Improvements in or connected with Lasting-machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May, 1896-Accepted, 11th July, 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or connected with Lasting-machines.
I, HERMANN VON KALINOWSKI, of 4 Stall Strasse of Berlin, Kingdom of
Prussia, German Empire, Colonel, 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:-
The lasting machines that have become known to me up to now cannot well
answer their purpose if the leather employed for the upper is uncommonly thick or
strong. This is generally the case with boots intended for military people, and in
lasting the uppers for such boots the projecting rims of said uppers are drawn upon
and over the lasts by aid of special pinchers, that are to be operated by hand. The
pinchers of the lasting machines do not possess a sufficient movableness to be able
to adjust themselves to the different shapes of the various portions of a last, and
they are therefore unable to effect a uniform stretching of the leather at every
part of the same. This applies also if a last for a boot for the right foot is
exchanged for a last for the left foot; the pinchers are generally unable to
answer automatically to such an exchange, but must by hand be especially
adjusted.
The purpose of my invention is to make a lasting machine able to bend and
stretch thick or strong leather as easily and securely as thin or light leather; and
I attain that purpose by increasing the movableness of the pinchers so much as to
permit of their automatic adjustment to any shape of any portion of a last.
According to this purpose the supports of the pinchers are combined with a sort of
universal joint, in such a manner, that they become partly independent of the
mechanisms for moving them.
I prefer to connect the several parts of said joints by springs, the strength of
which corresponds, or may be adjusted so as to correspond, to the limit of ductility
or strength of the respective kind of leather; the movement of the pinchers is
then stopped, and is transferred solely to said springs as soon as the limit of
ductility or strength of the leather has been nearly reached. The leather is thus
fully prevented against being injured or torn, in spite of the compulsory operation
of the pinchers.
Each of the latter is perfectly independent of all the others, and each will thus
adjust itself to the last, even if the shape of the same is a somewhat abnormal one.
In order to make my invention more clear, I refer to the accompanying drawings,
in which similar letters denote similar parts throughout the different views, and in
which:
Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a side-view of my improved lasting machine, the frame and
some parts of the mechanism being in section,
Figure 2, Sheet 1, is a front view of the machine, the frame as well as some
parts of the mechanism being again in section,
Figure 3, Sheet 2, is a plan, the movable arm A (Figs. 1 & 2) and the parts
carried by it being left away;
Figure 4, Sheet 2, is a diagrammatical view of the pinchers in their various
relative positions with regard to the rim of the upper and the insole;
Figure 5, Sheet 2, is a side-view of one set of mechanisms as employed for
operating one of the pinchers;
Figure 6, Sheet 2, is a similar view, the part 68 being in another position;
Figure 7, Sheet 2, is an enlarged side-view of one of the pinchers, together with
a portion of the slide carrying that pinchers;

page_text: Figure 8, Sheet 2, 1s a front-view of the mechanisms shown in Fig. 7, or showing
the latter regarded from the left;
Figure 9, Sheet 1, is a portion of a vertical cross-section through the last, the
upper and the insole, drawn on an enlarged scale;
Figure 10, Sheet 3, is a vertical longitudinal section through a device intende
to replace, if desired, the three (or more) pinchers situated opposite to the toe-
portion of the last;
Figure 11, Sheet 3, is a front-view of the parts shown in Figure 10; the lower
portion, however, of said figure being a section in line 19-20 of Figure 10.
Figure 12, Sheet 2, is a view similar to Fig. 10, the left hand portion of the
latter being, however, left away, and the parts of the other portion being in
another position;
Figure 13, Sheet 3, is a view similar to Figure 12, the upper portion being,
however, turned to the left, or rearwards respectively;
Figure 14, Sheet 3, shows on a greatly enlarged scale a pair of tongues employed
with the device represented in Figs. 10-13;
Figure 15, Sheet 3, is a similar view, the parts being in another position;
Figure 16, Sheet 3, shows some parts of Figures 10 & 12 drawn on an enlarged
scale.
Figure 17, Sheet 3, is a front-view of the same parts; and Figure 18, Sheet 3,
is a horizontal section taken on line 21-22 of Figure 17.
