IMPROVED SOLE FOR BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co.,
AN
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of "
IMPROVED SOLE FOR BOOTS AND SHOES." A communication from abroad by
Solomon Jones Gordon, of New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th February 1877.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. AN IMPROVED SOLE FOR BOOTS AND SHOES."
86
A communication from abroad by Solomon Jones Gordon, of New York, United
States of America.
The object of my Invention is the production of a waterproof sole of great
durability, capable of being united by stitches or pegs as readily as leather, protecting
the entire surface of the foot, and susceptible of as perfect finish on the edges as
ordinary leather soles, and which will not creak, and will be a slow conductor of
heat.
Heretofore attempts have been made to use india-rubber, but it has been found
impossible to sew or peg this material satisfactorily, because the holes made by
the awl closed upon its withdrawal from the sole, and the india-rubber softened
with use, spread, or came off in strings, and it was incapable of smooth finish on the
edges of the soles. When a leather edge was used by which to secure the rubber to
the boot or shoe, that width of the sole was not waterproof, creaking was not pre-
vented, and the desired objects only partially obtained.
I propose to overcome these objections by employing on the exterior of the sole
or between the thicknesses of leather a sheet of what is known as " usudurian
packing, a composition of india-rubber or vulcanizable gum, sulphur, earths, oxides,
or metallic filings. The proportions should be about ten parts of rubber or gum to
twenty parts of plumbago, six parts of white or red lead, six of brass filings, and
two of sulphur. An awl passes through a sheet of "usudurian as easily as
through leather. The holes do not close when the awl is withdrawn. The entire
bottom surface of the shoe is protected. The edges can be trimmed and polished as
D.
"

page_text: perfectly as leather. The sole is at first soft, pliant, and waterproof, but hardens in
firmness and consistency in proportion as the shoe upon or off the foot is subject
to heat.
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 24th
August 1877.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED SOLE FOR BOOTS AND SHOES."
A communication from abroad by Solomon Jones Gordon, of New York, United
States of America.
The object of my Invention is the production of a waterproof sole of great
durability, capable of being united by stitches or pega as readily as leather, pro-
tecting the entire surface of the foot, and susceptible of as perfect finish on the
edges as ordinary leather soles, and which will not creak and will be a slow con-
ductor of heat.
Attempts have been already made to use india-rubber, but it has been found
impossible to sew or peg this material satisfactorily because the holes made by the
awl closed upon its withdrawal from the sole, and the india-rubber softened with
use spreads or comes off in strings, and it is incapable of smooth finish on the edges
of the soles. When a leather edge is used for securing the rubber to the boot or
shoe, that width of the sole is not waterproof, the creaking is not prevented, and the
desired objects are only partially obtained.
"
I overcome these objections by employing on the exterior of the sole or between
the thicknesses or pieces of leather a sheet of what is known as "usudurian
packing, which is a composition of india-rubber or vulcanizable gum, sulphur, earths,
oxides, or metallic filings. The proportions of this composition should be about ten
parts of rubber or gum to twenty parts of plumbago, six parts of white or red lead,
six parts of brass filings, and two parts of sulphur.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 is a plan of the inner sole of a shoe
partially broken away to show the "usudurian." Figure 2 is a longitudinal section
of the same. B represents the "usudurian."
"
An awl passes through a sheet of this composition or "usudurian as easily as
through leather. The holes do not close when the awl is withdrawn. The entire
bottom surface of the shoe is protected. The edges can be trimmed and polished as
perfectly as if made of leather. The sole is at first soft, pliant, and waterproof, but
hardens in firinness and consistency in proportion as the shoe upon or off the foot is
subject to heat.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim in a boot or shoe sole the combination with the leather of a layer of
the above-described composition or compound as above set forth and for the purpose
specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven