US3183535A - Boot carrying and warp preventing device - Google Patents

Description

y 18, 1965. R. R. MCAUSLAND 3,183,535

BOOT CARRYING AND WARP PREVENTING DEVICE Filed April 19, 1963 I NVENTOR.

Roberf R. Nc/Ius/and 6%! QWM HTTOR NEY United States Patent 3,183,535 BOOT CARRYING AND WARP PREVENTING DEVICE Robert R. McAusiand, 1115 McGilvra Blvd. E., Seattle 2, Wash. Filed Apr. 19, 1963, Ser. No. 274,250 4 Claims. (Cl. 12120.5)

My invention relates to a boot carrying and warp preventing device which is particularly well adapted for application to ski boots but is not limited to that use.

An object of my invention is to provide a boot carrying and warp preventing device which is pliable and of light weight, can be folded compactly into a small and easily stored package, and can be conveniently carried in the pocket.

Another object is to provide a boot carrying and warp preventing device which is formed entirely of leather or similar pliable material, is simple in construction and not expensive to manufacture, and one which is easy to use and will not damage the boots to which it is applied.

Warpage of ski boots occurs due to differential drying of the soles of the boots. Since the bottom of the sole is waterproofed with a layer of rubber the drying takes place mainly from the upper or inside surface of the sole. The result is that a moisture content gradient will exist through the sole, the upper or inside surface being dryer than the bottom or outside surface. Since leather contracts as it loses moisture the toe portion of the boot will tend to curl upward unless it is restrained. A drying action which is too fast may result in cracks in the inner surface of the leather part of the sole.

My device is preferably made entirely of leather and when it is applied to and is in intimate contact with wet boots it will first absorb moisture from the boots and then, as the boots and the device dry out, it will contract and tighten at about the same rate as the boots and will not injure the boots.

Boot carrying and warp preventing devices are now available which comprise a rigid plate of approximately the same size as the boot sole with clamps at each end which hold the soles of the two boots against the opposite sides of said plate. The clamps of these devices engage the boots just above the welt at the toes and engage within the ski binding grooves which are provided in the heels of all ski boots. These devices are of substantial weight and are too large to be comfortably and safely carried in the pockets of skiers who are wearing their ski boots. My device can be conveniently and safely carried in the pocket by skiers at all times.

Other objects of my invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 7

In the drawings- FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my boot carrying and warp preventing device.

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view showing said device applied to a pair of ski boots.

FIG. 3 is an exploded plan view showing the two parts of the device detached and separated from each other.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the device with the two parts thereof detached from each other, as shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a detached perspective view of a clip or fitting which can be used on certain straps of my device to increase the warp preventing or warp resisting component of force which the device applies to the sole portions of boots.

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevation showing the fitting of FIG. 5 applied to a strap.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on broken line 77 of FIG. 6.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In a general way the device of my invention comprises two pliable side straps adapted to extend along the respective edges or" the sole and heel portions of two ski boots which are positioned with their soles and heels in face to face contact, said side straps having two pliable divergent draw straps connected with each end thereof and adapted to extend over and around the toe and heel portions of the boots; buckle type adjusting devices connected with and positioned so that they can be used to tension the side straps and draw straps and in so doing cause the draw straps to bind the two boots together for convenient carrying and in such a manner that warping of the boot soles will be minimized; and a pliable U-shaped handhold loop or carrying strap connected with one end portion of the device.

The construction :of this device may be varied Widely and still provide all of the parts mentioned in the preceeding paragraph. For the purpose of this illustration, but not by way of limitation, the drawings show the device as being made up of two parts herein referred to in a general way as a toe part A and a heel part B. However, it will be understood that these parts A and B can be reversed as respects their application to the toe and heel portions of the boots.

The heel part B comprises two side straps 11 and 12 connected with each other by two heel- engaging draw straps 13 and 14. I prefer to make the heel part B of a one piece pliable leather strap which has a longitudinal slit 15 mid way between its two edges and preferably about mid way between its two ends to form the draw straps 13 and 14. For boots of large size the strap used for heel part B can conveniently be about thirty inches long and the slit 15 about seven inches long. For boots of smaller sizes these dimensions can be varied accordingly. Obviously it would be possible to use separate pieces of strap material for parts 11, 12, 13 and 14.

