Improvements in Lacings for Boots, Shoes, Corsets, and other Articles.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 25th July, 1899-Accepted, 16th Sept., 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lacings for Boots, Shoes, Corsets, and other
Articles.
I, PELEG JAMES CONGDON, of Arlington, in the County of Providence and State
of Rhode Island, United States of America, Inventor, 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 laces or springs for various uses, such as for lacing
boots, shoes and corsets, and it has for its object to provide a new and improved
lacing tip, which is simple and durable in construction, very neat in appearance,
and sufficiently stiffened by a hidden metallic core not liable to become detached
from the lacing fabric.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvement;
Figure 2 is an enlarged plan of the metallic core on the fabric previous to
wrapping the latter;
Figure 3 is a sectional end elevation of the same, on the line 3-3 in Figure 2;
Figure 4 is an enlarged plan of the core shown wrapped in the fabric;
Figure 5 is a sectional end elevation of the same, on the line 5-5 in Figure 4;
Figure 6 is an enlarged plan of the finished tip; and
Figure 7 is a sectional end elevation of the same, on the line 7-7 in Figure 6.
The improved lacing consists of a lacing fabric A, having a metallic core B
wrapped in each end A¹ of the said fabric. The core B is made in the form of a
metallic split tube, and in manufacturing the tip the tube is placed on the flat
end A¹ of the fabric A, as is plainly shown in Figure 2, one end of the core being
a suitable distance from the rounded edge of the end A¹.
In order to wrap the core within the fabric end A', the operator places the
extreme outer end of the fabric into the outer end of the core B at the split or
longitudinal opening of the tube, then folds in the sides of the end A', as plainly
indicated in Figure 5, and finally the end is subjected to side pressure by a
suitable device so as to close the tube and securely fasten the turned in sides
and end of the fabric in place. See Figures 6 and 7.
By the arrangement described, the metallic core B forms the means for holding
the fabric material around the core which is completely hidden from view, the
fabric material only appearing throughout the entire length of the lacing
including the tips.
It is understood that when pressure is applied on the sides of the tip after
the sides of the fabric have been folded longitudinally into the split or opening
of the tube, the side edges along the split of the tube will clamp or bind the
fabric material, so that the edges thereof remain within the tubular core and the
fabric material is tightly and firmly stretched over the surface of the core. Thus
a very neat appearance is given to the lacing, and at the same time the core

page_text: which forms the stiffener for the tip is not liable to become accidentally detached
and no glue or other binding substance whatever is required for securely holding
the core in place on the fabric material.
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 lace having at its end a stiffener in the nature of a split tube surrounded
by the lace, with the edges of the lace entering into the tube, and clamped by
the edges thereof, substantially as described.
2. A lace having at its end a stiffener in the nature of a split tube surrounded
by the lace, with the edges of the lace entering into the tube, and clamped by
the edges thereof, the end of the lace projecting beyond the end of the tube,
substantially as described.
Dated this 25th day of July 1800
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agent, 53, Chancery Lane, London.