US2427023A - Stitching - Google Patents

Description

Patented Sept. 9, 1947 UNITED STATES Q F Fi CE *S'I-ITCHING William -.Schwartz, New York,. Y..,=assignorit.o ILa Marquise Footwear, 1110., INew .York, .N. .Y., a corporation ofNew York 1 i ApplioationJunefl, 1944, \Serial N'o.f539, 055 :7 Claims. (ores-19.5.)

Theipresent invention has an important application in the art of :boudoir :slippers, but ;is applieable'alsoto other: types: of footwear, andin certain of its broader aspects, thevinvention is applicable ctoa w-ide variety-of stitched structures and .to methods of producing the. :same.

Ari-object of the invention is to provide an article oifootwearafiording-a seam between the rim of the upper and the portion -.of the .sole body thereto, attached, whichsseamshall have the ornamental appearance of van expensive handmade. cross-stitch,.and though ofinelastic thread or strandlshall tadd totthe comfort of wear Joy yielding. slightly to the movement of the foot.

Another object; is. torprovide an article of .foot- Wear'having aseamof theabove type which may be, produced by the use of an ordinary high-speed zigzag lock stitch sewing machine.

Another object is to provide a stitchand a methodof making the, vsame which serves for, securely'bindingithe exposed finished edge of one strong piece o'f'fabric' to anadjoining like fabricin"substantially edge to edge abuttingrelation'ship, which efiectively distributes tensile strain tending to draw such abutting fabrics apart,iandj has the ornamental appearance ofan expensive hand=ma'de cross-stitch, but. may he produced rapidlyfand at'low costiby resort to .a conventionaltypeof sewing machine.

Another object .is .tQfprov-i'de astit'ch landta method 'of'makingthe same which shall bersecure' and ornamental' in appearance and capable of being "mechanically "made '"in ,a .wide variety of applicationsother than'those above referred to.

'In the accompanying drawings fin which are shown 'one'or 'more-"ofvariouspossible embodiments-'ofthe several'featuresof the invention,

-Fig. 1-isa;perspective view of "a slipper embodying the invention and showing'part of the undersole partially withdrawn to reveal the general construction,

'Fig. 2" is a; perspective view on a, greatly .enlargedsca'le showing thefouter or 'ex-pose'dside of the seam'as applied to'an article of footwear,

'*Fig. '3 'is-a'-view"similar toFi'g. 2 :showinglthe inner orconcealedside of the seam,

Fig; 4-is-a perspective view showing the interrelationibetween the threads or strands that make. .1 the'seam,

"Fig.3 is'aperspective view illustrating the method a of producing .thewseam .withlthe use .-of a conventional type of. sewing. machine,

Fig; Gris a; transverse sectional view taken-on line'66 of'Fig;

:Fig. 7 is-,a perspective .viewshowingrthe seam spreading .pperation, I v

-Fig.;8 is--a fragmentary perspective v.viewshowin=,g.--a;. piping arrangement incorporating features ofthetpresentinvention, and g g V Fig. 9 is a View similar .:to Fig. -8 (showing ca decorative seam incorporatinglthe broader ,prineiples. of (the. present invention as applied to a a simple tpieee-of fabric.

-Referripg new to the. drawings the .invention is-shownl incorporated inratboudoiri slipper of the general typedisclosed in the prior ,patentto Sal Pepitone .fNo. 2,344.,05.'7. .'issued ,.March;.I4, 1944. The -.i ipper. has an. ins'ole- .[0 provided .with "a rimpr border f I'Lito. which is "attached by .a line of =stitchingiSa binderrstrip l3 Idrawn inward snnglyat 'Mato encompass .theiedge. of a sole bodytfi. the;lower or rawfaceof which hasadhesively attached, .thereunder the bottom sole l5. Thedetails. of construction of this slipper are by themselves not material'to thepresent invention andjtherefore .nee'd 1.1011108 described more "fully.

The present Linvention .resides in the particular stitchS and the. method ofijformingg thesame by which the: insole is'attachedito the'zbinder.

