HIGH HEEL SHOE HEEL CONSTRUCTION

Abstract

A heel construction for a high heeled shoe 11 includes a sole plate 10 and a heel pin 12 projecting downwardly from the sole plate. A detachable heel component 16 is fitted to the heel pin and a releasable locking arrangement serves to secure the heel component to the heel pin. The locking arrangement may comprise a threaded region 20 on the pin and engageable by a nut 23 carried in the heel component 16 or may comprise snap fittings 52,57 on the heel pin and within the heel component, to secure the heel component to the heel pin.

Description

This invention relates to a heel construction for a high heel shoe. In particular, but not exclusively, this invention relates to a heel construction which allows the main part of a heel component to be removed from a shoe and replaced by another, for aesthetic or other reasons such as repair.

In this specification, the term “high heel shoe” is intended to refer to any kind of elevated heel arrangement, usually worn by ladies. Though there is no universal definition of the term “high heel shoe” it is generally agreed that a heel height of less than 25 mm (1 inch) is regarded as a low heel shoe, a heel height of between 25 mm and 75 mm (1 inch and 3 inch) is regarded as a mid (or medium) heel shoe and a heel height of greater than 75 mm is regarded as a high heel shoe. However, the term “high heel shoe” as used herein is intended to refer to shoes having heel heights of more than 25 mm—i.e. mid heel and high heel shoes.

It is important that the heel of a high heel shoe is securely and stably attached to the sole of the shoe. This is usually achieved by attaching the upper end of the heel to the sandwich construction of the shoe insole (which is contacted by a wearer's foot) and the shoe out-sole (which contacts the ground), typically by nailing or screwing through the sandwich construction into the upper end of the heel. Particularly in the case of stiletto heeled shoes, it is known to provide an intermediate sole plate of metal or other rigid material between the insole and the outsole, and in this case the shaft of the stiletto heel may be secured to the intermediate sole plate as well, to improve the stability of the heel, in use. A heel component may then be fitted to the shaft to give the heel the required shape and appearance, an appropriate finishing material being applied to the heel component to confer the required aesthetic appearance to the finished shoe.

A wearer of high heel shoes may want to change the appearance of a particularly favoured pair of shoes, to suit different social occasions, purposes or ease of wear. For example, for wear in the daytime, the user may prefer the shoe to have a more stable, thicker heel but for wear in the evening, the user may prefer the shoe to have the appearance of a stiletto high heel shoe. It would therefore be advantageous for the user to be able to substitute one heel design by another, to suit the occasion.

It is a principal aim of this invention to provide a heel construction for a high heel shoe and having a heel component defining the shape of the heel, which allows the substitution of that heel component by another, without necessarily having to employ the services of a shoe maker and thus perhaps changed by a wearer of the shoes.

According to a first aspect of this invention, there is provided heel construction for a high heel shoe comprising a sole plate and a heel pin secured to and projecting from the sole plate, the heel pin having a screw-threaded region extending for at least part of the length of the heel pin, and a heel component having a required external configuration and an elongate hole in which the heel pin is received, the heel component having a transverse slot aligned with a part of the threaded region of the heel pin when located thereon, and a nut rotatably located in the slot and engaged with the threaded region of the heel pin, the nut being configured to permit the turning thereof for tightening the heel component on to the sole plate.

It will be appreciated that with this first aspect of the invention, the heel component may be removed from a shoe using this heel construction by releasing the nut from the screw-threaded region of the heel pin by the rotation of the nut in the appropriate sense, whereafter the heel component may be slid off the heel pin. A similarly configured, but differently profiled, heel component may then be fitted to the heel pin and tightened to the shoe by rotation of the nut in the opposite sense.

To enhance the security of attachment of the heel component to the heel pin, the axial thickness of the nut and the axial width of the slot are preferably such that the nut is a close rotational fit within the slot, to eliminate the likelihood of axial movement of the heel component and so of possible loosening of the nut, when the shoe is in use.

