IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOTS AND OTHER COVERINGS HAD
Year: 1861

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Money Carter, of Somerset House, Monmouth,
in the County of Monmouth, Adjutant of the Royal Monmouthshire
Militia, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOTS AND OTHER COVERINGS
HAD "
Sealed the 30th August 1861, and dated the 5th March 1861.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Money Carter at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 5th
March 1861.
I, JOHN MONEY CARTER, of Somerset House, Monmouth, in the County, of
Monmouth, Adjutant of the Royal Monmouthshire Militia, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BOOTS AND, OTHER
COVERINGS. FOR THE FEET," to be as follows:
The objects of my Invention of improvements in-boots and other coverings-
for the feet,are, first, to give greater pliancy to a thick or clumped soled boot
when walking, without materially affecting, its rigidity for supporting the weight
of the body when a rifleman or soldier is at the kneeling position; second, to
secure the boot or other covering firmly to the foot without the use of, the
ordinary appliances, such as, laces or elastic webbing.
. My Invention is intended to be used more particularly for soldiers' boots, but
is also applicable to the manufacture of boots for other persons.
The first object of the Invention, namely, giving increased elasticity to the
sole of the boot is effected. by dividing the outer or clumped sole at the point

page_text: where the foot naturally bends, the sections of the outer or clumped sole being
secured or attached to the inner sole of the boot in the ordinary or in any
other convenient manner.
Instead of securing the boot to the foot by means of laces or side springs as
is now the case, I effect this object by means of a strap or straps passed across
the foot, either in the manner of sandal straps or otherwise, and through eyes,
loops, or openings made in or attached to the front. part of. the boot, so that
the open part at the front may be drawn tightly together and the boot held
firmly on the foot. The strap or straps may then be secured by means of a
buckle or otherwise,
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Money Carter in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th September 1861.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
MONEY CARTER, of Somerset House, Monmouth, in the County of Monmouth, I
Adjutant of the Royal Monmouthshire Militia, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifth day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant.unto me, the 2
said John Money Carter, Her special license that I, the said John Money
Carter, my executors, administrators, and assigns, and such others as I, the
said John Money Carter, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN BOOTS AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE FEET," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said John Money Carter, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office' within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
རྟེན་མ
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Money Carter, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-

page_text: formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the. Drawings: hereunto annexed, and to
the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-:..
My Invention of "Improvements in. Boots and other Coverings for the
Feet, has for its object, in, the first place, the giving. of greater, pliancy to a
thick or clumped sole boot.when used in walking, without materially affecting
its rigidity for supporting the weight of the body when a rifleman, or sportsman
is at the "kneeling position;" and in the second place, the securing of the boot
or other covering firmly to the foot without the use of the ordinary appliances,
such as laces or elastic webbing..
...
My Invention is intended to be used more particularly for soldiers' boots,
but is also applicable to the manufacture of boots for other persons.
The first object of the Invention, vizt., giving increased elasticity to the sole
of the boot, is effected by dividing the outer or clumped sole at the point where
the foot naturally bends, the sections of the outer or clumped sole being
secured or attached to the inner sole of the boot in the ordinary manner, or
in any other convenient manner. And; instead of securing the boot to the foot
by means of laces, buttons, or side springs as is usual, I effect this object by
means of a strap or straps passed, across the foot, either in the manner of
sandal straps or otherwise through eyes, loops, or openings made in or attached
to the front part of the boot, so that the open part at the front may be drawn
tightly together and the boot held firmly on the foot. The strap or straps may
then be secured by means of a buckle or otherwise.
1.
.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will proceed to
describe more particularly in what manner the same is to be performed by the
aid of the accompanying Drawings.
....
Fig. 1 shews the mode of dividing the outer sole in two places where the
foot naturally bends when walking. The hinge of the foot is straight across, or
very nearly so, from the most prominent part of the big toe to that of the little
toe; it may be treated as straight across. The inner sole is left entire,.in
order to keep the foot dry, and that it may the more effectually exclude damp,
the same is waterproofed by a thin coating of pitch or such like substance.
The outer or clumped sole from the waist forwards is fastened, to, the inner
sole. by screws and sprigs, as shewn, whereby the durability of the sole where
most used is considerably. increased, and its repair more readily effected.. The
inside of the sole at the waist should generally be well hollowed, while the out-
side should be so shaped that the upper may assume the outwardly rounded
form of the foot, and so allow of the natural tread... The sole inside.from the
root of the. big toe to the point should not be cut sloping outwards (that is, in

page_text: relation to the body outwards), but in the direction of a line drawn through the
points, where the centre of the heel and the centre of the root of the big toe
are respectively to rest, as indicated by the dotted line r, r. For as the axis
of the big toe in a foot that has not been distorted, lies in this line, when the
sole is cut sloping outwards, the pressure of the upper leather forces the big
toe to assume an unnatural obliquity, and the smaller toes to be cramped and
displaced. In order to allow of the proper elongation of the foot, a boot-need
only be made a little longer than the foot if it is formed high at the point.
When made unduly long and not high, the leather presses upon the big toe
nail, the foot attempts to model the boot, and the point is made to turn
.np.
These evils are all to be obviated by the boot being originally modelled
to the foot.
"
.
The form of boot which I consider best adapted for effecting the second
object of my Invention is the one commonly known as the "Blucher boot."
From each seam on the quarter (see b, b, Fig. 2); I attach a strap of sufficient
length to cross over the instep through metal loops c, c; then crossed again to
pass-entirely round the leg. a little above the ankle where the straps are
buckled together in front, a buckle being placed at the end of one of the straps
for the purpose. The metal loops are fixed to the boot by means of a small
piece of leather placed round one side of the loop, and sewn to the boot a little
in front of the ankle and in the direction shewn at 6, in Fig. 3.
The straps
must be placed on the boot in connection with the loop through which each
passes, so to assume the shape shewn in Fig. 4, and not as shewn in Fig. 5,
as the former method ensures their fitting closely, while the latter causes them
to gape at the part g.
:
By using straps a little longer than are actually necessary for fastening the
boot, the trowsers can be secured round the leg, raised to the height of the
boot, which may be found convenient in walking over muddy ground.
The ankle part should be made so as to fit the leg when a little pressed for-
ward with the heel on the ground..
Fig. 6 represents the proper draught or pitch of the boot. One strap is
stitched to the boot along the side s, and the other on the corresponding side.
The seam on the outside of the quarter should be just over the small hollow
between the projecting bone on the outside of the foot and the ball of the little
toe, and it should be of sufficient length for the foot to pass into the boot with-
out coming into contact with the stiffness of its upper extremity, caused by
the junction of the strap and the additional stitching at this part, to ensure
strength. The tongue should be blocked to the form of the instep and in the
same manner also as a Wellington front. A gusset on each side of the tongue

page_text: The
to make the boot water-tight can be added at the option of the wearer.
divisions in the outer sole not only allow the foot to bend, but they prevent
the waist from "breaking" or "springing." Screws give strength and dura-
bility, but they are not actually necessary to secure the outer sole, as nails are
sufficient for the purpose. Every kind of nail and heel plate as in ordinary
use can be applied as desired by the wearer. The small piece between the two
divisions in the sole should be immediately under the bend of the foot, and it
may be about an inch or an inch and a quarter in width. When the sole is
repaired, new places for the ends of the screws, if screws are again desired, can
be easily obtained by varying the original number of screws or making a slight
variation in the position of the divisions. The boot can be made to fit well and
comfortably at the instep by making it in the manner described, and it may be
made of the usual materials.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I would remark that I do not claim as of my
Invention the mode of manufacturing boots and other coverings for the feet
otherwise than as in connection with the objects of my Invention, as herein-
before described; but what I claim as of my Invention is,-
First, the manufacture of boots or other coverings for the feet with a
division or divisions in the outer sole at the part where the foot naturally bends,
as herein-before described.
And, secondly, the use of a strap or straps for securing the boot or other
covering to the foot, such strap or straps being fixed to the boot and passed
across the foot, either in the manner of sandals or otherwise, through
eyes, or loops, or openings made in or attached to the front part of the
boot, and then fastened by means of a buckle or otherwise, as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Money Carter, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Third day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-one.
JOHN MONEY CARTER. (L.B.)
Witness,
JOHN PRENDERGAST,
Castle House, Monmouth,
Serjeant, R. Monmouthshire Militia.