Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1888

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Boots and
Shoes.
I, ROBERT DICK, of Greenhead, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference to a new construction or manufacture of boots and
shoes, and comprises especially improvements in the mode and means of, or process
for constructing the soles in a composite manner of leather canvas and compounds of
gutta-percha; or of leather, compounds of gutta-percha, and of canvas, and of rubber;
"
uppers of
all in a new or improved manner, which will secure these soles to the "
whatever ordinary material the uppers are made of, quite as effectually as they
have been heretofore, and with the advantage that the shoes made of this new construc-
tion will be as well ventilated, and have all the feeling in comfort and wear peculiar
to leather soled shoes, without the disadvantage of allowing the dampness to pass
through the soles, and wear better than most leather soles.
The nature and novelty of the Invention consist all as follows:-First in "lasting
the uppers over and to a last and in-sole curved or rounded to the shape of the sole
and foot, and not as is now very common to a nearly straight soled last. The uppers
may be made of leather, cloth, canvas or other ordinary material, drawn tight in a
usual manner over the insole all round the sides or edges of the last, preferably by
attaching or jointing the uppers to the inner solo by gutta-percha solution or other
adhesive material, or by temporary sowing, or by nailing the uppers all round to the
insole with a few small malleable metal tacks or nails with heads, and which will
clench their points against the metal last, or metal edge last, over the inside of the
in-sole and afterwards in filling in and levelling up the sole in the centre over the
in-sole with thin leather to the curved level of the upper, all so far much in a usual
manner.
A first and main improvement consists in the nailing on of a first new sole by a
row of flat headed wrought iron, brass, or other malleable metal tacks right through
the edges of the upper and inner soles, having their points clenched on the iron last
over the inner face of the in-sole. This new sole would consist of strong cotton
canvas previously prepared with gutta-percha solution on one or both sides, or it
might be two or more layers of canvas and gutta-percha attached and compressed
together and previously cut out to the size and shape of the sole required. For
having the uppers 50 "lasted" prepared and soled with gutta-percha outer soles, the
soles prepared as described would have the outer surface of the solutionized canvas

page_text: heated and pressed into the mould with the gutta-percha spread in the bottom of the
mould, with heels and toe pieces when these are to be used, substantially as described
in the specification of the applicant's previous Patent for moulds, No. 13814
Nov. 12, 1885. Or by another improvement an outer sole of one, two, three or more
layers of canvas and gutta-percha may be cut out and laid in the bottom of the
mould, and have a thin layer of gutta-percha laid in the mould between the mailed-on
canvas sole and this outer canvas sole, and the shoe being pressed up in the mould
would complete the shoe in the two forms of a composite sole of the loather canvas and
gutta-percha. Or in place of the outer solo placed in the mould, being formed of
canvas and gutta-percha solution as stated, it might be previously formed of leather of
the size and shape of the mould, or of rubber soles previously vulcanized in moulds
for the purpose, and in either case attached by a layer of solution of gutta-percha,
previously applied and heated before being placed in the mould to attach them to the
inner canvas sole direct by pressure or with a thin layer of gutta-percha between the
leather or inner sole, and the nailed on canvas sole. The heels in any of these casos
might be either made wholly of the heated gutta-percha placed in the mould, or have
heels previously built and shaped of layers of leather, or of the said canvas and gutta-
percha, placed in the heel part of the mould and attached by the heat and layer of gutta-
percha between them and the inner nailed-on sole, in the same manner as the front
outer sole part is attached whether made of gutta-percha, or of layers of canvas and
gutta percha, or of loather, or vulcanized india-rubber as described. An important
part of these improvements of composite soles, consists in forming the said first and outer
soles and heels of layers of canvas and gutta-percha solution, prepared and pressed
together into broad sheets or strips, as described in the specification of the applicant's
Patent for Driving belting No. 12254 Oct. 14, 1885, and then in cutting the soles and
heels to the sizes and shapes required for the moulds out of these prepared sheets of
canvas and gutta-percha, ready for being placed in the mould as described, or ready
for shoemakers or individuals repairing or soling the shoes by nailing them or attaching
them by gutta-percha solution and heat to the old or inner soles and uppers in the
same manner as they at present cut the outer soles and heels out of hides of leather
for nailing and resoling on to shoes.
A further improvement consists in ventilating such compound gutta-percha soled
shoes, by forming through the insole at the heel a small circular or equivalent recess
and leading from this a small spiral wire tube forward across the hollow part under
the foot leading to a cross channel shaped piece of gutta-percha and rubber or cloth
fitted over the insole, or over the first canvas sole nailed to the insole, before putting
it into the mould, for having the gutta-percha soles or gutta-percha and canvas soles,
or gutta-percha and leather or india rubber soles pressed and attached to them. And
two small holes might be formed from the outsides of the heels from near the junction
with the uppers leading down into the said recess in the heel, which holes might be
formed through the sides of the heels by wires inserted in the moulds as cores, and
drawn out from the outsides after the shoe was removed from the mould, all so that
the person by the motion of walking would draw in the air through the said two side
holes into the heel and force it through the spiral wire tube into the cross channels
under the sole of the foot and so get complete ventilation without the power of water
getting in to the sole of the foot. The hole in the centre of the heel of the shoe might
be filled with wool, hair, or other porous material, to allow of the air passing in
through, either froin the inside of the heel or from the holes in the outside of tho
heel into the spiral tube through the channels under the insole, which in some cases
might be perforated to further assist the ventilation.
Dated this 2nd dos of Amuil 1000

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Manufacture of Boots and
Shoes.
I, ROBERT DICK, of Greenhead, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of iny invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to
be particularly describod and ascertained in and by the following statement in
writing, referenco being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:—
This Invention has reference to a new construction or manufacture of boots and
shoes, and comprises especially improvements in the mode and means of, or process
for constructing the soles in a composite manner of leather, canvas, and compounds of
gutta-percha; or of leather, compounds of gutta-percha, and of canvas, and of rubber;
all in a new or improved manner, which will secure these soles to the "
uppers" of
whatever ordinary material the uppers are made of, quite as effectually as they have
been heretofore, and with the advantage that the shoes made of this new construction
will be as well ventilated, and have all the feeling in comfort and wear peculiar_to
loather soled shoes, without the disadvantage of allowing dampness to pass through the
soles, and wear much better than most leather soles.
And in order that my said invention and the mannor of performing or carrying the
same into effect or practice may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended an
explanatory Sheet of Drawings, in which the same reference letters are used to indicate
corresponding parts in all the figures where shown. Figure 1 is a plan and Figure 2
a transverse section taken on the line 1--1 of Figure 1, both showing the upper A of
a shoe, as lasted over the metal last L, and insole B; A¹ being the overlapping
jointing part of the upper A, which is either cemented by gutta percha solution over
the outer edges of the insole B, or it might be temporarily tacked at a by broad
hended malleable iron tacks clenched on the inside on the last L, all so far in a usual
manner. Figure 3 shows a face and edge view of one modification of the first outer
or securing sole C, as cut out of the new prepared material of canvas and gutta percha,
all ready for being turned over and secured to the face of the lasted upper A, and
sole B shown in Figure 1. And Figure 4 shows a transverse section as taken on the
line 2--2 of the lasted upper A, with this sole C attached all round the edge joint at A',
either by nails as indicated at a² or it might be by gutta percha solution, while the
sole C and A, B, is heated to make a waterproof joint at a between the upper A and
this outer sole C. Figure 5 is a transverse section corresponding to Figure 2, but
with the outer wearing sole E, and heel E wholly formed of gutta-percha mixtures in
the mould M shown in sectional elevation in Figure 7 forming the wearing sole E on
the lasted shoe A, B, C. While Figure 6 is a section corresponding to Figure 4, but
showing the outer wearing sole as formed with an intermediate layer of gutta percha
mixture E' and outer prepared canvas sole D, shown in side and edge view Figure 8,
detached, or it might be with a leather or rubber sole, instead of this canvas solo D,
outside over it. Figure 9 shows a sectional elevation of the said lasted shoc A, B,

page_text: Figures 4 and 6, as formed in the mould M Figure 7, with the outer wearing sole E¹ D
as formed with one or two layers of the prepared canvas and gutta percha material D
outside, shown detached in Figure 8, with the heel E² of gutta percba mixtures as in
Figure 7. While Figure 10 shows a corresponding view to Figure 9, having the
outer wearing sole wholly formed of a number of layers of the new canvas and gutta
percha prepared material D¹, and shown detached in Figure 11, as also the heel E³
built up in the same manner of layers of the said canvas and gutta percha material, or
it might be layers of leather in an ordinary manner, both previously pressed into the
mould M Figure 7
a hot state and attached to the first outer sole C by gutta percha
solution. These sole and heel parts D¹ and E³, of the several layers of previously
prepared gutta-percha and canvas as pressed together ready for use, are shown
detached in plan and edge views Figures 11 and 12 respectively. Figures 13 and
14 show side and edge views of the moving ventilating layers or soles b, c, fitted in the
space B', between the inner sole B, and the first outer sole C. And Figure 15 is a
transverse section taken on the line 3---3 in Figures 3 and 9, in order to show the
ventilating spiral tubo C, and air working soles b, c. Referring to these Drawings
the nature and novelty of the invention consist all as follows:-The uppers A would
be made all in the manner and of the same materials as heretofore; but by my
improvements, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the uppers A would first be lasted,"
that is drawn tightly over the last L and over a strong insole B, both curved or
rounded to the shape of the sole and foot, as shown in Figures 2, 4 and 7, and not as
is now very common to a nearly straight soled last. The uppers A,-so made of
leather, cloth, canvas or other ordinary material and drawn tight and lasted in
a usual manner over the insole B,-would be attached or jointed to the inner sole B
at the overlapping broad joint part A' A', both previously cleaned, roughened, and
coated with gutta-percha solution, or other equivalent strong adhesive material, or by
temporary wide sewing, or by securing the edges A' of the uppers A, all round to and
over the insole B, with a few small malleable metal tacks or lasting nails, indicated
at a in Figure 1; the tacks when used would have their points clenched against the
metal last or metal edged last L over the inside of the strong insole B, afterwards
filling in or levelling up the outer surface of the inner sole B, with thin leather, or it
might be with gutta-percha, to the curved level of the joint edges A¹ of the
upper A, all so far much in a usual manner. This filling in is especially essential when
welts a¹¹, are sewed on over the jointed parts A¹ as shown dotted-in in the transverse
section Figure 2.
A first and main improvement consists in the nailing on of a first new outer securing
layer or sole C, shown in Figure 3, by a row of flat headed wrought iron, brass, or
other malleable metal tacks as indicated at a¹, right through near the edges or
centre of the overlapping joint parts A' of the upper A and inner sole B, having
their points clenched on the iron edge of the last L over the inner face of the
insole B. Or when the joint edges A¹ of the uppers A are only solutionised or
temporary sewn to the inner sole B, this new outer securing sole C may be sewn, or
be attached by gutta percha at A', instead of being nailed at a' through and the
overlapping joints A' of the upper A and inner sole B; in either case leaving the
centre part marked B' Figure within the jointed parts A, A, open for ventilation
through the joint a³, or otherwise, as will hereinafter be explained. This new securing
sole C, whether nailed, sewn, or cemented to the uppers A, all round the joints A¹ as
described, would consist proferably of strong cotton canvas previously prepared
while hot with gutta-percha solution, on one or on both sides, or it might be two
or more layers of canvas and gutta-percha attached and compressed together while
hot, and previously cut out of webs of this new soling material to the size and shape of
the sole required as shown in plan and edge views Figure 3, preferably with a hollow
part C, in the heel E³, for ventilation, in connection with the space B, as will herein-
after be described. For completing the soling of the boot or shoe with an outer
wearing sole, either wholly of gutta-percha E, as shown in the transverse section
Figure 5 or with a sole of the new prepared canvas outside as shown at 1) Figures 6
and 9, the uppers A, so "lasted
or secured to the insole B as shown and

page_text: described in reference to Figures 1 and 2, or to this and the new securing canvas and
gutta-percha prepared sole C, as described and shown in reference to Figures 3 and 4,
may in either case have the edge surface jointing at A' of the sole and uppers A,
prepared with a coating of gutta percha cementing solution, and have the outer surface
of the said solutionised canvas sole Cheated and pressed into the mould M, as in-
dicated in Figures 7 and 5 with a layer of gutta-percha or gutta percha mixtures E, E³,
in a hot plastic state spread in the bottom of the mould M and with metal heels
and toe wearing picces e, e¹, first inserted (when these are to be used) all as
shown in Figure 7, and otherwise as described in the specification of the applicant's
previous Patent for moulds No. 13814 Nov. 12, 1885 for soling boots and shoes with
gutta percha outer wearing soles. Or otherwise as I prefer it, by a further improve-
ment or modification as shown in Figures 6 and 9, an outer wearing sole D of
one, two, three or more layers of the said new prepared canvas and gutta-percha as
shown in side and edge views Figure 8 may be cut out of a web of this prepared
new material to the shape of sole and laid in the bottom of the mould M, after
filling in the gutta-percha into the heel part E³, and have an intermediate hot plastic
layer of gutta-percha E' or its mixtures placed in the mould M, between this outer
canvas wearing sole D and the first outer securing sole C, previously nailed or other-
wise secured to the uppers at A as described, in reference to Figures 1 to 4; so
that on the first new prepared sole C,-Figures 3 and 4 on the lasted shoe Figures 1
and 2,-being heated and pressed into the soft gutta-percha E, E, and mould Ñ, this
