Improvements in and relating to Laces.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd June, 1897-Accepted, 31st July, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Laces.
I, ELEAZER KEMPSHALL, of Newton, in the County of Middlesex, and State of
Massachusetts, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 has for its object the production of a novel Tip for Lacings, and
consists in the novel features of construction, and relative arrangement of parts
hereinafter fully described in the specification, clearly illustrated in the drawings, and
particularly pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying one sheet of drawing, forming a part
of this application, in which like characters indicate like parts, wherever they occur.
Figure 1 represents a side view of the fibrous core, with a stiffening section placed
upon it.
"
Figure 2 represents a view of said core and stiffening section, together with a
tubular former through which the core passes, and on which the body of the lacing is
woven, a portion of said body being also shown.
appears
when
Figure 3 represents a side view of a portion of a tabular lacing as it
woven upon said core and stiffening section, and before it is united to said section by
heat and pressure.
Figure 4 represents a view similar to Figure 3, showing the woven body as it
appears after being united to the stiffening section by heat and pressure.
Figure 5 represents a view similar to Figure 4, showing the united' parts centrally
severed.
Figure 5 represents a section on line 5-5 of Figure 5.
Figure 6 represents a view similar to Figure 2, the core being omitted.
Figure 7 represents a sectional view of one end of a lacing body and its tip, made
in accordance with my invention, without a core.
Figures 8 and 9 represent a modification of my invention hereinafter referred to.
Figure 10 represents a section on line 10-10, Figure 8.
Figure 11 represents a section on line 11-11, Figure 9,
Referring to the drawings, in the embodiment of my invention therein shown and
selected by me for the purpose of illustrating the same, and first to Figures 1 to 5,
inclusive, which illustrates my invention as embodied in a lacing comprising a woven,
body and a fibrous core or cord enclosed therein, a represents a woven tube which forms
the body of the lacing, and b represents a fibrous cord or core which extends through
the body a. c-represents a tubular section of a material which is adapted' to be
softened by heat, to become rigid when cold, aud-to adhere closely to the fibres of the
body and core when pressed against the same in a softened condition. A suitable
material for the section c is celluloid, but any other suitable material or composition
may be used, preferably a cheaper composition, such as that which is used for making
nolded hair-brush backs, and other articles. For the sake of convenience, I will
designate the section cas composed of a plastic material. The said section is preferably
made in the form of a tube which encloses a portion of the core b.

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In practice, the core is prepared for incorporation into a series of lacings by having
a series of the sections c strung upon it at distances apart corresponding to the
desired length of the lacings to be produced. The core thus prepared and the body a
are assembled in any convenient way, such as by weaving the body upon a tubular
former, a' through which the core and the section c extend, as shown in Figure 2, the
tubular section c being thus interposed between the core and body.
After the assemblage of the core and body, I apply heat and pressure by suitable
Ineans, such as by heated dies, at the point where the section c is located, the heat
being sufficient to soften the section cand cause portions of its material, under the
pressure exerted, to flow outwardly into the meshes of the body a aud inwardly among
the fibres of the core b, so that the parts of the core and body along which the
section c extends are virtually saturated with the material of said section.
the said material becomes cold, the parts saturated by it become exceedingly
stiff.
When
The lacings are completed by severing portions at about the middle of their
length, as indicated in Figure 5. Each lacing has two compacted and stiffened
ends or tips t, t, these tips taking the place of the metal tips ordinarily applied to the
ends of shoe-lacings.
It will be seen that the body a and the core bare firmly united by the plastic
sections, so that there is no liability of independent endwise displacement of either
part.
The core may be omitted, as shown in Figures 6 and 7, the body a being woven
upon the plastic section, which in this case may be a solid rod instead of being
tubular.
In Figures 8, 9, 10, and 11, I show a lacing body a³, which is woven as a flat strip,
instead of a tube, the edges of the strip being folded or bent over the stiffening
section, as shown in Figures 9 and 11, the parts being united by heat and pressure as
.before.
It will be seen that in each embodiment of my invention shown and described,
the lacing body is internally stiffened at its ends, the internal stiffening being in
contact with the inner surface of the woven body and interlocked with the meshes
thereof by integral roots or tongues which project outwardly into the interstices
between said meshes, hence there is a firm and intimate union between the stiffening
sections and the body, along the entire extent of said sections. Therefore, in case of
breakage of any stiffening section, its parts will be held together by the enclosing part
of the body, said portions constituting an envelope which is integral with the
body.
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 woven lacing having its end portions internally stiffened.
2. A woven lacing having practically rigid tips composed of woven envelopes
integral with the body of the lacing, and internal stiffening sections interlocked with
the said envelopes.
3. A lacing comprising a woven body, a fibrous cord within the said body, and
plastic bonding and stiffening material interposed between the end portions of the
core and body and united therewith, whereby the body and core are firmly united at
their ends and the ends of the lacing are suitably stiffened.
4. A lacing comprising a woven body, a fibrous core within said body, and tubes of
plastic material interposed between the end portions of the body, and core and pressed
into the fibres of both the body and core to unite their end portions and stiffen the
ends of the lacings.
5. A tip for lacings, formed by forcing plastic material from the interior of the
lacing outward, and thereby interlocking, said material with the meshes of the
lacing.
6. The improved method herein before described, of making tips on woven lacings,

page_text: the same consisting in enclosing plastic sections in the end portions of a woven lacing
body and then interlocking said sections with said end portions by heat and
pressure.
7. The improved method herein before described, of making tipped lacings,. the
same consisting in assembling a woven body and a series of stiffening, sections of
plastic material, the sections being in contact with the inner surface of the body,
subjecting the said parts to heat and pressure at the points where the said
sections are located, whereby the sections are softened and interlocked with the .
meshes of the woven body, and then severing the interlocked portion of the body
and stiffening sections.
8. The improved method of making tipped lacings which consists in assembling
a tubular woven body, a fibrous core or cord, and a series of sections of plastic
material, the core being within the body and the sections between the body and
core, subjecting the said parts to beat and pressure at the points where the
said sections are located, whereby the sections are softened and their material is
interlocked with the meshes of the woven body and the fibres of the core, the
portions of the body and core thus treated being stiffened by the hardening of
said material, and then severing said stiffening portions.
9. As an article of manufacture, a lacing comprising a woven body, and end
stiffeners of plastic material placed within the end portions of said body and
interlocked with the meshes of said end portions.
Dated this Sth day of June 1897,
ELEAZER KEMPSHALL.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.