Improvements in and connected with Boot-lace Fasteners.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Apr., 1896-Accepted, 30th May, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Boot-lace Fasteners.
J, JOHN JAMES RAYNER 54, Regent Road, Liverpool, Naval Outfitter, 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:
The object of my invention is to provide a ready and convenient method of
fastening boot-laces, and in carrying out my invention I proceed in or in about the
following manner, that is to say, at the back of the upper part of the boot I
attach a piece of metal preferably of a springy nature and of greater length than
breadth. Each end of this piece of metal is bent towards the other, thus forming
a kind of double ended hook. I attach this piece of metal to the boot by stitching,
by a band, by suitably forming the piece of metal or in any other couvenient manner.
The appliance is used as follows:- After the boot has been laced in the usual
manner, each end of the lace is placed behind the hook ends of the fastener, aud
knots having been made in the lace ends so as to be above the fastener and rest on
the tops of the respective hooks, the lace is prevented from unfastening, until such
times as it is pressed from behind the hooks. The knots in the lace ends
would be made by the user and when once made would serve practically as long as
the lace lasts.
In order that my invention may be the moro readily understood, I make
reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings in which
Fig. 1 shows a front view, Fig. 2 a plan, and Fig. 3 an end view of one of my
fasteners.
Fig. 4 shows a modification.
Fig. 5 is a view of the back of a boot with my improved fastener attached and
in use.
In each figure similar letters indicate the same parts where they occur.
the
a is a piece of metal bent so as to form the hook like ends bb, which may
touch the main piece of metal of which they form part, a is attached to the back
of the boot in any convenient manner as by means of a cross-piece of metal o
having points d which after passing through the substance of the boot are turned
down close inside the back of the boot, as shewn at Fig. 3. The fastener may be
made of wire or thin metal, in which case the points d may form part of the piece
of material from which the remainder of the fastener is made. e is the lace.
knots, g the boot. Fig. 5 shows the fastener in use, one of the knotted ends of
the lace being shewn before, and the other after, insertion behind the hook-like
ends of the piece a. The hook-like parts of the fastener may be attached to,
instead of forming part of the piece of metal a, and the fastener may be attached
to the back of the boot in more than one place, and by any other convenient means
than those already mentioned.
I do not restrict myself to the precise details, configurations, relative proportions
or disposition of parts as described in the Specification or exemplified in the
accompanying drawings as any or all of them may be varied without departing
from the spirit of my invention.
Having now 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. The improved method of and means for fastening boot laces and consisting

page_text: -essentially of a double ended hook attached to the back of the boot and within
the ends of which hook are placed and retained, the knotted euds of the lace the
whole provided for, and operating substantially as described in the above Specifi-
cation and exemplified in the accompanying drawings.
2. For retaining the knotted ends of boot-laces, a fastener consisting essentially
of a piece of metal of spring-like character and of greater length than breadth
its ends being bent towards each other and also towards the piece of material of
which they forin part, the said fastener being attached to the back of the boot, the
whole substantially as described in the above Specification and exemplified in the
-accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st day of April 1896.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23, Coleman Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.