A Boot and Shoe Lace Fastener.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Oct., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 29th June, 1896-Accepted, 8th Aug., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Boot and Shoe Lace Fastener.
JAMES SMITHERS Bookseller_39 Deacon Road Kingston-on-Thames JAMES
STOKES Upholsterer 36 Deacon Road Kingston-on-Thames do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention is for the fastening of boot and shoe laces without tieing, this
invention is made of brass or other metal and consists of a plate about one inch
long by in width, with a lace hook at one end and a loose ratchet bar at the other
end the shape of the sole of a human foot, the toes of which fit into the hook and
hold the lace tight, upon the lace being pulled the reverse way the ratchet bar
opens and relases the hold on the lace, it can be fixed to the boot or shoe in any
position with clips which are part of the plate.
Dated this 3rd day of October 1895.
JAMES SMITHERS.
JAMES STOKES.
A Boot and Shoe Lace Fastener.
We, JAMES SMITHERS of 39 Deacon Road, Bookseller and JAMES STOKES
of 36 Deacon Road, Upholsterer, both of Kingston-on-Thames in the County of
Surrey 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 :-
Our invention relates to an improved fastener more especially for use in holding
the laces of boots and shoes in which the lace or the like is caused to be gripped
between a moveable claw fitting in the hooked or bent end of a fixed plate in such
a way that with a certain pressure on the lace or the like in one direction the lace
is held automatically between the said claw and hooked end while when the lace
is pulled in the opposite direction the claw is drawn out from the hooked part and
the lace or the like is released.
In the accompanying drawing we have shewn in elevation by way of example a
fastener constructed according to this invention.
A is the metal plate which is secured in a convenient position on the outer side
of the upper leather of a boot or shoe by means of clips a a²; the plate is turned
over and back at one end so as to form a hook B while on the other end a ratchet
bar C is mounted loosely so as to turn on a pivot formed by a pin or rivet D.
The ratchet bar C is formed at its outer end with inclined teeth or toes c which
when the said bar is thrust home fit into the hooked part B of the plate A, which
is also inclined for that purpose.
When the boot or shoe has been laced up the ratchet bar being turned up from
the hooked part, the end of each lace (in the case of two being used) is drawn
through the hooked part B of a fastener mounted on each side of the upper and
the ratchet bar C then is pushed home against the said part B, any tendency of the
lace to slacken will cause the ratchet teeth c to be pulled against the hooked

page_text: part B and so to grip the lace more tightly, while by pulling the lace in the
reverse direction the ratchet bar opens and the lace is released.
Although we have described our invention for use in fastening the laces of boots
and shoes it will be evident that it may be applied to other purposes where the
lace or its equivalent to be fastened is in tension, for instance, in securing the
strings of flags when hoisted or in fastening the cords or ropes of sails or
the like.
Having now particularly described the nature of our said invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is:-
The improved fastener substantially as herein before described and illustrated by
way of example in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 29th day of June 1896.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
Agents.