US2227148A - Shoe tree - Google Patents

Description

F. A. LISI Dec. 31, 1940.

SHOE TREE Filed July 14,'1959 INVENTOR 59AM/K ,4. Aff

y Patented Dec. 31, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

This invention relates to shoe trees.

It is an object of this invention to provide a shoe tree of light, strong construction having originally a fiat shape which may be` refolded flat for convenient storage when not in use. Such a shoe tree is of particular advantage for travelling, particularly by airplane, where extreme lightness is of importance.

It is afurther object of this invention to provide a shoe tree which will hold the toe portion of the shoe to the shape of the last without improperly distending or misshaping the proper contour thereof.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a shoe tree of open or skeleton form which will permit a free circulation of air into the shoe so that the latter will dry properly after wearing.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a shoe tree having relatively large flat surfaces for the reception of advertising material and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shoe tree of sufciently inexpensive material and construction so that the same may be given away by a Shoemaker with each purchase of shoes, or may be provided for use of guests by hotels, transportation companies and the like.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description and the accompanying drawing, which illustrates one preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevationand partly in vertical section of a ladys shoe with the shoe tree applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a transverse section taken on the line 2 2 of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the shoe tree in the approximate shape assumed when placed in a shoe.

Figure 4` is a side elevation of the shoe tree in its at condition, and

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a suggested container for dispensing pairs of shoe trees, the latter being indicated within the container by dotted lines.

For purposes of illustration the tree is shown as applied to a ladys shoe I0 having a sole II and an upper or vamp I2. It is to be understood, of course, that the tree may be applied to all types of boots and shoes. 'I'he tree proper comprises a blank of suitable sheet material bent or folded to proper shape, as shown generally at I5. The blank may be formed of somewhat flexible or resilient sheet material of stiffness sufficient to provide the proper support for the shoe, but insufficient to prevent the bending of the flaps, to be described, to proper shape. For this purpose I have found numerous types of cardboardl to be adequate and satisfactory, but of course it will be understood` that other material such as various light metals, corrugated boards, resin treated materials `and the like may be employed. The tree I5 is normally substantially flat, and preferably `comprises a pair of body portions IS of substantially identical shape, each having bottom flaps l 'I and upper flaps I8.

The bottom flap I'I is secured to, or bent from the body I6 along the line I9. The curved edge 22 of the flap II is preferably adapted, when the flap is folded out of the plane of the body, to cover the insole 23 when the shoe tree is applied as shown in Figure 2. In order that the Hap Il may bend to conform to the shape of the insole, score lines 24 may be provided in the flap I'I.

The upper flaps I8 are secured to, or folded from the body along the line 25 which is preferably curved inwardly in the central portion of the body portion I 6. Provision of the curved line 25 insures that the tree will fit the contour of the vamp I2 and further insures that the flaps I8 will bear upward against the vamp in a positive `manner as the collapse of these flaps is prevented by the shape of the curve 25,which produces an arched effect,` and ordinarily may be as shown in Figure 4 with the line 25 curved. Thus ordinarily the shape of the curved fold 25 may be approximately as shown, but other forms of folds including straight folds have been found to be useful. Score lines 26 are preferably provided in the upper flaps I8 permitting the flaps to form themselves to the contour of the vamp and thus support the shoe in proper shape. The scoring in either upper or lower flaps is not sufficiently deep to weaken the tree so that while the upper and lower flaps I'I and I8 form themselves somewhat to the shape of the shoe, they nevertheless offer adequate support and tend to keep the shoe in its proper shape.

While the body portions I6 may be used in two separate pieces, it is preferable that these portions be secured together. Various means of securing them have been found to be adequate, but I have found it desirable to form the body portions integrally, joining them With a web 3| which extends between the rear edges of the body portions and itself offers support to the tree and thus to the shoe. The web 3l preferably extends perpendicularly between the two body portions I6 when the tree is in position in the shoe and has the further advantage of making the tree somewhat wider at the back so that the tree will nt the natural shape of the shoe somewhat better. I further prefer in order to insure that the shoe tree will assume the same shape each time it is applied to the shoe that the body portions I6 be joined intermediate their edges and to this end I may use the eyelet 2l or any other convenient fastening means. The body portions may be secured together adhesively over their entire surface or a portion thereof if desired.

The tree may be inserted into the shoe in the position shown in Figure 1 and the flaps will assume the position approximately illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the iiaps I8 tending to bear upwardly and the flaps il downwardly, thus supporting the shoe in its original and proper shape. The tree furthermore is held in this position by the centering of the lower end of the web 3i on the insole of the shoe as particularly illustrated in Figure 1.

It will be seen particularly with reference to Figure 2 that rather than filling the entire inner portion of the shoe, the tree is of skeletal form and permits freecrculation of air through the shoe thus aiding in drying thereof after wearing.

Pairs of the trees of my invention may be dispensed in their flat condition in numerous convenient forms such as the envelope-like covering 3G shown in Figure' which is represented to contain a pair of shoe trees. The body portion both of the shoe trees and of the envelope may be decorated with suitable advertising material 33 which thus will make the tree a more attractive item from the standpoint of the dispenser and the consumer. If desired the envelope may be made of transparent material such as Cellophane, in which case the trees with the advertising thereon can be seen through the envelope wall.

While I have illustrated and described in detail certain preferred forms of my invention, it is to be understood that changes may be made therein and the invention embodied in other structures.

'I I do not, therefore, desire to limit myself to the specific constructions illustrated, but intend to cover my invention broadly in whatever form its principles may be utilized.

I claim:

1. A shoe tree for insertion into a shoe comprisprising a fiat body portion of non-metallic resilient sheet material having upper and lower naps foldable out of the plane of the body into subfoldable from the upper and lower portions of the body portion, said upper naps forming substantially the shape of a vamp and said lower aps forming substantially the shape of the front part of an insole.

4. A shoe tree comprising a doubled body portion, upper and lower flaps extending from said body, said upper flaps being adapted to be folded out of the plane of said body to assume the shape of a part of a Vamp, said lower aps being foldable out of the plane of the body assuming the shape of a part of an insole.

5. A shoe tree comprising a double fold of material forming a body, upper and lower flaps on said body, scored lines between said aps and said body, and a plurality of lightly scored lines on said flaps, said upper aps being adapted to conform to the shape of the inside of a vamp of a shoe and said lower flaps being adapted to conform to the shape of an insole.

6. A shoe tree for insertion into a shoe comprising substantially flat body portions joined at one edge thereof by an integral web and means carried by the upper and lower edges of the body portions for engaging the sole and the vamp of a shoe, and supporting said sole and said vamp in shape.

7. A shoe tree for insertion into a shoe comprising a flexible resilient vamp supporting portion, a sole engaging portion, and a substantially rigid body of small cross sectional area compared to the horizontal cross sectional area of the part of the shoe in which the shoe tree is to be inserted extending between the vamp and sole engaging portions and forming a strut for bracing them apart.

8. A shoe tree comprising a vertical body portion adapted to extend substantially from the sole to the Vamp of the inside of a shoe, flexible resilient sole engaging aps extending from either side of the bottom of said body portion and flexible resilient Vamp engaging flaps extending from either side of the top of said body portion.

9. A shoe tree for insertion into a shoe comprising a substantially vertically extending body portion, sole engaging aps extending from the base thereof and curved vamp engaging flaps extending from the top thereof.

10. A shoe tree comprising a single piece of stili bendable sheet material folded upon itself to form a normally vertical two-ply body, each of said body plies carrying an upper Vamp engaging flap and a lower sole engaging flap.

11. A shoe tree for insertion into a shoe comprising aflexible resilient portion of sheet material adapted to fit inside of and support the Vamp of a shoe, a sole engaging portion adapted to bear against the inner surface of the sole and a flat upright web constituting a strut bracing the vamp and sole engaging portions apart.

FRANK A. LISI.

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