improvements in the Manufacture of Heels for Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Feb., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 17th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1899
improvements in the Manufacture of Heels for Boots and Shoes.
We, JAMES ALFRED KEAY and PEARSON AND BENNION LIMITED, of the Union
Works, Belgrave Road, Leicester, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:--
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of heels for boots
and shoes.
As is well known to those engaged in the manufacture of boots and shoes,
the heels, more especially those intended for ladies' wear have hitherto been
built up in a manner not affording the desired amount of solidity, inasmuch as
the back part of the heel, which should preferably be the highest and most
solid, through the heel being composed of a number of lifts of parallel thick-
ness, requires the breast to be compressed more than the back part to leave the
latter of greater height. It is obvious therefore that the heel is either insuffi-
ciently compressed at the back in which case it may detract from the appear-
ance of the finished boot or shoe, or unnecessarily compressed at the breast,
thereby not only involving waste of material and increased strain on the heel
compressing machine but also when attached to a boot or shoe the excessive
solidity of the heel at the breast causes an objectionable depression to be formed
in the outsole adjacent to the heel breast. By our invention, however, we pro-
duce taper lifts without undue waste of material, which when incorporated in
the heel of a boot or shoe, will allow the said heel to be sufficiently compressed
at the back without putting the heel compressing machine to unnecessary strain
and allow of a high finish at the back part of the heel. To carry out our inven-
tion we first cut a piece of leather of the same length and width as the lifts
required, but which may be of different shape, the ends being of equal width
and straight or concave, while the sides may be straight, or each may be formed
with a double convex curve corresponding to the size and shape of the lifts.
The said piece of leather is then split in such a manner that each piece is
tapered from end to end and is large enough to allow a lift to be cut from it.
In this manner two tapered lifts may be cut from a piece of leather very little
larger than is now used for one parallel lift. The said tapered lifts may be
used in conjunction with split lifts or horse-shoe lifts.
1

page_text: Union Works, Belgrave Road, Leicester, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
:―
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of heels for boots
and shoes.
The heels of boots and shoes; more especially those intended for ladies' wear,
have hitherto been built up in a manner not affording the desired amount of
solidity inasmuch as the back part thereof, which should preferably be the
highest and most solid, through the heel being composed of a number of lifts
of parallel thickness, requires the breast to be compressed more than the back
part to leave the latter of greater height. It will be obvious therefore, that the
heel will be either insufficiently compressed at the back, in which case it may
detract from the finished appearance of the boot or shoe, or unnecessarily com-
pressed at the breast, thereby not only involving waste of material and increased
strain on the heel compressing machine, but when attached to a boot or, shoe
the excessive solidity of the heel at the breast causes an objectionable depres-
sion to be formed in the outsole adjacent to the heel breast.
By this invention however, without undue waste of material, we produce taper
lifts, which when incorporated in the heel of a boot or shoe, will allow the said
heel to be sufficiently compressed at the back, without putting the heel com-
pressing machine to unnecessary strain, thereby allowing of a better finish at
the back part of the heel.
The invention will be clearly understood by referring to the sheet of drawings
accompanying this specification, in which Figure 1 shows a blank or piece of
leather A approximately the length and width of the lifts required, cut by a
knife in any of the well-known ways and from which two taper lifts
may be cut.
The said blank. A is next split from end to end along the line a, a, into two
parts BC (see Figure 2) after which operation cach tapered piece BC is cut
in the ordinary way to form a lift 1 of the required shape (tapered from end
to end) as shown in Figures 3 and 4. In Figure 1 the sides of the blank or
piece of leather A have a double convex curve corresponding to the size and
shape of the required lifts, though the sides may be straight as shown in
Figure 5.
In the manner described two tapered lifts may be cut from a piece of leather
very little larger than has heretofore been used for one parallel lift. The said
tapered lifts may be used in the heels of boots and shoes in conjunction with
split or horse-shoc lifts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is:
In the manufacture of heels for boots and shoes the method of producing
tapered lifts therefor which consists in cutting a piece of leather (A), splitting
it longitudinally into two parts (B) (C) and finally cutting lifts D from the
said two parts (13) (C) in the manner substantially as described with reference
to the 'accompanying drawing.
Dated this 1-11 1
c
1000
AS. A. KEAY,
EARSON & BENNION LIMITED,
For the Company,
A. HOPKINS,
Secretary.