IM- PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LACING BOOTS AND SHOES, GAITERS, AND, OTHER ARTICLES OF DRESS, AND IN THE MODE OF ATTACHING THE SAME
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields,,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LACING BOOTS AND SHOES, GAITERS, AND,
OTHER ARTICLES OF DRESS, AND IN THE MODE OF ATTACHING THE SAME."―A.
communication from abroad by William Henry Shurtleff and Charles
Henry Church, both of Providence, Rhode Island, United States of
America.
Sealed the 30th October 1866, and dated the 4th May 1866.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson, at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
4th May 1866.
I, JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LACING BOOTS AND SHOES, GAITERS, AND
OTHER ARTICLES OF DRESS, AND IN THE MODE OF ATTACHING THE SAME," a com-
munication to me from abroad by William Henry Shurtleff and Charles Henry
Church, both of Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America, tó be
as follows:-
This Invention relates to a peculiar attachment and mode of securing the
same to boots and shoes, gaiters, and other articles of dress, with a view to
facilitating the lacing thereof, whereby a neat appearance is presented, and in
the case of boots and shoes the bottoms of the trousers or other article of

page_text: dress worn over the boot or shoe are less liable to be injured or frayed by
rubbing against the attachments employed.
In carrying out this Invention it is proposed to employ a peculiar attach-
ment which the Inventors term a "button hook," as it combines the
appearance of a rounded button or stud with the properties of a hook or
staple. It is preferred to make this attachment from a single metal blank,
which is struck up or shaped by two or more successive blows in dies of the
requisite shape. The upper part of the attachment consists of a thin brass or
other metal disc stamped or struck up in dies so as to assume a concavo-
convex form, the convex side being the upper or outside when fixed in the
boot or shoe. With this cap or button there is connected at its periphery a
shank which consists of a strip of metal bent under the cap and then turned
back in the opposite direction so as to form a hook or staple, the interior of
such book being rounded off so as not to cut or wear the lace which is hooked
on to it. That part of the bent shank which rests upon the surface of the
upper of the boot or shoe is of a disc shape, and may be either slightly rounded
or flat so as to adapt itself readily to the surface of the boot or shoe. To this
disc are connected two or more prongs, which pass through the leather and
are clinched on the opposite side by bending them back after insertion.
desired, the cap or rounded button may be soldered at its periphery to the
shank in lieu of making it in one piece as described. These attachments are
inserted in two parallel rows, one row on each of the two parts of the upper, to
be brought together by the lace, the rows being also parallel to the junction
edges of the leather. The lacing cord or cords pass externally zig-zag fashion
from hook to hook and thus draw the parts neatly together. It is obvious
that this same attachment is equally applicable to gaiters and other articles of
dress capable of being fastened or closed by laces.
If
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd November 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN HENRY
JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant- unto
me, the said John Henry Johnson, Her special license that I, the said John
Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said John Henry Johnson, my executors, administrators, or assigns,
should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LACING BOOTS AND SHOES, GAITERS, AND
OTHER ARTICLES OF DRESS, AND IN THE MODE OF ATTACHING THE SAME," & com-
munication to me from abroad by William Henry Shurtleff and Charles Henry
Church, both of Providence, Rhode Island, United States of America, upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John Henry Johnson, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Henry Johnson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, and
to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
The said Invention relates to a peculiar attachment and mode of securing
the same to boots and shoes, gaiters, and other articles of dress, with a view
to facilitating the lacing thereof, whereby a neat appearance is presented, and
in the case of boots and shoes, the bottoms of the trousers or other article of
dress worn over the boot or shoe are less liable to be injured or frayed by
rubbing against the attachments employed.
In carrying out this Invention it is proposed to employ a peculiar attach.
ment which the Inventors term a "button hook," as it combines the
appearance of a rounded button or stud with the properties of a hook or
staple. It is preferred to make this attachment from a single metal blank
which is struck up or shaped by two or more successive blows in dies of the
requisite shape. The upper part of the attachment consists of a thin brass or
other metal disc stamped or struck up in dies so as to assume a concavo-
convex form, the convex side being the upper or outside when fixed in the
boot or shoe. With this cap or button there is connected at its periphery a
shank which consists of a strip of metal bent under the cap and then turned

page_text: back in the opposite direction so as to form a hook or staple, the interior of
such hook being rounded off so as not to cut or wear the lace which is hooked
on to it. That part of the bent shank which rests upon the surface of the
upper of the boot or shoe is of a disc shape, and may be either slightly rounded
or flat so as to adopt itself readily to the surface of the boot or shoe. To this
disc are connected two or more prongs which pass through the leather
and are clinched on the opposite side by bending them back after insertion.
If desired, the cap or rounded button may be soldered at its periphery to the
shank in lieu of making it in one piece as described. These attachments are
inserted in two parallel rows, one row on each of the two parts of the upper
to be brought together by the lace, the rows being also parallel to the junction
edges of the leather. The lacing cord or cords pass externally zig-zag fashion
from hook to hook, and thus draw the parts neatly together. It is obvious
that this same attachment is equally applicable to gaiters and other articles
of dress capable of being fastened or closed by laces.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall
now proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose
I
shall refer to the several Figures on the Sheet of Drawings hereunto
annexed, the same letters of reference indicating corresponding parts in all
the Figures.
Figure 1 of the annexed Sheet of Drawings represents a side elevation of
the improved lacing attachment; Figure 2 is a vertical section of the same
taken along the line 1, 2, in Figure 4; Figure 3 is a front elevation;
Figure 4, a plan view, and Figure 5 is a perspective view of a lacing button
and hook constructed in accordance with this Invention; and Figure 6 is a
perspective view of a boot provided with the improved lacing device.
A is the button, cap, or shield consisting of a thin brass or other metal disc
struck up in dies to assume a concave convex form, the convex side being
intended to be on the outside so as to deflect the trowsers or other article of
dress worn about the shoe or boot. With this cap or shield is connected at d
the shank B, which is formed of a strip of metal bent under the cap and down
at a point diametrically opposite to d at e. This latter portion, which is the
lacing stay proper, should be rounded off transversely so as to avoid frictional
wear on the lacing cord, as shown more clearly in Figure 5. The third
integral part of the lacing device is the disc c, which may be rounded or
flat to adapt itself readily to the surface of the shoe, and with this disc are
connected the prongs D, whereby on being passed through perforations made
by themselves or other instruments they are clinched to the opposite side of
the material of the shoe or boot. These button hooks are made in one piece)

page_text: from a single blank, and may be struck off at two or more successive blows in
suitable dies or machinery. The manner in which these button hooks are
secured to shoes is shown in Figure 6. They are placed in two opposite series
at a short distance from and in a line parallel with the edge of the two upper
portions to be laced, care being taken to place the stays B on the inner side
i.e., on the side nearest the opening to be laced, so that the cords may run
between the centre of the button and the stay.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel
and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the herein-
before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
First, the peculiar construction of lacing device or attachment consisting of
a hook and button, combined and arranged substantially as herein-before
described.
Second, the combination of a button with a shank when the latter is
secured at or near the periphery of the former for the purpose herein-before
described.
Third, the clinchings prongs D in combination with a button hook, such as
herein described, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Fourth, the attachment of the button hooks, such as herein described, to
boots and shoes in the manner herein shown and set forth, so that the
lacing cord shall run between the centre of the button and the shank.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this First day of November, One thousand
eight hundred and sixty-six.