Improvements in or connected with Fastenings for Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Fastenings for Boots
and Shoes.
1, HERBERT BOYD WALLIS, of Rockington, Crowborough, in the County of
Sussex, Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in or connected with fastenings for boots
and shoes by means of which certain advantages are obtained.
In order that the action of this invention may be readily understood, I shall first
briefly describe how I may carry it into effect in the case of shoes, and thereafter
I shall show how I may carry it into effect in the case of boots. Here I desire to
explain that I use the term shoe in its specific sense and apply it to those which
terminate under the ankle, while by the term boot I refer to those which terminate
above the ankle.
In applying my invention to a shoe I take one of the lacing type, that is to
say a shoe with a central cut down the instep which cut is bordered on each side
by a row of eyelets or hooks, and I may attach a gore or web of elastic tissue or
fabric or of india rubber sheet at each side of the said cut or line of eyelets or
hooks in such manner that it fills up the space ordinarily occupied by the tongue
of the shoe and at the same time being attached as above mentioned it draws the
two sides of the cut together and acts as a fastening for the shoe.
Over the said gore or web when such is employed and through the eyelets or
round the lacing hooks I pass a lace in the usual manner in which ordinary laces
are employed. My lace differs however from those generally employed in this
respect that instead of being of leather or of woven or braided material it is of
elastic rubber preferably of circular cross-section and of a diameter suitable for
ordinary lacing hooks and eyelets.
In the case of boots I may carry my invention into effect in a similar manner
except that I do not as a rule carry the elastic gore or web to the top of the cut
I also
but only to about the same distance upwards as in the case of a low shoe.
instead of employing a lace ecnsisting wholly of elastic rubber, frequently employ
what I may term a compound lace, that is to say, a lace consisting partly of elastic
rubber and partly of non-elastic material such as an ordinary leather or other lace.
1 may attach the elastic part to the non-elastic part of the lace in any convenient
manner. A convenient form of compound lace consists of an elastic part extending,
when the boot is laced, from the bottom of the cut over the instep and from this
point to the top of the cut of leather, the said elastic and non-elastic parts not
being connected end to end, as might however be the case, but the extremities of
the elastic part being attached close together to an intermediate point of the
inelastic part for example to its middle.
By employing an elastic lace as aforesaid greater ease and comfort are secured
and the shoe or boot can be drawn off and on without undoing the lacing as or to
In the case of a
such an extent as is necessary in the case of non-elastic laces.
compound lace in which the elastic and inelastic parts are attached together as
above mentioned, not only is ease and comfort over the instep secured but a firm
'support or fastening is secured round the ankle.

page_text: I desire it to be understood that the elastic gore or web, although a useful
adjunct to the lace is not an essential feature of my invention.
Dated this Eighteenth day of September 1895.
For the Applicant,
J. G. LORRAIN, M. Inst. E.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Norfolk House; Norfolk Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.
:
Improvements in or connected with Fastenings for Boots
and Shoes.
1, HERBERT BOYD WALLIS, of Rockington, Crowborough, in the County of
Sussex, Farmer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
My invention relates to improvements in or connected with fastenings for boots
and shoes by means of which certain advantages are obtained.
In order that the nature of this invention may be readily understood I shall
first briefly describe in general terms how I carry it into effect in the case of
shoes, and thereafter I shall show how I carry it into effect in the case of boots.
Here I desire to explain that I use the term shoe in its specific sense and apply it
to those which terminate under the ankle, while by the term boot I refer to those
which terminate above the ankle.
In applying my invention to a shoe I take one of the lacing type, that is to say
a shoe with a central cut down the instep which cut is bordered on each side by a
row of eyelets or hooks, and I take a gore or web of elastic tissue or fabric or of
india rubber sheet and attach it at each side of the said cut or line of eyelets or
hooks in such manner that it fills up the space ordinarily occupied by the tongue
of the shoe and at the same time being attached as above mentioned it draws the
two sides of the cut together and acts as a fastening for the shoe. Over the said
gore or web when such is employed and through the eyelets or round the lacing
hooks I pass a lace in a similar manner to that in which ordinary laces are
employed. My lace differs however from those generally employed in this respect
that instead of being of leather or of inelastic woven or braided material it is of
elastic rubber preferably of circular cross-section and of a diameter suitable for
ordinary lacing hooks and eyelets.
In the case of boots I carry my invention into effect in a similar mauner except
that I do not as a rule carry the elastic gore or web when I employ such to the
top of the cut but only to about the same distance upwards as in the case of a low
shoe. I also instead of employing a lace consisting wholly of elastic rubber,
frequently employ what I may term a compound lace, that is to say, a lace con-
sisting partly of elastic rubber and partly of non-elastic material such as an
ordinary leather or other lace. I may attach the elastic part to the non-elastic
part of the lace in any convenient manner. A convenient form of compound lace
consists of an elastic part extending, when the boot is laced, from the bottom of
the cut over the instep and from this point to the top of the cut of leather, the said
elastic and non-elastic parts not being connected end to end, as might however be
the case, but the extremities of the elastic part being attached close together to an
intermediate point of the non-elastic part for example to its middle.
By employing an elastic lace as aforesaid greater ease and comfort are secured
and the shoe or boot can be drawn off and on without undoing the lacing as or to

page_text: such an extent as is necessary in the case of non-elastic laces. In the case of a
compound lace in which the elastic and non-elastic parts are attached together as
above mentioned, not only is ease and comfort over the instep secured but a firm
support or fastening is secured round the ankle.
. I desire it to be understood that the elastic gore or web, although a useful
adjunct to the lace is not an essential feature of my invention.
Having now described the nature of my invention in general terms so as to
define its scope, 1 shall proceed in order to show clearly how it is to be, or may be,
carried into effect, to describe in detail, and that by way of types or examples,
certain applications of my invention. In order that the said examples may be
more fully and readily understood, I append hereto certain drawings illustrating
the said applications as they may be carried out in actual practice. In the said
drawings similar letters of reference indicate similar or equivalent parts.
In Figure 1, I show the application of one form of my invention to a shoe. In
this figure, 1 is the upper of the shoe and 2 is the cut. 3 is the elastic gore or
web formed for example of sheet rubber or of woven rubber fabric and secured
along the lines 3. 4, 4 are the eyelets arranged as usual in lines on each side of
the cut, but for these, lacing hooks may when desired be substituted. 5 is the
lace, formed in this case of cylindrical solid elastic rubber. The free ends of the
elastic lace are secured under the metal clips 6, 6, which clips are shown separately
on an enlarged scale in plan in Figure 2 and in elevation in Figure 3. In the said
figures 7 is the upper or outer jaw of the clip and 8 the under or iuner jaw of the
same whilst 9 is the eyelet or gromet by means of which the clip is attached to the
upper of the shoe. To secure the free ends of the lace they are passed between
the two jaws of the clip which are then pressed together so as to nip or grasp the
Said lace securely between them.
It will be seen that the ends of the lace having been secured within the clips,
the shoe can be easily taken off and put on without any lacing or unlacing. If
lacing hooks be employed instead of eyelets, it will be seen that lacing and unlacing
can be effected without releasing the free ends of the lace as the elasticity of the
lace enables it to be easily passed over the hooks.
If desired these clips may be dispensed with and the ends of the elastic lace be
tied in the same manner as in the case of ordinary laces.
It will be observed that in the case illustrated in Figure 1 there is no loose
tongue, as the elastic gore or web renders this unnecessary. In the case however
in which I use my elastic lace without an elastic gore or web I prefer to employ a
loose tongue of the ordinary kind.
In Figure 4. I illustrate the application of a compound lace to a boot. In this
case 5 is the elastic part of the lace as before and 10 the non-elastic part which
may be of leather, or other convenient material, the elastic part 5 passing in this
case through the eyelets 4, and the non-elastic part round the hooks 11. The
elastic and non-elastic parts of this compound lace are attached together by means
of the clip 12 but any other convenient means of attachment may be employed.
This clip is shown in plan on an enlarged scale in Figure 5 in which 13 is a tube
through which the non-elastic part of the lace passes freely and 14, 14, two pairs
of jaws similar to the jaws 7 and 8 of the clips 6 and which when compressed grasp
the ends of the elastic part of the lace in the manner herein before described. In
this figure I show the elastic gore or web as dispensed with and the ordinary
leather tongue as employed. In this case the elastic part of the lace need never
be disturbed as owing to its elasticity the boot can be easily taken off and put on
with it in position. Should it be deemed necessary to disturb this part of the
lace, lacing hooks may conveniently be substituted for the eyelets shown in the
figure.
The form of my invention shown in Figure 1 is that which up to this date
I have found the best in practice for shoes, and that shown in Figure 4 the best in
the case of boots.

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 :-
1. In a fastening for boots and shoes, an elastic lace substantially as set forth.
2. In a fastening for boots and shoes the combination of an elastic lace and.an
elastic gore or web substantially as set forth.
3. In a fastening for boots and shoes a compound lace substantially as set forth.
4. In a fastening for boots and shoes the combination of a compound lace and
an elastic gore or web substantially as set forth.
Dated this 19th day of June 180A
J. G. LORRAIN, M. Inst. E.E., M. Inst. Mech. E.,
Chartered Patent Agent,
Norfolk House, Norfolk Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agent for Applicant.