GB2079137A - Footwear - Google Patents

Abstract

A sock 1 for wear in diving, wind- surfing, canoeing or like activity is made of foam neoprene, covered on the outside with textile material (not shown), and has a polyurethane sole 2 made integral therewith by injection moulding. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Protective clothing The invention relates to socks for wear in diving, wind-surfing. canoeing or like activity, under or on the surface of water; that is to say it is concerned with socks for wet-suits or dry-suits or like protective clothing.

One of the problems with such suits is that holes tend to wear through about the feet while the suit is still comparatively new. Attempts have been made to secure soles to the socks, but satisfactory adhesion and appearance have proved unobtainable.

The invention provides a sock made of foam rubber, covered on the outside with textile material, and having a plastics sole made integral therewith by injection moulding. It has been found possible to produce such socks satisfactorily with thin soles, and the soles have proved well bonded to the bottom of the sock, cold-resistant, lightweight and hard wearing. The thinness of the soles has provided wind-surfers with the grip and "feel" on the surf-board which they need.

The foam rubber from which the socks are made may be any natural or synthetic rubber, expanded with open or ciosed cells, and is preferably foam neoprene. The surfaces of the foam rubber may both be covered with textile material, and the covering may be secured by adhesion or heat-sealing, for example. The covering may be of cotton, nylon or lycra knitted or woven material. The plastics material of the sole is preferably polyurethane, but may be any other suitable for a sole and capable of satisfactory application by injection moulding, such as PVC or thermoplastic rubber.

Socks made of foam rubber can be made from a sheet of foam rubber by covering with a textile material with the aid of an adhesive, cutting out blanks in the desired shape, and adhering and forming the blanks into socks. The covering and the sock itself are preferably reinforced by stitching along the lines of adhesion, more preferably by cup-stitching which passes through half the thickness of the foam rubber and so leaves the product watertight.

A sock according to the invention can be manufactured from a sock of foam rubber by placing the sock on a last, inserting the sock in a mould in the shape of a sole, and injection moulding a plastics sole onto the sock.

Drawing The single Figure drawing is a section through a sock according to the invention. The sock itself, designated 1 is of foam neoprene, and it has a polyurethane sole 2 made integral therewith by injection moulding. The textile material covering is not visible, but in this case extends over the whole of the outside of the sock 1 and helps the adhesion of the sole 2. There is a line of cup stitching, also not shown, in the plane of the paper and around the whole exterior of the sock 1.

1. A sock suitable for wear in diving, windsurfing, canoeing or like activity made of foam rubber, covered on the outside with textile material, and having a plastics sole made integral therewith by injection moulding.

2. A sock according to claim 1 in which the surfaces of the foam rubber are both covered with textile material and the covering is secured by adhesion or heat-sealing.

3. A sock according to claim 1 or claim 2 reinforced by stitching along lines of adhesion.

4. A sock according to claim 3 in which the stitching is cup-stitching which passes through half the thickness of the foam rubber.

5. A sock as herein described with reference to the drawing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (5)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Protective clothing The invention relates to socks for wear in diving, wind-surfing. canoeing or like activity, under or on the surface of water; that is to say it is concerned with socks for wet-suits or dry-suits or like protective clothing. One of the problems with such suits is that holes tend to wear through about the feet while the suit is still comparatively new. Attempts have been made to secure soles to the socks, but satisfactory adhesion and appearance have proved unobtainable. The invention provides a sock made of foam rubber, covered on the outside with textile material, and having a plastics sole made integral therewith by injection moulding. It has been found possible to produce such socks satisfactorily with thin soles, and the soles have proved well bonded to the bottom of the sock, cold-resistant, lightweight and hard wearing. The thinness of the soles has provided wind-surfers with the grip and "feel" on the surf-board which they need. The foam rubber from which the socks are made may be any natural or synthetic rubber, expanded with open or ciosed cells, and is preferably foam neoprene. The surfaces of the foam rubber may both be covered with textile material, and the covering may be secured by adhesion or heat-sealing, for example. The covering may be of cotton, nylon or lycra knitted or woven material. The plastics material of the sole is preferably polyurethane, but may be any other suitable for a sole and capable of satisfactory application by injection moulding, such as PVC or thermoplastic rubber. Socks made of foam rubber can be made from a sheet of foam rubber by covering with a textile material with the aid of an adhesive, cutting out blanks in the desired shape, and adhering and forming the blanks into socks. The covering and the sock itself are preferably reinforced by stitching along the lines of adhesion, more preferably by cup-stitching which passes through half the thickness of the foam rubber and so leaves the product watertight. A sock according to the invention can be manufactured from a sock of foam rubber by placing the sock on a last, inserting the sock in a mould in the shape of a sole, and injection moulding a plastics sole onto the sock. Drawing The single Figure drawing is a section through a sock according to the invention. The sock itself, designated 1 is of foam neoprene, and it has a polyurethane sole 2 made integral therewith by injection moulding. The textile material covering is not visible, but in this case extends over the whole of the outside of the sock 1 and helps the adhesion of the sole 2. There is a line of cup stitching, also not shown, in the plane of the paper and around the whole exterior of the sock 1. CLAIMS

1. A sock suitable for wear in diving, windsurfing, canoeing or like activity made of foam rubber, covered on the outside with textile material, and having a plastics sole made integral therewith by injection moulding.

2. A sock according to claim 1 in which the surfaces of the foam rubber are both covered with textile material and the covering is secured by adhesion or heat-sealing.

3. A sock according to claim 1 or claim 2 reinforced by stitching along lines of adhesion.

4. A sock according to claim 3 in which the stitching is cup-stitching which passes through half the thickness of the foam rubber.

5. A sock as herein described with reference to the drawing.