IMPROVEMENTS IN SKATE FASTENERS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Tomlinson Bousfield, of Loughborough Park,
Brixton, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN SKATE FASTENERS."-A communication from abroad by Thomas Hope,
residing at Boston, Massachusetts. United States of America.
Sealed the 12th May 1863, and dated the 7th January 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Tomlinson Bousfield
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
7th January 1863.
I, GEORGE TOMLINSON BOUSFIELD, of Loughborough Park, Brixton, in the
County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN SKATE FASTENERS," to be as follows:-
The skate iron or steel is fixed to two portions of a tread or surface on
which the foot is supported, and to which it is fixed, there being an opening
or space between the support of the toe and the support of the heel. A
flexible loop is fastened to the forward part of the foot rest, and is formed so
as to span or embrace, or go around in contact with the rise above the toe of.
the sole of the boot or shoe of a person when wearing a skate. An inflexible
or metallic toe cap or hook has been used on a skate, in which case it had no
power of self-adjustment, or of fitting itself to the toe of the sole, whether
such be square or round, or pointed. Also a flexible loop arranged on a skate
platform has been carried across the toe of the upper leather of a boot or shoe
when resting on such platform. The peculiar arrangement of the loop in this
Invention is, that it prevents the toe of the sole from extending through the
loop, and it causes the loop not only to extend about and in contact with the
inner edge of the toe of the sole, and thus serve as an abutment thereto, but
to lap upon "the upper" a little, and in manner to hold the toe part firmly
down upon the front foot rest, and still not to go over the toe of the upper, so

page_text: as to pinch or bind the toe of the foot of the wearer of the skate. The form
of the flexible toe rest and its angular arrangement with respect to the fore
part of the foot rest render it self-adapting, or capable of readily fitting
itself to the toe of any sole, (whether such toe be round, square, or pointed ;)
when the sole is pressed forward into the loop, a heel plate (or platform con-
stituting part of what I term the actuator) rests and slides freely in a longitudinal
direction on the heel or hinder foot rest, and is kept thereon by being lapped
around its edges. The said platform is furnished with a projection, which
extends downward from it, and is tapped with a female screw, two screws
(being what are termed right and left screws) screw respectively through the
said projection and a post or upright fixed to the fore part of the foot rest.
The screws extend in opposite directions from an open wheel or lantern, or
instrument to facilitate the turning of the screws. The said screws, the
lantern, the platform, and its projection constitute what I call the actuator.
By revolving the lantern which connects the two screws in one or the other
direction, the two screws are caused to rotate and produce a longitudinal
movement of the platform at the heel end of a skate. Furthermore, the
platform is furnished with two other projections, which extend upward from
opposite edges of it, and each is provided with a button; a flexible heel strap
or loop is buttoned on the said two buttons, and is intended to go round the
heel of the sole of the boot or shoe of a person while having the skate applied
to it. In the middle of the inner side of the said heel loop or strap, and
fastened to the straps by rivets, or otherwise, is a metallic saddle or stiffener,
which extends upward from the lower edge of the said heel loop, and is
intended to prevent the loop from bending and being drawn underneath the
heel of a boot while the skate may be in use, or may be in the act of being
affixed to the boot or shoe. A bifurcated instep strap is buttoned to both parts
of the foot rests, and at is upper end is furnished with a buckle, connected to
it by a tongue or swivel, and a rivet or pin, which goes transversely itself
under the strain of the tongue strap without deranging the set or proper
fitting of the said instep strap. The tongue strap is buttoned to the rear foot
rest, and extends upward through the buckle. Before applying the skate to
the boot of a person, the instép strap and its tongue strap are to be unbuckled,
afterwards the 'toe of the boot should be pressed into the toe loop, and the
skate brought firmly up against the sole, so as to cause the boot heel to be
within the loop. This having been accomplished, the lantern is to be revolved,
so as to put the actuator in operation in a manner to cause the skate to move
rearward on the boot. This will draw the heel and toe straps or loops firmly
against the heel and toe of the boot, and fasten the skate thereto. Next the

