IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES a
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Phillips Thompson of the firm of W. P. Thompson
and Boult, Agents for Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street Liverpool in
the county of Lancaster, Civil Engineer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES a communication to him from
abroad by Worner Rogers of Cincinnati Ohio United States of America
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Phillips Thompson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 1st June 1883.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the firm of W. P. Thompson and Boult,
Agents for Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street Liverpool, in the county of
Lancaster, Civil Engineer " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS
AND SHOES a communication to me from abroad by Worner Rogers of [Cin-
cinnati Ohio] the United States of America.
"
Fig 1-is a perspective view partly in section of my improved shoe with double
sole.
Fig 2-is a cross vertical section through the forward part of the shoe.
Fig 3-is a side view partly in section of my improved shoe having a single sole.
Fig 4-is a vertical cross section of same with retaining plate.
Fig 5 is a perspective view of the underside of last with retaining plate.
Fig
-is a cross sectional view of sole with the upper side channeled and the
feather turned up.
Fig 7-is a perspective view of upper or first sole, with lateral slanting slits.
Fig 8-vertical, longitudinal section of a shoe having therein the removable pliable
insole, and
Fig 9-is a cross sectional view of a shoe having a clamp as a modified form of
holding the upper in the process of manufacture.
The object of the present invention is to provide a means for manufacturing
shoes without employing a permanent inner sole and it consists in channeling the
upper side of the sole, around the edge, and turning in the feather of the channel
so that the edge of the upper, when turned down on the last and held by a retaining
Price 621

page_text: plate, will rest in the channel thus formed, and after the upper has been stitched
to the sole, the feather is turned down onto the upper and pasted thereto, thus
making the inner part of the shoe of one continuous piece and not exposing the
stitches. It further provides in cases where single soles are desired, for providing
the rear half of the shoe with an insole, and in turning in the upper and stitching
the same with the upper between the inner and outer sole, and in having the
forward half of the sole, channeled on the inside, and the upper turned in instead
of being turned out, thus stitching the upper to the sole without the intervention
of an inner sole.
It further consists in making the shoe with a double sole, by turning the upper
of the shoe down over the sole at the shank, and in slitting the sides of the sole at
the ball, and in turning in the upper, and in stitching the upper to the upper side
of the sole, so that while the upper is turned in and stitched all around the sole,
the edge of the forward half of the sole will be exposed, while the rear half of the
sole will be covered by the upper.
It further consists in having a thin retaining plate adapted to be placed on the
forward half of the last equipped with pins, hooks, or points, so that when the
edge of the upper is turned down and booked onto the pins on the edge of this
plate, and the sole also placed on and secured to the plate by the said pins, the last
may be removed and the shoe stitched.
It further consists in placing an insole on the last for the rear end or half of the
shoe, which insole is designed to remain permanently in the shoe, being stitched
to the upper and to the outer sole, and in supplying the forward half of the shoe
with a removable leather or pliable piece, constructed smaller than the sole, so that
when it is placed on the last, and the upper is turned down onto the said piece
and lightly tacked thereto, the line of stitching will pass through the outer sole, and
the upper outside of the edge of said piece so that the latter may be removed
when the stitching is completed, all of which will now be set forth in detail.
In the accompanying drawing A represents the front upper, and B the shank
upper; C is the sole to which the uppers are directly attached. To prepare the
sole C, I first channel the forward part on the upper face as shown at D, so as to
turn up a feather E. When it is designed to construct a shoe with double soles, as
shown in Figs 1 and 6, a lateral slanting slit F is cut into the upper or first sole, C,
so that, when the shank or rear upper B is turned down, the edge is turned under
the sole. The upper passes through the slit F, and is turned in, so that the edge
thereof rests in the channel D. After the upper is stitched to the sole, the
feather E is turned down onto the upper so as to cover the same, and hide the row
of stitching, as shown more fully at G. The feather is pasted down so that it will
remain permanently in position, thereby greatly strengthening the unity point
of the sole and upper, and at the same time making the seam absolutely impervious
to water.
My invention also has reference to the means whereby the shoe as shown can be
easily and expeditiously made. To this end I first construct a plate H for the
forward half of the last. This plate is smaller than the sole of the last, so that its
edge will be inside of the line of stitching The edge of the plate is equipped with
pins or hooks I at proper intervals, as shown, and in the body of the plate are four
or more pins J somewhat longer than the pins I. Centrally is an orifice through
which a nail K may be driven into the last for holding the plate firmly in position.
The sole or under side of the last has leather strips L tacked along the edge on
the two opposite sides, as shown in Fig 5, between which the plate is placed.
The object of these strips is to hold the plate in place. Preferably the strip L does
not extend around the forward end of the last, so that when the piate is secured to
the upper, and the nail K withdrawn, the last may be drawn backward and out of
the shoe, without being obstructed by the strips L. The periphery nails I are
short, so that they will barely go through the upper as shown at I. The inner
pins J are sufficiently long to penetrate and hold the sole C when placed on the
last.

page_text: As shown in Fig 5, the retaining plate H is first secured to the last M between
the strips L L. The upper is then placed on the last, and the edge turned over
onto the plate H, and secured to the pins I, as shown at N. If a single sole shoe is
being made, the insole O for the rear end of the shoe is also placed on the last, and
lightly secured thereto.
The upper being turned down on the plate H as at N, and secured to the pins I,
at the forward end of the shoe, and lightly tacked or secured to the insole O at
the rear end, the nail K is withdrawn, and the shoe is ready to receive the
sole C. The sole being placed onto the bottom of the last in proper position, it
is driven tightly to the plate H, the pins J entering the sole and retaining the
same, after which the last M is withdrawn. The shoe is then in proper shape to
be sewed. P represents the line of stitching, which stitching passes through the
sole C and upper A, at a point preferable near the outer edge of the channel D.
It will be observed that both uppers are by this process turned in and sewed,
instead of having the rear upper only turned in, and that while in the case of the
double sole, the first sole C is slitted, and the rear upper is stitched, to the sole on
the outer side, the forward upper is stitched to the sole on the upper or inner side.
In the case of the single sole, however, the forward and rear uppers are both
stitched to the sole on the under or out side thereof.
After the stitching is completed, the plate H is removed, and the feather or
leaf E of the channel turned down as shown at G. Q, and pasted thereto.
In manufacturing the shoe by means of the pliable, removable, holding piece, I
first prepare an insole preferably of leather or other pliable material as shown in
Fig 8. This piece R is made narrower than the outer sole, of the same size as the
rigid plate H, and like it extends only as far forward as the toe of the sole, so that
there will be no danger of the line of stitching passing through this removable
piece. When the last is prepared to receive the sole and upper, I first place on
the last the piece R, and tack it lightly to the last, after which I put onto rear half
of the last, the insole O as in the case of the rigid plate. This extends forward as
will be seen, somewhat over half way to the toe of the last, tapering down to a
feather edge.
The last is now ready to receive the upper, which is placed on the last in the
usual manner, and the edge turned down onto the insole O and removable piece R,
and lightly tacked to this removable piece. This being done, I thin off the sole C,
and secure it lightly to the insole O and to the removable piece R, after which I
remove the last. The removable piece R now holds the forward part of the shoe
upper to the sole C, and the permanent insole O. at the rear end holds the upper
to the sole
The stitching is then performed in such a manner, that while the rear permanent
insole is stitched to the shoe upper and to the outer sole, the forward removable
piece is left free and is removed.
By this means the shoe is constructed without having an insole in the forward:
part, thereby making a much more pliable shoe, and greatly cheapening the
inanufacture of the same.
Instead of using the plate with hooks for retaining or holding the edges of the
upper, as shown in Fig 5, the plates may be placed together one above the other,
and the edge of the upper placed between and clamped as shown in Fig 9.. This
for some purposes would be serviceable, but I prefer the use of the retaining plate
with peripheral pins or hooks, or the pliable piece, either of which are removable'
and designed for use only during process of manufacture.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Phillips Thompson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st December 1883.
WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON of the firm of W. P. Thompson and Boult,
Agents for Foreign Patent Solicitors 6, Lord Street Liverpool in the county of
Lancaster, Civil Engineer, "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND
SHOES," A communication to me from abroad by Worner Rogers of Cincinnati,
Ohio, United States of America
Fig. 1, is a perspective view of removable piece.
Fig. 2, top view of last, having thereon the removable lasting piece and rear
sectional insole.
Fig. 3, central vertical longitudinal section of a last, having thereon the removable
piece, sectional insole and the upper lasted thereto.
Fig. 4, same with outer sole tacked on and sewed.
Fig. 5, same with last and removable piece removed.
Fig. 6, perspective view of out sole having channel and leaf on its upper or inner
face.
Fig. 7, sectional view of channelled out sole having the edge of upper placed in the
channel stitched and the leaf or feather turned down.
Fig. 8, top view of insole extending entire length of the shoe with oppositely
disposed transverse slits in the forward end.
Fig. 9, cross sectional view of the same with the flaps turned in.
Fig. 10, view of removable piece for use with the insole Fig. 8, and
Fig. 11, cross section of forward part of shoe showing manner of lasting the sole of
Fig. 8, with the removable piece, Fig 10.
The object of this invention is to so prepare the soles of, and so last a boot or
shoe that while the inner sole outer sole and upper are sewed together in the rear
part of the shoe in the usual manner, the line of stitches only passes through the
outer sole and upper along the ball or forward part thereof, thus uniting the merits
of a hand turned and machine sewed shoe, in that I make a shoe that is firm and
solid along the shank and soft and flexible at the ball.
It is a well known fact to manufacturers and users of shoes, that where the
inner sole and outer sole are stitched together with the upper between, as is done
in what is known as a machine sewed shoe, the sole becomes stiff owing to the
fact that the inner sole acts as a brace and that the rubbing motion of the two
soles has a tendency to wear, or cut the stitches that unite them. It is also well
known that in the usual way of lasting machine sewed shoes, the tacks are
clinched on the iron surface of the last and left exposed on the upper side of the
inner sole to annoy the wearer particularly along the ball, where there is the most
action.
The object of this invention as above stated is to make a shoe from which these
objectionable features shall be removed. In very light, fine work it is preferable
to extend the inner sole only to a point at or near the ball, as shown Fig. 3, having
no inner sole in the forward part, but in heavier work, the inner sole K, Fig 8, may
be used as hereafter described extending from heel to toe.
In the lighter work, a lasting piece or false innersole, preferably of leather or
other pliable material, as shown in Fig 1, is first prepared. This piece A is made
narrower than the last B, Fig 2, and does not extend quite to the toe, so that there
will be room enough for a line of stitches to pass between it and the outer edge of
the last. To the rear it extends far enough to slightly lap the innersole C, ns

page_text: shown in Fig 2. This piece A is placed on the forward part of the last, and upon
the rear portion is placed the permanent sectional inner sole C. The last, B, is
then placed in the upper D, which is lasted to the rear innersole O in the usual
manner, and to the piece A with headless tacks E, long enough to clinch on the
iron surface of the last, or it may be lasted to the points of tacks with which the
removable piece may have been previously supplied. The outersole H is now
tacked on with the nails F Fig 4. This outersole may be of the usual pattern or
may be prepared with flaps or lips turned back on its upper surface along the
forward part as shown in Fig. 6. The shoe is then sewed, the line of stitches G
passing through the innersole C, outersole H and upper D, in the rear, and only
through the outersole H, and the upper D, in the forward part. The piece A is
then withdrawn, as in Fig 5. If the outersole channelled on the upper side as
shown in Fig 6, has been used, the flap or lip J is turned down over the line of
stitches as shown in Fig. 7.
In heavier work an inner sole K, as shown in Fig 8, is first prepared by
cutting on each side transverse slits K¹, so as to permit Haps M to be turned in as
shown in cross section, Fig. 9, through line X of Fig 8. These slits K¹ are made at
points preferably near the toe and ball, though their positions may be changed to
lessen or increase the flexibility of the sole. Fig 10 shows a lasting piece L,
similar to Fig 1, except that it is shortened or cut off at both ends so as to fit in
between the transverse slits K' of the innersole K. This lasting piece L, is placed
on the forward part of the last, and the innersole K, is placed over this so that the
flaps M rest on the piece L. The last is then placed in the upper which latter is
lasted to the innersole in the usual manner, except between the transverse slits K¹
where the upper is lasted to the piece L, either by means of headless tacks or on
the points of tacks or pins with which the piece L may have been previously
supplied. The outersole is then tacked to the innersole, the last is removed and
the shoe is ready to be sewed.. It will be observed, cross section Fig 11, that the
edges of the lasting piece L do not extend far enough to the sides to interfere
with the line of stitches and the inturning of the flaps M, between the transverse
slits K will prevent the uniting of the innersole and outersole between these
slits K. In sewing therefore the line of stitches passes through the innersole,
outersole and upper along the rear portion and around the toe of the shoe, but only
through the outer sole and upper along the ball of the shoe or more specifically
between the transverse slits K. The flaps M are now turned back over the edge of
the upper and line of stitches and the shoe completed in the usual manner.
aware that it is not new broadly to cut away or indent a portion of the inner sole
along the ball, so that the line of stitches will not pass through the inner sole along
this portion; but this method of lasting has not been used in connection with such
innersoles. It is therefore immaterial whether the inner sole is indented cut away
or inturned along the ball, so far as it relates to this method of lasting the upper
to the permanent innersole and to the removable lasting piece, this being one of
the principal features of the invention, in addition to the more specific and original
construction of the innersole K as herein set forth
I am
Having now described the invention as communicated to me I wish it to be
understood that what I desire to protect and claim is―:
1st The outer sole H, having a lip or flap J, turned up near the edge, on its upper
or inner surface, at the forward part, which flaps are intended to be turned
down over the edge of the upper and line of stitches, substantially as herein set
forth.
2nd The innersole K formed preparatory to being placed on the last, with the
transverse slits K' in the edges opposite each other, and having the inturned
flaps or leaves M, substantially as herein set forth.
3rd The herein described process of manufacturing shoes, which consists in placing
a removable lasting piece upon the forward part of the last, and a per-
manent sectional innersole upon the rear part of the last and in lasting the upper
to the permanent innersole upon the rear part of the last, and to the removable

page_text: lasting piece upon the forward part of the last, and in tacking the outersole to the
permanent innersole and to the removable lasting piece and stitching the outersole,
innersole and upper together in the rear part of the shoe, and only the outer sole
and upper in the forward part, and withdrawing the removable piece and where
an outersole channelled on its upper surface along the forward part has been used,
the turning back of the flap, on the line of stitches, or in first placing a removable
lasting piece on the forward part of the last, and then over this a permanent
innersole prepared with transverse slits at points near the ball and toe and flaps
turned in between said slits, so that its cut away indented or inturned parts shall
be directly over said lasting piece, and in lasting the upper to the permanent
innersole along the rear part and around the toc thereof, and to the lasting piece
along the cut away, indented or inturned portion of the innersole, and in tacking
the outersole to the innersole, and sewing the outersole, innersole and upper
together along the rear part and around the toe portion of the shoe, and in only
stitching together the outersole and upper along the cut away, indented or inturned
portion of the inner sole, and withdrawing the lasting piece and turning down the
leaves or flaps, all substantially as herein set forth.
4th The shoe having in the rear part a permanent innersole, with the upper
stitched thereto between the inner and outer soles, and the forward part
of the upper stitched only to the outer sole, substantially as herein set forth
In witness whereof I the said William Phillips Thompson have hereunto set my
hand and seal this thirtieth day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand
eight hundred and eighty three.
WP. THOMPSON
(L.S.)