US2910787A - Platform shoes - Google Patents

Description

PLATFORM SHOES Filed May 14, 1957 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 In '1/ en to m Red T MczC/fienz/e Edward Quinn By zhz'r e ma y Nov. 3,1959 F. T. M KENZlE ET AL 2,910,787

PLATFORM SHOES Filed May 14, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F496 ii \fiiii'asa l5 m/ mons' I fled TMacKenzz'e A Edward Quinn United States Patent PLATFORM SHOES Fred T. MacKenzie, Beverly, and Edward Quinn, Saugus,

Mass, assignors to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Application May 14, 1957, Serial No. 659,150

1 Claim. (Cl. 36-19.5)

'our names, although it will be understood that the invention is not limited to shoes made by that method.

In most respects platform shoes manufactured in accordance with the methods of the patent are comparable in uniformity of appearance, configuration and size with shoes made by more elaborate and expensive processes, but the methods of the patent are not primarily directed to nor have they completely eliminated a particularly objectionable minor defect inherent in platform shoes.

The defect to the elimination of which the present finvention is directed will become apparent from a brief description of a platform shoe made according to our prior method of the patent referred to. Such a platform .shoe is constructed from a set of precisely cut matched parts, including a sock lining of relatively thin, flexible :material, a platform sole of thicker, more rigid material :than the sock lining, an upper, and a platform wrapper :strip frequently composed of two separate parts, both ends of which are overlapped. Before any sewing it done, :a preliminary step consists of securing the platform sole centrally on the tread surface of the sock lining leaving a generally uniform margin of the sock lining extending beyond the edge of the platform sole. The upper and one part of the wrapper strip are then connected by stitches to the margin of the sock lining by a seam inserted at a uniform, minimum distance outside the edge of the platform sole as the shoe parts are manipulated to bring their edges into register in advance of the sewing point. Thereafter, the second wrapper strip part is overlapped with one end of the first part and the sewing continued to bring the other ends of the wrapper strip into overlapping relation. After assembly, the wrapper strip parts are both arranged with end portions overlapping, the two parts entirely encompassing the other parts. To conceal the edges of the other parts in a subsequent operation the margin of the sock lining is folded into overlying relation with the edge surface of the platform sole and the wrapper strip parts are turned 180 upon themselves to cover the overlying margins of the upper and sock lining and then turned inwardly along the tread surface of the platform sole where they are secured. Because the seam in the sock lining is spaced at a uniform distance from the edge of the platform sole to provide a free hinge action, the fold line in the sock lining and wrapper strip is more uniform than in shoes made according to conventional methods before the invention of the prior application. But, since two additional layers of material overlie the edge of the platform sole Where the ends of the wrapper strip parts are overlapped the exterior surface of the Wrapper strip bulges objectionably in the overlapped areas.

Various expedients have been adopted to minimize these bulges which adversely affect the salability and ice Patented Nov. 3, 1959 appearance of platform shoes. Generally one overlap is positioned in areas such as the inner shank, which are as inconspicious as possible. However, when a two-part wrapper strip is employed there are two widely separated overlap areas to contend with. It is then the practice to locate one overlap at each side of the shank, forming a bulge at the outer shank which may be very conspicuous and highly objectionable. Another expedient is to employ thin materials for the wrapper strip to minimize the bulge resulting from the overlap. This solution, however, produces undesirable effects because such thin materials, which are otherwise suitable for wrapper strips, generally lack strength and thus substantially reduce the durability of platform shoes in which they are employed.

It is accordingly a general object of our invention to improve the appearance of platform shoes. It is a more particular object to minimize irregularities in the exposed surface of the Wrapper strip about the platform sole. Another object is to enhance the appearance of platform shoes without sacrificing structural strength and durability. Still another object is to provide a precision platform shoe construction in which the exposed surface of the wrapper strip is substantially free of bulges attributable to an excess of material about the platform sole edge in areas where the end portions of the wrapper strip parts are overlapped.

Advantages of our novel shoe construction and other features contributing to the achievement of the foregoing objects will become apparent from the following detailed description of an illustrative process and of a representative embodiment taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective looking toward the bottom of a shoe embodying the present. invention, the parts of which shoe are in the process of being assembled by sewing, and a portion of the shoe bottom being shown on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view on an enlarged scale showing the relationship of the shoe parts including the first attached end of a wrapper strip at the beginning of the sewing operation;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 from a difierent angle but showing the last attached end of the wrapper strip overlapping the first attached end;

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the shoe with a portion of the wrapper strip removed and indicated in section to show its arrangement after being secured to the tread surface of the platform sole;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View on an enlarged scale showing more clearly the arrangement of the overlapping portion of the wrapper strip; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section taken across the shank portion of the shoe supported on a last and with an outsole attached.

The shoe shown in Fig. 1 is in the process of being assembled and comprises a sock lining 10 of relatively thin flexible material and a platform sole 12 thicker and more rigid than the sock lining. As a step preliminary to assembly of the other shoe parts with these two parts, the platform sole is secured on the central portion of the tread surface of the sock lining which is so matched dimensionally to the platform sole that a generally uniform margin of the sock lining extends beyond the edge of the platform sole.

According to a feature of the present invention, the edge of the platform sole is cut away to form a recess 14 at each side of its shank. In addition to the platform sole and the sock lining the other shoe parts include an upper 16 and a platform wrapper strip comprising a forepart 18, and a heel part 20. An outsole, which is later attached in completing the shoe, is dimensionally related to the platform sole in such a way that the exposed surface of the wrapper strip is in substantial register with the edge of the outsole about the entire contour of the completed shoe. In a shoe according to the present invention the platform-sole is smaller than the outsole which extends outwardly beyond-the edge of the platform sole about a major portion of the shoe a substantially uniform distance substantially equal to twice the thickness of the wrapper strip plus the combined thicknesses of the upper and of the sock lining. Each recess in the platform sole is additionally set back from the edge of the outsole a distance which may be substantially equal to twice the thickness of the wrapper strip.

:In order better to illustrate the advantages of the present invention, the upper is of the open heel and open toe type extending rearwardly beyond the shank and having integral heel strap members but it will be appreciated that the present procedures and construction are also useful in shoes having other types of uppers.

The showing of Fig. l, in addition to the shoe, includes a fragment of a sewing machine suitable for stitching the parts together, the machine being similar to that employed in performing the method of the above-mentioned patent and to that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,742,005, granted April 17, 1956, upon an application of Edward Quinn, one of the present inventors. The machine includes an eye pointed needle 22, an edge gage 24 against which the shoe parts are guided in edge register in advance of the point of needle operation, a work support post 26, a work feeding presser foot 28, a non-feeding presser foot 29 and an automatic wrapper strip pilot comprising a roll 30 to enable securing all the parts together with a single seam 32.

The shoe parts are connected together by the seam 32 passing through their margins at a uniform distance from the edge of the platform sole. It is advisable first to present the upper and sock lining only to the machine in order to insert a few preliminary stitches along the inner shank of the shoe. For correctly positioning the upper relative to the sock lining these two parts are provided with index points 34 along the recesses at the shank. The index points of the two parts are matched and the parts arranged in edge register are initially presented to the machine for inserting the preliminary stitches. The leading end of the heel wrapper strip part is then positioned along the edge of the sock lining between the index points .34 and a second index point 36 also on the sock lining and the heel wrapper strip part is thereafter presented to the machine in edge register with the sock lining and the upper in continuing the seam. The edges of the parts are guided along the edge gage 24 by manipulating the platform sole, sock lining and upper while the wrapper strip is directed by the automatic pilot with little attention on the part of the operator. After the seam has been continued to a point past the other end of the wrapper strip at the outer shank, the forepart wrapper strip 18 is presented to the machine in overlapping relation and in edge register with the other parts. An index point similar to that designated by the reference numeral 34 is provided for correctly positioning the leading end of the forepart wrapper. The length of the heel wrapper 20 is such that its trailing end lies within an area defined by the end walls of the recess at the outer shank. After the first end of the wrapper forepart 18 is connected to the sock lining and the upper, the seam is continued about the toe of the shoe until the trailing end of the wrapper forepart overlies the first attached end of the wrapper heel part. The length of the wrapper forepart also is such that its trailing end lies in an area defined by the end walls of the recess 14 at the inner shank as shown in Fig. 3.

After the upper, sock lining and wrapper strip have been sewn together the seam-connected margins of the parts assume positions in overlying relation with the edge of the platform sole. The wrapper strip is then turned 180, wrapped about the overlying margins of the parts,

4 and its free margin is secured to the tread surface of the platform sole as shown in Fig. 4.

In the present shoe construction the excess thickness of material overlying the edge of the platform sole in the area of wrapper strip overlap is concealed within the recess 14 into which the excess thickness is received with the result that a relatively smooth exterior contour on the exposed surface of the wrapper strip is obtained instead of an outward bulge, indicated in dot and dash lines at 38 in Fig. 4. The edge of an outsole 40, which is thereafter secured to the inwardly extending margin of the wrapper strip is in substantial register with the exposed surface of the Wrapper strip about the entire contour of the shoe, including the shank where the wrapper strip parts are overlapped as shown in Fig. 6.

in addition to concealing the wrapper strip overlap area the present construction offers the further advantage of wide permissible tolerances in the lengths of the wrapper strip parts. As may be seen in Fig. 5, when the length of the wrapper strip overlap is considerably shorter than that of the recess, the outer layer of the wrapper strip bridging across the resultant void in the recess thus conceals the irregularity. As a result, the same wrapper strip parts may be employed for a wide range of sizes in the same style of shoe or, in the alternative, wrapper strip parts, may be cut to length by the sewing machine operator without the need for exercising meticulous care and without producing visible irregularities.

Although the present construction has been illustrated and described in conjunction with shoemaking procedures in which the platform sole is secured to the tread surface of the sock lining before the parts are connected together by sewing, it will be appreciated that some of the benefits of our invention extend to platform shoes manufactured by different processes. It will be appreciated, for example, that a platform shoe in which the parts are first sewn together before the platform sole is attached may be substantially improved in appearance if the platform sole is formed with a recess for receiving excessive thicknesses of materials in the area of wrapper strip overlap. It will also be realized that, although the procedures have been illustrated and described in connection with a platform shoe comprising an upper extending rearwardly beyond the shank and having integral strap members the benefits of the invention may be obtained even in shoes having differently shaped uppers by certain modifications which will now be obvious to those skilled in the art.

Thus, for example in a shoe having an open toe upper which terminates at the shank and is supplemented by a strap at the heel, it is possible to modify the recess intended to receive the wrapper strip overlap in order that the rearward edge portion of the upper may be received therein without bulging and to modify further the platform sole by providing additional recesses, if necessary, for receiving the additional thicknesses of the strap.

The scope of the present invention having been indicated and illustrative procedures and constructions specifically described, what is claimed is:

An improvement in a platform shoe having an upper, a sock lining and a platform wrapper strip connected together by a seam inserted through their margins, the wrapper strip arranged with its end portions in overlapped relation, a platform sole secured to the tread surface of the sock lining, the seam-connected margins of the upper, sock lining and wrapper strip positioned in overlying relation with the edge surface of the platform sole, the wrapper strip turned about the margins of the overlying parts, and secured to the tread surface of the platform sole and an outsole secured to the bottom of the shoe, said outsole extending about a major portion of its contour a substantially uniform distance beyond the edge of a platform sole, which distance is substantially equal to twice the thickness of the wrapper strip plus the combined thicknesses of the upper and of the sock lining, in which improvement a remainingminor portion of the platform 5 sole edge is formed with a local recess for receiving excess thicknesses of material overlying the edge of the platform sole in the region of wrapper strip overlap whereby the exposed surface of the wrapper strip is in substantial register with the edge of the outsole about the entire contour of the shoe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Kamborian Feb. 5, 1946 Burns May 3, 1949 Chandler Mar. 27, 1951 White Jan. 11, 1955 Beckerman June 21, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS Netherlands Apr. 12, 1954 Italy July 27, 1948

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