Improvements in and relating to Lacing Studs or Eyelets.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1898-Accepted, 4th June, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to Lacing Studs or Eyelets.
We, HENRY ROSENZWEIG, Wine Merchant, and LEOPOLD LIEBEL, Merchant, both
of 38, Sobieskigasse, Vienna, IX, in the Empire of Austria-Hungary, 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 lacing studs or eyelets.
Lacing studs or eyelets, for shoes, gloves, gaiters and the like, and as employed
at the present.time, have the disadvantage, that each time the respective article of
wearing apparel is either put on or taken off, the lace requires to be threaded or
unthreaded, as the case may be; and as on the one hand, the laces are subjected to
such friction in the eyes and are also tightly pressed between the leather or the
like and the respective part of the body, the result is that, after the loosening of
the knot, the two connected parts do not admit of being separated.
In the same measure, these laces will also fail to yield when pulled, so that in
lacing the articles of wearing apparel, each frictional part of the lace between two eyes
has to be separately pulled.
In the case of lacing studs or fastenings with hooks, into which the laces are
inserted, the parts to be connected, indeed, admit of being more easily pulled
together and drawn apart, as the case may be, owing to the fact that the laces are
not jammed, but, on the other hand, the laces in this case must each time be inserted
or hung into the hooks, when the shoe or the like, is put on or fastened.
The object of this invention now is to do away with these inconveniences this
being effected in such a manner that upon each of the two parts to be connected,
rotary eyes are arranged, through which the laces are threaded once for all. In this
system of fastening the laces are not subject to being jammed by reason of their
lying upon the outside of the wearing apparel, moreover, the friction of the laces
within the eyes is considerably reduced, owing to the fact, that the latter are freely
rotatable and consequently adjust themselves in the direction, in which the laces are
pulled; this adjustment may be assisted by an arrangement of springs.
The invention represented by way of example in the accompanying drawing,
in which:
Figure 1 shows a shoe, provided with such lacing studs or eyelets the same being
shown in its loose condition.
Figure 2 is a similar view showing the lace in the position it occupies when
properly fastened.
Figures 3 to 7 represent the rotary eyes or perforated buttons or studs in
various constructional forms.
According to Figure 3, the eyelet a presents the shape of a button, adapted to
rotate about the hollow or solid pivot b riveted to the leather or the like. The
head of the pivot is let into the button. The laco is passed through the holes d
of the button, while the pieces c c act as washers for protecting the leather.
According to the constructional form shown in Figure 4, the pivot b is made in
one piece with the eyelet a and rotates therewith in the washers c which surrounds
the hole in the leather or the like.

page_text: The constructional form, represented in Figure 5 is essentially the same as that
shown in Figure 4, the only difference being that, in this case, the eyelet a forms
integral part of the pivot b.
According to Figure 6, the button shaped eyelet a is adapted to rotate in the
upwardly and inwardly turned edge of the socket e.
In order to prevent the tied loop from becoming unfastened, a clasp or clip as
shown in Figure 1 and 2, is preferably provided between which the ends of the lace
are securely fastened.
Figure 7 finally represents in section and plan, respectively, another constructional
form, which seeing that the button projects but slightly from the top surface of
the leather is especially suitable for ladies' shoes, because in this case it is
essential, that the dress should not catch into any projecting parts. This
construction resembles that represented in Figure 6, the only difference being, that
in this case the rotary button or the eye a is placed under the influence of a spring f,
which is secured at g to the socket e and acts upon a head h of the rotary part,
whilst the effect of this spring is limited by a catch i. This spring which is under
tension, when the shoe is laced, has the effect, that, as the shoe. is being unlaced,
the rotary eye is turned back into its original position, thus assisting by adjusting
the lace in the direction of the pull in the opening of the lacing under the
pressure exerted by the previously compressed and now released parts of the
body.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. An improved lacing eyelet or device for shoes, gloves, gaiters and the like,
characterized by eyelets or perforated buttons (a), arranged upon the parts to be
connected and adapted to freely rotate, through which said eyelets or buttons the
laces are threaded.
2. A constructional form of the lacing device, referred to in the first Claim, in
which the rotatable eyes or the perforated buttons (a) respectively are actuated by
a spring (f) which facilitates the loosening of the lace.
Dated this 23rd day of April 1898.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.