Improvements in Heels for Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd June, 1899-Accepted, 8th July, 1899
[Communicated from abroad by MCKAY NEVERSLIP SOLE COMPANY, a Corporation
organized under the Laws of the State of Michigan, and having its principal
office at Detroit, in said State, United States of America, Manufacturers.]
Improvements in Heels for Boots and Shoes.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake and Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:—
The invention relates to the construction of a heel for boots or shoes, and
consists in the construction of an elastic top lift, and in the means for securing
it to the heel of the boot or shoe, all as more fully hereinafter described.
In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my improved top lift for heels.
Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof partly in section.
Fig. 3 is a vertical, central section through a heel showing the improved top
lift applied thereto.
A represents the body of the heel of a boot or shoe, to which my improved top
lift is to be applied.
B represents the top lift, which I make of rubber or other elastic material.
This top lift is of a shape conforming to the shape of the body of the heel, and
it is adapted to be secured thereto by nails or screws C. If the heads of these
securing nails simply impinged against the rubber of the top lift, they would be
apt to tear out. To prevent this, I embed at suitable points in the lift, a series
of burrs or washers D'at such points as the nails or screws are to be placed. These
burrs or washers are preferably centrally apertured, and these apertures are
aligned with entering apertures E leading from the top of the lift into the washer,
as plainly shown in Figure 3.
When thus constructed, the top lift being laid upon the body of the heel, the
nails or screws being entered through the apertures E and driven into the heel
body, until the heads rest upon the top of the washers, which will securely hold
the lift in position. It will also be seen that until this top lift is worn down
considerably, there will be no nails or screws exposed to wear.
In order to increase the wearing capacity of the lift without materially in-
creasing the weight I form around the edge, the series of short raised nipples
or projections G, and preferably arrange the entering apertures E centrally of
each of these nipples as shown. These nipples add materially in increasing the
safety of the heel, as they tend to prevent slipping much better than a plain,
oorrugated or roughened heel.
Upon the rear side portion of the lift, I arrange the nipples so as to form for
a short distance a continuous raised rib, as shown at F, this being the portion of
the heel which usually wears most rapidly.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicafed
to me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is:
1. A top lift for a heel made of elastic material, such as rubber, and having
embedded therein burrs or washers, and nails or screws passing through such
embedded washers, into the body of the heel.
2. A top lift for a heel, made of elastic material and having the marginal raised
nipples, arranged as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 2nd day of June 1899
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.