Year: 1898

page_text: I, AUGUSTIN SARATHKUMAR GHOSH, of 1, Northumberland Place, Bayswater, in
the County of London, Barrister-at-Law, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
Boots as now generally worn are usually made with a longitudinal opening or
slit at the front portion thereof for the purpose of facilitating the putting on and
taking off of the boots by the wearer, the said opening or slit being provided with
fastening devices such as laces passed through suitably arranged eyelets for keep-
ing together the meeting edges of the slit and thus closing the opening. Several
inconveniences are experienced in connection with boots so constructed; for in-
stance, the tongue used for covering the space between the contiguous edges of
the slit oftentimes becomes displaced during wear and uncovers the division that
exists between the contiguous edges of the said slit so that in wet weather the rain
is liable to find its way through the division and reach the foot of the wearer.
Again, slackening or tightening of the boot laces (even if lacing hooks are em-
ployed) is necessary when removing or putting on the boot, and if the boot be wet
and muddy the operation of slackening the laces and removing the boot soils the
wearer's hands.
Now according to my invention I obviate the inconveniences that exist with
ordinarily constructed boots, by making them with a vertical opening or slit at
the back portion instead of with the usual longitudinal opening at the front. I
prefer that the length of the said back opening shall not be greater than that
requisite for enabling the foot to be conveniently inserted into and withdrawn
from the boot. In any case the length of the back opening will be considerably less
than that of the ordinary front opening so that the number of lacing eyelets or
hooks can be considerably reduced. The putting on or taking off of the boots
will therefore be simplified.
I do not confine myself to lacing contrivances for fastening together the edges
of the divided portion of the boot as any other suitable fastening device may be
employed.
If found advantageous the opening at the back of the boot may be made by
providing a pair of flaps whose edges may be adapted to meet together, or one flap
may be arranged to overlap the other. The width of the back opening could thus
be increased by opening the flaps, and the insertion or withdrawal of the foot into
or from the boot be rendered very easy.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Boots.
I, AUGUSTIN SARATIIKUMAR GHOSH, of 1, Northumberland Place, Bayswater, in
the County of London, Barrister-at-Law, 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 ; —
Boots as now generally worn are usually made with a longitudinal opening or
slit at the front portion thereof for the purpose of facilitating the putting on and
taking off of the boots by the wearer, the said opening or slit being provided with
fastening devices such as laces passed through suitably arranged eyelets for keep-
ing together the meeting edges of the slit and thus closing the opening. Several
inconveniences are experienced in connection with boots so constructed; for in-
stance, the tongue used for covering the division between the contiguous edges
of the slit oftentimes becomes displaced during wear and uncovers the
said division so that in wet weather the rain is liable to find its way
through this division and reach the foot of the wearer. Again, slack-
ening or tightening of the boot laces (even if lacing hooks are em-
ployed) is necessary when removing or putting on the boot, and if the boot be wet
and muddy the operation of slackening the laces and removing the boot soils the
wearer's hands.
Now according to my invention I obviate the inconvenience that exists with
ordinarily constructed boots, by making them with a vertical opening or slit at
the back portion instead of with the usual longitudinal opening at the front. I
prefer that the dimensions of the said back opening shall not be greater than that
requisite for enabling the foot to be conveniently inserted into and withdrawn
from the boot. In any case the length of the back opening will be considerably less
than that of the ordinary front opening so that the number of lacing eyelets or
hooks can be considerably reduced and the laces, as a consequence, will run
through the eyelets much more easily than in an ordinary boot. The putting on
or taking off of the boot will therefore be simplified.
Moreover in a boot as made at present with the lace in front, the act of lacing
is somewhat inconvenient as the wearer has to stoop down, or raise his foot and
support it against some object. But in my boot which has the opening at the
back, the process is much simplified, by the wearer placing the leg in question
over the knee of the other leg. In this manner the back of the boot is exposed to
view and within easy reach of the hands.
In order that my said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried
into effect I will proceed to describe the same more fully with reference to the
accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of one of my improved boots and Figure 2 is an
elevation thereof as secen from the back.
A is the boot-upper, B the galoche portion and C the back opening which in the
example illustrated is made by forming in the back of the upper a vertical slit
extending from the top of the boot upper to a point adjacent to the galoche
portion. D is the tongue.
The lower part of the said slit is furnished with the usual eyelets and the upper
part with the usual lacing hooks for enabling the two edges of the said slit to be
drawn together when the boot is on the foot by a lace, as in an ordinary boot.
I may however employ any other kind of fastening device for this purpose. The
front part or instep of the boot upper is provided with an elastic portion A¹ for
enabling the boot to expand as it is being put on to the foot and to contract again

page_text: when the foot has been fully inserted. If desired the aforesaid tongue D may be
omitted.
I do not confine myself to forming the back opening of the boot by a slit as above
described as I may if found advantageous provide the said upper with a pair of
flaps for covering a wide opening at the back of the upper, by bringing the edges
of such flaps together, or by causing one flap to overlap the other. The width of
the back opening when the boot was unlaced would thus obviously be much greater
than in the case of the slit, and the insertion or withdrawal of the foot into or
from the boot would be rendered very easy.
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:-
1. A boot provided at the back with a slit or opening having suitable closing
devices for the purpose described.
2. A boot constructed substantially as described with reference to the accompany-
ing drawings for the purpose specified.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.