US3055026A - Apparatus for pressing soles and flaps against shoe bottoms and heel breasts - Google Patents

Description

SEN 3,055,026

AND FLAPS AGAINST L BREASTS Sept. 25, 1962 H. GULBRA APPARATUS FOR PRESSING SOL SHOE BOTTOMS AND HEE Filed June 50, 1960 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 In ven for Helge G'ulbr'ana aen .M m ilurllaie Z 3,055,026 L P s AGAINST Sept. 25, 1962 H. GULBRANDSEN APPARATUS FOR PRESSING SOLES AND SHOE BOTTOMS AND HEEL BR 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 50, 1960 Sept. 25, 1962 H. LBRANDSEN 3,055,026

APPARATUS FOR PRE NG SOLES AND FLAPS AGAINST SHOE BOT 0 AND HEEL BREASTS Filed June 60, 1960 3 Sheets$heet 3 3,955,@26 APPARATUE Ffili PRELiEilNG SQLES AND FLAIS AGAENFE SHQE BQTlf-QMS AND HEEL BREAS'IS Helge Guibrandsen, Beverly, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Filed June 30, 1960, Ser. No. 49,061 Claims. (Cl. lib-16.2)

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for pressure attaching outsoles to cement shoes and simultaneously for attaching breast covering flaps to heels already secured to the bottoms of the shoes through the application of simultaneous pressures on the outsoles and flaps. More particularly, the invention is intended to improve pressure pads for machines disclosed more fully in an application for United States Letters Patent, Serial No. 763,055, filed September 24, 1958 in the name of the present inventor, now application Serial No. 91,547, filed February 24, 1961.

in attaching breast covering flaps to heels it is necessary not only to provide means shown in inventors prior application for preventing displacement of the heels but also to apply pressure at right angles to all surfaces with uniformity in order that wrinkling of the flaps will be avoided, particularly about concavely curved surfaces of the heels. It is also highly desirable to prevent wrapping of the heel fiaps about the outer surfaces of the heels.

in meeting the essentials set forth above, it has been found extremely difficult to use hollow fluid containing pads, such as water bags, for the reason that they assume their configuration while pressing against the surfaces of a heel breast almost entirely from the shapes of the surfaces against which they are expanded by fluid pressure. Accordingly, fluid containing pads will contact first and press against certain surfaces substantially before engagement with other surfaces, so that their tendency is to stretch and apply components of pressure along the first contacted surfaces before contacting the other surfaces. In so doing a flap is wrinkled or otherwise displaced. Also, fluid containing pads will press flaps about corners of heel breasts onto outer finished surfaces of the heels in such a way that it is difficult to trim the flaps along the corners, besides inducing transfer of cement from the flaps to the finished surfaces outside the corners.

The machine of the prior application avoids the difliculties encountered with water bags by permitting the use of any one of several different solid multilayer pad elements, each shaped to conform with the configuration of a limited size range of shoes against which they are to be pressed, the actual distribution of pressure being determined by the shape of the pad elements and the compressibility of the material composing them as deter-mined by Shore durometer measurement. In this way a more effective shoe construction is afforded with less opportunity for the occurrence of faults or flaws in essential construction, greater control of the pressures being afforded by the use of properly formed solid pad elements, as distinguished from the use of hydraulic pressure to apply pressures in proper directions. While the use of solid pad elements is desirable in providing higher quality of sole attaching operations, such pad elements ordinarily lack the versatility for successful operations upon a full range of shoe styles and sizes that may otherwise be operated upon successfully with the use of a single set of interconnected hollow pads or water bags.

An important object of the present invention is to provide shoe sole attaching apparatus containing a solid pad wherein the pad may be composed of a plurality of layers and other removable elements, the divisions and configurations of which eanble convenient replacement for effective sole and heel attaching with a minimum num- 3,055,025 Patented Sept. 25, 1962 ice her of substitutions throughout a complete range of shoe sizes. More particularly, an object of the invention is to provide a solid pad for use in the machine of the prior application, above identified, which pad is composed of a forepart layer of resilient material and one of a series of resilient and laterally expansible shank pressing ele= ments for use with the particular forepart layer, enabling a full range of shoe styles and sizes to be operated upon effectively by the machine of the prior application. In a more limited sense a purpose of the invention is to provide a series of quickly interchangeable laterally expansible shank pressing elements for attaching a sole to the bottom surface of a shoe and a breast covering flap to a high heel already attached to the shoe bottom, whereby a full range of shoe styles and sizes may be operated upon effectively while retaining all of the advantages of solid pad as distinguished from a hollow pad of the water bag type.