The toe part A, herein shown, comprises a strap 16 having therein a longitudinal slit 17 which provides two toe- engaging draw straps 18 and 19. The two respective end portions of the strap 16 are doubled around end bars of buckles 20 and 21 and secured by rivets 22. A loop shaped hand-hold strap 23 has its end portions inserted between the doubled over end portions of the strap 16 and the rivets 22 serve to secure the end portions of this handle strap to the buckles 20 and 21 and to the strap 16. The buckles 20 and 21 are conventional, are not herein described in detail and are typical of numerous readily available buckles which may be used. Preferably they are of a clasp type which does not necessitate perforating the straps held thereby and which will hold the strap securely irrespective of the location at which they engage and grip it.

In FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the draw straps 13, 14 and 18, 19 are shown in diverging or spread apart relation. However, the normal position of these draw straps, when not applied to boots, would be alongside of each other. Although the buckles 20 and 21 are shown to be attached to the toe part A close to the toe- engaging draw straps 18 and 19 it will be understood that they may be attached to the heel part B and that, by varying the lengths of the pieces which make up the side straps the buckles may be positioned at any desired location between the toeengaging draw straps 18 and 19 and the heel engaging draw straps 13 and 14. Also for devices intended for use on boots of one size only it is possible to dispense with the buckle on one side and have the strap on that side non-adjustable.

This device is applied to boots 141, FIG. 2, by positioning the soles a and heels 10b in face to face contacting relation, engaging the draw straps 18 and 19 with the toe portions of the respective boots so that these draw straps extend divergently around said toe portions and over the tips of the boot soles, similarly engaging the draw'straps 13 and 14 with the boot heels 10b so that they extend divergently around said boot heels and lie. in the ski binding grooves 100 of said boot heels and drawing the side straps 11 and 12 through the buckles to tension the side straps and draw straps on theiboots.

When my device is applied to boots, as shown in FIG. 2, the toe- engagingdraw straps 18 and 19 and the heelengaging draw straps 13 and 14 diverge at a substantial angle in both instances and they are under tension and exert awarp preventing force component tending to draw and hold the toe portions and the heel portions of the boot soles together. The force component thus exerted varies in proportion to the tension and in proportion to the angle of divergence between the two draw straps of a pair, and it is desirable to have means for adjusting the angle between the two draw straps of each pair. For .this purpose I provide a slidable fitting 25 of the type best shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. This fitting 25 is in the form of a fiat rectangular piece of strong sheet material having two openings 26 and 27 through which a strap 12 passes, and having a medial cross bar 28 which bends or displaces the strap 12 sidewise and frictionally resists movement of the fitting along the strap, particularly when the strap is under tension. Preferably at least one .of these fittings 25 is provided on a strap of each the toe part A and the .heel part B and if desired two of said fittings 25 can be used on each of said parts A and B. When the straps are not under tension the fittings 25 are readily movable along them. Moving one of the fittings onto or partly onto two divergent draw straps has the effect of shortening the draw straps and increasing their angle of divergence and this increases the force component they exert tending to re sist warpage, that is, the force tending to hold the toe portions and the heel portions of the boots 10 together.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of my invention but it will be understood thatthis disclosure is merely illustrative and that changes may be made within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. Boot carrying and warp preventing means comprising two pliable side straps adapted to be positioned longitudinally alongside of the sole portions of twoboots which are disposed with their sole portions in registration and contact with each other; two pliable drawstraps connected between said side straps at each end of the side straps, the two draw straps of each pair being adapted'to extend outwardly from the side straps in, planes divergent from each other and each draw strap being adapted to extend around and engage a terminal portion of a boot .when the boot carrying device is applied to boots; tensioning means interposed in at least one. of said side straps providing tensioning adjustment between the two sets of draw straps; and a pliable loop shaped hand-hold member having its ends connected with the side straps and draw straps at one end of the boot carrying device, said hand-hold member extending outwardly beyond the adjacent draw straps.

2. Boot carrying and warp preventing means for application to two boots which are positioned with their soles and heels in registration and, in face to face contact comprising two side straps extending along the respective sides of the soles of said boots; two pliable divergent heelengaging draw straps connected between transversely spaced apart ends of said side straps, said two heel engaging draw straps extending diagonally and divergently around the heelsof the respective boots; two pliable divergent toe-engaging draw straps connected between the other two ends of said side straps, said two ,toe engaging draw straps extending diagonally around the toe portions of said boots over the tips of the soles thereof in divergent relation; buckle means in the side straps providing tensioning adjustment between the two, sets of draw straps; and a pliable loop shaped hand-hold member having its ends 1 connected with two transversely spaced apart ends of said side straps and extending outwardly beyond the adjacent draw straps.

3. Boot carrying and warp preventing means for application to two boots which are positioned with their soles and heels in registering face to face contact comprising a heel part applicable to the boots, said heel part including a strap having portions adapted to extend alongside of the soles of the boots and having in it a longitudinally extending slit positioned substantially midway between its two edges and spaced from its two ends, said slit providing two heel-engaging draw straps which are adapted to extend diagonally and divergently around the heels of the respective boots; a toe part applicable to said boots, said toeipart including a strap having. portions adapted to extend alongside of the soles of the boots and having in it a longitudinally extending slit positioned approximately mid way between its two edegs and spaced from its two ends, said slit providing two toe engaging draw straps which are adapted to extend diagonally and divergently over and around the toe portions of the respective boots; buckle means adjustably connecting the straps of said toe part and the straps of said heel part, whereby tension can be exerted on said draw straps causing said draw straps to hold the sole and heel portions of said two boots tightly together and securely holding the boots in the carrier device; and a pliable loop shaped outwardly extending hand hold member connected with one of the parts of said boot carrying and warp preventing device.

4. The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 in which the strap'forming said heel part and the strap forming said toe part each have at least one adjustably mounted fitting thereon and in which said fitting on each strap is slidably movable to position it'at least partially on the draw straps of the strap by which it is carried to vary the effective length, angle of divergence and applied force of said draw straps. V 7

References Cited bythe Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,042,364 10/12 Mellen 12l20.5 1,106,465 8/14 Loomis l2120.5 2,522,636 9/50 Pohlmann 1212 0. 5 3,013,286 12/61 Barreca 12--120.5

FOREIGN PATENTS 101,386 2/99 Germany.

JORDAN Primary Examiner,

Claims (1)

1. BOOT CARRYING AND WRAP PREVENTING MEANS COMPRISIING TWO PLIABLE SIDE STRAPS ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED LONGITUDINALLY ALONGSIDE OF THE SOLE PORTIONS OF TWO BOOTS WHICH ARE DISPOSED WITH THEIR SOLE PORTIONS IN REGISTRATION AND CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER; TWO PLIABLE DRAW STRAPS CONNECTED BETWEEN SAID SIDE STRAPS AT EACH END OF THE SIDE STRAPS, THE TWO DRAW STRAPS, OF EACH PAIR BEING ADAPTED TO EXTEND OUTWARDLY FROM THE SIDE STRAPS IN PLANES DIVERGENT FROM EACH OTHER AND EACH DRAW STRAP BEING ADAPTED TO EXTEND AROUND AND ENGAGE A TERMINAL PORTION OF A BOOT WHEN THE BOOT CARRYING DEVICE IS APPLIED TO BOOTS; TENSIONING MEANS INTERPOSED IN AT LEAST ONE OF SAID SIDE STRAPS PROVIDING TENSIONING ADJUSTMENT BETWEEN THE TWO SETS OF DRAW STRAPS; AND A PLIABLE LOOP SHAPED HAND-HOLD MEMBER HAVING ITS ENDS CONNECTED WITH THE SIDE STRAPS AND DRAWS STRAPS AT ONE END OF THE BOOT CARRYING DEVICE, SAID HAND-HOLD MEMBER EXTENDING OUTWARDLY BEYOND THE ADJACENT DRAW STRAPS.

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