US463734A - flagg - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

P. H. F'LAGG SHOE.

No. 463,784. Patented NovyZ l, 1891.

Mrs

FRED l-I. FLAGG, OF XVORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE.

SPECIFICATIOIQT forming part of Letters Patent No. 463,734, dated November 24, 1891.

Application filed January 21, 1891. Serial No. 378,517- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED H. FLAGG, of the city and county of lVorcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Congress Shoes; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 represents a side view of so much of the upper part of a Congress shoe as is necessary to illustrate my said invention. Fig. 2 is an opposite side View thereof; and Fig. 3 is a similar View to Fig. 1, showing one side of the upper part of the shoe partly open to more fully illustrate my improvement, and a modification in the construction hereinafter described. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the slit gore and bindings to show the overlapping edges.

My invention relates to an improvement in the elastic side gores of Congress shoes; and it consists in slitting or cutting said gores vertically from the top down and providing .the edges thereof with suitable bindings and ball-and-socket detachable clasps or fastenings, as and for the purpose hereinafter fully set forth.

As is well known, Congressshoeshavingtight elastic gores are difficult to draw on, and, being continually stretched to their full capacity in performing said operation soon causes the rubber threads to be broken, so that the gores present an unsightly appearance, besides not fitting'the ankle of the wearer. Not only is this result produced by stretching in the above manner, but much injury to the gores also results from the same cause in pulling out the last, as well as the heel and finishing jacks in the process of manufacture, said gores being unduly stretched there by, and in consequence often greatly injuring their future .utility. To remove this objection and to produce a shoe which maybe put on easily, as well as which shall wear well, is the main purpose of my invention.

In order that others may more fully understand the nature and purpose of said invention,I will now proceed to describe it more in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

shown in the drawings.

The parts marked A represent the upper part or leg of the shoe, and B B the side gores thereof, which in practice are designed to be made of the usual elastic material,

In carrying out my invention in practice one or both of said side gores are cut or slit vertically at about the center from the top down to nearly or quite the bottom of the gore, as desired. The edges are then bound with leather or other suitable material a, with one edge overlapping the other, as Said bound edges to are then provided with fastening devices, whereby they may be conveniently fastened together to close the side of the shoe and as readily unfastened in removing said shoe. For this purpose I use the ordinary ball-andsocket clasp devices 0 cl shown in the drawings, which, as will be observed, are similar to those used on gloves for alike purpose,

. and which hold the edges securely when thus fastened. They are fastened by simply pressing the sockets (1 against and over the balls 0 and unfastened by pulling upon the edge of the gore to which said sockets are attached, the sockets being, as is well known, made with their openings a little small for the balls, so that when forced over said balls the parts are held sufficiently secure to hold the edges together, while at the same time admitting of their being readily detached, as aforesaid, by pulling upon the overlapping edge of the split gore. One or both sides of the shoe may be constructed in accordance with my invention,as desired, without departing from the principle thereof.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that my invention is applicable to shoes already made, as the gores thereof may be slit from the top downward and then be suitably bound to produce the overlapping edges above referred to; but to produce these overlapping edges where a simple cut or slit has been made it will be obvious that it will be necessary to build out one or both edges with the binding, as otherwise the out edges will simply meet when drawn together and no provision would be afforded for the ball-and socket fastening devices, the latter of which must overlap the former. This building out on one or both of the out edges with the binding material a, which is preferably of leather,

is an important feature of my invention, as it enables me to use the ball-and-socket fastening devices, which could not otherwise be employed in gores in shoes already made, or, in fact, with any gores not made from two separate pieces which might of themselves be overlapped. Fig. 4 more clearly shows the feature above referred to, the edge at the right in said figure and which is to carry the socket member of the fastening being built out over the other edge, so as to overlap the latter properly.

A Congress shoe with the gores made as herein set forth it is obvious may be drawn on very easily, and the usual strain upon the elastic material being removed said gores will last much longer than if such provision were not made, thus greatly enhancing the utility of the shoes at a trifling additional expense in their manufacture.

I am aware that it is not broadly new to employ slit gores fastened at the edges in the construction of Congress shoes; nor is it new to fasten two edges of other articles together by means of ball-and-socket clasp devices, and I therefore limit my invention to a Congress shoe having elastic slit gores and clasp devices at the bound edges at each side of the slits or openings, as and for the purpose herein set forth.

Having now described my invention, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A Congress shoe having a side gore consisting of asingle piece of elastic fabric which is out or slit vertically from its top downward nearly, but not entirely, to itslower edge, and having its adjacent cut edges bound, and one of said edges being built out bythe binding material, so that it will overlap the other, combined with ball and -sock et fastenings, the latter of which are attached to the outer overlapping edge, substantially as set forth.

FRED II. FLAGG.

Witnesses:

ALBERT A. BARKER, W. B. NOURSE.

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