Year: 1885

page_text: The object of my invention is to improve the construction of moulds employed
in the manufacture of boots and shoes for shaping and securing gutta percha or
leather soles to the uppers.
I form the bottom of the mould of lead or other material in the usual way, but
in order to produce the sharp upper edge of the sole and to form the open seam
between the sole and the upper as in sewn or pegged boots or shoes, I fit in a recess
formed in the mould strips of brass or other metal extending from the point of the
toe on both sides round the sole to the instep or heel. These strips are of inverted
L-shape in cross section having a vertical web projecting down into a groove
formed for them in the bottom of the moulds near the edge, and a horizontal web
projecting inwards to form the seam between the sole and the upper. In order
that the boot may be withdrawn after the sole is attached either the entire length
or parts of the length of these strips is or are removable from the mould; but as
the moulding strips require to be flexible when made of a single length and they
are in such case liable to be distorted, I, by preference secure a portion of such
strip to the mould at the toe part of the boot, and the length on each side of the
boot extending from the toe to the instep I make movable and provide with
projecting horns by which they may be withdrawn when the boot is in the mould.
In the case of a gutta percha soled boot or shoe the sole is attached to the boot or
shoe by heating and softening a piece of gutta-percha, spreading it over the bottom
of the mould, then laying in the boot in place with a strong last within it by
means of which pressure is applied to press the boot down on to the gutta percha
in the mould by screws or otherwise. After cooling, the side lengths of the seam
strips are withdrawn from the soles and the boot is drawn backwards free of the
strip in the toe seain. In the case of leather soled boots or shoes the leather sole
is softened by moisture, is roughened on the inside and coated with gutta percha
solution, and the solution on the bottom or in-sole of the boot or shoe is softened
by heat after which the sole is united to it by pressing the shoe within the mould
as in the case of the gutta percha soled boot or shoe. The leather or gutta percha

page_text: to form the heel is by preference filled into the heel part of the mould before laying
in the sole, so that by carrying a part of the leather sole over the heel it may be
firmly held between the boot or shoe upper and the heel. A thin layer of gutta
percha may be placed between the sole proper and the upper to fill up any cavities,
and the sole, heel, and upper are firmly united together by the gutta percha
solution.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
:
Improvements in Moulds Used in the Manufacture of Boots
and Shoes.
I, ROBERT DICK, of Greenhead, Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Manufacturer, do hereby
declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement in writing, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of Drawings,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon; that is to say:-
The object of my invention is to improve the construction of moulds employed
in the manufacture of boots and shoes for shaping and securing gutta percha or
leather soles to the uppers.
And in order that the nature and novelty of my said Invention and the manner
of performing the same, may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended a
sheet of explanatory Drawings, in which the same reference letters indicate corre-
sponding parts in all the Figures where shown. Figures 1 and 2 are a front
elevation, and a side elevation with the mould shown in section respectively,
showing one of my improved moulds A a a¹ for shaping and moulding the sole B
and heel B¹, and securing the same to the lasted upper B* of an ordinary elastic
sided boot, showing also the standards 1 and framing 1 and 2 secured to the
moulding table 3 with its compressing fittings 4 and 5. While Figures 3 and 4
show a longitudinal section and a plan and cross section on the line 1---1, respec-
tively, of the mould A, a, a, by itself, with its loose fittings a¹, a". And Figure 5
shows a side elevation and plan respectively, and a transverse section on the
line 22, of one of the two side portable fittings a¹ of the mould A a a¹ for
forming the recess or imitation seam groove of sole B and the upper B* of
the boot.
Referring to these Drawings:-I form the bottom or case A of the mould A a a¹
of lead or other material in a usual way, in one casting or piece of the size and

page_text: shape desired to form the sole and heel B, B¹ of the shoe, as shown in the Figures,
but by the present improvements, and in order to form the sharp edges 6 of the
sole B, and produce the upper edge and groove or open seam part b¹ between
the sole B and the upper B' (as in sewn or pegged boots or shoes), I fit in a narrow
groove or recess c, formed round the outer contour of the sole part A¹ in the
mould A, strips of brass or other metal a and a¹ extending from the point or
toe A on both sides, round the sole at A¹ to the instep or heel B'. These
strips a a¹ are somewhat of an inverted L-shape in cross section, as seen in
Figure 5, having a vertical thin tapered web al projecting down into the groove c,
formed for them in the bottom of the moulds A, close to the outer edge, and which
has a horizontal sharp angled web all projecting inwards to form the seam groove bl
between the sole B and the upper B. In order that the boot may be withdrawn
after the sole is attached, either the entire length, or part of the length, of these
strips a, a', is or are made removable from the mould A.; but as the moulding
strips require to be flexible when made of a single length or piece, and are in this
case liable to be distorted, I by preference in accordance with these improvements
secure a portion a, a, of such strip to the mould A at the toe part A" of the mould,
to form the groove b¹ at the point of the sole of the boot, and the length a¹--- a¹
on each side of the sole or boot, extending at A¹, from the toe A¹ to the instep or
heel B', I make rigid and movable, and provided with projecting horns a², by which
they may be withdrawn when the boot is finished in the mould, and the gutta-
percha forming, or securing the sole B is cold. In the case of forming a gutta-percha
soled boot or shoe, the sole B and heel B¹ are formed and attached at the same
time to the upper B' of the boot or shoe, by first inserting a small loose plate d
into the bottom of the heel A1, and then heating and softening a piece of gutta-
percha and spreading it over the bottom of the sole and heel parts A, A, of the
mould A, as full as found necessary, and then laying over this the upper B³ of
the boot all previously stretched over a strong last, and coated and secured by
gutta percha solution, which is heated before being placed over the hot gutta-
percha, or gutta-percha compound previously filled into the mould. The last and
upper is screwed down into the gutta-percha and moved by the screw nuts 4¹
and 51, over the strong pressing eye I' of the last, and those of the cross bar 5 over
the front part of the upper and last, (or it might be other convenient pressing
appliances,) which would press the last and the under sole of the upper B* down
on to the gutta-percha first placed in the mould; any superfluous gutta-percha,
which may have been inserted would be pressed out over the upper edges of the
mould, and be easily removed after the boot or shoe is taken out of the mould.
After allowing the gutta-percha time to cool, the two side lengths a¹ a¹ of the
seam strips are withdrawn from the soles along with the upper of the boot or shoe,
which is first drawn up out of the heel and then backwards free of the strip a, a,
in the toe seam 61. When cast-steel or other metallic heel pieces, such as shown
detached at B in face and edge view in Figure 6, are to be secured to the gutta-
percha heel B¹, one of these is inserted into the heel part of the mould A over the
loose plated before the hot gutta-percha is inserted to form the heel and sole as
dotted in in Figure 2. When finished the loose plate d comes away with the heel,
and air being admitted by a small hole &, further assists the starting and removal
of the heel and sole being withdrawn with the boot or shoe, the plate d being
easily taken off when it gets cold, by the action of the air after removal from the
mould. Metallic toe pieces may in like manner be inserted into the mould as
shown at B in Figures 2 and 6, when these are desired to be secured to the gutta-
percha sole. In the case of leather soled boots or shoes, the leather sole is softened
by moisture, and is roughened on the inside and coated with gutta-percha solution,
and the solution on the bottom or insole of the upper of the boot or shoe is softened
by heat, after which the sole is united to it by pressing the lasted upper or shoe
within the mould, as in the case of the gutta-percha soled boot or shoe, first
described, and removed in like manner from the mould A. The leather or gutta-
percha to form the heel for attachment to leather soles is by preference filled into

page_text: the heel part at A of the mould before laying in the leather sole, so that by
carrying a part of the leather sole first solutionized over the heel, it may be firmly
held between the upper B' of the boot or shoe and the heel B¹. A thin layer of
gutta-percha may be placed between the leather sole and the insole of the upper B*
to fill up any cavities, and the sole, heel, and upper are firmly united together by
the gutta-percha solution. These improved loose slips a, all which cannot get out
of shape make these moulds specially applicable for shop jobbing and repairing,
to save sending such work to the factory, although they are also suitable for
making new boots and shoes at the factory,
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
First. The making; and attaching or moulding compressing and securing the
soles and heels to boots and shoes with gutta-percha in moulds formed with fixed
and-removable-metal strips a, and a¹, all all substantially as herein described_in
reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The construction of moulds, with the combination of their parts, for
moulding and securing the soles and heels to boots and shoes with gutta-percha,
all substantially as herein described and shown in the Drawings.
Third. The making of moulds A with fixed and removable metallic edge strips a
and a¹ a substantially as described and illustrated, for the moulding of gutta-
percha soles and heels, and for securing leather soles and heels to the uppers of
boots and shoes.