GB2023997A - Improvements in or relating to the manufacture of footwear - Google Patents

Abstract

In a method of making a shoe or other article of outer footwear a sock made for example from leather, has a sole unit moulded on to its lower face or has a premoulded sole unit bonded to its lower face. The sock is larger than the top face of the sole unit so as to project beyond the outer edge thereof, and the out-turned lower edge portion of a pre-formed upper is subsequently attached to the projecting edge of the sock, preferably by thonging. The bottom edge portion of the sole unit may have an outwardly-directed flange 13. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to the manufacture of footwear This invention relates to footwear.

According to the invention there is provided an article of footwear comprising a moulded sole unit having bonded to the top surface thereof a sock which projects beyond the edge of said top surface about the periphery of the sole unit, and an upper having its lower edge portion secured to the projecting edge portion of the sock.

The invention also provides a method of manufacturing an article of footwear comprising securing a sock on to the top surface of a moulded sole unit or moulding a sole unit on to the underside of a sock whereby the sock is bonded to the top surface of the sole unit, the edge of the sock projecting laterally beyond the edge of said top surface of the sole unit about the periphery of the sole unit, and subsequently securing the lower edge portion of an upper to the projecting edge portion of the sock.

Perferably, the top surface of the sole unit is formed with an upswept edge portion along the periphery of its top surface so as to form a central depression to receive the wearer's foot.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the lower edge portion of the upper is secured to the projecting edge portion of the sock by thonging. Hoies to receive the thonging are preferably punched in said edge portion of the upper and sock before the thonging together of the edge portions is commenced.

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows an article of footwear according to the invention, and Figure 2 is a cross-section on the iine 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, the boot shown has a sole unit 10 which is moulded from any suitable polymeric substance, in this instance polyurethane, and an upper 11 which is attached to the sole unit via a sock 1 2. The sock 1 2 is slightly larger in area than the top surface of the sole unit so as to project laterally beyond the top edge about the periphery of the sole unit. The sole unit is moulded directly on to the sock and has at its lower edge a flange 1 3 which projects laterally to approximately the same extent as the sock. The top surface of the sole unit has an upswept edge portion 14 bounding a central depression to receive the wearer's foot.

The upper 11 is assembled separately from its component parts, which are secured together by thonging, and the lower edge portion 1 6 of the upper is secured to the laterally projecting edge portion 17 of the sock 1 2 by manually-applied thonging 1 8. Preferably the holes to receive the thonging are punched prior to the commencement of the thonging operation for ease and speed of the operation.

In a modified method the sole unit is moulded and the sock is subsequently bonded to its top surface.

Flange 1 3 adds a decorative effect but serves also to protect the edge portions 16, 1 7 from scuffing, particularly where the two shoes of a pair may brush against one another in wear.

1. An article of footwear comprising a moulded sole unit having bonded to the top surface thereof a sock which projects beyond the edge of said top surface about the periphery of the sole unit, and an upper having its lower edge portion secured to the projecting edge portion of the sock.

2. An article of footwear as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central area of the top surface of the sole unit is below the level of the outer edge of the surface, said surface being upwardly and outwardly curved in its outer portions towards outer edge.

3. An article of footwear as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the lower edge portion of the upper is secured to the projecting edge portion of the sock by thonging.

4. An article of footwear as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sole unit has a lateral flange at its bottom edge.

5. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear comprising securing a sock on to the top surface of a moulded sole unit or moulding a sole unit on to the underside of a sock whereby the sock is bonded to the top surface of the sole unit, the edge of the sock projecting laterally beyond the edge of said top surface of the sole unit about the periphery of the sole unit, and subsequently securing the lower edge portion of an upper to the projecting edge portion of the sock.

6. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, which method is substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

7. An article of footwear substantially as herein before described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

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

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to the manufacture of footwear This invention relates to footwear. According to the invention there is provided an article of footwear comprising a moulded sole unit having bonded to the top surface thereof a sock which projects beyond the edge of said top surface about the periphery of the sole unit, and an upper having its lower edge portion secured to the projecting edge portion of the sock. The invention also provides a method of manufacturing an article of footwear comprising securing a sock on to the top surface of a moulded sole unit or moulding a sole unit on to the underside of a sock whereby the sock is bonded to the top surface of the sole unit, the edge of the sock projecting laterally beyond the edge of said top surface of the sole unit about the periphery of the sole unit, and subsequently securing the lower edge portion of an upper to the projecting edge portion of the sock. Perferably, the top surface of the sole unit is formed with an upswept edge portion along the periphery of its top surface so as to form a central depression to receive the wearer's foot. According to a preferred feature of the invention the lower edge portion of the upper is secured to the projecting edge portion of the sock by thonging. Hoies to receive the thonging are preferably punched in said edge portion of the upper and sock before the thonging together of the edge portions is commenced. One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows an article of footwear according to the invention, and Figure 2 is a cross-section on the iine 2-2 of Fig. 1. Referring to the drawings, the boot shown has a sole unit 10 which is moulded from any suitable polymeric substance, in this instance polyurethane, and an upper 11 which is attached to the sole unit via a sock 1 2. The sock 1 2 is slightly larger in area than the top surface of the sole unit so as to project laterally beyond the top edge about the periphery of the sole unit. The sole unit is moulded directly on to the sock and has at its lower edge a flange 1 3 which projects laterally to approximately the same extent as the sock. The top surface of the sole unit has an upswept edge portion 14 bounding a central depression to receive the wearer's foot. The upper 11 is assembled separately from its component parts, which are secured together by thonging, and the lower edge portion 1 6 of the upper is secured to the laterally projecting edge portion 17 of the sock 1 2 by manually-applied thonging 1 8. Preferably the holes to receive the thonging are punched prior to the commencement of the thonging operation for ease and speed of the operation. In a modified method the sole unit is moulded and the sock is subsequently bonded to its top surface. Flange 1 3 adds a decorative effect but serves also to protect the edge portions 16, 1 7 from scuffing, particularly where the two shoes of a pair may brush against one another in wear. CLAIMS

1. An article of footwear comprising a moulded sole unit having bonded to the top surface thereof a sock which projects beyond the edge of said top surface about the periphery of the sole unit, and an upper having its lower edge portion secured to the projecting edge portion of the sock.

2. An article of footwear as claimed in claim 1, wherein the central area of the top surface of the sole unit is below the level of the outer edge of the surface, said surface being upwardly and outwardly curved in its outer portions towards outer edge.

3. An article of footwear as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the lower edge portion of the upper is secured to the projecting edge portion of the sock by thonging.

4. An article of footwear as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the sole unit has a lateral flange at its bottom edge.

5. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear comprising securing a sock on to the top surface of a moulded sole unit or moulding a sole unit on to the underside of a sock whereby the sock is bonded to the top surface of the sole unit, the edge of the sock projecting laterally beyond the edge of said top surface of the sole unit about the periphery of the sole unit, and subsequently securing the lower edge portion of an upper to the projecting edge portion of the sock.

6. A method of manufacturing an article of footwear, which method is substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

7. An article of footwear substantially as herein before described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.