Year: 1875

page_text: consumed by the wearer in the act of lacing and unlacing, the frequent
breaking of the laces during the operation, and their liability to come
undone. Likewise persons wearing side spring boots are subjected to
considerable expense and discomfort consequent upon the excessive
expansion of the elastic webbing resulting from the heat of the foot of
the wearer, whereby it becomes inconveniently large and loose for the
ankle, and its susceptibility to become worn and threadbare caused by
the combined friction of the ankles and of the lower portions of the
dress of the wearer against such webbing.
Now in order to obviate these various disadvantages, and at the same
time to preserve all the appearance of a hand laced boot or shoe, I pro-
ceed as follows:-In the opening in the front of the boot or shoe wherein
a leathern tongue is ordinarily inserted I first place a thin leather tongue
secured to the boot at the bottom in the ordinary way, and when in a
boot furnished at the top with a loop to enable the wearer to pull on the
same; above this I place a piece of elastic webbing, which is secured to
the bottom and sides of the before-mentioned opening in the front of
the boot or shoe. I then place above this a second or outer thin leather
tongue secured to the boot in a similar manner as the first, after which I
insert through the ordinary holes provided for this purpose a stout clastic
lace, preferably of a flat shape, so as in a great degree to prevent wear
from friction, and having inserted such clastic lace I securely fasten the
same around the ankle of the boot by passing the same round between
the lining of the boot and the external leather at the back of the ankle,
and then again bringing it round, and there securely but invisibly
fastening it by stitching or otherwise.
In order to neatly and effectively close the opening left at the top of
the boot for the introduction of the foot, as before described, I affix
thereto a metal clasp and catch or a buckle and pin of a suitable size,
such metal clasp and catch or buckle and pin being sewn or otherwise
fastened to a piece of elastic webbing which is of sufficient length to
pass round the top of the boot between the lining and the outer leather,
and project on either side through a slot formed for that purpose to
permit of such metal clasp and catch or buckle and pin being sewn or
otherwise securely attached thereto. It is thus only necessary for the
wearer to draw on the boot in a similar manner as any ordinary clastic

page_text: side spring boot is drawn on, and then fasten the metal clasp and catch
or buckle and pin at the top of the boot, thereby thoroughly obviating
the inconvenience hitherto resulting from lacing and unlacing, at the
same time that by my improved principle of manufacturing boots or
shoes great clasticity is imparted to the front to meet the play of the
instop in walking. Great neatness of appearance, united to great
strength, is also ensured at the same time that its wearing and lasting
qualities are proportionately increased owing to all liability to wear from
frictional contact being entirely avoided, the first leather tongue serving
to preserve the clastic lining from excessive expansion arising from the
heat of the foot, and the second leather tongue preventing friction
between it and the outer clastic lace.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
.
filed by the said Caleb Nash in the Great Scal Patent Office on
the 8th October 1875
· TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CALEB
NASH, of Sherc, near Guildford, Surrey, send greeting
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of April, in the year of
our Loid One thousand eight hundied and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did for Herself, Iler heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said Caleb Nash, Her special licenso
that I, the said Caleb Nash, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Caleb Nash, my executors, admını-
strators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN LACING
BOOTS AND SHOES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Caleb Nash, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what

page_text: manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be med
in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Caleb Nash, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in lacing boots and
shoes.
Hitherto great inconvenience and annoyance has been experienced by
persons wearing lace-up boots or shoes from the present method of
lacing them up by hand, such disadvantages arising from the time
consumed by the wearer in the act of lacing and unlacing, the frequent
breaking of the laces during the operation, and their liability to come
undone. Likewise persons wearing side spring boots are subject to
considerable expense and discomfort conscquent upon the excessive
expansion of the clastic webbing resulting from the heat of the foot of
the wearer, whereby it becomes inconveniently large and loose for the
ankle, and its susceptibility to become worn and threadbare caused by
the combined friction of the ankles and of the lower portions of the
dress of the wearer against such webbing.
Now in order to obviate these various disadvantages, and at the same
time to preserve all the appearance of a hand laced boot or shoc, I
proceed as follows.-In the opening in the front of the boot or shoc
wherein a leather tongue is ordinarily inserted I first place a thin
leather tongue secured to the boot at the bottom in the ordinary way,
and when in a boot furnished at the top with a loop to enable the
wearer to pull on the same, above this I place a piece of clastic webbing
which is secured to the bottom and sides of the before-mentioned opening
in the front of the boot or shoe; 1 then place above this a second or
outer thin leather tongue secured to the boot in a similar manner as the
first, after which I insert through the ordinary holes provided for this
purpose a stout elastic lace, preferably of a flat shape, so as in a great
degree to prevent wear from friction, and having inserted such clastic
lace I securely fasten the same around the ankle of the boot by passing
1

page_text: the same round between the lining of the boot and the external leather
at the back of the ankle, and then again bringing it round, and there
securely but invisibly fasten it by stitching or otherwise. Or instead of
passing it round the ankle as just described I pass it down the front of
the boot under the lacing and securely fasten it inside near the bottom
hole. When I wish to make an imitation button boot I affix a flap to
one side of the boot furnished with buttons in the ordinary manner.
Alternate slots are formed at the back of such tongue and in that portion
of the front of the boot immediately beneath it. Through these slots I
pass the lace, which is thus rendered invisible and preserved from
friction, and when it has reached the top I return it again to the bottom
and then secure it.
In order to neatly and effectively close the opening left at the top of
the boot for the introduction of the foot as before described I affix
thereto a metal clasp and catch or a buckle and pin of a suitable size,
such metal clasp and catch or buckle and pin being sewn or otherwise
fastened to a piece of clastic webbing which is of sufficient length to
pass round the top of the boot between the lining and the outer leather,
and project on either side through a slot formed for that purpose to
permit of such metal clasp and cath or buckle and pin being sewn or
otherwise securely attached thereto. It is thus only necessary for the
wearer to draw on the boot in a similar manner as any ordinary clastic
side spring boot is drawn on, and then fasten the metal clasp and cath
or buckle and pin at the top of the boot, thereby thoroughly obviating
the inconvenience hitherto resulting from lacing and unlacing, at the
same time that by my improved principle of manufacturing boots or
shoes great clasticity is imparted to the front to meet the play of the
instep in walking. Great neatness of appearance, united to great
strength, is also ensured at the same time that its wearing and lasting
qualities are proportionately increased owing to all hability to wear from
frictional contact being entirely avoided, the first leather tongue serving
to preserve the clastic lining from excessive expansion arising from the
heat of the foot, and the second leather tongue preventing friction
between it and the outer clastic lace.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner of performing the same, I would have
it understood that what I claim is, the improvements in lacing boots and

page_text: shoes, substantially in the manner and for the purposes hercin-before set
forth and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Caleb Nash, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Eighth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.