Improvements in or relating to Heels for Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 6th May, 1892-Accepted, -6th Aug., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Heels for Boots and Shoes.
A communication from LEOPOLD LUTRINGER, Boot and Shoe Manufacturer, of
Rheims, in the Republic of France.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved heel of vulcanized fibre made in two parts
one of which is secured to the back portion of the leg or counter of the boot or
shoe by means of a strong screw and nut, the said screw passing entirely through
the body of the heel, while the head remains visible on the surface of the boot or
shoe, the nut being concealed within the material forming the heel proper.
The screw is passed through the heel and the nut is located within it the opening
provided for its reception being tapered so as to hold the nut securely.
Onto the heel is fitted a sheet or plate also made of vulcanized fibre and
secured to the heel proper by two or more screws passing through it and entering
the heel proper.
To obtain a sufficiently secure attachment of the heel to the first sole a plate
of metal is cut in the shape of a star each arm of which has three small
perforations arranged at a suitable distance apart to enable the metal star to be
fixed to the first sole by means of tacks or rivets. The star may be made to suit
any size or shape of heel as the ends of its arms may be readily clipped and adjusted
to suit requirements. The spaces between the arms of the star are provided for the
passage of the thread used in sewing together the leg and counter with the first
sole. Besides to prevent any revolving motion of the heel, or its displacement in
relation to the metal piece apertures are managed for the passage of the pins
entering the heel.
When the metal star is tacked onto the first sole the main part of the heel is
applied thereto consisting of a piece of vulcanized fibre. This intermediate piece
bas hitherto been made of several parts or sections while it here consists of one
piece only which is a great advantage both as regards the strength and appearance
of the heel. It is perforated in several points, the central perforation with a
shoulder or taper formed in it being adapted to receive the main screw which is to
connect the first sole and the heel; other perforations being provided for the
reception of the screws employed for securing one of the lifts or top to the main
portion both of which parts have perfectly smooth contact surfaces while the said
screws make them firmly and tightly adhere to each other.
The top lift also made of vulcanized fibre is provided near the edge of the lower
surface which is to come into contact with the ground with a series of small pins
arranged so as to form a protective border to reduce the wear of the heel.
For what is known as the Louis XV. heel the two parts are connected by two
screw's only instead of three as in other cases; but the top lifts of the heel are not
reversible and can only be applied once.
This drawback is obviated by making the three screws employed to attach the
top lift to the main heel body form an equilateral triangle concentric with the lift
which is made circular so situated that should the lift wear away either on the outer
or inner side of the heel it may by removing the screws be turned say one third of
a revolution within the annular space provided for it. Thus it will be understood
ample provision is made for wear a gap between the convex and concave adjoining
parts of the heel being avoided in each of the three positions and no special tools
or machinery except an ordinary screw driver being requisite to effect' the change.

page_text: The annular rib forming the edge of the sheet or disc has points or pins implanted
into it for the prevention of too rapid wear.
From the foregoing it will be understood that any irregular wear of the heels
may owing to the arrangement described readily be remedied by the wearer himself
by simply putting on a fresh plate, instead of the one worn out, which may be done
almost instantaneously; and before replacing the plate it may be turned twice to
occupy each of its. three positions and present in each case a fresh surface for
wear.
A saving also results from the fact that this invention enables soles to be made
shorter as it only requires to have its end gripped between the first sole and the
heel under the action of a central screw passing right through the heel.
Dated this 7th day of August 1891.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Heels for Boots and Shoes.
A communication from LEOPOLD LUTRINGER, of Rheims, in the Republic of
France, Boot and Shoe Manufacturer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Member of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved heel of vanized wood-fibre of any
desired colour made in two or more parts which are fixed to each other and to the
sole by means of screws; the lower part or lift, also screwed on, being removable
so that it may be exchanged or re-adjusted by turning it a distance equal to a given
part of a circle.
In the accompanying drawings three different forms of the improved heel
are shown.
To strengthen or stiffen the sole at its point of connection with the heel,. a star-
shaped plate a of preferably sheet steel is nailed or rivetted to the sole. This
plate may be made to correspond to various heels in size and shape by clipping off
and shortening the arms a¹ of the star by means of shears or the like. The
spaces a² between the arms are left open to enable the heel to, be stitched or secured
to the sole. The plate a is provided with two pins or points adapted to enter the
heel when it is applied to the sole, so as to keep it from circular displacement when
in use.
The heel itself (Figs. IV. V. and 1X.) consists of two parts c (Figs. V. & IX.)
&d (Figs. IV. & VIII.) both of which are made of vulcanized wood-fibre and may
..be of black, red or gray colour. The portion has a central perforation e in which
is fitted a metal nut, by means of which and a screw adapted to pass through
the plate a and the sole, the heel is securely connected with the boot or shoe," the
head of the screw being sunk in a recess provided for the purpose in the sole B.
"The external part, top or lift d is-screwed to the part c by preferably two or more
screws g. The contact surfaces of both parts must be level. For the reception of
the screws the portion e is provided with two or more openings h. The top or
lift d is besides fitted with tacks i along the edge, to prevent too rapid wear of the
rounded back edge of the heel:
.
The manufacture of the main part of the heel of one piece of vulcanized wood-
fibre instead of a number of superposed pieces or lifts of leather, offers an
important advantage as it imparts a uniform and glossy surface to the heel.
Another advantage of the construction just described is that the top lift d-when.
trodden down or worn off, may instantly be replaced by a new one by the wearer

page_text: himself, who may provide himself with a supply of such lifts, the only tool he
requires to do this being a screw-driver.
In Fig. IX. a fancy heel of the type known as Louis XIV. is represented. The
main part is altered in shape in accordance with this particular style, and the
lift is adapted for receiving two screws only instead of three. For the rest
the construction is the same as above described.
In Figures VI. & VII. a modified and still better arrangement is represented.
The lift is here of circular shape, and the main part of the heel is provided with
a correspondingly recessed portion for the reception of it. The connection is here
also made by means of three screws whose axes form the three corners of an
equilateral triangle. It is well known by experience that the front part of the heel
is hardly subject to any wear at all, whereas practically all the wear is sustained by
the back. It has further been found that each person according to the peculiarity
of his or her gait treads down the back of the heel more or less on one or the other
side. According to these circumstances, the lift when worn out may be unscrewed
and then turned round and re-attached in the proper position to suit the particular
manner of wearing away. There being three screws the alteration can be made
three times before an entirely new lift is required.
As a modification the metal star may be replaced by a simple plate of the shape
shown in Figure 10. This plate is secured to the first sole (Figure 11) and rivetted
thereto by means of small rivets or tacks. This plate aiso may be covered by a
sheet of leather (Figure 12) to facilitate the connection of the leg of the boot
with the counter, near the sole. These three main parts, viz. the sole, the metal
plate and the sheet of leather, are rivetted together so as to acquire the necessary
strength and rigidity. A hole is provided in each for the reception of the screw
whereby the improved heel is screwed to the boot or shoe with the assistance of
a suitable nut.
:
The tops or lifts of the heel, as shown in Figures 4 and 8 are adapted to be
renewed. By shaping them symmetrically they not only may be rendered exchange-
able, but also reversible, whatever the shape of the heel may be. A lift of this
description may be turned round as required and indeed passed from the left boot
to the right or vice versa and therefore its wear may be rendered regular and
uniform.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. A heel of vulcanized wood-fibre for boots or shoes consisting of two parts the
upper of which c is connected with the sole by means of a screw and an inter-
mediate metal stiffening plate a while the lower part d is secured to the upper part
by two or more screws by loosening which it may be detached from and re-adjusted
on the said upper part or exchanged substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
2. A heel such as described in which the lower part is of circular shape and fits
a correspondingly shaped recess or offset provided in the upper part with which it
is connected by means of three screws whose centres form the apices of an equi-
lateral triangle which arrangement enables the circular portion to be re-adjusted
three times by being turned one-third of a circle in each case before it is replaced
by an entirely new piece substantially as described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
Dated this 5th day of August 1892.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.