Improvements in Lacing-studs for Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1890

page_text: e of Application, 16th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 21st Feb., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lacing-studs for Boots and Shoes.
We, GUSTAVUS TROXLER, Jr., residing at the Junction of Waverley and
Eighteenth Avenues, Newark, in the County of Essex, and State of New Jersey,
United States of America, Shoemaker, and HERMAN WILLIAM GEDICKE, of
988, Broad Street, Newark, in the County of Essex, and State of New Jersey,
United States of America, Doctor of Medicine, do hereby declare the nature of
our invention for "IMPROVEMENTS FOR LACING STUDS, FOR BOOTS AND SHOES,"
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
"
The invention relates to improvements in that class of lacing studs for readily
securing the meeting edges of the shoe upper upon and around the foot without
the necessity of placing the lacing cord separately around each stud while putting
on or removing the shoe.
The invention consists in the application of such studs to said meeting edges
provided with revolving eyelets or pulleys, so that, after the foot has been placed
within the shoe, the same can be laced by means of one pull on the ends of the
lacing cord, and the meeting edges of the upper thereby brought together down the
front of the foot.
The invention is more fully described in the following detailed description,
reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe, illustrating the meeting edges of the
upper spread apart for the reception of the foot, provided with my improved lacing
studs and a lacing cord in position for bringing the meeting edges together in
position on the foot.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of one of the studs secured to a part of the upper,
which is represented in cross-section.
Figure 3 is a similar view of a stud removed from the upper, certain parts being
represented in vertical section.
Figure 4 is a top view of one of the studs in position on the upper.
In said views, similar reference letters are employed to indicate corresponding
parts in each of the several views.
In the drawings, a denotes the shoe upper; b, b, the meeting edges of the same
adapted to come together down the front of the foot; c are the lacing studs which
are applied to each of said meeting edges, and d is a lacing cord arranged in said
studs, as clearly illustrated in Figure 1.
The lacing studs may be secured to the upper in any convenient manner, but the
present construction, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, is the preferred
form. Said lacing studs are preferably formed from a piece of stout wire c¹, bent
U-shape. to form a staple as shown, and provided with pointed ends or prongs
and which are inserted through perforations in a bearing plate e, said pointed
ends c² and being cut away to form the shoulders c¹ and c³, which, when said ends
have been inserted in the perforations in the bearing plate e, rest upon the upper
surface of said plate, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3.
On one of the ends of the U-shaped staple c' is arranged a tubular eye or pulley f
which rotates upon the bearing plate e and about the bent staple when the lacing
cord is drawn tight, as will be evident from the drawings.
When the several parts of the lacing stud have been arranged in position on the
upper and the prongs or pointed ends and have been inserted through the
perforations in the bearing plate and also, through the leather they are turned
down by suitable machines or by hand, firmly securing the staples in position upon
the upper.

page_text: When the upper has been provided with the desired number of staples or
lacing studs, a lacing cord is inserted beneath the U-shaped part thereof, as
shown in Figure 1, so that the cord is in contact with one edge of each pulley
or tubular eye, the ends of the cord projecting from the upper studs, as shown in
said figure.
When the meeting edges of the shoe have been spread apart as shown in
Figure 1, the foot can readily be inserted in the shoe and by pulling on the
ends d¹ and d of the cord all the pulleys or tubular eyes secured to the lacing studs,
are operated at the same time, bringing the meeting edges of the upper together,
when the ends of the cord can be tied into a knot. By simply untying the knot
the shoe can be removed from the foot, the meeting edges of the upper assuming the
positions, as shown in Figure 1.
We do not wish to be understood as limiting our invention to any special
form of lacing studs provided with a pulley, but the construction herein shown,
which is staple-form, is preferable, as thereby the lacing cord is always held in
position ready for engagement with the tubular eyes or pulleys.
The present invention is applicable to all kinds of shoes as well as gloves.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
In a lacing stud, the combination with a perforated bearing plate, of a staple
provided with pointed ends, adapted to be passed through said perforated bearing
plate, and secured to the shoe upper, said pointed ends being provided with
shoulders adapted to rest upon the upper side of the bearing plate, and a pulley or
tubular eye on one of said ends, as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 21st day of November 1890.
GUSTAVUS TROXLER, JR.
HERMAN WILLIAM GEDICKE.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicants.