US991251A - Shoe-lacer. - Google Patents

Description

J. J. THOMAS.

SHOE LAGER.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.22, 1910.

. Patnted May 2, 1911.

3 SHEETSSHEET 1.

ammo v James 11720711416 J. J. THOMAS.

SHOE LAUER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 22, 1910.

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. James J Thomas Q/VH nmo 4 J. J. THOMAS.

SHOE LAGER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 22, 1910.

991,251. Patented May 2,1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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SHOE-LACER.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JAMES J. THOMAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Whiting, in the county of Monona and State of Iowa, have invented new and useful Improvements in Shoe-Lacers, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a shoe fastener, and more particularly to the class of shoe lacers.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a lacer of this character in which a shoe ma be readily and quickly laced and unlaced as the occasion requires, thus obviating the necessity of the use of eyelets and a shoe string or lacing threaded therethrough.

Another object of the invention is the proa lacer in which the lacing vent in a shoe may be closed and fastened in a single operation and when fastened prevented against accidental opening, the lacer being adjustable to permit proper fitting of the shoe-upper about the instep of a wearer.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a lacer in which a series of clasps or fastenings may be automatically engaged or disengaged for the lacing and unlacing of the shoe.

Ast-ill further object of the invention is the provision of a lacer of this character which is simple, ready and convenient in operation, and durable and inexpensive in manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the hereunto appended claims.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe of the ordinary const-ruc- I tion with the lacer connected therewith constructed in acbordance with the invention, the shoe being shown laced. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a shoe showing the invention applied and the same being in open position. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary enlarged transverse sectional view through the .upper and a portion of the lacer. Fig. 4 is an en larged longitudinal sectional view through the lacer and adjacent parts of the shoeupper. Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through one of the members of the lacer showing in detail the means for sustaining the slider against movement.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 22, 1910. Serial No. 588,496.

. through the Patented May 2, 1911 Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective View of the slide. Fig. 7 is a transverse sectional view same.

Similar reference characters are employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, the shoe is of the ordinary well known construction com rising a body 10 having an upper 11, the atter being provided with the usual vent and at opposite sides of which are arranged the ordinary flaps 12. Connected with the shoe body 10 and adapted to underlie the flaps 12 is the usual tongue 1.3, the flaps 12 being reinforced at their inner faces by means of leather strips 14, which are stitched or otherwise secured thereto in any suitable manner. Suitably formed between the reinforcing strips 14 and the upper 11 at the flaps thereof, is a channel 15 the same extending entirely around the rent in the shoe-upper and o ens through the upper edge of the latter. ithin this vent is loosely mounted a flexible cord orstring 16, the same being formed from any suitable durable material, preferably horse hair, and is designed for a purpose as will be hereinafter more' fully described.

The fastener or lacer comprises a series of hollow tubular members 17 and 18, the members 18 being provided with down-turned hooks 19, the latter being adapted to detachably engage in an opening 20- formed in the members 17. The members 17 and 18 areeach formed with a central laterally extending flat wing 21, the same being slidably fitted between the reinforcing strips 14 and the upper ll at the flaps 12 thereof and the free ends of the said wings 21 are provided with eyelets 22, the loosely engaged with the string 16 so that on bringing ta it of the string in the channel 15, these members 17 and 18 will be held close to the flaps 1 2, and on the slackeningof the string 16 the said eyelets may be permitted to be spaced from the said flaps 12, thereby decreasing and increasing the size ofthe shoe-upper, thus enabling it to properly fit the instep of the wearer of the shoe.

Mounted for sliding engagement with the members 17 and 18 is a slider or rider member comprising diverging sleeve portions '23, the same being joined by an intermediate webbing 24, and these sleeve portions being slitted, as at 25, in their concave s1des for latter being the free traverse thereof on the members 17 and 18. The slits 25 are designed to receive the wings 21 and allow the sleeve portions 23 to pass to either side of the same. This rider or slide when traversing the members 17 and 18 toward the upper edge of the upper 11 of the shoe causes the said members 17 and 18 to approach each other and bring the hooks 19 on the member 18 into engagement in the opening 20 in the member 17 thereby locking the members together for the closing and fastening of the vent in the shoe-upper. It will be obvious that when a pulling action is exerted upon the flaps 12 to separate the same at the upper edge of the upper, the rider or slider will be caused to traverse downwardly upon the members 17 and 18, thus disengaging the hooks 19 from the openings 20, and the simultaneous separation of the members for the opening of the vent in the shoe-upper.

In the member 17 contiguous the upper edge of the upper is mounted a catch device comprising a leaf spring 26, one end of which being fixed interiorly of said member and its opposite end provided with a beveled locking head 27, the same normally protruded through a suitable opening in the member 17 so as to lie in the path of movement of the rider or slide to sustain the same against sliding movement when in position at the top of the shoe-upper. -However, upon' depressing the catch head 27 inwardly within the member 17, the slide or rider is free to move downwardly upon the members 17 and 18 for the unlocking and opening of the vent in the shoe-upper. Upon the upward movement of the slide or rider upon the members 17 and 18 it will engage the beveled face of the catch head 27 and cause the automatic displacement thereof inwardly within the member 17 so as not to interfere with the upward movement of the slide or rider to the top of the upper of the shoe and also to permit the catch device to engage with the slide or rider for looking it at the top of the upper when the vent has been closed and fastened.

It is thought that from the foregoing the construction and operation of the invention is made clear and comprehensive and therefore a more extended explanation has been omitted.

Having thus described the invention What is claimed as new is 1. The combination with a shoe having a gap in its body, up-flaps formed at opposite sides of the gap, reinforcing strips fixed to the gap a channel being formed between said flap and its reinforcing strip, an adjustable' flexible member loosely mounted within the channel, interlocking members having loose connection .'with the flexible member and provided with wings slidably held between the flaps and reinforcing strips, and means for brlnging the interlocking members into and out of engagement with each other.

2. The combination with a shoe having an opening in its body, of an adjustable flexible member embedded within the body, interlocking members each having a wing slidably fitted within the body at the edge of the gap and loosely connected with the flexible member, and a rider slidable on the interlocking members for automatically locking and unlocking the same.

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

JAMES J. THOMAS. Witnesses: i

J. W. GATES, N. L. SHARP.

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