An Improved Combined Metallic Shank and Counter for Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 27th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 7th Mar., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Combined Metallic Shank and Counter for Boots
and Shoes.
I, ORLANDO WESTON EASTON of Chester in the County of Crawford and State
of Arkansas, United States of America, Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a combined metallic
shank and counter for soles and heels of boots or shoes, and it has for its object the
prevention of the breaking down of the shank of the sole and for retaining the
entire sole in a relative position with the boot or shoe, at the same time preventing
the counter from running over to one side or rearwardly.
Heretofore metallic plates and shanks have been constructed for the purpose
above referred to; but the manner of their construction has been attended with a
great deal of expense, they requiring either to be forged by hand or to be rolled in
proper form by expensive machinery. This expense is owing to the unequal thick-
ness of the plate and shank, the later requiring to be sufficiently thick and stiff to
prevent the sole under the instep from giving away, while the plate extending from
the shank to the ball of the foot must be sufficiently elastic to yield or spring under
the movement of the foot. By my improvement I obtain these results and still
have the shank and plate, as well as the counter or heel-piece, of an equal thick-
ness throughout so that they may all be cut at one operation and swaged into proper
form out of a piece of steel or other suitable metal, no hand-work or subsequent
manipulation whatever being required.
In my invention the various parts of the device are all stuck up out of a single
piece of sheet-steel or other suitable material of uniform thickness and swaged in
proper form at a single operation. The sheet-steel may be purchased of the
requisite thickness, so that no extra expense will attend the obtaining of the proper
stock, as they are manufactured or rolled into plates of various thicknesses. The
steel is sufficiently thin to admit of the plate having the requisite degree of
elasticity to yield or give to the motion of the foot the shank being of the same
thickness. Thus it will be seen that by this improvement my device is lighter,
stronger, more durable, and cheaper than those in common.use, and it is impossible
for a boot or shoe to run over sidewise or backward and that it can be manufactured
in all necessary styles, sizes, and strength to suit the different styles, sizes,
and weights of slippers, ladies' and children's shoes boots etc., and at a
comparatively small cost, no forging, rolling, or manipulation of any
be required to give the requisite stiffness to the shank and elasticity to
the plate. The parts after being cut out and swaged in proper form, are properly
tempered and the device is ready for use, and in consequence of having the parts
of an equal thickness they may be more perfectly tempered, as the parts when of an
unequal thickness are liable to be tempered too hard or too soft, breaking in the
former case across the plate and in the latter case becoming "set" at the plate
portion.
...
Ր A
1900
kind
F. W. BARKER,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Combined Metallic Shank and Counter for Boots
and Shoes.
I, ORLANDO WESTON EASTON, of Chester, in the County of Crawford and State
of Arkansas, United States of America, Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for AN IMPROVED COMBINED METALLIC BANK AND COUNTER
FOR BOOTS AND SHOES, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in a combined metallic
shank and counter for the soles and heels of boots or shoes, and it has for its object
tlie prevention of the breaking down of the shank of the sole and for retaining the
entire sole in a relative position with the boot or shoe, at the saine time preventing
the counter from running over to one side or rearwardly.
To this end the invention consists in the novel construction and arrangement of
parts, as will be hereinafter more particularly described, and specifically pointed
out in the claim.
In the accompanying drawings, to which reference is had and which fully
illustrate my invention, Figure 1 is a plan view of my device, showing it cut from
a plate of metal preparatory to being struck up for use or sale in its proper form.
Fig. 2 is an inverted or bottom view of my device complete. Fig. 3 is a perspective
of my device, and Fig. 4 is a side view of the same.
Siinilar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
Heretofore metallic plates and shanks have been constructed for the purpose
above referred to; but the manner of their construction has been attended with a
great deal of expense, they requiring either to be forged by hand or to be rolled in
proper forin by expensive machinery. This expense is owing to the unequal
thickness of the plate and shank, the latter requiring to be sufficiently thick and
stift to prevent the sole under the instep from giving away, while the plate extending
from the shank to the ball of the foot must be sufficiently elastic to yield or spring
finder the movement of the foot. By my improvement I obtain these results and
still have the shank and plate, as well as the counter or heel-piece, of an equal
thickness throughout, so that they may all be cut at one operation and swaged
into proper form out of a plate of steel or other suitable metal, no hand-work or
subsequent manipulation whatever being necessary.
In the drawings, A indicates the shank, and B the plate the latter extending
from the former to tlie ball or widest part of the foot of the boot or shoe and
gradially curving from the shank outwardly and at its sides, unus increasing the
width of the plate at its free end, where these curves form a junction with a curvé
at said eid. The plate B has perforations bbin its forward or free end, by
means of which it is securely fastened to the insoles in such a manner that it
Cannot be moved laterally. The shank A and plate B extend rearwardly and
terminate at, or form a part of a counter or heel-piece, which will be hereinafter
lescribed. The former-ie., the shank A-has formed thereon laterally-projecting
Hanges DD, having perforations d d d therein. The shank A; plate B, and
flanges D D formed upon the slank, present in their construction the cruciform
portion of my devices and are, together with the flanges E and cof the counter-
plate, secured between the inner and outer soles of the boot or shoe. Over these
Hanges D D lap inwardly-projecting adjustable flanges EE, formed upon the
counter above mentioned, having perforations e e e therein, which register with
perforations d did in the flanges of the shank A, said flanges having bolts or screws
passed through these perforations to adjustably secure the flanges together. The
free end of the counter by this means is made adjustable laterally, so that it will
suit any sized heel of a boot or shoe. The shank and plate have also perforations e¹
therein, running longitudinally with the same, for securing, in connection with the
perforations bb, the shank and plate to the insole.

page_text: C indicates the counter or heel-piece. Upon this heel-piece or counter C is
formed a flange
or rim c, notched or crimped and turned inwardly around its lower
edge and at right angles to the body of the counter C. Slots are also formed
therein at suitable distances apart, by means of which the counter of the boot and
counter-plate C are secured together by any suitable means. The central part of
the counter C is cut away as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 3, to allow the insole and
outsole to be firmly attached in the ordinary manner. The counter C assists to
retain the shank in proper position, and also to prevent the counter of the boot or
shoe from running or falling over at the sides or rear.
The various parts of the device above described are all struck up out of a single
piece of sheet-steel or other suitable material of uniform thickness and swaged in
proper form at a single operation. The sheet-steel may be purchased of the
requisite thickness, so that no extra expense will attend the obtaining of the proper
stock, as the metal is manufactured or rolled into plates of various thicknesses.
The steel is sufficiently thin to admit of the plate B having the requisite degree of
clasticity to yield or give to the motions of the foot, the shank A being of the same
thickness. Thus it will be seen that by this improvement my device is lighter,
stronger, more durable, and cheaper than those in common use, and it is impossible
for a boot or shoe to run over sidewise or backward, and that it can be manu-
factured in all necessary styles, sizes, and strength to suit the different
styles, sizes, and weights of slippers, ladies' and children's shoes, boots, &c.,
and at a comparatively small cost, no forging, rolling, or manipulation
of any kind being required to give the requisite stiffness to the shank
and elasticity to the plate. The parts, after being cut out and swaged in proper
form, are properly tempered and the device is ready for use, and in consequence of
having the parts of an equal thickness they may be more perfectly tempered, as
the parts when of an unequal thickness are liable to be tempered too hard or too
soft, breaking in the former case across the plate and in the latter case becoming
"set" at the plate portion.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The combination, with the shank A and plate B, the former having the
outwardly-projecting perforated flanges D D, the shank A, plate B, and flanges D D
constituting a plate and shank of cruciform construction, of the counter C,
having the inwardly-projecting scalloped flange cand inwardly-projecting adjust-
able flanges E E, coinciding with the bars D and provided with the perforations e e,
all constructed out of one piece of metal, all arranged and operating
substantially as described, and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 27th day of January 1891.
F. W. BAKKEK,
Applicant's Agent.