IMPROVEMENTS IN METAL HEEL TIPS OR PLATES FOR BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Shutt, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Ironfounder, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN METAL HEEL TIPS OR
PLATES FOR BOOTS AND SHOES."
Scaled the 23rd March 1877, and dated the 18th October 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Shutt at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th October 1870.
THOMAS SHUTT, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Ironfounder. "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN METAL HEEL TIPS OR PLATES FOR BOOTS AND SHOES."
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in metal heel
tips or plates for boots and shoes, by which improvements heel tips or plates are
made which are simple in construction, efficient in use, and easy of application.
In making heel tips or plates according to my Invention I form them by the
casting process, the cast heel tip or plate requiring but little dressing or finishing
after casting.
A heel tip or plate made according to my Invention consists of a hollow or
frame-like casting having the figure of the heel of a boot or shoe, and of a thickness
of from one-third to one-quarter of an inch. I do not however limit myself to
any particular proportions.
On the upper side of the tip or plate, that is the side which in use is in contact
with the under side of the heel, two parallel bars are cast, the lower parts of the
said bars being flush with the upper face of the heel tip. The bars are by pre-
ference wedge shaped in cross section, and extend from the inner or straight edge of
the heel to the back or curved part.
In attaching heel plates or tips according to my Invention a leather heel of the
same thickness as the tip and of a size proper to fit tightly in the tip is employed.
The heel part of the boot or shoe to which the heel and heel tip are to be applied
has two grooves made in it to receive the bars described.
The heel and heel tip being applied to the boot or shoe, nails are driven through
the leather heel into the heel part of the boot or shoe, by which means the leather
heel and heel tip are securely fixed to the boot or shoe.
Instead of two bars described one bar only may be employed in small heel

page_text: tips; and although I prefer the use of two parallel bars, as described, yet two
crossing bars or projections on the inner edge of the heel tip or plate may be
employed with the same effect.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Shutt in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 11th April
1877.
THOMAS SHUTT, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Ironfounder.
PROVEMENTS IN METAL HEEL TIPS OR PLATES FOR BOOTS AND SHOES."
"IM-
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described in metal heel
tips or plates for boots and shoes, by which in provements heel tips or plates are
made which are simple in construction, efficient in use, and easy of application.
In making heel tips or plates according to my Invention I form them by the
casting process by preference, the cast heel tips requiring but little dressing or
finishing after casting.
A heel tip or plate made according to my Invention consists of a hollow or
frame-like casting having the figure of the heel of a boot or shoe. I do not confine
myself to any particular proportions of the heel tip or plate.
On the upper side of the heel tip or plate, that is the side which in use is in
contact with the under side of the heel, one or more bars is or are cast, the lower
parts of the said bar or bars being flush with the upper face of the heel tip. The
bars are by preference wedge shaped in cross section, and extend from the inner or
straight edge of the heel to the back or curved part.
In attaching heel plates or tips according to my Invention a leather heel or top
piece of the same thickness as the tip, and of a size proper to fit tightly in the tip,
is employed. The heel part of the boot or shoe to which the heel and heel tip are
to be applied has one or more grooves made in it to receive the bar or bars
described.
The heel and heel tip being applied to the boot or shoe nails are driven through
the leather heel into the heel part of the boot or shoe, by which means the leather
heel and heel tip are securely fixed to the boot or shoe.
Although I prefer the use of bars, as described, yet two crossing bars or pro-
jections on the inner edge of the heel tip or plate may be employed with the same
effect.
I will now proceed to describe, with reference to the accompanying Drawing, the
manner in which my Invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents a plan of the under or treading face; Figure 2, a plan of the
upper face; and Figure 3, a cross section of a heel tip or plate having a single bar
constructed according to my Invention.
Figure 4 represents a plan of the under or treading face; and Figure 5, a cross
section of the said heel tip in combination with the leather top or filling piece con-
stituting part of the heel; and Figure 6 represents the leather top or filling piece
separately.
Figure 7 represents a plan of under side; and Figure 8, a section of the heel
of a boot or shoe prepared to receive the metal tip or heel shown in Figures 4 and
5; and Figure 9 represents a plan of under side; and Figure 10, a cross section of
the heel with a metal tip or plate constructed according to my Invention attached
to it.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several Figures of
the Drawing.
a is the heel tip or plate having the hollow or frame-like figure represented, and
b is the bar on the upper side thereof, that is the side which in use is in contact with
the under side of the heel of the boot or shoe. The said heel tip or plate a and bar b