would complete the shoe sole, in these two forms or modifications of a new composite
material of the prepared canvas and gutta-percha C, E, and C E D, respectively, as
shown in Figures 5, 6, 7, and 9; or of loather canvas and gutta percha, when
leather is used, as it may be, for either the inner layor C or the outer layer D, of the
prepared canvas and gutta-percha. This outer wearing sole D, placed in the mould M
as stated, instead of being formed of the new prepared canvas and gutta perchu
solution as the first securing outer sole C is,-might previously be formed of leather,
in some cases of the size and shape of the mould M, or it might be of rubber
soles, previously vulcanized in moulds of the shape for the purpose as indicated at D
in Figures 6 and 8 in either case attached by a layer of solution of gutta-percha,
previously applied and heated before being placed in the mould M to attach them
to the inner or first prepared canvas sole C direct by pressure, or it might be
with a thin layer of hot plastic gutta percha E, between these outer leather or
rubber soles Ď, D¹, and the leather inner sole B, or the now prepared canvas
sole O, nailed or otherwise secured thereto. The deep heel parts, in any of
these cases might be either made wholly of the heated gutta percha or gutta percha
mixtures E³, as shown in Figures 7, 8, and 9, as is common in gutta percha soled
shoes placed hot and plastic in the mould at the same time as compressing the
soles B, C, and D, as stated with the outer, or intermediate layer of gutta-percha E
or E¹ or have heels E³, previously built and shaped of layers of leather, or of the
said now prepared canvas and gutta-percha, and placed in the heel part M¹ of
the mould M, and attached by a hot plastic layer of gutta-percha between them and the
lasted and prepared inner loather sole B and upper parts A' Figures 1 and 2, or the
said inner or first new canvas sole (, when this is nailed or otherwise secured over
the heel part E, all in the same manner as described for attaching the front outer
wearing sole part, whether these outer wearing soles E, D, or D', were made
of gutta-percha, or of layers of canvas and gutta percha, or of leather, or
of vulcanized india-rubber as described, and particularly shown in reference
to Figures 6, 9, and 10. An important part of these improvements for or
connected with the making of these new composite soles, consists in forming the
said outer soles C and D, D', and heels E³, of layers of the new canvas and gutta-
percha solution, prepared and pressed together into broad sheets or strips, as described
in the Specification of the Applicant's Patent for Driving belting No. 12254
Oct. 14, 1885, and then in using this new material for being cut into soles and heels
to the sizes and shapes required for the moulds M, out of these prepared sheets of
canvas and gutta-percha, ready for being placed in the mould as described, or rendy

page_text: for Shoemakers or other persons soling or repairing the soles of boots and shoes by
nailing or otherwise attaching the said prepared soles C and D, D¹, by gutta-percha
solution and heat, to the old or inner soles and uppers of boots and shoes, substantially
in the same manner as they at present cut the outer soles and heels out of hides of
leather, for nailing or otherwise securing and re-soling on to shoes; and thus supply
the trade with the prepared soles C, D, and D³, or heel parts E³ as shown detached
in Figures 3, 8, 11 and 12, ready for being attached to boots and shoes.
Referring to the further improvements of this invention connected with the
ventilating of the said composite prepared canvas and gutta-percha soled boots and
shoes, applicablo also for ordinary leather soled boots and shoes, but especially when
they are made tight and waterproof at the joint a², between the uppers A and the
soles C by gutta percha solution or other cementing material. This is effected under
ono arrangement by forming through or below the insole B, in the deep part E², E³,
of the heel a small circular or equivalent recess C by being embossed out of the first
outer sole C, as shown in Figure 3, with perforations through the inner sole B at B",
over this, and leading from this recess C, a small spiral wire tube or tubos C³, forward
across the hollow part or waist under the instep loading to the cross channel shaped
loose sole b, with perforations in the crossings, either formed of gutta-percha and
cloth or of rubber and cloth or equivalent elastic material shown in side and edge
view Figure 13 with a second covering of thin plain india rubber or insertion rubber
cloth c shown in side and edge view Figure 14 and dotted-in in Figure 1, as fitted
between the tread of the insole B and the outer securing sole C, where the usual
more packing is filled and over the wire tubing C, when that is used, and indicated
in sharp lines in Figuro 3 and shown in the sectional Figures 46 and 15, but these
two moving layers b and c, within the space B¹ of the joints A¹ of the uppers A, may
extend the whole length of the foot as shown dotted-in at b, c, Figures 13 and 14
and thus especially suitable when no wire tube C is used. These moving soles b,
and c, aro attached to the insolo B, after lasting the boot or shoe and before putting
it into the mould, or to the sole Cat 62, before turning this over and securing it round
the joints A¹ all as hereinbefore described, to the uppers A and insole B. In either
case for baving the outer woaring part of the gutta percha soles E, or of gutta-percha
and prepared canvas D, D¹, or of gutta-percha and leather or of gutta percha and
india rubber pressed and securely attached within the mould M, all as hereinbefore
described.
