US2888705A - Shoe boot shine aid - Google Patents

Description

June 2, 1959 MLB. BRAY 2, 8

SHOE BOOT SHINE AID Filed April 8, 195a 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTD RN EYE J1me- 2, 1959 M. B. BRAY SHOE BOOT SHINE AID 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 8, 1958 I N VEN TOR.

Mmesz awe/1y 4 96s ATTD RN EYS SHOE BOOT SHINE AID Murel B. Bray, Fort Bliss, Tex.

Application April 8, 1958, Serial No. 727,155

Claims. (Cl. 15267) This invention relates to a device for facilitating the shining or polishing of shoes, boots or the like.

The object of the invention is to provide a shoe boot shine aid which is adapted to be releasably connected to or strapped to a portion of a persons leg and thigh so as to facilitate the shining and polishing of shoes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shoe boot shine aid which is adapted to be conveniently strapped to a persons leg and thigh, and wherein the device of the present invention includes an adjustable clamping assembly which can be adjusted to clamp or secure shoes of difierent sizes or shapes therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shoe boot shine aid which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view illustrating the shoe boot shine aid of the present invention attached to a persons leg and thigh and showing the device being used for supporting a shoe to be shined.

Figure 2 is a view taken at right angles to the view shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the shoe boot shine aid of the present invention.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the adjustable bracket.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view illustrating the up per portion of the clamping assembly.

Figure 6 is an elevational view, with parts broken away and in section, showing certain constructional details of the apparatus.

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 7-7 of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a sectional View taken on the line 8-8 of Figure 6.

Figure 9 is an elevational view illustrating a portion of the clamping assembly.

Figure 10 is a view taken at right angles to the View shown in Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a bottom plan view of the clamping assembly.

Figure 12 is a perspective view illustrating the base which forms parts of the clamping assembly.

Figure 13 is a perspective view of the plate which forms part of the clamping assembly.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 10 indicates the shoe boot shine aid of the present invention which comprises a pair of body members 11 and 12 which are hingedly connected together as at 13. The body members or bars 11 and 12 are adapted to be arranged as shown in Figure 1 when the device is being used. As shown in the drawings, a yieldable or resilient pad 14 is secured to the body member 11 in any suitable manner, and a similar pad 15 is secured to the other body member 12. Straps 16 are provided for releasably con- 2,888,705 Patented June 2, 1959 necting the body member 11 to a persons thigh 17, and a strap 18 is provided for connecting the body member 12 to a persons leg 19.

Secured to the body 11 is a pair of spaced apart blocks 20 which are adapted to be made of a suitable resilient or yieldable material such as rubber or plastic, and these blocks 20 are adapted to provide a support for and engage the sole 21 of a shoe 22 being shined or polished.

Extending upwardly from the body member 12 and secured thereto is a support member 23 which has a cylindrical sleeve 24 secured to its upper end, Figure 6, and a pin 25 projects through the sleeve 24 and is connected thereto; The numeral 26 indicates a clamping assembly which is adapted to engage the heel 27 of the shoe 22 being worked on.

As shown in the drawings, the clamping assembly 26 includes a rectangular base 28 which is provided with a pair of spaced apart apertures 29, Figure 12. Depending from the base 28 is a rectangular lug which is provided with an opening 31 therein, for a purpose to be later described. The numeral 32 indicates a finger which depends from the base 23 and which is secured thereto, and the lower portion of the finger 32 is provided with a plurality of notches 33 that are adapted to engage the pin 25 which is carried by the sleeve 24.

Arranged just below the base 28 is a plate 34, Figure 13, and the plate 3 includes a pair of spaced apart legs 35 which have elongated slots 36 therein. A web 37 connects the legs 35 together, and the web 37 is cutaway or recessed as at 38 so as to provide clearance for the finger 32 when the plate 34 is moved inwardly.

A means is provided for connecting the base 28 and plate 34 together, and this means comprises securing elements or bolts 39 which extend through the apertures 29 and slots 36, and wing nuts 46 are arranged in threaded engagement with the securing elements 39. By loosening the wing nuts iii, the device can be adjusted so that it can be made of a size to accommodate heels of dilferent sizes, and then the wing nuts 46 can be tightened, to maintain the parts immobile in their adjusted positions.

The numeral il indicates a curved lip which extends upwardly from the plate 34, Figure 13.

As shown in Figure 4 there is further provided an adjustable bracket which is indicated generally by the numeral 42, and the bracket 42 includes a shoulder 43 which is provided with a circular threaded aperture or opening 44 therein. The bracket 42 further includes a straight portion 45 which terminates in an upstanding curved flange 46. Guide members 47 depend from the base 28 and are secured thereto, and these guide members 47 are adapted to have the straight portion 45 of the bracket 42 arranged therebetween. Notches or cutouts 48 are arranged in the shoulder 43 so as to provide sufficient clearance for permitting the shoulder 43 to be initially moved through the space between the guide members 47, as for example when the device is being assembled.

There is further provided a screw member which is indicated generally by the numeral 49, and the screw member 49 includes a threaded shank portion 50 which is arranged in threaded engagement with the opening 44 in the shoulder 43. The screw member 49 further includes a smooth non-threaded portion 51 which extends through the opening 31 in the lug 30, and a head 52 of enlarged formation is arranged on one end of the screw member 48 The ends of the screw member are provided with tips 53 whereby a suitable wrench or tool 55, Figure 10, can be arranged in engagement with the tips 53 to rotate the screw member 49. A look washer 54 is also mounted on the screw member 49 on the opposite side of the lug 30 from the head 52 so as to help retain the screw member 49 in its proper assembled position.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that there has been prbvideda device which will facilitate the shining or polishing or cleaning of shoes, boots or the like. In use, when the device 10 is to be used, the device is adapted .to be strapped in place as shown in Figure l and wherein the strap 16 will fasten the body member 11 to the thigh 17, and the strap 18 will fasten the body memher 212 to the leg 19. The resilient pads 14 and 15 connect the device to be worn comfortably and if desired, these members may be made concave or recessed as shown in Figure 7 for example, so as to more snugly conform to the curvature or configuration of the thigh or leg. The shoe 22 which is to be shined or polished, is arranged so that its sole 21 engages one or both of the resilient blocks 20, and the blocks 20 are secured to the body member 11. The heel 27 of the shoe is engaged by the clamp assembly 26 so that the shoe 22 will be firmly held while it is cleaned, polished or otherwise worked on. Thus, it will be seen that there has been provided a device which can be conveniently strapped to a persons leg and thigh so that shoes can be readily cleaned, polished or the like.

The clamping assembly 26 is adjustable so that heels or shoes of different sizes can be accommodated therein. The clamp assembly 26 includes two main adjustable features. For a quick adjustment of the clamp, a tool such as the wrench 55 of Figure 10 can be arranged in engagement with one of the tips 53 of the screw member 49, whereby the screw member 49 can be rotated. Since the screw member 49 has its threaded shank 50 engaging the threaded opening 44 in the shoulder 43, it will be seen that this rotation of the screw member 49 will cause the bracket 42 to shift or move between the guide members 47. As the bracket 42 moves, it will move the flange 46 and the flange 46 is adapted to coact with the lip 41 so as to grip or clamp the heel 27 therebetween.

Another adjustment of the clamp 26 is provided by loosening the wing nuts 40 so that the slots 36 in the legs 35 permit relative movement between the base 28 and plate 34 and after these parts have been moved to their desired positions, the wing nuts 40 are tightened to maintain the parts immobile in their adjusted positions. Thus, it will be seen that the lip 41 and flange 46 can be moved towards or away from each other so that before a shoe is positioned on the device, the members 41 and 46 can be spread apart and then these members can be moved together or towards each other so as to securely clamp the heel 27 therebetween.

The screw member 49 has its smooth portion 51 extending through the opening 31 in the lug 30 so that the screw member 49 is free to rotate in the opening 31. The head 52 and lock washer 54 coact to help maintain the screw member 49 in its proper position in the lug 30.

The parts can be made of any suitable material and in difierent shapes or sizes.

The pads 14 and 15 are adapted to be made of a suitable material such as foam rubber. The hinge may be made in different manners or fashions as desired. It is to be noted that an important aspect or feature of the present invention, is that the finger 32 is capable of rotary movement or adjustment in the sleeve 24. In other words, by raising the device shown in Figure slightly, the notches 33 will move upwardly and clear the pin 25 so that the entire assembly shown in Figure 5 can be rotated about an axis extending through the sleeve 24 so that the portion of the clamp or joint shown in Figure 5 can be positioned at four ninety degree positions due to the provision of the four notches 33 in the lower end of the finger 32.

The hinge 13 permits the shoe to be held firmly on the sole grip by moving the foot forward or by releasing pressure on the grip by moving the foot rearward and the swivel joint which consists of the finger 32 and sleeve 24,

permits the shoe or boot to be rotated 360 degrees so as to facilitate application of polish or shining. The notches 33 are spaced from each other at degrees intervals so as to permit the shoe or boot to be positioned at any of the four angles, namely, zero degrees, 90 degrees, degrees, or 270 degrees.

It is to be noted that the device straps to the thigh and leg or calf and the foam rubber pads 14 and 15 serve to protect the thigh and leg and give increased stability. The rubber blocks 20 serve as sole grips to hold the shoe or boot firmly when the foot is moved forward, and these grips 20 are spaced to accommodate difierent sizes of shoes or boots. The hinge 13 permits the foot to move forward or rearward to apply or release pressure on the sole grips.

The clamp assembly 26 holds the shoe or boot by gripping the heel or instep, and the clamp assembly can be expanded. or contracted as previously described. The bracket 42 can be quickly moved in or out, and the screw member 49 provides a further adjustable feature. A wrench such as the wrench 55 will fit either end of the stud 49 and can be used for controlling tension on the heel or instep of the shoe or boot. The swivel joint including the members 32 and 24 permits the clamp assembly of Figure 5 to be detached from the rest of the structure while the parts such as the lip 41 and flange 46 are being adjusted on the shoe or boot. The pin 25 serves to lock the finger 32 and its associated parts in the desired position.

Minor changes in shape, size and rearrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

1 claim:

1. In a shoe boot shine aid, first and second members adapted to be connected to a persons leg and thigh respectively, means connected to said members for engagement with a shoe to be shined and said first and second members being hingedly connected together at gle respective portions thereof corresponding to the users 2. The structure as defined in claim 1, and further including gripping relatively spaced blocks connected to the top of one of said members along the longitudinal center thereof.

3. The structure as defined in claim 2, and further including a heel clamping assembly connected to the second of said members.

4. In a shoe boot shine aid, first and second members adapted to be connected to a persons leg and thigh, means connected to said members for engagement with a shoe to be shined, said first and second members being hingedly connected together, gripping blocks connected to one of said members, a heel clamping assembly con nected to the second of said members, and resilient pads connected to said members.

5. In a shoe boot shine aid, first and second body members hingedly connected together, yieldable pads secured to the inner surfaces of the body members, straps for connecting said body members to a persons thigh and leg, a pair of spaced apart resilient blocks secured to the upper surface of said first body member for engagement with the sole of a shoe, a support member extending upwardly from said second body member and connected thereto when said members are in operative position, a cylindrical sleeve mounted on the upper end of said support member and secured thereto, a pin connected to said sleeve, a clamp assembly including a rectangular base provided with a pair of spaced apart apertures, a finger depending from said base slidably mounted in said sleeve and provided with a plurality of notches in its lower end for engagement with said pin, a lug depending from said base and provided with an opening, a plate adjustably mounted below said base, said plate including a pair of spaced apart legs and a connecting web, said legs being provided with elongated slots therein, securing elements extending through the apertures in said base and through said slots, a curved lip extending upwardly from said web, an adjustable bracket including a shoulder arranged below said base, and said shoulder being provided with a central threaded opening, said bracket further including a straight portion terminating in a curved upwardly projecting flange, guide members depending from said base and arranged on opposite sides of said straight portion, a screw member having a threaded shank References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Brunk May 27, 1851 Parker Dec. 24, 1895

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