Shoe sole

Nov. 6, 1934. η. laybolt 1,979,391

SHOE SOLE Filed Aug. 5, 1933

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Patented Nov. 6, 1934

1,979,391

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

1,979,391

SHOE SOLE

Harry Laybolt, Brockton, Mass., assignor to Plymouth Rubber Company, Inc., Canton, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts

Application August 5, 1933, Serial No. 683,788

Claims.

This invention relates to a molded shoe sole of resilient material such as rubber or the like. An object of the invention is to provide a non-slip sole which, while suitable for various kinds of β. shoes, is more particularly for athletic shoes such as shoes for basket ball.

A sole embodying the present invention is characterized by a lateral flange of reduced thickness textending around the contour edge of the ball 10 portion of the sole, and also, if desired, around the shank and heel portions, this flange being of reduced thickness and being flush upon its upper surface with the upper face of the sole. This flange is intended to hold the stitches by which the sole is sewed to a shoe upper. Since the first to wear.

flange is of . reduced thickness, its lower face is offset from the lower face of the sole so that the stitches exposed at the lower face of the flange are thus kept out of contact with the floor and 20 saved from wear. In sewing a sole of rubber or similar resilient material to a shoe upper, and more particularly in sewing the flange of a flanged rubber sole to a shoe upper, the material is liable to creep under the action of the sewing 25 machine, causing more or less gather.ng of the sole at its margin which distorts the finished shoe. According to the invention, such creeping of the sole or flange is obviated by the provision of an uneven lower face on the flange itself.

More specifically, I may provide on the lower face of the flange a series of corrugations or spaced transverse ridges to prevent such creeping under the action of the sewing machine, but the invention is not limited to any specific con35 figuration of the bottom face of the flange.

Another object of the invention is to provide a non-slip bottom surface for the ball and heel portions of the shoe sole. To this end, I mold the sole with the bottom face of the ball, portion 40 substantially covered with small raised rings or circular ridges which surround and define shallow craters, the bottom centers of these craters being approximately in the same plane as the surface areas between adjacent rings, or slightly 45 above such plane. The heel portion of the sole may also, if desired, be considerably covered with similar rings or circular ridges.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a sole of varying thickness such that the thick50 ness tapers gradually from the longitudinal median line of the sole toward both side edges, the taper in thickness from the center of each edge being relatively small but sufficient to cause initial wear of the sole to take place along the longi55 tudinal central portion of the ball and heel of (CI. 36—32) the sole. The taper in thickness from the median line toward the side edges is preferably more pronounced in the shank portion of the sole than in the ball and heel portions. As a result of this, the sole, when on a shoe, gives the appear- 60 ance of an instep arch at the shank of the sole,but at the same time provides a continuous central line of support for the instep of the foot by contact of the shank portion of the sole with the floor along its median line. As a result of 65 the difference of thickness between the mid portions and the edge portions of the. ball and heel of the sole, the circular ridges or rings on the central portion of the ball and heel are the

As these wear down, the circular TO ridges and craters nearer the edges of the ball and heel become effective so that the non-slip characteristics of the shoe sole are retained through a considerable period of wear.

Shoe soles embodying the invention are also 75' characterized by an increase of thickness at the ends thereof, this being for the purpose of offsetting the extra severity of wear which usually occurs at the toe and heel of shoes, especially athletic shoes. 86

FOr a more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to· the description thereof which follows and from the drawing. of which

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a shoe sole 85 embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2—2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3—3 of Fig- ure 1. 90

Figure 4 is a fragmentary section on a larger scale,, this section being taken on the line 4—4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary section on the line

5—5 of Figure 1. 95

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6—6 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a bottom plan of a shoe sole of a slightly different form.

Figure 8 is a section on the line 8—8 of Fig- ure 7. 100

Figure 9 is a bottom plan view of another modified form of shoe sole.

Figure 10 is a section on the line 10—10 of Figure 9.

The sole illustrated in Figures 1 to 6 inclusive 105 is preferably a molded sole having a ball portion 10, a shank portion 11 and a heel portion 12. The sole is preferably made of a layer 13 of soft resilient rubber on the bottom, and a layer 14 of stiffer material, such as a rubber and. fiber mix- no

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