US740311A - Tread-piece or sole. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED SEPTKZQ, 1903.

A.H.IPRATT. .TREADPIBGEORSOLE. APPLICATION PILED'J'UHE 11, i902.

N0 MODEL.

\X/I NEEEE THE new: prrzns co. mom-mun, msiqmamm a. s2

Patented September 29, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

ASHTON H. PRATT, OF

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TREAD-PIECE 0R SOLE.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part Application filed June 11, 1902.

small pieces of sole-leather while still providing a solid structure.

To these ends the invention consists in the constructions substantially as.hereiuafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, in which theinvention is shown as embodied in a shoesole, Figure 1 represents an inverted plan view of a shoe-sole without a heel. Fig. 2 represents a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 represents an edge view of the sole. Fig. i is a detail perspective view of another embodiment of my invention.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures.

Referring first to Figs. 1,2, and 3, a series of strips of leather are indicated at a, said strips extending from edge to edge of the sole and being out from pieces of leather and secured together, so that their edges form the exposed bottom or tread-face of the sole. "While said strips are shown as integral from end to end, it is to be understood that in some instances they may be made of two or more pieces placed end to end and so connected and secured, as hereinafter described, as to constitute practically continuous strips. In said Figs. 1, 2, and 3 a backing-piece is shown, which backing-piece is preferably of leather, but may in some instances be of other suitable material. End pieces or clampin g-blocks e are shown as secured to the backing-piece b, and the strips a a are secured and clamped between said blocks, a wire or thread f being preferably employed, as hereinafter described.

A preferable way of manufacturing the sole is as follows: The stripsa a are first fastened together by 'bein g threaded or run upon the wire or thread f. Then one end piece 2 is secured to the back piece 1?, and the loop of wire of Letters Patent No. 746,311, dated $eptemioer 29, 1903.

Serial No. 111K186. (No model.)

or thread at one end of the series of strips is passed between the two layers of which said end piece is preferably composed, the said wire being then drawn until it engages around the tacks or nails g, which secure the blocks 9 togethcr'and to the backing-piece b. The strips (1- are suitably glued or cemented together and, preferablyunder extremely heavy pressure, are pressed firmly up against the attached block 6, and while the pressure is continued against said strips the other e is applied to the backing-piece and the threadsor wires are carried around the nails which secure the latter in place, the ends of wise fastened.

I As shown at h, nails maybe driven through each individual strip a to additionally secure it to the backing-piece.

I The toe and heel end pieces or clampingblocks e are preferably made of two layers or lifts of leather, as indicated in the drawings. These toe and heel blocks not only afiord means for holding the strips a, in clamped position, but they also aiford a more durable construction at the ends of the soleand are less liable to become the case if the strips awere continuedto the ends of the sole, particularly the" toe end. Said toe and heel blocks are of widearea relatively to the thickness of the strips a, and they are therefore not only well adapted to serve as abutments capable of permanently holding the strips clamped between them, as above described, but they may be trimmed ofi in the finishing operations on the shoesole without encroaching on the strips or causing any weakening of the wires on which the strips are strong. Moreover, said blocks are not liable to be deflected or spread away from the strips 0, in use, as would be the case if the extreme toe and heel portions were also strips similar to those which form the treadsurface under the ball of the foot. Owing to the fact that the toe and heel blocks are relatively wide, they are necessarily so placed relatively to the strips that the grain-surface is at a right angle to that of the strips. This is because, as above stated, the strips a care cut from pieces of leather and secured so that their edges form tread-surfaces of the sole.

i This construction of the end blocks provides the threadsor wires being twisted or otherblock displaced than would be ness of the sole,

for holding the strips without liability of the end strips being separated from each other by wear, as would be the case if the end pieces were the same as the strips.

In some cases the nails h may be omitted and the wires f alone relied upon in addition to the cement 'or glue, such construction being indicated in Fig. 4. As shownin said figure, the backing-piece b may be omitted, particularly when a heel is to made of the strips and blocks. This structure represented in Fig. 4 may be employed for the sole of sewed shoes, as the sewing-thread will engage each separate strip when the sole is fastened to the shoe. For pegged or riveted shoes the strips should be previously attached to a middle sole, as the backing-piece 1) represented in Fig. 2.

Among the advantages of this invention the following may be mentioned: Itprovides a continuous wearing-surface of the full thickand said thickness may be limited only by the dimensions of the pieces which are out out to form the strips a. The thickness of the ordinary sole is limited by the thickness of the hide from which it is cut, Whereas this structure provides for making a sole of any desired thickness according to the Width of the strips a when first cut and before they are placed face to face or back to back, so as to present their edges to form the bottom or tread-face of the sole. Furthermore, the sole can be produced economically,

as the strips a may be formed from scraps of hide, the principal portions of which are being otherwise used, and the sole is flexible and avoids creaking.

I claim I l A tread-piece for shoes having itswearing-surface composed of a plurality of strips of leather secured together with their edges exposed to form the bottom or tread-face, and arelatively wide block against which the said strips are clamped, said block being of leather and having its grain-surface at a right angle to that of the strips.

2. A sole comprising a relatively thin soleshaped piece of material constitutinga backing, leather toe and heel blocks at the ends of said backing, and a plurality of continuous or unbroken strips of leather extending across the width of the sole and presenting their edges to the said backing and to the treadface of the sole, the said backing, blocks and strips being secured together with the strips clamped between said blocks, said blocks being relatively wide to permit trimming at the extreme toe and heel without impairing the fastenings, the grain-surface of the blocks being at a right angle to that of the strips.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' ASHTON H. PRATT.

Witnesses:

HENRIETTA T. PRATT, E. O. CRONKRITE.

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