EP2099339A1

EP2099339A1 - Boot-jacks

Info

Publication number: EP2099339A1
Application number: EP07824695A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Luxmi Wasantha Kumari Selvarajah
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-12-02
Filing date: 2007-11-23
Publication date: 2009-09-16
Anticipated expiration: 2027-11-23
Also published as: GB2445404A; GB0624102D0; CA2671208A1; CA2671208C; US20090236377A1; WO2008065357A1; EP2099339B1; GB2445404B

Abstract

A monolithic jack (12) of sheet-like form (28) for removing ski-boots (14) having a rear shoulder (16), comprises a plate-like base (18) and two engagement means (20) each adapted to engage over a shoulder (16) of, and having a recess (202) to accommodate the heel (22) of, a respective one of a pair of said boots (14) when placed side by side on said base (18) in front of the means (20) which are to the rear of base (18) and face forwards. The member (28) is of metal, e.g. steel, or injection-moulded of thermoplastic plastics material, comprising a polycarbonate, with ABS or PETG. Said base (18) has a non-slip upper surface portion (32), and comprises security means, e.g. aperture means (34), so it can be secured by screws to the floor. The base (18) also has a handle (36) for hanging up the jack (12). Integral strut means (38), to enable elevation of jack (12) to an angled position, are hinged at points (42), retracting into slots (44) in the bottom of base (18), and provided with stops (46) to prevent them from opening out too far. For carrying, jack (12) can be folded across its length at a hinge (50) or formed as two parts (183, 184), mutually identical, interengageable along its length by press-fit or slide-fit, by tongue-and-groove means (52, 54), with a connecting and/or reinforcing member (562) accommodated in recess means (561).

Description

"B∞Hacks"

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to bootjacks, that is jacks for removing boots or like footwear. BACKGROUND Known jacks for use in removing ski-boots are awkward to use. THE INVENTION

The present inventor has realised that the awkwardness with prior jacks is that, to remove both boots, difficult movements, positions and changes of position are required, and this can be ameliorated by, in effect combining two jacks, one for each foot One aspect of the invention provides a jack comprising a base having a front and rear and suitable for use in removing from one's feet a pair of items of footwear, e.g. a pair of boots, located side by side on the jack, each of said items having a rear shoulder, the base being provided with a pair of engagement means side by side adapted to engage over the respective said shoulders of said pair of items placed simultaneously side by side on said base, to retain each of said items as the foot is removed from it, said engagement means being provided to the rear of said base to engage said items placed in front of them on said base.

Thus, the base has a front portion on which are placed said items in front of said engagement means, which front portion comprises a majority of the front-to-back length of the base.

Another aspect of the invention provides a jack comprising a base having a front and rear and suitable for use in removing from one's feet a pair of footwear items, e.g. a pair of boots, located side by side on the jack, each of said items having a rear shoulder, the base having a front portion adapted for said pair of items to be placed thereon and a rear portion behind said front portion adapted for said pair of items not to be placed thereon, the rear portion being provided with a pair of engagement means side by side adapted to engage over the respective said shoulders of said pair of items placed simultaneously side by side on said front portion, to retain each of said items as the foot is removed from it, said front portion being substantially longer front-to-back than said rear portion. In normal use, the jack is adapted for the base to be pressed down by one foot to hold the jack down while removing the item from the other foot

In an embodiment, there is provided a jack for removing boots or other footwear having a rearward, upward-facing shoulder, the jack comprising a base and two engagement means each adapted to engage over a said shoulder. This is to engage over a shoulder of a respective one of a pair, of said boots or other footwear, when placed on said base. The rearward shoulder (i.e. to the rear) of e.g. a ski-boot faces backwards, so that the engagement means for this embodiment face forwards.

In an embodiment, there is provided a jack for removing boots or other footwear that have a heel with an upward and backward facing shoulder, the jack comprising a base upon which feet encased in the footwear can be located side by side, and two engagement means to engage over a said shoulder mounted side by side to the base, facing towards the location for the footwear. Thβ jack may have any one or more of the following features:

• the base is plate-like.

• the engagement means define a recess directed towards the location for the footwear to fit over a said shoulder. This arrangement is adapted for the two feet to be placed substantially parallel to each other, rather than with the the two feet pointing in divergent directions.

• the recess is curved to accommodate the heel of the footwear.

• the recess is substantially semicircular.

• the engagement means have rounded comers.

• the engagement means are plate-like. • a single monolithic member comprises said base and said engagement means.

• said member is of sheet-like form.

• said form has a U-shape with a long arm to provide said base and a short arm to provide said engagement means.

• said member is of metal, e.g. steel. • said member is of plastics material, e.g. moulded.

• said member is of thermoplastic plastics material.

• said material comprises polycarbonate.

• said material comprises ABS (acrilonitrile-butadene styrene).

• said material comprises PETTG (polyethylene terephthalate glycol), e.g. with a 70% admixture of polycarbonate.

• sad member is injection-moulded and/or is made by thermoforming.

• said base has a non-slip upper surface portion.

• comprising security means.

• comprising floor-fixing means. • said floor-fixing means comprise aperture means in said base.

• the base has a handle at an end opposite to the engagement means.

• the handle is suitable to use as means by which to hang up the jack.

• comprising means to enable elevation of the jack to an angled position to enable seated removal of the footwear. Such means may be integral with the jack or a separate means, e.g. a wedge, forming part of a kit of parts therewith. • the width of said base is substantially equal to that of a pair of said footwear placed side by side.

• the width of said base is in the range of from 15 to 30 cm.

• the width of said base is in the range of from 20 to 25 cm.

• which has a length equal to substantially the length of the intended footwear. Alternatively, it is possible to have it substantially shorter, down to about half this length, and still be able to use it by pressing with one heel

(instead of with one whole foot) to release the other boot

• it can be folded, preferably across its length, to facilitate (e.g. by reducing its size) portability.

• it is formed as (preferably two) interengageable parts that can be disengaged to facilitate portability.

• in which said parts have tongue-and-groove means by which they can be interengaged. These means may extend transversely of the jack but preferably extend longitudinally. They may be a press-fit, so that the parts engage by being pressed together, or a slide fit if the means extend only along a straight stretch of the base.

• said parts are substantially identical, e.g. to facilitate manufacture.

• comprises connecting means to interconnect said parts, which means is part of connecting and/or reinforcing means which comprise recess means to accommodate a connecting and/or reinforcing member and such member.

According to another aspect of the invention, such a jack is provided in combination with a pair of footwear to use with the jack.

According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a jack member having means to connect it side by side to another such member to form any such jack embodying the invention. The jack member can be used for removing boots or other footwear having a heel with an upward and backward facing shoulder, and the jack comprises a base upon which a foot encased in the footwear can be placed and heel-gripping means mounted to the base.

Such a member may have any one or more of the following features:

• said connecting means comprise part of tongue-and-groove means.

• said connecting means comprise part of tongue-and-groove means along one side of said base and a complementary-shaped part of such tongue-and-groove means along an opposite side of said base.

• said connecting means is part of connecting and/or reinforcing means which comprise recess means to accommodate a connecting and/or reinforcing member.

Another aspect of the invention provides a kit of parts for a jack embodying the invention, comprising a pair of jack members, each as mentioned. Another aspect of the invention provides a jack comprising a pair of jack members as just mentioned.

Another aspect of the invention provides a jack comprising a pair of said jack members and a connecting and/or reinforcing member adapted to be accommodated by both members at once to hold them together. In preferred embodiments:

• The base, e.g. as a plate, is made sufficiently wide and long to allow the user to stand with both feet on the jack (wearing a pair of the footwear) whilst using the pressure, or weight of the body, on one foot to hold down the jack and allow leverage (opposed forces, down and up respectively, by the two feet) by the wearer to pull the other foot out of its boot shoe or other footwear. The rear hook-like form of the engagement means or grip has an elevation allowing enough height for the shoulder of a boot, shoe or other footwear heel to be inserted therein to be engaged or gripped. The hook-like grip has two curved insets (to provide the respective engagement means) cut out to allow the back of the boot, shoe or other footwear to be gripped for extra stability when leveraging the foot out of the same. The base plate and rounded grip are made out of a single piece, preferably a single moulding, to allow for increased durability and reduced complexity in manufacturing. The surface of the base plate is made non-slip to avoid accidents. There is a hole to provide a handle to facilitate portability. There may be provided a retractable, integrated or separate frame, member or other means to enable angled positioning of the base (with the back lower than the front) to facilitate seated boot removal if required. There may be provided a fixing mechanism to allow the device to be fixed to the floor if required, for security purposes and/or to aid the leverage. • Although primarily designed for ski boots, the jack device can be used more broadly for walking boots,

Wellingtons and shoes - the dimensions may change slightly.

• The device is thus used to assist in the removal of boots or shoes but mainly ski boots, using double U- shaped insets on the raised rear ridge of the device to grip the heel of the boot or shoe, whilst applying downward pressure on the footplate with one foot, to allow the other foot to be leveraged from the boot or shoe. This is a mobile (portable) device which is mainly used when the wearer is standing. The device can also or alternatively be used for seated boot or shoe removal (i.e. when the wearer is sitting), e.g. in an angled position, or fixed to the floor for security (or added leverage) if required. For seated removal, wedge-shaped or other means are utilised to support the toe end of the device raised above its heel end.

• The device has two U-shaped insets instead of one. It can have a full foot plate for stability, allowing removal from each foot by just bending the knee and leaning forward onto the weight-bearing other foot It uses weight applied by one foot to leverage the other foot out of the boot, with the position of one foot possibly being slightly in front of the other. It is simpler and less technical to manufacture than prior jacks and can therefore be cheaper. It is basically a portable/mobile device, that does not need to be fixed to the floor but can be if this is required, e.g. for security purposes. It allows for space on the base plate to enable the feet to be placed side by side with one foot slightly in front of the other during operation, for extra stability.

• A retractable, integrated or separate frame or other means may be used for elevation to an angled position to enable seated boot (or other footwear) removal.

• The material used for the jack should be a durable, light material enabling a single mould to be used to form the main device, allowing for portability and ease of production. The material and/or design have to be suitable for the device to withstand the envisaged stresses. Because of the upward stress on the rear curve, the device (or at least the curved part thereof) may need to be re-inforced, e.g. lined (e.g. inside the curve) with a suitable metal, e.g. steel, to prevent the device from fracturing at the curve; it should preferably then be coated with plasties. Also, the material should be washable for ease of maintenance and hygiene.

Without using this jack, the following method would be used to remove a ski boot

• Loosen all clips and bindings • Lever forward the front lip of the boot

• Press down with the hand on the back, upward-facing lip of the boot

• Leverage foot forward and up - which often requires twisting your back into an uncomfortable position if executed whilst standing

• Or sitting down, crossing legs and pushing the back of the boot away from the calf to lever the foot out of the boot

The present embodiments enable one to take the boot off without having to apply the pressure with the hand to the back of the boot, which often requires twisting one's back into an uncomfortable position, whilst leveraging the knee forward and the foot upwards, and therefore allow one just to bend forward after the foot has been extracted and remove the boot from the device. According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of removing a pair of boots or other footwear items each having a rear shoulder, in which method there is used a jack comprising a base and two engagement means to the rear of the jack, said pair of items are placed on the jack so that both are together in front of the engagement means and both are engaged by a said engagement means (each in turn or both together) over its said shoulder and each foot in turn pulled out of its said item so engaged. . This is preferably done while holding down the jack by means of the other foot placed on said base. Preferably, the feet are placed side by side on said base for the extraction. Preferably, the extraction of each foot is performed without the use of the hands, e.g. using a wall or car boot to lean on or for extra support. Preferably, the total extraction of both feet is performed without the use of the hands, apart from possibly to remove from the base an item of said pair from which its foot has been extracted. Alternatively, the two engagement means are used simultaneously, and the jack is held down by some other means, e.g. by the hands (e.g. by using ski-sticks) or by a connection to the floor, e.g. with floor bolts (screws), and e.g. each foot is withdrawn in turn from its footwear.

PARTICULAR DESCRIPTION RELATING TO THE DRAWINGS

Reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention; • Figure 1A is a side view of the Figure 1 embodiment, in use;

• Figure 1 B is a side view of the Figure 1 embodiment in a tilted position for seated withdrawal;

• Figure 2 is a plan view of the Figure 1 embodiment;

• Figure 3 is a perspective view of a variation of the Figure 1 embodiment; • Figures 4, 5 and 6 are partial and complete side views of the Figure 3 embodiment showing how it may be collapsed for carrying;

• Figure 7 is a perspective view of another variation of the Figure 1 embodiment; and

• Figure 8 is a partial side view of the Figure 7 embodiment showing how it may be assembled. Referring to the drawings, the dimensions 10, 30, 40, 50, 70, 100, 240, 340 are 10, 30, 40, 50, 70, 100, 240, 340 mm respectively.

A jack 12 comprises a base 18 having a front (at its handle 36 end) and a rear (at its opposite end, where its engagement means 20 are), and is suitable for use in removing from one's feet a pair of items 14 of footwear, e.g. a pair of boots 14, located side by side on the jack 12, each of said items 14 having a rear shoulder 16, the base 18 being provided with a pair of engagement means 20 side by side adapted to engage over the respective said shoulders 16 of said pair of items 14 placed simultaneously side by side on said base 18, to retain each of said items 14 as the foot is removed from it, said engagement means 20 being provided to the rear of said base 18 to engage said items 14 placed in front of them on said base 18. Thus, the base 18 has a front portion on which are placed said items 14 in front of said engagement means 20, which front portion comprises a majority of the front-to-back length of the base 18; said rear portion extends along dimension 60 apart from dimension 30, i.e. 30mm in the Figure 2 embodiment; said front portion extends front-to-back along the remainder of dimension 340, i.e. 310mm in the Figure 2 embodiment. Thus, the base 18 has said front portion adapted (by being open upwardly) for said pair of items 14 to be placed thereon and said rear portion behind said front portion adapted (by being covered by engagement means 20) for said pair of items 14 not to be placed thereon, the rear portion being provided with the pair of engagement means 20 side by side adapted to engage over the respective said shoulders 16 of said pair of items 14 placed simultaneously side by side on said front portion, to retain each of said items 14 as the foot is removed from it, said front portion being substantially longer front-to-back than said rear portion.

In normal use, the jack 12 is adapted for the base 18 to be pressed down by one foot to hold the jack 12 down while removing the item 14 from the other foot. But, as mentioned above, the jack 12 could also be held down by screws. Thus, the jack 12 for removing ski-boots 14 having a rearward, upward-facing shoulder 16, comprises a base 18 and two engagement means 20 each adapted to engage over a said shoulder 16 of a respective one of a pair of said boots 14 when placed on said base 18. The rearward shoulder 16, i.e. to the rear of the ski-boot 14 faces backwards, so that the engagement means 20 face forwards.

The boots 14 each have a heel 22 with an upward and backward facing shoulder 16. Feet encased in the footwear 14 can be located side by side on the base 18, as seen in Figure 2, and two engagement means 20, 20 engage over said shoulders 16 and are mounted side by side to the base 18, facing towards the location for the footwear 14.

The base 18 is plate-like. The engagement means 20 define a recess 202 directed (opening) towards the location 24 for the footwear 14, in order to fit over a said shoulder 16. This arrangement is adapted, as seen in Figure 2, for the two feet placed in footwear items 14, 14 to be placed substantially parallel to each other, rather than with the two feet pointing in divergent directions. The recess 202 is curved to accommodate the heel 22 of each item 14. The recess 202 is substantially semicircular. The engagement means 20 are plate-like; they may have rounded comers 26, FiguPB 3, the rounded corners of being of very small radius, e.g. 2-3 mm, to avoid sharp comers that could damage the ski-boots, since the larger the radius the less effective the grip on the boot by means 20. The jack 12 is formed so that a single monolithic member 28 comprises said base 18 and said engagement means 20. The member 28 is of sheet-like form. This form has a U-shape (as seen clearly in Figures 1A and 6) with a long arm 18 to provide said base 18 and a short arm 20 to provide said engagement means 20. Said member 28 is of injection-moulded of thermoplastic plastics material, comprising a polycarbonate. Preferably, said material comprises ABS (acrilonitrile- butadiene styrene) or PEETG (polyethylene terephthalate glycol) with a substantial, e.g. 70%, admixture of polycarbonate.

Said base 18 has a non-slip upper surface portion 32, and comprises security means 34 in the form of floor-fixing means 34 comprising aperture means 34 in said base whereby base 18 can be secured by screws (not shown) to the floor (not shown). The base 18 also has a handle 36 at its end opposite to the engagement means 20. The handle

36 is suitable to use as means 36 by which to hang up the jack 12. The jack 12 comprises means 38 to enable elevation of the jack 12 to an angled position, as shown in Figure 1B, to enable seated removal of the footwear 14.

As shown, such means 38 are integral with the jack 12, being in the form of sturdy struts 38, preferably of metal or the same hard plastics material as the rest of the device 12, hinged at points 42 to base 18, retracting into slots 44 in the bottom of base 18, and provided with stops 46 to prevent them from opening out too far from base 18.

The width 240 of said base 18 is substantially equal to that of a pair of said footwear 14 placed side by side, as seen in Figure 2, which is substantially to scale, which also shows that jack 12 has a length 340 equal to substantially the length of the intended footwear. Jack 12, Figure 3, can be folded across its length in order to facilitate (by reducing its size) portability of jack 12. For this purpose, base 18 has a split 48, seen more clearly in Figure 4, and a hinge 50 (which may alternatively be formed integrally as a folding portion of the material of base 18 if this material has suitable properties) joining together the resulting two parts 181 and 182 of base 18 so that part 182 can be folded down, initially as seen in Figure 5 and then to the position seen in Figure 6 for carrying. Alternatively, jack 12, Figure 7 is formed as two interengageable parts 183, 184 that can be disengaged to facilitate portability. These parts 183, 184 have tongueπand-groove means 52, 54, see more clearly in Figure 8, by which they can be interengaged. These parts 183, 184 extend longitudinally of the jack 12, including its curved portion that forms engagement means 20. For this purpose, tongue 52 can be pressed sideways into groove 54 so that parts 183, 184 are a press-fit, i.e. the parts 183, 184 mutually engage by being pressed together sideways. Alternatively, if tongue- and-groove means 52, 54 extend only along a straight stretch of the base, from the toe end 185 to point 186, they can be slid together longitudinally to form a slide-fit Said parts 183, 184 are made mutually identical in order to facilitate manufacture.

In the embodiments of Figures 3 to 8, the jack 12 also comprises connecting and/or reinforcing means 56 to interconnect said parts 181, 182 or 183, 184, which means 56 comprise a connecting and/or reinforcing member 562 and recess means 561 to accommodate member 562.

