Portable folding boot jack

A portable folding boot jack for removing different size boots and other types of footware. The boot jack includes a first and a second boot engaging member. The first and second boot engaging members have a first end hinged on top of an upright support. The upright support acts as a fulcrum for pivoting the boot jack and holding the boot engaging members at an angle from the horizontal. The first boot engaging member has a second end with a first opening therein. The second end of the first boot heal engaging member includes a pair of arms on opposite sides of the first opening for gripping a rear portion of the boot when the rear of the boot is received inside the opening. The second boot engaging member has a second end with a second opening therein. The first opening is larger than the second opening. The second end of the second boot engaging member includes a pair of arms on opposite sides of the second opening for gripping rear portion of a smaller boot when the rear of the boot is received inside the opening. The second boot member includes an upright support and frame cavity for receiving the upright support and a frame of a lower portion of the first boot member in a nesting relationship when the boot jack is folded in half and no longer in use.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
(a) Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to boot jacks and more particularly, butnot by way 
of limitation, to a boot jack that is compact, foldable, portable and can 
be used for engaging and removing different size boots. 
(b) Discussion of Prior Art 
Heretofore there have been a variety of different types of boot jacks which 
are foldable and held upright by a center support. These boot jacks are 
described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 174,433 to Phenix, 1,849,282 to Churchill, 
1,893,280 to Gerfen, 2,280,251 to Mirski and 4,226,346 to Turner. 
While some of the above mentioned patents have some of the individual 
features of the subject invention, none of them incorporate the unique 
combination of structure and function of the subject portable folding boot 
jack as described herein. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVETION 
In view of the foregoing, it is a primary object of the present invention 
to provide a lightweight, inexpensive boot jack that is rugged in 
construction and can be used for engaging and removing different size 
boots and other types of footware. One end of the boot jack is adapted for 
receiving a rear portion of one size of boot and another end of the boot 
jack is adapted for receiving a rear portion of a different size of boot. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a boot jack that is portable 
and can be quickly folded for storage and travel and unfolded when used in 
removing a pair of boots. 
Still another object of the invention is to provide a boot jack wherein an 
upright support and one end of the boot jack are neatly folded and 
received inside another end of the boot jack in a nesting relationship for 
providing a compact unit when carrying, storing and traveling. 
Yet another object of the subject boot jack is its adaptability for use in 
different types of boots such as Western, English riding, fashion, work 
and other types boots along with different kinds of footware. 
The subject boot jack includes a first and a second boot engaging member. 
The first and second boot engaging members have a first end hinged on top 
of an upright support. The upright support acts as a fulcrum for pivoting 
the boot jack and holding the boot engaging members at an angle from the 
horizontal. The first boot engaging member has a second end with a first 
opening therein. The second end of the first boot engaging member includes 
a pair of arms on opposite sides of the first opening for gripping a rear 
portion of the boot when the rear of the boot is received inside the 
opening. The second boot engaging member has a second end with a second 
opening therein. The first opening is larger than the second opening. The 
second end of the second boot engaging member includes a pair of arms on 
opposite sides of the second opening for gripping rear portion of a 
smaller boot when the rear of the boot is received inside the opening. The 
second boot member includes a bottom portion with a second frame with an 
upright support and frame cavity therein for receiving the upright support 
and a first frame in a bottom portion of the first boot member in a 
nesting relationship when the boot jack is folded in half and no longer in 
use. 
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to 
those familiar with boot jacks from the following detailed description, 
showing novel construction, combination, and elements as herein described, 
and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood 
that changes in the precise embodiments to the herein disclosed invention 
are meant to be included as coming within the scope of the claims, except 
insofar as they may be precluded by the prior art.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
In FIG. 1, a perspective view of the subject portable folding boot jack is 
shown having a general reference numeral 10. Broadly the boot jack 10 
includes a first boot engaging member 12, a second boot engaging member 14 
and an upright support 16. The upright support 16 acts as a fulcrum for 
pivoting the boot jack 10 on a flat ground surface and holding the boot 
engaging members 14 and 16 upwardly at an angle from the horizontal. 
