Improvements in Boots, Shoes, and other like Coverings for the Feet.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 30th July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 30th May, 1893-Accepted, 15th July, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boots, Shoes, and other like Coverings for
the Feet.
I, PATRICK ALPHONSUS MARTIN of Grauville Street, in the City of Bir-
mingham Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to boots, shoes and other like coverings for the feet, and
has for its object the acquiring of ease and comfort by neutralizing, or counteracting
all vibration occasioned to the human frame, incidental in running, walking or
taking exercise, and this I accomplish by producing a pneumatic covering for the
feet, or otherwise, a boot or shoe having inflated soles or both soles and heels.
The soles, or the treads of the said boots and shoes, may be made in the form of
inflated or inflating chambers, cells, studs, sacks or the like. The said chambers,
cells, studs or sacks are inflated, until they acquire an elasticity greater than the
atmospheric pressure.
The inflation may be performed, and a constant pressure maintained, by self
acting expedients, in the case of inflating treads, but in the case of inflated treads,
I propose to employ previously inflated sacks, studs or enclosures, which are
preferably made of india-rubber, or some such like elastic or yielding substance.
The undersoles, undersides or bottoms of the treads, have attachedly connected
to them, leather, or other like material to withstand the wear attendant on use.
In carrying out one form of my invention, I make the sole or both the sole and
heel, of the boot or shoe, hollow, or in the form of a shallow chamber, and with the
edges of the said sole, made to slightly yield, in obedience to the pressure exerted
by the weight or force of the walker.
This hollow sole or heel, or both, is or are permanently inflated with atmospheric
air, and with the underside of the said sole and heel faced with a durable material,
so as to enhance the wearing of the same.
Or the said hollow sole, heel or both, may contain, or be fitted with an inflating
bladder, charged with air through the medium of an air pump or other expedient.
As a further form of my invention, I may fit an ordinary leather sole with let-in
hollow inflated studs, blocks, ribs or their equivalents. I propose to provide the
studs, which extend slightly beyond the underside surface of the sole with undercut
or dovetail shanks, which take within like shaped holes or piercings made within
the said sole, and introduced from the inner face, so as to make them self affixing.
In carrying out a further form of my invention, I make a self inflating sole or
heel or both, by providing a hollow sole, or a shallow chamber enclosed by the
outside walls of a sole or heel, which are preferably made of some elastic material,
with a supplementary self inflating chamber, fitted with two valves, one open to the
atmosphere, and the other to the interior of the sole.
Assuming that the said inflating chamber, is enclosed within the heel, which may
be made alike unto a gussetted bellows, the pressure applied by the user on
walking, diminishes the cubical capacity of the said heel, hence the forcing of the
air contained within its interior sack or holder through a valve proceeding to the
inside of the sole.
On pressure being releived, the heel resumes its normal condition or cubical
capacity, by the walls of the same distending themselves, and by such enlargement,
the pressure within the interior of the said inflating chamber is reduced, in con-
sequence of which the valve as aforesaid becomes closed, and the valve leading to
the atmospheric opened, by the pressure within its interior being less than that of
the atmosphere.

page_text: Thus by the intermittent pressure applied on walking, the pneumatic sole, or the
pneumatic part or portion of a boot or shoe, is maintained at a constant degree of
inflation.
On the pressure of the inflated sole, heel or part becoming equal to the weight
pressure exerted by the walker, the latter becomes neutralized by the former, so
that further inflation occurs, until the balance is interrupted by leakage or otherwise,
when the self acting means again comes into requisition.
In a still further form of my invention, the inner sole, or the inside bottom of a
boot or shoe, may be perforated or reticulated with holes, which lead to the outside
valve, so that the air forced into the interior of the hollows of the treads of boots
and shoes, is drawn through the inside of the boot or shoe itself, hence perfect
ventilation of the feet of the wearer.
The valves I prefer to employ may consist of a hollow vulcanite or metal tip, let
into the materials of the walls of the inflating cell, chamber, or the like, or at the
terminations of tubes. These valves have passages partly through their middles,
and terminating in a hole at right angles, which is covered by an extremely thin
rubber tube or sleeve, so that the air pressure flows up the middle passage, and
from thence through the side one, lifts one end of the rubber sleeves, and passes
into either the boot or inflating chamber, sack or the like.
On the inside pressure becoming greater than that from the outside, the rubber
sleeves are closed over the inlet holes, hence the check, and the maintaining of a
constant pressure.
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the particular valves
as described, as other forms may be employed, and further relief valves in the self
inflating soles or heels may be employed.
By employing pneumatic cushioned treads in connection with boots and shoes, a
great advantage is obtained, and the said articles are also rendered noiseless.
Dated this 29th day of July 1892.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boots, Shoes, and other like Coverings for
the Feet.
I, PATRICK ALPHONSUS MARTIN, of Granville Street, in the City of
Birmingham, Manufacturer, 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 :-
This invention relates to boots, shoes and other like coverings for. the feet, and
has for its object the acquiring of ease and comfort, by neutralizing or counteracting
all vibration occasioned to the human frame, incidental in walking, running,
jumping or otherwise taking ordinary or athletic exercise, and this I accomplish by
employing a pneumatic tread in connection with coverings for the feet, or otherwise,
a boot or shoe having an inflated sole or an inflated heel, or both inflated sole
and heel.
The soles, or the treads of the said boots and shoes, may be made in the form of
inflated or inflating chambers, cells, studs, sacks or the like.
The undersoles, undersides or bottoms of the treads may have connected to them,
leather or other like material to withstand the wear attendant on use.
In carrying out one form of my invention, I make the sole, or both the sole and
heel, of the boot or shoe, hollow, or in the form of a shallow chamber, and with
the edges of the said sole, made to slightly yield in obedience to the pressure
exerted by the weight or force of the walker.

page_text: This hollow sole or heel, or both, is or are permanently inflated with atmospheric
air, and with the underside of the said sole and heel faced with a durable material,
so as to enhance the wearing of the same.
Or the said hollow sole, heel or both, may contain, or be fitted with an inflating
bladder, charged with air through the medium of an air pump or other expedient.
As a further form of my invention, I may fit an ordinary leather sole with let-in
hollow inflated studs, blocks, ribs, or their equivalents. I propose to provide the
studs, which extend slightly beyond the underside surface of the sole, with undercut
or dovetail shanks, which take within like shaped holes or piercings made within
the said sole, and which may be introduced from the inner face, so as to make them
self-affixing.
In carrying out a further form of my invention, I make a self-inflating sole or
heel or both, by providing a hollow sole, or a shallow chamber enclosed by the
outside walls of a sole or heel, which are preferably made of some elastic material,
with a self-inflating tread, fitted with two valves, one open to the atmosphere, and
the other to the interior of the sole.
Assuming that the said inflating tread is enclosed within the heel, which may be
made alike unto a gussetted bellows, the pressure applied by the user on walking,
diminishes the cubical capacity of the said heel, hence the forcing of the air
contained within its interior sack or holder through a valve proceeding to the
inside of the sole.
On pressure being relieved, the heel resumes its normal condition, by the walls
of the same distending themselves, and by such enlargement, the pressure within
the interior of the said inflating chamber is reduced, in consequence of which, the
valve, as aforesaid, becomes closed, and the valve leading to the atmosphere opened,
by the pressure within its interior being less than that of the atmosphere.
Thus, by the intermittent pressure applied on walking, the pneumatic sole, or
the pneumatic part or portion of a boot or shoe, is maintained at a constant degree
of inflation.
On the pressure of the inflated sole, heel or part becoming equal to the weight
pressure exerted by the walker, the latter becomes neutralized by the former, so
that no further inflation occurs, until the balance is interrupted by leakage or
otherwise, when the self-acting means again comes into requisition.
