US3055027A

US3055027A - Machines and apparatus for applying pressure to shoe bottoms

Info

Publication number: US3055027A
Application number: US91547A
Authority: US
Inventors: Gulbrandsen Helge
Original assignee: United Shoe Machinery Corp
Current assignee: United Shoe Machinery Corp
Priority date: 1961-02-24
Filing date: 1961-02-24
Publication date: 1962-09-25
Anticipated expiration: 1979-09-25

Description

Sept. 25, 1962 H. GULBRANDSEN MACHINES AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PRESSURE TO SHOE BOTTOMS Original Filed Sept. 24, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Hlge GuZbrandsen By his Azzarnqy Sept. 25, 1962 H. GULBRANDSEN MACHINES AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PRESSURE TO SHOE BOTTOMS Original Filed Sept. 24, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Sept. 25, 1962 H. GULBRANDSEN 3,055,027

MACHINES AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PRESSURE TO SHOE BOTTOMS Original Filed Sept. 24, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent O1 3,055,027 MACHINES AND APPARATUS FOR APPLYING PRESSURE TO SHOE BOTTOMS Helge Gulbrandsen, Beverly, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Continuation of application Ser. No. 763,055, Sept. 24, 1958. This application Feb. 24, 1961, Ser. No. 91,547 Claims. (Cl. 1216.2)

This invention relates to improvements in machines and apparatus for attaching outsoles to cement shoes and simultaneously for attaching breast covering flaps split from the outsoles to heels already mounted on the shoes by applying pressures on the sole and heel breast, as disclosed in applications for United States Letters Patent, Serial No. 777,979, filed December 3, 1958, in the name of Anton Miihlbach, and Serial No. 785,405, filed January 7, 1959 in the name of W. A. Barker. The present application is a continuation of application Serial No. 763,055, filed September 24, 1958 in the name of the present inventor and now abandoned.

In attaching breast covering flaps to heels of shoes it is necessary to avoid such intensity or concentration of pressure on the heel breast as to displace the heel from a position where it is temporarily assembled on the shoe. In extremely high Louis type heels, it is difiicult to so limit and distribute the breast flap attaching pressure and at the same time to accomplish a proper flap attachment without displacement of the heel from its seat on the shoe, or the heel itself may be distorted permanently along its restricted weaker sections. Ordinarily, it is not sufficient merely to utilize a fixed support engaging the rearward surface of a heel in order to resist displacement or distortion, it being essential to counteract the breast flap attaching pressure with a similarly distributed pressure, both increasing and decreasing during application and release of the flap attaching pressure.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simply operated and inexpensively constructed machine or apparatus for attaching soles to shoes and simultaneously for attaching breast flaps integral with the soles to heels already mounted on shoes in such manner that there is little, if any, tendency for the heel to be displaced lengthwise of the shoe or to be distorted along its weaker sections. Accordingly, a machine of the type embodying the present invention is provided on its frame with the usual shoe-engaging and holding devices, a pad box being movable in the frame toward and from the holding devices, and being equipped with a pad having a laterally expansible shank element in the space between the sole and heel of a shoe to be operated upon. This pad is of such construction that it will expand as the pressure on the pad box is increased, progressively against both the sole and breast of a heel. In the present machine a similarly expansible external heel supporting member is provided and is movable lengthwise of a shoe on the pad along the surface of the pad toward and from an inclined rearward surface :of the heel to offset exactly the lengthwise compression of the expansible shank element against the heel breast, thus supporting the heel against displacement or injury at all times. The benefit is obtained by the use of a live pressure for supporting the heel against the heel flap attaching pressure and a machine of simple and effective construction is insured for this purpose without the necessity of employing intricate and easily disrupted inflatable elements of pad construction heretofore provided for such purposes. Also, it is possible to provide a pad construction which is adaptable to a greater range of shoe sizes and styles, having Louis or similar heels already attached, than hereto- 3,055,027. Patented Sept. 25, 1962 ice fore, without frequently rebuilding the pads, and, in certain respects, it is the intention to improve the construction of a pad disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,810,142, gran-ted October 22, 1957, upon application of the present inventor. To these ends the illustrated pad box has within it a solid resilient upper pad of sufficient length to engage the forepart of a shoe bottom and to terminate at the ball line of the shoe, a solid resilient lower pad to support the upper pad in the pad box and to project rearwardly of the shoe beyond the heel seat, said lower pad comprising a plurality of layers of rubber, at least one of the layers being slotted to form an opening for the heel of the shoe, on which pads a shank elemen-t is mounted to engage both the shank and the heel breast by expansion of the shank element laterally against the heel when compressed between the lower pad and the shoe, thus enabling the heel breast flap to be attached simultaneously with the sole of the shoe, and the rearward surface of the heel to be supported against the flap attaching pressure by suitable means wedged between the inclined rearward surface of the heel and the projecting end of the lower pad.

