US2093472A - Manufacture of shoes - Google Patents

Description

Q Sept. 21, 1937.

. w. N UTT MANUFACTURE OF HQES Ema m "13, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 flaw-M w Sept. 21, 1937.1 w. 31mm 241 x 1 MANUFACTURE OF SHOES and Nov. 13, 1936 28heets-Sheet ,2-

54 Figs.

' Patented setter 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application November 1:. 1936, Serial No. 110,688

14 Claims.

This invention relates-to the art of making shoes and to improvements in shoes and shank pieces therefor.

Objects of the invention are to provide an improved method of .making shoes having outsoles which are exceptionally narrow in their shank portions, to provide improved shoes of this type, and to provide improved shank pieces for use in the manufacture of such shoes.

To the attainment of 'theseobjects, as herein illustrated, I provide a shank piece of relatively stiif inflexible material such, for example,as wood shaped to conform both in surface and marginal contours to the corresponding contours of the ma] channel in its lower or lasting side, the chan-. nel being relatively wide and shallow and extending from its forward end rearwardly into its heel portion. As illustrated herein, the shank piece is assembled on a last with an insole member and'a shoe upper, the insole member being the full length of the shoe bottom or, if desired, being only a little longer than the 'forepart of the shoe so that it may overlap the shank piece; by half or three-quarters of an inch. The marginal portions of the upper are cut fuller .or wider than normal in the shank portion of the shoe and areworked over the, last in the usual manner. The upper is secured in overlasted position upon the insole in the forepart of the shoe. "In the shank portion of the shoe the wide portions of the upper are worked over the shank piece and secured in overlapped relation beneath the channeled portion of the latter bymeans of suitable lasting fastenings,

such as staples, which are driven into the shank piece at the bottom of the channel. The opposite sides of the upper are lasted separately in the shank portion of the shoe, the portion first lasted side is substantially flush with the outer side of the. unchanneled portions of the shank piece. The opposite sidebf the shank portion of the upper is then lapped over the portion which has been sunk within the channel so that a substan- 45 tially smooth and level surface is presentedfor the;,reception of the outsole. Inasmuch as the outer side of the shank piece is entirely covered by the upper and the lasting fastenings are located only along the longitudinally central porresulting from the sinking of the inner margin of the upper in the channel in the shank piece bottom of a last and having a central longitudi-L being sunk within the channel so that its outer.

tion of the shoe bottom in the shank of the shoe, an outsole may be employed which is cut excep- 1 tionally narrow in its shank portion- Moreover.

the smooth and substantially level bottom surface facilitates secureattachment of the narrow shank portion of the outsole v to the shoe and insures that the line of the last bottom shall be accurately reproduced in the shank of the outsole. As herein illustrated, a short outsole is employed which ex- 5 tendsrearwardly only approximately to where the breast of the heel is to be located. At the heel end of the shoe the upper is secured in overlasted position directly to the shank piece and the heel is attached to the overlasted portions of the upper 1 and to the shank piece with the breast face oi the .heel abutting the rear end of the outsole, it being unnecessary to perform any heel-seat fitting I operation other than the trimming of the rear end of the outsole to adapt it to abut the breast face of the heel. 1 Further. features of the invention are to be recognized asresiding in a shank piece of improved construction and in improved features of shoe construction hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will now be explained wlth'reference to the accompanying drawings, in which.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shank piece embodyingmy invention; Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line II-II of Fig. 1; I

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line II[III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the shank piece of Fig. 1 showing the shank piece, t ogether'with a short insole member, mounted on a last;

Fig. 51s a perspective view of a unit comprising the shank piece of Fig. 1 having a short insole 7 member secured to it; p

Fig. 6 is a view, partially in side elevation and partially in section, of a shoe in course of construction having the improved shank piece incorporated therein;

Fig. '1 is a plan view of the shoe after part of the lasting operation has been performed;

Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the shoe on the-last; and

- Fig. 9 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the completed shoe-i.

In making a shoe in accordance with the method illustrated herein a stiff and relatively inflexible shank piece I4 is formed either from solid wood-or from moldable material such as plastic wood or fiber which will harden to prov:50 duce a relatively rigid-foot supporting member. As illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. the shank piece I is shaped to conform, both'in marginal and surface contours, to the corresponding contou s of the heel and shank portions of a last .55

bottom. The shank piece is of substantial thickness except that its marginal portion is beveled to a thin edge entirely around the shank piece. As shown, the lower surface of the heel portion of the shank piece is rounded' to fit the cup or depression in the attaching face of a wood heel and the shank piece is otherwise shaped as clearly indicated in the drawings. Thereafter a longitudinal slot or channel I6 is formed inside the marginal portions of its outer or upper engaging surface. This channel extends from thefront extremity of the shank piece rearwardly into the heel portion thereof. As herein shown, the channel I6 is centrally located widthwise of the shank piece and it is relatively wide and shallow, the depth of the channel being preferably equal to the thickness of the upper materials of the shoe in which the shank piece is to be incorporated so as to receive the overlasted margin of the upper at one side of the shoe with the outer surface of that portion of the upper which is in the channelsubstantially flush with the lower surface of the shank piece. If the shank piece is formed from a solid piece of wood the channel may be cut therein by means of a rotary cutter and if the shank piece is molded from plastic material the channel may be formed therein during the molding operation. It will be noted that the channel or slot l6 extends entirely through the shank piece at the relatively thin front end portion of the latter so that the desired sinking of the upper in the shank piece may be eifected throughout the entire length of the shank portion of the shoe bottom.

In making the shoe the shank piece may be mounted with an insole member on a last I8 and the parts secured in position on the last bottom by tacks 20. The insole member maybe a full length insole 22, as shown in Fig. 6, in which case the shank piece may be attached to the outer surface 01' the insole by cement. Alternatively the insole member may be a short insole 220 adapted to extend only throughout the forepart of a shoe,'as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. If a short insole is employed, the rear portion of the short insole may be beveled as indicated at 24 in Fig. 5, and secured by. cement or otherwise in overlapped relation to the forward portion of the shank piece.

After the shank piece and the insole-member have been temporarily securedto a last bottom, a shoe upper comprising an outer layer 26 and a lining 28 is assembled on the last, pulled over in the customary manner at its heel and toe portion,

' and secured in such positions by tacks 30 in the usual way. The usual counter 32 duced between the-outer layer and fore the materials are pulled over. The opposite marginal portions of both layers of the upper are cut fuller than normal in the shank portion of the shoe, as best shown in Figs. 6 and 7, wherein the wide or full shank portions of the upper and lining are indicated at 34.

The upper is now ready for the lasting operation may be introthe lining bewherein the opposite marginal portions of the.

upper at the forepart of the usual manner and the insole member.

the shoe are gripped in worked over the margins of The forepart of the upper may be secured in overlasted position upon the insole member by curved staples 38 (Fig. which extend through the upper materials and into the material of the insole member without passing completely through the latter, this operation being preferably performed-with theaidof a.

machine of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,815,297, granted July 21,

1931, upon an application filed in the name of George Goddu. The forepart of the upper could, however, be secured in lasted relation to the insole in other ways,'for example by means of cement or by tacks.

The upper and the lining at one side of the shank portion of the shoe are now tensioned over the last and secured by means of suitable lasting fastenings, such as staples 40, in overlasted position upon the shank piece I4, with the full or wide marginal portion 34 sunk within the channel it. Curved staples may be employed such as those used in lasting the upper in the forepart of the shoe. The staples 40 extend through those portions of the upper materials which overlie the channel and curve into the wood of-the shank piece without extending en-' tirely through the latter. After the staples 40 have been driven the adjacent portions of the upper materials will have been drawn down into the channel It and fitted snugly against the bottom of the channel so that the lower or exposed surface of the portion of the upper which lies in the channel I 6 is flush or substantially fiush with the lower surface of the shank piece. Preferably the full shank portions 34 of the upper materials are initially cut so that they will not extend entirely across the channel l6, after having been tensioned over the last, but so that their edgeswill lie entirely within the channel without having to be trimmed. However, if necessary, the upper materials may be trimmed after having been lasted so that they will not extend entirely across the channel. The upper "materials at the opposite side of the shoe are next worked over the last and secured, as by means of staples 42, in the shank piece H with their full marginal portions 34 overlying the upper materials which have already been lasted, the staples 42 being located in line with the channel l6 and extending through the first lasted portions of the upper materials and into the shank piece. It the full shank portions 34 of the upper materials at this side 0! the shoe have been cut properly, they will not have to be trimmed to avoid overlapping the portions of the first lasted upper materials which do not lie within the channel l6, although, if necessary, a suitable trimming operation may be performed to insure against such overlapping. Inasmuch as the marginal portions of the upper materials at the side which was first lasted are sunk within and completely fill the channel It, the outer surface of the upper materials which were subsequently lasted over the first-lasted upper margins is flush with the outer surface of those portions of the firstlasted' upper margins which are located outside of the channel and thus a smooth and substan-' tially level bottom surface is presented to receive the outsole, there being no ridge. where the upper materials at one side of the shoe overlap those at the opposite side of the shoe. 7

