US221414A - Improvement in elastic clasps for shoes - Google Patents

Description

O. LIBBY. Elastic Clasp for Shoes.

No. 221,414. Patented Nov. I1, 1879.

Fig.

\X/ITNEEEEE, I I I [Ah/ENTER N.PETERS. PHOTO-LITDIDGRAPHER. WASHINGTUN. D. C.

'Unrrnn STATE-s CYRUS LIBBY, OF

l IMPROVEMENT IN ELASTIC CLASPSFOR SHOES.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 221,414, dated November 11, 1879 application filed June To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CYRUS LIBBY, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elastic Clasps for Shoes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the acompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a clasp designed especially to be applied to the lapels of the shoe described in Letters Patent numbered 189,476, and dated April 10, 1877, but applicable equally to other styles of shoes, and to other articles wherein the elastic portion, as heretofore constructed, is exposed to wear.

My said improved shoe has, as one feature of its construction, rearward-folding lapels, forming partof the top, which lapels more or less nearly meet at the back of the ankle, and which are held together and down in place at their margins by an elastic strap fastened to one lapel and provided with a metal loop or eye at its free end, which catches upon ahook fastened to the other lapel.

It also consists in providing the metal eye portion of the fastening with an upturned lip, by which it may be more easily manipulated, and which adapts the clasp to be applied to the lapel between its two thicknesses, and in this position prevents thelo )p from being drawn in out of easyreach.

These and other features of my device will be further set forth by reference to the drawings, in which Figure 1 shows the blank from which the eye is formed, said blank having wings, by which, when properly bent, it is clamped upon the leather section, and also an extension,

which, in the completed clasp, forms the upturned lip already mentioned. Fig. 2 is an under-side view of the clasp complete. Fig. 3 is a view of the outer side. Fig. 4 is a side elevation, and Fig. 5 a perspective view, of the same. In Fig. 6 is shown a rear view of an upper having lapels and my clasp applied thereto, and in Fig. 7 is shown a side view of the same style of upper with clasp in place.

A is a blank struck from sheet metal, and having the hole S to form the eye proper, the

wings I) b to be bent inwardly upon the strap portion, and thus unite the eye to the 'strap, and aprojection, a, which forms the upturned lip in the finished clasp.

L is a leather section of the strap, in which a piece of proper shape is folded double, with its edges meeting centrally on the'under side, as shown in Fig. 2-. One end of the folded leather is firmly clamped by the wings b 1) against the body 0 of the metal eye, as also clearly seen in Fig. 2. The other end of the leather part embraces one end of the elastic fabric forming the section E of theistrap, and is stitched thereto, as shown by dotted lines in -Figs. 2, 3, and 5. i

P is the lip, made by throwing upffthe projection a of Fig. 1 so as to be nearly vertical with the body of the loop 0. The loop portion of the blank is struck up in the bent form clearly seen in Figs. 4. and 5, the opening S extending back to the plain portion or body of O.

In applying the clasp so constructed to the shoe, the elastic portion E is inserted through a suitable slit, 8, near the margin of one lapel, and its inner end is secured by stitching, as shown at m, Fig. 6. The hook at is secured to the opposite lapel near the margin thereof. The strap formed of the parts E and L is nearly or wholly inserted within the lapel up to thelip I, which may serve as a stop to pre vent the withdrawal of the metal portion, also within the slit, and, by projecting more than the thickness of the leather, enables one to easily catch the metal part by thumb or finger nail for the purpose of snapping the loop over the hook. In most cases, when the shoe is on the foot, some portion of the leather portion L will be drawn out of the recess; but it is in tended that this part shall be so long that none of the elastic part E will be exposed. Whatever wear occurs, therefore, falls on the leather L, except as this also is somewhat relieved by the prominence of the lip P.

Thus made and applied, the clasp is found to be as durable as other portions of the shoe, and the expense and inconvenience of providin g new clasps are obviated, greatly to the advantage of the special style of shoe to which I particularly apply the same, and which is otherwise approved.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In an elastic clasp for a shoe, the metal loop-piece 0, provided with the upturned lip P, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a shoe having rearward-foldin g lapels, the clasp described, having the metal looppiece 0, the leather part L, and the elastic part E applied to the lapel by having the elastie part set in between the two thicknesses of the lapel and secured, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CYRUS LIBBY. Witnesses:

M. E. DAYTON, JESSE Cox, Jr.

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