US1119744A - Shoe-tree. - Google Patents

Description

P. A. BOWEN.

SHOE TREE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 14, 1913.

1,1 1 9,744. Patented Dec. 1, 1914.

Witnesses.

Inventor.

3 Philip A. Bowen, M 35 2 W MW llhllTE TATE @ldltlE PHILIP A. BOWEN, OE LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T LILLIAN A. LITTLE, 0F LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS.

SHOE-TREE.

Specification of Letters totem.

Patented Dec. it. rain.

Application filed August It, 1913. serial No. 784,724.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PHILIP A. Bowen, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have invented an improvement in Shoe-Trees, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to shoe trees and it has for its object to provide a simple shoe tree which can be inexpensively manufactured and which is constructed so that it can be used equally well in shoes of different sizes.

I will first describe a selected embodirnent-oi my invention which discloses the principle thereof and will then point out the novel feattn'es of the invention in the appended claims.

Figure l is a longitudinal section through a shoe tree embodying my invention showing the tree inserted in a shoe, the shoe being shown in dotted lines; Fig.2 is a bottom plan view of the toe portion oi the shoe tree with a part thereof broken out; Fig. 3 is a section on the line M, Fig. 2.

ln order to make a shoe tree which can be used equally well in a large variety of sizes I anal-re the shoe tree with a toe portion it of resilient sheet material such for instmce, as stiid leather or leather-board which will yield more or less but willtend to retain naturally its original sha e. This toe portion 1 is preferably made ot a shape to conform to the inside of the shoe upper and it presents a top and two sides but no bottom. Coiiperating with the toe ortion is a resilient spreading member whic tends normally to force the sides of the toe portion outwardly but which member will yield inwardly to permit the device to be ins-e w into a narrow shoe. This resilient spreading member is herein shown as a spring device presenting two arms 2 which extend longitudinally of the sides oil the toe portion and bear against the inner faces therwi, said arms being made of resilient spring wire. In order to cause the toe portion to fit tightly against the shoe upper ll also associate therewith a spring member 3 which is adapted to engage the sole of the shoe and which yieldingly holds the toe member 1 against the inner face 01? the top of the shoe upper. The yielding qualities of the spring 3 and the spreading member 2 as well as the yielding-qualities of the toe portion 1 provide a device which can be inserted into shoes of various widths and sizes and which will yield or change its shape to fit the contour of the shoes of various shapes and sizes.

In the embodiment herein illustrated the toe portion 1 is secured to a head 4 provided with two cars 5 between which is pivoted at 7 a tubular stein 6. This stem is provided with an extension 8 which telesco es into the stem and which is provided at its outer end with a foot portion 9 adapted to rest against the heel of the shoe. This foot portion 9 is preferably pivoted to the extension 8 at 10 so that it may be swung into difierent angular positions and it is provided with a handle 11 by which the device may be manipulated. Situated within the tubular stem 6 is aspring 12 which bears at one end against the pivotal pin 7 and at the other end against the extension 8.

The tubular stem 6 is provided with an interior collar it which can conveniently be made by spinning the metal of thetubular member inwardly which collar forms a stop to limit the expansive movement of the extension 8. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, I will preferably secure the spreading member and the spring 3 to the head 4 although this is not essential.

In the construction herein illustrated, the sprin 3 is made from a length of spring wire ent to form the triangular shaped portion 15 which rests against the sole of the shoe, and havin its ends 16 underlying and secured to the ead l by any suitable means as by means'oi solder. The ends. it are provided with the coils or turns ll which allow the s ring 3 to have a move: ment toward and troni the head but which at the same time afiord a yielding resistance to the movement of the spring toward the head. it also have shown the spreading member as supported by the spring member 3 and this is done by passing the arms 2 of the sreading member through the coils 17 of to spring member; and in order to make the spreading member resiliout, it preferably form the wire from which it is made into the coil 18 between the coils 17. This coil 18 co-acts with the coils It? to hold the spreading member in its proper position.

till

Bill) ltl The extensibility of the stem 6 promotes for using the shoe tree in shoes of rlifi'erent lengths anrl the construction of the toe portion "with its spreading member and spring 3 provide for using the shoe tree in shoes of oliilerent "Widths. 'lhe toe member will conform to the shepe o'l eny shoe in which. it is inserted anti Will holcl the shoe smooth end tree from Wrinkles. Moreover the oleviee is rery simple encl inexpensive to menutincture anal does not require any ecljustment of the parts to moire it shoes of different sizes.

l have herein shown the sicles on the toe portion es forniecl with inwardly-directed lips 19 at their lower eclges. llhese lips 19 serve to holrl the arms 2 of the spreeiling rnernher in their proper position anti prerent them from slipping ClOWl] helow the edges of the toe member when the tree is in use.

The spring 3 operates to force the toe Member i upwardly against the top out the shoe npper enel it here therefore, referred to this spring as an npWeflly-pressing spring. The spreading member 2 tenrls normally to force the sides of the toe member outwardly and l hove therefore reterrecl to the spreading member es nv letersllli' pressing spring. I

il hile here illnstreteel in the drnwings e seleetecl einloorlirnent of my invention, l rlo not Wish to he limit-eel to the eonstrnetionel features shown.

listing fully described my invention eleirn new snot rlesire to secure by Lettent is:

shoe tree, the eornhinetion With n te or lexible ing the inner sides of said toe portion at or near the lower edges thereof to hold ssiri sicles yieldingly against the sicles of the shoe upper anol s separate upwnrdlypressing spring secured to the toe portion and adaptecl to engage the sole of the shoe and yieldiingly hold the top of the toe portion egninst the shoe upper.

2. ln a shoe tree, the combination with a. toe portion of flexible sheet material and presenting a top and two sides, of on up weirdly-pressing spring carried by the toe portion and adopted to engage the sole of a shoe thereby to yieldingly force the top of the toe portion against the shoe upper ancl a separate laterally-pressing spring helcl in place by the npwsrrlly pressing spring enel engaging the sieles of the toe portion sntl forcing; them yieldingly egeinst the sicles of the shoe upper.

3. ln s shoe tree, the eonihinetion with n toe portion of flexible sheet insterinl ancl presenting it top and two sicles of on up- Wnrrlly-pressing spring); esrriecl by the toe portion and eolnpteil to engage the sole oi. n shoe thereby to yielolinngly the top of the toe portion against the shoe upper and lziterelly -pressing" s ring eerrieel hy the upwardly-pressing spring snel gauging" the sides of the toe portion and yielolinglyagainst the sieles oi upper.

ln testimony whereof, ll here signed some to this speeiiiention, in the presenee of two subscribing witnesses.

the shoe reing thorn

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