Improved Boots.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Jan., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 11th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Boots.
I, CHARLES HENRY SOUTHALL of 18, Chapel Lane, Headingley, Leeds,
Machine Maker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
My object in this invention is to make or construct boots on really rational
principles, that is to say, to dispense with as many seams and joining of material as
possible to avoid the nuisance of lacing or buttoning, and thereby the annoyance of
broken laces and offcoming buttons, and substitute instead a novel easy, ready and
simple system of fastening hitherto I believe unknown. My invention has also the
further object which is that of the boots being convertable at the wearer's pleasure
either into so called elastic side boots or into those fastened with a strap and buckle.
To accomplish this, I block the front leathers, or seam them if preferred to the
proper shape. The heel or back leathers I also block or seam to the right shape.
The counters and stiffenings I stitch in the usual way. The back parts and front
parts being ready I join them together on each side about the middle of the waist
with a seam about an inch and a half long, taking care that the upper portions of
the front & back leathers overlap each other well. To fasten I make a loop of any
suitable material or if desirable cut a loop in the leather itself either at the back
and front in the proper place, or in any other convenient position. I then take an
ordinary strap with a buckle at one end, like a garter, thread it through the loops
and fasten as desired either on the inside or outside of the boots. By using an
elastic strap instead of a leather one it is clear that the boots can be put on and
pulled off without undoing the buckle or fastening. One very great disadvantage
in elastic side boots, hitherto has been the wearing out so soon of the elastics. In
my invention there is for this a complete remedy as the elastic strap being loose
can be renewed if necessary every day with very little expense or trouble. The
above description represents my invention as a plain boot in appearance when in
wear like an old fashioned "Wellington" with the least possible amount of stitching
in the uppers with the idea of making them more serviceable. But my boots_can
also be made with fancy or plain toecaps, ordinary vamps, imitation laced or
buttoned, or indeed in any way desired.
Dated this Tenth day of January 1893.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Boots.
I, CHARLES HENRY SOUTHALL, of 18 Chapel Lane, Headingley, Leeds, in
the County of York, Engineer, 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 boot in which as many seams and joinings
of material as possible are dispensed with; also the buttoning and lacing of the
same is obviated, thereby saving the annoyance caused by the laces breaking, or
the buttons coming off. By my invention an easy, ready, and simple system of
fastening is adopted, easily convertible at pleasure into a boot possessing all the
advantages of what is known as "an elastic side boot" or of one fastened with a
strap and buckle.

page_text: In the drawings hereunto annexed I have shown how my invention
into practice in which :-
may
be carried
Fig. 1. is an elevation and Fig. 2, an elevation of the same boot with the bottom
of the trouser's leg within the top of the boot, such as used by a cyclist, foot-ball
player, or other athlete.
Figs. 3 and 4 are elevations drawn to a smaller scale showing respectively the
boot constructed with a blocked front and a toe cap, and with a vamp, toe cap, and
upper quarter.
"
The upper" is made in two principal parts, a front A and a back or heel
piece B. The front leathers A may be blocked into shape as shown at Figs. 1
and 2, or provided with a toe cap a as shown at Fig. 3, or formed with a toe cap a,
a vamp a¹, and a leg quarter a² as shown at Fig. 4. The heel or back leathers B
are made in one or two parts, preferably one and when so made are blocked to
shape, otherwise they are cut and seamed to the desired shape. The two pieces A
and B are stitched together on each side of the boot at C, at or about the middle
of the waist with a seam, say about an inch and a half long; care being taken that
the said two parts are allowed to overlap each other, as shown by dotted lines at E,
in the various views. The counters and stiffeners which may be of ordinary con-
struction are stitched in at D in the usual manner. The upper is then lasted to
the sole H by any of the usual processes, the heel I attached, and the boot finished
in the ordinary manuer. To fasten the boot onto the wearer's foot, either with the
bottoms of the trousers legs tucked within the top of the boot as shown at Fig. 2,
or outside thereof, a loop F (or loops) of any suitable material is or are sewn to the
upper," or if desirable the loop or loops may be cut in the leather itself either at
the back alone as shown at Figs. 1 and 2, or back and front as well, or in any other
convenient position. An ordinary strap G with a buckle gat one end, like a garter,
is threaded through the loop or loops F and fastened as desired, either on the
inside or outside of the boots. In the drawings the buckles are shown fastened
outside.
ส
Or when desired a single strap G may be used and stitched at g¹ to the upper
(see Fig. 1) after being passed through the loops F; or as shown at Fig. 4, the
buckle end of the strap may be severed from the main part of the strap and sewn
to one edge of the front part of the boot, whilst the main part of the strap is sewn
to the opposite edge or side of said front part; or as shown at Fig. 3 two straps G, G¹
may be employed which are respectively sewn to the back and front portions A
and B of the upper so as to be buckled at the front and back, or side, as shown.
The straps G G may be passed through loops F in the front part of the upper;
the strap G being sewn at g to the upper.
By using an elastic strap instead of a leather one it is clear that the boots can be
put on and pulled off without undoing the buckle or fastening. One very great
disadvantage in elastic side boots hitherto has been that the elastic sides wear out
so soon. In this invention this defect is to a great extent overcome as the elastic
strap (being loose) can be renewed if necessary whenever desired at very little
expense or trouble.
.
In order to make the boot watertight on each side of the upper at the points
where the two principal parts A and B overlap each other I insert a thin piece of
leather K. These pieces K are sewn on their edges k to the inside of the front
part A and the edges ¹, to the outside of the heel or back part B so that when
the boot is fastened on to the wearer's foot the pieces K will lay flat (sandwich like)
between the two parts A and B.
Boots constructed as shown at Fig. 1. have when worn in the ordinary way, that
is with the tops within say the trouser's legs, the appearance of the old fashioned
Wellington boots; but they can also be made with plain or fancy toe caps a,
ordinary vamps a', imitation laced, buttoned, or other ornature say at J, or in any
other style or way.
The above described boot may be made in men's and women's sizes.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1st. The improved boot substantially as herein described and illustrated, having
its upper formed in two principal parts which are blocked into shape, and sewn
together as described, and capable of being fastened on the wearers foot by one or
more straps.
2nd. In a boot such as herein described the combination with the sole and heel,
of an upper having its two principal parts cut or formed in one or more portions
and blocked or seamed to shape, said two parts being sewn together by short seams
at or about the waist of the boot, so that the edges of the said parts overlap each
other as described.
3rd. In a boot such as berein described and illustrated, the combination of the
front part A cut or formed in one or more portions, the back or heel part B formed
in one or more portions, said two parts being sewn together by short seams at or
about the waist of the boot, the loop or loops F, and the strap or straps G, all as
set forth.
4th. The improved boot constructed and arranged substantially as herein
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the Tenth day of October 1893.
.
CHARLES HENRY SOUTHALL,
By W. Fairburn-Hart,
Agent.
CHARLES HENRY SOUTHALL,
By W. Fairburn-Hart,
Agent.