IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLYING EYELET HOLES TO BOOTS AND SHOES, AND IN BINDING BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Holmes, of Street, Somerset, Accountant,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLYING EYELET HOLES TO BOOTS
AND SHOES, AND IN BINDING BOOTS AND SHOES."
Sealed the 13th October 1859, and dated the 25th April 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Holmes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
25th April 1859.
I, JAMES HOLMES, of Street, Somerset, Accountant, do hereby declare the
nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPLYING EYELET HOLES TO
BOOTS AND SHOES, AND IN BINDING BOOTS AND SHOES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in applying eyelet holes to
boots and shoes, and in binding boots and shoes. For these purposes metal
eyelet holes are employed in fastening the material used for binding boots and
shoes at those parts where laces are employed, so that the same eyelet holes
serve to attach the binding, and also for the passage of the laces. When the
binding is of leather or other comparatively flexible material, the binding
material is placed over the edges of the parts of the boots and shoes where
eyelet holes are required, and suitable holes having been formed, metal eyelet
holes are placed and fixed through the binding material, and through the
material of which the "uppers," or parts of the "uppers" of the boots and
shoes are formed. When the binding material is of a comparatively stiff
character, and not sufficiently flexible to admit of its being bent to and fro
freely, as when metal, stiff leather, or other such material is employed, then
the binding material is notched out between the metal eyelet holes, by which
it is fixed to the edges of the "uppers;" or the binding material is used

page_text: in several pieces, one piece to each of the eyelet holes, each such piece of the
binding material being bent over the edge of the "upper" of a boot or shoe,
and made fast thereto by a metal eyelet hole.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Holmes in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
25th October 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
HOLMES, of Street, Somerset, Accountant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said James Holmes, Her special licence that I, the said James
Holmes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Holmes, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
APPLYING EYELET HOLES TO BOOTS AND SHOES, AND IN BINDING BOOTS AND SHOES,"
upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said James Holmes, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one
of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said James Holmes, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in applying eyelet holes to
boots and shoes, and in binding boots and shoes. For these purposes metal
eyelet holes are employed in fastening the material used for binding boots and
shoes at those parts where laces are employed, so that the same eyelet holes
serve to attach the binding, and also for the passage of the laces.
When the

page_text: "
binding is of leather or other comparatively flexible material, the binding
material is placed over the edges of the parts of the boots and shoes where
eyelet holes are required, and suitable holes having been formed, metal eyelet
holes are placed and fixed through the binding material and through the
material of which the "
uppers or parts of the "uppers" of the boots
and shoes are formed. When the binding material is of a compara-
tively stiff character, and not sufficiently flexible to admit of its being bent
to and fro freely, as when metal, stiff leather, or other such material is
employed, then the binding material is notched out between the metal eyelet
holes by which it is fixed to the edges of the " uppers or the binding
material is used in several pieces, one piece to each of the eyelet holes,
each such piece of the binding material being bent over the edge of the upper
of a boot or shoe and made fast thereto by a metal eyelet hole.
"
Having thus stated the nature of my Invention, I will proceed more fully
to describe the manner of performing the same.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shows part of the front of a boot or shoe where lacing holes are
used.
Figure 2 shows a section thereof.
Figure 3 shows a similar part of another boot or shoe where the binding
material is of a stiff or unyielding character, such as sheet metal or stiff leather,
then the binding pieces are notched out or in separate pieces coming together
or nearly so. The hollow rivets or tubes a, a, are upset at their two ends as
usual, but in all cases where the binding is not of metal, there is a metal plate
or disc b, b, placed on each side of the binding material, by which means the
binding material is held securely to the part of the "upper" which is between
the binding material or materials. These discs or plates may be made
ornamental by being embossed, and their shapes also may be of an ornamental
character.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Holmes, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine
JAMES HOLMES
(1.S.)
JAMES HOLMES
(1.S.)