IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO BOOTS, SHOES, AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR OR APPLIANCES TO THE FEET
Year: 1850

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chaucery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at.
Westminster, the Sixth day of June, in the thirteenth year of Her reign, did,
for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said.
William Edward Newton, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said William Edward Newton, my exors, admors, and
assigns, and such others as I, the said William Edward Newton, my 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 mentioned, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and
the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, and in all Her Majesty's Colonies and
Plantations abroad, and in the Islands of Jersey, Guernsey, Alderney, Sark,.
and Man, an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS APPLICABLE TO BOOTS, SHOES, AND
OTHER COVERINGS FOR OR APPLIANCES TO THE FEET," being a communication from
abroad; in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso obliging me, the
said William Edward Newton, by an instrument in writing under my hand.
and seal, particularly to describe and ascertain the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, and to cause the same
to be enrolled in Her Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar.
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited Letters-
s

page_text: Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will more fully
and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
William Edward Newton, do hereby declare that the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed, is parti-
cularly described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof
(that is to say) -
:-
The first part of this Invention which has been communicated to me from
abroad, consists in providing the under surface of india rubber shoes, buskins,
gaiters, boots, and overshoes with projecting metallic points permanently
secured in or to the sole, so as to render the same less liable to slip or slide
when worn upon snow, ice, or other smooth or slippery surface. I procure
short metallic points in the form of headed rivets, in length very slightly
exceeding the thickness of the sole, having a head of any convenient size.
The diameter of the head not material, but it should be not less than an
ordinary rivet head; and the size of the projecting portion should be about
one twentieth of an inch in diameter for light shoes, and may be increased
according to the size of the shoe, only taking care not to render the weight of
the shoe burdensome either by the size or number of the rivets or points.
Before applying the sole to the shoe, I insert these rivets or points through
perforations in the sole, so that the heads shall rest upon the inner surface and
the points project through and beyond the outer surface, but so slightly that
they can scarcely be felt in passing the hand over the surface. If suffered
to project too far, the points would be liable to catch in walking upon a carpet,
mát, or other similar surface. The sole thus prepared is then applied in the
usual manner to the shoe. In practice it will be found desirable, with a view
to increase strength and firmness-though not indispensable I think-to place
over the heads a piece of cloth, canvass, or india rubber cloth, cementing the
same to the sole, and then applying the whole to the shoe in the usual
manner. I use the term "points" in this description as distinguished from
"heads," not intending thereby that the smaller part of the rivet shall be
brought to an actual sharp point. This may be done or not, according to the
judgment of the manufacturer or wishes of the wearer; but in general it will,
I think, be found to answer if the projecting portion of the rivet is of uniform
size from the head to the end, as in the ordinary headed rivet, which is cut off
at right angles or square, and in the latter case the end may be indented by
crosswise indentations to render them more tenacious.
Another of the said modes of providing the sole with such points differs
from the foregoing in this respect only:-Instead of using a number of headed

page_text: rivets, take a metallic plate with projecting points, which may readily be cast
for the purpose, so that when the points are inserted in the sole the projecting
points on the outer surface will be similar to the sole prepared with rivets, as
above described, while on the inner surface, instead of presenting several heads
there will be one plate, which may be treated as one connecting head for all
the rivets, and the plate is placed upon the inner surface of the sole, the points
pass through perforations in the sole, and the whole is secured to the shoe in
the manner above described,
Another of the said modes differs only from the last named in having the
plates prepared with large perforations between the projecting points, so as to
present the appearance of open or basket work, with the points projecting at
the crossings, in which case the points will be connected with each other by
strips running from point to point, altogether forming but one piece.
Another of the said modes differs from the foregoing only in this,-whether
a plate or rivets are used, instead of inserting the points in the sole of the
sboe, insert them in a piece of india rubber of smaller size, or other materials
of thickness and strength sufficient to hold them firmly in their position, and
attach the same when so prepared by means of the cement employed in the
manufacture of the shoe to the surface of the sole. The number of points to
be inserted in any shoe I do not limit by any precise rule, nine points at the
heel and nine at the ball of the shoe will, I think, in general be sufficient;
and in light shoes it will, I think, be sufficient to insert six or nine points either
at the heel or at the ball, and not in both. The points to be used, whether in
the form of rivets or pointed plate, may be made of iron, steel, brass, or
other metal, and may be cast or wrought according to the choice of the
manufacturer.
What I claim as new in this portion of the Invention, and desire to secure
under the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the preparation of
the sole or under surface of india rubber shoes, buskins, gaiters, boots, and
overshoes, by inserting therein or attaching thereto metallic points permanently
secured in or to such sole or under surface in the modes herein-above men-
tioned or referred to, and the application of metallic points permanently secured
to such sole or under surface to the manufacture of india rubber shoes, buskins,
gaiters, boots, and overshoes, to prevent their wearing, and to make them less
liable to slip or slide when worn upon ice, snow, or other smooth or slippery
surface.
.
The second part of the Invention relates to what I denominate foot holders,
which are to be put over shoes, and consists in taking a piece of sole prepared

