United States Patent (19) [11] 3,831,217

Odawara (45) Aug. 27, 1974

54 AUTOMATIC SHOE POLISHING MACHINE 3,066,338 12/1962 Nappi..................................... 15134
75 inventor: Tsugumu Odawara, Hiroshima-ken, 3,084,361 4/1963 Outlaw.................................... 15/36
Japan
(73) Assignee: Fuji Kikai Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha, Primary
Hiroshima-ken, Japan
Examiner-Edward Roberts
Attorney, Agent, or Firm-William Anthony Drucker
(22 Filed: Feb. 16, 1973
21 Appl. No.: 333,226
21 Appl. No.: 333, 57 ABSTRACT
(30) Foreign Application Priority Data An automatic shoe polishing machine with a housing
Apr. 18, 1972 Japan................................ 47-45007 having an end opening for the insertion of a shoe to be
polished by a pair of side brushes and a horizontal
52 U.S. C. ......................................... 15/34, 15/36 brush positioned at the corners of an isoceles triangle
5ll int. Cl.............................................. A47. 23/02 and driven on flexible shafts, a driven sand removing
58) Field of Search............... 15/31, 32, 34, 35, 36, brush below said side brushes and a slideable plate
15797 A below said side and front brushes for supporting said
(56) References Cited
shoe and operating a switch for the drive for said
brushes.
UNITED STATES PATENTS
983, 138 1719 l l Hecker ................................... 15/36 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures .
PATENTED ADC27 1974 3,8327
SHEET 1 of 2
PATENTEDAUG27 97 3,8327
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AUTOMATIC SHOE POLISHING MACHINE body 1. The cover 2 is made, for instance, of plastics
and is formed with a front notch 3, through which the
This invention relates to an automatic shoe polishing shoe to be polished is inserted. A top plate 10 down
machine, with which the polishing of the upper surfaces wardly inclined toward the front is secured to the top
of a shoe and removal of sand off the shoe sole can be of the case body 1 and extends within the cover 2 when
automatically effected by merely moving the shoe back the cover is in the closed state. The top plate 10 carries
and forth over a sliding base plate. two side brushes 5a and 5b and a front brush 6 therebe
Various types of automatic shoe polishing machines hind, these brushes being rotatably mounted on respec
where the upper surfaces of the shoe is polished as the tive shafts secured to the top plate. Centrally of the top
shoe is moved back and forth over a machine base are O plate 10, there is provided a sliding base plate, over
well known in the art. These prior-art automatic shoe which the shoe being polished is slided back and forth.
polishing machines, however, are very complicated in A further brush 7 for removing matter such as sand at
the brush drive mechanism and brush rotation control tached to the sole of the shoe being polished is pro
mechanism. Also, they are inevitably large in size and vided on the underside of the sliding base plate 7. Nu
expensive. These large-size automatic shoe polishing 15 meral 8 designates a collecting box to receive the mat
machines cannot be installed in places other than those ter removed off the shoe sole. Numeral 9 designates a
having enough floor space for installation such as ho pilot lamp.
tels, department stores and office buildings, and they The construction of the individual parts mentioned
are totally unsuitable as household utensils from the above will now be described in more detail with refer
standpoints of cost and size. Besides, though the prior 20 ence to FIGS. 2 and 3. Of the two side brushes 5a and
art automatic shoe polishing machines can polish the 5b mounted as a pair and carried by the inclined top
upper surfaces of the shoe, none of them is provided plate 10, the side brush 5b is removably mounted on an
with means to remove sand off the shoe sole. attachment shaft 19b coupled in alignment to a drive
The invention has been intended in view of the above shaft 15a provided with a drive pulley 17 through a
prior-art shortcomings, and its has for its object the 25 flexible shaft 18b of a material having a restoring char
provision of an automatic shoe polishing machine hav acter such as rubber. A cap 20b is fitted on the upper
ing great practical usefulness such as smallness in size, end of the attachment shaft 19b to hold the brush 5b.
lightness in weight, freedom from damage to parts of The other side brush 5a is removably mounted on an
the drive section due to intrusion of dust and mud attachment shaft 19a coupled in alignment to a drive
thereinto by vieture of sheltering thereof with a casing, 30 shaft 15a having a pulley 26 secured thereto through a
capability of automatically leading falling dust and mud flexible shaft 18a of a material having a restoring char
into a collecting section, ready portability and cheap acter such as rubber. A cap 20a is fitted on the upper
ness in cost. end of the attachment shaft 19a to keep the brush 5b.
A unique feature of the automatic shoe polishing ma 35 The front brush 6 is secured to a horizontal shaft 24 ro
chine according the invention resided in that two side tatably mounted in a support 23 secured to the top
brushes and one frontbrush are mounted on respective plate 10 such that its center is located at a point corre
shafts each having a flexible shaft portion having a re sponding to an apex of an isoceles triangle with the
storing character, so that the brushes can always rotate base opposite that apex constituted by a line connect
in contact with the shoe with a suitable contact pres ing the axes of the attachment shafts 19a and 19b of the
sure. Another unique feature of the invention resides in 40 respective side brushes Sa and 5b. The shaft 24 also has
that driving force is transmitted to two side brushes, a provided thereto a pulley 31 and a flexible shaft 18c of
front brush and a sand removing brush through a dex a material having a restoring character such as rubber.
terous arrangement of pulleys and endless belts. A fur The sand removing brush 7 is positioned on the under
ther unique feature of the invention resides in the pro 45 side of side brushes 5a and 5b and is actuated through
vision of a safety switch provided separately from a a rotating shaft 13 located horizontally on support
main switch, which is closed by placing the shoe on a bracket 12 protruding inward. The shaft 13 also pro
sliding base plate for automatically starting a drive mo vided at its end with a pulley 25. The sliding base plate
tor. Unless the safety switch is on the operative state, 4 has its front edge extending over the sand removing
the drive motor will not be started by placing the shoe brush 7 and its rear edge secured by bolt and nut 11 to
on the sliding base plate, thus eliminating the otherwise 50 the case body 1. It has a resilient character, and its
possible hazard of accidentally causing the rotation of front edge is upwardly biased by spring means not
the brushes, for instance when a mischievous child shown provided beneath it so that it can be vertically
places his shoe on the sliding base plate. A still further pivotable for a required angle about its rear securement
unique feature of the invention resided in that the side 55 by bolt and nut 11. Thus, by placing the shoe to be pol
brushes and frontbrush is readily removable from their ished on the sliding plate 4, the plate is pivoted or sags
shaft, so that the replacement of these brushes can be downwardly about its rear securement point of bolt and
done very simply. nut 11 due to its load from its normal nonload upper
The invention will now be described in conjunction position. The underside of the sliding base plate 4 is
with an embodiment thereof with reference to the ac 60 provided with an electric switch 22, which is closed
companying drawing. when the sliding base plate 4 is lowered. When the
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automatic shoe pol switch 22 is closed, a drive motor 14 secured to the un
ishing machine according to the invention. derside of the top plate 10 is energized and started. A
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the same, safety switch 21 is provided such that its actuating pin
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary front elevation of the same. 65 projects through the top plate 11 at a suitable position,
so that it is closed by depressing the actuating pin.
Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 designates When the safety switch 21 is closed, the pilot lamp 9
a base body, and numeral 2 a cover pivoted to the case provided on the front of the case body 1 is turned on.
 3,831,217
3 4
In this state, the motor 14 can be started and stopped shoe sole are removed, while both sides and toe of the
as the switch 22, which is a main switch, is operated. In shoe are polished by the side brushes 5a and 5b and
other words, so long as the safety switch 21 is open, in front brush 6. In this way, the whole shoe can be pol
which state the pilot lamp 9 is "off", the drive motor ished. In addition, since the polishing cream is supplied
14 will not be started even by placing the shoe on the to the side brushes, these brushes has the effect of shin
sliding base plate 4 so that the brushes will not be ro ing the shoe while removing dust thereoff. By lifting the
tated. In this way, the safety of operation is ensured. shoe off the sliding base plate 4, the sliding base plate
For the transmission of the output torque of the drive 4 is automatically returned to its upper position by the
motor 14 to all the brushes, the drive shaft of the motor biasing spring means. As a result, the switch 22 is
14 is provided with three pulleys 30, from which the 10 opened to stop the drive motor 14, thus stopping all the
motor torque is transmitted through individual belts to brushes. Since the side brushes Sa and 5b and front
the respective pulleys on the brush shafts. More partic brush 6 are coupled to their drive shafts through the re
ularly, an endless belt 27 is passed round the first one spective flexible shafts 18a, 8b and 18c having a re
of the three pulleys 30 and the pulley 31 on the shaft storing character, in the sliding movement of the shoe
24 of the front brush 6. Another endless belt 28 is 15
passed round the second one 30b of the three pulleys over the sliding base plate 4 these brushes can be auto
matically maintained in contact with the shoe with a
and the lower pulley 16 on the shaft 15b of the side suitable contact pressure, so that effective polishing ac
brush 5b, and is also passed in the crossed state be tion can be obtained. The dust and mud falling on the
tween the shafts 15a and 15b round the pulley 26 on inclined top plate 10 in the polishing operation is
the shaft 15a and the upper drive pulley 17 on the shaft 20 guided along the inclinded plane to be led to the col
15b of the side brush 5b. Thus, while in run of the end lecting box, while those which are removed by the sand
less belt 28 going from the second pulley 30a to the free removing brush 7 are directly dropped into the collect
pulley 16 on the shaft 15b of the side brush 5b the ing box 8. The collected dust and mud can be appropri
motor torque is not transmitted, it is transmitted ately disposed by removing the box from one side of the
through the pulley 26 to the side pulley 5a, and in the 25 case body 1.
