Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Boots, Shoes, and the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Oct., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 10th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 29th Sept.,
1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Boots, Shoes,
and the like.
I, ANN CHAMBERS of 57 Montague Road, Aylestone Park, Leicester, Boot
Closer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to the manufacture of boots, shoes and the like, and
has for its object to reduce the cost of manufacture; to improve the appearance of
such goods when made and to render them more comfortable in wear.
The usual method of forming the upper of a boot or shoe consists in cutting
out separately a number of pieces comprising vamp, side quarters, leg quarters,
back quarters and sometimes toe-cap, and stitching these parts together to form
the complete upper.
According to my invention the upper is formed of one entire piece of leather or
other suitable material in such a manner that the absence of seams not only
improves the appearance of the uppers, but is a source of comfort to the wearer.
The expenses of stitching the various pieces together as before mentioned, is also
obviated and the cost of the upper thus reduced.
My invention consists in forming the upper in one piece in such a manner that
it only requires to be seamed down one side.
After the blank of the required shape is cut out it is next blocked, i.e. fitted
while in a damp state on to a block the same size and shape as the last upon which
the boot or shoe is afterwards to be made.
The blank may remain on the block for some time and when removed therefrom
will bave assumed the shape of an upper.
The two ends of the blank, which after the blocking process are now brought
together, may be connected by stitching so as to form a seam down one side of the
upper and the latter may then be placed on to the last, which after blocking, it
will be found to fit.
The edge of the upper is then turned under all round and pressed on to an insole
previously placed on the bottom of the last and may be connected thereto preferably
by strong cement or adhesive material.
No further lasting will then be required and the boot or shoe can be completed
in the usual way.
It will be understood that certain modifications in the shape of the blank will
be necessary according to whether the upper is laced, buttoned or elastic ‘sides.
Dated this 10th day of October 1893.
DATT M
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Boots, Shoes,
and the like.
I ANN CHAMBERS Boot Closer of 57 Montague Road Aylestone Park,
Leicester 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 :-
This invention has reference to the manufacture of boots, shoes and the like, and

page_text: has for its object to reduce the cost of manufacture, to improve the appearance of
such goods when made, and to render them more comfortable in wear.
The usual method of forming the upper of a boot or shoe consists in cutting out
separately a number of pieces comprising vamp, side quarters, leg quarters, back
quarters, and sometimes toe-cap, and stitching these parts together to form the
complete upper.
According to my invention the upper is formed of one entire piece of leather or
other suitable material in such a manner that the absence of seams not only
improves the appearance of the uppers, but is a source of comfort to the wearer.
The expense of stitching the various pieces together as before mentioned is also
obviated and the cost of the upper thus reduced.
"
My invention consists in forming the upper in one piece in such a manner that it
only requires to be seamed down one side.
After the blank of the required shape is cut out it is next blocked, i.e., fitted
while in a damp state on to a block the same size and shape as the last, upon which
the boot or shoe is afterwards to be made.
The blank may remain on the block for some time and when removed therefrom
will have assumed the shape of an upper.
The two ends of the blank, which after the blocking process are now brought
together, may be connected by stitching, so as to forn a scam down one side of
the upper, and the latter may then be placed on to the last, which after blocking,
it will be found to fit.
The edge of the upper is then turned under all round and pressed on to an insole
previously placed on to the bottom of the last and may be connected thereto
preferably by strong cement or adhesive material.
No further lasting will then be required, and the boot or shoe can be .completed
in the usual way.
It will be understood that certain modifications in the shape of the blank will be
necessary according to whether the upper is laced, buttoned, or elastic sides.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawings,
the manner in which my improved boot uppers are produced from one flat
.blank.
Figure 1 represents the shape of a flat blank or piece of leather cut out to form
an ordinary boot upper.
Figure 2 represents the blank Figure 1 slit for the purpose of folding into a
boot upper..
Figure 3 represents the boot upper after it has been turned over, blocked, and
sewn at the side.
Figure 4 represents an elevation shewing the blank Figure 2 folded over.
Figure 5 represents a plan of Figure 4.
Figure 6 represents a plau of the under side of Figure 3.
Figure 7 represents a sectional elevation of Figure 8 on the line A.B., shewing
the insole inserted and the leather turned over the insole, the outer sole being shewn
in dotted lines.
Figure 8 represents a plan of the under side of Figure 7.
Figure 9 represents a plan of a completed shoe.
Figure 10 represents the shape of a flat blank or piece of leather cut out to
form a low shoe.
In carrying out my invention I provide a flat blank or piece of leather of any
desired quality such as is usually employed in making boot uppers; the blank
would be of the shape shewn at Figure 1.
I next slit the blank as shewn at a Figure 2.
I next fold over the edge to the shape shewn at Figures 4 and 5, the folded
blank or upper is then damped and placed on a wooden block of the size and shape
of the inside of the boot required, which would correspond with the amount of
leather used to form my improved upper; the improved upper is then left to dry
when it assumes the form shewn in Figures 5 and 6; the seam is then sewn and

page_text: the making of such seam j produces my improved upper out of one piece or blank;
the improved upper is next placed on a last on the sole face of which is placed the
insole m as shewn at Figure 8, the insole m being so placed on the face of last to
receive the turned over edges of improved upper; the bottom edges of the
leather upper are then turned over the insole and secured thereto by cement or by
other equivalent means; when the insole and improved upper have become dry and
thereby incorporated together, the outer sole p is secured to the insole in any of
the usual ways adopted by bootmakers for securing the outer sole to the insole,
the tongue n would be afterwards sewn on to upper as shewn at o Figures 7, 8.
and 9.
In folding the slit blank as shewn at Figure 2 into a boot upper, the slit a affords
facility for the portion e of blank to be folded over and lightly creased from c to d
as shewn at Figure 4, the blank as shewn at Figure 2 is next folded over from fto g
to form the back part or leg part of boot, the fold being lightly creased as shewn
at fg Figure 4, the end being folded over from the flat position shewn at h
Figure 2, to the folded over position shewn at h¹ Figure 4.
The flat blank as shewn at Figure 10 is of the required shape to form into a
low shoe, the flap el is folded over and lightly creased from cl to d' and the heel
end of the shoe is formed by folding over the blank Figure 10 from f¹ to g¹, the
joining side seam being made in a manner equivalent to that described in relation
to the seam Figure 3.
The flat blank shewn at Figure 10 is also of the required shape to form into a
slipper, namely a shoe without lace-holes or other fastenments.
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: :―
1st. The making of boots and shoes by forming the upper part of the boot or
shoe out of one piece of leather or other equivalent material.
2nd. The combination of the upper part of a boot or shoe made from one piece
of leather or other equivalent material, with the insole and outsole of a boot or
shoe, to form a boot or shoe as illustrated and described.
3rd. The combination of the upper part of a slipper made from one piece of
material, with the sole of a slipper.
Dated this 7th day of August 1894.
ALFRED WILLIAM TURNER,
Cobden Buildings, Corporation Street, Birmingham,
Patent Agent for the Applicant.