One or more small holes e³, would be formed from the outsides of the heels E³, E³,
from a little below the junction with the uppers A leading into the said recess (i
in the heel, which holes e, might be bored, or formed through the sides of the
heels by wires or small mandrels e¹¹, inserted in the moulds as cores, and afterwards
withdrawn from the outside; all so that the person by the motion of walking, the
feet in the shoes, so made, would draw in the air through the said side holes e,
into the recess C, in the heel E³ and force it through the spiral wire tubo C³, into
the cross channels of the moving sole part b, c, fitted under the contral tread sole
part B, of the foot, and by this pumping action of these moving soles b, c, get
complete ventilation without the power of water getting in to the sole of the foot;
and additional small boles e³, might be formed through the points of the uppers A
over the toes and below the outer covering or usual perforated toe cap at when
that is used, all so as to take in and let out the air at the toe well as at the heol.
The recess C¹, in the centre of the heel E², of the shoe might be filled with wool,
hair, or other porous material, to allow of the air passing in through, either from
the inside of the shoe heel and insole B, which might be perforated at B¹¹, over
the recess C³, or through the holes e, in the heel from the outside of the heel
into the spiral tube (through the channels B', under the insole B and between
the moving soles b and c, and the insole B in some cases might be perforated all
over to further assist the ventilation as shown at 1 Figure 1.
In some cases by these improvements the elastic perforated solo b, b³, Figure 13
when made of india-rubber, night be made large enough to form the insole, either
with or without a leather insole B inside of it, with the plain sole c only working

page_text: in the recess B' and with a leather or other loose slip sole sock inserted in the shoe,
and made to give the pumping action over this perforated insole b; and in this
case a recess might also be formed through or below the insole between the toes
and the front tread cf the foot similar to the recess C¹ in the heel and as dotted in
at Figures 1 and 7. And further, when a welting a" Figure 2 was used, or the
first outer sole as C was made of leather, and attached thereto, or to the insole B,
by sewing, nailing, screwing, or otherwise, the new composite soles D or D' of
prepared canvas and gutta-percha might be attached by solution outside of the
leather sole as indicated at a" in the transverse section Figure 16 corresponding
to Figures 5 and 6 so as to give the real wearing surface and protect from wear
the sewing, nails or other material which secured the first inner sole C" as well as
prevent moisture from getting at and passing in through the leather; thus making
all of these new or improved soles for boots or shoes waterproof, with ventilation
quite equal to leather soled shoes by the use of this new canvas and gutta-percha
prepared sheet material. Although throughout this specification the word "canvas
has been used to designate the body fabric of this new material to be saturated and
prepared with the gutta percha, it is to be understood that this can be either cotton
or linen canvas or equivalent cloth or it might be felt.
"
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention and
in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
First. The making or manufacturing of boots and shoes with soles of composite
material formed of layers of leather and prepared solutionized canvas, and compounds
of gutta-percha, or of these with rubber, substantially as and in the manner herein
described and distinguished, in reference to and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
Second. The making or manufacturing of boots and shoes with a first outer securing
sole formed of a layer or layers of prepared solutionized canvas and gutta percha,
substantially as and in the manner herein described in reference to and shown in the
accompanying Drawings.
Third. The making or manufacturing of boots and shoes with an outer wearing
sole D or D¹ or heels E³ formed of a layer or layers of prepared solutionized canvas
and gutta perchn, substantially as and in the manner herein described in reference to
and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Fourth. The manufacture, for sale and use in different sizes of detached soles, formed
from composite solutionized canvas and gutta percha sheet prepared material, for the
making or repairing of the outer wearing soles of boots and shoes, substantially as
herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Fifth. In boots and shoes, the forming of a recess C₁ in the heel in combination
with loose soles b, c, between the inner and outer soles, and either with or without a
spiral wire tube or tubes C and lateral holes e, all for the purpose of ventilation,
substantially as herein described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying
Drawings.
000