'I'he upper materials at the toe and heel-seat portions of the shoe are next secured in lasted relation to the insole member 22 and the shank piece l4, respectively, as shown in 7. The toe and heel portions of the upper may be lasted in any usual or'convenient manner. For example, they may be lasted with the aid of the well-known Bed lasting machine and secured in lasted positions by tacks 44 and 46.

The lasted shoe is now ready for the attachment or an outsole. As shown in Fig. 9, an outsole 50 is employed which has an extremely naroverlasted position upon aoosnra heel such as the covered Cuban heel 52 is then" positioned upon the shoe bottom, the rear portion of the outsole trimmed, in a well-known manner, for example by means of a hand trim ming knife, so as to provide a rear edge upon the outsole shaped to abut. squarely against the breast of the heel. The heel is then attached, as

- by means of inside nails 54, directly to the marsins of the upper whichare overlasted upon the,

heel end of the shank piece and 'to the shank niece itself. It will be seen thatno heel-seat fitting operation is required other than the trimming of'the rearend of the outsole asabove described because, as already explained, the heelseat portion of the shank piece I is shaped to fit the cup or depression in the'heel and the upper is lasted directly to that portion of the shank piece so that the general shape-of the overlasted. margins of the-upper in that locality is substantially the same as that oithe shank piece itself. The elimination of the heel-seat operation before the attaching of the heel naturally reduces the expense of manufacturing the shoe.

The relatively inflexible shank piece I! ..pro

vides an excellent support'for the shank portion of the foot and its outer side is covered by the upper materials which. lie closely. and smoothly against the surface of the shank piece in a manner which adds to the attractiveness of the shoe.

Inasmuch as the lower side of the shank piece is entirely covered by the upper material and the lasting fastenings are located along the longitudinal center of the shoe bottom in the shank portion of theshoe, it ls'practicable to employ an outsole having an exceptionally narrow shank portion as required in the manufacture of socalled "fiddle shank shoes, and effectively to secure the narrow shank portion of the outsole to the shoe bottom by means of cement.

Having described my invention, what'I claim as new and desire to. secure by Letters Patent of the United'states is: v w i. That improvement in methods of making shoes which comprises providing a shank piece having in its outer side a relatively wide and shallow channel extending lengthwise thereof, assembling said shank piece with an insole member and an upper on a last, working the upper over the last, overlapping the opposite margins of 'the upper beneath said shank piece with the innermost of said overlapped portions received within said channel and securing said upper margins to the shank piece, and attaching an outsole and a.heel to the shoe. 7

2. Thatimprovement in methods of.making shoes which comprises providing a shank piece having in its'outer side arelatively wide and shallow channel extending, lengthwise thereof, as-

, sembling said shank piece with an'insole memher and an upper on a last, working the upper over the last and securing it in overlasted position upon said insole member in the i'orepart of the shoe, working the upper at one side of the shank portion of the shoe over the last and the insole, sinking the margin of said portion oath-e upper-flatwise within said channel and securingitto the shank piece, working the-upper at the opposite side of the shank portion of the shoe over the last and securing it to said shank piece in overlasted-relation to the insole with its margin overlying the upper margin which is sunk within said channel, laying a short outsole having a narrow shank portion and attaching said narrow shank portion to said overlying upper margin, and attaching a heel to said shank piece with the breast of the heel abutting the rear end of said short outsole.

