US1021819A - Boot or shoe. - Google Patents

Description

M. BRIHAYE.

BOOT 0R SHOE.

APPLIOATIOH FILED Ina, 1909.

1,021,819. v Patented Apr. 2, 1912.

I MEDERIG BRIHAYE, or- GLAGEON, FRANCE. a

' BOOT OR SHOE.

Specification of Letters Patent. i

Patented Apr, 2, 1912.

Application filed May 8, 1909. Serial No. 494,911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Miiniinio BRII-IAYE, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at Glageon, Nord, in the Republic of France, havemade' a new and useful Invention in Boots or Shoes, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is directed particularly to an improvement in boots and shoes which dispenses with the stiffeners usually employed for imparting rigidity to various parts thereof.

In boots and shoes as now constructed it is customary to stiffen such parts as the heel piece, the toe cap or like parts by the addition of pieces of stiff leather, card-board, etc. My improvement is in the nature of a complete article for such use in the various,

parts of the boot o-r shoe.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figures 1 to 7 inclusive illustrate in plan view various structural parts of a boot or shoe treated in accordance with the process by which I prepare my novel improvement. Fig. 8 is a sectional" view showing the construction and use of a stiffener as heretofore employed at the heel of a shoe; and, Fig. 9

respectively. In Fig. 5 is illustrated a piece of leather as prepared in accordance with my invention, so as to form the upper and the vamp. In Fig. 6 there is represented the same piece, the upper having been folded before blocking; while in Fig. 7 there is illustrated a similar view to the preceding figure with the vamp bent.

' The pieces of leather represented in Figs. 1 and 3 are cut from soft tanned leather, either split or not, and then subjected to the operations of hammering and stretching. The shaded portions a and 6 indicate the parts intended for forming the stiifener and the toe-cap; that is to say, those parts which are required to have the desired stiffness for use in a boo-t or shoe. The other part-s which should be pliable may be skived and impregnated with oil or dubbing, or in any well known way, according to the nature of the leather employed. In order that the parts a and b may present the firmness already referred to'they are subjected to aspecial treatment, consisting in first impregnating the leather with gelatin and then tanning it. For this purpose a solution of bichromate of potash and hydrochloric acid is employed. The hydrochloric acid liberates the chromic acid which is then reduced by a solution of hyposulfite of soda and hydrochloric acid; then washed in a borax bath, and finally washed in a clear water bath. Gelatin alone would give a leather liable to crack,- but the treatment to which it is subjected and which is substantially a chrome tanning, serves to form oxid of chromium which fixes it definitely upon the fibers of the leather while, at the same time, preventing the latter from sticking together. This latter property, therefore, preserves the elasticity of the leather and imparts a great deal of rigidity to it because the cellules are completely filled with tanned gelatin. This moistened leather resumes all its firmness on drying, contrary to what is the case with smoothed and hammered leather. At the same time it will be found that practically speaking it becomes set in the form that has been imparted to it. This latter property is very important in the case of the stiflener and the rigid toe cap of a boot,

and practically renders it necessary to chrome the leather after it has been given its final form whichit preserves in spite of deformation efiorts to which the said parts a and b are subjected. Boots and shoes manufactured from leather in accordance with the hereinbefore described process, therefore, present an upper (Figs. 1 and 2) and a vamp (Figs. 3 and at) each in a single piece without a lining or reinforcement which,particularly in the case of rough or sporting boots, may cause injuries and which in any case cause the upper part of the boot to cut and wear. It will be noted that the upper and the vamp may form only a single piece, as shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7.

Ordinarily the stiffener is interposed between the upper and the lower stiffener which are of pliable leather impregnated with oil or dubbing (Fig. 8); these three parts being of excessive thiclmess it is necessary to skive them, that is to say, to reduce them at c to enable them to be placed in position. Consequently, the strength is reduced precisely at the places most exposed to strain. These three parts are also pressed and held by riveting or screwing between two pieces of smooth firm leather (the first sole and the sole). As is known, in these conditions it is impossible to obtain the perfect combination of five assembled parts of such different natures.

With the process hereinbefore described it is not necessary to skive the leather which thus retains all its strength (Fig. 9) and constitutes an assemblage consisting only of three thicknesses presenting the same degree of firmness which results in greater strength, and this advantage is likewise ob tained in the toe cap.

It will be noted that firmness of the parts a and I) might be obtained by the ordinary methods of smoothing and beating, but this latter operation gives a crushed leather which is sometimes too thin. In addition to this, owing to the fact that it is not impermeable, moisture causes it to lose all firmness, and in use it becomes hopelessly deformed. The boot is then useless and this can be seen when hard stiffeners and toe caps in separate pieces are used. The defects resulting from this method of manufacture are obviated by the treatment hereinbefore described.

Although leather subjected to the method of treatment explained above is more particularly suitable for rough boots, it is obvious that it can be used in many other cases where it is necessary to obtain special firmness in every part of a piece of leather or only at certain places. The dressing specified above is not only suitable for any purpose, but also for the treatment of any fabric or felt.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Pat-- ent of the United States is 1. In a boot or shoe, the combination of an upper and a vamp each in a single piece and comprising soft tanned parts and stiff tanned parts.

2. In a boot or shoe, the combination of an upper and a vamp each in a single piece and comprising soft tanned parts and parts stifi'ened by chrome tanning.

3. In a boot or shoe, a combined upper and vamp comprising soft tanned parts and stifl' tanned parts, the stiff tanned parts being located at the heel and toe portions of the upper and vamp, respectively, whereby the necessity of counter and toe cap stiffeners at these points is obviated.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MEDERIO BRIHAYE.

Witnesses CLEMARE, MAQUESTIANSE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

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