US2267645A - Underlay for shoe toes - Google Patents

Description

G. GIGILL UNDERLAY FOR SHOE TOES Filed July 25, 1940 Patented Dec. 23, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE UNDERLAY FOR SHOE TOES Gardner G. Gill, Reading, Mass.

Application July 25, 1940, Serial No. 347,455

Claims.

This invention relates to underlays of the character customarily applied beneath the perforated toe portions of shoe uppers, particularly in shoes having stiffening materials or boxes at the toe portions thereof. The particular purpose of the invention is to provide an improved underlay formed of sheet material which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, tough, strong, and form-retaining in application and use, and especially resistant to solvents or other chemicals associated with the toe stiffening material, which tend to penetrate the underlay and discolor the outer surface thereof which is exposed through the perforations of the shoe leather.

As is well understood, these underlays are customarily coated on their outer surface with a varnish or lacquer having the same color and shade as the exposed surface of the leather at the toe of the shoe, so that the shoe will present substantially the same appearance at the perforations as well as at the unperforated areas of the toe. It is thus essential that the colored surface of the underlay, which is visible through the perforations, retain its original appearance, free from discoloration resulting from the outward penetration of solvents or chemicals, and without attracting and retaining dirt or dust which may lodge in the perforated openings of the leather. It is highly desirable, furthermore, that the underlay be made of a flexible, inexpensive material which is sufficiently tough and stiff to undergo normal lasting operations without wrinkling or bulging, and sufiiciently thin to avoid the formation of ridges which would be noticeable on the surface of the leather.

My improved underlay exhibits all of these attributes and obviates the objectionable features of the underlays hereto-fore used, and at the same time reduces the cost of the material and simplifies its application to the shoe. A recommended embodiment of my invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the toe portion of a shoe formed with a characteristic perforated medallion of the type which the improved material is intended to underlay;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a roll of the improved underlay material prior to the application of the colored surface coating;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of the coated underlay sheet, with a portion of the colored coating broken away;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. l with the upper leather at the toe broken away to indicate the usual location of the underlay; and

Fig. 5 is a side view of the toe of the shoe, partly in longitudinal section, showing the underlay in position between the upper leather and the toe stiffener or box.

Although the improved underlay is adapted for use with box toes in which the toe stiffening material consists of leather, thermoplastic strips or strips made of or impregnated with pyroxylin, it possesses special advantages when associated with the pyroxylin toe stiffeners such as those commonly known by the trade name Celastic which are normally softened with a solvent such as acetone prior to assembly in the shoe upper. The solvent used to soften such toe stiffeners, or the vapors therefrom, will penetrate the ordinary coated fabric underlay heretofore used, and cause discoloration of its outer coated surface, thus marring the appearance of those areas of the surface which are visible through the perforated openings H of the upper leather I2 at the toe of the shoe. The asphaltic ingredients of the steamed thermoplastic boxes or toe stiifeners also have a tendency to penetrate the underlay material and discolor its outer coated surface with the same undesirable result.

Hence, my improved underlay is made of a flexible sheet material which is either inherently impervious to the solvents or asphaltic ingredients above mentioned, or is coated on its under surface with a material which prevents the solvents or asphaltic ingredients from penetrating the underlay itself. Various Waxed, parchmentized, or other treated papers, including cellulose films sold under the trade name Cellophane, are impervious to such chemicals and may be satisfactorily employed if sufliciently thick and tough to withstand shoe lasting processes Without wrinkling or becoming otherwise distorted; but I have found that ordinary kraft paper I3, of sixty pound grade or equivalent weight, coated on one side with glue E4 or other substances which are impervious to said chemicals, provides a very satisfactory underlay after its opposite side is coated with lacquer or varnish 15 of the desired color. This material is readily available at low cost, for it is supplied in rolls (Fig. 2) for use as an adhesive binder for wrapped parcels; the glue coating I4 is impervious to the aforesaid chemicals and also causes the inner side of underlay to adhere to the toe stiffener, regardless of the particular material of which the toe box 16 is made; and, when the outer surface of the paper strip I3 is coated with a pyroxylin lacquer 15, the color and texture harmonize extremely Well with that of the outer surface of the upper leather of the shoe.

The underlay ll, thus prepared, is cut to the desired size and placed between the upper leather l2 and the toe stiffener or box I6, prior to lasting, in accordance with usual manufacturing methods; the lacquered surface l5 of the underlay being lightly treated with a solvent or with a suitable adhesive, so that it will stick to the inner or'fiesh side of the leather l2 while the toe stiffener is being applied between the leather vamp and the shoe lining It. The shoe is then lasted, soled, and finished in the usual manner.

As indicated in Figs. 4 and 5, the underlay need not and preferably does not extend to the lasted margin of the upper; for it need only extend over the perforated area of the toe, and it is held in position between the vamp l2 and the toe box IE which are united together around the periphery of the underlay by pressure exerted during the lasting process. Although the use of an underlay coated with glue [4 assists in bonding the parts together, the use of an adhesive coating on the underside of the paper sheet I3 is not essential to the attainment of all of the purposes of this invention; for any suitable impervious coating may be used in place of glue, and an impervious sheet may be satisfactorily employed without an undercoating, as previously explained.

It is evident that a shoe provided with an underlay of the character herein described will present a substantially uniform appearance at the perforated as well as the unperforated areas of its toe portion, and will also be more comfortable to the wearer; for the use of underlay material which will not wrinkle or buckle during the lasting process not only obviates unsightly bulges in the perforations, but also prevents the formation of interior ridges or humps which would cause discomfort to the foot. The relative stiffness or firmness of the improved underlay, as compared with the limp wrinkleable fabric heretofore employed, is thus an important feature of this invention; and the added safeguard against discoloration, furnishes a shoe underlay satisfying all the requirements of style and appearance as well as of comfort and ease and economy of manufacture.

Although an undercoated kraft paper of the specified weight has been recommended as the preferred underlay material, it will be understood that other flexible but relatively firm and hard-surfaced sheet materials, of a size, shape and weight which is suitable for the particular conditions, may be satisfactorily employed without departing from the essence of this invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a shoe having a perforated leather upper and a toe stiffener at the toe portion thereof, an underlay disposed between the leather and the toe stiffener, the underlay consisting of an im perforate strip of flexible sheet material having a coating on its outer surface colored to correspond with the colored outer surface of the leather, said sheet material being impervious to chemicals combined with or applied to the toe stiffener, so that the colored surface of the underlay will not become discolored by penetration of such chemicals or their vapors.

2. In a shoe having a perforated leather upper and a toe stiffener at the toe portion thereof, an underlay disposed between the leather and the toe stiffener, the underlay having a colored outer surface and consisting of imperforate paper-like sheet material inherently impervious to chemicals combined with or applied to the toe stiffener, so that the colored surface of the underlay will not become discolored by penetration of such chemicals or their vapors.

3. In a shoe having a perforated leather upper and a toe stiffener at the toe portion thereof, an underlay disposed between the leather and the toe stiffener, said underlay consisting of an imperforate strip of paper-like sheet material colored on its outer side and coated on its inner side with a substance impervious to chemicals combined with or applied to the toe stiffener, so that the colored surface of the underlay will not become discolored by penetration of such chemicals or their vapors.

4. In a shoe having a perforated leather upper and a toe stiffener at the toe portion thereof, an underlay disposed between the leather and the toe stiffener, said underlay consisting of an imperforate piece of kraft paper colored on its outer side and coated on its inner side with a glue impervious to chemicals combined with or applied to the toe stiffener, so that the colored surface of the underlay will not become discolored by penetration of such chemicals or their I vapors.

5. In a shoe having a perforated leather upper and a toe stiffener at the toe portion thereof, an underlay disposed between the leather and the toe stiffener, said underlay consisting of an imperforate strip of relatively firm and stiff paper having a colored coating on its outer side and an adhesive coating on its inner side, the periphery of the underlay being spaced from the lasted margin of the upper.

' GARDNER G. GILL.

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