IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR THE LACES OF BOOTS AND SHOES AND OTHER LACES, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR FASTENING THE CORDS OF WINDOW-BLINDS AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES.”
Year: 1881

page_text: "C
LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Green, of Northampton, in the County of
Northampton, for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR THE
LACES OF BOOTS AND SHOES AND OTHER LACES, ALSO APPLICABLE FOR
FASTENING THE CORDS OF WINDOW-BLINDS AND OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Green at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th May 1881.
THOMAS GREEN, of Northampton, in the County of Northampton.
" IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR THE LACES OF BOOTS AND SHOES AND OTHER LACES,
ALSO APPLICABLE FOR FASTENING THE CORDS OF WINDOW BLINDS AND OTHER
SIMILAR PURPOSES."
In the Specification to Letters Patent granted to me on the 3rd July 1879,
No. 2694, I described a fastening or grip for securing the laces of boots and shoes,
consisting of a piece of metal bent over so as to present a narrow space between
two surfaces of the metal, into which space the lace was drawn so as to be held
thereby.
According to my present improvements, instead of forming the grip by a single
bend or fold of the metal, as described, I first bend the outer or free end of a strip
of metal so as to fold against the other part, leaving a small space between them,
and I then form a second bend in the other part so as to bring the surface of the
free end that was first folded over in close contiguity to the surface of the other
end of the strip, which is attached to the boot or shoe, sufficient space being left
between the two surfaces for the introduction of the lace, which is thus held
by the combined spring action of the free end and of the other folded part of the
strip.
The grip thus formed may either have the end by which it is fixed passed
through a slit in the leather or material of the boot or shoe and secured to the
inner surface or the lining thereof, in which case the lace would be held between
the surface of the folded free end and the outer surface of the leather. Or only the
extreme part of the fixed end may be passed through to the back surface of the
leather, to be there secured, so that the part over which the free end is folded

page_text: remains outside, in which case the lace is held between the two metal surfaces. In
this case the said extreme end is cranked or folded back for passing behind the
leather so as to allow the other part to lie flat against the outer surface thereof.
The gripping surfaces are by preference formed with ribs or corrugations to increase
their hold on the lace, and in the last described arrangement the ribs or projections
on the one surface are made to correspond with the grooves or recesses of the other
surface, so that the lace is bent into a serpentine form when inserted between them,
whereby their hold upon it will be still further increased.
The grip may be secured either by an eyelet or other form of rivet, or by
sewing.
The above described improved form of grip may also be used for securing the
laces of other wearing apparel, such as corsets, and also for holding the cords of
window blinds and similar purposes, in which case they are provided with
suitable lugs or plates for fixing against the wood' work by nails or screws.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Thomas Green in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 24th November
1881.
THOMAS GREEN, of Northampton, in the County of Northampton. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN FASTENINGS FOR THE LACES OF BOOTS AND SHOES AND OTHER LACES,
ALSO APPLICABLE FOR FASTENING THE CORDS OF WINDOW BLINDS AND OTHER
SIMILAR PURPOSES."
In the Specification to Letters Patent granted to me on the 3rd July 1879,
No. 2694, I described a fastening or grip for securing the laces of boots and shoes,
consisting of a piece of metal bent over so as to present a narrow space between
two surfaces of the metal, into which space the lace was drawn so as to be held
thereby.
According to my present improvements, instead of forming the grip by a single
bend or fold of the metal, as described, I first bend the outer or free end of a strip
of metal so as to fold against the other part, leaving a small space between them,
and I then form a second bend in the other part so as to bring the surface of the.
free end, that was first folded over in close contiguity to the surface of the other
end of the strip, which is attached to the boot or shoe, sufficient space being left
between the two surfaces for the introduction of the lace, which is thus held
by the combined spring action of the free end and of the other folded part of the
strip.
The grip thus formed may either have the end by which it is fixed passed
through a slit in the leather or material of the boot or shoe and secured to the
inner surface or the lining thereof, in which case the lace would be held between
the surface of the folded free end and the outer surface of the leather. Or only
the extreme part of the fixed end may be passed through to the back surface
of the leather, to be there secured, so that the part over which the free end is
folded remains outside, in which case the lace is held between the two metal
surfaces. In this case the said extreme end is cranked or bent back for passing
behind the leather so as to allow the other part to lie flat against the outer surface
thereof. The gripping surfaces are by preference formed with ribs or corrugations
to increase their hold on the lace, and in the last described arrangement the ribs
or projections on the one surface are made to correspond with the grooves or
recesses of the other surface, so that the lace is bent into a serpentine form
when inserted between them, whereby their hold upon it will be still further
increased.
The grip may be secured either by an eyelet or other form of rivet, or by
sewing.
The above described improved form of grip may also be used for securing the
laces of other wearing apparel, such as corsets and gloves, and also for holding
the cords of window blinds and similar purposes, in which case they are provided
with suitable lugs or plates for fixing against the wood work by nails or screws.
Figs. 1 to 3 of the accompanying Drawing shew one mode of forming and fixing
them, the grips being shewn to an enlarged scale for the sake of clearness. The
strip of metal A having first had its one end at a roughed or corrugated, then has
such end bent over, as shewn in perspective at Fig. 1, after which the strip is again
bent over as at d, Fig. 2, so as to present a space between the free end a and the
part 6 by which the grip is fixed; this space may either be sufficiently narrow to
cause a lace to be gripped when drawn into it, assuming that the part b is fixed
to the outer surface of the leather; but if the grip be secured to the leather, as
shewn at Fig. 3, in which case the part 6 is passed through a slit in the leather to

page_text: the back thereof, and is fixed by an eyelet or other rivet or fastening e, as shown,
the lace is held between the part a and the surface of the leather. In this arrange-
ment sufficient distance is left between the parts a and b to form a narrow space
between a and the outer surface of the leather within which the lace c is drawn,
and in which it is held by the combined spring action of the parts a and d; Fig. 4
shews a perspective view; Fig. 5, a side view; and Fig. 6, a cross section on
line X, X, of a modified construction, in which only the extreme part of the end b
is passed behind the leather, for which purpose it is cranked or bent, as shewn, so
that the other part of b may lie flat against the outer surface of the leather. In
this case the lace c is gripped between the two metal surfaces a and b, and to
increase the hold of these they are by preference ribbed or corrugated, as shewn,
so that the ribs of the one part correspond with the grooves of the other part, thus
causing the lace to be bent into a serpentine form when it is drawn in.
Fig. 7 shews a perspective view, and Fig. 8, a side view of another modification
of the last described arrangement, in which the end b, instead of being merely
cranked for passing behind the leather, is bent back at 61, whereby a somewhat
firmer hold on the leather is insured.
In both arrangements the grip may either be secured by rivetting, as shewn, or
it may be secured by sewing or other convenient means, either to the leather or the
lining of the boot or shoe, or to both.
The above described improved form of grip may also be used for securing the
laces of other wearing apparel, such as corsets and gloves, and also for holding
the cords of window blinds and similar purposes, in which case they are provided
with suitable lugs or plates for fixing against the wood work by nails or screws, as
indicated at Fig. 9.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, I claim in respect of grips for securing the laces of boots
and shoes and other similar purposes,-
First. The combination of the inner folded end a with the outer fold & and
fixing part b, so that the lace or cord is held by the combined spring action of the
parts a and b, substantially as described.
Second. The several constructions of grips with double spring action, herein
described with reference to the accompanying Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Green, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Twenty third day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
MITATCLA