IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING AND OTHER HEELS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1870

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas Jennings at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 6th
October 1870. A communication from abroad by Joseph Read, of
Philadelphia, in the United States of America.
I, THOMAS JENNINGS, of the City of Coventry, Boot and Shoe
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN REVOLVING AND OTHER HEELS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES," to be
as follows
The said Invention consists in constructing revolving and other heels
for boots and shoes in the following manner: —
In constructing a revolving heel for boots and shoes I proceed as
follows: I make the body or that part of the heel to which the
revolving part is to be connected hollow and of metal, the said hollow
metallic heel or body resembling in external configuration an ordinary
solid leather heel. The said hollow metallic heel or body is raised from
sheet metal by dies and pressure. It is preferred to make it from a
single blank or piece of sheet metal. The top or wide end of the heel
is open, and its edges fit upon or embrace the seat of the heel part of the

page_text: boot or shoe, while the bottom narrow end of the said heel or body is
closed with the exception of a central hole. The hollow metallic heel
or body is fixed to the leather of the heel part by screws passed through
the closed bottom. The revolving part of the heel consists of a cupped
metallic disc, in the closed bottom of which is a central opening, and
around the said opening is a projecting hollow axis. The revolving part
of the heel is secured to the metallic body by placing the hollow axis
of the revolving part within the opening in the bottom of the fixed
hollow body, the closed bottom of the said revolving part abutting or
bearing against the closed bottom of the body. When the two parts
are so fitted together the revolving heel part is capable of turning upon
the fixed body part, the axis of the revolving part turning within the
hole in the body part. By passing a screw through the holes in the
axes of the heel and body parts, and screwing it into the leather at the
heel part of the sole of the boot or shoe the revolving heel is prevented
from rotating on the body of the heel when the boot or shoe is in use.
A filling-up piece of leather is placed at the bottom of the hollow
revolving heel, into which the head of the fixing screw takes, and the
said revolving heel is completely filled up and the head of the fixing
screw concealed by a second piece of leather, which is secured to the
first piece by means of springs.
When it is required to change the tread of the revolving heel the
revolving part of the heel can be turned by the thumb and fingers, so as
to bring a new part in position for wear.
When non-revolving heels are to be made the hollow metallic body part
or heel herein-before described is used without the revolving part. In
this case there is no opening left in the bottom of the heel part or body
for the axis of the revolving part to work in, and the bottom of the heel
is covered by a piece of leather which is fastened to the bottom of the
heel by means of screws passed through the said bottom and made to
take into the leather at the heel part of the boot or shoe.
Although it is preferred to make the hollow body or heel of metal,
yet the said hollow body or heel may be made of leather.