IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON- STRUCTION AND MANUFACTURE OF MOVEABLE OR ADJUSTABLE HEELS FOR Boors AND SHOES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Joseph Wadsworth, of Marple, in the County of
Chester, Mechanic, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CON-
STRUCTION AND MANUFACTURE OF MOVEABLE OR ADJUSTABLE HEELS FOR Boors
AND SHOES."
Scaled the 8th July 1864, and dated the 14th January 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Joseph Wadsworth at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th
January 1864.
I, JOSEPH WADSWORTH, of Marple, in the County of Chester, Mechanic,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURE OF MOVEABLE OR ADJUSTABLE HEELS FOR
BOOTS AND SHOES," to be as follows:-
The moveable or adjustable heels to which the said Invention has reference
are those which are so constructed that they may be turned on their centres
and made to assume different positions from time to time, in order that fresh
[Price 8d.1

page_text: surfaces may be exposed in those directions in which the heels are found to
wear away most rapidly.
The first part of my Invention consists in an improved arrangement and con-
struction of the plate or disc which is permanently attached to the boot or shoe,
and also the plate or disc to which the wearing parts of the heel are attached.
The plate or disc attached to the boot or shoe has a central recess and four
slots or orifices in the prominent part of the plate which surrounds the recess,
and between two of the slots at the inside there is a spring, the front part of
which passes over one end of one of the slots. The plate or disc to which the
wearing part of the heel is attached has a projecting central bearing, and also
four projections cach having a groove at its outer edge. The central bearing
fits the recess in the first-mentioned plate or disc, and the projections are passed
through the slots and slightly turned so that the grooves pass on to the edges
of the slots or orifices, and thereby hold the two plates closely together, and
when the plates are turned close up the spring drops against one of the pro-
jections and prevents the heel from turning, but when it is desired to turn the
heel a small wire is passed through a hole in the outer rim of the first-
mentioned plate in order to raise the spring and allow the projection to pass
under it, and when the wearing part of the heel and plate is slightly turned
back they can be taken off and re-attached at another part.
The second part of this Invention consists in forming the plate or disc which
is permanently attached to the boot or shoe with a central recess, outside of
which are four grooved projections or flanches at the inner edge of the
prominent part of the plate, and in the interior of the said prominent part
there is a spring, the fore end of which is bent so as to pass through a slot
in the said prominent part. The plate or disc to which the wearing parts of
the heel are attached has a projecting central bearing, on the outside of which
are four grooved projections or flanches, and also four slots in the outer rim.
When the plates are put together the flanches on both plates interlock in cach
other, and the fore part of the spring enters one of the slots in the bottom plate,
and prevents the flanches from being loosened from each other, the spring
being lifted by a wire when the heel and plate has to be turned to another
part. The discs or plates in both cases may be stamped or compressed in dies
or made from castings.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Joseph Wadsworth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th July 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
WADSWORTH. of Marple, in the County of Chester. Mechanic. send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors. give and grant unto
me, the said Joseph Wadsworth. Her special license that I, the said Joseph
Wadsworth, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Joseph Wadsworth, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others. from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 "IMPFOVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND MANUFACTURE OF MOVEABLE OR ADJUSTABLE HEELS
FOR BOOTS AND SHOES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I. the said
Joseph Wadsworth, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my or their. or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain 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 I, the said Joseph Wadsworth, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement (that is to say):
The moveable or adjustable heels to which the said Invention has reference
are those which are so constructed that they may be turned on their centrez,
and made to assume different positions from time to time, in order that fresh
surfaces may be exposed in those directions in which the heels are found to
wear away most rapidly.
The first part of my Invention consists in an improved arrangement and
construction of the plate or disc which is permanently attached to the boot
or shoe, and also the plate or disc to which the wearing part of the heel
is attached. The plate or disc attached to the boot or shoe has a central

page_text: recess and four slots or orifices in the prominent part of the plate which
surrounds the recess, and at the inside there is a spring, the front part of which
is bent downwards so that it can pass through a narrow slot in the aforesaid
prominent part. The plaie or disc in which the wearing part of the heel is
attached has a projecting central bearing, and also four projections, each having
a groove at one edge, and in the plate there are four narrow slots adapted
for the front part of the spring to pass through. The central bearing fits the
recess in the first-mentioned plate or disc. and the projections are passed
through the slots or orifices, and slightly turned so that the grooves pass on io
the edges of the slots or orifices, and thereby hold the two plates closely
together, and when the plates are turned close up the front end of the
spring passes through one of the narrow slots and prevents the heel from
turning, but when it is desired to turn the heel a small wire is passed
through a hole in the outer rim of the first-mentioned plate in order to
raise the spring, and when the plate with the wearing part of the heel is
slightly turned back, it can be taken off and turned a quarter or half and then
re-attached so as to bring a fresh surface to that part where the greatest wear
takes place.
The second part of this Invention consists in forming the plate or disc
which is permanently attached to the boot or shoe with a ceniral recess,
outside of which are four grooved projections or flanches at the inner edge
of the prominent part of the plate. and in the interior of the said pro-
minent part. there is a spring, the fore end of which is bent so as to pass
through a slot in the said prominent part. The plate or disc to which the
wearing parts of the heel are attached has a projecting central bearing, on the
outside of which are four grooved projections or flanches, and also four slots in
the outer rim. When the plates are put together, the flanches on both plates
interlock in each other, and the fore part of the spring enters one of the slots
in the bottom plate and prevents the flanches from being loosened from each
other, the spring being lifted by a wire when the heel and plate has to be
turned to another part. The discs or plates in both cases may be stamped or
compressed in dies, or made from castings.
This Invention will be clearly understood by the following particular
description thereof, reference being had to the figures on the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings and to the letters marked thereon.
The first of my improved arrangements and construction of moveable or
adjustable heels for boots and shoes is shewn in Figs. 1. 2. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.
Fig. 1, being a plan of the under side of the plate or disc which is per-
manently attached to the boot or shoe; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the same

page_text: at the line A. B; Fig. 3. a vertical elevation with part of the rim removed;
Fig. 4. a plan of the top of the moveable disc or plate to which the wearing
part of the heel is fixed; Fig. 5, a vertical section of the same at the line
C, D: Fig. 6. an outside view thereof with the wearing part of the heel
attached, and Figs. 7 and 8, detached views of the spring for preventing
the wearing part of the heel from coming off. The plate or disc Figs.
1, 2, and 3. which is permanently attached to the boot or shoe, has a
central recess a, and in the prominent part
of the plate which surrounds
To the inside of the plate
the recess there are four slots or orifices c.
is attached a spring d. also shewn detached in Figs. 7 and 8, which spring
is bent at its front end and passes through the narrow slot or opening e and
over all the slots and the spring there are covers soldered to the inside of the
plate.
The plate or disc, Figs. 4, 5, and 6, to which the wearing part of the heel is
attached, has a central bearing and on the prominent part of the plaie
there are four projections i, each having a groove at one edge, and in the plate
there are four narrow slots or openings . The central bearing g is made to
fit the recess a of the stationary plate, and each projection i is of such diameter
that it can pass through the slots or orifices c. The plate. Figs. 1, 2, and 3.
is first fixed to the heel of the boot or shoe, and then the central bearing of
the moveable plate is entered into the recess, and the projections i passed
through the slots or orifices c, after which the moveable plate is slightly turned
so that the grooves pass on to the edges of the plate at the sides of the slots or
orifices, and thereby hold the two plates closely together, and when the plates
are turned close up. that is when the projections abut against the ends of the
slots, the front end of the spring d passes through one of the narrow slots l
and locks the two plates firmly together, but when it is desired to turn the
moveable part of the heel, a small pin or wire 1, Fig. 1, is passed through a
hole in the outer rim of the stationary plate in order to raise the spring
and withdraw its front end from the narrow slot in the plate attached to the
moveable part of the heel so that the moveable plate with the wearing part of
the heel can be turned back and taken off, and then re-attached at another part,
the front end of the spring passing through another narrow slot corresponding
with the change of position.
The second of my improved arrangements and construction of moveable
heels for boots and shoes is shewn in Figs. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, and 14, and an
external view of both arrangements attached to part of a boot or shoe is shewn
in Fig. 15. Fig. 9 is a plan of the under side of the plate or disc which is per-
manently attached to the boot or shoe; Fig. 10, a vertical section of the same at

page_text: the line E. F; Fig. 11. a vertical section at the line G. H: Fig. 12, a plan
of the top of the moveable disc or plate to which the wearing part of the heel
is fixed; Fig. 13, a vertical section of the same, at the line I, J, and Fig. 14
an external view of the moveable plate with the wearing part of the heel
attached.
The plate or disc, Figs. 9. 10 and 11, which is permanently attached to the
boot or shoe has a central recess n, outside of which are four grooved pro-
jections or flanches at the inner edge of the prominent part p of the plate.
and in the interior of the said prominent part there is a spring q, the fore end
of which is bent so as to pass through a slot r in the said prominent part.
The plate or disc, Figs. 12, 13, and 14, to which the wearing parts of the heel
are attached, has a projecting central bearing s, on the outside of which are four
grooved projections or flanches and also four slots u in the outer rim. When
the plates are put together the flanches on both plates interlock in each other
and the fore part of the spring enters one of the slots in the bottom plate and
prevents the flanches from being loosened from each other, the spring being
lifted by a wire when the heel and plate has to be turned to another part. I
do not confine myself to four slots or orifices c. Fig. 1, or four projections i and
slots l, Fig. 4, or four projections or flanches o, Figs. 9 and 11, and t. Figs. 12,
13. and 14, as the number may be varied if desired.
In the moveable or adjustable heels for which Letters Patent were granted
to James Wadsworth, bearing date March 13th 1862, No. 687, the central
bearing was formed on the permanent plate or disc, and the recess in the
moveable plate or disc, but they have been found by experience to require a
great number of stampings and annealings before they could be perfecily
executed, whereas in both of my improved arrangements the recess is formed
in the stationary plate and the central bearing on the moveable plate, and as the
indentations are all in one direction the plates can be stamped to the proper
form without annealing.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood that
I do not claim the projections or flanches o, Figs. 9 and 11, and t, Figs. 12, 13,
and 14, as that mode of interlocking has been before employed, but what I
do claim is the system of placing the central bearing g. Figs. 4, 5, and 6,
and s, Figs. 12, 13, and 14, on the moveable plate or disc, and the recess a
Figs. 1 and 2, and n. Figs. 9, 10, and 11, in the stationary plate or
disc and the improved mode of locking the two plates together by means of
slots or orifices, Figs. 1 and 2, and grooved projections, Figs. 4, 5, and 6, and
also the improved spring and mode of its application, as all such improve-

page_text: Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Wadsworth, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Joseph Wadsworth,
in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
JOSEPH WADSWORTH. (L.S.)