Improvements in Eyelets or Fastening Means for Boots, Shoes, and other uses.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Mar., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 26th Nov.. 1896-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1876
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Eyelets or Fastening Means for Boots, Shoes, and
other uses.
I JOHN COREY RHODES of New Bedford, in the State of Massachusetts one
of the United States of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:---
This invention relates to flanged metal eyelets used in connection with the
manufacture of boots, shoes, and for other purposes.
My invention is especially adapted to flanged eyelets having the face flange
rolled over to form a suitable facing for the eyelet when set.
Prior to my invention eyelets of this type have been formed with a tubular
shank or body with the face flange or lip simply rounded or rolled outwardly and
resting at its edge against the leather when the fastening is set.
After the eyelets are formed they are usually covered with a coating of japan,
or other pigment, to present a smooth and finished appearance.
In practice, however, when setting such eyelets, the face flange or lip yields or
changes its form under the action of the setting instruments, to such extent as
would crack a hard thick coat of japan or covering material, making it necessary
to use a thin and very elastic coating, so thin in fact that in practice the said
coating soon wears through to the metal of the eyelet, which, if of brass, as is
usually the case, leaves a bright spot or ring at the face of the eyelet, making the
same conspicuous and objectionable.
To avoid this difficulty it is now common to provide eyelets with a cap of
celluloid or other equivalent material, attached to the face flange, of sufficient
thickness to hold its shape in setting, but such eyelets are expensive and
objectionable in other ways.
The object of this present invention is to construct an eyelet of the class referred
to, in such a manner as will obviate the springing or yielding of the face flange or
lip referred to, to thereby enable a sufficiently thick and hard surface coating of
japan or other pigment to be employed without danger of cracking or breaking
the same during the setting operation.
This object attain by providing the face flange with a downturned peripheral
portion having a stiffening lip preferably continuous and preferably turned inwardly
beneath or within the face flange, such stiffening lip acting in practice to stiffen
and prevent any yield or movement of the face flange during the setting
operation.
My invention is not restricted to any particular kind or shape of eyelet, although
it is of great value in connection with the common eyelet having a tubular body,
open at both ends.
The eyelet of whatever variety, is, however, according to my invention provided
with a lip or bent portion turned or bent laterally relatively to the adjacent
material of the eyelet at that point.
This laterally bent or turned portion may be, and preferably is, at the edge of
the face flange, but it may be at any other portion of the eyelet, provided it serves
to strengthen the eyelet face against the setting thrust thereby preventing the
cracking of a hard surface coating under the said setting thrust.
It is further within the contemplation of my invention to provide, on the ordinary
or any other eyelet, a strengthening lip by turning or bending the peripheral edge

page_text: of the face portion abruptly at an angle to form a ring-like seat-lip outside of the
body, the said seat-lip being adapted to rest upon the material in which the eyelet
is set to thereby receive the setting pressure to prevent cracking of the finished
coating.
The face flange of the eyelet, whether a tubular body is imployed or not, is
usually rolled outwardly and over to form a flange presenting within the same
preferably a smooth flaring entrance for the eyelet, and the strengthening or
stiffening lip, bend, or seat, which constitutes my invention is formed, as above
stated, in this flange.
A further feature of my invention, consists in providing at the inner end of the
tubular body of the eyelet (when that form is employed), one or more, preferably
a plurality of lines of weakness, which may be formed by scoring the material, or
by grooving, cutting, or by any other means or manner. This scoring, nicking or
cutting of the body causes it to yield more readily to the setting pressure, and if
the lines of weakness are longitudinally formed in the body and equidistant, the
setting pressure will cause the body of the eyelet to split in substantially equal
portions as the eyelet is set in the fabric, thereby clinching or setting easier, and
holding more firmly than it would with ut the nicks or scores.
The auxiliary or additional strengthening flange or lip, described, strengthens or
stiffens the face flange and receives the pressure to such an extent that the latter
will not change its form or yield to the thrust of said pressure during the operation
of setting the eyelet, thereby enabling me to apply to the fastener as thick and as
hard a surface coating as may be necessary to stand the usual use required, without
wearing through to the surface of the metal eyelet proper.
The additional stiffening and pressure receiving lip referred to, when formed on
the edge of the flange also prevents cutting the leather, as by the usual sharp edge
of the face flange.
While I have described my invention in connection with a usual eyelet, my said
invention is equally applicable to any eyelet or fastener which is provided with a
face flange which for the best results should be stiffened to preserve its form,
without substantial movement or yield during the setting operation.
Dated the 19th day of March 1896.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56 Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Eyelets or Fastening Means for Boots, Shoes, and
other uses.
1, JOHN COREY RHODES, of New Bedford, in the State of Massachusetts one
of the United States of America, Manufacturer 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:-
This invention relates to flanged metal eyelets used in connection with the
manufacture of boots, shoes, and for other purposes.
My invention is especially adapted to flanged eyelets having the face flange
rolled over to form a suitable facing for the eyelet when set.
Prior to my invention eyelets of this type have been formed with a tubular
shank or body with the face flange or lip simply rounded or rolled outwardly and
resting at its edge against the leather when the fastening is set.
After the eyelets are formed they are usually covered with a coating of japan,
or other pigment, to present a smooth and finished appearance.
In practice, however, when setting such cyclets, the face flange or lip yields or
changes its form under the action of the setting instruments, to such extent as

page_text: would crack a hard thick coat of japan or covering material, making it necessary
to use a thin and very elastic coating, so thin in fact that in practice the said
coating soon wears through to the metal of the eyelet, which, if of brass, as is
usually the case, leaves a bright spot or ring at the face of the eyelet, making the
same conspicuous and objectionable.
To avoid this difficulty it is now common to provide eyelets with a cap of
celluloid or other equivalent material attached to the face flange of sufficient
thickness to hold its shape in setting, but such eyelets are expensive and
objectionable in other ways.
The object of this present invention is to construct an eyelet of the class
referred to, in such a manner as will obviate the springing or yielding of the face
flange lip referred to, to thereby enable a sufficiently thick and hard surface
coating of japan or other piginent to be employed without danger of cracking or
breaking the same during the setting operation.
or
This object. I attain by providing the face flange with a downturned peripheral
portion having a stiffening lip preferably continuous and preferably turned inwardly
beneath or within the face flange, such stiffening lip acting in practice to stiffen
and prevent any yield or movement of the face flange during the setting operation.
My invention is not restricted to any particular kind or shape of eyelet, although
it is of great value in connection with the common eyelet having a tubular body,
open at both ends.
The eyelet of whatever variety, is, however, according to my invention provided
with a lip or bent portion turned or bent laterally relatively to the adjacent
material of the eyelet at that point.
This laterally bent or turned portion may be, and preferably is, at the edge of
the face flange, but it may be at any other portion of the eyelet, provided it serves
to strengthen the eyelet face against the setting thrust thereby preventing the
cracking of a hard surface coating under the said setting thrust.
It is further within the contemplation of my invention to provide, on the
ordinary or any other eyelet, a strengthening lip by turning or bending the
peripheral edge of the face portion abruptly at an angle to form a ring-like seat-lip
outside of the body, the said seat-lip being adapted to rest upon the material in
which the eyelet is set to thereby receive the setting pressure to prevent cracking
of the finishing coating.
The face flange of the eyelet, whether a tubular body is employed or not, is
usually rolled outwardly and over to form a flange presenting within the same
preferably a smooth flaring entrance for the eyelet, and the strengthening or
stiffening lip, bend, or seat, which constitutes my invention is formed, as above
stated, in this flange.
A further feature of my invention, consists in providing at the inner end of the
tubular body of the eyelet (when that form is employed) one or more, preferably
a plurality of lines of weakness, which may be formed by scoring the material, or
by grooving, cutting, or by any other means or manner.
This scoring, nicking or cutting of the body causes it to yield more readily to
the setting pressure, and if the lines of weakness are longitudinally formed in the
body and equidistant, the setting pressure will cause the body of the eyelet to split
in substantially equal portions as the eyelet is set in the fabric, thereby clinching
or setting easier, and holding more firmly than it would without the nicks or
scores.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1, on an enlarged scale, is a vertical section of an eyelet embodying my
invention;
Fig. 1 is a transverse section on the line X-X, Fig. 1;
Fig. 2, top and sectional views respectively, of a blank from which an eyelet is
made embodying my present invention, and
Figs. 3, 4 and 5, similar views illustrating different steps in the method by which
my improved eyelet is preferably constructed.

page_text: '
Referring to the drawings, Fig. 2, the blank there shown consists of a tubular
body a having a usual face flange b, the said tubular body being closed at its
end a¹.
Such a blank is substantially such as is used at the present time in the
formation of eyelets with a curved flange, the face flange b in the completed
eyelet being usually rolled or rounded, slightly more than is there shown.
The edge of the face flange b may now be turned, as shown in Fig. 3.
I next in suitable dies turn preferably under or inwardly the lip or edge of
the face flange b, to form thereby a pressure receiving and stiffening lip c, see
Fig. 4.
The closed end of the body a is then punctured and opened or swaged, and
preferably the small end of the tubular body is longitudinally scored, as at cl, Fig. 1,
forming the completed eyelet, which is then covered with a suitable coating of
japan or other usual covering material.
At the inner end of the tube of the body, I have provided one or more, preferably
a plurality of longitudinal lines of weakness, herein shown as formed by longitudinal
scorings, but which may be grooved or cut in any other way.
These scorings or lines of weakness enable the setting of the eyelet to be accom-
plished with less pressure, and also cause the eyelet to hold more firmly than it
would otherwise.
The auxiliary or additional strengthening flange or lip, described, strengthens or
stiffens the face flange and receives the pressure to such an extent that the latter
will not change its form or yield to the thrust of said pressure during the operation
of setting the eyelet, thereby enabling me to apply to the fastener as thick and as
hard a surface coating as may be necessary to stand the usual use required, without
wearing through to the surface of the metal eyelet proper.
The additional stiffening and pressure receiving lip referred to, when formed on
the edge of the flange, also prevents cutting the leather, as by the usual sharp edge
of the face flange.
While 1 have described my invention in connection with a usual eyelet, my said
invention is equally applicable to any eyelet or fastener which is provided with a
face flange which for the best results should be stiffened to preserve its form,.
without substantial movement or yield during the setting operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. An eyelet, consisting of a tubular body, rolled outwardly and over at one end,
to form a flange, presenting within the same a smooth flaring entrance, the
peripheral edge of the said flange being turned or bent abruptly at an angle to form
a ring-like seat lip outside the body and adapted to rest upon the material in which
the eyelet is set, to thereby receive the setting pressure and stiffen the eyelet flange
to prevent cracking of its surface or finishing coating, said eyelet also having a
plurality of lines of weakness at its clinching end, substantially as described.
2. An eyelet consisting of a tubular body, open at both ends and provided at
one end with an outwardly flaring face flange baving its outer or peripheral
portion turned downwardly outside the body, said downwardly turned portion
seating upon the face of the material and provided with a laterally bent or turned
strengthening lip outside the body to hold the eyelet face in proper form against
the setting thrust and thereby prevent cracking of a hard surface coating,
substantially as described.
Dated the 18th day of November 1896
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56 Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.