US2054942A - Method of making shoes - Google Patents

Description

.Sept. 22, 1936. MacB URNlE 2,054,942

METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Filed Oct. 20, 1934 Patented Sept. 22, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE METHOD OF MAKING SHOES Application October 20,

20 Claims.

This invention relates to shoes and to methods of making shoes and is illustrated herein \m'th reference to the manufacture of shoes having uppers secured in overlasted position by cement.

A method of making shoes having their uppers secured in overlasted relation to insole members by cement is disclosed in United States Letters I Patent No. 1,932,545, granted October 31, 1933, on an application filed in the name of George Goddu. In one of its aspects the method referred to consistsin utilizing in the manufacture of a shoe an insole provided adjacent to its marginal portion with an upstanding lip or rib which extends around the periphery of the insole and terminates substantially at the heel breast line. The'upper is temporarily secured to the rib by staples to hold the upper in lasted relation to the insole while the cement between the margins of the upper and insole is setting. The upstand- 20, ing portions of the upper and rib are then trimmed ofi substantially flush with that surface of the upper which overlies the margin of the insole, thereby removing the excess upper materials, staples and upstanding portions of the rib =3 from the shoe bottom and providing a relatively even surface for the attachmentof an outsole.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of making shoes having uppers secured in overlasted position by cement 3 which, without sacrificing any of the advantages of the method referred to above, is particularly adapted for producing shoes having greater flexibility at their foreparts than shoes which have been manufactured heretofore.

To the attainment of this objectand in accordance with one aspect of the invention, strips are provided on the bottom surface of a bare last, these strips forming ribs to which a shoe upper 'may be secured to hold it in lasted position while the cement for securing the upper permanently in such position sets. As illustrated, the strips or ribs are located adjacent to the marginal portions of the bare last bottom and extend from about the tip line to the ball line. The ribs may be composed of relatively thick cord, as shown herein, or they may consist of leather, fabric, rubber or similar materials. They are preferably cemented to the bottom surface of the last although they may if desired be secured to the last bottom by other means such as tacks. The: margins of the upper at the forepart of the shoe are treated with a stiffening material such, for example, as cement which is introduced between the layers or plies of the upper materials so that 55v when the cement sets the margins of the upper 1934, Serial No. 749,214

at this portion of the shoe will stiffen suiliciently to. cause the upper to remain permanently in lasted position. The upper is then worked over the margins of the bare last bottom and is secured in lasted position by staples which pass through the upper and ribs and are clinched against the inner sides of the ribs. After the cement has set the ribs and the excess portions of the upper materials secured thereto are separated from the main portion of the upper by cutting through the upper below the staples, thereby permitting removal of the excess upper materials, staples, and ribs from the forepart of the shoe bottom.

In another aspect the invention comprises pro- 15 viding an. insole member in the form of a shank and heel piece at the rear portion of a shoe, this member, as herein illustrated, being provided along its longitudinal median line with a single strip similar to the strips which are secured to the forepart of the last bottom, this single strip being cemented to the insole member and forming a longitudinal rib to which a shoe upper may be secured to hold it in lasted relation to the insole member. The upper at the shank portion of the shoe is treated with an adhesive such as cement in the usual manner and the feather portions of the shank and heel piece forwardly of the heel breast line are roughened and coated with cement. The opposite sides of the upper are 301 then worked separately over the margins of the insole member and secured to the single strip or rib to hold such portions in lasted position while the cement which secures them permanently in lasted relation to the insole member is setting. After the cement has thoroughly set a trimming operation is performed which separates the excess upper material from the overlasted portions thereof thereby permitting removal of the excess upper material, staples, and rib from the shank portion of the shoe. The shoe may then be completed in the usual manner by attaching an outsole by cement without delasting the shoe or by stitches if the last is removed from the shoe. By omitting the insole at the forepart of the shoe in the manner described this portion of the shoe is rendered much more flexible than it is in shoes having full length insoles. Moreover, since the shoe in other respects is a cementlasted shoe made in accordance with the method referred to above it will be light, durable and comfortable on the foot as well as'being more flexible at its forepart. 1 With the above and other objects and features in View the invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawing and thereafter pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shoe in the process of being made by the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on an enlarged scale taken on the line IIII of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of the shoe showing the upper secured in lasted position;

Fig. i is a transverse sectional view similar to Fig. 2 taken on the line IV-IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line V-V of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a perspective View of the shoe after the trimming operation has been performed;

Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view of a per tion of the forepart of the shoe with an outsole attached by cement;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken through the shank portion of the shoe after the outsole is attached; and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the forepart of the shoe showing one of the ribs being peeled off the last bottom with the staples and portions of the upper secured thereto.

In practising the method of the present invention the forepart of a bare last it is provided onits bottom surface with a pair of strips 52 which extend from about the ball line to the tip a line and provide ribs to which a shoe upper may be secured to hold it in lasted position on the last. As illustrated herein the strips or ribs [2 comprise pieces of cord which are secured to the bare surface of the last bottom adjacent to its marginal portions by a suitable adhesive, for example, pyroxylin cement, the cement being indicated in Figs. 1 and 2 by the reference numeral M. The ribs I? may, if desired, be composed of materials other than cord such, for example, as leather, rubber, fabric or any material to which a shoe upper may be conveniently secured to hold it temporarily in lasted position while the cement by which the'upper is to be permanently secured in such position sets. A single rib l5, similar to the ribs I2, is now secured by cement Hi to the shank portion of an insole member 28 which comprises a shank and heel piece preferably of leather and having its opposite margins reduced in thickness forwardly of its heel breast line to form feather portions 2!. The forward edge of the shank and heel piece 2! is also reduced or beveled at 23 to prevent the formation of a shoulder or ridge at the ball portion of the finished shoe. The cord forming the rib i6 is located on the longitudinal medial line of the shank and heel piece and extends rearwardly substantially to the heel breast line, as shown in Fig. 1.

The shank and heel piece 20 is secured in proper position on the bottom of the last H! by tacks 22', and a multi-ply shoe upper 24, comprising an outer layer 26 of leather (Fig. 2), a fabric intermediate layer or doubler 28, and a lining 35, is assembled on the last, pulled over, and secured in proper position at the toe and heel ends of the last by pulling over tacks 32, 34, Figs. 1 and 2 show the shoe as it appears after the insole member 26 and the upper have been assembled on the last and the upper has been pulled over and secured to the last in the manner described.

The marginal portions of the upper 24 forwardly of the heel breast line are now treated with an adhesive such, for example, ascement in order to prepare the upper for the lasting the Goddu Patent No.

operation. Around the toe end of the upper and rearwardly to the ball line, the cement is applied only between the layers or plies of the upper, that is to say, it is introduced between the leather outer layer and the doubler, and between the doubler arid the lining, but no cement is applied to the inner side of the lining. Preferably, pyroxylin cement is used at this portion of the shoe in order to stiffen the marginal portions of the upper and cause them to remain permanently in lasted position after the cement has set. The stiffening of the margins of the upper in this manner also causes the side portions of the upper to hold their shape and not pull away from the outsole when the latter is attached as is sometimes the case in shoes in which insoles or portions of the insoles are omitted. From the ball line of the upper to the heel breast line, cement is introduced between the plies of the upper and is also applied to the inner surface of the lining. The feather portions 2! at the shank portion of the shank and heel piece as, having been previously roughened to provide surfaces suitable for receiving cement and then coated with cement, the shoe is now prepared for the lasting operation.

Inthe operation of lasting, the opposite sides of the upper at the forepart of the shoe are Worked over the edges of the bare last bottom and are secured in upstanding position against the ribs l2 by staples this operation being preferably performed in the manner disclosed in 1,932,545 referred to above. As explained in that patent the upper is drawn upwardly over the edge of the last and isforced under tension into the angle between the last bottom and the base of the rib while a staple is driven through the upper materials and the rib, the staple being clinched against the inner side of the rib. At the shank portion of the shoe the margins of the upper at each side of the last may be worked separately over the feather portions 2! of the shank and heel piece 2% and secured in lasted relation to the shank and heel piece by staples 38 which fasten the margins to the single longitudinal rib it in the manner disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,975,474, granted October 2, 1934, on an application of George H. Nichols, the staples 33' passing through the upper and the rib and being clinched against the opposite side of the rib.

At the toe end of the shoe the upper is preferably wiped over the margin of the bare last bottom by end-embracing wipers held in lasted position by the wipers while the cement between the plies is setting although it may be held in lasted position by a toe plate or binder similar to that disclosed in Letters Pa ent of the United States No. 1,894,678, granted January 17, 1933, on an application filed in the name of Joseph Fausse. The heel portion of the upper may be lasted in any usual such as by lasting tacks. 46 which are clinched against a metal clinching plate at the heel portion of the last. The cement between the plies of the upper at the forepart of the last and between the upper and the shank and heel piece 20 at the shank portion is now allowed to set so that the margins of the upper at the fcrepart of theshoe will become stiiT enough to hold the upper in lasted position after a trimming operation has been performed, and so that the shank portion of the upper will become securely bonded to the feather portions 2! of the shank and heel of the last bottom. Accordingly, no hollow or piece 20. After the shoe has remained in this condition for a time sufficient to permit the cement to set thoroughly, the toe plate or other securing means at the toe end of the last, if any is used, is removed and the tacks 22 are pulled 0ut.- Fig. 3 shows the shoe as it will ap-.

pear after the upper has been lasted over the bare last bottom at the toe and forepart and over the feather portions of the shank and heel piece in the manner just described.

