US2845724A - Turned slipper having vamp portions free of outsole - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 5, 1958 i E. H. SPAULDING TURNEPSLIPPER HAVING 'VAMP PORTIONS FREE OF OUTSOLE 2 Sheets-Shae Filed Jan. 17, 1956 ATTORNEY s. H SPAULDING TURNED SLIPPER HAVING VAMP PORTIONS FREE OF OUTSOLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Filed Jan. 17, 1956 FIG. 4

FIGS

INVENTOR. far/ hi way/aw d Q auntie ATTORNEY United rates Patent TURNED SLIPPER HAVING VAMP PORTIONS FREE OF )UTSOLE Earl H. Spaulding, Wakefield, Mass., assignor to L. B. Evans Son Company, Wakefield, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application January 17, 1956, Serial No. 559,677 2 Claims. (Cl. 36-18) This invention relates to hand-turned house slippers and to the method of making the same.

The invention relates to a hand-turned slipper of novel and improved construction which enables the slipper to be manufactnred'in a novel, economical and efiicient manner to produce a slipper possessing an attractive appearance and which is capable of withstanding long, hard wear.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved method of making a hand-turned slipper in an eflicient and economical manner and by which a superior, more attractive, stronger and more durable slipper may be produced than by prior methods of which I am aware.

With these general objects in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the novel and improved slippers and in the method of making the. same hereinafter described and particularly defined in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the drawings illustrating the present invention:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a slipper manufactured in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a sole marked in accordance with the first step preferably employed in the formation of the present slipper;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the assembly of lasted and stitched vamp and outsole prior to turn- Fig. 4 is a plan view of the assembly shown in Fig. 3 after the vamp has been turned illustrating the structure resulting from cutting back the inseam. stitches in accordance with the present method and with the shank secured to the wing portions of the vamp;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation partially broken away and partly in section illustrating the structure of the present slipper produced in accordance with the present invention; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view illustrating the step of inserting the quarter into position under the shank and wing portions, the components being shown in partially assemblexl position.

In general the present invention contemplates a novel and improved slipper of the type having a hand-turned vamp and a so-called premold quarter and in the novel and improved method of making the same in an efiicient, economical manner. The invention consists in the slipper and in the method of making the same wherein the premolded quarter is assembled in operative position with relation to the vamp, sole and shank thereof in a novel manner. One of the principal features of the present invention is to provide a hand-turned slipper having a premold quarter in which substantially all of the de sirable characteristics of a conventional hand-turned slipper are present and which may be economically and efliciently manufactured utilizing a minimum of skilled labor.

In general the present invention in its preferred form contemplates a novel construction of slipper in which a vamp 18 is secured by stitching 26 to the outsole and wherein the rear portion of the vamp terminates in two wing portions 22, 24 of substantial area which extend inwardly from the marginal edges 23, 25 of the outsole 10 just forwardly of the heel. breast line 19 of the slipper and are free therefrom. In practice the stitching 26 may be cut back to effect freeing of the rear portion. of the wings 22, 24 from the outsole 10.. The forward portion of a premolded quarter 42 underlies the wings 22, 2,4, and such portion is also preferably free from the outsole it). The slipper further embodies a shank piece 28, preferably of fiber board, and which may be provided with a suitable reinforcing plate 27 .on the underside thereof. The shank piece extends forwardly within the slipper beyond said vamp wings 22, 24 and is provided with a heel portion 32 conforming to andv extending into the quarter 42. The shank piece is mechanically fastened to the free portions of the wings and overlies portions of the stitching 26.

The heel portion of the shank piece is mechanically fastened to the outsole 10, preferably by fasteners 29, extending partially therethrough, thus leaving the mid part of the shank piece, the rear part of the wings and preferably the forward part ofthe quarter free from theoutsole 10. During use of the slipper the weight of the wearer firmly compresses the wing portions, the shank piece and the forward portion of the quarter together, and in this manner a tight joint is maintained therebetween which is maintained during the entire life of. the slipper.

In the preferred method of making the slipper the upper surface of the outsole is first provided with guide marks or guide lines 12, 14, 16 in order to facilitate the assembly of the slipper components as will be described.

The outsole 10 is also provided with a channel 17 in its upper surface spaced inwardly from and extending around the front part of the sole terminating at the shank 19 thereof. The first step in the formation of the present slipper consists in tacking the channeled and marked outsole upside down and upon. a suitable last (not shown) and lasting a grain leather and preferably lined vamp 18- inside out over the last, tacking the same to the outsole 10 adjacent the inseam margins 21. In assembling the vamp and :outsole for the lasting operation the ends of the rearwardly and inwardly extending wing portions 22, 24 of the vamp 18 are disposed as close as possible to the guide mark 14 as best shownin Fig. 3. The vamp 18 is then stitched along its marign 21 to the outsole channel 17, as shown, the stitching 26 extending fully to the ends of the wing portions 22, 24. In this manner the vamp 18 is securely fastened inside out, to the outsole 10. The tacks are then removed, and the margin 21 of the vamp 18 except for the wing portions 22, 24 is trimmed to remove any excess leather therefrom. The last may then be removed. The slipper is thenworked on the usual turning iron (not shown) until it is turned right side out in accordance with the usual practice in the manufacture of hand-turned slippers.

The next step in the formation of the slipper consists in cutting the stitching 26 at the wing portions 22, 24. back to the guide mark 12, as illustrated in Fig. 4, to thereby free the rear of the wing portions 22, 24 of the vamp from the outsole 10 in order to permit a suitable shank28 to be attached thereto. The shank 28-comprises a relatively stiff fibrous member of a width slightly less than and shaped to conform to the heel and shank portions ofthe outsole 10 and of a length such that it will extend from the guide mark 16 at the heel portion of the outsole, as shown, to a point a substantial distance forwardly of the. guide mark 12. The shank 28 is provided in its bottom surface with a substantially rectangular elongated metal reinforcing plate 27, the plate being disposed substantiallyof the relatively thick guide mark 16, and the forward end of the shank 28 is inserted into the toe portion of the slipper such that it will substantially overlie the wing portions 22, 24 and the stitching of the vamp 18. The shank 28 is then mechanically secured to said wing portions 22, 24, as by staples 40, in the manner illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5.

From the description thus far it will be seen that the shank 28 provided with the metal reinforcing plate is adapted to form a bridge between the heel and toe portions of the slipper over the shank thereof. The shank 28 and the wing portions 22, 24 of the vamp 18 attached thereto may be readily lifted upwardly away from the outsole to thereby expose the guide mark 12 to permit the forward end of the premolded quarter 42 to be inserted under the wing portions 22, 24 and shank 28 in a manner hereinafter to be more fully described.

The next step in the formation of the present slipper consists in preparing the quarter 42 for incorporation in the slipper. The quarter 42, as best shown in Fig. 6, is of premolded construction of the type which is processed by counter molding machines in various sizes adapted for use in slippers of varying sizes and consists of an outer leather covering 44, a stiff leather or fibrous counter 46 and an inner lining 48 of any suitable material, such as cloth or leather. The premolded quarter is provided with an inwardly turned flange or lip (not shown) to which the tuck 50 is secured. In order to retain the quarter 42 in its desired shape prior to its incorporation in the slipper and to facilitate attachment of the quarter to the outsole, a relatively stilf fibrous tuck 50, shaped to substantially conform to the bottom surface of the wearers heel, is inserted into and secured by staples 52 to the upper surface of the flange or lip of the quarter 42. During this operation the quarter 42 may be somewhat shaped, if desired, by compressing its sides together or expanding the same prior to securing the tuck 50 in position within the quarter 42 as heretofore described. In practice the attachment of tuck 50 in operative position within the quarter may be performed at any stage during the present method of making the slipper. Preferably, however, during production a backlog of completely formed quarters is maintained in order to prevent a delay in the succeeding steps in the manufacture of the slipper.

The next step in the formation of the present slipper consists in the assembly of the quarter 42 with relation to the vamp 18, shank 28 and outsole 10. The forward end of the quarter 42 is inserted under the wing portions 22, 24 and attached shank 28 and substantially aligned with the guide mark 12. When held in this position the opposing end of the quarter 42 will be in substantial alignment with the rearmost end of the guide mark 16. The shank 28 is then fitted within the quarter 42 and firmly pressed upon the surface of the tuck 50 with its heel end 32 disposed against the back of the quarter so as to completely cover the tuck and form a substantially smooth surface therein. The rear portion of the shank 28 is then tacked to the outsole 10. In this manner the quarter 42 is securely tacked to the outsole 10 and the quarter, shank and vamp of the slipper firmly secured in operative relation to one another. A suitable heel 43 is then secured to the heel portion of the outsole by nailing the same through the outsole 10, tuck 50 and shank piece 28, the nails 45 being clinched through the shank 28. In this manner the components of the slipper are firmly secured together.

It will be observed from the description thus far that the wing portions 22, 24 are firmly interlocked between the forward end of the quarter 42 and the shank 28. The shank 28 forms a suspension bridge across the shank portion of the slipper between the quarter 42 and the toe portion thereof such that the weight of the person wearing the slipper serves to further compress the shank 28, wing portions 22, 24 and quarter 42 against the outsole 10, thus substantially strengthening the connection therebetween and preventing the slipper from breaking at this point during use.

It will be observed that in accordance with the present invention the shank 28 is of suflicient width to substantially overlie the wing portions 22, 24 and the stitching 26, as shown, to permit the shank 28 and wing portions 22 24 to be securely fastened together as heretofore described.

In practice upon the completion of the foregoing steps in the present method, the slipper may then be pressed and leveled, relasted and then finished in accordance with the usual method practiced in the slipper manufacturing industry. While it is preferred, in accordance with the present invention, to manufacture the present slipper substantially entirely of leather, as heretofore described, the slippers may be manufactured in part from other suitable materials, such as a suitable fabric or the like.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that hand-turned slippers manufactured in accordance with the present novel and improved method embody substantially all of the desired qualities of lightness, flexibility, comfort and durability of slippers manufactured in accordance with conventional hand-turned methods. The additional advantages include a smooth, wrinkle-free lining and perfect fitting counter in a quality premolded quarter, the manner in which the wings, shank piece and quarter are attached overcoming difficulties which have heretofore been experienced with slippers in which the component parts are attached by cementing or nailing to the outsole. The present slipper may be manufactured substantially more economically than conventional hand-turned slip pers.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed 1. A slipper comprising an outsole, a vamp secured to the outsole by stitching and a quarter secured to the outsole, the rear portion of the vamp terminating in two wing portions of relatively large area extending inwardly from the edges of the outsole and with the rear portions of the wings free from the outsole at the shank of the slipper, the forward end of the quarter underlying the wings and being free from the wings, a relatively wide shank member overlying the wings and mechanically secured to the wings, the rear of the shank portion disposed within the quarter and mechanically secured to the quarter and to the outsole, the forward portion of the quarter and said wings being free from the outsole at the shank of the slipper whereby to enable the weight of the wearer exerted through the shank member to compress and maintain a tight joint between the wings, quarter and outsole at the shank of the slipper.

2. A slipper embodying a vamp, an outsole and a separate quarter, the rear portions of the vamp being free from the outsole, the forward end of the quarter underlying said rear portions of the vamp, a shank member overlying and secured to said free portions of the vamp, the forward end of the quarter underlying said rear portions of the vamp and shank member, the rear of the shank lying within the quarter and secured to the outsole.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 20,280 Miller et al. Mar. 2, 1937 284,066 Rogers Aug. 28, 1883 360,756 Barry Apr. 5, 1887 1,480,278 McLeod Jan. 8, 1924 1,861,844 Dodge June 7, 1932 2,058,215 Costanzo Oct. 20, 1936 2,064,417 Del Rio Dec. 15, 1936 2,065,058 De Liso Dec. 22, 1936 2,145,818 Page Jan. 31, 1939 2,457,082 Fennessy Dec. 21, 1948 2,468,617 Diamant Apr. 26, 1949 2,474,558 Tholson June 28, 1949 2,684,539 Beestrum July 27, 1954

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