Abstract: A display apparatus for supporting an in-line skate. The display apparatus includes a support member and a retainer positioned and dimensioned to engage opposite sides of at least one of the rollers to retain the skate in a substantially upright position. The support member optionally has a slot shaped to receive at least one of the rollers of the skate and a retainer adjacent the slot.

Abstract: An easily manufactured, inexpensive shower accessory that holds various toiletries in an organized method so as to be easily accessible during bathing, and is made out of an attractive toweling material, such as terry-cloth, so as to coordinate with other towels and decor of the bathroom in which the shower is located, and to be easily washable and resistant to mildewing, corrosion, and destruction.

Abstract: A structure and a technique for heating hot melt adhesive by means of microwaves, to place the hot melt adhesive in a tacky state in which it adheres to an object. A preferred structure according to the invention comprises an article of manufacture (e.g., a wall hook) having a mass of the hot melt adhesive and a susceptor thereon. The article, with the adhesive and susceptor thereon, can be subjected to microwaves for a predetermined period of time, to place the mass of adhesive in a tacky state which enables the article to be attached to an object (e.g., a wall). A special container for the article is placed with the article into a microwave oven as a unit, and removed as a unit from the oven. The container enables the article to be safely and efficiently attached to the object.

Abstract: A collapsible shoe tie apparatus including a mounting plate, a brace and a foot plate. The mounting plate is vertically disposed for mounting to a wall. The brace is pivotally connected to the mounting plate. The foot plate is pivotally connected to the upper end of the mounting plate. The foot plate has at least one slot slidably connected to the brace. The foot plate folds against the mounting plate. In use the foot plate extends pivotally from the upper end of the mounting plate with the brace slidably extending along the slot for supporting the foot plate.

Abstract: A shoe organizational system includes a slider assembly adapted to be mounted in a closet and a panel secured to a slide member of the slider assembly for movement between a retracted or storage position within the closet or an extended position for viewing shoe selection purposes. A plurality of horizontally disposed and vertically spaced shoe rack units are secured on one or both sides of the panel to extend thereacross. A plurality of pairs of laterally spaced shoe supports are secured on each of the shoe rack units to accommodate the storage of shoes thereon. A plurality of the systems can be mounted in side-to-side relationship in a closet, should the need arise.

Abstract: A shoe holder particularly adapted for use in dyeing, cleaning or polishing shoes without touching the shoe, comprises a generally U-shaped flexible handle having a forward arcuate portion and a rear arcuate portion. A forwardly extending toe end is connected to the lower end of the forward arcuate portion for insertion into the toe of a shoe, and has a bent and rearwardly extending portion connected thereto. A tongue is also connected to the toe end and extends forwardly, both the tongue and bent rearwardly extending portions making contact with the inside of a shoe. The rear arcuate portion of the handle has connected to its lower end a heel end for insertion into the heel of a shoe, and terminating in an angled forwardly extending portion, for greater rigidity. The holder is in the form of an essentially unitary structure.

Abstract: A rack (1) for hanging western boots (8) by their pullstraps (7) for storage, drying, protection, and display. The ends of the hangers (3) are turned inward toward each other to allow easy insertion into the pullstraps (7). The midsections of the hangers (3) drop to help hold the boots (8) on the rack (1). The rack (1) can be joined to another rack (1) by inserting the main body (2) into a joiner tube (5).

Abstract: A shoe box is disclosed for safely and temporarily holding shoes of a hotel guest on the outside of a hotel room door so that the shoes can be picked up, shined and returned and which does not require that the hotel guest have a key to open the shoe box. The box is substantially rectangularly shaped and includes a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of side walls. The back of the box includes a border around the perimeter defining an opening for insertion and removal of the shoes by the guest when the box is removed from the door. A hinged cover including a lock can only be opened by an attendant for removing the shoes for polishing or for replacing them. The top rear of the box carries a bracket which fits over the top of a door to suspend the box thereon with the back of the box flush against the door. Cushing material on the back of the box and on the inside of the cover reduce the noise which would otherwise be created when the box was being hung on the door or when the cover was being closed.

Abstract: An apparatus for drying shoes in a clothes dryer includes a frame member having a mounting surface for receiving and supporting a shoe. Fasteners, in the form of a pair of straps, may be adjusted to securely engage and hold the shoe on the mounting surface. Lips provided at each end of the mounting surface help prevent the shoe from slipping from the surface. A powerful magnet allows the secure attachment of the apparatus and shoe to the drum of an automatic dryer. Preferably the apparatus is mounted to the metal wall of the drum directly behind a paddle of the drum that serves to tumble clothes in the dryer as the drum rotates. The magnet is securely mounted to the frame member in a channel. The channel is formed of ferromagnetic material, and the sidewalls of the channel extend past the engaging face of the magnet. These sidewalls then act as dipoles to concentrate the attractive force of the magnet for more secure attachment of the apparatus to the dryer drum.

Abstract: A support member for an inclined open mesh or wire type shelf that can be spaced anywhere along a wall and shelf area to provide support for the inclined shelf. The support is a one piece molded structure having a T-type cross-section with the shank having curved lower and upper ends with those curves providing about a 60.degree. angle of inclination for the shelf. One end includes a flat surface for engaging the wall with the other end including a forwardly directed groove for receiving a crosswise support in the middle of the shelf and a pair of grooves extending perpendicular to that forwardly directed groove sized so that that end of the support can snap in place between two stringers within the shelf structure.

Abstract: A combination boot carrying and drying device, particularly for use with ski boots. A strap carries an adjustably positioned toe clip which detachably and firmly engages the front sole of a ski boot. The ends of the strap are secured to heel clips, which in addition to detachably engaging the heels of the boots, detachably grips a support member approximate a heat source. The strap is of sufficient length to allow the boots to be carried by the strap when the heel and toe clips are in position, and at the same time the boots may be positioned with the top facing downward so that the heat source may dry the interior of the boot when the heel clip grips the support.

Abstract: The invention relates to a rack for the storage of shoes or other objects which is designed to be mounted on the ceiling or wall of a clothes closet having article retaining means positioned upon a platform which is forwardly slideable, preferably at a downward angle to permit ready access to the stored objects and which can be retracted to a normal storage position.

Abstract: A device for supporting and storing one or more articles, such as a pair of shoes, in upright positions on a vertical surface, such as a wall or side of a door. The device includes a pair of elongated, support members that are adapted to be secured to the vertical surface in vertically extending, laterally spaced relation. Each support member includes a mounting portion, a retaining portion spaced from the mounting portion, and an obliquely extending connecting portion that connects the mounting and retaining portions. A crossbar extends between the mounting portions of the supprot members and retains the support members in laterally spaced, parallel relation. When the device is mounted on a vertical surface, the retaining portions are spaced from the surface.

Abstract: A shoe lasts rack comprises a support member to which are fixed outwardly projecting loops of different sizes to accommodate shoe lasts of different sizes, and associated with each loop is a pin that is outwardly projecting from the supporting member and on which the shoe last rests when placed in the rack.

Abstract: A device for measuring sponges comprising, a measuring device for indicating the weight of an applied object, a retaining device applied to the measuring device for retaining a plurality of wetted sponges, and a determining device associated with the measuring device for determining the total weight of liquid in the retained sponges.

Abstract: A support device of the type primarily designed to support boots and like footwear in an orientation so as to facilitate free circulation of air throughout the interior and around the entire boot thereby aiding in a rapid drying of the boot and after exposure to the elements. This support device includes a base having pivotally attached thereto one or more support arms movable into an outwardly, angularly inclined extended position. Each of the arms are specifically dimensioned and configured to be mounted on the interior of a boot and supported for rapid drying as set forth above.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for externally and conductively heating at least a portion of the sole of a ski boot and for convectively heating substantially the entire inner surface of the ski boot while the ski boot is firmly, but removably, clamped against a flat surface with the flat sole of the ski boot in extensive surface-to-surface contact therewith so as to permit drying of wet boots, warming of cold boots, and/or softening of the molded foam interiors of the boots, to render such boots more comfortable while maintaining the flat sole of the ski boot rigidly clamped in a flat planar condition to prevent warpage thereof. In a preferred form of the invention, methods and apparatus are disclosed for externally and radiantly heating at least a portion of the sole of each of a pair of ski boots removably carried by, and clamped to, a boot and shoe tree and for simultaneously convectively heating the inner surfaces of both ski boots.

Abstract: A shoe mounting apparatus utilizes two elongated straps, each having a hook-like end, disposed at one end thereof, and another hook-like end, whose axis is askew to the longitudinal axis of the strap. Mounting holes are provided, through each strap, for mounting the pair of straps to a vertical standard, thereby enabling a pair of shoes to be placed within the apparatus, having the sole and heel portions thereof engaging the vertical standard and being retained within the straps by engaging opposite sides of the sole edge, intermediate the instep and the toe portion of each shoe. In one embodiment, each strap is bifurcated and provided with slots, thereby permitting the apparatus to be adjusted as to the distance separating the hook-like ends, accommodating thereby, shoes of various widths.

Abstract: There is disclosed a ski boot and glove warmer including a vertically extending blower body having a pair of spaced apart dryer tubes projecting horizontally from the front face thereof and each having a boot support bail spaced there below for supporting the back of a boot with the tubes projecting into the ankle portion thereof to direct hot air into the foot area of the boot. A pair of guides are positioned on opposite sides of the respective tubes for retaining the boots with the toes thereof directed upwardly from the support. An electric blower directs air over a heating element and into the tubes and is controlled by a coin actuated mechanism to operate for a predetermined period of time after insertion of a coin.

Abstract: A cabinet having an interior compartment for storing snow skis and poles vertically in an orderly arrangement within the compartment. At least one interior sidewall of the compartment is formed by a molded fiberglass half-section having specially formed and positioned receptacles for storing ski boots. A drip pan is mounted in a removable manner at the bottom of the compartment. The skis are mounted on a ski rack which is movable in a telescoping manner to the exterior of the cabinet to make loading and unloading of the skis easier and further to improve the access to the boots in their stored position. The rack has mounted on it specialized ski supports for holding the skis in matched pairs in a vertical position and hanger rods are provided to mount the ski poles, likewise in a vertical position.

Abstract: Shoe support apparatus, particularly for supporting a shoe thereon during the performance of a shoe shining operation, is disclosed. A base panel is adapted to be secured to a vertical support surface, such as, for example, a wall or a door. A shoe support member is pivotably mounted adjacent the lower portion of the panel. A shoe retaining assembly is pivotally mounted adjacent the upper portion of the panel and comprises three relatively movable sections including a shoe tree structure. The sections are connected by unique pivot joints formed of integral parts of said sections, and are so arranged as to define an over-center type locking mechanism. In this manner, the apparatus is able to be collapsed for storage and quickly erected and locked for rigidly supporting the shoe during a shoe polishing operation.

Abstract: A holder for mounting a pair of skis, ski poles and ski boots on a wall comprising a bracket having a pair of spaced-apart fingers projecting outwardly from the rearwardly disposed wall means, the wall means being mountable to a mounting wall that allows a pair of skis to be mounted in back-to-back relationship. A pair of sidewardly open vertical recesses, each being complementary formed and adapted to releaseably grip a ski pole, are intermediately disposed on the surfaces of the fingers facing away from the skis and to the outside thereof. One of the fingers extends beyond the end of the corresponding finger and is capped on the upper portion thereof by an arcuate segment with an upwardly projecting, forwardmost edge for receiving the looped portion of a carrier for a pair of ski boots.