Improvements in Fastening Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Mar., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 11th Dec., 1890-Accepted, 31st Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fastening Boots and Shoes.
1, BENJAMIN CHARLES BARTON of Harborne in the County of Stafford, Art
Metal Worker, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
The object of my invention is, improvements in fastening boots and shoes, which
is a great advance upon the usual mode of lacing or buttoning and the fastening
may he accomplished very much more expeditiously and almost as well in the dark,
as light. My fasteners may be adapted to existing boots and shoes whether laced
or buttoned.
In carrying out my invention, say laced boots, I provide a fastener made from
metal or other equivalent, material having say one, two, or more prongs which pass
through the present lace holes and these prongs are opened out or turned over at
the backside to secure them in position. This would be the case with the plate on
both sides or with both parts of the fasteners. In the fastener on one side I have
a vertical or other equivalent hole with a sliding tooth or bolt or catch connected
there with this bolt, being operated, and kept outwards, by a spring or spring
inside or connected with the said plate and there is also a thumb piece or button or
lever connected with the bolt or tooth which when pressed or moved in any desired
direction operated and draws back or removes the bolt or tooth or catch. The
other plate has merely a projecting peg or spigot which falls into the hole in the
other plate and also a notch or its equivalent into which the bolt or catch takes to
lock the two together. In securing the two sides of the boots it is only necessary
to bring the projecting peg or spigot over the hole in the other plate and press it
down when both are locked. In unfastening, it is only necessary to press or,
draw
or push the thumb piece or button or lever when the other side is at once liberated.
It will be quite evident that the kinds of springs and the mode of mounting them
may be greatly varied. The outside configuration or shape or design of the plates
may also be widely varied. If desired the fasteners may have more than one hole
and more than one peg. In adapting these plates, to button-boots an allowance is
necessary in the design to make up for the one side overlapping the other, otherwise
the principle is the same. The fasteners may be made with the parts to meet and
enter into their locking grip by a sliding horizontal movement or by a side move-
ment. These fasteners may be sewn or rivetted on or into the boots or shoes if
desired in which case suitable holes would be provided for the purpose. These
fasteners may be easily detached and changed from one boot or shoe to another.
Dated this 10th day of March 1890.
GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fastening Boots and Shoes.
I, BENJAMIN CHARLES BARTON of Harborne in the County of Stafford Art
Metal Worker do hereby declare the nature of my said invention & in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
The object of my invention is improvements in fastening boots and shoes which is
a great advance upon the usual mode of lacing or buttoning and the fastening may
be accomplished very much more expeditiously and almost as well in the dark

page_text: as light. My fasteners may be adapted to existing boots and shoes whether laced
or buttoned.
In carrying out my invention say to laced boots I provide a fastener made from
metal or other equivalent material having say one two or more prongs which pass
through the present lace holes and these prongs are opened out or turned over at
the back side to secure them in position. This would be the case with the plate on
both sides or with both parts of the fasteners. In the fastener on one side I have a
vertical or other equivalent hole with a sliding tooth or bolt or catch connected
therewith this bolt being operated and kept outwards by a spring or springs inside
or connected with the said plate and there is also a thumb piece or button or lever
connected with this bolt or tooth which when pressed or moved in any desired
direction operates and draws back or removes the bolt or tooth or catch. The
other plate has merely a projecting peg or spigot which falls into the hole in the
other plate and also a notch or its equivalent into which the holt or catch takes to
lock the two together. In securing the two sides of the boots it is only necessary
to bring the projecting peg or spigot over the hole in the other plate and press it
down when both are locked. In unfastening it is only necessary to press or draw
or push the thumb piece or button or lever when the other side is at once liberated.
It will be quite evident that the kinds of springs and the mode of mounting them
may be greatly varied. The outside configuration or shape or design of the plates
may also be widely varied. If desired the fasteners may have more than one hole
and more than one peg. In adapting these plates to button boots an allowance is
necessary in the design to make up for one side overlapping the other, otherwise the
principle is the same. The fasteners may be made with the parts and enter into
their locking grip by a sliding horizontal movement or by a side movement. These
fasteners may be sewn or rivetted on or into the boots or shoes if desired in which
case suitable holes would be provided for the purpose. These fasteners may be
casily detached and changed from one boot or shoe to another.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practice I have appended hereunto a double sized sheet of drawings upon
which have fully illustrated my improved fastening together with its application
to boots and shoes.
Figure 1 is a view of a portion of a boot having my fasteners attached thereto.
Figure 2 is a view of a portion of a shoe having my fasteners attached thereto.
Figure 3 is a view of a portion of a ladies shoe having one of my fasteners
attached and made of ornamental appearance.
Figure 4 is an enlarged front elevation of both sides of the fasteners dis-
connected.
Figure 5 is an end elevation shewing the prongs for attaching to the eyelets of
the boots.
Figure 6 is a longitudinal section through both sides of the fastener when
connected together.
Figure 7 is a sectional plan through the one side of the fastener shewing the bolt
and spring.
Figure 8 is a front elevation of both sides of the fastenings with two holes to
allow of adjustment when being fastened.
Figure 9 is a sectional plan shewing the bolt and spring in the case of those
fastenings having two holes.
Figure 10 is an elevation of the inside of a boot shewing the prongs bent over
the ordinary eyelets.
I will proceed to describe the application of my invention to a pair of lace up
boots although it will readily be seen that it may be applied to the fastenings of
other articles such as shoes, leggings and cloaks. The fastener is made up of two
parts A and B of metal or other equivalent material each part of which is provided
with the prongs a' and respectively which are made to pass through the lace
eyelets of ordinary boots where they are turned over at the back as shewn by
Figure 10 to secure the fasteners in position. The part A. on the one side is

page_text: provided with the hole a² and sliding bolt or catch a³ which is operated and kept in
the position shewn by the spring D. The plate a at top and a at bottom are
secured together with the bolt a and spring D contained between them the top
plate at having projections stamped with it which are bent round the bottom plate a
at a as shown in Figures 6 and 7 to form the prongs a'. The slot a' is provided
in the top plate a through which the button or knob a passes into the bolt or
catch a. The other part B is provided with the projecting peg or spigot which
falls into the hole al in the other part A. and is secured therein by the bolt or
catch which enters the notch which is formed in the peg 62 and thereby
secures the two parts together.
In the case of fasteners fixed to some parts of boots it will be seen that a little
more liberty may be required in the boot to allow of which I provide the one part A.
with two holes aand in which case the bolt is extended as shewn in Figure 9
the aperture a being provided to allow the peg to enter the second hole al
It will be seen that these fasteners may be bought separately and attached to an
ordinary lace up boot and that they may be also taken off an old pair of hoots and
refixed upon a new pair.
I may have any number of
prongs to each fastener for attaching the same to the
boot and I may have more than two holes to allow of adjustment when fastening
the boot.
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
I claim is:
For the purpose of fastening boots and shoes and other similar articles the parts A.
and B having the prongs a' and ' and locked substantially as herein set forth and
as shewn upon the drawings.
Dated L
1000
9th day of December 1800.
GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.