US2994326A - Arch cradle unit structure - Google Patents

Description

` Aug. 1, 1961 N. HACK 2,994,326

ARCH CRADLE UNIT STRUCTURE Filed June 27, 1960 INV EN TOR. NATHAN HACK ATTORNEYS 2,994,326 ARCH CRADLE UNIT STRUCTURE Nathan Hack, 537 San Vicente Blvd., Santa Monica, Calif., assignmof one-third to Morton Hack and of one-third to Leonard Hack, both of Detroit, Mich.

Filed .lune 27, 1960, Ser. No. 38,929 8 Claims. (Cl. 12S- 611) This invention relates to an arch cradle unit structure and more particularly to such a structure as can be readily embodied into either a completed shoe or into a shoe in process of being fabricated.

rIhe invention heredisclosed is related to the disclosure in Hack U.S. application No. 855,827 flled November 27, 1959 and issued as U.S. Patent No. 2,963,800.

The invention involves an arch cradle strip of resilient, cushioning, supportive material disposed transversely of the shoe, and in a second form both transversely and longitudinally of 4the shoe, above the insole within the area of the longitudinal inner and outer arches of the foot and rearward of the transverse arch, i.e. in the area of the heel breast line. The arch cradle strip is arranged with a central arch cradle bridging portion in the open area of the shoe and receiving the foot arch, and two side extensions or lianges at Ithe ends of the strip which are secured to a quarter liner, forming a complete arch cradle unit structure. The unit can then be placed in any shoe, be it completed or in process of fabrication. The quarter liner is stitched in place along and adjacent 'the top edge of the upper structure, adhered to the Side and rear walls of the upper structure and to the insole. The unit is completely independent of the shoe prior to insertion and attachment and can be afixed by any competent shoe repairman.

It is an object of the invention to provide an arch cradle unit structure which can be attached to a shoe. Another object is the provision of a structure that is Iindependent of a shoe, whether completed or in process of fabrication. A further object is to provide a structure that is easily and simply aixed to a shoe.

These and additional objects of the invention and features of construction will become more readily apparent from the disclosure and description given below, in which the terms employed are used for purposes of description and not of limitation. Reference is made to the drawing annexed hereto forming an integral part of this speciiication, and in which FIG. l is a perspective view of a basic embodiment of the inventive arch cradle unit structure.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a shoe containing the structure of FIG. l.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a modiiication of the unit structure shown in FIG. l.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional view, similar to FIG. 3, showing the unit structure of FIG. 4 applied in a shoe.

FIG. 6 is la perspective view of the rear portion of a sandal having an upper unit structure embodying the invention.

FIG. 7 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the arch cradle strip shown in FIG. 6.

As shown in the several views of the drawing, and particularly in FIGS. l, 2 and 3, the arch cradle unit structure 10 comprises an arch cradle strip 12 and a shoe quarter liner 14. The strip 12 is fabricated from an elastic band having rubber or plastic threads interwoven with textile or fabric threads, such as goring. A soft resilient leather or leatherlike material may used. Synthetic yarns and woven materials or non-Woven materials may also be used, i-f such materials furnish the desir-able m.

silient cushioning and supportive characteristics heredescribed. An operative material is a closely woven cotton fabric elastic band having rubber iibers or threads interwoven in the fabric of the band. The quarter liner is preferably fabricated of a tine leather, leatherlike, or closely woven fabric material, suitable for attachment to a shoe by sewing and adhesives.

The arch cradle strip 12 has i- ts ends 16, 16 passed through slots 18, 18 in the quarter lining at each side thereof, the ends being turned down and secured by stitching 20 to the quarter lining 14 on the outer side thereof. In certain cases, the arch cradle ends or flanges 16, 16 are attached to the inside surface of the quarter liner, without the necessity of slotting the latter, by stitching 20. The unit structure 10 is completed with the assembly of the arch cradle strip l2 to the quarter lining.

As the unit structure, tit can now be assembled to a completed shoe or one in the process of fabrication, the quarter lining in the latter instance supplying the quarter lining of the shoe and in the yformer instance doubling the quarter lining in a shoe. To aiiix the structure i0, in either case, the outer surface of the lining or the inside walls of the shoe are coated with an adhesive and the unit structure adhered to the shoe upper structure. This is shown more clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3.

The shoe 24 is provided with an upper structure 26, a shoe insole 28, a shoe base 30, and an outsole 32 and heel 34. When inserted into the shoe Structure, the quarter lining 14 is adhered to the side and heel walls of the upper structure 26 by an adhesive and stitched thereto along the top edge by stitching 36, securing the unit structure y10 iirmly in the shoe 24. The arch cradle strip 12 has its bridging portion 3S disposed substantially in the area of the heel breast line, i.e. within the area of the longitudinal inner and outer arches of the foot and rearward of the transverse arch.

A -modiiication of the unit structure 10 involves the addition of a rearwardly directed and conjoined heel support strip; In FIGS. 4 and 5 is illustrated an arch cradle unit structure 40 having a quarter lining 42 conjoined to and supporting an arch cradle strip 44 comprising a transverse bridging portion 46 provided with depending side anges 48, 48 at either end thereof, and a rearwardly directed, longitudinally central heel strip 50 having a depending end ilange 52. All of the side and end flanges 48, 48 and S2 are tixedly secured to the quarter lining 42 by stitching 20. The heel strip `50 is conjoined to the arch cradle bridge 46 by stitching or in any other suitable manner. The transverse arch cradle end flanges 48, 48 are passed through slots 54, 54 in the quarter lining 42 and secured on the outside of the lining, or alternatively secured on the inside of the lining, avoiding the need for slots.

When installed in a shoe, -as shown in FIG. 5, the quarter lining is adhered to the shoe upper structure 26 and stitched along its top edge by stitching 36, securing the unit structure 40 firmly in the shoe.

A construction similar to that described above and shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 involves the arch cradle unit structure for a sandal. The quarter strap unit 60 cornprises the outer quarter strap wall 62, the quarter strap lining 64, the transverse arch cradle strip 66 having its outer ends 68, 68 stitched to the lining 64 in depending relation to the strip 66 and below the plane thereof. The wall 62 and lining 64 are then stitched together at all edges into .the unit 60, ready for assembly with the sandal base structure 70 according to conventional practice.

It will be understood by persons skilled in the art to which the invention pertains that the unit structures 10, 40 land 60 herein described and illustrated are applicable for use in either mens, womens or childrens shoes.

The transverse arch cradle portions 38, 46 or 66' are elevated `above the plane of the shoe insole a distance suicient to provide a cradle for the foot when the foot is in the shoe. The downwardly directed and secured end flanges serve as piers for the bridging (arch cradle) therebetween. In the T-stem structure 40, the rearwardly directed heel strip Si) lies substantially in the plane of the transverse arch cradle bridge 46'. rI'he elasticity of the heel strip may be the same as in the transverse bridge, or it may be more or less elastic in nature depending upon the particular function which it is required to serve. In some cases, the heel strip may be slightly relaxed in order to provide a lower seating of the heel in the shoe and in ambulation.

The arch cradle strips above described and the quarter lining may also be fabricated of suitable and functionally acceptable plastics or rubber compositions, which can be assembled together by heat sealing or vulcanization. Such materials also lend themselves to die cutting and inexpensive fabricating processes. With such materials the T-stern arch cradle i4 can be fashioned from a single piece of material.

The advantages of the unit structures hereabove described include their application in shoe repair shops of arch cradle units in shoes that are either already in use or completed and ready for purchase. The unit structures can and should be sized for mens, womens and childrens shoes. They are also applicable for use in heavy boots or other footwear constructed without quarter linings, the unit structures heredescribed supplying this feature of construction.

The arch cradle unit structures heredescribed provide additional or required support for the longitudinal `arches of the foot. When installed in shoes, the arch cradle bridging portions provide resilient, cushioning supportive assistance to these arches. The bridging portions, and the T-stem when used, adapt themselves to every contour of the foot arch and heel without requiring any special design. The arch cradle bridges provide side elements, when the foot is in the shoe, `above the plane of the foot arches that tend to oppose rotation of the foot, thus achieving a balancing corrective effect for persons having this tendency. The arch cradle bridging embodies a featherweight foot balancing feature that stabilizes the foot in the shoe without crowding the foot. Another advantage of the structure is to elevate the arch rearward of the metatarsal heads so that pivoting of the foot in ambulation is improved.

Having described the invention in its simplest terms, it is to be understood that the features of construction may be changed and varied in greater or lesser degree without departing from the essence of the invention dened in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an arch cradle unit structure for attachment to the upper structure of a shoe, a quarter lining for said shoe, an arch cradle strip having an larch cradle portion disposed in bridging arrangement` between the walls of said lining, said strip having terminal flanges extending downwardly of the plane of said bridging portion and secured to said walls, whereby when said structure is attached and secured to said upper structure said arch cradle portion is disposed in a horizontal and substantially parallel plane labove the insole of said shoe in the area of the heel breast line, said arch cradle portion providing a bridge between sides of said upper structure.

2. The structure defined in claim 1, and in which said terminal anges extend through openings in said walls to the outside of said lining.

3. In an arch cradle unit structure adapted to be attached to the upper structure of a shoe, a quarter lining for said shoe, an arch cradle strip hav-ing an arch cradle portion disposed as a bridge between the side walls of said lining, said strip having terminal ends extending downwardly of the plane of said arch cradle portion and secured to said walls, whereby when said structure is attached and secured to said upper structure said arch cradle portion is disposed in a horizontal and substantially parallel plane above the insole of said shoe in the area of the heel breast line, said arch cradle portion providing a bridge between sides of said upper structure.

4. The structure dened in claim 3, and in which said terminal ends extend through openings in said side walls to the outside of said lining.

5. In an arch cradle unit structure adapted to` be attached to the upper structure of a shoe, a quarter lining for said shoe, an arch cradle strip having an arch cradle portion disposed transversely as a bridge between the side walls of said lining and a heel portion conjoined to said arch cradle portion disposed longitudinally and rearwardly and between said arch cradle portion and the heel wall of said lining, said strip having terminal ends extending downwardly of the plane of said arch cradle and heel portions and secured to said walls, whereby when said structure is attached and secured to said upper structure said arch cradle and heel portions are disposed in a substantially horizontal and parallel plane above the insole of said shoe in the area of the heel breast line, said arch cradle and heel portions providing bridging between the sides and rear of said upper structure.

6. The structure dened in claim 5, and in which said terminal ends extend through openings in said side and heel walls to the outside of said lining.

7. In an arch cradle quarter strap unit structure for a sandal adapted to be combined with and secured to a sandal, a quarter strap lining, an arch cradle strip having an arch cradle portion disposed as a bridge between the side walls of said lining, said stnip having terminal ends extending downwardly of the plane of said arch cradle portion and secured to said walls, said quarter strap lining being secured and attached Ito the upper structure for said sandal, whereby when said arch cradle quarter strap unit structure is attached Ito said sandal said arch cradle portion is disposed in a substantially horizontal and parallel plane above the insole of said sandal in the area of the longitudinal inner and outer arches and rearward of the transverse arch, said arch cradle portion providing a bridge between the sides of said quarter strap unit structure.

8. The structure defined in claim 7, and in which said terminal ends extend through openings in said side walls to the outside of said lining.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,677,226 Banks `Iuly 17, 1928 2,188,182 Gould Jan. 23, 1940 2,389,148 Grebow Nov. 20, 1945 2,831,272 Sloat Apr. 22, 1958

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