Buckle Manufacturers.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Mar., 1597-Accepted, 22nd May, 1897
A communication by LA SOCIÉTÉ LÉON BOURGAIN & FILS, Buckle
Manufacturers.
1, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool, and 6 Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster, 118 New Street, Birmingham in
the County of Warwick, and 322 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Civil Engineer, 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:-
This invention relates to an improved buckle or clasp for fastening shoes and
for like purposes and will be described with reference to the accompanying
drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a plan view;
Figure 2, a longitudinal section with the tongue pressed down;
Figure 3, a longitudinal section with the tongue raised;
Figure 4, a transverse section on the line V Z of Figure 1;
Figure 4b shows a modification ;
Figures 5 to 7 represent the same arrangement of buckle or clasp but with
another arrangement for fixing the tongue;
Figure 8 shows the improved buckle or clasp attached to a cyclist's shoe ;
Figure 9 is a longitudinal section on the line X-Y of Figure 8.
This buckle or clasp is composed of a metallic plate cut out to the desired
pattern and bent under at right angles as shown in Figure 4 in order to form a
base plate A and a face plate B having two raised parts C adapted to receive the
pivots D of an oscillating tongue E, which latter is provided with a small tooth F
having one of its faces a rectilinear, whilst the other b is rounded and slightly
inclined as shown in the drawing.
On the face plate B by means of a rivet I cr in other suitable manner, there is
fixed a little spring H pressing on the end of the tongue E. Finally, the base
plate A is provided with apertures or perforations G enabling the buckle to be
fixed on the shoe or the like by means of rivets, cyelets or the like, or by sewing or
any other suitable means.
lustead of placing the spring Has hereinbefore indicated, it may also be fixed
by means of a rivet I, as shown in Figure 4b, on the front part which would be no
longer cut out.
The buckle or clasp just described may be fixed on all kinds of shoes. As an
example, Figures 8 and 9 show its application to a cyclist's shoe.
In order to hold the shoe by means of this buckle or clasp, it must be provided
with a foot strap K having perforations e provided with eyelets. The strap K
being first disengaged from the buckle or clasp, the person's foot is then inserted in
the shoe and the tongue E raised as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. The end
of the strap K is then inserted in the vacant space comprised between the plates A
and B and the tongue E is lowered by pressing it in the direction of the arrow 1,
the effect of which is to bring the tooth F in contact with the strap K and to cause

page_text: it to penetrate into one of the eyelets c. The strap K being engaged in the buckle
or clasp and the tongue E lowered, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, it will be easily
understood that if the strap K be pulled in the direction of the arrow m (and this
is the natural movement of the pressure exerted when walking) the eyelet will
press against the straight face a of the projection F which prevents all
movement.
If, on the contrary, it be desired to further tighten the shoe when on the foot,
it is sufficient to draw the strap K in an inverse direction to that indicated by the
arrow m, and the curved face of the tooth will slip against the eyelet which
slightly raises the tongue E and the tooth F will engage in an eyelet higher up.
When it is desired to remove the shoe, it is sufficient to raise the oscillating
tongue E in the direction of arrow n; Figure 9, which releases the tooth F from
the eyelet and the strap is then easily withdrawn from the clasp.
Figures 5 to 7 represent the same system of buckle or clasp but with the
application of another arrangement for fixing the tongue E. In this case the
pivots D are dispensed with and a little opening is cut in the tongue into which
opening a little projection formed on the face B engages; the oscillating tongue E
is also provided with two little projections which press against the spring H when
the tongue E is raised.
Instead of a.
leather strap K perforated with holes, a metallic tongue may be
fixed on the shoe, said metallic tongue being also bored with suitable boles for the
tooth F to engage. The buckle or clasp just described is applicable for all
kinds of shoes, it being only described in connection with a cycling shoe as an
example.
It may also be employed in many other cases for gaiters, girths, panniers and the
like. All the applications will be readily understood from the explanations herein
before given and it is needless to describe them all in detail. The security of the
fastening by means of this clasp arises from the special arrangement of the tooth F
which allows the strap K to be easily slipped in the opposite direction to the
arrow m, but which prevents it becoming unfastened when drawn in the same
direction as this arrow.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion 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 buckle or clasp for fastening shoes and for like purposes composed of a
metallic plate bent to form a base plate and face plate and provided with two
raised parts (C) adapted to receive the pivots (D) of an oscillating tongue (E)
pressed by a spring (H) substantially as herein before set forth.
2. A buckle or clasp such as herein before described in which the tongue is
formed with a little slot to receive a small projection formed on the face plate (B)
the oscillating tongue (E) being provided with two small projections capable of
pressing against the spring (H) substantially as herein before set forth.
3. The combination with a buckle or clasp such as described, of an eyeletted or
perforated strap or tongue (K) substantially as described.
Dated this 15th day of March 1897.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.