Apparatus for stiffening shoe insoles

An apparatus for applying a strip of activatable, curable material to a surface of a shoe assembly to form a stiffener in situ on said surface, the strip being flexible and deformable prior to curing thereof, and being activatable in response to the application of heat thereto, from a radiant source of heat, said apparatus comprising:

• means for retaining the strip in a predetermined position on said surface of said shoe assembly and for urging the strip into engagement with the surface, said retaining means being constructed and arranged so as to expose a substantial portion of the strip thereby to enable the strip to be exposed to said radiant heat;
• radiant energy means for generating said radiation for activating the strip while the strip is retained in said position on said surface;
• presser means engageable with a selected portion of the strip to press the selected portion of the strip firmly into engagement with the surface of the shoe assembly;
• said presser means being located to receive heat from the activating means and being constructed and arranged to conduct heat directly to that portion of the strip which underlies the presser means.

An apparatus for applying a strip of activatable, curable material to a bottom of an insole to form a stiffener on the insole, the strip being flexible and deformable prior to curing thereof, said material being curable in response to radiation of a predetermined character, said apparatus comprising:

• a frame;
• shoe support means mounted to the frame for supporting the shoe assembly;
• strip retaining means supported by the frame and having strip engaging portions adapted to press a strip toward and against the insole bottom, said retaining means being constructed and arranged so as to expose the substantial portion of the strip thereby to enable the strip to be exposed to said radiations;
• means mounting the shoe support means and the strip retaining means to the frame so that one may be moved relative to the other between a first, remote position and a second, operative position in which the strip retaining means may be urged against the insole of the shoe assembly supported in the shoe support means;
• means for effecting said relative movement between said shoe support means and the strip retaining means to cause the strip to be urged firmly against the insole bottom;
• presser means engageable with each of the ball and heel ends of the strip for pressing the ball and heel ends of the strip firmly against the bottom of the insole;
• and
• Radiant energy means for generating said radiation for activating the strip while it is maintained against the insole bottom by the strip retaining means and the presser means.