IMPROVEMENTS FOR VENTILATING BOOTS, SHOES, GOLOSHES,
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Smith, of Cambridge Lodge, Brentford
Road, Chiswick, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS FOR VENTILATING BOOTS, SHOES, GOLOSHES,
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th January 1873.
I, GEORGE SMITH, of Cambridge Lodge, Brentford Road, Chiswick,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS FOR VENTILATING BOOTS, SHOES,
GOLOSHES, AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE FEET," to be as follows:―
In the heel of the boot, shoe, or covering for the foot I insert a tubo
(the mouth whereof I prefer should be situate at the front of the heel or
have two mouths one situate at the front and the other at the back of
the heel, though I do not confine myself thereto), such tube to com-

page_text: municate with or be prolonged into a tube or duct, also placed in the
heel, with an opening in the interior of the boot or shoe, such latter
tube or duct having one or more branch tubes or ducts (which may also
be provided with ducts opening to the heel) carried along and secured
between the inner and outer soles to a point or points near to the toe,
(or other convenient part between the heel and toe) and having at such
point or points a duct or ducts opening into the interior of the boot,
shoe, or covering for the foot. By these arrangements the fresh air
enters at the said opening or openings at the heel, and is discharged into
the boot or shoc at the heel, and also at the toc part or other convenient
part as before-mentioned, and the vitated air will be expelled by the
action of walking.
In constructing this apparatus I prefer to use (though I do not
confine myself thercto) a brass plate of which the heel tube with
branches is made to form part, and the tubes to be carried through
between the inner and outer soles I prefer to form of twisted steel or
brass wire, so closely twisted as to form interiorly a tube, and these tubes
I connect with small brass tubes or eyelets which openin to the toc part
or other convenient part between the heel and toe.
By use of the twisted steel wire tube in the position above mentioned
the boot shoe or covering for the foot will be rendered springy and
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 5th July 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
SMITH, of Cambridge Lodge, Brentford Road, Chiswick, in the County
of Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in tho
thirty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said George Smith, Her special licence that
I, the said George Smith, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or

page_text: such others as I, the said George Smith, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands,
and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS FOR VENTILATING
BOOTS, SHOES, GOLOSHES, AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE FEET," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Smith, my executor's
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Smith, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
In the heel of the boot, shoe, or covering for the foot I insert a tubo
(the mouth whereof I prefer should be situate at the front of the heel,
or have two mouths one situate at the front and the other at the back of
the heel), though I do not confine myself thereto), such tube to com-
municate with or be prolonged into a tube or duct, also placed in the
heel with an opening in the interior of the boot or shoe, such latter tube
or duct having one or more branch tubes or ducts (which may also be
provided with ducts opening to the heel), carried along and secured
between the inner and outer soles to a point or points near to the toc
or other convenient part between the heel and toc, and having at
such point or points a duct or ducts opening into the interior of the
boot, shoe, or covering for the foot. By these arrangements the fresh
air is caused to enter at the said opening at the heel and is discharged
into the boot or shoe at the toc part, and also at the heel part or
other convenient part as before-mentioned, and the vitiated air will be
expelled by the action of walking, that action being similar in effect to
that of a pump, alternately forcing in and expelling air.
In constructing this apparatus the tubes are to be carried through
between the inner and outer soles, and I prefer to form large portions of
the tubes of twisted steel or brass wire, so closely twisted as to form

page_text: interiorly a tube, and these tubes I connect with small brass tubes or
cyelets which open into the toe part or other convenient part between
the heel and toe.
By use of the twisted steel or brass wire tube in the position above
mentioned the boot, shoc, or covering for the foot will be rendered
springy and pleasant to the wearer.
The nature of the said Invention I have thus herein-before particularly
described and asertained, and now in compliance with the aforesaid
condition in the said Letters Patent contained, I will particularly
describe and ascertain in what manner the same is to be performed or
carried out in practice, for which purpose I shall refer to the Drawings
accompanying this Specification, it being understood that the foregoing
description is to be resorted to for the better exemplification of the
said Invention if necessary.
Fig. 1 is a side view of the apparatus detached from the boot or shoc;
Fig. 2 shows an under plan of the inner sole of a boot or shoc with the
apparatus attached thereto; Fig. 3 shows an upper plan of the inner sole
of a boot or shoe with the air holes; Fig. 4 is a side view of an ordinary
boot or shoe, the apparatus being shown in dotted lines.
In these Figures A denotes the tube inserted in the heel of the boot,
shoc, or other foot covering, or apparel to which this Invention can be
uscfully applied, such tube to have two mouths, one at the back and the
other at the front of the heel, as shown in the Drawing, or if preferred
one mouth only, or even to have more mouths and differently situate if
desired. From this tube (A) a tube or duct B rises and opens into
branch tubes or ducts C which are prolonged in the twisted wire tubes D,
which are open at their free ends so as to afford air communication in
the manner before described; E denotes air openings at bottom internally
of the boot, shoe, or foot covering or apparel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and
object of my Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed
or put in practice, I hereby declare that I claim the Invention of
"Improvements for Ventilating Boots, Shoes, Goloshes, and other
Coverings for the Feet," as the same is herein-before described and
illustrated by the Drawings accompanying these Presents, it being

page_text: understood that I do not confine or limit myself to any particular
number of tubes or ducts, mouths or openings thereof, or to the use of
any particular form or shape or materials of construction, or to the
positions in the sole or foot part of the boot, shoe, or covering for the
foot in which any of the parts may be disposed or placed, the exact form,
arrangement, disposition, and materials herein-before described being
those which I consider desirable to be adopted, but which might
sometimes be varied in the practical application of my said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Smith, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Third day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-three.
GEORGE SMITH. (L.S.)
Witness,
THOMAS MORGAN,
5 Secretary Inventors' Patent Right Association, Limited,
21, Cockspur Street,
S.W.