AN IMPROVED HEEL FOR BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, &
Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of "AN
IMPROVED HEEL FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.” A communication from abroad by:
Gideon Blackburn Massey, Engineer, and Stanley Augustus Bryant; Jeweller,
both of the City and State of New York, United States of America.
aled the 5th April 1878, and dated the 5th February 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th February 1878
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED HEEL FOR BOOTS AND SHOES."
[A communication from abroad by Gideon Blackburn Massey, Engineer, and
Stanley Augustus Bryant, Jeweller, both of the City and State of New York,
United States of America.]
This Invention relates to an improved heel for boots and shoes, which heel is
designed to rotate about its means of attachment to the heel or heel portion of the
sole of a boot or shoe, as the case may be, and is so constructed as to cause the
heel to wear evenly on all sides, maintaining an upright tread, avoiding uneven
wear of the sole and upper, preventing noise, rendering the use of nails unnecessary,
and moreover cheap, strong, and durable, and capable of attachment to the boot or
shoe without the exercise of any special skill.
This improved heel is constructed of a sheet-metal top plate, having a flange
which circumferentially surrounds the india-rubber or equivalent material of which
the body of the heel is composed, and a central conical washer fitted into a hole or
opening in the aforesaid body and top plate, through which is passed a screw or
equivalent fastening device for attaching the heel in place, the flange of the said top
plate being so imbedded in the circumference of the body as to grip and hold the
body in the said plate, and the said conical washer serving the double purpose of

page_text: expanding the body against the flange of the top plate to ensure a more firm
retention of the body, and of affording a metallic bearing for the head of the
fastening screw or its equivalent, so that the requisite revolving movement of the
heel is effectually provided for.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a top plate, which is
formed with a downwardly projecting flange. This top plate is made of sheet metal,
with the said flange struck up or stamped in one piece therewith by any of the
usual or any suitable means of thus manipulating sheet metal. It is to be espe-
ceally observed that this flange projects inwardly as well as downwardly. In the
centre of this top plate is a circular orifice.
The body of the said improved heel is composed of india-rubber or equivalent
material, and has the same circumferential configuration as the flange; its upper or
inner portion is imbedded within the said flange, and rests in contact with the
lower or inner surface of the said top plate. In the said body is provided a central
hole or orifice coincident in position with an orifice in the top plate. The said
body projects downward to the extent of one-half of its depth or thickness (more
or less) beyond the lower edge of the flange. A conical washer is forced into the
said orifice of the said body, thereby serving to expand the india-rubber or other.
material in radial directions against the said flange, thus increasing the holding
power of the flange upon the body, and consequently providing for the more secure
retention of the said body in the top plate.
The said improved heel thus constructed is attached to the heel or heel portion
of a boot or shoe by a wood screw or equivalent device, the said conical washer
serving, in addition to its function just herein-before explained, to afford a metallic
bearing for the conical head of the said screw. The said improved heel thus
attached in place is free to turn or revolve to any requisite extent. The said
washer is made of sheet metal stamped or otherwise suitably brought to shape.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 3rd
August 1878.
66
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. AN IMPROVED HEEL FOR BOOTS AND SHOES."
A communication from abroad by Gideon Blackburn Massey, Engineer, and
Stanley Augustus Bryant, Jeweller, both of the City and State of New York,
United States of America.
This Invention relates to an improved heel for boots and shoes designed to
rotate about its means of attachment to the heel or heel portion of the sole of the
boot or shoe, as the case may be, and so constructed as to cause the heel to wear
evenly on all sides, maintaining an upright tread, avoiding uneven wear of the sole
and upper, preventing noise, rendering the use of nails unnecessary, and moreover
which will be cheap, strong, and durable, and capable of attachment to the boot or
shoe without the exercise of any special skill.
This improved heel is composed of a sheet-metal top plate, having a flange which
circumferentially surrounds the india-rubber or equivalent material of which the
body of the heel is formed, and a central conical washer fitted into a hole or opening
in the aforesaid body and top plate, through which is passed a screw or equivalent
fastening device for attaching the heel in place, the flange of the said top plate
being so imbedded in the circumference of the body as to grip and hold the body in
the said plate, and the conical washer serving the double purpose of expanding the
body against the flange of the top plate to ensure the firm retention of the body,
and of affording a metallic bearing for the head of the fastening screw or equivalent
device, so that the requisite revolving movement of the heel is effectually pro-
vided for.
In the accompanying Drawing, Figure 1 is a sectional view, showing this Inven-
tion attached to the heel of a boot or shoe; Figure 2 is a similar view of the same
detached; Figure 3 is an inverted plan or bottom view; and Figure 4 is an edge
view of the same.
A is the top plate, which is formed with a downwardly projecting flange a.
This top plate A is formed of sheet metal, with the flange a struck up or stamped
in one piece therewith by the usual or any suitable means of thus manipulating
sheet metal. It is to be especially observed that this flange projects inwardly as
well as downwardly, as clearly shewn in Figures 1 and 2. In the centre of this
top plate is a circular orifice b.
B is the body of the heel composed of india-rubber or equivalent material, and
having the same circumferential configuration as the flange a; its upper or inner
portion is imbedded within the said flange, and rests in contact with the lower or
inner surface of the said top plate. In this body B is provided a central hole or
orifice coincident in position with the orifice b of the top plate. The body B pro-
jects downward to the extent of one-half of its depth or thickness (more or less)
beyond the lower edge of the flange, as shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 4. C is a
conical washer forced into the orifice of the body B, and thereby serving to expand
the rubber in radial directions against the flange a, thus increasing the holding
power of the flange upon the body, and consequently providing for the more secure
retention of the latter in the top plate A.
The heel thus constructed is attached to the heel or heel portion of the boot or
shoe by a screw D or equivalent device, the conical washer C serving in addition to
its function just herein-before explained to afford a metallic bearing for the conical
head of the screw, as indicated in Figure 1. The said heel when secured in its
place is obviously free to turn or revolve to any requisite extent. The washer C is
made of sheet metal stamped or otherwise suitably brought to the required shape.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood

page_text: that I claim, the revolving heel for boots and shoes composed of the top plate A,
having the flange a, the body B of india-rubber or equivalent material, and the
conical washer C, the whole formed and combined as and for the purpose herein set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of August, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.
W. ROB. LAKE.
(L.S.)