US38272A - Improvement in boots - Google Patents

Description

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

J. HOLMES AGEW, OF DOBBS FERRY, NFNV YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOOTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 38,272, dated April 28, 1863.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it knownthat I, J. HOLMES AGNEW, of Dobbs Ferry, in the county of Westchester and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Construction of Boots; and I do hereby declare that the following` is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in whichble fastening by which it may be opened and closed, and also provided with a tongue arranged in a novel way at the inner side of the boot, as hereinafter fully shown and de- Bzribed.

Science and practice unite in proving that the comfort of a boot, in walking, consists in a tight instep or one which will encompass snugly the back portion of the foot, and prevent the moving of the boot on the foot, or the moving of the foot in the boot, and the consequent friction on the toes and other for-- ward parts of the foot. My invention is designed to attain this result by a simple means, which will admit of the boot being adj usted to the instep with the greatest facility at the will of the wearer.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

Arepresents a boot, which may be constructed in the ordinary way as regards form or shape. B is an opening or incision which is made longitudinally in the top of the instep, and which may be two or three inches in length, (more or l'ess,) according to the size of the boot. To the inner side of the boot,

directly underneath the incision B, 'there is secured a tongue, O, which is made of a strip of leather or other suitable material, a trifle longer than the incision, and secured at both ends to the boot, as shown at a a, Fig. 1. This tongue is designed to be a trifle wider than the incision B can be opened, or will under any circumstances be required to be opened, spread apart, or distended.

The boot at each side of the incision B may be perforated with eyelet-holes b, to admit of a lacing, D, being passed through them .to close the incision. Other iastenings, however, maybe employed for this purpose, such as straps and buckles, hooks and eyes, button and button-holes, &c.

From this description it will be seen that the boot may be adjusted to the instep as snugly as desired, so as to eft'ectually prevent the foot from moving in the boot while in the act of walking,` and hence a snuglyfitting and easy boot is obtained, all friction and abrasion on the foot of the wearer avoided, and consequently a perfect freedom from corns and pains.

In case the boot should bind too tightly around the instep, in consequence of the swelling of the foot or contraction of the leather, it may be readily loosened by simply loosening the lacing or other fastening which may be employed. This may be done at any time and in any place, even in company or during an entertainment, without any inconvenience or impropriety whatever, and, in fact, without attracting any attention. This is an important feature of the invention, for the feet frequently swell after being a short time in a warm room or remaining still after walking or riding in railroad-cars.

By having the tongue C arranged as shown-to wit, secured at both ends to the boot--the tongue cannot be displaced by the entrance of the foot into the boot. This is also an important feature of the invention, as a tongue is indispensably necessary, and if not arranged or attached in the manner shown and described, so as to avoid the above-mentioned contingency, a great deal of other suitable fastening, and coveredl by a tongue, C, attached at both ends to the inner side of the boot loelovsT the opening or incision,. all substantially as set forth.

J. HOLMES AGNEW.

Witnesses GEo. W. REED, J. W. CooMBs.

Images