GB2086710A - Welted footwear - Google Patents

Abstract

The insole element 20 of an article of welted footwear is made from a moulded resilient plastics material which is resiliently compressible in the direction of its thickness, resiliently extensible lengthwise of the foot and substantially inextensible transversely of the foot. A rib strip 28 extends along the periphery of the insole element and has a flange 29 thereof secured to the top surface of the insole element and a depending flange 30 to which the lower edge of the upper 33 and the inner edge part of a welt strip 32 are stitched. The outsole is then stitched to the outer edge part of the welt strip. A sock 36 covers the top surface of the insole element. <IMAGE>

Description

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

In currently conventional constructions of welted footwear an asymmetric T-section rib strip is secured by its cross-bar to the underside of an insole so as to extend along the edge of the insole. The leg of the rib strip is sewn or otherwise secured to the lower edge of the upper against the inner face of the upper and to a welt strip disposed against the outer face of the upper. Subsequently the outsole is sewn to the welt strip and a filler material is disposed in the cavity which is formed between the insole and out-sole and which is bounded by the rib strip.The insole is of necessity made from strong material, for example leather which may be 42 mum thick, and detracts from the flexibility of the footwear, whilst the filler material increases the thickness of the sole structure, and hence further detracts from its flexibility, without otherwise adding to its strength.

According to the present invention, there is provided an article of welted footwear comprising an insole element which is resiliently compressible in the direction of its thickness, resiliently extensible in a direction lengthwise of the foot, and substantially inextensible in a direction transversely of the foot, a rib strip extending along the periphery of the insole element and having a first flange whereof the underside is bonded to the top surface of the insole element and a depending second flange which extends about the edge of the insole element, an upper whereof the lower edge portion has its inner face disposed against the outer face of the depending second flange of the rib strip, a welt strip having the inner edge portion thereof disposed against the outer face of the lower edge portion of the upper, the said one edge portion of the welt strip, the lower edge portion of the upper and the second flange of the rib strip being stitched together, and an insole stitched to the outer edge portion of the welt strip.

In a preferred construction according to the invention the insole element is made from an integrally moulded resilient plastics material and comprises a sheet-like upper web with transverse lines of transverse slots therein, transverse ribs on the lower side of said web which ribs alternate lengthwise of the article with the lines of slots, and a transverse bar disposed under each slot and connected intermediate its ends to the two flanking ribs, the bars having their bottom surfaces disposed below the ribs so as to define a support for engaging the upper surface of the out-sole.

The depending flange of the rib strip is preferably spaced outwardly of the edge of the insole element.

The upper surface of the insole element and the said first flange of the rib strip are preferably covered by a stock.

The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a currently conventional form of welt construction in cross-section and partly exploded, Figure 2 shows an exploded cross-sectional view of an article of welted footwear according to the invention, Figures 3 and 4 are respectively fragmentary views of the upper and lower sides of the insole element in the shoe shown in Fig. 2, and Figure 5 is an enlargement of part of Fig. 4.

Referring first to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the known welted construction incorporates an insole 10 having a rib strip 11 secured to its underface. The insole is made from strong leather and may be 3mm or 4 > mm thick. The strip 11 is of asymmetric T-section and has its cross-member bonded or otherwise secured to the underside of the insole. The depending leg 1 2 of the strip is stitched to the lower edge portion 1 3 of the upper end to one lengthwise edge portion 14 of a welt strip.

Subsequently an outsole 1 5 is stitched to the welted strip, a filler material 1 6 being disposed in the space formed between the insole 10 and outsole 1 5 and bounded by the rib strip 11.

Referring now to Fig. 2 of the drawings, the illustrated shoe embodying the invention has a flexible insole element 20 which provides resilient compressibility through its thickness, resilient extensibility in the direction of the length of the article and substantially no extensibility widthwise of the shoe. A preferred material for this purpose is sold under the trade name Hytrel and is of integral complex open-work form moulded from a plastics material, and the insole element is cut from a sheet of the material.The top surface of the material (see Fig. 3) is formed by a flat web with a pattern of apertures 22 and depressions 23, and the underside (see Figs. 3 and 4) provides a pattern of short bars 24 which together provide a supporting surface and each of which is supported by transverse bars 25 at its mid-length in a trunnion-like manner on ribs 26 on the underside of the web corresponding to the depressions 23 on the top surface of the web. The bars 25 support the bars 24 is a trunnion-like manner for pivotal movement. The bars 24 extend widthwise of the shoe. On compression of the material through its thickness these ribs 26 bend resiliently away from the bars 24.

A rib strip 28 extends along the periphery of the insole element and has a wide top flange 29 the underside of which is bonded to the top surface of the insole element, a de pending second flange or rib 30 spaced outwardly of the outer edge of the insole element 20, and a narrow top flange 31 projecting away from the insole element. The depending second flange 30 is disposed against the inner face of the lower edge portion of the upper 33 and is secured by stitching 34 to said lower edge portion and to a lengthwise extending edge portion of a welt strip 32 which is disposed against the outer face of the upper. The outsole is then stitched at 35 to the other lengthwise extending edge portion of the welt strip 32. A sock 36 is bonded to the top face of the insole element 20 and flanges 29 and 31 to provide a smooth surface for the wearer's foot.

The construction illustrated in Figs. 2 to 5 has been found to conform to the foot to an extent not found practicable with conventional welted construction and to provide a good cushioning support for the foot. Additionally, replacing the conventional insole and filler by the illustrated insole element has been found to improve the flexibility of the shoe and allows the circulation of air under the sock so as to assist in dissipating perspiration. Furthermore since the welt strip is outside the insole element, instead of underneath it as in conventional welted construction, a thinner sole appearance is obtained.

Claims (5)

1. An article of welted footwear comprising an insole element which is resiliently compressible in the direction of its thickness, resiliently extensible in a direction lengthwise of the foot, and substantially inextensible in a direction transversely of the foot, a rib strip extending along the periphery of the insole element and having a first flange whereof the underside is bonded to the top surface of the insole element and a depending second flange which extends about the edge of the insole element, an upper whereof the lower edge portion has its inner face disposed against the outer face of the depending second flange of the rib strip, a welt strip having the inner edge portion thereof disposed against the outer face of the lower edge portion of the upper, the said one edge portion of the welt strip, the lower edge portion of the upper and the second flange of the rib strip being stitched together, and an outsole stitched to the outer edge portion of the welt strip.

2. An article as claimed in claim 1, wherein the depending flange of the rib strip is spaced outwardly of the edge of the insole element.

3. An article as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the upper surface of the insole element and the said first flange of the rib strip are covered by a sock.

4. An article as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the insole element is made from an integrally moulded resilient plastics material and comprises a sheet-like upper web with transverse lines of transverse slots therein, transverse ribs on the lower side of said web which ribs alternate lengthwise of the article with the lines of slots, and a transverse bar disposed under each slot and connected intermediate its ends to the two flanking ribs, the bars having their bottom surfaces disposed below the ribs so as to define a support for engaging the upper surface of the out-sole.

5. An article of welted footwear substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.