Improvements in Slippers or Shoes intended more particularly for use in the Army.
Year: 1897

page_text: Improvements in Slippers or Shoes intended more particularly for
use in the Army.
I, HARRY JAMES CRAUFURD, of 103, St. George's Road, Pimlico, in the County of
London, Major in Her Majesty's Army, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to slippers or undress shoes intended to meet the require-
ments of soldiers in camp or otherwise and travellers generally.
A slipper for this purpose should be fairly strong, and without stiffening at the
heel so that it may be packed flat, and should be so constructed in respect of fasten-
ings, that if worn during a march, as is sometimes required when the user is foot-
sore or has his foot injured, it will not be easily drawn off the foot if the march is
over loose sand or muddy earth.
Now according to my invention I make the slipper with a fairly substantial sole
and with a vamp, or upper, preferably of canvas such as is commonly used for
similar purposes, and without the usual stiffening at the heel. In order then to
support the back part, where the stiffening is usually placed, as well as to secure
the slipper to the foot I attach a lace, cord, or the like, at the back, which being
brought round the ankle and crossed over the instep, I attach to the vamp on each
side, and bringing the ends up again, tie them over the instep, or on one side
thereof, and for the purpose of attaching the lace or cord before mentioned I pierce
the back part of the vamp near its edge with two holes which I may finish with
eyelets, or otherwise, I also provide two similar holes, one on each side of the instep,
or instead of holes I may make use of hooks or other like means of attaching the
lace or cords at the points named.
The lace or cord being passed through, or attached to the vamp at the back near
its upper edge holds this up and prevents it sinking under the heel, and the lace,
or cord, being carried over the instep in the manner before described, and fastened,
keeps the slipper securely on the foot and prevents its being easily drawn off by
suction of the soil, or otherwise.
When not required to be securely attached to the foot, the lace, or cord, may be
withdrawn and the slipper worn without it.
Such slippers, or shoes, are very serviceable and comfortable and when packed
face to face lie absolutely flat against each other and occupy but little room.
Dated the Twelfth day of March 1897.
NEWNHAM BROWNE,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Slippers or Shoes intended more particularly for
use in the Army.
I, HARRY JAMES CRAUFURD, of 103, St. George's Road, Pimlico, in the County of
London, Major in Her Majesty's Army, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion 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 slippers or undress shoes intended to meet the require-
ments of soldiers in camp or otherwise and travellers generally.
A slipper for this purpose should be fairly strong and without stiffening at the
heel, so that it may be packed flat, and should be so constructed in respect of fasten-
ings, that if worn during a march as is sometimes required when the user is footsore
or has his foot injured, it will not be easily drawn off the foot if the march is over
loose sand or muddy earth.
Now according to my invention I make the slipper with a fairly substantial sole
and with a vamp or upper preferably of canvas such as is commonly used for similar
purposes, and without the usual stiffening at the heel. In order then to support
the back part, where the stiffening is usually placed, as well as to secure the slipper
to the foot I attach a lace, cord, or the like, at the back, which being brought round
the ankle and crossed over the instep, I attach to the vamp on each side, and bring-
ing the ends up again, tie them over the instep or on one side thereof, and for the
purpose of attaching same I pierce the back part of the vamp near its edge with two
holes which I may finish with eyelets, or otherwise, I also provide two similar holes
one on each side of the instep, or instead of holes I may make use of hooks or other
like means of attaching the lace or cords at the points named.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings I have shown a slipper or shoe made
according to my invention. Fig. 1, is a perspective representation thereof, Fig. 2,
is a side elevation of the same, in both of which the position of the wearer's foot is
indicated by the dotted lines a a. B, is the vamp or upper and c, d, e three eyelets
on each side of the shoe. The back or heel of the vamp is made without stiffening
in order that the whole may fold up flatly for packing purposes, and to support the
vamp at the heel, in the absence of stiffening the two eyelets c are provided through
which a lace F is passed and the ends brought up round the foot and crossed over
the instep as shown in the drawings and passed through the eyelets d, from which
it is brought up and tied or otherwise secured over the instep, or it may, and I
think preferably, be again crossed over the instep, as shown in the drawings but
nearer the toe than before, and the ends passed through the eyelets c, e and tied or
otherwise fastened as at F".
It will be obvious that the disposition of the lace after passing through the
holes & may be varied in any convenient manner or at the taste of the wearer.
If the eyelets e, e are used it is convenient to have the front of the vamp made
to open as shown at g, just far enough to enable the corners to be turned slightly
over to facilitate the passing of the lace through the eyelets e.
A thoroughly sound and serviceable sole may be made of leather of moderate
substance but obviously other material may be used. The vamp I prefer to make
of the brown or tan coloured linen canvas commonly used for such purposes and I
find it answers the purpose better than any other material I am acquainted with.
Instead of the lace being passed through eyelets c it may be fixedly attached to
the vamp where the eyelets c are shown, or hooks or other equivalent means of
engaging the lace may be used instead of some or either of the eyelets.

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. The improvements in slippers or shoes intended more particularly for use in
the army substantially as herein before described.
2. An improved slipper without stiffening at the back, the vamp being held up
by laces or the like disposed substantially as described.
3. An improved slipper or shoe for army and traveller's use fitted to be worn on
the march if required comprising a serviceable sole with a vamp or upper made of
suitable canvas without stiffening at the heel with eyelets or other attach-
ments cde and a lace F disposed as described and represented in Figs. 1 and 2 of
the accompanying drawings.
Dated the Twelfth day of January 1898