Improvements in Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Jan., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Oct., 1892-Accepted, 5th Nov., 1892
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boots and Shoes.
JOHN HAYES CLARKSTONE 24 Myrtle Avenue Sherwood Rise Nottingham
Boot Maker do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in boots and shoes, and consists firstly in
an improved spring heel and secondly in an improved method of lacing.
According to the first part of my invention a hole is made in the heel part of
the sole and to the inuer edge of this hole there is attached a leather ring having
its outside edge the same shape as the heel and its inside edge the same shape as
the inner edge of the hole in the sole. One or more similarly shaped rings are
then attached to the first mentioned ring, while at the bottom and attached to the
lowest ring there is a piece of leather, the same shape on the outside as the heel
but without a hole in it. A hollow heel with a bottom is thus formed and is
attached to the sole at the inner edge of the hole in the latter. A spring is then
inserted into the heel and is held down by the insole, the force of the spring
pushing down the bottom of the heel and thus separating the outside edges of the
first ring and the sole, and giving elasticity to the heel. The opening between
the ring and sole may be covered if desired. There is also an opening made
between the outside of the boot and the interior of the heel for ventilating the
inside of the boot, this being attained by the bellows like action of the heel when
pressure is brought upon it.
The second part of my invention relates to an improved method of lacing boots
and shoes, and consists in forming the lace holes in a piece of leather or other
suitable material which is attached to the inside of the fronts, so that when laced,
the lace is on the inside of the boot, and near the edges of the fronts.
Dated this 2nd day of January 1892.
W. H. POTTER,
Parliament Chambers, Nottingham, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boots and Shoes.
JOHN HAYES CLARKSTONE 24 Myrtle Avenue Sherwood Rise Nottingham
Boot Maker, 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 relates to an improved construction of the heel of boots and sho
and consists in so arranging and connecting the various pieces of leather forming
the heel in conjunction with a spring that a "spring heel" is thereby obtained,
which gives greater ease to the wearer and a certain amount of elasticity to the
tread.
In carrying out my improvements I use an "upper" and "insole" of the usual
description and these are fastened together in the ordinary way. The sole is then
fastened to the insole but the heel part of the sole has a hole cut in it, and to the
sole I attach the first heel leather which is shaped like a heel on the outside and
has a central hole of the same size and shape as the hole in the sole, and the sole
and first heel leather are connected together at the edges of the holes in them.
More pieces of leather shaped exactly like the first heel piece are then attached to
the same, and upon the bottom of the heel is a piece of leather shaped on the
outside like the other heel pieces but without a hole in it. A hollow heel is thus

page_text: formed having the insole at the top of the hollow and the lowest heel piece (known
in the trade as the top piece) at the bottom and between these two pieces I place
preferably a hardened and tempered steel spring, but other springs such as india
rubber may be used.
By the above method of forming the heel there is a small space between the sole
and first heel leather which gives a somewhat objectionable appearance to the heel.
To overcome this difficulty I might cover up the space by a piece of leather
attached to the heel but I preferably arrange and connect the pieces forming the
heel so that the space occurs between the upper side of the sole and the under side
of the " upper" I do this by using an extra strip of leather which is fastened at
one edge to the inside edge of the hole in the sole piece and upon the under side
of the same.
The other edge of the extra strip is then fastened to the insole
inside the hole in the sole piece and I then secure the bellows like action necessary
for a perfect spring heel. The remaining portion of the heel is built up of rings
of leather with a bottom piece and a spring in exactly the same manner described
in my first method.
In order however that the arrangement of the pieces forming my improved heel
and the method of making the same may be thoroughly understood I have attached
hereto one sheet of drawings upon which
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a heel constructed according to my second
method,
Fig. 2 is a plan of the same with part of the insole removed and
Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a heel constructed according to my first
method.
It should be understood that the various pieces may be connected together by any
of the methods used in the boot and shoe trade although I refer to rivetting as the
method used.
.
The upper a Fig. 1 is connected at a to the insole b as in an ordinary heel.
The sole piece c has its outer edge at the heel hammered or turned up as shown
at c and a hole c³ ³ ³ Fig. 2 cut in it, after which it is attached to the insole b by
a row of rivets 6' just inside the breast of the heel. The back portion of the sole
is then attached to the insole 6 by a piece of leather d' which is bent to form a
kind of hinge and may extend to the outside of the heel. This strip d' is attached
to the underside of the sole at c and to the underside of the insole at . Pieces
of leather d e and f made with a Lole like that in the sole are then attached to the
latter in the ordinary way. A hardened and tempered steel spring g about 1 inches
in diameter and made fof, wire about one eighth of an inch in diameter is then
inserted in the hole which is afterwards closed by one or more pieces of leather k.
If desired the number of rings between the sole and plate k may be increased or
decreased according to the height of heel required.
In this arrangement it will be seen that when the heel is completed the spring
tends to force the heel from the upper, and a slight movement is allowed by the
bellows like action due to the method the pieces are connected by the hinge
piece d' and the rivets b', and the space between the sole and upper when they
are forced apart to their extreme limit is nearly covered by the edge of the
sole c.
When the boot or shoe is worn and the heel brought to the ground the
spring 9 is compressed until the upper and the sole are brought together, and
when the heel is raised the spring again extends, the compression and extension
of the spring giving a lighter and more elastic tread than is obtained by ordinary
heels, or by any other so called spring heels with which I am acquainted.
In the heel shown in Fig. 3 the upper t insole and sole piece m are constructed
in the usual manner but the sole piece is made with a hole in it, to the inner edge
of which is attached the first heel piece n and to this latter the pieces o and p thus
forming a hole in which is placed a springs and closed by a piece
In this
arrangement the bellows like action takes place between the piece n and sole m
which when separated leave a small space between them and give the heel an
objectionable appearance.

page_text: In my Provisional Specification I describe a method of lacing boots and shoes
but since making my application I have discovered that the method described does
not answer my expectation and I hereby disclaim the same.
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. A heel for boots and shoes having a bellows like action for giving elasticity
to the tread substantially as shown and described in the accompanying drawings
and Specification.
2. In heels for boots and shoes having a bellows like action for giving elasticity
to the tread, the method of constructing the same substantially as shown and
described in the accompanying drawings and Specification.
Dated this 1st day of October 1802
W. H. POTTER, M.I.M.E.,
Parliament Chambers, Nottingham, Agent for the Applicant.