The next operation in the method'illustrated herein comprises separating the excess upstanding marginal material of the upper from the overlasted portion thereof to permit removal of such excess material from the shoe bottom together with the staples and the ribs or substantial portions thereof. A convenient way of accomplishing this result is to draw a sharp knife along the upper at the creases formed therein at the bases of the ribs 12 and Hi to separate the upstanding material from the overlasted margins of the upper. After the excess material has been severed from the upper, the ribs or cords may be gripped with a suitable tool such as a pair of pincers or a similar instrument and peeled off, as shown in Fig. 9, thereby removing the ribs, staples and excess upper materialfrom the last bottom and from the insole member 20. Since the upper is cut on a bevel relatively to the bottom surface of the shoe it will taper inwardly relatively to the transversely convex surfaces of the last bottom and the shank and heel piece 20, and will thus leave a relatively smooth surface on the bottom of the shoe for the attachment. of an outsole.

Instead of separating the excess upper material from the overlasted portion thereof and peeling off this material with the staples and ribs in the manner described, the ribs and excess marginal material of the upper may be trimmed off. substantially. flush with the outer.

surface of the overlasted portions of the upper, the trimming operation being performed, for example, with the aid of a turn shoe trimming machine'of the type disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 429,065, granted May 27, 1890,, on an .application filed in the name of Schaadt et al., although this operation may, if desired, be performed by other machines or by hand. However the trimming operation is performed, the trimming out preferably passes through the upper materials at an acute angle to the convex surface of the last bottom and is located close to the exposed surface of the overlasted portion of, the upper. It may pass under the staples 36, 38 which secure the upper to the ribs 12 and I6 so that the staples and substantial portions of the ribs will be removed with the excess upper material. The excess upper materials at the toe and heel seat portions of the shoe are also trimmed off substantially flush with the overlasted portion of the upper, as shown in, Fig. 6, thereby providing, a relatively even surface over the entire shoe bottom for the attachment of the outsole. As illustrated in Fig. 8, any portion of the single rib l6 remaining on the shank and heel member 25 at the shank portion of theshoe will fill up the space or depression which may be left between the opposite edges of the upper materials at this portion of the shoe. At the forepart of the shoe the upper materials, having been trimmed at an. acute angle to the bottom surface of thelast, taper.

inwardly of the edges of this surface and thus blend into the transverse'curve at the forepart depression will be left either at the forepart of the shoe bottom or at its shank portion after the trimming operation has been performed and no filler material will be required to level up the bottom of the shoe for receiving an outsole. In case a last having a substantially flat forepart is used the margin of the outsole at the forepart may be reduced so that its central portion will fill the space bounded by the edges of the overlasted upper.

An outsole 42 is now roughened in the usual manner at its marginal portions and these portions are coated with a suitable adhesive such as pyroxylin cement. The outer surfaceof the overlasted margins of the upper from breast line to breast line are also roughened and coated with cement, care being taken, however, not. to get cement on the portions of the ribs l2 which may remain cemented to the forepart of the last bottom in cases where the ribs have been trimmed rather than peeled off. The cement is activated by a suitable solvent in the.

usual manner and the outsole is laid in proper position on the shoe bottom. The shoe and sole are then pressed together and held under pressure while the cement is setting to cause the sole to become permanently attached to the shoe bottom. Fig. 7 illustrates how the forepart of the shoe will look after the outsole has been attached by cement in the manner described, and Fig. 8 shows the construction of the shank portion of the shoe after the attachment of the outsole. The outsole may, if desired, be attached to the shoe by through-and-through stitches in addition to or instead of cement, the outsole being first laid on the shoe bottom with adhesive in the usual manner and the last being then removed from the shoe so'that the stitches may be inserted, the latter passing through the shank and heel piece, upper and outsole at the heel and shank portions of the shoe, 'and through the margins of the upper and outsole at the forepart of the shoe. It may be preferable in most cases, however, to attach the outsole by means of cement alone since this may be done without delasting the shoe and hence any danger of distortion of the shoe by removal of the last is avoided. Since portions of the ribs l2 may remain cemented to the forepart of the last bottom after the trimming operation has been performed, these portions will come out of the shoe with the last when the latter is removed from the shoe so that only the outsole will be left at the bottom of the forepart of the shoe. The portions of the cords or ribs l2 which are still stuck to the bottom of the bare last can then be scraped off and new ribs cemented on prior to using the last for the construction of another shoe.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in providing ribs on the bottom surface of a bare last, mounting a shoe upper on the last, applying cement to the marginal portions of the upper, securing said marginal portions to said ribs to hold the upper in lasted position on the last while the cement in setting, separating the excess portions of said margins from the overlasted portions thereof, and removing said excess portions from the last bottom together with the ribs.

2. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in providing ribs on the bare surface of a last bottom, assembling a shoe upper on the last, applying cement to the marginal portions of said upper, temporarily securing the margins of the upper in lasted. position against said ribs to permit the cement to set, and after the cement has set trimming said margins and ribs substantially flush with, that surface of the upper which overlies the bottom surface of the last.

3. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in securing strips directly to the bottom surface of a bare last, mounting. a shoe upper on the last, applying cement for securing the upper in lasted position on the last, working the upper .over the last with its marginal portion in contact with the last bottom, and. temporarily securing said marginal portion to said strips to hold the upper in lasted position while the cement for securing itpermanently in such position sets.

4. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in attaching ribs to the bare surface of a last bottom, mounting a shoe upper on the last, applying cement to the margins of said u per, working the upper over the margins of the bare last bottom into lasted position against said ribs, and inserting staples through the upper and ribs to hold the upper in lasted position until the cement has'setp 5. That improvement in methods of makingv shoes which consists in securing ribs directly to the bottom surface of a bare last, assembling a shoe upper on the last, applying cement to the margins of the upper, attaching said margins to the ribs on the last bottom to hold said upper in lasted position on the last, and, after the cement on the margins of the upper has set, trimming said margins adjacent to the ribs to permit removal of the ribs from the last bottom prior to the attachment of an outso'le. 1

6. That improvement in methods of making. shoes which consists in attaching ribs directly to a bare last bottom, assembling a shoe upper on the last, applying cement to the margins of the upper, securing said margins to the ribs with staples to hold the upper in lasted position on the last while the cement on the margins is setting, and, after the cement has set, removing -,the ribs from the bottom of the last '7. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in cementing ribs directly to the bare surface of a last bottom, assembling a shoe upper on the last, applying cement 'to the margins of the upper, working said margins over the edges of the bare last bottom and securing them with staples to the ribs to hold the upper in lasted position While the cement at its margins is setting, severing said margins from the main portion of the upper along the bases of the ribs,

temporarily securing the margins of the .upper' to said ribs with staples to allow the stiifening substance to harden and thereby hold the upperi permanently in lasted position on' the last,.,and,

after said substance has hardened, trimming off said margins and ribs substantially flush with the overlasted portions of the upper thereby removing the staples.-

9. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in cementing ribs to the opposite sides of a bare last bottom adjacent to its marginal portions, assembling a multi-ply upper on the last, applying cement between the plies of the upper at its marginal portions only, working said marginal portions over the edges of the bare last into lasted position against said ribs, inserting staples through the upper and the ribs to insure that the upper will remain in lasted position while the cement is setting, and, after the cement has set, cutting through the upper along the bases of the ribs and peeling off the ribs and portions of the upper secured thereto thereby removing the staples from the bottom of the shoe.

10. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in providing ribs on the torepart of a bare last bottom, assembling a shoe upper and a shank and heel piece on the last, securing the shank portion of the upper in overlasted relation to the shank and heel piece, and securing the forepart of the upper in lasted position onthe last by attaching it to the ribs on the forepart of the bare last bottom.

11. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in securing ribs to the forepart of a bare last bottom adjacent to its opposite lateral margins, assembling a shoe upper on the last with a shank and heel piece, applying cement for securing the margins of the upper in lasted position on the last, temporarily securing the shank portion of the upper in lasted relation to said shank and heel piece while the cement at said portion is setting to hold it permanently in such position, working the forepart.

of the upper over the edges of the bare last bottom and into lasted position against the ribs on said last bottom, and securing the upper to said ribs to maintain the forepart of the upper in lasted position while the cement on said forepart is setting.

12. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in cementing ribs to the fore'part of the bottom surface, of a bare last, assembling a shoe upper and a shank and heel piece on the last, applying cement to the margins of the upper, securing said margins to the shank and heel piece and to the ribs on the last bottom to hold the upper in lasted position while the cement on its margins is setting, and, after the cement has set, trimming said ribs and the portions of the upper secured thereto substantially flush with the overlasted margins of the upper.

13. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in securing ribs to the forepart of a bare last bottom adjacent to its marginal portions, providing a single rib on the central portion of a shank and heel piece, assembling the shank and heel piece on the last with a shoe upper, applying cement to the marginal portions of the upper, securing the shank portion of the upper to the rib on the shank and heel piece to hold said portion in lasted position While the cement is setting, and securing the forepart of the upper in lasted position until the cement has set by stapling its margins to the ribs on the torepart of the bare last bottom.

14. That improvement in methods 01 making shoes which consists in cementing ribs to the forepart of a bare last bottom adjacent to its opposite lateral margins, cementing a single rib along the longitudinal median line of an insole securing said margins in lasted position against the single rib with staples until the cement has set to hold them permanently in such position,

working the opposite margins of the forepart of the upper over the edges of the bare last bottom and securing them in lasted position against the ribs with staples until the cement on said margins has set, cutting the upper along the bases of the ribs to separate the excess marginal material of the upper from the overlasted portion thereof, and removing the ribs from the last bottom and the insole member With the excess material secured thereto, thereby removing the staples from the bottom of the shoe.

15. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in cementing strips to the forepart of a bare last bottom to provide ribs to which a shoe upper may be secured, cementing a single strip to an insole member comprising a shank and heel piece, said strip being located on the longitudinal median line of said member, assembling the insole member with a shoe upper on the last, applying cement to the upper for holding it in lasted position on the last, working the opposite margins at the shank portion of the upper over the feather portions of the insole member and securing said margins with staples to the single strip to hold them in lasted position while the cement on said margins is setting, working the opposite margins of the fore-part of the upper over the bare last bottom and securing them with staples to the strips on the last bottom to permit the cement to set, and thereafter trimming off the ribs and excess portions of the marginal material substantially flush with that surface of the upper which overlies the last bottom and feather portions of the insole member, thereby providing a relatively even surface on the shoe bottom for the attachment of an outsole.

16. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in cementing ribs adjacent to the margins of a last bottom at the forepart only, cementing a single rib to an insole member comprising a shank and heel piece, assembling said member with a multi-ply shoe upper on the last, introducing a stiffening material between the plies of the upper at the margins of its forepart, applying cement to the feather portions of the insole member and to the margins of the upper at its shank portion, securing said margins to the rib on the insole member with staples, securing the margins at the forepart of the upper to the ribs on the last bottom with staples to permit the stiffening material to set, cutting the upper along the bases of the ribs on the last and on the insole member, peeling off the ribs and the portions of the upper secured thereto thereby removing the excess upper material, staples, and the ribs from the bottom surface of the shoe, and attaching an outsole to the shoe bottom without delasting the shoe.

17. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in cementing ribs to the forepart of a bare last bottom adjacent to its marginal portions, assembling on the last a shoe upper and a shank and heel member having a single longitudinal rib cemented thereto, applying cement for securing the shank portion of the upper in lasted relation to the shank and heel member and for stiffening the margins of the forepart of the upper, working the margins of the shank portion of the upper over the feather portions of said shank and heel member and securing said margins in lasted relation to the single rib with staples, working the margins of the forepart of the upper over the edge of the last bottom and securing them in lasted position against the ribs with staples, trimming the excess upper material and the ribs at the forepart and shank portions of the last substantially flush with the exposed surface of the overlasted portions of the upper, thereby removing the staples, excess upper material, and substantial portions of the ribs from the bottom surface of the shoe, and attaching an outsole to the relatively smooth surface provided by the trimming operation.

18. The improvement in the process of making shoes without an insole in the forepart thereof which consists in removably securing a strip of material to the bottom of a bare last around the margin of the forepart thereof, securing the lasting allowance of a shoe upper to said strip, triming off the surplus lasting allowance and the portion of the lasting strip cooperating .therewith and securing an outsole to said upper.

19. That improvement in 'methods of making shoes which consists in applying a temporary 'member to the forepart of a bare last bottom inwardly of its margin, introducing cement between the plies of a shoe upper at its forepart, working the upper over the edge and in contact with the bare margin of the last bottom, and securing'the upper to the temporary member to hold it in lasted position while the cement between the plies in setting.

20. That improvement in methods of making shoes which consists in removably securing a temporary member along the inner edge of the margin of a bare last bottom, introducing a stiffening substance between the plies of the marginal portion of a multi-ply shoe upper, working the upper over and in contact with the bare margin of the last bottom and securing it in lasted position to said temporary member, and, after the stiffening substance has hardened to hold the upper permanently in lasted position, removing the temporary member from the last bottom together with the portions of the upper which are secured thereto.

FRED MACBURNIE.

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