IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HEELS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John James Gascoine, of Newtown Street, Leicester, in
the County of Leicester Boot and Shoe Manufacturer, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HEELS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John James Gascoine at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 10th July 1882.
JOHN JAMES GASCOINE of Newtown Street Leicester in the County of Leicester
Boot and Shoe Manufacturer "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURER OF HEELS
FOR BOOTS AND SHOES"
The object of my invention is to produce a heel for a Shoe or Boot by
fashioning' a piece of leather or other suitable material into a hollow, heel shaped,
shell or cup without joint or seam which is afterwards filled with a suitable
material or composition so that a firm and solid heel is produced which has several
advantages over those generally in use.
In order to carry out my invention I take a piece of ordinary sole leather or
other suitable material and cut it as nearly as possible exactly to the size and shape
required to make the particular shape height and size of heel desired a few trials
are sufficient to indicate this-I then soften the material in order to make it take
the desired shape more easily, if it is leather, I do this by soaking it in water or
other suitable medium, if it is a material that does not absorb moisture by warmth
or other suitable means.
When sufficiently soft I proceed to form the material into the required shape by
placing it between a mould and a die and subjecting it to strong pressure in a
hydraulic or other press The mould and die are of gun metal or other suitable
material.
The mould is cast in one piece and is somewhat in the shape of a ring there
being a heel shaped aperture in the centre open at both ends and deeper than the
actual depth of the heel to be made therein-The die is also cast in one piece, it
corresponds in shape to the mould but is of smaller dimensions so that there is a
ID 621

page_text: space between the two of pretty uniform width into which the material is forced
by the pressure of the press.
In order to form the rim of the shell or cup and to keep the material within its
proper bounds when under pressure I make an abutment on the die corresponding
in its position with the said rim and of such dimensions as to fit the larger end of
the aperture of the mould as nearly as may be so that when the material has been
so far forced into the mould by the die that the said abutment begins to enter the
mould the material is shut in in a Chamber which is enclosed in every direction, is
subjected to pressure throughout and takes the exact form of the mould.
When sufficiently pressed the shell is removed from the mould and dried (or
cooled as the case may be); when dry I place it in another mould made to fit it
and fill it with a measured quantity of a composition consisting of the following
ingredients preferably in the proportions given.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John James Gascoine in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
9th January 1883.
JOHN JAMES GASCOINE of Newtown Street Leicester in the county of Leicester
Boot and Shoe Manufacturer "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HEELS
FOR BOOTS AND SHOES."
The object of my invention is to produce a heel for a Shoe or Boot by fashioning
a piece of leather or other suitable material into a hollow heel shaped shell or cup,
without joint or seam, which is afterwards filled with a suitable material or
composition so that a firm and solid heel is produced which has several advantages
over those generally in use.
In order to carry out my invention I take a piece of ordinary sole leather or
other suitable material and cut it as nearly as possible exactly to the size and
shape required to make the particular shape height and size of heel desired; a few
trials are sufficient to indicate the proper size. I then soften the material in order
to make it take the desired shape more easily, if it is loather I do this by soaking
it in water or other suitable medium if it is a material that does not absorb
moisture by warmth or other suitable means.
When sufficiently soft I proceed to form the material into the required shape by
placing it between a mould and a die and subjecting it to strong pressure in a
hydraulic or other press. The mould and die are of. gun-metal or other suitable
material. The mould is cast in one piece and is somewhat in the shape of a ring
there being a heel shaped aperture in the centre open at both ends and deeper than
the actual depth of the heel to be made therein. The die is also cast in one piece
and corresponds in shape to the mould but is of smaller dimensions so that there
is a space between the two of pretty uniform width into which the material is
forced by the pressure of the press.
In order to form the rim of the shell or cup and to keep the material within its
proper bounds when under pressure I make an abutment on the die corresponding
in its position with the said rim and of such dimensions as to fit the larger end of
the aperture of the mould as nearly as may be so that when the material has been
so far forced into the mould by the die that the said abutment begins to enter the
mould the material is shut in in a chamber which is enclosed in every direction, is
subjected to pressure throughout and takes the exact form of the mould.
When sufficiently pressed the shell is removed from the mould and dried (or
cooled as the case may be); when dry I place it in another mould made to fit it
and fill it with a measured quantity of a composition consisting of the following
ingredients preferably in the proportions given
Gutta Percha 16lbs, Asphalte 3 lbs, Stockholm Pitch 5 lbs, Rosin 1 lbs,
Shellac 3 lbs, Tallow 6 oz, Quicklime 14 oz, Sawdust 1+ lbs.
When required for use the composition is softened by heat and the shell having
been filled a suitable die plate is placed upon the open end and pressure being
brought to bear upon the plate the composition is forced into every corner of the
shell and completely fills it, the proper form being at the same time given to its
surface. I do not confine myself to the above mentioned ingredients or proportions
of ingredients my object being to use a material or composition which is at the
same time tough and hard and unaffected by moisture or moderate warmth so that
it will retain the nails used in fastening the heels to the boots.
I can if desired partly fill the hollow in the shell with a block of wood or other
suitable solid substance the intervening space being filled with composition

page_text: It is desirable to finish off the heel by attaching what is known in the trade as
a "top piece" or a metal plate or heel tip may be added if required.
The accompanying drawings will clearly explain the invention Fig 1 is a plan
of the mould Fig 2 being a vertical section of same through the line a. b B is the
hollow in which the heel shell is formed-Figs 5 and 6 are side and front
elevations respectively of the die-c d. being the rim or abutment round the same-
Fig 3 shows the position of the die C in the mould A the upper part of which it fits
'closely, a space e being left in the lower part in which the damp leather is
compressed when the die is forced home in the mould. D is the table of the press.
Fig 4 is a vertical section and Fig 9 a plan of the second mould in which the heel
shell is placed when made and filled with the composition E is the heel plate
fitting the upper part of the mould which when pressed down upon the contents
of the hollow shell compresses the same into a solid mass which completely
fills the shell. Figs 7 and 8 are side and front elevations respectively of the
heel plate..
Having now described my said invention and the manner of performing the
same I wish it to be understood that what I claim and desire to protect under the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is
The manufacture of heels for Boots and Shoes substantially as described and
illustrated
In witness whereof I the said John James Gascoine have hereunto set my
hand and seal this sixth day of January in the year of Our Lord one
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.