The nut may be of essentially circular form and has an outer periphery profiled to facilitate the turning thereof. For example, the nut may have a serrated, toothed or slotted outer periphery such that the nut may be turned with a finger or an appropriately-configured tool. A segment of the nut may project out of the slot to facilitate the turning thereof, or the nut could be wholly disposed within the external periphery of the heel component, though in this case it would be necessary to use a tool to turn the nut. Further, means, such as one or more tabs, pegs or similar features may be provided to trap the nut in the slot.

Preferably, the slot in the heel component opens through a forwardly-facing surface of the heel component—that is, the surface usually referred to as the heel breast. By providing the threaded region of the heel pin adjacent the sole plate and the slot in the heel component in a corresponding position, the presence of the slot and nut will be relatively obscure.

In the case of a heel pin of circular cross-section, means may be provided to restrain rotation of the heel component about the axis of the heel pin. For example, such means may comprise inter-engaging formations on the sole plate and the heel component, such as a non-circular projection provided on one of the sole plate and heel component and a corresponding non-circular recess on the other of the sole plate and heel component.

According to a second aspect of this invention, having essentially the same functionality as the first aspect but differing in the implementation of the connection of a heel component to a heel pin, there is provided a heel pin having a transverse groove formed therein part way between the ends of the heel pin, the heel component having a transverse slot aligned with the groove of the heel pin when located thereon, and a locking member provided in the slot and releasably engaged with the groove thereby to retain the heel component on the heel pin.

In this aspect of the invention, the threaded region of the heel pin and the nut are eliminated; instead, a locking member is provided in a slot in the heel component and which is engageable with a groove in the heel pin so as to retain the heel component on the pin.

Preferably, the locking member is in the form of a plate slidingly received in the slot in the heel component. Retention means may be provided to hold the locking member in the slot, when fully engaged with the groove in the heel pin. For example, one or more spring clips may be provided on the locking plate and co-acting with the heel component or the clips may be provided on the heel component, to co-act with the locking plate.

Unlike the first aspect of this invention, it is convenient for the slot in the heel component to open through a rearwardly-facing surface of the heel component. As such, an external face of the locking member will be more apparent and so it is preferred for the profile of the external face to match that of the heel component, in the vicinity of the slot.

According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided a heel construction for a high heel shoe comprising a sole plate and a heel pin secured to and projecting from the sole plate, and a heel component having a required external configuration and an elongate hole in which the heel pin is received, there being a socket formed in one of the heel component and the heel pin, and a corresponding engagement member provided on the other of the heel component and the heel pin or on the sole plate, the engagement member being a releasable snap-fit into the socket when the heel component is fully located on the heel pin thereby to hold the heel component on the heel pin.

Preferably, there is provided more than one socket and a corresponding number of engagement members such that an engagement member is received in each socket when the heel component is fully located on the heel pin thereby to hold the heel component on the heel pin. Typically, there may be two such sockets and engagement members, with the engagement members diametrically opposed with respect to the heel pin and acting in a direction generally at right angles to the axis of the heel pin. Conveniently, the or each engagement member is formed as a part of the heel component and the or each socket is provided on a boss upstanding from the sole plate. The boss may be of non-circular shape and be received in a recess formed in a face of the heel component confronting the sole plate; by having the boss of non-circular shape and a complementarily configured recess, inter-fitting of the boss in the recess restrains rotation of the heel component about the axis of the heel pin.

