Improved Soles for Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 14th May, 1896-Accepted, 27th June. 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Soles for Boots and Shoes..
1, ROBERT MCKAY, of 241 Hubbard Avenue, in the City of Detroit, County-
of Wayne and State of Michigan, United States of America, Gentleman, 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:-
It is the object of my invention to obtain a shoe provided with a sole which will
freely bend to conform to the movement of the foot and at the same tine will
afford as great a protection to the foot of the wearer as a heavy soled shoe.
Heretofore shoes have been made with flexible soles by using rubber or some
similar flexible material in place of leather or as a covering to a thin leather sole.
Again soles have been made of soft and flexible leather, but all of these
constructions are open to the objection that they do not sufficiently protect the
foot of the wearer from the roughness or inequalities of the walk.
My invention consists broadly in a sole for a shoe so constructed as to be flexible
longitudinally of the foot and inflexible or unyielding laterally. The invention
consists more specifically in a sole provided with transverse scores and a protecting
covering therefor, all as more fully hereinafter described and claimed.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section, partly in elevation through a shoe provided with
my improvement. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan thereof with a portion of the protecting.
cover removed.
Fig. 3 is a cross section through the sole and Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section.
thereof.
A is the body of the shoe. B is the sole thereof which is of the following.
construction. A piece of sole leather, preferably of the thickness and stiffness.
ordinarily used for a heavy soled shoe, is cut to the proper shape and is then scored
transversely or provided with a series of knife cuts a, extending through the
greater part of the thickness of the sole. These cuts stop short of the edge of the
sole leaving a marginal flange b to which the upper of the shoe is attached ;.
the cuts are also preferably made at an angle to the surface of the leather, as
shown.
The sole thus formed will be as flexible longitudinally as if it were reduced to.
the thickness of the uncut portion c, but as the cuts extend only transversely the
full strength of the leather is retained to resist lateral bending.
C is a protecting covering of rubber or other flexible material which is cemented
or otherwise secured to the sole, covering the scores therein, and thus preventing
them from becoming filled with dirt or the penetration of moisture. This covering
at the same time forms a durable wearing surface and does not interfere in any
way with the flexibility of the sole.
In order to prevent possibility of this covering becoming detached I preferably
slightly recess the body of the sole, leaving the marginal flange & the full thickness
and insert the covering C in this recess. The depth of the recess is not sufficient
to materially decrease the thickness of the sole and thus the lateral strength of the
latter is still maintained.
A shoe thus constructed will be as flexible as a slipper or other light soled shoe
and at the same time it will afford perfect protection to the foot even when
subjected to the roughest usage.

page_text: I am aware that it is old and of common knowledge that wood, leather and other
similar substances may be rendered more flexible by scoring the surface, but
I believe I am the first to construct a shoe, the sole of which is rendered flexible
longitudinally while remaining inflexible laterally, by scoring it by transverse cuts
or slits which extend but partially through the leather, leaving the top complete
and uncut; and covering such scored portion with rubber, to give the desired
thickness and protection, with the greatest flexibility.
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 :
Dated this 1st day of May 1896.
ROBERT MCKAY.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.