Improvements in Lasts for Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Oct., 1889-Accepted, 9th Nov., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lasts for Boots and Shoes.
We, WILLIAM THOMAS HOOKER, and CHARLES EBENEZER HOOKER, both of 168
and 170, Bethnal Green Road, in the County of Middlesex, Boot and Shoe
Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Our invention relates to lasts for boots and shoes, and has for its object to provide
a last which can be more easily withdrawn from a boot or shoe than those heretofore
constructed and which is at the same time more rigid.
According to our invention, the last is made in three portions, namely, a toe
portion, a heel portion, and a central portion. This central portion is made of a
wedge shape so that it can be readily removed from its position between the toe and
heel portions.
The said toe and heel portions are supported upon the central portion by means
of dovetailed tongues on the said central portion, which tongues fit into corresponding
recesses on the toe and heel portions. The upper ends of the said tongues are also
inclined upwardly.
According to a modification of our invention, instead of supporting the toe and
heel portions upon tongues, we leave projecting portions at the lower part of the
central portion to form ledges and upon the upper portions of the toe and heel parts,
we form projections which rest upon the said ledges. The said ledges are inclined
upwardly and outwardly and the lower parts of the projections are correspondingly
inclined. To prevent the parts from coming apart we form tongues on the central
portion above the ledges, which tongues enter corresponding recesses in the projections
of the toe and heel portions.
.
We advantageously form the last stand or support integral with the central portion
of the last, and we can, if desired, shape the said central portion to correspond with
the shape of the ankle and the adjacent parts of the foot.
Dated the 8th day of December 1888.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lasts for Boots and Shoes.
We, WILLIAM THOMAS HOOKER and CHARLES EBENEZER HOOKER, both of 168
and 170, Bethnal Green Road, in the county of Middlesex, Boot and Shoe Manu-
facturers, 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 :-
Our invention relates to lasts for boots and shoes, and has for its object to provide
a last which can be more easily with-drawn from a boot or shoe than those heretofore
constructed and which is at the same time more rigid.
According to our invention the last is made in three portions, namely, a toe-portion,
a heel-portion, and a central-portion. This central-portion is made of a wedge shape,
so that it can be readily removed from its position between the toe and heel-portions.
The said toe and heel-portions are supported upon the central-portion by means of
dovetailed tongues' on the said central-portion, which tongues fit into corresponding
recesses on the toe and heel-portions, or by means of ledges.

page_text: To enable our invention to be fully understood we will describe the same with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of our improved last; and,
Figure 2 is a similar view showing the parts disconnected.
Figure 3 is an end view of the toe-portion of the last; and,
Figure 4 is a view of one side of the central-portion to which the toe-portion is
attached.
Figure 5 is a view of the side of the central-portion to which the heel-portion
is attached; and,
Figure 6 is a view similar to figure 3 of the said heel-portion.
Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 are views similar to figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6
respectively of a modified form of last.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
a is the central-portion of the last which has advantageously formed integral with
it a stand or support bas shown in figures 1 and 2. c is the toe-portion of the last
and d is the heel-portion.
e, fare dovetailed tongues formed on the central-portion a and entering corre-
sponding grooves or recesses g, h in the toe and heel-portions respectively, and
supporting the same.
In the modification of our invention shown in figures 7 to 12 the toe and heel-
portions, instead of being supported upon lugs as herein before described, are supported
upon ledges i, i on the central-portion a, they being provided with corresponding
projecting portions j, j which rest upon the said ledges.
To prevent the parts from coming apart we form tongues k, k on the central-
portion a above the ledges i, i, which tongues enter corresponding recesses in the
projecting portions j, j of the toe and heel-portions.
The great advantages of our improved last are that it can be readily removed from
a boot or shoe and replaced without disturbing its form; and that several sets of toe
and heel-portions can be used in conjunction with a single central-portion according
to the measurements or shape of too required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
The manufacture and use of lasts for boots and shoes constructed, substantially as
herein before described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated the 3rd day of October 1889.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.