Year: 1888

page_text: I, JOHN MORECOMBE BROMLEY BAKER of 2 Bessborough Street, Pimlico in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:
The object of this invention is to provide a simple means for fastening the laces of
boots shoes or other articles.
According to this invention in each end or cross section of a piece of flat oblong
tube I form a V shaped slot.
.
To one side of the said tube I solder or fasten by any suitable means tangs for
fastening the same to the upper leather of the boot or shoe.
These "tangs" being passed through proper perforations in the leather and also
through a binding plate are clamped on the latter thus securely fixing the fastener in
position.
The boot or shoe being laced in the ordinary way the ends of the laces are
respectively brought into the V shaped slots or openings and being pulled tight will
not slip from the ordinary strain imparted from the wearing of the boot or shoe but
may be instantly released when pulled in the opposite direction. Sometimes in place
of using the tube I cut the V shaped openings in a plate of metal and at the same
time stamp out the tangs from the same, and then by suitable means I turn the plate
or blank over to form a tube and so avoid the soldering of tangs or fastenings to the
lace fastener proper.
Dated thin Thronts fourth day of May 1888.

page_text: Improved Means and Appliance for Fastening Boot and Shoe Laces
and such like Articles.
I JOHN MORECOMBE BROMLEY BAKER of 2 Bessborough Street, Pimlico in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide a simple means for fastening the laces of
boots shoes or other articles.
According to this invention in each end of the fastener I form a V shaped slot or
opening.
To one side of the fastener 1 solder or fasten by any suitable means tangs for
fastening the same to the upper leather of the boot or shoe, or they may be stamped
out of the motal itself.
These tangs being passed through proper perforations in the leather and also
through a binding plate are clamped on the lattor thus securely fixing the-fastener in-
position.
The boot or shoe being laced in the ordinary way the ends of the laces are
respectively brought into the V shaped slots or openings and being pulled tight will
not slip from the ordinary strain imparted from the wearing of the boot or shoe but
may be instantly released when pulled in the opposite direction.
And in order to explain my said invention more fully I will now describe the same
with reference to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 shews section of boot
with fastener attached, Figure 2 back view of saine, Figure 3 shews portion of a
boot with fastener in position with lace secured therein, Figures 4, 5, and 6 shew fastener
stamped out of a plate of metal, Figure 7 shews plate before being turned over to
form the fastener, Figures 8 and 9 shew views of binding plate. Figures 10, 11,
and 12 are side back and front views respectively of another way of carrying out my
said invention which in this case is stamped out of a flat strip of metal.
All the views are about double the actual size of fastener.
The same letters denote the same parts in all the views. a a are the tangs which
pass through the holes in the binding plate c and are clamped or clinched as
shewn in Figure 1, d shows V slots or openings cut out of the metal or formed by
bending the same (or these slots or openings may be formed by any suitablo means)
and serving to grip the lace and hold it securely.
The lace placed in the position shewn in Figure 3 and pulled tight when it is
securely held by being wedged in the V slots or openings and a slight pull in the
opposite direction releases the lace.
I may use the fastener without the binding plate c.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1st. Forming fasteners for fastening the laces of boots and shoes with V shaped or
equivalent slots or openings substantially as and for the purpose described.
2nd. The means and appliance for fastening the laces of boots and shoes substantially
as described.