Appliances for Treeing, Stretching, and Holding Shoes and Boots.
Year: 1889

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Appliances for Treeing, Stretching, and Holding Shoes and Boots.
We KENNETH HENRY CORNISH, Civil Engineer of 47, Grosvenor Road, London,
S.W. and EDMUND IRONSIDE BAX of 3, Westminster Chambers, London, S.W.
Retired Captain in Her Majesty's Army, do hereby declare the nature of our said
invention to be as follows:-
We make our boot or shoe trees or stretchers of metal; preferably, and to combine
economy and efficiency choose iron or steel sufficiently coated with tin, zinc, copper,
or nickel, or alloyed with aluminium especially iron or steel 'aluminised by the
processes recently patented by the Brin Brothers-or with a covering of sonie japan or
varnish to protect them from rust, such for instance as is employed for the steel-ribs
of umbrellas To gain lightness and elasticity, and the requisite strength, we preferably
use metal, rolled into sheets, for the plates which form the front part of the feet of
our trees, and for such plates as we'may require to make 'trées for the upper parts of
high boots, while for the tailed-heel curved levers hereafter described, which form the
hinder part of the trees, we prefer to employ hard-drawn wire of iron or steel, thinly
coated with copper.
1.
Each piece of each tree or stretcher is, 'when' combined 'in 'action, at the same time
a lever and a counter-lever, and generally also a fulcrum, or point d'appui. "The
number of pieces employed to make a tree for each sort of foot-gear will vary with the
leg of the boot for which it is used. This variation will be from two or three pieces
for the tree of a shoe or low boot, to a dozen, 'more or less, for the boot of a Life
guards man. In 'all cases two primary pieces only are requisite to form the 'tree for
the foot of a shoe or low boot-the others the supplementary pieces-are necessary
if it is desired to tree the 'ankles and leg of a boot more or less high in the top.
For each 'tree or stretcher we make from tinned plate, sheet iron or steel, or other
selected metal, a plate having an alinost oval outline, and a surface area rather smaller
ID 077
Mil
***.':

page_text: than that of the leather which covers the toes, dorsal arch, and sides of the front of
the foot. Longways this plate will be from 4 to 7 inches, and in extreme breadth
from 3 to 6 inches for adults, and for children in proportion. We curve the plate,
giving it a convexity correspondent with the dorsal convexity of the human foot, an
arch which accords with the arch of the foot.
On the back of this plate, at the crown of the arch, we form a strong edge by
doubling the metal, or with hard solder, or in any other workmanlike and convenient
manner.
Our second principal lever or piece we make as follows-
a
We make a bent lever, with a heel-tail, of metal, cast, stamped, or in strong iron or
steel wire, having a forearm indented in front, and at the back a heel-tail. Preferably
we make this bent-lever with heel-tail, in one piece, of strong hard-drawn iron or steel
wire-ranging in thickness from nds to ths of an inch-or in any other metal
wire of sufficient hardness, strength, and elasticity, bending it in such wise that at the
back we form a heel-tail, equivalent to a heel-plate, curving upwards as well as
laterally to the extent required, the wire then runs forward for a few inches, being
little arched upwards, and then curves upwards, sloping upwards and forwards for a
few inches, and ending in a loop, or handle. The distance from the heel-tail at which
the wire should be covered to slope upward and forward will be determined for each
boot's tree by the length of a radial line taking its centre from the extreme back-point
of the sole of the boot, and for its circumference the back edge of the curved plate
(when placed in position in the boot) at its centre. We form indentations by cutting,
or pressure, or otherwise, on the front of the fore-arm of our bent lever, thus making
a kind of toothed rack. To make these two pieces mutually support each other to
form a tree for a shoe, or the foot of a boot, we place the plate within the fore-part of
the shoe with the arch upwards, and the toe-point forwards and in proper position to
fill out the toes of the shoe: we then place the heel-tail of the bent lever in position
against the inner surface of the heel of the shoe, and push the loop or handle of the
fore-arm of the lever downwards. By thus depressing the fore-arm of the lever we
force the arched plate first forward, & then upward, by the continued action of the
anterior curve and the sloping and indented fore-arm; and the catching of the edge
of the rear-end of the plate at its crown-a tooth locking into a rack, viewed
mechanically with the indentation on this fore-arm suffices to strongly sustain the
arch of the tree formed by this counterlocking of the two levers. By proceeding
thus it is easy to regulate the pressure exercised on the inner surface of a shoe, or
foot of a boot, and by the force exercised by the leather compressed arch on its two
ends (forced against heel and toe), the sole is necessarily and forcibly straightened.
The interlocking of the bent lever and arched plate forms an arch which keeps the
leather constantly on the stretch.
When it is desired to remove the tree a pressure, backwards and downwards, of the
loop or handle of the curved lever will suffice to ungear the locking of the two
pieces.
To make pressure internally in treeing the other inner surfaces of high boots we
employ plates and levers, forming them and using them according to our needs, and
making them for the most part of plate, sheet or wire.
That part of our apparatus which holds the treed boot or shoes while they are
cleaned, or vamped, consists of a foot-plate of metal almost oval towards the front
with a toothed semilune at the rear against which the heel of the shoe or boot is pushed,
the front part of the sole resting on the foot-plate. Behind this semilune a strong
and elastic band of metal passes backward and in a more or less straight line for
several inches it next mounts upwards for 10 or 12 inches and then curves forwards
and downwards until it reaches the point of the foot-plate, terminating here in a
small fork.
We fix this apparatus firmly on a table or bench, near the edge, in such wise that
the anterior extremity of the foot-plate shall project a little. To put it in use it is
only necessary to push the fork against the strong wire of which the bent lever is

