Improvements in Shoe Stretchers.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 27th July, 1897-Accepted, 4th Sept., 1897
Improvements in Shoe Stretchers.
I, CHARLES LEWIS PASSMORE, of Fulton, in the State of Illinois, United States
of America, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:
My invention has reference to improvements in shoe stretchers and pertains
more especially to the provision of a novel mechanism by which the leather of
shoes, boots, or other leather products may be locally stretched without affecting
the residue thereof.
This I accomplish by the mutual action of two members, one of which has an
interior opening into which the other may be forced to any desired degree.
The purpose of my invention in its main application, is to afford means for
stretching footwear over the locality of a bunion or corn so as to relieve or preclude
pressure upon such sensitive parts.
I accomplish the above object by the mechanism illustrated in the accompany-
ing drawings, in which,
Figure 1 is a perspective of an instrument provided with my invention shown
in an open position.
Figure 2 is the same shown in a closed position.
Figure 3 is a modification of the form, and a detail of the opposing operative
parts.
Similar letters refer to the same devices throughout the several views.
A is a lever intermediately pivoted at C to the companion lever B near the
central portion of the latter. On the forward end of the lever A there is formed
a circular compressing face D provided with central opening E The forward end
of the lever B is formed into a knob F projected toward and adapted to be forced
into or through the opening E in the opposing face I).
These parts can be made of any desirable size and in fact a diversity of sizes
will be found convenient in practical use.
The rear of the levers A and B are adapted to be coincidently grasped in the
hand of the operator and forced toward each other as in the case of ordinary
pincers. The great leverage exerted thereby causes the knob F to locally stretch
the leather interposed between it and the opposing face D.
In the operation of my invention, the forward end of the lever B is thrust into
the shoe or boot with the knob F upward. The opposing face D is then closed
down upon the interposed leather oppositely to the knob and serves to hold,
against the further pressure of the knob F, the leather directly surrounding the
latter, and thus limits the operation of stretching to the precise locality where
it is needed.
The face D and the opening E therein may be round, oblong or any other
desired configuration and the knob F be formed or shaped conformably thereto.
The opening E is slightly greater in diameter than the diameter of the knob F
so as to afford space for the entrance of the leather within said opening and
around said knob in the process of stretching as aforesaid.

page_text: As the spirit and main feature of my invention is the employment of an open
member as D to rest upon one side of the leather, and a compressing knob as F,
adapted to force the interposed leather in a stretched condition into and through
said opening, it is obvious that this operation may be performed by forcing
mechanism different from that shown in the accompanying drawings.
Therefore, I do not limit myself to the mode shown of coacting the said knob
and opposing face I shown and heretofore described in this application.
The forcing of the knob into the opening E can be accomplished by screw
power as well, but perhaps not as conveniently as by lever power and I therefore
desire to cover and claim all modes of locally stretching leather in boots and
shoes by means of a compressing knob on one side of the leather and a coacting
opening on the opposite side thereof, substantially as shown. The operative ends
of the levers A and B can be formed into sockets to receive knobs F and faces D
of different sizes and shapes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a leather stretcher, the combination of the face D having opening E
therein, a knob F adapted to pass loosely within said opening, and suitable means
for forcing said knob through said opening, substantially as shown and for the
purpose described.
2. In a leather stretcher, the combination of the lever A provided with the
opening E at one extremity thereof, the lever B provided with a knob F, adapted
to be forced within said opening, and intermediately pivoted to the lever A
substantially as shown and for the purpose described.
3. In a leather stretcher, the combination of a face 1) provided with an open-
ing E adapted to be placed on one side of the leather, and a knob of smaller
diameter than the opening E adapted to be placed on the opposite side of said
leather and to be forced into said opening or through it, carrying said leather
with it, and thereby locally stretching the latter, substantially as shown and for
the purposes described.
DL1
ሰቦ
T1
1007
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent.