SNAKE PROOF SLIPPERS

Abstract

Snake proof slipper or hosiery that is manufactured from woven material that is capable of preventing penetration by the fangs of a snake. The snake proof slipper is worn on the foot of the user and placed within a footwear article to prevent snake bite. Prior art examples are worn externally where the present invention is worn internally and is comfortable, flexible and snake proof.

Description

This application is a utility application claiming priority from U.S. Provisional application Ser. No. 61/937,686, filed Feb. 10, 2014.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Protective clothing for protection from snake bites is not new to the art. However, a piece of protective clothing that is worn internally is. The present invention is a hosiery item that is worn internally with outer foot ware to protect the user from snake bite. U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,778 entitled, “Protective Footwear and Lower Leg Covering”, issued to Stoner on Nov. 23, 1999 teaches an article of protective footwear and lower leg covering protects the shoes and lower trousers or legs of the wearer while using a mower, string trimmer, chain saw, or other equipment which may discharge objects at high speed. The covering also serves to protect the user's shoes and clothing during painting operations, and the complete closure from the sole of the shoe upward along the lower leg, also serves to protect the wearer from insect bites and stings. This device is pulled on over footwear such as shoes or boots to protect the user. This footwear does not teach the ability to protect the user from snake bite. Regardless the article is for external use and not internal use as the present invention is. The present invention is worn within the users outer foot wear and protects from snake bite by being impenetrable to snake bites giving the present invention a clear advantage over the prior art.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,057,853 entitled, “Snake Legging”, issued to McLane on Nov. 15, 1977 teaches a legging, to be worn by a person for protection against snake bites as well as bites from other objectionable animals; the leggings including a double mesh, close woven stainless steel, and having a vertical slit along a rear side so as to allow fitting a leg thereinto, the resilient hook and loops fastening and straps, the knee portion of the legging having a pad for comfort, and the underside of the legging being open, and including sidewardly crossing straps for passing under a shoe or boot, the forward end of the legging having a rigid, non-pliable toe cap. Again, this device is an article that is worn externally and from its very description is rigid and non-pliable. The present invention teaches an internally worn hosiery article that is comfortable and snake proof. Again, the present invention has a greater utility over this prior art.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,170,503 entitled, “Snake Protective Leggings”, issued to Hightower on Dec. 15, 1992 teaches a protective garment for shielding a wearer from snake bites on the lower portion of the leg. The garment is a legging made of woven fabric which will protect against snake bites even when the snake has fangs longer that the thickness of the material. The legging has two separate side edges extending all along its length and includes a strap, fabric fastener in order to provide adjustability, prevent gaps between the side edges, and minimize the risk that the fabric fasteners would become separated. Once again, this prior art is an external article that protects from snake bites. The present invention is internally worn and is comfortable. The present invention teaches a hosiery article that is worn internally and provides protection from snake bite.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,405,383 entitled, “Leg Protection System”, issued to Heller on Jun. 18, 2002 teaches a leg protection system that selectively covers a person's lower leg and knee for protection against environmental elements. This patent teaches another externally worn protective garment. The present invention is worn within a shoe or boot providing protection from snake bite as well as being comfortable. The other prior art devices are all externally worn. This is a major short coming because the external garments are subject to brush and branches catching and potentially damaging the externally worn garment. The present invention does not suffer the same limitations that this and other prior art devices do, clearly making the present invention of greater utility.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,607,365 entitled, “Snake proof Protective Garment”, issued to Watley on Dec. 13, 2013 teaches a protective article of clothing adapted to protect snake fangs from biting into the leg of a wearer. The protective article has a leg portion that comprises a plurality of elongated inserts that are placed in overlapping side by side relation within a plurality of elongated pockets. The protective article of clothing wraps around a leg of an individual to protect the individual from being bitten by a snake. This prior art device is yet another example of an externally worn rigid article that is designed to prevent snake bites. The present invention is a soft flexible internally wore hosiery article that prevents snake bites while remaining comfortable for the wearer.

THE INVENTION

The present invention is a snake bite repellent hosiery for footwear. The hosiery is manufactured from flexible snake bite proof material. The hosiery has a toe connected to a top. The hosiery has a length in the range of from 17 inches to 24 inches from the toe to the top.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the snake proof slipper.

FIG. 2 shows the snake proof slipper in phantom inserted into a boot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the snake proof slipper 2. The snake proof slipper 2 has a near end 4 and a distal end 6. The user inserts their foot into the near end 4. The snake proof slipper 2 is manufactured from a material that is woven fabric with a high density to prevent the penetration of snake fangs. The foot of the wearer is inserted within the snake proof slipper 2 until the wearer's toes reach the distal end 6. The wearer's heel comes to rest in the heel 8 portion of the snake proof slipper 2. The hosiery or snake proof slipper 2 is comfortable because it is flexible woven fiber unlike the prior art device that are rigid and are worn externally. The snake proof slipper 2 is like wearing a sock in that it conforms to the users' foot and slides into their foot wear to provide snake bite protection. This embodiment also has an elastic band 12 to secure the snake proof slipper 2 the wearer. Another embodiment has the securing apparatus as a hook and loop fastener 14 such as Velcro seen in FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 shows the snake proof slipper 2 in phantom inserted into a boot 10. The snake proof slipper 2 is placed over the user's foot by placing the foot at the near end 4 opening and sliding the foot past the heel 8 and to the distal end 6. The foot is inserted into a boot 10. The present invention has a greater utility over the prior art because it is worn internally and is light weight. The prior art devices are externally worn and are quite bulky. Those externally worn prior art devices that are manufactured from woven material will snag and start to break down. The terrain where these devices are used are typically brushy and full of ground debris. That is where the snakes live and are hidden. When entering the habitat of snakes protection is necessary to prevent life threatening snake bites.

For the purpose of this application Denier is a unit of linear mass density of fibers. There are other suitable materials that the snake proof slipper can be manufactured from including but not limited to high strength fibers, Kevlar, carbon fiber, woven felt, pressed felt, needled felt or any composite thereof.

Claims

1. Snake bite repellent hosiery for footwear, said hosiery manufactured from flexible snake bite proof material, said hosiery having a toe connected to a top, said hosiery having a length in the range of from 17 inches to 24 inches from said toe to said top.

2. A Snake bite repellent hosiery for footwear as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hosiery is manufactured from high strength fiber.

3. A Snake bite repellent hosiery for footwear as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hosiery is manufactured from Kevlar.

4. A Snake bite repellent hosiery for footwear as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hosiery is manufactured from carbon fiber.

5. A Snake bite repellent hosiery for footwear as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hosiery is manufactured from a cloth with a 1000 denier.

6. A Snake bite repellent hosiery for footwear as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hosiery is manufactured from woven felt.

7. A Snake bite repellent hosiery for footwear as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hosiery is manufactured from pressed felt.

8. A Snake bite repellent hosiery for footwear as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hosiery is manufactured from needled felt.

9. A Snake bite repellent hosiery for footwear as claimed in claim 1, where the said top of said hosiery has elastic.

10. A Snake bite repellent hosiery for footwear as claimed in claim 1, where the said top of said hosiery has hook and loop fastener.