Improvements in or connected with the Construction of Gaiters for Cyclists and Pedestrians.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1898-Accepted, 25th Feb., 1899
.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with the Construction of Gaiters for
Cyclists and Pedestrians.
I, EMILY BURTON, 66, Kensington Gardens Square, Bayswater, no occupation,
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: -
This invention refers to improvements in or connected with the construction
of gaiters for cyclists or pedestrians, the said gaiters consisting either of a
covering for the upper part of the shoe alone, being then what I term an
overshoe," or they may be composed of such an overshoe combined with an
ankle or leg covering, and for the purposes of this specification I will term
that part covering the shoe an "overshoe" and that part covering the ankle
or leg the legging portion.
The objects of my invention are to render the gaiters closely fitting and adapt-
able to varying shapes of shoes, while allowing at the same time the free and
uninterrupted movements of the foot and ankle of the wearer which is par-
ticularly essential to the cyclist or pedestrian.
With these objects in view I construct the gaiter of leather or fabric or a
combination thereof, with inserted sections of woven india rubber elastic fabric,
by which the parts of the gaiter are drawn together and rendered closely fitting
while the resilience imparted to the gaiter by the insertions of elastic fabric
as aforesaid, permit free movement as before" stated.
The strap passing under the waist of the shoe is connected to the several sections
of elastic and non-elastic material, composing the lower side and front part of
the gaiter and is adapted when fastened to draw these sections closely and
elastically over the foot of the wearer.
In order that my invention may be readily understood I will describe same
with reference to the accompanying drawings, whereon Fig. 1 is a side eleva-
tion shewing an "overshoe" constructed according to my invention. Fig. 2
shews a gaiter in which the construction or arrangement is slightly modified,
and Fig. 3 is a side elevation of another slight modification of a gaiter con-
structed according to my invention.
Referring more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawings, the front of the overshoo
is composed of a toe-cap A of felt, textile fabric, or leather, hereinafter termed
inextensible material, the toe-cap A reaching to the commencement of the
instep, shaped to the sides of the boot or shoe, and extending towards the side
seam of the latter. To the upper edge of the part A, I attach a segment B,
composed preferably of ribbed silk, elastic webbing or the like material, here-
inafter termed elastic fabric; this elastic fabric segment B extends across the
front of the overshoe and tapers to near the welt or waist of the boot as shewn.
Attached to the upper edge of the elastic segment B and centrally over the
instep I provide an insertion piece C of elastic fabric, its lateral edges on both
sides being joined to gores D which extend to the waist of the boot and complete
the front of the overshoe portion.

page_text: The heel piece E is formed of inextensible material properly shaped or formed,
and is connected to the gores D by means of elastic fabric segments F, one upon
each side of the overshoe. The overshoe thus constructed, having been drawn
over the boot or shoe, is secured in position by means of the strap G which is
adapted to pass under the waist of the foot and is secured to the overshoe on
the opposite side by any convenient means such as buttons, buckles, or other
fastenings.
This strap G I preferably make of elastic material, and it is connected to
the several sections A, B, D, F, so that upon the the strap being stretched under
the waist of the shoe the sections composing the overshoe are drawn together
and the "fit" of the same is improved. The free end of the strap G is secured
to the opposite corresponding sections A, B, D, F, by means of buttons, or by
means of buckles.
At Fig. 2 is shewn an example where the gaiter is composed of the overshoe
portion conjoined with an anklet or legging portion. The construction is very
similar to that shewn at Fig. 1 excepting that the insertion piece C of elastic
material extends down the front of the instep and joins the inextensible material
composing the toe-piece A, while the pieces B and D are made of inextensible
material. The gaiter is provided with laced fastenings H in front and con-
sequently the lace eyelets are formed in strips H¹ of leather or other suitable
material, there being an insertion piece C of elastic fabric upon both sides of
the strips H. The anklet or legging portion J is preferably made of elastic
material although it may if desired be made of leather or inextensible material
if a rigid support for the ankle is required.
At Fig. 3a similar construction is shewn, the legging portion being longer
and composed mainly of inextensible material J joined to the overshoe portion
while the front insertion piece C of elastic material extends from the toe-piece A
to the top of the gaiter. The legging portion is shewn provided with button
fastenings, but where the resilience of the insertions of elastic fabric is found
to be sufficient, these may be dispensed with and the gaiter may be drawn over
the foot of the wearer. In some cases instead of the front insertion piece C being
.composed of one continuous piece, I may provide instead thereof, a series' of
eyelets in the edges of the part J and elastic laces to connect the edges, these
laces taking the place of the elastic fabric insertion C as aforesaid. It is obvious
that a similar arrangement of elastic insertion or lacing may be at the back
of the gaiter as well as in front, in which case the buttons may be dispensed
with and the gaiter drawn over the foot of the wearer by the momentary exten-
sion of the elastic insertion.
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:
1. The construction of gaiters for cyclists and pedestrians composed of an
inextensible heel part E, a gusset of elastic webbing, such as F, upon each
side of the gaiter and a segment or segments of inextensible material upon each
side forward of the elastic gussets F, in combination with a segment or segments
of elastic material passing over the instep and uniting the inextensible forward
segments, and a toe-piece A, substantially as described.
2. The construction of gaiter for cyclists and pedestrians, substantially as
described and illustrated with reference to Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying
drawing.
3. The construction of gaiter for cyclists and pedestrians as claimed by
Claim 1, and in combination with the legging portion, having an elastic webbing
insertion C extending up the front of the leg and substantially as described
with reference to Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.
4. In the construction of gaiters for cyclists or pedestrians and as claimed
in the preceding claims, the combination therewith of the strap G connected

page_text: to the front and side segments and adapted when passed under the waist of
the foot and secured, to draw the gaiter into close contact with the foot and
so to produce an improved fit, substantially as and for the purposes described
and shewn.
Dated this 19th day of December 1898.
BREWER & SON,
London and Leeds, Agents for the Applicant.