Abstract: A shoe having an insole with a forepart of leather having the characteristics of upper leather and a back part of fiberboard. A sheet layer of foam material, such as microcellular polyurethane, is cemented to the lower surface of the forepart and a foam cushion, preferably molded of microcellular polyurethane, overlies the back part. The back part of the insole has an opening through it and the foam cushion has a central portion that projects downwardly through the opening thereby providing a thickened foam at the central portion to maximize cushioning at the area of the heel strike. The invention is incorporated in shoes of both the welt-type construction and the cement-type construction.

Abstract: A shoe of California construction having an upper with a sock liner, an outsole, and a midsole between the sock liner and the outsole. The midsole comprises a molded polyurethane element having a lower surface of a contour complementary to the contour of the upper surface of the outsole and having an upper surface of a contour complementary to the shape of the bottom of a wearer's foot. A fiberboard backing sheet is bonded to the lower surface of the midsole. A leather wrap extends between the upper and the outsole and surrounds the side wall, the midsole, following the contoured shape of the midsole side wall.

Abstract: An electrostatically dissipating shoe protects against building up of electrostatic charges by dissipating of such charges through controlled ohmic path leakage between foot and ground. The shoe outsole is formed of synthetic material of substantial resistivity, providing overall resistance across it of about 10.sup.6 -10.sup.8 ohms. A flexible dissipating strip of synthetic material treated to be slightly conductive (about 10.sup.5 ohm-cm) overlies the outsole and extends along a major portion of the shoe length beneath an insole, being secured to the insole by electrically conductive adhesive. At least a heel portion of the insole is apertured over the strip. A cushion layer and/or sock liner overlies the insole, being also of substantial resistivity (e.g., about 10.sup.5 ohm-cm), and secured by conductive adhesive, which also fills the apertures for providing a conductive path through them to the strip. The construction creates an ohmic path continuous between foot and ground having resistance of 10.sup.

Abstract: Apparatus for electronically measuring the size of a foot for determining a properly fitted specific shoe size. A light source is arranged to cause an outline of a foot to be delineated upon a translucent panel. Light energy is directed from the panel through photo optic means to an electronic device containing means for inherently discriminating impulses of energy into a distinct white/black status to produce an electronic duplicate of the foot outline. The electronic image of the foot is processed within the apparatus to determine an accurately fitted size of shoe for the measured foot. Video display means is provided so that a customer may view the process of measurement of the shoe size and be informed of the precisely determined size of shoe to fit the customer's measured foot. Specific hardware is provided in the form of schematic diagrams for defining the operation of the invention.

Abstract: A shoe of the moccasin type is made crush- and deformation-resistant toe by use of a premolded box toe stiffener for stiffening the toe region of the shoe upper. The stiffener is of flexible, resiliently stable character, characteristically remaining in or reverting to its original configuration, including an upstanding flange of curved configuration for lying against and providing securement to the corresponding interior surface of the upper. Principal and side tabs extend rearwardly from the bottom edge of the flange for securement to the sole part of the upper, or to an insole. Exterior foot-opposed surfaces of the stiffener are coated with heat-activated adhesive for adhesive securement to said shoe interior surfaces. The flange has a rear, foot-side inner surface devoid of adhesive, being exposed within the shoe. The method of making the shoe involves thermally forming the stiffener by molding from a blank of heat-formable material.

Abstract: Apparatus for electronically measuring the size of a foot for determining a properly fitted specific shoe size. A light source is arranged to cause an outline of a foot to be delineated upon a translucent panel. Light energy is directed from the panel through photo optic means to an electronic device containing means for inherently discriminating impulses of energy into a distinct white/black status to produce an electronic duplicate of the foot outline. The electronic image of the foot is processed within the apparatus to determine an accurately fitted size of shoe for the measured foot. Video display means is provided so that a customer may view the process of measurement of the shoe size and be informed of the precisely determined size of shoe to fit the customer's measured foot.

Abstract: A safety shoe having a closed bottom lining is assembled by a method in which a slip last is inserted into a closed bottom lining and a net-fit upper portion is attached to the lining. The forepart of the upper portion is lasted to the lining after a steel toe sub-assembly is fastened to the lining toe portion. An outsole and heel portion are attached to the bottom surface of the upper after the upper and lining are lasted.

Abstract: A thread cutting device for a sewing machine that will cut threads in a scissor-like action. The device is mounted on a sewing machine pressure arm and can be manually operated. The device comprises a stationary horizontal cutting blade; a pivoting cutting blade is attached to the stationary blade so as to form a cutting field and a finger pressure assembly, having a tensioning means, creates a scissor-like action in the cutting field.

Abstract: An apparatus for feeding fabric in a tensionless and distortion free manner to a fabric treating device. The fabric feeding apparatus comprises a loop forming station, a feeding station and an operator-collector station. The loop forming station continuously forms a tensionless loop of fabric by a pair of driven puller rolls, caused to activate by a signal from a photoelectric combination. The loop of fabric is sequentially fed to a feeding station by the controlled movement of a pin clamping assembly. The movement of the pin clamping assembly causes the photoelectric combination to send a signal activating the puller rolls to reform a tensionless loop. This sequence of pin clamping assembly movement and loop formation causes fabric to be continuously fed in a tensionless and distortion free manner to a fabric treating device.

Abstract: A safety shoe with a concealed metatarsal guard enclosed, with a metal toe cap, and thick padding, between the vamp and the lining at the forepart of the shoe. The guard itself is of a relatively rigid but somewhat yieldable plastic material curved and formed both longitudinally and laterally, overlying the rear part of the toe cap and with thick padding beneath it where it overlies the metatarsal area of the shoe. The guard is designed to spread upon receiving a heavy falling object and thereby distribute the load over the entire area of the guard so as to minimize damage to the foot.