IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Walton, of Newton Heath, near Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster, Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING BOOTS AND SHOES."
Sealed the 20th April 1877, and dated the 23rd October 1876.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said George Walton at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd October 1876.
GEORGE WALTON, of Newton Heath, near Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Engineer. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR STRETCHING BOOTS AND
SHOES."
แ
In the apparatus hitherto used for stretching boots and shoes, the stretcher is
made to open sideways from the toe, so that if for instance the middle of the boot or
shoe requires stretching, the toe part is opened unnecessarily wide before the part
required to be operated upon is reached. My Invention is designed to overcome
this difficulty so that any desired part may be stretched separately and evenly.
For this purpose I construct a framework of the shape of the sole of the foot,
having projections at its side in which are holes at short distances apart and at
different heights to receive the stretchers. At the heel part of the said plate is a
vertical tapped part to receive a screw. I make the stretchers proper separately for
each part I wish to operate upon, that is to say, I have one part specially to stretch
the toe, another the centre of the boot, another for the instep, and one for the whole
of the boot. These stretchers each consists of the proper shaped form required,
namely toe part, centre part and the rest, underneath each of which there is cast a
snug or projection to which is rivetted or otherwise jointed an arm having a hole in
about its centre. If I want to arrange the stretcher to act on the toe part of the
boot or shoe for instance, I place the required part in the framework and pass a pin
through its arm and through the nearest hole in the frame side. If this shape is
then inserted in the boot, and the screw then pressed down through the hole in the
hecl part of the frame it will come in contact with the end of the arm, and so raise
the toe part and stretch that portion of the boot or shoe, and so on with the other
parts, each shaper being placed in a hole farther from the front, as a higher portion
of the boot has to be acted upon.
This Invention will be readily understood by reference to the accompanying Sheet
of Drawings in which Fig. 1 shews the apparatus in position for stretching the too

page_text: part of the boot or shoe; Fig. 2, the middle; Fig. 3, the instep; and Fig. 4, the
whole of the boot.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood that I
claim the apparatus for stretching boots and shoes as herein-before described and
shewn on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings or any mere modification.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Walton, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Tenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named George Walton, in
the presence of
G. SEPTIMUS HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
G. WALTON. (L.S.)