AN IMPROVED BOOT LASTING MACHINE
Year: 1873

page_text: PROVISIÓNAL SPECIFICATION left by Oliver Burrows at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 15th
August 1878.
I, OLIVER BURROWs, of Number 48, Peter Street, Hackney Road,
in the County of Middlesex, Boot Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED BOOT LASTING MACHINE,” to
be as follows:—
To last boots and shoes for sewing with Blake's patent sole sewer
without any tingles or nails being left in the boot after it is made, the
boot being held together with a strong waterproof solution.
The Invention consists of a pair of machines, one for the right boot,
and one for the left.
The machine consists of a circular cast-iron plate 18 inches in diameter,
%th inch thick. The upper surface is fitted with 4 pillars at equal
distance all round; about 2 inches from the edge; 1 pillar at the toe
of boot and one at the heel; these are to hold the dies in place. The
other 2 pillars are to fix a bar on to hold the last firmly down on the

page_text: .
stands, as the boot is not to be touched with the hand after it is drawn
over at the toe. The stand is fixed in the usual place at the heel of
last. There are two supports at the toe to keep the last perfectly level,
and to enable the boot to withstand the pressure that it is necessary to
apply, the stand of the toe being covered with prepared india-rubber to
prevent any injury to the upper leather..
The last is fixed about 7 inches above surface of plate and directly
under the toe, and raised 1 inch from surface of plate, and fixed by the
middle so as to allow a slight action. There is a small looking-glass
about 4 inches square, which will allow the workman to see the upper 1
leather from toe to the top of the leg, so that as he lasts the boot up
he can see he is doing it straight without moving the last off the
stand.
-
The under surface of the plate is fitted with 4 lugs for the wheels to
be fitted on, and 4 supports for pressure levers. There are 4 levers, 1 1
at each side of the toe, and ditto heel. One end of the levers are
drawn up towards the plate with a screw, thereby pulling the grip that
is fitted at the other end of lever down. These grips go through the
plate, and are jointed so as to lay on the plate when out of use. These
grips are applied to the dies, and the screws are turned, thus pulling the
dies down to any pressure that is required.
The lasting die consists of a cast-iron plate 16 inches long, 4 inches
wide, varying in thickness from 2 to 1 inch; the middle is left out so
as to allow it to pass over the lasting tacks. This die fits the last
about 1 inch in from the edge all, and when the pressure is applied it
presses the upper on to the inner sole, solution being put on the inner
sole previous to lasting; the tacks are then withdrawn; this boot is then
left and the other boot is put through the same process; the man then
returns to the first boot, removes the die, brushes the solution over
bottom, and then lays the sole on; the form die is then applied in the
same manner, the form die being the same dimensions as the lasting
die, without the opening in the middle, but with a perfect shape of the
bottom of a boot when finished on the surface. The pressure is applied:
till the sole is brought down to the upper all round; it is then left till
the other boot is put through the same process.
When the form die is removed the boot has received the impression
and is a more exact shape and leveller than any boot can possibly be
made with a hammer, and it is quite ready for sewing.

page_text: The dies are suspended at the top of the frame or bench of the
machine with balance weights.
When any size is requisite the workman touches the balance weight
and the die descends, all the right feet dies being suspended over one
machine, and the left feet ditto over the other.
The pair of machines are necessary to allow the solution to set and the
form die. time to make the impression beyond the possibility of the
possibility of the sole returning to its normal shape.