These and other features of the invention as hereinafter described and claimed, will readily be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation, partly broken away and in section of portions of a machine having a pad box with a shoe thereon, illustrating the features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a rearward portion of the pad box shown in FIG. 1 and of the pads therein;

FIG. 3 is a view in rear elevation of portions of the improved pad box;

FIG. 4 is a detail perspective view of the connections employed for actuating a heel supporting member toward and from the heel of a shoe received in the pad box;

FIG. 5 is a perspective detail view of a heel breast and shaink engaging pad element employed in the pad box; an

FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the portions of the pad in the box surrounding a heel of a shoe, illustrating their manner of operation during attachment of a heel breast flap.

The machine illustrated in the drawings is intended for operation on a cement shoe, to the bottom of which there is already attached a Louis or other similar type of heel. A Louis heel shoe is shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 at 10 with a heel 12 temporarily attached as by a Holdfast nail 14. Ordinarily the tread surface of the shoe and possibly the seat to which the heel is fitted, is covered by a layer of pressure sensitive cement, so that the attachment of the heel by the nail 14 is reinforced by the cement. To complete the shoe construction before introduction into the machine the shoe bottom has applied to it an outsole 16, the rearward end of which is reduced to form a breast flap 18 for the Louis type heel 12. During operation of the machine the outsole 16 is pressed into intimate contact with cement on the shoe bottom and the flap 18 is secured against the breast of the heel 12 with simultaneous pressures thus giving a continuous bond throughout the combined areas of the sole and flap with a smooth regular appearance.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the machine is provided with a composite pad secured by a marginal plate 20 in a box having angnlarly

adjustable parts

22, 2 and 26, the adjustments being obtained by manipulating

handles

28 and 30, as fully disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,568,065, granted September 18, 1951 upon application of the present inventor.

Resting on the bottom of the box and supporting an upper solid resilient sole forepart engaging or pressing pad 32 is a series of similar

lower pad layers

34, 36, 38, and 40, all formed of solid rubber of low durometer (17 27), the layers being generally of uniform rectangular cross section. Four such layers are illustrated but the number may be varied to suit conditions. The upper pad layer 32 is intended to act only along the forepart of the shoe, and, accordingly, terminates at about a midpo sition along the length of the pad box 22 near the ball line of the shoe, The upper fore-part layer is supplemented beyond the ball line by readily replaceable laterally expansible shank pressing pad elements which overlie and are supported by the lower pad layers.

The expansible shank pad elements are indicated at 41, 42 and 44, and may be removed or replaced by other similarly shaped elements when radically different styles of shoes are being operated upon or where different types of leather materials are employed in shoes. Under these conditions it may be necessary to change the durometer values of the shank elements. To protect the upper pad 32 and the shank elements 41, 42 and 44 and to avoid the effects of the joints between them a covering strip 4-6 of relatively thin flexible leather or similar material is made to conform with the exposed surfaces of the shank elements, the leather covering strip 46 extending over one side sunface of the shank pad element 44, as shown more clearly in FIG. 6, this leather strip serving also to prevent adhesion between the shank elements and the shoe during removal of the shoe.

To engage and hold the shoe in position while being compressed by the pads in the pad box 22, there is mounted opposite the pad box the usual to and heel engaging devices 48 and 50 (FIG. 1). The pad box 22 has its adjustable parts mounted between the side plates 52 of a base, which in turn is secured to the upper end of a piston 54 operating as a part of a hydraulic system to apply pressure through the pad box to the shoe. The piston carrying the pad and side plates is mounted for movement vertically in a cylinder 56 forming a part of the main frame in the machine. When hydraulic pressure is introduced into the cylinder 56 the pads in the box 22 raise the shoe into engagement with the toe and heel engaging members 48 and 50, stopping upward movement of the shoe and compressing its bottom surface against the pad layers and shank elements. The remainder of the system is more fully described in United States Letters Patent No. 2,716,766, granted September 6,, 1955, upon application of the present inventor.

As the shank elements 41, 42 and 44 expand laterally with heightwise compression against the shank of a shoe their lateral expansion also causes them to apply a pressure against the breast of the heel l2, forcing the breast flap 18 into intimate engagement therewith. As the pressure of the pad increases on the shoe, lateral pressure also of the shank elements increases on the heel 12 at the same time to produce a firm bond between the breast flap 18 and the heel. Unless suitable means are provided to resist the increasing lateral pressure of the shank elements at the same rate there is danger of displacing the heel from the shoe, especially when a single fastening nail 14 only is employed, or the heel may be distorted from its original configuration, causing permanent damage to the shoe.

In order to offset the lateral pressures of the shank pad elements 41, 42 and 44 and to prevent displacement or distortion of the heel 12, according to an important feature of the invention, there is provided at the central part of the pad box 22 a heel supporting pad member in the form of a block 58 of readily compressible and laterally expansible rubber having a durometer value substantially the same as that employed in the shank pad elements 4 1, 42 and 44, The block 58 is made as a part separate from the pad layers and shank elements and is movable in two directions sequentially, first horizontally along the surface of the pad against the inclined rearward surface of the heel 12 to engage the overhanging heel end and, then vertically into a position to be compressed heightwise of the shoe between the heel and the pad layer 34 at the same time and to the same extent as are the shank pad elements 41, 42, and 44 between the sole and the pad. Thus, the block 58 is caused to expand laterally at the same rate and in a direction lengthwise of the shoe opposite to that in which the shank elements expand against the breast of the shoe, relieving the heel of strain and producing the desired results.

The block 58 is shaped with a downwardly curved channel, as indicated at 60 in FIG. 4, to fit the rearward surface of the heel and when subjected to heightwise compression between the overhanging heel and the pad, the heel supporting block is forced downwardly against the lower pad layer 34 and is locked in position on the pad layer 34 to prevent movement of the block along the pad away from the shoe heel in the proper sequence. In this way the lateral pressure of the supporting block is concentrated on the rearward surface of the heel. To assist in this purpose the block 58 has a roughened under surface in the form of a series of ribs 62, which are forced by relative movement heightwise of the shoe against the upper surface of the lower pad layer 34 to embed the ribs within the surface of the pad layer 34, insuring a firm frictional grip against movement of the supporting pad lengthwise of the shoe away from the heel.

To enable the heel supporting pad block 58 to move along the surface of the lower pad layer 34 and lengthwise of the shoe, the pad block is recessed along its rearward face with a T-shaped groove, fitting a corresponding contour at the end of a bar or plunger 64. The bar 64 is mounted for sliding movement to enable it to be projected toward and from the rearward surface of the shoe heel in a pivotally mounted carrier 66 extending lengthwise on the pad box. For mounting the carrier to enable movement of the heel supporting block 58 in a direction heightwise of the shoe the carrier is pivoted on a horizontal pin 68 passing through a lug on the carrier and a pair of upwardly extending arms 70 of a bracket secured between the side plates 52 of the pad box.

To enable the heel supporting pad block 58 to move freely along the surface of the lower pad layer 34 without engaging it frictionally until the pad block is compressed, the carrier 66 has confined between it and an opening in a portion of the bracket arms 70 a compression spring 72, the force of which spring is sufficient to lift the block just clear of the lower pad layer 34.

