US3252231A - Sponge rubber filler for shoes - Google Patents

Description

y 1966 F. M. GILKERSON 3,252,231

SPONGE RUBBER FILLER FOR SHOES Filed Jan. 7, 1965 /A/VE/ /TOR: FRANCIS M. GILKERSON) HTTOENEKS United States Patent 3,252,231 SPONGE RUBBER FILLER FOR SHOES Francis M. Gilkerson, 5029 N. Lake Drive, Milwaukee, Wis. Filed Jan. 7, 1965, Ser. No. 423,948 4 Claims. (Cl. 362.5)

The present invention relates generally to the shoe art, and more particularly to novel self-leveling bottom filler construction for shoes.

In most shoe factories, bottom filling is considered as a relatively unimportant part of the shoe making process. However, there are few, if any, operations that can do affect the wear and comfort of a shoe more than this simple operation of properly filling the cavity created by the inseam channel andridge, or the lasted over upper of the flat lasted shoe.

Inasmuch as bottom cavity of a shoe can and does vary in depth due to inaccurate inseam trimming or the thickness of upper and lining materials Within the accepted tolerances of the shoe making art, the bottom filler should be adjustable within these tolerances.

Present fillers, especially those made from sheet materials such as sponge and foam rubber, have the ability to be compressed in the shoe making process, but have a tendency to spring back to their original thickness when the last is removed on the completion of the shoe making process. This springing back into the original thickness in many cases will cause the insole to be forced upward into the shoe, causing the shoe to lose part of its capacity and make one shoe tighter than the other. If this occurs with a very light or thin insole, the result is .a burning sensation to the bottom of the foot when the shoe is being worn. Often, in a pair of shoes, one shoe will be very comfortable while the other will be too uncomfortable to be worn.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a shoe filler with sufiicient self-leveling capacity to properly fill the bottom cavity of welt or flat lasted shoes without creating the possibility of having the insole settle and become rough or lumpy because of too little filler or having the insole buckle upward when the last is removed from the shoe because the filler is too thick for the cavity. The self-leveling filler described herein can, and will, eliminate the above-mentioned conditions because the filler will adjust within its own dimension to the allowable variations in the shoe making process.

The present self-leveling bottom filler is designed to have a shape determining and shape retaining layer having one side flat to fit the outsole of the shoe, the opposite side having a series of raised projections separated by grooves or channels, these channels or grooves being of sufficient widthand depth between the ridges so that the ridges cannot be compressedenough to close the channels. Therefore, the ridge can be compressed if the cavity varies from the desired thickness or depth within the tolerance of the art, thus preventing the insole from-being forced up into the choe when the last is removed. At the same time, the ridges are sufiiciently high to keep" the insole from being forced into a compressed lumpy condition during wear.

Hence, a general object of the present invention is to provide a self-leveling bottom filler for shoes having the desirable characteristics just stated in the preceding paragraph.

Another object is to provide a self-leveling bottom filler which is efiectively comfortable for the normal life of the shoe.

The foregoing and other .objects and advantages are apparent from the following description taken with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of a precut or formed self-leveling bottom filler for the forepart of a shoe constr-ucted in accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged longitudinal vertical crosssectional view taken on substantially the line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of a conventional insole;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical transverse cross-sectional view through the forepart of a welt shoe illustrating the present filler between outsole and insole;

FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of an insole having air holes; and

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 including the insole of FIGURE 5.

Referring to the drawings more particularly by reference numerals, in FIGURES 1 and 2 there is shown a filler member 10 constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention. The filler member 10 is illustrated formed for the forepart of a shoe, but it may extend the full length of a shoe. The filler member 10 is of sponge rubber, or other suitable material, and includes alternating longitudinal ridges 12 and channels 14. The ridges 12 and the channels 14 are each substantially an eighth to a quarter of an inch in width, although this spacing need not be the same, an important point being that the channels or grooves 14 should be wide enough to permit depression of the bordering ridges 12 Without complete closure of the channels 14. Preferably, the ridges 12 and channels 14 extend generally longitudinally of the filler member 10 and of a shoe, but they may lie in other directions, as transversely, if greater .flexibility is desired.

