US3378940A

US3378940A - Moccasin shoe and blank therefor

Info

Publication number: US3378940A
Application number: US376748A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jr Richard J Potvin
Original assignee: R J POTVIN SHOE CO Inc
Current assignee: R J POTVIN SHOE CO Inc
Priority date: 1964-06-22
Filing date: 1964-06-22
Publication date: 1968-04-23
Anticipated expiration: 1985-04-23

Description

April 23, 1968 R. J. POTVIN, JR 3,378,940

MOCCASIN SHOE AND BLANK THEREFOR Filed June 22, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig.1- /0 :24 lawezaiofl:

Md JPowz'mJ'n Q9 mihfizm April 23, 1968 v R. J. POTVIN, JR 3,378,940

MOCCASIN SHOE AND BLANK THEREFOR Filed June 22, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.6.

47 lawenfoa Wu? J. P01301622, Jr. by WW'D-W United States Patent 3,378,940 MOCCASIN SHOE AND BLANK THEREFQR Richard J. Potvin, Jr., Brockton, Mass, assignor to R. J.

Potvin Shoe Company, Inc., Brockton, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed dune 22, 1964, Ser. No. 376,743 Claims. (Cl. 36-11) This invention relates to moccasin shoes, and pertains more particularly to improvements in a shoe of the type shown in United States Patent No. 2,859,543.

A shoe upper of the type disclosed in the aforesaid patent has an arcuate toe seam disposed across the bottom of the toe part slightly to the rear of the forward edge, or feather line, of the shoe, and a central bottom seam extending from the middle of the toe seam back to the heel. The toe seam may be closed by sewing from one end of the seam to the middle, transferring the work to bring the opposite end of the toe seam under the presser foot of the sewing machine and proceeding to the middle, then turning the shoe under the presser foot and stitching the central seam from front to back. Alternatively the bottom may be closed by sewing the toe seam from end to end, then moving the Work to bring the middle under the presser foot to start the central seam. In either case two discontinuous seaming operations are required to close the bottom of the shoe. The closing of the seams also requires skillful manipulation on the part of the operator. The closing of this type of shoe is especially difficu'lt in the case of the seamless heel construction disclosed in copending application Ser. No. 355,537 filed Mar. 30, 1964, now Patent No. 3,303,585 because the upper blank is in the form of an upright ring prior to closing the bottom, and is more difficult to insert under the presser foo't than a flat blank.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a shoe construction which, like the shoe described in the aforesaid patent, has a fully closed, smooth bottom, but which can be closed by a single, continuous sewing operation. Another object is to provide an upper blank which insures placement of the forward portion of the seam well back of the feather line so that the stitching does not show after the outsole is attached. Still another object is to provide a blank which is suitable for making shoes with the broad square toe shape appropriate for infants and childrens shoes. Other objects, advantages, and novel features will be apparent from the following description.

The upper blank here disclosed, in one form, consists of a single piece cut generally on a large arc, having a central portion which forms the toe wall, side portions which form the quarters of the shoe and bottom forming portions extending from the side portions. The central portion has an arcuate front edge slightly offset with respect to the center of the blank. One bottom forming portion has a curved bulge in its forward edge, merging to form a shallow notch with the edge of the central portion. The other bot-tom forming portion has a tab extending forward of the central portion and having an inner edge forming a V-shaped notch with the edge of the central portion.

The bottom of the blank is closed by a continuous seam starting at the base of the V-shaped notch. In the finished upper, the forward part has a seam which, viewed from the bottom, looks like a figure seven, in the case of a left shoe, and a reverse figure seven, in the case of a right shoe.

In a modified form, the upper is made from a vamp blank, having the same forward edge configuration as the one-piece upper blank, and a quarter blank which is joined to the vamp blank at the sides. The closing operation and finished appearance of the bottom seam are essentially the same as in the case of the one-piece upper.

Both uppers are completed by a plug, as in typical moccasin construction.

In the drawings illustrating the invention:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a one-piece upper blank made according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the plug blank;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged bottom view of the upper after the bottom is closed;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged side elevation, partly in crosssection, of a completed shoe made from the upper blank of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the quarter blank of a modified form of shoe made according to the invention;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the vamp blank for use with the blank of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged bottom view from the blanks of FIGS. 5 and 6; and

FIG. 8 is an enlarged side elevation of a completed shoe made from the blanks of FIGS. Sand 6.

The blank of FIG. 1, generally indicated by the numeral 10, is cut in one-piece from leather or other material customarily used for shoe uppers. The blank as a whole is disposed on a shallow arc and has a central portion 11, which forms the toe wall,

quarter forming portions

12 and 13, and

bottom forming flaps

14 and 15. The central portion has a curved upper edge 11a to which the edge 16a of the blank 16, which forms the plug and tongue of the shoe, is attached. The central portion also has a curved forward edge 11b.

Bottom forming flap 14 extends part way along the forward part of the central portion and has a forward edge 14a convexly curved from a point A, which lies under the instep in the finished shoe, and merging with edge 11b to form a shallow indentation at point B. Bottom forming flap 15 extends partway along the forward part of central portion 11 and carries a tab 17 which projects beyond edge 11b. The forward edge 15a of flap 15 is also convexly curved in the region which underlies the ball of the foot in the finished shoe, and joins the inner edge 17a of the tab to form a point at point C. Edge 117a joins edge 11b at point D and these two edges define a generally V-shaped notch.

Edge 11b of the central portion is slightly offset with respect to the center line 18 of the blank, being longer from the center line to point D. The length of edge 11b from B to D is greater than the length of edge 17a from C to D, for example, by about of an inch in a childs size six shoe.

The plug 16 is normally sewn to edge 11a of the upper blank before closing the bottom of the: shoe. The bottom seam is sewn on a zigzag machine. To close the bottom, stitching is started at point D and edge 17a is butted and sewn to edge 1112. In the process, the excess length of edge 11b is worked in, without gathering, so that point C coincides with point B, a process known as springing. On reaching point C at the end of the tab the operator turns the shoe and continues stitching to join edge 15a to edge 14a in butted relationship. The turn can be made without raising the presser foot, or drawing any loose loops, as the stitching may follow a somewhat curved path instead of making a sharp corner around the end of tab 17.

When completed, the bottom of the shoe is closed by a continuous seam 20, having a transverse arcuate portion Zila curving convexly toward the forward edge of theshoe, a portion 20b extending through the forepart of the shoe and offset from the longitudinal axis L of the shoe and have a slight convex curvature and a straight portion 200 extending from the forepart to the heel along the longitudinal axis. The blank here illustrated is intended for a right shoe, and the bottom seam, when viewed from the bottom, resembles an elongated reverse figure seven.

of an upper made The spring introduced by drawing in edge 11b causes the central portion 11 to curve under at the bottom, so that seam portion 20a lies well back of the forward edge, or feather line, 21 of the shoe.

The upper is completed by joining edges 12a and 13a to form the heel seam 22. A heel stay 23 is then applied, the shoe is slip lasted, and an outsole 24 attached by cementing or stitching in any well-known manner. It is understood that lining and stiffening pieces, trimming, and eyelets or other fastenings may also be applied in the usual way.

The upper of the shoe illustrated in FIGS. through 8 is made from a quarter blank 30 and a vamp blank 31. The quarter blank has a central portion 32, which forms the heel,

side portions

33 and 34, and bottom forming flaps 35 and 36 extending from the side portions. The vamp blank has a central portion 37,

side portions

38 and 39, and

bottom forming fiaps

40 and 41 extending from the side portions. The central portion 37 has a curved upper edge 37a to which a plug out according to the same pattern as blank 16* is attached. Portion 37 also has a curved forward edge 37b extending from point B to point F. Point F is somewhat further than point B from the center line 42 of the blank. Bottom fiap 40 has a forward edge 40a which is convexly curved from point G to point E where it merges with edge 37b to form a shallow indentation. Flap 41 carries a tab 4-3 extending in front of edge 37b and has a forward edge 41a which is convexly curved toward point H which is the end of the tab. The tab has an inner edge 43a which joins edge 3712 at point F and defines therewith a V-shaped notch. Edge 37b is somewhat longer than edge 43a. The forward contour of the vamp blank is essentially the same as that of blank except that the sides are shortened.

To assemble this upper, the plug is sewn in and margins 33a and 34a of blank are attached to

margins

38a and 39a respectively, of blank 31. Edges 40a and 41a are aligned with the lower edges 36a and a of flaps 36 and 35. The bottom is then closed by a butt seam 44, made by starting at point F and working the excess length of edge 37b to bring point H to point B, then turning the shoe and continuing to join edges a and 41a and edges 35a and 36a. The finished bottom seam has the same configuration as seam 22 in the shoe made from the one-piece blank.

The shoe of FIGS. 5 through 8 is finished in any common manner, for example by attaching a heel stay 45 and counter 46, lasting and applying an outsole 47.

Both forms of shoe are here illustrated as intended for the right foot. The left shoe of a pair is made the same way except that the pattern of the one-piece blank, or the vamp pattern, in the case of the two piece upper, is reversed from right to left. The bottom seam for a left shoe will likewise be similar to those illustrated but reversed from right to left, So that it has the shape of an elongated figure seven. In all cases the junction of the transverse arcuate portion of the seam with the longitudinal portion lies toward the outer side of the shoe, and the longitudinal seam is offset from the longitudinal axis of the shoe in the forepart.