To actuate the heel supporting pad block 58 toward and from the heel on a shoe horizontally and against the surface of the pad vertically in the proper sequence, connections are provided between the supporting frame of the machine and the pad box, these connections being actuated yieldingly during the shoe pressing operation by relative movement between the pad box and the machine frame. As illustrated, these connections include a strap 74 secured at one end by means of a screw 76 to the upper end of the cylinder 56, which comprises a part of the frame and at the unsecured end of the strap is a slotted block 78 having a reduced threaded shank extending through an opening in the strap to receive a clamp nut 80 at the lower side of the strap. Within the slot of the block 78 is pivoted the lower end of a link 82 having passing through it a pin 84 which also passes through the block at opposite sides of the slot, the upper end of the link being connected by a pin 86 to an arm 88 rotating on a stud 90 rotatable in rearwardly projecting lugs 92 on the bracket forming the arms 70. Pinned to the stud 90 is an upwardly extending arm 94 adjacent to the rearward end of the slide bar 64, which has mounted on it the heel supporting block 58. The upper end of the arm 94 and the rearward end of the slide bar 64 are pivotally connected by pins 596 at the ends of a link 98, so that rotational movement of the stud 90 actuates the slide bar, a

slot 99 (see FIG. 4) being formed in the carrier 66 to clear the pin 96 which connects the link 98 to the bar 64.

To cause the connections between the supporting frame of the machine and the pad box to actuate the slide bar yieldingly, the stud 90 has pinned to it an arm 100 having a flange carrying a pin 162 (see FIGS. 2 and 3), to which one end of a tension spring 104 is fastened. The other end of the spring 104 is fastened to a second pin 106 carried by the laterally projecting arm 88, which also has a second pin 1% extending from it in a direction opposite to that of the pin 1% (FIGS. 3 and 4). The pin 168 extends into the path of movement of the arm so as to limit the contracting action of the spring 104. The spring 104 thus presses the bar 64 and the heel supporting block 58 forwardly against the rearward surface of the heel 12 on a shoe, the spring yielding after the block engages the heel. This occurs during the time the pad box moves upwardly to bring the shoe into engagement with the toeand heel-engaging devices 48 and 59, so that as soon as the heel supporting pad 58 engages the heel of a shoe, the shoe is positioned properly in the pad box and held yieldingly in this position until the shoe is engaged with the devices 43 and 50. After the sole attaching pressure on the shoe is released the bar 64 and block 58 are moved positively away from the shoe by the engagement of the pin 168 with the arm 1%.

To permit the use of the same lower pad layers with varying heights, styles and sizes of heels,

elongated openings

110 and 112 in the lower pad layers 34 and 36 are formed extending lengthwise of the shoe and pad layers, the rearward ends of one or more of the openings being curved to clear the tread end of the heel during the application of the sole attaching pressure to the shoe. Although the shank pad element 44 extends into the openings of the lower pad layers, the element 44 and the heel supporting pad 53 are actually supported by the layer 34 at the sides of the openings and both pad element and heel supporting pad bridge the openings, so that the support against rearward pressure is of the same character as that producing rearward pressure. For this purpose the shank element 44 is constructed in a T-shaped form, best shown in FIG. 5, the horizontally projecting arms of which rest on the upper surface of the layer 34-.

The shank pad element 44 is cut away along its rearward surface, as indicated at 114 (FIG. 2), and the cut away is partially filled with a relatively thin spongy lining piece 116 (see also FIGS. 1 and 6) having a lower durometer rating than the shank pad element 44. The lining piece 116 is permanently cemented to the inner surface of the cut away 114 to prevent displacement during use.

The shank pad elements 41, 42 and 44 are held temporarily in place before positioning a shoe on the pad by an adjustable angle bracket 120 (FIGS. 2 and 3) secured to the pad box by a wing headed screw 122 passing through a slot in the angle bracket and into threaded engagement with one side plate 52 on the pad box frame. The upper end of the angle bracket has a fiat portion fitting the angle of the rearward face of the shank pad element 44.

The machine and apparatus embodying the invention are extremely versatile, their use not being limited by structural features to any particular style or size of shoe and providing a heel supporting force by reason of the pad block 58, which is substantially equal along all portions of a shoe heel to that provided by the expansible shank pad elements. Thus, the heel '12 is maintained in position by an equilibrium of forces which have no tendency to disturb the position of the heel on a shoe or to distort the configuration of the heel itself. A wide range of styles is capable of being operated upon with a single set of particular shank pad elements and the use of the machine requires little, if any, skill or ability further than is needed for conventional sole attaching operations, not including the attachment of heel breast flaps.

The nature and scope of the invention having been set forth and an embodiment having been described, what is claimed is:

1. A machine for applying pressure to a high heel shoe bottom and simultaneously to the breast of a heel attached to the shoe bottom, said machine having a frame, a pad box movable in the frame, a pad including a laterally expansible shank element in the box for receiving the shoe bottom, shoe engaging and holding devices mounted in the frame opposite the pad, and pressure applying means for moving the pad box in the frame toward the holding devices, in combination with an external heel supporting member separate from the pad and capable of lateral expansion and means mounting said member for movement along the surface of the pad toward and from the rearward surface of the heel of a shoe on the pad, said heel supporting member engaging an inclined rearward surface of the shoe heel in a position to be compressed heightwise of the shoe against the pad, and being expansible lengthwise of the shoe along the pad and against the heel at a rate increasing with the heightwise pressure of the shoe on the pad.

2. A machine for applying pressure to a high heel shoe bottom and simultaneously to the breast of a heel attached to the shoe bottom, said machine having a frame, a pad box movable in the frame, a pad including a laterally expansible shank element in the box for receiving the shoe bottom, shoe engaging and holding devices mounted in the frame opposite the pad, and pressure applying means for moving the pad box in the frame toward the holding devices, in combination with an external heel supporting member separate from the pad and capable of lateral expansion and means mounting said member for movement along the surface of the pad toward and from the rearward surface of the heel of a shoe on the pad, said heel supporting member engaging an inclined rearward surface of the shoe heel in a position to be compressed heightwise of the shoe against the pad, and being composed of a material which expands under compression at substantially the same rate as the shank elements in the pad box to prevent displacement of the heel lengthwise of the shoe.

3. A machine for applying pressure to a high heel shoe bottom and simultaneously to the breast of a heel attached to the shoe bottom, said machine having a frame, a pad box movable in the frame, a pad including :a laterally expansible shank element in the box for receiving the shoe bottom, shoe engaging and holding devices mounted in the frame opposite the pad, and pressure applying means for moving the pad box in the frame toward the holding devices, in combination with an external heel supporting member separate from the pad and capable of lateral ex pansion and means mounting said member for movement along the surface of the pad toward and from the rearward surface of the heel of a shoe on the pad, said heel supporting member engaging an inclined rearward surface of the shoe heel in a position to be compressed heightwise of the shoe against the pad, and being composed of a material which expands under compression at substantially the same rate as the shank elements in the pad box to prevent displacement of the heel lengthwise of the shoe and the heightwise compression of the heel supporting member causing it to be forced against the pad to lock it against movement along the pad away from the shoe heel.

4. A machine for applying pressure to a high heel shoe bottom and simultaneously to the breast of a heel attached to the shoe bottom, said machine having a. frame, a pad box movable in the frame, a pad including a laterally expansible shank element in the box for receiving the shoe bottom, shoe engaging and holding devices mounted in the frame opposite the pad, and pressure applying means for moving the pad box in the frame toward the holding devices, in combination with an expansible external heel supporting member mounted on the pad box for relative movements on the pad box in two directions sequentially, one of which movements enables the supporting member to be projected toward and from the rearward surface of the heel of a shoe and the other of which movements enables the supporting member to be forced against the surface of the pad with a locking pressure, when the pad is moved toward the engaging devices.

5. A machine for applying pressure to a high heel shoe bottom and simultaneously to the breast of a heel attached to the shoe bottom, said machine having a frame, a pad box movable in the frame, a pad including a laterally expansible shank element in the box for receiving the shoe bottom, shoe engaging and holding devices mounted in the frame opposite the pad, and pressure applying means for moving the pad box in the frame toward the holding devices, in combination with an expansible external heel supporting member mounted on the pad box for relative movements on the pad box in two directions sequentially, one of which movements enables the supporting member to be projected horizontally toward and from the reaiwvard surface of the heel on a shoe, and the other of which enables the supporting member to be forced vertically against the surface of the pad with a locking pressure when the pad is moved toward the engaging devices, and means for actuating the heel supporting member lengthwise of the shoe toward the heel comprising connections between the frame and the pad box, the movement of the pad box heightwise of the shoe compressing the heel supporting member against the pad to prevent movement away from the heel and also expanding the heel support-ing member against the heel in a direction lengthwise of the shoe to prevent displacement of the heel lengthwise of the shoe.

6. A machine for applying pressure to a high heel shoe bottom and simultaneously to the breast of a heel attached to the shoe bottom, said machine having a frame, a pad box movable in the frame, a pad including a laterally expansible shank element in the box for receiving the shoe bottom, shoe engaging and holding devices mounted in the frame opposite the pad, and pressure applying means for moving the pad box in the frame toward the holding devices, in combination with an expansible external heel supporting member, a carrier in which the heel supporting member is slidable lengthwise of the shoe toward and from the heel, a pivotal mounting for the carrier on the pad box to enable movement of the heel supporting member heightwise of the shoe toward and from the pad, and a ribbed surface on the heel supporting member for locking engagement with the pad during operation of the pressure applying means.

7. A machine for applying pressure to a high heel shoe bottom and simultaneously to the breast of a heel attached to the shoe bottom, said machine having a frame, a pad box movable in the frame, a pad including a laterally expansible shank element in the box for receiving the shoe bottom, shoe engaging and holding devices mounted in the frame opposite the pad, and pressure applying means -for moving the pad box in the frame toward the holding devices, in combination with an expansible external heel supporting member, a carrier in which the heel supporting member is slidable lengthwise of the shoe toward and from the heel, a pivotal mounting for the carrier on the pad box to enable movement of the heel supporting member heightwise of the shoe toward and from the pad, a ribbed surface on the heel supporting member for locking engagement with the pad during operation of the pressure applying means, and yielding means acting between the mounting and the carrier to disengage the heel supporting member from the pad when the pressure of the pressure applying means is released.

8. Apparatus for use in pressing soles on shoes to the bottom surfaces of which high heels already are attached, including pressure applying means, comprising a pad box having a resilient upper pad of a length to engage the :forepart of a shoe bottom and to terminate engagement with the shoe at the ball line of the shoe, and a resilient lower pad to support the upper pad in the box and to project beyond the heel end of the shoe, said lower pad comprising a plurality of layers of rubber, at least one of which is slotted to form an opening for the heel of the shoe, in combination with a shank pad element mounted on the lower pad in a position to engage both the shank and heel breast by lateral expansion against the heel when compressed between the lower pad and the shoe shank while enabling the rearward surface of the heel to be supported against the lateral pressure of the shank pad element by the projecting end of the lower pad.

9. Apparatus for use in pressing soles on shoes to the bottom surfaces of which high heels already are attached, including pressure applying means, comprising a pad box having a resilient upper pad of a length to engage the forepart of a shoe bottom and to terminate engagement with the shoe at the ball line of the shoe, and a resilient lower pad to support the upper pad in the box and to project beyond the heel end of the shoe, said lower pad comprising a plurality of layers of rubber, at least one of which is slotted to form an opening for the heel of the shoe, in combination with a shank pad element mounted on the lower pad in a position to engage both the shank and heel breast by lateral expansion against the heel when compressed between the lower pad and the shoe shank, and means mounted for movement along that portion of the lower pad which projects beyond the heel to engage and support the heel against the pressure of the shank element under lateral expansion by wedging action between the heel and the projecting end of the lower pad.

10. Apparatus for use in pressing soles on shoes to the bottom surfaces of which high heels already are attached, including pressure applying means, comprising a pad box having a resilient upper pad of a length to engage the forepart of a shoe bottom and to terminate engagement with the shoe at the ball line of the shoe, and a resilient lower pad to support the upper pad in the box and to project beyond the heel end of the shoe, said lower pad comprising a plurality of layers of rubber, at least one of which is slotted to form an opening for the heel of the shoe, in combination with a shank pad element mounted on the lower pad in a position to engage both the shank and heel breast by lateral expansion against the heel when compressed between the lower pad and the shoe shank, means mounted for movement along that portion of the lower pad which projects beyond the heel to engage and support the heel against the pressure of the shank element under lateral expansion by wedging action between the heel and the projecting end of the lower pad, and means for retracting the heel supporting means from engagement with the rearward surface of the heel after the compression of the shoe bottom on the pads has been released.

11. Apparatus for use in pressing soles on shoes to the bottom surfaces of which heels already are attached, including pressure applying means, comprising a pad box having a resilient upper pad of a length to receive the forepart of a shoe, and a lower pad comprising a plurality of layers of rubber of low durometer, one of which has an elongated opening therein extending lengthwise of the shoe to receive the heel, in combination with a laterally expansible shank pad element bridging the opening in said lower pad to assist in concentrating the expanding pressure of the shank pad on the heel breast, and an expansible heel supporting block disposed in bridging relation to the heel opening in said lower pad layer for applying to the rearward surface of the heel an expanding pressure increasing as the pressure of the shank element increases by compressing the heel supporting block heightwise of the shoe between the rearward surface of the heel and the lower pad.

12. Apparatus for use in pressing soles on shoes to the bottom surfaces of which high heels already are attached, including pressure applying means, comprising a pad box having a resilient upper pad of a length to engage the forepart of a shoe bottom and to terminate engagement with the shoe at the ball line of the shoe, and a resilient lower pad to support the upper pad in the box and to project beyond the heel end of the shoe, said lower pad comprising a plurality of layers of rubber, at least one of which is slotted to form an opening for the heel of the shoe, in combination with a shank pad element mounted on the lower pad in a position to engage both the shank and heel breast by lateral expansion against the heel when compressed between the lower pad and the shoe shank, and a laterally expansible pad block located in bridging relation to the opening in the lower pad to engage and support the heel against the lateral pressure of the shank element.

13. Apparatus for use in pressing soles on shoes to the bottom surfaces of which high heels already are attached, including pressure applying means, comprising a pad box having a resilient upper pad of a length to engage the forepart of a shoe bottom and to terminate engagement with the shoe at the ball line of the shoe, and a resilient lower pad to support the upper pad in the box and to project beyond the heel end of the shoe, said lower pad comprising a plurality of layers of rubber, at least one of which is slotted to form an opening for the heel of the shoe, in combination with a shank pad element mounted on the lower pad in a position to engage both the shank and heel breast by lateral expansion against the heel when compressed between the lower pad and the shoe shank, a laterally expansible pad block located in bridging relation to the opening in the lower pad to engage and support the heel against the lateral pressure of the shank element, and means for locking the heel supporting block against the lateral pressure of the shank pad element.

14. Apparatus for use in pressing soles on shoes to the bottom surfaces of which high heels already are attached, including pressure applying means, comprising a pad box having a resilient upper pad of a length to engage the forepart of a shoe bottom and to terminate engagement with the shoe at the ball line of the shoe, and a resilient lower pad to support the upper pad in the box and to project beyond the heel end of the shoe, said lower pad comprising a plurality of layers of rubber, at least one of which is slotted to form an opening for the heel of the shoe, in combination with a shank pad element mounted on the lower pad in a position to engage both the shank and heel breast by lateral expansion against the heel when compressed between the lower pad and the shoe shank, a laterally expansible pad block located in bridging relation to the opening in the lower pad to engage and support the heel against the lateral pressure of the shank element, and means for locking the heel supporting block against the lateral pressure of the shank pad element comprising a series of ribs on the heel block which are adapted to be embedded within the surface of the lower pad.

15. A machine for applying pressure to a high heel shoe bottom and simultaneously to the breast of a heel attached to the shoe bottom, said machine having a frame, a pad box movable in the frame, a pad including a laterally expansible shank element in the box for receiving the shoe bottom, shoe-engaging and holding devices mounted in the frame opposite the pad, and pressure applying means for moving the pad box in the frame toward the holding devices, in combination with an external heel supporting member, a bar at one end of which the heel supporting member is mounted, a carrier on the pad box in which the bar is mounted for sliding movement of its supporting member end toward and from the rearward surface of the shoe heel, and a pivotal mounting for the carrier on the pad box to enable the heel supporting member to be lifted clear of the pad or to be compressed against it.

16. A machine for applying pressure to a high heel shoe bottom and simultaneously to the breast of a heel attached to the shoe bottom, said machine having a frame, a pad box movable in the frame, a pad including a laterally expansible shank element in the box for receiving the shoe bottom, shoe engaging and holding devices mounted in the frame opposite the pad, and pressure applying means for moving the pad box in the frame toward the holding devices, in combination with an external heel supporting member, a bar at one end of which the heel supporting member is mounted, a carrier on the pad box in which the bar is mounted for sliding movement of its supporting member end toward and from the rearward surface of the shoe heel, a pivotal mounting for the carrier on the pad box to enable the heel supporting member to be lifted clear of the pad or to be compressed against it, and connections between the machine frame to the pad box to actuate the heel supporting member toward and from the shoe heel as the pad box is moved toward and from the shoe-engaging devices.

17. A machine for applying pressure to a high heel shoe bottom and simultaneously to the breast of a heel attached to the shoe bottom, said machine having a frame, a pad box movable in the frame, a pad including a laterally expansible shank element in the box for receiving the shoe bottom to engage the breast of the heel, shoe engaging and holding devices mounted in the frame opposite the pad box, pressure applying means for moving the pad box and the holding devices relatively in the frame, a second pad separate from the shank element and means mounting said second pad for movement in the frame toward and from the rearward surface of the heel of the shoe while engaged by the shank pad element at a position to cause the second pad to compress the heel against the shank pad element and to release the shoe from the shank pad element, in combination with means in the pad box along the surface of which the second pad is guided to lock the second pad frictionally in a position of engagement with the shoe heel when compressed by the pressure of the pressure applying means on the second pad.

18. A machine for applying pressure to a high heel shoe bottom and simultaneously to the breast of a heel attached to the shoe bottom, said machine having a frame, a pad box movable in the frame, a pad including a laterally expansible shank element shaped to engage the breast of the heel in the pad box, shoe engaging and holding devices mounted in the frame opposite the pad box, pressure applying means for moving the pad box and the shoe engaging and holding devices relatively in the frame, and a second pad for compressing the heel of the shoe against the shank pad element, in combination with a plunger to which the second pad is connected for movement toward and from the heel of the shoe to cause the second pad to compress the heel against the shank pad and to release the heel from compressing against the second pad and a member in the pad box having a guide surface for the second pad adjacent to the heel arranged to be engaged by the second pad to lock it in a position of engagement with the heel when compressed by the pressure of the pressure applying means on the second pad.

19. Apparatus for use in pressing soles on high heel shoes comprising a pad box having a resilient upper pad of a length to engage the forepart of a shoe bottom and to terminate engagement with the shoe at the ball line of the shoe and a resilient lower pad to support the upper pad in the box and to project beyond the heel end of the shoe, said lower pad comprising a plurality of layers of rubber at least one of which is slotted to form an opening for the heel of the shoe, in combination with a shank pad element mounted on the lower pad in a position to engage both the shank and the breast of a heel by lateral expansion against the heel when compressed between the lower pad and the shank pad, means mounted for movement along that portion of the lower pad which projects beyond the heel to engage and support the heel against the pressure of the shank element Under lateral expansion by wedging action between the heel and the projecting end of the lower pad, means for retracting the heel support means from engagement with the rearward surface of the heel after the compression of the shoe bottom on the pad has been released, and means for locking the heel support means against the lateral pressure of the shank pad element.

20. A machine for applying pressure to a high heel shoe bottom and simultaneously to the breast of a heel, said machine having a frame, a pad box movable in the frame, a pad including a laterally expansible shank element in the box for receiving the shoe bottom, shoe engaging and holding devices mounted in the frame opposite the pad and pressure applying means for moving relatively the pad box toward the holding devices, in combination with an external heel supporting member separate from the pad, capable of lateral expansion and means mounting said member for movement above the surface of the pad toward and from the rearward surface of a heel of a shoe on the pad, said heel supporting memher engaging an inclined rearward surface of the shoe heel in a position to be compressed heightwise of the shoe, and being expansible lengthwise of the shoe along the pad and against the heel at a rate increasing with the heightwise pressure of the shoe on the pad.

No references cited.