Improvements in or relating to the Soles and Heels of Boots, Shoes, Slippers, and other like Foot Coverings.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 12th Sept., 1895-Accepted, 26th Oct., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Soles and Heels of Boots, Shoes,
Slippers, and other like Foot Coverings.
We, JOHN WILLIAM ELLIS, of 37 and 39 Nelson Street, South Bank, near
Middlesborough, in the County of York, Boot Factor and Clothier, and WILLIAM
JAMES BURROWs, of High Street, Marske-by-the-Sea, in the County of York,
Manager, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the soles and heels of boots, shoes,
slippers, and other like foot coverings, all of which are hereafter included in and
termed boot or shoe and its object is to construct a composite sole and heel of
leather and a non-combustible material that will be more durable, and at the same
time be as light and flexible as when made wholly of leather.
Soles and heels constructed according to the herein described invention are
particularly applicable for boots and shoes such as are worn by furnace-men, miners
and the like.
Hitherto boots and shoes with soles and heels constructed wholly of layers of
leather when worn by furnace-men and the like were owing to the nature of the
work in which these men are engaged, very soon burnt through and in many cases
the uppers are also destroyed.
Now to overcome this difficulty this class of boots and shoes have been armed
with nails, or alternate rows of nails and strips of leather; but in practice it has
been found that when the nails became heated they were very liable to burn or
hurt the wearer's foot or feet.
<
To protect the upper" and also the inner sole from the damage named herein
we form or construct both the sole and heel of the boot or shoe of any desired
number of layers or lifts of leather and of a non-combustible material, such as
asbestos, arranged alternately, and built up in the usual manner, that is to say
between two layers of leather is inserted a layer of a non-combustible material
such as asbestos. When more than one layer of a non-combustible material, such
as asbestos, is used we arrange that the outer portion of the sole, and heel too if
desired, shall be of leather. The inner face of the inner sole may also, if desired,
be lined with a thin layer or facing of a non-combustible material, such as asbestos,
attached thereto by any suitable means, such as say cement.
If, say, the sole is composed of three layers, the two leather layers may, if
preferred, though not necessarily so, be thinner than the intermediate layer of a
non-combustible material, such as asbestos, which in this case would take the form
of a "through" sole.
The various layers or lifts are cut to shape in the usual manner and may be
sewn or otherwise fastened together by ordinary means.
By interposing the layer of non-combustible material between those of leather
when the outer layer of leather has partially worn away it still forms a protection
for the non-combustible material, causing the latter to wear longer than it otherwise
would have done. The non-combustible material also acts as a protection for the
inner sole and prevents it and the "welt" and boot "upper" from being burnt or
damaged by heat.
Although we have mentioned asbestos as the non-combustible material we prefer
to employ, yet we desire it to be understood that any other suitable material that

page_text: has been prepared, saturated, or impregnated with a chemical or chemicals so as
to render it impervious to heat may be used in place thereof and used in the form
of a layer of the same size or contour as, or smaller than, the sole and heel.
Dated the Eighth day of November 1894.
JOHN WILLIAM ELLIS.
WILLIAM JAMES BURROWS.
Improvements in or relating to the Soles and Heels of Boots, Shoes,
Slippers, and other like Foot Coverings.
We, JOHN WILLIAM ELLIS, of 37 and 39 Nelson Street, South Bank, near
Middlesborough, in the County of York, Boot Factor and Clothier, and WILLIAM
JAMES BURROWs, of High Street, Marske-by-the-Sea, in the County of York,
Manager, 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in the soles and heels of boots, shoes,
slippers, and other like foot coverings, all of which are hereafter included in and
termed boot or shoe, and its object is to construct a composite sole and heel of
leather and a non-combustible material that will be more durable, and at the same
time be as light and flexible as when made wholly of leather.
Soles and heels constructed according to the herein described invention are
particularly applicable for boots and shoes such as are worn by furnace-men, miners
and the like.
Hitherto boots and shoes with soles and heels constructed wholly of layers of
leather when worn by furnace-men and the like, were, owing to the nature of the
work in which these men are engaged, very soon burnt through and in many cases
the uppers are also destroyed.
Now to overcome this difficulty this class of boots and shoes have been armed
with nails, or alternate rows of nails and strips of leather; but in practice it has
been found that when the nails become heated they were very liable to burn or
hurt the wearer's foot or feet.
According to this invention, to protect the "upper" and also the inner sole
from the dainage named herein, we form or construct both the sole au 1 heel of the
boot or shoe of any desired number of layers or lifts of leather and of a non-
combustible material such as asbestos, arranged alternately, and built up in the
usual manner; that is say between two layers of leather is inserted a layer of a
non-combustible material such as asbestos. When more then one layer of a
non-combustible material such as asbestos is used we arrange that the outer portion
of the sole, and heel too if desired, shall be of leather. The inner face of the inner
sole may also if desired be lined with a thin layer or facing of a non-combustible
material such as asbestos attached thereto by any suitable means such as cement.
lu the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a boot with our invention applied.
Fig. 2 a transverse section.
A is the upper which may be cut, shaped, formed, stiffened, lined (when
required), and lasted on to the sole in the usual and ordinary manner.
B is the sole and C is the heel; these parts are constructed as will be presently
described.
D the sock or inner sole of non-combustible material, say such as asbestos,
which may in some cases be dispensed with.
The sole B and heel C is formed of any desired number of layers or lifts of

page_text: leather, b, b or c, and of a non-combustible material such as asbestos b² or e¹
arranged alternately, and built up in the usual manner, that is say between two
layers of leather 662 or c c is inserted a layer of a non-combustible material such as
asbestos b' or c¹. When more than one layer of a non-combustible material such
as asbestos is used we arrange that the outer portion of the sole 62, and heel too if
desired, shall be of leather. The inner face of the through sole 62 may also if
desired be lined with a thin layer or facing D of a non-combustible material such
as asbestos attached thereto, when desired, by any suitable means such as say
cement.
When the sole B is composed say, for example, of three layers 6 1 62 the two
leather layers b 62 may, if preferred though not necessarily so be thinner than the
intermediate layer b' of a non-combustible material such as asbestos which in this
case would take the form of a "through sole. The heel C may also be
constructed with alternate layers of leather c and non-combustible material, such
as asbestos c¹.
"
The various layers or lifts of the sole B and heel C are cut to shape in the
usual manner and may be sewn or otherwise fastened together by ordinary means.
By interposing the layer of non-combustible material or c¹ between those of
leather bb2 or c when the outer layer of leather 62 or c has partially worn away it
still forms a protection for the non-combustible material causing the latter to wear
longer than it otherwise would have done. The non-combustible material also acts
as a protection for the inner sole D and prevents it and the welt and boot upper
from being burnt or damaged by heat.
Although we have mentioned asbestos as the non-combustible material we prefer
to employ, yet we desire it to be understood that any other suitable material such
as slag wool or say felt that has been prepared, saturated, or impregnated with a
chemical or chemicals so as to render it impervious to heat may be used in place
thereof and used in the form of a layer of the same size or contour as, or smaller
than, the sole and heel.
It will be understood that in some cases a layer of non-combustible material,
such as asbestos might if desired be inserted in a recess formed between the two
leather layers of the soles. In this case the layer of non-combustible material
could be edged or the walls of the recess could be formed of an edging of leather.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A sole or heel, one or both, for boots and shoes, composed of alternate layers
of leather and a non-combustible material such as asbestos, substantially as herein
described and illustrated.
2. The combination of the upper A with a sole B and heel C composed of
alternate layers of leather and non-combustible material, such as asbestos, that is
a layer or c¹ of non-conducting material interposed between the layers bb² or c
of leather substantially as hercin set forth and illustrated.
Dated this Ninth day of September 1895.
JOHN WILLIAM ELLIS.
WILLIAM JAMES BURROWS.