page_text: according to the first part of the Invention, and attaching it to a strap of vul-
I
canized india rubber, so that it can be readily slipped over the shoe or boot.
take a strip of sole prepared with the metal points, as described under the first
part of the Invention, the strip being in length equal to the breadth of the ball
of the foot, and about two inches wide, more or less; and to this is properly
secured a strap of vulcanized india rubber of sufficient length to pass over the
foot when partly distended, so that when slipped over the boot or shoe it shall
be held there by the tension of the strap of india rubber. An article thus
prepared can be readily put on and taken off, and when worn will effectually
prevent slipping. Or, instead of this, I make the sole to extend the whole
length of the foot from the toe to the hollow of the foot. At the point I
attach a short strap to fit over the toe of a boot or shoe, and to the hinder
part I attach a strap of vulcanized india rubber, which will extend around the
heel. The elasticity of the strap will admit of putting it on and taking it off
readily, and the tension will hold it on firmly.
What I claim as new in this part of the Invention is the employment of a.
partial or entire sole as described, in combination with an elastic strap as
described, for the purpose of preventing the wearer from slipping on smooth
:surfaces.
The third part of the Invention relates to a method of making that kind of
shoes known as clogs, and consists in making them of india rubber, or the
compounds thereof, and of what I denominate india rubber sponge, moulded
of the desired form with the upper part of the sole, which comes in contact
with the sole of the shoe or boot, formed with a ring all round and pro-
tuberances, so as to give the desired elevation with little weight. I compound,
with the india rubber prepared in the usual manner for vulcanizing, one
quarter of a pound of sugar or resin to one pound of india rubber, and after
the compound has been worked and treated in the usual manner, I form the
clog in a mould and subject it to the curing or vulcanizing process by heat, by
which it is rendered spongy and light. The mould is so formed as to make
the sole thin, with a rim all round, and protuberances within for the boot or.
shoe to rest on to give the foot the required elevation from the ground. The
sole thus prepared can be provided with a toe piece and heel strap, as described
under the head of the second part of the Invention, or it may be provided with
any other means for securing it to the foot.
Another improvement in clogs relates to a means of making or constructing
a thick but yet light sole, which may be used in either wet or dry weather.
Instead of making the sole of the same thickness all over, which would make

page_text: it heavy and clumsy, or with a rim or projecting rib all round the edge, which
might be inconvenient in use, I sometimes make the sole thick in parts, and
thin in other parts within the rim, so that the surface of the sole shall be
cellular, and intersected by ridges like the surface of a waffle iron, so as to
present square or round-shaped supports to the foot.
What I claim under this part of the Invention is making the soles of clogs
of what I denominate india rubber sponge, produced substantiaily as described;
but I do not mean to confine myself to the use of sugar or resin, as other
substances which will evolve gas in large quantities during the curing process
will auswer the same purpose, although sugar or resin I have found to
be best.
I also claim making the soles of clogs, whether made of india rubber sponge,
or any other preparation of india rubber, with a rim and protuberances on the
upper surface to elevate the foot from the ground without making the article
of too great weight.
The last part of the Invention relates to a mode or modes of making india
rubber shoes or coverings for the feet pervious to perspiration, and yet imper-
vious under ordinary circumstances to water or damp. This object may be
effected by taking a quantity of india rubber sponge and rolling it out into
sheets before making it into boots, shoes, or coverings for the feet, as it will
be found to be covered with a great number of very fine holes, which will
allow the perspiration to pass through, but will effectually keep out the wet.
I prefer, however, to perforate the rubber by mechanical means, as a greater
amount of regularity may be thereby obtained, and the perforating process
will be more under command. For the above purposes the rubber must be
prepared in thin sheets, and then perforated with very fine holes by any of the
well-known mechanical means for effecting such operations. When the sheet
rubber is made up into boots or coverings for the feet, it will be necessary
either to leave those parts of the boot nearest to the sole and most exposed to
to the wet unperforated and impervious, or to cover those parts with an
impervious material, leaving only the upper part pervious to the perspiration.
Under this head of the Invention I claim making boots, shoes, and other
coverings for the feet pervious to the perspiration of the wearer, by making
such articles of sheet rubber previously perforated with minute holes.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty.
W. E. (L.S.) NEWTON.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Sixth day of December, in the
year of our Lord 1850, the aforesaid William Edward Newton came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specifi-
cation aforesaid, and all and everything therein contained and specified, in
form above written. And also the Specification -aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Sixth day of December, in the year of our Lord Onc