US3299529A

US3299529A - Drier device for ski shoes and the like

Info

Publication number: US3299529A
Application number: US356871A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hershel C Roberts; Lloyd L Peppley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-04-02
Filing date: 1964-04-02
Publication date: 1967-01-24
Anticipated expiration: 1984-01-24

Description

Jan. 24, 1967 H. c. ROBERTS ETAL 3,299,529

DRIER DEVICE FOR SKI SHOES AND THE LIKE Filed April 2, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheei II 1 11111 I] 1r r1111 1 1 8 56a 5 24 7 z 74 J 64 HQ 7 L Z9 PIE :3 9: g zyxgwToRs. 80 525,454 oaazrs 62 29a i f) BY [mm A. PLPPLEY m 20) as Jan. 24, 1967 H. c. ROBERTS ETAL 3,299,529

DRIER DEVICE FOR SKI SHOES AND THE LIKE Filed April 2, 1964 2 Sheets-Sinai 2 f 29b"'1 I 42a m 2 I I 2 29a 4 I 24- 25 I I I I 86 E 14 44 I I I v I 42a w I H 1 1m ENTORS. 296 um, :I I i1 Hazy/1: 6. 2055275 A m/w: Y5.

United States Patent 3,2993529 DRIER DEVICE FGR SKI SHOES AND THE LIKE Hershci C. Roberts, Marysville, Caiif. (9744 N St., I .ive

Oak, Caiif. 95953), and Lloyd L. Peppley, 771 Rideout Way, Marysvilie, Calif. 95901 Filed Apr. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 356,871 7 Claims. (Cl. 34-104) This invention relates to drier devices for drying of shoes and boots, and more particularly, to a portable air drier device for drying wet ski shoes and the like, wherein the wet shoes are removed from the pair of skis and clamped into position in the drier device in the same form a worn in use.

A primary object of this invention is to provide an improved portable drier device for wet ski shoes and the like after use in which the shoes may be dried and formed to their original shape preparatory to further use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable drying device and container therefor wherein the positioning and clamping means of the drying enclosure fixedly clamps shoes and the like in proper form to dry and restore wet shoes to their natural shape for future use by the wearer.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a heated air drying enclosure which will uniformly dry both the inside and outside surfaces of a pair of boots and the like.

A further object of the present invention is to provide means whereby substantially all surfaces of the shoe are uniformly dried with rapidity and efficiency and wherein the drying operation restores the natural shape of the shoe without substantial distortion or stiffening of the shoe in the drying process for comfort to the wearer in future use of the shoe.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a separate drier enclosure unit for boots and the like which may be quickly and selectively attached to a conventional hair drier unit for uniformly drying such articles for further use by the wearer.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a portable drying device to quickly and uniformly dry simultaneously a plurality of ski shoes or boots to their natural form and shape without stiffening and distortion of their shape.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a portable drying device for ski shoes which may be conveniently transported as one or more separate units from place to place on a ski transport line.

Still other objects of the invention reside in the combination of elements, arrangement of parts, features of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and disclosed in the accompanying drawings, wherein there is shown preferred embodiments of this inventive concept.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view through an exemplary embodiment of the boot drier of the instant invention with a self contained motor, a ski "boot being shown in broken lines, and parts being sectionally broken away for illustrative clarity;

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken substantially on lines 2-2 of FIGURE 1 in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary transverse cross-sectional view through the ski boot positioning collar or boot closure surrounding the heated air supply conduit, taken substantially on lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2, in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 4 is a horizontal cross-sectional view to a reduced scale taken on lines 44 of FIGURE 1, in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken substantially on lines 55 of FIGURE 1 in the direction of the arrows;

FIGURE 6 is a side elevational view of the boot positioning collar and'the end section of the air supply conduit, an alternate end section also being shown;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view to a reduced scale of'another embodiment of the boot drier of the instant invention, showing the sam removably secured to a con- 'ventional hair drier unit; and

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view of the air drier unit connected to the new drier enclosure of FIGURE 7 taken substantially on lines 8-8 of FIGURE 7 in the direction of the arrows, with parts broken away for illustrative clarity.

Referring in particular to the exemplary embodiment of the invention, as shown, in FIGURES 1 through 6, in which portable air drier container 20 is comprised of a securable and removable top means 22 with a carrying handle 24 secured thereto by rivet means or bolt means 26, side means 28 and one end means 29 connected thereto with ventilation aperture means 30 therein, the container 20 further including bottom means 32 connected to an end means 29a and angle supports 2%, as shown, any conventional latch means (not shown) securing the top means 22 to the remainder of the container 20.

Bottom means 32 is secured to a support and clamping means 34 for a pair of ski boots 36 indicated in broken lines of FIGURE 1. Support and clamping means 34 comprises rear clamping means 38 secured thereto by bolt or rivet means 40, and front clamping means 42 secured to clamping and support frame means 34 by wing nut bolt means 44 and cushioning spring means 46, as best shown in FIGURE 1. Clamping and support means 34 contains therein ventilation apertures 48. Clamping means 38 and 42 may be used to adjust boot means 36 within enclosure means 20.

The front end means 29a contains therein apertured air intake grill and screen means 50 operatively secured to the intake throat 51 of housing means 52 of fan means 54, energized by motor means 56 connected to terminal means 58 passing through grommet 59 in end means 29a and adapted to be plugged into a suitable source of electricity (not shown).

Intake housing means 52 contains a heating element means 60 energized by switch means 62 of terminal means (not shown) from motor means 56.

Motor means 56 is selectively energized by switch means 64 and terminal means 58.

Housing means 52 of fan means 54 contains therein a cowl means 65 containing fan blade means 66 secured to shaft means 68 of motor means 56, as best shown in FIGURE 1.

Cowl means 65 is operably connected by conventional connecting means to flexible reinforced hose means 70 which is intermediately connected to a dual ventilation horn means 72 which communicates by apertured means in shoe form 73 having

portions

73 and 73a by apertured boot closure or collar means 74 for substantially the full length of the inside chamber means 360 of boot means 36 allowing escape of the supply air therefrom through aperture means 76 of closure collar means 74. Closure means 74 is adjustable up and down to fit shoes and boots with different heights of tops.

Horn conduit portions

73 and 73a may be attached together by a press fit, telescoping joint means 78 with slot and

detent means

79 and 79a, respectively, conventional screwed joint means or a suitable joint detent means with

members

73 and 73a modified in length as member 73/), as shown in FIGURE 6.

Rear clamping means 38 comprises an arcuate portion 39 for adjustable clearance of angle portion 41 with the a side profile means of boot means 36, and angle means 45 is adjustable secured by slot or other conventional means by screw bolt means 43 to angle means 41.

Clamping means 42 also contains an arcuate portion 42a similar to arcuate surface 39 for positioning and clamping clearance with the ends of boot means 36. Clamping means 42 is also adjustable by slot means 42b in clamping support means 34, as best seen in FIGURE 4.

In FIGURES 7 and 8, fan 52 and motor means 56 of closure 20 have been replaced by a separate selectively energized portable motor and fan hair drier unit 80 connected by electrical cable energizing means 58a to an electrically energized outlet receptacle 58b, unit 80 comprising a flexible reinforced hot air supply conduit means 82 connected to a coupling sleeve means 84, similar to a conventional vacuum hose joint.

Sleeve means 84 is secured in an aperture means 86 in end means 29a of portable container enclosure means 20a. Sleeve means 84 is adapted to be sealably connected to flexible hose means 7%, as best seen in FIGURE 8.

The modification of the invention as shoWn by FIG- URES 7 and 8, is novel, in that the heavier fan and motor elements of the drier enclosure 20 above are removed therefrom in package form for convenience of portability, weight distribution, and possible use of an available conventional hair drier therewith at a saving in cost of the container dried enclosure 20a.

The lid means 22, in both modifications of the invention, may be secured to enclosure means 21} by buckle strap means (not shown), hinge and hasp means or other conventional means, as desired.

' In operation of the modification of the invention of FIGURES 1 through 6, boot means 36 may be placed in pairs or in plurality in closure means 20, positioned and clamped in place therein,

switches

62 and 64, turned on, and lid means 22 placed tightly on closure means 20 and left for a predetermined time to dry boot means 36 after which boot means 36 may be removed from container means 20 and used immediately by the wearer.

The operation of the drying container 20a of FIGURES 7 and 8 is similar to the above modification of FIGURES 1 to 6, except hose member 70a is connected to the separately packaged and energized hair drier unit 80 instead of utilizing switch means 62 and 64 of FIGURE 1.

It is to be understood that the modifications of the present invention may be adapted for drying other articles, such as boxing gloves and the like, within the purview of this invention.

It is to be further understood that this invention is not restricted to drying a pair of boots, but may be used to dry a variety of articles as taught by the invention, as well as to thawing frozen foods and to uniformly warm a pair of boots prior to waxing or greasing the same for maximum efiiciency in weatherproofing the boots.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved portable air drier device for ski shoes and the like which accomplishes all the objects 4 of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made of the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. An air drier device for uniformly drying ski boots and the like comprising an enclonure means, heated air supply means cooperating with said enclosure means, positioning and clamping means for securing at least one ski boot therein for drying, at least one apertured shoe form heated air supply conduit means extending substantially within the full length of said boot cooperating with said heated air supply means, and boot closure means for securing said air conduit form means within said boot, said boot closure means containing aperture means therein adapted for escape of heated air within said boot means.

2. An air drier device as in claim 1, wherein said enclosure means is portable.

3. An air drier device, as in claim 1, wherein said shoe form air conduit means is flexibly connected to said heated air supply means to prevent vibrations therefrom.

4. An air drier device, as in claim 1, wherein said enclosure means comprises air intake means and air exhaust aperture means therefrom.

5. An air drier device, as in claim 1, wherein said shoe forrn air supply conduit means comprises adjustable apertured conduit members to fit various sizes and shapes of boots.

6. An air drier device, as in claim 1, wherein said heated air supply means comprises an energized portable external air heater and blower unit adapted to be fiexibly connected to said heated air supply form conduit means within said boot.

7. An air d-rier device as in claim 1, wherein said boot closure means is adjustably carried by said air conduit form means for accommodating boots of various heights.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,506,041 8/1924 Bassette et al 34243 X 1,688,793 10/1928 Schrenkeisen 34104 2,260,244 10/1941 Walter 34-104 2,365,138 12/1944 Mongan 34104 X 2,465,362 3/1949 Elliott 34104 2,614,337 10/1952 Darbo 34104 3,154,392 10/1964 Littman 34-104 FOREIGN PATENTS 123,769 10/1919 Great Britain.

JAMES W. WESTHAVER, Primary Examiner.

FREDERICK L. MATTESON, JR., Examiner.

A. D. HERRMANN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

1. AN AIR DRIER DEVICE FOR UNIFORMLY DRYING SKI BOOTS AND THE LIKE COMPRISING AN ENCLOSURE MEANS, HEATED AIR SUPPLY MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID ENCLOSURE MEANS, POSITIONING AND CLAMPING MEANS FOR SECURING AT LEAST ONE SKI BOOT THEREIN FOR DRYING, AT LEAST ONE APERTURED SHOE FORM HEATED AIR SUPPLY CONDUIT MEANS EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY WITHIN THE FULL LENGTH OF SAID BOOT COOPERATING WITH SAID HEATED AIR SUPPLY MEANS, AND BOOT CLOSURE MEANS FOR SECURING SAID AIR CONDUIT FORM MEANS WITHIN SAID BOOT, SAID BOOT CLOSURE MEANS CONTAINING APERTURE MEANS THEREIN ADAPTED FOR ESCAPE OF HEATED AIR WITHIN SAID BOOT MEANS.