IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HUMAN FEET
Year: 1856

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Stephen Norris, of New Peter Street, Westminster,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HUMAN
FEET."
21
'
Sealed the 22nd July 1856, and dated the 23rd January 1856.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Stephen Norris at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 23rd
January 1856.
I, STEPHEN NORRIS, of New Peter Street, Westminster, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE
HUMAN FEET," to be as follows:-
These improvements consist in adapting "gussets" of novel and improved
construction, in combination with certain fastenings, for the purpose of
enabling boots and shoes and other coverings for the human feet to be readily
adapted and, secured to and detached from the. feet. These improvements
being applicable to coverings for the feet generally, the nature of this Invention
will be sufficiently explained by giving a few examples of the mode of adapting

page_text: these improvements to certain descriptions of boots, shoes, and other coverings
for the human feet, as follows:-
First, as regards ladies' boots, I propose to employ side gussets of cloth or
leather, so combined with elastic material as that the said gussets shall always
be preserved flat, instead of wrinkling, or overlapping, as heretofore.
Another mode is to secure an elastic band to that part of the boot which
encircles the ankle of the foot, and this in combination with folding side
gussets and fastenings, composed either by interlacing into two rows of hooks
strips of elastic or eyelets. The openings for the gussets I purpose to make
at each side of the boot, and to extend it from the top in an ornamental
direction, either towards the toe of the boot or the sole thereof, or towards the
heel; and for ladies' slippers I propose to place the gusset at the instep
thereof, and to use said gusset in combination with straps of elastic material.
And as regards gentleman's boots and other similar coverings, I propose, in
manufacturing boots known and distinguished as Bluchers, to form the side
seams thereof, or close the fore and back parts, somewhat after the manner of
Wellington boots, so as to resemble the same when on the feet, and to enable
Blucher boots to be more readily put on and taken off than heretofore, by
employing the aforesaid gussets in combination with boots of the above
construction.
And as regards Wellington boots, I propose to connect the fore and back
parts together by gusset pieces, waterproof or otherwise, by which they may
be used as over-boots, and thus admit of wrappers being placed around the
legs and feet in travelling, and be less unsightly than heretofore, by employing
fastenings composed either of eyelets, buckles and straps, studs and holes, or
such other convenient and simple fastenings as will enable the fore and back
parts to be readily brought together and securely held, and easily released
when desired.

page_text: .
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-third day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six,' in the nineteenth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
5 me, the said Stephen Norris, Her special licence that I, the said Stephen
Norris, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Stephen Norris, 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 IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES AND OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE HUMAN
FEET," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Stephen Norris,
my executors 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 Stephen Norris, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
My improvements consist in adapting to boots, shoes, and other coverings
for the human feet gussets of novel and improved construction in combination
with ordinary fastenings, for the purpose of enabling boots, &c. to be readily
adapted and secured to and detached from the feet, and at the same timó
preserved water-tight at such parts when necessary. The following are a few
examples of the mode of adapting my said improvements to certain descrip-
tions of boots, shoes, and other coverings for the human feet.
.
First, as regards ladies' boots, I propose to employ side gussets of cloth or
leather, so combined with elastic material as that the said gussets shall always
be preserved flat, instead of wrinkling or overlapping, as heretofore.
:
Another mode is to secure folding side gussets and fastenings, composed
either by interlacing into two rows of hooks strips of elastic or eyelets. The
openings for the gussets I propose to make at each side of the boot, and to
extend it from the top in an ornamental direction, either towards the toe of
the boot or the sole thereof, or towards the heel.

page_text: སཁTསྐྱ་་
manufacturing boots known and distinguished: as Bluchers, to form the side
seams thereof, or close the "fore" and "back" parts, somewliat after .thë
manner of Wellington boots, so as: to resemble, the same when on the feet,
and to enable Blucher boots to be more readily put on and taken off; than
heretofore, by employing the aforesaid. gussets.in. combination with boots: of
the above description!
In order to explain ny said: Invention as completely as possible; I now pro
ceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for. carrying. the same
into practical effect, reference being had to the illustrative Drawings hereunto
annexed; and to the numeral figures and letters of referenceiniarked thercon
respectively, as follows:
-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
:.
...
At Sheet 1, Figure 1 exhibits a side elevation of a Blucher boot with my
said improvements 'adapted thereto;. Figure 2 shews the upper. part of said
boot laid open; Figures 3, 4, 5, 6 are detached parts, herein-after: referred: to;
Figure 7 is a side elevation of 'another description of boot termed highlows,
such as are worn by sportsmen and excavators; Figure 8 exhibits said boot
with the upper part laid open; Figure. 9 is a detached part, herein-after
referred to. Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 exhibit othér. modes; of. manufacturing
Blucher boots according to my said improvements; Figures:15, 16, 17, 18, 19,
are detached portions thereof, herein-after referred to. At Sheet 2, Figures
20 to 24. inclusive, exhibits several pairs of ladies' boots: constructed according
to imy'said .Invention...At each of the foregoing Figures of each. Sheet of
Drawings I employ similar 'letters of reference to denote corresponding parts
in so far as such parts appear or can be seen at each of such said Figures
respectively. At Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, of Sheet 1, A'is the front or "vamp."
of an ordinary Blucher boot; B, 'the back thereof; C, the.. gusset. or gore..of
leather or other material, shewn detached at Figures 3 and 4. Figure 3 repre-
sents the gusset laid open; and Figure 4, thefgusset doubled up and as it would
appear when the boot is laced up; Figure 51shews the back part ofathe:boot
as it would appear when doubled: The peculiar shape given to this back part
enables the upper part of the boot to. adapt itself more closely to the leg of
the wearer than Blucher boots 'as heretofore made. Figure 6 shews the said
back part laid open, and the "counter" attached thereto. In manufacturing
the above improved boot the workman: proceeds as follows: The closerapro-
ceeds as at present practiced, except that he makes a row of stabbing very

page_text: hear the lace höles on the outside of the front part of the-boot on both sides
thereof, from a to b. The gusset is attached to the front or vamp A along-the
line c. and to the back Dalong the line d, and this mode of connecting gussets
to boots applies to all of the boots, exhibited by 'the accompanying Drawings
except, that exhibited at Figure 14, at which Figure it will be seen that the
gusset is let into the back part of the boot, and the lacing is at the back
instead of at the side or front of the boot, as heretofore. As regards the boots
exhibited at Figures. 1, 2, 10, 11, 12, 13, 19, of Sheet 1, the gussets are in all
cases affixed to the boots by a row of stabbing and sewing, extending from the
top part of the vamp to the seams which connect the front and back parts of
the boot together. Instead of "lasting" boots in the manner commonly prac-
tised with Blucher boots, I propose to "last" them in the same manner as
wellington boots, by placing the lower part of the centre part of the back of
the boot up high on the back part of the last and pulling the front of the toe
part over the toe part of the last and fixing it there, as heretofore practised.
I then drive the last up the inside of the whole of the "upper" of the boot
until the bottom edges of the "upper" are level with the bottom of the last,
and this mode of "lasting up" applies to those boots exhibited at Figures 1,
2, 8, 9, 10, of Sheet 1. Figure 19 shews the vamp and gusset of the boot
exhibited at Figures 10, 11, 12. And as regards the several forms of ladies'
boots exhibited at Sheet 2, the same principle of construction applies to all of
them, namely, the so affixing such said gussets to the front and back parts of
the boot as that they shall fold flat within the boot when laced up or otherwise
fastened, observing that I employ two gussets instead of one, as heretofore.
In conclusion, I would remark, that the principle points to be attended to in
these improvements are to have the gussets the proper size, and to connect
then to the front and back parts of the boot or to the back part only thereof by
sewing and stabbing, or other known means, so that they may, when necessary,
be rendered waterproof; and this applies more particularly to men's boots.
And as regards the fastenings for securing the boots on the feet, I employ any
of the known means for that purpose.
Having now described the nature and object of my said Invention of "im-
provements in boots and shoes and other coverings for the human feet,"
together with the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same into
practical effect, I hereby declare that I claim as my Invention,-
Firstly, the modes above particularly described, set forth, and represented at
Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 19, of Sheet 1, of manufacturing Blucher
boots, and more particularly the cutting of the back part of such boots, in the
manner exhibited at Figures 5, 6, 15, 16, 18, for the purpose set forth.

page_text: Secondly, the inserting of the gusset at the back part of the boot, as at
Figure 14.
And, lastly, as regards the boots exhibited at the several other Figures of the
Drawings, I claim the adapting thereto of two gussets, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Stephen Norris, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE, Patent Agent,
4, Trafalgar Square,
Charing Cross.
STEPHEN NORRIS. (L.S.)