Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd July, 1886.
Complete Left, 8th Feb., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 11th Mar., 1887.
I, WILLIAM WILLOTT POPPLEWELL, of the firm of Popplewell Colton and Co.,
17 and 18, Southampton Buildings, in-the-county-of-Middlesex, Patent Agents and
Engineers do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
1
This invention relates to an improved shoe that is provided with an ankle-support,
so as to strengthen weak ankles by being flexible enough to yield to the motion of the
ankle in any direction; and the invention consists of a shoe provided with a series of
flexible supporting ribs at both sides of the upper and of an upward extended ankle
portion thereof, said ribs being attached by staples to a textile lining and covered by
a second interior lining, the upper ends of the ribs being retained by an interior top-
flap at the upper part of the shoe, that serves to retain the ribs in position in the
shoe.
-
To the inner surface of the upper of a shoe are secured two textile linings. To
one lining are applied at certain distances apart, a number of whale-bone or other
flexible-supporting ribs, which are attached to the lining by means of wire staples, so
as to be readily held in position thereon. A second lining covers the supporting-ribs
and the fastening-staples and prevents injurious friction on the foot.
This second lining may be again covered by soft material, preferably kid, which
may be stitched to the linings at any suitable points and prevents the ribs from bending
or injuring the foot of the wearer. The upper is extended in upward direction from
the ankle and the supporting-ribs arranged at both sides of the upper, they being also
expanded over the ankle so as to provide a stiff support for the same.
The upper of the shoe is provided with an interior binding-flap or facing which
forms a covering for the upper ends of the supporting-ribs, the interior lining being

page_text: extended to the rear-part of the lower edge thereof and being stitched thereto. In
case the ankle-support should be too rigid and unyielding for the wearer, some of the
supporting ribs may be readily removed by simply ripping the binding-flap, lifting the
same and withdrawing one or more ribs, while in case a more rigid support is required
stronger ribs may be inserted, as occasion requires.
The shoe thus formed will be found highly beneficial to a person with weak ankles,
it giving an artificial support to the same, which, while rigid enough to aid in
supporting the body of the wearer, is still sufficiently flexible to yield to the motion of
the ankle in any direction whatever.
It is also adapted for the use of skaters, atheletes, cyclists or other persons whose
ankles are liable to sprain by the reason of sudden wrenches and twists.
The ribs may be attached to curves on the linings, which curves are arranged
symetrically at both sides of the shoe, the whole construction being rendered light and
strong, according as light or heavy material is used for the ribs.
We are aware that bathing shoes provided with stays or ribs, also men's boot-logs
provided with ribs at the side-seam for the purpose of strengthening the parts, have
been used heretofore; but in neither of these cases has the object we have in view of
an ankle-support, with strengthening ribs immediately at the ankle, and conforming
to the shape of the ankle-joints, so as to give a reliable support to the same, been
attained.
POPPLEWELL, COLTON, & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: I, WILLIAM WILLOTT POPPLEWELL, of the firm of Popplewell, Colton and Co., of
17 and 18, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agents and
Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication to me
from abroad by Louis Smadbeck and Benjamin Nathan, Manufacturers, of the City,
County and State of New York, United States of America), and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and illustrated in and by the
following statement :-
This invention relates to an improved boot or shoe which is provided with an ankle
support, so as to strengthen weak ankles by being flexible enough to yield to the
motion of the ankle in any direction; and the invention consists of a boot or shoe
provided with a series of flexible supporting ribs at both sides of the upper and of an
upwardly extending ankle-portion thereof, said ribs being attached by staples to a
textile lining and covered by a second interior lining, the upper ends of the ribs being
retained by an interior top-flap at the upper part of the shoe, which serves to retain
the ribs in position in the shoe.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a shoe with
our improved ankle support, some parts being broken away to show the interior
construction of the shoe.
Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the ankle-supporting portion drawn on a larger
scale.
Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal section, showing the arrangement of the ankle-
supporting ribs.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
In the drawings A represents the upper of a shoe, to the inner surface of which are
secured two textile linings B, B'. To the lining B are applied at certain distances
apart, a number of whale-bone or other flexible supporting-ribs C which are attached
to the lining B by means of wire staples d, d, so as to be readily held in position
thereon. The lining B¹ covers the supporting-ribs C and the fastening staples d, d
and prevents them from exerting an injurious friction on the foot. The lining B¹ may
be again covered with an additional covering of soft material, preferably kid, which
lining may be stitched to the linings B, B', at any suitable points, and which prevents
the ribs from bending or injuring the foot of the wearer. The upper is extended in
upward direction from the ankle and the supporting-ribs arranged at both sides of the
they being also expanded over the ankle so as to provide a stiff support for
upper,
the same.
The upper of the shoe is provided with an interior binding flap or facing E which
forms a covering for the upper ends of the supporting-ribs, the interior lining being
extended to the rear-part of the lower edge thereof and being stitched thereto. In
case the ankle-support should be too rigid and unyielding for the wearer, some of the
supporting-ribs may be readily removed by simply ripping the binding-flap E, lifting

page_text: the same and withdrawing one or more ribs, while in case a more rigid support is
required stronger ribs may be inserted, as occasion requires.
The shoe thus formed will be found highly beneficial to a person with weak ankles,
it giving an artificial support to the same, which while rigid enough to aid in
supporting the body of the wearer, is still sufficiently flexible to yield to the motion
of the ankle in any direction whatever. It is also well adapted to the use of skaters,.
atheletes, cyclists or other persons whose ankles are liable to sprain by reason of sudden
wrenches and twists. The ribs may be attached by curves to the lining, which curves
are arranged symmetrically at both sides of the shoe, the whole construction being
rendered light and strong, according as light and heavy material is used for the ribs.
We are aware that bathing shoes provided with stays or ribs, also men's boot-legs
provided with ribs at the side-seam for the purpose of strengthening the parts, have
been used heretofore, but in neither of these cases has the object we have in view of
an anklo-support, with strengthening ribs immediately at the ankle, and conforming
to the shape of the ankle-joints, so as to give a reliable support to the same, been
attained.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
as communicated to me from abroad by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner
the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is:-
1st. A boot or shoe provided with a series of flexible supporting ribs arranged at
both sides of the upper and extending over the ankle-portions thereof, the ribs being
attached to the lining by staples and covered by an interior facing, substantially as
set forth.
2nd. A boot or shoe provided with a series of flexible supporting ribs arranged in
both sides of the upper and extending over the ankle-portions thereof, said ribs being
attached to an interior lining by staples which are covered by a facing retained by an
interior top-flap, substantially as set forth.
POPPLEWELL, CULTON, & CO.,
Agents for the Applicant.