Improved Fastenings for Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 5th Oct., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Fastenings for Boots and Shoes.
I EDWARD GORRILL of Stanley House Morecambe in the County of Lancaster,
Boot Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to afford a ready and simple method of opening and
closing boots and shoes so as to obviate the necessity for lacing and unlacing or
buttoning and unbuttoning the same every time that they are put on or taken off and
thus not only to save the trouble of such operations, but also by dispensing with such
necessity the boot or shoe (especially the former) will keep its form and elegant
appearance, and wear for a much longer time than is the case with boots and shoes
of the ordinary construction and with either elastic sides or fastened in the usual
manner.
The nature of my said invention and the manner in which the same is to be per-
formed or carried into practical effect will be readily understood on reference to the
sheet of illustrative drawings hereunto annexed and the following explanation thereof.
The drawing shows my invention as applied to a ladies boot Fig. 1 being a view
of the same opened for the introduction of the foot and Fig. 2 the same closed as
when in wear.
The boots and shoes may be made either with the ordinary opening and holes for
laces or buttons down the front, or they may be made with sham laced or buttoned
fronts for the sake of presenting the appearance desired, or they may be made with
plain fronts as shown on the drawing, according to fancy or fashion, but in either case
for the purpose of my invention to facilitate quick putting on and removal I make an
opening (preferably on the outside and behind the ankle bone) and I attach to each
edge thereof a light metal spring bar or plate a and b curved to pass round the back
of the ankle bone, which plates may be hinged together at the bottom, but I
prefer to have them free and independent as they then allow of greater freedom of
opening.
One of these bars or plates a is made to project at the top end and the other is
provided with a metallic socket c to receive the same. The lower ends may be made
in the same way but I prefer to make a slot or opening d in the plate a and to provide
the other plate 6 with a corresponding turn-button e.
In some cases (especially for boots which come up high on the calf) it may also be
desirable to have an additional slot and button about midway, but for ordinary boots
or shoes this is not required.
The opening may be made dust and waterproof by means of a tongue which is
stitched down on one or both sides of the opening.
By releasing the turn-button e and separating the upper ends of the spring bars
a and b the boot or shoe can be opened out at once as shown at Fig. 1 for either
putting on or taking off the foot, and closed again as shown at Fig. 2 with equal
facility without disturbing either buttons or laces.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
The combination with a side opening of spring bars or plates curved to pass round
the back of the ankle ioint and provided with sockets, turn buttons and slots or

page_text: other equivalent simple fastenings so that the boot or shoe can be readily opened
out for putting on or taking off without unbuttoning or unlacing the same and as
readily closed.
Dated this 4th day of Sentember 1880
GEORGE DAVIES,
4, St. Ann's Square, Manchester, Agent for the Applicant.