US1539184A - Stretching apparatus - Google Patents

Description

May 26, 192 5.

J. S. HANSEN ETRETCHING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 25, 1922 wave/ruin 2".

'9 I ail-5y.

Fatented May 26, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,539,184 PATENT OFFIE.

JOHN S. HANSEN, OF BROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS; ELVENA G. HANSEN, EXECUTE-IX OF SAID JOHN S. HANSEN, DECEASED,

ASSIGNOR T0 0. A. MILLER TEJEEING MA- CHINE COMPANY, OF BNOGKTON, MASS CHUS TT A CORPORATI N OF MAQSA- CHUSETTS.

STRETGHING- APPARATUS.

Application filed Februa y 25, 1922- sfilial N0. 53 ,273.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN S. I-IANsEN, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Stretching Apparatus, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a.

specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

My present invention is a novel form of apparatus for use' in stretching boots and shoes, although it is also capable of use as a shoe tree or temporary last for use in finishing or other operations on a shoe.

In the art of manufacturing boots and shoes it is at present customary to make the same in quantity productions on a relatively few predetermined sizes, and conse quently the subsequent fitting of these standard-sized shoes to individual wearers is attended by considerable time, effort, skill and work in fitting the w'earer. Even with the use of sizes and half-sizes it is often required that a particular pair of shoes be specially stretched or enlarged in order to enable them to be worn satisfactorily by the customer, and even with all previous appliances, it is a well-known difficulty in the trade that many shoes must be broken in simplyby constant use by the wearer. Numerous prior devices for specially stretching footwear have been attempted, but all such have been unsatisfactory in actual use.

My present invention is directed to enable a quick, powerful and efficient stretching apparatus to be provided, which can be used in retail shoe stores for the special operation of stretching, smooth, or enlarging the shoe for the particular individual customer. In order to meet the particular and peculiar requirements of such anapparatus the same must be quickly attachable to and readily detachable from a shoe, must be capable of the application of considerable power, and also should be devised with a particular view to prevent injury to the shoe. All these objects have been before me in devising the present apparatus.

In carrying out my present invention I prefer to utilize an apparatus preferably in the form of a shoe last or partial last. This will prevent danger of undue stretching of the shoe at any one point, will enable the thrust members to be automatically transmitted throughout the extent of the shoe, thus tending to apply the stretching or expansible pressure at a plurality of points and actually tend to restore the normal shape and contour of the shoe, while also applying the stretching power. A further important object of the invention is that I enable a quickly locking and detaching device, which preferably is also employed as a combined handle and operating lever. Thus I have devised an apparatus which is very efiicient in-the power exerted, can be quickly locked in any position to which it is adjusted, and by a simplicity of construction and minimum of parts, which renders such an apparatus specially useful and valuable for this type of service in retail stores, re-

quiring great speed of operation, and capable of use by parties normally unskilled in shoe manufacture.

Referring to the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is a side View, partly in cross-section, of my apparatus;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view on the line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional viewon the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

While my apparatus can be made of any suitable dimensions it is so formed and constructed as to take care, automatically, of a very large range of shoes and sizes. I form the apparatus of substantially equivalent shape to the forepart'of a shoe last,

preferably omitting the extreme toe portion. It is not desirable to endeavor to stretch the toes of most" shoes, as the capacity for stretching at this point is extremely limited, and furthermore in case of shoes employing box toes, the stretching strain at the toe portion would be insufficient to enlarge, the same, and would simply endanger the breaking of th stitching. lonsequently my apparatus consists first in a last-like portion with the toe part omitted, and having a longitudinal line of out, indicated. at 1 and dividing the last into two equal halves 2 and 3.

On the inner abutting faces of these last portions I form a recess, by grooving out the same, as indi ated at t and 5, extending this recess or these recesses with the faces parallel for a substantial distance, and then converging the same at the forward part, giving beveled faces 6 and 7 in the recess portions t and respectively.

In the recess or groove thus formed in each half, I apply a U-shaped metallic memi so that these beveled faces come into contact, acts to expand or pry apart the entire last portions 2 and 3.

