US635859A - Lacing-hook. - Google Patents

Description

Patented Oct. 3|, I899.

P. F. KING.

LAGING HOOK.

(Application filed Jan. 28, 1899.)

(No Model.)

PHINEAS F. KING, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE KING FASTENER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

LAClNG-HOOK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0. 635,859, dated October 31, 1899.

Application filed January 28, 1899. Serial No. 703,689. (No model.)

To LtZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PHINEAS F. KING, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Oleveland,Ouyahoga county,Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Improved Fastener, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for holding flexible tiessuch as cords, strings, and the like-in a fast or taut condition. Examples of such devices are the hooks or appliances used for engaging shoestrings, glove-laces, and their congeners.

In the lacing of shoes, gloves, and such hooks are employed by which the cord or string is held from lateral movement in one direction only, but permitted a free longitudinal movement. The cord may, and often does, slip out of the open end of the hook while being laced or after the lacing .is completed and while the shoe or glove is being worn, causing much inconvenience.

The objects of my invention are to provide a simple, efiective, and inexpensive construction of fastening device of the above-mentioned kind, to allow the device either to hold the cord or string firmly and securely against any kind of movement or to hold it substantially against lateral movement in any direction while permitting longitudinal movement, and to adapt the device particularly for use in connection with the lacing of shoes, gloves, and the like.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other desirable ends my invention consists in matters hereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of a shoe having fasteners embodying my invention applied to it with the cord partly laced. Fig. 2 is a view of the top portion of the same, showing one way of securing the cords by means of the fasteners; and Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the preferred form of the device embodying my invention.

In the lacing of a shoe, for. instance, with a cord and hooks instead of eyelets, it is desirable, as stated, to prevent lateral displacement or escape of the cord. In order to accomplish this result in the best manner, means should be provided which shall not wear or tear the cord or restrain it from lengthwise play and which shall prevent it from falling outof the hook when released and given slack. But very little resistance or restraining influence is necessary to accomplish this purpose. It is the object of this invention, more particularly stated, to provide means which shall not wear or tear the cord and which shall direct or guide it easily in position and retain it in a manner to prevent its falling out of the hook. Toaccomplish this result I, provide a depending or downwardly-directed conoidal projection, which is centered substantially above the axis of an opening, recess, or cavity in the base portion of the hook. The space between the plane of the top of the cavity and the apex of the projection is less than the usual thickness which the cord or lacing presents, either on account of its original rounded form or the form a fiat lacing assumes when snugged against the neck of the hook or speedily acquires through the kneading and twisting incidental to use, thus effecting at this point a contracted throat in what may be termed the cord recess or channel.

The fastening device shown in the figures of the drawings and forming the preferred embodiment of my invention consists of a single metallic piece or strip bent into sub stantially the form of a loop, so that it has a forwardly-extending base portion 1, an outwardly-curved upright portion or standard 2, and a rearwardly-extending top portion or head 3. The base 1 is provided with means by which it can be secured to the article to be fastened, a simple way being to construct it with a downwardly-extending hollow or tubular shank 4, which can be forced through 0 the article and then bent back or riveted over, as shown in Fig. 3. The shank 4 can be easily and inexpensively made simply by properly punching it out of the strip composing the device. The construction of this shank, as 5 shown, forms an opening or cavity for the cord to enter as it is drawn through the contracted throat.

The top or head 3 is provided near its rear end with a tapering or conoidal projection 5, which extends downwardly to an extent and in a manner to form an abutment across or a partial closure to the upper portion of the recess 6 embraced by the metallic loop composing the device. The lower end of this projection is situated slightly above the base 1 and centrally over the opening therein to afford a contracted throatway to the recess 6.

The projection 5 can be formed in any suitable or desired manner. I prefer to form it by punching the metallic strip at the proper point, as shown in Fig. 3.

In using the device the cord is inserted in the hook at the mouth 7 thereof and laterally drawn inward, so that it bears against the inclined and rounded side of the downwardlyextended projection. With a very slight lateral strain upon it the cord slides down along the sides of the projection and is bent and deflected thereby into the opening or cavity below the apex thereof. The cord will now readily pass beyond said apex and slip into the cord-recess formed to the rear thereof.

I have shown an opening formed in the shank of the hook, but it is apparent that the result may be obtained by the use of a cavity, cut-out portion, or any sort of suitable depression.

It is evident from the foregoing that the salient feature of my invention resides in the use of the tapering or conoidal projection which is adjacent and opposite to the cavity below it and so close thereto as to deflect or bend the lacing thereinto as it is drawn past.

It will be understood that when the lacing is in rear of the projection it is held there by said projection and prevented from falling out or escape until a lateral strain is applied equal in amount to that necessary to engage the lacing behind the projection, but opposed in direction. When the lacing or cord is so arranged within the recess, it can slide or move longitudinally while in the act of lacing the article of apparel or with the flexions thereof after being tied.

Since the tapering projection will hold the cord against lateral escape when the article is only partiallylaced and the cord is left unfastened, as shown in Fig. 1, the remaining portion of the lacing will not become undone. This is particularly advantageous in taking shoes off, for when the lacing is undone to the desired point and the shoe removed the remaining portion will remain laced. In View of this result my improved hooks can be applied to the quarters of a shoe from instep to ankle, and the eyelets commonly employed over the instep can be dispensed with, thereby much facilitating the operation of lacing.

The above is the use of the device when the office expected of it is no more than that of a hook for engaging the cord and holding it against lateral .movement, where, as in some cases, it is immaterial whether it has longitudinal movement or not, or where it is specially desired that it shall have longitudinal movement, but shall be held as far as possible against slipping out of the device; but where it isdesired that the device shall act to hold the lacing or cord absolutely against all movement the latter can be wound once or twice about the upright or standard 2, as shown in Fig. 2. In such case the windings become so wedged in the recess 6 between the upright 2 and the projection 5 that they cannot be displaced by drawing 011 the end of the cord, and the latter, as a result, is held fast. The two sections of the cord may therefore be fastened at their upper ends in this way or they may be united in a bow-knot, as is ordinarily done.

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

1. A lacing-hook consisting of a single metallic piece bent into substantially the form of a loop, with forwardlyextending base portion, outwardly-curved upright portion, and rearwardly-extending top portion, having a depending conoidal projection from said top portion extending into the cord-recess and past which the cord is drawn in lacing, and a depression or cavity in the base portion, beneath and centered opposite to the apex of said projection, the space between said apex and the plane of the proximate mouth of the depression being less than the thickness of the cord ordinarily presented.

2. A lacing-hook comprising a tubular fastening-shank, a base, a standard, a top, and a depending conoidal projection centered above the opening to the tubular shank and nearer thereto than the thickness of the cord ordinarily presented.

Signed by me at Cleveland, Ouyahoga county, Ohio, this 25th day of January, 1899.

' PIIINEAS F. KING.

Witnesses:

L. Roon Looms, CHAS. C. BULKLEY.

ICO

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