US3345660A

US3345660A - Device for operating on shoe bottoms

Info

Publication number: US3345660A
Application number: US526868A
Authority: US
Inventors: Evald O Peterson
Original assignee: Compo Shoe Machinery Corp
Current assignee: Compo Shoe Machinery Corp
Priority date: 1966-02-11
Filing date: 1966-02-11
Publication date: 1967-10-10
Anticipated expiration: 1984-10-10

Description

Oct 10 1967 E. o. PETERSQN DEVICE FOR OPERATING ON SHOE BOTTOMS IIII'III'II' Filed Feb, ll, 1966 UCL w 1967 E. o. PETERSON DEVICE FOR OPERATING ON SHOE BOTTOMS 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. ll, 1966 C- w m67 E. o. PETERSON DEVICE FOR OPERATING ON SHOE BOTTOMS 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. ll, 1966 Oct. 10 967 E. o. PETERSON DEVICE FOR OPERATING ON SHOE BOTTOMS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. ll, 1966 United States Patent Office 3,345,669 Patented Got. 1G, 1957 3,345,660 DEVISE FR GPERATING N SHOE BOTTQMS Evafd 0. Peterson, Lynnlieid Center, Mass., assigner to Compo Shoe Machinery Corporation, Waltham, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 11, 1966, Ser. No. 526,868 26 Claims. (Cl. 1216.4)

This invention relates to machines for operating on the bottoms of shoes and especially to a device for imparting a high degree of union and conformity of outsoles to shoe bottoms.

Machines of the foregoing kind generally embody a yieldable pad upon which the shoe with an outsole temporarily or permanently attached to its bottom is placed whereupon pressure-applying means is brought to bear on the last, for example, at the top, toe and back side of the heel to press the bottom of the shoe into the pad so that attaching and conforming pressure will be applied substantially uniformly throughout the entire area of the outsole in spite of the non-uniform contour of the bottom. Various kinds of pads and supports for -pads have been devised heretofore, none of which have proved wholly satisfactory for shoes of all styles. Accordingly, the principal objects of this invention are to provide an improved machine embodying an improved pad adapted to be used for applying pressure to the bottoms of shoes of different styles and size and especially for high heel and low heel shoes; to provide a pad which can be easily adjusted when required for extreme changes in style; to provide a pad with a high degree of accommodation to deep shanks particularly in high heel shoes; to provide a pad, the area of which may be varied within limits, for shoes of different size and with means for controlling the pressureapplying area of the pad; and to provide a pad of the infiatable kind which is durable, highly conformable and simply constructed.

As herein illustrated, the device embodies a pad having an upper surface extensive enough to make contact with the entire tread surface of the outsole, the exposed surface of the arch and the breast surface of the heel and is supported in the approximate geometry of the bottom of the shoe by angularly disposed parts adjustable relative to each other to an angular disposition such that a surface of one confronts the sole of the shoe and the surface of the other confronts the breast surface of the heel of the shoe which is to be operated on. The pad rests on the confronting surfaces of the parts and upon fiexible means interconnecting the parts which support the pad intermediate the parts in confronting engagement with the shank of the shoe. The sole-supporting part, hereinafter referred to as the sole plate, is supported for tilting downwardly relative to its forward end and the heel-supporting part, hereinafter referred to as the heel plate, is supported for movement bodily forwardly and `rearwardly relative to the sole plate and angularly about horizontally spaced parallel axes parallel to the axis on which the sole plate is supported. A shaft supports the sole plate for tilting about a horizontal axis and there is an arm secured thereto by means of which it may be tilted and secured in any one of several predetermined positions. The pad is inflatable, the rear end portion is secured to the rear side of the heel plate, the portion forwardly thereof rests on the fiexible means and sole plate, and there is a suitable connection to the pad to enable inflating it and hence to press the upper surface against the bottom of the shoe supported on its surface, The shoe is held against the pad during iniiation by a jack embodying means engageable with the top of the last and the toe of the shoe and by a heel clamp engageable with the back side of the heel. The heel clamp comprises a pad supported rearwardly of the heel plate which has a forwardly facing yieldable surface complementary to the back side of the heel. There is means for effecting movement of the heel clamp forwardly relative to the heel plate to clamp the breast of the heel against the pad at the rear side of the heel plate, means supporting the heel clamp for pivotal movement about a horizontal axis parallel to the axes in which the sole and heel plates are pivotally supported, means for controlling the angular adjustment of the heel clamp and means for permitting the heel clamp to move heightwise relative to the heel as it is brought into engagement therewith to accommodate itself to the contour thereof. A mask containing an opening corresponding generally to the projection of a shoe bottom on a flat surface is secured above the pad and is operable to constrain inflation of the pad so that the pressure is applied comparatively uniformly to the entire area. Additionally, there is an auxiliary mask at the toe, having a toe-shaped recess, movable rearwardly toward the toe of the shoe resting on the pad to enable exercising control for differences in length which are of much greatert magnitude than those in width. A leather apron of the general configuration of the bottom of a shoe overlies the pad.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. l is a side elevation of the device omitting the means for applying holding pressure to the top and toe of the last, but including a heel clamp;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the pad illustrated in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation as seen from the right-hand end of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective of a portion of an inflatable tube which constitutes the bottom-engaging portion of the pad;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary plan view of the articulated part of the pad support and its connection to the rigid parts thereof;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevation diagrammatically illustrating a shoe resting on the pad with the latter inflated so as to apply conforming pressure to the sole, shank and breast surfaces of the shoe; and

FIG. 8 is a section taken on the line 8-8 of FIG. '7, showing the conformation of the pad to the bottom ofthe shoe at the forepart.

Referring to the dawings (FIG. 7), the apparatus comprises a flexible, yieldable pad l0 of sufficient area to receive substantially the entire bottom surface of a shoe placed thereon, to wit, the tread and shank surfaces of the sole and the breast surface of the heel; means 12 for supporting the pad inthe general configuration of the bottom of a shoe; and hold-down means comprising a jack 14 for engagement with the top of the last, a toe clamp 16 for engagement with the toe of the lasted upper and a heel clamp 18 for engagement with the back side of the heel.

The pad l@ and supporting means l2 therefor are mounted in a pad box 2d (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) of substantially rectangular cross-section comprised of a base plate 22 (FG. 3) to the opposite longitudinal edges of which are bolted vertical side plates 24-2i- One end of the structure is closed by an end plate 2d bolted thereto and the other end is open. A bearing 23 (FIG. 3) having a base 3i! and transversely spaced, vertically disposed limbs 32-32 is fastened to the base plate 22 adjacent the open end by bolts 3d. The limbs 32-32 contain

bearing openings

36 and 38 Within which there is rotatably mounted a shaft d@ for rotation about a horizontal axis. A bracket 42 is mounted on the shaft 40 between the limbs 152-32 and is keyed to the shaft for rotation with the shaft. The upper end of the bracket has a flange 44 to which a rigid plate 46 (FIG. 7) of substantially rectangular configuration is fastened by means of bolts 48. The plate 46 comprises one component of the pad support and corresponds substantially in width to the distance between the side walls 24-24 and in length to the length of the tread surface of the sole of a shoe of the largest size that might be expected to be encountered and is referred to hereinafter as the "sole plate. A plate 50, hereinafter referred to as a heel plate is mounted transversely of the box, rearwardly of the bearing 28, in a rearwardly inclined position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, by means of bolts 52 screwed into the opposite edges of the heel plate 50 through vertically spaced, elongate arcuate slots 54 (FIG. l) in the side walls 24-24 which thus enable adjustment of the heel plate 50 bodily, forwardly and rearwardly with respect to the bearing 28 and angularly about the axes of the bolts 52. The heel plate 50 extends upwardly to near the top of the box 2G and its upper end is spaced from the rear end of the sole plate 46. As shown most clearly in FIGS. 6 and 7, an articulated member 56 is designed to connect the rear end of the sole plate 46 with the upper end of the heel plate 50. The articulated member 56 comprises a plurality of pivotally connected

links

53, 55, 57, 59, 61, 63 and 65, the first of which is pivotally connected to the upper end of the heel plate 50 and the last of which is pivotally connected to the rear end of the sole plate 46.

The pad is in the form of a flattened hollow tube 70 which extends from the forward end of the sole plate rearwardly over the articulated member, the upper end of the heel plate and downwardly against the rear side of the heel plate. A flat plate 78 is secured by bolts 80 to the rear side of the heel plate against the downwardly extending portion of the tube, sealing the lower end of the tube and securing it to the heel plate. The plate 78 contains a longitudinally extending slot extending downwardly from its upper end, which is long enough and wide enough to receive the breast surface of the heel of any shoe expected to be operated on and through which the breast surface of the heel may have contact with the pad. When inilated the pad will conform to the curvature of the breast surface and will prevent damage to the heel by clamping. The tube forwardly of the heel plate rests loosely over the articulated member and sole plate and is unsecured at its forward end so that it is free to move longitudinally thus permitting foreshortening such as is bound to take place during infiation without distortion. The forward end of the tube is sealed between clamp bars 72, 74.

A metal grommet 82 (FIG. 2) is set into the lower wall of the tube 70 within which there is mounted the upper end of a flexible pipe 84 (FIG. l), the lower end of which is adapted to be connected to a source of air pressure (not shown) so as to enable infiating the tube.

A masking plate 86 is mounted above the sole plate 46 and tube 7d for limiting the inflation of the tube and is supported parallel to the sole plate 46 by spaced parallel side walls 88-88 (FIG. 3) interposed between the opposite edges of the sole plate 46 and the masking plate 86 along the sides and an end plate 90 interposed between the ends of the sole plate 46 and masking plate 86. The masking plate 86, as illustrated in FIG. 2, extends from the forward end of the sole plate 46 rearwardly to approximately the rear end of the sole plate 46 and contains an opening 92 which corresponds generally in shape to an enlarged projection of the bottom of a sole on a flat plane and is wide enough and deep enough to accommodate a shoe of the largest size expected to be operated on.

An auxiliary masking plate 94 is mounted above the masking plate 36 between a pair of spaced parallel gibs 96-96 for movement rearwardly toward the toe of a 'shoe resting on the pad to further restrict the area of 4 the pad which may be infiated. Movement of the auxiliary masking plate 94 is effected by a lever 98 which is pivotally secured at one end to one of the gibs 96 by a screw bolt 100 and intermediate its ends to the auxiliary mahking plate 94 by a screw bolt 102. The opposite end of the lever 98 extends laterally in a horizontal plane from one side of the pad box and may be grasped to push the masking plate 94 forwardly or rearwardly as desired. The masking plate 94 contains an opening 104 corresponding generally in shape to the toe of a shoe so that rearward movement of the masking plate 94 restricts the infiation of the tube more or less uniformly around the toe end of the shoe.

In order to reinforce the upper wall of the tube against wear and to provide a smooth firm surface for contact with the bottom of the shoe, an apron 93, wide at the forepart 95 and narrowed down at the shank 97, is placed over the upper wall `of the pad with the forepart clamped between the masking plate 86 and the pad and the rear extremity of the shank 97 folded over onto the back side of the heel plate 50 and secured between the plate 78 and the pad.

The support for the pad 10, as related, comprises the rigid sole plate 46, the rigid heel plate 50 and the articulated means 56 therebetween, and these components provide for adjusting the upper surface of the pad to approximate the cont-our or geometry of the bottom of a shoe prior to the application thereto of pressure. Adjustment of the sole plate 46 is accomplished by rotation of the shaft 40 and for this purpose the shaft 40 has a part extending laterally 4from the box through a bearing 106 supported in one of the side walls 24 (FIG. 3). The outer extremity of the shaft 40 is milled off to provide a square portion 108 and one end of an arm 110 is mounted on the square portion 108 and secured thereto by a screw bolt 112. The arm is supported parallel to the wall 24, extends rearwardly from the shaft and has at its rear end a handle 114 comprising a spindle 116 (FIG. 2), to the outer end of which is secured a sleeve 118. The inner end of the spindle 116 extends through the arm 110 and has on it a latchbolt 120 for engagement with one of a number of spaced holes 122 formed in the wall 24 about the axis of the shaft 40. A spring 123, coiled about the spindle 116 and constrained in tension between the outer end of the sleeve 118 and the arm 110, normally operates to hold the latchbolt 120 engaged within one of the holes. By pulling outwardly on the sleeve 118, the spindle 116 may be drawn outwardly against the tension in the spring 123 to withdraw the latch-bolt 120 and thereby to permit rotating the arm in a direction t-o change the angle of the sole plate 46.

Having adjusted the pad-supporting

components

46, 50 and 56, so that they respectively confront the sole, shank and breast surface of the heel of the shoe to be operated on, a shoe is placed on the pad (FIG. 7) with the heel at the rear side of the heel plate Sti and the sole on the pad above the sole plate 46. In order to clamp the heel against the heel plate to establish a fixed longitudinal position, the heel clamp 1S is now brought into engagement with the rear side of the heel, as shown in FIG. 7. The heel clamp is supported by a bracket 126 mounted on the rear wall 26 of the pad box and comprises a channel plate 128 having at its rear end an arm 130 pivotally supported on a horizontal pin 132 (FIG. 4), the opposite ends of which are in turn supported between arms 134-134 at the forward end of a slide 136. A slide block 138, provided with laterally extending shoulders 14H-140 for engagement with the channel plate 128, is mounted in the channel for movement up and down relative to the bottom of the pad box. A flexible cushion 142 is fastened to the forward side of the slide block 138 by screw bolts 146 extending through the slide and threaded into threaded blocks 148 embedded in the cushion 142. The forward side of the cushion 142, as shown at 140 (FIG. 4), is concave and asiatici) shaped to accommodate the rear curved surface of the heel of a shoe.

A pin 152 is fixed to each side of the channel plate 128 (FIG. 1) intermediate the top and bottom and the upper ends 154-154 of a pair of tension springs 155-155 are anchored to these pins. The lower ends of the springs 155-155 are connected to the slide block 138 so as to yieldably hold the slide in an elevated position with respect to the channel, in which position the upper en-d of the slide block 138 is substantially ush with the upper end of the channel plate 128 (FIG. 1). The springs 155-155 permit the slide block 138 and hence the cushion 142 to move downwardly to adjust itself to the contour of a specic heel. A locking screw 129 is threaded through the side of the channel into engagement with the shoulder on the slide block and is provided with a handle 131 to enable setting it against the shoulder to hold the slide block in a selected position. The cushion 142 is normally held at a predetermined rearwardly inclined position against an adjustable pin 168 by a pair of springs 162-162. The forward ends of the springs are anchored to the opposite ends of a pin 164 fixed to the rear side of the channel plate 128 and the rear ends are anchored to the opposite ends of a pin 166 which is xed to a post 168 rising from the upper side of the slide 136. To provide adjustment of the pin 160, the rear end is journaled in the upper end of the post 168 and is threaded and has mounted on it a knurled nut 170 by means of which it may be advanced or retracted relative to the channel plate 128. The heel clamp 18 is also adjustable bodily, forwardly and rearwardly relative to the heel plate 50 and this is provided for by the slide 136 which is slidably supported on the bracket 126 between gibs 172-172 for sliding movement forwardly and rearwardly. A motor 174 is mounted on the bracket 126 rearwardly of the slide 136 and has a forwardly projecting rod 176 fixed in the post 168, so that by supplying iiuid pressure to the motor 174, the slide 136 and hence the heel clamp 18 may be moved forwardly or rearwardly for the purpose of accommodating a heel of a given size and applying pressure to hold the breast of the heel against the pad at the rear side of the heel plate 50.

In using the apparatus described above, the pad-supporting

components

46 and 50 are adjusted to the approximate angular relation of the sole to the breast of the heel, so as to confront the sole and heel respectively, the shoe is placed on the uninflated pad with the forepart resting on the portion of the pad supported by the rigid sole plate 46, the heel engaged With the portion of the pad at the rear side of the rigid heel plate 58 and the shank opposite the articulated portion 56, pressure is supplied to the motor 174 to advance the heel clamp 18 into engagement with the heel of the shoe to clamp the breast of the heel against the heel plate, the hold-down

parts

14 and 16 are lowered into engagement with the top of the last and the toe of the shoe and then pressure is admitted to the pad 78 to inate it. If the shoe is of relatively large size the masking plate S6 may be sufficient to confine the inflation to an area such as to provide for the proper amount of wrap-around. If, however, the shoe is quite short in relation to the overall length ofthe pad, the auxiliary plate 94 may be moved rearwardly to restrict the amount of the pad which may be iniiated.

