US2695105A - Shoe holding bracket - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 23, 1954 J. P, MITCHELL 2,695,105

SHOE HOLDING BRACKET Filed March e, 1951 1N VEN TOR. c /w/N mwfm United States Patent() SHOE HOLDING BRACKET John P. Mitchell, Arcadia, Calif.

Application March 6, 1951, Serial No. 214,105

3 Claims. (Cl. 211-35) My invention relates to a support for footwear suitable for installation in homes, ollices and the like, and more particularly to a wall bracket or rack for holding one or more pairs of shoes when not in use.

Many prior types of shoe supports are known to the art and are in widespread use, but all of these suffer from certain basic defects which this invention is designed to overcome. A majority of the prior devices support the shoes on an inclined step or on shelf cleats which are adapted only to a particular style of shoe. A substantial amount of horizontal space is required for such a support, and the entire group-of shoes supported thereon may be easily disarranged by the removal or replacement of a single pair. Furthermore, because of the limited shelf space in the conventional wardrobe or closet, it is usually necessary to place the shelf-type of support in some relatively inaccessible location.

Still other prior devices are designed to support the shoes by means of pockets or envelopes which quickly become soiled and damaged by contact with the shoe soles. In addition, the pocket-type of support is not well adapted for receiving different styles and sizes of shoes, and is likely to damage or mar the upper coverings thereon. While there may be many modifications and variations of the prior devices, the aforementioned defects are retained, since they are directly related to the type of support provided.

For these reasons there has been a long-felt need for a shoe support of more convenient and practical construction. By the use of an entirely different and novel method of suspension, l have been able to overcome the defects of the prior devices and provide a shoe support which is adapted to accommodate any style or size of shoe, and requires a minimum amount of installation space.

A major object of my invention is to provide a support or bracket for footwear which suspends each shoe` by clamp means which wedge against the edge of the shoe sole to suspend the shoe vertically in the minimum amount of horizontal space.

It is another object of my invention to provide a shoe support which is adapted to accommodate any style of high or low shoe, and which is easily adjusted for particular sizes.

A further object of my invention is to provide a shoe support or bracket which suspends one or more pairs of shoes in a vertical position with the sole thereof faced inwardly against the support, so that no dirt is rubbed from the sole onto clothes or other articles in proximity thereto.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a shoe support having means to engage a shoe which do not in any way scrape, impress, or damage the upper covering.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a shoe bracket which is easily installed and removed, and which may be sold in convenient lengths adapted for particular installations and arrangements.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide a shoe bracket of simple and durable construction which may be manufactured and sold at a nominal price.

These and other objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following description of two embodiments thereof, and from an inspection of the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view of a first embodiment of rny support shown installed on a vertical wall surface;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of a segment of the support shown in Fig. l, with a single shoe clamp mounted thereon;

3 is a cross section taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a modified form of support;

F Fig 5 is a cross section taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 6 is a cross section showing the shoe clamp of Fig. 5 rocked to an adjustment position;

Fig. 7 is a cross section taken along the line 7 7 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the adjustable shoeclamping means used in a modified form of the device.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Fig. l thereof, one embodiment of the invention is seen to include an elongated base or track 10 on which is slidably mounted a plurality of clamp means indicated generally at 11. The base 10 is secured to a vertical surface W in a generally horizontal position, and may be mounted on a closet door, wall, or in any other accessible location. The clamps 11 are spaced along the length of the base 10, and are disposed in pairs, with each pair being adapted to bracket and engage with the opposite sole edges of a shoe S. Each pair of clamps 11 has opposed jaw portions which are adapted to wedge into engagement with the edges of the shoe sole so that a plurality of shoes S may be suspended vertically with the soles faced against the base 10. Each shoe S is suspended independently of the others, and displaces a minimum amount of horizontal space. The clamps 11 are slidably mounted on the base 10 to provide adjustment for different sizes and styles of shoes, and are normally locked at selected locations by a locking device which is described in detail hereinafter.

ln order to permit the sliding movement of the clamps 11, the base 10 is provided with a forwardly opening channel, formed typically of T-section, so that the clamps may project outwardly and engage with the edges of the shoe soles. A preferred form of base 10 is provided with a ilat rear wall 14 joined integrally with an upper iiange 15 and lower ange 16 which are spaced apart to provide a central elongated channel 17. The upper ange 15 extends horizontally outwardly from the wall 14 and then turns downwardly to define a rectangular upper groove 18 which extends along the top of the channel 17. A lower groove 19 is similarly defined by the lower flange 16 and communicates upwardly into the channel 17 so as to complement the upper groove 18. The base 10 may be advantageously formed by extrusion from any of a variety of attractively-colored plastic materials such as poly-methyl-methacrylate, poly-vinyl-chloride, the resins of phenol or urea, or the like. The use of a colored plastic material obviates the necessity of painting or otherwise decorating the device, and the appearance may be further enhanced by the use of rounded or otherwise attractively-shaped corners. An extrusion process permits the base 10 to be cut to any desired or convenient length to meet special requirements of particular installations. After being cut to the desired length, the base 10 is provided with end apertures 20 to receive screws or similar fastening means 21 for installing the device on a wall surface.

As aforementioned, the clamps 11 are disposed in pairs which are adapted to bracket and engage with the sole of a single shoe. Each clamp 11 includes a rectangular body or block 24 which is formed of plastic or other suitable material, and has its upper and lower edges conlined Within the grooves 18 and 19 for longitudinal sliding movement. Projecting outwardly from the block 24 is a jaw member 25 formed with a tapered engaging surface 26 terminated by an outer flange or lip 27. The engaging surface 26 is generally perpendicular to the plane of the base 10, and is preferably made downwardly convergent with respect to the engaging surface of the other jaw member 25 of a pair of clamps 11. The terminal lips 27 of the adjacent jaws 25 are turned inwardly towards each other, and are adapted to hook over the welt of the shoe as the latter is moved downwardly.

My invention makes use of the fact that substantially v, all shoes are formed with a sole outline which tapers toward the heel from the forepart. It will be found that this relationship exists whether the shoe has the at sole of the platform-type now popular with women, or has the conventional raised instep of the normal shoe. In either case the outline of the shoe sole tapers rearwardly at the instep portion of the foot. In the use of my .shoe support, the opposed convergent surfaces 26 of a pair of clamps 11 wedge against the tapered instep sole of the shoe and hold it against downward movement. At the same time, the inturned lips 27 override the sole edges and bea-r against the shoe welt to prevent the shoefrom being displaced outwardly. Thus the shoe is held firmly in position, and yet is easily removed by a slight upward lifting motion. It can be seen that either high or low shoes may be easily accommodated on this support, since there is no limit to the distance that the shoe may project forwardly from the base 10. Another advantage of this means of support is that the shoe soles are faced inwardly against the base 10, thus effectively preventing the soiling of nearby garments in the wardrobe or closet.

In order that the clamps 11 may be held in position after being placed at the proper spacing, I provide locking or friction means 28 which are located adjacent to the outer ends of each pair of jaw support blocks 24. As is best seen in Figs. 2 and 3, the friction means 28 are formed as flat rectangular blocks having upper and lower edges confined within the grooves 18 and 19. On the back side of the block 28, upper and lower recesses 29 and 30 are formed to receive spring means 31 and 32, respectively, which bear frictionally against the rear wall of the grooves 18 and 19. The springs 31 and 32 are typically formed as flat leaf springs bowed centrally to provide a contact surface, but other conventional forms of detents may be used. By applying a moderate hand pressure, the blocks 28 may be slid along the base 10, but they will normally remain in a pre-set position.

Upon downward movement of the shoe into engagement with the clamp jaws 25, there is a horizontal force which tends to spread the jaws apart and might, under some conditions, dislodge the friction members 28 from ,v

their pre-set position. For this reason, I have spaced the friction members 28 from the clamp bodies 24 and connected them by resilient means so that in the event the jaws 25 are subjected to a sudden impact, the jaws may spread slightly without causing any movement of the friction means 28 or damage to the jaws.

Extending rigidly outwardly from the block 28 is an arm 34 which is generally parallel to the jaw 25. The resilient means 35 may comprise a coil spring connected between the arm 34 and jaw 25 so as to yieldingly support the latter. A boss 37 projects outwardly from the arm 34, and a similar boss 38 is formed on the back face of the jaw 25 for engagement within the ends of the coil spring 35, which is thus held in position. Upon application of pressure to the jaw-engaging face 26, the spring 35 yields to allow a limited movement of the clamp body 24 towards the block 28. The compression strength of the spring 35 is made less than the force needed to overcome the frictional resistance of the springs 31 and 32, and the member 2S is therefore not moved on the base 10 by the movement of the body 24. Upon removal of the pressure on the jaw-engaging face 26, the body 24 is moved back to its initial position under the urging of spring 35.

By adjusting the spacing of the clamps 11, any style or size of shoe may be accommodated in a minimum amount of storage space. As can be understood, the base strip 10 may be cut into any desired length and arranged in vertical rows so as to utilize the maximum amount of both horizontal and vertical wall space. Each shoe is independently suspended, and may be removed or replaced without disarranging any others, so that the support is very convenient to use.

