Improvements in or relating to Fastenings for Boot Laces and the like.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 5th June, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 28th Feb., 1891-Accepted, 4th Apr., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Fastenings for Boot Laces
and the like.
I, ROBERT WHERRY PIKE, of 38, Highfield Street, Leicester, Commission
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to fastenings for boot laces and the like the object
of the invention being to provide an improved device or contrivance for gripping or
engaging the ends of the laces either before or after tying to prevent them
becoming loose accidentally during wear. According to this invention the device
or contrivance may consist of a base plate or equivalent adapted to be fixed to the
upper of a boot or shoe by eyeletting or other means, and between which and a
plate pivoted or hinged to one end of the base-plate the laces may be gripped and
firmly held in position. The upper plate may be adapted to become locked or
secured under a projection at the opposite end of the base-plate or the two plates
may be connected together by a preferably central pivot or fulcrum and be
controlled by a spring so as to increase the grip upon the laces.
Doted this Bourth day of June 1800
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Fastenings for Boot Laces
and the like.
1, ROBERT WHERRY PIKE, of 38, Highfield Street, Leicester, Commission
Agent, 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 has reference to fastenings for boot laces and the like, the object
of the invention being to provide an improved device or contrivance for gripping
or engaging the ends of the laces either before or after tying to prevent them
becoming loose accidentally during wear.
According to this invention the device or contrivance may consist of a base-plate
or equivalent adapted to be fixed to a convenient part of the upper of a boot or
shoe by cycletting or other means, and between which and a plate pivoted or
hinged to one end of the base-plate, the laces may be gripped and firmly held in
position.
In order to more fully illustrate the invention reference is made to the accom-
panying drawings in which Figure 1 represents a perspective view and Figure 2 a
side elevation of my improved lace fastener on an enlarged scale. Figure 3 is a
side clevation of a boot having my improved lace fastener applied thereto.
Referring to the fastener the base-plate A may be of any convenient shape and
secured to the upper of a boot or shoe as shewn in Figure 3, by eyeletting through
the opening A, by stitching through the holes A, or other suitable means.
The base-plate is provided with teeth or prongs A², formed integrally at the
back thereof which are passed through the leather and clenched on the inner side
of the upper to keep the base-plate in proper position and to counteract any
tendency to moving, on the eyelet forming the axial fastening, by any drag on the
laces caused by the movements of the foot of the wearer or otherwise. The base-
plate may also be secured in position on the upper by other suitable means when
desired.

page_text: The upper or grip plate B is secured to the base-plate by a projection B² on each
side near the end of the grip plate entering an opening in the parts A³ of the base-
plate which are turned upwards at a right angle thereto, or the two plates A and B
may be hinged or otherwise movably secured together to admit of being opened or
closed to allow the lace to be inserted and gripped between the said plates.
The upper or grip plate B is provided on each of its sides with a series of
downwardly projecting teeth C which grip the laces and hold them in position, it is
obvious however that these are not indispensible as the inner surface of the
plates A and B may be serrated, milled or otherwise suitably roughened to serve
the same purpose.
The two plates A and B between which the laces are gripped are held
together by a ring D or equivalent passing over the end of the grip plate as
shewn in Figure 2, or any other convenient form of clasp fastening may be
employed to maintain the two plates in their closed position.
The end of the base-plate is turned under as shewn most clearly in Figure 2 or
equivalently formed to allow the ring D to move up or down freely, and the end of
the upper plate is raised at B2 or otherwise constructed to prevent the ring
becoming accidentally disengaged.
One or both of the plates A and B may also be slightly curved or arched as
shewn to provide for extra thick laces.
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
A device or fastening for boot laces and the like, consisting of a base-plate such
as A, grip plate such as B, and ring such as D or equivalent substantially as
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
Dated this 27th day of February 1891.
ROBERT WHERRY PIKE.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.