The finished shoe has a fully closed, smooth bottom, with no overlapping portions, except for the junction of the vamp and quarter blanks in the two piece upper. The sole portion which underlies the ball of the foot, in particular, is perfectly smooth and of uniform thickness. The curvature of the convex portions of the forward edge of the one-piece blank or vamp blank can be varied to provide the desired degree of fullness in the toe part of the shoe. The spring produced in forming the forward, arcuate portion of the bottom seam causes the seam to lie well back of the foremost point of the feather line even in a square toed shoe.

The shallow indentation of which the point of the top is matched helps the operator to locate the edges properly when sewing the bottom seam. The closing of the shoe by a continuous seaming operation takes less time than closing a shoe of the type shown in Patent No. 2,859,543, is easier and less tiring for the operator, and leaves fewer loose threads to be trimmed off.

The shoe construction here disclosed thus retains all the advantages of the previously patented shoe, yet can be manufactured more easily and economically.

What is claimed is:

1. A moccasin shoe comprising an upper having a toe portion and bottom-forming portions disposed in edgeabutting relationship, a forward edge and a continuous seam joining said toe portion to one of said bottomforming portions transversely of the forepart of the shoe bottom and rearwardly of said forward edge and joining said bottom-forming portions together longitudinally of the shoe bottom.

2. A blank for a moccasin shoe upper comprising a central toe forming portion having a forward edge, a pair of side portions, one extending from either side of said toe forming portion, a first bottom forming portion extending forward from one of said side portions and having a forward defining with the forward edge of said toe forming portion a shallow indentation, and a second bottom forming portion extending forward from the other of said side portions, said second bottom forming portion having a substantially V-shaped tab portion extending forward beyond the forward edge of said toe forming portion.

3. A moccasin shoe comprising: an upper having a toe portion and bottom-forming portions disposed in fiat edge abutting relationship, a forward edge and a longitudinal axis and a single continuous seam joining said toe portion to one of said bottom forming portions and joining said bottom forming portions together; said seam having a first arcuate portion extending transversely across the forepart of the shoe, a second arcuate portion extending rearwardly along said forepart and offset from said axis, and a third portion extending directly from said second portion rearwardly to the heel of the shoe.

4. A moccasin shoe as described in claim 3, said third seam portion being disposed substantially on said axis.

5. A moccasin shoe as described in claim 3, said shoe having an outer side, said second seam portion being offset from said axis toward said outer side.

6. A moccasin shoe as described in claim 3, having an outer side, said first seam portion being curved convexly toward said forward edge, and said second seam portion being curved convexly toward said outer side.

7. A moccasin shoe as described in claim 3, said upper being formed of a single piece.

8. A moccasin shoe as described in claim 3, said upper comprising a vamp and a quarter attached thereto.

9. A moccasin shoe comprising: an upper having bottom flaps, a toe wall portion, a forward edge, and a longitudinal axis, one of said flaps having a tab portion disposed in fiat edge-abutting relationship with said toe wall portion and the opposite flap and extending across said axis; and a continuous seam having a first portion joining said tab portion to said toe wall portion transversely across the forepart of the shoe bottom, a second portion joining said tab portion to the opposite bottom flap and offset from said axis in said forepart, and a third portion extending rearwardly from said forepart to the heel of the shoe and joining said flaps together in flap edge-abutting relationship.

10. A moccasin shoe as described in claim 9, said tap portion being generally V-shaped.

11. A blank for a moccasin shoe upper in the general form of an elongated strip comprising a central toe forming a portion having a forward edge, a pair of side portions, one extending sidewardly from either side of said toe forming portion, a first bottom forming portion extending forward from one of said side portions, and a second bottom forming portion extending forward from the other of said side portions, said first bottom forming portion having a forward edge merging with and curving in a smooth gradual curve away from the forward edge of said toe forming portion, and said second bottom forming portion having a tab portion extending forward of the forward edge of said toe forming portion.

12. A blank as described in claim 11, said tab portion having an inner edge joining the forward edge of said toe portion at an acute angle.

13. A blank as described in claim 11, the forward edge of said first bottom forming portion joining the forward edge of said toe portion at an obtuse angle.

14. A blank as described in claim 11, said tab portion having a convexly curved forward edge.

15. A blank as described in claim 11, said tab portion having a convexly curved inner edge joining the forward edge of said toe forming portion, and the forward edge of said toe forming portion being convexly curved and longer than said inner edge.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 12/1966 Trachsel et al 36-48 5/1934 Anderson 12.-142 X 1/1941 Medwed 36-11 11/1948 Potvin 36-11 11/1942 Shields 36-11 3/1961 Wolff 36--11 9/ 1911 Mitchell 3647 2/ 1950 Engel 3647 FOREIGN PATENTS 5/ 1906 France. 9/ 1956 France. 10/ 1963 France.

9/1950 Italy.

PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner.