An Improved Fastening for the Buttons of Shoes and Boots.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Jan., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Oct., 1890-Accepted, 29th Nov., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Fastening for the Buttons of Shoes and Boots.
A communication to me from abroad by WILHELM SILBERSTEIN, Merchant, of Breslau,
in the Empire of Germany.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineers, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved fastening for the buttons of boots and shoes.
Many kinds of such button fastenings already exist, but all those which perform.the
fastening without sewing or thread, are objectionable or frail to answer the require-
ments of practical use. With some of them, projecting points, edges or tails enter
the material of the uppers of the boots or shoes and injure the foot, whilst with others,
special tools, such as nippers or tongs, are indispensable in order to secure the buttons
upon the leather or fabrics of the shoe or boot.
The improved button-fastening which forms the subject of the present invention,
avoids all injuries to the foot and does not require the use of any tool for fastening
or unfastening the button. Any person will be easily able to secure or remove the
button, without special tools or skill.
The buttons to be fastened to one edge of the upper leather of the boot or shoe are
provided with a suitable eye, as usual, and to secure the said eye to the upper, a small
slot is cut into the leather or fabric of the latter, either horizontally or in a vertical
or other suitable position. Through the said small slot the eye of the button is
introduced and at the lower or inner side of the upper, the said eye is engaged and
held by a wire fastening consisting of a short wire bent into a loop or ring with two
projecting ends.
On pulling the button outside, the loop or ring of wire is drawn out of the slot
projecting therefrom while the two free ends of the wire are drawn against the lining
or inner surface of the leather or fabrics of the uppers.
The more force there is applied in drawing the buttons away from the uppers, as is
the case in buttoning the shoe, the more the ends of the wire will be forced against
and into the material and the further the loop or ring will be drawn outside in such a
manner as to fully avoid all pressure or injury which it might cause upon the foot by
tight buttoning.
The wire is wound or bent to form a central loop, and the free ends of the wire may
preferably be slightly bent towards the material, which they are to enter and the points
may be rounded off or flattened to avoid any injury that might occur.
The fastening wires described are preferably made of steel, which, even if not
hardened, offers sufficient resistance to prevent the wire from being deformed and
drawn out under a strong draught applied to the button. But the steel wire may if
desired be hardened and in such case will offer every security.
The eye of the button when engaged with the loop or ring of the wire takes a
position at right angles to the said loop. Consequently, the eye will also take a
position at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the slot and by this means the
eye of the button is prevented from entering again into the said slot. The loop of
wire, accordingly, will be firmly retained in its position inside the slot or projecting
from the same.
Dated this 3rd day of January 1890.
EDWARDS & Co.,
Agents for the Applicant:

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Fastening for the Buttons of Shoes and Boots.
A communication to me from abroad by WILHELM SILBERSTEIN, Merchant, of Breslau,
in the Empire of Germany.
I, EDMUND EDWARDS, of the firm of Edwards and Co., Patent Agents and
Engineer, of 35, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be perforined, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and accompanying drawing, that is to say :-
This invention relates to an improved fastening for attaching buttons to boots and
shoes. The number of button fastenings already existing is considerable, but all in
which the fastening is effected without sewing or thread are objectionable or fail to
answer the requirements of practical use. With some of them projecting points edges
or tails enter the material of the uppers and injure the foot, whilst with others, special
tools, nippers, or tongs are necessary to secure the buttons on the leather or fabric of
the shoe or boot.
The improved button fastening which forms the subject of the present invention, both
avoids all injuries to the foot and renders unnecessary the use of any tool for fastening
or unfastening the button. Anyone will be easily able to secure or remove the button,
without special tools or skill, and accordingly, the improved fastening meets every
demand that may be required in practical use.
In the accompanying drawings, which are in illustration of the invention,
Figure 1 is a side view of a shoe provided with the improved fastening,
Figures 2, 3, and 4 are, respectively, a side view, end view, and plan of the wire
forming the principal part of the improved fastening, and
Figures 5, 6, and 7 are corresponding views of the fastening wire with the button
and leather or fabric of the boot or shoe in place.
The buttons to be fastened to one part A of the uppers, are provided with a suitable
eye, as usual, and to secure the said eye to the uppers, a small slot B is cut into the
leather or fabric of the uppers, as shewn in Figure 1. The said slot may either be
cut horizontally or in a vertical or other suitable position. Through the said small
slot B the eye of the button is introduced and at the lower or inner side of the
uppers, the said eye is engaged by the wire C, forming a loop D, as shewn in
Figures 2 and 5. On pulling the button outside, the loop D of wire C is drawn out
of the slot B, projecting therefrom while the two free ends of the wire C enter into
the lining or inner surface of the leather or fabric of the uppers.
The more force there is applied in drawing the button away from the uppers, as
is the case in buttoning the shoe, the further the ends of the wire C will be forced
into the material and the more the loop D will be drawn outside, in such a manner
as to entirely avoid all pressure or injury which it might cause on the foot by tight
buttoning.
The wire C, as shewn in Figures 2, 3, and 4, is bent to form a central loop D,
the free ends of the wire may preferably be slightly bent towards the material, which
they are to enter and the points may be rounded off or flattened to avoid any injury
that might occur.
The fastening wires C are preferably made of steel, which, even if not hardened,
offers sufficient resistance to prevent the wire from being deformed and drawn
out under a strong pull applied to the button. But the steel of the wire may
be hardened if preferred and in such case will offer every security that may be
desired.
The eye of the button, when engaged with the loop D of the wire C, takes a
position at right angles to the said loop. In consequence, the eye C will also
take a position vertical to the longitudinal direction of the slot B and by this
means the said eye of the button prevented from entering again into the

page_text: said slot. The loop D of the wire (), accordingly, will be firmly retained in
its position inside the slot B, or projecting from the same, as shown in Figures 5
and 6.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An improved fastening for the buttons of boots and shoes in which the
button eye,
after having been passed through a slot B of the uppers A, is engaged
with a wire C forming a loop D, in such a manner that a pull exerted on the button,
serves to draw the loop D into the slot B, and to make the free ends of the wire C
enter into the lining or material of the uppers, substantially as and for the purpose
described and shewn.
2. In a button fastener, made and operating substantially as described, the com-
bination, with the eye of the hution of a steel wire ( forming a loop D and having its
free ends slightly bent and rounded or flattened off.
cow 1000
EDWARDS & Co.,
35, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.