IMPROVEMENTS IN STANDS EMPLOYED FOR SUPPORTING LASTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Southwood, of Leeds, in the County of York, for
an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN STANDS EMPLOYED FOR SUPPORTING
LASTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Southwood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th May 1881.
JAMES SOUTHWOOD, of Leeds, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STANDS EMPLOYED FOR SUPPORTING LASTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS
AND SHOES."
The object of my Invention is so to construct stands for supporting lasts that
the last whilst being supported may be moved or turned into any desired position,
and secured there, in order that the operator may work more conveniently than
heretofore at the boot or shoe placed thereon.
For this purpose I provide a stand which may be fixed to a table or bench. On
it is provided a socket for the reception of a ball at the lower end of the pillar
forming the rest or carriage for the last. A ball and socket joint is thus formed,
which allows the last carriage or rest to be moved to any desired angle or position
for the purpose of working at the boot or shoe placed thereon. I also provide an
arrangement whereby the carriage may be retained at any required position or
angle, this being effected by set screw or other equivalent means.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said James Southwood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th November 1881.
JAMES SOUTHWOOD, of Leeds, in the County of York. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
STANDS EMPLOYED FOR SUPPORTING LASTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS
AND SHOES,"
The object of my Invention is so to construct stands for supporting lasts that
the last whilst being supported may be moved or turned into any desired position,
and secured there, in order that the operator may work more conveniently than
heretofore at the boot or shoe placed thereon.
For this purpose I provide a stand, which may be fixed to a table or bench. On
it is provided a socket for the reception of a ball at the lower end of the pillar
forming the rest or carriage for the last. A ball and socket joint is thus formed,
which allows the last carriage or rest to be moved to any desired angle or position
for the purpose of working at the boot or shoe placed thereon.
I also provide an arrangement whereby the carriage may be retained at any
required position or angle, this being effected by set screw or other equivalent
means.
And in order that my Invention may be more completely understood, reference
is given to the accompanying Drawings and to the letters and marks thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a part section and side elevation, Fig. 2 a front elevation, Fig. 3 a part
side elevation of a modification of my improvements.
a is the stand, which is by preference of metal; this may be screwed to an
ordinary table or bench, or mounted on an upright b, to which it may be secured
by bolts, or provided with a pin c fitted into a socket in the upper portion of the
upright b. By this latter arrangement the stand a may be moved round, being
retained in any position by the set screw d. The set screw dis adjusted through
the lever e or its equivalent.
In the upper portion of the stand a is provided a socket or recess of for the
reception of a ball g at the lower end of a pillar h. The ball gis held in the socket
or recess by means of a cap i, which is screwed, as shewn, onto the stand a or
otherwise fastened thereto. On the pillar is mounted the rest or carriage j, in
which is fitted so as to slide freely the front support for the last 1, the back
support m being a fixture.
At Fig. 1 the front support k carrying the front part n of the last 7 with it may
be moved outwards, or otherwise adjusted to suit the various sizes of boots by
means of a regulating screw o. A modification of this arrangement is shewn at
Fig. 3, in which the. last p is mounted on a pin q supported at ; and to cause the
pin q to have a forward tendency I provide a spring s within the support t. By
this means the last p is retained in its position in the front adjustable support u
whilst the boots or shoes are operated upon.
In order to retain the ball g in any desired position in the socket or recess f on
the stand a I provide the die v within the stand a. By bringing pressure to bear
on this through the lever wand set screw the ballig is held tight in its socket or
recess f, and may be released at pleasure by the attendant by moving the pressure
from the die v. This arrangement permits of the last or p being twisted round
in any direction; but in order to admit of a radial movement of the last l or p I-
provide one or more slots y in the cap i. By this arrangement the last may be
brought at right angles or any other intermediate position to that shewn in
Drawings.

page_text: Having now described the nature of my said Invention, and particularized the
same by details which answer well in practice, but I would have it understood
that I do not confine myself to the exact details set forth; what I do claim is,-
The arrangement, construction, and application of stand a for supporting lasts,
and the means employed for adjusting the same in the manufacture of boots and
shoes, and mere modifications, substantially as herein set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Southwood, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twelfth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
Witness to the signature of
James Southwood,
J, W. HARDING,
Engineer and Patent Agent,
2, East Parade,
Leeds.
JAMES SOUTHWOOD. (L.S.)