Improvements in Heel-socks, Sock-lifts, or like Attachments for Boots or Shoes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Sept., 1891-Accepted 24th Oct.,.
1891:
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Heel-socks, Sock-lifts, or like Attachments for
Boots or Shoes.
A communication from CHARLES JOHN BAILEY, of Newton, in the State of
Massachusetts, one of the United States of America, Manufacturer.
I, Alfred George Brookes of 55 & 56. Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Chartered Patent Agent, 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 :-
Boots and shoes as commonly made are provided with solid heels secured in
position by nails, thereby presenting an unyielding object beneath. the heel, so that
in walking, the wearer is subjected to a series of sudden jars or shocks.
Such sudden jars or shocks to the body appear in themselves to be slight and
hence unimportant;. but it has been discovered that the excessively, large number
of such sudden jars or shocks to the body each day, affects the generali health, and
produces or greatly aggravates certain diseases.
Many devices have been made by which such sudden jars or shocks may be
overcome, but on account of their peculiar construction they are objectionable; as
for instance, a heel sock or sock lift has been made of rubber, provided on its
underside with a number of solid projections.
Such form is objectionable because the rubber is too heating to the foot; and
because the solid projections are felt as hard spots by the wearer.
Sock soles have been made composed of a layer of thin leather and a layer of
rubber, having on it a series of transverse ribs, and also a large number of pyramidal
projections; but such forms are objectionable because the ribs and projections are
felt as hard spots by the wearer.
'
In fact, all the constructions known to me, which may be adapted for the purpose,
contain solid projections or ribs, which when in use, will be felt by the wearer, and
are hence objectionable.
This invention has for its object to construct a sock-lift which may be placed in
a boot or shoe and attached to the inner sole thereof or not, as desired, but which
is yielding evenly over the entire surface which comes in contact with the tread of
the foot.
In order to carry out this invention I have secured to the underside of a piece of
thin leather or other suitable material made heel-shaped, a layer of rubber provided
with a large number of cellular or socketed projections.
By making said projections cellular, and also by making the side walls thereof
quite thin, a suitable space is provided on each side of said walls to receive the
material thereof when compressed, and hence no hard spots will be felt by the
wearer.
Fig. 1 shows in longitudinal section a sock lift embodying this invention.
Fig. 2 an underside view of the sock-lift shown in Fig. 1, and
Fig. 3 an enlarged view in perspective of a portion of the yielding material to be
referred to.
The layer a of leather or equivalent material, has secured to its underside a
layer b of rubber, upon the underside of which is formed a number of cellular or
socketed projections c.
The projections c have, as shown, thin side walls, and being made cellular or
socketed, a sufficient space is left on each of said walls for the material when they
are compressed.
The side walls are of substantially the same thickness from the foundation on
which they are formed, to their outer edge, or in other words, they do not increase

page_text: in thickness toward the foundation, so that they are just as flexible and elastic at
one point as at another.
When solid projections or ribs are employed which are thicker or wider at the
foundation, or which cannot be compressed so as to lie substantially flat by the
weight of the person, small hard spots or bunches will be felt by the wearer; but
with the construction herein shown and described, no such hard spots or bunches
will be felt, as the weight of the person will compress the thin cellular projections
substantially flat and so as to cover substantially the entire surface of the rubber
foundation.
A yielding cushion is hence provided beneath the heel to take up or overcome
the sudden jars or shocks incident to walking, said cushion being yielding evenly
over its entire surface.
Herein I have shewn the heel socks or like cushion as fastened by tacks 2 but
other suitable means of fastening may be employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The heel-sock, sock-lift or like attachment for boots and shoes herein shown
and described, consisting of a thin piece of leather, and a thin layer of rubber
secured to the underside of said leather, and a number of cellular projections with
thin side walls formed on the underside of said rubber layer, substantially as
described.
2 The heel sock, sock-lift or like attachment for boots and shoes herein shown
and described, consisting of a thin piece of leather, and a thin layer of rubber
secured to the underside of said leather, and a number of cellular or socketed
projections on the underside of said rubber layer, and the fastenings, as tacks 2, the
heads of which are concealed, substantially as described.
Dated the 18th day of September 1891.
WM, BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.