run of the belt 28 from the pulley 26 to the drive pulley As has been described in the foregoing, according to
17 for the side brush 5b it is transmitted to the drive
pulley 17 to rotate the side brush 5b. Since the belt 28 the invention it is possible to provide an automatic shoe
is passed in the cross way, both the side brushes 5a and polishing machine, which extremely simple in construc
5b are rotated in opposite directions. A further endless 30 tion and hence free from trouble and inexpensive as
belt 29 is passed round the third one 30c of the three well as being small in size, requiring small area for in
stallation, light in weight, readily portable, and of
pulleys and the pulley 25 on the end of the shaft 13 of
the sand removing brush 7. Below the sand removing which a wide scope of use unavailable with the prior-art
brush 7, the collecting box 8 for receiving sand or like automatic
What is
shoe polishing machine can be expected.
claimed is:
matter falling off the inclined top plate 10 and sand re 35
moving brush 7 is disposed such that it is removable 1. An automatic shoe polishing machine comprising:
from one side of the case body 1. The drive motor 14 a pair of side brushes removably mounted on respective
and pulleys 16, 17 and 26 for the side brushes 5a and shafts, each shaft having a flexible portion, said shafts
5b are prevented from accumulation of dust by the case being mounted on a top plate and adapted to be driven
body 1 and top plate 10, while the pulleys 31 and 25 for 40 such that side brushes are rotated in opposite direc
the respective front brush 6 and sand removing brush tions, a frontbrush removably mounted on a horizontal
7 are provided with respective covers not shown to the shaft having a flexible portion, said front brush being
dust-proof end. As an alternative to the above power located at the apex of an isoceles triangle and mounted
transmission mechanism consisting of pulleys and end on said top plate, the base of said triangle opposite said
less belts, it is also possible to employ a combination of 45 apex being constituted by a line connecting the axes of
gears and torque transmission shafts. Further, although said shafts of said side brushes; a sand removing brush
not shown, polishing cream supply means are held in mounted on a horizontal shaft extending below said
contact with the side brushes 5a and 5b. side brushes and on the underside of said top plate; a
The operation of the automatic shoe polishing ma sliding base plate forming a shoe support extending
chine of the above construction according to the inven 50 below said side brushes and front brush and having a
tion will now be described. Prior to placing the shoe to front edge extending over said removing brush, said
be polished on the sliding base plate 4 by inserting it sliding base plate being fixed at its rear end and capable
through the notch 3 formed in the front of the cover 2 of vertical pivotal or sagging movement with said fixed
on the case body 1, the state of the pilot lamp 9 is con rear end serving as a fixed support point; an on-off elec
firmed. If the pilot lamp 9 is not “on”, the safety switch 55 tric switch operated by the pivotal or sagging motion of
21 is closed to connect powder supply to the machine. said sliding base plate; a drive motor started and
Then, the shoe is placed on the sliding base plate 4, stopped by the operation of said electric switch; a
whereby the sliding base plate 4 is lowered to push and torque transmission mechanism for transmitting the
close the switch 22, thus energyzing and starting the output torque from said drive motor to said side
drive motor 14. By the starting of the drive motor 14, 60 brushes, front brush and removing brush, said torque
the side brushes Sa and 5b, front brush 6 and sand re transmission mechanism consisting of coupling means;
moving brush 7 all start their rotation in predetermined and a collecting box disposed beneath said removing
directions. By sliding the shoe 4 over the sliding base brush to collect sand and like matter.
plate 4 back and forth, the sand mud attached to the sk 2k X: *k ck

65