A New or Improved Fastening for Gloves, Shoes, Corsets, Umbrellas, and other Purposes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Apr., 1890-Accepted, 10th May, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Fastening for Gloves, Shoes, Corsets,
Umbrellas, and other Purposes.
I, BENNY BERNSTEIN, of New York City, State of New York, in the United
States of America, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of my invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention consists in a fastening for gloves, shoes, corsets, &c., composed of a
series of button headed fastenings secured along one edge of the article, having
two openings through each fastening for the passage of the lacing cord, a series of
eyelets preferably arranged. in pairs along the opposite edge of said article, and a
lacing cord secured at one end to the lower edge of the article being fastened and
passed alternately back and forth through the apertures in the fastenings and through
the eyelets.
It also consists in a fastening for gloves &c., composed of a button head having a
divided shank formed into a loop between the head and shoe thereof for the lacing
cord, and washers with perforations secured upon one edge of the article to be
fastened, eyelets upon the opposite edge of said article, and a lacing cord.
It further consists in a face fastening for gloves &c. composed of a button head
having a diametric slot or depression formed in the head thereof and having a
divided shank, and washers with perforations, and adapted for use in connection
with a cord.
All constructed and adapted to operate substantially as and for the purposes as
will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the appended claims.
Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof for a better under-
standing of the details of construction of my invention:
Fig. 1 is a plan view illustrating the two adjoining edges of an article such as a
glove, shoe, corset, &c., to which my fastening applied, said edges of the article
being shown as separated and not as in their fastened position.
Fig. 2 is a detached view on an enlarged scale of the lace fastening, and
Fig. 3 is an edge view illustrating the position of the edges of the article when
secured by my fastening.
Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the lace fastening, the parts thereof being detached.
Fig. 5 represents a view of an umbrella provided with my lace fastening for
securing the free end of the cord or tape usually employed upon such umbrellas
to retain the same in its closed position.
Fig. 6 represent views in perspective of the reverse surfaces of the lace fastening
illustrating the formation of the recess formed in said lace fastening to receive and
retain the lace or cord.
Fig. 7 is an edge view of the lace fastening with its shank and washers.
Fig. 8 represent transverse sections in different positions through the umbrella
shown in fig. 5 and
Fig. 9 is a view illustrating a ladie's shoe supplied with my lace fastening.
The letters a, b, figs. 1 and 3, indicate the adjoining edges of the article to be
secured together. Upon the edge b double eyelets as at e, e, are placed while upon
the other edge, the fastenings are secured, which fastenings are not placed opposite
the eyelets but occupy an intermediate position upon the opposite edge of the article
relative to said eyelets for the purpose as will presently appear.
The fastening is, as shown in fig. 4, composed of three pieces-a button like head 1
having a divided shank 2 which shank forms part of said head and is formed into a
loop 3 between the head and shoe, and two washers 4 and 5, each of which washers
have three perforations as at 6-7.
When in position as in fig. 3, the washers 4 and 5 are placed upon each side of

page_text: the article and the shank 2 of the head 1 passed through the central perforation 7 of
each washer and the ends of said shank bent outward as in fig. 2, whereby the parts
of the fastening will be securely held in place. No cutting or preparation of the
article to receive the fastening is therefore necessary. Within the top fastening, or
each may be similarly constructed, is formed a diametric slot or depression as at d
which depression is made tapering or wider at one end than at the other, for the
purposes hereinafter explained. C is the lace or fastening cord which is formed at
intervals along its length with tapered enlargements c.
A knot as at c' is made at one end of this cord and it is then passed up through
the lower hole 6 of the washers 4 and 5, then through the loop 3 of the shank 2
between the head and shoe and then down through the opposite hole in the washers 4
and 5. Thence the cord passes through the lower set of eyelets e' on the opposite edge
of the article and then back through the fastening-then through the next series of
eyelets e and back to the fastening until the top fastening is reached when the cord is
passed up through the lower holes through the washers thereof and then given a turn
or two around the head or placed in the depression d in the face thereof, when the
tapered enlargement c will prevent the cord slipping. To fasten the article therefore,
all that is necessary is to draw upon the cord until the edges of the article lap each
other when the cord is slipped within the depression in the head of the top fastening
and is so held by the knot or enlargement of the cord fitting within the tapered
recess of said head. To unfasten the article, the cord is lifted from out of the
depression in the head of the top fastening and the edges of the article drawn apart
when the cord will slip through the washers and eyelets.
It will thus be seen that but one cord or lace is used in this fastening, and when
secured in place the edges of the article lap each other so that the lace is concealed
beneath and only the fastening appears, giving the appearance of a button
fastening.
The two washers prevent injury to the article, and the loop between the head and
shoe is to receive the lace whereby said head is held by said lace in addition to its
shank.
The alternate position of the fastening relative to the eyelets, enables the edges of
the article to be brought close together, one upon the other, so that the opening as well
as the fastening lace or cord is concealed.
As shown in fig. 5 the lace fastening may be used to advantage for securing the
cord or tape of umbrellas, in which instance the fastening is secured to the fabric
in the same manner as upon gloves, shoes &c. and one end of the cord is secured to
said fastening by having a knot in its end and then being passed up through the holes
in the washers thereof as shown in fig. 8.
By simply passing the cord around the umbrella, then once or twice beneath the
head of the fastening and then down within the recess, the cord is held secure in
place as in figs. 5 and 8. The same result is accomplished when the fastening is used
to secure a shoe as in fig. 9. In this instance only one cord or lace is used and the
cord may be free of knots, the usual eyelets or lace holders may also be used below
the top fastening as shown.
This form of lace fastening may be employed for various purposes and it is evident
that the operation of lacing and unlacing boots, gloves &c., is much easier
accomplished than when two cords are employed and a bow-knot has to be made all
that is necessary being to draw upon the cord until the edges of the article being
fastened are brought sufficiently tight together, then give the cord a turn around the
fastening and then place it within the recess in the face of the same. _ And, as shown-
in fig. 6 this recess-or-diametric depression formed in the head of the fastening is
cylindrical in cross section and is of a tapered tubular or funnel shape from end to
end. The slot or opening across the face of the fastening is quite narrow and its
edges may be parallel as in fig. 6 or slightly diverging, while the opening below the
face of the head is slightly larger than the slot. The object of this is that only a
narrow opening across the face of the fastening is apparent and the lace or cord will
lie entirely below the face of the fastening.

page_text: The chamber for the cord being as before stated cylindrical and tapered from end
to end as shown in fig. 6, so that the cord will fit close and snug therein and wear or
cutting thereof will be prevented.
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. A fastening for gloves, &c., consisting of a series of button headed fastenings
secured along one edge of the article having two openings through each fastening for
the passage of the lacing cord, a series of eyelets arranged in pairs along the opposite
edge of: said article, and a lacing cord secured at one end to the lower edge of the
article being fastened and passed alternately back and forth through the apertures
in the fastenings and through the eyelets, for the purposes specified.
2. A fastening for gloves &c., consisting of the button head having divided shank
formed into a loop between the head and shoe thereof for the lacing cord and washers
with perforations secured upon one edge of the article to be fastened, eyelets upon the
opposite edge of said article and lacing cord, all constructed and arranged substan-
tially as and for the purposes specified.
3. A lace fastening for gloves &c., consisting of the button head having a diametric
slot or depression formed in the head thereof and having a divided shank and washers
with perforations substantially as described and adapted for use in connection with a
cord for the purposes specified.
BENNY BERNSTEIN.
Herbert & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.