The pad box may be employed with any conventional hold-down means and preferably there are sequence valves operable to effect successive movement of the heel clamp and hold-down means into position to clamp the shoe on the pad, inflate the pad, hold the inflation for a predetermined period of time and then release the finished shoe.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illust-ration only and that this invention includes al1 modificaitons and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A device for operating on the bottoms of shoes cornd prising a flexible pad and means supporting the pad for disposition in the approximate geometry of the bottom of the shoe to be operated on comprising angularly disposed parts adjustable relative to each other to an angular disposition such that a surface of one confronts the sole of the shoe and a surface of the other confronts the breast of the heel, means securing the pad at one end, and iiexible means interconnecting the parts throughout relative movement of the parts operable to support the pad intermediate the parts in confronting engagement with the shank of the shoe resting on the pad.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the part confronting the sole is pivotally supported for angular movement about a horizontal axis to dispose its confronting surface at an inclination corresponding substantially to the slope of the thread surface of the sole, and the part confronting the breast of the heel iS supported for adjustment about horizontal axes to dispose its confronting surface at an angle corresponding substantially to the slope of the breast surface of the heel.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein the part confronting the sole is a flat rigid sole plate, :a bearing at the underside of the sole plate supports it for tilting to enable disposing the surface confronting the sole at an inclination corresponding to the slope of the tread surface of the sole in relation to the angular disposition of the breast surface of the heel, the part confronting the heel is a flat rigid heel plate, and means supports the heel plate for movement bodily, forwardly and rearwardly relative to the sole plate land angularly about spaced parallel axes parallel to the axis of rotation of the sole plate.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein a rotatable shaft supports the part confronting the sole for tilting of the part downwardly relative to its forward end to a position such that the inclination of the surface confronting the so-le corresponds to that which the tread surface of the sole bears to the breast surface of the heel, an arm is rigidly secured at one end to the shaft, said arm extending rearwardly from the shaft toward the heel end of the device, and there is means at the rear end of the arm operable to hold the arm at any one of a pluraiity of positions spaced about the axis of said shaft as a center for holding said part confronting the sole in any one of a plurality of angular positions relative to the part confronting the breast of the heel.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein the part confronting the breast of the heel is supported rearwardly of the part confronting the sole for movement bodily forwardly and rearwardly relative to the part confronting the sole and for movement about spaced parallel axes parallel to the axis of the shaft supporting t-he part confronting the sole.

6. A device according to claim '1, wherein the flexible part is articulated and is pivotally connected at its opposite ends, respectively, to the upper end of the part confronting the breast of the heel and the rear end of the part confronting the sole.

7. A device according to claim l, wherein the flexible part is comprised of a plurality of parallel `bars pivotally connected to eaoh other and to the parts for flexing about axes parallel to the axes about which the parts are adjustable relative to each other.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein -a rigid box having a `bottom and spaced parallel side walls rising therefrom provides a support, a shaft is disposed transversely of the box with its ends rotatably supported in the side walls, and said part confronting the sole is supported by the shaft, the side walls rearwardly of the part confronting the sole contain vertically spaced slots, and screw bolts located in said slots support the part confronting the breast of the heel between said walls.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein a rigid masking plate having a recess complementary in shape to the 7 sole of the shoe but a larger area is secured adjacent the upper face of the pad to limit upward bulging of the pad and to conne such bulging to the shape of the sole.

10. A device laccording to claim 1, wherein an auxiliary rigid masking plate having a recess complementary in shape to the sole at the toe but of larger area is secured adjacent the pad for movement rearwardly toward the toe of the shoe to reduce the unsupported area of the pad, and there is a lever operably connected to the auxiliary masking plate operable to move it relative to the toe to adjustably restrict the unsupported area of the pad for the size of the shoe being operated on.

11. A device -according to claim 1, wherein the pad is an inflatable tube substantially coextensive with the confronting surfaces of said rigid parts and with the confronting surface of the flexible part and is secured at one end to the rear side of the part confronting the heel.

12. A device according to claim 1, wherein there is tan inflatable tube coextensive with the confronting surfaces of the parts, said tube being closed at its ends, and there is means for inflating the tube.

13. A device laccording to claim 12, wherein the tube is initially substantially flat having spaced parallel walls which lie flat on the supporting parts when the tube is uninated.

14. A device according to claim 1, wherein -a heel clamp is provided, there is means supporting the heel clamp for angular movement about a horizontal axis to permit the clamp to assume the inclination of the back of the heel, `and there is power-operable means connected to the heel clamp operable to advance it into engagement with the back of the heel to press the breast `of the heel against the pad at the rear side of the part confronting the breast of the heel.

15, A device according to claim 1, wherein there is a heel clamp, there is means supporting the heel clamp at the back side of the heel for movement bodily relative to the plate confronting the heel, and there is power-operable means connected to the heel clamp operable to advance the heel clamp into engagement with the back of the heel to press the breast of the heel against the pad at the rear side of the part confronting the breast of the heel.

16. A device according to claim 1S, wherein the heel clamp is movable heightwise of the heel and there is yieldable means supporting the heel clamp at the upper extremity of its heightwise movement.

17. A device according to claim 15, wherein there is means pivotally supporting the heel clamp at the rear side of the heel for pivotal movement about an axis parallel to the axes about which the parts are adjustable.

18. A device according to claim 14, wherein the heel clamp has a surface confronting the back side of the heel which is substantially complementary to the profile of the surface of the heel at the back side, an adjustable stop is supported at the rear side of the clamp, and yieldable means normally holds the clamp against the stop with its confronting surface inclined at the approximate angle of the rear side of the heel.

19. A device according to claim 1, wherein a heel clamp is provided comprising a rigid channel plate; a slide mounted on the channel plate for movement parallel to the plate; yieldable means connected, respectively, to the upper end of the channel plate and to the lower end of the slide normally holding the slide in its uppermost position but permitting the slide to be depressed downwardly; a cushion fixed to the exposed forward face of the slide,

Cil

said cushion having a contour corresponding to the protile of the rear side of the heel; a bracket supporting the channel plate for rotation about a horizontal axis parallel -to the axes of adjustment of the parts and for movement bodily, forwardly, relative to the part confronting the heel; an adjustable member mounted on the bracket behind the channel with an end engaged therewith, said adjustable member being operable to adjust the angular position of the clamp about said horizontal axis; and yieldable means connected to the channel and to the bracket `yieldably holding the channel against the adjustable member.

Ztl. A device according to claim 8, wherein a handle is secured at one end to the shaft and is operable to rotate r the shaft and hence the part confronting the sole to an inclined position relative to the part confronting the breast of the heel, and there is spring-pressed means at the opposite end of the handle, selectively engageable with any one of a plurality of holes in the side wall with which 'the handle is parallel, to hold the part confronting the sole at a selected angular position.

21. A device according to claim 1, wherein an apron overlies and is supported by the pad comprised of a smooth firm material clamped together with the pad to the means supporting the pad, said apron having a wide forepart and narrow shank part.

22. A device according to claim l, wherein the pad comprises an inflatable member resting on said supporting means with one end secured and the remainder unsecured.

23. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pad comprises a relatively flat tube adapted to be inflated, one end of the tube being secured to the rear side of the part confronting the heel and the remainder being unsecured but confined at its sides and at its other end between the parts of the support confronting the shank and sole and the masking plate.

24. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the pad comprises a normally flat, substantially rectangular elastomeric tube adapted to be inflated and a leather apron longitudinally, substantially coextensive with the tube, said apron corresponding substantially in shape to the bottom of the shoe at the forepart and shank, said tube and apron having portions extending over the upper end of the part confronting the heel and downwardly along the rear side thereof which are clamped to said part and portions forwardly thereof which rest on the parts confronting the shank and sole, said latter parts being unsecured but constrained between said parts and said mask.

25. A device according to claim 1, wherein the pad is an inflatable tube, substantially coextensive with the confronting surfaces of the rigid and flexible parts, and a fiat plate bolted to the part confronting the breast surface of the heel secures the portion of the tube at the rear side of said part thereto, said plate containing a slot at least as wide and long as the area of the breast surface of the heel to `be operated on through which the breast surface of the heel has contact with the pad.

26. A device according to claims 1 and 25, wherein a leather apron overlies and is anchored, together with the tube, to the rear side of the part confronting the breast of the heel.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,916,750 12/1959 Ralphs et al. l2-l6-4 X 3,090,056 5/1963 Lorenz 12-38 PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner.

Claims

1. A DEVICE FOR OPERATING ON THE BOTTOMS OF SHOES COMPRISING A FLEXIBLE PAD AND MEANS SUPPORTING THE PAD FOR DISPOSITION IN THE APPROXIMATE GEOMETRY OF THE BOTTOM OF THE SHOE TO BE OPERATED ON COMPRISING ANGULARLY DISPOSED PARTS ADJUSTABLE RELATIVE TO EACH OTHER TO AN ANGULAR DISPOSITION SUCH THAT A SURFACE OF ONE CONFRONTS THE SOLE OF THE SHOE AND A SURFACE OF THE OTHER CONFRONTS THE BREAST OF THE HEEL, MEANS SECURING THE PAD AT ONE END, AND FLEXIBLE MEANS INTERCONNECTING THE PARTS THROUGHOUT RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE PARTS OPERABLE TO SUPPORT THE PAD INTERMEDIATE THE PARTS IN CONFRONTING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE SHANK OF THE SHOE RESTING ON THE PAD.