IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC BINDERS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC BINDERS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES."
-A communication from abroad by Daniel Franklin Packer, of Redding,
in the State of Connecticut, United States of America.
Sealed the 12th September 1865, and dated the 12th April 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 12th April 1865.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC BINDERS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in the employment or use, in place of the ordinary
non-elastic shoe string or lacing, of an elastic binder in combination with
hooks, buttons, or other suitable fastenings, so that a short string is sufficient
to tie the shoe, and the operation of tying the shoe is considerably facilitated,
and the elastic cord is enabled to accommodate itself to the motions of the
foot and ankle.

page_text: The Invention consists further in the use of bill-shaped buttons in combi-
nation with a string, lacing, or binder, so that the operation of lacing up a
boot or shoe can be effected simply by winding the string successively round
the buttons.
The Invention consists, finally, in the use of a tubular clasp in combination
with the elastic cord, and with a button, ball, or other check at its end, so
that when the tubular clasp is secured to a boot or shoe, the cord can be
readily attached or detached simply by springing the same into the clasp, or
removing it therefrom, and the operation of replacing an old or torn cord is
materially facilitated without removing the shoe from the foot. For some
cases, particularly for heavy shoes, it will be convenient to make the cord
partly of elastic and partly of non-elastic cord.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 12th October 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twelfth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said William Edward Newton, Her special licence that I, the said
William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter, during the term therein expressed, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN ELASTIC BINDERS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES," being
a communication from abroad, upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said William Edward Newton, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals,
should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,

page_text: and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same
to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
This Invention consists in the employment or use, in place of the ordinary
non-elastic shoe-string or lacing, of an elastic binder in combination with
hooks, buttons, studs, or other suitable fastenings, so that a short string or
binder nut much longer than the shoc for which it is used will be sufficient
to tie the shoe, and the operation of tying the shoe will be considerably faci-
latated, and the clastic cord will be enabled to accommodate itself to the motions
of the foot and ankle.
The Invention consists, further, in the use of bill-shaped buttons in com-
bination with a string, lacing, or binder, so that the operation of lacing up a
boot or shoe can be effected simply by winding the string successively round
the buttons, and the tedious operation of passing the end of the string or lacing
through eyelet holes will be avoided.
The Invention consists, finally, in the use of a tubular clasp in combination
with the elastic cord, and with a button, ball, or other check at its end, so
that when the tubular clasp is secured to boot or shoe the cord can be
readily attached to the same or detached therefrom simply by springing the
same into the clasp or removing it therefrom, and the operation of replacing
an old or torn cord will be materially facilitated without removing the shoe
from the foot. For some cases, particularly for heavy shoes, it will be
convenient to make the cord partly of elastic and partly of non-elastic cord.
Fig. 1 in the accompanying Drawing represents a perspective view of a
shoe with the improved lacing adapted thereto; Fig. 2 is a side view of a shoe
laced up or bound; Fig. 3 is a detached sectional view of the bill-shaped button
drawn on a larger scale than in the previous Figures; Fig. 4 is a detached
perspective view of the tubular clasp, drawn on a larger scale than the two
first Figures.
A represents a shoe of that class commonly known as "Balmoral boots,"
though it is obvious that this Invention is applicable to boots or shoes of any
desired description which require a lacing or binder. The binder B is an
elastic cord, round, polygonal, or flat, as may be most desirable. It is attached

page_text: to the shoe by means of a tubular clasp C, which is rivetted or otherwise
firmly secured to the shoe, as shewn in Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawing.
This clasp is cut open on the top throughout its entire length, so that the
binder B can be sprung in and held therein, to which end the string B is
provided with a knot, ball, or check a at its end which prevents its being
drawn through the clasp C. When the string or binder B is worn out
or torn, it can be readily removed from the clasp C, and replaced by a new
one.
The binder B, instead of being passed through eyelet holes, is wound round
a series of bill-shaped buttons or studs D, which are secured to the shoe as
clearly shewn in Figures 1 and 2, with their bills projecting outward, so that
they prevent the binder from disengaging spontaneously. The loose end of
the binder B is fastened by passing it through a hook E, and if desired a
ball or knot may be secured to it to correspond to the ball or knot A at
the opposite end, in order to prevent the binder from slipping through the
hook or other fastening. In some cases, particularly for heavy shoes, it may
be desirable to make the binder partially elastic and partially of the usual
non-elastic string or cord.
By the use of an elastic binder the shoe when bound up is enabled to
accommodate itself to the motions of the foot or ankle, and it wears easier
than a shoe laced up in the ordinary manner. A comparatively short piece is
all that is needed to bind a shoe according to this Invention, and the operation
of binding or unbinding is greatly facilitated, nothing being required but to
pass the binder round the bill-shaped buttons or studs, or to unfasten its
outer end and jerk it off from the buttons or studs, either of which operations
requires but a few seconds, whereas the operation of lacing up a boot
or shoe in the usual manner is very, tedious and requires much time and
patience.
Having now described the Invention of "improvements in elastic binders for
boots and shoes, which has been communicated to me by my foreign corre-
spondent, and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect,
I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid,
First, the use of an elastic binder or string in place of the ordinary non-
clastic string or lacing, in combination with bill-shaped buttons, studs, hooks,
or other suitable fastenings as herein described for the purpose of binding or
fastening a boot or shoe.
Second, I claim the bill-shaped buttons or studs D in combination with a
binder, string, or lacing as and for the purpose set forth.

page_text: Third, the tubular clasp C constructed as herein described in combination
with the binder for the purpose specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Ninth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.s.)