Improvements in Shoes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Shoes.
1, FREDERICK GEORGE THOMPSON DRAYCOTT, 30, Melbourne Street, Leicester,
Boot Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention has for its object certain improvements in shoes to prevent
the heel part of the upper moving on the foot when the wearer is walking.
One of the great disadvantages of shoes is the tendency to move up and down
at the heel part, causing excessive friction of the heel of the stocking or sock,
which is soon worn through thereby, besides which it is attended with a feeling
of discomfort to the wearer.
My invention consists in cutting the heel or back part of the upper so that
it reaches higher than the normal level of the back of the upper and inclines
forward towards the instep so as to follow the contour of the back of the heel
and the ankle.
The rear part of the upper is then slit on each side preferably in an oblique
direction extending from near the seat of the heel towards the instep and an
elastic gusset preferably wedge or triangular shaped is inserted therein, the wider
part of the gusset being located adjacent to the mouth of the shoe so that the
back part of the upper is by means of the said gusset maintained pressing against
the back of the foot with sufficient pressure to enable it to move with the foot
when the shoe is being worn.
In order to keep the back of the upper from collapsing or getting broken
down I combine therewith means to support it, which in the simplest form
consists of a short length of steel, cane, whalebone or the like inserted vertically
in loops or by preference in a pocket formed in the back of the upper or between
it and the lining of the latter.
The stiffener may also be shaped so to permit the insertion of the elastic
gussets herein before referred to.
Dated this 7th day of September 1899.
BOULT, WADE
& KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant.
I, FREDERICK GEORGE THOMPSON DRAYCOTT, 36, Melbourne Street, Leicester,
Boot Manufacturer, 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 has for its object certain improvements in shoes to prevent
the heel part of the upper moving on the foot when the wearer is walking.

page_text: One of the great disadvantages of shoes is the tendency to move up and down
at the heel part causing excessive friction of the heel of the stocking or sock
which is soon worn through thereby, besides which it is attended with a feeling
of discomfort to the wearer.
My invention consists in cutting the heel or back part of the upper so that
it reaches higher than the normal level of the back of the upper and inclines
forward towards the instep so as to follow the contour of the back of the heel
and the ankle.
The rear part of the upper is then slit on each side preferably in an oblique
direction extending from near the seat of the heel or thereabouts towards the
instep and an elastic gusset preferably wedge or triangular shaped is inserted
therein.
The wider part of the gusset is located adjacent to the mouth of the shoe so
that the back part of the upper is by means of the said gusset drawn forwards
and, when the foot is in the shoe, maintained pressing against the back of the
foot with sufficient pressure to enable the shoe and the foot to move together
without any play or independent movement on the part of the shoe.
In order to keep the back of the upper from collapsing or getting broken
down I combine therewith means to support it, which in the simplest form
consists of a short length of steel, cane, whalebone or the like inserted vertically
in loops or by preference in a pocket formed in the back of the upper or between
it and the lining of the latter.
The stiffener is also shaped so as to permit the insertion of the elastic
gussets herein before referred to.
The invention will be understood from the accompanying drawings and the
description in reference thereto.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a shoe made according to this invention.
Figure 2 is a transverse section across the back of the upper on the ine X X
of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is an elevation of a stiffener, in the flat, such as is employed with my
improved shoe.
A represents the upper of the shoe, which according to the present invention
is furnished with a slit on each side extending from the direction of the seat
or back of the heel B to the mouth C of the shoe.
In the said slit there is attached by stitches 1) elastic means consisting pre-
ferably of a gusset D of elastic web the wider part of the latter being at the mouth
of the shoe, so that the back quarters A', which it will be noticed are cut above
the normal height, are drawn towards the front of the shoe and when in this
position will fit closely to the foot of the wearer, following the contour of the
foot and thus ensuring that the shoe and foot will move together in walking,
and thereby obviate any play on the part of the former.
A back quarter A' cut as high as shown has a tendency to collapse and pucker,
means are therefore adopted to support it.
This consists of a narrow strip of whalebone or like flexible material E shown
in section in Figure 2, running from the top of the back quarter A¹ to the
bottom.
It is inserted or laid over the uniting seam of the two back quarters A' and
is kept in position by a back strap F attached by a row of stitches F¹ on each
side in the usual manner, thus forming a pocket in which the flexible supporting
strip resides.
This strip, as indicated in Figure 1, supports the high back quarter and on
account of its flexibility allows the latter to be drawn forwards to conform to
the shape of the human foot.
G represents the stiffener used with the shoe the inward curve G¹ on the upper
edge being deeper or otherwise according to the extent to which the gusset extends
towards the heel B.
H represents the lining of the shoe, which opposite the gusset has a wedge

page_text: shaped piece removed from its upper edge and is slit diagonally in front of the
gusset D as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A shoe, the back quarters of which are slit in a diagonal direction from
the mouth of the upper to the heel and provided with an elastic gusset connected
to the edges of the said slit substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. A shoe, the back quarters of which are cut above the normal height,
a diagonal opening in each quarter extending from the mouth of the upper to
the heel, and elastic means secured within the said opening to draw the upper
part of the back quarter normally inwards for the purpose described.
3. A shoe having back quarters cut above the normal height, a diagonal
opening in each of the said quarters, elastic means, secured within the said open-
ing and a flexible supporting strip for the said back quarters substantially as
and for the purpose described.
4. The improved shoe constructed substantially as and for the purpose herein-
before described and with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 4th dov of Nov 1000
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant.