Molded shanks
AssigneeBush Universal, Inc.
InventorSteven M. LeBaron
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A spring-type shank for a shoe sole is formed on the bottom of a shoe assembly during manufacture of the shoe. The heel end of the shank is formed so that it is raised slightly from the heel seat region of the insole to provide a "spring shank". The shank is formed directly on the bottom of the shoe insole from a strip of initially flexible, uncured thermosetting material which may be fiber reinforced. The spring portion at the heel end of the shank is formed by placing a wedge between the shoe insole and the heel end of the shank strip during the curing process thereby to cause the heel end of the shank strip to cure in a raised, inclined attitude, spaced from the bottom of the insole, while the more forward, remaining portions of the shank strip cure in secure attachment to the insole bottom.
Claims11
An apparatus for applying a strip of activatable, curable material to the bottom of an insole to form a stiffener in situ on the bottom of the insole comprising:
- means for maintaining the strip of material in a predetermined location on the bottom of the insole;
- means for supporting at least a portion of the strip in spaced relation to the insole whereby said portion will remain detached from the insole and may be cured in said detached configuration.
A method for forming and applying a shank stiffener on the bottom of a shoe sole, said stiffener initially being in the form of an elongate flexible activatable material, the method comprising:
- placing the stiffener material on the bottom of the insole;
- supporting a portion of the stiffened material in spaced relation to the insole;
- effecting curing of the stiffener material while said portion of the stiffener material is so supported whereby a part of the stiffener will cure in contact and conformity with the bottom of the insole and where a portion of the stiffener will cure in a spaced relation to the insole.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.