Improved Means for Securing the Laces of Boots and Shoes, applicable also for Fastening Gloves.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Dcc., 1890-Accepted, 21st Mar., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by RASMUS ALBERT CHRISTOPHERSEN, of Odense,
and ALBERT EDWARD SCHUMANN, of Flensborg, both in the Kingdom of
Denmark..]
Improved Means for Securing the Laces of Boots and Shoes,
applicable also for Fastening Gloves.
I, PHILIP ARTHUR NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 6, Bream's Buildings,
Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
The object of this invention is to obtain an casy, convenient, and perfectly safe
attachment, without knot, for the laces or strings of laced boots and shoes. The
usual method of securing boot laces is by a knot after they have been pulled
sufficiently tight. This method has however the drawback, that the knot, which
takes two hands to make, is not always safe, but may often, during walking, become
loosened of itself, and if sufficiently firm, the knot may be difficult to undo.
According to my invention, the lace is, not only secured more quickly, but also.
more safely than heretofore the advantage is besides attained, that the untying is
easy, and may be done with one hand.
The securing device may also be applied to gloves.
In the accompanying drawing, the device is represented with modifications but
in all cases, the laces or strings are secured by means of a spring.
Fig. 1 shows the upper surface of the device;
Fig. 2 shows it in longitudinal section ;
Fig. 3 likewise, but in a cramped position, occasioned by the laces being wound
thereon.
Fig. 4 shows its under face, and Fig. 5 a transverse section.
Fig. 6 represents the device in use.
Fig. 7 shows the upper surface of a modified construction;
Fig. 8 indicates a longitudinal section of the same.
Fig. 9 the under face;
Fig. 10 the modification in use.
The device shown by Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, consists of an outer oval-shaped cap-
piece a, with a raised portion b in the middle, as shewn in transverse section by
Fig. 5. The cap-piece is furnished with projections for fastening the device in
the leather, as shewn by Figures 2 and 3. On the raised part, in the cap piece, is.
placed a steel spring c, which is firmly fixed to a post d, onto the upper end of which
is firmly rivetted the arm f.
When the device is out of use, without the laces or strings being wound
about the pin d, then the spring c will straighten itself, and press the arm f
down upon the cap piece a, if, on the other hand, the laces or strings are turned
but once round the pin, the arm f will become raised, by which means the
spring c is cramped, and the string is jammed firmly between the arm and the cap-
piece, and is thus kept firm, without requiring any knot (Fig. 3).
In the modification shewn in Figs. 7. 8. 9. and 10, a is a cap piece or a flat
plate, upon the outer side of which is a pin g, with a head, and also a bent spring h.
The principle and the effect is here the same, as with the before mentioned device,
only there is a slight distance between the pin 9 and the spring h. The lace
string is once wound round the pivot, and is fixed by the squeezing action of the
spring without any knot.

page_text: 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 :-
The means herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing,
for securing lace ends in the manner explained.
Dated this 9th day of December 1890.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicant.