Article of footware including shortened midsole construction

An article of footwear for receiving a wearer's foot having toe, ball, arch and heel portions, comprising:

• (a) an upper member adapted to conform with the upper portion of the wearer's foot, said upper member having an open bottom defining a bottom edge portion contained in a generally horizontal plane;
• (b) a horizontal insole member arranged within said upper member bottom edge portion, said insole member having upper and lower surfaces;
• (c) annular plyrib means connected with and extending downwardly from the outer periphery of said insole member, said plyrib means having a generally T-shaped cross-sectional configuration defining a pair of horizontal oppositely outwardly directed inner and outer arm portions, and a downwardly extending leg portion;
• (d) an annular welt member extending in concentrically spaced relation about said plyrib means leg portion, said welt member including a pair of horizontal oppositely outwardly directed inner attachment flange and outer deck arm portions, said welt member inner arm portion extending in spaced relation below said plyrib outer arm portion, said upper member lower edge portion extending concentrically within the space defined between said welt member and said plyrib means;
• (e) inseam stitching means securing said upper member lower edge portion between said welt member and said plyrib means, thereby to define a foot enclosure for receiving the wearer's foot, said enclosure having toe, ball, arch and heel portions adjacent the corresponding portions of the user's foot, respectively;
• (f) a horizontal outsole member arranged below said foot enclosure, said outsole member having front and rear portions adjacent said shoe enclosure toe and heel portions, respectively;
• (g) a horizontal heel wedge member arranged between said outsole member heel member and said foot enclosure, said heel wedge member extending forwardly from the rear end of said outsole member beneath said welt member for a distance less than the length of said foot enclosure, said heel wedge member having a greater thickness at its rear end portion than at its front end portion;
• (h) lock stitch means securing said heel wedge member to said welt member;
• (i) front stitch means securing the front portion of said outsole with the adjacent front portion of said welt member;
• and
• (j) means securing said outsole rear portion with the bottom side of said heel wedge portion.