US631595A

US631595A - Tongue-guard for shoes.

Info

Publication number: US631595A
Application number: US69629198A
Authority: US
Inventors: Henry M Stevenson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1898-11-12
Filing date: 1898-11-12
Publication date: 1899-08-22
Anticipated expiration: 1916-08-22

Description

PatentedAug. 22, |899.

H. M. STEVENSN.

TONGUE GUARD FOR SHOES.

{Applcntion led- Nov. 12, 1898.)

No Model.)

FIG

- of the foot and shoe along the line of the UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

HENRY M. STEVENSO, OF BARNET, VERMONT.

TONGUE-G UAR D FOR SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 631,595, dated August 22, 1899. Application led November 12, 1898. Serial No. 696,291. (N model- To atl whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY M. STEvENsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at West Barnet, in the county of Caledonia and State of Vermont, have invented certain new an useful Improvements in Tongue-Guards; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention is designed for the production of what may be termed a tongue-guard for assisting in the lacing of shoes, the object of the same being to provide a device which may'A be inserted between the tongue and the meeting edges of the upper for the purpose of preventing the wrinkling of the tongue during the lacing operation and which may be afterward readily removed.

The invention consists of a flexible plate having a broad bearing-surface and converging side edges.

More specifically the invention consists of a plate having its outer surface convex and its inner surface concave, the same bein g made iiexible by cutting slots in the sides thereof, which form laterally-extending L -shaped wings or arms providing a broad bearing-surface for the plate upon the tongue.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a shoe partly laced up with myimproved tongue-guard shown in place between the tongue and the meeting edges of the upper. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the guard detached. Fig. 3 is a cross-section of the sam e.

Like reference-numerals indicate like parts in the different views.

My improved guard is made up of a thin metallic plate 1, bent transversely, as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, so as to make its outer surface convex and its under surface concave. It is also bent longitudinally, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, for the purpose of enabling the same to fit the curvature meeting edges of the upper, through which the lacing-strings pass. The side edges of the plate converge from the upper or rear end thereof and have cut in them irregularlyshaped slots 2 2, which form laterally-extending L-shaped wings 3 3. The upper or rear end of the plateis extended and then bent forwardly upon itself, forming a handle or finger-engaging portion 4. By the provisionof the slots 2 2, which extend inwardly from the opposite side edges of the plate, the said plate is made extremely flexible, so that it may be readily bent to fit the curvature of the foot, and the laterally-extending wings 3 3 form a broad bearing-surface for the plate upon the tongue of the shoe.

In using my improved guard the same is placed between the upper or outer surface of the tongue of the shoe and the inner or lower surface of the upper adjacent to the meeting edges thereof. The lacing operation is then performed in the usual manner, with the plate left in the position in which it was placed. Whenthe lacing has been completed, the plate may be readily removed by gripping the same by the finger-engaging portion 4 and drawing upwardly thereon, the converging side edges of said plate permitting the same to slide freely from its position. When in place in the shoe, the plate prevents the wrinkling of the tongue, and the disagreeable and often .painful feeling of the wrinkled tongue against the foot is avoided. Furthermore, the shoe may be more neatly laced.

Having now described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- Y l. A tongue-guard, consisting of a transversely-flexible plate having its side edges converging toward its lower end.

2. A tongue-guard consisting of a flexible plate capable of being bent along transverse lines and having converging side edges, and a finger-engaging portion at its rear end.

3. A tongue-guard consisting of a iiexible plate concave-convex in cross-section and constructed so that it may be bent along transverse lines.

4. Atongue-guard consisting of a plate having slots therein forming side wings.

5. Atongue-guard consisting of a plate having slots extending from the opposite side edges thereof inwardly, forming laterally-extending wings, the said slots giving flexibility to the plate and the said wings forming a broad bearing-surface therefor. f Y

6. A tongue-guard consisting of a plate having slots extending inwardly from the oppo- IOO lo posite side edges, forming laterally-extending L-shaped Wings, and having a finger-engaging portion at its upper end, the said slots giving flexibility to the plate an d the said wings formin g a broad bearing-surface therefor.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature I5 in'presenee of two witnesses.

HENRY M. STEVENSON.

' Vltnesses:

MATTHEW GIBSON, THOMAS STEvENsoN.