Heel for a shoe

Abstract

The invention provides a heel ( 1 ) for a shoe ( 2 ) including a butt-end ( 3 ) securable to a shoe and a base ( 7 ) providing a heel tip ( 8 ) at its free end. The base is movable in relation to the butt-end, with the base and butt-end connected through telescopic components ( 9 ). A cooperating sleeve ( 11 ) within the heel is provided with a keyway profiled to fit over a key ( 14 ) on the end of a pin ( 12 ) when the keyway and key are aligned. The sleeve and pin are configured to hold the heel in a retracted condition when the pin is in the sleeve and to hold the heel in an extended condition when the pin is withdrawn from the sleeve. The invention further provides a mechanism to rotate the pin with its key and the sleeve with its keyway, into alignment to enable movement of the heel between the retracted and extended conditions.

1 . A heel for a shoe, comprising:
 a butt-end securable to a shoe; and   a base providing a heel tip at its free end, the base movable in relation to the butt-end, with the base and butt-end connected through telescopic components, a cooperating sleeve and pin mounted coaxially within the heel, the sleeve having a keyway profiled to fit over a key on the end of the pin when the keyway and key are aligned and the sleeve and pin configured to hold the heel in a retracted condition when the pin is in the sleeve and to hold the heel in an extended condition when the pin is withdrawn from the sleeve, and a mechanism to rotate the pin with its key and the sleeve with its keyway, into alignment to enable movement of the heel between the retracted and extended conditions.   
     
     
         2 . The heel of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one spring between the base and butt-end to bias the heel into the extended condition. 
     
     
         3 . The heel of  claim 2 , wherein the spring is a coil spring guided within the heel. 
     
     
         4 . The heel of  claim 1 , wherein the mechanism includes a spring to bias the passage of the sleeve and the key of the pin out of alignment. 
     
     
         5 . The heel of  claim 4 , wherein the mechanism further includes an operating lever with a torsion spring, extending laterally from the pin or sleeve. 
     
     
         6 . The heel of  claim 4 , wherein the mechanism includes an operating rack with a coil spring, which engages a pinion connected to the pin or sleeve. 
     
     
         7 . The heel of  claim 1 , further comprising a first telescopic component to extend from the butt-end and a second telescopic component to extend from the base, with a third telescopic component received slidably within the first component and extending slidably over the second component. 
     
     
         8 . The heel of  claim 1 , wherein the tip of the heel is configured to engage the ground with the heel in the retracted condition and in the extended condition. 
     
     
         9 . The heel of  claim 8 , wherein the tip is provided with a curved round engaging surface. 
     
     
         10 . The heel of  claim 8 , wherein the tip is provided with first and second ground engaging surfaces which are provided on the tip at a suitable angle in relation to each other. 
     
     
         11 . A shoe, comprising:
 a heel comprising:
 a butt-end securable to a shoe; and 
 a base providing a heel tip at its free end, the base movable in relation to the butt-end, with the base and butt-end connected through telescopic components, a cooperating sleeve and pin mounted coaxially within the heel, the sleeve having a keyway profiled to fit over a key on the end of the pin when the keyway and key are aligned and the sleeve and pin configured to hold the heel in a retracted condition when the pin is in the sleeve and to hold the heel in an extended condition when the pin is withdrawn from the sleeve, and a mechanism to rotate the pin with its key and the sleeve with its keyway, into alignment to enable movement of the heel between the retracted and extended conditions. 
   
     
     
         12 . The shoe of  claim 11 , further comprising at least one spring between the base and butt-end to bias the heel into the extended condition. 
     
     
         13 . The shoe of  claim 13 , wherein the spring is a coil spring guided within the heel. 
     
     
         14 . The shoe of  claim 11 , wherein the mechanism includes a spring to bias the passage of the sleeve and the key of the pin out of alignment. 
     
     
         15 . The shoe of  claim 14 , wherein the mechanism further includes an operating lever with a torsion spring, extending laterally from the pin or sleeve. 
     
     
         16 . The shoe of  claim 14 , wherein the mechanism includes an operating rack with a coil spring, which engages a pinion connected to the pin or sleeve. 
     
     
         17 . The shoe of  claim 11 , further comprising a first telescopic component to extend from the butt-end and a second telescopic component to extend from the base, with a third telescopic component received slidably within the first component and extending slidably over the second component. 
     
     
         18 . The shoe of  claim 11 , wherein the tip of the heel is configured to engage the ground with the heel in the retracted condition and in the extended condition. 
     
     
         19 . The shoe of  claim 18 , wherein the tip is provided or with first and second ground engaging surfaces which are provided on the tip at a suitable angle in relation to each other. 
     
     
         20 . A heel for a shoe, comprising:
 a butt-end securable to a shoe; and   a base providing a heel tip at its free end, the base movable in relation to the butt-end, with the base and butt-end connected through telescopic components, a cooperating sleeve and pin mounted coaxially within the heel, the sleeve having a keyway profiled to fit over a key on the end of the pin when the keyway and key are aligned and the sleeve and pin configured to hold the heel in a retracted condition when the pin is in the sleeve and to hold the heel in an extended condition when the pin is withdrawn from the sleeve, and a mechanism to rotate the pin with its key and the sleeve with its keyway, into alignment to enable movement of the heel between the retracted and extended conditions, at least one spring between the base and butt-end to bias the heel into the extended condition, a first telescopic component to extend from the butt-end and a second telescopic component to extend from the base, with a third telescopic component received slidably within the first component and extending slidably over the second component, the tip of the heel being configured to engage the ground with the heel in the retracted condition and in the extended condition, the tip having first and second ground engaging surfaces which are provided on the tip at a suitable angle in relation to each other.