Year: 1888

page_text: allow of the ready and quick removal or putting on and fastening of the shoe without
disengaging and engaging the laces with the lace receiving devices, as is the practice
where lace hooks are used.
In the drawings, A, A, designate the vamp or quarter of a boot or shoe, and, B, the
upper to which the vamp or quarter is attached in the usual or any desired way.
C, C, designate the two opposite and corresponding lace-hole strips which are
fastened to the vamp or quarter edge by two flaps, c, c¹, along the attaching edge of
each strip.
Each of my improved lace-hole strips covered in the present application is made of
a single strip of strong leather cut to the proper curve.
As described and shown, each of these strips, C, C, is split along its innner or
attaching edge so as to form the two attaching flaps along such edge, and the inner or
under one of these flaps is made wider than the other.
The outer flap is shown as scalloped to make a neat and ornamental appearance
when attached to the quarter edge which it overlaps.
The lace-hole strips having been put in place on the quarter edge with the scalloped
outer flap, c, overlapping and the wider under or inner flap, c, extending under such
edge, it is fastened in place by the line of stitching, D. passing through the two flaps
and the quarter edge, and preferably following the scalloped edge of the outer flap, c,
as shown in the drawings.
The edge of the shoe lining, E, where such is used, is covered by the under flap, c¹,
which extends under it, and is fastened to such flap by means of stitching, E¹.
Each strip is provided with the series of lace-holes, c², c², stamped through the
leather with embossing around them to imitate stitching and present a neat and
ornamental appearance.
Instead of the usual series of lace-hooks extending up from the end of the series of
lace-holes, my improved strip has a series of flat leather loops, F, F.
Such loops are formed of projecting pieces or tongues of leather, F1, left along the
outer edge of the strip, as shown in figure 4, when the strip blank is first cut out.
These tongues are bent back upon the strip and fastened by stitching, G, thus
making a series of flat loops along the edge of the strip.
I prefer to turn the tongues, F1, F¹, under the strip when forming the loops, but
do not limit myself to such construction, as the loops can obviously be made also by
bending said tongues up over the strip, and fastening their ends to the outer or front
side thereof.
With the tongues turned under, as first described, the loops are on the under side of
the strip and out of the way so as to leave a smooth plane face along the outer side of
the strip.
I prefer to make the loops on the strip before the latter is attached to the quarter
edge, and in order to avoid the appearance on the front of the strip, of the stitches
which fasten the ends of the loop pieces or tongues, I make such stitches only pass
through the inner or under flap, c, as shown in figure 3, instead of through the entire
thickness of the strip.
With my lace-hole strips, made and attached as described, the laces are for the last
four or five lacings drawn through the loops, F, F, as shown in the drawings, figure 1,
being alternately crossed over between the two strips.
When the boot or shoe is to be removed it is not necessary to withdraw the laces
from the loops. Upon simply untying them and pulling the quarters apart, the lacing
slips easily through the loops.
When the boot or shoe is on, and is to be tightened it is only necessary to draw
upon the ends of the laces in order to pull the strips, C, C, and the quarters together.
If desired an additional lace-hole, G, can be provided at the upper end of each lace-
hole strip, as shown in the drawings, and the ends of the lacing can be passed through
such holes.
With my lace-hole strips as shown and described, I secure a most neat, simple,
cheap and efficient fastening for boots and shoes, which allows easy and ready
loosening and removing or putting on and tightening of the shoe as desired.

page_text: Referring to the drawings :
Figure 1, shows a front perspective view of a portion of a shoe provided with my
improved lace-hole strip.
Figure 2, a detail perspective view, showing the inner or under side of the strip as
applied to the shoe.
.
Figure 3, a transverse sectional view on line, x, x, of figure 2, and
Figure 4, a detail enlarged view of the strip before attachment to the shoe.
Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.
The object of my invention is to provide an improved lace-hole strip for boots and
shoes, and to this end
My invention consists in the lace-hole strip, and the construction, arrangement and
combination of the parts thereof as hereinafter specified.
With the lace-hole strip as heretofore made and now on the market, it has been
customary to provide each strip with a series of lace-holes extending part way up its
length and with a series of lacing-hooks extending from the end of the series of lace-
holes upward.
Such hooks besides having to be each specially and securely fastened in place, are
objectionable as presenting a series of projections for the bottom of the trousers to
catch on..
Such projecting hooks are not only liable to catch the bottom of the trousers,
and prevent them from lying smoothly over the front of the shoe, as is desirable, but
they are apt to cause wearing out and fraying of such bottom.
The special object of my invention is to do away with these lace or lacing hooks,
with their objectionable features as stated above, and to provide other means for
receiving and holding the laces which shall be neat and comfortable, shall not present
any projections for catching and fraying or wearing the trousers bottom, and shall

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. A lace-hole strip of leather having a series of independent tongues bent back on
the strip and separately fastened to the body of the strip so as to form loops for
the lacing, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
2. A lace-hole strip having the series of lace-holes along its lower portion, and the
series of loops along its upper portion, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3. In combination with the quarter of a boot or shoe, the two strips on the quarter
edges, each provided with the series of lacing holes on their lower portions and with
the series of loops for the lacing along their upper portions, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
4. In combination with the quarter of a boot or shoe, the strips fastened on the
quarter edges, each provided with a series of lace-holes, a series of loops made of
tongues of the strip folded back and fastened to the strip at their ends and with a lace-
hole above the series of loops, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
5. In combination with the quarter of a boot or shoe, the lacing strips fastened on
the quarter edges, provided with series of lacing loops made of tongues on the strips
folded back and fastened, such loops being situated substantially as described, that
those on one strip come directly opposite those on the other strip, substantially as and
for the purpose specified.
Dated this 19th day of June 1888.
GEORGE VALIANT.
By Jensen & Son,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Patent Agents.