Year: 1888

page_text: I, GEORGE STANFORD MAC ILWAINE, of 113, Wellesley Road, Great Yarmouth, in
the County of Norfolk, Commander in the Royal Navy, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to apparatus-commonly known as a boot-tree-for use in
preserving the shape of, or stretching, walking, shooting, riding and other boots or
shoes.
A boot-tree of the kind most commonly in use consists of three pieces-a front and
back portion and an intermediate filling piece of wedge shape, the three pieces being
inserted in the boot separately; whilst a boot-tree constructed according to this
invention is introduced entire. For a riding boot, however, the front part of the foot-
piece is separate, in order to facilitate insertion.
My improved boot-tree for low boots or shoes consists of two main parts, a toe-piece
and a heel-piece; these parts being contiguous or adjacent to one another during the
operation of placing the boot-tree within the boot. The toe and heel-pieces are
subsequently forced apart by means of a screw-appliance arranged in the following
manner :- Upon one of the main parts, preferably the toe-piece, a vertical or nearly
vertical screw-threaded shaft is mounted in suitable bearings; the upper extremity of
this shaft being prolonged and adapted for the application of a removable crank-handle
or spanner. A right-hand thread is cut on one half of this shaft and a left-hand
thread on the other half. Each half works in a nut tapped with a corresponding
thread; the two nuts advancing towards or receding from each other according to
whether the screw-threaded shaft he rotated in one direction or the other. The other
main part of the boot-tree is attached, by means of pivotted connecting rods, to the
nuts working on the vertical shaft; the connecting rods being horizontal or nearly
horizontal when the nuts are in one extreme position and considerably inclined when
the nuts are in the other extreme position. The two main parts constituting the boot-
tree are accordingly separated from or brought close to one another. One of the
main parts may be provided with horizontal stems fitting into guides formed in the
other part; the two parts being thus retained in their proper relative positions
opposite one another.

page_text: To facilitate the insertion of the boot-tree in and its withdrawal from the boot, I
sometimes form the toe-piece in two parts united by means of a hinge.
Instead of mounting the screw-threaded vertical shaft upon one of the main parts
of the boot-tree, the said shaft may be situated between the two main parts; each or
either of the latter being connected to the nuts on the shaft by means of pivotted
connecting rods. In this case, the screw-threaded shaft may, if preferred, be furnished
with a bearing having a horizontal bar or bars sliding in a horizontal guide or guides
formed in one or both of the main parts of the boot-tree.
According to a further modification, instead of using a shaft having both right-and
left-hand screw-threads, a shaft having a single thread may be employed. A block
slides in a vertical guide formed in one of the main parts of the boot-tree and to this
block two parallel connecting rods extend to the other main part. The operating
screw works through the block or a nut attached thereto, the two main parts of
the boot-tree being forced apart as the connecting rods approach a horizontal
attitude.
G. G. M. HARDINGHAM,
191, Fleet Street, London, E.C.,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: 1 GEORGE STANFORD MAC ILWAINE of 113 Wellesley Road Great Yarmouth in
the County of Norfolk, Commander in the Royal Navy, 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 invention relates to apparatus commonly known as boot trees for use in
preserving the shape of or stretching walking, shooting, riding, or other boots or
shoes.
A boot tree of the kind most commonly in use consists of three pieces, a front and
back portion and an intermediate filling piece of wedge shape, the three pieces
being inserted in the boot separately, whilst a boot tree constructed according to this
invention is introduced entire. For a riding boot, however, and if preferred for a
low boot or shoe also, the front part of the front portion is separate or jointed as has
hitherto sometimes been the case in order to facilitate insertion. My improved boot-
tree for low boots or shoes consists of two main parts, a toe piece (with or without
the front portion separate as above referred to) and a heel piece, these parts being
contiguous or adjacent to one another during the operation of placing the boot tree
within the boot. The toe and heel pieces are subsequently forced apart by means of
a screw appliance arranged in the following manner. Upon one of the main parts,
preferably the toe piece, a vertical or nearly vertical screw threaded shaft is mounted
in suitable bearings, the upper extremity of this shaft being prolonged and adapted
to the application of a removable crank handle or spanner. A right handed thread is
cut on one half of this shaft and a left handed thread on the other half. Each half
works in a nut tapped with a corresponding thread, the two nuts advancing towards
or receding from each other according to whether the screw threaded shaft be
rotated in one direction or the other. The other main part of the boot tree is attached
by means of pivotted connecting rods to the nuts working on the vertical shaft, the
connecting rods being horizontal or nearly horizontal when the nuts are in one
extreme position and considerably inclined when the nuts are in the other extreme
position. The two main parts constituting the boot tree are accordingly separated
from or brought close to one another. One of the main parts may be provided with
horizontal stems fitting into guides formed in the other part, the two parts being thus
retained in their proper relative positions opposite one another.
To facilitate the insertion of a small or low boot tree into and its withdrawal from
the boot I sometimes divide the toe piece transversely near the toe into two parts and
unite them by means of a hinge.
The accompanying drawings will serve to illustrate my invention. Figures 1 and
2 show its application to a boot tree for low boots and Figures 3, 4, and 5 to a boot
tree for a riding or high boot.
Referring first to Figures 1 and 2, which are respectively a side view of the boot
ree when in the closed position and a vertical section of the same in the open position,
is the back or heel piece and the front or toe piece. c is a vertical shaft formed

