Improvements in Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Boots and Shoes.
We, RUFUS NUTTING PRATT, of Sigourney Street, Hartford, in the County of
Hartford, and State of Connecticut, one of the United States of America, Manufacturor,
and HENRY WARD JOHNS, of Maiden Lane, New York, in the County of New York,
and State of New York, one of the United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOTS AND SHOES," and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement:-
-
Our invention relates to boots and shoes which being practically water proof, acid
proof and fire proof, and the soles and heels thereof tough and free from seams, either
vertical or horizontal, are suitable for general use, but are especially adapted for
persons following those arts or trades which are peculiarly destructive to leather or
wooden shoes. Shoes made in accordance with our invention are admirably adapted.
for furnace and forge workers, firemen and other persons requiring practically fire
proof, water proof or acid proof foot coverings. To these ends the invention consists
in forming boots and shoes of a flexible fabric of asbestos which constitutes the upper
or body portion and a tough asbestos composition constituting the sole and heel
portion as will be hereinafter fully described. In manufacturing boots and shoes
according to our invention we treat the asbestos as follows:-
The fibres of the asbestos are first separated from each other, the impurities being
preferably removed, and the fibres are then thoroughly coated with a solution of India
Rubber or gutta percha dissolved in naptha, with sulphur added. These several
ingredients are very thoroughly incorporated with each other, preferably by suitable
mechanical means so that they constitute a homogeneous mass, which is then subjected
to repeated drying and pressing, operations, the number of times that the drying and
pressing operations, shall be performed and the degree of pressure will depend upon
the desired hardness of the product. The drying may be done by natural heat or by
additional artificial heat and the pressing may be by rollers or dies, or platten or mould
presses as preferred. The mass is thus formed either into sheets which are then
vulcanized and from which the soles and heels of the shoes are cut by dies, or other-
wise, or the mass may be moulded in suitable moulds into the desired form for the
soles and heels, and then vulcanized or the soles and heels may be cut from the sheets

page_text: before being vulcanized, and then vulcanized. Thus the entire lower part of the shoe
will be one piece.
The uppers are made from asbestos cloth, or asbestos cloth which has been improg-
nated with a solution of India rubber or gutta percha dissolved in naptha with
sulphur, which is duly dried and vulcanized. The upper is attached to the sole and
heel by sewing, nailing, cementing, or in any other suitable manner.
The uppers,
however, like the soles may be made of compressed asbestos fiber, being vulcanized to
such an extent only, as will leave them sufficiently flexible, and they may be moulded
into the desired form.
We do not limit ourselves to India rubber or gutta percha as the binding or solidify-
ing materials, since shellac and glue rendered water-proof-by- suitable processes or
not, and also other equivalent materials may be employed. We much prefer the
rubber and gutta percha with sulphur added, however, because the shoes can then be
vulcanized after being formed, and thus their durability be greatly increased, and
they can be given any desired degree of flexibility depending on the extent of the
vulcanization as is now well understood.
We do not limit ourselves to boots or shoes in which both the soles and the uppers
are made of asbestos compounds, because we purpose to make the soles with or with-
out the heels attached as distinct articles of manufacture, by the use of which completed
boots and shoes can be made having ordinary leather uppers, the uppers being
attached to the sole &c., in the manner above stated, or in any other suitable manner.
Thus our asbestos soles will simply take the place of ordinary leather soles.
In order to add durability to the soles, we sometimes mix with the binding or
solidifying material and the fibrous asbestos, certain foreign bodies adapted to add
density, and consequently durability, to the products. Some of the foreign substances
which may be used in making the soles and heels, are oxide of iron, the metalic
powders as a class, fine sand and the like bodies.
We also add to the solution which is used to impregnate the uppers, certain foreign
bodies which add to the heat resisting qualities of the uppers, and also act as a filler
whereby the uppers may be improved in appearance, and if desired, be finished after
vulcanization with an enamelling or like surfacing treatment.
The foreign substances which may be beneficially used for this purpose, are Umber,
Argillite, China Clay, powdered Asbestos; and the like. These substances should be
applied after the cloth for the uppers has been woven and preferably immediately after
or at the same time with the application of the rubber or gutta percha solution, and
should preferably be applied to the outer surface of the uppers only to reduce weight,
they may be applied on both sides, however, if preferred...
It may
We also employ in our shoes a lining of suitable non-conducting material, such as
hair or wool, or a hair or wool felt, or asbestos fiber or asbestos cloth or felt.
be applied to the soles alone or to the uppers alone, or both, and may be fastened in
place by any suitable cement or by other means.
In the accompanying drawing :-
Figure 1. illustrates a shoe having a flexible upper made of prepared asbestos cloth
and a sole and heel moulded in one piece of tough asbestos composition.
Figure 2. is a side view of a sole and heel moulded or shaped in one piece.
The upper or body, A, of the shoe, or boot is made of asbestos cloth as already
described and its shape or form is like that of an ordinary shoe or boot upper.
The sole, B, and the heel, C, (shown in the present instance formed integral with
the sole) are made of a tough or leather like plastic composition in which asbestos
predominates as has already been fully set forth.
We are well aware that asbestos fabrics and compounds have been used in the
manufacture of articles of fire proof wearing apparel and that an asbestos in-sole has
heretofore been applied to boots and shoes.
•
!.
Our invention however differs from the above since it concerns a new article of foot
wear, a boot or shoe having the proper requisites, viz.: a flexible upper and a tough
and sufficiently rigid sole and heel having the properties and characteristics abovo
**recited.

page_text: In conclusion applicants desire to be understood by the terms "flexible asbestos
composition" and "tough or rigid asbestos composition" as including any and all
compositions for use in the manufacturo of boots and shoes in which asbestos pre-
dominates sufficiently to produce a practically fire, water and acid proof flexible upper
and a tough or rigid outer sole or heel for the same.
:-
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim, is :—
First As an improved article of manufacture the herein described boot or shoe,
having an upper or body portion made of a flexible cloth made wholly or in part
of asbestos and a sole and heel formed of a tough asbestos composition, substantially as
hereinbefore set forth.
Second As an improved article of manufacture a sole for boots and shoes formed
of a tough or rigid composition composed mainly of asbestos, and a sufficient quantity
of rubber or equivalent vulcanizable, or binding material or compound, substantially
as set forth.
Third As an improved article of manufacture, a sole and heel for boots and shoes
in one piece formed of a tough composition, composed mainly of asbestos and a
sufficient quantity of rubber or equivalent vulcanizable or binding material or
pound, substantially as set forth.
com-
Fourth-As an improved article of manufacture a sole or a heel for boots or shoes
formed of a tough composition, composed mainly of asbestos mixed with oxide of iron,
or its equivalent and a sufficient quantity of rubber or its equivalent vulcanizable or
binding material substantially as set forth.
Fifth-As an improved article of manufacture the herein described sole for boots
and shoes composed of a tough composition of asbestos and a vulcanizable or binding
material or compound substantially as set forth.
DAY, DAVIES, & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.