US2982033A - Plastic footwear having contrasting color effects - Google Patents

Description

May 2, 1961 G. H. BINGHAM, .JR 2982 033 PLASTIC FOOTWEAR HAVING coNTRAsTING coLoR EFFECTS Filed March 4, 1958 l United States 2-2. ofte. 1;

2,982,033 PLASTIC FOOTWEAR HAVING CONTRASTING I coLoR 'EFFECTS t i George H. Bingham, Jr., Westminster, Md., assigner to f Taneytown, Md., a cor-r Cambridge Rubber Company, poration of Maryland `This invention pertains to footwear; in particular, to footwear wherein the upperof the? booter-shoe isof plastic or largely of plastic, the plastic VWhich forms the` outer surface at least of the boot being ofjay.lighttrans mittingnature, that is to.say,either'translucent.or transparent, and relatesespecially to a novel method of impartingta pleasingand ornamentaletiectto such footwear,

and to. footwear resultant from the, practice of ,said` -presentmethod i of .waterproof-boots,` it as ,become A In the manufacture I v quite common toemploy asyntheticplastic astheA material of the lupper or top portion Vof,thebootor;,gat leastgfor major portions of theHupper. In unlined boots, a single thickness of pla'sticmayrconstitute theentireskin or outer element of theupper.. In other bootsa'lining eithei-of plastic or of textile material such asostockinet, is3arranged i withiny the plastic outens'kin. Y However,. if Ithe outerskin be transparent .for translucent, .it has not heretofore been arent common to employ such a textilelining since-itrnshows through the light-transmitting outer skinv and may detract from the pleasing appearance soughtobytheuse yofthe transparent materialsl Little, if .any,`att`empt has been illustrated in Figs.,l and 4;

2,982,033 Patented May 2, 1961 ICC Fig. 3 is Va section similar to Fig. 2, but to much larger scale and showing only a portion of the wall ofthe boot; Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic,'side elevation of a sock or lining vmember comprised in the boot of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 vis a fragmentary-section on thev line 5-5 of Fig. `4 to larger scale;

Fig. 5a is a plan view of an ornamental patch such as Fig. 6 is va'diagrammatc, side elevation similar to Fig.

1, but showinga boot of modified construction;

" Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic, side elevation of a sock or lining member such as is used in the boot of Fig. 6; l

Fig.- 7a is a fragmentary elevationy showing a portion of the material of the sock of Fig. 7, but to larger scale, `to show the weave pattern; ,l y c Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, vertical section onthe line 8 8 of Fig, 6 to larger scale;

' Fig. 8a is a fragmentary section on Fig. 8; c v o Y i Fig. 9 is a vertical, front-to-.rear section through a mold, such as may be used in molding a plas-tic boot, illustrative of another method of preparing a boot having the characteristics of that herein claimed;

Fig. 9a is a fragmentary, vertical section to larger scale on the lline 9a-9n of Fig. 9;

Fig. l0, is a diagrammatidsde elevationmgenerally similar to Fig. l, .but showing a` boot of a `further,modi

lied construction; v g Fig. V10a is afragmentary, `verticahsectin,tolarger scaleon the line 10a-10a of Fig. 10; I

Fig. 1l yis a transverse section on the line 1,1f11 of Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic sideelevation showing aboot havingacul. c f v' Referring'ftoFigl, the boot Y20, ,which is a waterproof ybinotand which may be Yof anyfdesired conventionallstyle or' patternl and which has the upperjorjtopzland the Abottom or Ioutersole 22, comprisesan'outer integument 23) (FigslI lay- 2 and 3)cwhosemajorzportion, at least, is'v of made heretoforeft ornament such bootsr other than` the-molding vof the outer surfacefofthe plastic to forint geometrical or other shapes such as ribs, dots, Ydimplesor the like, l d?, o VThe present invention has. for an object the provlSiQn of a novel boot whereby it becomes practical'to embelish the `transparent or translucent upper with designs in color or black andwhite which, whileV inpartinggaY distinctive and artistic appearance to the vupper,,'d,o i'1ot 1aflect thev nish ofhtthe material of theoutermsurfacefnor 'doesl'it producef'any roughness at' the inner `surface lof the boot afwaterproof, synthetic plastico of lightltran'smittin'g"charater,4 that is tojsay, it may be ltransparentbrtransl cent.

This outer' integument lmaybe formedlin accordance" with any` customary practicev inthe 'manufacture of,..plastic boots, for example-by molding vin. a hollow/molifcjnd Ymay herein for` convenience beY ltermed j ,an embryo boot. y The upper of the boot, as illustrated in Figs. 1 Qt',o 5,lj`alsb .comprises vthe linner skin or lining V24 whichljrray" be `l r'nerelyI an internal coating or lm of the same'plastic Yforming they outer-.skin 23 and of the sameor a different such asv mightfcausel snagging vofsheer hosierypr discomfortto thewearer. A further Objectis to provide a boot of the above type which, when worn, exhibits constantly changing variations `in color or pattern effects. A further object `is to provide a boot'of the type; :referred to above, having ornalmental areas in its upper which are so protectedl that they are Ynot abraded or otherwise disgured by wear. ,LA

ffurther object i`s to provide a boot made accorfding tothe above methodand having the characteristics'which result from said method.' O therV and further objects andjadyantages of theinvention will `be pointed out in the following more detailed description and by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: o

Fig. Lis a diagrammatic side elevation illustrating` a boo'tfsuch .as may result from the practice of the present invention; i

Fig. la isa fragmentary, vertical section to larger scale on the line la-la of. Fig, l;

Figa. 2 is a diagrammatic, horizontal sectiononthewline co l` or, but` in `accordance with one desirable mode of procedura this inner skin 24 is formedas an independent "ihso'ck'l24a, as shown in Fig. 4, of a shape and sizl'ejto'fit Ywithin the outer integument 2,3; this sock may be of 'any suitable material desirable for' the purpose, for example Tof asynthetic plastic or, if desired, of textile fabric,` kvAs an incident to its preparation, the vouter surface ofjthe 'sock 24a may be provided with elements ofornanientation,`here indicated by the numeral ,25. ,Such elements of ornament may be formed during the making ofthe en sock `2,4,for example by afsuitable molding operation 'if the sock be of moldable material; but, in"accordance with one desirable procedure, these elements 25;,as' illu'strated in Fig.` 5a, may be cut from sheetimaterial ofthe .desired characterV for example, a plastic, and bonded'jfto.

theouter surface of the preformed sock4 24j by theenipl'oyment of adhesive A, asindicated in Fig. 5'.1"Desir (ably, these elements of ornamentwill be offa color 'different from that of the outer integument 23 and they may or may not be light-transmitting material, asl preferred. The sock 24a, itself, may be of light-transmitting material or opaque material, if desired, but preferably contrasting in colorvwith therelementsofornamentZ. AAlthough the line YSrl-.8a ofl these elements of ornament'may, as above suggested, be pieces of sheet material of -proper shape and appliqued to the outer surface of the sock, they may be formed, for example merely by applying suitable coloring material to the outer surface of the sock, as by the use'of a stencil, orby the application of any other distinctive substancefor instance, metal foil or `the like, or powdered pigment, and united to the surface of the sock by suitable adhesive means. In whatever manner the sock is thus ornamented,

" it is now assembled with the outer integument by inserting it within the latter and then permanentlyY uniting it to the integument 23 by the employment of a suitable bonding material, as indicated at 26 in Fig. la. This bonding material may be applied to any desired part of the sock, for example at an area bordering the top of the sock,

5 leaving other portions of the sock loose relatively to the louter integument 23 so as to be capable of movement relatively to the latterrduring wear of the shoe. If the sock be bonded to the outer integument only at its upper part or at other selected but minor portions of its area, it will move relatively to the outerl integument in response to the motion of the wearers foot and such movements would result in the 'slight separation of the vsock from the outer integumentfas indicated at P (Fig. 8)

land produce varying effects, in particular, changes in the Aapparent brightness of the elements of ornament so as 'to produce a constantly changing pattern efi'ect as viewed ,A from the exterior of the boot.` However, it is contem-5 plated that the entire outer surfaceY of the sock may be adhesively or cohesively bonded to the inner surface of theouter integument 23 in which event the color intensity of the ornamental parts 25 will not substantially change during the wear of the boot, although these ornamental areas will be visible through Vthe light-transmitting outer integument thus imparting a pleasing appearance to the boot.

Instead of employing appliqued or other ornamental areas to a sock, as above described, the sock may, for

example, be of a textile fabric which has an ornamental ae'saoss a background of one color and with a woven-in pattern of another color. The woven-in pattern thus constitutes an element of ornament in the same general sense as the parts 25, referred to above. This sock is introduced into the outer integument 27, being of a size and shape such as to fit within the latter, and is then bonded to the outer integument, for example, by means of adhesive, as shown at A (Fig. 8), so that the sock is permanently united to the outer integument. If as above suggested, the sock be .bonded to the outer integument only alongits upper edge,

the sock is free to move relatively to the outer integument,

except at this particular location, in response to moveintegument be of translucent material rather than `materrial which is completely transparent, such movement has the effect of dimming the pattern on the exposed outer fsurface of the sock so that his pattern varies in intensity, as viewed from the exterior of the boot, with a constant r4variation in intensity at changing areas, thus again producing a desirable ornamental affect. However, it is contemplated that the entire area of the sock may be bonded to. the interior surface of the outer integument 28, if desired, thus producing a boot of pleasing but unchanging appearance.

