US1849752A - Extensible shoe form - Google Patents

Description

Patented Mar. 15, 1932 PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM 'BOUDINOT CONNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

nxrrnnsrnnn snon FORM Application filed October 31, 1929 Serial No. 403,837.

This invention relates to an extensible shoe form adapted to be placed in a shoe when the shoe is not in use or when displayed as merchandise, in order to keep the shoe in proper stretched condition to maintain its shape and prevent wrinkling of the leather.

The invention relates more particularly to an extensible shoe form of the type which can I be adjusted to the desired extension position while the 'form is in the shoe and then retracted for removal of the form from the shoe.

The capabiliy of adjusting the form to the proper extension position while it is in the shoe is of considerable practical importance since it avoids the objectionable result of undue stretching and consequent distortion of the shoe from its natural shape often occurring in the use of those'extensibleshoe forms form is placed "in the shoe and where the extension adjustment, it not properly estimated and 1nade,results, when the form is forced into the shoe, in the referred-t0 undue stretching and distortion. j

I am aware that the prior art presents extensible shoe forms adjustable while'the form is in the shoe, some of these forms being extensible only by a positive extension movement of one part of the form, generally the fore or toe part, and others by a positive extensionmovement of both the fore and heel parts, the latter having the advantage of greater rapidity of the adjustment by reason of the double movement, that is of both the fore and-heel parts. Generally, however, in these prior art forms, either the mechanism for extension and retraction of the form introducesa weak structural connection between the fore and heel parts, or greater strength in that connection has been attained only by complications in the structure of the extension and retraction mechanism and substantial modifications in and additions to the usual simple fore and heel parts to mount resulting in a complication and weight of structure, 7 unsightliness of appearance" and high cost objectionable for an article of such simple and "personal use as a shoe tree or form. Y

requiring the extension adjustment before the or coo aerate with that mechanism and thus Another objectionable feature in certain types of the prior art forms, especially those in which a screw connection between the fore and heel parts of the form is used for the ex,

ment while in the shoe. When such an exten sible shoe form is in its position of extended adjustment in a shoe for the purpose of stretching the shoe in a manner to keep the shoe in proper shape and prevent wrinkling of the leather, considerable stresses are exerted not only in the median longitudinal line of the form tending to retract or collapse together the extended or spaced parts of the form, but also in other directions tending to turn the fore and heel parts of the form out of their aligned body positions which are most effective in preserving the original shape of the shoe, these stresses being especially severe when the shoe is drying on the form from a wet or damp condition.

Accordingly, general objects of my invention include the provision of an extensible shoe form of the type to which my invention has already been stated to relate, of simple, strong and durable construction both in the' fore and heel parts and the adjusting mechanism associated therewith, and of light weight, attractive appearance and low cost.

More particular objects of my invention include the provision of a shoe form'having improved mechanism for extending and retracting the form, of simple construction, re-

. quiring no substantial modifications of or ad- 7 ditions to; the usual simple structure of fore and heel parts to mount or cooperate with I that mechanism, and which mechanism will provide, in any position of extension of the form, a strong and rigid connection between the fore and heel parts holding them 'in proper alignment to their adjusted positions.

In'the novel shoe form of my invention, themeans for adjustably extending the form and holding its parts in adjusted positions are of such structural principles as to present in all positions of the extension adjust V ment a continuous structurally rigid straightline connection and abutment between the fore and heel parts of the form along the median longitudinal line of the form, and rigid elements so engaging the fore and heel parts of the form outside the line of said connection and abutment, as to resist the stresses exerted by the shoe upon the form tending to collapse its parts and turn them from their proper aligned body positions. The means for adjustably extending and retracting the form is also preferably such as to give a double extension and retraction; that is, to simultaneously extend or retract both the fore and heel parts in opposite directions of positive movements.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a shoe form of which the fore and heel parts may be formed of a synthetic resin composition such as bakelite.

The foregoing and other objects and the principles of my invention will more fully appear from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention hereinafter presented and illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification. It is to be understood, how ever, that the embodiment described and illustrated is simply one example illustrative of the principles of the invention and is not to be taken as limiting the invention to that precise form, the invention including other embodiments and modifications of the embodiment shown, all within the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 presents a top plan view of the extensible shoe form constituting, as stated above, a preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 presents a bottom plan view of the form in substantially its condition of extension adjustment as in Fig. 1;

Figure 3 presents a side elevational view of the form in substantially its condition of extension adjustment shown in 1 and 2;

Figure l presents a vertical longitudinal sectional view along the longitudinal axis of the form with certain parts of the operating mechanism shown in elevation.

