US2876942A - Portable-type bootjack with platform - Google Patents

Description

March 10, 1959 M. JOHNSON PORTABLE-TYPE BOOTJACK WITH. PLATFORM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 8', 1957 Mgr/in Johnson- INVENTOR.

March 10, 1959 JOHNSON 2,876,942

PORTABLE-TYPE BOOTJACK WITH PLATFORM Filed March 8, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.4"

% Merl/n Johnson 3 INVENTOR.

United States Patent Y PORTABLE-TYPE BOOTJACK WITH PLATFORM This invention relates to an improved bootjack which is portable and is characterized by a base having a firm platform on which a user may stand erect and which, in turn, is provided with a V-type heel gripper and puller, the latter overlying a marginal end portion of the base and being situated in an accessible plane slightly above the plane of the base in which position it serves, in a now generally well known manner, to effectually aid a user in loosening and removing wet and dirty overshoes, boots, arctics and the like without having to stoop or crouch or catch hold of the same with the hands.

As the foregoing general statement of the concept reveals, V-type heel grippers and boot pullers are well known. It follows that the present invention is directed to a structural adaptation which is characterized by cer-- tain new and practical improvements which collectively serve to better adapt the overall device to manufacturing, assembling and repair and, what is more important, meets the inclement weather needs of all persons, especially children and elderly persons needing assistance while taking ofi overshoes and boots.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, practical and inexpensive bootjack which may be conveniently set for use near a doorway or other entrance to the users house. To this end the base is provided with a broad flat platform, the latter having a rubber or an equivalent mat thereon to render use of the platform safe and reliable. In addition, the base is provided at its corner portions with anti-skid feet so that accidental slippage of the base is reduced to a minimum.

More specifically, the base comprises an inverted pan. Nested in the receptacle or underside of the pan is a reinforcing and stabilizing frame. The frame is novel in construction and provides satisfactory and practical anchoring means for end portions of a sturdy rod, that is, a rod which is bent upon itself and between its ends to define the aforementioned V-shaped heel gripper and puller and also uprights which serve to position the puller in an easy-to-use position above the platform surface of the base.

Other objects, features and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheets of drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the improved platformtype bootjack;

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section taken on the plane of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the frame and the V- shaped heel gripper and puller; and

Fig. 4 is an exploded perspective view in which all of the components which go to make up the over-all structure are shown.

With reference to Fig. 4 it will be clear that the base is of sectional or composite form. The aforementioned ice platform is provided by a firm flat bottomed inverted rectangular pan 6. The fiat bottom is denoted at 8 and the marginal flanges forming a depending skirt or rim are denoted by the numeral 10. The rounded corner portions of the rim are denoted at 12. The standing and wiping mat is denoted at 14 and this is superimposed on and attached to and forms a part of the pan. It is Within the purview of the invention to construct the mat to have the double function of a so-called door mat, under which circumstances it would be ribbed or otherwise constructed to provide traction and anti-slipping elements (not shown). The reinforcing and stabilizing frame which is nested in the receptacle portion of the pan is denoted vas an entity by the numeral 16. It comprises a pair of spaced parallel longitudinal side members 18 having assembling notches 20 situated inwardly of the downwardly curved end portions22. The transverse frame members are denoted by the numerals 24 and here again these are provided in their lower edge portions with notches 26 spaced inwardly of the down curving terminals or ends 28. Obviously the respective notches 20 and 26 are nested together to provide interlocking connection between the respective frame members. It will be seen too that when the frame members are joined as depicted in Fig. 3 the extending end portions '22 and 28 provide substantially V-shaped portions and in each V a triangular plate or cleat 30 is situated and welded or otherwise connected in place. This provides a sturdy corner portion and it also provides for the accommodation of the button-like feet or pads 3 which are cemented or otherwise connected to the underneath side of the cleats. It follows that the frame may be said to have feet at its corner portions and slippage of the structure is therefore minimized.

The heel gripper and puller unit is denoted generally by the numeral 32 and as before mentioned this is fashioned from a length of rod stock of appropriate cross section and rigidity. The intermediate portion is bent into V-shaped form as at 34 and this defines the puller and gripper. The end portions 36 are vertical and parallel and constitute uprights. The free end portions which function as terminals are denoted at 38 and these are lateral to the uprights and parallel to the gripper 34 and they are welded to the projecting end portions of the side frame members in the manner shown to best advantage in Fig. 2. With this construction. the uprights are disposed outwardly of the rim and the V-shaped member overlies the platform in the manner illustrated in the drawings. This positions the member so that it may be used in a generally well known manner as illustrated by the phantom line showing in Fig. 2. That is to say the heel of the boot is jammed or wedged into the crotch of the V-puller 34 and makes it possible to loosen and then free and remove a boot, overshoe or the like. As before touched upon grippers and pullers in this category are generally well known and therefore the invention resides in the specific construction of the rod member, the manner in which it is attached to the frame and the manner in which the frame is nested in the receptacle portion and secured to the bottom side of the pan to provide a strong and reliable structure.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A boot-jack comprising a base frame comprising a plurality of frame members having their respective ad- Patented Mar. 10, 1959 jacent end portions only interlocked, an inverted shallow pan the major portion of which constitutes a platform which is of an area ample to enable a user to stand with both feet thereon, said, frame-fitting in and occupying the receptacle portion and the frame members being flush with the bottom marginal edge portions of the depending fianges of the pan, an anti-slipping mat afiixed atop said platform, and a rod having a median V-shaped portion providing a heel embracing and gripping member, said member being disposed in spaced parallelism above an end portion of the platform, and vertical portions at right angles to the plane of the platform and having lateral terminal-lower end portions affixed to cooperating end portions of certain of the frame members, the terminal ends of the frame members having a contour corresponding to the contour of the rim forminggflanges of the pan in a manner to thus reinforce the pan.

2. 'A boot-jack comprising a portablebase frame embodying a pair of spaced parallel longitudinal coplanar side members, a pair of transverse endv members parallel toeach other and at right angles to the longitudinal side members, the adjacent cooperating end portions of the respective frame members being notched and interlocked and providing relatively short projecting portions defining asubstantially V-shaped corner at each corner portion of the over-all frame, a triangular cleat aflixed to the terminal portions of each corner and being substantially flush with the lower edge portions of the terminal members and serving to reinforce the corners, an anti-skid pad afiixed to the bottom surfaceof each cleat, a shallow inverted pan the body portion of which constitutes a standing platform and which is of an area to support the feet of the user While standing thereon and removing a boot, said base frame fitting into the receptacle portion of the pan, the extreme terminal edges of the terminal end portions at the respective corners being rounded off and conforming in shape to and securely abutting correspondingly shaped surfaces of the marginal depending flange of the pan, and a rod member having a median V-shaped portion disposed in spaced parallelism above one end portion of the pan, having depending upright portions, and terminal lower laterally bent portions afi'ixed to adjacent terminal ends at corresponding ends of the longitudinal side members of'the base frame whereby to thus provide a composite, light weight but sturdy and portable platform type boot-jack.

References Cited in thefile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 8,865 Thompson Apr. 6, 1852 846,694 Paul Mar. 12, 1907 1,754,812 Zacharias Apr. 15, 1930 1,849,282 Churchill Mar. 15, 1932 2,615,098 OBrien Oct. 2l, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 472,316 Germany Feb. 26, 1929 634,050 Germany Aug. 14, 1936

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