Improvements in and connected with Spurs, and Means and Appliances for Fixing them to the Heels of Boots.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 15th Jan., 1891-Accepted, 7th Mar., 1891
Improvements in and connected with Spurs, and Means and Appliances
for Fixing them to the Heels of Boots.
I, AUGUSTE THIRION, of 3, Rue du Sommerard, Paris, France, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to a new movable spur adapted to be fixed to and removed
at will from a box screwed into the heel of the boot, the said box being capable of
being removed and employed again in another boot.
The invention also comprises means for enabling the spur to be mounted upon the
heel, without the aid of a skilled person.
The annexed drawings clearly illustrate the invention :
Fig. 1 shews in vertical section the heel of a boot provided with my improved
removable spur.
Figs. 2 and 3 show in side elevation and in plan respectively the spur removed
from the boot.
Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a side view and an end view of the part I call the
"box" for fixing shown separately.
Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate in side elevation and plan respectively a mud guard
constructed in accordance with my invention to take the place of the spur when
the latter is not required to be used.
Figs. 8 and 9 show in two views a closing device that can be worn in lieu of
either the spur or the mud guard.
Figs. 10 and 11 show in vertical section and in plan respectively a tool for
enabling the box of the spur to be inserted in the heel.
Figs. 12 show in elevation and in end view, the tap employed for tapping the
hole in the heel for the reception of the box of the spur.
Figs. 13 and 14 show in side and end elevations a key or instrument for operating
the piercer (Figs. 10 and 11) and the tap (Figs. 12).
The spur comprises in one single piece, the rowel-carrying neck a, the rowel b,
the rim cc', and in the latter a kind of prolongation of the neck a constituting
what I will call the tenon (d).
The rowel-carrying neck a and the branches c d of the rim may be of any
convenient forms and dimensions. At the junction of the neck with the rim there
is provided the usual projection or bearing part e which bears against the heel and
gives firmness to the spur. Above the tenon d is a flat spring which is riveted
to the root of the tenon and is made with a projecting bend or bulge g of a greater
or less extent. The tenon is, at its root, coupled with the superposed spring f, of
square cross section. The cross section of the tenon decreases gradually towards
its free end which is made taper or approximately of the form of a whistle, with a
shoulder or abutment d', similar to a part of the inclined surface g of the bent part
of the spring f
The tenon d and its spring fit in the square hole of the box. This box consists
of a cylindrical piece h of suitable material such as brass, bronze, or cast metal,
screw-threaded externally and made with a central hole of square form extending
from end to end of the box. The length of the box h is such that when the tenon
has been pushed home, the shoulder d will abut against the end of the box, and
the inclined surface g of the bend in the spring will exert a tractive force tending
to draw the rim c c' of the spur firmly against the heel.
The box is screwed into a hole previously formed and screw-threaded in the
heel x of the boot, leaving in front of its forward end, an empty space or cavity

page_text: necessary for the spring and the tenon projecting beyond the said box. The rear
end of the box is flush with the surface of the heel.
The arrangement is such that in order to fix the spur in position, it is merely
necessary to adjust the tenon into the square hole of the box and to push it home.
The spring exerts by means of its bend or bulge g a tractive force upon the spur,
whilst at the same time it forces down the shoulder of the tenon d, exactly at the
end of the box.
To remove the spur it is merely necessary to exert a tractive force sufficient to
overcome the resistance of the spring f.
The mud guard k shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is made similar to the spur as regards
the tenon d and its spring with the bend or bulge g. This mud guard is inserted
in the box and is removed therefrom in a similar manner to the spur.
When the box h is not required to receive a spur or a mud guard, it is closed by
means of the closing device shown in Figs. 8 and 9, and comprising a disc i to
which is riveted a spring fork j j.
I now proceed to describe the means illustrated for enabling the piercing of the
hole in the heel into which the box is adapted to screw, and the tapping of this
hole, and also the placing of the said box into position or its removal to be speedily
and correctly effected.
For these purposes I employ the tools or appliances illustrated in Figs. 10 to 14.
The piercing tool shown in Figs. 10 and 11 consists of a piece resembling a spur
rim and neck with two branches mm', and a screw-threaded hole through the
neck m². The branches m m' are perforated and provided with screws n, n', o, o'
arranged symmetrically in pairs, so as to enable the heel of the boot to be centred
easily and speedily with relation to the boring bit p. The boring bit p forms the
end of a screw-threaded rod p' screwing in the neck m² which has a slight
inclination with the object of allowing the boring bit to follow a horizontal
direction in case the sole of the boot has any camber at the part in front of
the heel.
The screws n, n', o, o', are provided at their inner ends with washers n³, o³, which
come into direct contact with the periphery of the heel. The washers n² are
riveted on their respective screws whilst the washers o² are capable of movement
in all directions on the ends of the screws o, o', because the corresponding part of
the heel is generally inclined and of variable curvilinear profile.
In order to prevent the washers o² from falling during the operation of fixing and
removing the apparatus I propose to make the screws o, o', of steel and to magnetize
the same.
The screws n, n', and o, o', and the tool p p', have each a square head or part upon
which the square barrel of a key r (Figs. 13 and 14) is adapted to fit accurately.
In order to pierce the hole for the box in the heel, this heel is placed between
the branches m m' and so that the front face of the heel abuts against a wedge or
cotter s passing through two slots in the said branches. The heel is then fixed in
the required position by means of the screws n, n', o, o' and the key is placed on
the square p² of the rod p' and rotated; in this way the hole is quickly pierced
to the desired depth.
The hole is tapped by means of the tapt (Fig. 12) which is applied to the end
of the key r.
After the hole has been tapped the box h is screwed therein by
means of the square formed on one of the ends of the key handle (Figs. 13 and 14).
To remove the box, the same is unscrewed by means of the key r.
Dated this 10th day of Au 1900

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Spurs, and Means and Appliances
for Fixing them to the Heels of Boots.
I, AUGUSTE THIRION, of 3, Rue du Sommerard, Paris, France, 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 relates to a new movable spur adapted to be fixed to and removed
at will from a box screwed into the heel of the boot, the said box being capable of
being removed and employed again in another boot.
The invention also comprises means for enabling the spur to be mounted upon the
heel, without the aid of a skilled person.
The drawings filed with my Provisional Specification clearly illustrate the
invention.
Figs. 1 shows in vertical section the heel of a boot provided with my improved
removable spur.
Figs. 2 and 3 show in side elevation and in plan respectively the spur removed
from the boot.
Figs. 4 and 5 are respectively a side view and an end view of the part I call the
"box" for fixing, shown separately.
Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate in side elevation and plan respectively a mud guard
constructed in accordance with my invention to take the place of the spur when the
latter is not required to be used.
Figs. 8 and 9 show in two views a closing device that can be worn in lieu of
either the spur or the mud guard.
Figs. 10 and 11 show in vertical section and in plan respectively a tool for
enabling the box of the spur to be inserted in the heel.
Figs. 12 show in elevation and in end view the tap employed for tapping the hole
in the heel for the reception of the box of the spur.
Figs. 13 and 14 show in side and end elevations a key or instrument for operating
the piercer (Figs. 10 and 11) and the tap (Figs. 12).
The spur comprises in one single piece, the rowel carrying neck a, the rowel b, the
rim C, cand in the latter a kind of prolongation of the neck a, constituting what I
will call the tenon d.
The rowel carrying neck a and the branches e, c of the rim may be of any
convenient forms and dimensions. At the junction of the neck with the rim there
is provided the usual projection or bearing part e which bears against the heel and
gives firmness to the spur.
Above the tenon d is a flat spring f which is riveted to the root of the tenon and
is made with a projecting bend or bulge g of a greater or less extent. The tenon
is, at its root, coupled with the superposed spring f, of square cross section. The
cross section of the tenon decreases gradually towards its free end which is tapered
as shewn, with a shoulder or abutment d', similar to a part of the inclined surface g
of the bent part of the spring f
The tenon d and its spring fit in the square hole of the box. This box consists of
a cylindrical piece of suitable material such as brass, bronze, or cast metal, screw-
threaded externally and made with a central hole of square form extending from
end to end. The length of the box h is such that when the tenon has been pushed
home the shoulder d will abut against the end of the box, and the inclined surface,
of the bend in the spring will exert a tractive force tending to draw the spur firmly
against the heel.
g
The box is screwed into a hole previously formed and screw-threaded in the
heel a of the boot, leaving in front of its forward end, an empty space or cavity
necessary for the spring and the tenon projecting beyond the said box. The rear
end of the box is flush with the surface of the heel. The arrangement is such that
in order to fix the spur in position, it is merely necessary to adjust the tenon into

page_text: the square hole of the box and to push it home. The spring fexerts by means of
its bend or bulge y a tractive force upon the spur, whilst at the same time it forces
down the shoulder d' of the tenon d, exactly at the end of the box.
To remove the spur it is merely necessary to exert a tractive force sufficient to
overcome the resistance of the spring f.
The mud guard k shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is made similar to the spur as regards
the tenon and its spring with the bend or bulge g. This mud guard is inserted
in the box / and is removed therefrom in a similar manner to the spur.
When the box h is not required to receive a spur or a mud guard, it is closed by
means of the closing device shown in Figs. 8 and 9 and comprising a disc i to which
is riveted a spring forkj, j.
I now proceed to describe the means illustrated for enabling the piercing of the
hole in the heel into which the box is adapted to screw, and the tapping of this
hole, and also the placing of the said box into position or its removal to be speedily
and correctly effected. For these purposes I employ the tools or appliances.
illustrated in Figs. 10 to 14.
The piercing tool shown in Figs. 10 and 11 consists of a piece resembling a spur
rim and neck with two branches m, m³ and a screw-threaded hole through the neck m².
The branches m, m' are perforated and provided with screws n, n', o, o, arranged
symmetrically in pairs, so as to enable the heel of the boot to be centred easily and,
speedily with relation to the boring-bit p.. The boring bit p forms the end of a
screw-threaded rod p' screwing in the neck m² which has a slight inclination with
the object of allowing the boring bit to follow a horizontal direction in case the sole
of the boot has any camber at the part in front of the heel.
The screws n, n, o, o' are provided at their ends with washers n2, 02 which come
into contact with the periphery of the heel. The washers n² are riveted on their
respective screws, whilst the washers o² are capable of movement in all directions
on the ends of the screws o, o' because the corresponding part of the heel is generally
inclined and of variable curvilinear profile.
In order to prevent the washers o³ from falling during the operation of fixing and.
removing the apparatus, I propose to make the screws o, o' of steel and to magnetizè
them.
3
The screws n, n¹ and o, o' and the tool p, p' have each a square head or part upon
which the square barrel of a key r (Figs. 13 and 14) is adapted to accurately fit.
In order to pierce the hole for the box the heel is placed between the branches m, m'.
and so that the front face of the heel abuts against a wedge or cotter piece's
passing through two slots in the said branches. The heel is then fixed in the
required position by means of the screws n, n', o, o¹, and the key is placed on the
square p² of the rod and rotated; in this way the hole is quickly pierced to the
desired depth. The hole is tapped by means of the tap t (Fig. 12) which is applied
to the end of the key r. After the hole has been tapped, the box is screwed
therein by means of the square formed on one of the ends of the key handle
(Figs. 13 and 14). To remove the box, it is unscrewed by means of the key r.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A spur comprising a rowel b, rowel carrying neck a, branches c, c', internal
tenon d and spring / g the said tenon and spring being adapted to be inserted into
the square hole of a box screwed into the heel of a boot and to be fixed in said box
by the action of the spring, substantially as described with reference to and shown
in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the annexed drawings.
2. A box adapted to be screwed into the heel of a boot said box being perforated
longitudinally with a square hole for the insertion and fixing of the spring tenon
with which the spur is provided substantially as described with reference to and
shewn in Figs. 1, 4, and 5 of the drawings.
3. A mud guard provided with the spring tenon d, f, g and adapted to be used as
a substitute for the spur as described.

page_text: 4. A plug with double spring for closing the box screwed into the heel of a boot,
and adapted to be used in substitution for the spur or mud guard as described.
5. A tool for piercing, in the heel of a boot, the hole necessary for the reception and
fixing of the box, said tool comprising a spur shaped part provided with centering
screws, and furnished with a boring bit at the end of a screw-threaded rod, which
can be rotated by means of a suitable key as described.
6. A key for effecting the tightening and loosening of the centering screws of the
perforating tool, and for rotating the boring bit, and the tap, and for inserting or
removing the box in which are adapted to be fixed, the spur, the mud guard, or the
plug, as described.
Date: AL J
ST1001
A. THIRION.
By L. W. per F. B.