AN IMPROVEMENT IN HEEL COUNTERS OR STIFFENERS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1885

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COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, OLIVER IMRAY of No 28 Southampton Buildings Chancery Lane in the
County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents, do hereby declare
the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN HEEL COUNTERS OR
STIFFENERS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES" and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement
When heel counters, or stiffeners are moulded by machines, such as are now in
use, they are liable to be cracked or broken by bending the upturn of the counter
downwards to receive the "insole" and adjust the lining of the "upper," and then
restoring the upturn to its former position, the material being thus unduly strained
at the junction of the counter body with the upturn, and thus the object for which
the counter is used is to a great extent defeated.
This defect most frequently occurs when the counters are made of stiff and
brittle material.
This invention has for its object to prevent the tendency of a counter to crack
or break as above mentioned, and consists in forming the counter with a ridge or
'S. bend" between the body of the counter and the upturn. Also, this bend is not
in one plane but in a curve following the configuration of the "last," as I will
describe referring to the accompanying Drawings.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation and Fig. 2 a back elevation of a counter according to
this invention: Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the same, and Fig. 4, is a cross
section, of one side, on the line a Fig. 1.
J
A is the body of the counter; B is the ridge or "8, bend," and C is the crimped
upturn. By forming the ridge or." S, bend" B, the upturn C is turned downwards
and remains in this position when the counter is finished as a saleable article.
When it is applied to the last, "insole" and lining of the "upper" in the
construction of a boot or shoe, after the parts are adjusted the upturn is turned or
folded over them.

page_text: The line of the ridge or "S bend" B, is not in a plane such as would be indicated
by the line y, but follows a curvature corresponding with that of the "last."
Heretofore counters have been made with a simple bend at B, instead of a double
or S bend, this bend being made in one plane, and consequently when such counters
are applied to a "last" it is necessary to beat them to shape, thus straining and
deforming the material and causing many of them to become cracked or broken.
The moulds or dies for forming the improved counters may be similar to those
now in use, but modified so as to give the "8 bend" or the required curvature of
bend, or both of these features.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. Constructing a heel counter with an "S bend" connecting the body of the
counter with the upturn, substantially and for the purpose herein set forth.
2. In constructing a heel counter with an "S bend," connecting the body with
the upturn, making the bend not in a plane but in a line following the configuration
of the "last," substantially as herein described.
Dated this 10th day of February 1885,
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant,
28, Southampton Buildings,
London, W.O.