Instead of providing the inner skin as a separate independent sock, a boot of somewhat similar character may be produced, as illustrated in Figs. 9 and 9a, wherein the numeral 31 designates a hollow mold, usually of metal, whose interior surface is configured to correspond to the desired shape and external surface of the boot which is to be made. In accordance with one desirable procedure, this mold is first filled with a Ysuitable plastic, in liquid form, and the mold is then subjected to a certain degree of heat which causes a layer 32 of plastic to coagulate and form alcoating on the interior of the mold. The uncoagulated plastic is then poured out of the mold and, after the coating has dried for a certain time, which may be varied as circumstances may make desirable, there is applied to the inner surface of this coating any desired element of ornamentLsuch for example, but without limitation, as the elements 25," above described. Since the coating or layer 32 is still in the unfused state, these elements ot ornament may be applied very easily merely by pressing them against the somewhat tacky surface of the coating 32, although,these elements of ornament may first be coated with a suitable adhesive before applying them to the inner surface of the coating 32, if desired.

Having applied these elements of ornament, the mold may again be filled with liquid plastic, which may be of the same kind or color as that first employed or of a different kind or color, and the mold again warmed suiciently to cause` alayer 33 of this second plastic to coagulate and form a coating which 'embeds the parts 25 between it and the outer coating 32.Y The mold may now be subjected to a final heat treatment such as completely [to fuse the layers 32 and 33 of plastic, whereuponthe boot thus produced is withdrawn from the mold. Assuming that the material forming the layer 32 is such as Ato make this layertranslucent or transparent, the ornamental areas 25 will show through this outer integument, .thus .imparting a desirable ornamental appearance to the completed boot. In this event, the inner layer 33 of plastic forms a fulllininggfor the boot. and protects ,the elements of ornament 25 from wear at their inner surfaces as Well as protecting the wearers foot from contact with these elements. If desired, this inner coating 433 may be of nylon which produces a boot having a very skin 38 which may be of any desired material, although preferably of synthetic plastic, and it maybe of any desired color, whether light-transmitting or opaque. This .inner skin 38 is made in the form of an independent sock vaccording vto the procedures first described and is then introduced into the outer integument which is made by ,molding or other operation, and is bonded to the outer integument as indicated at A (Fig. 10a), along its upper margin or at other limited areas so that major portions, preferably, of this inner skin are movable relatively with the outer integument. Assuming that this inner skin be of a color or texture different from that of the light-transmitting outer integument, the motion of the wearers foot would cause the inner skin to separate at varying areas from the outer integument as indicated by the space P1 (Figs. 10 and 1l) so that the general color or shade of .the boot, as viewed from the exterior, will constantly change during the wear of the boot and thus an ornamental appearance is produced even though special, that is, definitely shaped pattern areas, such as the elements 25, are not employed. It is obvious that a boot, such as lthat illustrated for example in Fig. 10, may have any deeral procedure above outlined, may rbe inished in any suitable manner, or by the introduction of an internal back stay, a slide fastener, heel or toe stitener, arch supports or the like, or external elements, for example a cufr` C (Fig. 12) of Vany suitable material and/or color and which may be secured to the upper portion of the leg of boot B at any desired stage in its manufacture and by adhesive, sewing or other type of fastener.

While desirable embodiments of the invention have herein been suggested by Way of example, it is to be understood that the invention is broadly inclusive of any and all modifications falling Within the terms of the appended claim.

I claim:

An article of manufacture, a Waterproof boot comprising substantially coextensive inner and outer layers, said t outer layer comprising an integument of waterproof,

fused plastic having a continuous sole, foot and leg portions adapted to serve as a barrier to Water, at least the leg portion of said integument being light transmitting, said layers being permanently united at the top only thereof, and being otherwise free for relative movement, said inner layer comprising a exible liner carrying elements of ornament permanently joined therewith and visible at its exterior surface and from theV exterior of the boot, said liner being flexible and adapted to move relatively to the outer integument whereby the motion of the wearers foot, during walking, causes free portions of the exible liner to move relatively to the outer lintegument with resultant variations in the appearance of the elements of ornament when viewed from the exterior of the boot.

References Cited in the tile ofv this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 294,020 Eisendrath Feb. 26, 1884 1,756,474 Raymond Apr. 29, 1930 2,271,595 Langendorf Feb. 3, 1942 2,329,209 Manson et al. Sept. 14, 1943 2,423,143 Gottschalk July 1, 1947 2,440,563 Woyach Apr. 27, 1948 2,652,637 Hardman Sept. 22, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,117,565 France ..--4...---.... Feb. 27, 1956

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