GOLF SHOE MOUNTING BRUSH AND SCRAPER ATTACHMENT AND METHOD OF MOUNTING SAME

Abstract

A golf shoe-mountable golf club head face cleaning system includes an arm attachment and a cleaning attachment. The arm attachment includes a base plate and a rigid arm. The base plate has a substantially round central aperture and a concentric annular bevelled or annular cut out extending completely around the aperture so as to define an annular base rim. The channel is sized so that the rim may be a wedge clamped between a single Softspike™ cleat and the sole of the shoe. The rigid arm is a cantilevered rigid arm mounted to, so as to extend cantilevered from, the base plate at an upwardly inclined angle relative to the base plate. A cleaning attachment having an operative side including at least one of: a brush, a scraper, a golf tee carrier is adapted for releasable mounting on the releasable mount on the rigid arm so as to dispose the cleaning attachment alongside and adjacent the sole.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to the field of attachments for athletic shoes and in particular to a golf shoe mountable golf club head and/or face cleaning brush and scraper, having an optional golf tee carrier and to the method of mounting same.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

As observed by McMullin in U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,860 which issued Feb. 16, 2000, for an Athletic Shoe Cleat, the need for improved traction on turf surfaces is well known, and that in the sport of golf, it is known that golf spikes which conventionally in the past were mounted to the soles of golf shoes, are known to adversely affect the turf of golf courses, damage the floor surfaces of golf club houses and outdoor walkways, affect players' putting, and requires ground keepers to spend hours repairing the various putting greens on their golf courses. Such metal golf spikes are to the best of applicant's knowledge no longer permitted on most if not all golf courses and consequently substitutes for metal golf spikes which are less damaging to the turf have become mandatory.

The athletic shoe cleat of McMullin is one such substitute for metal golf spikes. McMullin describes his cleat in his U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,860 as a cleat having a hub with an attachment stud for attaching to a receptacle on the sole of a golf shoe. Traction elements such as resilient arms on the cleat extend substantially laterally from the hub to engage the grass blades of the turf without damaging the turf. Each traction element is deflectably attached to the hub. It is cantilevered from the hub and also extends out of the plane of the hub to provide a turf-engaging portion at the end of the arm. Thus as described by McMullin, when a hard surface is encountered, the arms deflect upwardly to protect the turf engaging portion so that the hub bears the load to thereby minimize the abrasion of the turf engaging portion. Applicant understands that McMullin's cleats are sold under the trade-mark Softspike by Softspikes Inc. of Gaithersburg, Md., USA.

In the prior art applicant is also aware of U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,577 which issued to Catania on Oct. 31, 1978, for a Golf Shoe Wiping Attachment For Golf Club Heads. A golf club wiping element such as a brush or relatively soft upstanding fabric is described as being mounted on a plate which is frictionally held on the underside of the sole of a golf shoe by two of the metal, that is, older-style golf shoe spikes. Catania teaches that the plate is formed with a slot or with a plurality of individual round apertures sized so that the slot or round apertures receive and hold at least two of the golf shoe spikes. The golf shoe spikes are the above described turf-damaging metal spikes which to applicant's knowledge are now obsolete and no longer allowed on a majority of golf courses. Catania describes the slot or slots in the plate or the spike receiving openings being positioned to receive the spikes therethrough, and that the spikes are customarily located in a standard position and spacing on the sole. The plate is mounted to the sole by sandwiching the plate between the sole and the base of the spikes.

It is, in applicant's view, clear that the thickness of Catania's mounting plate would cause the two metal spikes used to mount the plate to the sole to extend further from the sole than the rest of the spikes by a distance equal to the thickness of the plate. In applicant's view such dissimilar extensions of the distal ends of the spikes would cause the walking-surface of the under-side of the soles to be uneven and thereby would provide a tripping hazard and would cause uneven walking and an uneven stance by the golfer wearing the shoes.

Also in the prior art, applicant is aware of U.S. Pat. No. 5,930,920 which issued Aug. 3, 1999, to Arnold for a Wiping Device For A Golf Club Face, wherein a golf club wiping and cleaning device is described which clips onto the upper side wall of a golf shoe so as to position the device for wiping the face of a golf club. A clip is provided on the back of a base to which the wiper is mounted. In applicant's view such a device would not provide a comfortable and stable mounting of the wiping device to the golf shoe.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In summary, according to one aspect of the present invention, the shoe-mountable golf club head face, i.e., the golf-ball striking surface on the head of the golf club, cleaning system is characterized as an apparatus mounted between a removable soft spike cleat and the sole of an athletic shoe. The sole has a plurality of sockets for mounting of a corresponding plurality of the cleats to the sole. Each such cleat includes a hub having a perimeter, a first side facing the sole and a second side facing away from the sole. A hub attachment means extends from the first side of the hub for attaching the hub to the socket. A plurality of resilient traction elements extend substantially laterally substantially from the perimeter of the hub and each have a turf-engaging portion projecting away from, and substantially perpendicularly to, the second side of the hub for engagement with turf. The traction elements are resiliently attached substantially to the perimeter of the hub,

The shoe-mountable golf club head cleaning system includes an arm attachment and a cleaning attachment. The arm attachment includes a base plate and a rigid arm. The base plate is a substantially planar base plate having a first thickness, a substantially round central aperture and a concentric annular channel extending completely around the aperture so as to define an annular base rim having a second thickness less than the first thickness. The channel is sized so that the rim is interleaved and clamped, that is so friction m fitted and pressure attached, between the fraction elements of a single cleat and the sole of the shoe without the base plate interfering with adjacent cleats when mounted on the sole. The rigid arm is a cantilevered rigid arm mounted to, so as to extend cantilevered from, the base plate at an upwardly inclined angle relative to the base plate. A releasable mount is formed at a distal end of the arm, distal from the base plate.

A cleaning attachment having an operative side including at least one of: a brush, a scraper, is adapted for releasable mounting on the releasable mount on the rigid arm so as to dispose the cleaning attachment alongside and adjacent the sole. The operative side of the cleaning attachment is thus disposed oppositely to the shoe when the cleaning attachment is mounted to the releaseable mount on the arm and the base plate is mounted on the sole of the shoe, clamped between the cleat and the sole.

The rim is sized to snugly receive the hub of the cleat in the aperture and to thereby pinch-mount the rim between the traction elements of the cleat and the sole. This snugly and substantially flush mounts the traction elements of the cleat substantially completely within the channel in the base plate when the traction elements are deflected upwardly relative to the hub, and consequently does not create any uneven cleat surface so as to minimize any tripping or walking hazard.

In a preferred embodiment the arm connects to the base plate along a fold line. The fold line coincides and is closely adjacent to an outer edge of the sole when the base plate is mounted between a corresponding cleat and the sole.

The cleaning attachment may include a substantially rectangular housing. The housing has a flush side opposite to the operative side. The flush side lies substantially flush along a corresponding portion of the shoe when the base plate is mounting between the cleat and the sole.

The brush may include bristles extending perpendicularly from a base surface of the operative side of the housing. The base surface and the flush side are substantially orthogonal to the sole. The bristles thus extend laterally and substantially horizontally from the shoe.

The brash housing has a length in a dimension parallel to a length of the shoe when the brush is mounted on the arm and the mounting plate is mounted on the sole. The base plate has a width measured along the sole. The length of the brush housing may advantageously be longer than the width of the base plate. The distal end of the arm has a width, measured parallel to the width of the base plate, which is greater than the width of the base plate. Thus when the fold line lies substantially flush along a corresponding length of the edge of the sole the fold line snugs against the edge of the sole to stabilize the arm and the mounting plate from rotation about the hub of the cleat when a rotational torque is applied to the arm by use of the brush.

In one embodiment the releasable mount is a rail and the cleaning attachment includes a correspondingly shaped groove for mounting the rail snugly in and along the groove.

The rim may have a thickness which is substantially uniform, for example, substantially 1/16 of an inch, or may be tapered to a thickness of ⅛ of an inch.

In another aspect of the present invention a method for cleaning a golf club head includes:

• • a) providing an athletic shoe having a sole wherein the sole has a plurality of sockets for mounting of a plurality of cleats to the sole,
  • b) providing at least one of the above-described cleats,
  • c) providing a shoe-mountable golf club head cleaner as described above,
  • d) mounting the base plate between the sole and a cleat of the at least one cleat positioned adjacent an outer edge of the sole by mounting the hub attachment means into the socket in the position adjacent the edge of the sole so as to mount the hub snugly into the aperture in the base plate and so as to clamp the traction elements down against the rim and substantially within the channel to thereby clamp the rim between the cleat and the sole.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1a is a bottom perspective view of one embodiment of a prior art Softspike cleat according to U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,860.

FIG. 1b is a side elevation view of the cleat of FIG. 1b.

FIG. 1c is a side elevation view of the cleat of FIG. 1b in its deflected position as when compressed against a hard surface.

FIG. 2 is, in bottom perspective view, a golf shoe having a plurality of Softspike cleats mounted thereunder where the golf shoe brush and scraper attachment according to one embodiment of the present invention is shown in its mounted position underneath the sole of the shoe.

FIG. 3 is, in partially exploded enlarged bottom perspective view, the mounting attachment and its corresponding cleat from the view of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is in top perspective view, the mounting attachment and cleat of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a side elevation sectional view along line 5-5 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is the sectional view of FIG. 5 with the cleat installed in the mounting attachment.

FIG. 7 is, in side elevation view, the assembly of FIG. 1 with the mounting attachment and its brush/scraper mounted to the heel of the golf shoe by a corresponding Softspike cleat. The brush/scraper is mounted to the side of the golf show, closest to the heel, but so as to not extend past the length of the shoe. This avoids creating a walking hazard.

FIG. 8 is, in plan view, the golf shoe and mounting attachment of FIG. 7 showing the brush/scraper being installed onto the end of the mounting attachment.

FIG. 9 is, in rear elevation view, the mounting attachment and brush/scraper mounted onto the sole of a golf shoe as seen in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is, in rear perspective view, the golf shoe and mounting attachment of FIG. 9 with the brush/scraper removed.

FIG. 11 is, in front elevation view, the golf shoe with a brush/scraper mounted thereon according to the embodiment of FIG. 9.

FIG. 12, is in bottom perspective view, an alternative embodiment of the mounting attachment of FIG. 3.

FIG. 13 is, in top perspective view, the mounting attachment of FIG. 12.

FIG. 14 is, in perspective view, the brush/scraper of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

As seen in the figures, wherein like characters of reference denote the corresponding parts in each view, a golf shoe 8 having a sole 8a has prior art Softspike™ cleats 10 mounted thereto by means of for example a stud 12. For some golf shoes softspike 11 cleats 10 are mounted to sole 8a by means of other than studs 12, for example using the PINS™ performance insert system of Softspikes Inc. and associated cleats sold under the trademarks Cyclone™, Pulsar™, Blackwidow™, Shadow™. The use of studs 12 is not intended to be limiting, nor is the use of resilient spikes only by Softspikes Inc. as other resilient spikes will also work. In one embodiment, studs 12 are threaded for mounting into correspondingly threaded engagement within sockets 8b in sole 8a. Again, other cleat mounting mechanisms are known and will work in the present invention for mounting of cleats 10 into corresponding sockets 8b.

Each cleat 10 is conventionally provided with a central generally circular hub 14. Each hub 14 has a plurality of traction elements 16 mounted thereto so as to extend substantially laterally from hub 14 in the plane A of hub 14. Each such traction element 16 may preferably include an arm 16a and a turf-engaging portion 16b.

Traction elements 16 are deflectably, which includes resiliently, mounted to hub 14. Thus traction elements 16 such as seen in FIGS. 1a-1c may deflect upwardly in direction B relative to hub 14 into their deflected position seen in FIG. 1c when cleats 10 are pressed down against a hard surface such as a paved surface or closely cropped golf green.

As further taught by McMullin in his U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,860, fraction elements 16 provide traction on turf preferably by the inter engagement of turf-engaging portions 16b with the grass blades without penetrating or puncturing the crown of any individual grass plant of the turf, and without penetrating or puncturing the soil. Turf-engaging portions 16b preferably extend down between the grass blades and preferably are restrained by the grass blades themselves against lateral motion, thereby providing traction.

One component of the fraction provided by cleats 10 is the result as described by McMullin of the trapping or jamming of grass blades into the substantially v-shaped notches 18 between traction elements 16, and also as the result the trapping or jamming of grass blades into the v-shaped spaces 20 between traction elements 16 and the sole 8a of the shoe.

As further described by McMullin, when the traction elements 16 encounter a hard surface, arms 16a deflect upwardly until they are substantially parallel to the plane A of hub 14 and the sole 8a of the shoe to minimize the abrasion of turf-engaging portions 16b.

Gussets 22, which are preferably also resilient, are provided between arms 16a and turf engaging portion 16b to act as a spring to help return turf engaging portion 16b to its upright position once it is removed from engagement against the hard surface.

In applicant's view, the design of the McMullin Softspike™ cleats 10 or like resilient cleats provide a unique opportunity for the use by a golfer of a golf club cleaning brush which is mounted to the edge of the sole of the golfers shoe in a manner which is considerably less restrictive than the prior art of Catania.

Thus in the present invention, the mounting attachment 30, which may be made for example out of substantially rigid and durable plastics or other polymer materials, as would be known to one skilled in the art, is provided with a single mounting aperture 32 in the underside of the base plate 30a. Base plate 30a may be formed substantially as a ring around mounting aperture 32 or otherwise shaped and sized so long as, with cleat 10 mounted in aperture 32, base plate 30a does not interfere with adjacent cleats 10 on sole 8a. Collectively such a shape is referred to herein as ring-shaped. The combined weight of the two parts which may be approximately 35 grams should not be noticed by, or affect, the golfer.

A mounting plate such as rigid arm 30b extends rigidly cantilevered from one side of base plate 30a, at an inclined angle “a” relative thereto so that plate 30b is inclined upwardly for example at approximately 30 degrees relative to sole 8a and base plate 30a when base plate 30a is mounted under sole 8a with arm 30b extending from the corresponding side of the sole.

A mounting rail 30c is mounted transversely across the distal end of arm 30b, that is, distal from base plate 30a. Base plate 30a is mounted to sole 8a by being sandwiched between cleat 10 and sole 8a. In particular, with hub 14 snugly mounted into aperture 32 so as to mount arms 16a against rim 30d within the annular cut out 32a, base plate 30a is thereby secured against sole 8a. The fold line 30e demarking where arm 30b begins its upward inclination from base plate 30a is thereby positioned along the corresponding edge of sole 8a. Thus because the arms 16a of traction elements 16 are resilient, and their circumferential dimensions are known, the size of aperture 32 and the size of cut out 32a is formed so as to snugly seat arms 16a within cut out 32a and down onto rim 30d. Rim 30d thereby snugly encircles and encloses hub 14 which is mounted therein along axis D. Consequently, because rim 30d has a thickness “t” which is significantly thinner than the corresponding thickness of base plate 30a, with a cleat 10 mounted snugly into base plate 30a, and because cleat 10 is made of resilient material, a golfer may wear golf shoes 8 having one of the cleats 10 supporting a mounting attachment 30 and the golfer would not significantly detect the thickness of plate 30a under the shoe due to a negligible change in elevation of the extremities of turf engaging portions 16b on that cleat 10 when compressed.

In a preferred embodiment, mounting attachment 30 may only be mounted to the right golf shoe, and only be mounted to the outside edge, onto the cleat of the heel for safety reasons including safely walking, driving carts, and climbing stairs.

When the golfer is standing flat footed on the golf green, the pressure of the golfers foot pressing down on sole 8a assists in the cleat stabilizing mounting attachment 30 so that, when golf head cleaning brush 34 is mounted onto mounting rail 30c, a golfer may vigorously clean the bead of the golf club against the brush bristles 36 or may scrape clean the head of the club against scraper 38 and the brush 34 and mounting attachment 30 will remain solidly and stably in place, comfortably residing alongside the edge of sole 8a. When the golfer is not cleaning the golfer's club head, the golfer is free to walk in a normal fashion and mounting attachment 30 will be sufficiently rigidly stabilized under sole 8 by the above described mounting in cooperation with a cleat 10.

The stability of the mounting of brush 34 onto mounting arm 30b is assisted by the shape in cross-section of rail 30c. In particular, in cross-section, rail 30c has a bulbous shape which snugly and conformally fits into a corresponding groove or channel 34a formed into the base or side of brush 34 as brush 34 is slid in direction C onto rail 30c.

In one of two preferred embodiments such as seen in FIGS. 3-5, cut out 32a may be a smoothly sloped bevelled cut out so that in the sectional view of FIG. 5 the cut out 32a is wedge-shaped on each side of rim 30d, with the narrower edge of the wedge-shape adjacent aperture 32.

In the second of two preferred embodiments, such a seen in FIG. 12, cut out 32a may be an annular channel around aperture 32.

In a preferred embodiment, the depth “d” of channel cut out 32a is approximately or substantially equal to the depth of arms 16a, so that with arms 16a mounted into cut out 32a, the turf engaging portion 16b of cleats 10 still protrude downwardly from base plate 30a of mounting attachment 30. In this fashion, the traction function of a cleat 10 mounted in an aperture 32 is still preserved in part while cleat 10 also provides the supporting function, rigidly and stably supporting mounting attachment 30 cantilevered snugly under and out from the corresponding edge of sole 8a.

