US2147621A - Machine for inserting fasteners and forming the heel seat of shoe soles - Google Patents

Description

7 Feb. 14, 1939. v H GQRDQN AL 2,147,621

MACHINE FOR INSERTING FASTENERS AND FORMING THE HEEL SEAT OF SHOE SOLES Filed May 23, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet l H. GORDON ET AL.

Feb. 14, 1939.

MACHINE FOR INSERTING FA STENERS AND FORMING THE HEEL SEAT OF SHQE SOL-ES I 4 Sfieets-Sheet 2 Filed May 25, 1936 Feb. 14, 1939. H. GORDON ET AL 2,147,621

MACHINE FOR INSERTING FASTENERS AND FORMING THE HEEL SEAT OF SHOE SOL ES Filed May 23, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 was! Feb. 14, 1939. H GORDON ET AL 2,147,621

MACHINE FOR INSERTING FASTENERS AND FORMING THE HEEL SEAT OF SHOE SOLES Filed May 25, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 3 YVU c/wbow/ Hiram qrdorz j 25675 GPayye m gyqywmw Y Patented Feb. 14, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT oF icE MACHINE FOR INSERTING FASTENERS AND FORMING THE HEEL SOLES SEAT OF SHOE Application May 23, 1936, Serial No. 81,478

13 Claims.

The invention relates to the art of manufacturing shoes, and has special reference to an improved method and machine for inserting fasteners and forming the heel seat of a shoe sole.

The object of the invention is to apply and permanently secure a metallic heel fastening plate to the heel receiving area of a shoe outsole and simultaneously therewith trimming the outsole by removing surplus stock therefrom during the operation of securing the heel attaching plate to the outsole.

Hitherto, it has been customary in the operation of attaching heels to shoes with the aid of metallic fastening plates to subject a heelless lasted shoe to the action of a cutter to trim the marginal portion of a heel seat in order that the cupped or concaved attaching face of a wood heel could be guided over the trimmed heel seat region of the outsole with the outer marginal edges of the attaching surface of the heel in close fitting contact with the shoe upper and without the edges of the outsole, in the region of the heel, being exteriorly visible. Such a heel seat trimming machine has been disclosed in our prior Patent No. 2,032,411 granted March 3, 1936.

Such heel seat trimming operations are common in the manufacture of shoes, whether the heels are attached to the shoes by the ordinary methods of nailing or When pronged metallic plates of the type disclosed in the patent of Dopp 2,017,234 granted October 15, 1935, are employed.

The ordinary heel seat trimming operation, that is, the removal of surplus stock from the heel region of a shoe outsole in order to adapt the latter for the reception of a heel body having a cupped face, requires considerable time whether it is done by machine, as is now mostly the case, or by hand, and it is, therefore, a cardinal object of the present invention to provide a method and machine by which a metallic heel fastening plate of the pronged type is secured to an outsole in such a manner that it forms a finished heel seat and at the same time, during the attaching operation, removes or trims the surplus stock from the outsole so that both operations may be carried out at substantially the same cost as either one considered separately.

It is another object of the invention to provide in combination with a heel plate attaching machine means for producing transversely extending cuts or slits in the outsole of a shoe, so that the slits will extend inwardly from the opposite edges of the outsole in registration with the breast line of the heel body which is to be applied to the outsole, whereby when a metallic fastening plate having peripheral cutting edges is forced downwardly upon the outsole, during manufacture and in the operation of attaching the fastening plate, the said peripheral cutting edges will penetrate the stock of the outsole to effect the re- 5 moval from the outsole of all surplus material from the heel region which would otherwise project beyond the marginal edges of the fastening plate.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved method and means for securing accurate control in the matter of producing the breast line cuts in the outsole so that the same will exactly register with the breast lines of the heels applied to the shoes.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of shoe positioning means adapted to secure facility and precision in the matter of determining the positions of application of the metallic heel attaching plates, so that the latter will be exactly located as required when positioned on the outsole and operatively fastened to the shoe. With the above and other objects and features in view, the invention will now be described in connection with the accom- 25 panying drawings and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved heel attaching machine comprising the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the plane indicated by the line III-II[ of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on the place disclosed by the line IV--IV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view, the plane of which is indicated by the line V--V of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a detail vertical sectional view on the plane indicated by the line VI-VI of Fig. 3;

Fig. '7 is a detail vertical sectional view taken through the pressure cylinder and accompanying operating means for operating the breast line cutters;

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical sectional view on the plane indicated by the line VIII-VIII of Fig.

Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view through one of the control valves used on the machine;

Fig. 10 is a vertical sectional view of the supporting table and presser head with a heelless shoe in position prior to the attaching operation.

Fig. 11 is a similar view following the attaching operation;

Fig. 12 is a view illustrating the operation of driving a locking pin into a heel to secure the latter to the shoe.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, a supporting frame or bed, indicated at I, provided with vertical legs or end frames 2, effects the support of the heel plate attaching mechanism. Stationarily arising from the frame I is a standard 3 having its lower portion formed with a horizontal shelf 4 upon which is stationarily supported an anvil block 5. The standard 3 at its upper end, and in vertical registration with the block 5, has secured thereto a depending. cylinder 6 containing a pneumatically operated piston held in an elevated position by a coil spring. Secured to this piston and projecting slidably through the lower end thereof is a piston rod 1, which carries at its lower end a pressing head 8.

The pressing head is provided at its lower end with a substantially concaved plate-receiving surface 9 having spaced vertical recesses H) which open to the surface 9. Adapted to be applied to thesurface 9 and to be held by the head 8, when the latter is in its elevated position, is a metallic heel fastening plate II. This plate comprises a unitary stampedmetallic body shaped to provide a heel seat and formed with marginal cutting edges l2, integral attachingprongs l3 and spaced depending heel attaching ears !4. The ears M are adapted to be positioned in the recesses I8, and spring means coact with said ears when positionedwithin said recessesto detachably support the plate I l in connection with the surface 9 of the pressinghead. When thus attached to the head 8, the prongs l3 of the plate H and the peripheral cutting edges l2. thereof extend in a downward direction so that the plate may be forced, upon the descent ofthe rod 1 and the pressing head 8, into fastened and seated relationship on the heel-receiving area of the shoe outsole.

In the use of the machine, unfinished heelless shoes, of the type indicated at 15, are mounted ona last andincludethe usual outsoles l6 and uppers IT. The first step involvedin applying a heelfastening plate H to such a shoe, is to produce in the outsole lfia pair of inwardly directed transverse cuts or slits l8, which must be, in order to,secur,e proper fitting, disposed in registration with the breast line, l9;of a heel, as indicated at 20, which is to be applied to the shoe.

In order to form these cuts or slits, the stand ard 3supportsat its upperend a. cutter cylinder 2| which, as shown in Fig,- 7, includes a piston 22, a vertically depending piston rod 23 and a coil spring 24, the latter surrounding the'rod23 and is, disposed between the:- lower. end of the cylinder and the under surface of the piston 22. The lower end of the rod 23. projects through a stufiing box 25 provided in ,the. bottom of the cylinder 2|, and, the extreme lower end of the rod 23, beneath said cylinder, isequipped with a threaded ferrule ZSwhich operates tomaintain in seated relationship the spherical head 27 of a screw 28. The shank of the screw receives an internally threaded adjustable-collar 29 and a freely slidable block 36 is arranged on the lower end.of the screw below and usually in spaced relation from the collar 29. Below the block 30, the screw 28 is equipped with lock. nuts 3!. Pivotally connected as at 32with the block 30 are the bifurcated arms of a crank 33, the latter being fixed upon the outer end of a cutter operating cam shaft 34. This shaft isjournaled for partial rotation within a horizontally disposed bearing 35 formed in a cutter-supporting.bracket 36, the

latter being adjustably mounted for longitudinal movement on a supporting table 3'! carried by and vertically movable with respect to the standard 3. As shown in Fig. 3, the back of the table 3'! includes a rib 38 which is slidably mounted within a dovetail groove 39 formed in the front wall of the standard 3. The lower end of the table 3'! rests upon spring means 40- which is disposed between the lower horizontally extendingportion of the standard 3 and the lower part of the table 31, the normal tendency of the springmeans 49 being to maintain said table in an elevated position. so that a shoe initially positioned therein will be spaced from the anvil block 5.

The inner end of the shaft 34 is equipped with a cam 4! which, as shown in Fig. 5, is disposed between a pair of cutter carriers 42, the latter being pivoted as at 43 in connection with the bracket 38. These pivots are equipped with springs, the normal tendency of which is to maintain the inner vertical edges of the carriers 42in contact with the cam 4!, as illustrated in Fig, 5. The bottom portions of the carriers are provided. with angularly arranged cutters or knives 45 which are used, upon the actuation of the cam, to produce the transverse breast cuts or slits E8 in the shoe outsole. The carriers 42 and the cam H are relatively connected by means of pivotedv links 45a which operate to efiect their rapid and positive movement in unison.

Mountedon the lower part of the frame I is a bracket 46 which supports a pivoted foot pedal 41. The inner end of this pedal is connected with the lower end of a chain 48, which has its upper end connected with an adjustable hook 45 carried by a block 53. Also connected with this block as at 5! is the lower end of a vertical rod 52which has its upper end secured to the-table 31. Theoperator of the machine, by depressing the pedal 41, may thereby pull the table downwardly against the resistance of the spring means 49, so that a lasted shoe, supported in connection with the table, will be drawn downwardly into engagement with the anvil block 5.

To support a lasted shoe in connection with the table 31, the bracket 35 thereon has its under surface equipped with a pair of pivoted transversely spaced guards 53. These guards comprise metallicplates pivotally mounted in connection with the bracket 38 as at 54, and have their for ward ends formed with curved jaws 55, which are adapted to engage with the counter or upper I! of theshoe when the latter is placed in an operative position within the machine for the reception of a heel attaching plate, as indicated at l I. These guards include curved edge portions 56 which slidably contact with the outer edges of the outsole [6 to support these edges of the outsole-in spaced relation from the uppers H, and to protect the uppers from the action of the breast line cutters for the outsole. Further, the guards are formed with arcuate slots 51 for the reception of studs 58 projecting stationarily from the bracket 36, and wire springs 59 cooperate with said guards for the purpose of rocking said guards about their pivots in a horizontal plane toward a shoe positioned between the same.

In order to control the position of a shoe within the machine so that the cutters 45 will produce the transverse slits in the outsole in registration with the breast line of the heel to be attached to the shoe, and to properly locate the heel area of the shoe outsole with respect to the fastening plate carried-by the head 8, the table 31 is provided at one side with a horizontally extending flange 6D. The upper'surface of this flange has stationarily connected therewith, as indicated in Fig. 6, a gage block 6|, which is provided with a pair of upstanding lugs 62 which are adapted to be received within longitudinally spaced slots 63 formed in the attaching surface of a gaging heel or templet 20, the latter corresponding in dimensions to the heel which is to be attached to the shoef A gage plate 65 is keyed as at 66 for controlled longitudinal sliding movement at the rear of the table 31. A clamping screw 61 may be operated to retain the plate 65 in its adjusted positions. Carried by the upper surface of the plate 65 is I a bar 68 having a recess 69 formed in its forward end which is adapted to be brought into engagement with the back edge of the gaging heel or templetZO' seated on the block 6|. When this engagement has been effected, as shown in Fig. 6, the screw 6'! is tightened. Also carried by the plate 65, as shown in Fig. 4, is a heel rest plate 10, and the forward edge of the plate 10 is formed with a stationary lip H which is adapted to engage with the rand crease of a shoe when the heel of the latter is held in contact with the forward edge of the plate I0 and when gripped by the jaws 55.

A second gage plate 65a. provided with a recess 64 to receive the block 6| of the table 31 in front of the plate 65 and this plate is provided with a breast engaging bar 12 which, as shown in Fig. 6, is adapted to be brought into engagement with the breast line of the attaching surface of the heel 20. To efiect this engagement of the bar 12, the gage plate 65a is formed at its forward edge in a down-turned lug 13 which has a swiveled engagement with an adjusting screw 14, the threaded shank of the latter being received within a threaded opening provided in the forward portion of the flange 60 of the table 31. When this engagement has been effected, the bracket 36 is retained in its adjusted positions by means of a pair of vertically disposed clamping bolts 15.

