Improvements in Boot-trees..
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Apr., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 8th Aug., 1893-Accepted, 7th Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boot-trees..
I, GEORGE HENRY STEPHENS, of 55, Parliament Street, in the City of
Westminster, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to improvements in boot-trees of the kind described in the
Specification of former Letters Patent granted to me No. 6725 of 1891.
According to my present invention the toe and heel portions of the tree are
pivoted to a part of the tree having the shape of the leg and instep so that the tree
will stretch the whole of the upper of the boot.
In some cases for instance when the tree is intended for stretching boots made of
very soft material the heel portion instead of being pivoted may be fixed or formed
in one piece with the leg and instep portion of the tree.
I sometimes when I use a link make the toe and heel portions of the last somewhat
higher than shown in the drawing of the former Specification in order that the tree
will fit the instep portion of a boot or shoe.
In this case the heel portion may be
fixed to or made in one piece with the link.
Det
A 1000
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boot-trees.
I, GEORGE HENRY STEPHENS, of 55, Parliament Street, in the City of
Westminster, Civil Engineer, 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in boot-trees of the kind described in the
Specification of former Letters Patent granted to me No. 6725 of 1891.
According to my present invention the toe and heel portions of the tree are
pivotted to a part of the tree having the shape of the leg and instep so that the tree
will stretch the whole of the upper of a boot or shoe.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is a plan view of a tree adapted for stretching the leg portions as well
as the golosh of a boot; and,
Figure 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same:
Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 but shewing the position of the parts when
being introduced into a boot:
Figure 4 is a view illustrating a modification :
Figures 5, 6 and 7 are views similar to Figures 1, 2 and 3 respectively illustrating
another modification :
Figures 8 and 9 are sectional views illustrating further modifications.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.
a, b are respectively the toe and heel parts or portions of my boot-tree, and c is
the link or part to which the said toe and heel portions are connected by pins d
and d' as described in the Specification of my said former Patent.
e is a strap serving to facilitate the removal of the tree from a boot.

page_text: •
In the arrangement of my invention shewn in Figures 1 to 3 it will be noticed
that the part for stretching the leg portion of the boot is formed in one piece with
the link c, which part f, when the tree is introduced into a boot as shewn in Figure 3,
will, in the case of elastic side boots, stretch the elastics and in the case of laced
boots project through an opening in the front of the boot.
When the tree is to be used for buttoned boots I advantageously make the leg
portion of the tree with a removable back piece or wedge f¹, as shewn in Figure 4,
which wedge, after the main part of the treo has been insedused and the boot
buttoned up, is inserted in order to stretch the leg portion of the boot upon the
tree. Or I sometimes provide the front of the portion with india-rubber or other
yielding material, or I form grooves therein so as to allow a certain amount of
flexibility adjacent to the buttons.
The construction of the tree shewn in Figures 5 to 7 is substantially the same as
that shewn in Figures 1 to 3 except that the part finstead of being formed in one
piece with the link c is represented as being attached thereto by screws f. f, the link
itself being made of sheet metal and having a flange f³ upon which the part fis
fixed. It will be noticed also that in this modification the toe portion a of the
tree extends farther up the front of the boot than the toe portion shewn in
Figures 1 to 3, this being rendered possible by the employment of the metal
link e.
When the tree is intended for stretching boots made of very soft material the
heel portion b may be fixed to or formed in one piece with the part of the tree
instead of being pivotted thereto as shewn.
When the tree is destined for stretching shoes only, I advantageously make the
toe and heel portions of the tree somewhat higher than shewn in the drawing of the
former Specification, for instance as shewn in Figure 8 of the drawings filed with
the present Specification in order that the tree shall fit the instep portion of a boot
or shoe. In this case the heel portion of the tree may be fixed to or formed in one
piece with the link e as shewn in Figure 9.
Some of the chief advantages of my improved boot-trees are that they can be
quickly and easily applied and removed, that they are comparatively light, and that
they are extremely portable and very suitable for travellers, there being no loose
parts to become detached.
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. A boot-tree having the toe and heel portions connected by a link C, which link
has formed upon or attached to it a portion such as f for stretching the leg portion
of a boot upper, substantially as described by reference to Figures 1 to 7 of the
accompanying drawings.
2. A boot-tree the toe and heel portions of which are connected by a link and are
shaped to stretch the front or instep portion of a shoe substantially as described by
reference to Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings.
3. A boot-tree the toe and heel portions of which are connected substantially as
TAM
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.