Consistent with the foregoing objects the illustrated machine is provided with a pad box for a solid pad formed with a resilient sole pressing layer of length to underlie the forepart of a shoe bottom and, with other layers, to project rearwardly beyond the heel end of a shoe on the pad, so that an opening is provided in all said layers for the heel of the shoe, which pad box also contains a resilient and laterally expansible shank element having a horizontally enlarged portion of bulbous cross section fitting the shank and heel breast surfaces of the shoe and a hat base fitted to a heel opening in the pad and supported within the heel opening rigidly by an inner surface of the pad box. The pad in the box is of the multilayer type, preferably with a number of resilient lower layers to support the forepart pressing layer and the base of the expansible shank pressing element is formed with spaced stabilizing toes between which is a heel receiving recess to insure clearance for the heel of the shoe as it enters the heel opening in the pad, preventing improper distribution of pressure along the sole, shank, or heel breast. To intensify the lateral expansion of the shank pressing element, in one form of this feature it has beneath its base a relatively nonresilient block constructed with a lower surface resting on a flat inner surface of the pad box. As illustrated, the nonresilient block is formed along its lower surface with a convexity to equalize the expansion of the shank pressing element along its central portion.

In the pad box disclosed in inventors prior application above identified, a heightwise compressible and laterally expansible external heel supporting member is mounted for movement lengthwise of a shoe on the pad in the box toward and from the heel of the shoe and is formed with a ribbed surface for assisting in locking the heel supporting member against movement away from the heel. To improve the locking action of the supporting member on the pad in the box, according to a further feature of the invention, the upper sole pressing layer projects rearwardly beyond the heel end of the shoe, and is constructed with a series of grooves extending widthwise of the shoe to cooperate with ribs on the heel supporting member, the ribs on the heel supporting member being of the same spacing as the grooves in the upper layer of the sole engaging pad, and in a desirable construction embodying this feature the grooved portion of the upper pad layer, in which the grooves are formed is composed of material having less resiliency as measured by a higher durometer of hardness than the forepart portion of that layer.

To enable the use of one of a series of interchangeable shank engaging elements the bulbous portions of all the shank elements are graded, in accordance with the invention, with increasing thicknesses as measured lengthwise of a shoe co-operating therewith for increasing sizes to insure that the ball of each shoe operated upon will be centered in a ball receiving concavity of the pad while the shank element fits the heel breast of a particular shoe.

It has been found that when a series of shank elements constructed in accordance with the present invention is graded in accordance with this feature, that the most effective variation in proportions is obtained when height and thickness difference ratios are maintained approximately equal.

These and other features as hereinafter described and claimed, will readily be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in side elevation, partly broken away and shown in section of portions of a machine with a shoe disposed on a pad box therein according to the features of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a rearward portion of the pad box shown in FIG. 1 and of certain of the pad elements therein;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the portions of the pad surrounding the heel of a shoe, illustrating the manner of operation during attachment of a heel breast p;

FIG. 4 is a perspective detail view of a heel supporting pad in the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective detail view of a heel breast and shank pad element employed in the pad box, and

FIGS. 6 to 8 inclusive illustrate a series of three heel breast and shank pad elements shown in vertical cross section taken on the line VIVI of FIG. 5, which extends lengthwise of a shoe engaged thereby.

The machine illustrated in the drawings is intended for operation on a cement shoe to the bottom of which there is already attached a Louis or other similar type of heel. A Louis heel shoe is shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 at it With its heel 12 temporarily attached as by a single Holdfast nail 14 (FIG. 3). The tread surface of the shoe and possibly the seat to which the heel is fitted is covered by a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive so that the attachment of the heel by the nail 14 is reinforced by the cement upon application of suitable pressure. The shoe bottom has applied to it an outsole 16, the rearward end of which is reduced to form a breast flap 18 for the heel l2. During operation of the machine the outsole 16 is pressed into intimate contact with the shoe bottom and the flap is pressed simultaneously against the heel breast with simultaneous pressures, forming a continuous bond throughout the combined areas of the sole and fiap with a smooth, unwrinkled appearance.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings the machine is provided With a composite multilayer pad secured by a marginal plate 20 in a box having angularly adjustable parts 22, 24, and 26, the adjustments being obtained in a manner more fully disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,568,065, granted September 18, 1951 upon application of the present inventor. The forepart box part 22 has a relatively flat inner surface 23 and contains the multilayer pad formed with a resilient upper layer 30 constructed to press directly and exclusively against the forepart of a shoe bottom and resilient lower pad layers 32, 34, 36, and 38, the upper layer being supported by the lower layers and all the layers projecting rearwardly beyond the heel of a shoe. All of the layers have openings for the heel of the shoe at their rearward ends and are so disposed that substantial lengths of the pads project rearwardly beyond the openings. The openings in the layers 30, 32 and 34 are indicated at 40 and are of rectangular shapes with rearward extensions of narrower widths than the main portions of the openings. The openings in the layers 36 and 38 are illustrated at 42 and are of the same rectangular shape as the openings 40 except that there are no rearward extensions of narrower width in the openings 42 (see FIG. 1).

In the machine of inventors prior application the shank portion of a shoe being processed is pressed between its ball portion and the breast of its heel with three resilient and laterally expansible, vertically divided shank pressing pad elements, which may be removed or replaced with other similarly shaped shank pad elements when different styles and sizes of shoes are to be operated upon. Frequently, it is necessary to substitute for these shank pad elements others having radically different dimensional and hardness characteristics. Under these conditions a large supply of shank pad elements and their divisions of different thicknesses measured in a direction lengthwise of a shoe engaged thereby are required and usually a considerable amount of time is spent by a machine operator in handling the prior shank pad elements for the purpose of fitting shoes of different styles and sizes.

In fulfillment of the purposes of the present invention, hereinbefore stated, it has been found possible to grade a small number of quickly replaceable, resilient laterally expansible shank pressing pad elements with increasing thicknesses for selective insertion into the heel openings 4t of the pads 30, 32 and 34 without the necessity of maintaining a large supply of vertically divided component parts as in the prior machine. In accordance with this feature, it is possible to operate effectively upon any style and size of womens high heel shoe through the use of only three undivided and replaceable shank pressing pad elements, each pad element fitting the shanks of shoes in a range of sizes covering a little more than half of a particular style. For a full range of sizes in any particular style, therefore, only two shank elements are required. These three shank pad elements comprise a set, any one of which may be substituted for another and each of which bears a specific relationship with the others in order to produce the proper vertical compressibility and lateral expansibility in performing a sole and heel flap attaching operation.

The set of the present shank pad elements is illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, and each element of the set is constructed generally of T-shape, best shown in FIG. 5, somewhat the same as disclosed in inventors prior application. All of the elements in the set are designated 44, the individual ones being referred to hereinafter as -44, 7, or -3. Each shank element has horizontally opposed arms 46, which project transversely of a shoe on that element into lateral positions for bridging the openings 4b of the pad layer 3d and those below. As in the machine of the prior application, the principal purpose of these arms is to bridge the openings 40 and to distribute the pressure of the shoe along the upper surface of the pad layer 30, thus concentrating the expanding pressure of the shank engaging element 44 on the shoe shank as the forces applied by the lower pads at either side tend to wrap the horizontal arms upwardly about the shoe.

Each of the shank pad elements 44 of the series has a flat base 4-8 of the same outside perimeter and dimensions as the heel openings 42 of the lower pads. Above the base 48 each shank engaging element has a horizontally enlarged portion 50 of bulbous vertical cross section fitting the shank of a number of shoes of different sizes and styles. A central section 52 of each bulbous portion, taken vertically and lengthwise of a shoe engaging the pad, is of reduced area and has dimensions somewhat less than the other parallel sections in the arms 46. These reduced sections are formed to fit the lengthwise curvatures between the shoe shanks and heels and are graded in a manner illustrated in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8 by increasing their heights and similarly increasing their thicknesses as measured lengthwise of a shoe to be pressed thereby for the full range of shoe sizes in accordance with a specific formula.

