US3771699A

US3771699A - Lace tightener

Info

Publication number: US3771699A
Application number: US00150979A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Thibeault
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-06-08
Filing date: 1971-06-08
Publication date: 1973-11-13
Anticipated expiration: 1990-11-13

Abstract

A lace tightener having a rotatable shank with handles at either end and a hook in the center to seize the laces as they are wrapped around the shank and tightened.

Description

[ Nov. 13, 1973 United States Patent [191 Thibeault 3,197,097 7/1965 Casner et 294/26 X 3,149,384 8/1964 Ryder 223/113 396,973 1/1889 24/71 3 d O O w y a F 0% 13 M n mm i MB c m w Edd Twv HJA G n mm mm L.m MP 57 [22] Filed: June 8, 1971 Primary Examiner-Jordan Franklin Assistant Examiner-William L. Falk Att0rney-Morton, Bernard, Brown, Roberts &

' Sutherland Appl. No.: 150,979

[52] US. Cl. 223/113 A47j 51/02 223/113, 119;

ABSTRACT [51] 1nt.C1.

[58] Field of Search.;'..........................

A lace tightener having a rotatable shank with handles ateither end and a hook in the center to seize the laces as they are wrapped around the shank and tightened.

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures PAIENTEBIIUV 13 I873 INVENTOR JOSEPH G. THIBEAULT LACE TIGHTENER Lacing up ice skates, ski-boots or other high top outdoor footwear is often a difficult task. Considerable force is required, particularly when the laces are wet and the lace itself puts great pressure on the wearers finger. Proper lacing tension is often beyond the capability of small children.

Two classes of lacing aids are presently known. One type examplified by U.S. Pat. No. 3,149,384 is used after a boot is loosely laced. This device twists one or more laces about itself to tighten the laces and remains in place during use. Another class of device is a hook such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,027,057 or 3,270,927.

In addition to hooking and pulling the latter discloses prying leverage.

The present invention is an improvement on the former class in being removeable after lacing and an improvement on the latter class in providing an important mechanical advantage during tightening.

The invention will be further described with reference to the'drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 discloses the lace tightener being used on an ice skate;

FIG. 2 is cross section taken. on lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 after the tightener has been rotated one half turn;

FIG. 4 is another view similar to FIG. 2 after the tightener has been rotated one complete turn, and;

FIG. 5 is a cross section view taken on lines 55 of FIG. 2.

The structure of the lace tightener includes an elongated shank 16 which may be hexagonal as shown or of any other suitable cross section and handles 12 and 14 mounted at either end. In the center of the shank is hook 18 protruding normally to the axis of the shank. The hook may conveniently be secured in position-by counter pin 20.

In operation the tightener is oriented so that the hook is on the toe side of the skate 26 and is facing upward. The hook is fed underneath laces 22 at their cross over point between the eyelets and the tightener is then rotated as shown to draw both laces over and around the shank. In this tightening operation the shank functions as a capstan allowing the handles to generate a mechanical advantage making the tightening operation much easier than pulling the laces by hand.

The tightening operation is begun near the toe as shown. As the laces 22 below the tightener are drawn up, the laces 24 nearer the ankle are to some degree drawn down. When the laces are tight enough the tightener is rotated the other way and the operation repeated one or more eyelets nearer the top of the skate. The disclosed design may be altered to give any desired degree of mechanical advantage by varying the ratio of the diameter of

handles

12, 14 to the diameter of shank 16.

The distinguishing feature of the present invention is the ability to tighten laces by using the capstan principle of pulling by rolling with mechanical advantage around a shank, without the heretofore known limitation of tension on the upper portion of the lace. More specifically, the lace is rolled around a capstan whose axis is parallel to the axis or axes of the lace or laces being tightened.

As is disclosed in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the laces are wrapped around the shank of the tightener in a counterclockwise helix on one side of the hook 18, and in a clockwise helix on the other side of, hook 18. The laces bind on both sides producing, in effect, a double Capstan effect so that drawing upwardly on the tightener will tighten the lower laces and not cause the lace to slip through the tightener until the resistance on the upper lace equals that on the lower lace.

I claim:

1. A device for tightening the laces such as pass between opposed eyelets of footwear which comprises:

a. a rotatable elongated shank adapted to be disposed parallel to and adjacent said laces,

b. said shank having a polygonal cross-section extending substantially the entire length of the shank,

c. handles at the extremities of said shank adapted for rotation by the hands of the user and rigidly mounted on said shank,

d. lace hooking means in the center of said shank,

e. said means projecting outwardly from said shank and adapted to hold said laces and draw them around said shank as said shank is rotated,

thereby tightening the portion of the laces between the point of rotation and the toe of the footwear.

2. A device for tightening the; laces such as pass between opposed eyelets of footwear which comprises:

a. a rotatable and elongated shaft,

b. said shaft adapted to be disposed parallel to and adjacent said laces,

c. handles at the extremities of said shank rigidly mounted on said shank and adapted for rotation by the hands of said user,

(I. lace hooking means in the center of said shank,

e. said lace hooking means projecting outwardly from said shank and adapted to hold a selected one of said laces and draw it around said shank as said shank is rotated,

f. said lace being wrapped around said shank in a clockwise helix on one side of said hooking means and in a counterclockwise helix on the other side of'said hooking means,

g. said laces binding on said shank in said opposed helixes,

whereby, said device may be drawn against said laces to tighten the portion of the laces between the hooking means and the toe of the footwear.

Claims

1. A device for tightening the laces such as pass between opposed eyelets of footwear which comprises: a. a rotatable elongated shank adapted to be disposed parallel to and adjacent said laces, b. said shank having a polygonal cross-section extending substantially the entire length of the shank, c. handles at the extremities of said shank adapted for rotation by the hands of the user and rigidly mounted on said shank, d. lace hooking means in the center of said shank, e. said means projecting outwardly from said shank and adapted to hold said laces and draw them around said shank as said shank is rotated, thereby tightening the portion of the laces between the point of rotation and the toe of the footwear.

2. A device for tightening the laces such as pass between opposed eyelets of footwear which comprises: a. a rotatable and elongated shaft, b. said shaft adapted to be disposed parallel to and adjacent said laces, c. handles at the extremities of said shank rigidly mounted on said shank and adapted for rotation by the hands of said user, d. lace hooking means in the center of said shank, e. said lace hooking means projecting outwardly from said shank and adapted to hold a selected one of said laces and draw it around said shank as said shank is rotated, f. said lace being wrapped around said shank in a clockwise helix on one side of said hooking means and in a counterclockwise helix on the other side of said hooking means, g. said laces binding on said shank in said opposed helixes, whereby, said device may be drawn against said laces to tighten the portion of the laces between the hooking means and the toe of the footwear.