Improvements in and connected with Boots, Shoes, and the like.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Mar., 1896-Accepted, 16th May, 1996
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with Boots, Shoes, and the like.
I, ARTHUR CORNISH of 6, Florence Terrace, Bellvue Road, Ipswich, Boot-
maker, 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 so construct boots shoes and the like that they
may be worn in succession as "laced or buttoned" and in carrying out my
invention I proceed in or in about the following manner, that is to say, in place of
the ordinary "tongue" of the shoe and attached in a similar manner I provide a
wider and more ornamental piece of leather or other material in the right and left
edges of which are formed button holes. This tongue is made wider than the
ordinary one at the place where is fastened to the shoe or boot. The remainder.
of the shoe, I make of the ordinary form, with this difference, that outside of the
eyelet-holes or hooks I make a number of other holes, the leather round about
these holes being stitched in an ornamental manner so as to render these
supplementary holes less observable. Through each of these supplementary holes
is passed the shank of a boot-button which is retained in position by any suitable
means, such as by bent hooks known as the electric button fasteners. In this
manner the buttons can be removed when not required and reserved for
future use.
If desired, the buttons may be permanently attached instead of
removable.
In order that my invention may be the more readily understood I make
reference to the accompanying sheet of drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a view of a shoe when used as a buttoned one, and Fig. 2 a view of it
when used as a laced one.
Fig. 3 is a view of the kind of button fastener which I propose to use.
In each figure similar letters refer to the same parts.
a is the shoe, b the tongue, c the laced portion, f holes for buttons, a buttons,
A wire hook-fastener to keep button in position. When the shoe is to be used as a
laced one, the tongue is kept inside in the usual manner as shewn at Fig. 2, the
buttons, if removable being taken out, and the lacing up done as usual. When,
however, the buttoned boot effect is required, through each hole (provided outside
the lace holes as already described) is passed the shank of a button and fastened
by a book or the like h. The "tongue is then brought outside and after the
shoe is laced up the buttons are passed through the holes in the "tongue " as
shewn at Fig. 2. In the latter case the lacing may be omitted. As already
mentioned the buttons may be permanently attached instead of being made so as to
take out.
I do not confine myself to the precise forms, relative proportions, or disposition
of parts as described in the above Specification or exemplified in the drawings, as
any or all of them may be considerably varied without departing from the
invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what [
claim is :-
The method of converting a boot, shoe or the like from a laced to a buttoned

page_text: one, or vice versa, as and when required, the said method consisting essentially in
the placing inside or outside the boot, shoe, or the like, of a suitably arranged,
and provided for, "tongue," the whole substantially as described in the above
Specification and exemplified in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 31st day of March 1896.
HUGHES & YOUNG,
23, Coleman Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicant.