CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1847

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
FISHER, of Clerkenwell Green, in the County of Middlesex, Boot Maker,
send greeting.
year of
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Fourteenth day of
October, One thousand eight hundred and forty-seven, in the eleventh
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said David Fisher, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said David
Fisher, my exors, admors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said David
Fisher, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within
England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES;" in which
said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said David Fisher,
shall cause a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, to be enrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court
of Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date
of the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference
being thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
David Fisher, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described
and ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being
had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters 5
marked thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention consists,―
First, of certain means of rendering parts of boots and shoes elastic.
Secondly, my Invention consists of a mode of fastening the soles of boots
and shoes to the "uppers" by cement.
Thirdly, my Invention consists of a mode of making the heels of boots and
shoes.
Fourthly, my Invention consists of means of making soles of boots and
shoes when gutta percha or compounds thereof are used.
Fifthly, my Invention consists of a mode of making soles of boots and shoes 1
by combining strips of leather, gutta percha, or its compound with flexible
cement.
Sixthly, my Invention consists of using gutta percha in combining a leather
sole to the heel of a boot or shoe.
Seventhly, my Invention consists of using spongy india rubber and gutta
percha in the making of soles of boots and shoes.
Eighthly, my Invention consists of a mode of ventilating boots and shoes.
And, ninthly, my Invention consists of making the soles and heels of boots
and shoes of certain compounds of gutta percha.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood and readily s
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 shews a side view of part of a gentleman's boot constructed
according to the first part of my Invention. a is the upper leather, which is
of the ordinary kind, but at the lower edge is fixed a strip of sheet india
rubber, which should be rendered permanently elastic, as is now well under-
stood. The dotted lines b, b, shew this strip of sheet india rubber, or it
might be elastic fabric, one edge of which is fixed to the upper leather, and
the other edge is affixed to the sole by the use of a welt, or other means well
understood in the making of boots and shoes. In thus using india rubber I
prefer to use what is called vulcanized india rubber, and in order that it should
allow of being fixed by stitching, I have the india rubber made with a tape
or narrow fabric laid into the india rubber at the edges, and then it may be
]

page_text: stitched securely and without liability of injury to the india rubber when in
use. I do not, however, confine myself to this mode of affixing the india
rubber between the sole and the upper leather, but so far as I am informed I
believe the same to be the best means of doing so. By this means of con-
necting the upper leather with the sole, it will be evident that the india rubber
will give and allow the otherwise unyielding upper leather to separate more
or less (according to the momentary strain thereon) from the sole, and it will
immediately assume its original position when the strain is removed. I have
in the above description spoken only of upper leather, but I would remark
that this means of connecting is equally applicable when the "uppers" are of
other comparatively unyielding material, and whether they be for boots or
shoes, and although I have only shewn part of a gentleman's boot, the descrip-
tion above given applies equally to boots and shoes generally. And I would
state that I sometimes apply india rubber in like manner between the "front"
and the back of the boot or shoes, in which case the seam which connects the
back to the front would be free to open from the sole as high as what is called
the "counter," the india rubber being only applied to that height.
Figure 2 shews a means of giving elasticity to a ladies' or such like boot,
and consists of applying a portion of elastic fabric at the back, as is shewn
at c, c, the fore part and the larger part of the "upper" being of ordinary fabric
or of comparatively unyielding material, such as ordinarily used. I prefer for
the elastic portion c, c, to use woven fabric containing vulcanized or converted
india-rubber thread, but I do not confine myself thereto, as other fabric or
leather rendered elastic may be used. I would state that I am aware that
the uppers of "boots" have before been rendered elastic by introducing elastic
fabrics in gores at the sides and also in front, but such modes of applying
elastic fabrics are inconvenient, whilst the applying elastic fabrics to the backs,'
as shewn, will be found very advantageous.
Figure 3 shews another mode of giving elasticity to the "uppers" of boots
which are open at the sides and fastened by lacing or by buttons or other
like means, and this part of my Invention consists of applying india rubber or
fabric rendered elastic on one or both sides of the slit or opening at the side of
a boot. d, d, are pieces of india rubber or of elastic fabric introduced on the
sides of the opening. This boot is shewn as if to be fastened by lacing, but
other means of drawing and holding the edges towards each other may be
resorted to.
I will now describe the second part of my Invention, which consists of an
improved method of manufacturing boots and shoes when cement is employed
for applying the soles to the "uppers." Having tacked the upper part of the

page_text: boot or shoe upon a last in the ordinary manner, and with the inner sole, as
usual, I fix the boot or shoe in a press made to fit the sides of the last, and
so that it presses equally on both sides of the boot or shoe, holding "the upper"
in its place so that the tacks may be drawn out; I then arrange
"the upper"
so that it shall lay smoothly round the edge of the last, lapping over the inner
sole about half an inch, after which, I punch numerous holes round the edge
of "the upper" which lap over the inner sole; I then spread under the per-
forated edges of "the upper" a sufficient quantity of solution of gutta percha or
india rubber, so that by pressing down the edge of the upper leather upon the
cement it will be caused to pass through the perforations; I then set the boot
or shoe to dry in the air, after which I spread another coat or two of the solu-
tion over the whole bottom of the boot or shoe; this having also become dry,
I block the sole on, which should be roughed, and a coat or two of solution
applied, and the sole will be made to adhere by pressure; the surfaces, when
brought together, being sufficiently warm to cause them to adhere. If gutta
percha soles be used, then they are to be in the plastic state when applied.
I would remark, in respect to this part of my Invention, that I am aware
that india rubber and gutta percha solutions or cements have before been used
for cementing the sole of a boot or shoe to the insole; I do not therefore claim
the same generally, this part of my Invention depending on the use of perfora.
tions of the edges of the "uppers," so that the cement may come through the
same, as described.
I will now proceed to describe the third part of my Invention.-Figure 4
shews a heel made according to this part of my Invention. Figure 5
shews a portion of leather cut suitable for forming the same; the object is
to save labor, and yet get a more useful heel than when made of several layers
or thicknesses of leather, as heretofore. The leather d is blocked in a hollow
mould or block, Figure 6, so as to produce the shape of heel desired, for it
should be understood, that this part of my Invention does not depend on the
shape of heel, but in the manner of making. The leather, when blocked, may
have its two edges dx joined by rivets or otherwise, and in this state it may
be affixed to a boot or shoe by sewing, and then be filled afterwards with gutta
percha or its compounds, or with any suitable material, which can readily be
done when such matter is in a plastic state; but I prefer to fill the heels before
fastening them to the boots or shoes. Figure 7 shews a heel so filled and
ready to be fixed by sewing; by this arrangement it will be seen that what may
be called a wall of leather is produced for the exterior of a heel, whilst the
interior may be filled with gutta percha or its compounds, or other suitable
material, and such heels may be produced quickly and with great facility

page_text: When the front of the heel is made without bringing the ends of the leather
forming the wall together, I have found it convenient to use a metal plate e,
Figure 8, the jagged projections passing through the leather wall holding the parts
together, the parts of the projections which come through the wall being filed
off. Figure 9 shews various views of a heel made by employing thin metal as
the wall or exterior surface of a heel; in this case also the interior heel is to
be produced in like manner to that above described. And I have found it
very advantageous to apply what is called spongy or porous india rubber or
gutta percha to the outer surface of the heels of boots and shoes, and this I do
by not quite filling the shell or wall above described, leaving space for receiving
a layer of such preparation of india rubber or of gutta percha so formed as
just to rise above the edges of the wall or shell of the heel, by which the
person bringing the heel to the ground will have the benefit of a short
elastic surface to come against the ground, and boots and shoes thus made
will be found not so liable to throw up or splash with mud as when using hard
heels.
I will now describe the fourth part of my Invention, which has for its object
a mode of manufacturing the soles of boots and shoes, which consists of pro-
ducing what may be called an edge or wall of leather around a sole of gutta
percha, or of compounds of gutta percha. I cut a piece or narrow strip of
sole leather, and block it into shape, as at Figure 10, where the leather is
applied flatwise, or in this case, as in the wall of the heel, the leather may be
an edge, and I sew or otherwise secure this wall instead of a welt, and I fill up
the other portion of the sole by applying gutta percha or gutta percha com-
pounds, with other matters, when in the plastic state, by heat, the insole and
the inner surfaces of the wall being first coated with solution of gutta percha.
By this means I obtain all the advantages of a gutta percha sole, with the
additional advantage of a better edge by composing it of leather, and by having
the inner surface of the leather wall undercut, the gutta percha sole will be
retained in as by a dovetail; or, in place of substituting the wall for the welt,
I can use a welt with a wall of sole leather sewn thereto, as shewn at Figure 11,
the hollow space in this case as before being filled in with gutta percha or its
compounds.
I will now describe the fifth part of my Invention:-Figure 12 shows
a plan of a block of leather or of gutta percha, or its compounds, pro-
duced according to this part of my Invention, the object being to get
any desired thickness of leather or of gutta percha, or the compound
thereof, to form a sole with flexibility, and this I do by cementing strips
of sole leather on edge side by side by a flexible cement, and I prefer

