Improvements in Trees for Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 20th Dec., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by OLIVER AMMI MILLER, of Brockton, Massachusetts,
United States of America, Manufacturer of Machinery and Appliances for Treeing
Boots and Shoes.]
Improvements in Trees for Boots and Shoes.
[, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents
45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex do hereby declare the nature
of this 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 relates to boot or shoe trees or blocks to be used for "treeing," as it
is termed, the upper of boots and shoes and particularly it relates to that class of said
trees commonly known and called "split tree-feet."
In substance and essentially the tree-foot of this invention is divided, from its toe
to its beel ond, along a plane lying between the face of its sole and its instep and
vertically from the sole face to said plano, into an upper or body part and an under or
sole part and said parts are provided with incans relatively constructed and arranged for
either part to be moved independently of and lengthwise on the other and for the under
part to be capable of movement interally, or in other words, transversely to its lengthwise
and also to the lengthwise movement of the upper part, and otherwise all in a manner
that on a lengthwise movement of either the upper or the under part or of both
parts on each other in a direction, end to end, from the heel-end toward the toe-end
of the foot the under part is moved laterally on the upper part outwardly relative to
a vertical plane extending lengthwise of the foot and thereby it is brought into a
position in its full width equal to that of the upper part at said plane of division of
the foot into parts, and that, on a lengthwise movement of either the upper or the
under part, or of both parts on each other in a direction, end to end, from the toe-
end toward the heel-end of the foot, the under part is moved laterally on the upper
part inwardly relative to a vertical plane extending lengthwise of the foot and thereby
it is brought into a position in its full width less than that of the upper part at said
plane of division of the foot into parts.
Furthermore, and which constitutes one special feature of this invention, the under
part of the tree-foot is made in two separate and distinct sections, having their plane
of division perpendicularly, or substantially so, to the plane of division of the foot
into upper and under parts as has been described and these sections of the under part
are together of a less width than the full width of the upper part of the foot at the
plane of division of the foot into upper and under parts and the upper part and said
side sections of the under part are provided with means substantially as hereinafter
described whereby on a lengthwise movement, end to end, of either the upper or
the under part or of both parts on each other and either toward or away from the
toe-end of the foot is secured a movement of each section of the under part laterally
on the upper part, either from or toward each other according to the direction of
lengthwise movement of the upper part and under parts on each other as stated, in
the one instance, placing the sections of the under part so that their combined width
as to the width of the upper part of the foot at the plane of division of the foot into
upper and lower parts is equal to and in the other instance, less than said width of
the upper part.
In the drawings, forming part of this Specification, several forms are illustrated of
the division of the foot from its toe to its heel end along a plane lying between the
face of its sole and its instep and vertically from the sole face to said plane into an
upper or body part and an under or sole part, and also of the connection of these
parts, all in accordance with the essential features of this invention and otherwise
in details.

page_text: Figures 1, and 15 aro respectively side elevations of split tree-feet of this inven-
tion. Figures 2, 9 and 16 are, Figures 2 and 16, plan views of the sole face of the
tree-feet of Figures 1 and 15 respectively and Figure 9 of the sole face of a tree-
foot differing substantially from that of Figures 2 and 16 only as to construction
and means of attaching the sole part to the body part. Figures 3 and 17 are plan
views of the sole-face of the tree-foot Figures 1 and 15, and differing from the plan
views, Figures 2 and 16, in that the several portions of the foot making its sole are
shown as placed relatively to each other different from that shown, Figures 2 and 16,
and as will hereinafter appear. Figures 4 and 5 are transverse vertical sections
respectively, lines 4-4, and 5-5, Figures 2 and 3. Figure 6 is a plan view of the
sole-face of a tree-foot differing, in substance, from that of Figure 2, only in form of
division of the sole of the foot, all as will hereafter appear. Figure 8 is a plan view
of foot, Figure 7, with its side-sections and body changed in position as hereafter
appears. Figure 10 is a section on linel 0-1 of Figure 7. Figure 11 is a section on
line 11-11 of Figure 7. Figure 12 is a plan view of the sole-face of a tree-foot having
the same construction and arrangement of Figure 9, except that it has only one
movable side-pieco whereas Figure 9 has two, one at each side-portion of the sole-face.
Figures 13 and 14 are respectively a transverse vertical and a longitudinal vertical
section, the former of a whole tree-foot and the latter of only the sole part of a tree-
foot, all hereinafter fully explained in detail.
In the drawings, A is the upper part, or for convenience of designation called the
body of the tree-foot. The body A considered in relation to the part of the upper
of the boot or shoe which it supports in treeing, is substantially whole. The under
part, for convenience of designation, called the sole of the tree-foot, is in sections,
and Figures 13, 15, 16 and 17, show a tree-foot each of which consists of two side-
sections B, B2, each laterally and longitudinally movable on the body of the foot and
a central section B immovable as to the body of the foot; and Figure 12 two
sections, one side-section B² laterally and longitudinally movable on the body of the
foot, and a section B immovable as to the body of the foot and practically embracing
the middle immovable central section B and the other movable side-section B² of
the soles before described as in three sections.
The lines of division of each laterally and longitudinally movable side-section are
in one direction along a plane lying between the instep-portion A³ and the sole-face,
and along the length of the foot, either parallel with the curving form of the sole-
face, as in Figures 1, 4, 5 and 13, or out of parallel therewith, and either curving or
straight, as for instance, Figures 7 and 14, curving and Figure 15 straight, and in
the other direction along a plane extending vertically from the sole-face to and
intersecting the plane of division, to wit, that lying between the instep portion and
sole-face of the foot as just explained. The two planes of division of the sole, as
above explained are from end to end, and are marked D, D, and D², D² respectively.
Again the vertical plano of division of each side-section except that of the side-
section B2, Figure 6, inclines outwardly from at or near the central point of the toe
toward the heel, and both of said planes of division terminate on opposite sides of
the longitudinal central plane of the foot and each of its vertical planes at a distance
therefrom suitable for a width of each side-section thereat more or less equal to the
distance of each of said vertical planes of division from said central longitudinal
plane of the foot.
In Figure 6, the vertical plane of division of the side-section B³, is parallel with
and terminates at the heel at a distance from the central longitudinal plane of the
foot substantially as just explained for the same side-section of each of the other
feet.
In all figures showing the sole in two side-sections B, B³ and a central section B³,
the central section is a part of the body and substantially, except as to Figures 16
and 17, it is of a shape with the side-sections at their inner edges E, E closed
against the vertical edges F, F2 of the central sections, Figures 2, 4, 5 and 6 to
give practically an unbroken face to the sole for the whole width and length of
the sole.

page_text: In Figures 16 and 17 the central part of the sole, which in all figures just
referred to is at its vertical edges in contact with the vertical edges of the two
side-sections B, B2, is an open and unoccupied space in so far as the central
section B of such sole acts to complete the sole-face for its portion lying between
the side-sections of the foot.
Each lateral and longitudinal side-section B, B³ of the sole shown in the drawings
and herein described is held on the foot, so as, in operation, as hereinafter described,
to be inseparable from it, but to be freely and readily movable as and in the
directions stated and whether such movements are produced by moving the sole
side-sections on the body or the body on the sole side-sections or both the body and
the sole side-sections at the same time one on the other but in opposite directions.
Preferably the attachment of side-sections of sole to body of foot above referred to
is such that the sections can be readily attached to and detached from the foot, but
this is neither necessary nor essential to the working of the split-feet of this inven-
tion as will be obvious from the description thereof hereinafter given.
The several figures show various forms of attachment. such as above referred to,
and all of which are practically and substantially similar in effect although varying
somewhat in detail.
A most preferable attachment or connection is a lengthwise slot G in each section,
and headed screw-pins H, or such like, one for and engaged with each slot and
severally held on the foot. These slots G, Figures 2, 3, 6, 9 and 12, are of the
general direction or in fact practically parallel with the vertical edges E, E of
side-sections and vertical edges F, F of central section of the split-foot to which they
belong.
Figures 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 13, show them as extending through the thickness of the
side-sections. Figures 7, 9, 10, 11 and 12, show said slots or ways G as at the inner
vertical edges E, E of the side-sections and as there concealed from view, but their
headed pins H as capable of detachment or attachment by means of a suitable tool,
such as a screw-driver, entered through a side-hole J of each side-section at one end
of and leading to the slot, provided the side-section has been suitably placed to register
its said side-hole J with the screw-pin H of its slot or way G.
An additional guidance of the lengthwise movement of the side-sections on the
central-section of the foot is shown, Figures 7, 9 and 12 and consists of a supplemental
slot or way K at the inner edge and toward the toe-portions of the side-sections and
a pin of the foot engaging it.
Figure 14 shows a slot and pin attachment of a side-section to the foot in all
substantial respects like that of Figure 9, with this exception, that it is located in the
vertical thickness of the section and at its face in contact with the under face of the
body of the foot. The slot of this connection obviously otherwise has the lengthwise
direction before explained for the other slots.
The connection of the side-sections and body of foot, Figures 16 and 17, differs in
no material respect from that of the other connections described, except as shown
that the slots G of this connection are in the central section B instead of in the side-
sections B, B2 and that they also serve in the capacity of the vertical edges of the
central sections of the feet which have just been described in relation to the connec-
tion of side-sections with the foot. Again as these slots G are short and quick in
taper as compared with the taper of the central section B³ of said feet it necessitates
for their better movement the use of an additional longitudinal and central guiding
slo M and a headed pin N engaging it and which are relatively connected to body
and side-sections of foot, as shown, that is the slot M is in a plate O to which each
side-section, at its toe-end, is hung by separate pivots P and the headed pin N
engaging the slot M is held on the body of the foot.
This additional guiding-slot and pin-connection of side-sections with the body of
the foot can be dispensed with provided the slots G of the central section are
extended in length substantially corresponding to that of the vertical edges F, F³ of
the central section B' of the feet otherwise shown and described. Again the slots G
shown as in the body and the pins H shown as on the side sections of the foot mar

page_text: side edges each inclining outwardly from the toe toward the heel of the foot, and
each side-section having inner side edges to bear and fit on said side edges of said
central section, substantially as described, for the purposes specified.
FOURTH.
In a tree-foot divided into an upper part or body and an under part or sole, an
under part or sole in two movable side-sections and an immovable central section
severally having opposed vertical edges inclining from at or near the centre of the toe
toward the heel and terminating at each side of the central line of the foot, in com-
bination with means to secure said movable side-sections on the foot, the same
consisting of lengthwise slots one in each movable section and pins one for each slot
and held on the foot and engaged with said slot, substantially as described, for the
purposes specified.
FIFTH.
In a tree-foot divided into an upper part or body and an under part or sole, an
under part or sole in separate sections, one a side and movable section and having
its inner vertical edge inclined outwardly from at or near the centre of the toe toward
the beel and terminating at one side of the central line of the body of the foot and
another an immovable section having an outer vertical edge corresponding in direction
and opposed to and making a bearing for said inner edge of said movable section and
pins one for and to engage each of said slots and both secured to the immovable
section of the foot, substantially as described, for the purposes specified.
Dated this 18th day of November 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.