CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Hodges, of the Town and County of
Stafford, Boot and Shoe Manufacturer, for the Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOTS AND SHOES."
Sealed the 22nd June 1855, and dated the 2nd March 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Hodges at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 2nd
March 1855.
I, WILLIAM HODGES, of the Town and County of Stafford, Boot and Shoe.
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOTS AND SHOES " to be as follows:-
My improvements apply more particularly to that class of boots and shoes
which are fastened or secured by lacing or buttoning, and consists in inserting
into the upper leather, cloth, &c. of the boot a continuous piece of india-
rubber web or other elastic material, extending from one side of the boot
across the front to the other side of the boot. Upon the elastic cloth are
fastened the pieces of leather, containing eyelet holes for lacing, or buttons, as
may be preferred, the holes being laced with an elastic cord, so as to allow
the elastic material to expand upon the boot being drawn on to the foot, and
to assist the elastic web or cloth in bringing the eyelet holes together again.

page_text: Thus, it will be evident that the boot will not only be elastic at the sides but
also in front, allowing the eyelet holes to separate for the more ready admission
of the foot, whereupon they will immediately spring together and present the
appearance of an "elastic laced boot" without the trouble of lacing, or an
"elastic buttoned boot;" or the piece of leather containing the eyelet holes
may be in one piece, with an imitation lacing, if it be preferred.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Hodges in the Great Scal Patent Office on the
1st September 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HODGES, of the Town and County of Stafford, Boot and Shoe Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Ier reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
William Hodges, Her especial license that I, the said William Hodges, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Hodges, my 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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
BOOTS AND SHOES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Hodges, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal,
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
be 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 I, the said William Hodges, 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,
and accompanying Drawings (that is to say):-
My improvements apply more particularly to the class of boots and shoes

page_text: which are fastened or secured by lacing or buttoning, and consists in inserting
into the upper leather, cloth, &c. of the boot a continuous piece of india-
rubber web or other clastic material, extending from one side of the boot
across the front to the other side of the boot. Upon the elastic cloth are
fastened the pieces of leather, containing eyelet holes for lacing, or buttons, as
may be preferred, the holes being laced with an elastic cord, so as to allow the
elastic material to expand upon the boot being drawn on to the foot, and to
assist the elastic web or cloth in bringing the eyelet holes together again.
Thus, it will be evident that the boot will not only be elastic at the sides but
also in front, allowing the eylet holes to separate for the more ready admission
of the foot, whereupon they will immediately spring together, and present the
appearance of an elastic unlaced boot without the trouble of lacing, or an
elastic button boot; or the piece of leather containing the eyelet holes may
be in one piece, with an imitation lacing, if it be preferred.
In order that this Invention may be the better understood and explained in
detail, I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings, made about full size,
and having upon the several Figures shown the same letters of reference on
corresponding parts of the boot. Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a boot
with these improvements attached, and showing the boot closed. Figs. 2
and 3 are respectively a side view and perspective view of the same boot,
showing the elastic web and lace distended, ready for the reception or
introduction of the foot, whereupon the boot reassumes the closed or laced-
up position, illustrated in Fig. 1. a represents the boot; and b, the elastic
medium employed beneath the elastic lace c; or in lieu of that, buttons
or any other ornamental arrangement or adaptation. d, d, are strips of
leather, cloth, or other suitable material secured to the elastic medium of
the boot, and on which are the eyelets of the elastic cord or lace c. This
description and the Drawing are illustrative only of but one kind of boot, the
"high-vamped laced;" but the same principle may be extended and applied
to other boots or shoes; such, for instance, as the "goloshed buttoned," the
"low-vamped laced," the "medium-vamped laced," the "tipped laced," the
"ornamental closed tongue without lace," and others of similar make or
construction.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be distinctly understood that
I claim the novel application, employment, and use of the combined arrange-
ment of an elastic medium (either at the front or side of the boot or shoe),
such as india-rubber web or cloth, together with an elastic cord or lace, (or in

page_text: lieu of which, buttons or any other ornamental device as applied to boots and
shoes may be used,) for the purpose of allowing the ready distention of the
boot or shoe for the introduction of the foot, and the immediate restoration of
the same closed or apparently laced, as heroin particularly described and set
forth, and fully illustrated in the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Hodges, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirty-first day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five.