Improved Means for Ventilating Boots and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th June, 1896
Complete Specification Left, 10th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 13th Mar., 1897
Improved Means for Ventilating Boots and the like.
We, LEWIS ROBERT STIRKE TOMALIN, Merchant, and GEORGE MOULD,
Cordwainer, both of 95 Milton Street, in the City of London, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
According to this invention the interior of a boot, shoe or the like (hereinafter
called a boot) is ventilated by securing between the inner and outer soles of the
boot two or more longitudinally arranged strips of suitable material such as
leather, india rubber, celluloid, or cane so as to form between the inner and outer
soles one or more unobstructed air passages which communicates or communicate
through a series of holes in the insole with the interior of the boot, and through
one or more holes in the front back or sides of the heel with the external
atmosphere. The said strips may be secured to the outer side of the insole or to
the inner side of the outer sole, but are preferably secured to a shank of leather
secured between the inner and outer soles. The air hole in the heel of the boot or
each of them where there are more than one, may advantageously be reinforced by
a metal tube.
When cane or other material that is liable in its natural state, to absorb and
retain perspiration is used for the strips, it should be previously impregnated with
a suitable liquid such as linseed oil, or olive oil to prevent such absorption of
perspiration.
We, LEWIS ROBERT STIRKE TOMALIN, Merchant, and GEORGE MOULD,
Cordwainer, both of 95 Milton Street, in the City of London, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
According to this invention the interior of a boot, shoe or the like (hereinafter
called a boot) is ventilated by securing between the inner and outer soles of the
boot two or more longitudinally arranged strips of suitable material such as
leather, india rubber, celluloid, or cane so as to form between the inner and outer
soles one or more unobstructed air passages which communicates or communicate
through a series of holes in the insole with the interior of the boot, and through
one or more holes in the front, back or sides or side of the heel with the external
atmosphere. The said strips may be secured to the outer side of the insole or to

page_text: the inner side of the outer sole, but are preferably secured to a shank of leather
secured between the inner and outer soles. The air hole in the heel of the boot or
each of them where there are more than one, may advantageously be reinforced by
a metal tube.
When cane or other material that is liable in its natural state, to absorb and
retain perspiration is used for the strips, it should be previously impregnated with
a suitable liquid such as linseed oil, or olive oil to prevent such absorption of
perspiration.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section and Fig. 2 a cross section on the line of
Fig. 1 showing a boot constructed with our improved means for ventilating
the same.
Fig. 3 is a plan showing the boot as it appears before the outer sole and heel are
áttached thereto.
Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 3 showing a slightly modified construction.
1 and 1 are two strips of material of the kind mentioned arranged longitudinally
between the inner and outer soles 2 and 3 so as to form a longitudinal air passage 4
that communicates at one end with the interior of the boot through holes 5 in the
inner sole 2 and at the other end with the atmosphere through a hole 6 in the heel
of the boot, this hole being lined with a metal tube as shown. 7 is a leather shank
which, in the example shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is fixed.to and over the said strips
on the outer side thereof, that is to say the side next the outer sole. It is
preferably formed with a longitudinal slot 7 which is arranged over the space
between the strips 1, 1 so as to increase the cross sectional area of the air
passage 4 formed by and between the strips and the two soles. The shank may if
desired be placed between the said strips and the inner sole, as shown in Fig. 4,
but it must in this case be slotted or perforated to admit of communication between
the interior of the boot and the air passage 4.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. In a boot or the like, the combination of an outer sole, a perforated inner sole,
and two or more interposed longitudinal strips of leather or other suitable material
arranged to form one or more unobstructed air passages that communicate with the
interior of the boot through the holes in the inner sole and direct with the external
atmosphere through one or more holes in the front, back or sides (or side) of the
heel the arrangement being such as to afford ventilation to the interior of the boot
substantially as described.
2. A boot or shoe constructed with the improved ventilating means described
and shown.
W. LLOYD WISE,
46 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Chartered Patent Agent.