US1468856A - Shank stiffener for shoe soles - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 25, 1923. 1,468,856

A. T. BALCH SHANK STIFFENER FOR SHOE SOLES Filed June 25, 1923 Patented Sept. 25, 1923.

ALFRED T. BALCH, F BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO H. F. CRAWFORD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 0F BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS.

SHANK STIFFENER FOR SHOE SOLES.

Application led .Tune 23, 1923. Serial No. 647,301.

To aZ 1li/0m it may concern Be it known that I, ALFRED T. BALGH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and 5 State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shank Stiff'- eners for Shoe Soles, of which the following a specification.

This application is a continuation in part of my application filed January 2, 1923,

Serial No. 610,149.

The invention is embodied in a. resilient shank stiffener, adapted to be interposed betweenthe shank portions of the insole and outsole ot' a shoe,`said stitfener having 5 mentioned raised central portion of the stiffener. Une of the members is slotted to cooperate with one ormore of the rivets in permitting a limited sliding movementJ of the slotted member on the other mem ber, and adownward yielding of the said centrally raisedportion of the stifiener.

The desired resilience is provided by making one of said members of tempered steel, adapted to assume a predetermined normal form when released from flexing pressure, and the other of relatively soft steel. The members may have the same normal curvature, so that they contact with each other from end to end, or the inner member may be bowed, so that it contacts with the outer member only at its end portions, and is spaced at its central portion from the outer member, the centrally raised portion of the stiffener formed b v the inner member, being, therefore, depressible independently of the portion formed by the outer member.

Other features of construction will be described hereinafter.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification,

Figure l is a bottom plan View of a portion of a shoe having a shank stiffener embodying the invention, before the application of the outsole.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure l, the outsole being shown by dotted lines. I

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the stiffener.

Figure 4 is a plan view showing a modification.

Figure 5 is a section on line 5*-5 of Figure 4.

Figure 6 is a plan view showing another modification.

Figure 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Figure 6.

The same reference characters indicate the saine' parts in all of the figures.

I will first describe' the invention as shown by Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

My improved stiffener is adapted for use with a shoe, the insole a of which has a securing member, such as a bifurcated rivet Z), inserted in the insole, as shown by Figure 2, the head the rivet being flush with the upper surface of the insole, and the bifurcations of its shank being bent below the lower surface to form ears e, c which project in opposite directions and are slightly spaced from the under surface of the inner sole, as shown by the Crawford Patent No. 1,029,278, umd June 11, 1912.

The stiffener comprises an outer'niember 12, which is a thin steel strip. having in its forward end a slot 13, adapted to receive the shank of the rivet 7), the arrangement oeing such that the forward end of the member 12 is adapted to slide between the ears c and the bottom surface. of the insole, as described in the Crawford patent. The opposite end portion of the member 12 may he provided with an orifice 14, adapted to receive a tack 15, driven into the insole, as shown by Figure 2,

The member 12 is curved, to conform to the normal curvature of the shank portion of an outsole d. v

The stiffener also comprises an inner member 1G. which is also a thin strip of steel` and has a more abrupt curvature than the outer member 12` the end portionl of' the inner member bearing on corresponding por tions of the outer member. The inner member is spaced between its end portions trom the outer member, as shown by Figure 2.

The members 12 and 16 are inseparably connected by connections between their end portions, permitting independent tlexure ot each member, so that the outer member is adapted to conform independently to ilexures ot' the shank portion of the outsole, and the inner member constitutes an independently flexible yielding support for the shank portion oi' the insole.

Said connections are preferably embodied in headed rivets 17, fixed to one ot the members, and passing through the end portions of the other member, the last-mentioned member being slotted to permit independent Flexure ot each member.

1n this instance 1 show the rivets 17 fixed to the outer member 12, and passing through Slots 18 in the inner member, each rivet having a head at one end bearing on one ot the members, and an upset end forming another head bearing on the other member.

Then the shoe is flexed, as in the act ot walking, the outer member is adapted to conform to the tlexure, its slotted end sliding in contact with the securing member I), and its ears c. The inner member 16 may be flexed with the outer member` and is independently flexible and adapted to be pressed at its central portion toward the outer member by the weight ot the wearer, the slots 18, and the rivets 17, permittingr the described tiexures ot each of said members.

It will be seen that the inner member 16 constitutes an arch support, which conforms to changes otl 'form of the arch ot a human foot, the curvature of the inner member being reduced by an increase ot' pressure thereon, and restored to normal when the pressure is removed.

Figures et and 5 show one slot 18 instead of two, this being formed in the rear end portion of the inner member 16. In other respects the stitliener may be the same 21S that shown by Figures 1, 2 and 3.

The embodiment ot' the invention shown by Figures G and 7 includes an inner member 20, and an outer member 21, connected by rivets 22. The said members have the same curvature, so that they contact with each other from end to end, instead otl being messes spaced apart at their central portions. A single slot 23 is provided, this being formed in the outer member 21.

1n each embodiment of the invention the resilience ot the stifener adapting it to be flexed from its normal curvature and to return thereto, is provided by making one ot the members of tempered steel and the other of relatively soft steel. rThe tempered member, which may be the member 16 shown by Figures 1 to 5, and the member 21 shown by Figures 6 and 7, may be shorter, and is preferably somewhat thicker than the other member .12er 20. The tempered member and the rivets maintain the sotter member at a suitable curvature. The cost ot manufacture is thus materially reduced, and the expense involvedin tempering one of the members eliminated, the decreased length of the tempered member effecting a. saving of material.

ln assembling the members 1 space the ends of the shorter member from the ends of the longer member, so that the latter presents two end extensions ot single thickness at the opposite ends of the stitl'ener, one of these extensions containing the slot 18, and the other the orilice 14. The devices which secure the stitlener to the inner sole,` therefore, engage only the said extensions.

1 claim:

A resilient shank stitliener adapted to be interposed between an outer and an inner sole and con'iprising an outer and au inner metal member, and rivets inseparably connecting the same, said members being curved so that the under side of the stifener has a centrally raised portion which conforms to the curvature ot the shank portion of a last'bottom, one of said members being slotted to permit a limited sliding movement thereof on the other member. and a downward yielding ot the centrally raised portion, one ot said members being ot steel, tempered to impart suitable resilience to the stitllener` and the other ot relatively sott. steel, maintained at the desired curvature by the tempered member and the said rivets.

ln testimony whereof 1 have attixed my signature.

ALFRED T. BALCH.

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