Link shoelace replacement

Abstract

A shoe link for maintaining opposite sides of an upper portion of a shoe having opposite openings therethrough in a chosen spaced relationship comprises: a first lateral member having opposite end portions each of which is adapted to extend through and be held in one of the opposite openings in the top portion of the shoe and having an arched central portion which extends over a foot in the shoe. A method of using the shoe link to facilitate convenient insertion and removal comprising the steps of: removing the shoelace extending between and through openings in opposite sides of the upper portions of the shoe; providing a shoe link having a first lateral member having opposite ends each of which is adapted to extend through and be held in one of the opposite openings in the top portion of the shoe and having an arched central portion which extends over a foot in the shoe; and, securing the opposite ends of the shoe link between and through the openings in the opposite sides of the upper portion of the shoe.

I claim:  
     
         1 ) A shoe link for maintaining opposite sides of an upper portion of a shoe having opposite openings therethrough in a chosen spaced relationship comprising: 
 a first lateral member having opposite end portions each of which is adapted to extend through and be held in one of the opposite openings in the top portion of the shoe and having an arched central portion which extends over a foot in the shoe;    so that convenient mounting and removal of the shoe on the foot is facilitated.    
     
     
         2 ) A shoe link as in  claim 1  wherein opposite end portions of the first lateral member are removably secured in position in the openings of the top portion of shoe the by screws and nuts.  
     
     
         3 ) A shoe link as in  claim 2  wherein the lateral member is made of anodized aluminum.  
     
     
         4 ) A shoe link as in  claim 2  wherein the openings in the shoe have a generally upright axis and wherein the opposite ends of the lateral member are adapted to lie beneath the top portion of the shoe and wherein the shoe link further comprises two screws each attached to opposite end portions of said lateral member and each extending up through the openings in the top portion of the shoe along the axis and wherein the shoe link further comprises two nuts adapted to mate with the screws.  
     
     
         5 ) A shoe link as in  claim 4  further comprising an ornament which is attached to a top portion of the nut.  
     
     
         6 ) A shoe link as in  claim 5  wherein the ornament has a skull shape.  
     
     
         7 ) A shoe link as in  claim 2  wherein the openings in the shoe have a generally upright axis and wherein the opposite ends of the lateral member are adapted to lie on and above the top portion of the shoe and wherein each end portion has an upright internally threaded opening therein and wherein the shoe link further comprises two threaded bolts adapted to be received in opposite end portions of said lateral member so that the bolts can be inserted up through the openings where they can be received in the opposite end portions of the lateral member.  
     
     
         8 ) A shoe link as in  claim 2  wherein the openings in the shoe have an axis which is generally planar with an interior edge portion of one of the opposite sides of the upper portion of the shoe and wherein the link further comprises a second lateral member having opposite ends which are adapted to extend through one of the openings and attach to the first similarly shaped lateral member.  
     
     
         9 ) A shoe link as in  claim 8  further comprising a bolt used to attach end portions of the first and second similarly shaped lateral members together.  
     
     
         10 ) A method of maintaining a laced shoe in a semi-closed position to facilitate convenient insertion and removal comprising the steps of: 
 removing the shoelace extending between and through openings in opposite sides of the upper portions of the shoe;    providing a shoe link having a first lateral member having opposite ends each of which is adapted to extend through and be held in one of the opposite openings in the top portion of the shoe and having an arched central portion which extends over a foot in the shoe; and,    securing the opposite ends of the shoe link between and through the openings in the opposite sides of the upper portion of the shoe;    so that convenient mounting and removal of the shoe on the foot is facilitated.    
     
     
         11 ) A method as in  claim 11  wherein opposite end portions of the first lateral member are removably secured in position in the openings of the top portion of shoe by screws.  
     
     
         12 ) A method as in  claim 11  wherein the lateral member is made of anodized aluminum.  
     
     
         13 ) A method as in  claim 11  wherein the openings in the shoe have a generally upright axis and wherein the opposite ends of the lateral member are adapted to lie beneath the top portion of the shoe and wherein the shoe link further comprises two threaded studs each attached to opposite end portions of said lateral member and each extending up through the openings in the top portion of the shoe along the axis and wherein the shoe link further comprises a nut adapted to mate with the stud.  
     
     
         14 ) A method as in  claim 13  further comprising an ornament which is attached to a top portion of the nut.  
     
     
         15 ) A method as in  claim 14  wherein the ornament has a skull shape.  
     
     
         16 ) A method as in  claim 17  wherein the openings in the shoe have a generally upright axis and wherein the opposite ends of the lateral member are adapted to lie on and above the top portion of the shoe and wherein each end portion has an upright internally threaded opening therein and wherein the shoe link further comprises two threaded bolts adapted to be received in opposite end portions of said lateral member so that the bolts can be inserted up through the openings where they can be received in the opposite end portions of the lateral member.  
     
     
         17 ) A method as in  claim 11  wherein the openings in the shoe have an axis which is generally planar with an interior edge portion of one of the opposite sides of the upper portion of the shoe and wherein the link further comprises a second lateral member having opposite ends which are adapted to extend through one of the openings and attach to the first similarly shaped lateral member.  
     
     
         18 ) A method as in  claim 17  further comprising a bolt used to attach end portions of the first and second similarly shaped lateral members together.