page_text: to use for this purpose india-rubber cement, by which I join the pieces
of leather, as shewn at Figure 12, the surfaces of the leather being first
weighed before applying the cement; from this the desired portions for
forming soles of boots and shoes are to be cut and applied as heretofore. In
some cases I apply between the thickness of leather, gutta percha, or its
compounds, thin layers of sheet india rubber, by which I obtain greatly
increased elasticity.
I will now describe the sixth part of my Invention, which consists of a mode
of combining the use of leather and gutta percha, and consists of forming the
sole of leather and the waist of the sole of gutta percha or a compound
thereof.
Figure 13, 14, & 15, shews a heel of a boot or shoe combined with the sole
by gutta percha, the under end of the leather sole passing between or into the
substance of the gutta percha, and this is readily done when the gutta percha
is in a plastic state; this sole and heel may then be applied by cementing, or
the sole may be sewed to a welt and the waist cemented.
I will now describe the seventh part of my Invention, which consists of the
application of spongy india rubber or gutta percha either on the surface.
upper
of the insole or between it and the sole of a boot or shoe. For this
purpose I
cut out pieces of sheet spongy india rubber or of gutta percha, and if it is
intended to be above the insole I cover the one surface of such spongy matter
with thin leather and bring the edges thereof under the insole, and then use
the two together as an insole, or when the spongy matter above mentioned be
used between the soles it will not require to be covered, but will be put
between the two soles as a filling in like manner to what cork and felt and
other matters have been before used.
I will now describe the eighth part of my Invention. This also is shewn at
Figures 13, 14, and 15, where a perforated metal plate is used as a ventilator,
a being the perforated plate, 6 a conical opening of metal let into the waist of
a boot or shoe, as shewn.
I will now describe the ninth part of my Invention, which consists of mixing
certain matters with gutta percha to be used in the manufacture of soles or
heels of boots and shoes, and these are slate, coal, pumice, glass, and linseed.
In using either slate, coal, pumice, or glass, I first pound them into a very
fine powder, and I use them either separately or combined, and I knead in as
much of the powder, with the gutta percha as it will take and yet retain a
considerable degree of plasticity when hot; this product I either roll or press
into sheets and make the same into soles or heels of boots or shoes. When I
use linseed I boil it in water so as to produce a thick mucilage or jelly, and I

page_text: knead this with gutta percha; and I prefer to use such linseed with the
powdered material or materials above mentioned before combining them with
the gutta percha, and I prefer that the combination of the powder and linseed
should be dry when applied to the gutta percha.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details so long as the peculiar character of either
part of my Invention be retained. But what I claim is,-
First, the means of rendering the attachment of the "upper" and the sole
of a boot or shoe elastic, as described, and the making of the seam from the
sole to the counter elastic, as described. I also claim the rendering the back
of a boot elastic, as described in respect to Figure 2; and I also claim the
mode of making the parts of a boot made open at the side elastic, as described
in respect to Figure 3.
Secondly, I claim the mode of making boots or shoes when using cement,
whereby the edges of "the uppers" are perforated for the passage of the
cement.
Thirdly, I claim the modes of making heels of boots and shoes by the
employing walls or shells of leather or of metal filled up, and I also claim the
applying spongy or porous india rubber and gutta percha, as described.
Fourthly, I claim the making of soles of boots and shoes by applying walls
or edges of leather when gutta percha, or a compound thereof, is used for the
other part of the sole.
Fifthly, I claim the mode of making soles of boots and shoes as described
in respect to Figure 12.
Sixthly, I claim the mode of combining a leather sole to a heel by applying
gutta percha for the waist, as described in respect to Figures 13, 14, and 15.
Seventhly, I claim the use of spongy india rubber and gutta percha in the
making of soles of boots and shoes.
Eighthly, I claim the mode of ventilating boots and shoes. And,
Ninthly, I claim the combining of slate, coal, pumice, and glass, and
also linseed, with gutta percha, in the manufacture of soles and heels of boots
and shoes.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Fisher, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fourteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight.
DAVID (L.S.) FISHER.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Fourteenth day of April, in the
year of our Lord 1848, the aforesaid David Fisher came before our said
Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to
the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Fourteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
i
Enrolled the Fourteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-eight.