Improvements in Lasting Machines for use in the Manufacture of Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 28th July, 1890
Complete Specification Left, 26th May, 1891-Accepted, 28th Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THE UNIVERSAL LASTING MACHINE COMPANY
(INCORPORATED), of 35, Wall Street, in the City and State of New York,
United States of America, Manufacturers.]
Improvements in Lasting Machines for use in the Manufacture of
Boots and Shoes.
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows
--
This improvement particularly relates to a lasting machine for which British
Letters Patent have already been granted and which comprises a last holder or jack
whereby a last will be supported in an inverted position, a down-hold whereby an
insole will be held upon the sole portion of the last, a stretcher whereby the upper
will be drawn around the last, pressing and holding fingers whereby the stretchers
will be made to firmly grip the upper and the upper will be held against the last
after the movement of the stretcher beyond the last, and crimping fingers whereby
the edge of the upper will be turned in over the insole.
Certain of the present improvements involve a novel construction of a support
for the holder or jack whereby said support may yield to permit of the adjustment
of lasts of different sizes to bring the sole portion into proper position. In com-
bination with this yielding support is a clamp or fastener whereby the support
will, after the adjustment of the last to the proper position, be secured in place.
This clamp or fastener is preferably operated automatically by a cam in the
machine.
According to the present improvement, the down-hold of the machine has a pre-
determined movement and is enabled, by the yielding support for the last holder, to
insure the last having the proper position.
The down-hold may be moved by means of a lever and links actuated by an
attendant.
The construction of the down-hold itself forms another feature of the present
improvement. It comprises a number of fingers adjustably connected with the
body piece so as to be capable of assuming a variety of positions. Preferably most
of these fingers will be independently adjustable, but a number located at the heel
portion will be connected so as to be adjustable together lengthwise of the last as
well as toward and from the last. The various fingers may be secured by means of
clamping pieces and pressure devices in the body piece of the down-hold.
Preferably the down-hold is so connected with a rod whereby it is supported as
to be adjustable transversely to the rod and lengthwise of the last.
There are preferably two down-holds, one for a right and the other for a left last,
and when two are used they will be supported by two arms which can be inde-
pendently swung into a position over a last or to one side of the same.
To enable the fingers of the down-hold to act upon the insole as near to the
edges of the latter as possible and yet to form no obstacle to the inward movement
of the crimping fingers during the crimping of the upper over the insole, they are
made resilient so that the crimping fingers may force them inwards, and those
which are opposite either or both of the end portions of the insole may be split
or slitted so that they can be contracted laterally to permit an inward movement.
The stretcher is composed of two sections having envelopes surrounding the last.
The envelope of one is intended to extend between the last and the upper, that of
the other is intended to be outside the upper and to be forced and held against the

page_text: upper by the pressing and holding fingers. The section comprising the inner
envelope may be supported upon the other section or independently upon the last.
In the latter case, it will have legs extending down to the last. The section having
the outer envelope is supported by standards erected upon the machine frame.
Motion may be imparted to the stretcher for the purpose of drawing the upper
around the last by means of rods. Preferably two. stretchers, one for a right and
the other for a left last will be used and the rods just mentioned will then be
'connected to the swinging arms that support the down-holds, so that either of the
stretchers may be used at pleasure. The rods imparting movement to the stretchers
may be actuated by cams.
It is considered advantageous to stretch the toe portion of an upper to a greater
extent than any other portion. This is accomplished by giving to the toe portion
of the stretcher a different motion from that which it has at any other portion. A
simple way of providing for this motion is to pucker the side portion of the outer
flexible envelope for, when this is done, the toe portion of the envelope will begin
to draw and stretch the upper as soon as the frame supporting the outer envelope
receives any movement away from the last; but the puckered portions of the
envelope will have to straighten out before they will be able to draw and stretch
the upper and therefore will not begin their work until some time after the
beginning of the stretching of the toe portion of the upper. The puckered portions
may be normally maintained in a puckered condition by connecting them with
the frame of the outer section of the stretcher through springs. A similar
operation of the inner envelope may be secured by inclining its frame from the toe
portion rearwards so that on the rising of the frame supporting the onter envelope,
this frame will first operate at the toc portion of the frame supporting the inner
envelope to move it away from the last and will some time afterwards impart motion
to the remainder thereof.
The pressing and holding fingers are peculiarly constructed to operate with a
yielding pressure.against the envelopes of the stretcher. Their function is to
produce such a pressure that these envelopes will tightly grip the upper between
them. The tips of these fingers preferably have combined with them a band of
flexible material which extends from one to the other around the last. It is
advantageous to make these fingers in the form of levers having upright and
horizontal portions so that they may be impelled toward the last by means of a
plate having pins projecting from its upper surface. This plate is preferably made
ring-shaped and constructed to rotate around a cylindric portion of the machine
frame. This construction is advantageous because it enables the plate to be
provided with a number or series of pins having different projections suitable for
producing movements of the crimping fingers required for different lasts, as,
obviously, a slight rotary movement of the plate will serve to bring a different set
of pins in position to operate on the crimping fingers.
The plate may be moved up and down by means of a cam. Wearing pieces may
advantageously be introduced between the cam and the plate and fitted to slide in
the machine frame. This plate is composed of two sections which engage by means
of circumferential screw-threads so that by adjusting one section relatively to the
other the depth of the plate as a whole will be varied. It will be readily seen that
this adjustment enables the cam to raise the pins projecting from the upper
surface of the plate to operate at different elevations and consequently to produce
different movements of the pressing and holding fingers, suitable for different lasts.
The crimping fingers which operate in conjunction with the heel and toe portions
of a last may be split or slitted at the ends to render them capable of contracting
into less space as they move inwards. They are preferably fulcrumed to supports
carried by levers which are independent of the crimping fingers, as when this com
bination of parts is adopted, provision is afforded in a simple manner for raising and
lowering the crimping fingers bodily so that they may operate in the proper relation
to any last. These supporting levers may be operated by a plate having pins
projecting from its upper surface and resembling in construction, operation and

page_text: function the plate already mentioned as a means of operating the crimping ringers
themselves.
The crimping fingers may advantageously be made in the form of levers and
fulcrumed to supporting levers. The main portions of the crimping fingers consist
of rods adjustable longitudinally in fulcrum pieces. They are oscillated by a plate
and the supporting levers are also oscillated by a plate provided in its upper surface
with pins and generally resembling in construction, operation and function the
plate first described in connection with the pressing and holding fingers. The
manner of constructing and supporting the crimping fingers provides for adjusting,
them to operate with the greatest effect in conjunction with different lasts.
Ring-shaped plates of the character described, severally composed of two
relatively adjustable sections and having pins projecting from the upper surface, are
very advantageous because a very slight adjustment of them will change the
machine from a condition suitable for one last to a condition suitable for a different
last. Of course any projections or irregularities of surface which will be the
equivalents of pins are intended to be comprehended in the term pins" * used
herein.
The ring-shaped plates described may be used simply to produce the movement
which the various fingers have in fulfilling their functions and then springs may be
used to return them to their normal positions. The upper sections of the rings may
be connected by keys or splines so that they will all be interlocked to rotate in
unison, but will still be left free to move in a vertical direction independently of
each other under impulses from their cams and when their lower sections are rotated
relatively to them. When thus interlocked, they may be combined with the,
swinging arms previously mentioned as constituting the supports for the down-holds
and stretchers so that when either swinging arm is adjusted into a position rendering.
its down-hold and stretcher operative, the ring-shaped plates will be adjusted to
bring the proper set of pins into position to operate the pressing and holding fingers,
and the crimping fingers.
Preferably there will be combined with the cam shafts mechanism which may
serve to automatically arrest the movements of the parts after each lasting
operation. This mechanism is adapted to various other machines. It consists
essentially of a piece affixed to a primary shaft and carrying a spring or springs
having a pin attached to the free end, a gear wheel loosely mounted upon such
shaft and having a number of holes which the pin may enter, and a lever having a
cam surface capable of withdrawing the pin from whichever hole of the
gear wheel
it may have previously engaged. There will also preferably be combined with the
lever a detent or projection or both for engaging with the said piece which is affixed
to the primary shaft and stopping it. To fully understand the operation of this
mechanism, it will be necessary to know that the gear wheel constantly derives
motion through another gear from a driving shaft and imparts it to the primary
shaft upon which it is mounted only when engaged by the pin with the last
mentioned shaft. The lever will preferably be combined with springs whereby it
will be held in position to disengage the pin and will also be rendered free to yield
for the purpose of avoiding violent shocks when it arrests the said piece which is
affixed to the shaft.
The driving shaft will preferably have combined with it means whereby it may
stop to prevent serious injury to the machine. To this end a driving pulley or
wheel which is mounted on the driving shaft. has affixed to it a friction plate or
surface preferably serrated and the driving shaft has keyed to it a similar plate
which is movable lengthwise of the driving shaft and is held against the first
mentioned plate by a spring. It will be readily understood that if breakage of the
machine should produce great resistance to the movement of the driving shaft, the
driving wheel or pulley would continue to rotate because the friction plate last
mentioned will yield lengthwise of the shaft to allow the first mentioned friction
plate or surface that is fastened to the driving wheel or pulley to, continue its;

page_text: rotation. The spring whereby the yielding friction plate is caused to co-act with
its fellow may have its tension varied by means of a nut screwed upon the shaft.
Dated this 28th day of July 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lasting Machines for use in the Manufacture of
Boots and Shoes.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, 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 improvement particularly relates to a lasting machine for which British
Letters Patent No. 7607 May 7th 1889 have already been granted and which
comprises a last holder or jack whereby a last will be supported in an inverted
position, a down-hold whereby an insole will be held upon the sole portion of the
last, a stretcher whereby the upper will be drawn around the last, pressing and
holding fingers whereby the stretchers will be made to firmly grip the upper and
the upper will be held against the last after the movement of the stretcher beyond
the last, and crimping fingers whereby the edge of the upper will be turned in
over the insole.
Certain of the present improvements involve a novel construction of a support
for the holder or jack whereby said support may yield to permit of the adjustment
of lasts of different sizes to bring the sole portion into proper position. In
combination with this yielding support is a clamp or fastener whereby the
support will, after the adjustment of the last to the proper position, be secured in
place. This clamp or fastener is preferably operated automatically by a cam in
the machine.
According to the present improvement, the down-hold of the machine has a
predetermined movement and is enabled, by the yielding support for the last holder,
to insure the last having the proper position.
The down-hold may be moved by means of a lever and links actuated by an
attendant.
The construction of the down-hold itself forms another feature of the present
improvement. It comprises a number of fingers adjustably connected with the
body piece so as to be capable of assuming a variety of positions. Preferably most
of these fingers will be independently adjustable, but a number located at
the heel portion will be connected so as to be adjustable together lengthwise
of the last as well as toward and from the last. The various fingers may be
secured by means of clamping pieces and pressure devices in the body piece of the
down-hold.
Preferably the down-hold is so connected with a rod whereby it is supported as
to be adjustable transversely to the rod and lengthwise of the last.
There are preferably two down-holds, one for a right and the other for a
left last. And when two are used they will be supported by two arms which
can be independently swung into a position over a last or to one side of
the same.
To enable the fingers of the down-hold to act upon the insole as near to the edges
of the latter as possible and yet to form no obstacle to the inward movement of the
crimping fingers during the crimping of the upper over the insole, they are made
resilient so that the crimping fingers may force them inwards, and those which are
opposite either or both of the end portions of the insole may be split or slitted so
that they can be contracted laterally to permit an inward movement.

page_text: The stretcher is composed of two sections having envelopes surrounding the last.
The envelope of one is intended to extend between the last and the upper, that
of the other is intended to be outside the upper and to be forced and held against
the upper by the pressing and holding fingers. The section comprising the inner
envelope may be supported upon the other section or independently upon the last.
In the latter case, it will have legs extending down to the last. The section having
the outer envelope is supported by standards erected upon the machine frame.
Motion may be imparted to the stretcher for the purpose of drawing the upper
around the last by means of rods. Preferably two stretchers, one for a right and
the other for a left last will be used and the rods just mentioned will then be
connected to the swinging arms that support the down-holds, so that either of the
stretchers may be used at pleasure. The rods imparting movement to the stretchers
may be actuated by cams.
It is considered advantageous to stretch the toe portion of an upper to a greater
extent than any other portion. This is accomplished by giving to the toe portion
of the stretcher a different motion from that which it has at any other portion. A
simple way of providing for this motion is to pucker the side portion of the outer
flexible envelope, for, when this is done, the toe portion of the envelope will begin
to draw and stretch the upper as soon as the frame supporting the outer
envelope receives any movement away from the last; but the puckered portions of
the envelope will have to straighten out before they will be able to draw and
stretch the upper and therefore will not begin their work until some time after the
beginning of the stretching of the toe portion of the upper. The puckered portions
may be normally maintained in a puckered condition by connecting them with the
fraine of the outer section of the stretcher through springs. A similar operation
of the inner envelope may be secured by inclining its frame from the toe portion
rearwards so that on the rising of the frame supporting the outer envelope, this
frame will first operate at the toe portion of the frame supporting the inner envelope
to move it away from the last and will some time afterwards impart motion to the
remainder thereof.
The pressing and holding fingers are peculiarly constructed to operate with a
yielding pressure against the envelopes of the stretcher. Their function is to
produce such a pressure that these envelopes will tightly grip the upper between
them. The tips of these fingers preferably have combined with them a band of
flexible material which extends from one to the other around the last. It is
advantageous to make these fingers in the form of levers having upright and horizontal
portions so that they may be impelled toward the last by incans of a plate having
pins projecting from its upper surface. This plate is preferably made ring-shaped
and constructed to rotate around a cylindric portion of the machine frame. This
construction is advantageous because it enables the plate to be provided with a
number or series of pins having different projections suitable for producing move-
ments of the crimping fingers required for different lasts, as, obviously, a slight
rotary movement of the plate will serve to bring a different set of pins in position
to operate on the crimping fingers.
The plate may be moved up and down by means of a cam. Wearing pieces may
advantageously be introduced between the cam and the plate and fitted to slide in
the machine frame. This plate is composed of two sections which engage by
means of circumferential screw-threads so that by adjusting one section relatively
to the other the depth of the plate as a whole will be varied. It will be readily
seen that this adjustment enables the cam to raise the pins projecting from the
upper surface of the plate to operate at different elevations and consequently to
produce different movements of the pressing and holding fingers, suitable for
different lasts.
The crimping fingers which operate in conjunction with the heel and toe portions
of a last may be split or slitted at the ends to render them capable of contracting
into less space as they move inwards. They are preferably fulcrumed to supports
carried by levers which are independent of the crimping fingers, as when this

page_text: combination of parts is adopted, provision is afforded in a simple manner for raising
and lowering the crimping fingers bodily so that they may operate in the proper
relation to any last. These supporting levers may be operated by a plate having
pins projecting from its upper surface and resembling in construction, operation and
function the plate already mentioned as a means of operating the crimping fingers
themselves.
The crimping fingers may advantageously be made in the form of levers and
fulcrumed to supporting levers. The main portions of the crimping fingers consist
of rods adjustable longitudinally in fulcrum pieces. They are oscillated by a plate
provided in its upper surface with pins and generally resembling in construction,
operation and function the plate first described in connection with the pressing and
holding fingers. The manner of constructing and supporting the crimping fingers
provides for adjusting them to operate with the greatest effect in conjunction with
different lasts.
Ring-shaped plates of the character described, severally composed of two
relatively adjustable sections and having pins projecting from the upper surface,
are very advantageous because a very slight adjustment of them will change the
machine from a condition suitable for one last to a condition suitable for a different
last. Of course any projections or irregularities of surface which will be the
equivalents of pins are intended to be comprehended in the term "pins" used
herein.
The ring-shaped plates.described may be used simply to produce the movement
which the various fingers have in fulfilling their functions and then springs may be
used to return them to their normal positions. The upper sections of the rings may
be connected by keys or splints so that they will all be interlocked to rotate in
unison, but will still be left free to move in a vertical direction independently of
each other under impulses from their cams and when their lower sections are
rotated relatively to them. When thus interlocked, they may be combined with
the swinging arms previously mentioned as constituting the supports for the down-
holls and stretchers so that when either swinging arm is adjusted into a position
rendering its down-hold and stretcher operative, the ring-shaped plates will be
adjusted to bring the proper set of pins into position to operate the pressing and
holding fingers and the crimping fingers.
Preferably there will be combined with the cam shafts mechanism which may
serve to automatically arrest the movements of the parts after each lasting
operation. This mechanism is adapted to various other machines. It consists
essentially of a piece affixed to a primary shaft and carrying a spring or springs
having a pin attached to the free end, a gear wheel loosely mounted upon such
shaft and having a number of holes which the pin may enter, and a lever having a
cam surface capable of withdrawing the pin from whichever hole of the gear
wheel it may have previously engaged. There will also preferably be combined
with the lever a detent or projection or both for engaging with the said piece
which is affixed to the primary shaft and stopping it. To fully understand the
operation of this mechanism, it will be necessary to know that the gear wheel
constantly derives motion through another gear from a driving shaft and imparts it
to the primary shaft upon which it is mounted only when engaged by the pin with
the last mentioned shaft. The lever will preferably be combined with springs
whereby it will be held in position to disengage the pin and will also be rendered
free to yield for the purpose of avoiding violent shocks when it arrests the said
piece which is affixed to the shaft.
The driving shaft will preferably have combined with it means whereby it may
stop to prevent serious injury to the machine. To this end a driving pulley or
wheel mounted loosely on the driving shaft has affixed to it a friction plate or
surface preferably serrated and the driving shaft has keyed to it a similar plate
which is movable lengthwise of the driving shaft and is held against the first
mentioned plate by a spring. It will be readily understood that if breakage of
the machine should produce.great resistance to the movement of the driving shaft,

page_text: the driving wheel or pulley would continue to rotate because the friction plate last
mentioned will yield lengthwise of the shaft to allow the first mentioned friction
plate or surface that is fastened to the driving wheel or pulley to continue its
rotation. The spring whereby the yielding friction plate is caused to co-act with
its fellow may have its tension varied by means of a nut screwed upon the shaft.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a vertical section of a lasting machine embodying my improvement,
the section being taken as indicated by the dotted line. Figure 9.
Figure 2 is a vertical section taken substantially in a plane at right angles to the
principal plane of Figure 1, as indicated by the dotted line y y Figure 9.
Figure 3 is an inverted plan of certain parts toward which the arrow t in
Figure 2 points.
Figure 4 is a vertical section corresponding to Figure 2, but it is made in a
larger scale and does not show all the parts which are included in Figure 2. Certain
parts which it shows and which are also illustrated by Figure 2 are shown in
different positions.
Figure 5 is a side view of the machine excepting only that certain of the upper
parts have been omitted.
Figure 6 is a top view of the principal parts of the machine, but certain parts of
the machine are represented as broken away and other parts are entirely omitted in
this figure.
Figure 7 is a top view of certain parts which are also represented in Figure 6,
but in Figure 7 these parts are illustrated upon a much larger scale and are
represented as occupying different positions.
Figure 8 is a top view of some of the parts which are illustrated in Figure 7 and
certain other parts which do not appear in this figure. Here the parts which are
also shown in Figure 7 are represented in different positions.
Figure 9 is a horizontal section taken at the plane of the dotted line z z
looking downwards.
Figure 2
Figure 10 is an inverted plan of certain rings whose upper surfaces are illustrated
in Figure 9.
Figure 11 is a perspective view of an arm whereby the rings just mentioned may
be rotated.
Figure 12 is a horizontal section taken at the plane of the dotted line w w
Figure 2 looking downwards.
Figure 13 is an end view of a portion of the machine looking in the direction
indicated by the arrow » Figure 1.
Figure 14 is a side view on an enlarged scale of a device termed a down-hold
and which is employed to hold the last down during a certain part of the operation
of lasting. This view also represents a portion of a last in dotted outline.
Figure 15 is a top view of the down-hold and includes a representation in
dotted outline of a last.
Figure 16 is a section taken at the plane of the dotted line uu Figure 14 looking
in a direction indicated by the arrow marked at the end of the line.
Figure 17 is a view of certain parts which are used at the heel portion of the
down-hold.
Figure 18 is a top view of the outer section of a device termed a stretcher
whereby the leather forming the upper of the shoe is drawn and stretched over
the last.
Figure 19 is a side view of the outer section of the stretcher.
Figure 20 is a top view of the inner section of the stretcher.
Figure 21 is a longitudinal section of the inner section of the stretcher. It also
includes in dotted outline a representation of the sole portion of a last.
Figure 22 is an enlarged vertical section of the upper extremity of one of a
number of pressing and holding fingers.
Figure 23 is a perspective view of the outer side of the upper extremity of one.
of a number of pressing and holding fingers and a band secured thereto and a tip

page_text: belonging to another pressing and holding finger and which is secured to the
band.
Figure 24 is a side view of a part of the base portion of a machine frame and
of the bed piece, also of a portion of one of a number of rings provided with
pins which are used in the machine. This view also shows a pin connected with the
bed piece to be operated by any one of the pins which are represented as attached
to the ring.
Figure 25 is a top view of the ring represented in Figure 4 and of a number of
other similar rings. This view also includes a horizontal section of part of the
base portion of the machine frame.
Figure 26 is an enlarged top view of one of a number of crimping fingers.
Figure 27 is an end view of this crimping finger.
Figure 28 is a side clevation of a detent which is employed for bringing the
machine to rest and in this view an arm which co-acts with the detent is also
represented.
Figure 29 is a face view of one of two parts by which motion is transmitted
from a driving pulley to the machine proper.
Figure 30 is a sectional elevation illustrating a modified construction of a
stretcher which is comprised in the machine.
Figure 31 is a vertical section taken at the line 7 7 Figure 30.
Figure 32 is a top view of an outer section of the stretcher.
Figure 33 is a vertical section taken as indicated by the liner Figure 31,
looking in the direction indicated by the arrow which is marked at one end of the
line.
Figure 34 is a vertical section taken at the plane of the dotted line s s
Figure 33.
Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.
Preliminarily to a detailed description of this machine, I will explain its salient
features, thinking thereby to conduce to a ready understanding of the new
improvements.
A designates a last. B designates a jack or holder for the last. It will be seen
that the last occupies an inverted position in the machine. D1 D2 designate two
down-holds. These down-holds are alike excepting only that one is intended for
use with a left last and the other with a right last. Of course only one is used with
any last.
When either is used it is brought into a position above the last to hold
the last against any upward movement at a certain stage in the operation of lasting.
Each down-hold comprises a number of resilient fingers which are normally
separated at some little distance from each other but which may be crowded
together and bent inwards. C' C designate a stretcher. Two such devices will
be used and they will differ merely in that one will be adapted for a left and the
other for a right last. The function of this device is to draw and stretch the
leather forming the upper tightly around the last. E designates a number of
pressing and holding fingers which are designed to hold the upper firmly against
the last after the upper shall have been drawn and strained around the last.
E designates a holding band which is intermediate of the pressing and holding
fingers and the last and which is pressed against the upper by these fingers.
F designates crimping fingers which move inwards to force the edge of the upper
over the sole portion of the last.
I will now explain the operation of the parts which I have just described. The
last A, after having an upper arranged upon it, is placed on the holder or jack B.
The upper is then stretched forward, and while it is held central, the lever cam
is operated so as to force the clamp 3 upward. Thus the holder or jack, which is
U-shaped, springs and clamps the upper between the clamp and the last, holding
it central. After this is done the inner section C¹ of the stretcher is placed on
the last, so that its depending portion or envelope will extend between the last and
the upper leather. The outer section C2 of the stretcher, having becu previously
placed on its supports, in its proper place in the machine, the jack, last, upper and

