Improvements in Stands for Holding Boots and Shoes while Cleaning the same.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Nov.. 1895-Accerted, 4th Jan., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stands for Holding Boots and Shoes while
Cleaning the same.
1, RICHARD LUNDQVIST, Merchant, of Laguna de Terminos, Est de Campeche,
Mexico, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide an improved stand for holding a shoe
or boot in proper position for conveniently cleaning, blacking, polishing, or otherwise
treating the shoe or boot.
The invention consists principally of a rest adapted to receive a boot or shoe, a
last for the same, and a lever adapted to bear upon the last to hold the boot or shoe
in place on the rest.
The invention also consists of certain parts and details and combinations of the
same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.
Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this
Specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts
in all the figures.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improvement;
Figure 2 is a plan view of the rest ;
Figure 3 is a side elevation of the last, with part in section; and
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the rest arranged for ladies' shoes.
The improved stand is provided with a suitably constructed base A on which is
erected a post B securely held in place by braces C attached to the base A, as is
plainly shown in Figure 1. At or near the middle of the post B is secured a
box D, provided with hinged covers or lids, and adapted to hold brushes, blacking
boxes, rags and other paraphernalia used in cleaning boots and shoes.
On the top of the post B is secured a rest E, shaped somewhat similarly to a
foot but arranged in an inverted position with the heel E upward and the sole
part E2, covered by a piece of rubber or like material, to prevent slipping of the
boot or shoe F placed on the said rest E, as indicated in Figure 1. The rest E is
shaped in the manner described, to permit of the operator having convenient access
to the several parts of the shoe or boot while cleaning, polishing, or blacking
the same.
The boot or shoe F before being placed upon the rest E has inserted within it
a last G, shewn in detail in Figure 3, provided at its upper end with a longitudinally
extending recess G¹, adapted to be engaged by the upper, free end H', of a curved
lever H fulcrumed at H2, on a bracket I secured to the post B. A spring 11, draws
on the lever H and the lower end H³, of the lever passes through an opening B1,
formed in the post B. A wedge J hung on a chain attache to the post B is
adapted to be inserted between the base of the bracket I and the edge of the
lever H to securely lock the latter in position after the upper end H', is placed in
the recess.
When the wedge J is withdrawn, the spring P, imparts a swinging
motion to the lever H in the direction of the arrow a', to disengage the upper
end H', from the last G to unlock the shoe F set on the rest E.
The last G is made so as to be readily passed into the shoe or boot, but previous
to the insertion of the last the front or toe portion of the shoe or boot is filled with
rags or other soft material, to hold the toe portion in a stretched position while
cleaning, polishing or blacking the shoe or boot.

page_text: For different sized shoes, different sized lasts G are employed, but two or three
such lasts are sufficient for nearly all sizes, as the last does not need to fit very
snugly in the boot or shoe.
When the boot or shoe with the last in position is set on the rest E, the operator
swings the lever H in the inverse direction of the arrow a', to bring the upper
end Hin engagement with the top of the last, to press the last downward, and
consequently lock the shoe or boot F in position on the rest E. The wedge J is
then inserted between the base of the bracket I and lever H as previously explained,
to lock the lever H, and consequently the shoe F in position. The operator can now
manipulate the shoe or boot with brushes, or other cleaning or polishing devices,
to facilitate the cleaning and polishing of the shoe or boot. As the operator has
both hands free for the work, he can quickly accomplish the desired end in a very
thorough manner.
For ladies' and children's shoes and boots, an auxiliary rest E³, similar to the
rest E, is attached on the top of the latter, as indicated in Figure 4, the auxiliary
rest E3 being smaller in size than the rest E and attached to the latter by dowel
pins E, as indicated in the said figure. The additional lasts of the auxiliary
rest E³ may be stored in the box D when not in use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A device of the class described, comprising a rest adapted to receive a shoe,
a last for the boot or shoe, and a lever for bearing on the last to hold the shoe in
place on the rest, substantially as shewn and described.
2. A device of the class described, comprising a rest adapted to receive a shoe,
a last for the shoe, a lever for bearing on the last to hold the shoe in place on the
rest, and means for locking the said lever in position, substantially as shewn and
described.
3. A device of the class described, comprising a post, a rest supported thereon
and adapted to receive a shoe or boot, a last for the boot or shoe, and a spring-
pressed lever fulcrumed on a bracket projecting from the post and adapted to be
locked in place, substantially as shewn and described.
4. A device of the class described, comprising a post, a rest supported thereon
and adapted to receive a shoe or boot, a last for the boot or shoe, a spring-pressed
lever fulcrumed on a bracket projecting from the post and adapted to be locked in
place, and a wedge for locking the said lever in position, as set forth.
5. A device of the class described, provided with a shoe or boot rest, formed on
the top with a heel and sole part of leather or like material, substantially as shown
and described.
6. A device of the class described, provided with a last formed at its top with a
longitudinal slot or recess, substantially as shown and described.
7. A device of the class described, comprising a post, a rest supported thereon
and adapted to receive a shoe or boot, a last for the shoe or boot, a spring-pressed
lever fulcrumed on a bracket projecting from the post, and adapted to be locked in
place, and a box mounted on said post, substantially as shown and described.
Dated this 19th day of November 1895.
A. M. & W M. CLARK,
53 Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.