Abstract: Footwear, in particular sports footwear, which includes a vamp associated with a substantially flat foot-supporting lower part or sole unit. This latter comprises at least one portion formed of woven composite material having a part positioned in correspondence with the metatarsal region of the user's foot and a part positioned corresponding with the arch region of the user's foot, wherein the part of the portion present in the metatarsal region is flexible and enables the sole unit to flex during the use of the footwear and wherein part of the portion present in the plantar arch region is rigid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the shoe soles of running shoes, particularly to running shoes used in sports in which bursts of speed are required, e.g., the 100-meter footrace or the approach run for the long jump. The object of the invention is to prevent the heel from touching ground during running and thereby prevent a decrease in running efficiency. A shoe sole for running shoes, therefore, has a forefoot portion which is thickly formed so as to allow for fixing of spikes. Behind the forefoot portion, a reinforcing member is provided to fill the region between the ground contact plane which is the same as the forefoot portion and the bottom surface of the last. A lateral rib and a medial rib are provided to the arch region. The lateral rib possesses a gradually inclined plane, the range thereof beginning from the rear edge portion of the reinforcing member provided to the ball region and extending to the front edge portion of the heel region.

Abstract: An athletic shoe designed for kicker's kicking footballs from the ground having a toe portion that extends upwardly with respect to the horizontal plane formed by the heel and instep of the shoe. The toe has a kicking surface that is substantially flat and perpendicular to the horizontal plane of the heel and instep. Furthermore, the kicking surface is as wide as the widest part of the kicker's foot so that slight misalignment to the left or right of center of the kicker's foot with respect to the ball does not substantially affect kicking accuracy. A shank can be provided on the sole and substantially aligned with the kicking surface to prevent toe and ankle breakdown during kicking. Additionally, a last for forming the kicking shoe having the upwardly extending toe area and substantially flat kicking surface at the frontmost part of the toe area. The last also is as wide at the toe area as the widest part of the shoe.

Abstract: A footwear product, such as a rubber boot, has protective plates disposed to prevent the penetration of sharp objects into a wearer's foot. A first rigid protective plate is embedded in the sole, and a second rigid protective plate is disposed to cover an inside side portion of the instep. In combination, the plates prevent penetration of a sharp object into the wearer's foot when the wearer steps on the object.

Abstract: An article of footwear, such as a soccer boot (1) or training shoe has a sole (5) incorporating a stiffener (8;22,23) . The stiffener comprises a first portion (10;22) which stiffens the waist or shank of the sole and so resists transverse flexure, and a second portion (11;23) which both stiffens the fore-part of the sole and provides resilience to cause or assist in returning the fore-part of the sole to its original shape after it has been subjected, in use, to transverse flexure as the result of flexure of the wearer's foot at the ball of the foot. The stiffness of the second portion is less than the stiffness of the first portion. The stiffening (8) may be formed as a unitary body, with the forward end of the first portion integral with or united with the rear end of the second portion.

Abstract: A shoe construction having an upper formed with a toe cap at one end and a heel receiving surface at the opposite end, a molded outsole and shank attached to the upper with a heel connecting the shank into the upper at the heel receiving surface, a single attachment means securing the connection, an aperture in the heel receiving surface and matching aperture in the shank so that a cushion carried internally of the upper is located in the matching apertures to be visible from the exterior of the upper at the heel as an identification of the shoe construction.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for maintaining the tuckboard of footwear in a particular shape. The apparatus includes a tuckboard member made from a sheet of deformable material such as a fiberboard. Retention members are attached to the opposite surfaces of the tuckboard at localized positions such as where the tuckboard has been or is to be deformed. One of the retention members is in compression and the other is in tension. Each of the retention members may be thermosetting or a thermoplastic composite material formed from fibers (preferably non-woven) impregnated and covered with a thermoplastic material. The fibers may be made from a material selected from the group consisting of carbon, glass and aramid. The thermoplastic material may be an acrylic, nylon, polycarbonate or ABS. The retention members help to maintain the tuckboard in a particular shape. The retention members may be initially attached to the tuckboard, and the retention members and the tuckwear may subsequently be deformed to the desired shape.

Abstract: A pointe shoe is provided with a removable stiffening member 19 to enable inter alia the stiffeners of the shoe to be varied according to the characteristics of each chosen member 19, to replace the member 19 when the flexibility of the shoes becomes too great after normal use, and to extend the useful life of the remainder of the shoe.

Abstract: Footwear with an improved arch support including an exposed gripping surface through a window in the outer sole is presented. The arch support includes a heel flange and brace which stabilizes the support between the inner and outer soles and the serrated gripping surface provides the wearer with needed traction for activities such as climbing ladders, horseback riding or the like.

Abstract: Herein disclosed is a prick-preventing shoe, in which is sandwiched between a grounding sole and an inner sole a prick-preventing metallic core shaped to match the shape of the grounding sole and having at least its portion made of a sheet of an amorphous metal. The prick-preventing shoe has its prick prevention and flexibility compatible with each other so that it is advantageous to enjoy the spongy step accompanied by the bendability.

Abstract: A styled shoe construction designed for comfort including a flexible, durable, synthetic outsole member having a narrow heel or tongue portion received in the recess of a styled leather heel. The shoe construction further includes a synthetic fiberboard insole member in which its backpart area is substantially rigid while its forepart area is substantially flexible, is lightweight, breathable, and water-absorptive, and is cement-lasted between the inturned marginal edges of a styled leather upper and the top surfaces of the marginal edges of the outsole member and heel. A highly resilient elongated urethane foam bottom filler is received within the cavity between the insole member and the outsole member, and a heel cushion member preferably of the same material as the bottom filler is secured to the top backpart surface of the insole member.

Abstract: An article of footwear comprises an upper, a flexible metal midsole and an outsole. Between the flexible metal midsole and the outsole is located an internal arch-reinforcement member or "digging-plate".The "digging-plate" may be made of a rigid plastics material, suitably a fibre-reinforced plastics material.

Abstract: A shoe structure which provides a comfortable, lightweight, strong and stable support structure which provides cushioning and shock absorption in the heel and a smooth transition from the midfoot to the forefoot for a high heel shoe. The shoe structure comprises a molded shank member having a midfoot portion and a heel portion having an integrally formed basket for receiving a heel pad, a shank stiffener embedded in the shank member, and an insole board having a forefoot portion and a midfoot portion, the midfoot portion having upper and lower layers between which the midfoot portion of the molded shank member is enclosed.

Abstract: A shoe includes a midsole with an anti-G-force heel capsule that nests in a corresponding aperture in the heel. The heel capsule interacts with an anti-torsion member, the rearmost portion of which lies proximate to the heel plug, and with an energy-efficient forefoot midsole section, thus providing a support and cushioning system that absorbs shocks associated with walking, and also prevents excessive pronation.

Abstract: An athletic type tennis or court shoe wherein spaced apart forefoot and rearfoot sole units are connected together only through a flexible soleless coupling to allow the wearer's forefoot and rearfoot to act independently of each other, wherein each sole unit has a resilient, shock-absorbing midsole, and wherein the sole units are sufficiently thin to place the wearer's foot close to the ground while maintaining sufficient cushioning for the wearer's foot.

Abstract: A shoe sole structure in which a metallic stiffener member having generally the form of an elongated plate is encapsulated within a solid body of elastomeric material. The elastomeric material provides a ground-engaging surface underneath the stiffener member, a foot-supporting surface above the stiffener member, and also provides a toe-supporting portion which extends forwardly of the stiffener member and is free to flex vertically as needed.

Abstract: A ballet dancer's toe dancing ballet shoe is designed and manufactured more simply than conventional ballet toe shoes. A sole supporting shank of the toe shoe has a tip flap at the front thereof which may be folded up to define the front panel of the completed ballet toe shoe. The shank is applied to a male mold member which is inserted into a female mold member cavity and resin is inserted into the space between the mold members for defining a toe box support frame in which the inserted portion of the shank and tip flap are embedded. The shank is comprised of a leather-like material. The completed combination of the shank and toe box support frame are removed from the mold members. A ballet toe shoe upper is fastened to the shank and over the exterior and in the interior, as well, of the toe box support frame.

Abstract: Improvements in protective footwear, including work boots or shoes, are disclosed. The improvements include a new heel filler for the heel portion of the sole, the filler being formed of a light-weight moulded plastic material. The heel filler may be easily located in the heel area prior to the final boot forming step. When a shank or protective mid-sole is to be used the appropriate element is provided with a slot or other locating device which may be secured to a cooperating projection on the heel filler so that the two components may be positively located together prior to the final boot forming step. The boot is strengthened by providing a longitudinally extending rib or ribs in the arch region of the shank or mid-sole. The boot is less expensive to produce because there is less possible wear or damage in the production equipment. In addition there are fewer production rejects and the resulting boot is stronger than prior art boots.

Abstract: A safety waterproof boot of molded plastics material is provided having an integral sole and upper, the upper including a toe portion and a metatarsal portion, a metallic plate provided in the sole portion and extending the width and length thereof and allowing for longitudinal flexing of the sole, a box-shaped rigid toe guard provided in the toe portion, a rigid arched metatarsal guard member extending laterally and having side portions connected to the sole plate, the trailing edge of the toe guard being spaced inwardly relative to the leading edge of the metatarsal guard and the molded plastics material extending between the metatarsal guard and the toe guard having a flexible hinge portion in the form of a reverse fold such that the trailing edge of the toe guard will pivot inwardly of the leading edge of the metatarsal guard when the toe portion of the boot is being pivoted relative to the boot.

Abstract: The invention relates to a ballet and toe-dance shoe with a toe, sole, and flexible shank, whereby the toe and sole are integral. Stiffening means run lengthwise and are connected to the sole.

Abstract: An athletic shoe constructed so as to maintain the wearer's heel out of contact with the ground is beneficial both for training and for competitive uses.

Abstract: Boot or footwear sole structures and assemblies adaptable to various conditions where components are fixed to the sole between the heel and the toe portions of the boot by the forced interaction of opposed bearing surfaces on the components, with supporting areas or bearing profiles formed in the sole on respective sides of an opening that is provided between the heel and toe portions. The components stiffen the sole when assembled, and in addition portions thereof can be specially adapted for particular uses, such as climbing spikes, ice crampons, skates or ski bindings, thereby giving the boot sole structures varied adaptability and interchangeability to various modes of activities.

Abstract: A shoe construction including an upper member preferably divided into two pieces, an upper and a mudguard piece in which the mudguard piece has a pair of depending side portions extending beneath the upper and joined along longitudinal abutting edges between the heel portion and the forepart of the upper member.The method of making this shoe includes slip-lasting the upper member after the upper and the mudguard piece have been secured together, and after the bottom edges of the mudguard piece have been secured. Thus, lasting is facilitated, because only the forepart and heel portions of the upper member need be lasted. Moreover, less attention is required for fitting the upper member about the last since the shape and fit has been substantially determined by pre-securing the bottom edges of the depending mudguard side portions.