Overshoe

Description ANDREW VETTER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA. OVERSHOE. Speccaton of Letters Patent No. 4,497, dated May 2, 1846. T 0 all whom t may concern: Be it known that I, ANDREW VETTER, of the city of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usei'ul Improvement in the Manner of Manufacturing Overshoes, Either for Male or Female Wear; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof. My improved overshoe I denominate the elastic spring shank over shoe. In my over shoes the. soles do not extend back any farther than to the commencement ofthe part denominated the shank, and from this part to the heel where the shank terminates, the shank and quarters consist of upper leather between which and a lining of soft leather of other suitable material, there are interposed strands or strips of india rubber to operate as springs, or spiral springs of wire, which are kept in place by stitching through the two thicknesses of leather or other material or by the use of india rubber cement. The wire springs, or the india rubber strands or strips, extend lengthwise of the shoe and they are firmly confined in place by the india rubber cement; or, in the case of wire springs, by sewing, in the same way with wire springs used in braces and other like articles. The leather or other material between which the springs are interposed is corrugated or in slight plaits, and the shoes not only bend with facility at the instep but they are capable also of a slight degree of elongation and are thereby rendered peculiarly easy to the Jfoot although fitting thereto as closely as may be desired. When intended for gentlemens wear the same principle, or manner of forming the shank is employed, there not being any connection of sole leather between the sole and the heel; but in addition to the elastic shank I form a cavity or receptacle in the heel of the over shoe for admitting the heel of the ordinary shoe or boot. For this purpose I prepare a box of tin plate, or other metal, of a4 proper size and form to receive the heel of the boot or shoe and this I insert in the heel part of the overshoe between the two thicknesses of leather which with said box is to constitute thehollow heel of the overshoe. In Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing, I have represented one of my overshoes adapted to ladies wear; the shank A A and the part B B of the quarters consist of one piece of upper leather and of lining, between which the elastic material or the springs are to be placed, there not being any portion of sole leather in that part of the shoe, the sole terminating at the part c. The lines a c show the parts along which the elastic strands, or strips of india rubber, or the spiral springs pass; the ends of these spiral springs when such are used being made fast at b. Fig. 2 is a side view of an over shoe for gentlemens wear, one half of the heel part being cut away for the purpose of representing the manner in which I insert the metallic box. these boxes prepared for being inserted in the hollow heel. D is the hollow heel, and e c the metallic box which is inserted between the two thicknesses of leather f and g, forming the inside and outside of said heel; and below the metallic box is the sole leather it, forming the heel tap. The hollow heel so constructed is equally convenient and permanent as `the metal box preserves it in Jthe due form rendering it incapable of running down or of becoming crooked. Having thus fully described the manner in which I form my elastic spring shank over shoe, I do hereby declare that I do not make any claim to the employment of stra-nds or strips of india rubber, or of spiral springs Fig. 3 is a representation of one of of metal in the quarters or in other parts of the uppers of shoes; but That I do claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. The forming of the shanks and thatv part of the quarters which are commensurate therewith of upper leather between which and the lining thereof, elastic strands or strips of india rubber, or spiral springs of metal, or both conjoined, are inserted, and extended along for the purpose and in the manner herein fully made known. 2. I likewise claim the manner of forming a hollow heel in over shoes, by inserting a hollow metallic box duly formed between the two thicknesses of leather, constituting a part of such hollow heel as described and represented. A ANDREW VETTER. Witnesses C. BRAZER, ADAM: MAAG.