IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STIFFENINGS FOR THE HEELS OP BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nathaniel Henry Felt, of Salem, Massachusetts,
United States of America, at present residing at Florence Street,
Islington, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STIFFENINGS FOR THE HEELS OP BOOTS AND
SHOES. A communication from abroad by John Gillingham Felt, of
Salem, aforesaid.
-
Sealed the 24th July 1866, and dated the 8th February 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Nathaniel Henry Felt at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 8th February 1866.
I, NATHANIEL HENRY FELT, of Salem, Massachusetts, United States of
America, at present residing at Florence Street, Islington, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF STIPPENINGS FOR THE HEELS. OF
BOOTS AND SHOES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
stiffenings for the heels of boots and shoes. Heretofore the stiffenings for
the heels of boots and shoes have been made of solid leather, or of strips
of leather pasted or cemented together, or of pasteboard, and in some
cases of india-rubber. In practice it is found that solid leather is expen-
sive, also that the stiffenings made of leather or paper pasted together are

page_text: weak and break down, whilst stiffenings made wholly of india-rubber are
too flexible and at the same time too costly. Now the present Invention
consists in the manufacture of stiffenings for the heels of boots and shoes
of a composition of india-rubber, sulphur, and ground rags or other fibres,
which being moulded into form are "cured" or converted in the moulds
by means of heat. The proportion of the ground rags or other fibres mixed
with the sulphur compound of india-rubber may be varied, but it is pre-
ferred to consist of one part by weight of india-rubber to two parts by
weight of fibrous materials, by preference of cotton or linen rags ground or
reduced to pulp, but other fibrous substances may be similarly prepared
and used. These materials are intimately mixed in an ordinary masticating
machine or otherwise, and the compound is moulded into form, the bottom
and curved back of a stiffening for a heel being formed in one piece, or
the composition may be rolled or formed into sheets and the parts cut out
and placed in moulds and subjected to heat, in order to vulcanize or cure
the india-rubber compound, as is well understood when making and curing
other articles in which sulphur compounds of india-rubber are used.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Nathaniel Henry Felt in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 8th August 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NATHANIEL
HENRY FELT, of Salem, Massachusetts, United States of America, at
present residing at Florence Street, Islington, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of February, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth
year of Her reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Nathaniel Henry Felt, Her special licence
that I, the said Nathaniel Henry Felt, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Nathaniel Henry Felt, 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 ex-
pressed, 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

page_text: STIPPENINGS FOR THE HEELS OF BOOTS AND SHOES," a communication to me
from abroad by John Gillinghain Felt, of Salem aforesaid, upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said Nathaniel Henry Felt, 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 same 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 Nathaniel Henry Felt, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
stiffenings for the heels of boots and shoes. Heretofore the stiffenings for
the heels of boots and shoes have been made of solid leather, or of strips
of leather pasted or cemented together, or of pasteboard, and in some
cases of india-rubber. In practice it is found that solid leather is expen-
sive, also that the stiffenings made of leather or paper pasted together are
weak and break down, whilst stiffenings made wholly of india-rubber are
too flexible, and at the same time too costly. Now the present Invention
consists in the manufacture of stiffenings for the heels of boots and shoes
of a composition of india-rubber, sulphur, and ground rags or other fibres,
which being moulded into form are "cured" or converted in the moulds
by means of heat. The proportions of ground rags or other fibres mixed
with the sulphur compound of india-rubber may be varied, but it is pre-
ferred to consist of one part by weight of india-rubber to two parts by
weight of fibrous materials, by preference of cotton or linen rags, ground
or reduced to pulp, but other fibrous substances may be similarly prepared
and used. These materials are intimately mixed in an ordinary masti-
cating machine or otherwise, and the compound is moulded into form, the
bottom and curved back of a stiffening for a heel being formed in one
piece; or the composition may be rolled or formed into sheets and the
parts cut out and placed in moulds and subjected to heat, in order to
vulcanize or cure the india-rubber compound, as is well understood when
making and curing other articles in which sulphur compounds of india-
rubber are used.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same. The sulphur

page_text: compound of india-rubber having been intimately mixed with the fibrous
matters as above mentioned it is placed in metal moulds, the parts of
which are pressed together and are held securely till the process of con-
verting the sulphur compound by heat has been completed. In some
cases the interior of a stiffener is lined, or the outside thereof is coated
with woven fabric, in which cases the woven fabric (by preference cotton)
is cut to the proper form, and is introduced into the mould together with
the plastic india-rubber compound, and the same will be combined there-
with by the heat used in producing the change to the sulphur india-rubber
compound; gutta percha may be used with india-rubber, but it is preferred
not to do so.
Figure 1 shews a perspective view; Figure 2 an under side view; and
Figure 3 a section. The materials having been placed in a mould, and
the parts of the mould (which may be conveniently made of sheet metal)
being clamped and held together, the heat is applied as is well understood,
so as to cause the change in the india-rubber compound to be effected.
What I claim is the manufacture of stiffenings for the heels of boots and
shoes, herein described, composed of sulphur compound of india-rubber
and fibrous materials moulded and cemented by heat.
In witness whereof, I, the said Nathaniel Henry Felt, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
NATHANIEL HENRY FELT. (L.S.)