of such designs.
These arrangements tend to allow the spur mounting apparatus to “ride-up” the boot, out of its useful position. To counteract this tendency boot wearers will increase the tension on the mounting apparatus sometimes cutting or otherwise damaging the boot leather.
Prior art solutions are many and varied but none have the inventive combination of the present invention. Examples of previous designs include:
U.S. Pat. No. 39,106 (Langholz) discloses a heel mounted spur which can be removably attached.
U.S. Pat. No. 78,667 (Herr) consists in providing a hollow heel, made of metal or any hard and suitable substance, which said hollow heel combines and contains, in parts or in one solid piece, the yoke or counter, the sole, and the heel proper.
U.S. Pat. No. 86,049 (Woodruff) is a combination of metallic boot-heel with sheathed spur, the parts being so constructed and operating, that while the spur will always be in place and ready for use, it will not be in the way of injuring the clothing, carpets, &c., or of receiving_injury from stones, or from the pavement.
U.S. Pat. No. 113,152 (Fellows) discloses a heel mounted spur which can be removably attached by means of a screw mounting on the boot heel or stirrup.
U.S. Pat. No. 116,404 (Bohn) discloses an adjustable heel mounted spur and the method by which the spur is attached to the heel.
U.S. Pat. No. 225,955 (Tytler) consists in a curved bifurcated support for the spur-wheel, having one end slotted to receive the screw by which it is fastened to the boot, and having ridges or serrations for insuring a firm hold on the boot-heel.
U.S. Pat. No. 256,606 (Thomson) consists of a spur having rigid thereon or integral therewith a shoulder which abuts against the heel, and has the face adjacent to the heel smooth, and of such form as to allow it to freely turn on the heel without defacing the exterior of same, a rigid attaching-screw projecting from said shoulder, and a set-screw or pin passing movable through the aforesaid shoulder, and bearing against the heel to prevent the spur from turning and working loose.
U.S. Pat. No. 450,512 (Hutt) shows a means for detachably securing a spur to the heel of a boot or shoe, whereby the spring-catch employed for retaining the spur is exposed at the breast of the heel of the boot or shoe, and is adapted to be operated at such point for releasing the catch, and thereby permitting the spur to be removed.
U.S. Pat. No. 701,854 (Davison) discloses a yoke comprising a single piece of spring metal and provided with a plurality of studs, a riding-spur carried by said yoke; in combination with the heel of a boot or shoe having chambers, exteriorly screw-threaded plugs occupying the outer portions of the chambers and forming sockets to receive said studs, a plunger slidably mounted in each plug and having headed ends, the inner headed end of the plunger extending through the inner end of the plug and occupying the inner portion of the plug-chamber and adapted to abut against said plug to limit the outward movement of the plunger, and a spring in the plug between the inner end of the plug and the outer headed end of the plunger, and adapted, when the studs are removed, to force the plunger outward to close the plug-socket, substantially in the manner set forth.
U.S. Pat. No. 722,046 (Rieger) relates to a fastening device for screws by means of which the drawback (damage to supporting material) is entirely avoided and a firm and secure gripping of the screw is obtained even when the support is made of a material of very little resistance.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,438,978 (Rosen) discloses a boot or shoe for children's wear suggestive, at least to a child, of the boots worn by rough riders or cowboys, having a high cut top and a spur at its heel. The child's boot has a soft spur which, in appearance, simulates the spurs worn by horsemen but which is made of an organic material too soft to cause injury either to the wearer or to objects with which it may come in contact.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,454,228 (Smith) discloses a spur which may be clipped on to a shoe or boot, and by reason of its construction, maintain itself in position on the said shoe or boot.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,642,910 (Carter, Jr. et. al.) discloses a boot provided with a depending rear heel and a rearwardly opening front-to-rear extending blind cavity is defined within the heel. A spur including an elongated shank having first and second end portions is provided and the first end portion of the shank of the spur is releasably latchingly receivable within the cavity defined in the boot. In addition, a decorative button is provided for releasable snap fitting engagement in the rear end of the cavity after the first end portion of the shank of the spur has been removed from the cavity.
U.S. Pat. No. D352,805 (Martin) discloses an ornamental design for a spur attached by insertion into the heel of a riding boot.
German Patent No. 5848 (Bonsack) discloses a traditionally styled western spur which attaches to a boot heel by means of a plurality of screws screwed into the boot heel.
German Patent No. 6549 (Steffen) discloses a heel mounted screw attached spur.
German Patent No. 59076 (Fried) discloses an arrangement for an adjustable spur where said spur attaches to the boot heel at two indentation points at the front end of the heel and secured in place by means of bolt which enters the rear of the heel holding the arrangement firmly in place.
German Patent No. 72313 (Hintze) discloses a spur where said spur attaches to the back of the boot heel by means of a male threaded bolt which passes through and traverses the length of the boot heel and is held firmly in place by a female threaded bolt.
German Patent No. 180197 (Ott) discloses a spur where said spur attaches to the back of the boot heel by means of a solid block bolt which passes through a portion of the boot heel and is held in place by means of a fastener introduced into the boot heel from above and passing through a hole in the block bolt to keep the spur in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,196 (Harrison et al.) shows a further example of an improved spur is shown that attaches a spur directly to a base or retainer built into the footwear, but fails to disclose or teach the inventive combination of the present invention.
None of the prior art shows the inventive system for attaching a boot spur to the boot as claimed herein.