[1]United States Patent Office '79,5,864 2,795,864 MOCCASIN SHOE WITH A METATARSAL SUPPORT James P. Giblin, Mlton, Mass.) assignor to E. T. Wright & Co., Inc., Rockland, Mass., a corporation of Massa. chusetts Application June 22, 1955, Serial No. 517,300 3 Claims. (Cl. 36-8.5) This invention relates to shoes and more especially to moccasin type shoes with metatarsal supports. The principal objects of the invention are to incorporate a metatarsal support in a moccasin-type shoe so as to afford foot comfort for those who could not otherwise wear shoes of this type, without detracting from or changin.- its distinctive appearance. Other objects are to simplify manufacture, improve the construction and elitninate the need for welting. The true moccasin is made of a single piece of leather turned up about the foot and sewn to a toe piece by a saddle seam. As herein illustrated the invention applies to a sport or casual shoe, sometirnes called a loafer, made according to the true moccasin method but with the addition,of a nlidsole and outsole. As thus constructed the upper is sometimes described as having a full bottom which constitutes an integral part of the upper and extends beneath the foot and this portion is herein referred to as the "insole" of the shoe. According to the invention the shoe has a bottom comprised of an insole constituted by the bottom part of a fuli bottom upper, a subjacent midsole having a metatarsal mound rising from its top side to which the insole conforms aiad an outsole subjacent the inidsole. The niidsole has a grain surface extending beyond the insole which is coterminous with the outsole and the insole, midsole and outsole are permanently joined. Preferably the midsole and outsole are joined by aloft stitching which passes through the niddsole extension and in combination therewith simulates welting. A pad is interposed between the midsole and outsole to support the molded metatarsal elevation and a shank stiffener is located between the midsole and outsole in such a position that its forward end overlaps the pad. The invention will now be described in its various aspects in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a moccasin upper blank; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a last provided with a metatarsal depression in its bottom; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the upper assembled on the last with that portion of the bottom of the upper opposite the metatarsal depression tacked into the depression; Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the last with the upper pulled over it and the toe plug stitched in place; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the bottom surface of a midsole molded to have a metatarsal mound; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5; Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken on the line 7-7 Of Fig. 5; Fig. 8 is a plan view of one side of a shank stiffener with metatarsal pad fastened thereto; Fig. 9 is a plan view of the opposite side of the shank stiffener with the metatarsal pad fastened thereto; Fig. 10 is a bottom view of the metatarsal midsole Patented June 18, 1957 2 unit including the assembled midsole, shank stiffener and pad; Fig. I 1 is a fragmentary portion in plan view of the midsole unit with a flap covering that portion of the metatarsal pad extending beyond -the stiffener; Fig. 12 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 12-12 of Fig. 10; Fig. 13 is a transverse section showing the midsole unit attached to the insole and the outsole attached to 10 the midsole, relasted and being subjected to sole laying pressure; and Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the finished shoe. As herein illustrated the invention is concemed especially with the manufacture of a moccasin type shoe and 15 with incorporating a metatarsal support therein. Iii accordance with the purposes of the invention, a full bottom upper 2, such as shown in Fig. 2, is provided having a bot@tom part 4, vamp 6 and quarters 8, the latter being joined by a backseam and reinforced with a backstay 12. 20 The upper is placed on a last L specially prepared with a generally triangular depresseion 14 (Fig. 2) at approximately the ball line in the metatarsal area with the bottom part 4 stretched over the bottom ol' tl-ie last aiid with the vamp and quarters drawn upwardly over the 25 sides of the last. Prior to placin.- the upper on the last, howev6r, it is mulled, for example by conditionin,@ in moist air, or by soaking in water so that it is stretchy, particularly in the vicinity of the bottom, and, when the upper is placed on the last, that portion 12a of the bottom 30 4 opposite the metatarsal depression 14 is pressed into the depression and secured in place by tacks 16 inserted near the apices of the metatarsal depression. Tacks 18, 20 and 22 (Figs. 3 and 4) are employed to hold the upper in place preparatory to and during stitching of 35 the toe plug 24 in place. After stitching in the toe plug the completed upper is removed from the last preparatory to attaching the midsole unit. By tacking the area 12a into the depression during stretching of the upper over the la@t and stitching the toe plug in place the bot40 tom is not allowed to be drawn taut across the depression, hence a slackness or fullness is left at the metatarsal area for receiving and takin.- the shape of the me,atarsal support or mound when the shoe is removed @rom the last -and the midsole unit attached, as will subsequently 45 appear. The midsole 26 (Fig. 5) is premolded so that its forepart is generally concave, both longitudinally and transversely (Figs. 6 and 7) and so that it has projecitng upwai'dly from its upper side (Fig. 6) a convex metatarsal 60 mound 28 which is generally of the same triangular shape as that provided in the bottom of the last and is located at about the ball line. The shank is transversely concave and the heel part substantially flat. The upper side of the midsole unit has an overal . I grain 55 surface 27 which extends all the way to its edge, and as will appear hereinafter the grain surface at the marginal edge of the n-iidsole Nvill constitute the upwardly facing visible edge extension or ffange in the finished shoe. 60 A substantially triangular metatarsal pad 30 of suitable material is provided for filling the depression at the I bottom side of the midsole element and is secured therp-- in by a blind rivet 32 (Fig. 12). Before affixing the metatarsal pad 30 in place a shank stiffener 34 (Figs. 8 65 and 9) is attached to it by inserting the teeth 36 at its forward end (Fig. 12) into the p,ad and then fastening it to the pad by rivets 38. The shank and pad are fastened to the bottom, that is the flesh side of the midsole, by rivets 40 at the rear end of the shank and by the rivet 70 32 referred to above. Preferably, a strip of adhesive tape 42 (Fig. 10) is placed between the shank stiffener and the bottom of the unit for anti-squeaking purposes,
[2]3 In order to make the transition from the end of the stiffener to the surface of the midsole ahead of it less abrupt, a thin leather flap 31-is adhesively fastened to the pad 30 with, an eqge substantially abutting the. end of the shank stiffener. The forward edge of the flap,.31 is generally oval-shaped iand: overlaps the ' p4d.-30 @so that it adheres to the surface of the midsole bordering the depression. The midsole, together with the pad and stiffener, is then fastened to the insole by single or double lines of stitching 44 (Fig. 13) whereupon an outsole 46 is fastendd to the marginal edge of the midsole by a line of aloft stitching 48 Ahich extends through the upper.surface of the midsole and is visible therealong. The:completely assembled shoe is then -relasted ,as shown in@ Fig. 13, and sole laying pressure is appjied@by means of cQnve.ntional apparatus, fouowed by @ leveling prf-Ssure, appued, for e-xample bv a roller 50, - the appred @ pressure flattening the bottom against the last and forcing the premolded midsole inwardly against-the,,ball portion of the insole 4 so that the latter which, @as previously described, has been mulled or wetted, will be squeezed bdt,,veen the stiff outsole and the last bottom iand hence will take an accurate impression of the inner surface of the mi@dsole and of the metatarsal mouiad. ,The,.shoe is@,al_ lowed to dry on thd last after sole laying pressure has been applied so that the impression imparted to the insole by the sole layin.- pressure wiUbe@permanent. As thus constt-ucted the marginal edge of the midsole constitutes the flange of the shoe, and since it has a grain surface, as pointed oiit above, the:stitch indentations 52 made in the -upper surface.of the midsole,when attaching the outsole to it will be clean..and permanent and will give the appearance of a welt shoe construction. While the manufacture has been described with reference to making moccasin shoes, it is conceivable, of course, that the same or equivalent method could be used in other than moccasin shoes, and, accordingly, it is regarded to be within the scope of the iniention to apply th6 method in the manufacture of any shoes with which it may be used to advantage. It should be understood that the present disclosure is 2,795,864 4 for the purpose of Mustration only and that this inveniion indud-es all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appendedclaiins. I
