Improvements in or relating to the Heel and Toe Pieces of Boots. and Shoes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 19th Jan., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 23rd Feb.. 1889
Improvements in or relating to the Heel and Toe Pieces of Boots.
and Shoes.
I, JOHN BLAKEY, of 41 and 42 Lady Lane, Leeds, in the County of York, Boot
and Shoe Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide simple and ready means for protecting
that part of the heels and toes of boots and shoes at the point where they are most
likely to be worn.
heel or toe.
In carrying this invention into practice, at the part most liable to wear, a portion
of the top lift of the heel, or toe portion of the outer sole is cut away to receive a
metal plate. This plate may be of the same (or slightly thicker) thickness as the top
lift or outer sole, and is shaped to correspond with the shape or contour of the boot
When preferred it may also be made thicker at the edge or part most
liable to wear. To the underside or surface of the plato is cast or formed thereon
or.attached thereto any desired number of spikes or pins for attaching the plate to the
heel or sole. A portion of the underside of the plate is also cut away transversely
or diagonally to form a recess and lip for receiving a portion of the top lift or outer.
sole. In the recess is also cast or otherwise formed or attached therein or thereto a
number of spikes or pins, these may preferably be made shorter than the first named
spikes.
The herein described plates may be so designed or constructed that a piece or
pieces of leather or other suitable substance may when required be inserted therein.
When such leather or other substance is inserted, it is preferably (though not
necessarily so) made to fit into a tapering recess or recesses.
When the plate is fixed in position, a portion of the outer sole or top lift of the
heel passes under the lip of the metal plate into the transverse or diagonal recess, and
is held in position by the small projecting spikes.

page_text: 100
It will be readily understood that the above plate may be easily, applied to boots
and shoes already worn, as well as to new ones or it may be sold applied to the top
lifts of the heel, or the outer sole portions of boots and shoes, and further when it is
applied as above described there is a great saving of leather.
Datad this Truantur first day of Angil 1888
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Heel and Toe Pieces of Boots
and Shoes.
I, JOHN BLAKEY, of 41 and 42 Lady Lane, Leeds, in the County of York Boot
and Shoe Manufacturer 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 :-
The object of this invention is to provide simple and ready means for protecting
that part of the heels and toes of boots and shoes at the point where they are most
likely to be worn.
In carrying this invention into practice at the part most liable to wear a portion of
the top lift of the heel or toe portion of the outer sole is cut away to receive a metal
plate which is shaped to correspond with the piece or portion of the top lift, or toe
part which has been removed for its reception and the metal. plate is provided with
attaching spikes or pins and has a portion of its undersurface cut away to form a
flange for covering the joint of the leather and metal.
о
In the drawings a heel and toe piece suitable for Mens boots are shewn but they
may also be adapted for other kinds of boots and shoes. Fig. 1. is a plan of the metal
heel piece or plate attached to the top lift of a boot heel. Fig. 2. a section of same
on line fig. 1. Fig. 3. a plan of underside of metal piece showing the diagonal
recess, flange, and attaching pins. Fig. 4. a plan of toe piece or plate attached to a
portion of an outer sole of a boot. Fig. 5. a plan of underside of same. Fig. 6. a
section on line y, y.
A and B are respectively the top lift of a boot heel, and portion of an outer sole
of a boot or shoe. These are cut away at parts liable to wear, that is, the top lift of
the heel is cut away diagonally at a, and the outer sole transversely at the toe portion b
to receive a recessed and spiked metal piece or plate C which is shaped to correspond
with the portion of the top lift, or toe of the outer sole which has been removed for
its reception, thus completing the contour of the heel or sole.

page_text: +
The piece or plate C may be made of cast or malleable iron or any other suitable..
metal of the same (or slightly thicker) thickness as the top lift or outer sole, or say
about three sixteenths, or one fourth of an inch in thickness at the outer edge; and,
to reduce its weight, as well. as enable it to bed or fit. itself to the surface of, the,.
heel or toe, its inner surface c may be made concave as shown, the thickness of the
plate at the centre of the concaved portion being about one. sixteenth or an eighth..of
an,inch, but I distinctly wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to these
or any other dimensions herein given, as they may be varied for the different sizes or.
styles of boots and shoes to which the pieces or plates Care applied. The outer
edge of the piece or plate may be shaped to complete the outer contour of the boot..
beel or toe, as well as of the piece of leather that has been removed for its reception.
A. portion of the underside of the plate is cut away at ², to form a projection.
(against which the edge of the top lift or. outer sole abuts) and a flange or lip
say about three-eighths of an inch in breadth and extending the full width of the plate,.
which is employed for covering the join between the leather and the metal; as well
as for assisting in attaching the two portions together.
"
When the plate is used for protecting the wearing portion of a heel the under-
surface of the plate is preferably cut away diagonally as shewn at Figs. 1 and 3, but
when employed for the toe portion of the outer sole it may be cut-away transversely
as shewn at Figs. 4 and 5. To the undersurface e of the plate may he cast or formed
thereon, or attached thereto by rivetting, or by any other convenient means any desired
number of projecting spikes or pins. In the drawings six spikes or pins are shown
arranged in two rows c, c,, but I would have it understood that I do not limit
myself to this number as it may be increased or diminished according to the strength,
size, or class of boot or shoe to which the invention is applied. The spikes or pins
shown in row c are arranged around, but at a suitable distance (say about one fourth
of an inch) from the outer edge el of the plate, and they are employed for fixing or
attaching the plate to the heel or sole of the boot or shoe, whilst the spikes or pins c
are arranged in a row on the underside of the flange or lip and are preferably
(though not necessarily so) made smaller and shorter than those in row but still
long enough to pass through and project beyond the inner surface of the top lift of
the heel and outer sole as shown at Figs. 2 and 6, thus in addition to forming means
for attaching the two parts together they aid in retaining the recessed and spiked
plate in position on the sole or heel of the boot or shoe.
When the plate is fixed in position, a portion of the outer sole or top lift of the
heel passes under the flange or lip c³ into the recess formed by the cut away portion
of the undersurface of the metal plate as previously described, and is held in position
by the spikes or pins c.
It will be readily understood that the above described pieces or plates may be
easily applied to boots and shoes already worn as well as to new ones, and they may
be sold applied to the top lifts of the heel, or the outer sole portions of boots and
shoes, or they may be sold separately, and further when they are applied as above
described there is a great saving of leather in the top lifts and outer soles.
The herein described plates may also be designed or constructed with one or more
tapering holes or recesses, in which may be inserted when required a piece or pieces
of leather or other suitable substance.
In conclusion I would have it understood that I am aware that metal plates
provided with projecting attaching spikes have been used prior to the date of this
application for protecting the wearing parts of the soles and heels of boots and
shoes, but to such plates, in this Specification I make no claim.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
1 claim is.
1st. An armature or protection for the toes or heels of boots and shoes consisting
of a metal plate shaped to complete the contour and portion of the outer sole or top
lift which has been removed for its reception, said metal plate having a portion of its

page_text: undersurface cut transversly or diagonally away to form a flange or lip which passes
over a portion of the outer sole or top lift of the heel and provided both on the body
and flange or lip with any desired number of projecting spikes or pins for connecting
and attaching the parts together and in position on the heel or sole substantially as
herein set forth and illustrated.
2nd. An armature or protection for the toes and heels of boots and shoes con-
sisting of a flanged recessed. and spiked plate shaped to correspond with the contour
of the toe or heel, substantially as herein described and illustrated.
3rd. The combination with a boot or shoe outer sole or heel top lift having a portion
of its outer contour cut away to receive a metal armature or protection, of a metal
plate or piece shaped to correspond with the cut away portion of the sole or top lift,
provided on its undersurface with a transverse or diagonal recess to form a
projecting flange or lip which passes over a portion of said sole or top lift, and
having any desired number or rows of spikes or pins projecting from the. under-
surface of the body and flange for connecting the parts together and for attaching
the said plate in position on the boot or shoe, substantially as herein described and
illustrated.