AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING OR ALTERing the ShaPE OF BOOTS OR SHOES TO PREVENT PRESSURE ON CORNS OR BUNIONS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Frederic Gardner, of Worship Street, Finsbury,
in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS
FOR STRETCHING OR ALTERing the ShaPE OF BOOTS OR SHOES TO PREVENT
PRESSURE ON CORNS OR BUNIONS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Frederic Gardner
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd July 1880.
CHARLES FREDERIC GARDNER, of Worship Street, Finsbury, in the County of
Middlesex. "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING OR ALTERING THE
SHAPE OF BOOTS OR SHOES TO PREVENT PRESSURE ON CORNS OR BUNIONS."
My Invention relates to improved apparatus for stretching or altering the shape
of boots or shoes to prevent pressure on corns or bunions, and is designed to afford
the means whereby a permanent "set" of the material forming the upper may be
effected, a result which has been only partially attainable by the apparatus hereto-
fore employed for this purpose.
In carrying my Invention into practice I employ a framing having two arms
The said framing is formed of
extending parallel to each other, or nearly so.
malleable cast iron or other suitable metal, and is preferably U-shaped or approxi-
mately so.
In connection with this two-armed framing or casting I employ two
These dies
moulds or dies formed of metal, wood, or other suitable material.
constitute the most important feature of my Invention, and stretch or offect a
permanent setting of the material under treatment where desired. One of theso
moulds or dies is formed of a solid piece of metal having a convex or rounded
surface, and is provided with a shank adapted to fit into an aperture or opening on
the arm of the casting which is placed within the boot or shoe. The other mould
or die consists of a bowl shaped piece, that is to say, its surface adjacent when in
operation to the convex surface of the other mould is concave or hollow, the
concavity in the same coinciding with or being adapted to suit the contour of the
convex surface of the convex mould. The said concave die is provided with a
shank having an opening in it, adapted to receive the end of a screw for imparting
motion to the same, as hereinafter described. Any number of pairs of these dies

page_text: of different shapes or sizes may be employed with the one framing or casting, and
may be readily attached thereto and removed therefrom at pleasure.
The screw for operating the concave die or mould is passed through a threaded
aperture in that arm of the casting which extends outside the boot or shoe when in
operation, the said screw being provided with a hand wheel or other device for
turning it. When it is desired to stretch the boot or shoe at any part to prevent
pressure upon corns or bunions, the arm carrying the convex piece is inserted
within the upper, and is adjusted to the position in which the "setting" or
stretching of the leather is to take place. I then place upon the end of the screw
the aforesaid concave mould or die. I then turn the said screw and cause the
concave piece to approach the convex piece, and thereby clamp the leather or other
material to be stretched firmly between the said pieces. The leather or other
material (which may be damped if desired before pressure is exerted) is then
allowed to remain clamped between the said pieces for a suitable time, when, on
removal of the pressure, the leather or other material will be found to have received
a-permanent "set." By constructing the apparatus so that the convex and concave
moulds or dies may be readily interchanged, I am enabled to employ any pair of
the series of them suited to the position or the nature of the corn or bunion it is
desired to protect from pressure.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Frederic Gardner in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd January 1881.
CHARLES FREDERIC GARDNER, of Worship Street, Finsbury, in the County of
Middlesex. "AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING OR ALTERING THE
SHAPE OF BOOTS OR SHOES TO PREVENT PRESSURE ON CORNS OR BUNIONS."
My Invention relates to improved apparatus for stretching or altering the shape
of boots or shoes to prevent pressure on corns or bunions, and is designed to afford
the means whereby a permanent "set" of the material forming the upper of a boot
or shoe may be produced, thus effecting a result which has been only partially
attainable by apparatus heretofore employed for this purpose.
Figure 2, a sido elevation, and
Figure 3 an end view of my improved apparatus.
Figure 4 is a longitudinal section of the same on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a perspective view, illustrating the method of employing the said
apparatus for stretching or altering the shape of a portion of a boot.
Figures 6, 7, 8, and 9 represent on an enlarged scale various forms of inter-
changeable moulds or dies to be employed in connection with the said apparatus,
as hereinafter described.
Like letters indicate the same parts throughout the Drawing.
In carrying my Invention into practice I employ a frame or holder a having two
arms a', a³, extending parallel to each other, or nearly so. The said frame is formed
of malleable cast iron or other suitable metal, and is preferably U-shaped, or
approximately so, as shewn in Figures 2 and 4.
In connection with this two armed frame or holder a I employ two moulds or
dies b, c, formed of metal, wood, or other suitable material. These dies, which
constitute the most important feature of my Invention, stretch and effect a
permanent setting of the part of the boot or shoe to which they are applied. The
mould or die b is formed with a convex or rounded surface, and provided with a
shank b' adapted to fit into a hole a³ in the arm a² of the frame, which arm, when
the material is to be stretched or have its shape altered, is placed within the boot
or shoe, as shewn in Figure 5. The other mould or die c consists of a bowl-shaped
piece, that is to say, its surface adjacent when in operation to the convex surface of
the mould b is concave or hollow, the concavity in the same coinciding with or
being adapted to suit the contour of the convex surface of the mould b, as clearly
shewn in Figure 4. The concave mould or die c is provided with a shank c¹
having a hole or recess c² in it, adapted to receive the end of a screw d, or other
device for imparting motion to the same, as hereinafter described. Any number
of pairs of these dies of different shapes or sizes, such for instance as those shewn in
Figures 6 to 9, may be employed with the one frame or casting a, and may be
readily attached thereto and removed therefrom at pleasure, so that the stretching
of the leather may be effected in the manner required to relieve pressure on corns
of any shape or size.
The screw.d for operating the concave die or mould c is passed through a screw-
threaded hole in the arm a of the frame, which extends outside the boot or shoe
when in operation, as shewn in Figure 5; the said screw is provided with a hand
wheel d' or other device for turning it.
When it is desired to stretch the boot or shoe at any part to prevent pressure
upon a corn or bunion, the arni al carrying the convex mould b is inserted within

page_text: the upper, and is adjusted to the position in which the "setting" or stretching of
the leather is to take place. Then the aforesaid concave mould or die c is placed
upon the end of the screw d. The screw d is then turned and causes the concave
mould c to approach the convex mould b, and thereby clamp and squeeze or press
the leather or other material forcibly between the said moulds, and thus stretch and
alter its shape. The leather or other material (which may be damped if desired
before pressure is exerted) is then allowed to remain clamped between the dies
b and c for a suitable time to allow it to set, and on its romoval from the said dies
the part that has thus been clamped and pressed will be found to have acquired
permanently the desired shape.
By constructing the apparatus so that any pair of the convex and concave
moulds or dies b, c, may be readily replaced by any other pair, the operator will be
enabled to employ the pair best suited to the position or the nature of any corn or
bunion it is desired to protect from pressure.
Having thus fully described my said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim,-
The apparatus, provided with a concave and a convex mould or dic, supported in
a frame or holder, constructed substantially as shewn, and one of which moulds or
dies is adjustable in relation to the other, as and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Frederic Gardner, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this First day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
CHARLES FREDERIC· GARDNER. (LS.)