Improvements in or relating to Boots or Shoes, and Lasts for use in the Manufacture thereof.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 19th Nov., 1889-Accepted, 21st Dec., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Boots or Shoes, and Lasts for use
in the Manufacture thereof.
We, JAMES ROBINSON, of Oxford Street, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Commercial Traveller, and SAMUEL ROBINSON, of Oxford Street, Manchester, afore-
said, Commercial Traveller, and WILLIAM ROBINSON, also of Oxford Street, Manchester,
aforesaid. Boot Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide boots and shoes having heels which can
be turned or reversed as wear occurs at one side more than another, and thus present
a fresh surface at the side where wear occurs most quickly.
It is well known that when the heel of a boot wears down to one side, the foot
and weight thereon is thrown over onto that side also, which causes an uneven wear
of the sole of the boot to take place. In this case an uneven strain is put upon the
upper of the boot causing it to break more quickly than it would otherwise do,
thereby detracting from the general appearance of the boot.
In carrying out the invention we construct the heel preferably of oval shape, that
is, of the same shape at the breast as at the back. Other shapes such as circular or
elliptical may be adopted, but we prefer the oval which is a particular feature of our
invention, as it is much more symetrical in appearance and gives a better support to
the arch of the foot, as it extends further under the instep, and will prevent it
falling as is often the case from want of support, producing flat feet.
The heels are preferably made of solid leather, built up in lifts as in ordinary heels,
and when finished the body may either be straight or tapered from the bottom to the
top, and may be hollow so that between the heel and an imaginary line drawn from
the bottom lift to the top piece a space or cavity will appear.
For the construction of boots and shoes in accordance with our invention it is
necessary to prepare the last so as to give the seat the required angle for the heels,
which are of the same height throughout. These lasts will differ materially from the
lasts in use for the making of ordinary boots. In preparing the last for boots with our
oval heels we shape it or cut it away slightly at the back of the heel, curving it down
to the seat, and for circular heels at the back of the heel midway between the top and
the base we cut it away to the extent of about half an inch at the centre of the
back, making the seat to curve under, and on the bottom approximating in contour
to a semi-circle. In either case we sink the last at the breast about half an inch,
sinking the waist alike both to the inside and outside, this inclines the surface upwards
from the seat to the centre so that if placed upon a level surface the last will rest
upon the end of the back of the heel, and the breast will be sunk the same at both
sides alike. In this respect the last will differ from those in ordinary use as such
when so placed rest about the centre of the under surface of the heel and are cut away
more to the inside than the outside.
A boot or shoe built upon this last will be much better adapted to receive the
movable heels, the inward inclination of the heel at the seat and the depth at the
breast and upward inclination towards the centre permits of the heel being of equal
height at all sides and gives a better appearance to the foot.
The heels are preferably built up from the sole or first lift, so as to give as great
a wearing surface as possible, though we may secure the movable part to the fixed
part at any desired distance, or number of lifts from the sole.
Instead of a top-piece of leather in order to increase the length of wear the heels
may have metal tips, oval or round according to their shape, or nails, rivets, or the
like may be inserted round the edge of a leather top piece.

page_text: The heels may be secured or attached to the soles in any convenient way preferably
without any clips or bands appearing on the outside. At present we prefer to
construct a fastener in two parts having projecting flanges or otherwise made so that
one will fit tightly into the other; one of these parts is attached to the heel and the
other to the sole. One is provided with springs which engage with notches or slots
in the other and when the two are brought together these prevent them slipping
apart. The two parts of the heel can be drawn asunder when required by the
application of a little force. Instead of this, however, a bolt or nut fastening may
be employed, having a suitable connecting piece or plate attached to each part of the
heel. The plate on the movable part has a screw thread cut or chased through the
hole to receive the end of a bolt or screw which passes down through the hole in
the other plate. The bolt is preferably split at its upper end so as to bear tightly
against the inside of the hole in the plate through which it passes. It is inserted
from the inside of the boot, the head bearing against a shoulder formed by an upward
projecting tube or sleeve from the fixed plate. By the use of such fastenings
applied to heels of ordinary shape the heels may be made transferable from one boot
to the other.
We are well aware that movable circular heels have been applied to boots built
or made upon the ordinary lasts without success, and that circular heel tips have
been applied to ordinary boot heels for the purpose of being rotated as wear occured
and such do not form any part of our invention.
Dated 16th February 1889
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester, Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Boots or Shoes, and Lasts for use
in the Manufacture thereof.
We, JAMES ROBINSON, of Oxford Street, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Commercial Traveller, SAMUEL ROBINSON, of Oxford Street, Manchester, aforesaid,
Commercial Traveller, and WILLIAM ROBINSON, also of Oxford Street, Manchester,
aforesaid, Boot Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to provide boots and shoes having heels which
can be turned or reversed as wear occurs at one side more than another; and thus
present a fresh surface at the side where wear occurs most-quickly.
.It is well known that when the heel of a boot wears down to one side, the foot
and weight thereon is thrown over on to that side also, causing a
an uneven wear of
the sole of the boot to take place; an uneven strain is also put upon the upper of
the boot causing it to break more quickly than it would otherwise do, thereby
detracting from the general appearance of the boot.
We are well aware that many attempts have been made to apply circular rotatable
heels to boots and shoes but so far we believe without success owing to the boot
being formed to receive such heel exactly as if to receive an ordinary fixed heel-
that is lower or nearer to the ground at the breast than at the back of the heel.
This invention consists essentially of a boot having the seat for the heel when in
position at the same distance at the back, breast, and sides from the ground line, to
receive a movable or rotatable heel; an oval movable or rotatable heel for boots
or shoes; a last cut away or sunk at the breast to such an extent as to incline the
seat.upwards from the back of the heel to the breast; and a catch device applicable
for securing an elliptical or oval heel all of which will hereinafter be fully described
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of boot constructed according to our invention.
Fig. 2 elevation of last, the heel being raised.

page_text: Fig. 5, plan of fast from underside.
Fig. 4 section of last on line . y.
Fig. 5 elevation of last in position when resting on the ground.
Fig. 6 elevation of ordinary last in same position.
Fig. 7 sectional elevation of catch we at present prefer for elliptical or oval
heels.
Fig. 8 plan of one side of catch.
Fig. 9 plan of the other side of catch the heel being indicated by dotted lines.
The boot A is constructed with the seat upon which the heel rests, or that portion of
the sole between a-a,-approximately parallel with the ground line when raised the
height of the heel therefrom or slightly inclined upwards to the breast so that a
heel of equal height at all edges may be applied thereto and rest flat upon the
ground.
The heel B is preferably made of solid leather built up in lifts b as in the ordinary
heels, though it may be made of one piece of leather or other material compressed
or formed into the required shape. The heel when finished may be either straight or
tapered from the bottom to the top and the sides are preferably slightly hollowed
or concave as shown. The heel B is of the same shape at the back as at the breast,
preferably elliptical or oval, though it may be made circular if desired. The elliptical
or oval heel we consider gives a more finished appearance and also a much better
support to the arch of the foot as it extends further under the instep and will
prevent the falling which is often the case from want of support resulting in flat
footedness.
For the construction of boots and shoes in accordance with our invention it is
necessary to prepare the last C so as to give the seat the required angle for the heel,
which for each boot is of the same height throughout. These lasts will differ materially
from the lasts at present in use for the making of ordinary boots-(see Figs. 5
and 6).
In preparing the last we sink or cut the last away at the breast (at c) to the
extent of about half an inch according to the height of heels to be applied. This
inclines the surface upwards from the back of the heel or seat at d to the breast at c
so that if placed upon a level surface the last will rest upon the back edge of the
heel and the breast will appear about half an inch above (see Fig. 5) so that when
raised up the height of the heel (as in Fig. 2) the scat will appear approximately
parallel with the surface upon which it rests. In sinking the waist we sink it to the
same depth at the inside and outside as shown in Fig. 4.
. In a last made in this way the heel will be equal at both sides of a line drawn
along the sole from the centre of the back at the top point e to the centre of the
front point. In all these respects the last will differ from those in ordinary use, as
such, when placed on a level surface rest upon the centre of the under surface of the
heel (see Fig. 6) and when raised to the position of the last shown in Fig. 2. the
seat is inclined and not level and further the ordinary last at the waist is cut away or
inclined inwards and at the heel is cut away more at one side of a centre line drawn
as above described than at the other side of it.
For circular heels we shape or cut the last away at the back of the heel, curving
it down to the seat from a point midway between the top and the base to the extent
of about half an inch as shown in dotted lines Fig. 2.
A boot or shoe built upon our last will be much better adapted to receive movable
heels, the inward inclination of the heel at the seat and the depth at the breast and
upward inclination towards the centre permits of the heel being of equal height at
all sides and gives a better appearance to the foot.
The heels are preferably built up from the sole or first lift, so as to give as great a
wearing surface as possible, though we may secure the movable part to the fixed part
at any desired distance, or number of lifts from the sole.
Instead of a top-piece of leather in order to increase the length of wear the heels
may have metal tips, oval or round according to their shape, or nails, rivets, or the
like may be inserted round the edge of a leather top piece.

page_text: The fastening for securing together the two parts of the heels when of oval shape
which we prefer to use is shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9. It is constructed in two
parts G&H with projecting flanges g&h, the part G being attached to the boot and
the part H to the heel. The base of the part G is provided with notches or slots i
covered or protected by springs I while the other is provided with a Tor cross
piece projecting up from its base. When the two parts are brought together the
arms, are pressed round under the springs I which force them into the notches or
slots where they are held by the springs I. The two parts of the heel can be
brought asunder by the application of a little twisting force.
For circular heels or if desired for oval heels a bolt and nut fastening may be
employed. A fastening of this description may be constructed with a suitable
connecting piece or plate attached to each part of the heel. The plate on the
movable part has a screw thread cut or chased through a hole to receive the end of
a bolt or screw which passes down through the hole in the other plate. The bolt is
preferably split at its upper end so as to bear tightly against the inside of the hole
in the plate through which it passes. It is inserted from the inside of the boot the
head. bearing against a shoulder formed by an upward projecting tube or sleeve from
the fixed plate. It will be obvious that a last constructed according to our inven-
tion may also be used in the making of boots with fixed heels of the ordinary
kind.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we wish it to be understood
that we do not seek to claim broadly the application of movable or rotatable heels to
boots and shoes but we declare that what we claim is
1. A boot or shoe constructed with a level seat to, receive a movable or rotatable
heel substantially as described.
2. A last for boots and shoes cut away at the breast and having the seat inclined
upwards and inwards substantially as described.
3. The combination with a boot of a rotatable or movable heel elliptical or oval in
shape substantially as described.
4. The combination with movable heels for boots and shoes of a catch or fastener
constructed and arranged substantially as described and shown with reference to
figs. 7-9.
Dated this 18th day of November 1889.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Manchester, Liverpool, and London, Patent Agents.