US1474168A - Shoe clasp - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 13, 1923.

T. RUSSELL SHOE CLASP Filed May 51. 192s' INVENTGR.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 13, i923.

rs` eres 'till iliill.

THEOIDORE RUSSELL, OF NAUGATCK, CONNECTICUT, SSIGNOR TO TEE JOHN M.

RUSSELL MANUFACTURNG COMPANY, OF NAUGATUCK, CONNECTICUT, A. COR- SHOE CLASP.

Application tiled May 31,

To LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THnoDoR-n Bussum., a citizen of the United States, residing at Naugatuek, county of New Haven, State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Shoe Clasp, of which the following is a specification.

rlhis invention relates to a buckle or clasp, especially such as are used for shoes and aretics, and has for an object to provide an improved clasp which may be manufactured at lower cost than those nowV generally employed, which will have a smoother` and easier operation, which will be less liable to break, will lie flatter on the fabric of the shoe and so will not cause pressure of the fabric on the foot, and which will not be as liable to cut the securing loops as will the old form.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised t'lie construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a shoe or arctic showing my improved buckle or clasp attached thereto.

Fig. 2 is a transversev section thereof, showing'the clasp closed.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the clasp open.

Fig. 4 is abottom plan view of theclasp in open position.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view thereofpin closed position.

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan View in closed position, and

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal section and front elevation of an improved form of ladder.

1n the drawing 10 represents a portion of a shoe 0r arctic closed at the front by a iieXible tongue or bellows portion 11. To the opposite sides of this portion of the shoe are secured one or more buckles in the usual manner, as by threaded loops 12 stitched to the shoe.

- As is usual, this type of securing means comprises a ladder 13 provided with a series of spaced rectangularV openings 14 for entrance of the tongue or lever 15. VThis ladder is preferablyV made of sheet inetal and curved to correspond with the contour of the shoe and has an opening 16 for the securing loop 12. In stamping this meinber three sides only of the opening 16 is 1923. Serial No. 642,521.

cut leaving the metal attached to the body at the outer edge, and the tongue 17 thus formed is then bent -baclwardly on the body giving a double thickness and a round edge 18 on the side of the opening which is engaged by the loop 12. It will be apparent that this round edge will be much less lilrelv to out the loop than would the sharp edges which would be left if the metal iilling the opening were entirely removed, as is 'the ordinary construction.

Theothei portion of the clasp or securing means comprises a frame made of wire and the tongue or lever 15 hinged thereto. In the specific construction shown this frame comprises a single piece of wire, preferably round, and bent substantially the shape illustrated. In the specific form illustrated the wire is bent on opposite sides of a midseetion or bar 19 to provide spaced side members 20 extending laterally from the mid-section or connecting bar 19 in the same direction, and are preferably substantially parallel. At a suitable distance from the bar 19 they are bent inwardly toward each other to provide reentrant portions 21, and then at a suitable distance from the side members are bent backwardly toward the bar 19 to provide intermediate members 22, preferably substantially parallel with the side members, and at a short distance from the back bar 19 are bent upon themselves, as shown at 22', and then extend forwardly again to form resilient tongue members 23 which terminate Vbeyond the re-entrant portions 21. This is the simplest form of frame, but in F ig. 6I have shown a slightly dif= ferent construction in which the side mem- 20 are provided with offsets or loops 24 a short distance from the back bar 19 to prevent the loops 12 sliding around onto the side members, as it might do in some cases in the first form if the loop should be made too large. Otherwise the frame shown in F ig. 6 is the same as that shown in Fig. 4.

Hinged to the re-entrant portions 21 is the tongue or lever 15, preferably made of a piece of sheet metal, with a substantially flat back portion 25 and a front or tongue portion 26 which is adapted to extend through the openings 14 in the ladder 13 in closing the clasp. This tongue portion is secured to the baclr by a curved portion or loop 27, and when stamping this member the back is provided with lugs 28 on the opposite sides thereof Which are adapted to be bent around the rc-entrant portions 21 of the frame to hinge the lever thereto, and in forming this connection these lugs are folded outwardly so aste leave the back of the lever substantially flat. Between these hinge lugs the back is provided with a projection or tongue 29 extending beyond the axis of the hinge or pivot, as shown in Figs. l and 6, and is so positioned that its free end may be engaged by the tongue-members 23, Vith which it coa-cts to hold the lever in open and closed positions. For the purpose of preventing the tongue members 23 sliding' ofi1 this projection, its free edge is preferably provided with notches 30 in which these members may rest. lt will thus be apparent that, as the free edge of the tongue 29 projects beyond the axis of the pivot for 'the lever, When the lever is turned on its pivot to the open and closed positions the free edge of the tongue 29 ivi l move through an arcA of a circle and press the tongue members 23 laterally, but the tongue will be substantially parallel with these members with its free edge on opposite sides of the pivot When the lever is opened and closed, and the pressure of these resilient members thereon Will tend to hold the lever either in the open or the closed position.

There are several distinct advantages of this construction of clasp over the old iorm of sheet metal clasp. As the frame is made of Wire it may be bent to shape on automatic machinery and there is no loss of material, and thus no scrap. Due to the peculiar shape of the frame the tongue members 23 have a length substantially equal to the length of the frame, and so they are much longer than the tongue of the sheet metal frame, and,

therefore, give much smoother Working and more easily operated lever than is se.- cured with the sheet metal frame, and fur?V thermore, it is not so liable to break under continued operation. There is also less fric. tion and less liability of rapidly Wearing out. Furthermore, in this construction the folded ears or lugs 28 may be formed on the lever which does not require to be tempered as does the frame of the old type of construction made of sheet m-etal. As the formation of'these ears require a sharp bend in the material, thesheet instal frame must be made of soft annealed metal as otherwise the lugs or ears would be broken off in bending, and then the frame must be tempered to give a resilient action to the tongue. llVith the present construction these lugs are formed on the lever which does not require to be tempered. They may also be bent outwardly, as shown, so as to givea substantially fiat back 25 with no projections pressingaganst the fabric of the shoe against thev foot of the wearer and, therefore, are more comfortable. This flat back, also, as shown in Fig. 2, when the lever is closed lies flat against the surface of the fabric, and so assists in holding the leverV in closed position. Still further, as vthe pivot lugs or ears 28 are Wrapped around the re-entrant portions 21 between the side members 2O and interniediate members 22, they hold the frame together preventing it from spreading or opening sideivise thus malringa much more rigid frame. Furtheri-nore, as the frame is preferablymade of round Wire it is much less likely to cut the loop l2 than are the sharp edges formed when the opening for this loop is stamped from a piece of sheet metal. The frame may be made either of resilient or spring Wire, or a soft Wire which can be tempered after the frame has been bent to give the spring action for the tongue members 23. This construction also eliminates one operation required 'a forming the tongue when itis used With a sheet metal frame. lln this old form of construction the body plate or frame is of high carbon steel While the lever or tongue is Vof low carbon steel, and as the Whole buckle after assembly has to be heated in tempering thebody, this anneals the tongue or lever at the same time, and itis, therefore, necessary to Vprovide a corrugation to reinforce and give the necessary strength to the tongue or lever. This is not necessary with the present form. In the present construction there is not as much danger of the tongue or lever break-ing or cracking as inthe old form, as Vno heating and tempering Operation is required.

Having thus set yforth thenature of my invention, what l claim is: Y

l. In a clasp, a Wire frame having reA entrant sides bent; baclpv-ardly and then upon themselves to form a resilient tongue, and a lever hinged to said frameV and pro` vided with a tongue coacting with the frame 'tongue to hold the lever closedgaositien47 2. ln a clasp, viirefram il@ 'nga lengitudinally estending.resilu it te gue, and lever hinged toit e 'i and provided With a projection` e: 4, beyond the hinge and terminating' in a free edge engagedv by said'tongue. Y Y

3. ln a clasp, a frame comprising a Wire with the sides on oppositeY sides of its midsection extending laterally in the same direction, then extending inwardly toward each other for aVV short distance, then longitudinally tovvardthe Vmid-section and then bent vback upon themselves to form a resilient tongue, and, lever hinged to the inwardly extendingportions and provided with a. tongue coacting with tie tongue to hold the leverin diiierent positions. c Y

4. In a clasp, a Wire frame comprising spaced side members connected to 2L transverse bar at one end adapted to engage a securing loop, said side members extending inwardly toward each other at their opposite ends, then longitudinally of the frame toward seid bar and then inwardly toward each other and baekwardly toward the other end of the frame to provide a resilient tongue, and a lever pivoted to the frame at the latter end and provided with a free edge at one side of the pivotal axis adapted to engage said tongue whereby the lever is held in closed position.

5. In a clasp, a wire frame having reentriint sides bent baelrvva-rdl'y and then upon themselves to form a resilient tongue, and a leve-r hinged to said :trame and provided With a tongue having a reeedge coacting With the frame tongue to hold the lever in closed position, said free edge being provided with one or more notches to receive the Wires ot said tongue to hold them in proper position.

6. In a clasp, a wire frame comprising spaced side members connected to a bar at one end adapted to engage e securing loop, said side members being provided with inwardly extending offsets a short distance from said bar to prevent the loop moving around onto the side members, said side members extending inwardly toward each other at the other end of the frame and then bent to form a resilient tongue, end a lever pivoted to the frame on said inwardly extending portions and provided with a free edge at one side of its pivotal axis and adapted to eoaet with seid tongue to hold the lever in different positions.

7. In a clasp, aframe having transversely extending portions, and a securing lever having a substantial Het beek portion and provided with ears folded outwardly from the pla-ne ot said back portion over said Vtransversely extending portions to hinge the lever to the frame.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature.

THEODORE RUSSELL.

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