page_text: instep straps may be passed up around and buckled together on the instep of
the boot, and when so buckled any further draught on the heel strap by the
actuator will set the instep straps as well as the toe loop tighter on the foot.
I use a lantern or open wheel within the actuator, on account of the ease with
which it may be revolved, either by the fingers of a person, or by a stick, or
any other convenient lever inserted through the said lantern.
said lantern. A great
advantage of the Invention over metallic fastenings applied to the sole, either
at its toe and heel or on its sides, is, that this is self-adjusting to a sole, what-
over may be its conformation of its toe or heel. Furthermore, as the heel and
toe straps operate, they do not draw or bind across or around the foot, so as
to impede the circulation of the blood therein. They take a firmer or better
hold of the boot than most metallic clamps or fastenings.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Tomlinson Bousfield in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 6th July 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
TOMLINSON BOUSFIELD, of Loughborough Park, Brixton, in the County of
Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventh day of January, in the year of our Lord
1863, in the twenty-sixth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, Her
special license, that I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said George Tomlinson
Bousfield, my executors, administrators, and 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 SKATE FASTENERS,"
a communication to me from abroad by Thomas Hope, a person resident at
Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, 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 calender months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, 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 thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto
annexed and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :—
Fig. 1 is a top view, Fig. 2 a side elevation, Fig. 3 a longitudinal section,
Fig. 4 an under side view, Fig. 5 is a rear end view, Fig. 6 is a transverse
section taken through the rear fastening buttons of the instep strap, Figs. 7,
8, and 9, details to be referred to in the description.
The forward foot rest 6 is attached at its foremost end to the runner a, and
at its rear end to a post d rising from the runner. A flexible loop or toe
strap B fastened at its ends to the forward foot rest 6 by stitches x, or other-
wise, receives the toe of the boot, and is brought up snug against it, as will be
presently more particularly described, the loop being so arranged as not to
come up above the toe, so as to bind or pinch the foot, but only to project
slightly over the upper leather, so as to hold the fore part of the sole firmly
down upon the rest, while it serves as an abutment thereto, and prevents it
from being thrown forward. The form of the flexible toe strap renders it
self-adapting, and capable of fitting itself to the toe of any boot, whatever
may be its shape. To the rear end of the runner is attached a heel rest y,
upon which slides longitudinally the heel plate C. This plate is held firmly
upon the heel rest by being turned down beneath it at the sides, as seen in
Fig. 6, and from its forward edge (Fig. 2) projects down the nut e, in
which works a screw g attached to the thumb wheel h, to which is also
attached another screw that works in a nut in the post d. The screws f
and g are right and left-hand, so that as the thumb wheel is turned in one or
the other direction, the plate C shall be drawn towards or thrown farther from
the toe of the skate. Upon the forward part of the plate C are two pro-
jections i, which extend upwards, and carry each a button k, upon which is
buttoned a flexible heel strap D. In the middle of the inner side of this heel
strap, and riveted thereto, is a metallic stiffener t (Fig. 3), which extends
upward from the lower edge of the strap, and is intended to prevent the latter
from bending and being drawn underneath the heel when the skate is in use,
or while it is being affixed to the foot. A bifurcated instep strap E is buttoned
to both of the foot rests b and y, and at its upper end is furnished with a
buckle m, connected to it by a tongue or swivel n and a rivet or pin o, which
goes transversely through the swivel and strap; this connection of the buckle
with the strap enables the former to adjust itself under the strain of the
tongue strap F without deranging the set or proper fitting of the instep strap.

page_text: The tongue strap is buttoned to the rear foot rest y, and extends upward
through the buckle. Before applying the skate to the foot the instep strap
and its tongue strap F are to be unbuckled, the toe of the boot is then pressed
into the toe strap B, and the skate is brought firmly up against the sole, so as
to bring the boot heel within the strap D, the thumb wheel h is then revolved
in a direction to move the heel plate C forward, this will draw the heel and
toe straps firmly against the heel and toe of the boot, and fasten the skate
thereto; the instep straps are then passed round and buckled together, and
when so buckled, any further draught on the heel strap by means of the
screws fand 9 will set the instep straps as well as the toe straps tighter on
the foot. I prefer to make the thumb wheel h in form of a lantern or open
wheel, as seen in the Drawings, that it may be more easily revolved by the
fingers, or by a stick, or other convenient lever inserted through the bars of
the said lantern. One great advantage of this method of securing skates as
compared with metallic fastenings applied to the sole is, that it is self-adjusting
to the sole, whatever may be its shape at the toe or heel. Furthermore, the
heel and toe straps do not draw across the foot, so as to give pain, or impede
the circulation of the blood. In Figs. 1, 4, and 6, the toe strap B is
represented as sewed to the forward foot rest, but it may be secured thereto
by means of metallic buttons attached to the strap, and entering holes in the
foot rest, as seen in Figs. 7, 8, and 9. Fig. 7 is a view of the forward
foot rest, showing the holes r made for the reception of the buttons s (Figs.
8 and 9), which are firmly rivetted to the strap B. By this means the strap
is made detachable, and the same skate may be adapted to feet of different
lengths.
Having now set forth the nature of this Invention, and explained tho
manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that
under the above recited Letters Patent, I claim, the sliding heel rest C, and
the stationary foot rest b, with the heel and toe straps D and B, operated by
the right and left-hand screws, as described. And in connection with the
above I claim the instep strap E, operating as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this 30th day of May 1863.
GEO. T. BOUSFIELD. (L.s.)