Shoe tree with horn

A shoe tree (10) having toe and heel engaging portions (12, 14) connected together for articulated movement between an extended generally longitudinally aligned condition and a retracted non-aligned condition. A shoe horn (50) secured to and extending from the heel engaging portion (14) provides a lever to facilitate its movement between the extended and retracted conditions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention relates to a shoe tree and, more particularly, is 
directed to such a tree incorporating a shoe horn. In its more specific 
aspects, the invention is concerned with a combined shoe tree and horn 
wherein the horn serves as a lever to facilitate placement and removal of 
the tree 
Shoe trees are very well known in the prior art. The more popular current 
trees incorporate heel and toe engaging portions with some type of 
compression strut therebetween. The strut telescopes to facilitate 
insertion and removal of the tree. It also serves to impart compressive 
force to the interior of a shoe within which the tree is received. In the 
more sophisticated shoe trees, the forward toe-engaging portion of the 
tree is expandible in response to the compressive force applied thereto by 
the strut. 
Certain prior art shoe trees have also employed heel and toe-engaging 
portions which may serve as a shoe horn when the tree is removed from a 
shoe. Such a device may be seen in Canadian Pat. No. 637,524, issued Mar. 
6, 1962. In that device, however, the horn construction did not serve as a 
lever to facilitate placement and removal of the tree. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The shoe tree of the present invention comprises heel and toe-engaging 
portions connected together by compression means which function to impart 
internal compressive force to the interior of a shoe within which the tree 
is received. A shoe horn is secured to the heel engaging portion so as to 
overlie that portion and facilitate placement and removal of the tree. In 
the preferred embodiment, the horn extends laterally of the heel-engaging 
portion so as to serve as a lever, and may be selectively removed for 
separate use as a shoe horn. 
A principal object of the present invention is to provide a shoe tree 
having a shoe horn incorporated thereinto which may serve as a lever to 
facilitate placement of the tree. 
Another object of the invention is to provide such a shoe tree wherein the 
shoe horn may be fabricated of a material different from that of the tree. 
Still another object related to the latter object is to provide such a shoe 
tree wherein the horn may be adorned with a decorative design, identifying 
and/or advertising material. 
Yet another object of the invention is to provide such a shoe tree wherein 
the horn may be selectively removed to facilitate the substitution of 
different colored horns, or for use separate from the tree. 
A further object of the invention is to provide such a shoe tree wherein 
the heel-engaging portion is rotatable to cam the tree and subject a shoe 
within which it is received to internal compressive force. 
Yet another object related to the latter object is to provide such a tree 
wherein the shoe horn serves as a lever to force the heel portion into a 
compressive state, and selectively release it from that state. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide such a shoe tree 
wherein the heel and toeengaging portions are connected by a resiliently 
biased compressive strut and the heel engaging portion is rotatable to cam 
the strut into a state of high compression. 
Yet a further object of the invention is to provide such a shoe tree 
wherein, upon rotation of the rear portion of the tree away from the front 
portion, the rear portion snaps clear of a shoe within which the tree is 
received. 
Another and more specific object is to provide such a shoe tree wherein a 
compressive strut exerts force on the rear portion of the tree through a 
force line which moves upwardly relative to the contact area between the 
rear portion of the tree and a shoe within which it is received as the 
rear portion is rotated to remove the tree from the shoe. 
These and other objects will become more apparent when viewed in the light 
of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The inventive shoe tree is illustrated in its entirety in FIG. 1 and 
designated by the numeral 10. It comprises a front or toe-engaging portion 
12 conformed to fit within the toe of a shoe and a rear or heel-engaging 
portion 14 conformed to fit within the heel of a shoe. The toe-engaging 
portion 12 is split longitudinally so as to provide laterally expandible 
segments 16 and 18. Segments 16 and 18 are formed with opposed internal 
slots 20 and 22, respectively, which slidably receive a tapered cam plate 
24. The lateral surfaces of the slots 20 and 22 converge toward the 
forward ends of the segments 16 and 18. The plate 24 is tapered so as to 
complementally engage said surfaces and force the segments 16 and 18 apart 
as the plate is forced forwardly within the slots. Suitable slidable pin 
connections (not illustrated) are provided between the segments 16 and 18 
to prevent the segments from completely separating when the tree is 
removed from a shoe. It should be understood that the general construction 
of the slots 20 and 22, cam plate 24 and slidable pin connections is known 
in the prior art. 
The heel and toe-engaging portions are articulatively connected by a 
compression strut 26. The strut is telescopic and comprises a forward 
inner section 28 and a rearward outer section 30. The section 28 is 
telescopically received within the section 30 and a compression coil 
spring (see FIG. 3) 32 is interposed between the closed end 34 of the 
section 30 and the inner end 36 of the section 28. A longitudinally 
extending slot 38 is formed through the section 28 and slidably receives a 
pin 40. The ends of the pin 40 are secured between openings in the section 
30 and, thus, pin 40 serves to prevent the sections 28 and 30 from 
separating, while permitting limited telescopic movement thereof. 
The forward or distal end of the section 28 is pivotally connected to the 
plate 24. Although not illustrated, it should be understood that this may 
be provided by a transversely extending bar provided on the plate 24 and a 
transversely extending opening provided in the section 28, which opening 
rotatably captures the bar. 
The rearward end of the section 30 is formed with a generally vertically 
disposed tongue 42 which is received between side walls 44 formed 
integrally with the heel-engaging portion 14. A pin 46 is secured within 
and extends through the side walls and rotatably through an opening 
provided therefor in the tongue 42. The pin 46 mounts the heel-engaging 
portion 14 for rotation about an axis extending transversely of the strut 
26. This axis is disposed eccentrically of the heel-engaging portion, with 
the result that rotation of the heel-engaging portion about the pin 
functions to lengthen the composite length of the shoe tree, as may be 
seen from a comparison of the phantom and solid line positions in FIG. 3. 
In the solid line lengthen position, the toe and heel-engaging portions of 
the tree are in general longitudinal alignment. As the heel engaging 
portion is moved to the phantom line position, it moves out of 
longitudinal alignment with the toe-engaging portion and the composite 
length of the shoe tree is shortened. 
From FIG. 3, it will also be seen that the rear of the heel engaging 
portion 14 is rounded to provide a cam surface 48. This rounded surface 
configuration facilitates forcing of the heel-engaging portion into 
engagement with the internal surface of a shoe within which the tree is 
received. 
The top surface of the heel-engaging portion 14 carries a shoe horn 50 
which extends laterally from the portion 14 in a forward direction. As 
shown in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 3, the horn 50 is secured to the 
top surface of the portion 14 by screws 52. The horn 50 serves as a lever 
to facilitate movement of the heel-engaging portion 14 between the solid 
and phantom line positions shown in FIG. 3. It may also be used as a horn, 
as shown in FIG. 2, to facilitate insertion of a foot into a shoe. 
The embodiment of FIG. 4 differs from that of FIGS. 1 to 3 only in that the 
shoe horn, designated 50a is connected to the heel-engaging portion, 
designated 14a, by a releasable tongue and groove connection, rather than 
a screw connection. The tongue and groove connection shown in FIG. 4 
comprises a T-shaped tongue 54 formed on and extending transversely of the 
undersurface of the horn 50a, a forward channel 56 secured to and opening 
upwardly of the portion 14a, and a rearward channel 58 secured to and 
opening forwardly of the top surface of the portion 14a. The horn 50a is 
secured to the portion 14a by sliding the tongue 54 into the channel 56 
simultaneously with sliding of the rearward distal end of the horn 50a 
into the channel 58. The connection thus provided is readily releasable. 
Ideally, there is sufficient frictional resistance between the tongue 54 
and the channel 56 to prevent inadvertent displacement of the horn 50a 
from the heel portion 14a. 
The modified embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 9 differs from the previously 
described embodiments primarily in that the rear or heel engaging portion 
14b is formed as an integral unit and the strut 26b is reversed so that 
the larger telescopic portion 28b is pivotally secured between the sides 
of the toe engaging portion 12 and the smaller section 30b is pivotally 
secured within a slot 60 formed in the portion 14b. The slot is defined 
between spaced side walls 44b formed on the heel engaging portion 14b. 
