US652368A - Holder for flies of boots or shoes. - Google Patents

Description

No. 652,368. Patented June 26, I900. C. N. LEONARD.

HOLDER FOR FLIES OF BOOTS OR SHOES.

(A lication filed Sept. 1, 1999.)

(No Model.)

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CURTIS N. LEONARD, OF BROOKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

HOLDER FOR FLIES OF BOOTS OR SHOES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 652,368, dated June 26, 1900. Application filed September 1,1899. Serial No. 729,156. (No model.)

To (tZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CURTIS N. LEONARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Holders for the Flies of Boots or Shoes, of which the following is 'a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has for its object to provide a retaining device for temporarily holding the flies of boots and shoes while on the last or while on the followers or formers subse quent to the lasting operation, the said retaining device or holder being of such construction that while it may be locked so that it will properly hold the flies of the boot or shoe in place at proper times it may readily be released, so that it will yield when the last or follower is inserted or withdrawn, thereby avoiding straining or tearing the boot or shoe. This holder when in place, and even when in unlocked condition for the insertion or withdrawal of the last or follower, presents a comparatively rigid bar or stay, which serves to prevent any tearing or splitting of the vamp, as will be hereinafter explained.

l-Ieretofore it has usually been customary to temporarily lace the shoes or boots through the eyelet-holes for the lasting operation; but this is inconvenient. Also leather-holding devices with hooks to engage the eyelets of the boots or shoes have temporarily been inserted; but these have not been satisfactory, for the reason that they were too unyielding and the boots and shoes were liable to be torn or strained when the lasts or followers were inserted or withdrawn. The objections to the prior devices referred to are obviated by the present invention.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lasted boot with one of my improved holders in operative position to retain the flies or eyelets and lacing-stud pieces in place. Figs. 2 and 3 are detail per.- spective views of the holder, and Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view showing a slight modification.

A denotesthe vamp of a lasted boot, and (t the flies thereof, provided with eyelets b and lacing-studs c. The holder and vamp-stay consist, preferably, of a piece of spring-wire ends.

bent to form a cross-bar d, at the base of which are small feet or projections e, and extending from the said cross-bar and feet are elastic arms f, having hooks g at their free cross-bars d and hooks g by a locking-slide h, consisting, preferably, of a piece of wire having at its ends eyes i, encircling the said arms, and having also a handle or thumb and finger piece 70, formed of a coil of the wire. This locking-slide is free to be moved back and forth on the armsf, for a purpose which will presently be explained.

In the use of the improved holder and vamp stay the feet or projections c are inserted in two eyelets b of the opposing flies a of a boot or shoe near the vamp, and the hooks g at the free ends of the arms are then engaged with two other opposing eyelets higher up the instep. When the last or follower is to be in-- serted into or withdrawn from the boot or shoe, the locking-slide h is slipped to a posi tion near the cross-bar d of the holder, (see Figs. 3 and 4,) thus leaving the outer or free ends of the elastic armsf free to spread or be moved away from each other as the flies are forced apart; but when the last or follower is in place in the boot or shoe the locking-slide is slipped upward or forward on the armsf to a position adjacent to the hooks g, (see Figs. 1 and 2,) thus drawing the flies a together at the eyelets engaged by said hooks, and thereby locking the armsfin holding position.

It will be noted that when the locking-slide h is in the locking position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the eyest' at the ends thereof are slipped over onto the bent ends of the arms f, so that the said locking-slide is thus securely retained in looking position and cannot become accidentally displaced from such position by the handling to which the boot is subjected in the different operations which it goes through while on the last. It will thus be understood that the locking-slide h does more than sim* ply draw the arms f together or prevent their separation after being drawn together, but is itself securely retained in place, so that it serves not only as a stay to prevent the separation of the arms, but is itself locked against displacement.

The cross-bar d is comparatively rigid, and

The arms f are connected between the as it will in the use of the holder be located near the upper edge of the vamp A it will serve as a stay to prevent the vamp from being split or torn by the strain incidental to forcing apart the eyelet and stud flies when the last or follower is inserted or withdrawn.

The hooks g will preferably be turned outward or away from each other, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3; but they may be turned inward, as shown in Fig. 4. i

I do not wish to be understood as limiting my invention to the exact details herein shown and described, as these may be varied somewhat Without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A holder, for joining the opposing eyeleted flies of boots and shoes,comprising a single piece of wire bent to form a cross-bar and, near the end of said cross-bar, projections to engage two opposing eyelets, and, extending from said projections and cross-bar, elastic arms provided at their free ends with hooks to engage two other opposing eyelets, combined With a sliding locking device connecting said arms and which is held from accidental displacement when in looking position said locking device serving, when properly adjusted, to hold the said free ends of said arms from spreading.

2. A fly-holder and vamp-stay for boots and shoes consisting of a wire bent to form the cross-bar d, the projections e, and the arms f having hooks-g at their free ends, combined with the locking-slide h movable along the said armsf and serving to lock or hold the free ends thereof from spreading, when desired.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

4 CURTIS N. LEONARD.

Witnesses:

HENRY CALVER, WM. A. MAoLEoD.

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