Improvements in and connected with Boot and Shoe Protectors.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Oct., 1897-Accepted, 27th Nov., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
1.
Improvements in and connected with Boot and Shoe Protectors.
We JOHN WILLIAM HESP of 26 Waymouth Street, (Traveller) FREDERICK
TEMPLER of 111 King William Street (Agent) and WILLIAM COOMBS HOOPER of
49 Hindley Street (House Furnisher) all in the City of Adelaide in the Province
of South Australia do hereby declare the nature of our invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement:-
This invention applies to the protection of the feet from heat or damp and of
the underparts of boots and shoes from wear. It is devised to supply slightly
resilient, but hard wearing pads capable of being readily affixed by the wearer
vithout the aid of any special skill or appliances. In fact, our invention enables
boot pads of the kinds named to be manufactured, packed and transported in such
a form that they may be readily displayed and sold (the pads and the cement
being contained on a card or otherwise packed and marketed) so that the purchaser
is able to at once affix the pads securely to the boot or shoe.
In order that our invention may be clearly understood we will describe the
same reference being had to the annexed drawing in which Fig. shows the
under side of a gentleman's boot or shoe and Fig. 2 of a lady's boot or shoe each
with a set of our pads adapted to toe, sole and heel affixed in their respective
positions.
The pads which we employ for this purpose are manufactured of india rubber
or like slightly resilient material with or without admixture of tempering agents.
The material is formed into suitable shapes preferably those illustrated and
having certain parts of their edges bevelled and on the wearing side if desired
a chequered indented or other pattern to prevent slipping whilst the adhering
side is flat.
In the toe pads and heel pads the outer portion may have either a square or a
bevelled edge the inner edge being bevelled whereas the sole pieces may be
bevelled all round or on the inside edge only.
The bevelling of the edges assists in securely affixing the pads which is done
with cement of the description usually employed for india rubber goods or such
other suitable cement as will unite rubber and leather and the bevelling also
renders the pads convenient in use, the longitudinal position and bevelled edges
effectually preventing them from catching in obstacles or rough ground.
The pads are formed in sets for toe, sole and heel respectively. It will be
observed from the illustration that the toe pad is of a two horned or crescent shape
so that it can be slightly spread or contracted in affixing. The same principle
applies to the heel pad but the proportions and shapes will be varied to suit the
style or fashion of the boots in vogue. The sole pads are formed of shape to fit
longitudinally one on each side and one in the middle and thus constitute, when
affixed, a well distributed slightly resilient sub-stratum adapting itself to the
tread in walking and running
We sometimes form the toe pad in two pieces (see Fig. 4) and the heel pad in
two pieces (see Fig. 3) so that one or the other can be applied to either side of the

page_text: foot according to the habit of the wearer and in the same way other shapes may
be modified by making the toe piece in approximately angular form. We have
illustrated however the shapes which we prefer as most readily supplying general
requirements.
It will be seen that by our form, construction and arrangement all the chief
wearing parts of the sole and heel are protected, whilst the objection to a solid
rubber sole is avoided. It is well known that expedients have been adopted to
secure ventilation of solid rubber soles by piercing and otherwise. Our invention
accomplishes the same purpose at a very much less cost and at the same time
affords all the benefits of the protection of a rubber sole.
Other advantages of our invention are that the pads are securely affixed without
piercing the sole of the boot and they can be applied to the lightest as well as to
stout goods and they cause no damage to the boot or shoe or to the floor or
carpet.
A set of our pads applied to ordinary boots and shoes will render them suitable
for out door sports such as tennis cricket and so forth. One or more of the pads
may bo easily replaced when required at a great saving of cost as compared with
full rubber soles at present in use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
First. The herein described method of protecting the under parts of boots and
shoes consisting essentially in the application of suitable pads of india rubber or
like slightly resilient material and affixing the same by cement for the purposes
set forth.
Second. An india rubber toe pad of two horned or approximately crescent form
whereby it can be expanded or contracted in affixing to accommodate a wider or
narrower toe of a boot or shoe and capable of being securely affixed with cement
substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.
Third. An india rubber heel pad of two horned or approximately crescent shape
whereby it can be expanded or contracted in affixing to accommodate a wider or
narrower heel of a hoot or shoe, and capable of being securely affixed with cement,
substantially as described and for the purposes set forth.
Fourth. An india rubber sole pad of approximately the shape illustrated so
that a set of three fairly covers the tread portion of the sole with longitudinal
spaces between whereby the sole pads can be adjusted to a wide or narrow sole,
being affixed with cement substantially as described and for the purposes set
forth.
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HOST.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.