Improvements in Fastening Devices for Boots, Shoes, and other Articles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 26th May, 1891-Accepted, 4th July, 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Fastening Devices for Boots, Shoes, and other
Articles.
We, PHILIPP JACOB ANTIES, of Ludwigshafen on the Rhine, Merchant, and
PHILIPP KOPPENHOFER of Speyer on the Rhine, Gentleman, both in the German
Empire, 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 :-
For a considerable time attempts have been made to discover means for firmly
and securely fastening boots and shoes i.e. retaining them on the foot; but none of
What is required is that
them appears so far to have led to satisfactory results.
the fastening operation should take up as little time as possible and be so easy as to
be capable of being carried out even by a child. When the fastening is completed
it should be perfectly secure against becoming accidentally loosened or untied, while
at the same time allowing of a ready unfastening when required.
None of the fastening arrangements at present in use fulfil these requirements.
Where ordinary laces are used in connection with holes or hooks, as is now most
generally the case-the bow easily gets undone of its own accord which is
exceedingly unpleasant especially in the case of young children who are apt to run
about with the laces hanging loose and sweeping up dust or mud and to entangle
their feet in them and slip or fall in consequence. Besides loose shoe-laces generally
make children acquire the habit of a slovenly gait. Where a knot is produced by
reason of the bow, not being properly formed or otherwise as will frequently
happen to children, it is often impossible to loosen the knot so that the laces must
be cut.
Buttoned shoes are mostly deficient in appearance. Besides the buttons are
liable to be torn away and the button-holes to wear off.
These various inconveniences have been felt even in military circles and it has
been admitted that by remedying them a signal service would be done to the army.
The present rapid fastening arrangement effectively removes all the defects
mentioned above, while presenting the additional advantage of being applicable to
nearly all boots and shoes whatever their methods of fastening.
In the accompanying drawing the improved fastening arrangement is shown in a
series of views.
Fig. 1 represents it as applied to a boot.
Figs. 2 to 4 show the different parts of which it is composed, and
Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate two different methods of lacing.
The lace holder Ki.e. the button to which the end of the lace is at first attached
is hollow as shown in the drawing and provided on one side with a small round
orifice. The lacing studs or buttons Kare solid. These studs or buttons K K'
are secured to the boot or shoe in the simple manner shown.
The terminal lace-holder K2 consists of a plate or head S provided with a small
lens-like projection and with a foot or shanke split in the manner shown.
When it is desired to lace the boot or shoe the lace is passed from the inside of
the boot or shoe through the hollow lace-holder K and through its side opening and
having a knot at its end is retained in the lace-holder at that end. The knot which
prevents its slipping out of the holder K is entirely embedded in the opening of the
same so that it cannot inconvenience the wearer by pressing upon his foot as do all
the present arrangements of a similar kind. The lace is therefore single not
double, as in the ordinary fastening arrangements. It is then slung around the
lacing or guiding studs K either in the simple way shown in Fig. 6 or in the manner
illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5. The latter method of lacing has the advantage of

page_text: itself increasing to a certain extent the firmness and durability of the fastening
which is another advantage of the round shape of the lacing or guiding studs K
instead of the hook shaped buttons now used.
Should it so happen that one of the round studs turns about its axis, it would
nevertheless retain its position. unaltered in relation to the lace while the displace-
ment of a hook always necess.tates its being set right immediately which cannot
always be accomplished with at difficulty and not unfrequently leads to breakage.
When the lace has attained the last of the studs K'it is wound around the terminal
lace-holder K which thus constitutes the most essential part of the improved
fastening device. The fastening obtained in this manner is perfectly secure and
reliable and will not become undone accidentally or of its own accord.
When
however it is desired that it should be loosened all that is necessary is to wind the
lace off the terminal lace-holder or stud K and then to take it off the other
studs K¹ in succession which it will be understood is an operation easy enough to be
performed. The terminal lace-holding stud K2 is arranged in such a manner that
the projection extends down beside the stem or shanke. When therefore the lace
is once tied around it it cannot possibly become untied and even a strong pull in
the direction of the arrow Z, will only result in tearing it without unwinding the
end. The projection serves to maintain the end of the lace in a vertically
suspended position and if desired this end may be provided with an ornamental
tassel or the like so that it cannot form an upwardly projecting loop which might
be caught in passing.
Should it be desired to apply this improved device to existing boots or shoes
provided with holes or hooks it is sufficient to arrange initial and terminal lace-
holders K K which will enable the lacing to be performed singly as before
explained. The guide-studs K' however have this advantage over the ordinary
hooks or holes that they better protect the lace from wear.
Another advantage of this fastening device is that it is very suitable for ladies'
boots for which as is well-known the ordinary hooks are unfit inasmuch as they apt
to catch the skirt or dress.
. Having to deal with one end of the lace only no bow need be made and no knot
is formed by the ends of the bow slipping out.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
.
A fastening device for boots shoes and other articles consisting of an initial lace-
holder such as which is hollow and provided with an opening on one side in which
the end of the lace is retained the round guiding or lacing studs K' and a terminal
lace-holder such as K² around which the free end of the lace is wound and which is
fitted with a projection such as 7 and a rectangular shank or stem such as e situated
at right angles to the plate or head S of said lace-holding stud or button K
substantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 26th day of May 1891.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicants.