Improvements in the Fastening of Boots.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 17th May, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 17th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 21st Apr., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Fastening of Boots.
I, JOHN STIRLING DOWELL Patentee of 455 St. Vincent Street Glasgow
Lanarkshire, do hereby declare the nature of my invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to improvements in the mode of fastening or
securing to the feet of the wearer all kinds of boots such as are capable of
being fastened by lacing or equivalent means and which improvements will have
many advantages over those in common use..
The improvements of this invention consist essentially in making the opening
part usually formed in the front part or towards one side of the front of a boot
for the purpose of allowing the easy entrance of the foot to the inside of the
boot, to be afterwards closed by lacing or other means, down the back of the
boot. This opening, in the case of a boot would be formed from the top of
the boot down the centre of the back to the counter of the boot or as low as
necessary. By this method the front of the boot would be left intact without
the disfiguration of the usual fastening, and could be ornamented or modified
in construction in consequence. A tongue such is usually applied to the front
opening, could be inserted within the boot and secured at the bottom part of
this new back opening part to keep the same close against the weather or one
side could be made to slightly overlap the other for the same purpose. This
back opening could be closed in various ways, such as by lacing in a somewhat
similar manner to that commonly employed at present, or by a single lace fastened
by one end to the bottom, of the opening and taken from one side to the other
through eyelet holes or lacing hooks the loose end after it had been drawn tight
being secured round the ancle of the wearer. Buttous on one side preferably
of a form to enter easily the corresponding button holes on the other side of
the opening might also be employed for closing and securing the opening.
Preferably however metal clasps would be employed for this purpose, which
might be formed of two parts or pieces of brass or other suitable metal hinged
together and bent or curved to a shape to approximately fit the back of the
wearers foot or ancle. The clasp, or any number of same, would be fitted or
secured on one side of the opening by rivetting or otherwise securing one of its
parts to the leather leaving the other part free to move on the hinge and overlap
the opposite side when the opening is closed. On the other side of the opening
would be secured a plate or plates, having two or more slots formed therein to
receive a hook part formed on the point of the movable part of the clasp, or
the plate might have a pin or stud formed on or secured to it and the clasp be
formed with one or more holes to engage with the said pin, and so close and
secure the opening in a manner to give a slight variation in the degree of
tightness.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Fastening of Boots.
I, JOHN STIRLING DOWELL, Patentee, of 455 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow,
Lanarkshire do hereby declare the nature of my invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement in writing, that is to say :-
This. invention has reference to improvements in the mode of fastening or
securing to the feet of the wearer all kinds of boots, such as are capable of being
fastened by lacing or equivalent means, and which improvements will have many
advantages over those in common use.
And in order that my invention may be properly understood I have hereunto
appended an explanatory sheet of drawings, reference being had to the letters and
figures marked thereon.
The improvements of my invention consist essentially in making the opening
part usually formed in the front part or towards one side of the front of a boot for
the purpose of allowing the easy entrance of the foot to the inside of the boot, to
be afterwards closed by lacing or other means, down the back of the boot.
This
opening, in the case of a boot is formed from the top of the boot down the centre
of the back to the counter of the boot, or as low as necessary, and may be vertical
as shown at A in Figures 1, 3, and 4 or it may be angled as shown at A in
Figure 2. By this method the front of the boot is left intact without the
disfiguration of the usual fastening, and could be ornamented or modified in con-
struction in consequence. A tongue B as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1,
such as is usually applied to the front opening, could be inserted within the boot
and secured at the bottom part, of this new back opening part to keep the same
close against the weather, or one side could be made to slightly overlap the other
for the same purpose as shown in Figure 2.
This back opening A can be closed in various ways such as by lacing in a
somewhat similar manner to that commonly employed as shown in Figure 1, or by
a single lace fastened by one end to the bottom of the opening; and taken from one
side to the other through eyelet holes or lacing hooks; the loose end after it had
been drawn tight being secured round the ancle of the wearer. Buttons on one
side, preferably of a form to enter easily the corresponding button holes on the
other side of the opening might also be employed for closing and securing the
opening as shown at C in Figure 2.
Preferably however metal clasps are employed for this purpose, which as shown
in Figure 3 are formed of two parts or plates a a¹ of brass, or other suitable metal,
hinged together and bent or curved to a shape to approximately fit the back of the
wearer's ancle. The clasp, or any number of same, is fitted or secured on one side
of the opening by rivetting or otherwise securing one of its parts a to the leather
leaving the other part a' free to move on the hinge, and overlap the opposite side
when the opening is closed. On the other side of the opening is secured a plate a²,
or plates, having two or more slots a³ formed therein to receive a hook part a
formed on the point of the movable part a' of the clasp. Otherwise the plate a²
might have a pin or stud formed on or secured to it, and the plate a¹ of the clasp
be formed with one or more holes to engage with said pin, and so close and secure
the opening all as shown in Figure 4, so as to allow of a slight variation in the
degree of tightness. Straps and buckles may also be used for closing and securing
the opening as shown in Figure 5.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. In the manufacture of boots the forming of same with an opening at the

page_text: back part for easily inserting the foot, and closing and securing said opening all
substantially as herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Second. In the manufacture of boots, the combination of closing and securing
devices with an opening at the back part of boot all substantially as herein
described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Third. In the manufacture of boots, the combination with an opening at the
back part of boot, of the metal clasps for the purpose and constructed all
substantially as herein described and shown in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 16th March 1894.
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
96, Buchanan Street, Glasgow, Agents.