US440806A - Ijtvemtok - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.) J. D. GRIFFEN.

FASTENING FOR SHOES.

No. 440,806. Patented Nov. 18, 1890 [.NVEJVTOGE WITNESSES UNITED STATES JOHN D. GRIFFEN, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

FASTENING FOR SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 440,806, dated November 18, 1890.

Application filed April 15, 1890. Serial No. 347,932. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN D. GRIFFEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fast-enings for Shoes, &c.; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to provide anovel fastening adapted for general use-as, for instance, in fastening shoes, corsets, gloves, &c.but which I have shown in connection with a shoe only, a single illustration being deemed sufficient for the purposes of this specification.

The essential features of my invention are that but a single string is used in connection with closed eyes; that the string is never removed from any of the eyes after having been once placed in position; that the lacing is effected by a single straight pull; that after being drawn up the string lies straight or approximately straight and the eyes in line or nearly in line with each other, and that in unlacing it is simply necessary to release the free end of the string and open the flaps of the shoe. These results I accomplish in the manner which I will now describe, and then specifically point out in the claim.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective of a shoe having my novel .fastening applied, the string, for the sake of clearness of illustration, being shown as partially drawn up, the free end being released; and Fig. 2 is afront and edge view of one of the closed fastening-eyes detached.

1 denotes the flaps of a shoe, and 2 the string, it being understood, of course, that the general construction and arrangement would be the same in applying my invention to a glove or corset. In the application of my invention to a shoe whichI have selected as a means of illustrating my invention, the lower end of the string is fixed in any suit able manner, either upon the inside or the outside at the intersection of the two flaps-=- that is, where they join the vamp.

In the drawings I have shown my invention as applied to a heavy shoe, and have shown the string as attached by means of a plate 3, secured in any suitable manner at the center of the upper edge of the vamp, the plate being upturned at its upper edge and provided with a hole through which the string is passed, a knot or other suitable enlargement 4 being formed at the lower end of the string to prevent its being drawn through the plate. Any other suitable means of fixing the lower end of the string in place may be adopted if preferred.

5 denotes the eyes, which are placed at suitable distances apart on the opposite flaps, being preferably so placed relatively to each other, as shown in the drawings, that they will just lap past each other in pairs when the string is drawn upthat is, each eye upon one flap will just pass over an eye upon the other flap, there being more or less space, according to the taste of the manufacturer or the requirements. of the trade, between each pair of eyes. The eyes may of course be formed in any suitable manner. I preferably form them from a strip of metal which is curved near the center to form the closed eye and doubled upon itself, one end of the strip being carried past the other end, as shown at the left in Fig. 2, and both ends being,pro

vided with prongs 6, as indicated at the right in Fig. 2, which are adapted to be forced through the leather of the flaps and clinched upon the under side to hold the eyes in place.

As already stated, the shoe is permanently laced up once for all, and the string merely requires to be tightened or loosened in putting on or removing. hen the string is placed in the shoe, after securing the lower end, the free end is passed through the several eyes in sequence, as shown in the drawings, and a knot 4% or other suitable enlargement formed at the end thereof. As shown in the drawings, the eyes are rounded outward at their outer edges, so that the string will slip through freely and avoid friction or wear upon the string.

It will be seen that when the wearer wishes to tighten. up the shoe it is simply necessary to give a straight pull upon the upper end of the string. This draws the several pairs of eyes more orless closely together, as may be desired, and as indicated in the drawings. The upper end of the string is fastened in any suitable manner, a Way which I have found perfectly satisfactory in use being to pass the upper end of the string across from the upper eye and around the ankle, engaging the knot at the free end of the string with a suitable hook 7. The position of this knot may of course be changed at will, or a number of knots may be made at the upper end of the string, so that the shoe may be tightened or loosened whenever required in use. When the wearer desires to remove the shoe, it is simply necessary to release the free end of the cord and open the flaps outward. The string, however, is not withdrawn from any of the eyes, the operation being clearly indicated in Fig. 1.

Having thus described my invention, I claim A shoe provided centrally at the upper edge of the vamp with a fixed plate having an upturned edge with a hole through it, said shoe having also eyes attached to the edges of the flaps and adapted to lap past each other in pairs, and a string secured at one end to said plate and passed through the said eyes, said string having a knot at its free end and a hook 7 on one of said flaps to engage the free end of the said string after the flaps have been drawn together.

In testimony whereof I affix mysignature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN D. GRIFFEN.

Witnesses:

H. E. CLARK, E. H. MoFFATT.

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