Improvements in Socks for Use in Boots, Shoes, Slippers, and other Feet Coverings.
Year: 1888

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Socks for Use in Boots, Shoes, Slippers, and other
Feet Coverings.
WO WILLIAM SHUFFLEBOTTOM of 32 Cheetham Hill Road, Stalybridge Lancashire
Pattern Maker, and TOM BROWN of 9 Peel Street Stalybridge in the county afore-
said joiner, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our present invention relates to socks which are used within boots or other feet
coverings and which come between the sole of the boots and the bottom or sole of the
feet, and has for its object means for conducting or carrying away the perspiration
from the feet and also means for their suitable ventilation and simultaneous warming
thus considerably advancing or improving the hygienic properties of such socks. To
attain this we construct our improved sock with three layers, the two lower layors of
which are preferably composed of wood, the grain of the wood of one layer crossing
that of the other at right angles, and both grains running diagonally to the feet.
These two layers have suitable perforations or holes. The third or top layer is
On the underside of tho
preferably composed of flannel, felt or other like material.
bottom layer we fix or attach by suitable means a spring which is preferably curved
or formed to suit the arched curved or natural shape of the underside of the foot by
which means the top of sock is kept constantly prossed tight up against the whole
of the sole or underside of foot and the sock is equally distributed to all parts
thereof.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Socks for Use in Boots, Shoes, Slippers, and other
Feet Coverings.
WC, WILLIAM SHUFFLEBOTTOM of 32 Cheetham Hill Road Stalybridge in the
county of Lancashire Pattern Maker and Toм BROWN of 9 Peel Street Stalybridge
in the county aforesaid joiner, 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:-
Our present invention relates to socks which are used within boots or other feet
coverings and which come between the tops of the soles of the boots or feet coverings
and the undersides or soles of the feet and has for its object the conducting or carrying
away the perspiration from the feet and the suitablo ventilation and simultaneous
warming thereof by which means our improvements are made valuable for hygienic
purposes. To attain this wo construct our improved sock preferably with three layers
formed to a suitable shape so as to fit within the boot or other foot covering and to
rest at the bottom thereof. The said layers are attached or secured by any suitable
means one above the other the two lower layers being composed of wood the grain of
the wood of one layer crossing the grain of the wood of the other layer at right angles
or thereabouts and both the said grains running diagonally to the foot or length way
of hoot or other foot covering.
The said two lower layers have any suitable number of punctures holes or
perforations.
The said third or top layer is preferably composed of flannel felt or other cloth or
soft material suitably adapted for warmth and ease.
On the underside of the bottom layer we fix or attach by suitable means a spring
which is preferably curved or formed to suit the arched or natural shape of the
underside of hollow part of foot.
We would have it understood that our improved sock may be modified without
departing from the essential part of our present invention. For instance where a
summer sock is required and it be only necessary to keep the soles of the feet
dry that is to conduct or carry away the perspiration therefrom expeditiously we
dispense with the third or top layer of said sock and also preferably with the spring
and sew or otherwise secure the two layers of wood together either by means of a
binding all round the edges thereof or in any other way.
It will be obvious that the sock may be made with the threo layers as described
and dispense with the spring or with two layers of wood and having the spring
attached or with the spring and one layer of wood.

page_text: Fig. 1. is a plan of bottom layer.
Fig. 2. a plan of second layer and
Fig. 3. a plan of third or top layer.
Fig. 4. is a side elevation of our improved sock complete with spring attached.
Fig. 5. is a plan of same and Fig. 6. an underside view showing position in which
the spring is preferably fixed.
Fig. 7 is a plan of our improved wood summer sock and Fig. 8 is a side elevation
of same and
Fig. 9. is a side elevation of said summer sock having spring attached.
Like letters designate similar parts in each figure.
Our present improved sock is preferably constructed with three layers A, B, and C
which are cut stamped or otherwise formed to a suitable shape to fit within the
boot or other foot covering. The layers A and B are preferably composed of suit-
able wood and are placed one above the other and arranged so that the grain a¹ of
the wood of the layer A crosses the grain b¹ of the wood of layer B at right angles or
thereabouts.
The said grains a¹ and ¹ run diagonally or thereabouts to the sole of the foot or
length way of the boot or other foot covering.
The layers A and B may be either stamped pressed or cut out of separate pieces
of wood sawn to a suitable thickness or the said layers may be cut stamped or pressed
out of several pieces of wood placed one above the other either with the grains
thereof placed or arranged as hereinbefore described or otherwise.
The layer A is placed or secured upon the layer B in any suitable manner and
suitable small holes or punctures are then formed through both the said layers
simultaneously by any suitable means. The third or top layer C which is preferably
composed of felt flannel or other material suitable for securing warmth and comfort
to the sole of the foot is then placed upon the second layer B after which all the said
three layers are secured together by means of stitches (fig. 5.) sewn direct through
the layers or by stitches (fig. 7) sewn through a binding m or the said layers A, B,
and C, may be secured together in any other suitable way.
After the said layers A, B, and C, have been secured together in the manner
described we fix or attach a suitable light spring S which is preferably composed
of steel and made in the form shown at Figs. 4, 6, and 9, we secure the said spring S
to the portion of the underside of our improved sock which comes under the hollow
part of the sole of the foot and the said spring S is arranged to suit the arched or
curved shape thereof. The spring S may be secured or attached to said portion of
sock either by means of suitable eyelets as shown or in any other way.
With reference to figs. 7 and 8 this sock is used more for summer ware and is
composed of two layers of wood A and B arranged preforably with the grain of the
wood of one layer passing that of the other at right angles or thereabouts and running
diagonally to the foot. The said layers A and B are preferably bound and sewn to
each other by means of a binding m sewn all round the edges thereof. The said sock
may where preferred have a light spring S attached as shown at fig. 9.
It will be obvious that our improved sock may be composed of the hereinbefore
described three layers A, B, and C without the spring S being fixed or attached
thereto or made with one or more layers of wood having the said spring attached.
The layers A and B being composed of wood conduct or carry away by means of
the capillary or other attraction thereof the moisture or perspiration from the foot
and the said wood being suitably perforated as described the foot is thereby properly
ventilated and where the spring S is in combination with a suitable felt flannel or
other material suitable for maintaining warmth it causes the top or upper part of
sock which is composed of said material to be constantly pressed tight up against the
whole area of the sole or underside of the foot and the top of sock is thereby equally
distributed to all parts of said sole of foot and the foot is kept warm and comfortable

page_text: by which means our hereinbefore described improvements become valuable for
hygienic purposes.
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
wo claim is :
1. Socks composed of two layers of wood A and B in combination with a layer of
felt or flannel or other like material C substantially as described and for the purposes
set forth and illustrated at figs. 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.
2. Socks composed either wholly or partly of two layers of wood A and B the said
layers being sewn or otherwise secured together and perforated substantially as
described and for the purpose specified.
3. The combination of one two or more layers of wood composing a sock with a
light spring S substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
H. F. BOUGHTON,
Barnsley, Agent.