Improvements in Lasting Machines.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd May, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Feb., 1895-Accepted, 30th Mar., 1895
Improvements in Lasting Machines.
1, GEORGE FERGUSON, of 100 High Street, Boston, State of Massachusetts,
United States of America, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:-
My invention relates to lasting machines and has for its object to construct an
improved machine for turning the upper of a boot or shoe over the insole.
According to my invention I employ improved means for turning over the heel
portions of the upper, and I perform this operation simultaneously with that of
turning over the toe portions of the upper.
An important feature of my invention relates to the provision of means whereby
the mechanism for turning over the heel portions of an upper can be moved to and
fro across the bed of the machine as well as along the same so that the position
thereof can be adjusted to suit various shapes of lasts with great facility.
My invention also comprises other improvements hereinafter indicated.
In a machine constructed according to my invention the last is supported on
a post which is pivoted horizontally to a vertical rod so that the last can be tilted
forward or backward if desired. Said vertical rod is supported by a screw so that
it can be raised or lowered, thereby raising or lowering the last. Other means may
be employed for adjusting the position of the last.
The mechanism for turning in the upper is mounted upon a suitable bed and
consists of two parts one of which is applied to the heel, the other of said parts
being applied to the toe of the upper.
I will first indicate the nature of the mechanism for turning in the heel. This
consists of a slide which is connected to a pivoted lever in such a manner that when
the lever is rotated on its pivot by any suitable means as by a treadle and knee
joint mechanism for example, the slide moves towards the last. A suitable spring
is provided for returning the parts to their normal position. The slide has a block
horizontally pivoted thereto and capable of sliding on its pivot pin across the bed.
A heel piece shaped to approximately fit the outer part of the heel portion of the last
is supported in horizontal guides on the abovementioned block and I provide
a spiral or other suitable spring which tends to force said heel piece away from the
block and against the last." Said block has an adjustable stop which prevents it
from being tilted back. On the top of the heel piece two plates or wipers are
pivoted which are connected to the block by suitable levers in such a manner that
when the block and heel piece are pressed together against the force of the spring
the plates are caused to turn on their pivots. The concave part of the heel piece
is furnished with a piece of leather the ends of which are supported by the
aforesaid wipers so that when said plates approach each other the ends of the
leather are brought nearer together. Adjusting screws and nuts are provided
where necessary to regulate the movement of the various parts.
The mechanism for turning in the toe portions of the upper is somewhat similar
to that above described. I provide a rocking frame pivoted horizontally said
frame supports various rods which act in a manner similar to that of the presser
feet in sewing machines to press the insole downwards on the last with a spring
pressure and also maintain the upper in position. Said frame has also pivoted to
it two plates or wipers of suitable form for turning over the upper which wipers
are operatively connected to a pivoted lever linked to the actuating lever of the
heel turning-in mechanism.

page_text: The operation of the machine is as follows. The upper is adjusted in position,
the last and insole placed on the top, and the various presser feet at the toe.
The heel piece and turning-in mechanism is also adjusted at the heel. The treadle
is then pressed down or other means employed to operate the actuating lever.
Said lever being turned on its pivot moves the heel slide along the bed forcing the
heel piece against the heel of the last and ultimately forces the block nearer
the heel piece causing the wipers to close over the last and turn in the heel portion
of the upper.
A fixed projecting plate on the top of the heel piece also turns in
the end of the upper. The upper is prevented from being lifted and too much of
the same turned in by means of the piece of leather lining the heel piece which
when the wipers close in is caused to grip the heel part of the upper very tightly.
Simultaneously with the operation of the heel turning-in mechanism the mechanism
for turning in the toe portions is operated. The toe wipers are caused by their
respective levers to approach each other and the rocking frame is forced nearer the
last so that a projecting plate turns in the toe end of the upper.
The upper is
before the operation maintained in position by the presser feet but as soon as the
operation commences a rod connected with the heel mechanism automatically
operates to lift the said presser feet and release the upper.
When the operation is finished the apparatus returns to its normal position under
the influence of the springs hereinbefore mentioned and the last and upper can be
removed from the machine.
Dated this 22nd day of May 1901
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Spots In Lasting machines.
1, GEORGE FERGUSON, of Boston, in the County of Suffolk, and State of
Massachusetts, United States of America, Engineer, 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:—
My invention relates to machines for lasting boots and shoes, and consists in
certain new and useful constructions and combinations of parts of the same
substantially as hereinafter described.
In the drawings,
Figure is an elevation of the machine, from the side where the operator
stands, omitting most of the toe and heel wiping mechanism.
Figure 2 is a plan of the machine on an enlarged scale.
Figure 3 is a plan of the toe block and connected mechanism, shown partly from
above and partly from below, on a still more enlarged scale.
Figure 4 is an end elevation of the heel block.
Figure 5 is a side elevation partly in section looking from the end of the
machine, of the sliding last post and. adjustment wheel.
Figure 6 is a side elevation of the ends of the table and the toe and heel lasting
mechanisms.
Like numerals of reference denote corresponding parts in the several figures.
A plate or table 1, mounted on legs 2, 2, carries the toe and heel lasting
mechanism, while the post 3, that supports the last itself is carried on a lower
bed 4, that also carries the compressed air actuating cylinder 5. The post 3, is
pivoted in ears 6, on the bed 4, the said ears being so placed that the post is free
to slide a limited distance in the line of the pivot, as shown in Figure 5. The said
post 3, consists of two parts, the upper of which screws through a wheel 7, and
slides in a hole in the end 8, of the lower part. 9 is a collar that fits the bore of

page_text: the part 8 and that is fastened to the upper part of the rod 3 by a pin 10, which
projects each way through slots 11, in the walls of the part 8, thereby preventing
the rotation of the upper part while allowing it to slide. By turning the wheel 7,
therefore, when it is in the position shewn in Figures 1 and 5, with a right-hand
motion, the upper part of the post is raised to any desired extent, and an opposite
motion of the wheel lowers it.
The post projects through a hole in the top of the table 1 and its end is pointed
and is inserted in a hole in the bottom of the last 12, which latter is prevented
from wobbling by a shouldered collar 13, Figure 6 pressed up by a spiral spring 14,
coiled around the post. The last may, therefore, swing forward and backward and
may at will be raised or lowered and pushed sidewise a limited distance.
The toe lasting mechanism is supported on a standard 15 on the table so as to be
able to tip forward or backward to accommodate itself to any particular form of
Jast, and is retained in any desired position by a set screw 16 Figure 6. It supports
the presser feet 20, 21, 22, for stretching the vamp and for pushing the toe of the
last down into place, also the cam 23 and handle 24 for actuating the feet, and
also the block 25 that bears the wipers 26, and the lever 27 for operating the
wipers.
The presser feet 20, 21, 22, are carried on one end of a lever 31. There are or
may be four of these feet; one of them 20, is placed so as to bear against the
bottom of the toe of the last and is positively attached by a leg 17, and a pivot 28,
to the end of the lever 31. The other presser feet 21, 22, which are designed to
hold and stretch the vamp while the last pushed into place, are controlled by
springs 32, 36. The two side presser feet 22, only one of which is shown in
Figure 6, are formed on the ends of an inverted U-shaped piece 18 passed over
a post 30, that projects upward from the lever 31 near the end thereof through
a hole in the middle of the bend of the U. The said feet 22 are held down by
the spiral spring 32, whose pressure is regulated by a check nut 33 on the upper
end of the post. The rear foot 21 is carried by the end of a straight rod 34 that
extends up through the lever 31 and is provided with a check uut 35, at the top,
and with a spiral spring 36 confined between the foot and the said lever.
The said lever 31 is pivoted to a standard 37, on the supporting block 38, the
pivot bolt 39, passing through a slot 40, in the lever. The weight of the lever is
so proportioned that it naturally slides back away from the toe of the shoe and
entirely clear of the wipers, but when the presser feet are to be applied, the
operator pulls the lever forward to the right position and by means of the
handle 24 turns the cam 23, until it bears against and supports the rear end of
the lever.
The wipers are mounted on a plate 41 that slides in an undercut groove in the
block 25 before referred to. They are formed with a curved outer surface which
slides in curved grooves on the sliding plate 41, and they are held in these grooves
by pins 42, 42, passing through correspondingly curved slots 43, 43, in the wipers.
A small plate, 44, screwed to the sliding plate helps to keep the wipers in place.
To the rear end of each wiper is pivoted one end of a link 45, the other end of which
links are attached to a common pivot 46, on the forward end of a rod 47, whose
rear end is pivoted to the middle of a lever 27 pivoted to the block 38. A forward
movement of the said lever 27 moves forward both the wipers and the sliding
plate 41, on which they are mounted; or if the plate is made to fit closely enough
in its bearings it may be permanently adjusted at any particular place, and the
movement of the lever will then actuate only the wipers. The free end of the
lever is formed as a handle 48, by which it may be moved independently of any other
part of the machine.
But when the last has been inserted and the heel and toe mechanisms are caused
to approach each other by the use of compressed air, it is necessary that the toe
wipers should be actuated by the same force, so as not to require the workman'>
attention. To accomplish this the lever 27 is connected to a sliding bar 49, by
a pin 50, passing through corresponding holes in both the lever and the bar; the

page_text: bar 49 is pivoted to a rock bar 52 and is slid back and forth in the slotted end of
a post 51, projecting from the block 38, by the said pivoted rock bar whose
connection with the compressed air mechanism will be presently explained. The
top of the pin is slotted to admit the end of a lever 53, pivoted at 54 to the
wiper-working lever and having its handle 55, lying alongside that of the latter so
that when both the handles are grasped the lever 53 will lift the pin 50 out of the
hole in the sliding bar and allow the wipers to be worked by hand independently of
the compressed air mechanism.
When the toe of the shoe is slipped under the toe wipers it comes against a
piece of leather 36, (Figure 3) curved to receive it. The leather is backed by a
metal form 57 capable of sliding in a groove in the block and checked at any
desired point with relation to the wipers by the head of an adjustable screw 58
that screws into the block. The toe of the last is held at the right height by a
supporting rod 59, Figure 1, passing down into the table and controlled by a
lever 60, one end of which bears against the bottom of the rod while its other
end is attached by a cord or wire 61, to a treadle 62, on the floor. A depression
of the said treadle will therefore raise the toe of the last.
At the heel end of the last wipers 63 are provided somewhat similar to the toe
wipers. They are mounted on a plate 64, Figures 4 and 6, pivoted to a
standard 65. This standard is on a plate 66, Figure 2, sliding in grooves in
another plate 67, which latter slides in grooves in the table. The sliding plate 66
is moved back and forth with relation to the plate 67, by a screw 68, and hand
wheel 69, passing through ears 70, 71 on the plates 66, 67, respectively. The
pivoted plate 64, bearing the wipers is adjusted by a set screw 72, in the same
manner that the plate for the toe wipers is adjusted. The heel wiper plate is
made shorter than the pivot 73, on which it turns as shown in Figure 4, so that it
may be moved at will sidewise to one end or the other of the pivot. This is for
the purpose of adjusting the heel wipers to take either right or left lasts, without
any change of wipers or other mechanism.
The heel wipers are mounted on a common pivot 75, Figure 2, on a block 76,
provided with a plunger 79, that slides in a hole provided through the plate 64.
The sliding movement is controlled by a spiral spring 77, the tension of which is
regulated by the check nut 78 on the end of the plunger. To the outer ends of
the wipers are pivoted rods 80, 80, that extend back through holes in the L-shaped
sliding plate 81, and there secured by check nuts 82. The said plate 81, projects
around the edge of the plate on which it slides, and is connected by a link 83. to
an eccentric 84, actuated by a handle 85, by means of which the sliding plate
may be thrown back and the wipers opened.
Underneath the wipers is a leather strip 86 bent into approximately the form of
the heel and backed by a strip of flexible metal, which has cars 87 at its ends.
To the said ears are pivoted on each side rods 88, that extend back through
cars 89, on the block to which the wipers are pivoted, and checked at any desired
point by check nuts.
To the sliding block 67, is fixed a pin 106 that engages with one end of a
lever 90 pivoted at 91 to one of the legs of the table. The other end of the said
lever is connected by a knuckle joint 92, to a piston-rod 93, extending down into a
cylinder 3, to which is supplied compressed air through a pipe 94. The piston is
pressed upward by a spiral spring 95, and downward by the force of the
compressed air, when admitted through the aforesaid pipe. A valve 96, in the
pipe is worked by a handle 97, at the top of the rod 98.
Near the top of the lever is pivoted one end of a link 99, whose other end is
pivoted to an arm 100 carried by a rock shaft 101 to which rock shaft is affixed
the rocker arm 52, that actuates the sliding bar that works the toe wipers.
A tripper rod 103 passes through holes in the ends of the table and has a
pin 104, projecting from it so as to engage an arm 105, Figure 6, on the same
shaft as the cam that works the presser feet, at a certain point in its movement.
The inner end of the rod 103 is pivoted to the pin 106, so that as the heel wipers

page_text: are moved toward the toe the said rod will trip the lever bearing the pressér feet
and will release the vamp from under them. 107 is a strengthening rod connecting
the side and lower bed of the machine.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-The operator places the last 12,
with the vamp and insole properly fitted upon it, upon the post 3, and slides the
post to one side or the other, according as the last is a left or right. He also
correspondingly slides the heel plate on the rock shaft or pivot 73 Figure 4.
Heretofore it has been necessary to take out some part of the mechanism and
replace it with a differently formed part to accommodate rights and lefts. He
now lays the projecting part of the vamp at the toe of the last flat upon the upper
surface of the toe wipers, pulls forward the lever 31 carrying the presser feet and
applies the feet by means of the cam 23 and handle 24. This operation presses
down the toc firmly into the vamp while, owing to the elastic pressure of the
presser feet the vamp is not clamped rigidly but slips at a certain pressure, which
can be accurately regulated by changing the tension of the springs. He then.
turns the handle 97, and thereby admits compressed air to the cylinder 5; by means
of the mechanism already described the sliding plate 67 is thus slid forward,:
bringing the heel form 86 against the heel of the last and gripping the last
between the heel and toe forms.
As the toe thus moves forward the presser feet cease to hold the vamp, not
only on account of the greater pull of the vamp itself but because the tripper
rod 103 is pushed forward by the plate 67, and releases the cam 23 thus allowing
the presser foot lever to tip up and slide back entirely out of the way of the
workman. As the sliding plate continues to advance, the spring-held block on
which the heel wipers are pivoted is forced back toward the plate 64, and this
relative motion has the effect of thrusting forward the rods 80, pivoted to the heel
wipers, and thereby closing the wipers over the bottom of the last. At the same
time the rocking arm 52, and sliding bar 49, actuating the toe wipers are moved,
and close the said wipers over the toe, in the same manner in which the heel
wipers are closed. The vamp is thereby wiped over the insole both at the toe
and at the heel, but as a single wiping is not always sufficient the workman seizes
the eccentric handle 85, and works it back and forth, thereby reciprocating the
sliding plate 81 (to which the heel wiper rods are attached) and working the heel
wipers back and forth as often as desired. He also seizes the lever 27, that
works the toe wipers, disconnects it from the sliding bar by the supplementary
lever 53, and pin 50, and works it back and forth in the same manner as often as
desired.
During these operations of wiping the heel and toe it will be seen that the last
is still firmly held between the heel and toe forms. Before it is released the
vamp is tacked down upon the insole all round by means of a suitable tacking
machine or otherwise. If the shoe is to be hand-sewed it is essential that its toe
should project under the toe wipers only a little distance. In lasting this class of
shoes, therefore, the toe form will be adjusted well forward by means of the set
screw, 58, and the treadle will be brought into operation for forcing the toe of the
last firmly under the wipers. Upon completion of these operations the air valve
is again turned and the last released.
For different lengths of lasts the adjusting screw 68, is turned one way or the
other by the wheel 69 to adjust the whole heel mechanism with relation to the
sliding block operated by the lever. Different styles of lasts may also require
the adjustment of the last post up and down, and of the toe and heel plates on
their pivots.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A lasting machine for boots and shoes in which the heel and lasting
mechanisms and salativale aiuntable sidrosian for the nu
ssified

page_text: 2. A lasting machine wherein the heel lasting mechanism can slide sidewise on
its rock shaft, and an adjustable sliding last post is provided to support the last in
the correct position between the heel and toe lasting mechanism, the toe support
of the last being movable vertically, substantially as and for the purpose
specified.
3. In a lasting machine of the kind referred to in the preceding claims, the
combination, with the sliding toe support 59, of the lever 60, connecting rod 61,
and treadle 62, whereby the toe support can be moved upwards by the treadle
when desired, substantially as described.
4. The lasting machine hereindescribed, so constructed that the mechanism
can be operated by compressed air or other gas, or can be manually operated
if desired.
5. A lasting machine having wipers for turning over the vamp, and a form
for the reception of the last adjustable relatively to the said wipers substantially
as described.
6. The presser feet 21, 22 for holding down the vamp in combination with
the controlling springs, substantially as described.
7. A lasting machine constructed substantially as described with reference to
the accompanying drawings and operating as specified.
Dated this 22nd day of February 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.