Having thus generally described the operating parts of our improved heel plate fastening machine, the operation thereof may be summarized as follows:

A lasted unheeled shoe having an untrimmed heel seat is inserted in an inverted position within the machine so that the heel portion of the shoe will occupy the registering slots or openings formed in the table 31, the cutter carrying bracket 35 and the gage plate 65a, with the toe of the shoe pointing outwardly. Insertive movement of the shoe is limited by the contacting of the back of the upper with the forward edge of the plate H1 and by the engagement of the forward end of the lip ll with the rand crease at the back of the heel seat. It will be understood that the operating positions of the plate 10 and the lip H are first determined by the placing of the gaging heel or templet 20' on the block 6! and the adjustment of the plate 65 so that the bar 68 thereon contacts with the back edge of the heel or templet 20 seated on the block El. At the time the shoe I5 is thus inserted in the machine, the edge portions 56 of the jaws 55 will be located beneath the edges of the outsole 16 in alignment with the cutters 45. The operating positions of the cutters with respect to the outsole are then accurately controlled by the adjustment of the screw 14 which slides the bracket 36 bodily with respect to the table until the bar 12 contacts with the forward or breast edge of the heel or templet 20'. Through this means, the machine is readily adapted to receive and operate upon shoes to which any given predetermined style of heel is to be connected.

Following the insertion of the unheeled shoe into the machine, the operator depressesthe foot pedal 41, which results in lowering the table 31 and the mechanism supported thereby on the standard 3, and against the resistance of the spring means 40, this lowering movement taking place until the last 16, on which the shoe [5 is mounted, engages with the seat 11 provided in the upper end of a detachable plate 18 carried by the top of the anvil block 5. When this engagement has been efiected, the operator by a sidewise motion of the knee, engages a pad 19 provided on the lower end of a crank arm 80, which is connected with a rock shaft 8i journaled in connection with the frames 2. The back end of the shaft 8| is provided with a crank 82 with which is connected a variable length link mechanism 83 leading, as shown in Fig. 2, to a control valve 84, the latterbeing employed for governing the flow of compressed air from a suitablesource of supply through a tube 85 which leads to the top of the cylinder 2|. The introduction of compressed air into the cylinder 2| results in the downward movement of the piston 22 therein and the actuation of the cam shaft 34, causing the cutters to rock about their pivots and produce the breast line slits or cuts IS in the outsole, after which pressure on the pad 19 is released so that the control valve 84 will be closed against further inflow of compressed air and opened to provide a vent to the atmosphere so that the piston 22 may return to its normal position on the action of the spring 24 and, also, to permit the cutters 45 to return to their opened or normal positions.

After the breast cuts have been produced, and the heel attaching plate I i inserted into the head 8, which may be done prior to the insertion of a shoe into the machine, a hand operated control a valve 86 is actuated while foot pressure isrstill exercised on the pedal 41 to retain the shoe on the anvil block 5. The control valve 86 is connected by means of a pipe line 8! with the source of compressed air supply and is also connected by means of a pipe 88 with the cylinder 6. The introduction of compressed air into the cylinder 6 causes the descent of the piston therein and likewise the pressing head 8. The descent of the latter with the plate I I positioned therein causes the prongs l3 of said plate to pass through both the outsole and insole of the shoe and by contact with the metal heel base of the last 16 to be clinched inwardly so that the plate will be firmly and securely held in connection with the shoe, forming a finished heel seat. Simultaneously with the penetration of the prongs I3, the flanged cutting edges l2 of the heel plate penetrate through the outsole and sever surplus material from the outsole in the form of a U-shaped blank, the forward edges of said blank having been previously severed by the formation of the slots or cuts !8 therein as produced by the cutters 45.

Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, a heel attaching plate is secured to the heel region of an outsole and at the same time, the trimming of the heel seat takes place so that when the fastening plate is completely attached, it produces a finished heel seat. After this operation, the control valve 86 is actuated to provide for the automatic elevation of the pressing head 8 and foot pressure on the pedal 41 is released so metallic attaching plate H and with the outer to the breast slits.

that'the table 31 may be elevated by the action of the spring means 40. The shoe is then withdrawn from the machine and the heel to be applied thereto is positioned on the attached plate ll so that the ears M of said plate enter the spaced longitudinal slots 64 in the attaching surface of the heel.

Preferably, the ears I4 are perforated and the body of the heel longitudinally bored as at 89 from the breast surface of the heel so that the bore or opening 89 will register with the apertures of the ears I 4. Through the medium of apneumatic hammer 90a, a locking pin 99 is driven into the bore 89 and through the apertures in the ears l4, thus completing the uniting of the heel in a firmly secured manner to the shoe. The removal of the trimmed U-shaped blank from the outsole enables the concaved or cupped at tach ing 'surface of the heel to readily fit over the edges of the attaching surface of the heel in firm and direct contact with the shoe upper, producing the desired smooth finished appearance. In the event the cutting edges l2 on the heel attaching plates I l are not of sufficient length to reach the breast slits or cuts l8, a supplemental cutter 9!, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, may be attached to the holder or head 8 in order to complete the cutting of the outsole from the forward edges of the plate The supplemental cutter may be adjusted longitudinally with respect to the head8 by means of an adjusting screw 92 arranged at the back of the head 8.

From the foregoing description, it will be eviw' dent that the present invention provides an improved machine for securing heel attaching plates to the heel seat region of shoe outsoles and wherein the construction of the machine is such m invention a considerable saving, over previous 53* What is claimed is:

manufacturing methods, may be effected in the matter of time and costs in the operations of preparing the shoe for the reception of a heel and in -the securing of a heel to the prepared heel seat.

1'. A combined heel plate attaching and fitting machine comprising a frame, shoe supporting means carried by said frame, an adjustable cutter support movable relative to said frame, a pair of cutters carried by said support, means for actuatin'gsaid cutters to cause the same to produce inwardly extending slits in the outsole of a heelless shoepositioned on said supporting means, and a movable press head carried by said frame, said 65" headbeing formed to detachably receive a pronged metallic heel attaching plate having a peripheral cutting edge, the said plate when applied to the heel-receiving region of the shoe outsole by the operation of said press head being so disposed that the cutting edges thereof penetrate said outsole to produce a substantially U-shaped cut therein, the latter being joined with the transverse slits so that the surplus material of the outsole disposed beyond the peripheral edges of the plate is removed from the outsole.

2. In a machine of the class described, in combination, means including positioning and operating devices for securing a metallic heel fastening plate to the heel-receiving region of the outsole of an unfinished shoe, a pair of cutters for producing transverse slits in the outsole of said shoe in substantial registration with the breast-line of a heel subsequently connected with said plate, and templet regulated means spaced from said cutters for governing the operating positions thereof.

3. A machine for securing heel fastening plates to the heel seats of shoe outsoles comprising a frame, a table carried by said frame, adjustable shoe positioning means mounted on said table, a cutter support adjustably mounted on said table, a pair of movable spaced cutters carried by said support, means for actuating said cutters to cause the latter to produce transversely extending slits in substantial registration with the heel breast line of the outsole of a shoe held in engagement with said positioning means, and a press including a movable head formed to detach-ably receive a pronged metallic heel fastening plate, cutting means provided adjacent the periphery of a heel plate carried by said head, said press serving to force a plate carried by the head thereof into secured engagement with the heel region of the shoe and simultaneously therewith to cut said outsole along the margins of said plate whereby to shape the outsole to receive the cupped attaching face of a shoe heel.

4. A heel plate attaching and fitting machine comprising, in combination, a pair of spaced outters for producing substantially transversely disposed slits extending inwardly from the edges of a shoe outsole in substantial registration with the breast-line of a heel to be applied to the outsole, and a press formed to detachably support a heel securing plate, said plate being formed with peripheral edges of suflicient depth to penetrate the shoe outsole when said plate is forced by said press into secured engagement with the heel receiving area of a shoe, the cuts produced in the outsole by said plate being merged with said transverse cuts to produce a trimmed heel seat for said plate.

5. A heel plate attaching and fitting machine comprising a frame, adjustable work positioning means for receiving the heel region of an in verted last carried unfinished shoe, with the outsole of said shoe in a substantially horizontal plane, a pair of spaced movable cutters adjustably carried in connection with said frame, means for actuating said cutters to cause the latter to produce inwardly extending transverse slits in the edges of the outsole of a shoe held in engagement with said positioning means, and a press carried by said frame having a movable head formed to detachably receive a pronged metallic heel fastening plate, said plate being provided with peripheral cutting edges, whereby when said press is actuated to force the prongs of said plate into clinching engagement with the heel receiving region of said outsole, the cutting edges of said plate penetrate said outsole and operate in conjunction with said first-named cutters to trim the outsole of surplus material.

6. A heel plate attaching and heel-seat fitting machine comprising: a frame, positioning means for retaining the heel receiving region of an unfinished last mounted shoe in a predetermined position with respect to said frame, a pair of knives adjustably mounted in connection with said frame, pneumatically actuated means for efiecting the operation of said knives, whereby to cause the latter to produce inwardly extending transverse slits in the edges of the outsole of a shoe in engagement with said positioning means, said slits being disposed to register substantially with the breast-line of a heel to be attached to the shoe, and a pneumatically operated press including a movable head, said head being formed to detachably carry a pronged metallic heel attaching plate, said plate being provided with marginal cutting edges formed to penetrate said outsole when said press is operated to force said plate into secured engagement with the heel-receiving region of said shoe.

7. A heel plate attaching and heel-seat fitting machine comprising: a frame, positioning means for retaining the heel receiving region of an unfinished last mounted shoe in a predetermined position with respect to said frame, a pair of knives adjustably mounted in connection with said frame, pneumatically actuated means for effecting the operation of said knives, whereby to cause the latter to produce inwardly extending transverse slits in the edges of the outsole of a shoe in engagement with said positioning means, said slits being disposed to register substantially with the breast-line of a heel to be attached to the shoe, a pneumatically operated press including a movable head formed to detachably carry a pronged metallic heel attaching plate, said plate being provided with marginal cutting edges formed to penetrate said outsole when said press is operated to force said plate into secured engagement with the heel-receiving region of said shoe, and supplemental cutters carried by said head and disposed to unite the cuts produced in the outsole by the knives with those produced by the cutting edges of said plate.

8. In a heel plate attaching and fitting machine, a frame, a table carried by said frame, a cutter support mounted on said table, a pair of cutters pivotally carried by said support, a press carried by said frame including a movable plate attaching head, a shoe positioning stop carried by said table, a stationary receiver on said table for a heel engaging templet, means for adjusting said cutter support relative to the breast-line of a templet mounted on said receiver, and means for retaining said shoe positioning stop and said cutter support in their adjusted positions with respect to said templet.

9. The method of preparing shoes for receiving heels comprising positioning an unfinished heelless shoe mounted on a last upon a positioning means, forcing the prongs of a heel attaching metallic plate into clinched engagement with the insole and outsole of the heel receiving portion of the shoe, and simultaneously with the operation of pressing the plate into such clinched engagement, cutting the outsole along the marginal edges of the plate to remove surplus material from the outsole.

10. The method of preparing shoes for receiving heels, the steps which comprise: transversely slitting the edges of the outsole of a heelless unfinished shoe so that the slits will be disposed in registration with the breast-line of a heel to be subsequently applied to the shoe, forcing the prongs of a heel attaching metallic plate into clinching engagement with the insole and outsole of a heel receiving portion of the shoe, and simultaneously with the operation of pressing the plate into such clinched engagement, cutting the outsole along the marginal edges of the plate and merging such cutting action with said slits to remove surplus material from the outsole.

11. The method of preparing unfinished shoes for receiving heels, the steps which comprise removing a substantially U-shaped blank of surplus material from the heel receiving region of ashoe outsole, and simultaneously with the removal of the blank securing to the shoe over the remaining portion of the heel receiving area of the outsole a metallic heel attaching plate.

12. A machine for operating upon shoes comprising a frame, an anvil block secured to said frame for supporting an inverted heelless shoe, a cutter support provided above said anvil block, means for moving said cutter support downward to hold the shoe in engagement with said anvil, cutters movably mounted on said cutter support, and means for imparting movement to said outters to form transverse slits in the outsole of the shoe adjacent the heel receiving region.

13. The method of preparing shoes for receiving heels, the steps which comprise clamping an inverted heelless shoe on a support, transversely slitting the outsole of the shoe from the edge toward the center adjacent the heel receiving region, and simultaneously forcing the prongs of a metallic heel attaching plate into clinching engagement with the insole and outsole of the shoe and severing the outsole along the marginal edges of the plate.

HIRAM GORDON. ALBERT C. ROGGE.

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