Improvements in Eyelets.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct., 1892-Accepted, 26th Nov., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Eyelets.
I, FRANK FANCHER HAWKINS of 61 Fourth Street in the City of Troy, County
of Rensselaer and State of New York, United States of America, Dentist, do
hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
My invention relates to a new form of eyelet for shoe, gloves or other lacings,
and by which the tubular metal part of the eyelet where in sight on the outer
surface of the material to which it is attached is combined with and covered by a
hard rubber ring. Where eyelets are made of a sheet metal such as brass or
white metal, the contrast which the color of the metal makes with the material to
which they are attached renders them unsightly, and this is more particularly the
case where brass eyelets are used in shoes in connection with lacings, and it is
the object of my invention to combine with the tubular part of the eyelet making
the attachment, a ring of hard rubber that covers the exterior part of the eyelet
where in sight.
Accompanying this Specification to form a part of it there is a sheet of drawings
containing eight figures illustrating my invention, with the same designation of
parts by letter reference used in all of these illustrations. Of these illustrations
Figure 1 is an enlarged section taken diametrically through my improved
eyelet and the material to which it is attached.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the metallic tubular part of the eyelet.
Figure 3 is a top view of the hard rubber ring adapted to be connected with
the tubular eyelet part shown at Figure 2, and
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the rubber ring shown at Figure 3.
Figure 5 shows in an enlarged representation a diametrical section of a
modification of my improved eyelet, and the material to which it is connected.
Figure 6 shows the form of the tubular metallic rivet part before being expanded
on its inner end to grasp and hold the rubber ring of the modification.
Figure 7 shows a top view of the rubber ring used in the modification, and
Figure 8 a side elevation of the rubber ring used in the modification, shown as
detached and before being expanded with the tubular form metallic part of the
eyelet.
The several parts of the eyelets thus illustrated are designated by letter reference
and the function of the parts is described as follows: The letter R designates a
hard rubber ring made with a top flange F, said flange having a rounded top
edge, a flat under edge f³, and an interior flange f. The letter T designates
the tubular-form metallic part of the eyelet, which is made as shown at
Figures 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6, with a rim flange l, and as shown at Figures 5 and 6,
without the flange t. The letter L designates the material to which the eyelet
is attached and in the following manner: A hole having been punched in the
material, the bard rubber ring is inserted in the hole so that its flange F rests on
the top of the material, when the tubular metallic part of the eyelet T, is passed
down through the center opening O, of the hard rubber ring so that the flange t
rests upon the interior flange f of said ring, in which condition the end e, of the
eyelet part T, where subtending the rubber ring is spread out by an implement
and then turned up as shown at Figure 1, to clinch on the under side of the
leather.
As shown in the modification illustrated at Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8, the hard rubber
ring R is inserted in the upper end of the metallic tubular part of the eyelet T,
shown as detached at Figure 6, with the hard rubber ring and the tubular eyelet

page_text: part passed down through an opening Os, made in the material to which the eyelet
is to be attached, with the flange F of the hard rubber ring overlapping the edges
of the passage and the tubular metallic eyelet part outside of the tubular part, of
the ring, and with the upper end of the tubular eyelet part bearing against the
bottom of the ring flange F. When in this position the lower end of the hard
rubber ring tubular part 2, and the tubular metallic eyelet part T, are expanded
by inserting a heated conical form implement which softens the hard rubber part,
after which that part of the metal tubular hard rubber where below the hard
rubber part of the eyelet is tuned up to clinch upon the under side of the leather
or material shown at e, Figure 5, the bevel formed in the rubber ring and the
metallic tubular part of the eyelet by their expansion serving the same purpose
of holding the hard rubber and metal parts connected as the flange on the rubber
ring interior, and the flange on the metal part, shown at Figures 1 and 2.
As thus made and adapted to attach to a shoe, or other article, the metal part of
the eyelet where usually in sight is covered by the hard rubber part. If desired
the latter may be colored to produce an ornamental effect and instead of hard
rubber, celluloid may be used if desired to produce the same effect in covering the
unsightly metal part.
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 :-
An eyelet for lacings, having a tubular metallic part and a connected hard
rubber or celluloid part with the latter and the tubular metallic part constructed
to attach, substantially in the manner as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 2nd day of May 1892.
FRANK FANCHER HAWKINS.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.