GB1593514A

GB1593514A - Method of making closed-back footwear

Info

Publication number: GB1593514A
Application number: GB4720277A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Dunlop Ltd
Current assignee: Dunlop Ltd
Priority date: 1978-05-15
Filing date: 1978-05-15
Publication date: 1981-07-15

Description

(54) METHOD OF MAKING CLOSED-BACK FOOTWEAR (71) We DUNLOP LIMITED, a British Company of Dunlop House, Ryder Street, St. James's, London S.W.1, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to a method of making closed-back footwear and especially to a method for the provision of positive location means for attachment of stiffeners or heel-fillers in such footwear.

Closed-back footwear is conventionally made by lasting a sole heel member to an upper and subsequently inserting a heelfiller and/or a stiffener into the footwear article. Where both a heel-filler and a stiffener are to be incorporated in the footwear, lack of positive location means for the filler and/or the stiffener can lead to increased expense of manufacture (caused by the need to employ skilled personnel) or to increased wastage (where unskilled personnel are employed). Moreover, even when a satisfactory article of footwear has been produced by conventional methods, it has been found, particularly in the case of slippers and similar leisure footwear, that the upper tends to "ride-down" over the heel-filler after a comparatively short period of wear.

We have now found that positive location for heel-fillers and/or stiffeners in closedback footwear may be achieved by providing a groove or other channel on the last on which such footwear is made.

Accordingly, in one aspect the present invention provides a method of making closed-back footwear by attaching a sole heel member to an upper which is lasted over a last, in which the last is provided with a groove or channel between the heel portion of the last and the upper portion of the last, whereby, in the finished footwear, a protuberance extends inwardly of the footwear in a region corresponding to the said groove or channel, said protuberance providing means for the positive location of a heel-filler and/or a stiffener.

The present ivention also provides an article of closed-back footwear made by the method described in the immediatelypreceding paragraph.

The present invention will be illustrated, merely by way of example, by means of the following description and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a section through a last for making footwear according to the present invention Figure 2 is a section through an article of footwear made on the last of Figure 1.

Referring now to Figure 1, the last comprises an upper portion 10 and a sole heel portion 11. Between portions 10 and 11 a groove 20 is provided, the groove extending around the heel portion of the last.

In Figure 2, an article of closed-back footwear comprises a sole heel member 30 and an upper 31. Corresponding to the groove 20 on the last of Figure 1 there is a protuberance 32 extending around the region between the heel member and the upper and directed inwardly of the footwear article. The protuberance 32 provides positive location for the insertion of a heel filler 40 and the attachment of a stiffener 41.

The present invention is especially applicable to footwear in which the sole is attached to the upper by vulcanisation or by injection moulding and the heel filler subsequently placed in the cavity defined by the inner surface of the sole/heel member and the protuberance.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A method of making closed-back footwear by attaching a sole/heel member to an upper which is lasted over a last, wherein the last is provided with a groove or channel between the heel portion of the last and the upper portion of the last, whereby, in the finishing footwear, a protuberance extends inwardly of the article in the region corresponding to the said groove or channel, said protuberance providing means

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Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

(54) METHOD OF MAKING CLOSED-BACK FOOTWEAR (71) We DUNLOP LIMITED, a British Company of Dunlop House, Ryder Street, St. James's, London S.W.1, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to a method of making closed-back footwear and especially to a method for the provision of positive location means for attachment of stiffeners or heel-fillers in such footwear.

Closed-back footwear is conventionally made by lasting a sole heel member to an upper and subsequently inserting a heelfiller and/or a stiffener into the footwear article. Where both a heel-filler and a stiffener are to be incorporated in the footwear, lack of positive location means for the filler and/or the stiffener can lead to increased expense of manufacture (caused by the need to employ skilled personnel) or to increased wastage (where unskilled personnel are employed). Moreover, even when a satisfactory article of footwear has been produced by conventional methods, it has been found, particularly in the case of slippers and similar leisure footwear, that the upper tends to "ride-down" over the heel-filler after a comparatively short period of wear.

We have now found that positive location for heel-fillers and/or stiffeners in closedback footwear may be achieved by providing a groove or other channel on the last on which such footwear is made.

Accordingly, in one aspect the present invention provides a method of making closed-back footwear by attaching a sole heel member to an upper which is lasted over a last, in which the last is provided with a groove or channel between the heel portion of the last and the upper portion of the last, whereby, in the finished footwear, a protuberance extends inwardly of the footwear in a region corresponding to the said groove or channel, said protuberance providing means for the positive location of a heel-filler and/or a stiffener.

The present ivention also provides an article of closed-back footwear made by the method described in the immediatelypreceding paragraph.

The present invention will be illustrated, merely by way of example, by means of the following description and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a section through a last for making footwear according to the present invention Figure 2 is a section through an article of footwear made on the last of Figure 1.

Referring now to Figure 1, the last comprises an upper portion 10 and a sole heel portion 11. Between portions 10 and 11 a groove 20 is provided, the groove extending around the heel portion of the last.

In Figure 2, an article of closed-back footwear comprises a sole heel member 30 and an upper 31. Corresponding to the groove 20 on the last of Figure 1 there is a protuberance 32 extending around the region between the heel member and the upper and directed inwardly of the footwear article. The protuberance 32 provides positive location for the insertion of a heel filler 40 and the attachment of a stiffener 41.

The present invention is especially applicable to footwear in which the sole is attached to the upper by vulcanisation or by injection moulding and the heel filler subsequently placed in the cavity defined by the inner surface of the sole/heel member and the protuberance.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A method of making closed-back footwear by attaching a sole/heel member to an upper which is lasted over a last, wherein the last is provided with a groove or channel between the heel portion of the last and the upper portion of the last, whereby, in the finishing footwear, a protuberance extends inwardly of the article in the region corresponding to the said groove or channel, said protuberance providing means for the positive location of a heel filler and/or a stiffener.
2. An article of closed-back footwear made by the method of Claim 1.
3. A method according the Claim 1, substantially as hereinbefore described.
4. An article of closed-back footwear, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.