A NEW OR IMPROVED BOOTJACK OR APPARATUS FOR PULLING OFF BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jean François Regis Doisy and Henri Louis Etienne
Sarrazin, both of Paris, in the Department of the Seine, and Republic of
France, Merchants, for the Invention of "A NEW OR IMPROVED BOOTJACK
OR APPARATUS FOR PULLING OFF BOOTS AND SHOES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jean François Regis Doisy
and Henri Louis Etienne Sarrazin at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents on the 6th March 1876.
JEAN FRANÇOIS REGIS DOISY and HENRI LOUIS ETIENNE SARRAZIN, both of
"A
Paris, in the Department of the Seine, and Republic of France, Merchants.
NEW OR IMPROVED BOOTJACK OR APPARATUS FOR PULLING OFF BOOTS AND SHOES."
This Invention relates to an apparatus or jack for pulling off boots and shoes of
all kinds without the necessity of touching them with the hand.
Our apparatus is composed simply of two pieces of wood hinged together, so as
to open out to the form of a square rule (see Figure 1 of the accompanying
Drawings); upon one of these pieces of wood is fixed a double flat metal book
intended to pass into the boot and bear upon the inner sole on both sides of the
leel; the apparatus being thus applied to one foot it is only necessary to place
the other foot upon that part of the square which rests upon the ground to obtain
a fulcrum, which will permit the removal of the boot by simply lifting up the foot
from which it is to be drawn. The board which forms support and fulcrum to the
hook is so hinged that the apparatus may be folded (as shown in dotted lines) and
occupy but little space. In short, contrary to ordinary bootjacks our apparatus
operates by the interior of the boot, taking its fulcrum on the inner sole, the proper
action of the bootjack being thereby ensured and the boot removed with less strain
and more easily than with ordinary bootjacks.
The working of our apparatus is illustrated, Figure 7.
On reference to the Drawings it will be seen that the body or stock of the
apparatus is formed of two pieces of wood A joined by a strong hinge B, the joint

page_text: Figure 7, side view of bootjack showing the operation of pulling off the boot.
A, wood or other material forming the stock of the apparatus.
B, hinges uniting pieces A.
C, metal plate fixed on the shortest of the pieces A.
D, flat appendages of one piece with the plate C, or hinged thereto, as may be
desired, and curved so as to pass readily into the boot on both sides of the heel.'
E, projecting part at top of vertical piece A, Figures 4, 5, and 0, to which the
piece F is fixed.
2
F, piece in the shape of a shoehorn, bearing like those D upon the inner sole of 3
the boot to permit its being pulled off.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by the
said Jean François Regis Doisy and Henri Louis Etienne Sarrazin in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 5th September 1876.
JEAN FRANÇOIS REGIS DOISY and HENRI LOUIS ETIENNE SARRAZIN, both of Paris,
in the Department of the Seine, and Republic of France, Merchants.
" A NEW OR
IMPROVED BOOTJACK OR APPARATUS FOR PULLING OFF BOOTS AND SHOES."
This Invention relates to an apparatus or jack for pulling off boots and shoes of
all kinds without the necessity of touching them with the hand, whereby not
only is the dirtying of the hands avoided but the operation is performed with
greater case.
Our apparatus is composed simply of two pieces of wood hinged together sɔ as
to open out to the form of a square rule (see Figure 1 of the accompanying Sheet
of Drawing); upon one of these pieces of wood is fixed a double flat metal look,
intended to pass into the boot and bear upon the inner sole on both sides of the
heel; the apparatus. being thus applied to one foot it is only necessary to place the
other foot upon that part of the square which rests upon the ground to obtain a
fulcrum, which will permit the reinoval of the boot by simply lifting up the foot
from which it is to be drawn. The board which forms support and fulcrum to the
hook is so hinged that the apparatus may be folded (as shown in dotted lines) and

page_text: occupy but little space. In short, contrary to ordinary bootjacks, our apparatus
operates by the interior of the boot taking is fulcrum on the inner sole, the proper
action of the bootjack being thereby ensured and the boot removed with less strain
and more easily than with ordinary bootjacks.
The working of our apparatus is illustrated, Figure 7.
On reference to the Drawings it will be seen that the body or stock of the
apparatus is formed of two pieces of wood A joined by a strong hinge B, the joint
being cut so that these pieces A will open out to about half an inch beyond the
right angle. On the shorter of these two pieces of wood is fixed by screws or
otherwise a metal plate C, having two flat appendages D bent to a hooked shape
and arranged so as to pass easily into the boot on each side of the heel.
It will be understood that the length and the distance apart of the branches D
of the hook inay and indeed must vary accordingly as the apparatus is intended
to be used by men, women, or children, also that the hook may be made of any
metal and its branches be made to fold upon each other by the aid of hinges (see
Figure 2) when the instrument is not in use.
If desired, a hook may be used, not divided into branches, but curved to adapt
itself to the back of the heel.
An important advantage of our apparatus is that it does not weaken the elastic
sides of side spring boots, the strain being directly upon the inner sole.
The Figures 4, 5, and 6 of the Drawing show an apparatus of the same kind
composed of two pieces of wood united by a hinge, as at Figure 1, with this
difference, that the pieces when drawn apart do not pass beyond a right angle, and
that the double hook is replaced by a single metal plate shaped like a shochorn
but fulfilling the same functions as the double hook. The plate shaped like a shoe-
horn, indicated by the letter F, is fixed by screws or otherwise to the vertical
piece A at its top part E, which projects so as to leave the requisite space for the
insertion of the picce F into the boot.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a bootjack embodying our Invention, open ready
for use, the dotted lines showing it closed; Figure 2, front elevation of same, open;
Figure 3, plan view of same.
Figure 4, side elevation
Figure 5, front view
Figure 6, plan view
of a modification of the above, the pulling off being
operated by means of a metal plate in the form of
a shochorn.
Figure 7, side view of bootjack, showing the operation of pulling off the boot.
A, wood or other material forming the stock of the apparatus.
B, hinges uniting picces A.
C, metal plate fixed on the shortest of the pieces A.
D, flat appendages of one piece with the plate C, or hinged thereto, as may be
desired, and curved so as to pass readily into the boot on both sides of the heel.
E, projecting part at top of vertical piece A, Figures 4, 5, and 6, to which the
piece F is fixed.
F, piece in the shape of a shoehorn, bearing like those D upon the inner sole of
the boot to permit its being pulled off.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is or may be performed, we desire it to be understood that
the shape and arrangement of this apparatus may be varied in many ways without
departing from our Invention, and that it may be made of wood and metal, or
entirely of metal, or other material, as may be desired, and that what we claim as
of our Invention and secured to us by the herein-before in part recited Letters
Patent, is the new or improved bootjack above described and illustrated on the
accompanying Sheet of Drawing, the main characteristic of this apparatus being

page_text: that contrary to the apparatus of the same nature now in use it operates by the
inside of the boot or shoe by means of and appendage bent to a hook shape and
finding its fulcrum on the inner sole.
In witness whereof, we, the said Jean François Regis Doisy and Henri Louis
Etienne Sarrazin, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twenty-
sixth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and seventy-six.
J. F. R. DOISY.
(L.S.)
HRI L. E. SARRAZIN. (L.S.)