AN IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE ATTACHED TO BOOTS AND SHOES, FOR THE PURPOSE OF PROTECTING THE WEARER FROM SPLASHES OF MUD IN WALKING
Year: 1846

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
DACIE, of Foxley Place, Kennington, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Seventh day of December, in the tenth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her leirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
John Dacie, Her especial license, full' power, sole privilege and authority,
that I, the said John Dacie, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
and such others as I, the said John Dacie, my executors, administrators,
or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times during the terni of years therein mentioned, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "AN IMPROVED
APPARATUS TO BE ATTACHED TO BOOTS AND SHOES, FOR THE PURPOSE OF
PROTECTING THE WEARER FROM SPLASHES OF MUD IN WALKING;" in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the said John.

page_text: Dacie, by an instrument in writing under my hand and seal, particularly to
describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, and to cause the same to be enrolled in Her
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as
in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully and
at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
John Dacie, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, is particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference being
had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked
thereon (that is to say):
:-
My Invention consists in an improved construction of guard or shield,
which, when applied to the heels of boots or shoes, will receive on the under
face thereof the splashes of water and mud thrown up by the motion of the
foot of the wearer, whilst walking over wet or muddy ground. In the
accompanying Drawing I have shewn my improved apparatus as applicable to
the heel of a gentleman's boot, and also with a slight modification to a lady's
boot which has no raised heel. At Figure 1, a, a, represents the guard or
shield as applied to a gentleman's boot. Figure 2 is a plan view of the shick
detached, and Figure 3 is a cross section of the same taken in the line 1, 2, of
Figure 2. This apparatus consists of a piece of sheet iron or other metal,
stamped or cut out into such a form that when applied to the boot it shall
embrace the heel thereof and form a ledge or shield round the heel to receive
the splashes as that are thrown upwards. The outer edge of this shield is
bent down to form a lip, which will prevent the soft mud on the under face of
the shield from being thrown up on to the dress of the wearer by the upward
motion of the foot when walking quickly. In order to attach tho guard or
shield to the boot, I propose to fix a short pin or stud in the back of the heel
for the inner edge of the shield to rest on. The ends of the shield may be
embraced by a loop 6 of vulcanized india rubber (see Figure 2), which will
bind against the inner side of the heel and retain the edge of the shield on the
fixed pin. Figure 4 represents the modified form of my improved apparatus
applicable to ladies' boots or to shoes having low heels. Figure 5 is an edge
view of the same, and Figure 6 shews the guard or shield applied to a ladies'
boot. When the heel is not sufficiently high to raise the shield and keep it
clear of the ground whilst walking, I have found it necessary to curve the

page_text: plate so that its outer edge will be higher than its inner edge, the lip or turn-
over on the outer edge (which is an essential feature of my Invention) being
still retained. By this means if the habit of the wearer is to bring the heel
first to the ground (instead of the toe) the shield will be prevented from
striking the ground. The mode of securing this modified form of shield to
the foot is by providing it with a metal bar c, which binds against the hollow
part of the sole of the boot or shoe when a sandal or other similar fastening
connected to the shield, as shewn at Figure 4, is brought over the instep, as
at Figure 6. It is prevented from slipping by its inner edge resting in the
indent made by the junction of the upper leather and the sole or heel. In
cases where an objection might be made to the appearance of my improved
guard or shield protruding beyond the heel a sufficient distance to effectually
check the upward progress of the splashes of water and mud, I propose to
place the shield below the heel, as shewn at Figure 7, and to obtain the
requisite height for the shield to act by means of a false heel made of leather,
gutta percha, or other suitable substance. In this instance I form the guard
or shield of a flat piece of metal d, somewhat resembling in shape the heel of
the boot (see the two plan views, Figures 8 and 9), and bend over the outer
edge to form a lip for the purpose before mentioned. Through the false heel e
and shield da vertical pin is passed, which, entering the heel of the boot, will
keep the shield steady in its place. The false heel has a shoulder which
fits against the hollow part of the sole of the boot, and in the under side
of this shoulder a recess is cut to receive an elastic band or strap, which,
passing round the instep of the boot, will secure the apparatus thereto.
Having now described my Invention, and the manner of carrying the same
into use, I wish it to be understood that I do not claim generally the appli-
cation to the heels of boots and shoes of a guard or shield, whatever may be
its form or construction. But I do claim, under the above in part recited
Letters Patent, the peculiar construction of shield herein-before described, and
also the modification thereof, as shewn in the Drawing, which shield is com-
posed of one piece of stamped metal, and has on its outer edge a lip for
preventing the mud thrown up on the under surface from being further thrown
up on to the dress of the wearer by the upward motion of the foot in
walking.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Dacie, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-seven.
(L.s.) JOHN DACIE.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the same Seventh day of. Junc, in
the year above mentioned, the aforesaid John Dacie came before our
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification afore-
said, and all and every thing therein contained, in form above written.
And
also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to the tenor of the
Statute in that case made and provided.