page_text: on the one half with a right handed screw thread and on the other half with a left
handed screw thread. The lower end of this shaft is stepped in a socket or bearing d
in the piece b and its upper part passes through a plate or bearing e and is adapted
to receive a spanner or handle for turning the same (see f Figure 4). On each half
of the shaft c is a nut g; the two nuts will of course advance towards or recede from
each other in accordance with the direction in which the shaft c is turned. To the
nuts gg are jointed the ends of thrust rods or levers h h the other ends of which are
jointed to the back or heel piece a. The connection of the ends of the rods to the
piece a may be effected in any suitable manner; a convenient and simple way is to
pass pins through transverse holes in the piece a and. through eyes or holes at the
ends of the rods hh. k represents one of two horizontal guide rods or stems fitting
into holes in the pieces a and b so as to ensure a parallel movement of these pieces
while they are being opened or closed; these rods are, however, not essential. The
too piece b is shown as divided vertically into two parts which are connected by a
hinge; this facilitates the insertion of the boot tree into and its withdrawal from the
..boot..
Figure 3 is a side view of the boot tree for a riding boot and shows it in the closed
position. Figure 4 is a vertical section of the same in the open position and
Figure 5 is a horizontal section on the line x x of Figure 4.
the
Letters of reference
same as those in Figures 1 and 2 indicate corresponding parts. In this boot tree
the toe part m is either separate from the front leg-portion 6 or jointed thereto at n
to enable it to be inserted into the boot.
Trees for low boots may similarly have the part m separate from the part b as in
Figures and 4; in such case the division.and hinge at as described in connection
with Figures 1 and 2 are not necessary.
If it be thought desirable to prevent the pieces of the tree opening beyond a certain
amount a strap or other like device can be fitted to the upper part of the tree, either
permanently or otherwise.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a boot tree, the employment of a screw shaft, nuts and rods so arranged in
connection with the front and back pieces of the tree that these pieces are caused to
open or close by turning the screw shaft in the one or the other direction, substantially
as set forth.
2. In a boot tree provided with mechanism of the kind referred to in claim 1 I
claim a toe piece divided and hinged as at 1 Figures 1 and 2 as and for the purpose
set forth.
3. In a boot tree provided with mechanism of the kind referred to in claim 1 I
claim guides such as k as and for the purpose set forth.
4. Constructing boot trees as hereinbefore described.
Dated this 28th day of Jan 1880
J. C. MEWBURN,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London,
Patent Agent.