IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Haseltine, of the "International Patent
Office, No. 12, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES."-A communication from abroad by
Joseph Blanchard Crosby, Engineer, of Boston, Massachusetts, United
States of America.
Sealed the 6th December 1864, and dated the 15th September 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Haseltine at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 15th September 1864.
I, GEORGE HASELTINE, of the "International Patent Office," No.. 12,
Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES," a communication, to be as
follows:-
One part of this Invention consists in a turned boot or shoe. in which the
vamp and sole are united by a machine-made stitch passing through the vamp
and through a portion only of the sole, which portion is cut in the form of a
flap, the cut extending from within the boundary of the sole toward but not
to its edge; also in the process or mode of manipulation practised to produce
a boot or shoe so made. In the practice of these parts of the Invention use

page_text: is made of two sets of lasts, one on which to arrange and sew the vamp and
sole together, and the other on which to finish the boot or shoc. On the first
last the arrangement of the sole and vamp is reversed from that which they
have in the finished shoe, that is, the face side of the sole and vamp are placed
against the surface of this last, which is mado narrower and shorter than the
second or finishing last, about the thickness of the sole on each side and end,
so that the edge of the sole can be turned from the face of the sole of the last
down upon and around the sides, toe, and heel, and by this arrangement bring
the flap before mentioned into a position about at right angles with the surfaco
of the sole. The sole is temporarily secured to the last, and the vamp to the
sole, and in this condition the operator so manipulates the last with the shoc
thereupon under the action of a sewing mechanism that a scam is formed all
around the shoe, passing through the upturned flap and the vamp close to the
face of the sole, the needle working nearly parallel to the face of the sole.
When the sean is made the flap and vamp are pressed down on the surface
of the sole, and trimmed as closely thereto as the seam will permit. The last
is then withdrawn, the shoe turned, the full or largest last inserted therein,
and the shoe is thus finished as is usual.
Another part of this Invention consists in a turned boot or shoe in which
the vamp and sole are united by chain stitches, which pass entirely through
the parts united (that is, from the outside to the inside of the shoe), when the
arrangement of parts and the disposition of the sewing is such as to have the
chain of the stitches appear in the finished shoe on the inner surface of the
vamp, while the plain part of the stitches comes "aloft," i.e., on the surface of
the sole, or else in a channel cut into the sole from its wearing surface; also
in the use or employment for the production of said turned boot or shoo of a
pattern temporarily secured to that face of the sole which comes outside in
the finished article, and in connection with such pattern of a cylindrical or
conical guage on the surface of the tip of the "horn" of the machine
employed in the manipulation.
Shoes are constructed under this part of the Invention as follows:-The tip
of the horn on which the sewing is performed has rising from its upper
surface, and surrounding the needle hole therein, a cylindrical or frustro-conical
projection or guage of, say, about one-tenth of an inch in height. On the
face surface of the sole is temporarily secured a flexible pattern, the thickness
of which should not exceed the height of the guage, and which should fall
short of the edge of the sole all around half the diameter of the gunge plus
the intended distance from the edge of the sole to the centre of the seam.
Thon the sole, with the pattern, is secured temporarily to the last, the pattern

page_text: coming against the sole of the last, and the face side of the sole being adjacent
to the sole face of the last. The vamp is next placed over the last, and is
drawn over and is secured slightly to that surface of the sole which-comes
innermost in the finished work. Then the last is withdrawn and the shoe is
sewn on what is known as the patented "horn" machine, the pattern and the
guage on the tip of the "horn" keeping the seam at a uniform distance from
the edge of the sole. When this is accomplished the shoe is turned while its
material is damp and pliable, and a finishing last being forced into it, it is
finished in the usual manner, the temporary pattern being removed from the
face of the sole for use in sewing another shoe.
Another part of this Invention consists in the employment of a novel stitch
having reference to means of uniting vamps and soles of boots and shoes, but
which is, however, applicable to other manufactures, especially of leather; said
novel stitch is made by chain stitch sewing mechanism with such appliances
as will prevent ench loop as formed from being drawn through and locked
with the last formed loop, and will also prevent the withdrawal of the formed
loops out of the stock, so that the different parts of the stock or material
united may be said to be hold together by a series of thread staples, and in
boot or shoe construction the bars of the staples come upon the inner surface
of the shoe, while the staple points come on the outer surface of the sole,
where they rivet over or head up in practical wearing use.
And another part of this Invention consists in the manufacture of a boot or
shoe which is like a turned shoe in that it has no inner sole, yet unlike a
"turn," it is not made up inside out and then turned, but is made with the
parts in the position which they have in use, the characteristic of said boot or
shoe being that its vamp and sole are united in their normal position by chain
stitches, the chain of which comes on the outside surface of the sole, or in a
channel therein, and that the seam so made does not pass into or through an
inner sole. If an inner piece is used, it is for the temporary purpose of
"lasting," and may be allowed to remain permanently as a filling, or it may
be removed, as it does not enter into or form part of the means of union of
the vamp with the sole. In the practice of this part of the Invention the
inner piece, whether intended to serve the permanent function of a filling or
not, is made so much narrower and shorter than the outer sole that there is
room all around the shoe in the margin between the sole and the inner piece for
the stitches to pass through the outer sole and the vamp without entering the
inner piece, so that the ouly union of the inner piece to the shoe is that given by
the few lasting tacks which confine the vamp to the inner piece. If the inner
piece is for temporary use only, it is best to have it of good firm material, so

page_text: that when it is ripped out of the shoe, the Insting tacks will hold therein, and
will be torn out of the vamp, after which the tacks can be removed from the
inner piece, which may again and again be used for the temporary purpose of
"lasting." The shoe should then be put on a metal bottomed last, and any
tacks therein remaining should be clenched into the solo by hammering or by
pressure on the face of the sole.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Haseltine in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
1st February 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
HASELTINE, of the International Patent Office, No. 12, Southampton Build-
ings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-eighth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said George Haseltine, Her special license that I, tho said George
Haseltine, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said George Baseltine, my
my executors, administrators, or
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdoni
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES," a
communication, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said George
Haseltine, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under
my hand and scal, or under the hand and seal of one of them, should par-
ticularly 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 George Haseltine, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement, that is to say :-

page_text: One part of this Invention relates to a "turned" boot or shoe made in a
new peculiar and economic way, and in the process by which such turned
boot or shoe is made. This part of the Invention is illustrated in Figures 1
and 2 of the Drawings, to which reference may be had for the better under-
standing thereof.
Figure 1 shows, in cross section, a boot or shoe upon the finishing last a,
and "turned" or in its normal condition for sale and wear as respects the
inner and outer surfaces of the article; Figuro 2 is a similar view of the same
article, within which is the "lasting" last 6, on which the vamp c and sole d
are temporarily secured "inside out," or in a reversed condition from that
which they have in Figure 1.
This part of the Invention consists, first, in a "turned" shoe or boot in
which the stitches uniting the vamp and sole pass through a lip or flap which
is cut into and is temporarily raised above the surface of the sole, the
stitches being made by mechanism, and passing through the vamp as well as
said lip or flap, which is represented by e in the aforesaid Figures.
And said part of the Invention consists, secondly, in the process or mode of
preparing the sole and vamp for sewing by mechanism, by which process the
parts in which the seam is sewed are made to project beyond the general
surface of the sole, and nearly at right angles thereunto, so that convenience
for forming the seam by mechanism is attained.
The practice of both branches of this part of the Invention may be described
as follows:-The lip or flap e is formed by cutting into the sole from that
surface which comes innermost in the finished boot or shoe and from within
the edge, outline, or boundary of the sole, but extending towards it the depth
of the cut, and its width being proportioned somewhat to the thickness of the
vamp and sole. The last b, upon which the sole is temporarily secured, is
made narrower and shorter all around on each side and end than the finishing
last a about the thickness of the sole, which is turned at its edges all around
on said last 6 from the sole face of the last, as is shown in Figure 2, which
causes the flap e to stand outward at about right angles from the sole face of
the last. In this condition the last with the sole thereupon is put into the
vamp with the face of the vamp ultimately to be outermost next the surface
of the last, and the vamp is then drawn closely to the last, and temporarily
secured to the sole by stitches f, which secure the flap and vamp together, or
by peculiarly shaped "lasting tacks," which may be temporarily driven through
the vamp into the sole, as represented at 7 in Figure 2, which tacks are
removed by the operator in the act of sewing, and as fast as the formation of
the scam approaches the location of each of said tacks. Thus prepared, the

page_text: parts are in a condition to be easily united by the operation of any suitable
sewing mechanism.
In Figure 2 is shown a presser foot h, an awl i, which may also be the
feeling instrument, a needle j, which may be of the hook or crochet variety,
making a chain or tambour stitch with a waxed thread, and a bed or rest k,
which is best made small, so as to allow the "lasting tacks" to approach the
needle very nearly before it is necessary to remove them. When the sewing
is completed, the flap and a portion of the vamp connected therewith are
pressed down, upon the general surface of the sole, and the superfluous part of
tl.e vamp trimmed off as near to the seam as will leave sufficient strength;
the last b is removed, and the shoe is "turned" while the parts are in a
damp and pliable condition; then the last a is inserted, on which the shoe is
finished.
.
In those "turns" which have heretofore been made by hand, slight
gash has been made in the sole from that surface which is ultimately inner-
most, and awl holes were then made in tho solid part of the sole extending
through the vamp, said holes commencing in the sole at the angle formed
therewith by the Bap made by the gash, this angle serving as a guide to the
awl in entering the sole, and the perforations of the awl being made, not in
the flap, as in this Invention, but in the sole, and with a curved awl. In
these hand made "turns" the stitch was sunken or inserted in the solo below
the said angle, and in wear the stitches were reached before the sole was
worn through to the angle, and when the stitches were thus reached and
worn through the work would rip. Skill of manipulation was needed in the
operation to secure exit of his awl point at a uniform distance from the edge
of the sole, for unless this was secured the irregularities became apparent
when the shoe was "turned," and the appearance and value of the article
were injured. In such work, also, when made in the usual way as "turns
by hand, the tension upon the thread often corrugated or puckered the surfaco
of the sole near its edge. All of these defects are remedied by this part of
the Invention, which, from the fact that the stitches do not pass into the body
of the sole, make a more yielding shoo than the hand-made "turn," and this
method of construction also secures uniformity of the seam from the sole edge,
and consequent symmetry of the article, while the sewing of the seam by
mechanism results in economy of labor, while uniformity and superiority of the
product follows.
"
Whilo by that part of the Invention just before described a "turn" is
produced which is superior to the hand-mado "turns" in the respects mell-
tioned, it will be obvious that in both of said turns a portion of the wear of

page_text: the sole is lost by reason of the cut made into the sole from its inner
surface.
"
By another part of this Invention "turns are produced. in which the
vamp and sole are united by a seam made by mechanism, which are free
from the defect of a cut in the sole from the inner surface, all of the material
in the soles of the "turns" made by this part of the Invention being avail-
able for wear, while in the "turns" before described the sole cannot be worn
away to the vamp, because the middle of the sole will drop out when worn to
the cut from the inner surface of the sole.
For the better understanding of this part of the Invention referenco may
be had to Figures 3 and 4 of the Drawings, Figure 3 showing in cross section
the vamp and sole in the condition in which they are lasted and sewed, viz.,
inside out, as respects the condition which they have when finished and. fitted
for wear; and Figure 4 shows in cross section the vamp and sole when
"turned" and in a finished condition. The sole d is placed upon a suitable
last with that face of the sole which ultimately comes outermost in the
finished shoe against the sole of the last, and then the vamp with its face
side against the last is drawn over it, and upon the exposed surface of the sole,
to which it is secured by lasting tacks. The last is then withdrawn, and the
sewing is performed by the mechanism. shown and described in the Specifi-
cation of Letters Patent, No. 1111 for the year One thousand eight hundred
and fifty-eight, No. 488 for the year One thousand eight hundred and sixty-
one, and No. 1113 for the year One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
This brings the chain of the seam of tambour stitches formed by said
mechanism on the outside of the shoe in the condition in which it is sewed,
but the shoe being turned inside out while in a damp and pliable condition,
the chain will come on the vamp against the foot of the wearer when the shoe
is turned and in its finished condition. Thus it will be seen that the plain
or single side of the seam comes on the ouside of the shoe, and may be left
"aloft," as shown on the left of Figure 3, or may be sunken in a groove or
channel, as shown at the right of Figure 3 and on both sides of Figure 4.
This status of the chain stitch seam is the reverse of that shown in the
Specification of Letters Patent, No. 2208 for the year One thousand eight
hundred and sixty, and is preferable, in that the seam when left "aloft" is
neater in appearance, and when sunken does not require so large a groove to
be made to receive it or so large a flap to cover it. The chain upon the
inner side is not objectionable as coming against the foot, as a lining or filling
is almost universally in use within shoes to cover the sole. Like the
aforesaid "turns," there is no inner sole in the construction according to this

page_text: part of the Invention, but unlike those "turns," there is no cut into the sole
from its inner surface. Cuts in and from the outer surface of a sole do not
diminish the wearing value of the same. Unlike the shoe described in the
said Patent No. 2208, this construction has no inner sole, and the place of
the chain of the seam is reversed from that shown in said Patent.
To secure uniformity of distance of the seam from the edge of the sole, tho
operator is guided by feeling the horn or bed, which resists the needle thrust
through the vamp, by which both the work support and the sole are hidden from
sight during the sewing process. As, however, the thickness of the vamp
varies, and as there are seams in the vamp and stiffening pieces therein at the
counter, it is desirable, and particularly so for unskilled operators, to provide
a means for securing a uniform distance of the seam from the edge of the
sole; such means are as follows:-The tip of the horn or work rest is provided
with a small cylindrical or frustro-conical projection or ring concentric with
the needle hole in the horn tip, and rising above the top surface thereof, say,
one-tenth of an inch; for illustration, see Figure 5. Said projection serves
the purpose of a guage, against which a pattern piece is guided by sense of
feeling of the operative, this pattern being of some flexible material of a
thickness not greater than the height of the guage just described. Tho
pattern is so made and shaped that when temporarily secured to the solo on
that face thereof which comes outermost in the finished article, the distance
of the edge of the pattern from the edge of the sole all around shall equal
the radius of the ring guage plus the desired distance of the centro of the
seam from the edge of the sole; of course the pattern must be fixed to the
sole before lasting, and the pattern comes against the sole face of the last.
When the sewing is done and the shoe is turned the pattern is removed, the
last again inserted, and the shoe finished thereupon in the usual manner.
The turn in which the last described part of the Invention is embodied is
the perfection of boots and shoes made as "turns," which for their lightness
have always been in demand; but the act of turning strains the material,
often injures the shape of the article turned, and sometimes tears it to such
an extent as to render it unsaleable. To produce, therefore, a boot or shoo
without an inner solo or with a filling which does not in any way enter into
the union of the outer sole with the vamp, and in which the union of the
vamp and sole is effected by a seam formed by mechanism, and which does
not require turning, boing put together right side out, is a desideratum which
is reached by another part of this Invention. For a full understanding of this
part of the Invention referetice may be had to Figures 6 and 7.
In preparing the material for lasting, a filling piece should be made enough

page_text: narrower and shorter than the outer sole to admit of the seam passing through
the sole and through the vamp without going through the filling piece,
which, if intended to be left for the foot to rest on, may be of cheap material,
pasteboard cuttings from paper box factories answering a good purpose. But
if the shoe is not to have the filling left therein, then it is best made of good
firm leather or other suitable material for reasons hereafter to be specified.
The filling piece thus prepared is properly located on the sole face of the last,
and slightly secured thereto, and the vamp c is then drawn over the last, and
the filling piece being purposely cut large enough to reach over upon said
short narrow filling piece, which is represented in Figure 6 by m, to which.it
is secured by very small lasting tacks, which clinch in the filling piece, the
last being metal bottomed. The outer sole d is then slightly secured to the
filling piece, the last withdrawn, and the sewing performed on any of the before
referred to patented mechanisms.
The sole and vamp having been secured together " right side out," no
necessity exists for turning, and if the piece m is to serve the permanent one
of filling as well as the temporary one of securing the vamp and sole while
lasting, then the last may be replaced in the shoe, and it may be finished in
the usual manner; but if to secure lightness or for any other reason the
piece m is not to remain, then it being of good quality, as before mentioned,
it can be easily torn out from the shoe with suitable tools, bringing most of
the lasting tacks with it, these tearing out of the vamp with more ease than
out of the firmer material of m. An iron-bottomed last should now be
inserted into the shoe, and such tacks as remain, if any, should by hammer-
ing or by pressure on the face of the sole d be driven or embedded in the
inner surface of the sole. By comparison of Figures 7 and 4, it will be seen
that the only apparent difference between them is, that in Figure 7 the chain
of the seam comes outermost in the.sole, while in Figure 4 it comes inside of
the shoe on the inner surface of the vamp and against the foot. But the
shoe shown in Figure 7 has the advantage over that shown in Figure 4, in
that the former is not turned, and therefore is not strained, and if made with
a lining to the vamp the lining is not left loose, but with the vamp takes its
share of the strain on the shoe. In all "turns" the lining thereof is neces-
sarily left loose, it being lasted on the largest curve, and when turned is
puckered into a small curve, so that it wrinkles on the foot, and the strain is
all borne by the vamp unrelieved by the lining.
In the aforesaid Patent, No. 2208, and in the construction herein described
and shown in Figures 6 and 7, it is obvious that in wear the continuity of

page_text: the thread forming the seam will be destroyed on tho wearing or outer surface
of the sole, so that after some wear the parts united by the seam will be held
together by staples of thread, the points of which will keep headed or riveted
by the wear. As then it is found that on the wearing surface of the sole
continuity of the thread may be dispensed with without dotriment, it is an
object to save the thread which in new construction forms the chain part of
the seam, and which is so soon worn away.
The modification of the seam formed by chain or tambour stitch mechanism,
so as to dispense with the chain part of the stitches, constitutes another part
of this Invention, for the better understanding of which reference may be
had.to Figures 8 and 9 of the Drawings. In Figure 8 three parts are repre-
sented as united, viz., an outer sole d, a vamp c, and an inner sole o, while
the points or ends of the thread staples shown come "aloft" or to the outer or
wearing surface of the sole d. In Figure 9 the inner solo is omitted from
the parts united, the connection of the staple points coming directly upon the
vamp c, while the staple points of the stitches are shown as terminating in a
channel, the flaps of which is shown as raised and ready to be pressed down
so as to cover the ends of the stitches or staples from sight. This stitch,
which from its formation may be properly termed the staple stitch, may be
formed by any of the well known chain stitch forming mechanisms by adding
thereunto any device which will prevent the placing of each loop in such
position that the one next subsequently formed will be chained or drawn
through the previously formed loop. To prevent each loop from being with-
drawn from the work while the next subsequent loop is being formed, a
devico is applied to the sewing mechanism, which enters each loop before it is
drawn beneath the surface of the work as the next one is being drawn above
the surface; this dovice, when withdrawn from each stitch successively,
leaves the staple points at the surface of the sole or of the channel therein,
and moreover, by the strain brought upon this detaining device, the staple is
enlarged at its point, and its holding force thereby increased.
Though this part of the Invention has been described as applied to the
construction of boots and shoes, it is not limited to such construction, it being
adapted for use in other manufactures, especially of leather. The force with
which this stitch holds is due in part to the fact that the thread is covered
with. wax which adheres to the boundary of the hole containing the thread,
also in part to the fact that the thread holes are made by puncture, the
material not being removed but simply displaced, closos upon the thread and
clamps it, and also in part to the rivetting or heading-up of the thread in

page_text: wear; the hold of the thread being due to said condition of things, this
stitch is not so universally applicable as others, but is useful and economical
in the application shown and in other analogous cases.
Having thus fully described the said improvements, as communicated to
me from abroad, and shown how the same may be conveniently carried out
in practice, I claim the Invention substantially as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Haseltine, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Seventh day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
GEORGE HASELTINE. (L.s.)