Improvements in Boots for Walking, Riding, and Cycling.
Year: 1896

page_text: Improvements in Boots for Walking, Riding, and Cycling.
I CHRISTOPHER CLARKE HUTCHINSON, 8 Cleve Road, West Hampstead, N.W.,
Barrister-at-Law. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object improvements in the construction of boots so as
to render them more suitable for walking, riding, or cycling.
Hitherto boots for these purposes have been usually made so as to be fitted and
secured to the foot by means of laces, buttons, or straps, fastening the boot together
along the upper part of the foot and generally terminating immediately above the
ankle. When boots of this kind are used for the purposes described, in order to
protect the leg above the ankle and to prevent stones, grit, or other solid substances
from finding their way over the top of the upper edge of the boot into the interior
thereof, and so causing discomfort to the wearer, gaiters" or "spats" are worn,
secured to the lower portion of the leg and fitting over the top of the boot, and
such "gaiters" or "spats" are fitted and secured to the leg and foot of the wearer
and held in place by means of laces, buttons, or straps, or two or more of such
appliances used in conjunction with each other.
""
When "gaiters" and "spats" are dispensed with, and in order to protect the leg
and prevent solid substances from finding their way into the interior of the boot,
the upper part of the boot is sometimes carried up the leg and the whole secured
or fastened wholly along the middle of the front or the side of the boot by means
of buttons, laces or straps. In other instances the part of the boot fitting the foot
is secured wholly at the front or sides by means of buttons, laces or straps, whilst
the upper part above the ankle extending up the leg is permanently closed or made
in one piece, fitting the leg more or less loosely. But all of the boots made thus,
as described, possess disadvantages which it is the object of this invention to avoid
and overcome. When boots terminating at or immediately above the ankle are
used with "gaiters or "spats" the ankle is too much impeded, and the lower
part of the "gaiter" or "spat" and the fastenings which are used to secure it to
the foot sometimes become entangled with substances upon which the wearer may
tread, and, in the case of riding or cycling, with parts of the harness of the animal
or the cycle upon which the rider is mounted. When boots made in the second.
manner above described are used for the purposes named they not only impede the
ankle of the wearer by fitting too closely but they do not protect the interior of
the boot because the openings between the fastenings along the front or side of the
foot or leg do not prevent foreign substances from entering the interior of the boot.
In the case of boots made in the third manner above described, they must be made
to fit the leg loosely so that they may be drawn over the foot and ankle, and hence
they do not prevent foreign substances from entering the interior of the boot ever
the top thereof.
Now in order to overcome the disadvantages pointed out, and to render boots
more suitable for walking, riding, or cycling, I make the lower part of the boot, to
fit the foot below and up to the aukle, laced, along the centre of the front of the
boot in the usual manner by means of laces engaging in eyelets or hooks as
commonly used, such laces extending from immediately above the toes up to or

page_text: immediately above the ankle. I then prolong the upper of the boot upwards and
form it so as to fit closely to the lower part of the leg making this part in one
piece with the laced part of the upper fitting the foot and so as to lap over at the
side of the leg above the ankle and fasten with laces, buttons, or straps in the same
manner in which "gaiters" or "spats" are usually fastened and fitted to the leg.
I make the extended part of the upper next the inside of the leg lap over the
extended part of the upper on the outside of the leg and so effectually close both
the part where the lace securing the boot to the foot terminates and the opening
in the upper which protects the leg. By the means described I obtain a boot in
which the advantages of a laced boot fitting the foot are combined with those of a
gaiter" or "spat" for protecting the leg and the interior of the boot without
any of the disadvantages I have before described. Boots made in this way not
only fit the foot and leg so as to permit the ankle to have free play, but they are
more easily applied and adapted to the foot and leg, and since they are not
encumbered with straps or fastenings around the foot, nor have loose edges or flaps
below the ankle and over the exterior of the boot, they are particularly adapted
for the purposes of riding and cycling because no part of them can become
entangled in the harness of the animal, or the pedals or cranks or other parts of
the cycle upon which the wearer is mounted.
11000
C. C. HUTCHINSON.
еш
I CHRISTOPHER CLARKE HUTCHINSON, 8 Cleve Road, West Hampstead, N.W.,
Barrister-at-Law, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the saine is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object improvements in the construction of boots so as
to reuder them more suitable for walking, riding, or cycling.
Hitherto boots for these purposes have been usually made so as to be fitted and
secured to the foot by means of laces,, buttons, or straps, fastening the boot together
along the upper part of the foot and generally terminating immediately above the
ankle. When boots of this kind are used for the purposes described, in order to
protect the leg above the ankle and to prevent stones, grit, or other solid substances
from finding their way over the top of the upper edge of the boot into the interior
thereof, and so causing discomfort to the wearer, "gaiters
"gaiters" or "spats" are worn,
secured to the lower portion of the leg and fitting over the top of the boot, and
such "gaiters" or "spats" are fitted and secured to the leg and foot of the wearer
and held in place by means of laces, buttons or straps, or two or more of such
appliances used in conjunction with each other.
When "gaiters" and "spats" are dispensed with and in order to protect the leg
and prevent solid substances from finding their way into the interior of the boot,
the upper part of the boot is sometimes carried up the leg and the whole secured
or fastened wholly along the middle of the front or the side of the boot by means
of buttons, laces, or straps. In other instances the part of the boot fitting the foot
.is secured wholly at the front or sides by means of buttons, laces or straps, whilst
the upper part above the ankle extending up the leg is permanently closed or made
.in one piece fitting the leg more or less loosely. But all of the boots made thus,
: as described, possess disadvantages which it is the object of this invention to avoid
and overcome. When boots terminating at or immediately above the ankle are
used with "gaiters" or "spats" the ankle is too much impeded, and the lower

page_text: part of the "gaiter" or "spat" and the fastenings which are used to secure it to
the foot sometimes become entangled with substances upon which the wearer may
tread, and, in the case of riding or cycling, with parts of the harness of the animal
or the cycle upon which the rider is mounted. When boots made in the second
manner above described are used for the purposes named they not only impede the
ankles of the wearer, by fitting too closely, but they do not protect the interior of
the boot because the openings between the fastenings along the front or side of the
foot or leg do not prevent foreign substances from entering the interior of the boot.
In the case of boots made in the third manner above described, they must be made
to fit the leg loosely so that they may be drawn over the font and ankle, and
hence they do not prevent foreign substances from entering the interior of the boot
over the top thereof.
Now in order to overcome the disadvantages pointed out, and to render boots
more suitable for walking, riding, or cycling, I make the lower part of the boot, to
fit the foot below and up to the ankle, laced, along the centre of the front of the
boot in the usual manner by. means of laces. engaging in eyelets or hooks as
commonly used, such laces extending from immediately above the toes up to and
immediately above the ankle; I then prolong the "upper" of the boot upwards
and form it so as to fit closely to the lower part of the leg making this part in one
piece with the laced part of the "upper" fitting the foot and so as to lap over at
the side of the leg above the ankle and fasten with laces, buttons, or straps in the
same manner in which "gaiters" or "spats" are usually fastened and fitted to the
leg. I make the extended part of the "upper" next the inside of the leg lap over
the extended part of the upper on the outside of the leg, and so effectually close
both the part where the lace securing the boot to the foot terminates and the
opening in the upper which protects the leg. By the means described I obtain a
boot in which the advantages of a laced boot fitting the foot are combined with
those of a "gaiter" or "spat" for protecting the leg and the interior of the boot
without any of the disadvantages I have before described. Boots made in this
way not only fit the foot and leg so as to permit the ankle to have free play,
but they are more easily applied and adapted to the foot and leg, and since they
are not encumbered with straps or fastenings around the foot, nor have loose
edges or flaps below the ankle and over the exterior of the boot, they are
particularly adapted for the purpose of riding and cycling, because no part of them
can become entangled in the harness of the animal, or the pedals or cranks or other
parts of the cycle upon which the wearer is mounted.
The drawing hereto annexed illustrates an example of a hoot made in accordance
with my invention. The lower part of the boot (A) below and up to the ankle
is fastened so as to fit the foot as described with ordinary laces (B) engaging in
any description of eyelets or hooks such as are commonly used and understood.
The extended part (C) fits the leg above the ankle as shown and may be made
so to extend and fit the leg for any convenient distance or height above the ankle
and may terminate either above or below the knee as may be thought convenient,
and according for which of the described purposes it is intended the boot is to
be used.
The part (D) next the inside of the leg of such extended portion above the
ankle made in one with the lower part (A) is made to lap over the portion (E) on
the outside of the leg and fastened in the manner, and by one or more of the
appliances, described so as to completely enclose the leg of the wearer and leave
no open spaces therein and also to cover the upper part of the laced portion on the
lower part of foot so as to close any opening which would be left at the upper
portion of the laced part; this is clearly shown on the drawing. The drawing
does not shew the loose portion or tongue piece such as is well known and usually
used in the lower part of a boot fitting the foot and beneath the opening held
together by the laces; but from the description it will be well understood this may
be used as in an ordinary boot. It is manifest that the portion fitting the leg may
be made, without varying my invention, to lap over, the oue part over the other,

page_text: so as to fasten up the inside of the leg, but in most cases this would be found to be
inconvenient.
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 :-
The improved boot as described and shewn, the lower part of which is fastened
by laces up the centre of the foot extending to the ankle, in combination with
the divided portion made in one piece therewith extending up the leg, the one
portion lapping over the other and fastening at the side by any of the means
described.
Dated thin 10th day of I......
1807
C. C. HUTCHINSON.