US117777A

US117777A - Improvement in boot-stretchers

Info

Publication number: US117777A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1871-08-08
Anticipated expiration: 1888-08-08

Description

PATENT FFICE.

JAMES HOFFMAN, OF BELVIDERE, NEW JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENT IN BOOT-STRETCHERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 117,777, dated August 8, 1871.

To all whom it may concer/n:

Bc it known that I, J Aims HOFFMAN, of Belvidere, in the county of fairen and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Boot-Stretcher; and I do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of my improved boot-stretclier, arranged for stretching the extremetoe of a boot. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same, arranged for stretching the boot across the toe. Fig. 3 is a side view of the same, arranged for stretching the instep of the boot. Fig. 4 is a top view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

My invention consists in improving bootstretchers, as hereinafter described and pointed out in the claim.

A represents an iron plate or sole, made somewhat in the form of a boot-sole, so that it may rest firmly upon the sole of the boot to be stretched. The middle part of the sole A, that sustains the greatest strain, is stiffened or strengthened by being made thicker, or by having an eXtra plate or bar attached to it. To the heel of the sole A is attached a hollow block, B, open upon its forward side, and having a screwhole, b', formed in the rear part of its top to receive the operating-screw. To the rear part of the sole A, in front of the hollow block B, are attached two vertical supports or plates, C, at such a distance apart as to receive the operating-levers between them. In the supports O are formed three holes, c1 c2 o3, to receive the 4pin or bolt by which the operating-levers are pivoted to said supports. D is a metal cap, which is so formed, as shown in Fig. l, that it may be pushed forward into the extreme toe of the boot. The cap D is pivoted to the forward end of the lever E by means of lugs formed upon or attached to the under side of the said cap. The lever E is pivoted to and between the supports C by a pin, F, which passes through the forward hole 0 in said supports, and is made of such a length that its rear end may extend back into the cavity of the hollow block B, so that it may be operated upon by the screw G, which passes in through the screw-hole b in the top of said hollow block B. The screw Gis made of such a length that it may be conveniently operated through the boot-leg, and has a cross-head or oth er hand-piece attached to its upper end for convenience in operating it. H is a metal cap, which is so formed as to fit into the forward part of the boot about upon a line with the first joint of the big toe. The cap His pivoted, by means of lugs formed upon or attached to its under side, to the end of the lever I, which is made of such a length that its rear end may extend back into the cavity of the block B, so as to be operated by the screw G. rIhe lever I is pivoted to the supports C by the pin or bolt F, which is passed through the hole c2 in said supports, and through a hole in the said lever I. J is a metal cap, which is formed so as to fit into the instep of the boot, and is pivoted to the end of the lever K. The cap J may be made upon a simple curve, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, or it may be made in the form of the instep of a last, as may be desired. The lever K is made of such a length that its rear end may extend back into the cavity of the block B, so as to be operated upon by the screw G, and is pivoted to and between the supports C by the pin F, which passes through a hole in the said lever and through the rear hole c3 in the said supports. By this construction, the lengths of the levers and their pivoting-points are arranged according to the part of the boot that requires stretching, so that the screw G may always have a sufficient leverage to stretch the required part to any desired extent.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- As an article of manufacture, the boot-stretcher, constructed as described, when composed of caps D, H, and J, and levers E, I, and K, all applied as and for the purpose specified.

I/Vtnesses: JAMES HOFFMAN.

WILLIAM LEEsE,

J. F. HANK.