In the plan and elevational views shown in Figs. 1 and 3, certain interior and unexposed parts are indicated in dotted lines.

As hereinbefore stated, the principles of my invention are such as to enable a simple structure of fore and heel parts to be used without complications of structure for mounting or cooperating with the mechanism for extending and retracting the form. In the present example, the fore and heel parts of the simple character referred to are shown at 10 and 11, respectively. They are preferably, although not necessarily, of shell-like or hollow form as shown so that each has an interior chamber or space opening toward the interior chamber or space of the other,

7 ating means as indicated at 12 and 13 respectively for the fore and heel parts.

In the illustrative example of the invention, the means effecting the double extension and retraction of the form while at the same time providing a rigid straight-line connection and abutment between the fore and heel parts of the form comprises a rotatable shaft l l lying in the vertical longitudinal median plane of the form and having screw threaded end portions designed for threaded relation with the fore and heel parts so that the shaft rigidly connects the two parts of the form and a. turning of the shaft will extend or retract the form.

This threaded relation of the shaft 14 with the two separate fore and heel parts of the form can readily be provided for without introducing complications of structure into the fore and heel parts. Where solid fore and heel parts are used, their opposing end portions can be provided with the required centrally extending threaded bore to receive the threaded ends of the shaft. Where the fore and heel parts of the form are of the hollow construction shown in the drawings, bosses 15 and 16 are provided on the bottom interior walls of those respective parts, and with those bosses apertured and threaded to receive therethrough the threaded portions of the shaft.

One of the advantageous features hereinbefore referred to as contemplated by the present invention is the location of the operfor the screw shaft between the fore and heel parts so as to avoid complication of the structure of the fore and heel parts either to mount or to cooperate with said operating means. In the present illustrative embodiment of the invention, such operating means comprises a bevel gear 17 fixedly mounted on the unthreaded central portion of the shaft 14 and a bevel gear 18 coacting with the gear 17 to drive the same, the gear 18 in turn being manually operated by the handle 19 extending upwardly between the fore and heel parts of the form in convenient position for the manual operation while the form is in the shoe.

Another advantageous feature hereinbefore referred to as contemplated by the in vention is the provision of means, of a character to introduce no complication of struc ture into the fore and heel parts, to keep those parts in their proper aligned body positions without any tendency to bodily turn or pivot from those positions in any position of extension or retraction of the form. Where a screw shaft extension connection is used between the fore and heel parts as in the illustrative embodiment of the invention, this means serves to prevent the bodily turning of those parts upon the shaft or with respect to each other. In the example shown, this means presents in structural principle a rigid element mounted and fixedly centered between the fore and heel engaging those parts to prevent their turn- Ing movement on the shaft or with respect to each other. .More specifically, in the example shown this means takes the form of a housing over and fixedly centered by the gear mechanism for operating the shaft and with side portions of the housing on opposite sides of the shaft extending into sliding engagement with wall portions of the fore and heel partsof the form. The housing is also preferably so arranged as to support the part of the gear mechanism not fixed to the shaft.

The housing referred to, as shown in the drawings, has a top portion 20, two side portions 21 and opposite cross walls 22. The housing may be made of any material. offering suflicient rigidity combined with lightness, such as thin sheet steel or aluminum, or, as hereinafter more particularly mentioned, of bakelite or the like synthetic resin composition. When made of sheet steel or aluminum,the top and sides of the housing may conveniently be stamped from a single blank bent to the form as shown and with separate stampings for the two cross walls which are then assembled and fixed in the top and side walls of the housing by lugs on these blanks extending through slots in the top and sides of the housing as indicated at 23 in the'drawings. To save metal and also to enhance the appearance of the top of the housing between the fore and heel parts, that top is inwardly curved at its opposite ends as shown.

Where a hollow construction of fore and heel parts of the form is used as in the present illustrative example, the invention-contemplates the functioning of the housing to prevent turning movements of those parts on the screw shaft primarily by the bottom walls of the housing, that is the bottom edges of the side portions 21 in the example given, pressing'on the floor portion of the fore and heel parts. For that purpose, the housing'is so mounted and fixedly centered between the fore and heel parts of the form,'as will later be more fully pointed out, as to present its bottom walls in very close relatively sliding engagement with the floor portions of the fore and heel parts. Although not indispensable to my invention, preferably, especially in a form where the floor of the fore and heel parts may be ina plane of slight curvature from side to side of the form as is sometimes desired, opposite side portionslof that floor are formed in a straight-line plane, somewhat in the nature of a runway, forthe' close relatively sliding engagementtherewith of the bottom walls of the housing. Such opposite side portions of the floorsof the fore and heel parts are indicated at 25 in the illustrative embodiment of'the invention shown in Fig. 1.