page_text: stretching section C₁ are lowered through it into the machine, while_properly
connected. The insole is then dropped through the inner stretcher C¹. It will be
understood that after the two sections of the stretcher shall have been placed in
position the edge of the upper will extend between them. The down-hold now is
lowered. It forces the last down to its proper position and serves to hold the
insole firmly upon the last. In this way the last will be forced down to its proper
position and the insole will be held fast upon it. Next the pressing and holding
fingers are set in motion. In the initial movement, they are elevated or lowered if
this be necessary to bring them into proper vertical position to enable them to
operate upon the particular last which is in the machine and afterwards they are
oscillated in such manner as that their upper end portions and the band E² will be
forced inwards to tightly and firmly hold the upper and stretcher sections together
and the inner stretcher section against the last. The succeeding step in the
operation consists in the elevation of the two sections of the stretchers. As the
edge portion of the upper is at the time tightly gripped and held between the two
sections of the stretcher, it will be drawn upwardly and stretched tightly around
the last. Now the crimping fingers operate. First, they move longitudinally
until they reach the edge portion of the upper and press it against the fingers of
the down-hold. Then they are oscillated so as to lower their inner ends properly
to enable them to press the edge of the upper portion tightly around the edge
portion of the insole which is laid upon the last. This inward movement of the
crimpers is continued and results in pressing the fingers of the down-hold together
and crowding or crimping the edge portion of the upper tightly over the insole
which is upon the last. It must be understood that the upper held all this time
by the pressing and holding fingers E' and holding band E2. The down-hold is
raised and moved out of the way. It leaves the crimpers holding the edge portion
of the upper down upon the insole which was laid upon the last. The edge portion
of the upper is then-tacked, to the insole in any suitable manner, preferably with a
tacking tool. The tacks are clinched underneath the insole by coming in contact
with a metal facing plate arranged upon the sole portion of the last. I have not
deemed it necessary to represent this metal facing plate because it is customary to
provide lasts with such a plate. The operation of lasting having thus been
completed, the crimpers F and the pressing and holding fingers E', together with
the band E, are moved away from the last, whereupon the latter with the jack or
holder B may be removed from the machine.
Having now, as I think, prepared the mind to readily understand the details of
the machine, I will proceed with a description of them. The jack or holder B is
substantially of U form having a body and two substantially parallel arms b
The arm is inserted in the metal socket a with which the heel portion of the last
is provided and the arm & bears against the portion of the upper which fits around
the toe portion of the last. The arm 2 is telescoped at the end 3 which is faced
with leather to bear against the upper and which may be forced lengthwise of the
main section of the arm 2 by means of a lever for the purpose of canting the last
so that it will be firmly held upon the arm . The last is of course fitted to the
jack or holder after being fitted with the upper.
When the last and the jack or holder B are introduced into the machine the body
portion of the jack or holder rests in seats which are formed on or attached to
the upper extremities of vertically sliding rods B. These seats preferably have
flaring sides as may be understood from reference to Figure 2 to facilitate the
fitting of the jack or holder into them. The rods B' pass through vertical holes in
a hub-like portion p with which the bed piece P is provided. Springs 132 surround
the rods B between the bottoms of their seats 6 and the top of the bed piece P.
They sustain the rods in the position which they are to normally occupy but allow
them to yield vertically to afford provision for adjusting the last into the proper
vertical position.
Around the hub-like portion p of the bed piece is an annular cavity p'. Beneath

page_text: this cavity is a plate 2 which may be seen best in Figures 2 and 3. It is formed
integral with the bed piece and has in one face semi-circular cavities which com-
municate with the holes of the hub-like portion p through which the rods B pass.
Opposite this plate is a plate which has similar semi-circular cavities and
which is capable of movement toward and from the plate to enable it in con-
junction with the latter to clamp or release the rods B¹.
At the time of the insertion of the last with the jack or holder B the rods B' are
unclamped and are supported solely by the springs B². After the adjustment of
the last to the proper position the rods will, as a part of the operation of the
machine be clamped tightly in place to hold the last in such position. I will now
explain how this clamping is done. The plate p is provided with a female screw-
thread. As here shown, this is done by attaching a nut pt to the plate. This nut,
it will be seen, upon reference to Figures 2 and 3, is arranged at one side of the
plate and provided with a collar or neck which enters a cavity formed in the outer
side of the plate, and a set screw ps is employed to secure the collar or neck of the
nut in the plate and so that it will be incapable of rotation. A rock shaft pe passes
through the plates p³ and also through the nut. This shaft is supported solely
by the plate. It is screw-threaded and engaged with the nut p. At the end
which protrudes from the plate p², the shaft has a projection or head which bears
on the outer side of this plate and precludes the shaft from any longitudinal move-
ment toward the plate ³. Obviously a movement of the screw in one direction
will cause it to draw the plate p³ toward the plate and forcibly clamp the
rods B between these plates. It will be readily understood that a reverse rotary
movement of the shaft p will by its co-action with the nut move the plate p³
away from the plate so as to release the rods B'. The shaft, is oscillated by
means of a cam B³ affixed to a shaft S¹ which is journalled in the base portion P¹ of
the machine. This cam B3 rotates within a frame B which is rigidly affixed to the
head of the shaft and has arc-shaped portions against which operates a
peripheral segment of the cam made concentric with the shaft S¹. While this
peripheral segment of the cam is travelling along either of the arc-shaped
portions of the frame B it maintains the lever in position. It imparts motion
to the lever only while passing from one of the arc-shaped portions of the frame to
the other. The frame, B', as here shown, is made of two bent rods which at one
end bear against each other and fit between jaws or checks which are formed
integral with or rigidly secured to the head of the rock shaft. Set screws passing
through these jaws or cheeks and impinging against the portions of the rods which
are embraced by them fasten the latter securely in place. At the other ends these
rods are united by a cross-piece.
I will now further describe the stretcher C' C. Its construction may be best
understood by reference to Figures 18, 19, 20 and 21. The outer section (2
consists of a metal plate and a depending flexible envelope c³. The plate 2
conforms in general shape to the outline of the sole portion of a last. It may have
the peculiarities of a right or a left last as two stretchers will preferably be used.
It is longer than any last used in the machine and is open at the portion which
corresponds to the heel of the last. The envelope preferably consists of a strip of
stout leather fastened at the upper edge to the plate and extending downwardly
therefrom. Like the plate, this strip is open at the end corresponding to the heel
portion of a last. A convenient way of attaching the envelope to the plate c² is to
bend its edge outwardly against the under side of the plate and to place a smaller
plate beneath the outwardly turned portion of the envelope and to force it by
screws or otherwise toward the main plate for the purpose of clamping the inter-
posed portion of the envelope to the plate c².
Standards C fastened to the bed piece serve to support the outer stretcher
section. As here shown, the upper extremities of these standards are enlarged and
notched on the inner side to form seats for the outer edge portion of the plate c².
The section C, which is best illustrated in Figures 20 and 21 comprises a plate c¹

page_text: which is constructed of a size and shape to lap over the plate of the outer
section C of the stretcher. The outer section of the stretcher is in this way
enabled to engage with the inner section.
It will be seen that the plate c' is continuous or, in other words, endless instead
of being open at the heel portion. It has neither the peculiarities of a right or left
last, but is constructed so that it may operate in conjunction with a last of either
kind.
From the plate c¹ of the inner stretcher section an envelope c' extends. This
preferably consists of a number of leaves of sheet metal fastened at the upper
extremity to the plate c'. These leaves lap over each other and form a continuous
envelope which fits between the edge portion of the upper and the last.
This inner stretcher section is provided with legs which will prevent its
descending too low upon the last. These are shown as consisting of metal strips
which are fastened to the plate c' and extend downwardly at such points that they
may rest upon the last.
Preferably the inner stretcher section will be placed upon the last before the
introduction of the last with its jack or holder into the machine and all these parts
will be passed through the opening in the plate of the outer stretcher section in
introducing them into the machine."
The inner stretcher section may be supported by the contact of its legs with
the insole on the sole portion of the last.
I have already explained that the stretcher sections are drawn upwards at a
certain stage in the operation of the machine. The means for elevating them
consist of rods C³ C fitted to slide vertically in bent arms or goose necks. There
are two of these arms or goose necks because there are two down-holds. They are
marked G G². Each has rods C³ C combined with it. As both these arms or
goose necks and their appurtenances are alike, it will be sufficient to describe but
one. The base of each goose neck is fitted to a plate which is shown as
arranged in the same plane with the top portion of the bed piece and may be
regarded as in effect a portion of the bed piece. The goose neck is so connected
with this plate as to be free to rotate. As here shown, the connection is made by
providing the base portion of the goose neck with a circumferential groove and
fastening to the plate P2 a plate P³ having at the upper edge an inwardly extended
circular flange which enters a groove of the goose neck. As here shown, the
goose neck is provided with a groove by making it in two sections arranged one
below the other and fastened together by screws g. The lower section has a
sleeve which extends down below the plate P². The purpose of this sleeve will
be explained hereafter. The plate P2 is shown as formed integral with a frame p'
which is supported by the base portion of the machine frame.
The rod C is provided at the lower extremity with a cross plate cand the
rod C is provided at its lower end with a button c. Normally these rods occupy
such relation to the goose neck G that when this goose neck is swung around to
a position over the stretcher C C² the cross plate e of the rod C³ will swing
under lugs with which the plate c² of the outer stretcher section is provided and
the button of the rod C will swing into engagement with a hook co which
extends from the toe portion of the said plate 2. After this the rods C³ C₁ are
elevated and as they ascend they draw up the stretcher and thereby effect the
drawing and stretching of the upper around the last.
The neaus here shown for elevating the rods C3 C4 consist of a yoke H to
which they are fastened at the upper ends and which in turn is secured to a
vertically movable rod H¹ that slides vertically through the goose neck G¹.
On
this rod H a toothed rack is provided and with this rack a toothed segment
lever H engages. This segment lever is fulcrumed between its ends by a pin
to the goose neck. The outer end of the lever is pivotally connected to a rod H³
that extends downwardly through the goose neck and at the lower extremity is
pivotally connected with one arm of a lever H. The lever H is fulcrumed at
one end by a pin to the base portion of the machine frame. Intermediately of

page_text: its ends it is acted upon by a cam H that is affixed to the shaft H'. I have
shown the lever as provided with an anti-friction bowl or wheel 2 at the point
where it derives motion from the cam. The cam H, it will be seen, has two
short concentric portions with intermediate eccentric curved portions. A. spring H
is employed to swing the lever upwardly. The particular form of spring
represented is a grasshopper spring. It is fastened at one end to the base
portion of the machine frame, while at the other end it bears against the free end
of the lever H¹.
While that one of the two concentric portions which is described with the
longer radius is operating upon the lever, the lever will be maintained in its lowest
position and the rods C3C will be elevated and while the concentric portion which
is described with the shorter radius is operating upon the lever, the lever will be
maintained in its highest position as represented in Figure 1. Then the
rods C³ C will be maintained in a position which will render them capable of
engaging with the plate c² of the outer stretcher section C². The shifting of the
lever from one position to the other will be accomplished during the time that
the eccentric surfaces of the cam are acting upon the lever. It will be obvious
from this explanation that the lever dwells for a considerable time in each of its
positions during the operation of the machine.
In Figures 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34, I have shown that the plate c¹ of the inner
section of the stretcher normally rests upon the plate c² of the outer section C²
only opposite the toc portion of the last and that the opposite end portion of said
plate is supported by the legs e, in such position that it is elevated above the
plate of the outer envelope. It is obvious that owing to this, the plate c² of
the outer section will, at the beginning of each upward movement raise the toe
portion of the plate of the inner section of the stretcher but will not raise the
remainder of the plate e' until after the said plate is raised some distance.
The first pull of the envelope of the inner section will therefore be at the toe
portion of the last. The importance of this I will explain presently.
I have shown that the heel plate of the envelope may be slitted vertically at
the lower portion if desired.
I have shown in these Figures 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34, that the envelope of the
outer section of the stretcher may be puckered except at the toe portion.
Springs, which may consist of bands of rubber connected to the plate e² at one
end and at the other end to a wire which is fastened by stitching or otherwise
to the envelope in a line parallel with the edge of said plate, may serve as a
means for puckering the envelope. Outside the springs a plate is extended to
cause that portion of the envelope that is below the puckered portion to be
vertical. This puckering is gradual, beginning at a point near the toe portion
and gradually increasing from there to the heel portion, and may be limited by
stops (19
Owing to this puckering, the initial movement of the outer section of the
stretcher will cause the drawing of the upper over the toe portion of the last,
but will not draw the remainder of the upper around the last until after the initial
movement because until the puckered portion of the envelope is straightened out,
that portion of the envelope can have no effect in drawing the upper around the
last.
It is considered by manufacturers of shoes to be very advantageous to draw the
upper over the toe of the last to a greater extent than at any other portion, and
this is secured by the peculiar action which the stretcher when modified as
illustrated in Figures 30, 31, 32, 33 and 34 will have by reason of the fact that it
will pull throughout its movement upon the toe portion of the upper and only
throughout a portion of its movement upon the remainder of the upper.
.
I will now fully explain the down-holds D D. As each differs from the other
merely in being for a different kind of last, as, for example, for a left last instead
of a right last, it will be necessary to describe but one. Its construction is best
illustrated by Figures 1, 2, 4, 14, 15, 16 and 17, It consists of a number of fingers d

page_text: dd, which are secured to a holder or body piece d. The fingers d' d² are con-
siderably thicker at the upper and lower extremity than throughout the middle
portion, as may be readily understood by reference to Figures 1 and 2. The
extra thickness is at the inner side, hence these fingers have inward projections at
the ends. Intermediately of these inward projections the fingers are resilient and
normally have a tendency to remain substantially straight. In the under side of
the body piece d of the downhold is a cavity d. This cavity is well illustrated in
Figures and 2. Its shape may also be understood from Figure 15 where
it is shown in dotted outline. It will be seen from this figure that like the body
piece it is of rectangular form except at one end where it is rounded. The upper
ends of the fingers extend upward into the cavity and also into holes d³
which extend from the cavity d through the top of the body piece d.
These
holes, it will be seen, are considerably larger than the upper ends of the
fingers so that these ends of the fingers may have a slight movement therein
in the direction of the length of the body piece and also in a direction at right
angles to the length of the body piece. The fingers d', it will be seen, are
arranged in pairs so that opposite cach of these finger pieces which is at one side
of the down-hold there will be another on the other side of the down-hold.
Between the several pairs of the fingers d', plates are interposed in the body
piece d. There is one of these plates between each pair of the fingers and the
next adjacent pair. These plates are of such thickness as to maintain the fingers
at the desired distances apart and to maintain the fingers out of contact with the
sides of the holes (³.
It will be seen by reference to Figure 16 that the body piece is provided with
inwardly turned lips at the bottom of the cavity d. The plates d are made
T-shaped or in other words are somewhat shorter at the extreme lower edge than
above the same. By reason of this they are enabled to fit snugly to the side
walls of the cavity of the body piece. At the unrounded end of the body piece
notches are cut through the lip d' so as to enable the plates to be inserted.
The fingers occupy radial positions in the rounded end of the cavity das
may be readily understood by reference to Figure 15. Between the upper end of
each of these fingers and the next is a triangular spacing and clamping piece d
and between the upper ends of the adjacent fingers d', d², are fitted spacing and
clamping pieces which have flat sides that bear against the adjacent fingers d',
inclined sides which fit against the adjacent fingers and arc-shaped outer
surfaces which bear against the rounded portion of the cavity in the body
piece.
The body piece is provided with means for clamping the fingers a d² in place.
As here shown, these means consist of screws 10 which engage with tapped holes in
the unrounded end of the body piece and impinge against that one of the plates de
which is the nearer to its end of the body piece. By turning these screws, they
may be made to force all the fingers and the plates d together and also to
force the foremost fingers d' into tight contact with the clamping pieces d', and
moreover, to force all the fingers d2 and their clamping pieces tightly together.
The fingers d d are to be set differently for use in conjunction with lasts of
different dimensions, but as two down-holds are provided it is not intended that
either down-hold shall have its fingers adjusted to adapt it for a left instead of a
right last.
It will be readily seen that if the clamping screws d are turned so as to relax
the pressure upon the fingers and their clamping plates, that these fingers may be
raised or lowered in the body piece and may be rocked inwards or outwards to adapt
them for operation with any particular last of the kind for which the down-hold in
which they are incorporated is intended, and that after such adjustment they may
be securely clamped in position by properly turning the clamping screws. The
longitudinal adjustment of the fingers may be automatic if the last is placed under
them and the screws are turned to loosen the fingers sufficiently to permit of
their movement by gravity.
.

page_text: The fingers preferably have formed in them slits which extend from their
lower extremities upwards. The advantage of this construction is that the lower
ends of these fingers may contract laterally and hence be capable of being moved
inwards even after the sides of the several fingers contact with each other. The
lower ends of these fingers as well as the lower ends of the fingers d', it will be
remembered, are moved inwards by the inward movement of the crimpers F in the
operation of turning or crimping the edge portion of the upper over the insole
which is placed upon the last. In Figure 4 this inward movement of the fingers is
illustrated.
The fingers are shown as made integral with a body plate 3 which is cominon
to all. These fingers it will be seen are intended to co-operate with the heel
portion of an insole and last. This plate d¹³ is shown as fastened by screws to
a block d From this block extends upwardly a plate which is provided with
two horizontal slots . The plate de fits between two cheeks or jaws 8 which
extend downwardly from a plate which is of such dimensions that it may be
inserted into the cavity d of the body piece d of the down-hold. Screws pass
through one of the cheeks or jaws through the slots of the plate and engage
with tapped holes in the other check or jaw so as to be able to secure the plate 16
in place. The plate will be made of such size that it can pass upwards between
the lips d', hence it is capable of a vertical movement within the cavity d and in
this respect is unlike the fingers . The plate is fitted between some of the
plates which are in rear of the fingers d and hence it may be clamped and
loosened by the action of the screws do. When loosened it may be raised or
lowered to suit a last for which the down-hold is to be adjusted. The horizontal
slots of the plate de afford provision for moving the fingers 3 bodily toward or
away from the fingers without moving the plate in the same direction.
Fingers may be removed or added when the fingers d³ are moved in the direction
of the length of the body piece, hence the down-hold may be elongated or shortened.
Any number of the plates may be arranged in rear of the plate to enable the
screws do to fulfil their function.
As here
The fingers may be slitted at the lower extremities in the same manner as the
fingers Within this series of fingers a post or pin may be arranged.
The body piece of each down-hold has a shank 21 connected to it.
shown this shank is connected to the body piece in such manner as that there may
be a relative movement between it and the body piece in the direction of the length
of the latter. On the top of the body piece is a plate which extends length-
wise of the latter and has side flanges at its upper portion. The shank is
provided with a plate like portion which is trough shaped on the under side to
enable it to embrace the plate 22 and at the lower extremities its plate like portion
has lips or flanges which fit under the flanges of the plate d In this way a sort
of dovetailed connection is provided between the plate 22 and the plate-like
portion of the shank A. set screw engaging with a tapped hole in the
plate-like portion 3 of the shank and impinging upon the top of the plate 2 of
the body piece serves to secure the body piece and shank in their proper relative
positions after adjustment.
The shank of each body piece fits in a tube D³ and the tube D³ is free to slide
vertically within one goose neck or arm G¹or G. As shown, this tube D³ surrounds
the rod H of the goose neck or arm to which it belongs and is longitudinally
slotted to enable the corresponding lever H2 to pass through it and engage with the
said rod H. The shank of the body piece may be fastened in this tube D³ by
means of a cross pin or otherwise. The tube D³ has affixed to its lower end a
collar D25 which has flanges at the upper and lower edges and hence a circum-
ferential groove. The upper flange is shown as removable and is secured in place
by a screw thread to the body of the collar. A ring fits in the groove of the
collar and is provided with trunnions 27 with which are pivotally connected
links d. These links d8 are also pivotally connected with bell crank levers d
which are arranged one on each side of the goose neck or arm and fulcrumed to a

page_text: As the
The
pin which is supported by the latter. One of the levers d" is extended a con-
siderable distance and provided with a handle for oscillating it.
operator manipulates this handle 31 to raise and lower the downhold, the lever
which is provided with this handle is adjusted into contact with a stop ³².
When the handle is not intended to be used and when said lever is adjusted into
this position it and its fellow as well as the links will bear such relation to the
fulcrum das that the down-hold will be maintained in an elevated position.
To lower the down-hold, the handle 3 of the lever is pushed upwards
downward motion of the down-hold resulting from this movement of the handle is
intended to be such that the down-hold will adjust the sole portion of the last into
a predetermined position regardless of the size of the last so that whatever its size
it shall always occupy the proper relation to the pressing and holding fingers and
also to the crimping fingers. By supporting the jack or last holder B through the
springs B, provision is afforded for a downward movement of the last under a force
imparted to it by the down-hold. It will of course be understood that this
downward movement occurs before the rods B' are clamped in position.
When the last used in the machine is a left last that one of the goose necks or
arms which is provided with a left down-hoid will be swung into position to enable
this down-hold to be operated and when a reverse last is used this goose neck or
arm will be swung out of position and the other will be swung into position so that
its down-hold can be used. The swinging movement of the goose necks or arms is
restricted by means of stops g. It is only necessary that each should swing about
a quarter of a rotation. The stops consist of pins rising from the plate P. The
base portions of the goose necks are provided with radially extending pins 130 which
will come into contact with the pins g
The pressing and holding fingers E¹ will now be described in detail. These
fingers severally consist of strips of metal bent to form what may be termed
upright portions el and horizontal portions . It is desirable that the upright
portions should have resilience and in order to give the upright portions that
length which is requisite to provide the desired degree of resilience the strips
forming these fingers are bent downwardly at the inner end, as at e³, of the
horizontal portions e² and thence upwardly to form the upright portions e¹. The
downwardly bent portions of the strips and the lower part of their upright
portions e extend into the annular cavity p'. Each finger E' is fulcrumed at the
junction of its horizontal portion and downwardly extending portion in a
support. The support consists of two plates arranged side by side at a
sufficient distance apart to accommodate a finger E¹, but they are united by being
riveted to a block which may be seen best in Figure 1 and to a lever e which
carries said support. The fulcrum of the finger piece is formed by the bearing
which the block es affords to the angle formed by the junction of the horizontal
portion and the downwardly extending portion of the finger piece. The face.
of the block e is angular but of course it is a more acute angle than that of the
adjacent. portion of the finger so as to allow of the rocking of the finger upon it and
its thickness is reduced in such direction that the finger tip may move toward or
away from a last in the machine.
Each of the levers e which carry the finger supports e is fulcrumed between its
ends by a pin e' in a stand es which is affixed to the bed piece P of the machine
adjacent to the cavity p thereof. The said levers are also provided with
springs which act between the said levers and the horizontal portions of the
finger-piece.
Each lever may be oscillated to raise or lower the corresponding finger El
into the proper position to operate upon a last in the machine. The oscillation of
the finger piece upon the fulcrum in its support et serves to move the tip of the
finger toward or away from the last. The plates comprised in each support et serve
to guide the upright portion of the corresponding finger and to sustain it against
deflection in a plane transverse to the sides of the plates.
It will be seen (especially in Figures 22 and 23) that the fingers E' have tips e

page_text: which are fastened to their upright portions e¹. A. convenient way of attaching
these tips is to provide them at one end with screw-threaded sockets and to form
screw threads upon the extremities of the upright portions el for engaging with the
sockets. The upper extremities of the fingers are inclined slightly inwards and the
tipse of course have the same inclination. It is advantageous to form a notch or
jog in the upper portion of that side of the finger pieces which is towards the last.
The band E is attached to the inner sides of the finger tips and when the finger
tips move inwards is pressed against the upper upon the last. It is made preferably
of a woven fabric having strips of rubber incorporated into it to render it elastic.
Its function is to prevent the finger tips from marring the upper. A convenient
way of attaching the band to the finger tips is to provide the latter with facing
pieces of sheet metal extending over the sides which are toward the last and
bent across the upper and lower extremities and a slight distance over the back
and to form in these facing pieces holes through which the band may be stitched
to fasten it to the facing pieces.
The levers are oscillated by means of vertically sliding pins 10 and the levers
forming the pressing and holding fingers El are oscillated by vertically sliding
pins e These pins el ell are not all of the same length. The different pins e
vary in length at different parts of the machine and this is equally true of the
pins e. They work in tubes e" which are erected upon the bed piece P. In the
pins are longitudinal grooves and into these grooves project pins or set screws e¹³,
Figure 4, which are inserted transversely in the tubes. These pins or screws
prevent the pins el ell from dropping out of the tubes 12, but afford facility for
removing the pins and inserting others of different lengths as may be required for
different lasts. The upper ends of the tubes 12 are notched or bifurcated and the
ends of the levers e and the levers forming the pressing and holding fingers El
fit in the notched or bifurcated portions of the tubes. When the pins eo are moved
upwards the levers e are oscillated so as to lower the pressing and holding fingers
to the extent necessary to adjust the tips of the latter to the desired positions. As
soon as the pins e descend or become free to descend springs ele oscillate the
levers in the reverse direction and thereby raise the pressing and holding fingers.
These springs e¹ are as represented helical in form and are connected at one end
with the upright portions el of the pressing and holding fingers and at the other
end to a rail which is supported by standards or posts el erected on the bed
piece P. The rail e extends entirely around the series of pressing and holding
fingers. The springs are connected at one end to the standards 8 and at the
other end to the pressing and holding finger supports e.
An upward movement of the pins e" will oscillate the levers forming the pressing
and holding fingers E' in such direction as that their tips and the band E2 will
move toward the last. As soon as the pins e descend or become free to descend
the springs will oscillate these levers in the reverse direction and move their
tips and the band E away from the last.
I will now describe the means whereby the pins e¹0 e¹¹ are operated.
E3 E designate two rings carrying series of pins el e¹. These rings may
perhaps be best understood by reference to Figures 1, 2, 5 and 9. They surround
the base portion of the machine frame. The inner ring E³ is held in place by the
base portion of the machine frame. The ring E fits. around the ring E3 and is
held in place by it.
The ring E is raised periodically by cams Es affixed to the shaft S¹. It will
descend by gravity when this cam recedes from it. The ring E may be raised
and allowed to descend in the same manner by means of cams E which are
affixed to the shaft S¹.
When the ring E is raised its pins e18 will raise the pins e¹ and the levers e
will be oscillated by the latter so as to lower the levers forming the pressing and
holding fingers E¹. On a descent of this ring, the levers e will be oscillated by
the springs in the reverse direction.
When the ring E³ rises its pins e¹7 will raise the pins e" and. oscillate the levers

page_text: forming the pressing and holding fingers so that the tips of the latter and the
band E will be moved toward the last. The descent of the ring E³ will permit
the spring e to reversely oscillate these levers.
The pins el are not the same length all round the rings E3 E4, but vary in
length because the motions which it is necessary to impart to the levers e and
to the levers forming the pressing and holding fingers are different to enable
these levers to operate at different portions of the last.
It will be seen by reference to Figures 1, 2 & 5 that the ring E3 is composed of
two sections el 20. The section has at the upper edge an outwardly extending
flange and below this flange has a screw-thread formed on its exterior surface. The
section 20 has at the lower edge an inwardly extending flange and above this flange
has a screw-thread formed on its inner surface to engage with the screw-thread of
the section e. Obviously a rotary movement of the section 20 in one direction
will produce an elevation of the section and a reverse rotation thereof will
effect the lowering of the section ". Owing to the construction of the ring E³
of two sections provision is afforded for varying the vertical dimensions of the
ring.
The ring E is constructed precisely like the ring E³ of two sections 212 The
rotary adjustment of the section 22 will raise or lower the section to vary the
vertical extension of this ring. The flange of the section of the ring E³ bears
against the inner surface of the section of the ring and is locked to the latter
section so that it can have no rotary movement independently thereof. The locking
is effected by introducing a key into notches in the said sections 21 of the
rings E³, E
Outside the ring E' is a ring F' and outside of the ring F₁ is a ring F2. The
ring F is composed of two sections corresponding with the sections of the
rings E3 E already described and the ring F is composed of two sections of
the same character. The section of the ring E' is locked to the section of
the ring F by a key f³, inserted in notches provided in said sections and the
section of the ring F is locked to the section 3 of the ring F by means of a
key inserted in notches formed in these sections. In brief, the section of the
ring E, the section of the ring E, the section of the ring F and the section f³
of the ring are all locked together so as to be incapable of independent rotation.
The keys are however, of such length vertically that any one of the
sections interlocked thereby may be raised or lowered without being unlocked
from the other sections to which the keys are fitted. Each of these keys should
be secured by a rivet or otherwise to one of the sections with which it interlocks
and be left free to slide only in the other of the sections which it interlocks.
The section of the outermost ring F2 has affixed to it toes 112. These toes
co-operate with arms or projections which are affixed to or formed with the
slits with which the base portions of the goose necks or arms GG are pro-
vided, and the co-action is such that when either goose neck or arm is moved into
position for use its arm or projection will come into contact with one of the
toes and through it impart a slight oscillating movement to the sections e¹ of
the ring E, e of the ring E', ' of the ring F1 and 3 of the ring F This
slight oscillating movement serves to put the machine into condition to operate the
pressing and holding fingers and also other parts which will be hereafter described
for operating in connection with that particular kind of last with which the down-
hold of the particular goose neck which at the time is adjusted into position
for use is intended. This oscillating metion is enabled to do this because it
brings a different set of pins e els beneath the pins ele. There are intended to
be two pins e for each of the pins ell and two pins els for each of the pins elo and
the slight oscillating movement just described is intended to adjust the top sections
of the rings so as to bring a different set of pins el 18 beneath the pins el elo.
Certain of the pins e7e of one set will of course be reversed in respect to
height as compared with the corresponding pins of the other set in order to enable
one set to operate with the left last and the other with the right last. Instead of

page_text: having merely two sets of the pins 18 there may be four sets of these pins.
In such case two would be constructed and arranged to operate with a left
last and the other two with a right last of the same general character, as for
instance, with a left last and a right last designed for men's shoes and the other
two would be constructed and arranged to operate in connection with a left last
and a right last of another kind, of shoe, 'as, for instance, a lady's shoe. As the
arms or projections of the goose necks or arms G1 G2 can only move the
toes II far enough to shift one set of pins e17e18 out of an operative position and
the next set of these pins into an operative position, it follows that in order to
organize the machine for operation with the third and fourth set of the pins el 18
it will be necessary to detach the toes I¹ 12 and re-attach them in a different
position. To provide for this, I construct the toes I¹ I integral with an arc-shaped
plate I, which is fitted to the exterior of the section 3 of the outermost ring F
Screws extending radially through the plate I and into tapped holes in
the section of the ring F secure the plate 1 to the ring. By disengaging
these screws from the ring and adjusting the plate into a different position relatively
to the ring, the screws may be engaged with other tapped holes in the ring
and then will secure the plate in such position that the toes 12 may, when
moved by the arms or projections of the goose necks or arms GG, shift
the third and fourth sets of the pins e17e18 into operative positions, one set at a
⚫ time.
of the sections el cap
An arm
I will now describe the manner in which the sections 20 22 may be rotated
to raise or lower the sections 21 of the rings E3 E. In giving this explanation
I shall for convenience refer to the corresponding sections of the rings FF.
The lower sections 20 (2ª
of the rings E³ E' may be rotated independently
of these rings by engaging an arm J with the
flange that is at the bottom of whichever section is to be rotated.
suitable for this purpose is illustrated in Figure 11 and, as will be seen, is provided
with pins. The under side of the flanges of the lower sections of the rings
is provided at intervals with pairs of holes suitably arranged to receive the
pins of the arm J This feature of the construction of the lower sections
of the rings may be best understood by reference to Figure 10 which, as has
already been stated, is an inverted plan. The arm J is capable of engaging with
the lower section of but one of the rings at a time, but power may be applied to
the arm after its engagement to rotate another of these sections. Preferably these
. flanges of the lower sections of the rings will be provided with graduations that
will facilitate their rotary adjustment with reference to a vertical index mark made
on the base portion of the machine frame. These graduations are represented in
Figure 10 and the mark in Figures 5 and 10, being marked k. By adjusting the
lower sections of the rings rotarily with reference to the graduations the other
sections of the rings may be elevated or lowered to change the machine for lasts of
different sizes.
The rings FF2 are raised and lowered by cams F3 F4 affixed to the shaft S
Between the cams E E F F and the rings E³ E F F are wearing pieces W,
which, as may be seen from Figures 5 and 12 are curved to be concentric with the
said rings, and, as may be seen in Figure 5, consist of plates te extending hori
zontally beneath the rings and downwardly extending arms w¹ working in guides w
which are affixed to the base portion of the machine frame.
The crimping fingers F and their appurtenances will now be described in
detail. These fingers are supported by bell crank levers F which are fulcrumed
by pins to the standards e³. The fingers are not directly connected to
these bell crank levers but are fitted to blocks f" which are pivotally connected
by pins to the extremities of the upright arms of the levers. The horizontal
or lateral arms of the levers extend into the bifurcate upper ends of tubes
which are fastened to the bed piece P and are fitted with pins. These pins
are longitudinally grooved to receive the ends of pins or screws which are
inserted transversely in the tubes 13. When the pins move upwards the levers F

page_text: will be oscillated so as to carry the crimping fingers F longitudinally inwards to
work over the last. Owing to the pivotal connection of the blocks with these
levers F the levers do not necessarily oscillate the crimping fingers while
imparting longitudinal movement to them." As soon as the pins descend or are
permitted to descend springs f10 oscillate the levers F in such direction as to
move the crimping fingers longitudinally away from the last. These springs are
connected at one end with the rail e¹s and at the other end with nuts that are
engaged with screw-threads on the crimping fingers. The advantage of connecting
the springs with the nuts is that provision is thereby afforded for varying the force
with which the springs will act upon the fingers. The crimping fingers are not
screw-threaded only at that part where the nuts engage with them, but are
screw-threaded from the outer ends nearly to the inner ends and are engaged by
the screw-threads with female screw-threads that are formed in the supporting
blocks This feature of construction renders it possible to adjust the crimping
fingers longitudinally in the supporting blocks and hence relatively to the
levers F.
The pins vary in length at different parts of the machine because different
movements of the levers will be required to cause the different crimping fingers
to fulfil their finction. The screws afford provision for readily removing the
pins to enable others to be substituted therefor in order that the machine may
be changed for some special last.
1
The pins are moved upwardly by means of pins 19 that are inserted in the
upper section of the ring F. There will be a number of sets of the pins 18. In
the present instance, provision is made for four sets of these pins and these sets
bear the same relation to each other and are for the same purpose as the four sets,
of pins ", namely, to provide for adjusting the machine to a right and left last of
one kind, for instance, as a last for a man's shoe and to provide for adjusting the
machine to a right and left last for another kind such, for instance, as a last for a
lady's shoe.
10
I have already explained that the crimping fingers are not merely capable of a
movement toward and away from the last but are also capable of oscillating so that
their inner ends may be adjusted to different vertical positions. This oscillating
movement is provided for by the pivotal connection of their supporting blocks fl
with the levers F and is produced in one direction by pins and in the other
direction by the springs. The pins are arranged in tubes which are
made internally larger at the upper end than at the lower end, to accommodate
heads with which the upper ends of the pins are provided.. These heads will
prevent the pins from dropping out of the tubes but do not interfere with the
removal of the pins in an upward direction in the event of its becoming desirable
to substitute others for them. As it is undesirable to make the tubes and the
pins project upwardly far enough to reach the crimping fingers themselves, I
have attached to the outer ends of the crimping fingers rods 21 which descend into
the tubes and rest upon the heads of the pins 10. The particular means which
I have represented for connecting the rods to the crimping fingers comprise
blocks screwed onto the outer ends of the crimping fingers and receiving
through their outer extremities the rods 2 Nuts 3/4 applied to a screw-
thread formed upon the rods and arranged to bear above and below the
blocks of the crimping fingers fasten the rods to these blocks. The nuts are
not made to clamp the rods to the blocks but are adjusted so as to make a loose
connection between the rods and the blocks, whereby the rods become capable of
an oscillating movement relatively to the crimping fingers. An advantage resulting
from this particular mode of connecting the rods with the crimping fingers
arises from the provision afforded for adjusting the rods longitudinally with
reference to the crimping fingers. The pins 10 are moved upwards by pins 30
attached to the upper section of the ring F
24
Thus far I have only described those features which are common to all the
crimping fingers and their appurtenances. In those crimping fingers which

page_text: operate upon the heel and toe portions of a last there are some additional
features requiring description. This description I will now undertake with
particular reference to Figures 1 and 6. The blocks" of those crimping fingers F
which operate at the heel and toe portions of the last are not connected directly to
the crimping fingers but are provided in their upper sides with grooves, which are
curved to facilitate the swinging of these crimping fingers about the axes of the
pins. Of course the curves cannot always be concentric with the pins f
because of the provision for the longitudinal adjustment of the crimping fingers
relatively to the blocks. The varying projection of the different crimping
fingers beyond the blocks will also preclude the making of the grooves con-
centric with the pins unless the blocks should be made especially for the
different crimping fingers. As the pins fit so loosely in the tubes as to be
able to oscillate toward and from the last it is morcover unnecessary that the
grooves of the blocks" should be curved concentrically with the pins f
With the grooves of these blocks engage nuts which receive the
particular crimping fingers F which are now under consideration, namely, those
operating at the heel and toe portions of the last. These nuts are provided
with tongues entering the grooves and the tongues and grooves are preferably
of a dove-tailed construction to prevent the nuts from being lifted off the
blocks. Set screws / engaging with tapped holes in the nuts and impinging
against the blocks" serve to preserve the relations of the nuts to the blocks after
adjustment.
2.1
Obviously the grooved blocks combined with the nuts 24 afford provision for
swinging the crimping fingers to operate on the heel and toe portions of the last
laterally. The object of this provision is to enable one or more of these
crimping fingers to be entirely removed and then to adjust the remaining ones so as
to be equidistant.
Preferably these crimping fingers which operate in conjunction with the heel and
toe portions of a last will be slitted at their operating extremities. I mean by this
that they will be constructed in some way so as to be at these points divided into a
number of narrow pieces. The material of the pieces between the slits is to be
resilient so that they may be forced together to reduce the width of the operating
extremities of the crimping fingers and thereby enable the fingers to be moved
inward even after the sides of their operating extremities shall have come into
contact. It may be advantageous not to form vertical slits in the operating
extremities of the crimping fingers but to form in them slits which will be oblique
to a vertical plane. They may instead of being straight slits be arc-shaped or
curved between the upper and lower surfaces of the crimping fingers.
(see
On the shaft S a bevel gear wheel S is affixed and this engages with a bevel
pinion S3 which is affixed to a shaft B. The shaft St transmits motion to the
shaft S and receives motion from the driving shaft S5 of the machine. The
shafts SS are geared together by means of a gear wheel S arranged on the
shaft and a pinion S7 affixed to the shaft S. The gear wheel S is loosely
mounted on the shaft S'. These parts are best illustrated by Figures 1, 5, 6, 9, 12,
13, 28, 29. On the shaft S is secured a piece S having three arms
particularly Figure 13). These arms are not permanently connected with the
wheel S but may be connected therewith at any time by means of a pin s which is
carried by said arms and passes through one of them at such a distance from the
centre of the shaft S as to be capable of entering one of a number of holes with
which the wheel So is provided. It will be seen, therefore, that the piece S may
be locked in different positions to the wheel S. The advantage of having a number
of holes in the wheel S is that the piece S may be engaged with the wheel after
turning but a fraction of a revolution, instead of having always to turn round to
one part of the wheel before engagement therewith. Preferably the holes are
lined with steel bushing.
To the arms of the piece S8 springs S° S are at one end secured, in any
suitable manner, as, for instance, by screws . The other ends of the springs S Sfo
.

page_text: are connected to the pins and the function of these springs is to force this pin into
engagement with the wheel Sº.
The pins has an extended head or flanges. The lever S which is fulcrumed
on the base portion of the machine will normally occupy such position as that the
head or flange of the pins will overlap it. This lever, it will be seen, is curved
for a distance to be approximately concentric to the shaft St and the portion so
curved is provided with two forwardly extending inclines »>'. Whenever the rotation
of the piece S will bring the head or flanges of the pins into proximity to the
curved portion of the lever S" this head or flange will ride along the incline
the latter will effect the disengagement of the pins from the wheel S. . As soon as
the pins is thus disengaged from the wheel So the latter will cease to impart move-
ment to the piece Sa and consequently to the shaft S. Consequently the operation
of the machine will cease, although the driving shaft S continues rotating.
and
In order to prevent the piece Se from moving backward after the disengagement
of its pins from the wheel So, I preferably combine with the lever Su a detent S12
for engaging with the arm of said piece So. I have shown this detent as con-
sisting of a strip of spring metal attached to the lever and constructed to hook over
the end of the arm s¹. The construction of this detent may be best understood by
reference to Figure 13. To arrest the continued movement of the piece S³, 1
preferably provide the lever S with a projection with which the outer extremity
of the arms of said piece S³ will contact whenever the lever S" is moved inwards.
The lever S will preferably be so fulcrumed as that it will normally be in
position to effect the disengagement of the pin s of the piece S from the wheel S".
I have shown the lever as provided with a screw-threaded lower end which is
passed through a brackets (see Figures 1 and 13) that is fastened to the base
portion of the machine frame. The hole in this bracket through which the end,"
of the lever passes is made flaring from the centre toward each end to enable the
lever to rock in it toward and from the shaft S. Above the bracket is a ring or
washer of soft rubber 10 and there is a similar ring below the bracket. Washers
are applied to the top of the ring 10 and bottom of the rings"
Nuts are applied
to the screw-threaded end of the lever to bear against these washers. It is
intended that the nuts shall hold the rings 10 11 closely against the bracket. As
the lever cannot be oscillated without compressing some portions of the rings
these rings constitute springs which tend to maintain the lever with its end in an
upright position. When its end occupies an upright position, the lever operates to
disengage the pins from the wheel S, and cause the hook of the detent S12 and the
projection of the lever S" to engage with the outer extremity of the arm of
the piece S. When the arm & contacts with the projections, the rings
yield and prevent any violent shock.
3.
will
At the
It is intended that the operator shall continually hold the lever S" in a position
which will prevent it from operating upon the pin The shaft S₁ will make
several rotations during the operation of the machine for a single lasting.
termination of the operation of lasting, he allows the lever to oscillate into its
normal position so that it will effect the disengagement of the pins from the wheel S
and he may do this at any time if it is desired to sooner terminate the operation of
the machine.
On the driving shaft S is a fly wheel S13. A belt pulley S is formed integral
with or affixed to this fly wheel. S is a ring which surrounds the shaft S³ and is
fastened by screws or otherwise to the hub on the fly wheel S and driving pulley S".
Se is another ring surrounding the shaft S³. It is connected to the shaft to rotate
therewith by means of a keys, but it is free to move longitudinally toward and
away from the plate S". A spring S surrounding the shaft S between the
plate S and a nut s forces and holds the plate S against the plate S but allows
said plate S to move in the reverse direction when necessary. The tension of the
spring S" may be varied by adjusting the nut s¹ and a nut upon a screw-thread
which is formed upon the outer end portion of the shaft S.
The fly wheel S³ and driving pulley S" are not intended to have any movement

page_text: in the direction of the length of the shaft S, and, as here shown, are prevented
from moving away from the outer end of the shaft by having their hubs bear
against the hub of the gear wheel, of the pinion S A rotary motion will be trans-
mitted from the driving pulley through the plate S to the plate S and thence to
the shaft S. Owing to the yielding connection of the plate S1 with the shaft S
this plate can move toward the outer end of the shaft sufficiently to allow the
driving pulley S to rotate without imparting any rotary movement to the shaft S
in the event of the machine becoming blocked or stopped. Thus I provide for
obviating breakage which might otherwise ensue upon the blocking or accidental
stopping of the machine.
Preferably the opposite faces of the plates S15 S16 are serrated or toothed. When
this is done, the teeth will have a trough-shaped cross section.
The mechanism whereby motion is transmitted to the various parts of the machine
and the stop mechanism for arresting the movements of said parts is peculiarly
advantageous to my lasting machine but is also applicable generally to other
machines.
The base portion of the machine may, if desired, be provided with one or more
doors to give ready access to its interior.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents I declare that what I claim is:
1. In a lasting machine, the combination of a holder or jack for a last, a yielding
support for said holder or jack, and from which the holder or jack is detachable,
and a down-hold whereby the last and its holder or jack will be lowered to the
proper position and an insole held on the last, substantially as specified.
2. In a lasting machine, the combination of a holder or jack for a last, a support
in which the holder or jack is loosely seated consisting of two independently
yielding rods B¹ and springs for supporting the same, the said rods serving as the
sole support for the holder or jack substantially as specified.
3. In a lasting machine, the combination with a bed plate in the machine, of a holder
or jack for the last, a yielding support for the holder or jack fitted to said bed plate, a
down-hold having a predetermined movement and serving to insure the proper position
for the last, a plate p² extending from the bed plate, a plate movable toward and
from the plate p², a screw for imparting movement to the plate 3 and mechanism,
substantially such as described, for operating said screw to cause the plate p³ in
connection with the plate p² to clamp the said yielding support for the holder or
jack, substantially as specified.
3
4. In a lasting machine, the combination with a bed plate in the machine, of a
holder or jack for the last, a yielding support for the holder or jack fitted to said
bed plate, a down-hold having a predetermined movement and serving to insure the
proper position for the last, a plate extending from the bed plate, a plate ³
movable toward and from the plate ², a screw for imparting movement to the
plate p³, a frame 1867 fastened to said screw and a cam B³ for operating the said
frame, substantially as specified.
5. In a lasting machine, the combination of a holder or jack for a last, a stretcher
for drawing the upper tightly around the last, an arm extending over the stretcher,
rods depending from said arm and having at the lower portions cross pieces c²
with which the part 2 of the stretcher provided with a hook c" and lugs c³ may
engage, substantially as specified.
6. In a lasting machine, the combination of a holder or jack for a last, a stretcher
for drawing the upper tightly around the last, an arm extending over the stretcher,
rods having a sliding movement in said arm and serving to move the stretcher away
from the holder or jack, a rack bar connected with said sliding rods, a lever having
a toothed segment at one end whereby it engages with the rack bar and a cam for
operating said lever, substantially as specified.
7. In a lasting machine, the combination of a holder or jack for a, last, a stretcher

page_text: for drawing the upper tightly around the last, standards erected upon the machine
frame and constructed to engage beneath said stretcher for sustaining the stretcher
prior to its operation, and rods independent of said standards having a sliding
movement and serving to move the stretcher away from the holder or jack,
substantially as specified.
8. In a lasting machine, the combination of a holder or jack for a last, a stretcher
for drawing the upper tightly around the last, standards erected upon the machine
frame for sustaining the stretcher prior to its operation, an arm extending over the
stretcher, and rods independent of said standards having a sliding movement in said
arm and serving to move the stretcher away from the holder or jack, substantially
as specified.
9. In a lasting machine, the combination of a holder or jack for a last, an arm
extending over the same, a stretcher for drawing the upper tightly around the last,
a rack bar for moving said stretcher, a lever having a segmental toothed end
engaging with said rack bar, a longitudinal slotted tubular rod surrounding the rack
bar and receiving the end of said lever through it and a down-hold moved by said
slotted tubular rod, substantially as specified.
10. In a lasting machine, the combination of a rubbing stretcher comprising a
frame and an envelope depending therefrom and horizontally puckered at the sides
from the toe portion rearwards, substantially as specified.
11. In a lasting machine, the combination with a rubbing stretcher comprising a
frame and an envelope depending therefrom and puckered at the sides from the toe
portion rearwards of springs connecting the puckered portion of the envelope with
the frame, substantially as specified.
12. In a
lasting machine, the combination with a rubbing stretcher comprising a
frame and an envelope depending therefrom and puckered at the sides from the toe
portion rearwards, of springs connecting the puckered portion of the envelope with
the frame and a plate bearing against the side portions of the envelope below the
puckered part thereof, substantially as specified.
13. In a lasting machine, the combination of a stretcher composed of two sections
severally having frames and envelopes depending therefrom; the frame of the
inner section and supports for the frame of the inner section whereby it will on the
movement of the outer section be moved away from the last at the toe portion
before being at any other portion moved in such direction, substantially as
specified.
14. In a lasting machine, the combination of a stretcher composed of two sections
severally having frames and envelopes depending therefrom; the frame of the
inner section being inclined with reference to that of the outer section so as to
diverge from the frame of the outer section toward the heel portion, substantially
as specified.
15. In a lasting machine, the combination of a holder or jack for a last, an arın
extending over the same, a sliding rod supported by said arm, a down-hold attached
to said sliding rod, a lever, fulcrumed to said arm and links 26 connecting said
lever with said sliding rod, substantially as specified.
16. In a lasting machine, the combination of a holder or jack for a last, an arm
extending over the same, a sliding rod supported by said arm, a down-hold attached
to said sliding rod, a lever fulcrumed to said arm, links 28 connecting said lever
with said sliding rod and a stop 32 for limiting the motion of said lever, substan-
tially as specified.
17. In a lasting machine, the combination of a holder or jack for a last, a rod
movable toward and from the said holder or jack and a down-hold having a shank
which is connected to said rod by means of sliding plates 22 23 and a locking
device, substantially as specified.
18. A. hold-down for a last in a lasting machine having inwardly yielding sides
composed of a number of independent and adjustable fingers which are flexible
above the portion where they act upon the last so that they may be bent inwards,
substantially as specified.

page_text: 19. A down-hold for a last in a lasting machine, having a body piece and a
number of fingers connected thereto so as to have a sliding adjustment longi-
tudinally and means for securing them fixedly after adjustment, substantially as
specified.
20. A down-hold for a last in a lasting machine having a number of inwardly
yielding fingers isolated from one another and independently adjustable, substan-
tially as specified.
21. A down-hold for a last in a lasting machine having a number of fingers
slitted or divided at the lower extremities and constructed so as to yield toward
the centre and in the direction of the circumference of a last, substantially as
specified.
22. A down-hold for a last in a lasting machine having a body piece provided
with a cavity, a number of holes above said cavity, a number of depending fingers
arranged to conform to a last having shanks which are fitted within said cavity and
pass up through said holes, a number of clamping pieces between the shanks of said
fingers and devices for forcing the shanks of the fingers and the clamping pieces
together, substantially as specified.
23. A down-hold for a last in a lasting machine having a body piece provided
with a cavity, a number of holes above said cavity, a number of fingers
having shanks which are fitted within said cavity and pass up through said holes, a
number of clamping pieces between the shanks of said fingers and devices for
forcing the shanks of the fingers and the clamping pieces together, substantially as
specified.
24. A down-hold for a last in a lasting machine having a body piece d provided
with a cavity d, lips below said cavity, a number of holes above said cavity,
a number of fingers d' having shanks which are fitted within said cavity and pass
up through said holes, a number of clamping pieces between the shanks of said
fingers and devices for forcing the shanks of the fingers and the clamping pieces
together, substantially as specified.
25. A down-hold for a last in a lasting machine having a body piece d provided
with a cavity d rounded at one end, a number of holes d' above said cavity, a
number of fingers d' d having shanks which are fitted within said cavity, a number
of triangular spacing and clamping pieces between the shanks of the fingers d², a
number of clamping pieces between the shanks of the fingers d'and devices for forcing
the shanks of the fingers and the clamping pieces together, substantially as
specified.
26. A down-hold for a last in a lasting machine having a body piece and a number
of fingers independently connected thereto and a number of fingers d³ connected
to a common support which is fastened to said body piece, substantially as specified.
27. A down-hold for a last in a lasting machine having a body piece, a number of
fingers, a number of clamping pieces intermediate of the fingers, and securing the
fingers independently to the body piece, a number of fingers d³, a plate de connected
with these fingers and another plate which is clamped in said body piece, one
of these two plates being slotted approximately parallel with the length of the
body piece and the other being provided with pins engaging said slots to enable
the fingers to be adjusted bodily toward and from the fingers first mentioned,
substantially as specified.
28. In a lasting machine, the combination of pressing and holding fingers for
acting in conjunction with the side portions of a last and a band of flexible material
attached to and extending from one to another of said fingers continuously around
the circumference of a last only, substantially as specified.
29. In a lasting machine, the combination of pressing and holding fingers, for
acting in conjunction with the side portions of a last, perforated facing pieces for
the operative ends of said fingers and a band of flexible material connected to said
fingers by being stitched through the perforations of the facing pieces and extended.
continuously around the circumference of a last, substantially as specified.
30. In a lasting machine, the combination of pressing and holding fingers for

page_text: acting in conjunction with the side portions of a last, tips e for said fingers,
perforated sheet metal facing pieces e secured to said tips and a band fastened by
stitching to said facing pieces, substantially as specified.
31. In a lasting machine, the combination of resilient pressing and holding fingers
acting in conjunction with the side portions of a last and rotatably adjustable plates
having sets of pins to provide for adjustments to enable them to operate the fingers
suitably for different lasts, substantially as specified.
32. In a lasting machine, the combination of pressing and holding fingers acting
in conjunction with the side portions of a last, and supported by fulcra having
horizontal axes, plates provided with pins for operating said finger and mechanism,
substantially such as described, for raising and lowering said plates, substantially as
specified.
33. In a lasting machine, the combination of pressing and holding fingers acting
in conjunction with the side portions of a last and made in the form of levers, plates
provided with pins for oscillating said levers and meclianism substantially such as
described, for raising and lowering said plates, substantially as specified!
34. In a lasting machine, the combination of pressing and holding fingers acting
in conjunction with the side portions of a last, plates made in the shape of rings
and provided' with several sets of pins for operating said fingers and mechanism,
substantially such as described, for raising and lowering said plates; said ring-
shaped plates being rotarily adjustable to present different pins to operate upon the
fingers in order to adapt the machine for different lasts, substantially as specified.
35. In a lasting machine, the combination of pressing and holding fingers acting
in conjunction with the side portions of a last and made in the form of levers so as
to have upright and horizontal portious, pins el! for imparting movement' to said
levers, tubes el within which these pins move and having notched or bifurcated ends
receiving the ends of the levers, pins el for operating the pins e", plates carrying"
the pins e" and mechanism, substantially such as described, for moving these plates,
substantially as specified.
36. In a lasting machine, the combination of pressing and holding fingers acting
in conjunction with the side portions of a' last and made in the form of levers so as
to have upright and horizontal portions, pins el for imparting movement to said
levers, tubes e within which these pins move and having notched or bifurcated
ends receiving the ends of the levers, pinse for operating the pins e, ring-shaped
plates carrying the pins e and mechanism, substantially such as described, for
moving these plates, said ring-shaped plates being adjustable to present different
pins e for operating the pins e, substantially as specified.
37. In a lasting machine, the combination of a number of pressing and holding
fingers for acting in conjunction with a last and made in the form of levers
sustaining fulcra having horizontal axes, a nimber of supports for these fulcra,
levers sustaining said supports and rising and falling plates for operating said two
sets of levers, substantially as specified.
38. In a lasting machine, the combination of a number of pressing and holding
fingers for acting in conjunction with a last, a number of supports for these fingers,
pins for moving said fingers, other pins for moving the supports of said fingers, a
plate provided with pins for actuating the pins whereby the fingers are operated,
another plate provided with pins for actuating the pins whereby the supports of the
fingers are adjusted and mechanism, substantially such as described, for operating
these plates, substantially as specified.
39. In a lasting machine, the combination of pressing and holding fingers for
acting in conjunction with a last, a number of supports for these fingers pins for
moving said fingers, other pins for moving the supports of said fingers, a plate
having several sets of pins and made adjustable to present different pins opposite
the pins which operate the fingers, another plate having several sets of pins and
made adjustable to present different pins opposite the pins which operate the finger
supports and mechanisin, substantially such as described, for moving these plates to
cause the operation of the fingers, substantially as spécified.

