Traction device

Abstract

A traction device for a boot has a felt platform with a toe section and a heel section, and a heel extension attached to the heel section. Cording passes through two pairs of passages in the toe section and in the heel extension, passing from a toe section passage to a heel extension passage to form a side stringer on each side; the cords extending forward from the heel extension pass through loops on the side stringers and are then cinched to tighten the cording against the boot. To better wrap the device about the boot, the toe section passages can be positioned on ear extensions that protrude from a body of the felt platform. Wing extensions protruding from the heel extension can be provided, with heel extension passages through which the cording passes to aid in wrapping the heel extension about the boot.

1 . A traction device for a boot having a sole section and an upper section, the sole section having an arch region and being bounded by an inner edge and an outer edge and the upper section having a toe region, an instep region, and a heel region, the traction device comprising: 
 a felt platform terminating in a toe section and a heel section, said felt platform being configured such that the sole section of the boot will substantially reside on said felt platform, 
 said toe section having a first pair and a second pair of toe section passages therethrough, each of said pairs of passages being spaced apart such that the toe region of the boot will substantially reside between each of said pairs of passages;  
   a heel extension attached to said heel section of said felt platform and extending a sufficient distance that said heel extension can be folded so as to bring said heel extension in contact with the heel region of the upper section of the boot, 
 said heel extension having a heel extension body with a first pair and a second pair of heel extension passages, said heel extension passages of each pair being spaced apart such that the heel region of the boot will substantially reside between each of said pair of heel extension passages, and  
 said heel extension having a pair of wing extensions attached to and protruding from said heel extension body, each of said wing extensions having a wing extension passage therethrough;  
   cording sized to be threaded through said toe section passages and said heel extension passages, said cording, when so threaded, creating a toe lashing in combination with said toe section of said felt platform, and forming a heel sling in combination with said heel extension, 
 said cording, when threaded through said passages, providing a pair of substantially parallel cord segments forming side stringers that each extend between one of said toe section passages and one of said heel extension passages while said side stringers each pass through one of said wing extension passages, said cord further having a pair of cord extension segments which extend said cording beyond said heel extension passages, each of said side stringers having a loop formed thereon which, in service, resides beside the instep region of the boot, a portion of one of said cord extension segments passing through each of said loops; and  
   means for cinching said cord extension segments between said loops about a portion of the boot, thereby providing a downward pressure on the boot so as to draw said felt platform into intimate contact with the sole of the boot.    
   
   
       2 . The traction device of  claim 1  wherein said toe section of said felt platform further comprises: 
 ear extensions protruding from each side of said toe section which serve as outriggers to said toe section of said felt platform, said toe section passages residing in said ear extensions.    
   
   
       3 . The traction device of  claim 2  further comprising: 
 a eyelet in each of said toe section passages and each of said heel extension passages.    
   
   
       4 . The traction device of  claim 3  wherein said felt platform has a thickness T of between about ⅛″ and ½″.  
   
   
       5 . The traction device of  claim 4  wherein said heel section and said heel extension have a central heel-and-heel-extension axis and said toe section has a central toe section axis which is inclined with respect to said heel-and-heel-extension axis by an angle Φ measuring about 5°, such inclination serving to cant said toe section toward the inner edge of the sole section of the boot.  
   
   
       6 . The traction device of  claim 1  wherein said felt platform and said heel extension are formed as an integral felt piece.  
   
   
       7 . A felt piece for forming a traction device for a boot when secured to the boot by cording, the boot having a sole section with an arch region and being bounded by an inner edge and an outer edge, and having an upper section with a toe region, an instep region, and a heel region, the felt piece comprising: 
 a felt platform terminating in a toe section and a heel section, said felt platform being configured such that the sole section of the boot will substantially reside on said felt platform;    a first pair of toe section passages through said toe section of said felt platform, said first pair of toe section passages being spaced apart such that the toe region of the boot can substantially reside therebetween;    a second pair of toe section passages through said toe section of said felt platform, said second pair of toe section passages being spaced apart such that the toe region of the boot can substantially reside therebetween, 
 said toe section passages being sized to allow passing the cording therethrough to allow the cording, in combination with said toe section, to form a toe lashing for securely engaging the toe region of the boot;  
   a heel extension attached to said heel section of said felt platform and extending a sufficient distance that said heel extension can be folded so as to bring said heel extension in contact with the heel region of the upper section of the boot;    a first pair of heel extension passages through said heel extension, said first pair of heel extension passages being spaced apart such that the heel region of the boot can substantially reside therebetween;    a second pair of heel extension passages through said heel extension, said second pair of heel extension passages being spaced apart such that the heel region of the boot can substantially reside therebetween, 
 said heel extension passages being sized to allow passing the cording therethrough to allow the cording, in combination with said heel extension, to form a heel sling for securely engaging the heel region of the boot.  
   
   
   
       8 . The felt piece of  claim 7  wherein said toe section of said felt platform further comprises: 
 ear extensions protruding from each side of said toe section which serve as outriggers to said toe section of said felt platform, said toe section passages residing in said ear extensions.    
   
   
       9 . The felt piece of  claim 8  wherein said heel extension further comprises: 
 a heel extension body in which said first and second pairs of heel extension passages are located; and    a pair of wing extensions that protrude from said heel extension body, each of said wing extensions having a wing extension passage therethrough sized to allow passing the cording through said wing extension passages.    
   
   
       10 . The felt piece of  claim 9  further comprising: 
 a eyelet in each of said toe section passages, said heel extension passages, and said wing extension passages.    
   
   
       11 . The felt piece of  claim 10  wherein said felt platform has a thickness T of between about ⅛″ and ½″.  
   
   
       12 . The felt piece of  claim 11  wherein said heel section of said felt platform and said heel extension have a central heel-and-heel-extension axis and said toe section of said felt platform has a central toe section axis which is inclined with respect to said heel-and-heel-extension axis by an angle Φ measuring about 5°, such inclination serving to cant said toe section toward the inner edge of the sole section of the boot.