US1088067A - Laced boot or shoe. - Google Patents

Description

E. FORBES.

LAGED BOOT 0R SHOE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 3, 1911.

1,088,067, Patented Feb, 24, 1914.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH (XL-'ASHINUTON; n. c.

EDWARD FORBES, 015 LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIAQ LAGED BOOT on SHOE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD FORBES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State of California, have invented a new and useful Laced Boot or Shoe, of which the following is a specification.

An object of the invention is to provide a lacing which will have the advantages of securing a perfect fit around the ankle and over the instep and which is susceptible of more rapid lacing and unlacing than the ordinary laced shoe.

The invention has for its object an easy and rapid method of adjusting and fastening the shoes onto, and loosening them from the feet and to do away with the tedious process of lacing and unlacing the shoe string or cord through eyelets and around lacing studs as at present in use, thus increasing the convenience for all and especially for elderly or stout persons who may find it irksome to maintain a stooping position long enough to lace and fasten the shoe string.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe constructed in accordance with this invention in one of its forms, the lace for each opening being a single strand and fastened. It is to be understood that a plurality of such strands may be used in ataller boot. Fig. 2 is a view of the same shoe open with the laces loosened. Fig. 8 is a diagram of the strand shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a front elevation of the buckle and a fragment of one of the laces shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 5 is a fragmental plan of the shoe front with buckle and part of the lacing strands in fastened position. Fig. 6 is a fragmental elevation of one side of a shoe provided with the invention applied in a different form wherein three strands are used. Fig. 7 is a fragmentary side elevation showing one of the retaining studs with a lace in place. Fig. 8 is a section on line 00 Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the retaining stud before attachment to the shoe.

In the practical application of this invention as shown, I use a shoe or boot 1 having openings in the form of dual and opposite slits 2, 3, in the sides of its ankle and preferably in the rear part thereof as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, so as to be behind the ankle joint when the slits are closed as in Fig. l.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 3, 1911.

Patented Feb. 24, 1914. Serial No. 618,703.

The dual arrangement of the slits 2, 3, provides a better fit of the shoe to the wearers.

foot than is afforded by a single side slit, and the dual arrangement also provides a larger opening than would a single slit, thus maximizlng the ease and comfort with which the shoe may be put on and off. Means are provided for expeditiously lacing up the openings formed by the slits and for this purpose a lacing string or cord which may comprise one or more strands is provided. In Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the form in which a single strand 4 is employed is shown for each opening; said lacing cord 4 is attached to the shoe on the front side and near the bottom of the opening by suitable means as the retaining stud 5, said cord is then passed through an eyelet 6 at the back part of the opening opposite the retaining stud 5 and is thence carried through a slot like hole 7 in a lacing plate 8 which may first have been secured by a buckle 9, or other suitable means, to the front of the shoe 1 and at the top thereof. Said cord is then passed from the slot 7 through a second eyelet 10 at the back of the opening from which it is carried through the opposing eyelet 11 011 the inside of the shoe and thence up toward the mouth 12 of the shoe and to the neXt eyelet 18 above on the same side of the opening with the retaining stud 5 and the eyelet 11, thence through the eyelet 13 and across the opening and through the fifth eyelet 14, thence to and through a second slot like hole 15 in the lace plate 8 and back through the neXt higher eyelet 16 at the back of the slit, thence to the opposing front eyelet 17, thence up to the neXt front eyelet 18, thence through the next back eyelet 19 and to a third slot like hole 20 in the lacing plate, thence to the next back eyelet 21 and thence to the retaining stud 22 where the other end of the strand or cord is fastened.

The lacing plate 8 is provided with an orifice 23 to catch in a hook-like arm 24 of a lever provided with a long grooved arm 25 and pivoted by a pivot 26 to a fulcrum 27 which may be formed of two arms through which the pivot 26 extends and between which the lever is fulcrumed. The relation of the pivot 26, fulcrum 27 and hook-like lever arm 24 is such as to bring the hook-like arm forward of the pivot when the lever is swung out and rearward of the pivot when the lever is swung in. The orifice 23 of the plate is adapted to slip over I the fulcrum arms 27 which are shaped like a hook so that by swinging the long arm 25 of the lever outward to the back of the buckle and then bringing the orifice 23 of the plate over said arm and then returning the arm inward to its latching position shown in solid lines in Fig. 4, the lacing plate is drawn forward, at the same time drawing the strands through the eyelts and thus closing the slit whereupon the tension of the strands will lock the lever in its latching position, thus avoiding the use of a spring-locked lever which is liable to be turned out of latching position by excessive tension of the strands caused by movement of the foot in walking, etc. By. this means both of the slits may be closed very quickly and the tension of the opposing strands will be equalized so that pressure will be applied to draw the ankle of the shoe smoothly over the instep. By providing fastening means at the front of the ankle for the lacings of both sides of the shoe the convenience of fastening the lacings is increased.

To remove the shoe, all that is necessary is to reverse the levers of the buckle and allow the lacing plates to slip 0a. The operation of removing the shoe'will cause the lacing cord to 'run easily through the single eyelet which holds each section or loop thereof, and the openings of the shoe will expand sufficiently to allow the shoe to be easily withdrawn from the foot .as by drawing the heel of the shoe against the toe of the other shoe or foot. 7

In the form shown in Fig. 6 three retaining studs 51, 52 and 53 and eyelets 30, 31 and 32 alternate therewith are applied to the shoe at the front edge of-the slit, while on the opposite or back side of the slit a number of eyelets equal to the aggregate of eyelets and retaining studs on the front side areprovided. The strand 33 is fastened in the retaining stud 51 at the bottom of the slit and is passed through the first rear eyelet 34, thence across the slit to the first front eyelet 30, thence across the slit to the second back eyelet 35 and thence through the top back eyelet 36. The second strand 37 is fastened in the second retaining stud 52 and passed thence across the slit through the third back eyelet 3S, thence forward across the slit to the second front eyelet 31, thence across the slit to the fourth back eyelet 39 and thence up inside the shoe and through the top back eyelet 36. The third strand 40 is fastened at one end :to the retaining stud 53 and is led thence across the slit through the fifth back eyelet 41, thence forward across the slit through the top front eyelet 32 and thence backward across the slit and through the top back eyelet 36. The three strands 33, 37 and 40 are fastened together as by the knot 42 at the ends that would otherwise be free and when it is desired to close the slit, the knotted strands will be drawn through the eyelets on both sides of the shoe and may then be brought forward in front and fastened at the ankle by suitable means as by the buckle 9 in Figs. 1 to 5. The retaining stud may be formed of a cap provided near its top with 'a flange 43 and between its top and said flange with a perforation 44. The portion of the cap on the side of the flange from the opening is a short tube 45 which may be set by an eyelet machine so as to clamp the material of the shoe in the same manner as with the usual eyelets. The retaining studs are arranged outwardly projecting from the shoe and are hollow externally of the shoe and provided with the perforations 44 outside of the shoe, so that the knotted end of the lace is held in such a manner that it will not contact with the ankle upon which the shoe is laced and the fastening can be effected in the manner specified.

The buckle may comprise acurved body 46 which may be fastened by a rivet 47 to the material of the shoe; said body 46 terminates in the arms of the fulcrum 27 which are bent up from said body, as will clearly be understood by reference to Figs. 4 and 5.

I claim 1. The combination with a shoe having a closure slit in each side of its upper, of lacing means for each of said slits, and means mounted on the front of the shoe between said slits adapted to be engaged with said lacing means to draw said lacing means to close said slits and thereafter retain said lacing means in engagement therewith.

2. The combination with a shoe having a closure slit in its upper and eyes on each side of and adjacent said slit, of a lacing plate provided with an orifice and with holes, a lacing fastened at its ends to the shoe and led in loops through said eyes and said holes, and means on the upper adapted to be engaged with said lacing plate through said orifice to retain said plate in engagement therewith with the lacing drawn to close the slit.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Los Angeles, California, this 27th day of March, 1911.

EDIVARD FORBES.

In presence of- JAMES R. TOWNSEND, L. BELLE RICE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patcntu.

- Washington, D. G.

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