US2452689A - Foldaway shoe tree - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 2, 1948. w. F. SHEPPARD 'FOLDA'WAY SHOEY'IREE 2 Sheets-Sheet J.

Filed-June 29, 1946- Nov. 2, 1948. w. F. SHEPPARD 2,452,689

FOLDAWAY SHOE TREE Filed June 29, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. I 2, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FOLDAWAY SHOE TREE William F. Sheppard, Chicago, Ill.

Application June 29, 1946, Serial No. 680,436

4 Claims.

The invention relates to a foldaway device providing a pair of shoe trees for supporting and maintaining shoes in shape and has for an object to provide a foldaway shoe tree that can be easily attached to a wall, door or the like, and which will present resilient means for supporting shoes off the floor. The device of the invention is characterized by a bracket of novel construction having means for journalling an arm member to which is fixed a pair of resilient shoe trees. A more specific ob ject of the invention resides in the provision of a bracket for the device as described which will embody supporting means for the arm member and which will permit the arm member to be positioned in either one of two positions whereby the shoe trees may be horizontally or vertically disposed.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a device as described wherein the bracket and arm member combination may be readily assembled and disassembled and wherein with the arm member operatively journalled by the bracket the same may swing in an arc of approximately ninety degrees.

A further object residesin a shoe tree device having resilient mean-s for supporting them in shape, both as regards the heel and toe; a device wherein the supported shoes may be positioned vertically to prevent dust from settling in the inside of the shoe; and a device of the character described which will be simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view the invention may consist of certain novel features of 3 construction and operation as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawings and claims appended hereto.

In the drawings which illustrate an embodiment of the invention and wherein like reference characters are used to designate like parts Figure 1 is a top plan view of the device of the invention showing in dotted outline a pair of shoes in associated supported relation on the shoe Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 of Figure 1. 7 Referring to the drawings and particularly Figures 1 and 2, the foldaway shoe tree device of the invention is shown in a preferred embodiment in supported relation with a vertical wall, door or the like, indicated by numeral In. The bracket I l is secured in proper position vertically of said support In by means of the wing head screw I2 which passes through an opening I3 provided therefor in the bracket for threaded securement with the support. As best shown in Figure 2, the bracket consists of an elongated section of metal or other suitable material substantially channel-shaped in cross section and which provides the central body portion I4 and the top and bottom flanges I5 and I6. The top flange I5 is continuous for its entire length although notched openings I1 and I8 are formed therein for locking the arm member in vertical position as will be better understood as the description proceeds. The notched openings l1 and I8 communicate with vertically extending slots 2| and 22 in the body portion I4 of the bracket and which slots permit swinging movement of the arm member from a vertical position to a horizontal position.

For journalling the arm member 20 the bracket II is provided with novel structure which is formed from the bottom flange I6. As shown in Figure 2', the flange is severed and portions are bent upwardly to form the uprights 23 and 24. An opening 25 is formed in each upright of a diameter to accommodate the arm member 20 and for inserting the journalling portion of the arm member within said openings the same are provided with a throat or passageway 26 located in the rear edge of the respective portions 23 and 24. A retaining lip 21 is'formed from the bottom flange IS, the same having an arcuate formation, as shown, for releasably retaining the arm member in journalling relation with bracket I I. As the journalling portion of the arm member 20 is inserted in openings 25 the retaining lip 21 is depressed to provide suificient clearance for this inserting operation. With the arm member properly journalled by the openings the retaining lip is allowed to assume its normal position whereupon the same functions to releasably retain the arm member properly journalled in the openings, as will be clearly understood. 1 I

The arm member 28 is best shown -in-Figures 1 and 3 wherein it will be appreciated that said member includes a central journalling portion 28 and forwardly and downwardly extending arms 30 and 3! which are formed by right angle bends from the journalling portion.- A shoe tree is suitably fixed to each arm 3!! and-3| as will be clear by reference to the drawings. With the arm member journalled in openings 25 of the bracket the arms 35.! and 3| extend through slots 2| and 22, respectively. It will be seen from Figure 3 that the arms have two positions and which are approximately ninety degrees apart. In one position the arms 3!! and 3| extend through their respective slots and engage the position. The resiliency of the spaced arms 33' and 3| is such as to permit them to pass through the notched entrance to the openings 11 and I8, whereby they are held by resilient tension and require a positive act on the part of the operator to again locate the arm member in a downposition where the shoe trees are disposed substantially horizontally.

In'accordance with the invention each arm 30 and 34 includes a depending portion to which is fixedly secured a resilient shoe tree indicated in its entirety by numeral 32. The shoe trees are universal, that is, either one may be used for a rightorleit shoe, and therefore it will be unders-t'ood that the description of one applies to the other. A shoe tree consists principally of a maintension member 33 and an auxiliary tension'in'ember 3311., the main tension member being'disposed' longitudinally and having suitably fifired toits outwardly extending end a toe piece such as 34. The other end or" this main ten sion member includes a fiat heel portion 35; a rear heel portion 36, and which is bent to form the-top portion 311 This main tension member is suitably secured tothe depending portion of the arm pass through the top part 31 and through" the flat heel portion 35. By means of opposed nuts 38 and 39 the said main tension member is fixedly secured in position, as described, to its respective arm.

The heel' of the shoe treea'dditionallyincludes the resilient side members fiiland 4 l Figure 4, the same being formed from a single length of spring metal and which is secured centrally of its flat portion 42, to the depending" portion of arm 30 by means of opposed securing nuts 33 and 39 Actually the dependingend of the arms .3lltand 3i are each threaded and said threaded end passes through the main tension member and, through the metal strip providing the re.- silient side members 40 and 4|. However, it will be observed that the resilient side members at and 41' are not constrained, having. a free upper end t3 so that they exert maximum tension in the vicinity of the heel portion of the shoe to maintain said heel. portion in proper shape. As distinguished from the resilient side members, the rear heel pcrtion 36 of the main tension member is-fixed at its upper end by means of part 31 to its respective arm and thus the resiliency of said heel portionis somewhat restricted. In accordance with the invention said heel portion36 is formed to provide, a recess 44. which recess. is adaptedto receive the rear. strap of an open heel shoe. and which thereby functions to facilitate the' retaining; of the shoe. on the tree.

In View. of the foregoing, the device of. the invention, essentially consists of a bracket which journals an arm. member providing a pair of outwardly and downwardly extending arms and to each of which are secured resilient elements providing a shoe tree, for supporting and maintaining a shoe in proper shape. The device can be readily secured to a support by the wing head screw I2 which securely fastens the bracket with the rear edges of the flanges l and IS in contact with the support. The necessary elements for journalling the armmember are provided by" the bracket and it will be understood that said arm member may be readily assembled therewith or disassembled therefrom. The arm member has limitedoscillating movement toposition the shoe trees substantially horizo-ntallyorvertically where they are folded away against the support, in which position the shoes require a minimum of space and they are further retained in a position preventing dust from collecting inside the toe portion of. the shoe. The shoe trees are relatively simple in construction, requiring a plurality of resilient members which form a toe piece and a heel portion. With the shoe in associated supported relation on the shoe tree its proper shape is effectively maintained both as regards the foot portion of the shoe and also the heel; By means of the depression orrecess 44 open heel shoes may be properly retained by having the heel strap fit in said recess. The maintension member 33 of each shoe tree is formed of resilient material having a preformedshape substantially as shown in Figure 3 where-the curvatu-re conforms to the instep of the shoe and is designed for imparting the necessary tension longitudinally of the same.

The invention is not to be limited to or by details of construction of the particular embodiment thereof illustrated by the drawingsas various other forms-of the device will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or" the invention orthe scope of the claims;

What is claimed is:

1. In a shoe tree device of thecharacter described, in combination, an elongated bracket substantially channel-shaped in cross section and providing a central body portion and top and bottom flanges integral therewith, said bracket having a transverse slot formed in thebody-portion thereof adjacent the ends respectively and the top flange having a notched opening in connecte mgr-elation with each said slot, an arm member journalled by the bracket, said arm member including an arm at each end thereof adapted to extend through one of said slots, whereby; the arms extend outwardly of the bracket by extend;- ing through said slots and in front of the central body portion when horizontally positioned and whereby the arms are releasably held in a vertical position by said notched openings as a result of the tension effect of the arms therewith, and means including resilient members comprising a shoe tree fixed to the outwardly extending-end of each arm.

2. A shoe tree device as defined by claim 11 additionally includingsupporting lugs formed from and integral with the bottom flange for journalling the said arm member, and wherein the resilient members comprising ashoe tree include a main tension member providing atoe-piece and a plurality of side members forming in part a heel portion.

3; In a shoe tree device of the character described, incombination, a bracket adapted tdbe secured to a support and including; an elongated metal section substantially channel-shaped in cross section providing a central body portion and integral top and bottom flanges, said bracket having a pair of transverse slots formed in the body portion in spaced relation with a. slot being located adjacent each end of the bracket, the ,top flange of the bracket having a-notched opening in connecting relation with each said slot, an arm member having releasable. association. with the bracket and being journalled thereby so that the 5 arm member may rotate, said arm member including an arm at each end thereof adapted to extend through one of said slots when the arm member is journalled by the bracket, whereby the arms extend outwardly of the bracket in front of the central body portion when horizontally positioned and whereby the arms are releasably held in a vertical position by said notched openings as a result of the tension effect of the arms therewith, and means including resilient members comprising a shoe tree fixed to the outwardly extending end of each arm.

4. A shoe tree device as defined by claim 3 additionally including supporting lugs formed from and integral with the bottom flange for journalling the said arm member, and wherein the resilient members comprising the shoe tree include a main tension member providing a toe piece and a plurality of side members forming in part a heel portion.

WILLIAM F. SHEPPARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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