GB846581A - Improvements in or relating to footwear and to methods and means for manufacturing same - Google Patents

Abstract

846,581. Moulding soles on to footwear uppers. DOORMAN FOOTWEAR Ltd. July 2, 1958 [July 19, 1957], No. 23013/57. Class 87 (2). [Also in Group VII] In a shoe comprising an upper 1 and a moulded sole 2 bonded thereto, the sole has a tongue-like extension 3 forming a facing to part of the upper, and at least the main portion of the sole is formed in situ and simultaneously bonded to the upper. The shoe may be formed in a mould, Fig. 1, comprising a base 4, 5 with an element 6 to define the tread of the sole, and a frame consisting of two members 7, 8 pivoted to a link 9 for opening and closing movement, each section having surfaces to define the main portion of the sole and the extension. The frame is locked in closed position by a toggle mechanism operated by link 16. Vulcanisable material is used to form the sole, the last, L, and/or the mould being heated. The tilted attitude of the mould, shown in Fig. 1, facilitates the movement of the last to and from the mould. The mould shown in closed and open positions in Figs. 6 and 7 comprises a base plate 25 to which mould sections 26 are pivoted about vertical pin 29, and portions 27 pivoted to sections 26 about horizontal pins 28. The shoe may also be formed by first attaching a pre-formed sole extension 35 to the upper, and then moulding on the sole which becomes integral with the lower portion of the extension, see Fig. 8. The frame 34 of this mould may be in one or more pieces. The sections of the various moulds may be slidably mounted instead of pivotally mounted as shown. The moulding operation may be effected by pressure moulding, non- pressure moulding, or extrusion moulding. The sole may be formed from rubber, plastic, e.g. polyvinylchloride, polyethylene, or polystyrene, or leather rendered mouldable in a heated mould by wetting. The tread layer may be more resistant than the remainder, e.g. the sole may comprise a solid rubber tread, a solid rubber or sponge rubber compound middle sole, and a felt filler covering a zone of the middle sole inset from the edge thereof, the margin of the middle sole being bonded directly to the upper. Alternatively, the sole may comprise a thin leather tread and sponge rubber middle sole, or a thick leather outsole and thin rubber middle sole. The soles may also be formed of a single material, e.g. vulcanisable rubber-based or plastic-based compound, or crude or semi-cured rubber-based or plasticbased compound in one piece or in two or more pieces which may be joined together, e.g. by cementing or sewing, before being placed in the mould.