Improved Boat Tree and Stretcher.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
An Improved Boat Tree and Stretcher.
JAMES ERNEST BOWLER, 163, Bromsgrove Street, Birmingham, County of
Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
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This invention relates to improvements in boot trees and stretchers & consists
in providing a boot tree with a hinged part, so that when said hinged part is
operated by a screw or other means, it will press against the sole of the boot & so
hold the tree or stretcher in position & prevent same from slipping back into the
heel of the boot.
E. EATON,
Agent for Applicant.
I, JAMES ERNEST BOWLER, of 163, Bromsgrove Street, Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, Last and Boot Tree Maker, 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:-
This invention consists of the herein described improved boot tree and stretcher
which is so constructed with a hinged part operated by a screw that when the
boot tree and stretcher is in position in the boot the hinged part presses against the
well of the sole of the boot and thus holds the tree and stretcher in position and
prevents the same from slipping back up the waist and into the heel of the boot.
I am thus enabled to dispense with the usual back part of the tree and stretcher which
fits in and presses against the heel of the boot, and my boot tree or stretcher
occupies less space than the usual kind and as it does not take a purchase against
the heel it does not tend to lengthen the boot when in use which is a defect in
same other kind of boot trees and stretchers as at present made.
My invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawing on which Fig. 1 is an
elevation of my invention partly in section shewing the same in position in a boot
(which is represented by dotted lines); Fig 2 is a plan of my invention.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
The main portion of the boot tree and stretcher is marked A and as will be seen
by the drawing it is made to fit into the fore part of the boot about as far back as
where the boot narrows at the instep. This main portion A has a hinged part B
which is hinged thereto at C and which fits in and against the well part G of the

page_text: sole of the boot. The part A has an inclined hole a bored through it to receive
the screw D which works in a nut or plate fixed in a recess at the bottom of
the hole a. The fore part d¹ of the screw D takes into and against a recessed
part of a plate F which is fixed to the upper side of the hinged part B.
When the boot tree and stretcher is placed in position in the boot as shown in
Fig. 1 and the screw 1) is turned in the right direction the fore part of the screw D
forces the hinged part B of the tree against and within the well part of the sole
of the boot forcing the other part A against the upper, and thus by the hinged
part B of the boot tree and stretcher taking a purchase against the well part of the
sole the boot tree and stretcher is effectually prevented from receding up the
waist of the boot into the heel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
The herein described improved boot tree and stretcher consisting of the part A
shaped to fit in the fore part of the boot and provided with the hinged part B
shaped to fit in the well of the boot sole and operated by a screw so as to press
against and within said well and thus hold the tree and stretcher in position and
prevent it from receding into the heel of the boot substantially as set forth.
Dated this 24th day of October 1898.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
Agent for the Applicant.