IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Vincent Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical
Draughtsman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES."-A communication from abroad by
John Morrison Hunter, of Morristown, in the State of New Jersey,
United States of America.
Sealed the 26th January 1869, and dated the 6th August 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alfred Vincent Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 6th August 1868.
I, ALFRED VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery
Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES," to be as follows :-
This Invention relates to the production of soles and heels of boots.
and shoes, which while of a waterproof character shall combine there-

page_text: with increased strength, lightness, elasticity, and durability against
wear and abrasion, also be much better non-conductors of heat than
those in ordinary use. To this end the base or leading portion of the
sole and heel is made of sheet metal stamped out with spurs or lips
around its edge to establish its attachment to suitable border strips.
From this stamped sheet metal is constructed a heel shell to receive
within it a suitable filling. Fitted also within the heel shell is a steel
border or rim to give solidity and provide against wear. And above
this is placed a cork heel filling. Running around the upper edge
of the sole and heel are leather strips secured by bending over the spurs
of the metal plate. Likewise the Invention includes a combination
with the metallic sole of an outer layer of suitably prepared material,
the same being secured by burrs formed by punching from the inner
face of the metal, also the employment of a secondary suitably prepared
outer layer secured to the inner layer through rivets formed by pins
and burred plates. In combination with the metallic sole formed with
a heel shell it is proposed to use an independent steel shank arranged
to lie on or over the inside face of the outer shank for the purpose of
strengthening and giving elasticity to the sole. The metal is protected
from the action of moisture by means of a coating of japan, whitelead,
or other suitable resistant of moisture, and holes are pierced in the metal
plate to receive stitches or pins or other means for securing the welt or
upper to the sole.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alfred Vincent Newton in the Great Seal Patent 2
Office on the 5th February 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALFRED
VINCENT NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Mechanical Draughtsman, send greeting.
.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her a
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of August, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, Her special licence

page_text: that I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES," being a communication from
John Morrison Hunter, of Morristown, in the State of New Jersey,
United States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that
I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, 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 Alfred Vincent Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing here-
unto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is
to say)-
This Invention relates to the production of boot and shoe soles which
while of a waterproof character shall combine therewith lightness, clasticity,
and durability, and be likewise much better non-conductors of heat than
those in ordinary use. To this end a base or core extending from toe to
heel is made of thin sheet iron or other suitable metal which is stamped
out to the required size and shape, but with spurs all round except at
that part which forms the waist. These spurs when bent up, as will be
presently explained, will serve to form a kind of wall or square edge
to the sole and heel and determine the thickness of filling they shall
receive. The metal base plate or core is protected by a canvas covering
secured thereto by japan varnish or other like damp resister, a thick
prepared canvas being applied to the under side of the core or that
part of it which is known as the tread. Over this canvas is applied
another coating of prepared canvas, and these fabrics are secured to the

page_text: .metal core by means of burs or sharp teeth punched out of the metal
and projecting vertically from its under face. When therefore this
prepared canvas is applied the teeth or burs will pierce through the
thicknesses of canvas, and being bent down they will hold them firmly
in place. The upper will be secured to the sole by rivets before attaching
the outer or wearing sole, which when secured will hide the rivets and
protect them from wear.
Having now given a general idea of the nature of the Invention I will
proceed by reference to the accompanying Sheet of Drawing to explain
the manner of carrying the same into practice.
Fig. 1 shows a metal base or core A (formed of thin sheet iron) as it
'comes from the stamping press, that is, with spurs a, a, projecting from
the edges of the half sole and the heel. There is, it will be seen, a width
of metal at the heel to allow of a deep box being formed therewith. The
plate in the shape shown at Fig. 1 is next submitted to suitable dies or
,punches which will throw up the edges at right angles to the plate,
bringing it to the form shewn at Fig. 2, and at the same time striking
down burs or teeth b, b, around the margin of the sole and heel, and
others b* in the body of the sole and heel and intermediate of these
marginal burs, forming holes c, c, the use of which will be hereafter
explained. The core A will thus take the hollow form and curved shape
indicated in side elevation at Fig. 3, and will be ready to receive the
additions above indicated for producing the light waterproof sole. The
first thing is to apply to the under side of the sole and the heel two
thicknesses of canvas fand g, cut respectively to the shape of a half sole
and a heel. These thicknesses are saturated (before application) with
japan varnish to ensure a close adhesion to the. metal, and they are
brought into contact therewith by pressure, so that the projecting teeth
of the metal core pass through them. A blow or pressure will then bend
down the teeth and cause them to fix the canvas firmly in place. I next
lay a piece of canvas saturated with japan varnish on the upper face of
the waist and fold back the edges, but so as to form a slightly over-
hanging edge and prevent the edge of the metal from cutting the upper
leather when applied. This canvas covering extends beyond the junction
of the waist with the heel and the half sole, and thus gives additional
strength to the sole. The next operation is to apply to the core a
T-shaped steel spring B, shewn in place in the plan view, Fig. 4. The