The bidder strip may 'consisti'of a; narrow piece oi"f abric t3, desirably matching that of the upper; 'ibackedfby a corresponding "strip I"! j of strong duck adhesivelyibondedthereto. The upper ie'dge "of" the binder' strip" is desirably" turned inwardly asat H3 and adhesively held "tothe body thereof. As shown in'the'jirawi ngsythe trimmingborder I l-"of the insole I-0 -:whieh,-- prior to assenrbly in the shoe, would extendin a horizontal plane, is made to-extend downward atsubstantially right angles to the insele-'-andits free edge I9 is abutted by the inturnededgeof the binder strip.

"'I-"he -seamg as= show-n,"hasthe appearanceof an ornamental cross-stiteh and the intersections preferably exterid -aiongsaid edge t9;

'Preferably, the ornamental stitch is-rnadeup of a pair of threads or strandsflfl -aind 2 each of zigzag form; w-hichare 'interlooped at alternative vertiees thereof as at 22 a1ong the edge Y 9, at whichregion the interloopedthreads are superposed over, =butfdo=not= penetrate'the-tabrics. The strand orthread -"Z lpenetrats th'border- H at; its line of intervening '"vertices E23 and: the other strandpr threadfil issubstantially embedded in the'zbinder strip f3 at"its'lineofjint,ervening.ver ticesf'2j4". jsaid verti'cesi"2'3 K. and ;24 m are Laligned transversely of. oralo-uga line normaltoLth-abfltting edges I 9. Preferably thes strandazorpenetratingthefabric at each vertex 23 .extendgxas concealed reversely doubled lengths, or in other words as two parallel connected bridge lengths 25 and 26 on the rear side of the connected fabric pieces across the abutting edges IQ for interlooping as at 21 with the vertex joining the two short companion lengths 28 and 2B of the corresponding directly opposed vertex of the other strand or thread 2|. Said interloop 2'! is preferably substantially embedded within the thickness of fabric l3 and its backing H, as is evident from the absence of the interloop 21 from Figs. 2 and 3.

The interlooped vertices 22 exposed along the abutting edges [9 do not penetrate the fabrics, or either of them, but he snugly thereagainst to keep the fabric edges in abutment in a common plane without the danger, incurred if the stitch penetrated the fabric substantially at its free edge, of breaking through under the strain of wear.

The two strands or threads making up the stitch extend about th entire periphery of insole and binder and afford a particularly secure seam therebetween. This seam will not only take the strain exerted thereon in snugly drawing the binder strip 13 about the sole body as shown in Fig. 1, but in the actual use of the slipper or other article of footwear, the seam, constructed as described, will accommodate the strain incurred in walking or in exercising of the toes or foot within the slipper. Were the binder strip connected to the upper by the ordinary straight lock stitch, strain would tend to loosen r break the longitudinal runs of thread. In the case of the present seam, however, each approximately open square s of which the design of stitch is made up would be distorted slightly into a diamond or oblong at the region of increased strain. The strain applied in use at any one needle hole is distributed along four thread runs, two of which extend obliquely to distribute the strain over the interlooped companion thread or strand and the other two of which extend directly across the abutting fabric edges to divide the strain with the companion needle hole. The strands are free to slide at each needle hole as well as at the interlooped portions 22 and 21 to furnish the added length for the distortion above set forth in rendering each strained square elements somewhat rhombus or diamondshaped. Upon relief of the strain described the parts return to their original position by reason of the slight resilience of the materials if not of the thread or strand. I

The stitch, aside from its ornamental appearance, mechanical security and adaptability to strain, as noted, has the further advantage of simulating the appearance of an expensive handmade cross-stitch. H

The stitch as described is claimed as such, and also in its particular utility for footwear purposes, regardless by what methods or mechanism it is made. However, a preferred and economical method also claimed herein of producing the stitch will now be set forth. I

For this purpose, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the border ll of the insole I0 is superposed, desirably in exact registering relation over the finished inturned edge l8 of the binder strip l3; For

making the cross-stitch, the thread or strand 2D is applied from the top while the companion thread or strand 2| is applied from the bottom, that is, from the underside of the binder strip, the interlooping of the two strands occurring alternately at the vertices 24 at the underface of the superposed fabrics and at the edge l9 immediately beyond the two superposed fabrics.

a The mode of stitching thus described is most 4 effectively accomplished by the use of a conventional high-speed zigzag lock stitch sewing machine of any of various designs now on the market. The machine is so adjusted that the thrusts of the needle alternate through the superposed insole border and binder and at the registering superposed edges of the said two pieces. For this purpose a suitable foot 33 slotted at 34 to accommodate the transverse needle movement of said zigzag machine, cooperates with a gauge 35 adjustable at 36 for positioning the superposed edges of the fabric pieces fed through the machine. Accordingly, the strands become interlooped at 22 against the edges of the two pieces without penetrating the latter. Desirably, the conventional thread controller, take-up or tension (not shown) of the sewing machine is loosened for both the needle and the bobbin feeds to attain considerable slack of both threads.

