IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF BOOTS, SHOES, AND SLIPPERS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Crick and John Throne Crick, of Leicester,
Boot Manufacturers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF BOOTS, SHOES, AND SLIPPERS." ..
Sealed the 15th December 1857, and dated the 26th September 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Crick and John
Throne Crick at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 26th September 1857.
. We, THOMAS CRICK and JOHN THRONE CRICK, of Leicester, Boot Manu-
facturers, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS, SHOES, AND SLIPPERS," to be as follows:-
Our improvements consist in a new mode of attaching the top or upper
leather or material of the boot, shoe, or slipper to the inner sole thereof. We
make a number of holes round the bottom or lower edge of the upper, and
lace or run the same with thread, cord, tape, leather, wire, or other material,
so as to contract or draw together the bottom or lower part; or we effect the
same object by means of running thread or other material with a needle, or
otherwise round such bottom or lower part, and then drawing it together, so
that when the last, which is of metal, and has the inner sole attached to it,
is inserted, the lower part of the upper extends or laps over the edges of the
inner sole; an outer sole is then laid on to the inner sole and is attached to it
by nails, pegs, sprigs, or rivets, which clench upon the last, and these nails,

page_text: pegs, sprigs, or rivets also pass through the edges of the upper, and fasten
it between the outer and inner sole.
Another part of our improvements consists in finishing the outer sole
before attaching it to the inner sole, instead of attaching the outer sole in its
unfinished state to the inner sole, as heretofore. In this way we are enabled
to finish the outer sole with much greater facility and rapidity than when
it is finished after it has been attached to the boot, shoe, or. slipper.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Thomas Crick and John Throne Crick in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 16th March 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, THOMAS
CRICK and JOHN THRONE CRICK, of Leicester, Boot Manufacturers, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of September, in the year of our
Lord, One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
us, the said Thomas Crick and John Throne Crick, Her special licence, that
we, the said Thomas Crick and John Throne Crick, our executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Thomas Crick and John
Throne Crick, our 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 SLIPPERS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Thomas Crick and John Throne Crick, our executors,
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and
seals, or under. the hand and seal of one of us or them, 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 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 we, the said Thomas Crick and John Throne Crick,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the

page_text: same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
Our improvements consist in a new mode of attaching the top or upper
leather or material of the boot, shoe, or slipper to the inner sole thereof. We
make a number of holes round the bottom or lower edge of the upper, and
lace or run the same with thread, cord, tape, leather, wire, or other material,
so as to contract or draw together the bottom or lower part; or we effect the
same object by means of running thread or other material with a needle, or
otherwise, round such bottom or lower part and then drawing it together, so
that when the last, which is of metal, and has the inner sole attached to it, is.
inserted, the lower part of the upper extends or laps over the edges of the
inner sole; an outer sole is then laid on to the inner sole, and is attached to it
by nails, pegs, sprigs, or rivets, which clench upon the last, and these nails,
pegs, sprigs, or rivets also pass through the edges of the upper, and fasten it
between the outer and inner sole. The peculiarity of this part of our Inven-
tion consists in the application of lacings of thread, cord, or other material to
retain the lower edges of the "uppers" folded under a metal last when fixing.
an outer sole to an insole on such metal last.
Another part of our improvements consists in finishing the outer sole before
attaching it to the inner sole, instead of attaching the outer sole in its
unfinished state to the inner sole, as heretofore. In this way we are enabled
to finish the outer sole with much greater facility and rapidity than when it is.
finished after it has been attached to the boot, shoe, or slipper.
This part of our Invention is carried out in the following manner :-
1st, the soles having been cut to the desired shape are then passed through
a machine, which consists of an endless band carrying the sole under a tool
which takes off the grain, and then passes it forward under a tool which
scours it out.
2nd, if they are to be black or colored bottoms they are now to be blacked
or colored; this is done by passing them under an inking roller or under a
rotary or oscillating inking tool.
3rd, the soles being now flat and level are put into a die to give them the
desired curve.
4th, if it is to be a bright bottom it is now to be burnished on the surface,
which is done by passing it on an endless band under a rotary or oscillating
burnisher, which can be used heated or not at pleasure.
5th, the sole is now passed through a paring machine, which cuts the edge
into a proper shape for setting (by which term the brightening of the edge of

page_text: the sole is understood). The machine consists of a rotary or oscillating knife,
the operator keeping the edge of the sole to be pared close to the knife. If
needful the sole can be propelled forward up to the knife during the operation
of paring the edge by a wheel or pair of wheels, or an endless screw acting
upon the surface or edge.
6th, the soles are now passed through a machine such as has before been
used, which makes holes for the sprigs, pegs, or nails which are to attach it to
the upper or top and the insole.
7th, the sole is now set (that is, brightened on the edge); this is done by
a rotary or oscillating tool, the edge of the sole being kept up to it, or the sole
may be moved and the tool stationary.
8th, any pattern or device may be formed or embossed upon the soles or
heels prior to their being attached to the uppers, which we effect best by dies
or stamps worked in a press having the desired device upon them, or we pass
the soles under a roller having the desired device upon it.
9th, we bevil or slope off the edge of the insole by passing it through a
machine with a rotary or oscillating knife, or the knife may be stationary and
the insole edge forced up to it by a wheel or pair of wheels, or an endless
screw, or any convenient mechanical arrangement. For a single-sole boot or
shoe the sole is now ready, and is now in this finished and complete state to
be attached to the upper or top and the insole by sprigs, nails, or rivets.
For a lift, that is, a seat-heeled shoe or boot, the soles undergo the processes
1st, 2nd, and 3rd; a split lift or whole lift is then stuck or otherwise fastened
to that part of the sole which comes under the heel of the wearer, the lift and
the heel part of the sole being pressed together in a die or otherwise, to give
them solidity before undergoing the 5th process; it is then subjected to
4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th processes, and is complete for fastening on. If it is to
be a welted or double-soled boot or shoe, a lift or welt is to be fastened round
the fore part of the sole, and treated in the same manner as is described in
the 5th, 6th, and 7th processes. If the boot or shoe is required to have a top
pieced heel, the top pieces are cut in the required shape, and are then put
through the 1st, 2nd, and 4th processes; and if the heel is required to be
higher than one top piece will make it, one or more split lifts or whole lifts
can be used, they and the top pieces being stuck or otherwise fastened
together on to the sole and subjected to pressure to give them solidity; it then
undergoes the 5th, 6th, and 7th processes, and is completely finished and
ready for attaching to the upper.
The object attained in sticking or fastening the welts or lifts and top pieces

page_text: to the out sole and subjecting them to pressure is, that the several parts may
hold well together during the several operations coming after. The peculiarity
in this part of the Invention consists in finishing the soles before affixing them
to the uppers.
In witness whereof, we, the said Thomas Crick and John Throne Crick,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Tenth day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
THOMAS CRICK.
(L.B.)
Witness,
SAMUEL STONE, Solicitor,
Leicester.
JOHN THRONE CRICK. (LS.)