IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTING BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edward John Scott, of Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark, North Britain, Boot and Shoe Manufacturer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTING BOOTS AND SHOES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edward John Scott
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 2nd July 1868.
I, EDWARD JOHN SCOTT, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North
Britain, Boot and Shoe Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ORNAMENTING BOOTS AND SHOES," to
be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object the ornamenting of boots and shoes
in such a way as whilst presenting an appearance similar to that
produced by ornamental stitching to be much more economically
produced and capable of being easily renovated.
The Invention consists in printing in oil, varnish, or other washable
pigment on the leather used for making the uppers or other orna-

page_text: mentable parts of boots and shoes ornamental devices composed of
dots or short strokes imitating stitches.
The Invention is most conveniently applicable to enamelled or
"patent" leather.
It is obvious that a great variety of elaborate devices may be
produced in this manner much more cheaply than by stitching, whilst
the brilliancy of the colors can at any time be renovated by washing,
whereas when ornamental stitching is once soiled it cannot be properly
cleansed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Edward John Scott in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 31st December 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, EDWARD
JOHN SCOTT, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North Britain, Boot
and Shoe Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Second day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Edward John Scott, Her special licence that
I, the said Edward John Scott, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said Edward John Scott, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
ORNAMENTING BOOTS AND SHOES," upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Edward John Scott, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
·Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Edward John Scott, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement in writing, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object the ornamenting of boots and
shoes in such a way as whilst presenting an appearance similar to
but more effective than that produced by ornamental stitching to be
much more economically produced and capable of being easily
renovated.
"
Prior to the date of the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent
the ornamentation of boots on "patent or enamelled leather (to which
material my Invention is most conveniently applicable) was effected by
stitching by hand or with the sewing machine, the process being termed
"flourishing;" and my Invention consists in imitating and superseding
this process by printing with enamel or japan varnish on the patent or
enamelled leather. Simple as this idea may appear many and great
difficulties have been met with in reducing it to practice, and it was
only after persevering and constant application for upwards of seven
months that satisfactory results were ultimately arrived at.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of satisfactorily
performing the same may be properly understood I proceed particularly
to describe the processes I prefer to employ.
As the condition of the enamelled or japanned leather is of
considerable importance, care must be taken in preparing the leather
for japanning that the grease and oil used for "stuffing" or softening
it is spread evenly over the surface, and is used in as small a quantity
as will suffice for the purpose.
The japanned leather is carefully rubbed with a washleather wet
with turpentine (or, as it is sometimes termed, spirits of turpentine), and
polished with a dry washleather immediately before printing.
The blocks for printing are by preference made with pieces of copper,
producing small uniform oblong marks in imitation of stitches, but
round dots and continuous lines may also be used with a very similar
effect. The ornamental devices are in some cases produced by printing
with two or more blocks in different colors; and colored patches may
be first printed and have dotted work subsequently added over or around
them in imitation of patches of colored cloth or leather fixed by

page_text: stitching. In printing the blocks may be applied by hand or by any
convenient kind of printing press.
The pigment used for printing the devices is composed of forty
parts by weight of copal varnish such as is usually employed in
making japan, twenty parts raw refined linseed oil, and forty parts of
coloring matter finely ground in raw refined linseed oil. The varnish
and oil are put in a well stoppered bottle and frequently shaken for
three or four days before adding the coloring matter, and the mixture
is also frequently shaken afterwards, exposure to the air being always
prevented as much as possible by keeping the bottle stopped. What
is taken out for use does not remain in proper condition for more
than four hours. In some cases the varnish may be colored or
embellished after printing by applying gold leaf, bronze powder, or dust
colors before it is dry. When printed the leather is kept in an oven or
drying room at a temperature of from 110 to 120° Fahrenheit for about
six hours; it is then subjected to a temperature of about 100° for about
twelve hours; and, finally, to a temperature of about 75° for about
twenty-four hours. The drying chambers are arranged so that the air
in them is continually changing.
When a second printing is to be applied the leather with the first
printing on it thoroughly dried, as last herein-before described, is by
preference afterwards subjected to a temperature of about 60° for about
twelve hours before applying the second printing.
I have herein-before described my Invention as applied to enamelled
or japanned leather, but I wish it to be distinctly understood that it
is also applicable to other kinds of leather and to enamelled cloth or
other materials substituted for leather in making boots and shoes.
It is obvious that a great variety of elaborate devices may be produced
in this manner much more perfectly and cheaply than by stitching.
The brilliancy of the colors can also at any time be renovated by
washing, whereas when ornamental stitching is once soiled it cannot be
properly cleaned; moreover the leather is much injured by the needle
perforations.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I have to state that
I do not restrict myself to the precise details herein-before described;
but that what I believe to be novel and original, and claim as the
Invention secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters

page_text: Patent is, the ornamenting of boots and shoes by printing with varnish
colors in imitation of stitched work, substantially as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Edward John Scott, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Thirtieth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
E. J. SCOTT. (L.S.)