IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOTS."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Malcolm Nicolson, Lt. Coll., of 55, Parliament Street, in
the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOTS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Malcolm Nicolson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th May 1881.
MALCOLM NICOLSON; Lt. Coll., of 55, Parliament Street, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOTS."
Great difficulty has always been experienced in procuring a cavalry boot which
can be got on or off easily when the foot is damp or warm, and yet fit properly
when it is on.
Endeavours have in other quarters been made to meet this difficulty by opening
the boot down the front and lacing it up over an inner tongue; but this
arrangement takes time, the laces break occasionally when one is hurried and
cannot replace them, and the appearance of the boot as a cavalry boot suffers by
the lacing.
According to this Invention a curved slit or arc is cut on one side, the inner side
of the boot, starting from the middle line in front of the ankle. The arc or flap so
formed is reversed or turned back over the opposite side of the boot. A. strap or
pad is placed over the vacant space and also over the reversed arc, and is sewn to
the boot around the curved side of the vacant space, and also to the curved outer
edge of the flap so as to make the boot dust and waterproof.
The strap or pad and reversed arc form as it were a bellows like valve, which
gradually yields and opens to the pressure of the instep; as the foot in introduced
or withdrawn, the end of the strap is brought round to the outer side of the boot
and buckled to a buckle sewn on to the boot. The other end terminates in a slip
perforated so as to receive the inner stud of the spur.
From the buckle above mentioned protrudes a small piece of leather which
receives the outer spur stud.
The strap when buckled presents merely the appearance of a large spur strap.
The boot has the following advantages:-
-
1. It can be got on and off without the slightest difficulty, even though the
stocking be damp.

page_text: 2. The buckling arrangement takes no time, moreover the buckle need never be
unfastened unless difficulty is experienced.'
3. The strap can be so tightened as to make the boot fit tightly over the instep,
and thus prevent heel rubbing in walking.
4. The boot is dust and water tight.
5. The spur chain being dispensed with there is a saving in weight, and also in
time taken in cleaning and adjusting it.
When the spur chain is worn as at present, one man's spur occasionally gets
under his neighbour's spur chain and produces inconvenience to both; this is
obviated by my plan. Old boots can be altered to this pattern.
By a slight alteration in the cut of the leather, the boot can also be adapted to
infantry, who now wear ammunition boots and gaiters, thus saving time in putting
on and lacing up.
It can also be adopted for mounted infantry, who could easily release the spur
when on foot.
The spur has to be released first from the inner side. If an endeavour be made
first to release it from the outer side the buckle comes in the way.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Malcolm Nicolson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th November
1881.
MALCOLM NICOLSON, Lt. Col., of 55, Parliament Street, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOTS."
Great difficulty has always been experienced in procuring a cavalry boot which
can be got on or off easily when the foot is damp or warm, and yet fit properly
when it is on.
Endeavours have in other quarters been made to meet this difficulty by opening
the boot down the front and lacing it up over an inner tongue; but this
arrangement takes time, the laces break occasionally when one is hurried and
cannot replace them, and the appearance of the boot as a cavalry boot suffers by
the lacing.
According to this Invention a curved slit or arc is cut on one side, the inner side
of the boot, starting from the middle line over the instep to the middle line in
front of the ankle. The arc or flap so formed is reversed or turned back over the
opposite side of the boot. A strap or pad is placed over the vacant space and also
over the reversed arc, and is sewn to the boot around the curved side of the vacant
space and also to the curved outer edge of the flap, so as to make the boot dust and
waterproof. The strap or pad and reversed arc form as it were a bellows like valve,
which gradually yields and opens to the pressure of the instep as the foot is
introduced or withdrawn.
The strap when buckled presents merely the appearance of a large spur strap.
The boot has the following advantages :-
.1. It can be got on and off without the slightest difficulty, even though the
stocking be damp.
2. The buckling arrangement takes no time; morcover the buckle need never be
unfastened unless difficulty is experienced.
3. The strap can be so tightened as to make the boot fit tightly over the instep
and thus prevent heel-rubbing in walking.
4. The boot is dust and watertight.
5. The spur chain being dispensed with, there is a saving in weight and also in
time taken in cleaning and adjusting it.
When the spur chain is worn as at present, one man's spur occasionally gets
under his neighbour's spur chain and produces inconvenience to both; this is
obviated by my plan (old boots can be altered to this pattern). By a slight
alteration in the cut of the leather the boot can also be adapted to infantry who
now wear ammunition boots and gaiters, thus saving time in putting on and
lacing up.
It can also be adapted for mounted infantry who could easily release the spur
when on foot.
In order that my said Ievention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figures 1 and 2 are side elevations of a boot made in accordance with my
Invention, and show it as it appears when in wear; Figure 3 is a side elevation
of the boot unfastened, and with the strap or pad turned back; Figure 4 represents
liagrammatically an horizontal section taken upon the line 1, 1, in Figure 1;
Figure 5 shows in elevation a portion of the boot in process of alteration or

page_text: construction. The cut has been made in it which produces the are or flap, but
this arc or flap has not yet been folded back, nor has the strap or pad been sewn on
to the boot or attached to the arc or flap. The line A represents the cut in the
upper of the boot; B is the arc or flap, which is thereby produced; C is the strap
or pad sewn on to the boot. The edge of the arc or flap B is sewn to the strap or
pad C, and so the opening formed in the upper by the cut B is again completely
closed, and the boot is as waterproof as before. D is a buckle to hold the tongue
of the strap or pad C when the boot is in wear, and when the arc or flap is folded
back and beneath the pad or strap.
If when the boot is in wear the buckle D is unfastened from the tongue of the
strap or pad, the ankle is at once set free by the opening of the bellows like valve,
which the parts B and C form between them, and this freedom admits of the boot
being readily taken off. In the military boot attachments are provided for the
spur. These attachments are made in connection with the "buckle". D on the one
side and a prolongation of the strap or pad upon the other, as the Drawing
indicates partly in dotted lines. Or D attachments may be provided for the spur
strap, one of these being sewn on to the tail of the strap or pad C, and the other
being formed in connection with the buckle at D.
My improvements are applicable also to boots for infantry as well as for cavalry,
and to ordinary walking and shooting boots, and to short boots as well as to high
or Wellington boots. Sometimes the strap or pad may be fastened with two or
more buckles in place of by one only, as the Drawings indicate.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I claim my improvements in
boots, consisting in providing for the freedom which admits of the boot being
easily put on and off by the arc or flap B and the strap or pad C, the two forming
a bellows like fold doubling over and capable of being fastened down or released
as desired.
•
In witness whereof, I, the said Malcolm Nicolson, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty sevent day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
MALCOLM H. NICOLSUN, (L.S.)