Improvements in Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 13th Feb., 1894-Accepted, 24th Mar., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boots and Shoes.
I EDWARD ROCHE, of 43 Jackson Street, Providence, R.I. U.S. America,
Boot and Shoe Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
My invention relates to improvements in boots and shoes, and has for its
object to relieve the wearer, of the shock experienced by the heel striking the
ground.
It is also the object of the invention to provide a boot or shoe with such
improvements as will enable the user to walk with greater ease and less fatigue than
with shoes such as are at present constructed.
It is also the further object of the invention to provide such improvements
as will render unnecessary the use of a counter in the construction of boots and
shoes.
According to my invention I leave the heel portion of the inner sole, loose,
from a point just forward of the heel to the rearward end; and between this
loose portion and the piece of leather forming the foundation for the heel, I
place a curved or bow plate or strip of steel, so that this upper plate shall be
of convex form and constitute, as it were, a spring for the heel, to cushion the
same against shock when the foot strikes the ground or side walk.
This curved plate may form part of the steel shank usually employed in the
manufacture of boots and shoes, or it may be a short plate extending under the
heel only.
I preferably curve upwardly the rear end or edge of the spring or plate, to
prevent the plate chafing parts with which it comes in contact, the said end of the
spring being free and unattached to any part.
The forward end of the plate may be attached to the sole by means of tacks, or
in some instances it may be left loose, in all cases it is disconnected from the rear
or heel part of the inner sole.
By making the plate or spring in the form described, it is made to occupy a
minimum amount of space so that it can be used on spring-heeled shoes as readily as
upon shoes having high heels.
The yielding nature of. the contrivance prevents the "turning over" of counter
or back part of the shoe or boot, and as a consequence, renders the counters or
stiffeners unnecessary.
The loose character of the insole over the bowed or spring-piece allows of the
free operation of the spring.
In some instances the inner sole may be cut partially across at the breast
of the heel, and again at right angles for about one inch, in order to allow the
shoe to be sewn from one side of the breast to the other and permit the spring to
be put in after the shoe shall have been completed.
In some I place a metallic plate over the leather foundation piece.
Dated this 13th day of May 1893.

page_text: Improvements in Boots and Shoes.
I EDWARD ROCHE of 43 Jackson Street, Providence, R.I. U.S. America,
Boot and Shoe Manufacturer, 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 :-
It is the object of my invention to provide such improvements in the construction
of boots and shoes, as will relieve the user of the shock experienced by the heel
striking the ground or sidewalk.
It is also the object of the invention to provide a boot or shoe with such
improvements as will enable the user to walk with greater ease and less fatigue
than with shoes as are now constructed.
.
It is also the object of the invention to provide such improvements as will
render unnecessary the use of a counter in the construction of boots and shoes.
To these ends, my invention consists in inserting a curved steel plate under the
heel portion of the insole which is left loose and between said loose heel portion of
the insole and a piece of leather forming the foundation for the heel of the boot
or shoe, all as I will now proceed to describe and claim :-
Reference is made to the drawings accompanying this Specification, in which:
Figure 1. is a side view, partially in section of a boot or shoe embodying my
invention.
Fig. 2. is a similar view, the toe being represented as broken off, showing a
modified form.
Fig. 3. is a perspective view of one form of spring or plate.
In the drawings, a, designates the upper; b, the sole, c, the inner sole
and d, the heel of a boot or shoe, all of which parts may be of common or
desired form.
The heel portion of the inner sole is left loose from a point just forward of the
heel to the rearward end; and between this loose portion e and the piece of
leather e', forming the foundation for the heel, I place a curved or bowed plate or
strip of steel, of convex form, which constitutes, together with the loose portion
as it were, a spring for the heel to cushion the same against shock when the foot
strikes the ground or side walk.
This curved plate may form part of the steel shank usually employed in the
manufacture of boots and shoes as shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 3, or it may be a short
plate extending under the heel only, as shown in Fig. 2.
I preferably curve upwardly the rear end or edge of the spring or plate, as
at g, to prevent the plate from chafing parts with which it comes in contact, the
said end of the spring being free and unattached to any part.
The foundation piece e¹ may take the part of the inner sole where the latter is
left loose, and the heel part of the upper, may be attached thereto, as shown. The
forward end of the plate may be attached to the sole by means of tacks, as
represented in Figs. 1 and 2, or in some instances it may be left loose, in all cases
it is disconnected from the rear or heel part of the inner sole.
By making the plate or spring in the form shown, it is made to occupy a
minimum amount of space so that it can be used on spring-heeled shoes as readily
as upon shoes having high heels.
The yielding nature of the contrivance prevents the "turning over
" of counter
or back part of the shoe or boot, and as a consequence, renders the counters or
stiffeners unnecessary.
The loose character of the insole over the bowed or spring piece, allows of the
free operation of the spring.

page_text: The inner sole may be cut partially across at the breast of the heel, and again
at right angles for about one inch in order to allow the shoe to be sewed from one
side of breast to the other and permit the spring to be put in after the shoe shall
have been completed; this need only be done to shoes sewed by a McKay machine,
and does not refer to hand sewed shoes or shoes made on the same principle as
hand sewing.
In some instances I place a metallic plate over the leather foundation piece e¹.
In rubber over-shoes or * Arctics the concave side of the spring may be
turned up to the top of the heel of the leather shoe enclosed by the said over-shoe,
as it prevents the cracking of the rubbers at the back of the heel of the said
over-shoe or "Arctic."
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 boot or shoe comprising in its construction an insole, the heel portion of
which is loose or disconnected from the other parts, a heel foundation piece, el to
which the heel part of the upper is attached, and a bowed steel plate interposed
between the said loose portion of the insole and the heel foundation piece, the
rear portion of the said bowed plate disconnected from the other parts as set
forth,
2. A boot or shoe, comprising in its construction an insole, the heel portion of
which is loose or disconnected from the other parts, a heel foundation piece e², to
which the heel part of the upper is attached, and a bowed steel plate forming an
extension, and an integral part, of the steel shank piece interposed between the
heel portion of the insole and the foundation piece, the rear portion of said bowed
plate being disconnected from the other parts, as set forth.
Dated thin 12th day of February 1894
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.