Improvements in Boot and Glove Trees, Lasts, Boot and Glove Stretchers, or the like.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Feb., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 19th Dec., 1895-Accepted, 9th May, 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boot and Glove Trees, Lasts, Boot and Glove
Stretchers, or the like.
We, ORSINI STUART of South Alton, Rose Mount, Oxton in the County of
Chester Merchant, and THOMAS HENRY ASHCROFT of Seel Street, Liverpool in
the County of Lancaster, Timber Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows :-
This invention has for its object a new or improved device applicable for use as
a tree for stretching or keeping in shape boots, shoes, gloves or the like, or for use
as a last on which such articles are formed during manufacture. Such articles have
hitherto been generally made of wood of the exact shape of the foot, etcetera, and
they only provide a small amount of adjustment so that a different tree or last must
be used for different sizes or shapes of boots, etcetera.
In carrying our invention into effect as applied to trees or stretchers, the plan
we prefer is to form them hollow and of rubber or other suitable material
strengthened if so required by canvas or other material. A valve is provided to
enable the tree to be inflated with air by blowing with the mouth or by inserting a
suitable inflating pump.
The mode of action is as follows:-
The hollow deflated tree is inserted in the boot, and is then inflated with air to
the required size, and to exert the required pressure. The advantage of this
arrangement is that it is much easier to get the tree into a boot than the old
fashioned wooden trees, and moreover the required pressure in the boots can be
regulated to a nicety whereas in the wooden tree only a small amount of adjustment
is possible.
We have described one way in which our invention can be carried into effect, but
it is obvious that the invention may be applied without any alteration in principle
to lasts on which boots, shoes, gloves and other articles are formed during
manufacture. Also the device may be made in two or more separate parts.
Dated this 16th day of February 1895.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of 6, Lord Street, Liverpool, Patent Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in Boot and Glove Trees, Lasts, Boot and Glove
Stretchers, or the like.
We, ORSINI STUART of Elm House, Seaforth in the County of Lancaster,
formerly of South Alton, Rose Mount, Oxton in the County of Chester, Merchant,
and THOMAS HENRY ASHCROFT of Seel Street, Liverpool in the County of
Lancaster, Timber Merchant, 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 :-
This invention has for its object a new or improved device applicable for use as

page_text: a tree for stretching or keeping in shape boots, shoes, gloves or the 'like, or for use
as a last on which such articles are formed during manufacture. As hitherto
constructed, pneumatic trees or lasts for boots and shoes have been in great
measure ineffective, and have not-come into general use. Our improved boot trees
or lasts are designed to overcome the defects inherent in this class of invention by
so constructing them that they shall be capable of withstanding the internal air
pressure to which they have to be subjected and of enabling the proper shape
and hardness when inflated to be imparted to the tree or last.
The invention will be understood from the following description, reference being
had to the accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a front elevation of our improved boot tree or last ready for use;
and made in three distinct parts; viz. the bladder and the inner and outer covers;
Figure 2 a plan; and
Figure 3 an end elevation thereof;
Figure 4 is a front elevation;
Figure 5 a plan ;
Figure 6 an end elevation of our tree stripped of its outer cover.
In carrying our invention into effect as applied to trees or stretchers, we form
them hollow and of rubber or other suitable material strengthened and brought
into the required shape by canvas or other material. A valve is provided to enable
the tree to be inflated with air by blowing with the mouth or inserting a suitable
inflating pump.
The mode of action is as follows:-
The hollow deflated and collapsed tree is inserted in the boot, and is then inflated
with air to the required size, and to exert the required pressure. The advantage
of this arrangement is that it is much easier to get the tree into a boot than the
old fashioned wooden trees, and moreover the required pressure in the boots can
be regulated to a nicety, whereas in the wooden tree only a small amount of
adjustment is possible.
We have described one way in which our invention can be carried into effect,
but it is obvious that the invention may be applied without any alteration in
principle to lasts on which boots, shoes, gloves and other articles are formed
during manufacture, also the device may be made in two or more separate parts.
To go more into detail, we will describe a tree made in two or more separate parts,
which is an arrangement we find after exhaustive experiments to be the best.