In one preferred embodiment the mounting attachment and brush housing is of a durable plastic or coated metal. Thickness “t” of rim 30d may be for example 1/16 of an inch and the thickness of base plate 30a may be ⅛ of an inch. Rim 30d may include a metal insert. Aperture 32 may have a diameter of between substantially ⅝ and ¾ of an inch and cut-out 32a may have a diameter of 1⅛ inches. Mounting attachment 30 may have the following dimensions: length—two inches, width—one to two inches, height—one half inch. Brush 34 may be 2¼ inches long, 1½ inches high, and ½ inch wide. With the hub 15 of cleat 10 snugly installed in aperture 32 in base plate 30a, when base plate 30a has a thickness of approximately ⅛ of an inch, this allows for arms 16a on cleats 10 to flex so as to not interfere with their intended function. The combined brush 30 and mounting attachment may weigh approximately 35 grams.

Preferably groove or channel 34a in brush 34 allows a golfer to easily remove the brush from the end of mounting attachment 30 during play without the golfer having to remove the golfer's shoe in order to clean the brush and/or scraper or at the end of play.

In one embodiment the upper surface of 34b of the solid housing of brush 34 includes one or more holes 34c sized to store a tee, point-down, in each hole. Thus the golfer may easily carry extra tees which will always be close to hand for ease of replacement of a broken tee if the golfer forgets to put extra tees in a pocket.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many alterations and modifications are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is to be construed in accordance with the substance defined by the following claims.

Claims

1. A golf shoe-mountable golf club head face cleaning system for mounting between a removable soft-spike-type cleat and the sole of an athletic shoe, the sole having a plurality of sockets for mounting of a plurality of the cleats to the sole, and wherein each removable cleat includes a hub having a perimeter, a first side facing the sole and a second side facing away from the sole; a hub attachment means extending from the first side for attaching the hub to the socket; a plurality of resilient traction elements, of each of the traction elements extending substantially laterally substantially from the perimeter of the hub and having a turf-engaging portion projecting away from, and substantially perpendicularly to, the second side of the hub for engagement with turf; the traction element being resiliently attached substantially to the perimeter of the hub,

said shoe-mountable golf club head face cleaning system comprising:

a substantially planar base plate having a first thickness, a substantially round central aperture and a concentric annular channel extending completely around said aperture so as to define an annular base rim having a second thickness less than said first thickness, wherein said channel is sized so that said rim is interleaved and clamped between said traction elements of a single said cleat and said sole of said shoe without said base plate interfering with adjacent said cleats when mounted on said sole,

a cantilevered rigid arm mounted to, so as to extend cantilevered from, said base plate at an upwardly inclined angle relative to said base plate,

a releasable mount formed at a distal end of said arm, distal from said base plate,

a cleaning attachment having an operative side including at least one of: a brush, a scraper, a spare tee carrier, adapted for releasable mounting on said releasable mount so as to dispose said cleaning attachment alongside and adjacent said sole with said operative side of said cleaning attachment disposed oppositely to said shoe when said cleaning attachment is mounted to said releaseable mount on said arm and said base plate mounted on said sole of said shoe between said cleat and said sole,

wherein said rim is sized to snugly receive said hub of said cleat in said aperture and to thereby pinch-mount said rim between said traction elements of said cleat and said sole, and so as to snugly and substantially flush mount said traction elements of said cleat substantially completely within said channel when said traction elements are said deflected upwardly relative to said hub.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said arm connects to said base plate along a fold line, and wherein said fold line coincides and is closely adjacent to an outer edge of said sole when said base plate is mounted between a corresponding said cleat and said sole.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said cleaning attachment includes a substantially rectangular housing and wherein said housing has a flush side opposite to said operative side, said flush side lying substantially flush along a corresponding portion of said shoe when said base plate is mounting between said cleat and said sole.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein said brush includes bristles extending perpendicularly from a base surface of said operative side, and wherein said base surface and said flush side are substantially orthogonal to said sole, whereby said bristles extend laterally and substantially horizontally from said shoe.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said brush housing has a length in a dimension parallel to a length of said shoe when said brush is mounted on said arm and said mounting plate is mounted on said sole, and wherein said base plate has a width measured along said sole, and wherein said length of said brush housing is longer than said width of said base plate, and wherein said distal end of said arm has a width, measured parallel to said width of said base plate, which is greater than said width of said base plate so that said fold line lies substantially flush along a corresponding length of said edge of said sole to stabilize said arm and said mounting plate from rotation about said hub of said cleat when a rotational torque is applied to said arm by use of said brush.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said releasable mount is a rail and wherein said cleaning attachment includes a correspondingly shaped groove for mounting said rail snugly in and along said groove.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein said rim has a thickness which is substantially uniform.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein said thickness of said rim is substantially 1/16 of an inch.

