An Improved Tip or Plate for the Soles and Heels of Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 2nd July, 1890-Accepted, 6th Sept., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Tip or Plate for the Soles and Heels of Boots
and Shoes.
JAMES WADSWORTH 38 Park Street Cheetham Manchester Machinist do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My improvements bear reference to my former invention for which Letters Patent
were granted to me dated 29th day of November A.D. 1866 and numbered 3137
wherein I describe certain flat or corrugated metal plates with one or more conical
holes made with dies, and punches or other suitable tools, so as to throw up a burr or
projection around the hole on one side of the plates the said plates being secured on
the sole, by means of one or more nails or pins passing through the holes in the
plates into the soles or heels, and the heads into the holes with the burrs or projections
in contact with the leather, so as to enable the nails or pins to retain the plates until
they are worn away.
My present improvements bearing the undersigned date, consist in the manufacture
of tips or plates of suitable dissimilar metals combined together, such as brass and
copper, copper and iron or steel, or brass and iron or steel, and have for their principal
object, the production of a light but durable, tip or plate which is better adapted, to
the soles and heels of boots and shoes of a light manufacture than the plates specified
in my former invention already referred to, or than those already in general use.
For this purpose as heretofore I make with dies and punches or other suitable tools
a conical hole or conical holes in the plates so as to throw up a burr or projection
around the hole or holes on one side of the plates. I then instead of driving a
separate nail or pin through the holes in the plates, insert the conical head of a rough
or smooth prong or mail, in the holes of the tip or plate, so that the top conical
portion thereof shall enter on the side of the plate which is burred, or otherwise on
the opposite side of the plate as may be found desirable, the said conical portion of
the head of the prong or nail being a little longer than the thickness of the metal
plate and burr together. The shape of the head of the prong or nail itself may be
described as that of a double cone, that is to say both the top and bottom portion of
the head is cone-shaped. I then by means of a suitable die or punch, close in a
portion of the upper part of the tip or plate in such a manner that it shall cover over
or gather round the upper portion of the cone of the prong or nail and thus bind the
prong or nail securely in and to the tip or plate in such a way that the top of the
prong or nail shall become level or smooth with the surface of the tip or plate and
thereby constitute a solid selfcontained tip or plate, the prongs or nails thereof being
of one kind of metal and the tip or plate of another or dissimilar metal. For the
purpose of preventing corrosion of the leather to which the prongs are attached, when
iron or steel is used, these metals are galvanized.
In another method which I employ for the purpose of additional security, I so
arrange the fastening of the prong or nail to the tip or plate, that in the process of
joining them together, by means of a suitable punch or die, a burr is raised or formed
on the second or under portion of the cone of the prong or nail immediately against
the under surface of the tip or plate.
And again in a third method which I employ.for the purpose of securing the head
of the prong or nail to the tip or plate, I run a layer of soft solder, between the upper
cone of the prong or nail and the conical hole of the tip or plate, in such a manner
that the cavity between the two shall be filled up, and thus securely bind the prong or
nail to the tin or plate.

page_text: The tips or plates themselves may be of any size or shape, smooth corrugated or
ornamental, and may be made with a single prong or nail or with two or more prongs
or nails in the manner herein set forth.
Dated this 4th day of Datalion 1000
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Tip or Plate for the Soles and Heels of Boots
and Shoes.
JAMES WADSWORTH 38 Park Street Cheetham Manchester Machinist 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:-
My improvements bear reference to my former invention for which Letters Patent
were granted to me dated 29th day of November A.D. 1866 and numbered 3137
wherein I describe certain flat or corrugated metal plates with one or more conical
holes made with dies and punches or other suitable tools, so as to throw up a burr or
projection around the hole on one side of the plates the said plates being secured on
the sole or heel of the boot or shoe by means of one or more nails or pins passing
through the holes in the plates into the soles or heels and the heads into the holes with
the burrs or projections in contact with the leather, so as to enable the nails or pins to
retain the plates until they are worn away.
My present improvements consist in the manufacture of tips or plates of suitable
similar or dissimilar metals combined together, such as brass and copper copper and
iron, iron and iron or steel and steel or brass and iron or steel and have for their
principal object the production of a light but durable tip or plate which is better
adapted to the soles and heels of boots and shoes of a fight manufacture than the
plates specified in my former invention already referred to or than those already in
general use.
