US442798A

US442798A - Shoe attachment

Info

Publication number: US442798A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1890-12-16
Anticipated expiration: 1907-12-16

Description

T.F.BYRNES.'

(No Model.)

SHOE ATTACHMENT.

No.'442,798. Patented Dec. 16. 1890."

THOMAS F. BYRNES, OF EMPORIA, KANSAS.

SHOE ATTACHMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 442,798, dated December 16, 1890.

Application filed November 4:, 1889. Serial No. 329,140. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. BYRNES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Emporia, in the county of Lyon and State of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shoe Attachments, of which the following is a specification.

'lhisinvention relates to a means of attaching overshoes and other low shoes to the foot so that they cannot slip off accidentally while the wearer is walking.

It has been customary heretofore to secure overshoes to the foot by means of a band secured to a button at the rear of the counter, and passed from thence over the front of the ankle. An instance of this construction is shown in a patent granted to me on the 14th of August, 1883. The button or other substitute therefor secured to the outside of the shoe is, however, objectionable, as in the case of ladies shoes it interferes with the skirts, and in the case of mens shoes it wears the bottom of the pantaloon-leg, and, moreover, it is unsightly, or at least an injury to the symmetrical appearance of the shoe. So, also, have metallic clasps been applied to the upper rear edges of the counters of shoes for engagement with fastening bands or straps; but such a clasp being wholly outside of the shoe is open to the objections before noted. Another type of fastening has involved the use of a band permanently fixed at one end to the side of a shoe in front of and below the instep of a foot when inserted therein, and extended thence over the instep, back around the ankle through a loop inside of the shoe near its top at the vertical heel line, and thence to the opposite side of the shoe, where the free end of the band is fastened as by a button or a buckle. None of these prior appliances are of such a character that the bands while in position ready for service will practically admit of the shoe being worn without regularly adjusting and fastening the band, whereas with my appliance the band may be wholly ignored on occasion, and this is a feature of substantial value. Vhether in use on ordinary shoes or on overshoes, said feature is of material consequence, in that for hasty and brief service the band may be utterly ignored, thus avoiding Waste of time and trouble without resulting discomfortto the wearer, and also without any liability of straining either the band or the shoe at its point of junction with the band, and when thus worn no portion of the fastening appliances will be visible. As a means of holding the strap, band, or string, I in connection with rubber overshoes cement a fiat strip of suitable material runningvertically at the center line of the counter, the ends of such. strip being secured between the exterior and the lining of the shoe, While its central portion is left uncovered, thus forming in substance a loop, so that the fastening strap or band can be passed through under or behind it. Such a strap,band, or string as I have contemplated using thus secured to or applied at the inside of the shoe can be allowed to lie in the bottom of the shoe withoutinjuryif it is not desired to tie it over the ankle, so that the shoe for all ordinary purposes is uninjured by the presence of such attachment.

In the drawings I have shown at Fig. 1 an exterior view of a shoe embodying my present invention. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the shoe. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section of the heel portion, showing the manner of applying or securing the fasteningstrap in the shoe.

In said drawings, A may represent any ordinary overshoe or any other style of low shoe which is liable to slip off at the heel either from the suction exerted upon the shoe by muddy ground or by reason of the looseness of its fit. Y

B is a string, band, or strap adapted to be secured to the shoe, as hereinafter explained, and passed over the front of the ankle, and

either tied or otherwise fastened at the ends.

This string B is secured at the inside of the shoe and well down at the inside of the counter, and the means of ready application or attachment is illustrated in detail at Fig. 3, the same consisting of a vertical strip 0 of leather or equivalent material running up and down the center or heel line of the counter and inserted between the lining of the shoe and the adjacent portions of the counter. A portion 0 at the center of this strip is left exposed and unattached to the shoe, so as to form a loop through which the string, or band may be passed,the ends of the strip C being cemented or otherwise firmly secured. An ordinary shoestring answers very Well for the purposes of my invention, and if it is not desired to tie the shoe the ends may be allowed to fall into the inside of the shoe, especiallyin the case of overshoes, without injury to themselves or hurting the foot of the wearer.

' The appearance of the shoe is uninjured by the embodiment of my invention, and it adds but a trifle to the cost of manufacture.

I claim- A shoe provided with a strip of suitable 15 and thereby forming aloop, for use in combi- 2o nation with a fastening band or string.

THOMAS F. BYRNES.

\Vitnesses:

EMMA HACK, EDW. S. EVARTS.