US3007262A - Shoe construction - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 7, 1961 W, J, RlCHARDs 3,007,262

SHOE CONSTRUCTION Filed March 9, 1960 6 l z lllllllllllllllllllllnllllllllllllllmllm] m" 3 I lllln f Fl G l 5 J FIGA ,3 Exam, gw/0W United States Patent 3,007,262 SHOE CONSTRUCTION William J. Richards, Nashville, Tenn., assignor to Geneseo, Inc., Nashville, Tenn., a corporation of Tennessee Filed Mar. 9, 1960, Ser. No. 13,750 1 Claim. (Cl. 36-51) This invention relates generally to shoes, and more particularly to shoes characterized by the absence of laces, buckles and the like.

A popular style of dress shoe is made like a slipper but of sturdier,.ner construction, so as to prment a neat appearance and permit it to be worn on the street. Such a shoe is formed with a large stiff tongle, which is shaped to extend over the instep and help hold the shoe on the foot. Otherwise, the shoe is held on the foot by a good fit.

Although such shoes are generally satisfactory when new, during use, the upper tends to stretch out of shape, with the result that the upper may bow outwardly and open unsightly gaps along the sides of the foot, and a loose t ensues. It has been proposed that elastic material may be incorporated in the tongue, thereby to counteract any stretching of the upper, but this is not always a satisfactory solution. The elastic tongue parts detract from the appearance, such an upper is difcult to manufacture, and the elastic tongue is not too effective in preventing gaps from opening at the sides of the foot.

Accordingly, an object of this disclosure is to provide a laceless shoe which is of neat appearance and which is better adapted to counteract the stretching or stress to which the upper is subjected in the course of wear. Among the several other objects of the invention may be noted the provision of a shoe utilizing conventional upper materials and manufacturing processes, but with an elastic part incorporated in a manner such as to enhance, rather than detract, from the appearance; the provision of such a shoe wherein the elastic part is readily assembled on the other parts of the upper; the provision of a shoe wherein the -upper is maintained in snug tting engagement with the sides of the foot; and the provision of a shoe which is comfortable to wear while new and after considerable use.

Although the invention will be described in detail with reference to drawings, briefly, it may be noted that the upper is formed with an elastic margin, about a half inch in width, running continuously about the foot opening from one side of the tongue to the other side thereof. In fabricating the upper, preferably, a lrst piece or pieces forms the front part of the upper, including toe, vamp and tongue. A second piece or pieces forms the back including quarters and heel areas. The leather parts of this second piece are cut lower than normal, and the elastic marginal portion is secured to the upper edge thereof, before the back part of the upper is assembled with the front part. Preferably, the elastic margin is formed as a strip with an inner elastic core, such as fabric, and an outer yieldable cover, such as corrugated rubber or yieldable leather-like material, the elastic strip being attached to the upper by means of a zig-zag stitch.

Otherwise, the shoe may be made as any other shoe, although it is preferred that a shoe counter be used, and the shoe is shaped so that the elastic margin angles inwardly rather sharply. When the foot is inserted, the elastic margins yield outwardly but are in resilient snugtting engagement with the sides of the foot. Where an inner liner for the counter is used, it may extend upwardly to cover the elastic band, particularly at the heel seam.

Other features of the invention will be in part apparent from and in part pointed out in the following detail de- 3,007,262 Patented Nov. 7, 1961 scription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a shoe embodying the invention; Y

FIG. 2 is a top plan View of the shoe shown in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a cross section taken on the line 3 3 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a detail view of the elastic margin, the view being partly in section and partly in perspective.

Referring to .the drawings, there is shown a mans shoe having an outsole 1, heel 3 and upper generally designated 5. The shoe is of the slipper type, as distinguished from shoes with laces, buckles or the like, As such, the upper extends over the instep without a break, and this portion is shaped so that while it yields sufficiently to permit the foot to be inserted, it otherwise functions to hold the shoe on. The shoe should further be distinguished from house slippers and similar loose fitting footwear-rather, the invention is directed to so-called dress shoes, whose construction, fit and appearance should be comparable to that of other types of dress shoes, such as those with laces. 4For example, the upper may be lasted to an insole 7 (FIG. 3), as will be understood by those skilled in the art.

The upper is made from several pieces, there being a single front portion 9 forming the toe, vamp and tongue 11. The tongue 11 is curved -in transverse section, as will be apparent from FIG. 2, and is of substantial size, such being essential to the appearance and t of the shoe. The back part of the upper is then formed by leatherlike quarter parts 13 secured together at a heel seam 15 and to the front part along curved side seams 17 and 19.

A counter 20 is incorporated within a pocket formed by a heel liner 21 (FIG. 2), which is secured by a line of stitching 22 to the heel part of the upper, thereby to provide rigidity at the heel.

As described above, the shoe is typical of a dress style of slipper. The foot opening is necessarily long and the f back part of the upper is somewhat lower than in laced shoes, so that the shoe can be readily slipped over the foot. Heretofore, the entire back part of the upper has been formed of the same material, usually leather, and the long upper margin thereof (which defined the foot opening) has been a source of weakness, both from the view point of tit and appearance. As the shoe looses its new stiffness, the parts of the upper along the sides of the foot tend to bow outwardly, thereby loosening the fit and opening unsightly gaps between the sides of the foot and shoe.

This problem is herein overcome by providing an elastic margin 23 extending from beneath the tongue on one side about both sides and back of the foot opening to the tongue on the other side of the shoe. Referring to FIG. 4, the elastic margin is formed as a separate strip with an inner core 25 and an outer covering 29. The core part 25 is a fabric woven with rubber threads 27 extending longitudinally of the strip, thereby providing body and elasticity. The covering Z9 is a strip of corrugated rubber or other leather-like non-fabric material folded over and glued to the fabric 25. The complete strip 23 is about as thick as the leather-like quarter part 13 and a half inch in width, and itis secured on the upper edge of quarter part 13 by zig-zag stitching 31. Of course, the leather parts 13 are cut a half inch lower than usual so as to accommodate the strip 23. Finally, a thin elastic strip 33' preferably is secured over the seam 31 along the inner surface of the shoe by stitches 30 and 35.

In making up the shoe, the elastic margin 23 is assembled to the parts 13, prior to attaching the counter liner 21, and before assembly with part 9. The line of stitching 19 then serves to anchor the ends ofthe band 23 to the tongue. The -upper is also shaped so that in the nished shoe, the elastic margins at the sides incline in wardly and are spaced rather closely, relative to the width of the foot. When the foot is inserted, the elastic margins are pushed outwardly, but the resultant elongation assures that the margin will be in tension and press snugly agalnst the sidesof the foot.

Accordingly, the shoe is designed to maintain a good fit and neat appearance under normal conditions of use. The upper is primarily formed of conventional non-elastic materials, for reasons of shape and appearance, while upper marginal parts of the sides and heel are relatively elastic, -for tit. Changes in and modifications of the construction may be made, however, without departing from the spirit of the invention or sacrificing its advantages.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

A shoe having quarters and a vamp including a tongue portion whose margins extend upwardly and backwardly in cantilever relation to the top line of the quarters, the vamp and a substantial part of the quarters being formed of leather-like material, and a substantial part of said quarters being formed of material which is substantially more elastic than the remainder of said quarters, said elastic part of said quarter being a strip of substantially uniform width extending continuously entirely about and defining the top line of the quarters, and said elastic part being secured at its ends to the upwardly and backwardly extending margins of said tongue above the leather-like part of the quarters, thereby to provide a tiexible resilient top line about the foot opening and a resiliently snug titting tongue.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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