IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO FASTENINGS FOR BOOTS, SHOES, GLOVES, OR SIMILAR ARTICLES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO FASTENINGS FOR BOOTS, SHOES,
GLOVES, OR SIMILAR ARTICLES." A communication from abroad by Timothy
L. Jacobs, of the City and State of New York, United States of America,
Merchant.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th April 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO
FASTENINGS FOR BOOTS, SHOES, GLOVES, OR SIMILAR ARTICLES." [A communi-
cation from abroad by Timothy L. Jacobs, of the City and State of New York,
United States of America, Merchant.]
This Invention relates to improved means to be employed in lieu of buttons,
hooks, lacings, elastic webbing, or other devices such as are usually employed in
connection with boots, shoes, gaiters, gloves, or the like, for securing the same on
the foot or other part.
The said Invention consists in a novel construction and combination with a boot,
shoe, gaiter, or other article, of a ribbed or flanged welt or strip, a series of rings or
loops, a sliding or folding tongue or flap, and one or more hooks, buttons, or other
projections whereby provision is made in the case of a boot or shoe for closing and
fastening the ankle portion thereof, and readily unfastening and opening the same
in order to remove it, as hereinafter more particularly described.
In carrying the said Invention into practice in connection with a boot or shoe
in which the upper is divided at the side, I attach to the edges of the divided
portion of said upper a welt or strip which may be of leather, metal, or other
suitable material, and may be secured to the upper in any suitable manner; it
may be attached to the V-shaped opening in the upper by being stitched to the
edges thereof. This welt or strip is T shaped in transverse section, that is to say,
it has a central longitudinal rib or bead on one of its sides, and two flanges pro-
jecting at right angles laterally from said rib or bead. The welt or strip is secured

page_text: to the edge of the opening with the rib or bead nearest to the surface of the upper.
There is also a tongue or flap of leather or other suitable flexible material having
its lower end secured to the upper below the commencement of the division
thereof. To the inner surface of this tongue or flap are secured by stitching or
otherwise a number of loops or divided rings which slide on the aforesaid flanges
of the welt or strip, and which may be made in one piece if necessary.
To the
upper edges of the divided portion of the shoe are attached hooks or other suitable
projections for engagement with rings or eyelets near the upper end of the said
tongue or flap. When the boot or shoe is to be put on the foot the parts are in
such a position that the ankle portion is opened, and the tongue or flap " gathered
at the lower part of the division in the upper.
When the boot or shoe is on the
foot it is fastened by pulling up the tongue or flap so as to cause the rings or loop
to slide on the welts and draw the edges of the divided portion together, and
then hooking the rings or eyelets over the hooks or projections. To remove the
boot or shoe the tongue or flap is unhooked and then gathered to the first position,
which allows the ankle portion to open sufficiently far to permit the foot to be
withdrawn.
"
My Invention, as above described, is particularly applicable to boots, shoes, and
gaiters, but it is evident that it is equally applicable to gloves, leggings, or any
similar articles. Moreover, the said Invention may be applied to shoes or gaiters
of various descriptions, and may be arranged either in front or at one side as
preferred.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
27th September 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO
FASTENINGS FOR BOOTS, SHOES, GLOVES, OR SIMILAR ARTICLES." A communi-
cation from abroad by Timothy L. Jacobs, of the City and State of New York,
United States of America, Merchant.
This Invention relates to improved means to be employed in lieu of buttons,
hooks, lacings, elastic-webbing, or other devices such as are usually employed in
connection with boots, shoes, gaiters, gloves, or the like, for fastening the same.
The said Invention consists in a novel construction and combination with a
boot, shoe, gaiter, or other article of a ribbed or flanged welt or strip, a series of
rings or loops, a sliding or folding tongue or flap, and one or more hooks, buttons,
or other projections, whereby provision is made in the case of a boot or shoe for
closing and fastening the ankle portion thereof, and for readily unfastening and
opening the same in order to remove the boot or shoe, as hereinafter more particularly
described.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Figure 1 represents a side view of a boot provided with the said improvements,
and in a position for inserting the foot therein.
Figure 2 is a similar view showing the position of the parts when the boot is
closed.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section on the line x, x, Figure 2.
A represents a boot in which the upper is divided at the side. To the edges of
the divided portion of the said upper is attached a welt or strip c, which may be
of leather, metal, or other suitable material, and may be secured to the upper in
any suitable manner. As shown in the Drawing it is attached to the V-shaped
opening in the upper by being stitched to the edges thereof. This welt or strip is
T-shaped in transverse section, that is to say, it has a central longitudinal rib
or bead c on one of its sides, and two flanges & projecting at right angles laterally
from the said rib or bead. The welt or strip is secured to the edge of the opening
with the rib or bead c nearest to the surface of the upper. D represents a tongue
or flap of leather or other suitable flexible material having its lower end secured
to the upper below the commencement of the division thereof. To the inner surface
of this tongue or flap are secured by stitching or otherwise a number of loops or
divided rings E which slide on the flanges d of the welt or strip c, and which may
be made in one piece if necessary. To the upper edges of the divided portion of
the boot are attached hooks G or other suitable projections for engagement with
rings or eyelets f near the upper end of the said tongue or flap D. When the boot
is to be put on the foot the parts are in the position shewn in Figure 1, with the
ankle portion opened and the tongue or flap "gathered at the lower part of the
division in the upper.
When the boot is on the foot it is fastened by pulling up
the tongue or flap D so as to cause the rings or loops E to slide on the welts C,
and draw the edges of the divided portion together, and then hooking the rings or
eyelets fover the hooks or projections G, as shown in Figure 2. To remove the
boot the tongue or flap D is unhooked, and then gathered to the first position,
which allows the ankle portion to open sufficiently to permit the foot to be
withdrawn.
My Invention, although particularly above described as applied to boots, may
also be applied to shoes and gaiters, and may be arranged either in front or at one

page_text: side of the same as preferred. It will be evident also that it is equally applicable
to gloves, leggings, or similar articles.
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. A welt or strip of leather or other suitable material, T-shaped in transverse
section, and attached to the edges of the divided ankle-portion of a boot or shoe,
substantially as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Second. A tongue or flap provided with loops or divided rings in combination
with a flanged welt or strip attached to the divided ankle-portion of a boot or shoe,
substantially as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Third. A sliding tongue or flap provided with rings or eyelets f, in combination
with hooks or projections on the divided ankle portion of a boot or shoe, substantially
as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Fourth. The adaptation to a glove or other article having a V-shaped opening of
a welt or strip of leather or other suitable material, T-shaped in transverse section,
on which a tongue or flap provided with loops or divided rings is arranged to slide,
substantially 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 Twenty seventh day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.