A New or Improved Interchangeable Heel Plate for Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Mar., 1897
Complete Specification Left 27th Sept. 1897-Accented. 30th Oct.. 1897
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Interchangeable Heel Plate for Boots and Shoes.
I, EDGAR BOOTH, of Harrison Road, Halifax, in the County of York, Solicitor
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to the manufacture or construction of a new inter-
changeable heel plate for boots or shoes, the object of my invention being, that
when the said plate has been worn on one boot, and has become "cammed" or
worn down on one side, the said heel plates may be taken off their respective
boots and exchanged to the other boot so as to present, a fresh wearing surface.
In constructing a boot or shoe heel plate according to my invention I may make
the base of the said plate in the form of a ring or crescent, and on the back of
the said ring, and on the inner side thereof, I form, by stamping or otherwise, an
upright projection, which projection is intended to enter a slot prepared therefor
in the body of the heel and it is secured therein by nail, screw, or any other
suitable means. On the front of the said heel plate I form another upright
projection extending across the whole width of the plate, and this is intended to fit
against the front side or instep of the heel, and to be there secured by nails,
screws or other suitable means.
Instead of the upright plate just mentioned extending full width of the heel
plate, one or more ears or lugs may be formed which would permit the heel to be
opened or compressed to fit boot heels of varying sizes.
If thought desirable the inner surface of the base of the plate may have pro-
jections cast thereon which may be driven into the leather of the boot heel to
render it more secure.
To prevent slipping the base of the heel plate may be corrugated or serrated,
and for frosty weather the corrugations may be formed deeper or projecting frost
studs or ice creepers may be cast or otherwise attached which will be found of
great advantage.
The boot or shoe heel plate may be made of any suitable material, preferably of
aluminium and it may be coloured, stained, or lacquered, as desired.
By constructing boot or shoe heel plates as above described, they can be easily
removed and when worn down or "cammed" on one side they may be put on to
the other boot and a fresh surface presented, thus doubling the life of the said
plates.
1000

page_text: '}
I, EDGAR BOOTH, of Harrison Road, Halifax, in the County of York, Solicitor
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:-
66
This invention has reference to the manufacture or construction and mode of
fixing of a new interchangeable heel plate to boots and shoes the object being
to provide a light but strong and interchangeable plate easily affixed or removed
so that when one plate has been worn on one boot or shoe or clog and become
cammed" or worn down on one side it can be readily removed and changed to
the other hoot or shoe or clog or when worn out or for other reasons it is desired
to take off old heel plates and replace them with new ones of the same size either
of these operations can be quickly and effectively carried out by any intelligent
adult without the necessity of employing a boot or shoe maker for the purpose
and thereby a considerable saving of time and expense be effected.
Hitherto heel plates to be worn on boots and shoes and clogs have been made
of iron or steel perforated with holes and attached by means of strong nails passing
through the body or base of the heel plate and thence upward into the "lifts" or
strips of leather, (or in the case of clogs, the wood part) forming the heel. The
holes through which the nails so pass arc slightly larger on the one side of the
heel plate than the other. The result is that when in use not only is the heel
plate itself worn away by the act of walking but also and at the same time the
heads of the nails passing through it consequently the heel plate is liable to become
loose and make a clicking noise in walking and also liable to come off the boot
or shoe or clog. When worn down on one side the present style of heel plate has
to be removed by the use of considerable force to withdraw the strong nails securing
it and in so doing the partially worn heel plate is sometimes broken off and the
boot heel damaged or torn off so that the renewing of worn down heel plates renders
it practically impossible for anyone but a shoemaker to carry out the work
effectively and efficiently.
By my invention the screws securing the heel plate to the heel are placed
horizontally at the points marked a in the accompanying drawings and do not
come in contact with the ground.in the act of walking and consequently are not
worn away with the heel plate as in the way hitherto used. When my inter-
changeable heel plate is worn away any adult person can without going to a
shoemaker unscrew the plate in a very few minutes and either change them from
one boot, shoe, or clog to the other or replace the worn out ones with new ones.
In constructing a heel plate according to my invention I form the base in the
form of a half circle or crescent as shewn by Figure 4, but the form may be slightly
varied to suit varying shapes of heels and they can also be made in varying sizes.
On the front of the heel plate I form an upright piece or projection standing up
at right angles to the heel plate itself and shewn at b. This upright piece or
projection may be either in one straight piece or bar or in the form of two ears
or lugs as shewn in Figs. 2 and 4 but in either case are so made as to form an
integral part of the heel plate, whether it be made by casting stamping, cutting
or any other means and the said projection has holes formed through it as shewn at c
through which pass screws passing horizontally into the "lifts" forming the heel
of the boot or shoe thus binding the heel plate securely and rigidly to the heel.
In practice I find that as the base of the heel plate and the upright projection
(whether a straight bar or two lugs or ears) form one integral or entire structure

page_text: out of the same piece of metal the two screws at the points c are quite sufficient
to hold the heel plate firmly in position but as an alternative and to secure the
heel plate more firmly to the heel if desired and prevent the possibility of it
sounding loose or clanging, the heel plate may be cast, cut, stamped or otherwise
made with a small ear, lug, or plate thinner than the base of the heel plate itself
and of the shape shewn by D or any similar form with a small hole through this
ear, lug, or plate through which a third screw passes up vertically into the "lifts"
forming the heel. This ear, lug or plate being thinner than the base of the heel
plate itself the head of the screw does not come in contact with the ground
consequently it is not worn away.
To prevent slipping and also to deaden the sound when walking the base of
the heel plate is corrugated or serrated as shewn at f and for frosty weather the
corrugations may be deepened or frost studs inserted or cast in the base.
My improved plate, with the method of attaching it, is illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings where Fig. 1, is a portion of a boot heel A having secured to it
on the under side my improved interchangeable heel plate B. Fig. 4, is an under-
side view of the heel plate and Figs. 2 and 3 shew one end, with the upright lugs
in Fig. 2, and the upright bar in Fig. 3.
The plate comprises a semicircular part B with a cross bar C as shewn in Fig. 3
extending the full width, or in the alternative with two ears or lugs as shewn
in Figs. 2 and 4. The inner side of the crescent shaped part may also be formed
if desired with an ear or lip D. It is placed on to the boot heel as shewn in
Fig. 1, and made secure by nails, screws or other devices a and e.
The boot or shoe heel plate may be made of any suitable metal such as iron,
steel aluminium or alloys thereof but preferably of aluminium or of an alloy of
aluminium on account of its light weight, and it may be colored, stained or
lacquered as desired.
"
By constructing heel plates as above described they can be easily removed
and when worn down or cammed" on one side they may be put on to the other
boot or shoe or clog and a fresh surface presented, thus doubling the life of the
said plate.
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:
An interchangeable heel plate composed of a semicircular part B, cross bar C,
or alternatively ears, lugs, or plates b and ear or lip D, all in combination and
employed in the manner and for the purposes substantially as herein shewn and
described.
Total this 5th day of Cantombar 1807