US873731A - Boot and shoe. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED DEC. 17, 1907. J. H. CUNNINGHAM.

BOOT AND SHOE. APPLICATION FILED DEC. 6, 1906.

the rib extends.

JAMES H. CUNNINGHAM, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

gBOOT AND snon.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 17, 1907.

Application filed December s, 1906. Serial No. 346.582.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES H. CU NI G- HAM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Boots and Shoes.

In the wearing of boots and shoes havin high heels great trouble has been caused by the breaking down of the shanks. This breaking down is not only an injury to the shoe but a more serious injury to the feet of those wearing them.

v The objects of my invention are to prevent these injuries by holding the shanks of shoes in their original, position; to preserve the proper shape of the shoes; to relieve the strain on the feet of the wearers so as to-p'ro tect them from'injury and to make elastic and comfortable shoes. I attain these objects by the devices herein described or shown in the accompanying drawings, and in Figure 1 represents a sole A showing a shank-piece B fastened on the upper or flesh side by rivets marked d. Fig. 2, shows a longitudinal section of the same sole showing the rib C extending through the sole. Fig. 3 shows, an elevation, and Fi 4 a transverse section, of the shank-piece with the rib (J. Fig. 5 exhibits a shoe having the shank-piece in place between the outer and the inner soles, with the ribs C extending through the outer sole, shown along the line y y in Fig. 1.

After the outer soles intendedfor shoes have been cut into shape and prepared for that part of the process of making shoes, called bottoming, I attach a piece or shank of metal-to the upper or flesh side of the sole. This shank-piece is made substantial] in the-feign shown in Figs. 3 and 4 marked and is made preferably from some elastic metal, as brass, and is fastened permanently to the outer sole. This shankpiece is made with a rib on lts under-side, which rib passes through the outer sole 1n an openingsmarked F. The lower or outer side of the iii) 0, is made substantially in the form in which the shank of the shoe is made, i. e., the form of the arch of the rib is the proposed arch of the shank of the shoe. This rib is inflexible and will hold the shanks of the shoes in a permanent position, so far as These ribs vary somewhat in length, generally from two and one-half to three inches for medium sizes of mens and womens shoes, conforming to the length of the shank pieces, which vary according to the size of the shoes.

All shoemakers will understand the reasons and the limits of these variations in length. The width of the shank-piece is substantially the distance between the rows of sewing, or bther fastening, which attach the outer soles to the inner soles or uppers of the shoe. 7

It will be noticed that the rounded end of the shank-piece extends back in the shoe far enough to rest upon the heel, while it is intended to have the back end of the rib to start at the front of the heel.

While the rib o is made Surname as to uphold the shank of the shoe and to sup ort the shank of the foot, the other parts 0 the shank supporter are elastic and allow the shoe to be pliable to some-degree, so as to be easy to the foot of the ,wearer. The shank sup orters are made le'ng enou h to extend placed a ainst the front of the heel of the shoe, and to reach substantially to the point where the sole ofthe shoe will touch the ground, but they In ust not be long enough to reachthat part of the shoe which is called in. the trade the ball.

The shank pieces should never extend from the heels forward far enough to reach the part of the ou/tcr soles which will touch the ground when. on the feet of a person, and the ribs should extend only through the soles substantially to the outer or under sides of the outer sole-s.

The thickness. of the shank-pieces should be such as will allow some elasticity as will be obvious to all those skilled in the trade of making shoes. The thickness and elasticity of the metal should vary somewhat, using thicker metal for mens heavy shoes and thinner for light shoes, especially those for women and children. These shank-pieces are fastened in place in the shoes, cs ')ecially in heavy shoes preferably by rivets through the outer soles, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but

-it may not be necessary to use many rivets as, therein shown in light shoes. In some light shoes for women, the shank-pieces may be attached to the s lo by other devices than grade of shank pieces may be used to advantage in thin shoes having no such inner soles, such as thin shoes for. ladies; but even in these, an inner sole of some kind is com monly used.

It has been a common practice'in shoemaking to place shank-pieces between the outer and the inner'soles of shoes; but I do not know that shank-pieees, such as I have herein shown, having a rib passing through the outer soles and permanently attached thereto have ever been used before myinvention.

What I claim and desire ters Patent is:

1. A boot or shoe, having an outer sole to secure by Letprovided with a slot, a shank-piece upon the provided with .a slot extending from the.

breast of the heel, a shank-piece attached to the inner or upper side of the sole and pro-' vided with a rigid rib lyin in said slot, and

extending downward su stantially flush with the outer or lower side of the outer sole.

Witnesses: v HERMAN LOEWENBERG, J HN H! DUANE, Jr.

JAMES H. CUNNINGHAM.

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