The jack 12 may be sold in combination with a pair of footwear 14 to use with the jack 12. The jack member 183 or 184 (for use in removing boots or other footwear 14 having a heel 22 with an upward- and backward-facing shoulder 16) comprises a base 18 upon which a foot encased in the footwear 14 can be placed, and heel-gripping means 20 mounted to the base18, the member 183 or 184 having means 52, 54 to connect it side by side to another such member 184 or 183, respectively to form a jack 12 as described above in relation to Figure 7. Said connecting means 52, 54 comprise part 52 of tongue-and-groove means 52, 54 along one side of said base 18 and a complementary-shaped part 54 of such tongue-and-groove means 52, 54 along an opposite side of said base 18. Preferably, said connecting and/or reinforcing means 52, 54, 56 comprise recess means 561 to accommodate connecting and/or reinforcing member 562. The member 562 is adapted to be accommodated by both members 183, 184 at once to hold them together as well as re-inforce the combination of held-together members 183, 184. Thus, the jack 12 may be sold in the form of a kit of parts comprising a pair of jack members 183, 184.

Thus, there is employed a method of removing a pair of boots or other footwear items 14 each having a rear shoulder 16, in which method there is used a jack 12 comprising a base 18 and two engagement means 20 to the rear of the jack, said pair of items 14 are placed on the jack 12 so that both are together in front of the engagement means 20 and both are engaged by a said engagement means 20 (each in turn or both together) (by placing each boot 14 in turn with its heel 22 into one or other recess 202 of engagement means 20 so that its shoulder 16 engages under the edge-defining recess 202) over its said shoulder 16 and each foot in turn pulled out of its said item so engaged. Preferably, this is done while holding down the jack 12 by means of the other foot placed on said base 18. The feet are placed side by side on said base 18 for the extraction. The extraction of each foot is performed without the use of the hands; and the total extraction of both feet is performed without the use of the hands, apart from possibly to remove from the base 18 an item 14 of said pair from which its foot has been extracted.

It will be apparent to one skilled in the art, that features of the different embodiments disclosed herein may be omitted, selected, combined or exchanged and the invention is considered to extend to any new and inventive combination thus formed. Where a preference or particularisation is stated, there is implied the possibility of its negative, i.e. a case in which that preference or particularisation is absent Many variations of the invention and embodiments hereinbefore described will be apparent to people skilled in the art and all such variations are to be considered as falling within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A jack comprising a base having a front and rear and suitable for use in removing from one's feet a pair of items of footwear, e.g. a pair of boots, located side by side on the jack, each of said items having a rear shoulder, the base being provided with a pair of engagement means side by side adapted to engage over the respective said shoulders of said pair of items placed simultaneously side by side on said base, to retain each of said items as the foot is removed from it, said engagement means being provided to the rear of said base to engage said items placed in front of them on said base.

2. A jack comprising a base having a front and rear and suitable for use in removing from one's feet a pair of footwear items, e.g. a pair of boots, located side by side on the jack, each of said items having a rear shoulder, the base having a front portion adapted for said pair of items to be placed thereon and a rear portion behind said front portion adapted for said pair of items not to be placed thereon, the rear portion being provided with a pair of engagement means side by side adapted to engage over the respective said shoulders of said pair of items placed simultaneously side by side on said front portion, to retain each of sad items as the foot is removed from it, said front portion being substantially longer front-to-back than said rear portion.

3. A jack as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the base is plate-like.

4. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the engagement means define a recess directed towards the location for the footwear to fit over a said shoulder.

5. A jack as claimed in claim 4 , in which the recess is curved to accommodate the heel of the footwear.

6. A jack as claimed in claim 4, in which the recess is substantially semicircular.

7. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, in which the engagement means have rounded comers.

8. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the engagement means are plate-like.

9. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, in which a single monolithic member comprises said base and said engagement means.

10. A jack as claimed in claim 9 , in which said member is of sheet-like form.

11. A jack as claimed in claim 10 , in which said form has a U-shape with a long arm to provide said base and a short arm to provide said engagement means.

12. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11, in which said member is of metal.

13. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 9 to 11, in which said member is of plastics material.

14. A jack as claimed in claim 13 , in which said member is of thermoplastic plastics material.

15. A jack as claimed in 13 or 14, in which said material comprises polycarbonate.

16. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 15, in which said material comprises ABS (acrilonitrile- butadiene styrene).

17. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 13 to 16, in which said material comprises PETG (polyethylene terephthalate glycol).

18. A jack as claimed in claim any one of claims 14 to 17, in which said material comprises a 70% admixture of polycarbonate.

19. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 18, in which said member is injection-moulded.

20. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 19, in which said base has a non-slip upper surface portion.

21. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 20, comprising security means.

22. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 21, comprising floor-fixing means.

23. A jack as claimed in claim 22, in which said floor-fixing means comprise aperture means in said base.

24. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 23, in which the base has a handle at an end opposite to the engagement means.

25. A jack as claimed in claim 24, in which the handle is suitable to use as means by which to hang up the jack.

26. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 25, comprising means to enable elevation of the jack to an angled position to enable seated removal of the footwear.

27. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 26, in which the width of said base is substantially equal to that of a pair of said footwear placed side by side.

28. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 26, in which the width of said base is in the range of from 15 to 30 cm.

29. A jack as claimed in claim 28, in which the width of said base is in the range of from 20 to 25 cm.

30. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 29, which has a length equal to substantially the length of the intended footwear.

31. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 30, which can be folded to facilitate portability.

32. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 31, which is formed as interengageable parts that can be disengaged to facilitate portability.

33. A jack as claimed in claim 32, in which said parts have tongue-and-groove means by which they can be interengaged.

34. A jack as claimed in claim 33, in which said parts are substantially identical.

35. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 32 to 34, which comprises connecting and/or reinforcing means to interconnect said parts, which means comprise recess means to accommodate a connecting and/or reinforcing member and such member.

36. A jack for removing boots or other footwear and substantially according to any embodiment hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

37. A jack for removing boots or other footwear and substantially according to any embodiment hereinbefore described.

38. A jack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 37, in combination with a pair of footwear to use with the jack.

39. A jack member having connecting means to connect it side by side to another such membeπto form a jack as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 37.

40. A jack member as claimed in claim 39, in which said connecting means comprise part of tongue-and- groove means.

41. A jack member as clamed in claim 39, in which said connecting means comprise part of tongue-and- groove means along one side of said base and a complementary-shaped part of such tongue-and-groove means along an opposite side of said base.

42. A jack member as claimed in any one of claims 39 to 41, in which said connecting means is part of connecting and/or reinforcing means which comprise recess means to accommodate a connecting and/or reinforcing member.

43. A kit of parts for a jack as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a pair of jack members, each as claimed in any one of claims 39 to 42.

44. A jack comprising a pair of jack members each separately as claimed in any one of claims 39 to 42.

45. A jack comprising a pair of jack members each separately as claimed in any one of claims 39 to 42 and a connecting andfor reinforcing member adapted to be accommodated by both members at once to hold them together.

46. A method of removing a pair of boots or other footwear, in which method there is used a jack or member as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 42 or 44 or 45, and each engagement means in turn is engaged over a said shoulder and the foot pulled out of that item of the pair.

47. A method of removing a pair of boots or other footwear items each having a rear shoulder, in which method there is used a jack comprising a base and two engagement means to the rear of the jack, said pair of items are placed on the jack so that both are together in front of the engagement means and both are engaged by a said engagement means (each in turn or both together) over its said shoulder and each foot in turn pulled out of its said item so engaged.

48. A method of removing a pair of boots or other footwear items, and substantially according to any embodiment hereinbefore described.

49. A method of removing a pair of boots or other footwear items, and substantially according to any embodiment hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.