IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS, SHOES, AND GOLOSHES
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward Wilkins, of No. S, Bath Terrace, Camberwell
New Road, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, for the Invention of
** IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS, SHOES, AND GOLOSHES."
Sealed the 17th October 1860, and dated the 24th April 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward Wilkins at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th April 1860.
I, EDWARD WILKINS, of No. 8, Bath Terrace, Camberwell New Road, in
the County of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS, SHOES, AND
GOLOSHES," to be as follows:-
My lavention consists in the application and use of metal either in
combination with or in substitution for leather,gutta percha,and india rubber
in making the "bottoms" of boots,shoes,and goloshes; and 1 effect my said
improvements in the following manner:-I form the bottom of a boot, shoe,
or golosh by cutting a plate of metal into the required size and shape; I
attach the upper," with its lining, by rivetting, or otherwise, on to a thin
metalwelt," and fasten the welt firmly on to the "bottom" plate by small
metal rivets clenched near together all round the edges of the bottom plate
and welt; or, instead of the welt, a thin metal plate of the size of the inside
of the boot or shoe may be used. The "upper" may be formed of any of
the materials usually employed for the purpose; but when made of cloth or

page_text: other material, not sufficiently waterproof, I insert between the lining and the
outer material and intermediate lining of oiled skin, ox bladder, or similar
material, to render it waterproof. The outside surface of the metal "bottom"
may, if desired, be covered with leather. gutt -percha, or other material, by
rivetting or otherwise affixing the same thereto. The metal for the bottom
plate must be of such kind and thickness as will best suit the substance of the
article to which it is to be applied, and should be sufficiently clastic to allow
of the bend of the foot in walking.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edward Wilkins in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
24th October 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1. EDWARD
WILKINS, of No. 8, Bath Terrace, Camberwell New Road, in the County of
Surrey, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Edward Wilkins, Her special licence that I, the said Edward Wilkins, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward
Wilkins, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during
the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS, SHOES, AND GOLOSHES," upon the condition (amongst
others) that 1, the said Edward Wilkins, my executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the saine to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward Wilkins, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, (that is to say):-

page_text: My Invention consists in the application and use of metal either in
combination with or in substitution for leather,gutta-percha,and india-rubber
in making the "bottoms" of boots, shoes, and goloshes, and I effect my said
improvements in the following manner:-1 form the bottom of a boot, shoe,
or golosh by cutting a plate of metal into the required size and shape. I
attach the "upper," with its lining, by rivetting or otherwise on to a thin
metal "welt," and fasten the welt firmly on to the "bottom" plate by small
metal rivets clenched near together all round the edges of the bottom plate
and welt; or, instead of the welt a thin metal plate of the size of the inside of
the boot or shoe may be used. The" upper" may be formed of any of the
materials usually employed for the purpose; but when made of cloth or other
material not sufficiently waterproof, linsert between the lining and the outer
material an intermediate lining of oiled silk, ox bladder, or similar material to
render it waterproof. The outside surface of the metal "bottom
inay, if
desired, be covered with leather, gutta percha, or other material by rivetting
or otherwise affixingthesame thereto. The metal for the bottom plite must be
of such kind and thickness as will best suit the substance of the article to
which it is to be applied, and should be sufficientlyelastic to allow of the bend
of the foot in walking.
"
The following is a more detailed description of the manner in which I carry
my said Invention into effect. In manufacturing a boot, shoe, or golosh
according to my Invention, a thin piece of metal is to be cut or stamped into
the required size and shape to form a rim or welt (similar in shape to the
ordinary leather welt) upon which the "upper" is to be secured by rivetting
or otherwise. Another piece of metal cut or formed of the size and shape of
the intended sole or half-sole or bottom is then to be attached to the welt,
either by rivetting or pegging all round the outer edges, or by soldering,
cementing, or otherwise firmly uniting the two parts together; or, instead of
using a welt of the usual form, a thin plate of metal of the entire size of the
bottom of the boot, shoe, or golosh may be substituted, to which the "upper"
and the bottom plate or sole and heel pieces are to be attached. The
upper" may be of leather, india-rubber or any other suitable material; but
when inade of cloth orany other material not sufficiently waterproof, an inter-
mediate lining of oiled silk, bladder, or other waterproof material, or a thin
layer of very soft and flexible metal may be introduced between the ordinary
lining and the outer material. The boot, shoe, or golosh, is to be lined and
finished in the ordinary or any approved manner, according to the substance
and style of article required. The metal I prefer to use for the purposes of
my Invention is a mixture of tiv and lead, which can be obtained of very
"

page_text: varying degrees of elasticity, or copper, or a mixture of tin and copper, or any
other metal or alloy which is sufficiently elastic and flexible, and the bottom
or sole plate must be of suitable thickness according to the stoutness of
article required.
For boots, shoes, or goloshes, which are to be exposed to excessive wear, I
introduce underneath the "ball" or wearing part of the sole of the foot a plate
of from about two to three inches long, and of the width of the sole, of harder
or stouter metal than that required for the general sole, either by leaving a
corresponding space of nearly that extent in my metallic sole or bottom plate,
but leaving strips of metal along the sides of the plate, so as to keep the front
and hinder parts of the sole in connexion, and to provide the means of
attaching thereto, and to the upper leathers the central plate of stouter or
harder metal now referred to, which may be there and at the front and
hinder ends of the space above mentioned fixed or secured by rivets or
otherwise in a similar manner, or by any of the means above described or
referred to for attaching the general sole to the upper leathers. I prefer that
this central plate or this portion of my metallic sole where no such plate is
used should be perforated with holes,either circular, elongated, or of any other
shape,and that a plate or sole of india-rubber or gutta percha, which, having
been cast upon a mould with similar perforations, and of the same depth as
my sole or central plate, will have corresponding projections of the elastic
inaterial to fit into the open spaces of my sole or central plate, and to provide
a durable and clastic material, which will assist in preventing the wearer's
foot from slipping, and will also prevent sound, and be of advantage in other
respects. This intermediate pad or lining of elastic material may be cemented
upon the metallic sole or central plate, or it may extend to the outer edge,
and be fixed to the upper portions of the boot, shoe, or golosh with the sole or
central plate. Leather or any other suitable material may also be used, but
the advantage of the spaces in the ball or centre plate being so filled in with
an elastic adhesive material obviously will not exist. A metallic plate of this
description may sometimes with advantage be let in or affixed upon the sole of
a boot, shoe, or golosh made of leather, india-rubber, or gutta percha, in the
ordinary manner.
The Invention may be considerably varied in practice, as, for instance,
instead of the bottom plate being of the full size of the bottom of the boot,
shoe, or golosh, one plate may be of a suitable size as for a half sole, and a
small plate may or not, as desired, be applied to the heel; or a thin plate
may be used for the sole plate, and bars of some stouter or harder metal
soldered, rivetted, or otherwise affixed transverselyat intervals across the sole

page_text: plate, the spaces between the bars being or not filled up with leather or other
suitable material, and in some cases a thin leather or cork sole may be intro-
duced between the metal plate and the transverse bars. The bars may either
be solid or have perforations, either circular, elongated, or of any other shape,
which may be filled up with india-rubber or other material to lessen the
weight of metal and prevent slipping. The metal welt may also in some cases
be dispensed with, and the metal bottom plate be attached to an ordinary
leather welt. The metal sole plate may in all cases when desired have an
outer sole or covering of leather, cork, or gutta percha, or any other material
adapted to form a sole or heel, and in some instances I introduce a thin metal
plate between the insole and the outer sole, when such soles are made of
leather, gutta percha, or india-rubber.
An improved form of golosh may be made suitable to be worn with boots
and shoes according to my Invention having a vamp blocked and formed into
the shape of the front of a Wellington boot, and formed of thin flexiblemetal,
so as to fit and lie closely upon the boot, shoe, or slipper. The metal may
have a lining of thin leather, cloth, or other suitable fabric, and may either be
covered on the outer surface with leather, or may be japanned or otherwise
finished according to taste. It may be secured to the foot by a metallic or
leather or other band or bands passing under the waist or any other part of
the boot or shoe, and fastening upon the upper part, and with an elastic
strap passing around the heel or leg, or both, or in any other convenient
manner.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that I disclaim the Invention of the use of heel tips, toe
plates, or rims of metal round the outer edges of the soles and heels of boots
and shoes, that being no novelty; but that my claim of Invention consists in
the application and use of metal in the manufacture of boots, shoes, and
goloshes in the manner above described, or any mere modification thereof,
for the purpose of rendering the same more durable,and repellant of wet and
damp.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward Wilkins, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixre