IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS, SHOES, SLIPPERS, OVER- ALLS, AND CLOGS, AND IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS USED IN SUCH MANUFACTURE, AND IN THE PREPARATION OF MATERIALS FOR THE SAID MANUPAC-TURE
Year: 1843

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, SAMUEL
MASON, of Northampton, Merchant, and CALEB BEDELLS, of Leicester, Manu-
facturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Fifteenth day of June, in the sixth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the said
Samuel Mason and Caleb Bedells, Her especial licence, full power, sole
privilege and authority, that we, the said Samuel Mason and Caleb Bedells,
our exors, adiiors, and assigns, or such others as we, the said Samuel Mason
and Caleb Bedells, our exors, adiñors, or assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of
years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, our Inven-
tion of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS, SHOES, SLIPPERS, OVER-
ALLS, AND CLOGS, AND IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS USED IN SUCH
MANUFACTURE, AND IN THE PREPARATION OF MATERIALS FOR THE SAID MANUPAC-
TURE;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that we, the said
Samuel Mason and Caleb Bedells, or one of us, shall cause a particular
description of the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the

page_text: will fit close to the fore part of the foot, will yield readily and agreably when
walking.
Figure 1 shows the side view of a ladies boot, the upper part of which is
wholly composed of elastic fabric, with the exception of the small vamp at the
toes; but, if desired, this may be dispensed with, and then the whole front and
back of the boot would be of elastic fabric of silk or other inclastic yarn, com-
bined with strands or threads of india rubber, as is well understood in making
various descriptions of elastic fabrics now in use for other purposes.
In making overalls, such as are used by ladies over their other boots or
shoes for warmth when riding, we prefer that they should be of worsted
or woollen yarn combined in making a suitable fabric with india rubber strands
or threads, to render the same elastic; and for warmth it may in some cases be
desirable to make the fabric with a nap on the inner side.
In making elastic boots for ladies the fabric may be of silk, cotton, or other
fibrous material, combined with india rubber; and although in making boots
we prefer that the whole of the back as well as the front coming over the
instep, and, when desired, over the toes also, should be of elastic fabric, yet in
some cases we make the hind parts or quarters of leather or other suitable
material. And it will be evident that such description of boots and overalls
will be readily pulled on to the feet, and when on will fit closely, yet will yield
readily in any part.
Figure 2 shows a side view of a slipper or shoe, all the fore part or vamp"
being of elastic fabric, so that the instep and toes will be covered with elastic
fabric, the hinder parts or hind quarters being of leather or suitable inelastic
fabric, though in some cases we make the hind quarters also of elastic fabric;
and in some cases we make shoes with elastic hind quarters, the fore parts or
vamps being of leather or inelastic fabric. In all cases, in addition to keeping
the boots, shoes, and slippers on the feet, the boots, shoes, and slippers will
offer a yielding to all parts of the foot in walking and in bending the feet.
In applying clastic fabrics to clogs we do so at the toc, in place of the strong
unyielding materials now employed, by which the toes will be covered at the
fore end of a clog by an elastic toe piece or shield, which we make of similar
shapes to those now employed when using strong leather. We would how-
ever remark, that for clogs we use a stronger fabric than that employed for
making shoes or boots. In using such elastic materials in the manufacture of
boots, shoes, slippers, overalls, and clogs, we make them up as heretofore prac-
tised when making such articles of leather or suitable fabrics; but we prefer to
employ the means hereafter described, using a waterproof cement.
We will now describe the second part of our Invention, which relates to the

page_text: binding of shoes and slippers with binding partly made with strands or threads
of india rubber, and it also relates to the use of an elastic cord of india rubber
fastened when binding the edges of shoes and slippers. In carrying out this
part of our Invention, in place of using the inelastic binding heretofore
employed, we have narrow fabrics rendered elastic by being partly of india
rubber, as is well understood, and with such narrow fabrics we bind the edges
of shoes and slippers, whether the same are mado with elastic fronts or backs,
or of inelastic fabrics, or of leather, the object being to cause the upper part of
a shoe or slipper to come close to the foot, and fit closely, yet allow of the
slipper or shoe going on and coming off readily; or, in place of employing
such binding, we employ elastic cord of india rubber, which we sew on to the
edges of a shoe or slipper; or, in binding within elastic binding, we enclose such
cord of india rubber, which in this case may be used without having been first
wound round or braided with
yarn.
Figure 3 shews a side view, partly in section, of a machine or apparatus for
facilitating the cutting out of soles for boots, shoes, slippers, and overalls.
Figure 4 is an end view thereof. The object of the machine is so to hold the
leather for a sole that the same may be cut whilst held between plates or dies,
formed to the proper figure of the sole, having the proper bevil at the edges, in
order that the same may not require to be afterwards cut. a, b, are two dies
or moulds of metal, of the figure or shape of a sole for a boot, shoe, slipper, or
overall, and between these moulds or dies the leather is pressed whilst the
edges are cut, and the edges of the moulds or dies are properly formed to guide
the knife or cutters so as to produce a finished sole. The construction of the
dies or moulds, and the parts which work with them, are similar, excepting in
so far as one is concave and the other is convex. Each die or mould is
capable of turning on its axis c. The axes c, c, have each a groove at d, and
they are secured to their respective dies or moulds by means of screws e, e.
The axes c, c, slide in bearings at f, f, and they are moved to and from each
other by means of the screws g, g, by which the leather between the dies or
moulds is pressed into the form of a sole, and whilst so held is cut into form
by means of the knife h, h, or other convenient cutter; and it should be stated
that the leather is slightly damped before being introduced between the dies,
and the dies are in the position shewn at Figuro 4 when the leather is intro-
duced, the dies or moulds being kept correctly in position by means of the
projecting studs or pins i, i, which are placed in the notches j, j, of the lever
catches, such lever catches moving on an axis at ', and they are combined
together by means of the bar . By this arrangement, when the dies or moulds
are open to receive a piece of leather, the pins i, i, will be supported and retained

page_text: in position by the notches j in the catches k, and this will be the case till the
screws have caused the dies to be pressed together, forcing the sole into shape,
when the lever catches will be pushed back, and the workman will cut the
leather whilst held in shape, he turning the dies or moulds on their axes as he
cuts the edges of the leather. By this means a workman will readily cut or
form a sole with the proper bevil at the edge, the same requiring no after
cutting or shaping in consequence of the sole having been held in shape whilst
being cut.
We will now describe another machine or apparatus which we employ for
combining the upper," as it is technically called, with the "insole," whether
of boots, shoes, slippers, or overalls. The "upper," being made as heretofore,
is placed on a suitable last, and we prefer that the lasts should be of iron or
other metal, the last being fixed as shewn at Figure 5, which shows a side
view of a machine or apparatus for this purpose; and Figure 6 is an end view
of the same, where a last is shewn, with the upper for a shoe shewn in section
thereon. is the last, which is secured to a standard l, as is shewn. m is
the upper of the shoe about to be partly made. n is the insole, which has been
previously coated with india rubber cement, each coat having been allowed to
dry in a stove for four or five hours. o is a curved plate affixed to the arm p,
which moves on an axis p', and when the plate has been closed down upon the
insole the spring catch q catches on the projection r, and thus holds the arm p,
with the plate o, tightly down on the outer surface of the insole, keeping the
insole to its proper shape on the last, the inner surface of the insole having
been first covered with a lining of leather or other suitable lining. The edges
of the upper which have been previously coated with india rubber cement are
then to be pressed down on to the outer surface of the insole by a smooth
rubbing instrument of boxwood or otherwise, so as to cause the edges of the
upper" to be securely cemented to the insole, when the shoe, thus far made,
may be removed from the last, and as the fore part or vamp of the shoe shewn
on the last is formed of an elastic fabric it will readily come off the last; but
when such is not the casc, and the fore part of the shoe on a last is of leather
or an inelastic fabric, then we have the last so formed as to allow of a portion
moving to release the shoe partly formed thereon. Figure 7 shews a last of
this description, having an upper thereon, and an insole held on the last.
Figure 8 shews an end view of the last. Figure 9 shews the last with the
moveable part moved back so as to allow of the partly-formed shoe being
removed therefrom; and Figure 10 shews the under surface of the shoe, with
the lower edges of the upper folded down and cemented on to the insole. $ is
a sliding piece of the last, sliding i a dovetail groove, as is shewn. When this
66

page_text: sliding piece is slided as far as it will go towards the toe of the last, the last is
complete for receiving the upper. tis a screw, which, passing through the plate of
the filling or sliding piece s, acts as a stop, such screw t entering into a groove
formed in the other part of the last, as is shewn by dotted lines. This last is
in other respects similar to that above described, and is used when fixing an
upper to an insole, as above explained. The partly-formed boots, shoes,
slippers, or overalls, as they come off the lasts above described, are next
carried to an apparatus to have the under surfaces coated with india rubber
cement; and in order to ensure that the cement should be laid on correctly an
open frame is employed, which only leaves the space actually requiring to be
coated with cement uncovered.
Figure 11 shews a plank or board, having six forms v, v, on standards v¹,
seen in section at Figure 12. w is the open frame which slides on the bar a,
so that the partly-formed shoes, boots, slippers, or overalls, placed on to the
forms v, may be successively partially covered by the frame w. The frame w
moves on the bar x, which serves as an axis.
Figure 13 shews a plan and edge view of the frame separately. The work-
man having placed six partly-formed boots, shoes, slippers, or overalls on to
the forms v, proceeds successively to employ the open frame w to each, rubbing
the cement on to the uncovered portion; and when the whole have been thus
prepared they are placed in a stove, heated to about eighty degrees of Fahren-
heit, for three or four hours; then another coating of the india rubber cement
is applied, and again dried.
The boots, shoes, slippers, or overalls being thus far formed, are in a condi-
tion to receive the sole, the mode of cutting out which has been already
described; and it should be stated, that the inner surface, having been roughed,
is to have two or three coatings of india rubber cement in the same manner
as the insole, and the sole is applied by means of dies and pressure, the dies
being made to correspond with the under surface of the sole; the boots,
shoes, slippers, or overalls being placed upon lasts similar to those employed
when affixing the insoles, the upper parts such lasts being properly formed
with dovetail slides to enter the dovetail groove in the press used for pressing
the sole tightly to the insole and upper.
Figure 14 shews a side view, partly in section, and Figure 15 a back view,
of a screw press used in obtaining the requisite pressure. At the same time
we do not confine ourselves to the use of screw presses, so long as dies are used
with pressure,
when fixing soles to boots, shoes, slippers, or overalls by cement.
A, A, is the framing of the press, the nature of which is clearly shewn. Bis
the under die, formed to the figure of the under surface of the sole, the upper

page_text: part of the sole being kept in form by the under surface of the last, so that the
under surface of the last acts as a counter die to the die B. The last is pressed
down by the screw C, which is turned down by means of the wheel D, but the
requisite finishing pressure is obtained by means of a bar introduced into the
holes at E. It will therefore be seen that the sole will thus be held in shape
by a die whilst subjected to pressure in affixing it by cement.
We would remark, that although we have spoken only of india rubber
cement, because we believe it to be the best for such purposes, yet we do not
confine ourselves thereto, as other cements may be used, particularly if not
soluble in water, and of sufficient strength and pliability. And we would wish
shoes by the use of
it to be understood, that we do not claim the making of
india rubber cement, that having been done before, and therefore in itself
forms no part of the present claims to Invention.
When we wish to make double-soled or stout single-soled boots or shoes,
according to the third part of our Invention, then we prefer, in addition to
sticking such sole or soles on to the previous insole and upper, to use sprigs or
metal brads, or wood pegs, driven through the outsole or soles, as well as the
insole and the part of the upper folded down, and to facilitate this part of the
work we apply points to one of the dies or moulds of the machine used
for cutting out the different soles applied to the same boot or shoe, the other
die or mould having corresponding holes, by which means, in the act of press-
ing the leather into shape to facilitate the cutting out, the soles will be
punctured with as many holes near the edge as there will be sprigs or pegs
used; and we employ india rubber cement in like manner in fixing such out-
sole or soles as described in fixing the sole to the insole.
Having thus described the nature of our Invention, we would have it under-
stood that we do not confine ourselves to the precise details herein shewn,
provided that the peculiar character of either part of the Invention be retained.
But what we claim is,
First, the mode herein described of applying fabrics, rendered elastic by
strands or threads of india rubber, in the manufacture of boots, shoes, slippers,
overalls, and clogs.
Secondly, we claim the binding shoes and slippers with elastic binding
containing india rubber, as herein described.
And we also claim the applying india rubber cord in binding shoes and
slippers, as described.
Thirdly, we claim the mode of applying outsoles by combining the use of
sprigs or pegs with india rubber cement.
And fourthly, we claim the mode of cutting soles of boots, shoes, slippers, or

page_text: overalls, by causing them to be held in form and compressed between dies or
moulds, as described in respect to Figures 3 and 4.
We also claim the mode of applying uppers to insoles, as described in
respect to Figures 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, in the manufacture of boots, shoes, slippers,
and overalls.
We also claim the mode of applying cement to the under surfaces of uppers
and insoles, and thus preparing the materials, as described in respect to
Figures 11, 12, and 13, in the manufacture of boots, shoes, slippers, and
overalls.
And we also claim the mode of affixing soles to shoes, boots, slippers, and
overalls, by means of cement, by employing dies of the shapes of the under
surfaces of the soles when the same are submitted to pressure.
In witness whereof, we, the said Sanuel Mason and Caleb Bedells,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifteenth day of
December, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and