Scuff slipper and method and apparatus for the manufacture thereof
AssigneesJames G. Mitchell, Winalee G. Mitchell
InventorsJames G. Mitchell, Winalee G. Mitchell, Paul D. Purdy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Slippers of heat-sealable synthetic polymeric sheeting comprise a sole member and an upper member joined thereto by a heat-seal joint, the upper member having a progressively wider portion of said sheeting relative to the sole member, as measured across the slipper, whereby a permanent foot-receiving pocket is provided to facilitate donning the slipper without requiring the use of the hands. Method and apparatus for making such slippers comprise steps or means for joining separate bands of the material by heat-sealing the bands to each other on profiles corresponding to the sole and upper members, while simultaneously providing extra width in the upper member to create the foot receiving pocket.
Claims15
Apparatus for making slippers of heat-sealable synthetic polymeric sheeting material, said slippers having a sole with heel, instep and toe portions and an upper with toe and instep covering portions, comprising:
- means for dispensing a first band of said material of a first width greater than a desired length of said slipper sole;
- means for dispensing a second band of said material of a second width narrower than said first width but greater than a desired length of said upper;
- a first heat-seaing die having a first perimetral die face configuration at least for said toe portion of said sole;
- a second heat-sealing die, disposed opposite said first heat-sealing die, having a second perimetral die face configuration for at least for said toe and instep covering portions of said upper, said first and second perimetral die faces being essentially congruent in shape at least around said instep and toe portions;
- means for drawing said first and second bands of material between said first and second heat-sealing dies in a first direction essentially transverse to the length of said perimetral die face configurations, in a position to be contacted simultaneously by by said perimetral die face configurations when said first and second dies are brought together;
- means operatively associated with said first and second dies for providing, as measured across said die faces in said drawing direction, a progressively greater length of said second band from the toe portion to the instep portion of said second heat-sealing die face than of said first band from the toe portion to the instep portion of said first heat-sealing die face, when said dies are brought together;
- and
- means for bringing said first and second dies together to cause heat-sealing between said first and second bands along at least a portion of said die faces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.