In a still further form of my invention, the inner sole, or the inside bottom of a
boot or shoe, may be perforated or reticulated with holes, which lead to the outside
valve, so that the air forced into the interior of the hollows of the treads of boots
and shoes, is drawn through the inside of the boot or shoe itself, hence perfect
ventilation of the feet of the wearer.
The valves I prefer to employ may consist of a hollow vulcanite or metal tip,
let into the material of the walls of the inflating cell, chamber or the like, or at the
terminations of tubes. These valves have passages partly through their middles,
terminating in a hole at right angles, which is covered by an extremely thin rubber
tube or sleeve, so that the air pressure flows up the middle passage, and from thence
through the side one, lifts the rubber sleeves, and passes into either the boot or
inflating chamber, sack or the like.
On the inside pressure becoming greater than that from the outside, the rubber
sleeves are closed over the inlet holes, hence the check, and the maintaining of a
constant pressure.
Relief valves in the self inflating soles or heels may be employed.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents, partly in elevation, and
partly in vertical section, a boot, provided or fitted with a pneumatic cushioned
tread, or otherwise, a boot having a pneumatic sole or bottom.
The said pneumatic cushioned tread or boot bottom consists essentially of an
in-sole and an outer or tread sole, and heel, having a shallow chamber surrounded by
flexible edges disposed between them, and located or disposed within the said
shallow chamber is an inflating air-sack.

page_text: Figure represents a cross section of the same upon the dotted lines A B
Figure 1, showing the dispositions of the parts relative to each other.
Figure 3 is an underside plan of Figure 1, with a part in horizontal section upon
the dotted lines C D Figure 1.
a is the boot upper, 6 the in-sole, and c the outer or tread sole with heel d
attached, made of leather or other suitable wear-resisting material. Disposed
between the said. in-sole b, and outer sole, with heel d, is a shallow chamber e
circumferentially enclosed by a flexible edge f, which admits of the said chamber
contracting and extending bellows-wise, within certain limits. Instead of a plain
curved edge, I may employ a gussetted one.
The material employed in the said edges is preferably thin leather, but to this I
do not confine myself, as other pliable or semi-pliable materials may be
advantageously employed.
This edging, which forms the flexible surrounding walls to the sack chamber,
may be secured in its assigned position by stitching or otherwise.
Enclosed within the said chamber e, and between the inside surface ², of the
outer sole c, and the inside surface 2, of the insole b, is an inflating air sack or
bag y, fitted with a neck or tube g', whose inlet end is provided with a check-valve h,
whilst the said tube or neck passes up the back of the boot, and is confined within
a sheath a', but to this I do not confine myself, as the entrance to the air sack may
be made through a tip coming flush or nearly so with the back of the edging of
the heel part.
The sack is preferably made of thin india rubber or caoutchouc, although the
same may be made of oil-skin, silk or other flexible and distensible material.
If necessary, the inlet, with valve, may be placed at any other part of the boot
as may be desired.
i is a pressure relief valve, for preventing bursting on undue expansion of the air,
or over-inflation of the sole.
Figure 4 represents a shoe or slipper provided with a pneumatic cushioned sole
or tread.
In this form of my invention, the inflating sack or cushion is located within a
shallow chamber formed from leather, felt, canvas or other flexible materials.
a is the upper, an insole, and e an outer sole or tread. f is a surrounding edging,
which, with the said soles, constitute a shallow chamber e, wherein an inflating
sack
is enclosed, so that the boot is supported upon an inflated cushion, which
neutralizes or stons off all shock, concussion, tremor or vibration from the frame of
a person when walking, running, jumping or the like.
Figure 5 represents an underside plan of a pneumatic cushioned sole of a boot or
shoe, constructed according to a further form of my invention, and which form is
eminently adapted to be worn by runners.
Figure 6 is a transverse section of the same upon the dotted lines E F Figure 5,
and upon an enlarged scale.
a is a shoe, having upon its tread or sole side, tubular shaped chambers e, e¹, e
which comprehend or take the underside shape of a shoe or boot, and within these
chambers, inflated or inflating tubular or other shaped air-sacks, bags or chambers
are located.
Figure 7 represents a boot fitted with an inflating pneumatic cushioned heel
only.
C
a is the boot, is the insole, and c is an ordinary sole, whilst d is a heel, separated
from the insole by a space or chamber e, surrounded by flexible walls, and within
the said chamber, an inflating air sack g, is disposed having an air-inlet neck or
tube g', partially covered by a sheath a¹. i is a relief valve.
Figure S represents a boot or shoe having a pueumatic cushioned inflated sole or
tread.
a is the upper of the boot or shoe, is the insole, c is the outer sole, and d is the
heel attached to the back underside of the said outer sole, and disposed between

page_text: the said insole and outer sole is a permanently inflated air-sack, bag, cushion or
pad y, and upon this sack, the boot is supported.
I propose that the walls of the enclosure or sack g², be made of some pliable
material, preferably of rubber, with plys of canvas to prevent over-distension or
too-free movement of the same.
Figure 9 represents a boot or shoe, with the inside of the same fitted with a
pneumatic cushioned and inflated inside lining or sock.
Upon this pneumatic inflated lining, the foot of a person directly comes, instead
of having interposed between the foot and the pneumatic cushion, as in the previous
arrangements, an insole of leather or the like.
a is the upper, the insole, e the outer sole, and d the heel, whilst g is a flat and
shallow inflated pneumatic sack, which forms a fixed or loose sock to the boot or-
shoe, which sock may, if necessary, be inflating instead of inflated.
Figure 10 represents a boot or shoe having a pneumatic cushioned sole made up
of a series of cells or sacks, inserted within a shallow chamber, as before. These
sacks may be of any desired figure before their insertion, but when compressed by
applied pressure, they form, as it were, a series of square-shaped chambers.
a
is the upper,
ban insole, e an outer sole, e a chamber surrounded by a flexible
edging, and g³ are a series of inserted and separate inflated chambers.
Such chambers may, if necessary, be in communication one with each other, and
when the same are made inflating instead of inflated, I propose that the outlet of.
the one chamber to the inlet of another should be provided with a check valve.
Figure 11 represents a still further form of my invention.
In this arrangement, the sole is made up primarily of a series of permanently
inflated balls or spheres, enclosed within a chamber disposed between the insole
and the outer or tread sole.
a is the upper, b the insole, c the outer sole, f the enclosing flexible edges of the.
chamber e, and g* are permanently inflated balls or spheres.
Figure 12 represents a still further form of my invention.
In this arrangement, the undersides of both the sole and the heel are fitted with.
permanently inflated pneumatic studs, tips or treads.
a is the upper, the insole, c the outer sole, and d the heel. 9 are pneumatic
and permanently inflated studs, with the shank or inner ends 9 of them let within
the outer lifts of the said sole and heel.
Figure 13 represents a still further form of my invention, fitted with pneumatic
cushioning studs, alike unto Figure 12, but with the same permanently affixed to
the underside of the outer lifts of the sole and heel by flanges and pegs.
gare pneumatic cushioning studs, affixed to the underside sole c, of a boot or
shoe a, by pegs, nails or rivets g7, taking through flanges 98.
If necessary, these attachments may carry a rigid base, fitted with a screw for
making the necessary connection.
Figure 14 shows a modified form of my invention, or a boot having two chambers
upon its underside, and with one of the inflating chambers united to the other by a
passage.
a is a boot, with a pneumatic cushioned sole g, and a pneumatic cushioned heel g¹
the sack of the one communicates with the sack of the other by a passage g², having
a check-valve g³.
Figure 15 shows a permanently inflated heel, alike in construction to Figure 7,.
but without an inflating tube or valve entrance.
It is understood that the whole of the inflating soles or heels are fitted with check
valves, to prevent the return of pumped-in air, and I wish it to be further under-
stood that relief valves are, or may be, in every case fitted to the inflating soles or
heels, as the case may be, so as to get rid of any redundant pressure of air within
the chamber consequent upon change of temperature or over-inflation, and thus
prevent bursting.
The relief valve, as shown in Figures 1, 7 and 16, consists of a body-part i,
having a passage , up its middle to near its outer end, which then branches off*

page_text: into an outlet passage ³, with a concaved annular seating, covered by a thin
rubber cap, with a supplementary yielding pressure ring, coming opposite the
outlet This ring, which may be of rubber, encircles the rubber cap, preferably
around that part immediately facing the outlet, and is adapted to act with such
force as to effectually oppose the inside pressure of the air within the inflating sack
up to a certain point, before the same will yield, and allow any redundance of
pressure to escape.
Thus, the said ring, with the cap, entraps or prevents the escape of air within
the inflated sack or enclosure of the sole or heel or both, up to a determinate
pressure, beyond which, the restraining contrivance yields, and allows air to escape,
hence the prevention of bursting by undue inflation, or by expansion consequent
upon increase of temperature.
Instead of the ring being of rubber, it may be of metal, and split (see Figures 16^
and 16), or the same may consist of two or more coils of wire (see Figure 16).
Instead of employing as a cap, the same may be employed as a very thick tube
of rubber, or the said parts i, i, may be combined, either as a tube or as a cap.
Figure 16 represents a further form of relief valve. is a body part, ³ is a
valve, and is a spring, disposed at the back of the valve.
Figure 17 represents a boot or shoe provided with a self-inflating heel, by which
means, a necessary or constant inflation is kept up by the action of a person walking,
and as will be seen, consists of a double chambered heel, one an inflating chamber,
and the other a receiving chamber, and from which former, air is pumped into the
latter by the contraction of the cubical capacity of the first-named chamber, which
forces the trapped air contained within it into the other chamber.
A feed from the receiving and cushion chamber may if necessary lead to a
receiving and cushion chamber in the sole, or the self-inflating means may be
applied to the sole instead of to the heel, and the heel may be fed with air from
the sole.
Any loss of air occasioned by leakage is made up by the re-inflation in the act of
walking, and bursting from over-inflation is prevented by a relief valve.
a is an upper of a boot or shoe, b is an insole, and is an outer lift of the heel.
g is a pneumatic cushioned sack, having a check-valve h, and a relief valve i, and
which inflating pneumatic sack, bag or envelope is enclosed within a chamber e,
located between an inner lift d, and the outer lift d, of the heel, and which
chamber is surrounded by leather or other flexible walls f, to admit of the necessary
contraction and expansion, consequent upon the application and relaxation of
pressure.
Situated between the top side of the inner lift d2, and the underside of the
insole &, is an inflating chamber j, having or being enclosed by flexible or gussetted
sides j³, and fitted with a hole or inlet 13, having a flap or other check valve j*, at
its inner side.
The valve, leads from the hole, inlet or passage j, to the air-aack g, so that as
the pressure of the foot is applied on walking, the sides 12, of the chamber j, are
partially collapsed, and the depth of the said chamber thereby contracted which
forces the entrapped air (which is prevented from escaping by the closing of the
valve) within the said chamber, through the valve h, into the receiving air-
sack g, and should more air be supplied than is desirable, and which would endanger,
by bursting, the sides of the said sack, and the enclosure walls, the same escapes
through the relief valve i.
By drawing air through the interior of the boot or shoe, the same becomes
effectually ventilated, and I might observe that the redundant air from the inflating
sack, may, if necessary, be utilized as a means of ventilation.
Or instead of the feed air passing through the interior of the boot, it may pass
through a channel or passage leading to a flap or other valve.
I further wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the exact form
of relief valve shown, as the same may be varied according to the way in which
the same is applied or used.

page_text: The inflated attachments may be secured to the soles or heels by cement
instead of by nails, pins or screws, and further, air-sack insertions may be
applied in various other similar ways other than as described and represented.
I propose that the air-sack or inflated or inflating envelopes be covered or
secured in their assigned positions by fixed or attachable and detachable canvas
covers.
Or the said inflated or inflating attachments may be secured to the soles, or
to both the soles and the heels of boots, shoes and other coverings for the feet,
by metal clips or other fastening contrivances.
In the cushion pad and sock parts of my invention, the same may be perforated,
if necessary, for ventilation, or the same may be made up of an elastic tube, disposed
serpentine-wise, leaving interposed spaces between the parts.
Instead of the cushion pads being inflating or inflated, they may be made only
hollow, alike unto a cell, so that the necessary elasticity or yielding property is
obtained from the elasticity of the material from which the cushion pad is made.
In such a case, the walls of the same may be supported, if necessary, by interposed
springs, either of metal, rubber or other like yielding material.
In the self inflating contrivance, the inflating chamber or chambers may be
provided with reaction springs, of metal or in the form of rubber balls or blocks,
which take the same back to their normal dimensions or to a state of distension on
the relief of pressure therefrom.
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 :-
First. In boots, shoes and other coverings for the feet, providing, fitting or
making the same with pneumatic cushioned treads, or soles, or heels, or both, either
insertioned or attached, and also cither inflating or inflated, substantially as described
and set forth.
Secondly. In pneumatic cushioned boots, shoes and other coverings for the feet,
locating or disposing between the insole of a boot or shoe, and the outer or wearing
sole, a chamber e, with flexible edges, having within it, an inflating air-sack,
substantially as described and set forth in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7.
Thirdly. In pheumatic cushioned boots or shoes, the combination with an inflating
air-sack or pneumatic tread, of a check valve, or a relief valve, or relief and check
valves, substantially as described and set forth in Figures 1, 7, 16, 164, 16³, 16°
and 16.
Fourthly. In pneumatic cushioned boots or shoes, the combination with an
inflating air-cushioned tread, of a relief or air over-plus valve, of the constructions
substantially as described and set forth in Figures 16, 16, 16, 16° and 16".
Fifthly. In the pneumatic cushioned treads or soles of running or athletic shoes,
making the same of a tubular construction, substantially as described and set forth
in Figures 5 and 6.
Sixthly. In pneumatic cushioned treads for boots and shoes, employing between
the insole and the outer sole a cushion pad, or a permanently inflated and insertioned
air-sack, or permanently inflated air-sacks, cells, balls or spheres, with or without a
reception chamber having flexible or pliable edges, substantially as described and
set forth in Figures 10, 11, 14 and 15.
Seventhly. In boots, shoes and other coverings for the feet, fitting or providing
the bottoms of the interiors of the same with a plain or pierced attached or loose
pneumatic lining or sock, or flat air-sack, envelope or enclosure, marked g,
substantially as described and set forth in Figure 9.
Eighthly. In boots, shoes and other coverings for the feet, providing or fitting
the soles or heels, or both, of the same with permanently-inflated pneumatic tread-
studs, substantially as described and set forth in Figures 12 and 13.
Ninthly. Self-inflating pneumatic cushioned treads for boots and shoes, consisting
of a receiving air-sack, in communication with an inflating, pumping or injecting

page_text: chamber, fitted with inlet and check valves, or with inlet, check and relief valves,
substantially as described and set forth in Figure 17.
Tenthly. In self-inflating pneumatic cushioned treads for boots and shoes,
providing the treads, or the soles and heels of the same, with two or more chambers
viz. an inflating chamber or chambers, and an air-receiving chamber or chambers,
separated from each other by intervening division walls, and enclosed or surrounded
by flexible or gussetted sides, and with one or more of the said chambers fitted with
insertioned pneumatic sacks, whilst the whole of the chambers are fitted with check
and other valves for air-trapping and relief, substantially as described and set forth
.in Figure 17.
Dated this 29th day of May 1893.
PATRICK ALPHONSUS MARTIN,
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.