IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OR BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Harry Ward, of Derby, in the County of Derby, Boot
Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OR BOOTS AND SHOES."
Sealed the 4th May 1880, and dated the 12th November 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Harry Ward at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th November 1879.
HARRY WARD, of Derby, in the County of Derby, Boot Manufacturer,
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES."
The chief object of this Invention is to provide a protection for the toes of
children's boots and shoes, the tendency being to wear the same out rapidly, and
thereby virtually to destroy the boot or shoe, while the sole and the whole of the
upper except the toe part remain uninjured.
To obtain this end metal toecaps have been used, but beside the unsightliness of
such attachments resort was necessarily had to rivetting to secure the tip to the
sole as the use of stitching was impracticable. According to this Invention I form &
tip of leather or its equivalent, which I mould to a crescent shape with a flange that
will when the tip is in place lie between the sole and the upper. The depth of the
tip is such as to protect the toe of the upper from friction against the ground when
the wearer of the boot or shoe is in the act of crawling, and the contour of the tip
will conform to the line of the toe of the upper, thus offering no objectionable or
remarkable appearance in the boot.
The tip when in place is secured by the stitches which connect the upper to the
sole or insole as the case may be. I also propose instead of moulding the tip
preparatory to applying it to the boot or shoe to insert between the upper and
the sole a piece of sole leather, which projecting outwards beyond the upper will
admit of being moulded into shape after it has been attached to the boot.
The leather tip however moulded may be coloured to correspond with the upper.
The tips of this kind may be applied when desired to the boots and shoes of
adults.

page_text: '
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Harry Ward in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 12th May
1880.
_HARRY WARD, of Derby, in the County of Derby, Boot Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES."
The chief object of this Invention is to provide a protection for the toes of
children's boots and shoes, the tendency being to wear the same out rapidly, and
thereby virtually to destroy the boot or shoe, while the sole and the whole of the
upper except the toe part remain uninjured. To attain this end metal toe caps
have been used, but besides the unsightliness of such attachments resort was
necessarily had to rivetting to secure the tip to the sole as the use of stitching was
impracticable.
According to this Invention. I form a tip of leather or its equivalent, which I
mould to a crescent shape with a flange that will when the tip is in place
lie between the sole and the upper. The depth of the tip is such as to protect the
toe of the upper from friction against the ground when the wearer of the boot or
shoe is in the act of crawling, and the contour of the tip will conform to the line of
the toe of the upper, thus offering no objectionable or remarkable appearance in
the boot.
In the accompanying Drawing, Fig. 1 shews in side elevation a boot finished
according to this Invention, and Fig. 2 is a partial longitudinal vertical section
through the toe of the boot, showing the manner of securing the moulded tip.
Figures 3 shew the tip detached in both plan and cross section; and Figures
.4 and 5, the die and counter die in which the tips are moulded; a, a, Figures
and 2, is the tip formed from a leather blank of a suitable shape and rendered soft
by moisture before applying it to the dies to enable it to retain the crescent shape
imparted to it by the dies.
This tip when dry becomes hard, and has no tendency to change the shape which
it has received. In applying the tip to a boot or shoe the insole is first put upon
the last, as indicated by the partial plan view Fig. 6, where b is the insole. The
edges of the upper are then drawn over the insole, as at c, c, and secured there
temporarily by tacks as usual. The tip a is then put in place as shewn, and
similarly secured to the insole by tacks. If the boot or shoe is to be double soled,
as indicated at Figures 1 and 2, then a middle sole d is next applied, and by means
of stitches all the parts a, b, c, and d are firmly connected together most con-
veniently by what is known as the horn machine. The outer sole is then applied
as ate the middle sole serving the purpose of a welt, and the boot is finished in
the usual manner.
As a modification of my Invention I sometimes mould the tip as a portion of the
middle sole. This arrangement is illustrated by the sectional view Fig. 7. In this
case the tip of the middle sole is submitted to pressure in the moulding dies,
Figures 4 and 5, the sole being cut to a suitable size to allow for the turning up of
its extremity for the formation of the tip.
The leather tip it will be understood is to be colored to correspond with the
upper, and it will then present no unsightly appearance, but will scarcely be
noticeable as a variation from the ordinary mode of manufacture. I may also
remark that this Invention may be applied to the boots and shoes of adults.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in the
Manufacture of Boots and Shoes," and explained the means of carrying the same
into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters

page_text: Patent, I claim, the application to boots or shoes of moulded tips of leather or
equivalent material, the same being secured in place as and for the purpose above
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Harry Ward, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, the Eleventh day of May, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.
HARRY WARD. (LS.)