In FIGURE 4, the filler member 10 is shown as part of a welt shoe, FIGURE 4 being a transverse cross-section through the forepart or vamp of the shoe. As is clear and well known in the shoe industry, the-filler member 10 is disposed on the upper surface of an out-sole 16 and beneath the lower surface of an insole 18. Hence, the lower surface 20 of the filler member 10 is substantially flat. A lining 22, the vamp portion 24 of an upper, a welt 26 and stitching 28 complete the illustrated portion of the shoe.

It will be noted that the ridges 12 will spread slightly under pressure from the insole 18 should the space between the insole 18 and outsole 16 be less than the thickness or depth of the ridges 12, rather than push the insole 18 upwardly into an undesirable bulge. The tolerances of manufacture of shoes will result in this shall-ow depth from time to time. However, the ridges 12 are of sufificient height above the bottoms of the grooves or channels 14 to permit this slight depression and .allow for further depression in use of the shoe by a wearer without filling up the channels 14 and without, in effect or actually, assuming a compressed, lumpy condition during wear. Sponge rubber, foam rubber, or the like, will return to the original shape repeatedly over along period of time.

In FIGURES 5 and 6, the insole 18' includes apertures 30 which permit air to pass into the channels 14 of the filler member 10. In Walking, a mild bellows action sets up, which is elfective in cooling the feet and drying moist socks or stockings.

It is apparent that there has been provided a self-leveling bottom filler construction for shoes which fulfills the objects and advantages sought therefor.

It is to be understood that the foregoing description and the accompanying drawing have been given by way of Jr illustration and example. It is also to be understood that changes in form of the elements, rearrangement of parts, and substitution of equivalent elements, which will be obvious to those skilled in the art, are contemplated as within the scope of the present invention which is limited only by the claims which follow.

What is claimed is: v

i 1. A self-leveling resilient bottom filler for shoes comprising a shape retaining layer fiat on one side, the opposite side having a series of alternate ridges and grooves extending substantially the full length of the filler, said grooves being deep enough and wide enough to allow the ridges to be compressed in substantial part thereint-o without closing the same, said ridges being of substantially the same height.

2. In combination, a shoe comprisingan outsole, an insole, an upper, and a bottom filler member between said insole and outsole, said bottom filler member being of resilient material and including spaced projections extending substantially the full length of the filler and yieldingly supporting said insole, said projections being of substantially the same height and being spaced apart sufiiciently to prevent assumption of a compressed lumpy relation during wear of the shoe.

3. In combination, a shoe comprising an outsole, an insole, an upper, and a resilient bottom filler member, said insole having spaced apertures therein, said filler member having spaced ridges engaging said insole and channels between said ridges, some apertures in said insole being disposed over said channels so that air enters said channels, said ridges yielding and returning to supporting form in wear of :the shoe to effect va bellows action in respect to drawing air into and expelling it from said channels.

4. The combination of claim 3 in which the channels are sufliciently wide to prevent compressed ridges from wholly closing the same.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,785,410 12/1930 Gilkerson 36-30 X 2,347,207 4/ 1944 Mar-golin 363 2,405,224 8/1946 Margolin 3630 2,546,296 3/1951 'Braun 36-30 X 3,125,816 3/1964 Gartner 362.5

FRANK J. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A SELF-LEVELING RESILIENT BOTTOM FILLER FOR SHOES COMPRISING A SHAPE RETAINING LAYER FLAT ON ONE SIDE, THE OPPOSITE SIDE HAVING A SERIES OF ALTERNATE RIDGES AND GROOVES EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE FULL LENGTH OF THE FILLER, SAID GROOVES BEING DEEP ENOUGH AND WIDE ENOUGH TO ALLOW THE RIDGES TO BE COMPRESSED IN SUBSTANTIAL PART THEREINTO WITHOUT CLOSING THE SAME, SAID RIDGES BEING OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME HEIGHT.

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