3. That improvement in methods of making shoes which comprises providing a shank piece having in. its outer side a relatively wide and shallow channel inside its marginal portions, mounting the shank piece with an insole member on a last, securing the marginal portion of a shoe upper at one side of. a shoe in overlastedposition within said channel with. the outer surface of said portion substantially flush with the unchanneled portion of the outersurface of the shank piece, securing the marginal portion of the upper at the opposite side of the shoein overlasted position uponthe portion within said channel, and attaching an outsole to the ex-- posed overlasted marginal portions of the upper.

gins in overlasted position upon said shankpieee and within said channel by means of lasting fastenings driven into the channeled portion of said shank piece, securingthe other oi said wide upper margins in overlasted position upon said shank piece and-overlying the portion of the upper already within said channel, and attaching an outsole to the exposed overlasted portions of the 5. ,That improvement in methods. of making shoes which comprises providing a shank piece shaped to conform to the surface contour of substantially the entire heel and shank portion of the bottom of a last and having in its outer face a relatively wide and shallow centrallongitudinal channel, mounting said shank piece together with an insole member and an upper on a last, working the-upper over the last and securing its margins in overlasted position upon theinsole in the forepart of'the shoe and upon the shank piece in the shank portion of theshoe with the upper margins overlapped beneath said channel and with the innermost of said overlapped portions of the upper sunk within said channel, securing an outsole to the overlasted margins of the upper, trimming the rear portion ofthe outsole-to adapt it to abut the breast face of a Cuban heel, and

attaching a Cuban heel to said shank piece with the breast of said heel abutting the trimmed rear edge of said outsole.

. 6.. A relatively inflexible shank conform to the contour of substantially the entire heel and shank portion at the bottom of a last and having in its outer face a'relatively wide and shallow central channel extending rearward ly from the front extremity of the shank'piece to,

the ,heelportion thereof for receivingthe overlasted marginal portion of a shoe upper with the piece shaped to outer surface of the upper flush with, the outer' tours to the corresponding contours of the heel .and shank portions of the bottom of a last and being of substantial thickness except in its mar- I ginal portion where it is beveled to a thinedge, and, said shank piece having in its outer face a relatively wide central slot extending entirely through the shank piece at the front end portion I of the latter but throughout the rest of its length materials of a shoe in which the shank piece is extending to a uniform'depth substantially less than the thickness of the shank piece and sub"- stantially equal to the thickness of the upper o be incorporated.

8. A shoe comprising an upper, an insole meniher, a shank piece, and'an' outsole, said' shank piece having a channel inside the marginal por-' tions of its outer surface, the opposite margins of theupper being overlapped-in parallel relation to the bottom of the channel with the in-' nermost upper margin sunk within and substantially filling said channel, and tireouts'ole being secured to the outermost upper margin inthe shank portion ofthe shoe,

9. A shoe comprising an upper, an insole member, and a shank piece, said shank piece having a relatively wide-"and shallow channelformed in its outer" surface and extending lengthwise thereof along its central portion and the opposite sides of the upper being overlapped beneath the channeled portion of said shank piece, the innermost upper margin being sunk'within said channel with its outer-surface substantially-flush with the unchanneled portion ofthe outer surface of the shank piece.

10. Ashoe comprising an insole, a reinforcing" piece secured to the heeland shank portions of cured in oveilasted relation to'said shank piece .with their margins overlapped upon'one another and overlying said channeland with the innermost margin of the upper sunk/within said chan-. nel, and an outsole secured to'the overlasted margins of the upper. v

11. A shoe comprisingan insole forepart memher, a shank piece having its forward end portion secured to the rear end portion of said insole member and having in its outer or lasting side a relatively wide and shallow central channel,

an upper having its side portions cut fuller than nel, and an outsolesecured to the overlasted margins of theupper. 1

12 A shoe comprising an upperv and each having side portions cut fuller than normal in the shank portion of the shoe, an insole, and a shank piece,'said shank piece having a relatively wide and shallow central channel in its outer side and the full portions of the upperand the lining being secured together in overlapped relation below the channeled portion 'of said shank piece and arranged with the marginal portions of the upper and the lining at one side upper portion substantially flush with the unchanneled portion of the outer surface of the 13. A shoe comprising an upper, an insole, a outsole, and a relatively inflexible shank piece between said soles, said shank piece conforming in both surface and marginal'contours to the alining r r of the shoe sunk within said channel with said corresponding contours of the bottom of a last and having a central longitudinal channel in its.

' outer or lasting side, and the opposite margins said,channel with the innermost of said overlapped portions sunk within said channel.

, 14. A shoe comprising an insole, a shank piece securedto the insole and having a central longi-v tudinal channelin its outer or lasting side, an upper having its opposite margins overlappedbeneath said shank piece in parallel relation to the, bottom of said channel with the innermost of-said overlapped portions sunk within said channel, a heel secured to said shank piece, and

an outsole secured to the margins of'said'julzmver I and having its rear end abutting thebreast face of said heel; ;f

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