IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alphonso Keats, of Newcastle under Lyne, in the County
of Stafford, Boot Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES."
Sealed the 17th October 1879, and dated the 8th August 1879
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alphonso Keats at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th August 1879.
ALPHONSO KEATS, of Newcastle under Lyne, in the County of Stafford, Boot
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES."
This Invention relates firstly to a mode of securing the "sock" of boots and
shoes in place that will avoid the inconvenience at present experienced by the use
of paste for that purpose. It has been found that when the boot or shoe is
subjected to damp the adhesion of the paste is destroyed and the sock becomes
loose and creases, thereby causing much discomfort to the wearer.
Hitherto no
practical means has been found of permanently securing the sock in place, I now
however propose to cut out of one piece of leather both the insole and the sock,
and to double the one back upon the other. When putting the parts of the boot
together preparatory to sewing I insert the last between the insole and the sock
and then tack the upper to the insole. On the withdrawal of the last I proceed
with the sewing as usual, taking care to insert the nose of the swivel arm between
the insole and the sock so that the stitching of the upper to the insole may proceed
without the sock being caught by the stitches. When the sewing of the boot or
shoe is completed and the heel has been attached the sock is pressed down in place
upon the insole during the final lasting operation, and it will then have no tendency
to shift in its place. The sock may however, if thought desirable, in addition to
the before inentioned' attachment be secured to the insole by pegs or by stitches.
In cutting out the insole and sock from one piece of leather I may form the
crease either at the toe or at the heel or at one side of the insole, in either case the
last may be inserted between the sock and the insole to permit of the application

page_text: of the upper to the insole, and when the last is withdrawn the sewing may proceed
without interference from the sock. In order to use a thinner sock than is
admisable when cut out with the insole, as explained, I propose to slit the toe of
the insole transversely to form an attaching flap and to connect the toe of the sock
. (either with or without a flap cut therefrom), to this flap; by sewing thus, the sock
will, as in the first instance be secured at the toe, and can then be further secured
if requisite at or near the heel, as explained, or the like arrangement may be
adopted with respect to the heel.
To provide a block toe when the insloe and upper are united at the toe I sew to
the under fac of the insole a block piece, which stands up and is lasted into shape
at the time of applying the upper.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Alphonso Keats in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th February
1880.
ALPHONSO KEATS, of Newcastle-under-Lyne, in the County of Stafford, Boot
Manufacturer. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES."
This Invention relates to a mode of securing the "sock" of boots and shoes in
place that will avoid the inconvenience at present experienced by the use of paste
for that purpose.
It has been found that when a boot or shoe is subjected to damp the adhesion
of the paste is destroyed and the sock becomes loose and creases, thereby causing
much discomfort to the wearer.
Hitherto no practical means has been found of permanently securing the sock in
place, I now however propose to cut out of one piece of leather both the insole and
the sock, and to double the one back upon the other. When putting the parts of
the boot together preparatory to sewing by the well known boot and shoe sewing
machinery I insert the last between the insole and the sock and then tack the
upper to the insole. On the withdrawal of the last I proceed with the machine
sewing as usual, taking care to insert the nose of the swivel arm between the
insole and the sock, so that the stitching of the upper to the insole may proceed
without the sock being caught by the stitches. When the sewing of the boot or
shoe is completed and the heel has been attached the sock is pressed down in
place upon the insole during the final lasting operation, and it will then have
no tendency to shift in its place. In cutting out the insole and sock from one
piece of leather I may form the crease either at the toe or at the heel or at
one side of the insole, in either case the last may be inserted between the sock
and the insole to permit of the application of the upper to the insole, and when the
last is withdrawn the sewing may proceed without interference from the sock.
In the accompanying Drawing the manner of carrying out my Invention is
clearly illustrated. Fig. 1 shews an insole and a sock formed in one piece, the
connection of the parts being at the toe. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the leather so
stamped out and folded back upon itself; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of a boot
in course of formation with the last inserted between the insole and the sock; and
Fig. 4 is an inverted plan view of the partially formed boot. The connection of
the insole and the sock at the toe it will be understood effectually avoids all
tendency of the sock to become displaced at the toe, and as the heel portion of the
sock is accessible stitches or pegs may be readily applied to hold it securely in
place.
By reference to Fig. 3 it will be seen that the application of the last to the insole
for the purpose of effecting the temporary attachment of the upper to the insole is
in no way interfered with by the presence of the attached sock, and as before stated
the insertion of the nose of the swivel arm between the insole of the sock pre-
paratory to the sewing of the upper to the insole will effectually prevent the sock
being caught by the line of stitches, I have found that when making the sock and
insole of one piece of leather the stiffness of the leather will be such as to prevent
the sock from rucking up or becoming displaced even if no additional attachment
is employed. Thus I can form the sock and insole with a junction at the heel, as
illustrated in Fig. 5, or these parts may have a double side connection, as illus-
trated in the plan view Fig. 6, and in neither of these cases will it be necessary to
use pegs or stitches for securing the sock to the insole, the stiffness of the sock
serving to prevent its becoming creased and thereby displaced.
In order to use a thinner sock than is admissible when cut out with the insole,
as explained, I propose to slit the toe of the insole transversely to form an attaching
flap and to connect the toe of the sock to this flap by sewing.]

page_text: This modification is illustrated in the longitudinal section, Fig. 7, where a is
the insole of stout leather, a¹ the flap cut on the inner face of the insole, and b the
sock of thin leather overlying at the toe the flap a¹. By a line of stitches the sock
and flap are connected together, as shewn in the Figure.. Thus the sock will as in
the first instance be secured at the toe, and it can be further secured if requisite at
or near the heel as explained.
To provide a block toe when the insole and sock are united at the toe I sew to
the under face of the insole a block piece which'stands up, and is lasted into shape at
the time of applying the upper. This is clearly illustrated in the sectional view,
Fig. 8, and will therefore require no further explanation.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in the
Manufacture of Boots and Shoes," and explained the manner of carrying the same
into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters
Patent I claim,―
Firstly. Forming the sock in one piece with the insole, in the manner and for
the purpose above described.
Secondly. Uniting the sock to the insole when the two are formed of separate
pieces, in the manner and for the purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alphonso Keats, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, the Third day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty.