Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Aug., 1889-Accepted, 28th Sept., 1889
Figure 5 is a section taken at P. F. Figure
Figure
6 is a side view of the stretcher with the instep stretcher partly raised.
Figure 7 is a plan of the stretcher with the toe part stretchers partly opened.
Figures 8 and 9 are an underside plan and side view respectively of a modification
of the too part stretching mechanism.
Figures 10, 11, 12 and 15 illustrate an arrangement for operating the stretcher by
steam or water power.
Figure 13 is a section taken at Q Q Figure 10, and
Figure 14 is a section taken at K. R. Figure 11.
Figure 16 shows the steam supply pipe and connections.
The stretcher consists mainly of 4 principal parts A, A, and B, B, which in pairs
form the upper and lower portions of same. The parts B are connected with A by
means of hinges c. c (Figures 1, 2, 6 and 7) thus providing for an opening motion in
a vertical direction. Further, the separate parts A, A, and B, B, turn one from the
other in a horizontal direction, for which purpose joint pieces baro appended to the
lower parts A. A and a wedge is provided on the screw shafty. The parts A, A turn
upon the vertical operating shaft a which is pivoited at the bottom of the stretcher,
and which carries the bevel wheel f, and is provided on its upper end with a square
head for the reception of a key. The shift a carries the hollow screw spindle 1)
which is free to turn thereon, and which is also provided with a square head i, and
whose threads serve to operate the forks d d of the parts B B.
The bevel wheel on the shaft a, gears with the bevel wheel provided on the
screw spindle, which serves to displace the wedge 1, the wedge being provided
with a thread corresponding with that of the spindle g. The mode of operation of
the above described mechanism, is as follows:-
If a displacement of the stretcher in width is required for the purpose of stretching

page_text: a,
h
the boot or shoe in its width, a key is applied to the square head h of the shaft
revolving the screw spindle g by means of the bevel wheels fand k the wedge
displaced and the two pairs of parts A. B and A. B of the stretcher are drive
horizontally asunder (see Figure 7).
If it is desired to stretch the boot or shoe upper in a vertical direction afte
stretching in the width, the pairs of parts A B, A. B of the stretcher whil
remaining in the open position as shown at Figure 7 also open vertically, whic
movement is accomplished in the following manner :-
The hollow spindle D carried upon the shaft a is turned by means of a key applie
to the square head i, and the forks d d of the parts B B are thereby raised by th
thread of the spindle D, thus the parts B B are caused to turn vertically upon thei
hinges c, c thereby stretching the instep of the boot or shoe being operated upon.
In this manner an increase in width and height is effected in the boot or sho
upper without the necessity of taking the last out of the boot and replacing it by
another. It is also possible to produce a simultaneous increase both in height and
width by simultaneously operating the shaft a and the hollow screw spindle D. [
will thus be evident that by the use of the above described adjustable last, a boot or
shoe may be stretched in different directions without re-drawing the stretched leather
that is from the height to the width, or vice versa, as the tension of the leather is
maintained in one direction until the tension in the other is effected.
To concentrato the pressure of the spindle g more at the points of the parts A A of
the last there is provided an arrangement as represented in Figures 8 and 9. The
wedge in this case is replaced by a matrix block m on the spindle g, on the sides of
which connecting rods n are coupled which are connected at the other end by the
pins o with the parts A A of the last. If the matrix block m is now screwed forward,
the rods n push the parts A A of the last asunder, by which action a direct pressure
is attained. The rods n can be made of two adjustable parts and n³, and by this
means a widely extended breadth of span can be obtained.
If the displacement of the parts of the last is to take place, by means of a
mechanical power such as water, air, steam or other fluid under pressure, the
arrangement is made as shown in Figures 10 to 16.
Cylinders E. F. G provided with working pistons are here arranged for the driving
asunder of the various parts of the last. The pistons of the cylinders E and F
Figures 10, 11 and 15 have at the ends of their rods wedgo pieces p by the
displacement of which the parts A, B of the last are pressed vertically asunder,
whilst by means of the cylinder G and its piston with its rod r, the levers n,
are opened out and in this manner the parts of the last are spread out in a hori-
zontal direction. To effect the elongation or the shortening of the whole last the
front parts J, J, are connected with the back parts H, H, Figures 11 and 12 by
adjusting screws s, see Figures 11, 12 and 15.
The last illustrated in Figures 10 to 16 is hinged at the heel in a similar manner
to that shown in Figure 1, and the cylinder G carried on the same spindle, the
cylinders E, F, G being connected by tubes t and u (Figures 11 and 16) each
having a cock, K and L, with the main duct M (Figure 16) for the supply of
the pressure fluid. If required a discharge cock for the waste pressure can be
provided.
The last can be used for any size of boot or shoe, is of easy manipulation, and
of simple action.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A mechanical shoe or boot last comprising four main parts, of which two
parts A and two parts B are movably connected by means of hinges e, and whose
displacement vertically is effected by means of the fork d d and by the hollow
screw spindle D on the shaft a, whilst their displacement horizontally is produced
by the shaft u, the bevel wheels and k, the screw spindle g and the wedge 1.

page_text: 2. In the mechanical boot and shoe last, specified in claim 1, the displacement
of the different parts of the last by means of fluids under pressure or by steam,
through the medium of the cylinders E. F. G provided with pistons, the wedges p
and rod r and the levers n n.
3. In the mechanical boot and shoe last specified in claim 1, the connection of
the front parts J J¹ with the after parts H H¹ of the last by means of adjustment
screws S for the purposes of lengthening or shortening the last.
4. The boot and shoe last as described and represented in the drawings hereto
annexed.
Dated this 1st day of Acoust 1980.
BERNHERD THORNER.
By Cheesbrough & Royston,
Patent Agents.