Improvements in the Manufacture of Boots, Shoes, or Slippers, T and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Jan., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Oct., 1895-Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Boots, Shoes, or Slippers,
T
and the like.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM SPRIDGEONS CLARKE of No. 48 Highfield Street
Leicester in the County of Leicester Printer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of boots, shoes or
slippers and the like which shall be resilient and serve as an elastic bed for the
foot by the employment of a middle sole and heel portion composed of a specially
prepared spongy or honeycombed rubber or the like cellular material capable of
maintaining its elasticity for some time.
'1
The object of this invention is to prevent vibration or shock to the feet in
walking over hard roads or un-even surfaces, riding, running or for other athletic
exercises.
.
"
The said middle sole, heel or middle sole and heel portion may be cut from
sheets or moulded to a pattern of a spongy, heneycombed or cell-like nature and
of a size to fit within the inner-sole and rim or welt and held in place by securing.
the out-sole either by stitching, rivetting, or cementing, and the heel portion in
like manner.
Or the said middle sole and heel portion may be, moulded together,
or separately with a plain rim round its edges, so that it may be sewn or otherwise
secured either to the in-sole or welt, as the case may be.
Of course said rim will be of plain rubber, and the outer sole of leather, but I
may cause the said spongy filler or middle sole to be made that it forms the in-sole
and cover the same by any suitable sock. Or the boot, shoe or slipper may be
made without a welt, and the out-sole be of solid india-rubber, leather, or other
material. Or other spongy, elastic material may be employed which may be woven
or moulded that the elasticity shall be maintained therein after cutting or moulding
to the shape desired.
Cork and the like has been tried but it has no elasticity wherewith to make a
resilient boot, shoe or slipper and to prevent vibration or shock to the feet.
Datel this 1st day of January 1895.
W. B. MAXFIELD,
Applicant's Agent.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Boots, Shoes, or Slippers,
and the like.
I, FREDERICK WILLIAM SPRIDGEONS CLARKE of, No. 48 Highfield Street
Leicester in the County of Leicester Printer 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 :-
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of boots, shoes or

page_text: slippers and the like which shall be resilient and serve as an elastic bed for the
foot by the employment of a middle sole composed of a specially prepared spongy
or honeycombed rubber or the like cellular material capable of maintaining its
elasticity for some time.
The object of this invention is to prevent vibration or shock to the soles of the
feet in walking over hard road, or uneven surfaces, or in footwear for riding,
running or for other athletic purposes.
The said middle sole, or filling for the heel, or middle of the sole or heel portion
of a boot, shoe or the like is cut from sheets of this honeycombed cellular material
of a suitable thickness for men's, womens, misses, boys and children's wear, by aid of
a cutting knife, when used by hand; or a press knife of any desired shape when
cut out by a press of the ordinary type, or moulded in suitable moulds to a pattern
of a spongy, honeycombed or cell-like nature and of the necessary size to fit
within the inner-sole and rand or welt, such middle sole when in position is
covered by the out-sole and the latter secured in the ordinary manner by stitching,
rivetting or cementing. When such out-sole is placed in its position over the
"cellular middle sole, the latter is slightly compressed on its outer face without
interfering with the honeycombed cells of which it is formed.
When such "cellular" material is produced in sheets, of course in cutting out
the blanks or shapes desired there is of necessity a little waste, this is utilized by
placing the bits in as "filling" in the parts before referred to.
The heel portion of the boot, shoe or slipper may be treated in a like manner.
In order to make the boot, shoe or the like confortable on the inside to the wearer,
a thin pliable inner-sole of any suitable material is desirable.
For boots used for tennis, football, or the like, or in a variety of games and
exercises where shoes are worn with very low heels the middle sole and heel
portion may be moulded or cut in one and have a plain edge so that it can be sewn
or otherwise properly secured to the inner-sole, or welt and upper as the case
may be.
Or the said spongy middle sole or filler may take the form of an inner-sole
covered by a suitable thin sock.
Or the boot, shoe or slipper may be made without a welt, the filling being of the
spongy "cellular" material and the out-sole be made of solid india-rubber or other
material.
When the "middle sole" made of this spongy honeycombed "cellular" rubber
or such like material is employed no bottom filling is necessary.
I am aware that middle soles of boots, shoes and the like have been made of
cork, or granulated cork mixed with other material, also that solid rubber has been
so employed, but "cellular" rubber made of a series of spongy honeycombed cells,
or other such like "cellular" niaterial has not been so used.
Or other cellular material may be employed which shall not lose its resiliency
when under compression, and cut or cast to the various shapes desired, that will
prevent vibration or shock to the bottom of the feet.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In the process of manufacturing all kinds of boots, shoes or other footwear
the means or method for preventing vibration or shock to the bottom of the feet,
cousisting of a bottom filling or middle sole, or similar shape; of a spongy honey-
combed cellular rubber or other such like substance or material arranged
substantially as described.
2. In the manufacture of boots, shoes or slippers the employment of a filling or
"middle sole," or middle sole and heel portion, of any desired shape consisting of a
honeycombed, spongy, cellular rubber or such like substance or material in con-
junction with a thin and pliable inner-sole, or sock, a rand or welt and out-sole of

page_text: any suitable material for footwear for the purpose and in the manner substantially
as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 30th day of September 1895.
W. BESTWICK MAXFIELD,
Registered Patent Agent,
19 Bowling Green Street, Leicester, Applicant's Agent.