CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COVERINGS FOR THE HUMAN LEG AND FOOT
Year: 1854

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Mason, Shoe Manufacturer, and William
Beeby, Clicker, both of Northampton, in the County of Northampton
for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
COVERINGS FOR THE HUMAN LEG AND FOOT."
Sealed the 17th April 1855, and dated the 19th October 1854.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Mason and
William Beeby at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with
their Petition, on the 19th October 1854.
We, SAMUEL MASON, Shoe Manufacturer, and WILLIAM BEEBY, Clicker,
both of Northampton, in the County of Northampton, do hereby declare the
nature of our Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
COVERINGS FOR THE HUMAN LEG AND FOOT" to be as follows:-
The first part of our Invention is for a blocked "upper leather." We cut
out of a skin or hide a peice of leather, the size required, of an egg shape;
then make incisions near the centre, to form the tongue or lace peices and
back peice, or the tongue and back peice, arranging this as the pattern may
require; we then pass a block of wood, the shape of the human foot, thro' the
centre incisions when wet, and block out, by means of stretching, an upper
leather, or part of an upper leather, with tongues, lace pieces, or back pieces,
thrown up by the blocking. To these tongues, lace pieces, and back pieces
is attached cloth, elastic material, or leather of various kinds; thus, out of
this flat peice of leather when blocked is made a seamless quarter'd covering
for the human foot, called an "upper leather."

page_text: The second part of our Invention consists in double sewing or securing the
upper leather to the insole. We cut our upper leathers larger, so that the edge
which passes between the welt and insole when sewn will lap over, and be
sufficient to secure to the centre of the insole by sewing, pegging, rivetting, or
cementing. Our improvement consists in laping over the insole the upper
leather, and attaching the upper leather a second time to the insole by means
described.
The third part of our Invention consists in obtaining an elastic waist to the
common outsole of boots and shoes without any joining, which has hitherto
been the practice. This we obtain after the outsole is cut out of the hide in
the form; we then shave down the waist, rough it, then wet it, after which let
it dry, then apply solution of india-rubber to the waist; when dry, attach a
peice of sheet india-rubber of the form of the waist.
The fourth part of our Invention consists of inserting an 'elastic gussett in
the tongues of shoes, called the "Grecian's" and "Albert's" cut, to give ease
to the instep in going on and in the wear.
The fifth part of our Invention consists in producing a trowser boot or shoe,
attaching the trowser to a boot or shoe, so making one covering for the leg and
foot, and, when necessary, the application of elastic in such a manner over
the instep that it may hold securely the heel in its position in the shoe, while
the cloth or other material in the front of the leg of trowser is not blocked
tight to the instep.
The sixth part of our Invention is blocking out of one piece of leather or
cloth a seamless leg and instep piece, which we make into gaiters or riding
leggings.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Samuel Mason and William Beeby, in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 19th April 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, SAMUEL
MASON, Shoe Manufacturer, and WILLIAM BEEBY, Clicker, both of North-
ampton, in the County of Northampton, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us,
the said Samuel Mason and William Beeby, Her special licence, that we, the
said Samuel Mason and William Beeby, our executors, administrators, and

page_text: assigns, or such others as we, the said Samuel Mason and William Beeby,
our 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OP COVERINGS FOR THE HUMAN LEG AND FOOT," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Samuel Mason and William Beeby, by an instrument
in writing under our hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascer-
tain 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 we, the said Samuel Mason and William Beeby,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement, reference being made to the Drawings, that
is to say:-
We cut out of a skin or hide a piece of leather in the shape of the
Figures No. 1, 2, 3, 4, after which we make incisions, as described, by lines in
these shapes, so that a "block," shaped in the form of the human instep and
ancle, may pass through the centre, and throw up the back piece A, in Figure
No. 1, or front piece A, in Figure No. 2, or front pieces A and back piece B, as
in Figure No. 3, or front piece A as in Figure No. 4. Before putting these
pieces of leather on the block we immerse them in water, and prepare them
as is well known to be necessary. When put on the "block," as at Figure 5,
"the quarters or golosh" will be stretched at the top and puckered at-the
bottom, which, by the assistance of pincers and tacks and iron worker, we cause
to fit the "block," by stretching out the upper part and working in the bottom
part of the quarters, until Figure 3 assumes the shape of Figure 5, and
Figure 4 that of Figure 6. When dry, we take them off the "blocks," cut
them to the form we require for the several insertions, to complete the leg of
any material desired, such as leather, silk, cloth, elastic, or parts of either.
Figure 1, after being blocked, by stubing in a front piece and elastic gussetts
between back and front piece, will make an elastic boot "upper;" and the same
may be done with Figure 2 after blocking, by putting in a back piece. Figure 3,
when blocked into the form as shewn in Figure 5, can be made into a
"Balmoral lace boot by closing or stubing in quarters of any material desired
between the back piece B and front lace pieces A, or an elastic boot by placing

page_text: 65
elastic therein. Figure 4 is represented as blocked in Figure 6, which may be
made into an "Albert or Grecian" formed shoe "upper," or a Blucher boot
upper," by adding a suitable back piece, inserting it down the golosh, and
stabing it on; or it may form the vamp, tongue, and golosh of a long boot; by
attaching a jackey leg it will become a riding or Napolcon boot "
upper."
We wish it to be understood that we do not confine ourselves to any par-
ticular pattern; but what we claim is, for a golosh and vamp without scam,
and for blocking out tongues or pieces to be used as a part of the "upper
for covering of the human foot.
"
The second part of our Invention consists in securing the "upper" to the
insole of all kinds of coverings of the human foot, called boots, shoes, and
goloshes, by doubly sewing; and in order that we may be understood, we will
describe the same. We put on the "last" the "upper leather," and as is
usual we sew round the welt; but instead of paring off the edge of the upper,
which is sewn between the welt and inner sole, we bring over that edge towards
the centre of the insole, to which we attach it by sewing; or,we use a double
inner sole, and attach the "upper a second time to the inner insole lying
between the welt; by this means the shoe is firmer, and bottom fillings unne-
cessary. Sometimes, instead of sewing again the "upper," we screw, rivet,
peg, or cement, in addition to the once sewing; we then put in the outsole, and
make the shoc in the usual way. Sometimes, instead of securing the lapped
upper before the outsole is put in, we secure it after by means of screws, sprigs,
rivetts, or pegs, which we cause to pass through the outsole and lap of "upper"
to the insole; and sometimes we add what we call a "clump" outsole in this
What we claim as new is, the lapped "upper," and the security herein
named, in addition to the usual sewing.
way.
The third part of our Invention consists in preparing outsoles for an elastic
waist, and the application of the same to boots or shoes. We cut the outsole
to the shape we require, we then take down the waist by shaving, after which
we rough it with a rasp, then damp and contract it as much as possible; when
dry, apply several coats of india-rubber cement or solution; after drying,
attach a piece of sheet rubber, cut in the form of the waist. We would have
it understood that we are aware elastic waists have been made, but they
have been pieced. What we claim is, a whole outsole with an elastic waist
of india-rubber combined with leather.
The fourth part of our Invention consists in inserting an elastic gussett in the
tongue or instep piece of shoes or boots, called the Grecian or Albert cut.
Figure 7 is the upper of a Grecian, with the elastic inserted in the tongue or
instep piece; Figure 8 is the Albert cut pattern, with the elastic gussett attached

page_text: to the tongues, and rising above the tongues. What we claim is, the insertion
of an elastic gussett in the tongue or instep piece, or the insertion of an elastic
gussett or gussetts when rising above the tongues or leg pieces of any cut or
pattern of boot or shoe.
The fifth part of our Invention consists in producing a trowser boot or shoe,
which we do in the following manner:-The trowsers are made in the ordinary
way, the instep part blocked, as is well known; to the insteps are then attached
vamps of leather; both the front and back of trowsers are strengthened as
high as the calf, and a piece of boot webbing is inserted by the side of the
seams to form a loop, for ease in pulling on, after which they are put on the
last by the shoemaker, when he makes the shoe in the ordinary way, attaching
the trowser to the sole of the shoe, so making one united covering for the
human leg and foot, as in Figure 9. We lay no claim to diving dresses, nor any
overal legging to which shoes have been attached for fishing. Our claim is,
attaching the trowsers or body covering to the shoe or boot of any form, in such
a manner that they form one article of dress, or for military or other service.
The sixth part of our Invention is blocking out of one piece of leather or
cloth a seamless leg and instep piece, which we make into gaiters or riding
leggings. No. 10 is the lasting pattern for a button gaiter; Figure 11, the
Jasting pattern for a lace or spring side gaiter; Figure 12, lasting pattern
for riding leggings. Figure 10, after being blocked, assumes the shape of
Figure 13; and Figure 11 assumes the shape of Figure 13, similar shape,
without button piece; and Figure 12 assumes the shape of Figure 14. The
blocking is performed in the usual way. We claim a seamless blocked gaiter
and riding legging. We claim the Invention combined, or in either of its
separate parts, in making a covering for the human leg or foot.
In witness whercof, we, the said Samuel Mason and William Beeby, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Nineteenth day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.
Witness,
H. E. BIRKETT,
20, Castle Street, Holborn.
For Self and Partner, (L.S.)
SAM. MASON. (L.S.)