IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO FASTENINGS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO FASTENINGS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES."
A communication from abroad by Eli Rees, of Merced, California, United States
of America, Gentleman.
Sealed the 20th June 1879, and dated the 12th February 1879.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 12th February 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO FASTENINGS
FOR BOOTS AND SHOES." A communication from abroad by Eli Rees, of Merced,
California, United States of America, Gentleman.
The object of this Invention is to provide a strong and simple fastening to form
a substitute for buttons or lacings, and to greatly facilitate the labor of putting on
boots and shoes and taking them off the feet.
It consists in the novel construction of a fastening composed of two elastic or
spring ribs or bars so hinged or pivotted together at the lower end as to spread
apart and to close and fit one against and over the other. Upon the contiguous
faces of these bars there are secured in proper relation to each other one or inore
sets of clasps or fastenings, which when the bars are closed and pressed together
shall slip into and engage one with the other. These bars are secured to and upon
the opposite edges of the opening usually provided in the boot or shoe to admit the.
foot, and they can be used either with or without gores of elastic webbing in the
ankle part of the boot or shoe.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Figure 1 shews a perspective view of my Invention as applied to a lady's gaiter-
boot, the front being closed and the opening made in the back at the heel-
seam.
Figure 2 is a view of the same boot as seen from behind.
Figure 3 is a view of the said fastening before it is applied to the shoe.
Figure 4 shows a modified form of the said fastening in which the ribs or bars
are provided with additional joints at or near the lower ends in order to provide
greater width of opening at the bottom to freely admit the foot.
The opening in the boot or shoc can be made either at the front or on the heel-
seam, and as this latter part is usually the first to give way I prefer to place the
[Price 4d I

page_text: fastening at the back, as the ribs or bars not only stiffen and support this part of
the shoe, but from being made to conform to the curvature of the ankle and leg
at the heel part their tendency is also to keep closed upon each other, and so prevent
the clasps from springing out.
A, B, are the ribs, plates, or bars made of elastic metal-of-suitable-quality-to-
cause them to retain their curved shape. They are covered with leather or some
suitable material, by which they can be attached by lines of stitching to the edges
of the shoe opening, or they are placed upon and covered directly by the material
itself of which the shoe is composed.
Cis_a_rivet_uniting_the_two_lower_ends_of_the_said bars, and acting also as a
pivot on which the ribs A, B, turn; it also serves to connect the ends of the bars
to the spur piece of the shoe-heel.
D, E, are clasps or catches, one fixed on the inner face of the bar A and the other
placed in line with it and on the contiguous face of the bar B; when the two faces
of the bars are brought into contact the hook part D will slip into and engage with
the socket portion E, and no pressure or strain upon the parts of the shoe can throw
them apart, as the curvature of the bars and their elasticity holds them in
contact.
One or more sets of these clasps or fastenings D, E, may be employed, as the
length of the bars A, B, may seem to require, and instead of the hook and latchet
shown other fastenings of equivalent action may be used, as for instance, a fixed
notched bar or lip on one part B and a vertically sliding catch on the other bar A,
so that by bringing the two bars together and pressing down the slide into the
notch one will engage with the other.
At each side of the opening and in line with the bars a gore of elastic webbing
may be placed to make the shoe fit closely around the ankle and take up the
material as it stretches in wearing.
In the modified form of the bars A, B, shown at A, B, in Figure. 4, their lower
ends are formed with joints at a, b, a short distance above the pivot C. This con-
struction enables the two bars when pressed open to make an aperture of nearly
the same width at the bottom as at the top, and allow the foot to be the more easily
passed into and drawn out from the shoe. This is more particularly applicable to
ladies' shoes or boots, where it is desired to facilitate the labor of putting on and
removing them.
These bars A, B, are locked together in the same way as the others, A, B, and
when closed they lie together in a straight line.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. The boot or shoe fastening, consisting of the pivotted bars provided with
clasps or locking devices or equivalent fastenings, as above described and for the
purpose specified.
Second. The modified form of fastening illustrated in Figure 4 of the Drawing,
and consisting of the pivotted and jointed bars and locking devices, as above
described and for the purpose specified.
Third. In combination with a boot or shoe having an opening at and along the
back or heel-seam the two hinged or pivotted bars provided with clasps or locking
devices or equivalent fastenings, as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
TIV
TART TTT