IMPROVEMENTS IN WOODEN-SOLED SHOES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Theophilus Rodgers Hyde, of Westerly, in the County of
Washington, and State of Rhode Island,. in the United States of America, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN WOODEN-SOLED SHOES."
Sealed the 4th January 1878, and dated the 7th July 1877.
SOLED SHOES.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through the sole layers and front upper.
Figure 2 is a bottom view of the insole showing the edge of upper attached.
Figure 3 is a side view of shoe complete.
The Invention has relation to wood-soled shoes, and it consists mainly in the
construction and novel arrangement of the sections of the sole sawed from each
other, and thereby exactly and economically fitted together, in the combination
with the insole and outer sole or a yielding and waterproof intermediate sole placed
between the two, in the wooden welt sole and in the manner of sawing out, fitting,
and connecting the sections together, and to the upper, as herein-after described.
In the Drawings forming a part of this Specification, and in which similar letters
of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in all the Figures, wherever
they may occur, A is the outer sole, which I preferably make in two sections, B
and C, sawed from each other to secure an exact fit between their adjacent surfaces.
D is the in-
Of these two sections, B represents the tread, and C the welt sole.
sole, which is also sawed from the outer sole to secure an exact adaptation in form
to the upper surface thereof, and E represents a yielding and waterproof intermediate
sole, made of rubber, prepared cloth, or other suitable material, and located between
the insole and welt sole. The insole E is trimmed off around its edge so that it is
smaller in length and breadth than the outer sole, and allowance is thus made for

page_text: the leather of the upper. The intermediate sole is still less in diameter than the
insole, and when secured between the latter and the welt sole leaves a marginal
space a around its edge and within the edges of said insole and welt sole, into which
the edge of the upper is received. In this manner the upper can be fitted to the
wooden sole without rabetting or chamfering its edge.
The sections for the tread welt sole and insole are sawed from each other out of
hard wood. They are designed to be transversely straight, and to have an easy
double curvature longitudinally for the heel and ball of the foot, the front or ball
curvature being circular, with a radius about the length of the sole. In this manner
is designed to secure ease and comfort in walking upon a sole of this character.
The parts are secured together in the following manner:
The edge of the upper is tacked to and under the edge of the insole. The latter
is then connected with the welt sole, the waterproof intermediate sole being
cemented between the two wooden sections, which are secured together by means of
screws b, passing upward through the welt sole into the insole. The screws are
neatly countersunk and the tread is fitted to the welt sole and secured by means of
waterproof cement, for which the sawed surfaces afford a strong hold, and by means
of a screw c, which is put through the centre of the heel.
The welt sole, if the shoe is to be subjected to unusually hard usage, may be made
of metal, sheet copper or its equivalent being preferably employed. In this case the
insole will be sawed directly from the tread, and the welt sole will be attached to
the latter by screws inserted from the top or upper side around the welt exterior to
the upper. In making children's shoes the toe of the outer sole may be projected
sufficiently to prevent wear of the upper.
The Invention is designed to provide a cheap and comfortable shoe for the
working classes, who have at present little knowledge of such a luxury. This shoe
is adapted to the anatomy of the foot and its motion in walking, the curvature of
the ball of the sole giving an easy movement. By means of the welt sole, the tread
and the insole can be connected firmly and strongly without showing the screws,
and as the welt sole is protected by the tread from wear, it affords additional
advantage in repairing, as the tread can be separated at the cement joint and a new
tread put on; or the upper can be detached and an entirely new set of soles con-
nected therewith at small expense. The waterproof intermediate sole laid in and
"covered by waterproof cement serves to absolutely exclude all moisture, and also to
fill the space between the insole and outer sole, which is necessary on account of the
introduction of the edge of the upper, with a yielding substance which will adjust
itself to the thickness of the upper under the pressure of the soles when secured
together.
The introduction of the intermediate sole enables the insole and outer sole to be
sawed out with straight edges, and avoids the necessity of chamfering or rabetting
for the reception of the margin of the upper.
".
Having now described my Invention and the manner in which the same may be
carried into effect, I wish to have it understood that I do not desire to limit myself
to the exact details shown and described as the same may be varied without departing
from the peculiar nature of my Invention, but what I do claim and desire to secure
by Letters Patent is,-
Firstly. In the manufacture of wood-soled shoes an improved process consisting
first in shaping the block or blank to conform to the finished sole, and then sawing
the same into sole sections, with surfaces of curvature adapted to be united together
to form two or more thicknesses of sole substantially as herein described.
Secondly. The combination with the insole D and' outer sole A of the yielding
intermediate sole E of smaller size than the insole,. leaving a marginal space 'a
between said insole and outer sole for the 'introduction of the edge of the upper,
substantially as herein-before described.
Thirdly. The combination with an insole and tread sole sawed from the same
blank of a welt sole C, located between the two and screwed to the insole, substan-
tially as herein-before described.
$
"

page_text: Fourthly. A wood-soled shoe having the sections of its sole sawed apart to fit
each other, and the yielding intermediate sole E laid in waterproof cement, between
the insole and outer sole, substantially as herein-before described.
Fifthly. The wood-soled shoe, consisting of the insole D, intermediate sole E,
tread sole B, and welt sole C, connected first to the insole and then to the tread sole,
said parts being arranged as herein-before described, and shown in the accompanying
Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I have hereto set my hand and seal, this Thirteenth
day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-seven.
THEOPHILUS RODGERS HYDE. (L.S.)