US3144675A - Bowling shoe conditioner - Google Patents

Description

United Statesg PatentO 3,144,675 BOWLING SHOE CDNDITIONER Richard A. Canaan, 22487 Boulder, East Detroit, Mich. Filed Nov. 8, 1962, Ser. No. 236,364 1 Claim. (Cl. 15-311) This invention relates generally to a shoe conditioner and refers more particularly to apparatus for conditioning the bottoms of bowling shoes and the like.

' The soles of a bowlers shoes should be clean and dry so that they will not stick. A bowler will usually slide up to the` foul line when he releases the ball at the end of his delivery motion, and if particles of dirt are embedded in the soles of his shoes or if the soles are damp, his shoes will have a tendency to stick instead of slide.

Accordingly, a principal object of this invention is to provide a shoe conditioner for conditioning the bottom surfaces of shoes.

Another object is to provide a shoe conditioner for cleaning and/ or drying the bottoms of shoes.

Another object is to provide a shoe conditioner comprising a tread plate and a rotary brush beneath the tread plate normally extending upwardly through an elongated slot in the plate toy contact andcondition the bottom of a shoe on the tread plate. Y

Another object is to provide a shoe conditioner having a second elongated slot in the tread plate in spaced parallel relation tothe irst slot through which air can be discharged to dry the surface of the shoe, and an elongated bar adjacent and parallel to the second slot to prevent the shoe from bearing directly down on and closing the second slot.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view with parts broken away and in section of a shoe conditioner embodying my invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the shoe conditioner with parts broken away and in section.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 of FIGURE l, and also showing part of the spring tube in section.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of FIGURE 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, the shoe conditioner is generally indicated by the reference numeral and includes a front housing 12 and a back casing 14. The housing 12 has a base 16, an upright front wall 18, upright side walls and a top or tread plate 22, which is generally horizontal but in the present instance is shown as sloping somewhat toward the front. The tread plate 22 is hat and is formed with two slots therein, the larger of the two being designated 24 and the smaller 26. These slots are centered with respect to the side edges of the tread plate, it being understood that approximately half of the slots are broken away in FIGURE 1.

Within the housing there is mounted a swing frame 28 which includes a pair of laterally spaced parallel arms 30 and 32. These arms are of identical construction and their rear ends are pivoted to the sides 20 of the housing by pins 34 for vertical swinging about the aligned horizontal axes of the pins. Spacers 36 hold the arms in spaced relation to the sides 20 of the housing. A bar 38 extends between and is secured at its ends to the arms 30 and 32 to make a more rigid structure. A shaft 40 extends between the front ends of the arms 30 and 32, and is mounted on the front ends of the arms for rotation. A brush 42 is iixed on the shaft to rotate as a unit with the shaft.

`ward from the upper end of the tube.

3,144,675 Patented Aug. 18, 1964 FCC The brush 42 is a rotary brush having the cylindrical form shown, and preferably is made up of a multiplicity of bristles which project radially outward from the axis of rotation. In the present instance, these bristles are metal wire elements preferably formed of stainless steel.

A motor 44 is mounted on the wall 46 of the casing 14, which wall forms the rear side of the housing 12 to complete the enclosure. The motor has an output shaft 48 provided with a pulley 50. A belt 52 extends from the pulley 50 to a pulley 54 on shaft 40 so that operation of the motor will serve to rotate the shaft 40 and brush 42.

The shaft 40 and brush 42 extend horizontally, and it will be noted that the brush within the housing is directly beneath slot 24. Normally, the brush is positioned so that it projects upwardly through the slot 24 and above the top surface of the tread plate. A stop 56 engages the arm 30, preventing the arm and hence the entire swing frame including the brush from swinging upwardly beyond the position illustrated. The stop 56 is fixed to the side wall 20 of the housing.

The swing frame is urged in an upward direction by a compression coil spring 60. Coil spring 60 is housed within a vertical tube 62 secured within the housing in the position shown directly underneath the arm 30 of the swing frame. The tube 62 has an open upper end and has diametrically opposite slots 64 and 66 extending down- The arm 30 extends across the tube and through the slots 64 and 66, as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4, and the upper end of the vspring presses against the lower edge of the arm. The

lower end lof the spring of course bears against the base 16 of the housing on which the tube is secured. The lower edges 68 and 70 of the slots are horizontally aligned 'with one another and are located so that the swing frame can pivot downwardly from the position shown far enough so that the periphery of the brush does not project above the top surface of the tread plate.

The casing 14 at the rear of the housing contains an air blower 72 which is mounted in fixed position on a rear extension of the base 16. A conduit 74 extends from the blower through the wall 46 and into the housing 12 terminating in a discharge orifice 76 which engages and registers with the underside of slot 26. It will be noted that the slot is long and narrow, and the outlet of the conduit has a similar shape. The blower 72 may be similar to an ordinary hair drier and is designed to not only blow the air but to heat it as well so that the air has a better drying action.

An elongated bar is secured to the top surface of tread plate 22 and extends parallel to slot 26. The bar is spaced about one inch (1) from the slot 26 and is centered with respect to the side edges of the tread plate so that it extends slightly beyond both ends of slot 26. The bar is of uniform cross-section throughout its length, fiat on the bottom, and has an arcuate or semi-cylindrical top surface.

The front wall 18 of the housing has an opening 80, and a drawer 82 slides in and out through the opening. The drawer has a compartment 84 for collecting particles underneath the brush. The tread plate 22 may be formed of any suitable material, preferably stainless steel. The slots 24 and 26 have a length or long dimension which approximates the width of the sole of a shoe.

In use, a person, in this instance a bowler, will clean and dry the soles of his shoes by stepping on the tread plate 22, as shown in FIGURE 2. The sole of the shoe S contacts the top surface of the tread plate and the wearer of the shoe will move the shoe back and forth in a forward and rearward direction to subject the sole of the shoe, and the heel also if desired, to the action of the air from slot 26 and the brush 42. The brush will abrade away any particles of dirt or grit which may have become embedded or adhered to the bottom of the shoe. The Warm air from slot 26 has a rapid drying action on the bottom of the shoe. In the period of time of one minute or less the sole of a bowlers shoe can be completely cleaned of dirt particles and dried so that it is in proper condition for bowling. The bar 85 holds the sole of the Shoe spaced slightly above slot 26. Thus the air from slot 26 can discharge relatively freely and act 0n a large area of the bottom of the shoe. Without the bar 85, the sole of the shoe is apt to press down and close the slot restricting its drying action.

The spring 60 forces the brush 42 up through slot 24 with only that amount of force which is desired to be applied against the sole of the shoe. The pressure of the shoe on the tread plate will normally be greater than the force of the spring so that the rotary brush will be depressed to the level of the top surface of the slot. Hence it is the spring then which controls the pressure applied against the shoe. It will be understood that when a bowler presses his foot on the tread plate with only normal pressure, that is not with his full weight on the shoe, the spring will yield to allow the rotary brush to engage the shoe with only that amount of pressure which is necessary to clean the bottom without removing any more material of the slot itself than is necessary.

The device may be coin-operated, that is by the insertion of a coin in a slot the motor drive 44 for the brush and the blower-heater unit 72 may be energized, for say a period of one minute, giving the person ample time to recondition the bottoms of his shoes.

It is to be understood that shoes may be conditioned in the manner described either while they are being worn on the foot, or the shoes may be removed for condition- It will be understood of course that the resilient mounting for the brush is also desirable in preventing the brush and swing frame from being damaged by the application of too much foot pressure on the tread plate.

The bowling shoe conditioner described above is easy to operate and quickly completes its function of cleaning and drying. The device is also entirely safe to operate so that there is no danger of injury to the person using it.

What I claim as my invention is:

A shoe conditioner comprising a tread plate having a top surface adapted to be engaged by the bottom of a shoe such as a bowlers shoe, an elongated slot in said plate, a rotary brush beneath the slot in said tread plate and normally projecting upwardly through said slot and above said top surface of said tread plate to contact and condition the bottom of a shoe engaging said top surface, the axis of rotation of said brush extending in the direction of length of said slot, a resilient support for said brush enabling it to be displaced in a downward direction under the weight of the shoe, said tread plate having a second elongated slot parallel to and substantially coextensive with the first slot, said second slot being spaced from the rst slot a distance substantially less than the average length of a shoe, an elongated bar upon and projecting upwardly from the top surface of said tread plate adjacent and parallel to said second slot adapted to be engaged by the bottom of a shoe to prevent the shoe from bearing directly down on and closing said second slot, said slots, said brush and said bar approximating in length the average width of a shoe, and means for discharging air upwardly through said second slot.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,340,544 Hopkins May 18, 1920 1,420,375 Gales June 20, 1922 1,596,676 Manger Aug. 17, 1926 2,443,695 Russel June 22, 1948 3,032,794 Stevens May 8, 1962 3,054,129 Dragoon Sept. 18, 1962 3,084,361 Outlaw Apr. 9, 1963 FOREIGN PATENTS 319,167 Switzerland Mar. 30, 1957

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