US3034463A - Seams, shoes and methods of making same incorporating flat lasted work - Google Patents

Description

- May 15, 1962 Q A 3,034,463

SEAMS, SHOES AND METHODS OF MAKING SAME INCORPORATING FLAT LASTED WORK Original Filed Nov. 9, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 A? In van for y 15, 1952 o. R. HAAS 3,034,463

SEAMS. SHOES AND METHODS OF MAKI SAME ORPORATING FLAT LASTED W Original Filed Nov. 9, 6

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent 3,034,463 SEAMS, SHOES AND METHODS OF MAKING SAME INCORPORATING FLAT LASTED WORK Otto R. Haas, Wenham, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Original application Nov. 9, 1956, Ser. No. 621,219, now Patent No. 2,901,993, dated Sept. 1, 1959. Divided and this application Oct. 30, 1958, Ser. No. 770,803

10 Claims. (Cl. 112-262) The present invention relates to improved thread seams, particularly intended for use in the manufacture of shoes, to methods for inserting such seams, and to improved shoes, in which the thread seams embodying the present invention are employed. This application is a division of my pending application Serial No. 621,219, filed November 9, 1956, now Patent No. 2,901,993, granted September 1, 1959.

Numerous types of seams and methods of inserting them have been devised heretofore for the purpose of connecting the bottom parts of shoes with their uppers, and in most cases it has been found desirable to conceal the threads in the seams inserted, either to improve the appearance of the shoes or to protect the threads in the seams from the deteriorating action of moisture, wear or other destructive factors. It is, accordingly, an object of the invention to provide an improved thread seam, a method of inserting the same, and a novel form of shoe containing such seam. A seam embodying the invention is particularly well adapted for sewing together a shoe upper and a sole superposed on the upper with a single thread, which is carried double through the opposed surfaces of one part of the shoe, emerges from the same surface of that part, and is passed around an integral tongue in the other part to form a concealed stitch.

A feature of the invention relating to the method comprises passing a loop of thread through a surface of one of the parts, which is opposed to the other part, withdrawing the loop from the same surface and thereafter carrying the withdrawn loop about an integral tongue cut from the opposed surface of the other part. Preferably, the tongues are cut in the sole part of the shoe, since this part has a relatively greater thickness to provide material for the tongue, so that when each loop is tightened the surrounded tongue will be pressed back into the recess from which it was cut and the thread of the loop will be concealed within the substance of the sole.

The invention will readily be understood from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in front elevation of the head of a machine suitable for practicing the method of the present invention, together with a portion of a shoe being operated upon by the machine;

FIG. 2 is a view in right side elevation, partly broken away and shown in section, of the machine and shoe illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional plan view on an enlarged scale of the machine taken along the line Il-I]I[ of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a further enlarged sectional view of a portion of a shoe formed with an improved scam inserted by the machine;

FIG. 5 is a detail view on an enlarged scale of a tongue cutting knife shown 11 FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view on an enlarged scale of a seam illustrating the process of insertion and taken along the line VI-VI of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 6, showing a modified form of a seam capable of being inserted by the machine; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view on a slightly'reduced scale "ice showing a portion of the shoe being operated upon by the machine, and illustrating the manner in which a loop of thread is engaged with a tongue cut from the sole of the shoe.

As illustrated in the drawings, a seam is provided to secure together the parts of a flat-lasted shoe, a single thread, indicated at 8, being formed into a series of loops passing through and emerging from one of the shoe parts and being engaged with integral tongues cut from the other part along an opposed surface thereof. The seam is inserted in such a way that when the thread is tightened it will be concealed.

The shoe operated upon is constructed with an upper 10, an insole 12, and an outsole 14. After assembly the marginal portion of the upper 10 is tensioned successively along the shoe and is brought into conformity with a last 16 (FIGS. 2 and 4). While tensioning the upper it is overlapped with and temporarily secured in flat-lasted relation to the marginal portion of the insole 12. The outsole is then attached along its central portion in superposed relation to the insole by one or more tacks 18 (see FIG. 8) driven into the tread surface of the last 16.

In order to provide a commercially acceptable seam with concealed stitches which may be inserted conveniently by machine, the seam of the present invention is formed by carrying loops of thread through the overlapping margins of the upper and insole. To anchor the thread loops they are passed around elongated integral tongues 20 cut from the outsole 14. The tongues 20 are cut in such manner that they anchor the thread loops securely, the thread intersecting both the opposed surfaces of the insole and outsole while passing through the marginal portion of .the upper. To insure efi'fective attachment, the tongues are formed in the outsole directly opposite to the point in the upper from which each thread loop is withdrawn. To assist in the practice of the method by machine the marginal portions of the outsole are deflected from the upper opposite the sewing point so that the thread may be manipulated properly.

Two forms of seam are illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 of the drawings. In the first form (FIG. 6) the thread 8 is carried double through the upper and insole to provide single loops passing around the tongues 20 of the outsole :14. The stitches are inserted and tightened progressively by engaging the thread Within the space between the deflected marginal portions of the outsole and the insole. To assist in formation of the stitches a novel loop spreader and tongue inserter 22 is provided in hairpin form, the ends being enlarged and notched at 24 and the central portion provided with a circular spring 26 tending to separate the ends. The notched ends are arranged when pressed together to enter a loop of thread as illustrated in FIG. 8 and to hold it in spread position for convenient insertion of the corresponding tongue 20 of the outsole. After insertion of a tongue 20 the loop of thread in the next succeeding thread loop is carried through the upper and insole, as shown in FIGS. 6 to 8, inclusive. It is then possible to reach into the space between the diverging outsole and upper with one of the notched ends of the inserter 22, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, to tighten the stitch provided by the previous loop and inserted tongue. Thereafter, the newly formed thread loop is withdrawn and spread in the same manner to such an extent that the next succeeding tongue may be inserted therein.

In the form of stitch illustrated in FIG. 7, instead of inserting a tongue -20 into each single loop, two loops of thread 8 are spread for the insertion of each tongue. Not only is the loop of thread 8, which is withdrawn from the upper brought into surrounding relation to a tongue, but also a secondary loop connecting successive stitches is considering the compressibility of most leather materials and the many forms of equivalent elastic synthetic material, the seam and method of inserting it render it susceptible for permanent attachment of such parts in the manner outlined under a wide range of conditions. When the stitches are tightened the opposed surfaces of the parts are brought tightly together, the threads when tensioned being embedded therein, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

A machine suitable for uniting the outsole to a flatlasted shoe upper and insole by the improved scam in the manner above set forth is illustrated more particularly in FIGS. 1 to 3, inclusive. The machine is constructed with a main frame 28 supported at the upper end of a rod 30 formed at its lower end with a pedestal of similar flared mounting (not shown). The main frame carries an oscillating curved hook needle 32 arranged to penetrate the lasted marginal portions of the upper and also the insole 12 to emerge from the same sides of the upper and insole through which it enters.

To actuate the needle it is secured within a curved groove at one side of anarm 34 by a plate 36 (see FIG. 2), a clamp screw 38 passing loosely through the plate and into threaded engagement with the arm 34. The arm 34 is rotatable about a shoulder screw 40 threaded into the frame 28 in a horizontal position and the outer end of the arm carries a knob 42 for convenient manual operation, the needle being secured to the arm in concentric relation to the shoulder screw 40.

As has been stated, the outsole 14 opposite the point of sewing operation is deflected to provide free space for the needle, so that the needle may engage the upper to the exclusion of the outsole. To these ends, as shown in FIG. 2, a portion of the frame 28 is shown extending downwardly to form a hollow guide 44 arranged to engage the shoe opposite the point of needle operation as the shoe is presented to the needle. At its lower end the guide 44 is beveled to fit the angle of the insole 12 while the outsole is deflected by the guide into avertical position. To prevent escape of the sole margin after being deflected by the guide 44, the tread surface of the outsole is engaged by an angle plate 46 adjustably secured to an under surface of the main frame 28 by a screw 48 passing through a slot in the angle plate and into threaded engagement with the frame. After each penetrating stroke of the needle the loop withdrawn is engaged by the tongue inserter 22 to complete the formation of the stitch.

To out each tongue in alinement with the point at which the needle operates by withdrawal of a loop of thread, the outsole deflecting guide 44 has a vertical passage, in which is mounted a reciprocating knife 50, the lower end of the knife being formed with an upwardly and rearwardly inclined U-shaped blade. When the blade is raised and pressed rearwardly its U-shaped edge engages the outsole to cut a tongue 20 at the proper location.

The upper end .of the knife is in the form of a rectangular bar slidingly mounted in a spring pressed carrier 52. The carrier 52 is mounted for yielding horizontal movement on a pair of pins 54, each secured at one end to the carrier and slidingly mounted in openings in the main frame 28. The carrier and the frame are counterbored to receive compression springs 56 acting to force the carrier and the knife bar forwardly away from cutting position. When the blade of the knife is lowered and the carrier pressed rearwardly, it is then raised while engaging the outsole to form a tongue by movement along the surface of the sole engaged by the guide 44.

To retain the tongue cutting knife in raised inoperative position, the upper end of the cutter bar is turned to a cylindrical shape with threads to receive checknuts 58 acting against a washer 66 between which and a washer 62 resting on the frame 28 is a compression spring 64 surrounding the bar. To actuate the bar and carrier the bar has a horizontal threaded opening engaged by the threaded shank of a handle 66. When the handle is forced downwardly the spring 64 is compressed and when pressed rearwardly the carrier is moved correspondingly to engage the edge of the knife with the outsole of a shoe, the angle plate '46 providing a backing against which the cutting takes place.

