Improvements in the manufacture of molds for footwear

Claim 1

A method of making a mold element having a mold cavity for molding a footwear sole comprising the steps of a. forming a prototype having an upper surface, a lower surface and side surfaces conforming to the shape of the sole which is to be produced by molding, b. securing a face plate, which is deformable to the longitudinal curvature of the upper surfaces of the prototype and having a length and width which is greater than the length and width of the prototype, to the prototype in a position overlying the prototype and projecting laterally therefrom to form a lip having a lower surface extending about the prototype, c. rendering the lower surface of the lip and the lower and side surfaces of the prototype electrically sensitive by applying a coating of an electrically conductive material thereto, d. electroplating the electrically sensitive areas with a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, zinc and tin to form a metal shell consisting of a main body portion and a flange projecting laterally therefrom, said main body portion having an inner surface formed to provide a cavity conforming to the shape of the lower and side surfaces of the prototype, said main body portion and said flange having an outer surface, e. forming a reinforcing backing on said outer surface of said main body portion and said flange by molding a body of settable material thereon, f. removing said face plate and prototype to expose said cavity, and g. forming a complementary closure mold element for closing said female mold element during molding of said footwear sole.

Claim 2

A method of making a mold element having a mold cavity for molding a footwear sole comprising the steps of a. forming a prototype having an upper surface, a lower surface and side surfaces conforming to the shape of the sole which is to be produced by molding, b. securing a face plate, which is deformable to the longitudinal curvature of the upper surfaces of the prototype and having a length and width which is greater than the length and width of the prototype, to the prototype in a position overlying the prototype and projecting laterally therefrom to form a lip having a lower surface extending about the prototype, c. rendering the lower surface of the lip and the lower and side surfaces of the prototype electrically sensitive by applying a coating of an electrically conductive material thereto, d. electroplating the electrically sensitive areas with a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, zinc and tin to form a metal shell consisting of a main body portion and a flange projecting laterally therefrom, said main body portion having an inner surface formed to provide a cavity conforming to the shape of the lower and side surfaces of the prototype, said main body portion and said flange having an outer surface, e. forming a reinforcing backing on said outer surface of said main body portion and said flange by molding a body of settable material thereon, f. removing said face plate and prototype to expose said cavity, and g. forming a complementary closure mold element for closing said female mold element during molding of said footwear sole.

Claim 7

A method of making a mold consisting of a male and female element for molding a footwear sole comprising the steps of a. forming a prototype having a lower surface, side surfaces and an upper surface conforming to the shape of the sole which is to be produced by molding, b. securing a face plate having a length and width which is greater than that of the upper surface of the prototype to the prototype in a position overlying the upper surface thereof to obscure the upper surface of the prototype and to project laterally therefrom to form a lip having an under surface extending about the prototype, c. rendering the lower surface of the lip and the lower outside surfaces of the prototype electrically sensitive by applying a coating of an electrically conductive material thereto, d. electroplating the electrically sensitive areas with a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, zinc or tin to form a metal shell consisting of a main body portion and a flange projecting laterally therefrom, said main body portion having an inner surface formed to provide a cavity conforming to the shape of the lower and side surfaces of the prototype and an outer surface, said flange projecting laterally from the upper edge of said main body portion and having an inner and outer surface coextensive with the inner and outer surface of said main body portion, e. forming a reinforcing backing on said outer surface of said main body portion and said flange by molding a body of settable material thereon, f. removing said face plate and coating said inner surface of said flange and said upper surface of said prototype with a release agent, g. forming a male mold to the contour of said inner surface of said flange and said upper surface of said prototype by molding a body of settable material thereon, h. separating said male and female molds and removing said prototype to expose said cavity of said shell.

Claim 8

A method of making a mold consisting of a male and female element for molding a footwear sole comprising the steps of a. forming a prototype having a lower surface, side surfaces and an upper surface conforming to the shape of the sole which is to be produced by molding, b. securing a face plate having a length and width which is greater than that of the upper surface of the prototype to the prototype in a position overlying the upper surface thereof to obscure the upper surface of the prototype and to project laterally therefrom to form a lip having an under surface extending about the prototype, c. rendering the lower surface of the lip and the lower outside surfaces of the prototype electrically sensitive by applying a coating of an electrically conductive material thereto, d. electroplating the electrically sensitive areas with a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, zinc or tin to form a metal shell consisting of a main body portion and a flange projecting laterally therefrom, said main body portion having an inner surface formed to provide a cavity conforming to the shape of the lower and side surfaces of the prototype and an outer surface, said flange projecting laterally from the upper edge of said main body portion and having an inner and outer surface coextensive with the inner and outer surface of said main body portion, e. forming a reinforcing backing on said outer surface of said main body portion and said flange by molding a body of settable material thereon, f. removing said face plate and coating said inner surface of said flange and said upper surface of said prototype with a release agent, g. forming a male mold to the contour of said inner surface of said flange and said upper surface of said prototype by molding a body of settable material thereon, h. separating said male and female molds and removing said prototype to expose said cavity of said shell.

Claim 10

A method of making a mold for molding footwear comprising the steps of a. forming a prototype having an upper surface, a lower surface, side surfaces and an upper surface conforming to the shape of the sole which is to be produced by molding, the upper surface having a longitudinal curvature, b. securing a face plate, which is deformable to the longitudinal curvature of the upper surface of the prototype and having a length and width which is greater than that of the prototype, to the prototype in a position overlying the upper surface of the prototype to secure the upper surface of the prototype and project laterally therefrom to form a lip having an under surface extending about the prototype, c. rendering the lower surface of the lip and the lower and side surfaces of the prototype electrically sensitive by applying a coating of an electrically conductive material thereto, d. plating the electrically sensitive areas with one or more metals selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, zinc and tin to form a metal shell consisting of a main body portion and a flange projecting laterally therefrom, said main body portion having an inner surface formed to provide a cavity conforming to the shape of the lower and side surfaces of the prototype and an outer surface, said flange having inner and outer surfaces coextensive with the inner and outer surfaces of said main body portion, e. mounting Said metal shell with said prototype and with or without said face plate attached thereto in a mold housing with said outer surfaces of said main body portion and said flange spaced inwardly from one open end of said mold housing and said inner surface of said flange and said upper surface of said prototype spaced inwardly from a second open end of said mold housing, the side edges of said flange extending to the side walls of said housing and dividing the mold housing into two distinct compartments, f. loading said one open end to fill one of said compartments of said mold housing with a settable reinforcing material and allowing said material to set to form a reinforcing backing which is secured to said shell, g. coating the upper surface of said prototype and the inner surface of said flange with a release agent, h. loading said second open end of said mold housing to fill the other of said compartments of said housing with a settable reinforcing material and allowing said material to set to conform to the shape of said upper surface of said prototype and said inner surface of said flange, i. opening said mold set and removing said prototype to expose said cavity of said shell.

Claim 11

A method of making a mold for molding footwear comprising the steps of a. forming a prototype having an upper surface, a lower surface, side surfaces and an upper surface conforming to the shape of the sole which is to be produced by molding, the upper surface having a longitudinal curvature, b. securing a face plate, which is deformable to the longitudinal curvature of the upper surface of the prototype and having a length and width which is greater than that of the prototype, to the prototype in a position overlying the upper surface of the prototype to secure the upper surface of the prototype and project laterally therefrom to form a lip having an under surface extending about the prototype, c. rendering the lower surface of the lip and the lower and side surfaces of the prototype electrically sensitive by applying a coating of an electrically conductive material thereto, d. plating the electrically sensitive areas with one or more metals selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, zinc and tin to form a metal shell consisting of a main body portion and a flange projecting laterally therefrom, said main body portion having an inner surface formed to provide a cavity conforming to the shape of the lower and side surfaces of the prototype and an outer surface, said flange having inner and outer surfaces coextensive with the inner and outer surfaces of said main body portion, e. mounting Said metal shell with said prototype and with or without said face plate attached thereto in a mold housing with said outer surfaces of said main body portion and said flange spaced inwardly from one open end of said mold housing and said inner surface of said flange and said upper surface of said prototype spaced inwardly from a second open end of said mold housing, the side edges of said flange extending to the side walls of said housing and dividing the mold housing into two distinct compartments, f. loading said one open end to fill one of said compartments of said mold housing with a settable reinforcing material and allowing said material to set to form a reinforcing backing which is secured to said shell, g. coating the upper surface of said prototype and the inner surface of said flange with a release agent, h. loading said second open end of said mold housing to fill the other of said compartments of said housing with a settable reinforcing material and allowing said material to set to conform to the shape of said upper surface of said prototype and said inner surface of said flange, i. opening said mold set and removing said prototype to expose said cavity of said shell.

Claim 12

A method of forming a mold for use in the simultaneous molding of a pair of footwear soles comprising the steps of a. forming a pair of complementary sole prototypes, each having a lower surface, side surfaces and an upper surface conforming to the shape of one of the soles which is to be produced by molding, b. securing a face plate having a length and width which is greater than that of the upper surface of the prototypes to each phototype in a position overlying the upper surface thereof and projecting laterally therefrom to form a lip having an under surface extending about each prototype, c. rendering the lower surfaces of the lip and the lower and side surfaces of the pattern of each set electrically sensitive by applying a coating of electrically conductive material thereto, d. plating the electrically sensitive areas with a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, zinc to form a pair of metal shells consisting of a main body portion and a flange portion projecting laterally therefrom, said main body portion having an inner surface formed to provide a cavity conforming to the shape of the lower and side surfaces of the prototype and an outer surface, said flange having an inner and outer surface coextensive with the inner and outer surfaces of said main body portion, e. forming a reinforcing backing on the outer surface of said main body portion and said flange of each shell by molding a body of suitable material thereon to provide two female mold elements, f. removing said face plates to expose the upper surface of each of said prototypes and said flange, g. placing said female molds closely adjacent to one another with the upper faces of said prototypes facing one another and at least partially enclosing said space formed therebetween, h. filling the space formed between said molds with a readily moldable material capable of being molded at a low temperature and allowing said material to set to the contour of the upper surfaces of each of said prototypes and their respective flanges to form a core pattern, and i. thereafter removing the core pattern and prototypes to provide a core for use with said two female molds.

Claim 13

A method of forming a mold for use in the simultaneous molding of a pair of footwear soles comprising the steps of a. forming a pair of complementary sole prototypes, each having a lower surface, side surfaces and an upper surface conforming to the shape of one of the soles which is to be produced by molding, b. securing a face plate having a length and width which is greater than that of the upper surface of the prototypes to each phototype in a position overlying the upper surface thereof and projecting laterally therefrom to form a lip having an under surface extending about each prototype, c. rendering the lower surfaces of the lip and the lower and side surfaces of the pattern of each set electrically sensitive by applying a coating of electrically conductive material thereto, d. plating the electrically sensitive areas with a metal selected from the group consisting of nickel, copper, zinc to form a pair of metal shells consisting of a main body portion and a flange portion projecting laterally therefrom, said main body portion having an inner surface formed to provide a cavity conforming to the shape of the lower and side surfaces of the prototype and an outer surface, said flange having an inner and outer surface coextensive with the inner and outer surfaces of said main body portion, e. forming a reinforcing backing on the outer surface of said main body portion and said flange of each shell by molding a body of suitable material thereon to provide two female mold elements, f. removing said face plates to expose the upper surface of each of said prototypes and said flange, g. placing said female molds closely adjacent to one another with the upper faces of said prototypes facing one another and at least partially enclosing said space formed therebetween, h. filling the space formed between said molds with a readily moldable material capable of being molded at a low temperature and allowing said material to set to the contour of the upper surfaces of each of said prototypes and their respective flanges to form a core pattern, and i. thereafter removing the core pattern and prototypes to provide a core for use with said two female molds.