IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO METAL PLATES FOR THE HEELS OF BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1885

page_text: vvo VO
I WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake and Co Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO METAL PLATES FOR
THE HEELS OF BOOTS AND SHOES" to be as follows:-
This invention relates to metal plates designed to be attached to the heels of
boots or shoes for the purpose of preventing the wearing away of the heels; and
insuring their keeping in repair, whilst avoiding a cause of fatigue to the wearer.
The characteristic features which distinguish the plate constructed according to
this invention from the imperfect means heretofore used, are that they can be
readily removed and replaced by new plates or by roughened plates to prevent
slipping on ice or other slippery surfaces.
In carrying the said invention into practice, I fix under the heel of a boot or
shoe a plate of any material, such as malleable or cast iron, steel, copper, or gutta-
percha. This plate is fixed to the heel by nails or screws which are inserted in
holes in the said plate. The plate is moreover provided with one or more screw
threaded holes and is strengthened around the said hole or holes the projecting
portions being designed to enter recesses in the leather of the heel and bold the
plate more securely.
The fixed plate has the same external shape as the heel upon which it is placed
but is slightly smaller, leaving around it a small space into which the edge of a
second plate which is movable fits.
This movable plate, which is of any suitable metal, has on one edge a rib or
shoulder designed to occupy the space around the fixed plate.
The exterior surface of the movable plate is formed with a number of projections
of quadrangular or other form. The movable plate is secured to the heel by means
of a screw, which is inserted in a hole or holes corresponding with the tapped hole
or holes in the fixed plate.
The said screw is, by preference, made of copper to prevent oxidation.

page_text: Each screw is protected from external blows by a small external rib or projec-
tion cast integral with the movable plate around the screw hole. The holes formed
in the movable plate are quite smooth internally, the holes of the fixed plate only
being tapped.
A washer of caoutchouc, very thin copper, or fabric is placed between the two
plates to prevent the contact of the same.
It is very easy to replace the movable plate when it is worn; for this purpose
it is sufficient to remove the screw or screws. It is also easy to attach in the
winter during snow and frost a plate having pointed projections to prevent slipping.
The ice-plates are preferably made of steel.

page_text: Improvements in and relating to Metal Plates for the Heels of
Boots and Shoes.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be par-
ticularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to metal plates designed to be attached to the heels of
boots or shoes for the purposes of preventing the wearing away of the heels and
ensuring their keeping in repair, whilst avoiding a cause of fatigue to the wearer.
The characteristic features which distinguish the plates, constructed according
to this invention from the imperfect means heretofore used are that they can be
readily removed and replaced by new plates, or by roughened plates to prevent
slipping on ice or other slippery surfaces.
The said invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing the figures of
which are hereinafter referred to.
According to the said invention I fix under the heel of a boot or shoe a plate A
figure 1 of any suitable material such as malleable or cast iron, steel, copper or
gutta-percha. The two sides of this plate are shown separately in figures 2 and 3.
The said plate is fixed to the heel T by nails or screws which are inserted in the
holes tt, and is moreover provided with a tapped hole O and is strengthened
around the said hole, the projecting strengthening portion being designed to enter
a recess in the leather of the heel as shown in figure 1.
When the boot, shoe or the like has a heel of large size, the plate A can have
two tapped holes O, as shown in figure 4.
The fixed plate A has the same external shape as the heel upon which it is
placed, but is slightly smaller, leaving around it a small space into which the
edge of a second plate B, which is movable, fits.
The outer side of this movable plate is shown in figure 5 and the inner side in
Figure 6. Figure 7 is a longitudinal section. The said plate is constructed of
any suitable metal and has on one edge a rib or shoulder a designed to occupy
the space around the fixed plate A, as seen in the section in Figure 8, which
represents the two plates mounted on the heel.
The exterior surface of the plate B is formed with a number of projections b b
of quadrangular or other form. The said movable plate B is secured to the heel
by means of a screw V, shown separately in figure 9, which is inserted in a hole C
corresponding with the tapped hole O in the fixed plate. When the heel is of large
size, the plate B has two holes C C, figure 10, corresponding with the two tapped
holes O O in the fixed plate figure 4.
The screw V is by preference made of copper to prevent oxidation.
Each screw V is protected from external blows by a small external rib or projec-
tion c cast integral with the movable plate around the screw hole. The holes C C
formed in the movable plate are quite smooth internally, the holes in the fixed plate
only being tapped.

page_text: A washer of caoutchouc, very thin copper, or fabric is placed between the two
plates to prevent the contact of the same.
It is very easy to replace the movable plate when it is worn, for this purpose it
is sufficient to remove the screw or screws V. It is also easy to attach a plate
provided with projections of different form to those shewn, and in the winter
during snow and frost a plate having pointed projections to prevent slipping. These
plates can be made of any desirable dimensions, and of any suitable material,
and preferably of metal such as cast iron, malleable cast iron, steel, copper or
the like.
The ice-plates are preferably made of steel.
In some cases I form a recess in the underside of the plate B as shown in
figures 11 and 12, and insert therein a piece d of leather or the like, the said
piece being retained in position by glue or by other suitable means.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed; as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is ;
"
The improvements in metal plates for the heels of boots and shoes, consisting in
the combination of a plate which is permanently fixed under the heel of a boot
or shoe, and of a movable plate which surrounds the fixed plate and which is
fastened upon the latter. by means of one or more screws which enter a tapped
hole or holes in the fixed plate.