Improvements in Counter Stiffenings for Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Counter Stiffenings for Boots and Shoes.
I HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine Lake & Co. Patent Agents
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of a flat blank as it appears
after the edge, which forms the flange, has been corrugated and a crease formed near
the corrugations. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on line x-x of fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an edgo
view of the same, showing the corrugations. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the partially
shaped counter which results from passing the blank, shown fig. 1, through a suitable
rolling machine. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same after it has been finished, giving
it a more perfect shape. Fig. 6 is a cross-section on line y-y of fig. 5.
The material from which counter-stiffenings are made, as also their purpose or
function in the boot or shoe, are well known to all skilled in the art and need not
therefore be described. The precise shape of counter-stiffenings varies, but, in
general, they approximate, in shape, to the heel of the human foot, while, at their
lower edge, they are provided with, what may be termed, a flange, which, in the
finished boot or shoe, projects inwardly from the walls of the counter-stiffening,
substantially at right angles thereto, between the insolo and outsole of the boot or
shoe and serves to hold the counter-stiffening in position. When the flange is bent
into its final position, at right angles to the walls of the counter-stiffening, before the
counter-stiffening is placed in the shoe, the flange obstructs the operations of the
workman and prevents him from getting at the parts of the shoe which are close to
the inside of the counter-stiffening, and so, are covered by the bent flange thereof,
while, if the flange portion of the counter-stiffening is not prepared in any way it is
extremely difficult, if not wholly impossible, for the workman to bend the flange and
lay it smoothly, uniformly and evenly. Especially, is this true, if the counter-stiffening
be made of leatherboard, a resilient material which is commonly employed for the
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page_text: purpose. To prevent the obstruction of the workman while, at the same time
providing the counter-stiffening with a flange which may be easily bent down smoothly
into position, is the chief object of my invention, which consists in a counter-
stiffening, or blank therefor, provided with a flange of the peculiar construction shown
and hereinafter described. My invention has also for its object certain minor improve-
ments, relating to the even and smooth turning of the flange and the adjustment of
the counter-stiffening while it is being placed in the boot or shoe, which will also be
described hereinafter.
Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the accompanying
drawings.
A represents a flat blank of suitable material, usually leatherboard, the edges of
which have been thinned down by skiving and the straight or flange edge of which
has been corrugated, see figs. 1 and 3. The corrugations a, extend across the flange
portion and may be formed by passing the blank between a pair of toothed rolls, or
in any other suitable manner. Each corrugation is partially severed from the corruga-
tions adjoining it, thus forming a series of breaks or slits f, each of which extends
from the edge of the blank inwardly, partially across the corrugated portion. I prefer
to have the slits extend about two-thirds of the length of each corrugation, although
the precise length of the slits is immaterial. The slits or breaks between the corruga-
tions might be formed by a separate operation, but I prefer to form them, by the
action of the teeth of the corrugating rolls, simultaneously with the formation of the
corrugations. This may easily be effected by teeth of proper construction and by
adjusting the teeth of one roll relatively to those of the other.
By thus severing the corrugations they are permitted to overlap each other when
the flange is bent at right angles, as in the finished shoe, thus preventing the flange
from bunching up or becoming uneven and allowing a smooth and well-laid flange to
be formed.
At the base or inner end of the corrugations a crease or indentation b, is formed,
extending from end to end of the blank, as shown figs. 1 and 2, and on the other side
of the blank opposite to the crease 6 there may be formed a corresponding bead or
projection d. The bead and projection may be used separately, but, as both are
easily formed at one operation, I prefer generally to use them together. They are
designed to define the base of the counter wall and to assist in the turning of the
flange and in the formation of a smooth and even heel seat. By heel seat I mean the
rounded edge where the wall of the counter ends and the flange begins. As will be
obvious a flange cannot be formed on the inside of a curved wall like the wall of a
counter-stiffening, without producing a fulness of the material of the flange, which,
if the flange is to be uniform and smooth, must be evenly distributed and taken up,
by severing the flange at intervals, or forming plaits therein. By corrugating the
flange, as already described, and partially separating each corrugation from the others
by a slit or break, the fulness, which exists when the flange is bent into position, may
be readily disposed of and a smooth and uniform flange obtained.
The flat blank, prepared by creasing, corrugating and partially severing the
corrugations as described, is ready to be formed into the shape shown, figs. 4 or 5, by
passing it between suitable rolls, or by subjecting it to the operation of any of the
well known machines for shaping counter-stiffenings. In shaping it, however, the
flange should not be bent at right angles to the wall portion, but should be bent only
slightly, if at all, as shown fig. 6. The finished counter is then ready to be applied
to the shoe, the slightly bent Hange offering no hindrance or obstruction to the work-
man in adjusting, or operating upon, the parts of the boot or shoe which lie directly
inside, and close to, the counter-stiffening. When the workman is ready to bend the
flange into position, preparatory to applying the outsole, he may readily do so with
his fingers by the aid of a hammer or similar implement, obtaining, without difficulty,
a sinooth and evenly-formed flange and heel seat.
It is immaterial whether the bead d be on the outside of the finished counter and
the crease b on the inside, or their positions be reversed, so far as the flange or heel
seat is concerned. I prefer, however to have the bead on the inside, as it forms a

page_text: gauge for the workman in adjusting the counter-stiffening in the shoe. When the
workman feels the bead or projection d resting on the edge of the last he is assured
that the counter-stiffening is in position and thus he is enabled to adjust it more
quickly and accurately than would otherwise be possible.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign Correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A blank for boot or shoe counter-stiffenings having its flange edge corrugated
and each corrugation severed, throughout a part of its length, from the corrugations
adjoining it, for the purposes and substantially as shown and described.
2. A blank for counter-stiffenings for boots or shoes, having its flanged portion
corrugated and each corrugation partially severed from the adjoining corrugations
and having a crease, or a crease and a bead, at or near the base of the flange portion,
substantially as shown and described.
3. A counter-stiffening, curved as required for use in a boot or shoe, and provided
with a corrugated flange portion, the corrugations being partially severed from each
other and having a crease, or a crease and a bead, at or near the base of the flange
portion, substantially as shown and described.
DL:- Meil
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.