Elements of the FIGS. 5-9 embodiment corresponding identically to those of 
the previously described embodiments are designated by like numerals. 
Elements corresponding to those of the previous embodiments, but differing 
in design detail, are designated by like numerals, followed by the 
subscript b. 
From FIGS. 5-9, it will be seen that the hinge pin 46 for the rear portion 
14b is eccentrically disposed within the portion so as to be closer to its 
top, than its rear, as viewed in the fully inserted position shown in FIG. 
8. This relationship results in increasing the compression on the strut 
26b as the tree is inserted into a shoe (see the sequence of FIGS. 5-8). 
It also results in relaxing of the compression on the strut 26b as the 
heel engaging portion 14b is rolled out of the shoe. 
The progressive sequence shown in FIGS. 5, 7, and 8 illustrates how the 
rear portion 14b rolls into the shoe in response to clockwise swinging. 
From these Figs., it should also be evident that the horn 50b serves as a 
lever to facilitate such swinging. 
Removal of the shoe tree from a shoe is carried out by reversing the steps 
shown in FIGS. 5, 7, and 8. Namely, the tongue 50b is lifted to swing the 
heel engaging portion 14b in a counter-clockwise direction, thus rolling 
the portion along the back interior surface of the shoe from the position 
shown in FIG. 8 to that shown in FIG. 5. During this rolling movement, a 
contact area is established between the back of the portion 14b and the 
inside back surface of the shoe, which area moves upwardly as the portion 
14b is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction. In the initial stages of 
removal, as would correspond sequentially to the position shown in FIGS. 8 
and 6, a contact area is above the line of force exerted by the strut 26b 
through the pin 46. As the tree reaches the position shown in FIG. 5, with 
the horn 50b in a generally vertical position, the area is markedly below 
that line of force. As a result, upon assuming the condition shown in FIG. 
5 during removal, the force exerted by the strut functions to rotate the 
portion 14b counterclockwise and kick it from the shoe, as shown in FIG. 
9. Once the portion 14b is so ejected from the shoe, it is a simple matter 
to pull the entire shoe tree out of the shoe. 
In use, the shoe tree is placed within a shoe by first inserting the 
portion 12 within the toe of the shoe and then inserting the portion 14, 
14a , 14b within the heel of the shoe, with the horn 50 raised to a nearly 
vertical position, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. The horn is then depressed 
to pivot the portion 14, 14a clockwise, as viewed in FIGS. 3 and 5, thus 
rolling the portion 14, 14a 14b into the shoe and imparting compression to 
the strut 2. Such compression, in turn, functions to laterally expand the 
segments 16 and 18. Removal of the tree from a shoe is carried out in 
reverse, by lifting the horn 50, 50a, 50b to rotate the heel-engaging 
portion 14, 14a, 14b in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in FIGS. 3 
and 9. Such lifting rolls the portion 14, 14a, 14b out of the shoe and 
facilitates removal of the tree from the shoe. 
It should be appreciated that all embodiments of the invention provide a 
structure wherein heel engaging portion 14, 14a, 14b rolls into and out of 
the shoe and the horn 50, 50a, 50b serves as a lever to facilitate the 
rolling action. Additionally, upon being rolled out to a condition 
corresponding to that shown in FIG. 9, in all embodiments the heel 
engaging portion is snapped clear of the shoe by the compressive action of 
the strut 26, 26b. 
Conclusion 
From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that the present 
invention enables the attainment of the objects initially set forth 
herein. In particular, the shoe tree provides an eccentrically mounted 
heel-engaging portion which may be rotated to compress or release the 
tree. The horn secured to the heel-engaging portion serves as a lever to 
facilitate its rotation and positioning and removal of the tree. The horn 
may also be used, as shown in FIG. 2, to facilitate insertion of a foot 
into the shoe. In the embodiment of FIG. 4, the horn may be used 
separately from the tree as a conventional shoe horn. In all embodiments, 
the heel engaging portion of the tree is designed to roll into and out of 
position and, during removal, to snap clear of the shoe within which it is 
used. 
While preferred embodiments have been illustrated and described it should 
be understood that the invention is not intended to be limited to the 
specifics of these embodiments, but rather is defined by the accompanying 
claims.