Did You Know...
...that Charles Goodyear performed some of his experiments on rubber while in debtor's prison? He was there so often he referred to it as his "hotel". Chronically in debt because of poor business sense and ill health, Goodyear depended on the generosity of friends and family. Even after he unlocked the secret to vulcanizing rubber, he was unable to improve his financial situation. When he died, his estate was $200,000 in debt.
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 6564465 | High performance foot bed for sports equipment A system for creating at least one foot insert for an individual using a neutralizer 10, a levelor 40, and a sled 60. The neutralizer has a housing, protractor, and an angularly adjustable plate capable of supporting the foot. The neutralizer is adapted t... | 05/20/2003 |
| 6543075 | Shoe cover applicator device A shoe cover application device having a holding member for holding a shoe cover open in a receiving position to accommodate the insertion of a user shoe. The shoe cover application device also includes a separation member that separates the shoe cover fr... | 04/08/2003 |
| 6367397 | Method for stitching a work piece using a computer controlled, vision-aided sewing machine A method for stitching one work piece to another or for stitching a decorative stitch line along a work piece. In one embodiment, the method includes first arranging a stencil over at least a portion of a work piece to be stitched where the stencil is cut... | 04/09/2002 |
| 6216619 | Method for stitching a work piece using a computer controlled, vision-aided sewing machine A method for stitching one work piece to another or for stitching a decorative stitch line along a work piece. In one embodiment, the method includes plotting a line on a first work piece, arranging the first work piece so that at least a portion of the f... | 04/17/2001 |
| 6170177 | Footwear customization system and process A footwear customization system that includes a rearfoot and forefoot goniometer for measuring rearfoot and forefoot alignment of a foot to provide rearfoot and forefoot alignment data. A customizable piece of footwear having a moldable, settable midsole ... | 01/09/2001 |
| 6092250 | System and method for manufacturing shoes using wooden mold Disclosed is a shoe making system and a method of manufacturing a shoe, in which the work of fastening an inner sole to a wooden mold can be done easily and speedily. In the method, metal plates 23 and 24 having a magnetic absorption property are stuck to... | 07/25/2000 |
| 5933897 | Method of forming waterproof stitched connections during shoe manufacture A stitched waterproof joint can be formed between the vamp and top plug of a shoe by applying waterproof coatings to the interior facing surfaces of the vamp and plug, stitching the vamp and plug together to merge the waterproof coatings, heating the vamp... | 08/10/1999 |
| 5909719 | Shoe last and method of constructing a shoe A shoe last and method for forming a shoe which is particularly constructed to be worn with and matingly interface with a wearer's custom-shaped sock. The shoe last includes a body having a backpart and a forepart connected to the backpart and extending f... | 06/08/1999 |
| 5907881 | Protective covering for a shoe outersole A method of manufacturing a shoe having an outersole with a removable protective covering, including the steps of applying a sheet of protective covering to a sheet of outersole material with adhesive to form a composite sheet; applying printed indicia on... | 06/01/1999 |
| 5862555 | System and method for manufacturing shoes using a wooden mold Disclosed is a shoe making system and a method of manufacturing a shoe, in which the work of fastening an inner sole to a wooden mold can be done easily and speedily. In the method, metal plates 23 and 24 having a magnetic absorption property are stuck to... | 01/26/1999 |
| 5827459 | Conforming shoe construction using gels and method of making the same A shoe that conforms to foot contours and provides cushioning is comprised of a shoe sole and a shoe upper attached to the shoe sole. The shoe upper is comprised of an outer layer, an inner layer and a conforming layer therebetween, wherein a first portio... | 10/27/1998 |
| 5714098 | Footwear fitting method A footwear fitting system employs a set of sample footwear items, e.g., shoes, provided in small increments of length and width. The sample shoes are tried on by the wearer and the one providing the best fit is chosen. Then, a fit component of a stock sho... | 02/03/1998 |
| 5709954 | Chemical bonding of rubber to plastic in articles of footwear An article of footwear comprising relatively elastic and relatively inelastic materials chemically bonded together is disclosed. In one embodiment, the relatively elastic and relatively inelastic materials are arranged in such a fashion to impart flexibil... | 01/20/1998 |
| 5687441 | Footwear's insole and a process for its manufacture The present invention relates to a footwear insole with an integral sock lining embedded therein; and to a method of making a sample comprising: preparing a board of a material selected from the group of porous and foamed cross-linked synthetic polymers; ... | 11/18/1997 |
| 5673448 | Sport boot liner and method for making same A liner for a sport boot shell and a method for making a custom fitted liner for a sport boot, are disclosed. The liner is designed to be worn inside a boot shell. In a preferred embodiment the liner includes inner and outer of flaps which wrap in opposit... | 10/07/1997 |
| 5647150 | Method for manufacturing footwear by injection-molding, and footwear obtained with said method A method of manufacturing footwear, including the steps of positioning a sock portion over a mold element in which the sock portion comprises a fabric layer and a thermoplastic film layer connected to the fabric layer, such that the thermoplastic film lay... | 07/15/1997 |
| 5477577 | Method of constructing footwear having a composite sole with a molded midsole and an outsole adhered thereto A method for forming a composite sole to an upper of a shoe includes molding a blank midsole to an upper of a shoe while protecting the material of the upper from the heat involved in molding the midsole to the upper, and subsequently adhering an outsole ... | 12/26/1995 |
| 5426873 | Cleat and process for making same A process is provided for making a cleat. The cleat includes a spike member, having a tip and a base, the base being wider than the tip. The cleat also includes a washer member, having a perimeter portion and an inner portion, the perimeter and inner port... | 06/27/1995 |
| 5392533 | Disposable shoe insole and method for making the same The insole contains an absorbent layer (1) which is arranged on a stabilization layer (2). The stabilization layer (2) is made of a fibrous and sealable material, the fibers running predominantly in the longitudinal direction of the insole. On the absorbe... | 02/28/1995 |
| 5363526 | Last for use in making cycling shoes, last and cycling shoe sole, and a method for making shoes using a last A last for use in making cycling shoes includes a sole supporting surface opposed to a shoe sole. The shoe sole defines a mounting bore for attaching a cleat or a shoe plate. The sole supporting surface includes position setting projections for engaging t... | 11/15/1994 |
| 5235715 | Impact asborbing composites and their production An improved composite for absorbing and dispersing impacting forces is disclosed. The composite includes a flexible plastic enclosure defining an internal cavity. The flexible enclosure is generally impermeable to air and capable of having its internal pr... | 08/17/1993 |
| 5098508 | Workbench construction and method of assembling parts on a workbench A workbench is constructed, with which the individual parts of a two-dimensional compound workpiece, for example, a shoe upper, can be assembled accurately without any need for subsequent adjustment operations. The workbench comprises a central, e.g. stat... | 03/24/1992 |
| 4974275 | Method of manufacture of snowshoes A recreational snowshoe and its method of manufacture are disclosed of the type where a single, homogenous, rigid mass is formed by hardening first and second strands of fiberglass roving impregnated with resin woven to define a frame and webbing. The str... | 12/04/1990 |
| 4930175 | Water-proof snow boot The present disclosure relates to a water proof snow boot and the method of manufacturing the same. A water-proof plastic intermediate member is disposed between the outer leather covering and the inner lining of the boot to prevent water or moisture from... | 06/05/1990 |
| 4899411 | Process for applying a flocked coating to a cloth surface such as a tennis shoe A process for applying a flocking fiber to a cloth surface of a shoe includes the step of spraying a clean dry cloth shoe with an adhesive, which adheres to the cloth substrate without excess penetration, which remains pliable, and is not water soluble wh... | 02/13/1990 |
| 4876807 | Shoe, method for manufacturing the same, and sole blank therefor A shoe, especially for use in athletic activities such as ball games, having a sole structure including a insole, a flexible midsole, and an outer sole forming a wearing surface. The outer sole in constructed, at least in a toe region of the shoe, in a cu... | 10/31/1989 |
| 4858342 | Thermoplastic-rubber wader and method of manufacture A method for making a thermoplastic-rubber wader having a rubber footwear bottom and a thermoplastic upper, the method including the steps of treating an upper circumferential portion of the bottom, applying thermoplastic adhesive to the treated portion, ... | 08/22/1989 |
| 4847934 | Method of manufacturing overshoes A method of manufacturing overshoes made from an elongated rectangular flexible sheet of material. The method comprises the following steps: (a) gathering the sheet material by parallel stitching two elastic strips on the opposite side edge portions respe... | 07/18/1989 |
| 4809379 | Process for the manufacture of an inner shoe for skiing boots In a process for the manufacture of an inner shoe for skiing boots by filling the inner shoe in situ with foam, the foot of the wearer is dressed with a double-walled sock (hollow sock) (14) and placed inside the skiing boot, whereafter the foam compositi... | 03/07/1989 |
| 4707874 | Method of waterproofing an article of footwear and the waterproofed article produced therefrom The invention relates to a method of waterproofing an article of footwear, for example, a boot, and the article of footwear produced therefrom. To waterproof the article a solution of effective amounts of a polymeric material and solvent is applied to inn... | 11/24/1987 |
| 4705586 | Method of working leather for the uppers of leather footwear A method of working leather, in which a deposit of material adhering to the leather is made on the surface of the leather to enable a leather footwear upper treated in this way to adhere to a sole without being carded or sanded, either by direct injection... | 11/10/1987 |
| 4610042 | Method and apparatus for making disposable shoe covers An apparatus for the continuous, automatic manufacture of individual shoe covers includes a supply of two continuous webs of material, a device for advancing each of the two webs through the apparatus, an adhesive applicator for applying an adhesive at lo... | 09/09/1986 |
| 4509276 | Composite skate boot and method of making the same A skate boot comprises a lower, upper and an intermediate portion between the lower and the upper. The lower includes a sole, toe and heel portions made of a molded unitary rigid plastics material. The intermediate portion is connected to the lower and in... | 04/09/1985 |
| 4476600 | One-piece, washable and sterilizable plastic shoe A one-piece, washable and sterilizable plastic shoe comprising a lower part with a top on which the foot bears and a bottom enveloping an outsole and a heel, and an upper part having ventilating openings in a substantially vertical lateral area, these ope... | 10/16/1984 |
| 4455702 | Footwear manufacture A method of manufacturing outer footwear such as a shoe comprises the step of dry or moist heat setting a lasted shoe (9, 10) by partially or totally immersing it in a fluidized solid material (2) in a bath (1). It is now proposed that the lasted shoe (9,... | 06/26/1984 |
| 4451949 | Safety shoe and method for making same 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 stee... | 06/05/1984 |
| 4428089 | Footwear and forming methods therefor A method of forming an article of footwear to fit a predetermined foot is provided by modifying the shape of such an article in which the foot is readily engageable by in-situ formation of a resilient foam moulding in the free space between the article an... | 01/31/1984 |
| 4403361 | Techniques for stripping a sleeve from resin impregnated fibrous rovings A method and apparatus for stripping a sleeve from a length of resin-impregnated fiberglass rovings and for cutting a length of the impregnated fibers. The invention severs and separates the sleeve in a manner which assures that the fibers will remain com... | 09/13/1983 |
| 4376344 | Insulated boot blanket An insulated boot blanket of a light weight moisture impervious insulated material adapted to be worn over the shoe or boot-enclosed foot. The boot blanket is provided with either one or three piece construction, is provided side straps which facilitate b... | 03/15/1983 |
| 4304021 | Method and apparatus for making disposable shoe covers In a method and apparatus for making disposable shoe covers from a substantially continuous supply of material, the material is moved continuously through a plurality of operating stations wherein two parallel sheets of the material are joined to form a s... | 12/08/1981 |
