Year: 1895

page_text: I, ADOLPHE GEORGES BRINON, of Pussay, Arrondissement d'Etampes, Seine
& Oise, in the Republic of France, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
The lasts employed in the manufacture of foot coverings are usually formed of
two pieces, the wedge and the last proper which are united by means of a screw..
When the foot covering (boot shoe or the like) is placed on the last, the latter
cannot be withdrawn whole from the interior of the boot or shoe but must be
withdrawn piece by piece, that is to say, it is necessary to unscrew the screw
so as to allow of separating the wedge from the last and of withdrawing the wedge
in order to allow of subsequently removing the last proper.
The screws as heretofore used take time to unscrew; the workmen are obliged
to employ screw-drivers, and under the action of the repeated screwing and
unscrewing operations the screw hole becomes gradually enlarged and the whole
last is thus rapidly rendered useless. It moreover sometimes happens that the
screws become lost, in which case the workmen work without placing the
wedge in the last and the boots, shoes or the like are then found to be much too
tight.
It is with the view to remedy these inconveniences that I have devised this
improved last for foot coverings, in which the assemblage of the wedge and of the
last proper is always effected by means of a screw but which is so arranged as to
render unnecessary the complete removal of the screw in order to permit of the
separation of the wedge from the last and which, moreover, can be handled
without screw driver and without other special tools.
The last proper is not modified, only the wedge and the uniting screw differ
from those heretofore employed. In the rear part of the wedge is a semi-circular
notch, the base of which bears against the stem of the screw. The two parts of
the wedge at the sides of the said notch enclose the stem of the screw at each
side.
The screw is formed with a head projecting on one side only of the stem at right
angles thereto. The lower face of the head is plane and the top or upper face is
convex; the sides of the head are flat to permit of the use of pincers for turning
the screw.
When the wedge is locked in position the head of the screw points toward the
front of the last and bears with its plane face upon the wedge and prevents the
latter from separating itself from the last proper. The connection is perfect.
On turning the screw one half turn so as to direct the head of the screw toward
the rear of the last, the head then lies no longer above a full part of the wedge.
but above the semi circular notch and the wedge will no longer be held in position
and can be easily removed.
It is thus evident that owing to this arrangement, and to the convexity or
curved shape of the head of the screw, it will be possible to remove the wedge
from the last after simply turning the screw one half turn, which is effected
without special tools; all the inconveniences above pointed out are thus completely.
done away with

page_text: The last and the screws may, of course, have all proportions and sizes employed
in the boot makers trade.
The above described constructional devices may be applied to metal lasts as well
as to wooden lasts.
D
T
D
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Lasts.
I, ADOLPHE GEORGES BRINON of Pussay, Arrondissement d'Etampes, Seine
& Oise, in the Republic of France, Manufacturer, 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 lasts employed in the manufacture of foot coverings are usually formed of
two pieces, the wedge and the last proper which are united by means of a screw.
When the foot covering such as a boot shoe or the like is placed on the last, the
latter cannot be withdrawn whole from the interior of the boot or shoe but must
be withdrawn, piece by piece, that is to say, it is necessary to unscrew the screw so
as to allow of separating the wedge from the last and of withdrawing the wedge
in order to allow of subsequently removing the last proper.
The screws as heretofore used take some time to unscrew; the workmen are
obliged to employ screw-drivers, and under the action of the repeated screwing and
unscrewing, operations the screw hole becomes gradually enlarged and the whole
last is thus rapidly rendered useless. It moreover sometimes happens that the
screws become lost, in which case the workmen work without placing the
wedge in the last, and the boots, shoes, or the like are then found to be much too
tight.
It is with the object of remedying these inconveniences that I have devised this
improved last for foot coverings, in which the assemblage of the wedge and of the
last proper is, always effected by means of a screw but which is so arranged as to
render unnecessary the complete removal of the screw in order to permit of the
separation of the wedge from the last and which, moreover, can be handled without
a screw driver or other special tool.
In order to render the following explanations as clear as possible, I have
represented, by way of example, in the accompanying drawing, a last constructed
according to the present invention.
Figure 1 is a side view of the last completely mounted.
Figure 2 represents the screw for uniting the wedge and the last proper.
Figure 3 is a plan view showing the assemblage of the wedge upon the last.
Figure 4 shows the rear part of the wedge, upon which the connection is
effected.
Figure 5 is a side view of the last showing the position of the connecting screw
when the wedge is removed.
The last proper is not modified, only the wedge and the uniting screw differ from
those heretofore employed. In the rear part of the wedge C is a semi-circular
notch, E, the base of which bears against the stem of the screw A. The two
parts of the wedge at the sides of the said notch enclose the stem of the screw
at each side; as indicated in Figure 3.
The screw A is formed with a head a projecting on one side only of the stem
at right angles thereto. The lower face of the head a is plane and the top or
upper face is convex; the sides of the head are flat to permit of the use of pincers
for turning the screw.

page_text: When the wedge is locked in position as indicated in Figure 1, the head a of the
screw A points toward the front of the last and bears with its plane face upon the
wedge and prevents the latter from separating itself from the last proper B.
The connection is perfect. On turning the screw one half turn so as to direct the
head a of the screw A toward the rear of the last, as indicated in Figure 5, the
head then lies no longer above the full part of the wedge but above the semi
circular notch E and the wedge will no longer be held in position and can be
easily removed.
It is thus evident that owing to this arrangement, and to the convexity or
curved shape of the head of the screw, it will be possible to remove the wedge from
the last by simply turning the screw one half turn, which is effected without
special tools. All the inconveniences above pointed out, are thus completely done
away with.
.
The last and the screw may, of course, have all proportions and sizes employed
in the boot maker's trade.
The above described constructional devices may be applied to metal lasts as well
as to wooden lasts.
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 I
claim is :-
:
An improved last device for foot coverings, as above described, its characteristic
feature being a screw for connecting the wedge to the last proper, the head of
this screw being made so as to form a hook a which, in order to fix the wedge
upon the last proper, is so placed above the top face of the said wedge as to hold
the latter in position relatively to the last proper, and which, in order to separate
the wedge from the said last is turned through an angle of 180 degrees relatively
to a notch E provided in the wedge.
Dated this 3rd day of September 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.