page_text: head of this spring is bent down at right angles to the tongue or stem,
and it is inserted in and brought close to the side of the box of the heel.
The tongue or stem overlies the waist and extends to the tread of the
sole (or half sole), its use being to give elasticity to the sole and to cover.
the line of connection between the heel and waist and waist and half
sole. A wooden block or filling piece is now applied to the heel box, a
strip of saturated canvas having been tacked to the block to form with
the metal projections the upper edge of the wall of the heel, which
projections are next bent over the canvas and serve to retain it in
position. The core to the extent of the half sole is now lined inside with
thin canvas, as shewn in the cross section, Fig. 5, at d, the same being
cemented firmly to the metal by means of japan varnish. Upon this is
fixed by the same adhesive substance a strip of canvas e which passes
round the interior of the half sole portion of the core, about half its
width being in the first instance left free and unattached. When the
japan is dry and hard the canvas strip is folded down and a former
composed of detachable pieces being placed on the sole pressure is
applied to turn over the spurs a at right angles, as shewn at Fig. 6. This
being done the former is removed and a pad or stuffing ½ of curled hair,
boiler felt, cork dust, or other suitable elastic substance is placed in the
hollow of the sole and under the free portion of the strip e, as shewn at
Fig. 7. A piece of coarse canvas i, Fig. 8, is laid on this pad or stuffing h,
and cemented at its edges to the strip e and to the waist and heel edging
to confine the stuffing in its place, and then by pressure of a suitable
former the inner face of the sole is prepared to receive the upper. In
order to protect the still exposed parts of the metal core the sole and
heel are coated all round at their edges and for a great part of their
under surface with japan varnish, a covering of light textile material
(such as Nansook) being applied, as shewn at k, Figures 4 and 8, to
improve the finish of the sole and strengthen the adhesion of the
japan. The sole thus completed is ready to receive the upper, which
with the insole of canvas or leather perforated with holes may be made
fast to the sole by japan varnish or other suitable cement assisted by
rivets 1, 1, (Fig. 9,) sparsely used along the margin of the sole, which
rivets will add greatly to the security of the attachment without giving
undue rigidity to the boot, which a line of close rivets must necessarily
do. The rivets will be inserted and secured in the ordinary way, their
inner ends being turned by coming in contact with an iron last. It is

page_text: to facilitate the passage of the rivets through the metal core that the
lines of holes c, c. (see Fig. 2) are formed therein, as above explained.
It now only remains to apply a wearing sole and a heel plate to the boot
to complete its manufacture. The wearing surface or outer sole may
consist of hard beaten leather, but by preference it is made of felted
canvas saturated with a composition of gas retort carbon, emery, or
silicate mixed with a composition of kamptulicon, or india-rubber, or
asphalte, varnish, or other suitable vehicle. This sole may be secured
by japan varnish or other suitable cement aided by screws m, m, as
shewn in the transverse section, Fig. 10, and in plan view and longi-
tudinal section at Figures 11 and 12. The heel (see Fig. 12) having
been covered like the tread of the sole with thick canvas f, as before
explained, which was made fast thereto by the burs or teeth formed in
the bottom of the heel box, being pressed down upon it is now intended
to receive over this canvas a finishing coat of japan varnish or other
resister of moisture. When this is dry a heel plate may be applied. The
construction of heel plate preferred consists of an inverted circular
flanged disc n, Figures 11 and 12, which contains a circular burred or
toothed plate o. This disc and plate are made fast by screws to the
wood filling of the heel, and a disc of prepared canvas felt similar to that
used for forming the wearing sole is applied and secured to the burred
plate. The flange of the disc will serve to protect the felt covering,
which will give the wearer of the boot a good hold on the ground and
prevent slipping and noise in walking. Instead of using the strips e, e,
to enclose the pad or cushion a wall may be made round the sole, as
shewn at e, e, Fig. 13. This wall may consist of leather strips, but by
preference kamptulicon will be employed, the spurs passing either outside
or through the wall, as shewn, and then being bent over inwards. The
upper face of the wall will be chamfered off, as shewn, to receive the
turned-in edge of the upper and the edges of the canvas covering which
is employed, as before explained, to secure the hair or other stuffing in
place. In some cases it may be preferred to attach the wearing half sole
directly to the metal core by waterproof cement and screws entering the
wall e, e, and thus avoid the use of the burs and canvas attachment f, g.
Having now set forth the nature of the Invention of "Improvements
in the Manufacture of Boots and Shoes," as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, I wish it to be understood that under the above
in part recited Letters Patent I claim, manufacturing boot and shoe

page_text: soles with a metal core in the manner and for the purpose above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alfred Vincent Newton, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, the Fourth day of February,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
nine.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
A. V. NEWTON. (L.S.)