After the stitching operation set forth has been completed the superposed edges of border and binder are spread outwardly. This is best done as shown in Fig. 7 by passing the stitched fabric through a roll press with milled rollers 3| and 32. The thickened interloop 2'1, shown exposed at the left of Fig. '7, is drawn into the thickness of the backed binder strip I3 in this rolling operation and becomes anchored there, and the slack in the threads or strands permits the superposed borders of the two fabrics to be spread apart into substantially a common plane to bring the extreme edges of the fabrics into substantially abutting relationship with the interloop vertices 22 substantially aligned along the abutting edges of border and binder as shown at the right of Fig. 7. If desired, the roll press could be incorporated in a single unit with the sewing machine to spread out the fabric edges immediately after they have been stitched in the superposed relation set forth. By the spreadingoperation set forth and shown in Fig. 7 the border ll of the insole i forced into the plane of the adjacent portion of the binder to constitute a continuation thereof. Each superposed pair of needle holes in Figs. 5 and 6 penetrating insole. and binder strip respectively being thus drawn apart to assume a position at opposite vertices 23, 24 of the spread out attached fabrics form an open square stitch element 5 of the cross-stitch thus produced.

Thus, the stitch described above, with all the advantages resulting from its use, may be produced mechanically in the simple manner last described uniformly and with considerable expedition. When the upper with the binder strip thus peripherally attached to the insole is now assembled with the sole body, the border ll of theinsole extends at substantially rightangles to the area of the insole'peripherally about the upper part of the sole body and in the plane of the abutting upper edge IQ of the binder strip.

While the invention has been described in a preferred application for which it has been-particularly designed, it will be understood'that the stitch set forth has utility in other arts, more especially where it is utilized to connect a relatively thick binder, flounce-orskirt about the edge or periphery of afrelatively .thick fabric plaque, plate, disk or panel. Among various applications to'which the stitch and method of producing the same would lend itself particularly are tobed-spreads, table covers, hat bodies, la mpshades, furniture, typewriter and fan covers, duffle-bags and. countless other articles inwhich a face ortop piece or crown has attached thereabout a peripheral side piece or skirt.

The seam of the invention in still broader applications is useful-for attaching together two relatively stiff or thick pieces of fabric that lie substantially in a common plane as, for instance, in the manufacture of drapes, or for the attachment of a sewage, 10111103, border or piping to any relatively thick or stiff piece of fabric. In 8 is illustratively shown a cord 31 enclosed by the edge 38 of the fabric 39, and attached thereto by the zigzag stitch made up of strands 30 anddl interlooped at 42 along the rounded edgeof the structure, and penetrating the two plies o'fth'e fabric beyond the cord at 43. The thread "take-up would be tightened rather than loosened in making up this structure, by use of a zigzag lock stitch machine.

"Ihe'invention is also applicable for conveniently applying upon a single relatively thick piece of fabric an ornamental design of stitching. One' such application is shown in Fig. 9, in which the single piece of fabric is bent along line 45 to form superposed layers 46 and 41, shown in dotted lines, which are stitched in the manner shown in Fig. and then spread in the manner shown in Fig. '7 as above described. The thick fabric forms a sort of bead 48 held against spread by the bridge lengths (not shown, but corresponding to elements 25, 26 in Figs. 3 and 4), the exposed interlooped vertices 49 of the two strands or threads 50 and 5| extending over the median line of bead 48 as shown.

As many changes could be made in the above construction, and many apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope of the claims, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

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

1. In an article of footwear of the type comprising a pair of fabrics consisting of an insole having a downturned trimmed border and a binder strip having an inturned border in substantially edge to edge engagement with said downturned border, and a sole body encompassed by said binder and said downturned border and cross-stitching attaching said binder to said border, the combination in which said stitching comprises a pair of strands each extending in a zigzag path with alternate vertices of the strands interlooped, said interlooped vertices extending substantially along the line of contact of border and binder and being superposed thereover at the outer face of the article, the intervening vertices of the respective zigzag strands being opposed to each other, said vertices of one of said strands penetrating one of said fabrics and eX- tending in concealed reversely double lengths transversely across the junction between insole and binder and being interlooped at the center of such double lengths with the intervening vertices of the other strand, said latter vertices being substantially embedded in the other fabric.