page_text: 40. In a lasting machine,. pressing and holding fingers composed of portions.e'
substantially as specified.
41. In a lasting machine, the combination of pressing and holding fingers,
composed of portions e!e and supports e', consisting of pairs of plates between
which said fingers are fulcrumed, and which are extended, to stay the portions e¹.of
said fingers laterally, substantially.as, specified..
42. In a lasting machine, the combination of pressing and, holding, fingers,and"
springs e, connected with the upper parts of said fingers and extending outwardly
therefrom horizontally, substantially as specified.
43. In a lasting machine, the combination of pressing and holding fingers, supports
for said fingers, levers e carrying said supports and springs e extending upwardly
from said supports, substantially as specified.
44. In a lasting machine, the combination of pressing and holding fingers made in
the form of levers having upright portions and horizontal portions, supports et for
said fingers, levers e carrying said supports and springs acting between the
levers and the levers forming the fingers, substantially as specified.
45. In a lasting machine, the combination of pressing and holding fingers for
operating in conjunction with the sides of a last and crimping fingers made in the
form of levers and bell crank levers serving to support the said crimping fingers
and having the fingers fulcrumed to them, substantially as specified.
46. In a lasting machine, the combination of crimping fingers made in the form
of levers and of bell crank levers forming supports for the crimping fingers and
having the latter fulcrumed to them, substantially as specified.
47. In a lasting machine, the combination of crimping fingers F made in the
form of levers, blocks in which said fingers are adjustable longitudinally and
levers F with which said blocks f" are pivotally connected, substantially as
specified.
48. In a lasting machine, the combination of crimping fingers F made in the form.
of levers, blocks in which said fingers are adjustable longitudinally levers F
with which said blocks are pivotally connected, and mechanism, substantially
such as described, for oscillating the fingers F and levers F³, substantially as
specified.
49. In a lasting machine, the combination of crimping fingers, pins for imparting
movement thereto, a plate provided with pins for moving the pins first mentioned
and mechanism, substantially such as described, for operating said plate, substan-
tially as specified.
50. In a lasting machine, the combination of crimping fingers, pins for imparting
movement thereto, a. plate provided with several sets of pins for moving the pins
first mentioned and mechanism, substantially such as described, for operating said.
plate the said plate being adjustable to present different sets of these pins for
operating upon the pins whereby, movement is imparted to the fingers, substantially.
as specified.
;
51. In a lasting machine, the, combination of crimping fingers, pins for operating.
these crimping fingers, a movable plate provided with pins for imparting movement
to the pins of the crimping fingers, levers to which the fingers are fulcrumed, pins
for operating these levers, a movable plate provided with pins for actuating the pins
of the supporting levers and mechanism, substantially such as described, for
imparting movement to the, plates, substantially as specified.
52. In a lasting machine, the combination of crimping fingers, pins for operating.
these crimping fingers, an adjustable plate provided with pins, for imparting-move-
ment to the pins of the crimping fingers, levers to which the fingers are fulcruined,
pins for operating these levers, an adjustable plate provided with pins for actuating
the pins for the supporting levers and mechanism, substantially such as described,
for imparting movement to the plates; the said plates being made adjustable to
present different pins opposite the pins to which they impart motion, substantially
as specified.
53. In a lasting machine, the combination of the crimping, fingers F, the sup

page_text: porting levers F³ and the springs 18, extending downwardly from the outer portions
of the crimping fingers, substantially as specified.
54. In a lasting machine, the combination of crimping fingers for operating
around the sole portion of a last and supports for the same which are movable
toward and from the last; the fulcrum pieces of these crimping fingers which are
adjacent to the heel or toe portions of the last having provision for lateral adjustment
relatively to their supports, substantially as specified.
55. In a lasting machine, the combination of crimping fingers F fitted to
blocks having curved grooves and nuts 24 adjustably connected with said
crimping fingers and engaging with said grooves, substantially as specified.
56. In a lasting machine, the combination of crimping fingers F fitted to
blocks having curved grooves, nuts adjustably connected with said crimping
fingers and engaging with said grooves and screws for fastening the nuts in
position relatively to the blocks substantially as specified.
57. In a lasting machine, crimping fingers F having resilient split or slitted ends,
the said fingers being adjustable circumferentially and diametrically of a last,
substantially as specified.
58. In a lasting machine, crimping fingers F having oblique split or slitted ends,
substantially as specified.
59. In a lasting machine, the combination with a holder or jack for a last, of
pressing and holding fingers, and crimping fingers actuated by rising and falling
plates provided with pins, substantially as specified.
60. In a lasting machine, the combination with a holder or jack for a last, of
pressing and holding fingers and crimping fingers made in the form of levers
rocking towards and from a last and actuated by plates provided with pins,
substantially as specified.
61. In a lasting machine, the combination with a holder or jack for a last, of
pressing and holding fingers and crimping Engers actuated by ring-shaped plates
having several sets of pins, each set constructed to produce movements suitable for
a special last substantially as specified.
62. In a lasting machine, the combination with a holder or jack for a last, of
pressing and holding fingers and crimping fingers actuated by ring-shaped plates
having several sets of pins each set constructed to produce movements suitable
for a special last and a cylindric portion of the machine frame around which these
ring-shaped plates are arranged, substantially as specified.
63. In a lasting machine, the combination of fingers, a ring-shaped plate provided
with pins and composed of two sections engaged by means of screw-threads so that
one may be adjustable relatively to the other and cams for imparting movement to
these ring-shaped plates, substantially as specified.
64. In a lasting machine, the combination of a number of pressing and holding
fingers, a number of crimping fingers, a number of rings provided with pins for
operating the pressing and holding fingers and the crimping fingers and composed
severally of two sections, the upper section being interlocked and the lower sections
being independently adjustable to adjust the upper sections vertically and inde-
pendently of each other, substantially as specified.
65. In a lasting machine, the combination of a number of fingers, a ring-shaped
plate provided with a series of pins for imparting movement to said fingers, down-
holds, swinging arms for supporting the down-holds, and connections between the
swinging arms and ring-shaped plate serving to adjust the ring-shaped plate into
different positions as said arms are independently adjustable into a position
rendering their down-holds operative, substantially as specified.
66. In a lasting machine, the combination of a number of fingers, a ring-shaped
plate provided with a series of pins for imparting movement to said fingers,
toes down-holds and swinging arms for supporting the down-holds and
provided with projections g', substantially as specified.
67. In a lasting machine, the combination of a number of fingers, ring-shaped

page_text: plates provided with pins for actuating said fingers, cams for imparting movement
to said ring-shaped plates and wearing pieces, W, intermediate of said plates and
cams and working in guides,, attached to, the machine frame, substantially as
specified.
68. In a lasting machine the combination of a driving shaft, a driving pulley
loosely mounted thereon, a, clutch piece keyed to said shaft so as to rotate therewith
but yet be free to move lengthwise thereof and a spring for moving this clutch
piece in a direction. to engage with the driving pulley, substantially as
specified.
69. In a lasting machine the combination of a driving shaft, a driving pulley
loosely mounted thereon, a clutch piece keyed to said shaft so as to rotate therewith
but yet be free to move lengthwise thereof, a spring for moving this clutch piece
in a direction to engage with the driving pulley and a screw for adjusting the
tension of this spring, substantially as specified...
70. In a lasting machine the combination of a driving shaft, a driving pulley
loosely mounted thereon, a plate having a serrated side surrounding said shaft and
fastened to the driving pulley, a clutch piece having a serrated side and keyed to
said shaft so as to rotate therewith but yet be free to move lengthwise thereof and a
spring for moving this clutch piece toward the serrated plate, substantially as
specified.
71. In a lasting machine the combination of a shaft, a gear wheel loosely mounted
on said shaft, and provided in one side with a number of holes, a triangular piece
affixed to said shaft, springs attached at one end to two of the arms, and a pin
carried by the other end of said springs and passing through the third arm and
adapted to engage with the holes of said gear wheel, substantially as specified.
72. In a lasting machine the combination of a shaft, a gear wheel loosely mounted
on said shaft and provided in one side with a number of holes, a piece affixed to
said shaft, and springs attached at one end to said piece and at the other end pro-
vided with a pin which passes through said piece and is adapted to engage with the
holes of the gear wheel, substantially as specified.
73. In a lasting machine the combination of a shaft, a gear wheel loosely mounted
on said shaft and provided in one side with a number of holes, a piece affixed to
said shaft, a spring attached at one end to said piece, a pin carried by said spring
and passing through the piece and constructed to engage with said gear wheel, a
projection upon said piece, an extended head on the pin and a lever having a cam
surface for acting on the head of the pin to withdraw the pin from the gear wheel
and having also a detent for preventing movement of said piece, substantially as
specified.
74. In a lasting machine the combination of a shaft, a gear wheel loosely mounted
on said shaft and provided in one side with a number of holes, a piece affixed to
said shaft, a spring attached at one end to said piece, a pin carried by said spring
and passing through said piece and constructed to engage with said gear wheel, a
projection upon said piece, an extended head on the pin and a lever having a cam
surface for acting on the head to the pin to withdraw the pin from the gear wheel
and having also a projection for preventing movement of the said piece, substantially,
as specified.
75. In a lasting machine the combination of a shaft, a gear wheel loosely mounted
on said shaft and provided in one side with a number of holes, a piece affixed to
said shaft, a spring attached at one end to said piece, a pin carried by said spring
and passing through the piece and constructed to engage with said gear wheel, a
projection upon said piece an extended head on the pin, a lever having a cam
surface for acting on the head of the pin to withdraw the pin from the gear wheel
and having a means for engaging with the said piece and a spring for permitting a
longitudinal movement of the lever, substantially as specified.
76. In a lasting machine the combination, of a shaft, a gear wheel, loosely mounted
on said shaft and provided in one side with a number of holes, a picce affixed to

page_text: said shaft, a spring attached at one end to said piece, a pin carried by said spring
and passing through the piece and constructed to engage with said gear wheel, a
projection upon said piece, an extended head on the pin, a lever having a cam
surface for acting on the head of the pin to withdraw the pin from the gear wheel
and having a means for engaging with the said piece, a brackets having a hole
flaring toward its ends for receiving the end of the lever, springs.sto" and nuts s¹³,
substantially as specified.
Dated this 26th day of May 1891.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.