IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Palliser, of No. 14, Cromwell Place,
South Kensington, in the County of Middlesex, Knight, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOTS AND SHOES."
Sealed the 20th July 1878, and dated the 2nd April 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Palliser at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd April 1873.
I, WILLIAM PALLISER, of No. 14, Cromwell Place, South Kensington,
in the County of Middlesex, Knight, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOTS AND SHOES," to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to the inner soles of boots and shoes. I make
an inner sole of a thin slab of cork, on one side of which is pasted thin
leather, canvas, or other suitable fabric. I place this sole within the
boot or shoe, presenting the lining of leather, canvas, or other fabric
towards the foot of the wearer. I then stitch through the inner solo
thus inserted and the middle or outer sole, or both, the stitches being
drawn tightly so that they sink into the cork without presenting
protuberances to the foot of the wearer, while they are prevented from

page_text: being drawn through the cork by the lining, as above described. By the
use of such soles a soft tread is provided for the foot, great lightness and
flexibility are secured, and the sole is rendered water-tight and a bad
conductor of heat.
This Invention relates also to an improved mode of securing the
outer soles of strong boots and shoes, such as are used by soldiers and
operatives.
In some cases the soles of such boots or shoes are secured by rivets,
and in other cases by sewing. When rivets are employed they often
present rough heads within the boot or shoe, which occasion pain to the
wearer and tend to tear stockings. Moreover, rivets by themselves do
not sufficiently secure the soles of very strong boots or shoes, so that
recourse is often had to a double row.
According to my Invention I rivet on the sole in the usual manner,
I then insert within the boot or shoe a sock of leather or stout canvas
which covers the ends of the rivets, and I then stitch right through the
outer sole or soles, the inner sole and the sock, thereby farther securing
the outer sole and retaining the sock in its place.
My Invention relates also to the hob nails for boots and shoes. Hob
nails as ordinarily used are liable to get loose, or to have their heads
knocked off. I cut a screw thread on the shank of a hob nail, and
instead of driving it I screw it into the leather, whereby it is held more
securely. For this purpose, hob nails similar to ordinary iron, steel, or
brass button-headed wood screws may be employed; or, instead of using
screws I form hob nails with barbs along their shanks and drive them in.
The leather through which they are driven closes in behind the barbs,
and thereby secures the nails.
In lieu of rivets for securing soles to boots or shoes, I employ pins,
nails, or spikes made with barbs on their shanks, and drive them into
the leather. As the soles are secured by the resistance of the leather
which closes in behind the shoulders of the barbs, the pins, nails, or
spikes are made of such length that they do not quite pass through the
whole thickness. It thus becomes unnecessary to drive them, as rivets,
right through the sole for the purpose of clenching them inside the boot
or shoe, and thus the use of iron lasts for this purpose is dispensed
with, and the protuberance of rivet ends within the boot or shoe is
avoided.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Palliser in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 26th September 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
PALLISER, of No. 14, Cromwell Place, South Kensington, in the County
of Middlesex, Knight, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Palliser, Her special license
that I, the said William Palliser, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said William Palliser, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BOOTS AND SHOES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Palliser, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to
be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Palliser, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
-
I also
This Invention relates to the inner soles of boots and shoes. I make
an inner sole of a thin slab of cork, on one side of which is pasted thin
leather, canvas, or other suitable fabric. Two or more cork slabs may
be employed so as the better to cover the pores in each slab.
prefer to paste leather, canvas, or other fabric on the other side of the
cork slab to prevent its being torn in the operation of lasting. I place
the sole within the boot or shoe presenting the lining of leather, canvas,

page_text: or other fabric towards the foot of the wearer. I then stitch through
the inner sole thus inserted and the middle or outer sole, or both, the
stitches being drawn tightly so that they sink into the cork without
presenting protuberances to the foot of the wearer, while they are
prevented from being drawn through the cork by the lining as above
described. By the use of such soles a soft tread is provided for the foot,
great lightness and flexibility are secured, and the sole is rendered
water-tight and a bad conductor of heat. When the sole is secured to
the boot or shoe by rivets instead of stitches I prefer to employ a
stronger lining for the cork slab so that it may the better hold the
rivet ends.
This Invention relates also to an improved mode of securing the outer
soles of strong boots and shoes, such as are used by soldiers and
operatives.
In some cases the soles of such boots or shoes are secured by rivets
and in other cases by sewing. When rivets are employed they often
present rough heads within the boot or shoe especially after having been
for some time in wear, and these heads occasion pain to the wearer and
tend to tear stockings. Moreover rivets by themselves do not sufficiently
secure the soles of very strong boots or shoes, so that recourse is often
had to a double row.
According to my Invention I rivet on the sole in the usual manner, I
then insert within the boot or shoe a sock of leather or stout canvas
which covers the ends of the rivets, and I then stitch right through the
outer sole or soles, the inner sole and the sock, thereby farther securing
the outer sole and retaining the sock in its place.
My Invention relates also to the hob nails for boots and shoes. Hob
nails as ordinarily used are liable to get loose or to have their heads
knocked off. I cut a screw thread on the shank of a hob nail and
instead of driving it I screw it into the leather, whereby it is held more
securely. For this purpose hob nails similar to ordinary iron, steel or
brass button-headed wood screws may be employed; or instead of using
screws I form hob nails with barbs along the shanks and drive them in.
The leather through which they are driven closes in behind the barbs,
and thereby secures the nails.
In lieu of rivets for securing soles to boots or shoes I employ pins,
nails, or spikes made with barbs on their shanks and drive into the

page_text: leather. As the soles are secured by the resistance of the leather which
closes in behind the shoulders of the barbs, the pins, nails, or spikes are
made of such length that they do not quite pass through the whole
thickness. It thus becomes unnecessary to drive them, as rivets, right
through the sole for the purpose of clenching them inside the boot or
shoe, and thus the use of iron lasts for this purpose is dispensed with,
and the protuberance of rivet ends within the boot or shoe is avoided.
Such barbed pins may be made with a helical barb like a screw thread
formed upon them, such thread being made with the under or entering
side of the thread sloping and the upper or barb side square to the shank
or undercut; thus they may be easily driven into the leather without
tearing it until they are nearly home, when one or more turns with a
screwdriver will secure them.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I claim,-
First. The use for boots and shoes of an inner sole of cork lined with
leather, canvas, or other suitable fabric, and stitched or otherwise
secured to the main sole, substantially in the manner and for the purpose
herein described.
Second. Securing the sole to a boot or shoe by rivetting, covering the
rivet ends with an inner sole and then stitching through the said inner
sole and the main sole, substantially as herein described.
Third. The use for boots and shoes of screwed or barbed hob nails,
and screw or barbed pins in lieu of rivets, substantially as herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Palliser, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of September, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
threa