9. A method for cleaning a golf club head face comprising:

a) providing an athletic shoe having a sole wherein said sole has a plurality of sockets for mounting of a plurality of cleats to said sole,

b) providing at least one cleat wherein each said at least one cleat includes a hub having a perimeter, a first side facing said sole of the shoe and a second side facing away from said sole; a hub attachment means extending from said first side for attaching said hub to a corresponding said socket on the sole; a plurality of resilient traction elements, of each of said traction elements extending substantially laterally substantially from said perimeter of said hub and having a turf-engaging portion projecting away from, and substantially perpendicularly to, said second side of said hub for engagement with turf; said traction element being resiliently attached substantially to said perimeter of said hub,

c) providing a shoe-mountable golf club head face cleaner comprising: i) a substantially planar base plate having a first thickness, a substantially round central aperture and a concentric annular channel extending completely around said aperture so as to define an annular base rim having a second thickness less than said first thickness, wherein said channel is sized so that said rim is interleaved and clamped between said traction elements of a single said cleat and said sole of said shoe without said base plate interfering with adjacent said cleats when mounted on said sole, ii) a cantilevered rigid arm mounted to, so as to extend cantilevered from, said base plate at an upwardly inclined angle relative to said base plate, wherein a releasable mount is formed at a distal end of said arm, distal from said base plate, iii) a cleaning attachment having an operative side including at least one of: a brush, a scraper, a spare tee carrier, adapted for releasable mounting on said releasable mount so as to dispose said cleaning attachment alongside and adjacent said sole with said operative side of said cleaning attachment disposed oppositely to said shoe when said cleaning attachment is mounted to said releaseable mount on said arm and said base plate mounted on said sole of said shoe between said cleat and said sole,

wherein said rim is sized to snugly receive said hub of said cleat in said aperture and to thereby pinch-mount said rim between said traction elements of said cleat and said sole, and so as to snugly and substantially flush mount said traction elements of said cleat substantially completely within said channel when said traction elements are said deflected upwardly relative to said hub, d) mounting said base plate between one cleat of said at least one cleat positioned adjacent an outer edge of said sole by mounting said hub attachment means into said socket in said position adjacent said edge of said sole so as to mount said hub snugly into said aperture in said base plate and so as to clamp said traction elements down against said rim and substantially within said channel to thereby clamp said rim between said cleat and said sole.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said cantilevered rigid arm connects to said base plate along a fold line, and wherein said fold line is positioned closely adjacent to said outer edge of said sole when said base plate is mounted between a corresponding said cleat and said sole.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said cleaning attachment includes a substantially rectangular housing and wherein said housing has a flush side opposite to said operative side, and positioning said flush side so as to lie substantially flush along a corresponding portion of said shoe when said base plate is mounting between said cleat and said sole

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said brush includes bristles extending perpendicularly from a base surface of said operative side, and wherein said base surface and said flush side are positioned substantially orthogonal to said sole, whereby said bristles are positioned to extend laterally and substantially horizontally from said shoe.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein said brush housing has a length in a dimension parallel to a length of said shoe when said brush is mounted on said arm and said mounting plate is mounted on said sole, and wherein said base plate has a width measured along said sole, and wherein said length of said brush housing is longer than said width of said base plate, and wherein said distal end of said arm has a width, measured parallel to said width of said base plate, which is greater than said width of said base plate so that when said fold line is positioned to lie substantially flush along a corresponding length of said edge of said sole said arm and said mounting plate are thereby stabilized from rotation about said hub of said cleat when a rotational torque is applied to said arm by use of said brush.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein said releasable mount is a rail and wherein said cleaning attachment includes a correspondingly shaped groove for mounting said rail snugly in and along said groove.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein said rim has a thickness which is substantially uniform.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said thickness of said rim is substantially 1/16 of an inch.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said thickness of said rim is tapered to a thickness of substantially ⅛ of an inch.

18. The system of claim 7 wherein said thickness of said rim is tapered to a thickness of substantially ⅛ of an inch.