Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Sept., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 19th Apr., 1895-Accepted, 1st June, 1895
I, FRANK THOMPSON WALSH of 8 St. Edwards Terrace, Garville Avenue,
Rathgar, Co. Dublin, Law Student, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows :-
--
My invention relates to improvements in boots and shoes and has for its object
to render such boots and shoes easy and comfortable in wear, and at the same time
to minimize the shock occasioned to the wearer when the feet are put to the
ground.
According to my invention I construct a boot or shoe with the sole in the
form of a hollow chamber, which chamber I fashion of india-rubber, or other
flexible or elastic material. Communicating with this hollow expansible sole, is
an air-inlet provided with a suitable valve for the purpose of filling and thereby
expanding such sole with air.
The said air filled sole, may have an outer sole or sheath formed of leather or
other suitable material, for the purpose of protecting the inner air-filled or
pueumatic sole from the risks of puncture and the like, or such air-filled sole may
have the tread thereof suitably increased in thickness, or otherwise protected.
Dated this 12th day of September 1894.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
12, Basinghall Street, London, E.C., Agents.
FRANK THOMPSON WALSH, Law Student 8 St. Edwards Terrace Garville
Avenue Rathgar Co. Dublin 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 :-
The improvements in boots and shoes should be made as follows:-In the first
place the boots or shoes should be made of leather as usual, but in the construction
the depth from sole to instep, and from sole to toe, should be increased, so as to
permit the pneumatic sole to be inserted. The next thing to be made is an oblong
case of gutta-percha hollowed so as to contain the air. At the extremity of the
heel of this gutta-percha, should be a valve opening downwards. Above the valve
there should be a thin gutta-percha tube. All of this gutta-percha may be covered
with canvas or leather whichever is found the more suitable. The gutta-percha
need not be quite as wide as the sole of the boot, as the canvas or leather which
covers the gutta-percha must be sewn down to the sides of the leather-sole inside
the boots or shoes. The tube which I have spoken of above, should be sewn into
the leather, along the inside of the backpart of the boot, from the heel to top of
back of boot, this tube should be pumped at the top backpart of the boot. The air
would pass down the tube, into the valve, at heel, and into the gutta-percha case.
The canvas or leather which covers the gutta-percha keeps it (gutta-percha) from
.מ

page_text: expanding too much, and the leather sole outside of boot, would keep gutta-percha
from puncturing. When the gutta-percha or cover requires to be repaired, the
cover may be cut around the side where it is sewn to sole without injuring the
gutta-percha, and any defects repaired.
:
Having now particularly described and explained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be constructed, I declare that what I
claim is
The pneumatic principle applied to boots or shoes by the construction of a
pueumatic sole.
Dated this 17th day of April 1895.
FRANK THOMPSON WALSH.