page_text: formed (when the boot-tree is in place) in such a manner that the fork while
embracing the wire shall get a grip against the lower surface of the rim of the front-
plate at the crown of the arch. The boot or shoe must then be pressed upward and
backward, until it is possible to place the front of the heel against the toothed
semilune. If the band is sufficiently strong and elastic the boot will be held firmly
while it is being cleaned, or vamped. A slight push backwards and upwards suffices
to disengage it.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Appliances for Treeing, Stretching, and Holding Shoes and Boots.
We KENNETH HENRY CORNISH, Civil Engineer of 47, Grosvenor Road, London,
S.W. and EDMUND IRONSIDE BAX of 3 Westminster Chambers, London, S.W.
Retired Captain in Her Majesty's Army 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, reference being made
to the drawings hereunto annexed:-
We make our boot or shoe trees or stretchers of metal, preferably, and to combine
economy and efficiency choose iron or steel sufficiently coated with tin, zinc, copper,
or nickel, or alloyed with aluminium-especially iron or steel aluminised by the pro-
cesses recently patented by the Brin brothers-or with a covering of some japan or
varnish to protect them from rust, such for instance as is employed for the steel ribs
of umbrellas. To gain lightness and elasticity, and the requisite strength, we pre-
ferably use metal, rolled into sheets for the plates A which form the front part of the
feet of our trees, and for such plates as we may require in making trees for the upper
paris of high boots, while for the tailed-heel bent levers D hereafter described which
form the hinder parts of the trees, we prefer to employ hard-drawn wire of iron or
steel thinly coated with copper. Each piece of cach tree or stretcher is, when
combined in action, at the same time a lever and a counter lever, and generally also
a fulcrum, or point d'appui. The number of pieces employed to make a tree for cach
sort of foot-gear will vary with the leg of the boot for which it is used. This
variation will be from two or three pieces for the tree of a shoe or low boot to a
dozen, more or less for the boot of a Life-guardsman.
In all cases two primary pieces only are requisite to form the tree for the foot of a
shoe or low boot-the others--the supplementary pieces-are necessary if it is desired
to tree the ankles and leg of a boot more or less high in the top.
For each tree or stretcher we make from tinned plate, sheet iron, or steel, or other
selected metal, a plate A having an almost oval outline, and a surface area rather
smaller than that of the leather which covers the toes, dorsal arch, and sides of the
front of the foot. Longways this plate will be from 4 to 7 inches, and in extreme
breadth from three to six inches for adults, and for children in proportion.. We
curve the plate, giving it a convexity correspondent with the dorsal convexity of the
human foot, an arch which accords with the arch of the foot. On the back of this
plate, at the crown of the arch, we form a strong edge by doubling the metal, or
with hard solder, or in any other workmanlike manner.
Our second principal piece, or lever D we make as follows-We make a bent-
lever D, with a heel-tail E, of metal, cast, stamped, or in strong iron or steel wire,
having a forearm G indented in front at F, and at the back a heel-tail E. Preferably
we make this bent-lever D) with heel-tail E in one piece of strong hard-drawn iron
or steel wire-ranging in thickness from nds to ths of an inch-or in any other
metal wire of sufficient hardness, strength, and elasticity, bending it in such wise

page_text: that at the back we form a heel-tail E, equivalent to a heelplate, curving upwards
as well as laterally to the extent required: the wire then runs forward for a few
inches, being a little arched upwards, and then curves upwards, sloping upwards
and forwards for a few inches, and ending in a loop or handle. The distance from
the heel-tail at which the wire should be curved to slope upward and forward will be
determined for each boot's tree by the length of a radial line taking its centre from
the extreme back-point of the sole of the boot, and for its circumference the back
edge C of the curved plate (when placed in position in the boot) at its centre. We
form indentations at F by cutting, or pressure, or otherwise, on the front of the
fore-arm G of our bent-lever, thus making a kind of toothed rack. To make these
two pieces mutually support each other to form a tree for a shoe, or the foot of a boot,
we place the plate within the fore-part of the shoe, with the arch upwards, and the
toe-point forwards, and in proper position to fill out the toes of the shoe: We then
place the heel-tail of the hent-lever in position against the inner surface of the
heel of the shoe, and push the loop or handle of the fore-arm of the lever downwards.
By thus depressing the fore-arm of the lever we force the arched plate first forward,
and then upward by the continued action of the anterior curve, and the sloping and
indented fore-arm; and the catching of the edge of the rear-end of the plate, at its
crown a tooth locking into à rack, viewed mechanically-with the indentation on
this fore-arm-suffice to strongly sustain the arch of the tree formed by this counter-
locking of the two levers. By proceeding thus it is easy to regulate the. pressure
exercised on the inner surface of a shoe, or foot of a boot, and by the force exercised
by the leather-compressed arch on its two ends (forced against heel and toe) the sole
is necessarily and forcibly straightoned. The interlocking of the bent lever and
arched plate forms an arch which keeps the leather constantly on the stretch.
When it is desired to remove the tree, a pressure, backwards and downwards will
suffice to ungear the locking of the two pieces.
To make pressure internally in treeing the other inner surfaces of high boots we
employ plates and levers, forming them and using them according to our needs, and
making them for the most part of plate, sheet, or wire; see Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
and 8.
That part of our apparatus which holds the treed boots or shoes while they are
cleaned, or vamped, consists of a foot-plate of metal M almost oval towards the front
with a toothed semilune O at the rear against which the heel of the shoe or boot is
pushed, the front part of the sole resting on the foot-plate. Behind this semilune a
strong and elastic band of metal L L passes backward, and in a more or less straight
line, for several inches: it next mounts upwards for 10 or 12 inches, and then curves
forwards and downwards until it reaches the point of the foot-plate, terminating here
in a small fork N.
We fix this apparatus firinly on a table or bench T, near the edge, in such wise
that the anterior extremity of the foot-plate M shall project a little. To put it into
use it is only necessary to push the fork against the strong wire of which the bent-
lever D is formed, (when the boot-tree is in place) in such a manner that the fork
while embracing the wire shall get a grip against the lower surface of the rim of the
front-plate A at the crown of the arch C. The boot or shoe must then be pressed
upwards and backwards until it is possible to place the front of the heel against the
toothed semilune O. If the band L L is sufficiently strong and elastic the boot will
be held firmly while it is being cleaned, or vamped. A slight push backwards and
upwards suffices to disengage it. Figure 9 shews the apparatus ready for use' and
figure 10, a shoe in position.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the front plate A Figure 2 shews the bent lever D
with heel tail and indentations on fore arm in wire; Figure 3 gives a side view of
a plate for the front, and figure 4 a side view of a back plate for the leg of a high
boot; figure 5 is a wire lever which is employed as in figure 8. Figures 6 and 7
are views of a double mushroom headed lever used to tree the ankles, and Figure 8
shews all the pieces as they would be when used to tree a boot with a high leg if
seen in a vertical section from the side.

page_text: Having now.particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
:--
1. The employment of metal in sheet or wire, tinned, coppered, or aluminised,
especially steel and iron aluminised by the processes recently patented by the Brin
brothers.
2. The use of metal in sheet to make the arched plate which forms the front piece
of the foot part of each tree.
3. The use of metal in the form of hard-drawn or tempered wire to make the bent
lever with heel-tail and indented fore arm, which forms the back-piece of the foot
part of each tree, substantially as described
4. The curved front-plate with arched dorsum and strong back-edge-mechanically
a tooth when locked with the indentations on the fore-arm of the bent lever which
forms the back-piece of the foot of the tree-substantially as described.
.
5. The bent lever with heel-tail and indented fore-armi which forms the back piece
of the foot-part of the tree, substantially as described.
6. The combination of a dorsally arched front plate with a posterior bent lever
with heel-tail and fore arm to form an arched and hollowed tree or stretcher within
the foot-part of a boot or shoe by the mutual leverage and counter leverage of the
two pieces on each other and on the leather when in combination within the foot part
of a boot or shoe, substantially as described.
7. The employment of other plates and levers as pieces of addition to tree the tops
of high boots, which plates and levers may be made of any material strong enough
to bear the strain, substantially as described.
8. The additional appliance for holding shoes and boots treed on our system while
they are brushed, cleaned, or vamped, substantially as described.
9. The combination of the several parts described to form boot and shoe trees,
and to hold the treed boots and shoes while being cleaned or vamped, 'substantially
as described.
10. The employment in combination of interlocking and mutually supporting levers
and counter levers, in place of wedges or screws, to form trees and stretchers for
boots and shoes, substantially as described.