2. In an article of footwear of the type comprising a pair of fabrics consisting of an insole having a border and a binder strip attached to said border and exposing the edge of the latter, said border being downturned substantially in the plane of the binder and a sole body encompassed by said body and border and cross-stitching connecting said border and binder; the combination in which said cross-stitching comprising a pair of strands each extending i-n a zigzag course, one exposed on the border and the other on; t-he binder,'-said strands being interlooped at alternate vertices thereof substantially along the exposed edge of theborder at the outerv face of the; article, ons of the strands at each interme diate ver-tex thereof penetrating one of the fabrios ,and having a pair of concealed reversely donbled lengths transversely of the border edge and interlooped with the corresponding concealed opposed vertex of the otherstra-nd, said latter vertex being substantially embedded in the other fabric.

3 an article of footwear of the type comprising-an insole having a finished border strip about the; peri ery thereof, and a binder strip of lined fabric having an inturned edge substantiallyin edge. to edge abutting relationship with respect tothe edge -of said border, the upper part of said binderand the adjacent part of the said border encompassing the edge of a sole body, and cross-stitching connecting said border and said hinder; the combination in which said stitching comprises a pair of interlinked strands, each extending in a zigzag path with alternate vertices of the strands interlooped along the abutting edges of the border and binder and superposed thereover at the outer face of the article, and intervening vertices of the respective strands aligned transversely of each edge, said intervening vertex of one strand penetrating the insole border and extending as a concealed reversely doubled length, the center of such doubled length bein interlooped with the corresponding vertex of the other strand, said latter interlooped vertex being substantially embedded within the thickness of the binder strip.

4. The method of attaching to the border of a first element, a strip, which consists in superposing the edges of the said elements and forming a connecting seam therebetween by interlinking a pair of strands in alternate operations respectively immediately beyond the superposed edges and through the superposed materials and thereupon applying tension transversely to said elements to spread the stitch connecting the first element and the strip, thereby todispose the faces of the former substantially into the same plane with those of the latter.

5. The method of attaching a first fabric element to a second fabric element, which consists in passing said elements with their borders in superposed relation through a zigzag sewing machine set to pass the needle alternately immediately beyond the edge of the superposed fabrics and through said fabrics, to interloop the two strands at each complete in and out needle stroke, said stitching operation being performed with slack in the strands, and thereupon transversely spreading the stitched superposed fabrics apart into substantially a common plane with take-up of said slack.

6. A seamed article comprising a pair of fabrics, the edge of one of said fabrics being adjacent the other fabric, and an ornamental seam connecting said fabrics near said edge, said seam comprising a pair of strands each extending in a zigzag course, said strands being interlooped at alternate vertices and said vertices being along said edge, the intervening vertices of one strand penetrating one of the fabrics, the intervening vertices of the other strand being substantially embedded in the other fabric, said intervening vertices of the two strands being in alignment transversely of said edge, the strand through one of said fabrics extending in reversely doubled transverse lengths from each penetrating vertex along the rear faces of the fabrics a'nd being interlooped with the opposed substantially embedded looped vertex of the otherstrand.

'7. A seamed article comprising a pair of fabrics in edge to edge abutting relationship and an ornamental seam connecting said fabrics at said edge, said seam comprising a pair of strands each extending in a zigzag course, said strands being interlooped at alternate'vertices and said vertices being along the exterior of said abutting edges, the intervening vertices of one strand penetrating one of the fabrics, the intervening vertices of the other strand being substantially embedded in the other fabric, said intervening vertices of the two strands being in alignment transversely of said abutting edge, the strand through one of said fabrics extending in reversely doubled transverse lengths from each penetrating vertex along the rear faces of the fabidea and being interlooped with the opposed substantially embedded looped vertex of the other strand. Y

' WILLIAM SCHWARTZ.

REFERENCES CITED 7 The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

- UNITED STATES PATENTS

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