A New or Improved Device for Heating or Drying Boots or Shoes or the like.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Sept., 1897
Complete Specification Left, 18th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 29th Jan., 1898
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Device for Heating or Drying Boots or Shoes
or the like.
I, MORITZ STERN, of the Firm of Hirsch & Stern, of 124 and 126, Edmund
Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, General Merchants, do hereby
declare the nature of the said invention, as communicated to me from abroad by
Alexander McGowan Denham, of Santiago de Chili, to be as follows:
;―
This invention has for its object a new or improved device for heating or
drying boots or shoes or the like in a very simple and effective manner so as
to avoid the difficulties which arise from continued wet and cold feet.
The heater or dryer may be made from any metal material or compounds such
for instance as zinc, brass, copper, tin, iron, steel, or the like or celluloid, vulcanite
rubber, &c., or rubber covered or lined with canvas or other textile material.
I make a vessel of any suitable material in the form of the foot or approximating
to that shape and of various sizes to represent various sized feet. This vessel may
be either of one material or a compound or combination of parts such for
instance as a metal or stiff bottom or sole or frame covered or lined with rubber
or rubber and canvas and finishing at the top with a socket and screw filler or
neck which neck or stopper may also have a nipple suitable to join on to an
air or other pump. This vessel or bag would be filled or partly filled with hot
water or other hot substance liquid or material and may have a ventilating
pipe attached to the same to enter into the vessel or when partly filled with
hot water or other medium air may be pumped into the vessel or bag or mould,
until an artificial pressure and inflation is produced and this may be accomplished
after the vessel is placed in the boot or shoe thus expanding and straightening
out any malformations thereof so that the boot or shoe will be dried and warmed
in proper shape so that the device acts also as a last for various purposes.
Dated this 8th day of Santamber 1897
A New or Improved Device for Heating or Drying Boots or Shoes
or the like.
I, MORITZ STERN, of the Firm of Hirsch and Stern, of 124 and 126, Edmund
Street, Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, General Merchants, do hereby
declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be
Price 8d

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention has for its object a new or improved device for heating and
drying boots or shoes or the like in a very simple and effective manner so as
to avoid the difficulties which arise from continual cold and wet feet.
The heater or dryer may be made from any metal material or compounds such
for instance as zinc, brass, copper, tin, iron, steel, or the like or celluloid, vulcanite
rubber, &c., or rubber covered or lined with canvas or other textile material.
I make a vessel of any suitable material in the form of the foot or approximating
to that shape and of various sizes to represent various sized feet.
This vessel may
be either of one material or a compound or combination of parts such for
instance as a metal or stiff bottom or sole or frame covered or lined with rubber
or rubber and canvas and finishing at the top with a socket and screw filler or
neck which neck or stopper may also have a nipple suitable to join on to an
air or other pump. This vessel would be filled or partly filled with hot
water or other hot substance liquid or material and may have a ventilating
pipe passing through the vessel or when partly filled with hot water or other
medium, air may be pumped into the vessel or bag or mould until an artificial
pressure and inflation is produced and this may be accomplished after the vessel
is placed in the boot or shoe thus expanding and straightening out any malforma-
tions thereof so that the boot or shoe will be dried and warmed in proper shape
so that the device acts also as a last for various purposes.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practical effect I have appended hereunto a sheet of drawings illustrating
the same.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form of my new device in its expanded or
partly expanded condition.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of a boot with the warming device placed inside.
Figure 3 shows a section and part elevation of the filler and inflator combined
in one.
Figure 4 shows a section and elevation of a modified form of filler and inflator.
Figure 5 is a side elevation of my drier or heater or last made in three parts E,
F and K.
Figure 6 is an elevation of the middle part K when the last is taken apart.
Figure 7 is a plan of the three parts E, F and K showing how they may be
fitted together so as to keep them true in their relationship to each other and at
the same time provide the vent shaft V for the purpose of carrying away any
steam from the lower portions of the boot or shoe and for this purpose tributary
grooves may be carried in various directions on any parts of the last as for
instance as shown by dotted lines v¹ Figure 13.
Figure 8 is an elevation of the front part E showing the parts and the
projecting part e which fit into and against corresponding parts and * on
one side of the centre part K as do similar parts f5 and fe of the back portion F
into and against the other side of the centre portion K.
Figure 9 is a broken off enlarged section of the upper part of the front E
showing the filler or screw plug in its socket placed inside the guard or
waterproof mouth piece . Similar parts fo and are provided to and K
but these mouth pieces may be dispensed with when desired as the water may
be put into the portions by a narrow mouthed jug or suitable tundish or filler.
Z-1
Figure 10 shows a complete last or drier with its three parts E F and K
brought together with their separate handles e¹ f forming at their lower ends
suitable screw stoppers or plugs such as is shown on the middle one at S. These
handles are quite firm when the screw thread S is a good one and they are
quickly removed for filling the parts with hot water or other medium.
Figure 11 shows another view of K with its mouth piece but without the
handle, and Figure 12 is another view of F with its mouth piece f¹ also without
the handle,

page_text: Figure 13 shows a hollow shoe last L with its screw stopper handle and mouth
piece and ventilating pipe V and branch ventilating grooves ¹ of which there
may be any number in any direction to carry the steam to the pipe V.
One form of my device of a boot heater or drier B is shewn at Figure 1 and
may consist of rubber covered or lined with canvas so as to be water and air
tight. The upper or other convenient part is fitted with the screw or equivalent
filler E with its screw cap e² and flange e for joining to the material of the vessel.
The bottom portion ³ of the cap is of sufficient thickness to carry the inflating
nipple N with its screw n¹ to which the air pump is attached for the purpose
of pumping in more air. Figure 4 shows a modification of the filler and inflator
which is more compact and has the screw nut for tightening the socket against
the material B and also the rubber washer W to make the joint. The dryer
or boot heater may have a stiff base extending along 61 61 61 and stiffeners may
extend along 2 62 62 and also along 63 63 63 or in other parts of the device and
they may form a frame external to the device B or internal to the device or they
may be inserted in the canvas or rubber or other material. It will be seen that
by using a metallic plate or stiff medium at the bottom of the device that it
will answer the purpose of a last.
In applying the device it may be first placed in the boot as seen at Figure 2
and then inflated so as to fill the boot entirely in every part no matter what
its peculiar shape may be. It may then be taken out and filled with hot water
or other liquid or sand or any hot material and then returned into the boot.
Or the device B may have hot water put into it through the filler E up to say
the line 1, 2, Figure 1, and then placed into the boot when the pump is applied
and air pumped into B until it fills every portion of the boot. The effect of the
hot water or other medium is to heat the air pumped in and the heat is trans-
mitted from the device B through the material of the boot this driving all
dampness outwards so as to leave the boot dry and warm ready for use. The
effect is to produce the boot perfectly dry and warm ready for wear which
avoids shocks to the system of the wearer and is invaluable for sufferers of various
complaints, besides being a useful article to keep the boots in shape after being
damp and to prevent them from shrinking. The device may also be used as a
boot last.
When the drier or last is made of hard water tight material or metal it may
be made in one piece or casting as shown at Figure 13 for a shoe or it may be
made as seen at Figures 5 and 10 in several pieces though the division into
several pieces in itself is not a part of my claim as solid lasts have been made
in wood divided. The last or the several portions thereof may be cast from any
suitable metal such for instance as cast iron, brass, aluminium, &c., or shaped
by moulding or manipulation into the desired hollow parts. In the case how-
ever of the centre or wedge portion K it may conveniently be made from wood
and solid as the drying or warming would be sufficiently effected by having
the front E and back F hollow with the warming medium therein, but I may
also make the wedge portion K hollow as at Figures 5 and 10. By having
several thicknesses of the centre portion K the last will be approximately suited
to several sizes of boots or shoes. These driers or lasts or their several parts
may be conveniently shaped in two or more pieces under stamps or presses, and
then united together by brazing soldering or nickled or by cement or other means,
and they may be plated or nickled or otherwise coated or polished to give them
a finished and smooth appearance. The handle stoppers e¹ fl kl as seen at
Figure 10 may be of wood or any desired material with the screw part united
thereto with a socket or in any convenient manner and when screwed home by
the thread S will form a firm and substantial handle and stopper. Other handles
may however be attached to the last or pieces in many different ways as will be
readily understood. The ventilation is secured by the pipe V communicating
with the bottom of the last and tributary grooves or passages may run from it
to the toe heel and other parts. Insead of a pipe a space may be left as seen

page_text: in section at Figure 7 with the same effect. It will also be obvious that the von-
venient mode of fitting the parts together shown such as into and into fɔ̃ fo
may be varied by other modes with similar effect, but this mode is shown as an easy
one for manufacture when each part is formed by two hollow stampings from say
soft sheet steel, tin and the like. The device when made as herein before set forth
and shown in several parts may be used without the heating medium as an
ordinary stretching last and may be thus carried by travellers with their
luggage.
my said
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
_
CLAIMS.
First: The new or improved device for heating and drying boots or shoes or
the like consisting of a hollow last made from india rubber or india rubber and
canvas and either with or without a stiffened bottom back front or frame and
other portions and having a filler E with the inflating nipple N all operated as
and for the purpose herein set forth and shown upon the accompanying
drawings.
Second. The new or improved device for heating and drying boots consisting
of a vessel or vessels made from metal or other hard material in a hollow state
and fitted with a filler and stopper in either one or several parts substantially
as herein set forth and as shewn upon the accompanying drawings.
Third Boot and shoe lasts for drying heating and stretching made from
cast or stamped metal or other hard inflexible material in one or more parts and
fitted with handle stoppers such as e¹ f¹ k¹ substantially as herein set forth and
shown.
Fourth: The boot or shoe dryer and warmer made in three parts E F and K
the parts E and F being hollow and the part K either solid or hollow and
brought together to fit each other with grooves e f³ and projections and having
stoppers in the fillers or equivalent handle stoppers as and for the purpose
herein set forth and shown.
1501 1
1
1007
GEORGE BARKER,
Agent for Applicant, 77, Colmore Row, Birmingham.