BALLET TOE SHOE AND PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF

摘要

BALLET TOE SHOE AND PROCESS OF MANUFACTURE THEREOF 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 leatherlike 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. The space between the mold members is greatest toward the interior of the cavity and gradually diminishes toward the exterior of the cavity, thickening and giving greater strength to the front of the toe shoe than to the rear portion of the toe box. The shank and resin combination eliminates intricate processes and skilled labor now required to manufacture toe shoes. At the same time, the desired properties of varying degrees of stiffness of the shoe upper and of proper support for the dancer's foot are maintained.