IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
Year: 1867

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Mole, of Farringdon Road, in the City of
London, Boot Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Mole at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
20th November 1867.
I, CHARLES MOLE, of Farringdon Road, in the City of London, Boot Maker,
3 do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SOLES AND HEELS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES," to be as follows:-
Many endeavours have been made to increase the durability of the leathern
soles and heels of boots and shoes by bringing the wear on to metal studs
inserted in holes cut out of the leather, such studs being held in the leather
by riveting or otherwise. These methods are open to this objection (amongst
others) that the basis of the whole, namely the leather, is not rendered harder
than it was before and is subject to the penetration of moisture. Further
the studs being at times but loosely held are liable to chafe and cut the
leather.

page_text: Now according to my Invention I prepare leather soles and heel pieces by
inserting metal plugs into them before they are attached to the other parts
of the boots and shoes, such insertion being effected without as heretofore
removing the substance of the leather to form a hole to receive the plug but
by displacing the substance of the leather laterally. The pieces to be forced
into the leather are by preference cylindrical and they should be of equal
diameter throughout.
Various processes may be adopted for the insertion of the plugs, I firmly
hold the piece of leather, say, a sole for a boot or shoe between two blocks
of metal the upper one of which is pierced with as many vertical holes as
there are plugs to be inserted into the sole, the lower block is also pierced with
a corresponding number of holes but preferably somewhat larger. These
blocks are brought truly into position, and I then drop into each of the holes
of the upper block a piercing instrument, the upper part of the stem of which
is of the same shape as the plugs to be inserted in the leather and which
tapers downwards and terminates in a very sharp point. The point of each
ot these piercers being now upon the leather I drop into each hole the piece
of metal which is to be inserted into the leather the depth of this piece
corresponding exactly with the thickness of the leather. I now take a solid
metal rod or punch having a shoulder upon it at a distance from its lower
extremity equal to the depth of the upper block and place this punch on the
piece to be inserted, I then drive the punch down by a hammer or under a
press and in its descent it pushes the piercer through the leather but leaves
the intermediate piece in it because being arrested by its shoulder when it
attains the level of the bottom surface of the upper block the punch ceases
to press upon the inserted piece. All the pieces may be inserted at one
stroke of a lever, or in a press, or they may be hammered in successively one
at a time. The plugs may afterwards if desired be clenched by hammering
or by rolling. The sole or piece of leather may advantageously be held in a
mould-to prevent, its enlarging when compressed between the blocks and
being distorted by the insertion of the plugs, In place of metal plugs, plugs
of wood or other material may be similarly inserted into leather soles and
beel pieces before they are attached to the other parts of the boots and shoes,
the substance of the leather not being removed, but being displaced laterally
to make way for the pluga.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Mole in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 19th
May 1868.
:
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
MOLE, of Farringdon Road, in the City of London, Boot Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twentieth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, in the thirty-first year of Her
reign, did for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Charles Mole, Her special licence that I, the said Charles Mole,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Charles Mole, my executors, 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SOLES AND HEELS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Charles Mole, 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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Mole, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
Many endeavours have been made to increase the durability of the
leathern soles and heels of boots and shoes by bringing the wear on to metal
studs inserted in holes cut out of the leather, such studs being held in the
leather by riveting or otherwise. These methods are open to this objection
(amongst others) that the basis of the whole, namely the leather, is not
rendered harder than it was before and is subject to the penetration of
moisture. Further the studs being at times but loosely held are liable to chafe
and cut the leather.
Now according to my Invention I prepare leather soles and heel pieces by
inserting metal plugs into them before they are attached to the other parts of *

page_text: the boots and shoes, such insertion being effected without as heretofore removing
the substance of the leather to form a hole to receive the plug but by displacing
the substance of the leather laterally. The pieces to be forced into the leather
are by preference cylindrical, and they should be of equal diameter throughout.
Various processes may be adopted for the insertion of the plugs. I firmly
hold the piece of leather, say a sole for a boot or shoe, between two blocks of
metal, the upper one of which is pierced with as many vertical holes as there
are plugs to be inserted into the sole, the lower block is also pierced with a
corresponding number of holes, but preferably somewhat larger. These blocks
are brought truly into position, and I then drop into each of the holes of the
upper block a piercing instrument, the upper part of the stem of which is of
the same shape as the plugs to be inserted in the leather and which tapers
downwards and terminates in a very sharp point. The point of each of these
piercers being now upon the leather, I drop into each hole the piece of metal
which is to be inserted into the leather, the depth of this piece corresponding
exactly with the thickness of the leather. I now take a solid metal rod or
punch having a shoulder upon it at a distance from its lower extremity equal
to the depth of the upper block, and place this punch on the piece to be
inserted. I then drive the punch down by a hammer or under a press, and
in its descent it pushes the piercer through the leather, but leaves the inter-
mediate piece in it, because being arrested by its shoulder when it attains the
level of the bottom surface of the upper block, the punch ceases to press upon
the inserted piece. All the pieces may be inserted at one stroke of a lever or
in a press, or they may be hammered in successively one at a time. The sole
or piece of leather may advantageously be held in a mould to prevent its
enlarging when compressed between the blocks, and being distorted by the
insertion of the plugs. In place of metal plugs, plugs of wood or other
material may be similarly inserted into leather soles and heel pieces before
they are attached to the other parts of the boots or shoes, the substance of
the leather not being removed, but being displaced laterally to make way for
the plugs.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and means by which
the same may be carried into practical effect, I would have it distinctly
understood that I do not claim as of my Invention the insertion of plugs of
metal or other material into the soles and heels of boots and shoes previous to
their application to the boot or shoe; but what I do claim is,-
Firstly. The insertion of plugs of metal or other material into leathern soles
and heels before their application to boots or shoes, not by cutting holes for
their reception, but making way for them by displacing the substance of the

page_text: leather laterally (using the apparatus herein-before described or any other
means which may be found available for such purpose), the effect being that
the leather itself is rendered closer and less penetrable by moisture.
Secondly. The method herein described of inserting the plugs by causing
them to follow a piercer driven through the leather and to remain in the
opening thus prepared for them.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Mole, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Eighteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
CHARLES MOLE. (L.B.)