Improvements in or relating to Boots, Shoes, and Gaiters or the like.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Jan., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 30th Sept., 1893-Accepted, 4th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Boots, Shoes, and Gaiters
or the like.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of Forest View, Belgrave, Leicester, Boot
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to prevent the bottoms of gentlemen's trousers
from becoming soiled and bespattered with mud when the roads and footpaths are
in a wet and dirty condition, without it being necessary to turn up the bottoms of
the trousers for that purpose.
The invention may be carried into effect in at least two ways as follows:-
First. By applying to or combining with a boot or shoe a suitably shaped
attachment adapted to fit exteriorly over the heel portion thereof.
The attachment may be wholly or partly formed of leather or other suitable
material or a combination thereof, and be provided with straps and buckles or
elastic bands or other suitable or equivalent means to permit of being readily fixed
in position on a boot or shoe and easily removed therefrom at the will of the
wearer.
"
The device or attachment is by preference so constructed that it stands out some-
what from the boot or shoe thereby lengthening the horizontal line from the instep
to the back of the heel.
Secondly. By combining with a gaiter, overall or the like worn with a boot or
shoe a device or attachment such as herein before described.
The said attachment may be connected to the gaiter or overall by stitching or by
any other suitable means.
By the use of the said attachment or device the bottom of the trousers in
walking is prevented descending so low as it would otherwise do and is thereby
kept out of contact with the heel and consequently with the wet or dirt thereon or
under foot.
Deted this 6th dev of January 1802
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Boots, Shoes, and Gaiters
or the like.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON of Forest View, Belgrave, Leicester, Boot
Manufacturer, 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 :-
The object of this invention is to prevent the bottoms of gentlemen's trousers
from becoming soiled and bespattered with mud when the roads and footpaths are
in a wet and dirty condition without it being necessary to turn up the bottoms of
the trousers for that purpose.
The invention may be carried into effect in at least two ways as follows:-
First. By applying to or combining with a boot, shoe or the like a suitably
shaped attachment adapted to fit exteriorly over the beel portion thereof.
The attachment may be wholly or partly formed of leather or other suitable
material or a combination thereof, and be provided with straps and buckles or

page_text: elastic bands or other suitable or equivalent means to permit of being readily fixed
in position on a boot or shoe and easily removed therefrom at the will of the
wearer.
The attachment or device is by preference so constructed that it stands out
somewhat, from the boot or shoe thereby lengthening the horizontal line from the
instep to the back of the heel.
Secondly. By combining with a gaiter, overall or the like worn with a boot or
shoe a device or attachment. substantially such as .herein before described, but minus
the fastening straps.
The said attachment may be fastened to the gaiter or overall by stitching or any
other suitable means..
By the use of the said device or attachment the bottom of the trousers in walking
is prevented descending so low as it would otherwise do and is thereby kept
out of contact with the heel and consequently with the wet or dirt thereon or
underfoot.
The invention will be fully understood from the following description in reference
to the accompanying drawings, wherein
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a boot having the beforementioned heel attachment.
applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the attachment detached from the boot and
Figure 3 is a central vertical section of the hinder portion of the attachment.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of a boot fitted with a combined heel attachment and
gaiter,
Figure 5 is a side elevation of a gaiter and attachment combined, and Figure. 6
is a central longitudinal section and Figure 7 a plan of the underside of Figure 5.
Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3, the attachment as will be seen most clearly
in Figure 2, consists of two pieces A B preferably of leather whose rear edges
are laid over each other, and connected together by stitches, C or equivaleut
means.
A most convenient shape for the attachment is that indicated in Figure 1 each
of the two pieces A B forming, the attachment is formed with an extension or
continuation A' B' constituting a strap to pass round the front part of the boot as
shown in Fig. 1.
One of the extensions B₁ is provided with a number of perforations or eyelet
holes D and the opposite extension is furnished with a buckle E so that the
attachment may be secured in wearing position on a boot or shoe as indicated in
Figure 1.
Å strap F preferably of elastic webbing, is secured by stitches F¹ or other means
to opposite corners of the attachment and when the latter is fixed in wearing
position the said strap passes close under the waist of the boot or shoe and against
the breast of the heel thereof.
