US1869482A - Method of and apparatus for preparing closed uppers - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 2, 1932.- F. D. KINNEY 1,869,482

METHOD or mm APPARATUS FOR PREPARING CLOSED UPPERS Filed March 12, 1929 Patented Aug. 2, 1932 UNITED srA'ras PATENT OFFICE TAY D. KINNEY, OF WEN HAM, IIASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO I J'NITED SHOE 1VJ.'A(' 1"III T- ERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR PREPARING CLOSED UPPERS Application filed March 12, 1929. Serial No. 346,386.

This invention relates to the preparation of closed uppers or linings for use in the manufacture of rubber shoes such, for example, as rubber overshoes.

5 Two methods, among others, are practiced in the manufacture of rubber overshoes. In one of these methods a suitably shaped lining blank is died out of friction fabric; this blank is made into a closed lining by bringlo ing its ends together and is placed, together with an insole, upon a last; the lining is lasted over upon the insole; a rubber or so-called gum vamp is placed upon the lining and v lasted over upon the insole; the outsole is then put in place and the shoe completed including subjecting it to vulcanization. In

the other method a composite blank consisting of a fabric lining and a rubber vamp is died out of a piece of laminated sheet material consisting of a sheet of fabric and a sheet of rubber; this blank is made into a closed upper by bringing its rear ends together and placed, together with an insole, upon a last; the upper is lasted over upon the insole, the outsole added and the shoe completed as in the first method. It will be understood that the descriptions of the two methods given above are not complete and that certain parts, not mentioned, such as stays, counters and toe pieces may be added to the partly made shoe, sometimes at one stage in its manufacture and sometimes at another. In the. practice of either method, however, it is necessary to prepare at the start either a closed lining or a closed upper which is then assembled, together with an insole, upon a last.

The present invention provides a method of preparing a closed upper or lining which comprises cutting out a blank of suitable shape with an opening extending longitudinally into the blank from the middle of the rear edge thereof, folding the rear corner portions of the blank diagonally over the body portion and fastening together the ad jacent margins of the folded-over portions.

In the particular method which is described below in detail, the blank has a straight rear edge, and the opening is a slit extending lon- 5 gitudinally into the blank from the middle point of the rear edge at right angles to said "edge. Upon this blank is placed a flat form or template, the outline of the rear edge of 'wliich'is a right angle with the apex of the angle at the extreme rear longitudinal middle of the form. The form thus has at its rear end two straight edges which are perpendicular to each other. The corner portions of the blank are folded diagonally over these two straight. edges and the halves of the rear edge of the blank, which lie one on one side and one'on the other of the slit, are thus brought into abutting relation toclose the upper or lining. These edges are fastened together by a stay, and counters or so-called juniors are placed over the stay. The form, and with-it the closed upper or lining, is turned over and a toe piece placed upon thetoe portion of the upper or lining. The completed closed upper or lining is then removed from the form and is ready to be placed upona last, the slit in the upper or lining spreading apart to permit the cone of the last to protrude through it.

Inasmuch as the method is the same whether a lining oran upper is being prepared, the

word upper will be used throughout the specification and claims as a broad term to include either an upper or a lining.

Referring now to the accompanying draw- Fig. 1 is a plan of an upper blank which may be made of friction fabric or of unvulcanized rubber or of laminated material consisting of a layer of fabric and a layer of rubber or of other suitable material,

Fig. 2 is a plan of a form for use in closing the upper and mounting upon it certain parts such as the back stay, the counters and the toe piece, and v r Fig. 3 is a p'lan'of the form and they upper after the upper has been closed and the back stay, counters, and toe piece mounted upon it.

A blank 100 of suitable shape, such as that shown in Fig. 1, is first died out of sheet material. The illustrated blank has an opening in the form of a ,slit 5 extending longitudinally into it from the middle point of the rear edge. This rear edge, in the illustrated blank, is straight but in any event should in Fig. 1.

preferably be of such outline that the two halves 21, 23 of this edge, one on one side and one on the other of the slit 5, may be placed in abutting relation. In the practice of the method these two halves are brought together, preferably in abutting relation, and fastened to close the blank, the slit 5 then providing an opening the edges of which will spread apart to receive the cone of the last.

In order to bring these two halves of the rear edge of the blank into abutting relation, the rear corner portions of the blank are folded diagonally, one along each of the two clotand-dash lines 7, 9 and 9, 1-1 which are shown To'facilitate this folding, as well as the mounting upon the closed blank of certain parts of the upper, there is provided" the form 12 shown best in Fig. 2. The illustrated form is a thin plate substantially fiat except for two cylindrical handles 13 by.

grasping which the form may be readily manipulated. The outline of the rear edge of this form is a right angle, the apex being at the extreme rear longitudinal middle of the form. The form thus has twostraight edges 15, 17 which enclose a right angle the apex of which is at 19.

The blank 100 is placed upon a flat support, preferably upon a small pad which in turn rests upon a bench so as to hold the blank above the bench; and then the form 12 is superposed upon'the blank with the apex 19 at the middle point of the straight rear edge of the blank where the slit 5 starts. The rear corner portions of the blank are folded diagonally over theform and over the body porpleted upper is then removed from the form,

placed, together with an insole, upon a last, and the manufacture of the shoe completed in the manner which has been described above. The parts of the upper, it will be understood, contain or are composed of unvulcanized rubber and consequently adhere firmly to one another.

The illustrated closed upper, it will be noted, has a straight back seam where the straight edges 21, 23 are in abutting relation. The rear end of a last is, of course, curved from top to bottom, and it might be supposed that the upper would not fit about the curved rear end of the last; but it should be remembered that the materials of which the upper is made may readily be stretched so that the upper may be made to conform, during the lasting operation, to all the curved surfaces of the last.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is The method of preparing a closed upper which comprises cutting out a blank with an opening extending longitudinally into the blank from the middle of the rear edge thereof, superposing upon the blank a form the outline of the rear portion of which is a right angle with the apex of the angle at the middle of the rear edge of the blank, folding the rear corner portions of the blank over the form to bring the edges of the two halves of the rear edge of the blank into abutting relation, applying a stay over the margins of the abutting edges, applying a counter over the stay, turning over the form with the blank upon it, and applying a toe-piece to the blank.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

FAY D. KINNEY.

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