Improvements in Fastenings for Shoes, Gaiters, Gloves, and other Articles of Dress, and in Laces therefor.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd May, 1891-Accepted, 4th July, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fastenings for Shoes, Gaiters, Gloves, and other
Articles of Dress, and in Laces therefor.
We, PHILIPP JACOB ANTHES of Ludwigshafen on the Rhine, Germany,
Merchant and PHILIPP KOPPENDOFER of Speyer on the Rhine, Germany
Gentleman, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved fastening for laced shoes, gaiters, gloves
and other wearing apparel in which laces are used, and it consists mainly in an
appliance whereby the laces are secured by being nipped between two caoutchouc
surfaces attached to metal plates.
The construction of such fastening will be understood on reference to the
accompanying drawing, on which Figure 1 shews a vertical section through the
fastening to an exaggerated scale, while Figure 2 shews the same section of
about the natural size. It consists of two metal discs a a' Figures 1 and 2,
bent round at their edges so as to embrace and nip the edges of caoutchouc discs b¹
in such manner that the caoutchouc discs, which are of the section shewn at
Figure 4, have their central portion projecting somewhat beyond the metal rim,
as shown at Figures 1 and 2. By this means a circular groove is formed on the
stud-shaped fastening. between the rounded rims of the metal discs, which allows
of the introduction of a lace between the upper and lower caoutchouc disc b
and
The upper and lower halves of the lace fastening are connected together by
means of a core consisting of a pine with two thin flat heads, which are conveniently
formed by first forming a pin with two split ends as at Figure 5, which when the
caoutchouc discs have been threaded on the pin, are bent down, as at Figures 1
and 2, so as to form the heads on which the metal discs a and caoutchouc discs b
are secured as described. The lower disc a' has also two wires or loops o o¹ fixed
or formed thereon, by means of which the fastening is secured to the leather or
other material.
The securing of the fastening by means of two loops or sets of wires prevents
any rotation thereof, such as might take place if it were only secured by a central
loop.
The fastening may thus be said to consist of two halves, each of which resemble
a button.
The fastening being secured by its loops to the article of dress, and this having
been laced up in the ordinary manner, the end m of the lace is drawn in between
the two caoutchouc discs which press against each other, and the lace being
drawn either completely or partially round the central pin c as shewn at pin the
sections Fig. 1 and at Fig. 3, it will be effectually nipped between a considerable"
extent of surface of the caoutchouc discs, instead of only at one point, and as
the elastic nip exercised at any one point by the caoutchouc discs may be compara-
tively slight, it will be seen that no injury will be done to the lace, such as might
occur if it were subjected to a considerable nip between hard surfaces.
Any loosening of the lace can only be effected by drawing the same backwards
from between the caoutchouc discs, so that the lace cannot become unfastened by
itself.
Fig. 6 shews the front view of the fastening with the lace secured in it.
The before described fastening consisting of a peculiar combination of metal
and caoutchouc, enables the laces of wearing apparel to be secured rapidly and
effectually without any tying. This fastening has also the advantage that it

page_text: cannot catch into and tear wearing apparel or other textile fabrics with which
it may come in contact, as it is well rounded off on its entire periphery.
As it would be inconvenient to secure two lace-ends in one fastening, and two
such fastenings upon a shoe &c. might have a clumsy appearance,
prefer to
secure the shoe, gaiter &c. by means of a single lace, for which purpose I make
the end of the latter which is not secured by the fastening with an enlargement
or head, such as shewn at Figs. 7 to 10, thus avoiding the inconvenience of making
a knot at the end, as has heretofore been done in similar cases, for securing the
one end of a lace. Fig. 7 shews a section of a head or thickened end formed by
nipping a small cone of metal k on to the end of the lace.
The cone is made with a hole, through which is threaded the lace end, and
the head is then pressed together by suitable plyers so as to nip the lace in the
hole.
Thus on passing the lace a through the first eyelet hole on the shoe or garment
Fig. 11, the head thereof will be retained in the eyelet as shewn. The eyelet is
by preference made with a tapering hole as shewn, corresponding to the taper of
the head, so that the latter can be drawn in so as not to project beyond the eyelet,
and thus prevent any unsightly appearance, when presented to the outside, while
when presented inside, the head does not press unpleasantly upon the foot &c. This
form of head is suitable for shoes made of thick leather: with shoes of thin leather
or cloth garments, it is not possible to use an eyelet of such depth and strength.
In such cases I prefer to employ a flat head as at s Fig. 8; this is secured to the
lace in the same manner as the preceding one. Fig. 12 shews the manner in which
such a head is held in a small eyelet. Although the disc of the head projects,
yet it is too thin to exercise any unpleasant pressure, as in the case of many
buttons that are secured by discs or washers at the back. The socket of the
head in which the lace is nipped need in this case not be made conical.
Fig. 9 shews a head or thickening formed by plaiting the end of the lace over
a small metal ball; Fig. 10 shews, a head formed merely by thickening the
ends of the threads forming the lace. This head will draw partially into the
eyelet hole, while any projecting part thereof will be too pliable and soft to exercise
inconvenient pressure.
When the laces are of leather, the strips forming them are cut in the first
instance with the requisite thickened ends.
The above described laces with heads or thickened ends constitute a new means
for securing single laces to shoes and other wearing apparel without any tying and
are applicable not only in combination with the first described fastening for the
other end of the lace, but also with other fastenings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A fastening for laces in which two metal discs a and a¹ are each made to
embrace a caoutchouc disc band ', and are connected together by a pin c in such
manner that on the introduction of a lace between the caoutchouc discs it is securely
held by the elastic pressure of the greater part of the circumference thereof,
substantially as described.
2. Laces for shoes, gaiters and other wearing apparel, formed at one end with
a head or thickening, produced either by nipping thereon a metal cone k or a discs,
or by plaiting the lace round a metal ball, or by forming the material of the lace
itself thicker at such end, so that such head or thickened end is prevented from
passing through the eyelet hole and obviates any necessity for ying, substantially
as described.
Dated this 22nd day of May 1901
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicants.