US2872746A - Shoemaking - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 10, 1959 F. MAccARoNE 2,872,746

SHOEMAKING Filed Feb. 1. 1957 o Figs [2O lFig-4 30 INVENTOR. FRED MACCARONE Qmkw E;

' Fig 5 2O ATTORNEYS United States Patent SHOEMAKING Fred Maccarone, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Application February 1, 1957, Serial No. 637,785

2 Claims. (Cl. 36-76) My invention relates to shoemaking and more particularly to a device for improving the comfort and appearance of shoes.

In recent years women have come increasingly to favor open back shoes wherein the upper comprises a vamp and either entirely lacks the quarters or includes only narrow heel straps. In any case such shoes are not held rmly n the feet by upper structure. One result has been that as the weight is removed from the foot at the termination of the stride, the heel lifts away from the shoe. In addition to the rather sloppy appearance thus resulting, the shoe is not a stable platform. Moreover when a seated wearer crosses her legs, one shoe tends to dangle unattractively.

The primary object of my invention is-to improve the t, comfort, and appearance of shoes.

An important feature of my invention resides in a resilient shank tongue anchored in the heel seat portion of the interior of the shoe and projecting forwardly above the shank portion in position to encounter the instep of the wearer in such fashion that the tongue acts as a lever gently urging the rear portion of the shoe into contact with the foot.

Another feature of the invention consists in a cushion surrounding the tongue and cooperating therewith to provide a metatarsal pad lending support to the transverse arch of the foot.

These and other objects and features of the invention will be more readily understood and appreciated from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of a shoe incorporat ing the invention, portions of the shoe being shown in section,

Fig. la is a fragmentary view showing an alternative arrangement of the shank tongue,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the shoe,

Fig. 3 is an exploded view showing in perspective the elements comprising the cushioned tongue.

Fig. 4 is a View in cross-section along the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 5 is a view in longitudinal cross-section through the forward end of the cushioned tongue, showing an alternative embodiment thereof.

Although the shank tongue of my invention may be incorporated in all kinds and styles of shoes, it is particularly advantageous when embodied in a ladys open back shoe of the type illustrated in Fig. l. The shoe comprises the usual outsole 10, insole 12, and a sock lining 14. The upper comprises an open-toed vamp 16 assembled and lasted in customary fashion, the rear portion of the shoe having no upper. A conventional heel 18 completes the normal structure of the shoe. The shank tongue of my invention is best shown in Fig. 3

' where it will be seen that the principal element comprises an elongated strip 20 of resilient metal or plastic lCe provided adjacent its rear end with a pair of laterally extending apertured tabs 24, a third hole 26 being disposed at the extreme rear end back of the tabs 24. Combined with the resilient leaf spring 20 is a cushion 28 of sponge rubber or any other suitable resilient cushioning material. The cushion is generally of spatulate form having an enlargement or button portion at its forward end and recessed on the lower surface to accommodate the spring 2t). A cover piece 30 of leather or other suitable stout material is cemented to the lower surface of the cushion 28 and forms a pocket accommodating the leaf spring 20. Alternatively, as shown in Fig. 5, the cushion may include an integrally molded pocket for the reception of the forward end of the leaf spring 20, thereby eliminating the necessity for the separate cover piece Sil.

To incorporate the shank tongue into the structure of the shoe, the sock lining 14 is slashed transversely as shown at 22, adjacent the heel breast line, and the rear end of the leaf spring 20 is inserted through the slash so that the rear end of the spring, including the tabs 24, overlies the heel seat of the shoe beneath the sock lining. To accommodate the thickness of the spring, the heel seat portion of the sock lining may be provided with a cushioning pad cut away to form a recess fitting about the leaf spring; alternatively the sole in the heel seat portion may be provided with a recess accommodating the spring in such fashion that the upper surface of the leaf spring is ilush with the upper surface of the insole. Nails or other fasteners are driven through the three holes in order to anchor the spring securely in place. It should be pointed out that it is customary to employ a metal shank stiener (not shown) running rearwardly from a point behind the ball line into the heel seat portion of the shoe. The tabs 24 are dimensioned to straddle the shank stiener so that the nails driven through the holes in the tabs Will fall on each side of the metal shank i stiffener. The hole 26 at the extremity of the leaf spring is situated far enough back to avoid the rear end of the conventional shank stifener. Other methods of anchoring the spring in place will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art. For example, instead of passing the leaf spring merely through a slash in the sock lining, it may also be passed through a similar slash in the insole so that the rear end of the spring will lie beneath the insole rather than on top of it. In the latter case the lower surface of the insole may be recessed to accommodate the spring.

The latter construction is shown in Fig. la in which the sole l2 is recessed longitudinally in its under surface to receive the rear end of the leaf spring 20. At the forward end of the recess the insole is slashed transversely and the spring 20 passed outwardly and provided with the cushion 28. This spring-supported cushion 28 now extends forwardly and downwardly into free space, terminating at a point substantially in advance of the ball line of the shoe bottom as in Fig. l.

It will be apparent, of course, that the whole rear portion of the shoe bottom, including its heel seat and shank, is substantially rigid almost up to the ball line but that at the ball line and in advance thereof the shoe bottom is extremely flexible. This is one of the essential requirements of modern shoes of this class.

In all cases, however, the tongue is biased by its built-in spring so that when depressed it tends to flex the whole rear portion of the shoe bottom upwardly holding it close to the foot of the wearer.

When a shoe incorporating a shank tongue of the characterherein described is placed on the foot, the spring is depressed from the dotted line position of Fig. l to the full line position. The resiliency of the spring pressing upwardly upon the bottom of the foot gently urges the upper portion of the foot' at the instead into firm engagement with the vamp. Thus the shoe is held firmly but gently in place on the foot` Moreover the shank tongue further cooperates with the foot and the vamp to exert some lever` action tending to urge the heel seat of the shoe into engagement with the v-/earers foot. The result is that the shoe feels more comfortable and serves as a more stable platform on which to walk. The action of walking also brings about a pleasant massaging of the arch of the foot by the forward end of the cushioned shank tongue, an effect which increases the comfort afforded by the shoe. lt has been found in practice that the shoe is so snugly held on the foot that it cannot easily be removed except by depressing the shank tongue with the thumb as the shoe is drawn ofi the foot; otherwise, the shank tongue tends to resist removal of the shoe.

lt should be pointed out that the Shank tongue imposes no undue stresses on either the sole or upper structure of the shoe and that the steel spring is not subj'ect to wear or deterioration.

While the embodiments of the shank tongue or my invention as herein shown and described represent the preferred embodiments, many alternatives will become apparent to skilled shoemakcrs. The dimensions of the tongue and cushion are not critical, and the location of the slash in the sock lining is a matter of judgment depending upon the general characteristics of the particular shoe in which the shank tongue is to be incorporated.

Having thus disclosed my invention what I claim as newand desire to secureV by Letters Patent' of the United States is:

1. In an open back shoe including an outsole, an insole, and a shank stiftener, the combination of an elongated metal spring having apertured lateral tabs at its rear end, fastening elements passing through the apertured tabs and y into the insole, said fasteners'straddling the rear end of the place, and Va cushion disposed on the forward end' of the.

spring, the cushioned forward end of the spring projecting above the shank portion of the insole.

References @CitedV in the tile of this patent UNITED srArns PATENTS 1,847,168 Bringardner Mar. 1, 1932 2,370,275 Wards Feb. 27, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE 0E CORRECTION Patent No., 2,537.2?746 February lO, 1959 Fred Maoearone It is herebjir certified that error appears in the-printed specification of the above A'Immbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, line I., for' "instead" read s instep Signed and sealed this 9th day of June' 1959 (SEAL) Attest:

KARL IL AXLINE ROBERT C. WATSON Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents

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