For this purpose as heretofore, I make with dies and punches or other suitable tools
a conical hole or conical holes in the plates so as to throw up a burr or projection
around the hole or holes on one side of the plates. I then instead of driving a
separate nail or pin through each hole in the plates, insert the conical head of a rough
or smooth prong or nail in each hole of the tip or plate so that the bottom conical
portion thereof shall enter on that side of the plate which is not burred, the head of
the prong or nail being a little longer than the thickness of the metal plate.
The shape of the head of the prong or nail itself may be described as that of a
double cone that is to say both the top and bottom portion of the head is cone
shaped.
In another method which I employ of securing the plate to the nail or prong I use
a nail or prong the head of which is not of a double cone-shape but cone shaped at
the top only.
I then by means of a suitable die or punch close in a portion of the upper part
of the plate in such a manner that it shall cover over or gather round the upper
portion of the cone of the prong or nail, and thus bind the prong or nail securely
in and to the tip or plate in such a way that the top of the prong or nail shall
become level or smooth with the surface of the tip or plate and thereby constitute a
solid self-contained tip or plate.
For the purpose of preventing corrosion of the leather to which the prongs are
attached when iron or steel is used in the manufacture of. these tips and plates these
metals may be galvanized.
In another method which I employ for the purpose of additional security I so
arrange the fastening of the prong or nail to the plate that in the process of joining
them together by means of a suitable punch or die a burr is raised or formed on the

page_text: second or under portion of the cone of the prong or nail immediately against the
under surface of the tip or plate.
In another method which I employ for the purpose of securing the head of the
prong or nail to the tip or plate I run a layer of soft solder between the upper cone
of the prong or nail and the conical hole of the tip or plate in such a manner that the
cavity between the two shall be filled up, and thus securely bind the prong or nail to
the tip or plate.
The tips or plates themselves may be of any size or shape, smooth, corrugated or
ornamental and may be made with a single nail or prong or with two or more nails or
prongs in the manner herein set forth.
My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Fig. 1 illustrates
a sole and heel of a boot or shoe with the tips and plates attached thereto.
In the case of plates having two or more nails or prongs these plates are not
necessarily placed lengthwise with the sole or heel, but may be placed crosswise for
the purpose of insuring greater elasticity of the boot or shoe.
Fig. 2 is a section of a single pronged tip or plate the head of the prong being
double cone-shaped, a portion of the plate at a, a, closing over or gathering round the
top part of the conical head of the nail or prong.
Fig. 3 shows a tip or plate the head of the prong of which is single cone-shaped
having a burr b, b, raised on its under side immediately against the plate.
Fig. 4 illustrates section of a plate having two nails or prongs and Fig. 5 is an
enlarged view of Fig. 2 the burrs or sharp edges of the plate at c, c, Fig. 2 and d, d,
Fig. 4 being produced by the action of the punch and the shape of the foundation or
die on which the plates are made or struck out.
Fig. 6 illustrates punch used in the formation of the conical holes in the plates the
burr produced by the action of the punch being clearly shown at e, e, Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 is the punch used in closing over or contracting a portion of the plate
around the head of the nail or prong.
Figs. 8 and 9 represent the foundations or dies on which the plates and prongs are
made and joined together, Fig. 8 being used only when it is necessary to form the
burr as shown in Fig. 3 by the cutting action of the sharp edge of- the orifice at h, h,
on the under side of the head of the nail or prong whilst Fig. 9 having a countersunk
opening at ff is employed to accomodate the burr on the plate shown in Fig. 5 and
is used only when it is not required to form a burr on the nail or prong.
When a layer of soft solder is used for securing the prong or nail to the plate, the
solder is run in between the conical head of the nail and the plate at the point 9, 9,
Fig. 10.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
(1.) A tip or plate in combination with a nail or prong substantially as described.
(2.) A tip or plate having a conical hole in combination with a nail or prong which
is fastened thereto by closing over or gathering a portion of the plate around the
conical head of the said nail or prong substantially as described.
(3.) A plate having a conical hole the prong or nail of which is fastened thereto by
means of a burr raised on the nail or prong on the under side thereof and immediately
against the under surface of the plate substantially as described.
(4.) A metal plate having conically punched holes in combination with nails or
prongs having single or double cone-shaped heads substantially as described.
(5.) The combination of a plate with a nail or prong which is fastened or secured
to the said plate by means of a layer of soft solder substantially as described.
Dated this 1et dovi of Lul 1800
JAMES WADSWORTH.