US903140A - Shoe-shank. - Google Patents

Description

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEErcE.

ALBERT MUNSEY, OF SWAMISCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS,.ASSIGNOR ATO .MUNSEY SHANK & COUNTER CO., OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, -A COPARTNERSHIP.

SHQE-SHANK.

Patented News, 190s.

190s. serial No. 4s2,os1.

To all whom it may concern: j

Be it known' that I, ALBERT MUNSEY, a citizen ofthe United States, and a resident of Swampscott,y in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Shoe-Shanksof which the following description, in connection with the accompanylng drawings, is a specification,

like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to shoe Shanks, which while they maybe of general application are particularly intended for use 1n connection with turn shoes.

In'order that the principles of the invention may be readily understood, I have disclosed a single type or embodiment thereof in the accompanying drawings, wherein 4.

Figure 1 is a vertical, longitudinal section taken through a shoe to which my invention is applied; Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view of a portion of aturn shoe, with parts omitted, showing my inventiona pied thereto Fig. 3 is a plan View of the un er side vof the Shank; and Fig. 4 is a vertical,` transverse section upon the line 4-4, Fig.. 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawing and to the particular type of the invention therein represented, the body of the shank is indicated at 1, it being preferably and herein represented as composed of a. single layer of some suitable material, leather ,board being preferably used. Heretofore it has been sought to impart, proper curvature and strength to a shoe shank by securing a longitudinally disposed spring Athereto between the outer and the next adj acent l'ayer thereof.- Instead of applying a stren thening spring to the flush face of the shan th'is being attended by certain serious defects, I longitudinally recess orcountersink the body of the shank as indicated at 2 and secure in said recess a plate spring 3A in any suitable manner, as, for exam e, by nails 4 at suitable pointsl andpreferab y short of the ends of the spring as indicated in Fig. 1.

It will be ap arent that, as shown in Fi 1, the body of tli)e shank, which is recesse or countersunk in any suitable manner to receive the spring, is made of the proper or predetermined curvature andthat the'spring 3, which is secured in said recess by nails 4, is also of the proper or predetermined curvature, so as to fit therein and preferably flush with the outer surface thereof. I am laware that it has been sought to embed a rod of malleable metal in a shoe shank, but in such case there is no resiliency imparted to the g shankbythestiffener. Moreover, thelongitudinal recess orcountersink 2 being of larger dimensions than the spring 3, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, permits a sllght de ree of free play of the spring in the recess. 'Ihus in the event of unequal ressure on the sole of the shoe, occasioned y any twisting action thereof, or in the event that the heel is unevenly worn, the result is neither to disruptnor tear the spring from the'shank, nor to break the spring, nor to injure the shank adjacent the edges of the ends of the spring, as would be the result were the recess in the shank of the same dimensions as the spring, as must `be the case were the `spring Ato be forced` by pressure to embed itself in the shank. Moreover, and as represented in Figs. 2 and-3, the rearmost nail 4 is at a considerable vdistance from the rear end of the s ring. 3. This ermits a very considerable egree of free p ay of the rear end of the ing torn from the shank as would be the case if the rear nail 4 were at or near the rear end of the s ring, fand also .preventsthe lateral edges o the spring from cutting into-the shank.

By embedding the s ring in a recessed or countersunk portion o the shank, many important advantages are secured. For example, the shank' may be composed of a single piece without an `overlylng layer. A smoother nish may be given the shank, inasmuch as the spring preferably lies in said recess withits outer or under surface flush with the under surface of the body of the shank. By locating the spring in the recess,

tudinal displacement and is thorou hly protected. Said spring being embed ed, as it were,in the very substance of the shank, it is substantially incorlporated therewith and imparts its strengt and resilienc thereto much more efliciently than thoug it were `merely attached to a flush face thereof. Preferablythe rear end of the spring 3 extends to the rear of the heel breast soas to overlie the heel 75,-which affords a irmp'ivotal or beari'n point for the e'xure jof the sprin in wal g. Were the spring not seate in a recess,r it could not be extended spring in the recess when the heel is unevenly Worn, and thus prevents the spring from be it is more securely held from lateral or longiover the heel Without tipping thelatter and thus seriously im airin the shoe.

In advance of t e he end of the shank, I preferably reinforce the same' by providing a thickened arch sup orting filler portion, While such thickene portion may be useful in various ty es of shoes and imparts a transticularly useful in turn or Welt shoes, masmuch as it acts as a filler for the space between the seams. Owingtothe' non-existence' of an inner sole in a turn shoe, it is desirable to fillthe cavity thus resulting, and ,this I find to be most effectively accom-v plishedinthe manner stated. The thickcned filler portion also serves an important vfunction as an arch supporter. yWhile in certainembodiments of my invention the protruding, thickened portion of the shank maybe integral therewith, preferably an elongated stren thening filler patch 7 vis secured tothe shank in advance of the heel portion and along o posite edges of the recess, as by nails 8.- Whilev said patch may be of any desired extent, I preferabl terminate it short of the rear or heel end of the spring 3. It is e patch may terminate short ofthe adjacent end of the spring. If desired, one or both ends of the patch may be beveled, as indicated at ,9, and a general rounded effect/ j may be given thereto transversely.

I m ortant advantages arise from the use of a erpatch underlying a countersunk s ring. It is found in practice easier to ap- I p y the latter to a flush surface, and a better and sinoother'unioii of. the patch and the body of the shank may be secured. The

, patch moreover aids to hold the s ring in portion, gitudinally curve place and prevents it from Working either up into or through the shank, or down into or through the sole 1.2. Furthermore the atch 'may be secured tothe body of the,shan immediately adjacent the e ges of the s ,Pring- This is of importance, as the shank is usu-` ally .very narrow at this point.' It is apparent that the patch or enlargement gives additional strength to the shank andto the shoe as it reinforces the action-of the shank and .spring in supporting the foot aswell as serving as an `-ar'ch support, and giving vthe desired crowned or curved appearance to the sole 12 underlying the same;

In applying the shank to a turn shoe, the uppser 10 may be secured to the shank as by na 11, after which the sole 12 is-secured to the rear portion of the upper and the heel 5 is then applied to theshoe. The sprin 3 is a fiat spring inv that it has no abru but it may be and prefera ly is 1onto conform-to the-curvature of the shank, if that be curved. The shank 1 is fiat in the same sense.

bodiment ofthe invention, I desire it-.to be understood that although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense and not for purposes of hmitation, the sco e of the invention being set forth in the following claims:

1. A shoe shank having a longitudinally ,l

disposed recess in the outer face thereof, `a plate s rin located in said recess and substantia y ush Withthe outer face of the shank, and an elongated, stren thening filler patihisecuriili to the body of t un er t s 2. Aylslllie shak having 0f a single layer of matcri'allongitudina cessed'inits outer face, a plate spring'located and secured in said recess and substantially flush ywithfthe said outer face of the body, and an elongated, strengthening, arch su porting filler patch secured to the said bo y along the side edges of said recess, butterminating short of the rear end of said spring.

' 3. As an article of manufacture, ja shoe shank having av recess formed therein for the insertion of a stiiiener, and of reduced thicke shank and a bddy Vcomposedl yrev ness Where recessed, a latfspring stilfener inf serted insaid recess and resting agaiiist the bottom thereof, and a filler-[Etch applied to the recessed face of said shan i 4. As 'an 'article' of manufacture, ashoe shank having a recess formed therein for the4 insertion of a stiifener, and of reduced thickness whererec'essed, a fiat spring stiffener inserted in'said recess and resting against the bottom thereof, and a fillerl atch applied to the recessed face of said s ank, said fillerv l er'patch 'shank having a recess formed therein for the insertion of a stifener, andof reduced thickness where recessed, a'iat spring stifener inserted in said recess and rest' against'the bottom thereof, saidstiffener being of smaller dimensions than said recess.` Y 7. As anv article of manufacture, a reinforced shoe shank of predetermined lon` 'tudinal curvature, compris' a shank bo y of redeterniined longitudin aving a recess formed thei'einY for the reception of a vstiffener, a flat sprin rsimilar and previouslyimparteiongitudinal "curvature inserted in the recessed part ofsaid shank body, anda filler the recessed face of said sha body.

8. As an article of manufacture, a flat lshoe shank having a recess formed in its unatch secured to derface for the insertion of a stiiener and of curvature and.`

stiffener of v Viso reduced thickness where recessed, a spring .stiffener Hat throughout, inserted in sard recess and resting against the bottom thereof and means to secure said spring in said recess.

9. As an article of manufacture, a shoe shank having a recess in one face thereof, and a plate spring secured in said recess, the spring being secured in said recessinadvance of the rear end thereof so as to leave the rear end free for movement relative to the Walls of A said recess.

10. As` an article of manufacture, a rein-` forced shoe shank of predetermined longituof reduced thickness whererecessed, and a A Vspring stifener flat throughout but of similar and previously imparted ongitudinal curvature inserted in said recess and resting against the bottom thereof, and nails pene 20 'two subscribing Witnesses.

ALBERT Murisen- Witnesses:

IRvrNG U. ToWNsEND, EVERETT S. EMERY.

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