IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHOES AND BOOTS, AND IN FABRICS SUITABLE FOR USE IN THIS MANUFACTURE
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Caleb Bedells, of Leicester, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHOES AND BOOTS, AND IN FABRICS
SUITABLE FOR USE IN THIS MANUFACTURE."
Sealed the 1st May 1860, and dated the 26th November 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Caleb Bedells at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 26th
November 1859.
I, CALEB BEDELLS, of Leicester, do hereby declare the nature of the
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHOES AND BOOTS, AND
IN FABRICS SUITABLE FOR USE IN THIS MANUFACTURE" to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its objects improvements in the manufacture of shoes
and boots, and in fabrics suitable for use in this manufacture. In making
shoes and boots according to my Invention, I form the uppers of a compound
fabric consisting of three fabrics cemented together, videlicet, first, an outer
surface, usually a woven fabric of ornamental appearance; second, a thick
non-elastic fabric to give body to the compound fabric; and, third, a lining
suitable for forming the interior of the upper of the shoe or boot. And in the
process of manufacturing the compound fabric a finish is made to the edges
at the parts where in the finished shoe or boot the edges would appear by
turning the edges of the outer fabric over the centre or body fabric, and

page_text: cementing them down, a cord being run in where the outer fabric is turned
over to give a fullness to the edge. In the process also of manufacturing the
fabric to form the portion of the upper, which passes along the sides of the
foot and behind the heel stiffening, pieces of suitable shape are laid in at
intervals between the body fabric and the lining to give the necessary stiffness
at the heel of the shoe or boot. In some cases I construct uppers for shoes
without a seam; I then cut out the outer fabric, the body fabric, and the
lining separately, and afterwards cement them together. The outer fabric is
cut out somewhat smaller than the body fabric, so that the latter projects
beyond the former; and I cover the edges of the body fabric by cementing to
it a suitable binding, by preference formed from the piece cut out in forming
the outer fabric of the upper of a shoe of a different color. In constructing
shoes and boots of fabrics prepared as above described, the parts of the upper
are cut out and sewn together in the usual manner; the upper is then put on
a last, to which an inner or lining sole of thick paper or suitable material has
previously been attached; the lower edges of the upper are then drawn over
the edges of the inner or lining sole, and the two are cemented together.
Lastly, I attach the true sole of the shoe or boot also by means of cement, and
the lower edges of the upper are then enclosed between the inner or lining
sole and the true sole. This latter sole I sometimes construct from a form
made by preference of several thicknesses of woven fabric cemented together,
or it may be of other stiff material covered with cloth or suitable woven fabric,
thin leather, gutta percha, or other material, the edges of the covering
material being turned over the edges of the form, and secured by cement.
When I desire to attach a sole of thick leather to a shoe or boot constructed
as before explained, I perforate the edge of the leather sole all round, and fill
the perforations with gutta percha; I also perforate the lower edges of the
upper and the edges of the insole, and fill these perforations also with gutta
percha. The sole is then applied, and the gutta percha being warm a com-
plete adhesion is obtained. This system may also be applied in attaching soles
of other materials.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent
filed by the said Caleb Bedells in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 26th May 1860.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Caleb Bedells, Her special licence that I, the said Caleb
Bedells, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Caleb Bedells, my executors, administrators, and assigns; should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF SHOES AND BOOTS, AND IN FABRICS SUITABLE FOR USE IN
THIS MANUFACTURE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Caleb Bedells, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Caleb Bedells, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of shoes
and boots, and in fabrics suitable for use in this manufacture. In making
shoes and boots according to my Invention, I form the uppers of a compound
fabric consisting of three fabrics cemented together, vizt., 1st, an outer
surface, usually a woven fabric of ornamental appearance; 2nd, a thick non-
elastic fabric to give body to the compound; and, 3rd, a lining suitable for
forming the interior of the upper of the shoe or boot; and in the process of
manufacturing the compound fabric a finish is made to the edges at the parts
where in the finished shoe or boot the edges would appear, by turning the
edges of the outer fabric over the centre or body fabric, and cementing them
down, a cord being run in where the outer fabric is turned over to give a
fullness to the edge. The following is the manner in which I prefer to
proceed I select for the outer or face fabric a suitable ornamental fabric,
for example, a printed woollen fabric, or velvet, or it may be a plain woollen
cloth, or thin leather, or other fabric or non-elastic material; for the body
fabric I usually employ a thick holland or sail cloth, and for the lining fabric

page_text: a white calico or other similar material; these fabrics I prefer to coat with
india-rubber cement while they are in the piece; the face fabric and the lining
being coated at the back only, and the body fabric on both sides. From these
fabrics I out pieces suitable to form the upper of a shoe or boot. I usually
form the upper in two parts, one to form the front, and the other to pass along
the sides and behind the heel. I apply the three pieces to form one or other
part of the upper, and cut one from each description of fabric, the one to the
other, so as to produce a compound fabric, and along such of the edges of the
upper as in an ordinary shoe or boot would be bound, I cause the face fabric
to project beyond the body fabric, and I fold this projecting edge over the
èdge of the body fabric, and press it down, so as to oause the cement on the
edge of the face fabric to adhere to that on the body fabric, the lining fabric
being cut a little smaller than the body fabric, that the two may come
together. In some cases I use the body fabric round the heel part only,
turning the edge of the face fabric over the lining fabric, which in this case is
coated at the edge with cement; the width of the turnover or the lining may
be cut so as to allow the face to turn over just to meet the lining edge. In
order to thicken the edge a cemented cord is enclosed in the bend or fold of
the face. I also prefer to cause the body fabric to project beyond the lining
fabric on the edges to which the sole is attached, in order to facilitate the
attachment of the sole, as herein-after explained. For the purpose of
ventilating the shoe or boot, I perforate the materials of which the uppers are
made with small points. In the process also of manufacturing the fabric to form
the portion of the upper which passes along the sides of the foot and behind
the heel, stiffening pieces of suitable shape are laid in at intervals between the
body fabric and the lining, to give the necessary stiffness at the heel of the
shoe or boot; the stiffening pieces I prefer to make of a thick woven fabric,
such as sail cloth; they are cut to the ordinary form, and cemented on both
sides. They are introduced at the place where they will be required between
the body fabric and the lining. By thus cementing in at intervals stiffening
pieces of suitable form for stiffening the heel of a shop or boot a considerable
amount of labor is saved in making a shoe or boot. In some cases I make a
compound fabric, such as above deseribed, for forming the uppers of shoes and
boots in continuous lengths, and afterwards cut them to the required shape.
In this case the upper may either be bound with a separate binding, or it may
be so cut that the edges to be bound shall be straight, and the continuous
Jengths of fabric may be turned over at the edges, as described, so that the
sides of the continuous length will be suitable to form the edges of the upper
to which a binding would usually be applied. In some cases I construct

page_text: uppers for shoes without a seam. I then cut out the outer fabric, the body
fabric, and the lining separately, and afterwards cement them together; the
outer fabric is cut out somewhat smaller than the body fabric, so that the
latter projects beyond the former, and I cover the edges of the body fabric by
cementing to it a suitable binding, by preference, formed from the piece cut
out in forming the quter fabric of the upper of a shoe of a different color.
When the upper of a shoe is made in one piece (with a single seam at the
back), it will be seen that its form will be such, that pieces of fabric of con
siderable size are required to be cut out between the parts forming the two
sides of the upper; the pieces thus cut out of the face fabric I make into
binding strips. When such binding strips are to be used, I so cut the face
fabric of the upper to be bound that the body fabric projects beyond it along
the edges to be bound, and the body fabric also projects beyond the lining
fabric; the binding is bent over the edge in the usual manner, and its
cemented side made to adhere to the cement on the body fabric.
In constructing shoes and boots of fabrics prepared as above described, the
parts of the upper are cut out to the usual form, and sewn together in the
usual manner; the upper is then put on a last, to which an inner or lining sole
of thick paper or suitable material has previously been attached. The lower
edges of the upper are then drawn over the edges of the inner or lining sole,
and the two are cemented together; the inner sole is cemented on its under
side, or on the side which does not come in contact with the last before being
placed upon it, and the edges of the body fabric of the upper, which as before
mentioned it is preferred should project beyond the face fabric, are lapped over
and pressed on to the sole, to which they then firmly adhere.
Lastly, I attach the true sole of the shoe or boot also by means of cement,
and the lower edges of the upper are then enclosed between the inner or
binding sole and the true sole. This latter sole I sometimes construct from
a form made by preference of several thicknesses of woven fabric cemented
together, or it may be of other stiff material covered with cloth or suitable woven
fabric, thin leather, gutta percha, or other material, the edges of the covering
material being turned over the edges of the form, and secured by cement.
I find thick paper, thick cloth, or other material cemented together as above
described, and covered with cloth or velvet, to make very good soles. Cement
is applied to the sole to attach it to the inner or lining sole, and it is caused
to adhere by pressure to the inner sole, and to the edges of the upper, which
are also cemented. When I desire to attach a sole of thick leather to a shoe
or boot constructed as before explained I perforate the edge of the leather
sole all round, and fill the perforations with gutta percha. I also perforate

page_text: the lower edges of the upper and the edges of the in-sole, and fill these perfor-
ations also with gutta percha; the sole is then applied, and the gutta percha
being warm a complete adhesion is obtained; this system may also be applied
in attaching soles of other materials.
The following is the manner in which I prefer to proceed :-I first make
the necessary perforations in the sole, each about th of an inch in
diameter, and about 4th of an inch the one from the other all round the
edge of the sole, then lay the sole so prepared on the inner sole, to which au
upper has been cemented as already described, so that it rests on its proper
position on the inner sole, and on the edge of the upper; I then with a punch
make holes in the edges of the upper and the inner sole corresponding with
those in the true sole, which is in fact used as a template in making these holes.
I then fill the holes in the two parts with gutta percha, pressing it in while in
a plastic state; and lastly, I warm the gutta percha, and stick the two parts
together. I finish the sole by cementing a surface of thin leather to the
under side of the sole, and a lining of the ordinary description to the upper
surface of the sole within the shoe or boot. I also find it convenient in place
of pressing plastic gutta percha into the holes formed in the sole and upper as
above described, to use short pieces of gutta percha cord of suitable thickness,
and bent to form Leach such piece passes through two holes in the sole
and the corresponding holes in the upper to the interior of the shoe or boot, and
a cemented lining made hot on a heated plate is then introduced and pressed
down upon the points of the pieces of gutta percha cord, which it flattens down,
and so fixes the sole securely on. The last is made with a groove round the
edge, so as to admit of the projecting ends of the gutta percha cord. A sur-
face of thin leather may be cemented to the under side of the sole as before,
to hide the gutta percha and the perforations.
In witness whereof, I, the said Caleb Bedells, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
CALEB BEDELLS. (L.S.)