Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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SPORTS BOOT MANUFACTURE
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This invention relates_.. to a method. of making a sports
boot.
The type of sports boot with which the invention is
concerned includes sports boots used to play football, rugby,
and many other types of ball games.
Traditional manufacture of football and rugby boots and
the like have used relatively'heavy "uppers" of leather or
other material, and with relatively rigid, and thick soles
joined to the edges of the upper. However, requirements of
modern sportsmen now demand much lighter-weight designs of
boot, with lightweight uppers and soles, but, this imposes
problems not yet fully solved by existing techniques, at least
by modern mass production techniques.
The invention seeks to address this problem, and to
provide a novel solution resulting in easier manufacture of a
lightweight sports boot.
A method of making a lightweight sports boot according to
the invention utilises a relatively lightweight upper of
flexible material, an outsole, and an insole with the lower
edges of the upper secured to the insole and with the insole
and the edges of the upper being secured to the outsole, and
said method comprising:
folding the lower edges of the upper inwardly and
stitching at least part of said edges to the facing edges of an
insole, which are located inwardly of the edges of said upper
and substantially coplanar with the folded edges to form a
midsole, and thereby to form a part-assembly of a boot;
applying the boot part-assembly to a last; and,
securing the outsole to the co-planar sub-assembly on the
last to complete the formation of the boot.
An additional over-liner may be fitted within the boot to
overly the co-planar sub-assembly of insole and folded-in edges
! of the upper.
The securement of the outsole may use any known adhesive
or bonding techniques, and if desired a line of stitching may
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provide additional securement of the outsole to the sub-
assembly.
The mid-sole therefore is located inwardly of the folded-
in edges of the upper at least along the major part of the
edges of the upper, but in the heel region of the boot, the
mid-sole may be enlarged so as to fill substantially the
entire support area within the boot f:or the heel portion of
the wearer.
Accordingly, the invention comprises a method of making
a sports boot having an upper of flexible material which
extends from a heel region to a toe region of the boot, an
outsole secured to a lower edge of the upper and defining an
outer edge of the boot which includes the heel region and the
toe region, and an insole which comprises a rigid board which
runs full length between the heel region and the toe region,
said insole having (i) a heel portion which substantially
fills the heel region of the boot and (ii) a forwardly
projecting portion, in which the forwardly projecting portion
has an outer edge profile which is stepped .inwardly of the
boot edge along a continuous line which extends forwardly
along one side of the boot from the heel region to the toe
region, along the toe region, and along the opposite side of
the boot to the heel region, said method comprising folding
the lower edges of the upper inwardly along both sides of the
boot and along the toe region so as to face and to lie
alongside the inwardly stepped edge profile of the forwardly
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projecting portion of the insole, and thereby to form a
coplanar assembly of insole and facing edges; stitching the
facing edges together to form a boot sub-assembly; applying
the boot sub-assembly to a last; folding over a lower edge of
the upper at the heel region of the boot, so as to overlie
the heel portion of the insole; securing the lower edge of
the upper at the heel region with the heel portion of the
insole; and securing the outsole to the sub-assembly to
complete the formation of the boot.
A preferred embodiment of method according to the
invention will now be described in detail, by way of example
only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is an exploded view of some of the individual
components which can be assembled to form an "upper" of a
sports boot to be made by a method according to the
invention;
Figure 2 is a view showing the components of the "upper"
stitched together to form a closed form of upper ready to be
lasted;
Figure 3 is a schematic side view of a break-open last on
which the upper can be fitted, to be joined to an insole and
thereby form a boot sub-assembly;
Figure 4 is a side view showing th.e upper fitted on the
last of Figure 3;
Figure 5 is a plan view of an insole board which can be
securely joined to the upper, when both are assembled on the
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last of Figure 3;
Figure 6 is a perspective view from the underside of the
boot sub-assembly, comprising the upper and insole board
joined together;
Figure 7 is an underplan view of the profile of the last
shown in Figure 3;
Figure 8 is an underplan view, similar to Figure 5, and
showing the difference in size and shape between the profile
of the last shown in Figure 7, and that of tree insole board;
Figure 9 is an underplan view of the folded over edges of
the upper, when fitted on the last shown in Figure 7;
Figure 10 is a plan view of the assembly of the insole
board to the folded-in lower edges of the upper, but with the
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remainder of the upper omitted fos clarity;
Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view of the boot sub-
assembly, and taken through a forward part of.-the boot, and
showing completion of the assembly to an outsole which is
securely joined thereto; and
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Figure 12 is a sectional view, similar to Figure 11, but
taken through the heel region of the boot.
However, before giving a detailed description of one
preferred example of method according to the invention,
description will first be made of one existing technique for
the manufacture of sports boots, such as football boots. First
of all, an upper is cemented or otherwise secured to an insole
board while it is located on the usual "last", and then an
outsole is cemented to the insole board and to the upper. (The
outsole may be flat, or may be formed with a concave underside
to give a better fit on the underside of the last which is
normally curved across its width). These operations take place
on the last, (after assembly of the "upper" components, and
fitting of the assembly on the last), until the finished shape
of the boot has been obtained, and it is then removed.
By contrast, in the method according to the invention, a
major part of the assembly i.e. a sub-assembly of the boot, is
carried out before it is applied to the last, and then the
completion of the sole assembly to the boot sub-assembly takes
place on the last. By this means, a relatively lightweight and
flexible material can be used in the formation of the upper,
which, after formation in the sub-assembly, can be pulled onto
the last almost like a sock, and then the outsole, usually of
suitable plastics material, is then cemented, bonded,
adhesively or otherwise secured directly to the bottom of the
upper, and to the insole.
Thus, while the boot has an insole board, and an outsole,
the means by which the insole is secured to folded-in edges of
the upper, to form a substantially co-planar sub-assembly,
effectively constitutes a type of "midsole". The stitching
together of the folded-in edges of the upper to the midsole can
take place using any suitable stitching techniques, and before
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R'0 96101574 ~ PCTIGB95I01620
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the sub-assembly is applied to the last. This sub-assembly is
readily pulled onto-the last, and then the formation of the
boot. is completed by securing the outsole to the co-planar sub-
assembly on the last.
Additional securement of the outsole to the sub-assembly
may be obtained by applying a line of stitching closely
adjacent to the outer periphery of the outsole.
An additional over-liner (known as an "insock") may be
fitted within the boot, to overly the co-planar sub-assembly of
midsole and folded-ih edges of the upper.
The midsole is located inwardly of the folded-in and co-
planar edges of the upper, along the major part of-the lower
periphery of the upper, but preferably in the region of the
heel portion of the boot, the insole board forming the midsole
widens-out to form a planar heel supporting area substantially
filling the heel portion of the boot. Rivet, nail, stud and
other means may be used to unite this enlarged heel portion of
the insole board to the sole structure formed by the laminate
of outsole, folded-in edges of-the upper and the midsole.
Referring now to the Figures of drawings, a preferred
embodiment of method according to the invention will now be
described in detail, and which comprise an improvement to the
existing "strobel" technique. Description will first be made
of the formation of the boot sub-assembly from the component
parts shown in Figures 1 to 6, and the method stages involved
in completing the sub-assembly.
An assembled upper is shown in Figure 2 and designated
generally by reference 10, and the main individual components.
of the upper 10 are shown in Figure 1, which are stitched
together to -form the upper 10. The components include toe
portion 12, heel portion 11, side panels 13, U-shaped lace
reinforcement 14 and decals 15. (There will usually be further
components of the upper, but only the main ones have been c
described and illustrated herein).
After the components 11 to 15 have been stitched
together, the upper 10 is formed and is ready now to be lasted,
by being pulled ovei a last, as shown in Figure 3, and which is
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designated generally by reference 16. The last 16 is of the
break-open type, comprising a main portion 16a to fit within
the forward part of the boot and a rEmov~ble.heel portion 16b.
The last 16 therefore can readily be opened, after completion
of the sub-assembly, to allow the boot sub-assembly to be
removed. The last 16 may be attached to a strobel stitching
machine (not shown) to form an integral component thereof.
Figure 4 shows the upper 10 fitted on the two part last
16.
To complete the boot sub-assembly, an insole board of a
rigid material 17 is joined to the lower edges of the upper,
partly by stitching, and partly by cementing or other adhesion,
to give a boot sub-assembly as can be seen from the perspective
view of the underside of the sub-assembly as shown in Figure 6.
The insole board 17 has a special shape, to facilitate the sub-
assembly, as will become apparent from the description with
reference to the further figures of drawings. Figure 6 shows
the folded over lower edges 18 of the upper 10, which are
joined along the major part of their length to the insole board
17 by interlock stitching 19 while the upper 10 is pulled over
the last 16. It will be seen from Figure 6 that the line of
stitching 19 extends along the edges of the insole board 17 in
the forward (non-heel) region of the boot. However, in the
heel area of the boot, the means of joining the insole board 17
to the upper 10 is different, and it can be seen from Figure 6
that the line of interlock stitching 19 stops at a stepped
transition line 20 and which is the transition between the
narrow waisted portion 21 of the insole board 17, and the heel
portion 22.
There has been described above, and illustrated in
Figures 1 to 6, a novel method of forming a boot sub-assembly,
and this operation can take place in the same boot-making
factory at which the completion of the assembly is done, or the
sub-assembly may be done in a separate factory.
Referring now to Figures 7 to 12, there will now be
described in further detail the formation of the sub-assembly,
and completion of the assembly of the boot by securement of an
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WO 96101574 ' PCT/GB95101620
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outsole to the sub-assembly, as can be seen in Figures 11 and
12.
Figure 7 is an underplan view showing the profile shape ,
of the last 16, and the external profile of the underside of
the last 16 is shown by reference 21, whereas Figure S shows
the profile of the insole board 17 and in particular its
smaller size when compared with the profile 21 of the last 16.
Figure 9 shows the folded over lower edges 18 of the
upper 10, on the underside of the lower profile of the last 16,
and Figure 9 therefore also is an underplan view. By contrast,
Figure 10 is a plan view showing the insole board 17 overlying
part of the edge of the upper, although the remainder of the
upper is omitted for clarity. Figure 10 shows the line of
interlocking stitching 19 which runs around the periphery of
insole board 17 forwardly from the stepped transition 20
towards the toe region 23, and then back to the other stepped
region 20. This stitching is applied while the upper 10 and
insole board 16 are fitted on the last 16. However, the heel
region 22 of the insole board 17 is of substantially the same
shape and size as the heel portion of the last 16, and
therefore heel portion 22 overlies the edges 18 of the upper in
the heel region of the boot.
As can be seen in Figure 12, which is a sectional view
through the heel region of the boot, the inwardly folded edges
of the upper, designated by reference 18a, underlie the heel
portion 22 of the insole board, and can be secured thereto by
any convenient means, such as cement, adhesive and/or
stitching. However, in the non-heeled region of the sub-
assembly (see Figure 11), ie along the length of the line of
interlock stitching 19 running between stepped transition lines
20 and the toe region 23, the inwardly folded edges of the
upper, designated by reference 18b, are coplanar with, and
adjacent to the facing edges 17a of the insole board 17.
Figure 11 is a typical sectional view in the non-heel
region of the boot (between stepped lines 20 and the toe region
23 of Figure 10), and also shows in dashed outline 26 a cushion
type of additional liner which can overlie the sub-assembly
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of folded-in edges 18 of the upper and the specially shaped
insole board (midsole) 17. Figure 11 also shows in dotted
outline a_ typical pair of boot studs 27 provided on the
underside of the outsole 24.
The description above is mainly concerned with the stages
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involved in the formation of the sub-assembly, and this can be
carried out in a separate factory, or within one factory as
part of a complete formation of a sports boot.
After completion of the sub-assembly, the boot assembly
is completed by securement of outsole 24 to the sub-assembly,
and this can take place on a last (not shown) and by any
suitable securement technique, eg adhesives, cement and/or
stitching. By way of example, a peripheral internal line of
stitching 25 is shown; which unites the outsole 24 to the sub-
assembly, and in particular to the inwardly folded edges of the
upper and to the insole board 17.
Therefore, in the method of the invention, effectively
the specially profiled insole board 17 forms, in combination
with the inwardly folded edges of the upper, a coplanar
assembly which effectively is a "midsole" and this provides
advantages in the assembly, and also enables a sports boot to
be manufactured on a mass production basis with a light-weight
upper, using sewn-in-sock type techniques previously only
thought possible to be used with moccasin type shoes.
