Boot jack

Abstract

A boot jack incorporating a storage compartment usable for storing shoe polish and other shoe apparatus. The boot jack may have a flat upper plate bearing a notch for receiving the heel area of a boot, and a soft liner to oppose scuffing of a boot. Right, left, and front side walls depend from the upper plate. A floor plate encloses the storage compartment within the upper plate, and the right, left, and front side walls. An openable closure such as a hinged door may be opened to reveal the interior of the storage compartment. The upper plate may be secured in place at an acute angle to the floor plate such that the storage compartment is wedge shaped. The upper plate may have a frictional liner for engaging the sole of a boot placed on the boot jack to stabilize the latter.

1 . A boot jack comprising
 an upper plate comprising a front surface bearing a notch for receiving the heel area of a boot worn by a person and an opposed rear surface;   a right side wall depending from said upper plate and a left side wall depending from said upper plate;   a floor plate disposed below said upper plate and spanning said right side wall and said left side wall;   a front wall depending from said upper plate and spanning said right side wall, said left side wall, and said floor plate to enclose and define an interior storage space within said upper plate, said right side wall, said left side wall, said floor plate, and said front wall, and   an openable closure disposed to close said interior storage space.   
     
     
         2 . The boot jack according to  claim 1 , wherein said openable closure comprises a hinged door and at least one hinge pivotally securing said hinged door to said boot jack. 
     
     
         3 . The boot jack according to  claim 2 , wherein said hinged door extends from said upper plate to said floor plate along part of the length of said boot jack. 
     
     
         4 . The boot jack according to  claim 2 , wherein said at least one hinge is located at the juncture of said upper plate and said hinged door. 
     
     
         5 . The boot jack according to  claim 4 , wherein said at least one hinge comprises two hinges spaced apart from one another along a common hinge axis. 
     
     
         6 . The boot jack according to  claim 1 , further comprising a soft liner disposed along said notch formed in said upper plate, for opposing scuffing of a boot placed within said notch. 
     
     
         7 . The boot jack according to  claim 1 , wherein
 said right side wall, said left wall, and said front wall are disposed to maintain said upper plate at an acute angle relative to said floor plate, and   said rear surface of said upper plate is disposed proximate said rear surface of said floor plate, and said front surface of said upper plate is spaced apart from said floor plate.   
     
     
         8 . The boot jack according to  claim 1 , further comprising a frictional liner disposed on said upper plate. 
     
     
         9 . The boot jack according to  claim 1 , wherein said upper plate has a planar exposed upper surface and said floor plate has a planar exposed lower surface. 
     
     
         10 . The boot jack according to  claim 1 , further comprising mating patches of hook and loop fastener disposed to maintain said closure in a closed condition. 
     
     
         11 . The boot jack according to  claim 1 , further comprising a bracing wall disposed within said storage compartment and extending from said upper plate to said floor plate. 
     
     
         12 . The boot jack according to  claim 1 , wherein said at least one hinge is fabricated from brass. 
     
     
         13 . The boot jack according to  claim 1 , wherein said upper plate, said right side wall, said left side wall, said floor plate, and said openable closure are formed from wood. 
     
     
         14 . The boot jack according to  claim 1 , wherein said upper plate, said right side wall, said left side wall, said floor plate, and said openable closure are formed from a synthetic resin.