US PATENT CLASS 12
Class Notes
Current as of: June, 1999
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DEFINITION
Classification: 12/
This class is the generic locus for the manufacture and repair of foot coverings, and parts thereof.
This class is the generic locus of apparatus, processes of and tools used in the making, assembling and repairing of shoe parts, such as heels, soles, etc.
This class includes machines, hand manipulable tools and processes directed to the inserting of fillers, either of bulk material or shaped members on soles. (See Subclass References to this Class, below)
This class includes apparatus for and methods of buttoning or unbuttoning, and lacing or unlacing shoe uppers. (See Subclass References to this Class, below)
LINES WITH OTHER CLASSES
The generic locus for foot coverings is Class 36, Boots, Shoes, and Leggings, and in that class (36) will be found the articles produced by the machines and processes of Class 12. (Also see References to Other Classes below.)
SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:
18.1+, for machines, hand manipulable tools and processes directed to the inserting of fillers, either of bulk material or shaped members on soles.
58.3, 58.5, 142, for apparatus for and methods of buttoning or unbuttoning, and lacing or unlacing shoe uppers. REFERENCES TO OTHER CLASSES
SEE OR SEARCH CLASS
2, Apparel, appropriate subclasses for devices such as socks and stockings.
15, Brushing, Scrubbing, and General Cleaning, appropriate subclasses for machines and hand manipulable tools for polishing boots and shoes.
29, Metal Working,
432+, for a residual method of assembling parts including a step of piercing one by the other.
30, Cutlery, appropriate subclasses for hand manipulated tools having a pure cutting function, adapted for use in the manufacture of shoes but capable of more general use, particularly
281, 287 and 288 where a large number of hand manipulated channeling tools may be found.
33, Geometrical Instruments,
3+, for apparatus for and processes of laying out footwear.
34, Drying and Gas or Vapor Contact With Solids, for apparatus for and processes of drying shoes and parts thereof. However, mere heated shoe forms, which may be used for drying, are found in this class (12), 129.4,.
36, Boots, Shoes, and Leggings, for boots and shoes, and Lines With Other Classes, above.
69, Leather Manufactures,
9+, for machines for beveling unattached shoe parts such as soles, except where the operation of the machine is predeterminately controlled for the entire beveling operation which are classified in appropriate subclasses in this class (12).
72, Metal Deforming,
324+, for a method of or means for cutting and shaping a metal shank stiffener.
73, Measuring and Testing, appropriate subclasses for apparatus for testing, for example, the abrasion resistance of shoe parts.
83, Cutting, appropriate subclasses; and see especially
531+, for clicker die press structures.
112, Sewing,
28+, for leather sewing machines including those for use in the manufacture of shoes.
118, Coating Apparatus, appropriate subclasses for apparatus for applying and generally including devices for inking the edges of soles and applying cement to shoes and shoe parts. However, machines for applying water to leather parts of shoes to temporarily make them flexible are in this class (12), appropriate subclasses.
142, Wood Turning, appropriate subclasses for machines for contouring lasts.
144, Woodworking, for a machine for forming a wooden heel from a wood block. However, in this class 12 will be found a machine for breasting a heel including a wood heel, a machine for concaving a heel seat including a wood heel, and a machine for grooving, for example, the breast of the heel to receive a heel covering member even though it be a wood heel. Class 144 does not include a process of making a wooden last, last blank or wooden heel or heel blank, such process being classified in this Class 12.
156, Adhesive Bonding and Miscellaneous Chemical Manufacture, for processes and apparatus for forming laminated articles including shoe parts or elements. That class (156) does not provide, however, for laminating when combined with any operation given final shape or form to the shoe.
164, Metal Founding, appropriate subclasses for apparatus for and processes of casting metal shoe parts such as heels.
193, Conveyors, Chutes, Skids, Guides, and Ways, for conveyors generally including those for use in shoemaking operations.
198, Conveyors: Power-Driven, appropriate subclasses for conveyor with work holder, particularly
803.01+,.
211, Supports: Racks, appropriate subclasses for devices for merely holding shoes or shoe forms during manufacture and repair of shoes.
223, Apparel Apparatus, appropriate subclasses for shoe horns and boot removing devices, known as "boot jacks".
227, Elongated-Member-Driving Apparatus, appropriate subclasses for apparatus of general utility for applying a member (e.g., staple, nail, etc.) to shoe parts.
264, Plastic and Nonmetallic Article Shaping or Treating: Processes, appropriate subclasses for processes of molding plastic articles including shoe parts, see particularly 244, uniting shoe part to upper. However, the mere nominal recitation in a process claim that the parts are connected by a plastic uniting step (e.g., vulcanization) will not exclude the patent from this class (12).
361, Electricity: Electrical Systems and Devices,
223+, for footwear combined with means to conduct electricity
from or bypass it around the body.
408, Cutting by Use of Rotating Axially Moving Tool, appropriate subclasses for apparatus designed to form holes in shoe parts by drills.
425, Plastic Article or Earthenware Shaping or Treating: Apparatus,
119, for apparatus to make a composite article including a shoe last-type support, subclass 124 for composite article making including means to support washer-type preforms in a show heel mold and subclasses 383+ for apparatus comprising a preform reshaping or resizing means or a preform support. Class 425 provides for means to mold a shoe heel or sole, per se, or as a composite into a disclosed diverse shoe part. Class 12, subclasses 128+, provides for a shoe form either of the last type or a reshaping or resizing mandrel.
427, Coating Processes, appropriate subclasses for processes of coating generally, including coating leather.
451, Abrading, for a process or apparatus for treating boots, shoes, or parts thereof with a natural abrasive such as sand paper or emery cloth.
520, Synthetic Resins or Natural Rubbers, appropriate subclasses, particularly Class 523,
167, for a composition containing a synthetic resin or natural rubber having utility in the manufacturing or repairing of shoes or to processes of preparing said composition.
607, Surgery: Light, Thermal, and Electrical Application, 144, for footwear combined with means for applying to the body any one or combination of light or analogous rays, electricity, or thermo treatments which are limited by structure to therapeutic use.
GLOSSARY:
ASSEMBLED SHOE
includes within its scope the upper and sole when they are secured together. In shoe making, the upper including various parts thereof, such as the vamp, toe tip, quarters, linings, etc., are assembled and secured. The thus assembled upper is generally conformed to shoe shape by a lasting operation and attached to a sole. When the upper and sole are attached the product is known as a shoe in the trade. It will be noted that this term includes within its scope, (1) partially completed shoes, (2) shoes having outsoles and heels which are ready for wear, and (3) shoes being worn by their wearers.