Apparatus for form-fitting shoes, and other articles of footwear

An apparatus for internally expanding an article of footwear, said apparatus comprising:

• (a) a pressure assembly comprising:
• a fluid pressure cylinder portion;
• a piston member mounted in said cylinder portion for reciprocation therein;
• a first engagement member formed on an outer end of said piston member;
• a second engagement member formed on a side of said cylinder portion opposite said first engagement member so as to be spaced apart therefrom by a predetermined separation distance;
• and
• means for supplying fluid pressure to said cylinder portion so as to selectively extend said piston member;
• and
• (b) a spreader assembling comprising:
• first and second mandrels for engaging first and second sides of a selected interior portion of said article of footwear, said mandrels comprising rearwardly extending leg members;
• hinge means for joining said first end portions of said leg members proximate a first end of said spreader assembly so that said leg members extend therefrom to form a gap intermediate second ends of said leg members;
• and
• receptacle portions formed in said second end portions of said leg members so as to be positioned on opposite sides of said gap for receiving said first and second engagement portions on said cylinder portion of said pressure assembly;
• whereby, in response to selectively supplying fluid pressure to said cylinder portion, said at least one piston member extends therefrom so as to increase said separation distance by which said first and second engagement portions on said pressure assembly are spread apart, so that said engagement members which are received in said receptacle portions of said first and second leg members force said mandrels outwardly about said hinge means so as to internally expand said selected portion of said article of footwear.