WVhile in the construction, shown, the side walls 21 of the housing also 'sl'idably engage parts and slidingly V a portion of the interior side walls of the fore and heel parts,as shown in thetop plan view of .Fig. 1, and this engagement also prevents the turning of the fore and heel 'partsof the form on the screw shaft, thisarrangement, although a separate feature which may be employed where the contour ofthe interior sidewalls of the form permits it, is not an essential'feature ofxmy invention. In other words, template as an essential feature that the side walls of the housing. should fit tightly against or have sliding engagement with the interior side walls of the fore and heel partsand the housing be controlled in itsrelative move- .ment, or, otherwise expressed,sthe fore and heel p arts be con-trolled from :turning on the screw shaft, by that relation. All the control necessary may be accomplished by the contact of the bottom wall of the housing with thefloor of the fore and heel parts as hereinbefore described; and this provision has the advantage of permitting such changes in the conformation of the parts of the shoe form from that shown in the drawings as may present a considerable space between the housing and the inside wall of the fore and heel parts. J

The cross walls 22 of the housing are apertured for the shaft .14, and the top is apertured for the gear handle 19, thehousing thus being centered on the gear'mechanism and supportably bearing upon the shaft 14: and the interior portions of the fore and heel'parts with which it has: sliding engagement. provide amounting support for the gear 18 and its handle 19 in the top of the housing, that top is provided with a bearing shoulder 26about the aperture through which the handle 19 extends, and the handle 19 is provided with a shoulder 27 engaging the bearing shoulder 26 for the support of the handle. The gear 18 is then supported from the handle 19, the lower portion or stem of the handle being squared to engage the gear through a similarly shaped aperture therethrough and the stem of the handle being headed over, "as indicated at 28, to complete the attachment. ere aluminum is used for the housing,

a brass bearing collar may advisably take the place of the bearing shoulders 26 referred to above. it

v A further desirablefeature contemplated by my invention is a rapid extension and retraction movement of the fore and heel my invention does not con-1.

parts not only by reason of. the provision of 7 means, such as the screw shaft, for moving both of said parts butalso by reasonof the relative pitch of the gears and screw shaft.

To that end, the gear 18 is made of greater the shaft 14, admirably serve the purpose, although of course the advantages of the invention are not restricted to these features of detail.

The inward movement of the fore and heel parts in the retraction of the form is limited by the adjacent ends of these parts abutting against each other. As a simple and convenient means of limiting the extension movement and preventing the running of the fore and heel parts off the screw, one end of the screw shaft, the end extending into the fore part of the form, is headed over as indicated at 29 to form a stop for engagement with the adjacent end of the boss 15 to restrain further turning movement of the screw shaft. With this stop arrangement, together with the sides 21 of the housing engaging the fore and heel parts to restrain them from turning on the shaft, the parts are locked from further extension movement despite the absence of a stop on the end of the screw shaft which projects into the heel part.

I have found a length of five and one half inches plus a suflicient additional length for the heading up of its end and a diameter of three eights of an inch suitable for the screw shaft 14, and an over-all length of two and five eighths inches suitable for the housing over that shaft and its gear mechanism. These dimensions give an adequate strength of shaft and a wide range of extension adjustment enabling a single shoe form of the construction here shown to be used with shoes of a wide range of sizes, but it is to be understood of course that the practice of the invention is not restricted to these dimensions.

The screw threads on the shaft 14 extend inwardly along the length of the shaft from its opposite ends but stop short of the point where the shaft extends through the bearing apertures in the cross walls 22 of the housing, as shown in Fig. 4. 7 Thus the apertured cross walls 22 of the housing provide a journal bearing for the smooth cylindrical portion of the shaft 14. It is further to be not-ed from the arrangement of the housing and the gears in Fig. 4, that the front cross wall of the housing is positioned against the hub of the smaller gear 17, and this together with the engagement of the gears '17 and 18 and the j ournalling of the handle 19 of the gear 18 through the center aperture of the housing effectively centers the housing in fixed position over the shaft and gears between the fore and heel parts of the form.

A heel ring, indicated at 30 on the drawings, is preferably provided for the assistance it gives to the removal of the form from the shoe and for convenience of general handling of the form. As this heel ring and its mounting form no part of my invention, it is sufiicient to state that the ring is mounted in aclamp 31 of general U-shape in cross section engaging about the upper wall, of the shell-like heel part as shown in Fig. 4, and that the clamp has spring arms 32 so engaging the ring as to resiliently hold it in either the vertical or horizontal position for use.

-It will be noted that the structural and operating principles of my invention enable the fore and heel parts of the form to be of very simple formation and I have found that such parts can be made of a synthetic resin composition such as bakelite by molding processes well known to those skilled in the art; and my invention contemplates fore and heel parts of such material. I have also found from consideable experimental tests that bakelite or the like composition gives exceptional characteristics to a shoe form molded of that material, which are of practical importance for the use for which such form is intended, including lightness combined with rigidity, extreme hardness and durability, absence of warping and non-absorption of odors and moisture from the shoe. For like reasons my invention also contemplates the formation of the housing over the operating mechanism of molded bakelite or the like material.

In employing fore and heel parts of the form of molded bakelite or the like material, I also find that the bosses 15, 16 may be provided with the required threading in the material itself, whereas when employing fore and heel parts of wood, as is commonly done, threaded bushings of metal must be inserted in these bosses to receive the screw shaft.

In addition to the advantages of my improved shoe form as hereinbefore expressly pointed out and apparent from the construction described, attention is particularly called to the advantage of the screw shaft and double gear arrangement with the gears of different ratios. One of the disadvantages generally characteristic of extensible shoe forms of the prior art which are adjustable after the form is in the shoe, is the tendency of the fore and heel parts to slip back or retract from the positions to which they have been extended. In my improved shoe form, with the screw and gear mechanism, including particularly the provision of the larger and smaller gears as hereinbefore described, it is possible to adjust the extension of the form to the smallest fraction of an inch while at the same time this mechanism maintains the exact and precise adjustment without possibility of slipping back or retraction of the parts of the form.

Another advantage of my invention in the illustrative en'ibodiment of it shown in the drawings, is the hollow construction of the fore and heel. parts. which provides for much better ventilation than in the case of a solid shoe tree or form and enables the shoe to dry out more quickly.

IVhat is claimed is:

1. An extensible shoe form comprising, in

combination, separate fore and heel partseach formed with an interior chamber or space opening toward the other and with an apertured boss extending from a wall of said part into said space in aligned position of said bosses and their apertures, a shaft extending through said aligned bosses, said shaft and said bosses being provided with cooperating screw threads whereby turning movement of said shaft imparts approaching and separrating movements to said parts along said shaft to extend and retract said form, manually operable means for turning said shaft, and stop means on said shaft engaging one of said bosses to limit the extension movements of said fore and heel parts along said shaft and to retain said parts on said shaft. o

2. An extensible shoe form comprising, in combination, separate fore and heel parts, a central shaft having screw threaded engagement with both said parts whereby rotation of said shaft imparts simultaneous positive movements to both said parts in approaching and separating directions along said shaft and cooperating stop means on said shaft and on one of said parts limiting the separating movement of said parts along said shaft.

3. An extensible shoe form comprising, in combination, separate fore and heel parts, a central shaft having threaded engagement with both of said parts whereby rotation of said shaft imparts positive movements to WILLIAM BOUDINOT CONN ER.

said parts in the linear direction extending v and retracting said form, both said parts having aligned flat-surfaced portions on opposite sides of said shaft and a rigid ele ment centered on said shaft and slidingly engaging said portions to restrain said parts on the form from turning movement with respect to each other and said shaft. 7

4. An extensible shoe form comprising, in combination, separate fore and heel parts, a central shaft having threaded engagement with both of said parts for extending and retracting said form, gear mechanism located between said each of said parts having a flat-surfaced portion with said portions aligned and extending transversely of and on opposite sides of said shaft and a housing for said gear mechanism having sides engaging said portions of the parts of the form on opposite sides of said shaft to restrain said parts from turning movement on said shaft.

5. An extensible shoe form comprising, in

parts for turning said shaft,

combination, separate fore and heel parts, a

central shaft having threaded engagement with both of said parts for extending and retracting said form, gear mechanism located between said parts for turning said shaft, said parts having each a flat-surfaced portion aligned with the other and extending beneath said shaft on opposite sides of the same, and a mounting for said gear mechanism having sliding engagement with said

Images