Improvements in Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Aug., 1892-Accepted. 21th Sept., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boots and Shoes.
I, WILLIAM LOCKHART MORTON of South Yarra near Melbourne in the
Colony of Victoria, Retired Pastoralist, 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:-
My invention is applicable to all boots and shoes which are laced or buttoned or
similarly fastened up in front and have the side flaps perforated and eyeletted
or have other attachments to enable them to be secured together by lacing
or buttoning.
In my invention I make the tongue and the front of the upper all in one piece.
I dispense with the use of a tongue under the side flaps, and I perforate and eyelet
or attach other fastening devices not only to the flaps but also make perforations
or eyelets in each side of the tongue to correspond with the perforations or buttons
or other appliances attached to the respective flaps beneath.
In my invention,
the sides or flaps need not meet in front of the instep, it will be sufficient if they
have their edges well covered by the tongue. In boots constructed for lacing in
accordance with my invention, the lacing may be either crosswise or up each side
independently but in every case each flap is connected directly to the nearest side
of the tongue above.
Where the boot or shoe is not made to be laced, I may use other suitable kinds
of fastening or buttoning, preserving the characteristic outer tongue having two
rows of perforations or eyelets to enable said tongue to be fastened direct to the
flaps.
"
The class of boots called "bluchers worn commonly by workmen, are especially
liable to the disadvantage that the tongue which should cover the instep smoothly
often becomes displaced and as the two sides of the boot do not meet accurately,
in many instances a space is left where the foot is unprotected. The consequence
of the two flaps being outside the tongue is that a way is left for the entry of
foreign matters, and the foot is not adequately protected. Dust and dirt and water
can, and do find their way into the ordinary boot, and even twigs, splinters of
wood etc. find access and produce discomforts which it is the object of my invention
to obviate.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure represents a side view of a boot made in accordance with my invention
and laced up each side, the flaps not being connected to each other.
Figure 2 represents in side view a boot laced crosswise. -
In each figure, the tongue is shown as per my invention, that is outside the flaps
and not inside, and it will be understood that the invention is also applicable to
boots and shoes made to button up or to be otherwise suitably fastened. A part of
the tongue in Figure 1 is shown broken away to exhibit the edge of the flap and
the perforations in it. In both figures the outline of the flap where its edge falls
under the front of the upper and tongue is shown by dotted lines X. The same
letters of reference indicate the same parts in both figures.
A is the front of the upper, B the outside tongue cut in one piece with A.
C is the back part of the upper, D the seam where the edge of A is sewn over
the edge of C.
E shows the eyelets or other fastening device in the flap, and F shows the rows
of a fastening device, perforations, or eyelets in the sides of the tongue B, and G
the lace, where this method of fastening is used. In order to take off a boot so
constructed or to put it on, the lace need be loosened only, to allow the flaps to
separate sufficiently to give room for the passage of the foot.

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 :-
1. In a boot or shoe, the formation of the front of the upper and the tongue in
one piece and so arranged that the tongue is outside and covers the edges of the
side flaps and has two rows of perforations or eyelets for fastening purposes
substantially as described.
2. In a boot or shoe, the two rows of perforations, eyelets or other means of
fastening that is one row on each side of the tongue covering the side flaps, in
combination with corresponding rows of perforations or buttons or other means of
fastening on said flaps substantially as set forth.
Dated this 22nd day of August 1892.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Agents for the Applicant.