AN IMPROVEMENT IN BOOTS & SHOES FOR THE USE OF RIDERS UPON. BICYCLES TRICYCLES AND OTHER SIMILAR MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: JOHN JAMES GASCOINE 5 Newtown Street Leicester Shoe Manufacturer I do
hereby declare the nature of my invention for AN IMPROVEMENT IN BOOTS &
SHOES FOR THE USE OF RIDERS UPON. BICYCLES TRICYCLES AND OTHER SIMILAR
MACHINES to be as follows:-
I take a strip of leather suitable for the purpose as regards substance and quality
and cut by dies or other machine to the exact width required I then prepare it
for my purpose in one of the following ways or by a combination of any or all
of them :-
'A." by passing the strip of leather through a pair of smooth roller's made
of steel or other metal or hard material one of which inust have a concaved surface
the rollers being driven by steam or other power or by land or foot.
"
"B." by the same process as described in paragraph A." but with.the application
of heat to one or both rollers.
"C" by using a mould made of steel or other suitable metal or material which
being of the same width as the strip of leather must be concaved at the bottom
along its whole length into which the strip of leather is put. I then place on the
top of the leather a fiat die and apply sufficient pressure by means of hydraulic
or other power to force the leather to the bottom of the concave moul.
"
"D" by the same process as is described in paragraph "C' but with the
application of a certain amount of heat.
I thus produce a strip of leather which is rounded or convex on its upper or
grain side and flat on the under or flesh side, and which has also been hardened
by the pressure to which it has been subjected.
The strip of leather thus prepared must be thoroughly dried and is then realy
to be attached to the sole of the Boot or Shoe. The attachment may be by means
of Rivets screws or any other suitable method.
The position of the strip of leather upon the sole of the boot must be so that it
will be exactly parallel to the treadle of the cycle when the rider places his foot
upon it when seated on the saddle of the machine.
Each boot will require 2 or 3 or 4 strips upon the sole according to the size of
the boot and also according to the size and shape of the treadle.
The distance of the strips from each other will require to be varied in a similar
manner.

page_text: I then take another piece of leather of a similar substance and quality to that
used for the strips and by means of steel dies cut it into a certain shape so that it
will fit up to the toe of a boot upon the sole. I place this piece of leather in a
mould made of steel or other suitable metal or material. I then put a die on the
top of the leather in the mould (the die also being made of steel or other metal or
suitable material) and bring pressure (hydraulic or other power being used) upon
the die of a sufficient quantity to give the required firmness and solidity to the
leather and also to secure the exact shape required.
This piece of leather must be then perfectly dried and is ready to be attached
to the boot. It must be put on the sole of the boot close to the toe of the boot
and may be fastened upon it by rivets screws or any other suitable means.
This toe-piece will secure comfort to the wearer should the boot be used
occasionally for walking.
The strips and toe-pieces may be ornamented or not as desired. The ornamenta-
tion may be by the use of colours or by burnishing or by the embossing upon the
grain or upper surface fanciful patterns, (which could be done conveniently by
engraving the pattern upon the concave roller or mould in the case of the strips
and of the flat mould in the case of the toe-pieces) or by any other method.
I purpose that the leather used for the strips and also for the toe-pieces shall be
soaked in water, or in water and shumac before being dealt with in the manner
before described in order to make it supple and pliant.
The advantages I claim for my invention are as follows:-
1st That it gives to the rider of a cycle when seated on his machine a firm grip
of the treadle preventing any slipping of the foot upon the treadle and therefore
increases his power and control over his machine.
2nd That it helps to keep the rider in a correct and graceful position, and
increases his comfort pleasure and safety when riding because of the sense of
security given by his firm hold or grip of the treadle.
3rd The rounded shape of the strips will prevent stones or other refuse from
becoming embedded and fastened between then if the shoes are used temporarily
for walking instead of riding.
4th That the strips and toe-pieces can be readily replaced either separately or
together and at very small cost; if the centre strip, for example, wears down by
the use of the shoe for walking, it can be renewed by any person and in a few
minutes.
I also intend to supply strips and toe-pieces to the public prepared for attaching
to ordinary shoes if desired or as renewals when-original-strips-and-toe-pieces-have..
worn out.
5th That should the shoe to which strips and toe-pieces are attached become
saturated with wet, the strips and toe-pieces will still retain the shape given to
them by the methods above described and their usefulness to the rider of the
Cycle.
am aware that a Patent has been granted for a shoe with a crimped or
corrugated sole for the use of Cyclists but I consider my invention greatly superior
especially as regards the advantages named in the paragraphs above which are
numbered 1st 2nd 4th and 5th.
DI711

page_text: I JOHN JAMES GASCOINE, 5, Newtown Street Leicester, Shoe Manufacturer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention for "AN IMPROVEMENT IN BOOTS AND
SHOES FOR THE USE OF RIDERS UPON BICYCLES, TRICYCLES, AND OTHER SIMILAR
MACHINES and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
"
I take a strip of leather suitable for the purpose as regards substance and quality
and cut by dies or other machine to the exact width required. I then prepare it for
my purpose in one of the following ways or by a combination of any or all of them.
A. By passing the strip of leather through a pair of smooth rollers made of steel
or other metal or hard material one of which must have a concave surface the rollers
being driven by steam or other power or by hand or foot.
B. By the same process as described in paragraph A but with the application of
heat to one or both rollers.
C. By using a mould made of steel or other suitable metal or material which
being of the same width as the strip of leather must be concaved at the bottom along
its whole length into which the strip of leather is put. I then place on the top of
the leather a flat die and apply sufficient pressure by means of hydraulic or other
power to force the leather to the bottom of the concave mould.
D. By the same process as is described in paragraph C but with the application
of a certain amount of heat.
I thus produce a strip of leather which is rounded or concaved on its upper or
grain side and flat on the under or flesh side and which has also been hardened by
the pressure to which it has been subjected.
The strip of leather thus prepared must be thoroughly dried and is then ready to
be attached to the sole of the boot or shoe: The attachment may be by means of
rivets screws or any other suitable method.
The position of the strip of leather upon the sole of the boot must be so that it
will be exactly parallel to the treadle of the cycle when the rider places his foot
upon it when seated upon the saddle of the machine. Each boot will require 2 or 3
or 4 strips upon the sole according to the size of the boot and also according to the
size and shape of the treadle. The distance of the strips from each other will require
to be varied in a similar manner. I then take another piece of leather of a similar
substance and quality to that used for the strips and by means of steel dies cut it
into a certain shape so that it will fit up to the toe of a boot upon the sole.
I place this piece of leather in a mould made of steel or other suitable metal or
material; I then put a die upon the top of the leather in the mould (the die also
being made of steel or other metal or suitable material) and bring pressure
(bydraulic or other power being used) upon the die of a sufficient quantity to give
the required firmness and solidity to the leather and also to secure the exact shape
required. The piece of leather must then be perfectly dried and is ready to be
attached to the boot It must be on the sole of the boot close to the toe of the boot
and may be fastened upon it by nuts, screws or any other suitable means This toe
piece will secure comfort to the wearer should the boot. be used occasionally for
walking.
The strips and toe pieces may be ornamented or not as desired-The orna-
mentation may be by the use of colours or by burnishing or by the embossing upon
the grain or upper surface fanciful patterns (which could be done conveniently by
engraving the pattern upon the concave roller or mould in the case of the strip and
of the flat mould in the case of the toe pieces) or by any other method.

page_text: I purpose that the leather used for the strips and also for the toe pieces shall be
soaked in water or in water and shumac before being dealt with in the manner
before described in order to make it supple and pliant. Some of the advantages of
this invention are as follows 1st that it gives to the rider of a cycle when seated on
his machine a firm grip of the treadle preventing any slipping of the foot upon the
treadle and therefore increases his power, and control over his machine 2nd that it
helps to keep the rider in a correct and graceful position and increases his comfort
pleasure and safety when riding because of the sense of security given. by his firm
hold or grip of the treadle 3rd, the rounded shape of the strips will prevent stones
or other refuse from becoming embedded and fastened between them if the shoes are
used temporarily for walking instead of riding; 4th That the strips and toe pieces
can be readily replaced either separately or together and at very small cost; if the
centre strip for example wears down by the use of the shoe for walking it can be
renewed by any person and in a few minutes. I also intend to supply strips and
toe pieces to the public prepared for attaching to ordinary shoes if desired or as
renewals when original strips and toe pieces have worn out.
"
:
5th That should the shoe to which strips and toe pieces are attached become
saturated with wet the strips and toe pieces will still retain the shape given to them
by the methods above described and their usefulness to the rider of the cycle.
I am aware that a patent has been granted for a shoe with a crimped or corrugated
sole for the use of Cyclists, but I consider my invention greatly superior especially
as regards the advantages named in the paragraphs above which are marked 1. 2. 4
and 5.
In the accompanying drawings figure 1. is a plan of the sole of a boot or shoe
fitted with the strips & Figure 2 is the toe picce and Figure 3 two of the strips
separate from the boot.
By reference to figure 1. it will be seen that the strips A are not fixed upon the
sole at right angles to its longer axis, but are in a slanting position; this admits of
the toes being turned outwards as in walking.
7
The angle may vary with different riders, and some cases might even become a
right angle, but in the majority of cases it would not be so."
B is the toe piece and C'the sole of the boot'or shoe.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that I claim
in a boot or shoe for the use of riders upon bicycles, tricycles and other similar
.machines
1. The combination with the sole C. of one or more strips A of leather convex on
their upper surface and so secured upon the sole as to be parallel, with the axis of
the pedal when the foot is placed upon it in proper position for working substantially
as specified.
2. The combination with the sole C. fitted with strips A of a toepiece B. sub-
.stantially as specified.
3. A strip A or toe piece B of leather shaped by compression with or without
heat substantially as specified.