As it is only desirable to apply a stretching action on the forepart of the shoe, I need only use the iorepart of the sections of the last-like part of my apparatus, and furthermore I prefer to unite these two last portion-s by a pivot or hinge connection at the extreme rear part, thereby permitting them to expand or withdraw at the forward part only. Any suitable hinge may be employed at the rear part, that lie-rein shown consisting of an ordinary type of metal hinge with leaves 13 and 14: overlapping, as is customary, to receive a pivot pm 15, screws 16- holding the leaves to the respectivelast parts 2 and 3. p

In order to operate the reciprocating action of an expanding member 10, as wellalsoas to provide meansto lock the said member in its forward or expanding po'sie tion at any point to which it may be moved, and as well, also, as to provide a suitable handle for the apparatus to facilitate insertion of the same intoa shoe, and removal therefrom, I have devised simple and eilicient means. In the upper part of the two last sections I form a V-shaped groove, having faces as notedat 16 and 17 These faces are out so as to provide cooperating recesses 18 and 19 respectively, which are below a horizontally formed bored opening 20 in which a pin 21 is to be applied. An oscillating member 22 is formed to re-. ceive the pin 21;, the latter acting as a pivot. This oscillating member 22 is of appropriate size to substantially fill later ally the recesses formed by the faces 16 and 18- and: 17 and 19, as the same oscillates on the pin The member 22 is formed as a. socket. member, having internal threads 23 to receive the correspondingly threaded shaft 2% of the handle 25, the latter having a smooth face 26 adapted to bear and bind directly upon the pivot 21 for locking the parts in relative position. The oscillating member 22 is suitably attached to the expanding member 10. Preferably I unite these two parts by fitting a cross piece 28 to: the side arms of the member 10 and; so

form the inner extending part of the member 22 with a slot 30 to lit about the cross piece 28, so that the same will be in engagement therewith at all times throughout the oscillating movement permitted by the member 22 between the faces 1'? and 19 on one side and 16 and 18- on the other, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. This arrangement also greatly facilitates the assembling of the device. position and yet to hold the parts 2 and 3 to move toward and. from each otherduring the expanding and contracting action I attach the pin 21 rigidly to one section, as by a hollow key 33, thus permitting the other section to slide on that part of the pin 21 housed within the same.

The apparatus is very economically made, a suitable last portion being formed with the toe removed, a longitudinal line of separation 1 being sawed, the grooves 01' recesses t and 5 formed, the cuts and bores for the member 22, pin 21 and key 33 being formed, member 10 fitted therein and the hinge applied. positioned, the pin 21 driven in and held in position by the key 33. The handle 25 is then threaded into position, and the apparatus ready for use. Upon application to a shoe, the handle constitutes a lever with which to oscillate the member 22 and thereby move the expander 10 forwardly until the faces 12 on the U-shaped part ofthe expander slide into or contact upon the beveled faces 6 and 7 of the grooves 4 and 5. This effects a separation of the forepart of the portions 2 and 8, swinging on the hinge 15, and thereby producing an expanding action on the forep'art of the shoe. Great power is capable of being exerted by the handle 25 and when the stretching action is suliicient or desired for the particular operation, thereupon the handle 25 is threaded tightly against the pin 21, thus binding and firmly locking the apparatus in adjusted position- The shoe maybe'stretched within wide limits, the capacity for separating the two parts being indicated by the dotted lines 35 and 36, Fig. Instant release of the tension is provided by a slight rotation of I the handle 25, thereby unlocking the mem-- ber 22 and pivot 21 and a reversal of the action of the lever withdraws the member 10 from the beveled faces 6 and 7 and facilitates the removal of the apparatus from the shoe. A desirable featnre is also the facility with which the handle 25 can be removed and the entire device compactly packed for shipment.- The stretching action is performed smoothly, evenly, and with all In order to hold the pin 21 in The oscillating member 22' is then IOU strains tensionsdistributed evenly throughout the shoe surface, thereby efi'ecting an even stretching action and insuring its permanence without exerting all: tension one point which endangers the structure of the shoe. The entire apparatus is easily assembled, eliminating the requirement heretofore customary of machinery obtrusive in space and appearance, and unsuited for retail store use. The action of the stretcher also necessarily restores the shape of the shoe, erasing Wrinkles, and acting as a shoe tree. The usefulness of the present device is not limited to retail stores, as my apparatus can be used for finishing or similar Work on shoes in factories, taking the place of a follower, the apparatus being quickly applied in a shoe and the stretching serving to hold the same firmly therein during shoe treeing, finishing, repairing or the like.

My invention is further described and delined in the form of claims as follows:

Apparatus of the kind described, adapted to be applied to boots and shoes, consisting in expansible and collapsible members in the form of a skeleton last and pivotally mounted together at their rear ends, an expansion member enclosed Within said members and adapted to reciprocate in a direction longitudinal to the said members, a horizontally arranged shaft in said members, a member rotatably mounted on said shaft and associated with the expansion member, and athreaded lever associated With said rotatably mounted member for oscillating the said member'to cause a movement of the expansion member and to lock the said rotatable member in adjusted position on said shaft.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JOHN HANSEN,

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