The snap-fitting of the heel component to the heel pin may be enhanced by providing the heel pin with an enlarged cross-section at a position spaced from the sole plate and the elongate hole in the heel component has a shoulder at a position to co-act in a snap-fitting manner with the enlarged cross-section on the side thereof nearer from the sole plate when the heel component is fully located on the heel pin, thereby to assist retention of the heel component on the heel pin. Alternatively, or in addition, an enlarged head is provided at or adjacent the free end of the heel pin and the elongate hole in the heel component has a shoulder at a position to co-act in a snap-fitting manner with the enlarged head when the heel component is fully located on the heel pin thereby to assist retention of the heel component on the heel pin. Yet a further possibility would be to provide one or both of the enlarged cross-section and enlarged head, but not the releasable snap-fit between the socket and engagement member as defined hereinbefore, while still achieving the same functionality of a heel component which may be snap-fitted to the heel pin, to allow interchangeability of the heel component.

According to yet another aspect of this invention, there is provided a heel construction for a high heel shoe comprising a sole plate and a heel pin secured to and projecting from the sole plate, and a two part heel component which when assembled has a required external configuration and defines an elongate hole in which the heel pin is housed, the two parts of the heel component having inter-engageable locking members which serve to hold the parts together, and there being co-operating means on the assembled heel component and the heel pin to resist removal of the assembled heel component from the heel pin.

The two parts of the heel component should be arranged to engage each other in a plane containing the axis of the heel pin. Though the engagement plane could lie transversely to the length of the shoe, it is highly preferred for that engagement plane to lie along the length of the shoe, such that the two heel parts are essentially symmetrical, externally.

The inter-engageable locking members of the two parts of the heel component may comprise a tab projecting from one of the parts and receivable in an opening in the other part. The tab may include a barb feature which engages behind a surface of the other part defining the opening, preferably in a snap-fitting manner, releasable by the application of a sufficient separating force thereto.

In an alternative arrangement, the tab projecting from one of the heel component parts may be engageable with an opening formed in the heel pin. In this case, the other heel component part also may have a tab which is engageable with an opening formed in the heel pin. Said co-operating means comprise a peg on one of a heel component part and the heel pin, the peg being receivable in a recess in the other of the heel component part and the heel pin but the preferred arrangement is for the peg to project from a heel component part and be received in a recess in the heel pin.

In a preferred configuration, respective pegs project from both heel component parts and are received in corresponding recesses in the heel pin. The pegs on the two heel component parts when assembled may be aligned and are received in the same recess in the heel pin but from opposite ends thereof, each peg extending only part way into the recess.

By way of example only, four specific embodiments of heel construction for a high heel shoe (as defined hereinbefore) of this invention will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:—

FIGS. 1 to 4 diagrammatically illustrate the first embodiment of heel construction, wherein FIG. 1 shows the heel component separated from a heel pin; FIG. 2 is a rear view with the heel component separated from the heel pin; FIG. 3 is a cross-section taken on line marked on FIG. 4; and FIG. 4 is an axial section showing the heel component assembled on the heel pin;

FIGS. 5 to 7 diagrammatically illustrate the second embodiment of heel construction, wherein FIG. 5 shows the heel component partially separated from the heel pin and a locking member removed from a slot in the heel component; FIG. 6 is a cross-section taken on line VI-VI marked on FIG. 7; and FIG. 7 is an axial section showing the heel component assembled on the heel pin;

FIGS. 8 to 10 diagrammatically illustrate the third embodiment of heel construction, wherein FIG. 8 shows the two heel component parts separated from the heel pin; FIG. 9 is a three-quarter view of the arrangement of FIG. 8 but from the front of the shoe; and FIG. 10 is an axial section showing the heel component assembled on the heel pin;

FIGS. 11 to 13 diagrammatically illustrate the fourth embodiment of heel construction, wherein FIG. 11 shows the heel component separated from the heel pin; FIG. 12 is a partial view showing the heel pin attached to the sole plate of the shoe; and FIG. 13 shows the recess in the upper face of the heel component;

FIGS. 14 to 16 diagrammatically illustrate a modification of the fourth embodiment of heel construction, FIGS. 14 and 15 showing the configuration of the heel pin from two different viewpoints and FIG. 16 the corresponding heel component;

FIGS. 17A, 17B and 17C show alternative heel pin configurations as alternatives to the heel pin shown in FIGS. 14 and 15;

FIGS. 18 to 20 diagrammatically illustrate alternative arrangements for the heel component of the first embodiment of this invention and configured to retain a nut within a slot in the heel component; and

FIG. 21 diagrammatically illustrates a fifth embodiment of this invention, configured as a high heel wedge shoe.

Referring initially to FIGS. 1 to 4, it can be seen that the first embodiment of heel construction of this invention comprises a sole plate 10 forming a part of a shoe 11 and serving typically as a mid-sole, the sole plate supporting a heel pin 12 to project downwardly therefrom. The upper end of the heel pin is threaded and is provided with a mounting plate 13 of semi-circular shape and having a boss 14 which has a threaded bore, the heel pin 12 being threadingly engaged with the boss so as to be supported thereby. The mounting plate 13 may be secured to the sole plate by way of a welding operation, such as by a laser welding process, so as to be permanently secured thereto.

The heel construction further comprises a heel component 16 having a required external profile. In this embodiment, the heel component is shown as having a relatively solid form, but other heel component configurations may be employed, such as a more slender profile, or a profile having a greater cross-section area. Further, the cross-sectional shape of the heel component may reduce in the downward direction, as shown in the drawings. The heel component has an elongate hole 17 for receiving the heel pin 12, that hole being in the form of a parallel bore within which the heel pin 12 is a snug sliding fit.

The top face 18 of the heel component 16 is provided with a recess 19 the shape of which corresponds to that of the mounting plate 13 such that the mounting plate may be received wholly therewithin. The hole 17 is counter-bored as best seen in FIG. 4, so as to accommodate the threaded region 20 of the heel pin 12, which threaded region has a greater diameter than the remainder of the heel pin 12. A slot 21 is formed in the heel breast 22 and a nut 23 is located in that slot, for engagement with the threaded region 20 of the heel pin 12. A sector of the nut projects slightly from the heel breast as best seen in FIG. 3 such that the threaded bore of the nut is aligned with the hole 17 in the heel component 16. A pair of resilient tabs 24 are disposed one to each side of the slot to retain the nut therein, while allowing the nut to be snapped into the slot during initial assembly. The outer periphery of the nut may be profiled to facilitate the manual turning thereof.

It will be appreciated that the heel component may be fitted to the heel pin by sliding the component on to the heel pin until the lower end of the threaded region engages the top face of the nut, whereafter the nut may be rotated in the appropriate sense to move the heel component along the length of the heel pin until the top face 18 of the heel component engages and is tightened against the sole plate 10 of the shoe. Similarly, by rotating the nut in the opposite sense, the heel component may be removed from the shoe and replaced by another having a different configuration.

When the heel component 16 is tightened against the sole plate 10 by appropriate rotation of the nut 23, the mounting plate 13 fits closely into the recess 19 and by virtue of the semi-circular profile of the mounting plate and the recess, rotational movement of the heel component about the axis of the heel pin 12 is prevented. In this way, the heel component is securely attached to the shoe, allowing normal wear by a user.

FIGS. 5 to 7 show an alternative heel construction which allows user replacement of one heel component by another. Like parts with those of the first embodiment described above will be given like reference characters and will not be described again.

In this second embodiment, the heel pin 26 has a relatively short threaded region (not shown) to allow inter-engagement with the boss 14 of the mounting plate 13, but the heel pin beyond the boss 14 is plain, with a region 27 of increased diameter, adjacent the boss 14. A transverse groove 28 is formed in that region 27, for receiving a locking plate 29 provided within a slot 30 formed in the heel component 31. As best seen in FIG. 7, that slot 30 lies at an angle to a radial plane of the heel pin 26, the groove 28 being correspondingly angled to allow full reception of an edge of the locking plate in the groove when the heel component has been pressed into engagement with the sole plate 10 of the shoe. In this relative disposition, the heel component 31 is prevented from rotating with respect to the heel pin, as has been described above with reference to the first embodiment.

The locking plate 29 is provided with two spring clips 32 each projecting forwardly from edge 33 of the locking plate, and each having a barbed free end 34. The heel component is correspondingly profiled with two apertures 35 for receiving the spring clips 32, each aperture having a shoulder 36 behind which the barbed free end of a spring clip may engage, to hold the locking plate 29 in the slot 30. As shown in FIG. 6, a slit 37 is formed in the locking plate adjacent each spring clip 32, such that pressure may be applied to the edges of the locking plate as shown by arrows 38 thereby to release the clips 32 from the respective shoulders 36 and allow removal of the plate from the slot 30.

Though in FIG. 7 the locking plate 29 is shown as projecting rearwardly from the rear part of the heel component 31, the locking plate could be appropriately profiled so as to blend with the external profile of the heel component. In this way, risk of accidentally catching the locking plate for example on a step may be obviated and moreover the external surface of the locking plate could appear as a decorative feature for the heel component, for instance by appropriate colouring thereof.

FIGS. 8 to 10 show a third embodiment wherein the heel component 40 is formed from two externally symmetrical parts 41,42 which connect together about a vertical plane containing the heel pin 43 and extending along the length of the shoe. In this embodiment, the heel pin 43 is of rectangular cross-sectional shape and is directly welded or otherwise secured to the shoe sole plate 10, without use of a mounting plate and boss as with the first two embodiments, though such a construction could be employed. If so, the upper ends of the two heel component parts 41,42 would have to be provided with appropriately configured recesses to accommodate the mounting plate and boss.

Each heel component part 41,42 defines a channel 44 of rectangular cross-sectional shape such that when the two parts are fitted together, there is formed an elongate hole for housing the heel pin 43. The channels should be appropriately profiled such that the heel pin is a close fit to the walls of the channel in order to give a secure connection between the assembled-together heel components parts 41,42 and the heel pin 43. Provided in each channel 44 are two pegs 45 of cylindrical cross-sectional shape and which are received in corresponding bores 46 in the heel pin 43, each peg extending for only one half of the thickness of the heel pin. The pegs of the opposed heel component parts are axially aligned when the two parts are assembled together such that the opposed pegs are received in the same bore.

The two heel component parts 41,42 are held together with the heel pin housed in the hole defined by the channels 44 by means of a tab 47 projecting from heel part 41 and received in a slot 48 formed in heel part 42. The tab 47 has a barb 49 at its free end, which is received behind an internal face of heel part 42 and defining an edge of the slot 48, such that the two heel parts may be snap-fitted together. However the security of the snap-fitting may be such that a sufficient separating force applied to the two heel parts allows the separation of the two parts and thus the removal of those parts from the heel pin 43, to allow the replacement of those two heel parts by others perhaps of different configuration or different decoration.

As shown in the drawings, the stability and alignment of the two heel parts are maintained by providing dowel pins 50 projecting from the four corner regions of heel part 42 and received in corresponding sockets in the other heel part 41, when the two heel parts are assembled together around the heel pin 43.

In this third embodiment, the rectangular cross-section of the heel pin 43 and the rectangular channels 44 obviate the need to provide a separate configuration on the heel component and sole plate, to prevent relative rotation between the assembled heel component and the heel pin, and thus in turn the shoe itself.

The fourth embodiment is shown in FIGS. 11 to 13. The arrangement of the sole plate, mounting plate, boss and heel pin is similar to that of the second embodiment (FIGS. 5 to 7), except that no transverse groove is provided in the upper region of the heel pin. Instead, the peripheral edge of the mounting plate 51 is provided with a pair of opposed sockets 52 of generally semi-spherical form. Further, adjacent the lower end of the heel pin 53 there is provided an annular rib 54 for a purpose to be described below.

The heel component 55 has essentially the same external profile as that of the first and second embodiments and includes a recess 56 to accommodate the mounting plate 51 in a closely fitting manner, so as to prevent rotation of the heel component about the heel pin 53. A pair of spring catches 57 is provided within the recess 56 in opposition to one another, for engagement with the sockets 52, thereby to allow the heel component 55 to be snap-fitted to the mounting plate and be retained on the heel pin 53. Further, the elongate hole 58 is profiled to accommodate the region 59 of increased diameter at the upper end of the heel pin 53 and to be a close sliding fit on the main part of the heel pin, between the region 59 and the free end 60 thereof. Within that hole, there is formed an annular groove adjacent the blind end of the hole, into which the rib 54 may be received in a snap-fitting manner when the heel component 55 is pressed hard against the sole plate 10. In this way, the heel component may be securely retained on the heel pin and held against rotation but may be released from the shoe by applying a sufficiently large force to the heel component in the axial direction of the heel pin, away from the shoe.

Referring now to FIGS. 14 to 16, there is shown an alternative arrangement for the heel pin of the fourth embodiment, described with reference to FIGS. 11 to 13. In this alternative arrangement, there is a heel pin 62 of circular cross-sectional shape but provided with a head 63 of generally rectangular cross-section, immediately adjacent the sole plate 10 of the shoe. The head 63 carries opposed pairs of spring-loaded plungers 64 within housings 65, the plungers having a generally spherical outer end. Conveniently, the plungers could be in the form of steel balls. The heel component 66 (FIG. 16) is provided with a parallel bore to receive the heel pin 62, as in the fourth embodiment, but at the upper end of that bore there is a recess 67 of a corresponding shape to the head 63 and housing 65, and receptors 68 appropriately located to receive the plungers 64 when the heel component has been fully received on the pin 62. The configuration should be such that the profile of the plungers urges the heel component 66 on to the sole plate 10, when the heel component has been fully received on the pin, thereby resisting removal of the heel component from the shoe.

FIG. 17A shows another heel pin 70 similar to that of FIGS. 14 and 15, but tapering along its length towards its lower end and provided with a plurality of opposed housings 65, each having a spring-loaded plunger 64, as described above. The heel component (not shown) for use with this heel pin 70 is appropriately configured to receive the heel pin and thus has slots along the length of the bore in the heel component to receive the housings 65 and at the appropriate spacing along those slots there are receptors for receiving the plungers.

FIGS. 17B and 17C show two further heel pins 71 and 72 which may be used with appropriately configured heel components, instead of the heel pin of FIGS. 14 and 15. The heel pin 71 of FIG. 17B has a more rounded head 73 and is provided with only one pair of opposed housings 65 accommodating spring-loaded plungers 64. The heel pin tapers along its length towards its lower end, as shown, and has an axial bore 74 in the head to facilitate attachment to a shoe sole plate. The heel pin 72 of FIG. 17C is similar to that of FIG. 17B but the head 75 and the pin itself are formed as separate items which are joined together. This may be achieved by way of a screw-threaded connection, welding or other suitable process. As with the heel pin 71, the head 75 is somewhat rounded and provided with only one pair of spring-loaded plungers in opposed housings. Further, the head includes an upstanding rib 76 which engages a corresponding groove in the shoe sole plate, in order to resist rotation of the heel pin. These heel pins may be tapered as shown in FIGS. 17A, 17B and 17C or could be of uniform cross-sectional shape below the head, as shown in FIG. 14.

FIGS. 18 to 20 show modifications to the heel component 16 of the first embodiment, arranged to retain the nut 23 of that first embodiment in the slot 21 of the heel component. FIG. 18 shows a nut 78 having an annular groove 79 in its upper face, and a pin 80 which is received in a bore (not shown) in the heel component, to engage with the annual groove 79 when the nut is in the proper alignment with the bore in the heel component for receiving the heel pin 12. The pin 80 thus allows the nut to be freely rotated about the axis of the heel pin but when the heel component is removed from the heel pin, the nut is held captive.

FIG. 19 shows another heel component which retains the nut 81 captive, when the heel component is removed from a heel pin. In this embodiment, the heel component is provided with a recess 84 of part-circular form but of greater than 180° of arc and coaxial with the bore for receiving the heel pin. The nut 81 is axially fitted into the recess 84 and is held in position by a locking member 85 having an upper surface 86 profiled to match that of the heel component. An in-fill 87 fits against the locking member 85 and has a front face 88 matching the heel breast 89 of the heel component. Conveniently, the locking member and the in-fill are secured in position by gluing, so preventing the nut 23 being separated from the heel component.

FIG. 20 shows yet another heel component arranged to retain the nut 23 in the slot 21 thereof. In this modification, the heel component and slot are essentially the same as that shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, but a front plate 90 is fitted to the heel breast and matches the profile thereof, that plate 90 having an aperture 91 through which the peripheral edge of the nut projects. The plate 90 may be secured in position with an adhesive or could be snap-fitted in position by providing co-operating lugs and recesses on the plate and slot 21.

The second embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 7 shows a heel component in the form of a block heel and having a locking arrangement including a locking plate 29 inserted into a slot from the rear of the heel component. FIG. 21 shows a modification of that arrangement where the block heel component takes the form of a wedge heel 93 which also includes a slot 94 for receiving a locking plate 95 for co-operating with a groove on the heel pin, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7. In this way, the character of the shoe of FIGS. 5 to 7 may easily be changed so as to be a wedge shoe as shown in FIG. 21.

All of the above embodiments of this invention allow the fitting of a heel component to a shoe heel pin in a secure and reliable manner but allow removal of that heel component from the shoe for replacement by another, perhaps for purely aesthetic reasons or in the event that the heel component has become damaged. Though not shown in the drawings, each heel component may be provided with wearing surface at the lower end thereof in a manner well known in the art and which does not form a part of this invention and so which will not be described in further detail here.

Claims

1. A heel construction for a high heel shoe comprising a sole plate and a heel pin secured to and projecting from the sole plate, the heel pin having a screw-threaded region extending for at least part of the length of the heel pin, and a heel component having a required external configuration and an elongate hole in which the heel pin is received, the heel component having a transverse slot aligned with a part of the threaded region of the heel pin when located thereon, and a nut rotatably located in the slot and engaged with the threaded region of the heel pin, the nut being configured to permit the turning thereof for tightening the heel component on to the sole plate.

2. A heel construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein the axial thickness of the nut and the axial width of the slot are such that the nut is a close rotational fit within the slot.

3. A heel construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein the nut is of essentially circular form and has an outer periphery profiled to facilitate the turning thereof.

4. A heel construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein a segment of the nut projects out of the slot to facilitate the turning thereof, and wherein means are provided to retain the nut in the slot.

5. (canceled)

6. A heel construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein the slot in the heel component opens through a forwardly-facing surface of the heel component.

7. A heel construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein the threaded region of the heel pin extends from adjacent the sole plate for a part of the length of the heel pin.

8. A heel construction as claimed in claim 1, wherein non-threaded part of the heel pin is of circular cross-section and means are provided to restrain rotation of the heel component about the axis of the heel pin.

9. A heel construction as claimed in claim 8, wherein said means comprise inter-engaging formations on the sole plate and the heel component.

10. A heel construction as claimed in claim 9, wherein said inter-engaging formations comprise a non-circular projection provided on one of the sole plate and heel component and a corresponding non-circular recess on the other of the sole plate and heel component.

11. A heel construction as claimed in claim 10, wherein the non-circular projection is provided on the sole plate and the non-circular recess is formed in a face of the heel component confronting the sole plate.

12. A heel construction for a high heel shoe comprising a sole plate and a heel pin secured to and projecting from the sole plate, the heel pin having a transverse groove formed therein part way between the ends of the heel pin, and a heel component having a required external configuration and an elongate hole in which the heel pin is received, the heel component having a transverse slot aligned with the groove of the heel pin when located thereon, and a locking member provided in the slot and releasably engaged with the groove thereby to retain the heel component on the heel pin.

13. A heel construction as claimed in claim 12, wherein retention means are provided to hold the locking member in the slot, when fully engaged with the groove in the heel pin, wherein the locking member is in the form of a plate slidingly received in the slot in the heel component wherein the retention means comprise at least one spring clip provided on one of the locking plate and heel component and co-acting with the other of the locking plate and heel component, wherein the slot in the heel component opens through a rearwardly-facing surface of the heel component, and wherein the locking member has an external face which is exposed when the locking member is in the slot in the heel component, and the profile of said external face matches that of the heel component in the vicinity of the slot.

14. (canceled)

15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

18. A heel construction for a high heel shoe comprising a sole plate and a heel pin secured to and projecting from the sole plate, and a heel component having a required external configuration and an elongate hole in which the heel pin is received, there being at least one socket formed in one of the heel component and the heel pin, and a corresponding number of engagement members as sockets, the or each engagement member provided on the other of the heel component and the heel pin or on the sole plate, the or each engagement member being a releasable snap-fit into the at least one socket when the heel component is fully located on the heel pin thereby to hold the heel component on the heel pin.

19. (canceled)

20. A heel construction as claimed in claim 18, wherein the or each engagement member co-acts with its corresponding socket in a direction generally at right angles to the axis of the heel pin, and wherein the or each engagement member is formed as a part of the heel component and the or each at least one socket is provided on the heel pin or on the sole plate.

21. (canceled)

22. A heel construction as claimed in claim 21, wherein the at least one socket is provided on a boss upstanding from the sole plate, wherein the boss is received in a recess formed in a face of the heel component confronting the sole plate, and the or each engagement member is provided in the recess and wherein the boss is non-circular and configuration of the recess is complementary to that of the boss whereby the inter-fitting of the boss in the recess restrains rotation of the heel component about the axis of the heel pin.

23. (canceled)

24. (canceled)

25. A heel construction as claimed in claim 18, wherein the heel pin has an enlarged cross-section at a position spaced from the sole plate and the elongate hole in the heel component has a shoulder at a position to co-act with the enlarged cross-section on the side thereof nearer to the sole plate when the heel component is fully located on the heel pin, thereby to assist retention of the heel component on the heel pin.

26. A heel construction as claimed in claim 18, wherein an enlarged head is provided at or adjacent the free end of the heel pin and the elongate hole in the heel component has a shoulder at a position to co-act with the enlarged head when the heel component is fully located on the heel pin thereby to assist retention of the heel component on the heel pin.

27. A heel construction as claimed in claim 24, wherein the interaction of the enlarged section or enlarged head and the shoulder or shoulders of the elongate hole are configured to be snap-fitting.

28. A heel construction as claimed in claim 18, wherein the heel component is a two part heel component which when assembled has the required external configuration and defines the elongate hole in which the heel pin is housed, the two parts of the heel component having inter-engageable locking members which serve to hold the parts together, and there being co-operating means on the assembled heel component and the heel pin to resist removal of the assembled heel component from the heel pin.

29. A heel construction as claimed in claim 28, wherein the inter-engageable locking members of the two parts of the heel component comprise a tab projecting from one of the parts and receivable in an opening in the other part, wherein the tab projecting from one of the parts includes a barb feature which engages behind a surface of the other part defining the opening, wherein the inter-engageable locking members are in the form of snap-fitting members releasable by the application of a sufficient separating force thereto, and wherein said co-operating means comprise a peg on one of a heel component part and the heel pin, the peg being receivable in a recess in the other of the heel component part and the heel pin.

30. (canceled)

31. (canceled)

32. (canceled)