In Figs. 4 to 8, I have illustrated a modified form of support which is generally similar to the form just described, but is provided with somewhat different clamping means. An elongated base or track 40 extends horizontally and slidably supports a plurality of clamp means 41 which are disposed in spaced pairs, with each pair being adapted to bracket and suspend a single shoe in the manner hereinbefore described. At the ends of the base 40, apertures 42 may be provided to receive fastening means which secure the base to a selected vertical surface. Preferably the base 40 is formed as a plastic extrusion having a flat rear wall 44 joined integrally with an upper flange 45 and lower flange 46. A forwardly open channel 47' is defined between the flanges 45 and 46, and the clamp means 41 project outwardly through the channel 47 for engagement with the edges of a shoe sole. As is best seen in Fig. 7, the upper flange 45 has an inner recess defining a groove 48 which extends along the channel 47, and a similar groove 49 is formed in the lower ange 46.

Each clamp 41 includes a generally rectangular body or block 54 which has its upper and lower edges confined within the grooves 48 and 49 for sliding movement along the base 40. Extending outwardly from the block 54 is a jaw member 55 having an engaging face 56 and a terminal lip 57. The jaw members 55 are spaced apart in operative pairs as in the previously described form of the support, and the engaging faces 56 of a pair of jaws are downwardly convergent in planes generally perpendicular to the base 40. The terminal lips 57 of each pair of jaws 55 are turned toward each other and are adapted to hook over the walls of a shoe, while the faces 56 wedge into engagement with the edges of the shoe sole. Thus the shoe is supported in a vertical position in the same manner as has been previously described, and all of the aforementioned advantages of this means of suspension are retained.

The clamps 41 are adjustable along the base 40 to accommodate different styles and sizes of shoes, and are locked in position at the desired spacings. For the purpose of holding the clamps 41 against movement, I provide rack means 60 on the forward portion of the base wall 44. The rack means 60 comprises a horizontally extending series of vertically edged serrations or teeth 61 having a generally triangular cross section. The teeth 61 are formed along the central portion of the base wall 44 so as to register with the forwardly opening channel 47, and do not extend into the upper and lower grooves 48 and 49. As is best seen in Figs. 5 to 7, the points of the teeth 61 lie on a plane lush with the surface of the wall 44, and thus permit sliding movement of the clamp bodies 54 along the smooth surface of the grooves 48 and 49.

Each clamp body 54 is provided with a latch or tooth 62 which is formed integrally with or rigidly joined to the outer end of the body 54 and projects rearwardly to engage the teeth 61 of the rack means 6i). As is best seen m Fig. 5, the latch 62 is of triangular cross section and is adapted to seat between adjacent rack teeth 61 to resist movement of the body 54 in either direction. Preferably, both the latches 62 and the rack teeth 61 are of equilateral triangular cross section so as to engage each other` along contact surfaces which resist equally .forces exerted toward either end of the base 40. This is of importance because the pressure exerted by a shoe on a pair of jaws 55 exerts equal and opposite spreading forces.

For the purpose of adjusting the position of the clamps 41, each body 54 is formed with diagonally opposed beveled corners which allow the body 54 to be rocked so as to litt the latch 62 out of engagement with the rack teeth 61. As is best seen in Fig. 8, the rear face of the body 54 has a beveied inner corner 64, while the front face has a beveled outer corner 65. The latch 62 is supported on a horizontal lever arm 66 which is joined to the central portion of the body 54 and extends outwardly parallel to the front and rear faces of the body. At the forward inner corner and rear outer corner of the body 54, right-.angular edge portions 67 and 68, respectively, are provided. These right-angular corners 67 and 68 prevent the jaw members 55 from pivoting away from each other, as will later be described.

Normally the body 54 is held parallel to the base 40, with the latch 62 in firm engagement between rack teeth 61. To maintain the body 54 in this position, I provide resilient means 7() which extend beyond the inner end of the body 54 and bear against the forward face of the base wall 44. As is best seen in Fig. 8, the resilient means 70 are preferably formed as spaced leaf springs having one end secured in recesses 71 provided in the body 54. The outer ends of the springs 70 are formed as bowed arcuate clips 72 which bear resiliently against the rear walls of the upper and lower grooves 48 and 49. In order that the fixed ends of the spring 70 may not slip from the body 54, rearwardly turned prongs 73 may be embedded in the material of the body, as is seen in Figs. 5 and 6.

When adjustment of the position of the clamp 41 is desired, the inner end of the body 54. is pressed rearwardly against the resilience of the spring clips 72. As is seen in Fig. 6, the beveled earner portions 64 and 65 allow the block 54 to be rockel or pivoted about a vertical axis within the limits of the walls of the grooves 48 and 49. The inner end of the block 54 is moved rearwardly, while the outer end is moved forwardly so that the latch 62 is lifted out of engagement with the rack teeth 61. Both the latch 62 and arm 66 are suciently narrow to be freely positioned within the channel 47, and the clamp body 54 is thus freed for sliding movement along the Walls of the grooves 48 and 49. After the longitudinal adjustment of the clamp 41 has been completed, the body 54 is released and is returned to the position of Fig. 5 by the resilience of the spring clips 72, the tooth 62 entering the notch between two of the rack teeth 61 to hold the body S4 in the adjusted position.

Since the latch 62 and jaw member 55 are spaced apart on the body 54, the pressure against the jaw face 56 exerted by a shoe placed between the jaws will act through the body 54 to press the latch 62 more firmly into engagement with the rack 60, and securely hold the bodies 54 in their pre-set positions. As was previously mentioned, the forward inner corner 67 and rear outer corner 68 are preferably of right-angular shape so as to make iirm contact with the walls of the grooves 48 and 49 and assist the tooth 62 in holding the jaw members 55 against pivoting away from each other upon engagement with a shoe sole. Although such pivoting would not lift the latch 62 from engagement with the rack 60, it might under some circumstances interfere with the suspension of a shoe, and is therefore preferably avoided.

It may now be fully understood that the use of the supports is very practical and convenient, and the adjustment of either form of the clamping means is eX- tremely simple. While I have shown two forms of my invention which are ruggedly and economically constructed, it is to be understood that other modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my invention. Therefore, I do not wish to be limited to the details shown and described herein, except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shoe holding bracket which includes: an elongated horizontally disposed base, said base having a forwardly open channel therein; a toothed rack in the bottom of said channel having a plurality of longitudinally spaced forwardly facing rack teeth; a plurality of clamp bodies mounted for sliding movement along said channel and disposed in spaced pairs; a rearwardly projecting latch formed on each clamp body for normally engaging said rack teeth to hold said body against sliding movement, said body having a cross sectional shape to permit limited pivotal movement within said channel in such a direction as to lift said latch out of engagement with said teeth; resilient means connected to said body and bearing against the wall of said channel to urge said latch into engagement with said teeth; and a jaw member mounted on each of said clamp bodies and projecting forwardly from said base, the jaw members on each pair of said clamp bodies being opposed to each other to engage the sole edges of a shoe instep placed between said jaws with the sole facing said base to thereby suspend said shoe vertically.

2. A shoe holding bracket which includes: an elongated horizontally disposed base, said base having upper and lower overhanging anges defining opposed grooves communicating with a central forwardly open channel; toothed rack means formed longitudinally along the rear wall of said channel; a plurality of clamp bodies of generally rectangular shape ccliiined for sliding movement along said grooves and disposed in spaced pairs; rearwardly projecting latches formed on the outer ends of the clamp bodies of each of said pairs, said latches normally engaging the teeth of said rack means to hold said bodies against sliding movement, the rear inner and forward outer corners of each of said bodies being beveled to permit limited pivotal movement of said bodies within said grooves about vertical axes in such directions as to lift said latches out of engagement with the teeth of said rack means; spring means connected at the inner ends of said bodies and bearing against the rear walls of said grooves to urge said latches into engagement with the teeth of said rack means; and a jaw member mounted on each of said clamp bodies and projecting forwardly from said base, the jaw members on each pair of said clamp bodies being opposed to each other in downwardly convergent planes to engage the tapered sole edges of a shoe instep placed between said jaws with the sole facing said base to thereby suspend said shoe vertically.

3. A shoe holding bracket which includes: an elongated horizontally disposed base, said base having upper and lower overhanging iianges defining opposed grooves communicating with a central forwardly open channel; a toothed rack extending longitudinally along the rear wall of said channel between said upper and lower grooves; a plurality of clamp bodies of generally rectangular shape coniined for sliding movement along said grooves and disposed in spaced pairs; rearwardly projecting latches formed on the outer ends of the clamp bodies of each of said pairs, said latches normally engaging said rack to hold said bodies against sliding movement, the rear inner and forward outer corners of each of said bodies being beveled to permit limited pivotal movement of said bodies within said grooves about vertical axes in such directions as to lift said latches out of engagement with said rack; spring means connected at the inner ends of said bodies and bearing against the rear walls of said grooves to urge said latches into engagement with said rack; and a jaw member mounted on each of said clamp bodies and projecting forwardly through said channel, the jaw members on each pair of said clamp bodies being opposed to each other in downwardly convergent planes with the terminal ends formed as inturned lips, said jaw members engaging the tapered sole edges of a shoe instep placed between said jaws with the sole facing said base to thereby suspend said shoe vertically with said lips holding said shoe against forward movement, the forward inner and rear outer end corners of said bodies being right-angular for engaging the walls of said grooves to prevent pivotal movement of said jaws away from each other.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 173,453 Dorrance Feb. 15, 1876 580,632 Yeiser Apr. 13, 1897 655,739 Runtz Aug. 14, 1900 790,669 Winship May 23, 1905 1,058,195 Perkins Apr. 8, 1913 1,800,387 Greist Apr. 14, 1931 1,884,540 Block Oct. 25, 1932 2,569,021 Rozanski Sept. 25, 1951

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