Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 31st May, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 1st July, 1887,
I, GEORGE VALIANT, residing at Toronto in the County of York, Province of
Ontario, Canada, Gentleman, 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 :-
Figure, 1, shows a view in elevation of my improved button hole strip as fastened
to the edge of a boot quarter.
Figure, 2, a similar view of a portion of my strip fastened to the pinked edge of a
boot quarter.
Figure, 3, a plan view of the blank used by me in forming the button hole pieces
of which my button strip is made.
Figure, 4, a similar view of the blank as folded over a piece of cord or wire.
Figure, 5, a similar view of the folded blank shown in figure, 4, crimped and bent,
so as to form the edge of the button hole with its folded edge, and,
Figure, 6, a detail view of one of the button-hole pieces with a bead piece that can
be stitched in between the edges of the button-hole piece to make the edge of the
completed piece.
Letters of like name and kind refer to like parts in each of the figures.
The object of my invention is to provide an improved button-hole strip for boots
and shoes, and to this end:-
My invention consists in the strip and in the method of constructing the same
as hereinafter specified. .
In making my improved strip I use a number of crimped and folded button-hole
pieces, A, A, which being attached together at their edges, form a continuous edge-
wise flexible strip. In forming each of these component parts of the strip I prefer
to use the blank, A', shaped as shown best in figure, 3, that is, having the narrow-
middle portion, a, and the enlarged ends, a¹, a¹. As indicated by dotted lines, at, a², a³,
I contemplate cutting away a portion of the strips, for a purpose to be hereinafter
described.
The blank is then folded on the central longitudinal line, x-x. By means of a
suitable form or crimping device the folded blank is then crimped and bent into

page_text: the shape shown in fig. 5, with its ends close together and its folded edge
forming the edges of the button hole shaped opening.
If desired, I contemplate inserting between the folds of the blank before it is
crimped a piece, A2, of string, wire, cat-gut, or equivalent material which when
the blank has been crimped, will serve to reinforce and strengthen the folded edge of
the blank, as shown in figure, 5. Such reinforcing or strengthening piece is,
however not necessary to my invention.
The pieces for forming the strip can be made with or without the inserted cord.
A number of the button-hole pieces having been formed, as described, are fastened
together, so as to make a continuous strip, B. The resultant button-hole strip is flexible
edgewise, so as to be well adapted for attaching to the edge of a boot or shoe
quarter, whatever the curvature of such edge may be.
The component pieces, A, A, of the strip, B, can be fastened or attached together
at their edges in any desired way, but I prefer that shown in the drawings.
With the portions of the blank cut away, as indicated by dotted lines in
figures, 3, and, 4, as the button-hole pieces are put together side by side, each
piece will on one side have a portion, a³, of a single thickness of material projecting
into the cut, a*, in the next piece and overlapping a portion of such piece, and on
the other side a similar projecting portion underlapping part of the adjoining piece
and projecting into the cut or rebate on the under side of such piece.
When the button-hole pieces have thus been put together a line of stitching, B', is
run around their outer rounded edges which form the scollop of the strip and
inward between the button-hole openings, so as to fasten the overlapping and inter-
locking portions of the pieces together. Where reinforcing strings, wires or cords A², A",
are used they can be tied or otherwise fastened together before the strip is attached or
fastened to the edge of the boot or shoe quarter or extension thereof.
In figure, 1, C, designates the quarter of a boot or shoe D, the vamp, and, E, the
quarter extension to the edge of which my button-hole strip is shown as attached by
means of a line of stitching, G. With such means of attaching the strip, obviously,
the ends of the reinforcing cords or strings, where they are used, need not be
knotted together, as the line of stitching will engage such ends and fasten them
sufficiently.
I contemplate, where desired, pinking the edge of the part of the boot to which
the strips is to be fastened so that as shown in figure, 2, it will have points, H, H,
which will overlap the abutting edges of the button hole pieces and can be fastened
to such pieces by extending the stitching around the edges of the points.
As indicated hereinbefore, the rounded outer edges, a, a, of the button hole pieces
form the scolloped edge of the strip.
The outer edge of the strip can be formed of the outer edges of bead pieces, I, as
shown in figure, 6, inserted and stitched between the edges of the button hole pieces.
The button hole pieces constructed in accordance with my Invention for making my
button hole strip, can be made of leather, cloth, felt or other desirable material
capable of being crimped.
They can be made of thin leather, so that a fly piece or button-hole strip can be
formed of the same material as the quarter of the boot and yet be sufficiently
strong.
My button hole strip made as set forth and shown is ready for attachment to the
quarter edge of any shoe being very flexible edgewise and needs simply to have its
inner edge stitched directly to such quarter edge.
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. The method of forming a button-hole strip for boots or shoes, which consists in
forming a series of separate button-hole pieces, by folding suitable blanks, then
crimping them so as to form the button holes with their folded edges and then
fastening such pieces together in a continuous strip substantially as and for the
purpose specified.

page_text: 2. The method of forming a button hole strip for boots or shoes which consists in
first making a series of button hole pieces by folding suitable blanks and crimping
them so as to bring their ends together, and then fastening the pieces together side. by
side by means of stitching joining their edges, substantially as and for the purpose
shown.
3. The button hole strip formed of a series of sections attached together side by side,
each section provided with an entire button-hole, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
4. The button-hole strip formed of a series of attached sections each section forming
an entire button hole and having its outer edge shaped to form a scollop of the strip,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. The button hole strip consisting of a series of pieces attached together each
one of which is formed of a piece of suitable material folded and crimped to form a
button-hole with its folded edge, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
6. The button hole-strip consisting of the series of sections having button-holes,
and provided with overlapping and interlocking parts fastened together by stitching,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
7. A button hole piece or section for forming a button-hole strip, made of a piece
of material folded and crimped so as to form a button-hole with its folded edge and
having on each side a projection on one of its folds and a corresponding rebate in
the other fold, substantially as and for the purpose described.
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