Year: 1885

page_text: I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the county of Middlesex
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (a communication from
George Valiant and John Turner of Toronto, Canada, manufacturers) 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 a certain improvement upon a button-hole strip invented
by me the said George Valiant and which consisted of a single thickness of material
sufficiently heavy to permit serviceable button or eyelet holes to be made in it
without the necessity of strengthening the edges of each hole either by stitching
or re-enforcing it by an additional thickness of material; and the present invention
consists in so cutting or shaping the strip that it may readily be sewn on to the fly
or flap, that it shall be sufficiently pliable to be bent edgewise to conform to the
shape of the edge of the fly or flap on which it is to be stitched.
--
On sheet 1-
Figure 1, is a plan of this improved button-hole strip before it is bent to conform
to the edge of the fly or flap.
Figure 2. is a plan shewing this improved button-hole strip attached to a fly
or flap.
Figure 3. is a plan, shewing the button-hole strip with a straight edge on one
edge and notches on the other edge.
Figure 4. is a plan of this button-hole strip with the notches extending into the
botton holes.
On Sheet 2:―
Figure 1, is an outside view of this improved button-hole strip.
Figure 2. is an inside view of the same.
Figure 3, is a view shewing it attached to the fly or flap of the boot exhibiting
the shape of the fly or flap.
I shall first describe the invention as shown on Sheet 1. On this Sheet A is a
strip of leather or other suitable material made of a single thickness and sufficiently
heavy to permit serviceable button or eyelet holes to be made in it without the
necessity of strengthening the edges of each hole either by stitching or re-enforcing
[Price 811

page_text: it by an additional thickness of material. This strip has preferably a scalloped
edge b. which scalloped edge is made merely for the purpose of improving the
appearance of the strip, and does not in itself form any patentable feature, but it
will be understood that immediately opposite to the bottom of each scallop comes
the bottom of a scollop or notch B made in the edge of the strip A, opposite to
that on which the scallop b is formed, and that these scallops or notches B are
Jocated between each pair of the holes a, and consequently that each button-hole a,
is made in a piece of material separated from the other button-hole pieces by a
narrow bridge or connecting piece d, which connection permits each button-hole to
be bent independently; consequently the strip may be bent to conform to the
shape of the fly or flap on which it is to be connected.
Although it is preferable for the bridge d to be as narrow in proportion to the
width of the strip A as indicated in the drawing, it will of course be understood
that it is not confined strictly to the exact shape indicated, as the notches B might
be made as shewn in Fig. 3, and the scalloped edge dispensed with as also indicated
in that figure, and I do not insist that the notches B shall be necessarily placed
between each pair of button-holes. In fact the notches B extend into the button-
holes a as indicated in Fig. 4; the point of the invention being that the strip A
shall be sufficiently pliable to enable it to be bent edgewise to conform to the shape
of the fly or flap on which it is to be attached, and also that the said strip shall be
pliable flatwise.
On Sheet 2:-
A is a button-hole strip made of heavier or stronger material than that of which
the fly or flap is made. This strip A should extend from the top of the boot to a
point near the vamp B, but not below it, and is sewn to the fly or flap C, which is
cut away, substantially as shewn in Fig. 3, so that the strip A may be sewn by a
sewing machine onto the edge of the fly or flap C, after the same has been sewn to
and forms part of the boot. By thus forming the fly or flap C to receive the
strip A the said strip may readily be removed when worn out, and replaced by a
new piece without in any way affecting the appearance of the boot.
A lip b, left on the fly or flap C enables the operator to sew the strip A to the
fly or flap C in a sewing machine, which would not be possible were it necessary to
sew the strip immediately on to the vamp B. As there is no peculiarity in the
vamp or in the fly or flap C other than described it is not necessary to shew the
entire boot; the portion exhibited in Fig. 3 being sufficient to convey a clear idea
of this invention.
As the strip A is made of stronger material than the fly or flap C it will
naturally be stiffer than the fly to which it is attached. With the view therefore
of making the button-hole strip as pliable as its fly or flap a channel c, is gouged
out, as it were, between each button-hole D. In this way the strip A is made
pliable, while at the same time its value as a button-hole receiver is not in any
way reduced, the material around each button-hole being as thick and strong
as ever.
When stamping the button-holes D the die employed to make the holes is cut so
as to imprint round the edges of each hole an imitation of stitching, which is
marked in the drawing "d." The edge of the strip A is also stamped in the same
way so as to have round its edge an imitation stitching e.
As this imitation stitching is merely for the purpose of imparting a finished
appearance to the edge of the strip and the button-holes it will be understood that
the ornamentation need not necessarily represent stitching, as anything which
would impart a finished appearance to the edges would answer.
Having now particulary described and. ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents I declare that what I claim is.
1. A button-hole strip A made of a single thickness of material sufficiently heavy
to permit serviceable button or eyelet holes to be made in it without the necessity

page_text: of strengthening the edges of each hole either by stitching it or re-enforcing it by
an additional thickness of material, and having a series of notches B made in its
edges, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. A button-hole strip A made substantially as described and having a series of
button or eyelet holes a, with a series of notches B made in its edge and connecting
with the button-hole a.
3. The fly or flap C having a projection or lip b formed so that the strip A may
be sewn to it without any stitches passing through them being necessarily carried
through the vamp B.
4. A. button-hole or eyelet strip A made of heavier material than the fly or
flap C to which it is attached, and reduced in thickness between the button-holes
in order to make it pliable as specified.
5. A button-hole or eyelet strip made of heavier material than the fly to
which it is attached and having unstitched button-holes, the. edges of which are
ornamented by stamping in imitation of stitching, or equivalent ornamentation.
6. A button-hole or eyelet strip made of heavier material than the fly to which
it is attached and having an unstitched outer edge ornamented by stamping in
imitation of stitching or equivalent ornamentation.
7. A button-hole or eyelet strip made of heavier material than the fly to which
it is attached, and having unstitched button-holes and unstitched outer edge
ornamented by stamping in imitation of stitching or equivalent ornamentation.
Dated this 23rd day of November 1885.