To this end we take a rubber bladder or vessel adapted to hold air or water
under compression and a suitably shaped non-elastic cover or envelope B of canvas
or other suitable material, this latter being suitably shaped and adapted to fit
over and contain the bladder, the object of the cover being not only to strengthen
and protect the bladder from being punctured, but to give the required shape to
the tree or last when inflated. The bladder or bladders are fitted with tubes C
projecting through the cover and provided with a valve. An inflating pump may
be screwed to the tubes by means of which the bladder is inflated and the pressure
retained by screwing down the valve.
In places where it is unnecessary to exert pressure against the boot and to
prevent contortional bulging, as for instance at the side of the foot or ankle, we
form a lateral hole or hiatus E extending through the bladder. By this means
there will be no contortional bulging or pressure exerted on the boot at that part
where the hiatus is. The sole of the bladder may be protected against injury by
means of a plate of metal or other hard material fastened internally to the cover.
This sole plate is made with a hinge to secure flexibility so that the tree can be
more easily inserted into the boot. It must be understood that the non-elastic
cover is the primary instrument for giving the proper shape to the tree or last
when inflated. The bladder without the cover would have a tendency to get out
of shape and assume a circular or even a spherical form, but the cover not only
imparts to the tree or last the proper shape but also retains it in shape. The
bladder may be made in numerous forms as more particularly described and claimed

page_text: in our Specification No. 4309 of 1896 which bears date prior to that on which the
present Specification will be accepted and published, and we reserve to ourselves
the right of claiming in the said Specification these various forms, and also an
elastic bladder or vessel capable of being inflated and collapsed, having one or more
lateral holes or hiati extending therethrough in combination with a non-elastic
cover enclosing and containing the blader or vessel aforesaid, the said holes or
hiati in the bladder being so arranged as to prevent pressure of the enclosed
bladder against a part or parts of the cover corresponding to the part or parts of
the boot or other article not required to be acted upon, while leaving the remainder
of the cover exposed to the pressure of the compressed fluid, whereby the apparatus
when inflated in a boot, shoe or other article will act mainly or entirely upon such
parts only of such boot or other article where pressure is required.
The
In making up the tree we take a bladder formed with a lateral hole or hiatus E
in it extending through the bladder. This bladder is enclosed within the cover
or envelope B (Figures 4, 5 and 6) the latter being then sewn up so as to completely
cover or envelop the bladder, the cover being slit opposite the hole or hiatus E
and the pieces on opposite sides laced or stitched together as shown.
correct shape can now be further accurately obtained in the manner indicated and
claimed in our Specification aforesaid whereby we are able to regulate the extension
of the bladder and obtain the desired shape of the tree with greater nicety and
accuracy after the cover has been secured on the bladder. The tree now assumes
the appearance depicted in Figures 4, 5, and 6 with its cover, but we prefer to
enclose the cover B or its outer cover of canvas which will considerably strengthen
the tree and prevent the lacings from being interfered with. The completed tree
with its outer cover is shown in Figures 1, 2 and 3.
We have described our invention more especially in connection with boot and
shoe trees, but it must be understood that the invention is equally well adapted
for the other purposes set forth in the title, for which purposes further description
will be unnecessary.
Moreover we have described the above way in which the bladders may be formed,
but we do not confine ourselves to this exact arrangement as it is obvious that the
bladder may be made of a plain hollow chamber without the lateral hole or hiatus
in the shape of a foot, and enclosed within a cover or covers of canvas or other
non-elastic material.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. The improvement in boot and glove trees, lasts, boot and glove stretchers or
the like, which consists in forming them of a hollow indiarubber bladder or vessel
adapted to hold air or water under compression, and one or more suitably shaped
covers of canvas or other non-elastic material adapted to fit over and contain the
bladder, the latter being the primary instrument for giving to the tree, last, or
-stretcher the proper shape when inflated and retaining it in that shape.
2. The arrangement and construction of parts forming our improved apparatus
for stretching or restoring boots, shoes, or the like to their original shape or for
use as a last on which such articles are formed during manufacture substantially as
set forth.
waved this both day of oanuary 200
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Of Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, and London, Patent Agents.