Year: 1897

page_text: I, ELEAZER KEMPSHALL, of Newton, in the County of Middlesex, State of Massa-
chusetts, United States of America, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in lacing eyelets.
My improved eyelet consists essentially of a shank adapted to be connected to the
leather or other material or article to which the device is to be applied, and a head
that is perforated transversely to the axis of the shank, thus forming an eye through
which the lace may be passed and which eye is entirely above the surface of the
material to which the eyelet is applied.
According to my invention I may construct the said eyelet with a metal shank
of any suitable form as for instance a hollow or partially hollow cylinder, having
an enlarged or flanged end. The head or eye portion of the eyelet is formed of
celluloid or other suitable substance which is moulded around the enlarged end
of the shank so as to be rigidly secured or anchored thereto. A circular base or
disc is preferably provided on the head to give a bearing or hold upon the material.
In some cases I may so construct the shank portion that it forms a core or centre
for the head and has the eye formed therein. The celluloid or other substance is
then moulded around the head of the shank to any desired shape.
Instead of employing a cylindrical or centrally arranged shank, I may employ
a strip of metal having its ends bent at right angles and forming tongues adapted
to be passed through the leather or other material and to be clinched or riveted
thereto. The said tongues may if desired be pointed, so as to facilitate their pass-
age through the material. The head of the eyelet is moulded around the central
portion of the said strip, and provided with an eye, in the same manner as before
described.
By my invention the whole of the lace employed with my eyelets will lie on one
side of the article or material to which the eyelets are applied.
I do not however confine myself to the hereinbefore described construction
of my improved eyelet, as it is obvious that may vary the material employed,
or construct both the shank and the head of the same material, or modify the shape
or form of the device, in numerous ways, without departing from the nature of
my invention.
Doted this 15th day of December 1897.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
· 45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: Improvements in Lacing Eyelets.
I, ELEAZER KEMPSHALL, of Newton, in the County of Middlesex, State of Massa-
chusetts, United States of America, 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:-
"
This invention relates to so-called fast colour lacing eyelets used particularly
on boots and shoes, and constructed to receive and guide a lace or lacing cord or
cords wholly on the exterior of the boot or shoe or other article to which a series
of such eyelets are attached, the eyelet comprising a base formed to bear on the
eyelet or other material or holder and provided with an attaching device to enter
and engage the said material, a neck projecting outwardly, from the base at one
side of the centre, and a head formed on the outer portion of the neck and pro-
jecting therefrom over the base,' said base; neck, and head forming a lace guiding
throat or recess and composed of a wear resisting material such as celluloid, which
is made. plastic. by heat and presents: surfaces which do not change colour when
subjected to frictional wear, and are therefore known as fast colour or wear resisting
surfaces.
My invention has for its object to provide a fast colour eyelet in which the head
shall not be dependent for its support on a single neck, and further to enable the
eyelet to retain the lacing so that it cannot escape laterally from the throat or
recess.
,'
To these ends my invention consists in the improvements which I will now pro-
ceed to describe with reference to the 'accompanying drawing in which.""
Figure 1 represents in side elevation, a lacing eyelet constructed in accordance
with my invention.
Figure 2 represents a vertical 'section thereof.
1
Figure 3 represents an horizontal section thereof on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.
Figure 4 represents a plan of the blank, used in the construction of the eyelet
shown in Figures 2 and 3.
.
1! .
Figure 5 represents a vertical sectional view of the blank after it has been shaped
to receive the wear resisting material.
Figure 6 represents a vertical section of a modified form of eyelet.
Figure 7 represents a plan showing a series of my improved lacing eyelets in
position on the leather or supporting parts of a boot or shoe, with the lacing
running through the said eyelets, which latter are shown in section.
Figure 8 represents a-plan of the blank formed as shown in Figure 5, and
Figure 9 represents a cross-sectional view of the material or fabric on the
line 99 of Figure 7..
Similar letters of reference represent corresponding parts in all the figures of
the drawing.. :
+
1
Referring to the said drawing, which shows the best embodiment of my inven-
tion now known to me, a represents a lacing eyelet comprising a post having a
base 2 formed to bear on the eyelet holding portion r¹ of a boot or shoe, or other
article, two, necks 3 and 5 projecting from said base at opposite sides of its centre
and a head 4.formed on the outer ends of the necks, the relative arrangement of
the base 2, necks 3 and 5, and head 4 being such that they form a lace-receiving
orifice f¹, which surrounds the lacing. The eyelet is moulded from a suitable
plastic material or composition such as celluloid, and is provided with an attaching
member or device b, which projects from the base 2, and is adapted to engage the
holder 1.

page_text: The lacing is therefore confined in the eyelet against escape in a lateral direction,
so that when a series of the eyelets' are assembled as shown in Figure 7, the
lacing is permanently retained in the said eyelets, and its free ends are always
in condition to enable the two holding' portions to be drawn together by a
pull on said free ends.
The inner surfaces of the necks 3 and 5, in consequence of the wear resisting
material of which they are made; present anti-frictional bearings to the lacing,
enabling the latter to slip easily endwise through; the eyelets.
The necks 3 and 5 are preferably elongated in cross-section, in the direction of
the movement of the lacing, as shown in Figures and 7, the surfaces against
which the lacing bears being preferably longer than the thickness of the necks
between their inner and outer surfaces. This form not only enables the necks to
present relatively long bearings to the lacings, preventing abrupt flexure and
traying of the same when they are moving endwise through the eyelets, but also
involves an advantageous distribution of the material of the necks, so that the
orifice may be made of ample width without requiring an objectionably bulky
construction. In other words, the thickness or diameter of the post from the outer
surface of one neck to the outer surface of the other may be reduced to the mini-
mum, without sacrificing strength of construction. The flange of the attaching
device may therefore, be located wholly below the arch formed by the two necks
and the head, as shown in Figure 6.
The attaching member 6 serves two purposes, one as an anchorage for the
material composing the eyelet a, and the other for securing the eyelet to the holder
by upsetting the lower part of the attaching member, as shown in Figure 9, or in
any preferred way. Other forms of attaching members may be used, if desired.
The material composing the eyelet may be anchored to the member b, either
by being moulded about a flange 61 on said member, as shown in Figure 6, or by
being moulded about projections 62 extending up from the top of the member b,
into the two necks, forming a sort of skeleton frame, as shown in Figures 2, 3, 4,
and 5. When the projections 62 are used, the ends 63 are preferably dovetailed,
as shown in Figure 8, whereby the ends are securely anchored to the plastic
material to resist lateral strain, and to all practical purposes forming a structure,
firm and rigid, as though the ends were welded or fastened together, or as though
the members were not separated, but formed one extension.
When the form of blank b as shown in Figure 5 is employed, it is preferably
struck up from a flat piece, as shown in Figure 4, and by subsequent operations,
the members 2 bent into place.
Various modifications will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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:
1. A lace eyelet made of celluloid or other plastic material, and comprising a head
or post containing a transverse orifice formed to surround the lacing, the said eyelet
having a suitable attaching member projecting below the post.
2. A wear-resisting lacing eyelet having an inner portion or base formed to
bear on an eyelet support or holder and provided with an attaching device, a neck
projecting from the base at one side of the centre' thereof, a head formed on said
neck, and extending therefrom over the base, the said base, neck, and head being
made of plastic material, such as celluloid, and relatively arranged to form a lace
guiding recess like that of a lacing hook, and an additional neck of the same
material integral with the head and base, and projecting from the base at the
opposite side of its centre from the first mentioned neck, said additional neck
constituting a lacing retaining guard, and an additional support for the head.
3. A lace eyelet comprising a base, having an attached device, a wear-resisting
head, and two wear-resisting necks connecting the head with the base, the said

page_text: necks confining the lacing against lateral displacement, and distributing the sup-
port of the head, whereby liability of detachment of the head from the base is
reduced.
4. A lace eyelet consisting of a post of plastic material such as celluloid having
an inner end or base formed to bear on a holder, two necks projecting outwardly
from the base and having inner surfaces forming the sides of an orifice which is
transverse to the axis of the post the surfaces of the necks being longer in the
direction of the movement of the lacing than the thickness of the necks from their
inner to their outer surfaces, whereby elongated lace bearings are formed, and the
thickness of the post is reduced to the minimum, and an externally convex outer
end or head connecting the outer ends of the necks, said eyelets having an
attaching device projecting from its inner end.
Dated this 20th dow of March 1898
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.