A New or Improved Mode of Protecting Leather Enamel.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Feb., 1896-Accepted, 28th Mar., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Mode of Protecting Leather Enamel.
1, HERBERT JOHN HADDAN, of the Firm of Herbert Haddan and Co.,
Patent Agents, of 18 Buckingham Street, Strand, W.C., London, Civil Engineer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention a communication to me from
abroad by Patent Leather Protector Company, of 39 Warren Street, New York,
N.Y., United States of America, and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of this invention is to prevent the enamel of leather from splitting or
cracking when exposed to a strain such as for instance when a boot or shoe made
from such leather is placed on a last and the invention resides in the novel features
set forth in the following Specification and claims.
In carrying out the invention enamelled leather such for instance as known by
the name of patent leather is provided with a flexible adhesive protector. An
efficient protector is furnished by a piece of gutta percha cloth.
Such a protector when applied or cemented or pasted over the enamel will
prevent the latter from splitting or cracking. The adhesive quality of gutta
percha cloth enables the latter to be readily applied or pasted to the enamel.
Heating the gutta percha cloth to some extent will increase its adhesive quality.
This protector in general need only be applied where the enamel is subjected to
strain as for example in making a shoe the protector need in general only to be
applied at the toe portion where considerable strain or bending results from the
shoe or boot being put on the last. If seen fit however the protector can be of
such shape and size or so applied as to cover or protect not only the toe portion
but also other portions of the shoe or upper.
When the operation or work on the leather is completed the protector can be
stripped off or removed from the enamel in any suitable well known way as for
example by being heated until readily removable and the enamel will then appear
smooth and uninjured.
In the annexed drawing a protector is shown applied to use.
Figure 1 is a sectional view of a protector.
Figure 2 is a plan view of a protector.
Figure 3 is an explanatory diagram.
The protector or flexible piece 1 being pasted or cemented or applied to the
enamel of leather 2 said enamel will be prevented from cracking or injury during
the working of the leather as for example when the leather is bent or placed on a
last 3. The invention is applicable under various conditions, since the protector is
useful not only when the entire upper is made of patent or enamelled leather but
also for example when a certain part of a boot or shoe, as for instance the tip or
toe part is made from or covered by such leather.
The protector is not limited to gutta percha cloth as any suitable flexible
adhesive cloth or fabric can be made to answer.
Supposing the leather or hide 2 to be bent or curved as shown for example in
Fig. 3, enamel portions or particles at one or more parts of the curve have a
tendency to separate or spring away from one another giving rise to a rupture or
split as at 4, 5 or in short cracking. The protector lying or adhering on the
enamel will hold together the enamel portions or particles tending to form such
lips 4, 5 of a wound or crack thereby preventing such a wound or separation as

page_text: shown at 4, 5. I have also noticed that the tendency of enamel to crack through
the contraction by cold or by a low temperature is prevented by such protector,
the latter holding the portions or particles of the enamel to one another so that no
rupture or separation as at 4, 5 can occur.
In speaking of the protector as being serviceable on the enamel of leather it is
of course understood that the protector is useful in other cases, as for example in
working skins with the grain side outward, for example French kid.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is―
1. In combination with enamelled leather, a removable, flexible, adhesive
protector applied to the enamelled surface of the leather and serving to prevent
such enamelled surface from cracking when the leather is subjected to strain at
the point where the protector is secured, substantially as described.
2. In combination with enamelled leather, an adhesive protector composed of
gutta percha cloth applied to the enamelled surface of the leather and serving to
prevent such surface from cracking when subjected to strain, substantially as
described.
Dated this 24th day of February 1806
H. J. HADDAN.