Tightening device for shoelaces and like elongated and pliable elements having free ends

A tightening device for shoelaces and other elongated pliable elements having free ends includes a casing and two slides mounted in said casing. Extending through the casing are two holes which are mutually spaced apart and disposed perpendicularly to the direction of slide movement and through which the free ends can be threaded. The slides are movable in the casing from a first position in which they each block a respective hole in the casing, to a second position in which they each expose their respective hole. The slides are also spring-biased towards said first position for securing an element inserted through the holes, in coaction with the casing. The holes penetrating the casing define a right angle with each other.

FIELD OF INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a tightening device for shoelaces and like 
elongated and pliable elements having free ends. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Tightening devices for shoelaces and other elongated elements are known, 
for instance, from U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,080,867, 4,288,891, 4,393,550, 
4,817,250, 4,881,302, 5,224,245 and 5,263,232. 
The object of the present invention is to provide a novel and improved 
tightening device that is particularly suited for securing shoelaces, 
although it is not restricted to this particular use. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
In accordance with the invention, there is provided to this end a device 
for tightening shoelaces and other elongated and pliable elements having 
free ends that includes a casing and two slides displaceably mounted 
therein, wherein the casing includes two through-penetrating and mutually 
spaced holes that face perpendicular to the direction of movement of the 
slides and through which the free ends of said elements are intended to be 
passed, wherein the slides are movable in the casing from a first position 
in which they each block a respective hole in the casing, to a second 
position in which they each expose their respective hole, wherein the 
slides are spring-biased towards said first position for securing, in 
coaction with the casing, elongated elements inserted through said holes, 
and wherein the through-penetrating holes in said casing define a right 
angle with one another. 
These and other characteristic features of an inventive tightening device 
will be apparent from the following Claims.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The illustrated tightening device includes a casing generally designated 10 
that houses a front slide 11 and a rear slide 12, said slides being 
mounted in the casing 10 for movement towards and away from each other. A 
thrust spring 13 acting between the slides 11, 12 strives to hold the 
front slide 11 in a forward position and the rear slide 12 in a rearward 
position, as evident from FIG. 4. The rear slide 12 can be moved to a 
forward position, shown in FIG. 5, against the action of the spring 13, 
while the front slide can be moved to a rearward position, shown in FIG. 
6, against the action of said spring 13. 
The front slide 11 includes parts 14 that project out through slots 15 in 
the top and bottom sides of the casing 10. These parts 14 enable the slide 
11 to be operated manually from outside the casing. Thus, the slide 11 can 
be easily moved to the rear position shown in FIG. 6, in which an opening 
16 in the slide coincides with a correspondingly shaped hole 17 that 
extends through the casing and that is formed by providing openings in two 
mutually opposing walls of the casing. When the slide 11 is in its rear 
position, the two ends of a shoelace for instance (not shown) can be 
inserted through the hole 17 and the opening 16, said shoelace being 
firmly clamped and held by the coaction between the slide and the casing 
when the slide 11 returns to its forward position. 
The rear slide 12 is also provided with parts 18 that project out through 
and are guided in slots 19 provided the side-walls of the casing 10. These 
parts 18 are rigidly connected to the ends 20 of a generally U-shaped 
member 21 on the outside of the casing. The slide 12 can be moved from the 
rearward position shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 to the forward position shown in 
FIG. 5 against the action of the spring 13, by manually operating the 
U-shaped member 21, wherewith the slide 12 exposes a hole 22 that extends 
through the casing 10 and which is formed by openings provided in the top 
and bottom sides of the casing, these openings being mutually spaced from 
the hole 17 and defining a right angle therewith. When the slide 12 is in 
its forward position, the two ends of a shoelace for instance (not shown) 
can be inserted through the hole 22, said shoelace being clamped and 
secured by the coaction between slide and casing when the slide 12 returns 
to its rearward position. With the intention of increasing the holding 
strength of the device, particularly with respect to downward passage of 
the shoelace, as seen in FIGS. 4 and 6, the rear end of the slide 12 
converges to form a relatively narrow, transverse edge 23, and a 
transverse rib 24 is provided on the inside of the casing 10 immediately 
behind the opening 22. The slots 19 in the rear part of the slide 12 widen 
upwardly at 25, so as to enable the slide 12 to pivot to a limited extent. 
This widening of the slots 19 provides shoulders 26 against which the 
slide 12 abuts in its upwardly swung position, shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, and 
is locked in the proximity of its rear position against movement towards 
its front position, until the slide is swung down with the aid of the 
U-shaped member 21 to a position in which said parts 18 are able to pass 
into the narrower, front parts of the slots 19. 
The thrust spring 13 may be a coil spring whose one end embraces a pin 27 
provided on the front end of the slide 12 and the other end of which is 
received in a blind hole 28 in the rear end of the slide 11. The hole 28 
is inclined upwards and rearwards, so that the spring 13 will strive to 
twist the slide 12 anti-clockwise in FIGS. 4-6, thereby causing the slide 
12 to automatically take the upwardly swung position shown in FIGS. 4 and 
6 immediately it passes the shoulders 26 upon its return to its rear 
position. 
As shown, the casing 10 has, beneficially, a flattened shape and the 
underside 29 is arched concave with respect to the direction of movement 
of the slides 11, 12, so as to conform more effectively with the 
underlying support surface, i.e. preferably the upper side of a shoe, and 
is slightly arched convexly as seen transversely to said movement 
direction. 
When using the tightening device with a lace-up shoe, for instance a 
trainer, the rear slide 12 is moved forwards to the position shown in FIG. 
5 and the free ends of a lace are inserted through the hole 22 from 
beneath. The slide 12 is then allowed to return to its rear position under 
the action of the spring 13, and the front slide 11 is moved rearwards so 
as to bring the opening 16 and the hole 17 into register with one another, 
as shown in FIG. 6. The free ends of the lace are then threaded through 
the hole 17 and the opening 16, preferably from opposite directions, 
whereafter the slide 11 is allowed to return to its forward position while 
clamping the ends of the lace. The lace is now tightened, by pulling on 
the lace parts that extend up from the hole 22 towards opposite sides of 
the tightening device, wherewith the slide 12 moves resiliently forwards 
in the slots 19. The U-shaped member 21 is then pressed rearwardly and 
upwardly, causing the slide 12 to be locked against forward movement while 
firmly clamping the shoelace. The shoe is unlaced, by pressing the 
U-shaped member 21 downwards and lifting the entire tightening device 
upwards, wherewith the lace parts move down through the hole 22 so as to 
loosen the lace. 
It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the described 
and illustrated embodiments thereof and that modifications can be made 
within the scope of the following Claims.