IMPROVEMENTS IN INTERNAL LOOSE SOLES OR "SOCKS" FOR BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, ROBERT DICK, of Greenhead, Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN INTERNAL
LOOSE SOLES OR "SOCKS" FOR BOOTS AND SHOES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in forming the internal loose soles or "socks" for boots
and shoes, by uniting together a layer of cloth or thin felt, or it may be of this with
an inner thickness of thin leather, and a layer of elastic pliable material composed
of gutta-percha and rubber, this material being next to the shoe and perforated to
permit of the passage through it of moisture arising from perspiration of the feet.
The compound of gutta percha and rubber is heated and united to the layer of
cloth by pressure in moulds whose surfaces are corrugated or deeply scored in
transverse or diagonal lines, so that the ridges of the corrugations form points
which penetrate and pierce or perforate the gutta-percha and rubber fabric. The
composite fabric thus formed is afterwards cut to the desired form of internal sole
or "sock," to fit a boot or shoe of any size or shape. When a thickness of thin
leather is to be attached to the other two layers; to be next the foot, it is made to
the shape and size desired a little larger than the cloth or felt below, and coated
round the edges with gutta-percha solution. This leather shape is laid over the
cloth or felt shape on to the layer of the mixed gutta percha and rubber, upon the
cross indented and pointed surface of the mould, with a flat one above, and com-
pressed all while hot, which attaches the whole three ply completely; but in some
cases when the leather is used it may be stitched round the edge, or have a few
cross rows of stitching to retain the leather in the centre to the under layers.
It it old vulcanized india-rubber ground down to a fine powder or granular form
which is mixed with the gutta-percha, to give it the elastic or pliable effect, but
other pulverized substances might be mixed with the gutta percha to give an
equivalent effect.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Internal Loose Soles or "Socks" for Boots
and Shoes.
I ROBERT DICK of Greenhead Glasgow in the County of Lanark Manufacturer
do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention and in what manner the same
is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement in writing, reference being had to the several figures in the
accompanying sheet of Drawings and to the reference letters and figures marked
thereon that is to say :-
Figure 1 of the Drawings is a side view looking on the under side of an internal
loose sole or "sock" for boots and shoes as made in accordance with my said
Invention or improvements; and figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the same with
the side shown in figure 1 as turned down.
Referring to those figures my Invention consists in forming the internal loose
soles or socks as shown at A for boots and shoes by uniting together a layer of
cloth or thin felt as a or it may be of this with an inner thickness of thin leather
and a layer of elastic pliable material composed of gutta-percha and rubber b this
material being next to the shoe and perforated as hereinafter described to permit
of the passage through it of moisture arising from the perspiration of the feet
keeping them ventilated and dry.
The compound of gutta-percha and rubber b is heated and united to the layer
of cloth by pressure in a metal mould whose surface is corrugated or deeply scored
or cut in transverse or diagonal lines of a V shape so that the sides of these ridges
or the corrugations form sharp points which penetrate and pierce or perforate the
gutta-percha and rubber layer or fabric in hollow squares or diamonds as shown
at b¹ the sharp points even penetrating through upper layer a while the bottoms of
the grooves of the mould form diagonal ridges 62 for the lower surface 6 of the sole
to rest on and sustain the pressure of the foot while yet being quite open between.
The composite fabric a. b. thus formed is afterwards cut to the desired form of
internal sole or sock to fit a boot or shoe of any size or shape by the ordinary hollow
cutters as usual. When a thickness of thin leather is to be attached to the other
two layers to be next the foot it is made to the shape and size desired with a small
margin all round or a little larger than the cloth or felt a below it and coated all
round this at the edges with gutta percha solution. This leather shape is laid over
the cloth or felt cut shape a on to the layer of the mixed gutta-percha and rubber b
upon the cross indented and pointed surface of the metal mould with a flat pressing
block or mould above and all compressed while hot which attaches the whole three
plys completely. But in some cases when the leather is used it may be stitched
round the edge or have a few cross rows of stitching to retain the leather in the
centre to the under layers.
It is old vulcanised india-rubber ground down to a fine powder or granular form
which is mixed with the gutta percha to give it the elastic or pliable consistency
desired but other pulverised substances might be mixed with the gutta-percha to
give an equivalent effect.

page_text: 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
1st The forming of the inner soles or "socks" for boots and shoes of layers of
felt or cloth and of gutta-percha mixture perforated and with bearing ridges either
with or without an inner thin thickness of leather all substantially as herein
described and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
2nd The forming of the inner soles or socks for boots and shoes with an under
layer (next the shoe) of gutta percha mixture made elastic and pliable having
diagonal or crossing bearing ridges forming hollow angled squares perforated all
substantially as herein described and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
3rd In the making of the inner soles or socks for boots and shoes the piercing of
them through by the sharp apices formed by diagonal or cross-grooves and ridges
of metal moulds substantially as and for the purposes herein described.