Recessed last and method of lasting and molding a shoe sole to upper including positioning insole in recessed last

Claim 1

A process of making an article of footwear comprising: positioning a last with its sole-surface facing upwardly; placing an insole into a correspondingly contoured and dimensioned recess provided at the sole-surface of the last, said recess defining a wall surrounding the peripheral edge of the insole for peripherally engaging the insole so as to prevent lateral movement of said insole with respect to said last; positioning an upper on said last with the sole-engaging margin of the lasted upper extending inwardly beyond the walls of said recess into overlying relation with the margin of said insole; inverting the lasted upper so that its sole-surface faces downwardly, said insole being retained in said recess solely by said sole-engaging margin of said upper and accurately located with respect to said upper by the peripheral engagement with the wall of said recess; placing the lasted upper and retained insole into a mold cavity with the insole facing downwardly, and forming in said mold cavity an outsole adhering both to said insole and to the bottom of said lasted upper, said step of forming the outsole comprising molding an outsole to said upper and to said insole in said mold cavity while peripherally engaging and positively locating the insole relative to the lasted upper during the molding operation without the need for additional fastening means.

Claim 3

The method of making a shoe with an insole and an outsole, the latter being comprised of an elastomer, comprising supporting the insole on the bottom of a last, providing an upper with a lasting string along its lasting margin, placing the upper on the last with its lasting margin projecting upwardly from the bottom, holding the margin spaced from the edge of the insole, drawing said lasting string tight to pull the lasting margin inwardly over the bottom of the insole while holding the margin spaced from the edge of the insole, supporting said string-lasted upper in engagement with a mold containing a cavity corresponding in dimensions to the outsole to be applied, and injecting an elastomeric bottom-forming composition into said cavity against the insole and lasting margin.

Claim 4

The method of making a shoe with an insole and an outsole, the latter being comprised of an elastomer, comprising supporting the insole on the bottom of a last, providing an upper with a lasting string along its lasting margin, placing the upper on the last with its lasting margin projecting upwardly from the bottom, holding the margin spaced from the edge of the insole, drawing said lasting string tight to pull the lasting margin inwardly over the bottom of the insole while holding the margin spaced from the edge of the insole, supporting said string-lasted upper in engagement with a mold containing a cavity corresponding in dimensions to the outsole to be applied, and injecting an elastomeric bottom-forming composition into said cavity against the insole and lasting margin.

Claim 6

The method of making a shoe with an insole and an outsole, the latter being comprised of an elastomer, comprising supporting the insole on the bottom of a last, providing an upper with a lasting string along its lasting margin, placing the upper on the last with its lasting margin projecting upwardly from the bottom, providing spacing means between the edge face of the insole at the inner side of the upwardly projecting lasting margin for holding the lasting margin spaced from the edge of the insole, drawing the lasting string tight to pull the lasting margin inwardly over the bottom while held out of engagement with the edge face of the insole, supporting the lasted upper in engagement with a mold containing a cavity corresponding in dimensions to the outsole to be applied, and injecting an elastomeric bottom-forming composition into the cavity against the insole and surrounding lasting margin.

Claim 7

The method of making a shoe with an insole and an outsole, the latter being comprised of an elastomer, comprising supporting the insole on the bottom of a last, providing an upper with a lasting string along its lasting margin, placing the upper on the last with its lasting margin projecting upwardly from the bottom, providing spacing means between the edge face of the insole at the inner side of the upwardly projecting lasting margin for holding the lasting margin spaced from the edge of the insole, drawing the lasting string tight to pull the lasting margin inwardly over the bottom while held out of engagement with the edge face of the insole, supporting the lasted upper in engagement with a mold containing a cavity corresponding in dimensions to the outsole to be applied, and injecting an elastomeric bottom-forming composition into the cavity against the insole and surrounding lasting margin.

Claim 8

The method of making a shoe with an insole and an outsole, the latter being comprised of an elastomer, comprising placing the insole on the bottom of a last, providing an upper with a lasting string along its lasting margin, mounting the upper on the last with its lasting margin projecting upwardly from the bottom, providing means at the edge of the last bottom between the edge face of the insole at the inner side of the upstanding lasting margin for constraining the insole against lateral movement on the bottom and for holding the lasting margin away from said edge face, drawing the lasting string tight to pull the lasting margin inwardly over the top of said means onto the insole while held out of engagement with the edge face by said means, supporting the lasted upper in engagement with a mold containing a cavity corresponding to the dimensions of the outsole to be applied, and injecting an elastomeric bottom-forming composition into the cavity against the insole and the lasting margin.

Claim 9

The method of making a shoe with an insole and an outsole, the latter being comprised of an elastomer, comprising placing the insole on the bottom of a last, providing an upper with a lasting string along its lasting margin, mounting the upper on the last with its lasting margin projecting upwardly from the bottom, providing means at the edge of the last bottom between the edge face of the insole at the inner side of the upstanding lasting margin for constraining the insole against lateral movement on the bottom and for holding the lasting margin away from said edge face, drawing the lasting string tight to pull the lasting margin inwardly over the top of said means onto the insole while held out of engagement with the edge face by said means, supporting the lasted upper in engagement with a mold containing a cavity corresponding to the dimensions of the outsole to be applied, and injecting an elastomeric bottom-forming composition into the cavity against the insole and the lasting margin.

Claim 10

The method of string-lasting an upper onto an insole supported on a last for making a shoe provided with an insole and an elastomeric outsole, comprising placing the insole on the bottom of the last, providing an upper with a lasting string along its lasting margin, mounting the upper on the last with its lasting margin projecting upwardly from the bottom, holding the inner side of the lasting margin spaced from the edge of the insole, and while so holding the lasting margin spaced from the edge of the insole drawing the lasting string tight to pull the lasting margin inwardly onto the bottom of the insole.

Claim 11

The method of string-lasting an upper onto an insole supported on a last for making a shoe provided with an insole and an elastomeric outsole, comprising placing the insole on the bottom of the last, providing an upper with a lasting string along its lasting margin, mounting the upper on the last with its lasting margin projecting upwardly from the bottom, holding the inner side of the lasting margin spaced from the edge of the insole, and while so holding the lasting margin spaced from the edge of the insole drawing the lasting string tight to pull the lasting margin inwardly onto the bottom of the insole.

Claim 12

The method of string-lasting an upper onto an insole supported on a last preparatory to making a shoe with an insole and an elastomeric outsole, comprising placing the insole on the bottom of the last, providing an upper with a lasting string along its lasting margin, placing the upper on the last with the lasting margin projecting upwardly from the bottom, providing at the edge of the last bottom a spacing member having a smooth outer surface forming a continuation of the side surface of the last, a smooth top surface substantially flush with said exposed surface of the insole, and an inner surface of a configuration such as to have contact with the edge face of the insole, and drawing the lasting string tight to pull the lasting margin inwardly over said spacer onto the exposed surface of the insole.

Claim 13

The method of string-lasting an upper onto an insole supported on a last preparatory to making a shoe with an insole and an elastomeric outsole, comprising placing the insole on the bottom of the last, providing an upper with a lasting string along its lasting margin, placing the upper on the last with the lasting margin projecting upwardly from the bottom, providing at the edge of the last bottom a spacing member having a smooth outer surface forming a continuation of the side surface of the last, a smooth top surface substantially flush with said exposed surface of the insole, and an inner surface of a configuration such as to have contact with the edge face of the insole, and drawing the lasting string tight to pull the lasting margin inwardly over said spacer onto the exposed surface of the insole.

Claim 14

The method of string-lasting an upper to an insole supported on a last preparatory to making a shoe with an insole and an elastomeric outsole, comprising placing an adhesive-coated insole on the bottom of the last with the adhesive-coated side exposed, providing an upper with a lasting string along its lasting margin, mounting the upper on the last with its lasting margin projecting upwardly from the bottom of the last, and while holding the lasting margin spaced from the edge face of the insole drawing the lasting string tight to pull the lasting margin inwardly over the exposed surface of the insole.

Claim 15

The method of string-lasting an upper to an insole supported on a last preparatory to making a shoe with an insole and an elastomeric outsole, comprising placing an adhesive-coated insole on the bottom of the last with the adhesive-coated side exposed, providing an upper with a lasting string along its lasting margin, mounting the upper on the last with its lasting margin projecting upwardly from the bottom of the last, and while holding the lasting margin spaced from the edge face of the insole drawing the lasting string tight to pull the lasting margin inwardly over the exposed surface of the insole.

Claim 16

The method of string-lasting an upper onto an insole supported on a last preparatory to making a shoe with an insole and an elastomeric outsole, comprising providing a last with an upstanding lip projecting from its bottom, said lip defining a cavity at the bottom corresponding in shape and depth to the shape and thickness of the insole, said lip having an outer surface forming a continuation of the side surface of the last and a top surface substantially flush with the exposed surface of the insole, placing the insole within said cavity and string-lasting an upper to the last to draw the lasting margin inwardly over the exposed surface of the insole.

Claim 17

The method of string-lasting an upper onto an insole supported on a last preparatory to making a shoe with an insole and an elastomeric outsole, comprising providing a last with an upstanding lip projecting from its bottom, said lip defining a cavity at the bottom corresponding in shape and depth to the shape and thickness of the insole, said lip having an outer surface forming a continuation of the side surface of the last and a top surface substantially flush with the exposed surface of the insole, placing the insole within said cavity and string-lasting an upper to the last to draw the lasting margin inwardly over the exposed surface of the insole.