Year: 1896

page_text: I, FRANCIS RIGBY, of North George Street, Salford, Manchester, Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The improvements relate to boots and shoes, and have for object a softer and
easier tread, and to afford greater protection and comfort to the feet of the
wearer.
To accomplish this and to effect my improvements, I provide within or in
connection with soles or heels, or both, of boots and shoes, an air space, or
air spaces, which is kept tight by a casing or casings of india-rubber, or
other substance impervious to air, and which is capable of being inflated, if desired,
to a greater pressure than that of the atmosphere, but in any case so as to form a
pneumatic or air cushion, or cushions, between the floor and the feet of the wearer.
This air space or cushion may be formed within the body of the boot sole or heel,
or both, or it may be separately formed as a pneumatic sock, and inserted within
the boot or shoe, so as to be capable of being removed at will.
The pneumatic sole or heel, or both, may be formed either as one chamber, or
divided into cells or compartments, and, if preferred, may be simply sealed up at
atmospheric pressure; also a small valve or valves may be attached in any
convenient manner to permit of inflation under pressure.
Variations in detail, such as in the form, material, mode of construction, and
application of this pneumatic tread for boots and shoes, may be made without
departing from the peculiar character of the invention.
Dated this 5th day of June 1896.
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64 Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent.
I, FRANCIS RIGBY, of North George Street, Salford, Manchester, 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 improvements relate to boots and shoes, and have for object a softer and
easier tread, and to afford greater protection and comfort to the feet of the
wearer.
To accomplish this and to effect my improvements, I provide within or in
connection with soles or heels, or both, of boots and shoes, an air space, or air
spaces, which is kept tight by a casing or casings of india-rubber, or other substance
impervious to air, and which is capable of being inflated, if desired, to a greater

page_text: the boot or shoe, so as to be capable of being removed at will.
The pneumatic sole or heel, or both, may be formed either as one chamber, or
divided into cells or compartments, and, if preferred, may be simply sealed up at
atmospheric pressure; also a small valve or valves may be attached in any convenient
manner to permit of inflation under pressure.
But that the improvements may be better understood I will, with the aid of the
accompanying drawings, proceed more fully to describe means employed by inc.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of a portion of a boot or shoe, with an air space
provided in connection therewith in accordance with one form of my improvements;
and Fig. 2 shows a similar view of a portion of a boot or shoe, with a number of
compartments or air spaces provided, and in accordance with another form of my
improvements.
Fig. 3 is a plan view, and Fig. 4 a longitudinal section of a pneumatic_sock
to be inserted into a boot or shoe, and constituting yet another form of my
improvements.
The same letters indicate corresponding parts wherever they occur.
a is the casing of india-rubber or other substance, enclosing the air space or
spaces b.
In Fig. 1 the lower part of the india-rubber or other casing a is cemented, or
otherwise attached to the inner sole of the boot or shoe, or it may be between the
inner and outer soles, or the edges of such casing may merely be attached to portions
of the leather forming the boot or shoe; and in Fig. 2 the india-rubber or other
casing is placed between the inner and outer soles of a boot or shoe, and attached
thereto in any convenient manner.
In Figs. 3 and 4 the casing containing the cushion of air is intended to be
inserted loosely into the boot or shoe so as to form a pneumatic sock.
The necessary supply of air, when at atmospheric pressure, may be contained
within the casing a during the process of manufacturing the same, or such air may
be allowed to enter the space or spaces b, after manufacture, through a suitable
opening, which opening may then be closed in any convenient manner, as at a', or
otherwise sealed up, as is well understood.
When it is desired to pump air under pressure into the space or spaces b, a small
valve suitable for the purpose may be inserted at a convenient part of the casing;
but, after inflation, I may in such case prefer to withdraw the metal portion of the
valve and at the same time effectively close the opening in the casing in order to
prevent the escape of air therefrom, which latter process may be accomplished by
first forming the casing with a projecting nozzle or tube, into which the valve end
may be inserted; but before the complete withdrawal of the same, and after
inflation, a tight ligature may be made at the nozzle or tube and an air tight joint
finally formed by means of cement, or rubber solution, or the like, or other means
for sealing up the orifice may be used. But, if desired, a permanently fixed valve
of small dimensions
may be provided.
In order to keep the casing or the sock approximately to the shape desired, I
may stiffen the india-rubber or other base thereof or other portions of such casing
in any convenient and suitable manner; or may form the base of such pneumatic
casing with a leather sole, the sides and cover being only composed of flexible
material; and other variations in detail, such as in the form, material, mode of
construction, method of inflation, and application of this pneumatic tread for boots
and shoes, may be made without departing from the peculiar character of the
invention.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In pneumatic treads for boots and shoes, the casing a containing an air space
or spaces b, such casing being attached to or formed in connection with boots and
shoes, and so arranged as to be approximately of the proportions of an ordinary
boot or shoe sock, for the purpose and in manner substantially as herein shown and
described.
2. In pneumatic treads for boots and shoes, the sock consisting of the casing a
and air space or spaces b, such casing being intended for insertion into a boot or
shoe, and so arranged as to be approximately of the proportions of an ordinary
boot or shoe sock, for the purpose and in manner substantially as herein shown and
described.
Dated this 2nd day of March 1907
WILLIAM GADD, C.E.,
64 Barton Arcade, Manchester, Agent.