Improvements in Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Aug., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 18th Apr., 1895-Accepted, 18th May, 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boots and Shoes.
We EBENEZER WHATCOTT and EDWIN BRIDGEWATER both of No. 7 Victoria
Road Northampton in the County of Northampton Boot and Shoe Manufacturers
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention has for its object to provide boots or shoes which can be readily
put on and removed from the feet and which when in use are more comfortable
than are hoots and shoes made as heretofore. According to our invention we make
an opening or division at the back or heel of the boot or shoe instead of or in
combination with the opening at the front as heretofore so that the foot may be
more readily inserted, and we may fasten the boot or shoe at the back by means of
straps and buckles, buttons, hooks, eyelets, laces or other suitable or convenient
fastening. In or near the waist of the inner sole of the boot or shoe we make an
opening and insert in the opening thus made a layer of flexible or pliable material
such as felt, india rubber or the like whereby the flexibility or pliability of the sole
of the boot or shoe is greatly increased thereby permitting of the sole yielding
more readily to the motions of the foot. Boots or shoes made according to our
invention are suitable for general wear and are especially advantageous for use
when cycling or playing games such as lawn tennis or the like.
Dated this 1st day of August 1894.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.
We EBENEZER WHATCOTT and EDWIN BRIDGEWATER both of No. 7, Victoria
Road Northampton in the County of Northampton Boot and Shoe Manufacturers
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:-
Our invention has for its object to provide boots or shoes which can be readily
put on and removed from the feet and which when in use, are more comfortable
than are boots and shoes made as heretofore. According to our invention we make
an opening or division at the back or heel of the boot or shoe instead of or in
combination with the opening at the front as heretofore so that the foot may be
more readily inserted and we may fasten the boot or shoe at the back by means of
straps and buckles, buttons, hooks, eyelets laces or other suitable or convenient
fastening. In, or near, the waist of the inner sole of the boot or shoe we make an
opening and insert in the opening thus made a layer of relatively more flexible or
pliable material such as felt, india rubber or the like whereby the flexibility or
pliability of the sole of the boot or shoe is greatly increased thereby permitting of
the sole yielding more readily to the motions of the foot.

page_text: And in order that our invention may be fully understood we more particularly
describe with reference to the accompanying drawings a shoe made in accordance
with our invention. Figure 1 is a perspective view of the shoe. Figure 2 is a
longitudinal section thereof and Figure 3 a plan of the insole. The upper a of the
shoe may be made in one piece of leather or it may be made in parts connected
together in the ordinary manner. At, or near, the back and within the heel portion
of the upper is a slit, or opening 6 extending from the top edge of the upper to, or
near to, the insole; so that when this slit is opened the foot can be more readily
slipped into the shoe than is the case with shoes which have the slit or opening at
the front or toe portion only of the upper. Any suitable fastenings may be
provided such for example as straps and buckles, buttons and button holes or
(as shewu in the drawing) on opposite sides of the slit or opening beyeletted
lacc holes are provided along the sides of the slit or opening for the reception
of a lace by means of which the sides of the slit or opening may be drawn
together so as to grasp the heel of the wearer comfortably and prevent the foot
from slipping in the shoe, a tongue a² being provided at the opening to protect
the heel of the wearer. To render boots or shoes more flexible or pliable so as to
yield better to the motions of the feet, there is made near the waist of the insole A
a hole or recess c in which is secured, by sewing or otherwise, a pad or block d of
india rubber felt or other material more yielding than leather and corresponding in
size and shape to the hole or recess and of such thickness that when it is secured in
position the surface thereof will correspond to the general surface of the insole and
will not present any protuberance liable to be inconvenient to the wearer whilst it
ensures great pliability of the boot or shoe and readily yields to the motions of the
foot of the wearer. Boots or shoes made according to our invention are specially
suitable for the use of cyclists or lawn tennis players and the like and will be found
more comfortable for general use than are boots and shoes made without the flexible
or yielding device at the waist.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is
1. Boots or shoes having an opening slit or division in the upper at the back or
within the heel portion of the boot or shoe and means for securing the sides of the
opening slit or division together substantially as and for the purpose herein before
described.
2. In the insole of boots and shoes an opening or recess within which is secured
a pad or block of felt or india rubber or other material more flexible or yielding
than the material of the insole substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described.
3. The combination in a boot or shoe of an insole with an opening or recess
wherein is secured a pad or block of felt or india rubber or other material more
flexible or yielding than the material of the insole and a slit opening or division at
or near, the back or within the heel portion of the upper of the boot or shoe and
means for closing the said slit or opening substantially as hereiubefore described
and illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 18th day of April 1895.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
Agents.