Shoe Gongs
Anthony Faranda of Yonkers, NY worried that children didn't like wearing rubber-soled shoes because they made no noise when walking on a pavement. So, he invented a shoe gong. Or, as he called it, a "footwear actuated noise maker." He patented it in 1957.
It was a disc and clapper that could be worn over shoes. He explained: "The arrangement is such that upon normal walking steps or running strides the clapper is activated to make noise and thereby promote the interest of children in wearing shoes with soles that do not make an audible sound in engaging firm or rigid surfaces."
Maybe kids would have liked these, but not, I imagine, their parents.
He assigned the patent to the NY advertising agency McCann-Erickson. It's unclear what plans they might have had for these things.
It was a disc and clapper that could be worn over shoes. He explained: "The arrangement is such that upon normal walking steps or running strides the clapper is activated to make noise and thereby promote the interest of children in wearing shoes with soles that do not make an audible sound in engaging firm or rigid surfaces."
Maybe kids would have liked these, but not, I imagine, their parents.
He assigned the patent to the NY advertising agency McCann-Erickson. It's unclear what plans they might have had for these things.
Comments
Faranda was likely an employee of the ad agency and therefore had an agreement to assign any patents to them. I've had that restriction at times.
Posted by Virtual in Carnate on 02/16/20 at 12:18 PM
@Virtual: Inventions created by employees of a company are often considered “works for hire” and therefore the property of the company. In some cases this can include works created on an employee’s own time.
If you plan to invent, publish or record anything, check your employer’s policies on such matters beforehand.
If you plan to invent, publish or record anything, check your employer’s policies on such matters beforehand.
Posted by Brian on 02/16/20 at 09:26 PM
Commenting is not available in this channel entry.
Category: Inventions | Patents | Shoes | 1950s