Improvements relating to the Tongues of Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Improvements relating to the Tongues of Boots and Shoes.
I JOHN WHITEHEAD, of No. 63 Saint John's Villas Clarence Road, Harborne, in
the county of Stafford Engraver, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to a contrivance for preserving the tongue of boots and
shoes in correct position during wear, &c., and consists in providing a loop, eye, hook,
or an equivalent, in or upon the said tongue, through or on to which the lace may
pass, and be thereby retained in its proper position, or I may modify such arrange-
ment by attaching to the upper end of the tongue a stud or studs; and further attach
to the uppers, upon both sides at such part, an eyelet which may be made to hook
on to such stud or studs, and by these or similar means retain the tongue in its
position.
Preferably however, I should adopt the method, as, or similar to, the first named
after the manner following
:-
At the upper end of the tongue of the boot, I should attach a loop, consisting of a
piece or strip of metal, of a more or less ornamental form, and raised at its centre in
a loop or bow fashion, and further provided at each end with a hole by which it may
be secured to the tongue by means of an eyelet or rivet. It would be secured to the
tongue lengthwise in its direction, so that when the two sides of the upper" were
laced, it would lie between such two sides. The last lacing or two or the lacings
approaching the end would in addition to passing through the ordinary holes or
hooks, also pass through the said loop, and thus prevent the tongue from moving out
of its proper position.
Such loops when made of metal, may be made of plain metal, or electro coated,
japanned, or otherwise finished as desired; or may be formed of cord, silk, leather or
other suitable material, by which a loop or its equivalent may be provided upon the
said tongue, for the purpose of retaining it in such a position.

page_text: By these means much inconvenience and even pain, caused by the tongue working
out of its proper position during wear is obviated and in its stead comfort secured to
the wearer.
CHARLES T. POWELL,
4, Cherry Street, Birmingham,
Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to the Tongues of Boots and Shoes.
I JOHN WHITEHEAD, of No. 63 Saint John's Villas, Clarence Road, Harborne, in
the county of Stafford, Engraver, 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 a contrivance for preserving the correct position of the
tongue of boots and shoes during wear, and consists in providing a metallic loop or
bow upon the said tongue through which the lace may pass, and be thereby retained
in its proper position.
At the upper end of the tongue of the boot, I should attach a loop consisting of a
piece or strip of metal, of a more or less ornamental form, and raised at its centre into
a loop or bow fashion, and further provided at each end either with a hole by which it
may be secured to the tongue by means of an eyelet, or, what is preferred each end
of the loop is inserted and then rivetted or turned over thus firmly uniting it to the
tongue.
It would be secured to the tongue lengthwise in its direction, so that when the
two sides of the upper were laced, it would lie between such two sides.
The last lacing or two, or lacings approaching the end would in addition to passing
through the ordinary holes, also pass through the said loop and thus prevent the
tongue from getting away from its position.
Such loops may be made of plain metal, or electroplated, japanned, or otherwise
finished as desired.
By these means much inconvenience, and even pain, caused by the tongue of the
boot working out of position during wear is obviated, and in its stead comfort secured
to the wearer.
I will now proceed more particularly to describe this my invention and the manner
in which it is to be performed, having reference to the accompanying illustrative sheet

page_text: of drawings, upon which are figures and letters of reference, similar letters referring
throughout the several views to the same thing or part.
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 & 8 illustrate this my invention in the form I prefer to make it for
general use.
Figs. 5, 6 & 7 illustrate a modification in shape, and the method of fastening.
In Fig. 1, a, is a piece of metal cut out by suitable tools, and afterwards bent into
the form shown in Figs. 2 & 3, having a bow or loop form, raised in its centre at b.
The inside surface of this bow is rounded off, so that it may not fret or chafe the lace.
c is the tongue of the boot.
Two holes are punctured or pierced into the tongue at d, d, into which the ends or
prongs e, e, of the bow are passed and turned or rivetted over, as seen in Fig. 4.
This metallic loop is fixed to the tongue at its upper end, that is, at the tormination
of the lace holes, as seen in Fig. 8, so that the said lace may be passed therethrough,
near where it is tied or fastened, thus supporting the tongue froin falling or shifting
downwards or sideways out of its place.
In Figs. 5, 6 & 7, I have shown a modified form of making the loop, in which case
the bow part may be utilized for ornamentation purposes.
Upon such surface there may be fixed a fancy button head, or inlaid ornament, or,
it may be engraved, embossed, polished, electro plated or otherwise produced, having
an ornamental character, and may be secured by eyelets f, f, or by similar prongs to
those shown at e, e, in Fig. 2.
I am aware that prior to this my invention, its want has been felt, and in a few
cases a loop has been formed by slitting the leather of the tongue, and also by
inserting eyelets in the said tongue, through which the lace may pass, but as will be
apparent, it is difficult and troublesome to thread the lace through such contrivances,
when so near to the end of such lacing, by reason for one thing, of such holes or
loop, lying so flat against the foot; whereas in this my invention, I provide a metallic
bow or loop, which lies neatly between the two sides of the boot, and at the same time,
stands well up in a raised fixed form, presenting ready access and passage for the laco
therethrough.
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 1
claim is :-
1. Adjusting and retaining the tongues of boots and shoes in their places, by means
of the metallic loop having a raised bow shape, through or under which the lace
passes, the said loop piece being secured to the tongue, and constructed and
operating substantially as herein described and illustrated upon the drawings in
Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4 & 8.
2. The modified form of loop herein described and illustrated in Figs. 5, 6 & 7,
and for the purposes specified.
Dated this 17th day of July 1888