The formula for controlling the minimum area sections of the series of shank engaging elements 44 prosupposes a shank element of average height and width, which in the particular series shown is represented by the element 44-7, having a height of 3 and a thickness of 1 5 With the shank engaging element 44-7 taken as average size it has been found that only two elements of the series are required to cover a complete line of shoe styles, the element 44-7 being utilized with either the element 44-6 or 44-8 to cover the full range of sizes for one particular style.

The formula sets up a relationship between the individual shank pad elements 4 5 in the series shown in FIGS. 6, 7, and 8, and is in the form of a direct proportion of height and thickness difference ratios throughout the series. For smaller or larger sizes of shank pressing elements 44-6 or 448, a difference in height necessitates a corresponding difference in thickness, so that if the heights of successive shank elements are expressed as A, B, and C and the thicknesses are expressed as M, N, and O for the respective shank pressing elements, then the differences are all in direct proportion and their ratio is a constant, as:

N M B- A ON C B where K is the constant.

With the section 5?; of minimum area in the bulbous portion of each shank engaging element maintained as determined by the formula noted above, uniform and reliable sole attaching results are obtainable throughout the range of shoe styles and sizes by simple substitution of one pad for another. Success in use of the series is obtainable by reason of the variations between the shank engaging elements in bringing the ball portion, indicated at 54 of each shoe into a concavity 56 (FIG. 1) in the upper pad 30, which concavity fits the ball portion for the full range of shoe styles and sizes. For instance, with a style of shoe such as illustrated in FIG. 1, shank engaging elements 44-7 and 44-8 together are sufiicient to cover the entire range of sizes, the largest shank element 44-8 being sufficiently versatile to cover the larger half of the size range and the smaller shank element 44-7 being sufliciently versatile to cover the lower half of size range. If a style having open toes and heels is being operated upon it has been found that it is necessary to utilize the smallest shank element 44-6 and the largest element 444: is not needed. This is because with open toes and heels it has been found necessary to provide a heel which has a larger supporting area for the shoe and consequently has a breast face located more closely to the ball of the shoe. Thus, the smallest shank element of narrowest Width is then required in order to bring the ball of the smallest size of shoe into the concavity 56 of the pad 30.

A further advantage of the present series of shank elements is that the necessity for constructing an upper layer with a length extending only to the ball line of the shoe is avoided and instead a single unitary upper layer 3511 extending the full length of the pad box is rendered possible, the upper layer being retained in fixed relation by the confines of the pad box to the lower layers. Any slight variation in distance between the heel breast and the ball portion of a particular style of shoe may, accordingly, be accommodated by locating the concavity 56 in the upper pad layer 30 directly above a hinge joint pin 58 between the pad box parts 22 and 24, the angle between the pad box parts 22 and 24 being adjustable, so that the concavity 56 is displaced toward the toe engaging end of the pad box more or less with an increase in angle between the parts 22 and 24.

To provide space for relative movement for the heel of a shoe being operated upon, the base 48 to the shank engaging element 44 comprises a pair of stabilizing toes 60 between which is a heel receiving recess 62 (FIG. 5) open at its rearward end. The end surfaces of the toes 60 are inclined downwardly in a rearward direction and the over-all length of the toes is the same as the lengths of the openings 42.

Each of the shank engaging elements has a flat upwardly extending surface 64 along its forward side intersecting the curved surface of the bulbous portion with an abrupt corner 66 at a uniform height above the flat base 4% throughout the series. The relation between the surface 48 and the flat surface 64 is 102, so that when the uncompressed shank engaging element rests in the openings 46 of the supporting pad layers it leaves a wedge shaped gap 67 (see FIG. 1), which is taken up by lateral expansion during the sole compressing operation on a shoe as shown in FIG. 3. The abrupt corner 66 of the shank engaging elment is intended to match the height of an upstanding corner 6% on the upper pad 30.

The shank engaging element 44 is support rigidly by the inner surface of the pad box part 24-. To intensify lateral expansion of the shank engaging element under pressure against a shoe a relatively nonresilient block 7 t has its lower surface resting directly on the fiat inner sur face of the pad box beneath the base of the shank engaging element. The nonresilient block is formed with a convex lower surface 71 to equalize the expansion of the shank element along the portions engaging the shoe. Along its upper surface the nonresilient block 70 is formed with a slot 72 having a width corresponding to the distance between the stabiliz ng toes for clearance purposes with shoes having extremely high heels.

In the machine of inventors prior application the lateral force applied by expansible shank engaging elements to the heel of a shoe during an attaching operation is resisted by a solid rubber heel supporting pad in the form of a block, corresponding to that illustrated. herein at 74. The heel supporting block is movable against the inclined rearward surface of the shoe heel and is arranged to engage the overhanging heel base in a position to be compressed heightwise of the shoe between the heel and the resilient layers in a pad box. The heel supporting block is expanded during each operation at the same time and to the same extent as are the shank elements, thus relieving the heel of strain and producing the desired attaching results.

The present heel supporting block 74 is locked in position along the upper pad layer in the same manner as the heel supporting block in the prior application. To assist in locking the present heel supporting block 74 it has a roughened under surface in the form of a series of ribs 76 which are forced against the upper surface of the upper pad layer 30. To intensify the locking action the upper surface of the pad layer 30, in the illustrated machine, beyond the heel end of the shoe is formed with parallel grooves 78 extending widthwise of the shoe. The grooves 78 are spaced from each other the same amount as the ribs 76 on the block 74, so that upon ap* plication of pressure to the shoe bottom the ribs 76 are forced into the grooves 78 with a positive locking engagement. To provide a rigid locking action the rearward end of the layer 30 has a harder strip of material 79 cemented to it in which the grooves 78 are cut (FIG. 3).

A sole attaching pressure in the illustrated machine is applied to a shoe bottom in a manner corresponding to that disclosed in the prior application above identified. The pad box has its adjustable parts mounted between a pair of side plates 80 of a base, which in turn is secured to the upper end of a piston 82 operating to apply pres sure through the pad box to the shoe. The piston carry ing the pad and the side plates are mounted for move ment in a cylinder 84 forming a part of the main frame in the machine. When hydraulic pressure is in troduced into the cylinder 84 the pads in the box 22, 24, and 26 raise the shoe into engagement with toe and heel engaging members 86 and S8, stopping upward move ment of the shoe and compressing its bottom surface against the pad layers 30 to 38 inclusive, the shank en gaging element 44 and the heel supporting block 74. To smooth irregularities formed by the joints between the pad layer 39 and the shank element 44 they are shielded by a leather cover 89.

For mounting the heel supporting pad block '74, the block is secured to the forward end of a bar 90 mounted for movement lengthwise of the shoe and toward and from the rearward surface of the shoe heel in a carrier 92 (see FIG. 1), and the carrier is pivotally mounted on a pin 94 passing through a lug on the carrier and a pair of upwardly extending arms 96 of a bracket secured between the sides plates 80 of the pad box base. As the shoe is raised into engagement with the supports 86 and 88 the bar 9t} moves the block 74 against the heel of the shoe Where it is locked during application of pressure on the shoe.

There are many advantages in utilizing a preformed solid but compressible pad in the pad box 22, 24, and 26, inasmuch as the upper pad layer 34) may be preshaped to apply a more intense presure around the margin of the shoe sole and portions of the shank, rather than de pending upon the shape of the shoe as it is presented to the machine to preform a fluid containing a hollow pad. Thus, with a solid but compressible pad preformed to apply a more intense pressure around the sole margin, the attaching operation may be accomplished successfully and at the same time a molding action may be imposed on the shoe sole 16. Also, to enhance the sole molding operation the shank engaging pad element 44 has a central depression 98 (FIG. within which the shank of the shoe being operated upon is held from lateral displacement, so that as the shoe is presented to the pad it is easy to locate it properly in the depression, and during the application of pressure to the shoe it is held from lateral displacement by the enlarged sections in the arms 46 on the shank engaging element.

It is ordinary practice to utilize a multilayer pad in a pad box, in which the uppermost layer pressing against or otherwise acting directly on the shoe sole is composed of material having a higher measure of Shore durorneter hardness than the lower supporting layers of the pad. However, with the pad layers and elements in the present invention, it has been found desirable to construct the shank pressing element 44 and the rearward grooved strip 79 of the upper layer 3t} of material having a higher measure of durometer hardness than the remainder of the upper layer 3th the layers 34, 36 and 3% or the heel supporting block 74.

Examples of Shore durometer hardness units of the material utilized for the pad layers and other elements are given in the following table:

Heal Supporting Block Lower Pad Shank Upper Pad 74 and Strip Layers 32, Pressing Layer 30 79 ofsgiayer 34, 36 and 38 Element i4 70 to 75 60 to 65 70 to 75 65 As is apparent from this table, the range of possible hardness in the heel supporting block 74 and the shank pressing element 44 is greater than in the other parts, for the reason that according to the invention a less critical pressure condition exists than has been obtainable heretofore and a more reliable operation results. The upper pad layer 30 and its strip 79 having different degrees of hardness shows an advantage where the rearwardly extending portion beyond the heel is grooved to co-operate with ribs on an expansible heel supporting block, which of necessity must be of sufficient compressibility to enable it to expand laterally in supporting the rearward surfaces of the heel. Thus, in accordance with the invention it is preferable to utilize a heel supporting member 74 composed of material having the same measure of durometer hardness as that in the rearwardly extending grooved strip 79 of the layer 30 against which the member 74 is pressed, the remainder of the layers 32 to 38 being less hard.

The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated and a specific embodiment having been described, what is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surface of which a heel already is attached and simultaneously in pressing a flap integral with the sole against the breast of the heel, comprising a pad box having resting within its inner surface a composite multilayer pad formed with a resilient upper layer of a length to underlie the forepart of a shoe bottom and a resilient lower pad layer resting against an inner surface of the pad box to support the upper layer and to project beyond the heel of a shoe on the pad in the box, at least one of which layers has an opening for the heel of the shoe, in combination with a resilient and laterally expansible shank pressing element in the pad box having a horizontally enlarged portion of bulbous cross section fitting the shank and heel breast surfaces of the shoe and supported rigidly within the heel opening by an inner surface of the pad box.

2. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surface of which a heel already is attached and simultaneously in pressing a flap integral with the sole against the breast of the heel, comprising a pad box having a composite multilayer pad formed with a resilient upper layer of a length to underlie the forepart of a shoe bottom and a resilient lower pad layer in the box to support the upper layer and to project rearwardly beyond the heel of a shoe on the pad, at least one of which layers has an opening for the heel of the shoe, in combination with a resilient and laterally expansible shank pressing element in the pad box having a horizontally enlarged portion of bulbous cross section fitting the shank and heel breast surfaces of the shoe and a flat base fitting the heel opening in the pad layer and comprising stabilizing toes between which is a heel receiving recess.

3. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surface of which a heel already is attached and simultaneously in pressing a flap integral with the sole against the breast of the heel as in claim 2, in which there is mounted in the opening of the pad layer a relatively nonresilient block resting on the inner surface of the pad box beneath the shank pressing element and the stabilizing toes thereof to intensify the lateral expansion of the shank pressing element under pressure against the shank of the shoe.

4. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surface of which a heel already is attached and simultaneously to press a flap integral with the sole against the heel breast as in claim 2, in which the laterally expansible shank pressing element has formed thereon opposed arms projecting transversely of the shoe in positions for bridging the opening in the lower pad layer to concentrate the expanding pressure of the shank engaging element on the heel breast and a relatively nonresilient block disposed within an opening of the lower layer beneath the shank engaging element to intensify the lateral expansion of the shank engaging element under pressure along the portion engaging the shank of the shoe.

5. Apparatus for pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surface of which a heel already is attached and simultaneously to press a flap integral with the sole against the heel breast as in claim 4, in which one of the pad layers along the portion projecting rearwardly beyond the heel end of the shoe is formed with parallel grooves extending widthwise of the shoe and an expansible external heel supporting member is movable lengthwise of the shoe toward and from the heel and is formed with a ribbed surface, the ribs of which are of the same spacing as the grooves in said projecting layer for locking engagement with the ribs on the supporting member under pressure against the shoe.

6. Apparatus for pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surface of which a heel already is attached and simultaneously to press a flap integral with the sole against the heel breast as in claim 5, in which said projecting pad layer beyond the heel of the shoe includes a strip having a higher measure of durometer hardness than the forepart portion of that layer.

7. Apparatus for pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surfaces of which a heel already is attached and simultaneously to press a flap integral with the sole against the heel breast as in claim 6, in which the expansible external heel supporting member is composed of material having the same measure of durometer hardness as that in the grooved strip on the projecting pad layer against which it is pressed.

8. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surface of which a heel already is attached, and simultaneously to press a flap integral with the sole against the heel breast, comprising a pad box having a relatively fiat inner surface, a multilayer pad formed with a resilient upper layer of a length to underlie the forepart of a shoe bottom and a resilient lower layer extending along the inner surface of the pad box to support the upper layer and to project rearwardly beyond the heel end of the shoe, the rearwardly projecting end of the lower layer having an opening for the heel of the shoe, in combination with a resilient laterally expansible shank pressing element disposed in the heel opening of the lower layer and formed with a flat bottom face comprising stabilizing toes, between which is a heel receiving recess and above which is a horizontally enlarged portion of bulbous cross section fitting the shank and heel breast of the shoe, and a relatively nonresilient block having its lower surface resting on the flat inner surface of the pad box beneath the base of the shank engaging element and within the opening of the lower pad layer to support the shank pressing element and to intensify its lateral expansion under pressure against the shank of the shoe.

9. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surface of which a heel already is attached and simultaneously to press a flap integral with the sole against the heel breast as in claim 8, in which the nonresilient block has its lower surface formed with a convexity to equalize the expansion of the shank pressing element along the shoe shank.

10. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surface of which a heel already is attached and simultaneously to press a flap integral with the sole against the heel breast as in claim 9, in which the nonresilient block is formed with a slot having a width corresponding to the distance between the stabilizing toes for clearance purposes while operating on shoes having extremely high heels.

11. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surface of which a heel already is attached and simultaneously in pressing a flap integral with the sole against the breast of the heel, comprising a pad box having a pad therein formed with a length to engage the forepart of a shoe bottom and to project beyond the heel end of the shoe with a concavity for the ball of the shoe and with an opening for the heel of the shoe, in combination with one of a set of quickly replaceable and resilient laterally expansible shank pressing elements for insertion into the heel opening of the pad, each of which shank pressing elements has a flat base of the same outside perimeter as the heel opening in the pad and above the base a horizontally enlarged portion of bulbous cross section fitting the shank of one of a series of different sizes of shoes, the bulbous portions of the shank pressing elements being graded with increasing thicknesses as measured lengthwise of a shoe engaged thereby for increasing sizes of shoes to insure that the ball of each shoe operated upon will be centered in the concavity of the pad while a shank pressing element fits the heel breast of that shoe.

12. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surface of which a heel already is attached and simultaneously in pressing a flat integral with the sole against the breast of the heel as in claim 11, in which the base of each shank pressing element comprises a pair of stabilizing toes between which is a heel receiving recess, the over-all length of the toes being the same as the length of the opening in the pad.

13. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surface of which a heel already is attached and simultaneously in pressing a flap integral with the sole against the breast of the heel as in claim 11, in which the bulbous portion of each element has arms projecting over the pad at the sides of the heel opening and is formed with a central depression within which the shank of the shoe being operated upon is held from lateral displacement.

14. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surface of which a heel already is attached and simultaneously in pressing a flap integral with the sole against the breast of the heel, comprising a pad box having a pad therein formed with a layer to press the forepart of a shoe bottom and to project beyond the heel end of the shoe with an opening for the heel of the shoe, in combination with one of a set of quickly replaceable and resilient, laterally expansible shank pressing elements for insertion into the heel opening of the pad, each of which shank pressing elements has a base of the same outside dimensions as the heel opening in the pad and above the base is a horizontally enlarged portion of bulbous cross section fitting the shank in a limited range of shoe sizes, the bulbous portions of successive shank pressing elements being graded in thickness as measured lengthwise of a shoe pressed thereby and in height directly in accordance with the ratio of their respective differences.

15. Apparatus for use in pressing a sole on a shoe to the bottom surface of Which a heel already is attached and simultaneously in pressing a flap integral with the sole against the breast of the heel, comprising a pad box having a pad therein formed with a length to press the forepart of a shoe bottom, in combination with one of a set of quickly replaceable and resilient, laterally expansible shank pressing elements having a base and a horizontally enlarged portion of bulbous cross section formed with a flat surface disposed at an angle to the base, the bulbous portions of successive shank pressing elements of the set being graded in accordance with the ratio of their differences in-thickness and in height.

No references cited.

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