Cooperating with the needle 32 after it emerges from an upper is a simple and effective form of looper 68 rotatably mounted on a hollow shaft 7! fixed to an arm 72 projecting to the left of the main frame 28. The looper 68 extends downwardly from a hub surrounding the shaft 70 and a short crank handle 74 extends from the hub of the looper. The thread .8 is guided through the hollow shaft 70 and through an eye at the lower end of the looper, the arrangement being such that when the looper is rotated while the needle is in full depth penetrating position, as shown by the broken lines of FIG. 1, the thread will be laid in the needle hook. To assist looping, the looper is frictionally retained in position by a compression spring 76 confined between a nut 78 on the shaft and the hub of the looper. After each stitch is inserted the shoe is carried in the direction of the. arrow in FIGS. 1 and 3 to bring it into position for the insertion of the next stitch.

The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated,.what is claimed is:

1. A method of making shoes which consists in applying an upper and an insole to a last, flat lasting the marginal portions of the upper to those of the insole, attaching the central portion of an outsole in superposed relation to the insole and flat lasted marginal portions of the upper, deflecting the marginal portions of the outsole from the upper, and forming a tongue on the outsole, in which method a loop of thread is drawn through the parts to connect them together by carrying the loop of thread successively into the surface of the upper margin opposed to the outsole, withdrawing the loop from the same surface, and thereafter passing said loop of thread about the tongue to prevent retraction of the loop.

2. A method of making shoes which consists in applying an upper and an insole to a last, flat lasting the marginal portions of the upper to those of the insole, attaching the central portion of an outsole in supemosed relation to the insole and fiat lasted marginal portions of the upper, deflecting the marginal portions of the outsole from the upper, and forming a tongue on the outsole, in which method a loop of thread is drawn through the parts to connect them together by carrying the loop of thread successively into the surface of the upper margin opposed to the outsole, withdrawing the loop from the same surface, and thereafter passing said loop of thread about the tongue to prevent retraction of the loop, the loop of thread which is drawn through the upper also entering the substance of the insole.

3. A method of making shoes which consists in applying an upper and an insole to a last, fiat lasting the marginal portions of the upper to those of the insole, attaching the central portion of an outsole in superposed relation to the insole and flat lasted marginal portions of the upper, and deflecting the marginal portions of the outsole from the upper, in which method a loop of thread is drawn through the parts to connect them together by carrying the loop of thread successively into the surface of the upper margin opposed to the outsole, withdrawing the loop from the same surface, cutting a tongue from the surface of the outsole opposite the point Where the loop is withdrawn, and thereafter passing said withdrawn loop of thread about the tongue to prevent retraction of the loop.

4. A seam for sewing together shoe parts comprising a flat lasted upper and an outsole superposed thereon by concealed stitches formed by a single thread which enters and emerges from the contacting surfaces of both parts at points spaced along each of said surfaces for each stitch, and which is carried double through one of said parts in the form of a loop and passed around an integral tongue out from the thickness of the other part, said tongue being located on the surface of said other part which is in contact with said one of said ports.

5. A seam for sewing together shoe parts comprising a fiat lasted upper and an outsole superposed thereon by concealed stitches formed by a single thread which enters and emerges fi-om the contacting surfaces of both parts at points spaced along each of said surfaces for each stitch, and which is carried double through the upper in the form of a loop and passed around an integral tongue out from the thickness of the outsole, said tongue being located on the surface of the outsole which is in contact with the upper.

6. A concealed seam connecting a first member formed with integral tongues in one of its surfaces and a second member having a surface in over-all contact with the surface of the first member in which the tongues are formed, the seam comprising lengths of a single thread penetrating the second member and terminating in loops each wrapped around the entire cross section of a tongue, that part of the thread exclusive of that which penetrates the second member and he loops wrapped around the tongues lying entirely between the contacting surfaces of the two members.

7. The seam according to claim 6, in which a double loop is wrapped about a portion of the cross section of the tongue.

8. The sea-n1 according to claim 6, in which the thread emerges from a single opening extending in the direction of the seam in the second member.

9. A shoe comprising a fiat lasted upper and an outsole connected together by a seam as defined in claim 6, and wherein said first member in which the tongues are formed is the outsole and said second member is the upper.

10. A shoe comprising a flat lasted upper and an outsole connected together by a seam as defined in claim 7, and wherein said first member in which the tongues are formed is the outsole and said second member is the upper.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 678,539 Carleton July 16, 1901 1,081,197 Barnett Dec. 9, 1913 1,512,238 Reed Oct. 21, 1924 1,992,968 Sherman Mar. 5, 1935

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