Improvements in or connected with Means for Fastening Foot Coverings, Leggings, and the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Apr., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 6th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 8th Feb., 1896
.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Means for Fastening Foot
Coverings, Leggings, and the like.
1, JOHN GEORGE AULSEBROOK KITCHEN, of Rose Grove, Ardwick, Man-
chester in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to boots and shoes, gaiters, leggings and the like and
consists in improvements in the means for fastening together the edges of these
articles at the partings in order to dispense with or obviate the necessity for lacings,
buttons or elastic sides.
I attain the object of this invention in the manner of construction and arrangement
of parts hereinafter set forth.
I propose to 'form the opening or parting in the upper or the gaiter in some cases,
by means of which it is enabled to close round and fit the ankle or the foot, in the
same position as formed generally heretofore in lace-up boots and shoes, that is in
the centre of the foot above the instep, and in gaiters in other cases and in leggings
at the sides thereof.
In place, however, of forming eyelet holes, or their equivalents along the two
margins at the parting, I form the edges of the margins at the parting into longi-
tudinal hooks by turning over the edges outwardly so that the bends or corners of
the hooked edges lie together. . These hooked edges are so constructed that they
have sufficient lateral stiffness and are flexible longitudinally. This stiffness and
longitudinal flexibility I obtain by stitching or otherwise securing thin metal or
other stiff plates in series between the lining and facing of the upper or covering at
the parting. Or in place of separate metal plates I use a crimped or zig-zag wire
or flattened helical coil of wire or the equivalent thereof, which is also sewn or
otherwise secured as an insertion in the material of the upper at the parting on each
side thereof. These stiffened margins are then turned up to form longitudinal
hooked edges. In some cases I may use the bare metal hooks secured in any
suitable manner at the edges of the margins at the parting.
I form also a tying strip in a similar manner but consisting when formed of a
narrow length having both edges thereof of hook-form.
Each end of this tying strip is preferably formed having a tab. The strips
I prefer to make in different widths and I may emboss or otherwise relieve the upper
surface thereof, for instance to imitate lacing or buttons.
The parting in the foot covering or legging is closed up or fastened by drawing
the tying-strip up the grooves formed by the hooked over margins or edges at
the parting, the hooked edges of the tying strip first being started in the grooves.
In order to prevent the tying strip from working downwards by the continual
bending of the foot in walking I may form the upper end of the said strip into a
hook or use a long tab which may be turned over and which will then hook or be
turned over the upper edge of the boot or shoe upper, gaiter or legging.
R. J. URQUHART,
57, Barton Arcade, Manchester, and 5, Clayton Square, Liverpool,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent.

page_text: Improvements in or connected with Means for Fastening Foot
Coverings. Leggings, and the like.
I, JOIN GEORGE AULSEBROOK KITCHEN of Rose Grove, Ardwick, Man-
chester in the County of Lancaster, Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to boots and shoes, gaiters, leggings and the like articles of
clothing and consists in improvements in the means for fastening together the edges
of the openings or partings of these articles, by which improvements we dispense with
lacings, buttons and elastic gussets.
The improvements consist in the formation and employment of hooked margins
or edges of a longitudinally flexible nature, at the partings or openings, and having
transverse stiffness. The hooked parts are formed and disposed so as to be capable
of engaging together, or of being engaged by a separate tying or binding clasp or
strip of a like structure.
The flexible hooked edges and tying strips are preferably made of tempered steel
wire, each edge or strip in one piece, but I may with advantage in some cases form
the edges and strips from a series of hooked or bent rigid plates suitably arranged
and secured by sewing or riveting.
The wire skeletons or plates are covered in most cases with leather, fabric or other
suitable material, by which they are also attached to the article of clothing.
In other cases the parts may be left wholly or partly bare. The drawings attached
hereunto illustrate the construction of the hooked parts aforesaid and the method
of forming the edges of the partings of the articles and of securing the edges
together.
Figures 1 to 9 illustrate the most suitable methods of producing a flexible band
or strip of wire having longitudinal flexibility and lateral stiffness which when
bent to give the edges or sides a hooked form does not impair the longitudinal
flexibility.
Figures 10 to 15 illustrate the method of formation of a flexible band or
strip having a hooked edge or hooked edges and constructed of a series of
flat plates bent to form hooks, and secured to Hexible material by sewing or
otherwise.
Figure 16 illustrates a portion of an article of clothing at the parting or joint
shewing the flexible hooked edges, and a separate flexible locking strip made
according to my invention.
Figure 17 is a similar view of the article but having the flexible hooked edges so
disposed that they interlock with one another without a separate strip.
Figures, 18 and 19 illustrate two views of the locking strip with means for retaining
it in position.
As illustrated in Figures 16 and 17 the hooked edges or sides of the parting of
the article of clothing consist of bands a formed from wire bent in the manner
illustrated in Figures 1, 4 and 7 which represent three designs of flexible bands
formed from wire. The hooked sides or edges a¹ are formed by bending over the
edges of the bands, Figures 2, 3, 5, 8, 9. The flexible bands are in most cases
covered with leather, fabric or other suitable material and secured to the article
by stitching or otherwise. In other cases the hooked parts may be left bare.
As illustrated in Figure 16.a locking strip formed in a similar manner to that of
the strips a is employed to tie the edges a together. In some cases this locking strip
is formed with a tab b' and a hook 6 Figures 18 and 19 by which it is drawn upwards
over the edges a and prevented from slipping down by the hooked part 6 which
engages with the upper edge of the article.

page_text: According to Figure 17 the strips a are so disposed that they interlock with one
another thereby dispensing with a separate strip.
Figures 10 to 15 illustrate a modified construction of the flexible hooked strips,.
in which the hooked parts are formed from plates c and secured to a flexible strip
of material or directly to the article of clothing, in some cases. Figures 10, 11
and 12 illustrate a strip consisting of a series of single hooks. Figures 13, 14 and 15
a strip composed of a series of double hook plates. In an alternative arrangement
the single hook plates are disposed with the hook end alternately at one side and
the other.
I do not limit myself to the particular constructions of the strips illustrated in.
the drawings. It is obvious that the construction of the strips may be varied_by
bending the wire to different patterns, and varying the form of the plates. The
plates may in some cases have metallic connections forming them into a chain.
the constructions illustrated in the drawings appear to be most suitable and useful
and properly illustrate the carrying out of my invention.
But
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. The method of forming flexible interlocking edges at the joints or partings of
foot and leg coverings and the like substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the drawings.
2. The method of forming flexible hooked edges at the joints or partings of
foot and leg coverings and the like and uniting the hooked edges by a separate
flexible double hooked strip substantially as herein before described with reference
to Figures 16, 18 and 19 of the drawings and for the purpose set forth.
3. The construction of flexible strips having hooked edges for the purpose of
and arranged for tying or securing together the edges of partings or openings in.
articles of clothing substantially as described herein before and illustrated in the
drawings.
Dated the 4th day of January 1896.
R. J. URQUHART,
57, Barton Arcade, Manchester, and 5, Clayton Square, Liverpool,.
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent.