IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MAN
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexandre Eugene Adolphe Aubert and Gustave
Eugene Michel Gerard, of Ruo du Theatre, Grenelle, Paris, in the
Empire of France, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
Sealed the 29th August 1865, and dated the 7th March 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexandre Eugene Adolphe
Aubert and Gustave Eugene Michel Gerard at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents, with their Petition, on the 7th March 1865.
We, ALEXANDRE EUGENE ADOLPHE AUBERT and GUSTAVE EUGENE MICHEL
GERARD, of Rue du Theatre, Grenelle, Paris, in the Empire of France, do
hereby declare tho nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SHOES AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE FEET," to be as follows:-
For some time past shoes and coverings for the feet have been made
entirely of caoutchouc, and endeavours have been made altogether to replace
leather by caoutchouc in the manufacture of ordinary shoes and boots, this is
found disadvantageous, however, as the perspiration then is unable to escape,
either through the sole or upper, and the foot is kept constantly moist.
We according to our Invention employ a mixed system, that is to say, we
make a shoe or covering of the foot with a sole of india-rubber and an upper
of leather. In this manner we are able to make a cheaper article; we obtain
a sole which is quite impermeable, and which consequently never feels wet or
cold, whilst at the same time the perspiration is not imprisoned as in shoes

page_text: made entirely of of caoutchouc. The sole may be made either stiff or supple
to any degree required, the process of vulcanization being carried to a great or
less length as may be necessary to obtain the desired result. By forming the
sole in a mould great accuracy of form is obtained, a result which with leather
is only obtained with a great expenditure of manual labour. The upper is
readily fixed by sewing, screws, rivets, or otherwise. The compound from
which the soles are made may either consist of caoutchouc and sulphur only,
or if desired other substances ordinarily employed in making vulcanite may be
added
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Alexandre Eugene Adolphe Aubert and Gustave Eugene
Michel Gerard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th September
1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, ALEXANDRE
EUGENE ADOLPHIE AUBERT and GUSTAVE EUGENE MICHEL GERARD, of Rue du
Theatre, Grenelle, Paris, in the Empire of France, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Alexandre Eugene Adolphe Aubert and Gustave Eugene Michel Gerard,
Her special licence that we, the said Alexandre Eugene Adolphe Aubert and
Gustave Eugene Michel Gerard, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said Alexandre Eugene Adolphe Aubert and Gustave
Eugene Michel Gerard, our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there.
after 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 IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF SHOES AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE FEET," upon the
condition (amongst others) that we, the said Alexandre Eugene Adolphe
Aubert and Gustave Eugene Michel Gerard, our executors or administrators,
by an instrument in writing under our or their hands and seals, or under the
hand and seal of one of us or them, 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

page_text: within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said Alexandre Eugene Adolphe Aubert
and Gustave Eugene Michel Gerard, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, that is to
say:-
For some time past the benefit of using shoes the upper parts of which are
of caoutchouc has been recognized, and as is well known the sale of such
shoes has become very considerable. Attempts have also been made entirely
to replace leather by caoutchouc in the manufacture of ordinary shoes and
boots; experience has, however, soon shown the great inconvenience of these
shoes, the caoutchouc being entirely impermeable does not permit perspiration
to escape either through the upper or the sole, and in a very short time the
foot becomes moistened. "
According to our Invention we employ a mixed system, that is to say, we
make a shoc or covering of the foot with a sole of vulcanized india-rubber and
an upper of leather. A shoe or other covering of the foot so constructed is
superior to ordinary leather shoes in being cheaper, in having a sole entirely
impermeable, and which consequently never feels wet and cold, in addition
in the perspiration not being confined as in boots and shoes made entirely of
caoutchouc, and in that for wear the shoe or other covering for the foot will
be similar to an ordinary leather shoe. The sole may be made either stiff or.
supple to any required degree, according to the composition and hardness of
vulcanization, and by forming them in moulds the stiffener, the heel, and all
the parts of a complete sole are obtained in a single piece, and with great
perfection of form, a result which in leather can only be attained by a great
expenditure of manual labour. A greater thickness can also without any
additional labour be given to the sole at any part required, as for example,
when making soles called double soles. The upper can be attached to the
sole with the greatest facility, either sewing or by pegs, screws, rivets, or
otherwise.
With harder soles galoches may be made with leather nailed on the edge,
in fact, these soles will advantageously replace soles either of leather or wood
in the various forms of coverings for the feet. The soles are made either of a
compound of caoutchone and sulphur only, or other substances may be added
to increase the bulk of the compound, or fibrous substances may be added to
give the compound less elasticity and more tenacity. The soles may be made
flat on their edges like ordinary soles, or they may be made with a small

page_text: raised flange to facilitate sewing, or with a groove on the edge, in order to
hide the thickness of the leather of the upper. In fact, as to their modi-
fications of forms the soles will have to adapt themselves to the requirements
both of fashion and of the different methods employed by makers for fixing
them to the uppers.
What we claim as our Invention is,―
Firstly, the manufacture of soles moulded from vulcanized caoutchouc,.
whatever be their shape or their composition, and whether their state of
vulcanization renders them stiff or supple to any degree.
Secondly, the application of these soles in the manufacture of boots, shoes,
and other coverings for the feet having leather uppers, whether the soles are
fixed to the uppers by sewing, or by screws, rivets, or otherwise.
In witness whereof, we, the said Alexandre Eugene Adolphe Aubert
and Gustave Eugene Michel Gerard, have hereunto set our hands
and seals, this First day of September, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
ALEXANDRE EUGENE ADOLPHE AUBERT. (L.s.)
GUSTAVE EUGÈNE MICHEL GÉRARD.
(L.S.)