US2698689A - Shoe display case - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 4, 1955 M. P. NOVACK 2,698,689

SHOE DISPLAY CASE Filed April 24. 1950 INVEN TOR.

A TTO/Q/Vf Y United States Patent SHOE DISPLAY CASE 7 Michael P. Novack, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application April 24', 1950', SerialNo. 157,679

Claims. (Cl. 211-34) This invention relates to cases for the transportation and display of salesmans samples of shoes and other footwear.

One object of the present invention is to provide a display case equipped to maintain an orderly arrangement of the contained footwear, such as to avoid danger of rubbing, scufling or otherwise marring the footwear during transit, to present the several samples to full view upon opening the case, and to permit ready removal and replacement of individual samples for minute inspection as occasion may arise.

Another object is to provide a display case possessing the above characteristics and capable of being inexpensively produced.

Another object is to provide improved shoe retainer means for shoe display devices.

Other objects and advantages will appear, expressed or implied, from the following description of a shoe display case constructed in accordance with the present invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a shoe display case embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view of the lower section of the case.

The case shown is of substantially rectangular form and composed of similar upper and lower sections 10 and 11 hingedly interconnected and closable on each other in the manner of an ordinary suit case. Each section is proportioned to receive and contain a longitudinal row of shoes, one of which is shown at a, seated on the base panel 12 thereof, and each section is equipped with means for releasably but eflfectively retaining the individual shoes of each row in spaced parallel relation.

In this instance the shoe retainer means shown comprises a shelf-like plate 13 extending lengthwise along one side of each section and rigidly supported by suitable means such as bracket plates, one of which is shown at 14 attached to an end wall of the upper section 10. Each plate 13 lies parallel to and is well spaced above the base panel 12 of the section. The exposed edge of each plate 13 is cut away at intervals to form a series of recesses 15 and intermediate projections 16, each of the recesses being of a size to loosely accommodate the back I; of a shoe and to partially embrace without contacting the same. To insure against marring the shoes at this point the recessed edge of the plate 13 is preferably covered with a buffer strip 17 of rubber or other soft material suitably attached thereto.

The series of projections 16 of each plate 13 provide a succession of supports for a flexible tension member preferably in the form of an elastic strand 18 arranged to span the entrance throats of the several recesses 15, the strand being bound to each of the supports 16 by suitable means, such as straps 19, riveted or otherwise fixed thereto. Knots 20 at the ends of each strand provide convenient anchorage therefor. The arrangement is such that when the back of a shoe is thrust into one of the recesses 15, the spanning section of the strand 18 is deflected in a manner to partially embrace the back of the shoe and to tension the strand into secure gripping relation with the shoe.

Another elastic strand 21 coacts in a similar manner with the toes of the several shoes to retain them in place. In this instance each strand 21 is supported at intervals by a series of binding straps 22 fixed in spaced relation along the inner edge of a fixed rail 23 extending lengthwise of each casing section 10 and 11. Each rail 23 is shown disposed along" that side of a' casing section remote from the plate 13 and adjacent the base panel 12. The arrangement is such that, after the back of each shoe has been thrust into one of the recesses 15 and against the strand 18 in the manner above described, the projecting toe portion c of the shoe sole may be engaged beneath the corresponding suspended portion of the strand 21 and then advanced into projecting relation over the rail 23, thereby deflecting and tensioning the strand 21 into grippin'gengagement with the toe of the shoe. With a shoe thus positioned, the two strands 18 and 21 react on the opposite ends of the shoe, to hold the latter'ag'ains't the base panel 12 and against lateral or longitudinal displacement.

It will be noted that with the several shoes positioned and retained by means such as above described there is nothing to materially interfere with a full view of the individual shoes. This is of course important in display devices. Moreover, if a minute inspection of an individual shoe is desired, any shoe may be manually withdrawn for that purpose merely by lifting the same from between the retainer strands 18 and 21; and after inspection, it may be as readily returned to its original position in the manner above described. It will be further noted that by reason of the elastic nature and deflected condition of the strands, they cling tenaciously to the retained shoes without danger of rubbing or otherwise marring them.

With a view to economizing space, so as to provide for a maximum number of shoes in a case of minimum depth, and without crowding, the plate 13 and rail 23 of each casing section 10 and 11 are preferably so arranged that, when one section is closed upon the other, the higher back portions of the shoes in one section will overlie the shallower toe portions of the shoes in the other section and vice versa; also the recesses 15 in the plate 13 in one section are preferably staggered with respect to those in the other section, so that the shoes in the two sections assume a stagered relation when the case is closed.

Also, to insure against rubbing contact between the shoes, when the case is closed, and as a further aid in preventing displacement of individual shoes, a curtain 24 is preferably provided for one or both of the casing sections 10 and 11. In this instance two such curtains are shown, each attached to the outer of free edge 25 of a section and adapted to be spread over the shoes in the section before the case is closed.

Various changes may be made in the display case hereinabove specifically described without departing from or sacrificing the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A shoe positioning and retaining means for use in shoe display cases, said positioning and retaining means comprising a member disposed in spaced relationship above the shoe supporting surface of the display case, a series of laterally spaced open-ended heel receiving recesses formed in the forward marginal edge of said member, an elastic means spanning the open ends of said recesses and positioned on said member, a second elastic means disposed in parallel spaced relationship with said first named elastic means, said second named elastic means being positioned forwardly of and below said first named elastic means, a series of engaging means disposed in spaced relationship along said second named elastic means for delineating segments thereof substantially equal in length to the width of said open-ended recesses in said member and respectively aligned therewith, said first and second named elastic means being deflectable upon the application of a shoe therebetween to exert yielding pressure respectively on the heel and toe portions of the shoe to thereby position and retain the shoe in the display case.

2. A shoe positioning and retaining means, as set forth in claim 1, in which the first named elastic means provides a means operative upon the application of a shoe which exerts a downward and forward pressure upon the heel portion of the shoe to effectively center the same in the heel receiving recess of said member and yieldably retain the shoe heel in pressure contact with the shoe supporting surface of the display case.

3. A shoe positioning and retaining means, as set forth in claim 1, in which the second named elastic means provides a means operative upon the application of a shoe which exerts a rearward and downward pressure upon the toe portion of the shoe to effectively retain the shoe against lateral movement and maintain the sole thereof in pressure contact with the shoe supporting surface of the display case.

4. A shoe positioning and retaining means, as set forth in claim 1, in which the first and second named elastic means cooperate upon the application of a shoe to provide a means operative to exert downward pressure thereon to retain the shoe against the shoe supporting surface of the display case and simultaneously exert pressure upon the shoe to yieldably retain the same against accidental displacement in the display case after it has been positioned therein.

5. A shoe positioning and retaining means, as set forth in claim 1, in which the first and second named elastic means cooperate upon the application of a shoe to provide means operative to exert a compression force on the opposite ends of the shoe to yieldably retain it in its adjusted position between said elastic means and simultaneously cooperate to exert a downward pressure on the shoe to retain it in pressure contact with the shoe supporting surface of the display case.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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