US1734531A

US1734531A - Box-toe piece

Info

Publication number: US1734531A
Application number: US683079A
Authority: US
Inventors: Albert J Ryan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1923-12-27
Filing date: 1923-12-27
Publication date: 1929-11-05
Anticipated expiration: 1946-11-05

Description

- Nov. 5, 1929. RYAN 1,734,531

BOX TOE PIECE Filed Dec. 27, 1925 ATTOA /VEKS.

the

20 several points of view,

formed across Patented Nov. 5, 1929 I UNITED STATES ALBERT J. RYAN, or CINCINNATI, 01110 BOX-TOE PIECE Application filed December 27, 1923. Serial No. 683,079.

My invention relates to box toe pieces for shoes, same being the inserts of gum stiffened fabric which are employed within the shoe for stiffening the box toe.

5 In the production of box toes for shoes, the

usual material used for stiffening is a piece of felt saturated with a hardening compound, which compound is softened in some way, and the material placed into the shoe, between upper and the lining, while mounting the lining on the last, and is subsequently ironed into shape during the wiping-in process wherein the shoe is made to conform closely to the shape of the last.

My invention applies more particularly to box toe pieces of fabric (usually felt) which are saturated with a gum that is to be softened by heat prior to'insertion into the shoe. This form of box is the most satisfactory from one of which is that the piece sets and becomes hard more quickly than a piece in which the gums are cut or softened by a chemical.

The difficulty in any box toe piece is that the 25 line between the edge of the piece at the vamp, where it crosses the shoe above the toe, is likely to be very apparent in the finished shoe, forming an unsightly ridge, which is concealed as far as possible by fancy work the upper, along this line.

It is the object of my invention to provide a box toe piece and treatment therefor, which will result in a finished shoe in which the box toe is stifl and permanent, but in which the edge at the vamp tapers down to so thin a line that no apparent ridge is left in the shoe, that shows through the upper.

It is an incidental object, if found desirable, to provide for a box toe piece which is flexible at the edges where it receives the seams or stitches that secure the piece in posi-, tion, but is otherwise stiff.

It is also my object to provide for the above features in a heat softened gum saturated box toe piece. I

I accomplish my objects by that certain process and that certain product to be hereinafter more specifically pointed out and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a box toe blank, which has been treated. I

Figure 2 is a section showing the thickness of the box toe piece after same has been put into the shoe and the shoe wiped in over the last, or the upper otherwise ironed or smoothed down over the last.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one form of completed box toe piece.

Figure 4 is a section on the line H of Figure 3.

Referring to the box toe piece, I form a piece of fabric, such as the piece 1, in the proper shape for abox toe piece, the fabric being saturated either in the piece, or as a blank, by a suitable heat softening gum, a number of which are on the market today and which have the property of being plastic when heated but which are rigid and stiff when cool. A number of such preparations are well known in this art, two specific examples being disclosed in the Andrews Patent #154,185 and the Beckwith Patent #1424535. I I

This piece I treat prior to its insertion into the shoe by dipping the desired portion of its edges, particularly the vamp edge 2, into a strong'solution of an alkaline substance. Generally speaking any strong alkaline substance will serve, and the exact formula for alkaline solution is not necessary. What is necessary is to chemically act upon the gum at the desired portions of the edge of the blank, so that the gummy nature thereof is done away with, and as I presume, a saponified substance left.

The piece so treated is permitted to dry for a short time, but not long enough for the treated edge to become hard, and the piece is then heat-treated to make it soft and is mounted in the shoe in the usual manner for box toe pieces. The shoe is then treated in the usual manner in the shoe factory, resulting in pressure being applied to the upper on the last, so as to make it conform thereto.

This pressure also results in the saponificd substances of the edges of the toe niece being squeezed out of the felt to a large de ree, and the edge of the felt being attenuated? leaving no apparent edge except of knife edge thickness. This edge I have illustrated in Figure 2 at the point 3.

If it is desired to preform the box, it can be treated as above described, and the piece placed over the preforming die, and pressure applied as in wiping-in, wiich will result again in the saponified gums squeezing out of the felt.

The manner of applying the alkaline substance is not a requisite, and brushing or dipping may serve, and the piece need not be dipped until preformed, if desired. The chemical action will take place and the box be ready for insertion into the upper in my practise, in a few hours, but this can be tested out in the factory for best results, with different forms of gum.

A chemical treatment to soften all of the gum of the box prior to insertion thereof in the toe of the shoe will not give the results which I desire, as this treatmentdoes not remove the gummy consistency of the material, and the cut gumsvwill retain their oily nature and will stain up, the shoe if pressure and wiping is applied while they are soft.

Where the entire edgerof the box toe piece is treated, in addition to the box leaving an invisible tip line at the vamp, it gives a smooth shoulder, and hardens gradually after cooling, lying smooth on the bottom of McKay shoes, and can be pressed close to the inseam shoulder on the inner sole so as to make a perfect inseam on welt shoes. The edge, known asthe shoulder, can be brought down smooth and free from wrinkles. Also the edges of the box toe piece adjacent the points where the alkaline solution has fully saponified the gums, are resilient, and tend to hold the box against breaking down.-

I do not wish to be limited, however, to treatment of the complete edge, nor to any specific kinds of gums, heat softening or not, but consider that my invention consistsin the provision of a box toe in which the completed box in the shoe has a stifiened body and an attenuated or tapered edge at the tip line or vamp, with or without flexibility; at the inseam, "or other seaming points, dependent upon the style of shoe.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A box toe reinforcing process which consists in treating desired edge portions of a gum saturated fabric toe piece with an alkaline solution to chemically affect said gum in said fabric at saidedges, permitting same to stand until chemical action takes place, softening the remaining gum in said fabric, and applying pressure to the toe piece to squeeze out the treated gums at such edge.

2. A box toe reinforcing process which consists in treating desired edge portions of a gum saturated fabric toe piece with an alkaline solution to chemically affect said gum in said fabric, permitting same to stand until chemical action takes place, softening the unafiected gum in said fabric, placing the toe piece into the shoe upper, and wiping-in the shoe prior to drying of the said treated edges.

3. A process for making shoes which consists in treating desired edge portions of a gum saturated box toe reinforcement to change the gummy physical properties of the edge portions and render them non-adhesive, then warming the reinforcement and inserting and shaping the piece within the shoe in such a fashion asto eliminate all wrinkles.

ALBERT J. RYAN.

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