Year: 1895

page_text: I WILLIAM JAMES Fox of Ryefield Villas, Marple in the County of Chester
Buyer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My said invention relates to an improved form of boot protector, which can be
applied by anyone most easily to the soles and heels of ordinary boots, shoes,
slippers and the like, for the purpose of preventing the wearing away of the
leather or other substance, of which the soles and heels may be made, at the same
time acting as a preventor of wet feet and affording a safe foothold on ice, snow
or other slippery surfaces, without impeling ventilation as is the case in goloshes.
To this end my invention is made of india rubber, vulcanite or other yielding
substance, in either circular or other shape, as best adapted for any part or parts
of the soles and heels to which it is attached. I propose to make the protectors
thicker at the outside edges or rims than in the centre and to groove or stamp this
thicker portion either in lines, studs or other form best adapted to provide a firm
foothold when applied and used in walking. I propose to fix the protectors to the
boots and shoes by suitable nails driven through the protectors at the time of
fixing, or the nails may be fixed in the protectors when they are being manu-
factured, so as to facilitate the process of fixing. The improved protector in any
of these forms can be applied to the soles and heels of boots, shoes, slippers and
the like, by any person, and will effect a great saving in leather or other soles and
heels, will afford a safer foothold and act as a safeguard against wet feet, and in
this form, any one of the protectors can be detached and replaced at any time by
new protectors as required. In attaching these protectors no special preparation
of the boots and shoes is required. The protectors may be modified in slight
detail, but in the main I adhere to the form of a plate of indiarubber, vulcanite
or other yielding substance constructed in the form or manner hereinbefore set
forth and described.
Dated this Twenty-sixth day of February 1895.
I WILLIAM JAMES FOX, of Ryefield Villas, Marple, in the County of Chester
Buyer 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 :-
My said invention relates to an improved form of boot protector which can be
applied by anyone most easily to the soles & heels of ordinary boots, shoe,
slippers, and the like for the purpose of preventing the wearing away of the
leather or other substance of which the soles & heels may be made; at the same
time acting as a preventor of wet feet and affording a safe foothold on ice, snow,
or other slippery surfaces without impeding ventilation, as is the case in goloshes.

page_text: To this end my invention is made of indiarubber gutta percha or other yielding
substance or vulcanite in either circular or other shape, as best adapted for any
part or parts of the soles and heels to which they are attached.
make the protectors thicker at the outside edges or rims than in the centre and to
propose to
groove or stamp this thicker edge or portion either in lines, studs or ether form,
best adapted to provide a firm foothold when applied and used in walking.
I propose to fix the protectors to the boots and shoe by suitable nails driven,
through the protectors at the time of fixing, or the nails may be fixed in the
protectors when they are being manufactured, so as to facilitate the process of
fixing. The improved protectors in any of these forms can be applied to the
soles and heels of boots shoe, slippers and the like, by any person, and will effect
a great saving in leather or other soles & heels, will afford a safer foothold and act
as a safeguard against wet feet, and in this form, any one of the protectors can be
detached and replaced at any time by new protectors as required. In attaching
these protectors no special preparation of the boots and shoes is required.
In order to better understand my said invention I have appended hereunto a
sheet of drawings upon which
Figure 1 is a plan of one shape of my protector and
Figure 2 is a section of same.
Figure 3 is a plan of another shape
Figure 4 being a section of sanie.
Figures 5 & 6 are plans of other shapes.
The protectors such as Figure 1 are inade round somewhat similar to a button
& are composed of india rubber, gutta percha or other yielding substance or
vulcanite A and are stamped or moulded to the shape shown that is, thinner at the
centre B for the purpose of fastening the protectors to the soles of boots & such
like articles by means of nails which are driven through holes such as t¹ or a screw
nail may in some cases be used.
These nails being driven through the sunken er thin part cannot touch the
ground owing to the raise part a surrounding them so that there would be no
danger of slipping from this cause. To give additional security from slipping I
groove the part of the wearing surface of the protectors a¹.
In some cases I insert the nails screws or spikes into the protectors in the course
of manufacture so that they would be of no trouble to anyone to fix them upon
their boots shoes &c.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed what I claim is :-
An improved boot & shoe protector made of indiarubber, gutta percha or other
yielding substance or vulcanite having a partly or wholly serrated surface &
secured to the article it is used upon by means of nails screws or spikes, substan-
tially as for the purpose herein set forth & shown
drawings.
upon the accompanying
Dated this 2nd November 1805
WILLIAM JAMES FOX.