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.
Claims2
In a shoe assembly which includes an insole, an upper adapted to be lasted to the insole, a heel and a shank member, the shank member being formed from a resinous material adhered to the bottom of the insole and in a configuration which substantially conforms to the bottom of the insole, the improvement comprising:
- the heel end of the shank member being unadhered to the insole and defining a spring shank configuration, said heel end of the shank member being adapted to be securely captured between the insole and the heel when the heel is attached to the heel end of the shoe assembly, said shank member having a curvature which, when relaxed, is more arched, at its heel end, than the corresponding portion of the last on which said shoe assembly is manufactured,
- whereby when said heel end of the shank member is captured securely between the heel and the insole while on the last the shank member will be stressed so as to create a temporary spring force tending to increase the arch of said shoe assembly,
- whereby when said shoe assembly is removed from the last said spring force will bend the shoe assembly in a direction tending to increase the arch thereby tightening the top line of the upper and tending to improve the tread of the heel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.