AN IMPROVED SOLE FOR BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hubbard, of Albion Road, Hammersmith, in
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED SOLE FOR
BOOTS AND SHOES."
Sealed the 4th April 1856, and dated the 8th October 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hubbard at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th October
1855.
I, JOHN HUBBARD, of Albion Road, Hammersmith, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED SOLE FOR BOOTS AND SHOES" to be as follows:-
Instead of using leather or gutta percha separately, or fastening the gutta
percha upon a leather sole, I make the sole by cutting a piece of suitable
leather into the usual shape of a sole; I then cut a piece out of the center,
leaving the outer rim of leather of convenient breadth, and of similar con-
figuration on its inner and outer edges; thus the center piece removed still
retains the shape of a sole. I pare off and bevil the inner surface of the
leather from the inner edge of the rim, and take a piece of gutta percha and cut
it the exact shape to fit within the bevilled edges of the leather rim, and I place
a thin piece or pieces of leather like straping upon the inner surface of the sole,
which with its bevilled edges is covered with a solution of gutta percha, and by
means of heat and pressure in a mould, the gutta percha sole with its leather
rim and inner lining or straping are all perfectly united or fastened together,
and when removed and cool the sole is ready to be stitched or fastened to the

page_text: uppers of the boot or shoe. I can cut and make a sole in a similar manner
from the center piece of leather first removed, and so on, until it becomes too
small. I use any convenient means to cut the leather and gutta percha and
suitable moulds
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Hubbard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th April 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, JOHN
HUBBARD, of Albion Road, Hammersmith, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John Hubbard, Her special licence that I, the said John Ilubbard, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John
Hubbard, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter 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 "AN IMPROVED SOLE FOR BOOTS AND
SHOES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Hubbard, 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 John Hubbard, 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:-
Instead of using leather or gutta percha separately for the soles of boots or
shoes, or attaching a gutta percha sole to a leather sole, in the usual manner,
I make the sole partly of leather and partly of gutta percha, and unite or
combine them in the following manner:-From the ordinary leather soles I
cut out the centre or tread part, leaving a rim or outer margin piece of leather
all round it. In cutting out the said centre piece or tread part, I bevil or slope

page_text: the inner edges of the leather rim so left, either inwardly or outwardly,
but the latter in preference, as it will afford more facility for attaching the
gutta percha to it. I then take a piece of gutta percha equal in size and shape
to the piece cut out of the leather sole, the said piece of gutta percha being
made sufficiently soft and pliable by heat, as is well understood. I place it in
the vacant space caused by cutting out the said centre piece of leather, and
unite it with the bevil edges of the leather by pressure and gutta percha
solution, or in any suitable way. In order to make this sole perfectly water-
proof, I cover or line the inner surface thereof with thin leather or woven fabric,
cemented to it by gutta percha solution. I then subject it in its pliant and
warm state to pressure in a suitable mould, and when it is cool will be found a
solid waterproof and exceedingly durable sole for boots or shoes, to be attached
to the uppers by any of the ordinary methods. It is evident that the centre
piece of leather cut out of the sole, as above described, can be used and
subjected to the same process for smaller soles, and so on, as long as the piece
cut out is large enough for other soles of smaller dimensions.
Having thus fully described the nature and particulars of my said Invention,
and the manner of carrying the same into practical effect, I desire it to be
distinctly understood that I do not confine myself to the exact size or shape of
the piece to be cut out of the sole, nor to the precise details herein set forth,
as such may be varied or modified without departing from the principle
thereof; but I claim as my Invention, and which, to the best of my knowledge
and belief, has not been hitherto used within this realm, the mode or method
of making soles for boots or shoes of leather and gutta percha, or any com-
pound thereof, united and combined so as to make a solid and waterproof
sole, with leather rim or margin, capable of being readily stitched or
attached to the uppers, as such is herein described and ascertained.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hubbard, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventh day of April, One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-six.
JOHN HUBBARD. (L.s.)
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the within-named
John Hubbard, in the presence of
WHY YOUNG, Patent Agent,
123, Chancery Lane.