page_text: are by preference cast in one piece, but the said tip or plate and bar may be made
by stamping or otherwise. The said bar b is wedge shaped (by preference), and
extends from the inner or straight part of the heel tip a to the back or curved part.
The lower part of the bar b is flush with the upper face of the heel tip a (see
Figures 2 and 3), so that there is a clear space between the frame-like heel tip to
receive the leather top or filling piece represented separately in Figure 6, and fitted
into the heel tip in Figures 4 and 5. The said leather top or filling piece marked c
has the same thickness as the heel tip, and fits tightly in the said tip, the said
leather top or filling piece c being supported by the bar b, as seen in the section,
Figure 5.
In attaching the heel tip or plate a, Figures 4 and 5, provided with the leather
filling piece c, to the heel of the boot or shoe the under side of the heel d, shewn in
Figures 7 and 8, has a groove e made in its under side of a size and shape proper
to receive the barb of the tip; the heel tip a being applied to the bottom of the
heel d, so that its bar b fits into the groove e in the said heel, nails marked fare
driven through the leather top or filling piece e into the heel d, as illustrated in
Figures 9 and 10, and the heel tip is thereby securely fastened in its place on the
heel d.
By an examination of Figures 9 and 10 it will be seen that the heel tip a is not
fastened directly to the heel, but is fastened through the intervention of the leather
top or filling piece c, which filling piece by being fixed against the bar b holds the
heel tip a very firmly to the heel d.
By constructing heel tips or plates according to my Invention they are fastened
very securely and readily to the heel. The heel tip or plate is built up with and
forms part of the structure of the heel itself, and the ordinary screw or nail holes
in the heel tip are dispensed with.
My Invention has the further advantage that the risk of the heel tip becoming
detached from the heel is reduced to a minimum, for so long as the central leather
top or filling piece c is retained in its place by the nails f, which from their
position are liable to little wear, the said tip cannot become loose.
Instead of using a continuous bar in the heel tip, as described and repre-
sented, projections on the inner edge of the heel tip or plate may be employed
with the same effect.
This modification of my Invention is illustrated in plan of under side in
Figure 11, and plan of upper side in Figure 12, where the projections on the
inner edge of the tip a are marked g, g. These projections g, g, support the
leather top or filling piece, and act as bearing parts in the same way as the con-
tinuous bar 6 before described, and the heel to receive this tip only require two
depressions or recesses to be made in it for the projections g, g, to fit into.
Although for small heel tips or plates I find one bar 6 (or the equivalent pro-
jections g, g,) to answer well, yet for large heel tips or plates two bars crossing one
another at right angles or two or more parallel bars or more than two crossing
bars may be employed; or where projections of the kind represented in Figures 11
and 12 are used two pairs of the said projections may be employed; that is, in
addition to the projections g, g, as represented, a pair at right angles to them, as
indicated in dotted lines, may be used.
Figure 13 represents in plan of under side and cross section, and Figure 14 in
plan of upper side a heel tip or plate provided with two parallel bars marked b, b.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to
the precise details herein described and illustrated, as the same may be varied
without departing from the nature of my Invention; but I claim as my Invention,
the improvements in metal heel tips or plates for boots and shoes herein-before
described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, that is to say, making the
said heel tips or plates of the hollow or frame-like figure represented in combi-
nation with one or more bars or two or more projections on the upper side of the
heel tips or plates, the said bar or bars or projections serving in conjunction with a

page_text: leather top or filling piece constituting part of the heel to effect the secure fastening
of the heel tip or plate to the heel without nails or screws being passed through
the heel tip itself, substantially as described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Shutt, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Tenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
THOMAS SHUTT. (L.S.)