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Now in order to lengthen or increase, the horizontal, line from the instep to the
back of the heel and thus prevent the bottoms of the trousers touching the ground
or coming into, contact with the heel, there may be fixed by stitches, G to
preferably the inner side of the attachment a piece of thick leather G or one, or
more layers of thinner leather, or other material extending, only partly round, the
attachment and partly upwards in the direction of the height thereof....
The piece of leather Ġ of single thickness which may be butt leather is shaved
down on three of its edges to permit of being more readily 'connected by stitches G¹
to the attachment, but in other respects the full thickness of the leather remains as
will be seen most clearly in Figure 3.
The extra thickness of the leather being placed at the centre or rear portion of
the attachment, causes the latter to project somewhat from the heel as shown in
Figure 1, and by this means, the extra length obtained from the instep to the back,
of the heel is generally greater than the length of the opening in the bottom of the
trousers and thereby prevents the latter. descending below the attachment to reach
the ground, but in any case it keeps the bottom of the trousers from contacting with
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page_text: the bottom of the heel which in wet and dirty weather is frequently covered more
or less with dirt.
The attachment by preference is constructed with leather with a very smooth
external face so that the dirt or marks thereon can be readily brushed or
sponged off.
Instead of the straps A' B' being formed of an integral continuation or extension
of the attachment, they may be cut separately and sewn or otherwise fastened
thereto and in lieu of straps I may employ an elastic strap such as F to pass round
the front of the boot.
The method of fixing the attachment in position on a boot or shoe is obvious:
The elastic band F is first passed under the breast of the heel, the attachment
is then pulled over the heel or hinder part of the boot or shoe and then fastened
in position on the front thereof by the strap B' and buckle E as shown in
Figure 1.
Figures 4 to 7 show the application of my attachment to a gaiter such as is worn
with boots or shoes.
H represents an ordinary cloth gaiter which except as regards the heel attach-
ment may be constructed in the usual way, and closed by buttons Hand button
holes H2 and fixed on a boot by the well known strap J and buckle J'...
As will be most clearly seen in Figures 6 and 7 the heel portion is formed
of a greater thickness than the other parts so as to lengthen the horizontal line
from the instep to the back of the heel for the purpose already hereinbefore
referred to.
One method of obtaining this increased thickness consists in sandwiching the
cloth or gaiter material H between an external facing K of smooth faced leather
and an internal facing G of increased thickness, preferably of a single thickness or
two or more layers of thinner material or of course the order of the internal and
external layers may be reversed and the whole connected together by one or more
rows of stitches K¹ or other suitable means.
It is of course obvious that instead of sandwiching the gaiter material and
leather facings as just described, the gaiter material may be cut away and omitted
at the heel portion and the latter be formed of one or more thicknesses of leather
whose marginal edges are stitched to the marginal edges of the gaiter as indicated
in Figures 4 and 5.
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. The application to the heel portion of a boot or shoe of an attachment for
increasing the horizontal line from the instep to the back of the heel for the purpose
specified.
2. An attachment consisting of two parts A B adapted to fit exteriorly over the
heel of a boot or shoe and provided with means for fastening same in wearing
position thereon substantially as and for the purpose specified and illustrated in
Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
3. An attachment consisting of the parts A B formed of an increased thickness
at the lower part and provided with means for fixing the said attachment in
wearing position exteriorly over the heel portion of a boot or shoe substantially as
and for the purpose specified and illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the
accompanying drawings.
4. An attachment for boots and shoes consisting of the parts A. B straps A¹ B'
and F and thickened portion G and adapted to be fixed in wearing position
exteriorly over the heel portion of a boot or shoe substantially in the manner and
for the purpose specified and illustrated in Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying
drawings.
5. A gaiter for boots and shoes having the heel portion formed of a greater

page_text: thickness than the other parts so as to lengthen the horizontal line from the instep
to the back of the heel for the purpose specified.
6. In a gaiter for boots and shoes the combination of a heel portion consisting of
a single thickness of leather of greater thickness than the other parts of the gaiter
substantially as and for the purpose specified.
7. A gaiter for boots and shoes provided at the heel portion with an external
leather facing K and a thicker internal leather facing G or vice versa substantially
as and for the purpose specified and illustrated in Figures 4 to 7 of the
accompanying drawings.
8. The improved construction of gaiter for boots and shoes substantially as
specified and illustrated in Figures 4 to 7 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 29th day of September 1893.
Witness:-
E. NORTH LEWIS,
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.
Berridge Street Chambers, Leicester.