IMPROVEMENTS IN THE PREPARATION OF SOLES AND HEELS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1867

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Mole at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 28th September
1867.
I, CHARLES MOLE, of Farringdon Road, in the City of London, Boot Maker,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE PREPARATION OF SOLES AND HEELS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES," to be as follows:-
I propose to render soles of boots and shoes made of leather, gutta percha,
india-rubber, or analogous material stronger and more durable in wear
without destroying the elasticity of the material. Hitherto nails (clout
headed or other) have been introduced into the sole after the manufacture
of the boot or shoe to make it wear longer. These nails are either filed off at
their heads or the heads are left projecting; if left flush with the bottom of
the sole the damp is not effectually excluded as it penetrates between the
metal and the leather, and if the head be left projecting the sole is too clumsy
for ordinary wear, and in either case almost non-elastic.
I
I propose to use bolts or pins of solid metal or composite metal and to
insert them (through holes prepared in the leather or other material) into the
sole before the boot or shoe is made in order that boot or shoe soles thus
prepared may be supplied to the boot maker perfect and ready for use.
pass the metal bolt or pin (shaped cylindrically or irregularly as may be
preferred) through the holes made in the leather, compressing the ends so as
to cause them to overlap on both upper and lower (tread) of the sole. If
the metal used be of a very hard or brittle nature then the bolt, pin, or rivet

page_text: should be made with double head as a stud, and being compressed in the
leather this latter will fill up the space between the stud heads and so secure
the stud in its position and prevent the moisture from passing into the sole.
Pegs or pins made of wood and of cylindrical or irregular shape may be used;
the ends of these pegs when inserted in the sole and submitted to pressure
will enlarge, come flush with the sole, and slightly overlap the leather on
both sides; this expansion of each end of the peg will also cause it to taper a
little from each end towards the centre, a slight hollow being thus formed, as
in the metal bolts, and the leather under the pressure filling up this hollow
binds the peg still more securely in the sole. My strengthening bolts, pegs,
rivets, or studs are inserted at intervals through the sole, but the edges thereof
are avoided, so that the sewing or pegging of the soles to the uppers may
not be prejudiced.
I also propose to prepare heels of any shape for boots and shoes by bolting
several pieces of leather or other suitable material together, inserting the
bolts in the manner above described for soles; but in this case the bolts may
be placed around the edge as well as on other parts of the tread as the heels
will be attached to the boot or shoe by nails or screws inserted between the
bolts.
I further propose to prepare soles for strong boots and shoes, such as are
mostly worn by agricultural labourers, so as to strengthen the tread of the
sole without destroying its elasticity by placing upon it instead of the ordinary
nails, which burn and stiffen the leather, alternate bars or strips of metal and
leather or analogous material, securing these on the main sole by round
bolts riveted on both sides by hammering or in any suitable machine.