The first boot engaging member 12 includes a first end 18 which is hinged 
by a hinge pin 20 on an upper portion 22 of the upright support 16. The 
first engaging member 12 further includes a second end 24 with a first 
opening 26 with a pair of boot gripping arms 28 on opposite sides of the 
opening 26 for engaging and gripping a rear portion 30 of a boot 32. The 
opening 26 may be "V" shaped, "U" shaped or similar configurations. The 
boot 32 and rear portion 30 are shown in FIG. 5. While boot 32 is shown in 
the drawings, it can be appreciated that the subject boot jack 10 can be 
used equally well with other types of footwear. 
The second boot engaging member 14 includes a first end 34 which is hinged 
by the hinge pin 20 on the upper portion 22 of the upright support 16. The 
second engaging member 14 further includes a second end 36 with a second 
opening 38 with a pair of boot gripping arms 40 on opposite sides of the 
opening 38 for engaging and gripping the rear portion of a boot. The 
second opening 38 is smaller by design for gripping smaller size boots 
when compared to the first opening 26 of the first boot engaging member 
12. The second opening may also be "V" shaped, "U" shaped or similar 
configurations. 
The first boot engaging member 12 includes a flat upper surface 42 and a 
hole 44 therethrough. Also, the second boot engaging member 14 includes a 
flat upper surface 46 and a hole 48 therethrough. The upright support 16, 
as shown in FIG. 3, also includes a hole 50. The holes 44, 48 and 50 are 
used for receiving a display peg therethrough when the boot jack 10 is 
folded as shown in FIG. 4. The display peg is not shown in the drawings 
and obviously would be used for suspending the boot jack 10 prior to 
purchase by a customer or the peg can be used by the user of the boot jack 
10 when it is stored. 
In FIG. 2, a front view of the boot jack 10 is shown with the second boot 
engaging member 14 and gripping arms 40 resting on a flat surface 51. Also 
a lower portion 52 of the upright support 16 iS resting on the flat 
surface 51. The first boot engaging member 12 with gripping arms 28 are 
extending upwardly from the horizontal and in position for receiving the 
rear portion 30 of the boot 32. 
In FIG. 3, an exploded perspective view of the bottom of the boot jack 10 
is illustrated. A bottom portion 56 of the first boot engaging member 12 
includes a first frame 58 with lips 60 on opposite sides of the frame 58. 
The bottom portion 56 also includes an upright support cavity 62 contoured 
for receiving the upright support 16 when the boot jack 10 is folded. A 
bottom portion 64 of the second boot engaging member 14 includes a second 
frame 66. The bottom portion 64 also includes an upright support and frame 
cavity 68 contoured for receiving the upright support 16 and the first 
frame 58 of the first boot engaging member 12 in a nesting relationship 
when the boot jack 10 is folded together. 
FIG. 4 illustrates a front view of the boot jack 10 when it is folded. When 
the boot jack 10 is ready for storage, display or travel, the first boot 
engaging member 12 is folded downwardly with upright support 16 received 
inside the upright support cavity 62 shown in FIG. 3. The folding 
continues as the first frame 58 of the first boot engaging member 12 and 
upright support 16 are folded and received inside the upright support and 
frame cavity 68. As seen in FIG. 4, the boot jack 10 makes for a compact 
unit when folded in half as shown. 
FIG. 5 shows a front view of the boot jack 10 with the first boot engaging 
member 12 extending upwardly from the flat surface 51 with the rear 
portion 30 of the boot 32 received in the first opening 26 and the 
gripping arms 28 engaging the rear portion 30 for removing the boot 32. In 
this view, a human foot 70 is placed on the flat upper surface 42 of the 
second boot engaging member 14 for holding the boot jack 10 in place on 
the flat surface 51. 
If it is desired to remove a small boot, such as a ladies's boot or child's 
boot and other types of footware, the boot jack 10 can be quickly pivoted 
on the upright support 16 with the second boot engaging member 14 
extending upwardly from the horizontal and the first boot engaging member 
12 resting on the flat surface 51. In this example, a rear portion of the 
smaller boot would be received inside the second opening 38. At this time, 
the boot gripping arms 40 would be used to engage the rear portion of the 
boot and thus remove the smaller boot. 
While the invention has been particularly shown, described and illustrated 
in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments and modifications 
thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that 
equivalent changes in form and detail may be made therein without 
departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as claimed, 
except as precluded by the prior art.