Bottom of the Trousers at the Front.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 10th May, 1887
Complete Left, 24th Aug., 1887
Complete Accepted, 27th Jan., 1888
Bottom of the Trousers at the Front.
I SAMUEL MAY 137 Cheapside London E.C. Gentlemen do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:
1-
My Invention relates to an improved Boot and Shoe fastener which also serves a
means of keeping down the bottom of the Trousers at the front. The device consists
of a pair of arms jointed together at one end by a pen-knife spring or other joint &
applied at the gusset shaped opening at the Boot or Shoe the joint being near or at
the angle of the opening & the arms extending along the edge of the parts to be
united. The upper ends of the arms are provided with a Catch or Catches by which
they are firmly connected together & one of the arms also carries a loop at its end or
other means of attaching thereto the bottom of the Trousers. The lever arms may be
thin plates rigid in the one direction but flexible in the other direction so as to permit
of flexture to accommodate the movements of the foot in walking.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Boot and Shoe Fastener and for Keeping Down the
Bottom of the Trousers at the Front.
1 SAMUEL MAY 137 Cheapside, London 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 :-
My Invention relates to an improved Boot & Shoe fastener which also serves as
a means of keeping down the bottom of the Trousers at the front.
The device consists of a pair of Arms jointed together at one end by a pen knife
spring or other joint without a spring and applied at the gusset shaped opening of
the Boot or Shoe, the joint being near or at the angle of the opening & the Arms
extending along the edge of the parts to be united. The upper end of the arms are
provided with a Catch or Catches by which they are firmly connected together and one
of the arms also carries a loop at its end or other means of attaching thereto the
bottom of the Trousers. The lever arms may be thin rigid plates rigid in the one
direction but flexible in the other direction so as to permit of flexture to accommodate
the movement of the foot in walking.
Figure 1 is a plan of part of a boot with my improvements applied thereto.
Figure 2 is a front elevation of one form of my improved device, and
Figure 3 is a front elevation of another form or modification thereof.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
a, a are the two strips or arms which are made of steel or other suitable metal
and are connected by a hinge-joint at b. The said arms are preferably made in the
form of thin wide strips or springs so that they will be rigid in one direction, but
flexible and accommodating to the movements of the foot in the other direction. c is
a catch which is made fast by means of rivets c3, 2 to one of the arins a after it has
been inserted in the leather or other material of which the boot or shoe is made and
which is formed with holes c✶ so that it may engage with the stud e rivetted in the
d is a ring for fastening the trousers by a hook or other suitable means
to one of the strips or arms a.
In the modification of my invention shown in Figure 2, the catch c is provided
with a hinge c³ so that it may be readily connected with and disconnected from the
stud c¹.
other arm a.
о
The steel arms or strips are preferably inserted in pockets between two layers or
thickness of the leather or other material of which the boot or shoe is made.
The catch c and stud c¹ being rivetted to the said arms or strips are not liable to be
torn or dragged out of the leather like fastening devices which are simply rivetted to
the leather without the use of a solid foundation such as I employ.
C
It is obvious that any desired number of fastening devices may be secured to the
said arms or strips and that other fastening devices than those above described may
be used.

page_text: By using arms jointed together as shown in the drawings instead of separate strips
or pieces of steel or other metal, I ensure great strength of the boot or shoe at the
gusset-shaped opening thereof whilst permitting the edges of the said opening to be
drawn apart sufficiently to admit the foot. I may however use strips or springs
unconnected with each other, if desired.
What I claim is
First The combination with a boot or shoe of thin flexible plates, strips or springs
of steel or other metal inserted in the edges of the said boot or shoe substantially as
hereinbefore described, to afford a solid foundation in which the rivets or the like for
securing the fastening devices to the boot or shoe may be firmly fixed.
Second The combination with a boot or shoe provided with said flexible plates
strips or springs and with fastening devices secured thereto, of means substantially as
described for holding the wearers trousers at the foot as above specified.
Third The combination with a boot or shoe of flexible plates, strips or springs, of
steel or other metal connected at one end by a hinge-joint and inserted in the edges
of the gusset shaped opening of said boot or shoe, substantially as, and for the
purpose set forth.
In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two
subscribing witnesses.