Footwear eyelet manufacturing apparatus and method of use thereof
OwnerMilitina Magainventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention as presently conceived discloses an apparatus to aid in holding shoe eyelets in place during the shoe manufacturing process. The apparatus has a large comb shape with a plurality of rod shaped teeth corresponding to the number of shoe eyelet pairs. In operation, each tooth that is threaded through a shoe eyelet pair comprises “eyes” on each end similar to those found on sewing needles. A pair of metal or plastic rods, equipped with locking features, is then threaded through the eyes to secure the apparatus with the shoe eyelet in place. There are various sizes of the apparatus to accommodate different sized shoes and number of shoe eyelet pairs. The use of this apparatus saves time in the manufacturing process while improving work quality and increasing operator safety.
Claims15
A shoe aligning implement for holding shoe eyelets at a desired position during a manufacturing process, said shoe aligning implement comprising:
- an alignment jig including a plurality of alignment guides passed through corresponding shoe holes formed at an upper portion of a shoe, each of said alignment guides having a plurality of first end rings formed at a first end thereof, each of said alignment guides further having a plurality of second end rings disposed at a second end thereof, said first and second end rings being disposed laterally and outwardly of corresponding shoe-string holes formed in the upper portion of the shoe;
- a retaining clip positioned through each of said first end rings respectively;
- a rectilinear common header slidably penetrated through each of said second end rings respectively;
- and,
- a retaining cap removably attached directly to one end of said common header such that said alignment guides are prohibited from separating from said common header.
A shoe aligning implement for holding shoe eyelets at a desired position during a manufacturing process, said shoe aligning implement comprising:
- an alignment jig including a plurality of rigid alignment guides passed through corresponding shoe holes formed at an upper portion of a shoe, each of said alignment guides having a plurality of first end rings formed at a first end thereof, each of said alignment guides further having a plurality of second end rings disposed at a second end thereof, said first and second end rings being disposed laterally and outwardly of corresponding shoe-string holes formed in the upper portion of the shoe;
- a flexible retaining clip positioned through each of said first end rings respectively;
- a rigid rectilinear common header slidably penetrated through each of said second end rings respectively and spaced from said retaining clip;
- and,
- a retaining cap removably attached directly to one end of said common header such that said alignment guides are prohibited from separating from said common header.
A method for keeping an upper portions of a shoe in a position similar to that of laced shoes to thereby prevent the laced upper portions from flailing about and ultimately becoming jammed during a shoe-manufacturing process, said method comprising the steps of:
- a. passing a plurality of rigid alignment guides through corresponding shoe holes formed at an upper portion of a shoe;
- b. laterally and outwardly disposing first and second end rings of said alignment guides through of corresponding shoe-string holes formed in the upper portion of the shoe;
- c. positioning a flexible retaining clip positioned through each of said first end rings respectively;
- d. slidably penetrating a rigid rectilinear common header through each of said second end rings respectively by spacing said common header from said retaining clip;
- and,
- e. removably attaching a retaining cap directly to one end of said common header such that said alignment guides are prohibited from separating from said common header.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.