The upper part of the frame a is formed into, or provided with, two parallel
pairs of guide-pieces b b (Figs. 1-3) that contain or embrace a number of slides B.
The frame a carries further an upwardly extending curved arm A, that may be
oscillated around a vertical axis (compare the position of the arm A shown in
dotted lines in Figure 3). Said arm extends above the middle of the frame a, and
is at its upper end provided with a pivot serving as a bearing for a handle a¹
and an eccentric a 2 (Figure 2); the parts a¹ a 2 are firmly connected with each
other.
A vertical rod a 3 guided by a suitable projection of the arm A is connected
with the strap of said eccentric, and holds at its lower end an exchangeable press-
plate a 5 that is shaped to correspond to the sole-portion of the last. The plate a 5
as well as the rod a 3 (or, more precisely, the bolt connecting said rod to the strap
of the eccentric a 2) hold a downwardly extending arm a4 (Figure 1) that
terminates into a small plate. This plate serves to press upon, or to press down, a
table C that is provided with a U-shaped slide 6 arranged below said table.
Said slide is vertically guided by a similarly shaped frame c 7 which in its turn is
guided in horizontal direction by ledges secured to the inner ones of the guide-
pieces bb afore mentioned. The upper ends of the two legs forming the combined
guide-frame and slide c 7 are connected by an arm c8 (Fig. 1) extending across
the slide 6. Said arm is provided with a female thread, and receives a threaded
spindle 9 that is held, and secured against axial displacement, by a suitable part
of the frame a. The table C may thus be displaced in a horizontal plane,
parallely to the guide-pieces bb, and may, further, be vertically displaced by the
arm a 4, or more precisely by the handle a' and the eccentric a 2. A spring c
held by the frame c 7 tends constantly to bring the table C back into its original
position.
The last Z after being furnished with the upper and with the insole
(Figure 1) is placed with its toe-portion upon a suitably shaped support d, and with
its heel portion upon the top of a vertical rod f. The support d is held by a vertical
rod d2 that is guided by an angular frame piece d3. Both rods (f and d 2) are
elastically supported by springs d''. The rod f is held and guided by a piece of
tube f4 that is secured to the upper part of a hinge f5f6. A spring f2 arranged
between the horizontally projecting parts of said hinge tends constantly to move
the rod f in the direction to the rod d 2, and the toe-portion of the last is thus
always securely held against its support d, irrespective of the size or length of
the last.

page_text: The table C, which may be moved against the heel portion of the last by the
spindle c9 (the latter is furnished with a hand-wheel c¹), has a recess c 2 shaped
according to said heel portion; the last may thus be fixed in position between the
support d and the table C.
The slides B afore mentioned carry hinge-like bearings 61 (Fig. 2), the upper
parts of which are formed into guides for slides 62 (Figs. 2-8). Said slides 62
carry the pinchers b 3. I call special attention to the fact, that the pinchers may
be of any desired or suitable construction; my improved lasting machine is not
dependent on pinchers of the construction shown. Each pair of pinchers 63 is
secured to its slide b 2 by the mediation of a joint 6 10 (Fig. 7) allowing of the pinchers
being turned in a vertical plane standing rectangular to the plane of motion of the
guide. The pinchers may further be moved in a horizontal plane around a
screw 64 (Fig. 7) taking into said joint-piece 10. The pinchers are thus enabled
to assume every possible position, and they may thus be adjusted, or, more precisely,
automatically adjust themselves, to any configuration of any part of a last, as has
already been mentioned in the preamble.
Each of the slides B holds further a downwardly extending arm b 5 (Figs. 2, 5 & 6)
that serves as a bearing for a double-armed lever B'. The upper end of said lever
is connected with the outer end of the slide 2; said connection is effected by a pin
secured to a downwardly extending projection of the slide, and by a slot provided
within the said lever, and taking over said pin. A spring g fixed at one end to the
lever B', and at the other end to the slide 62, tends constantly to draw the pin
afore mentioned into the lowermost part of the slot of said lever.
If therefore the lever B is turned by any suitable means in such a direction
that the slide 62 with its pinchers moves in the direction to the last (after the
projecting rim of the upper has been properly clamped into or by the pinchers),
said projecting rim is drawn over the adjacent portion of the last, and is placed in
its whole extent upon the adjacent portion of the insole lying upon the last. In
consequence of the re-acting force of the leather, or of the rim of the upper
respectively, the pinchers are drawn down upon the inso'e, and the spring g is thus
expanded or strained in a corresponding degree. The degree of the stretching of
the rim of the upper is, as a matter of course, dependent not only on the extent of
the movement of the lever B', or of the slide 6 2 respectively, but on the strength
of the spring g, too, because said spring contributes to the tension of the leather as
soon as the pinchers are drawn down upon the insole by said leather. The projecting
rim of the upper turns, so to say, around a horizontal axis extending parallely
to the upper lateral edges of the last, and the edge proper of said projecting rim
when approaching the insole moves in a sort of curve. The full contact between
the projecting rim of the upper and the adjacent portion of the insole is afforded
mainly by the play given to the slide b2 with regard to the lever B¹.
The lower ends of the levers B' are angularly bent; each of the said ends is
provided with an inclined slot, that serves for the reception of a horizontal rod D,
Fig. 1-3. In the form of construction of the machin s shown, said rod D is
shaped similarly to a horse-shoe (in consequence of th on of the slides b 2
relative to each other), and is held by a bracket D¹ fixed to the upper end of a
threaded spindle e 4. The lower end of said spindle carries a cog-wheel e 3, the
nave of which reaches through the base-plate of the frame, and is hindered from
any axial displacement by means of the bipartite cap D 2. If therefore the wheel e 3
is rotated in one or the other direction, the spindle d4 will be raised or lowered,
and the levers B' will thus be oscillated to one or the other direction, so as to move
the pinchers 63 against or from the last. The rotation of the combined nut and
cog-wheel e 3 is effected from the hand-wheel E, Fig. 2, by the mediation of
the wheels e e¹ and e 2, as will be clear from said figure without any further
explanation.
Besides the 8 (or more) pinchers that are supported by the slides B (Fig. 2 & 3),
and that serve for drawing the projecting rim of the upper over the side-portion
of the last, there are 3 (or more) similar pinchers situated upon a cross-beam 66 of

page_text: the frame, opposite to the toe-portion of the last. Said 3 or more pinchers are
also attached to slides 62, and these latter are guided and operated in exactly the
same manner as has been described with regard to the slides shown in Fig. 2. The
slides B, however, are replaced by a sort of hinges B2 (Fig. 1), that are attached
to said cross-beam 66. Said hinges may turn around vertical bolts so that the
slides 2 with their pinchers 3 may be adjusted (or may adjust themselves)
according to the special contiguration of the toe-portion of the last.
The
To lay the projecting rim of the upper over the heel-portion of the last, I make
use of a known device, which I describe in this specification only for the sake of
completeness. Said device consists of two clutches a. Figs. 3 & 4, that are
fulcrumed by means of a common bolt to the table C, and are connected by links
or rods al to a lever c3, Fig. 3, that is likewise fulerumed to said table.
clutches a are situated near to the recess c 2 of the table C, and may be brought
over said recess, as well as over the heel portion of the last, after said table has
been moved against the last by the means afore described. The table C is first
moved against the last, and the clutches are then moved by the lever c3 against
and upon the projecting rim of the upper, so as to press said rim upon the heel
portion of the last, as is clearly represented in Fig. 4.
Concerning the levers B', and the slides 6 2 with their pinchers 63 attention must
be called to the fact, that (provided no last be placed into the machine, or upon the
supports d and the rod f respectively) the extent of movement of the parts 662
and 63 will be the same on account of all the levers being operated from one and
the same part, i.e. the horse-shoe shaped horizontal rod D. This equal extent of
movement of the several pinchers is of no use for the practical application of the
machine, in that the various portions of the last which the projecting rim of
the upper is to be drawn over are of very different size; that is to say, the various
portions of the last possess or form curves of different radii and different lengths,
and the projecting rim of the upper although having its edge lying originally
in a (horizontal) plane will take unequally much over the various portions of the
last, as may for instance be seen from Fig. 4.
In order to enable the several pinchers to make ways of different lengths, or to
move one independent of the other, 1 let the lower arm of each of the levers B¹
consist of two parts, the lower part ( 8, Fig. 1, 2, 5 & 6) being connected to the
upper part by means of a hinge b7; the lower part 6 8 is subjected to the constant
action of a flat spring 69, that is secured to the upper arm of the lever B'. The
strength of each of said springs 69 is such a one, that the projecting rim of the
upper may be properly and sufficiently drawn over the last, or over the insole.
respectively, but cannot be torn if the bracket D', or the rod D, moves still more
downwards in this case, the part 68 of the lower arm of the lever B' is moved
separately, in a direction opposite to the direction of action of the spring 9.
It is thus clear, that each of the pinchers will cease moving as soon as the proper
straining of the projecting rim cf the upper has been reached, and will not in any
way hinder the other pinchers from moving further until the proper straining
of the portions of the leather operated by said respective pinchers has been
effected,
The three (or more) pinchers for drawing the projecting rim of the upper over
the toe-portion of the last may well be replaced by the device represented in
Figs. 10-18, Sheet 3 (see the short description of the figures).
In said device I make use of a special sort of pinchers, that is to say, of but one
pinchers, which is provided with a pair of curved clamps having a configuration
corresponding to that of the toe-portion of the last. The respective portion of the
projecting rim of the upper is thus spanned as a whole, which does completely
away with the arising of folds at said portion. It is, moreover, desirable to span
or strain said portion of the projecting rim of the upper perfectly independent of
the other portions, and this independent operation may well be attained by the
device in question. The latter is constructed as follows:
The pinchers F, Figs. 10-12 and 16-18, consist of a stationary clamp that is

page_text: fixed to the lower end of a vertical rod h, Fig. 10, 12 & 13, and of a movable
clamp that is coupled to a cam h 3 by the meliation of an arm F1, Figs. 16 & 17.
The middle portion of said rod 4 is formed into a bearing for the axle of the
cam 3, and this latter may be turned for 180° by means of a lever or handle h 5,
Fig. 10-12, fixed to said axle. The rod his held by horizontal plates h¹,
Figs. 10-12, and is supported from the upper of said plates by means of a
spring 2. If, therefore, the rim z, Fig. 9, of the upper is clamped in between the
clamps of the pinchers F, Fig. 10, and if then the last Z, within the upper, is
pressed against, and upon, the support d, Fig. 1, 10 & 12, by means of the table C,
Fig. 1, and if, further, said last is depressed by the plate a 5, Fig. 1, then the
pinchers F together with the rod may yield in a downward direction and the
position of the parts shown in Fig. 10 will become that shown in Fig. 12.
The upper is thus spanned or stretched over the toe-portion of the last, and is
now to be drawn over the adjacent portion of the insole ¹. To effect this I make
use of two plates i, Fig. 14 & 15, that are arranged like the blades of a pair of
scissors, and are fulcrumed to a common bolt 3. The latter is secured to th
support d for the toe-portion of the last, and the plates i are thus held by said
support. To operate the said plates I have arranged upon the frame portion 66
a guide-piece R, Figs. 10 & 11, holding a slide R. This slide is provided with
two pairs of diverging arms R 2 to which are hinged two pairs of links i¹. The
two links on each side are connected at their free ends by bolts i 5, and the plates i
afore mentioned are coupled to said bolts by ears i 6, Figs. 12 & 13, in such a
manner, that the support d with the plates i may be depressed without causing
a similar depression of the links . The plates i may therefore be moved against
the projecting rim of the upper, or may draw the latter upon the insole respectively
at every position of the last, as will become perfectly clear by comparing Fig. 10
with Figs. 12 & 13.
The two plates h¹ afore mentioned are formed into a quadrangular frame by
means of rods 6, and said frame is pivotally connected to supports 4 fixed to a
suitable part of the main frame of the machine. The frame h' h6 h h6 is
hindered from turning in the direction to the last by suitably arranged pins, but
may be turned by hand in opposite direction after the projecting rim of the upper
has been drawn over the adjacent rim of the insole z¹ by the plates i,-compare
Fig. 13. The latter are then in the position shown in Fig. 15 and said projecting
rim may now be secured to the insole by tacks, pegs or any other suitable
means.
To hinder the support d from being moved downwards by the last Z being pressed
against said support, I prefer to provide a book k', Fig. 10, that can be caused to
enter a suitable recess of the rod d 2 by a lever or equivalent part k. If this part
is moved from the position shown in Fig. 10 in dotted lines into that shown in full
lines, the hook takes into the recess of the rod d2, and causes the latter to
remain stationary during the time of stretching the leather by the movement of
the last Z in the direction to the slide R'.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what 1
claim is:-
1. In a lasting-machine, the combination with slides adapted to be displaced, a
well as to swing in the direction to the last, and with pinchers secured to said slides,
of levers connected to the latter, and means for operating said levers all at a time,
substantially as described.
2. In a lasting machine, the combination with slides adapted to be displaced, as
well as to swing in the direction to the last, and with pinchers secured to said
slides, of levers connected to the latter, and means for operating said levers all at
a time; each of the said levers consisting of two parts hinged one to the other,
and yieldable means adapted to transfer the movements of one of said parts upon
the other, substantially as described.

page_text: 3. In a lasting machine, the combination with slides adapted to be displaced as
well as to swing in the direction to the last, and with pinchers secured to said slides,
and adapted to turn upon the latter around a horizontal axis as well as around a
vertical one, of levers connected to the said slides, aud means for operating the said
levers, all at a time, substantially as described.
4. In a lasting machine, the combination with slides adapted to be displaced as
well as to swing in the direction to the last, and with pinchers secured to said slides,
and adapted to turn upon the latter around a horizontal axis as well as around a
vertical one, of levers connected to the said slides, and means for operating the said
levers all at a time, each of the said levers consisting of two parts hinged one to
the other, and yieldable means adapted to transfer the movement of one of said parts
upon the other, substantially as described.
5. In a lasting machine, the combination with slides adapted to be displaced, as
well as to swing in the direction to the last, and with pinchers secured to said slides,
of levers connected to the latter, and means for operating said levers all at a time;
a special toe-pinchers having clamps curved according to the configuration of the
toe-pcrtion of the last, and means for operating said toe-pinchers, substantially as
described.
6. In a lasting machine, the combination with slides adapted to be displaced, as
well as to swing in the direction to the last, and with pinchers secured to said slides,
of levers connected to the latter, and means for operating said levers all at a time;
a special toe-pinchers having clamps curved according to the configuration of the
toe-portion of the last, and means for operating said toe-pinchers; the latter being
attached to a vertically movable rod held by a suitable guide or guides, said guide
or guides being arranged to be swung off the last, substantially as described.
7. In a lasting machine, the combination with slides adapted to be displaced, as
well as to swing in the direction to the last, and with pinchers secured to said slides,
of levers connected to the latter, and means for operating said levers all at a time;
each of the said levers consisting of two parts hinged one to the other, and yieldable
means adapted to transfer the movements of one of said parts upon the other; a
special toe-pinchers having clamps curved according to the configuration of the
toe-portion of the last, and means for operating said toe-pinchers, substantially as
described.
8. In a lasting machine, the combination with slides adapted to be displaced, as
well as to swing in the direction to the last, and with pinchers secured to said slides,
and adapted to turn upon the latter around a horizontal axis as well as around a vertical
one, of levers connected to the said slides, and means for operating the said levers
all at a time; each of the levers consisting of two parts hinged one to the other,
and yieldable means adapted to transfer the movement of one of said parts upon
the other; a special toe-pinchers having clamps curved according to the configu
ration of the toe-portion of the last, and means for operating said toe-pinchers; the
latter being attached to a vertically movable rod held by a suitable guide or
guides, said guide or guides being arranged to be swung off the last, substantially
as described.
Dated this 28th day of May 1896
HERMANN VON KALINOWSKI,
By Geo. H. Rayner,
Agent for the Applicant.