Improvements in or relating to Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 18th June, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 16th Mar., 1892-Accepted, 16th Apr., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Boots and Shoes.
I, ARTHUR BRADLEY HUGHES of 136 London Road, Leicester, Hosiery
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows
This invention has reference to boots and shoes and embodies improvements
which have for their object the ventilation of boots, shoes and similar articles of
foot gear.
According to my invention, a boot or shoe is provided in preferably the waist of
the under part or sole portion with one or more suitable holes or perforations
conveniently arranged and communicating with the interior of the boot or shoe so
that the natural action of the foot in walking will induce the necessary free circula-
tion of air through the holes hereinbefore inentioned and within the boot or shoe.
and thereby ventilating the same and maintaining the air within the boot or shoe
at an equable and comfortable temperature.
In order to prevent the perforations in the waist becoming choked up, or the
introduction of mud, grit or other foreign substances into the interior of the boot
or shoe through the perforations, I secure to the external part of the waist and
over the perforations, a suitably constructed shield or protective plate, which while
protecting the holes will offer no impediment or hindrance to the free currency of
air into the boot or shoe.
The shield may consist of a folded plate of suitable shape, the under part of
which may be in the form of a ring, provided with lugs for attachment to the waist
leather, and the upper part of the said shield may resemble a cap, concaved on its
underside and attached to the ring at one or more points, leaving a convenient
space between the peripheral edges of the ring and cap so as to allow of the ingress
and egress of air for ventilating the boot or shoe.
It is obvious that the shield may be constructed in various modified forms in
order to act as and for the purpose herein before referred to.
Dated this 18th day of June 1891.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Boots and Shoes.
I, ARTHUR BRADLEY HUGHES of 25 Southgate Street, Leicester, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This invention has reference to boots and shoes and embodies improvements
which have for their object the ventilation of boots, shoes, and similar articles of
foot gear.
Referring to the accompanying drawings :
--
Figure 1 is a view of the underside of a boot having my improvements applied
thereto.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of part of the bottom of a boot and the
perforation protecting shield.
Figure 3 is a transverse section of the waist of a boot and the shield thereon.
[Price 81.]

page_text: shield.
баск and front perspective views respectively of the
Figure 6 is a view of the shield opened out flat.
Figures 7, 8 and 9 are modifications.
To carry my invention into practice one or more holes or perforations A are
made in the waist of the bottom portion of a boot or shoe so as to communicate
with the interior of the boot or shoe and allow the air to be pumped in and out by
the natural action of the foot in walking.
In order, however, to prevent such perforations becoming obstructed or closed up
by mud, grit or the like I place over them a suitable shield or protector constructed
in such a manner as to effect this result without interfering in any way with the
ingress or egress of air for ventilating purposes.
One of the most convenient forms of shield for this purpose is shewn separately
in Figures 4, 5 and 6 and is constructed by preference of steel.
It is cut or stamped out in one piece of a suitable shape such for instance as
indicated in Figure 6.
It consists of a ring B which is placed next the leather and is provided with
lugs B¹ or equivalent so that it can be secured to the leather by screws C, nails or
other suitable means.
The disc B2 has concave and convexed sides and is furnished with an extension B³
capable of being bent over to engage the underside of the ring to secure the
disc B2 and ring B together.
The disc when turned over on to the ring, has its convexed surface on the
exterior with the object of leaving sufficient space between the disc and ring so as
not to offer any impediment to the free passage of air into or from the interior of
the boot or shoe to which the device is applied.
The shield when fixed in position is close up against and in contact with the
straight edge D' of the heel D as indicated in Figures 1 and 2.
This method of fixing most desirable as offering the least facility for the shield
becoming wrenched off or detached when the wearer is cleaning his boots on the
door-scraper as there is no gap or space between the heel and the shield for the
scraper to enter.
In the modifications represented in Figures 7 and 8 the ring B by which the
hereinbefore described shield is attached to the leather is dispensed with and the
shield is in the form of a disc E furnished with lugs E' for securing to the waist of
the boot in the position already mentioned; it is constructed with a concave under
surface and convexed outer surface and provided with numerous perforations E² to
allow of the admission and escape of air for ventilating the boot or shoe.
In the modification represented in Figure 9 the lugs F are cranked so as to
leave a space between the edge of the shield F and the boot waist to admit of a
freer circulation of air.
It is also perforated as shewn.
It is evident that the shield or device may be modified in various ways with the
object of preventing the holes in the boot waist becoming choked and allowing the
air to pass freely into and out of the boot or shoe to which it is applied without
departing from the main line or spirit of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
--
1. In a boot or shoe the combination with the waist thereof of one or more
openings communicating with the interior of the boot or shoe and a shield or
protector to prevent the said openings becoming choked up and allow of the free
ingress and egress of air substantially as herein before described.
2. The combination in a boot or shoe having a perforated waist of a shield
constructed substantially in the manner and for the purpose described and illustrated
in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.

page_text: 3. The combination with a boot or shoe having a perforated waist of a shield
constructed substantially in the manner and for the purpose described and illustrated
in Figures 7, 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.
4. The combination in a shield such as described of a circular plate having lugs
by which it may be attached to the boot and a central opening for the passage of
the air and a solid circular plate having a single lug to be bent over and connect it
with the first plate substantially as specified.
5. A shield for the purpose described consisting of a perforated disc having
perforated lugs by which it may be secured to the boot substantially as specified.
6. A shield for the purpose described consisting of a perforated disc having
cranked lugs for attaching it to the boot so that air may pass between the edge of
the disc and the sole of the boot substantially as specified.
Dated this 15th day of March 1892.
ARTHUR BRADLEY HUGHES.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.