IMPROVEMENTS IN AND IN MACHINES FOR LASTING BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN AND IN MACHINES FOR LASTING BOOTS AND SHOES." A communication
from abroad by Solomon Bradford Ellithorp, of Rochester, in the County of
Monroe, State of New York, United States of America.
No text detected.

page_text: planes) the two levers, which consist of metallic bars inwardly curved to conform
with the side outlines of the last near the bottom thereof, and curved flatwise to
conform in a measure with the curve of the bottom of said last. These levers are
provided with flanges which extend inward about half an inch or thereabouts from
their upper faces so as to fit upon the outer face of the bottom of the boot or shoe
that is being lasted along the sides thereof. The flanges may be integral parts of
the levers, or may be made separately and secured thereon by bolts, screws, or other
suitable device. The levers are of sufficient length for their rear ends to rest on an
adjustable rear cross bar of the frame, and are so hinged on their pins that they can
be closed closely about the last and the leather thereon, and can be opened apart to
permit the easy removal of the last and the leather that is stretched upon it."
A flat metal plate called a template of the general shape of the bottom of the last
is suspended by rods above the last, and provided with holes around its edge for the
engagement of hooks that carry the clamps. The template has lugs on its upper
surface, by which it is suspended on pins from the rods which extend up through
the top of the frame and through a plate fixed thereon, and have their upper ends
pivoted to eccentric levers that are themselves pivoted or fulcrumed on pins that
pass through curved slots in the tops of standards which rise from the plate,
whereby said template and its connected clamps can be raised and lowered at will
to any desired extent.
The holding or pressing screw bolts pass down through suitable screw holes in the
plate on the frame and freely through the template, so that their points will rest
upon the last. These bolts are designed to hold the last firmly down in its seat
during the process of lasting a boot or shoe, and they may be made to screw up and
down or may be adjusted by levers or otherwise. The clamps are suspended from
the hooks with their clamping points downward to seize the edges of the leather,
and they are provided with set screws for adjusting the grip of their jaws or points
upon the leather.
The gathering cord is designed to be drawn and tied around the
stretched leather between the clamps and bottom of the last after the leather has
been sufficiently stretched in order to draw it more closely in about the last and to
make it fit thereon more smoothly.
To last a boot or shoe I take the upper leather for a boot or shoe that has been
prepared for lasting and turn it bottom up and insert the last therein bottom up,
said last having an insole already tacked on the bottom. I then place the last
bottom up in the seat, so that the heel pin shall enter the corresponding hole in the
last, the toe of the last resting in the curve of the said seat. Then I lower the
template to the full extent and adjust the clamps, making them grasp the upper
leather all around the edge thereof, first grasping at the centre at the heel, then at
the centre at the toe, and then at proper distances apart all around the said leather
or upper. Then I force down the holding bolts upon the last, thus forcing said last
firmly down on the seat, and next I draw up the template by means of the eccentric
levers, thereby pulling up the clamps and consequently the upper leather closely to
the last at every point alike, and said last being firmly held down, all the surplus
leather of the upper leather is then above the bottom of the last. I now close the
flanged levers, thereby pressing the upper leather to the shape of the last all around
the bottom thereof at or about the insole which has been tacked thereon. I next
put on the gathering cord about the said upper leather, and draw it tight, release
the eccentric levers, pull again on the cord and secure it, and the boot or shoe is then
lasted or ready for tacking, which may be done in the machine while the last rests
on the seat on opening the levers, or the boot or shoe, or rather the upper leather,
may be removed with the last to a place prepared for the convenience of the
tacking.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
4th July 1881.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND IN MACHINES FOR LASTING
BOOTS AND SHOES."
A communication from abroad by Solomon Bradford
Ellithorp, of Rochester, in the County of Monroe, State of New York, United
States of America.
The object of this Invention is to provide a cheap, simple, and durable machine
whereby boots and shoes can be lasted in a better manner and more expeditiously
than can be done by hand.
The machine of this Invention consists of a combination in a suitable frame of a
seat for holding a last, flanged levers for fitting the leather about the last, a
vertically adjustable template provided with. clamps and pressing screws for holding
and stretching the leather upon the last, and of a gathering cord for holding the
leather so stretched.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device partly
in section; Figure 2 is a sectional end elevation on line x-x, Figure 1; Figure 3
is a cross section on line y-y, Figure 2. Similar letters of reference indicate
corresponding parts.
A represents the frame made of any suitable material and designed to be fastened
on a bench or table. B is the last block or seat constructed with a heel end a
and a toe end b, the top of the former being of sufficient height for work to be
done between it and the table, and being curved to fit the curve in the top of the heel
of the last, and provided with a pin c extending above the said curve so as to enter
a corresponding hole in the last C as shown. The toe end b is made of
corresponding height with a curved face b¹ to receive the upper face of the toe of
the last C as shown. The seat B may be constructed of metal or wood in one piece
as shown, or it may be constructed in two parts united or in contact just back of
the toe, so that the beel part may be moved without disturbing the toe part, and
the length of the said seat B be thereby adjusted to lasts of different sizes. Secured
to the front end timbers of the frame A by a bolt d or other device is a lug D
tightened in place by a wedge D' that extends inward and has pivoted on it on
vertical pins f. f, (so as to move in horizontal planes) the two levers E, E, which
consist of metallic bars inwardly curved to conform with the side outlines of the
last C near the bottom thereof, and curved flatwise to conform in a measure
with the curve of the bottom of the said last C. These levers E, E, are provided
with flanges g, g, which extend inward about half an inch or thereabouts from
their upper faces so as to fit upon the outer face of the bottom of the boot or shoe
that is being lasted along the sides thereof. The flanges g, g, may be integral parts
of the levers E, E, or may be made separately and be secured thereon by bolts,
screws, or other suitable device. The levers E, E, are of sufficient length for their
rear ends to rest on an adjustable rear cross bar E' of the frame A as shown, and
are so hinged on the pins f, f, that they can be closed closely about the last C
and the leather F upon said last C, and can be opened apart to permit the easy
removal of last C and the leather F that is stretched upon it. G is a flat metal
plate called a template of the general shape of the bottom of the last C, and
provided with holes h, h, around its edge for the engagement of hooks H, H, that
suspend the clamps I, I. The template G is provided on its upper surface with
lugs m, m, by which it is suspended on pins n, n, from rods K, K, which extend

page_text: up through the top of the frame A and through a plate G¹ fixed thereon, and have
their upper ends pivoted to eccentric levers L, L, that are themselves pivoted or
fulcrumed on pins q that pass through curved slots s in the tops of standards M, M,
which rise from the plate G¹, whereby said template G and its connected
clamps I, I, 'can be raised and lowered at will to any desired extent. N, N,
represent holding or pressing screw bolts that pass down through suitable screw
holes o, o, in the plate G¹, and also pass freely through the template G, so that their
points will rest upon the last C. These holding bolts N, N, are designed to hold
the last C firmly down in its seat during the process of lasting a boot or shoe, and
they may be made to screw up and down, as indicated in the Drawings, or may be
adjusted by levers or other suitable devices. The clamps I, I, are suspended from
hooks H, H, with their clamping points downward to seize the edges of the leather
F, and they are provided with set screws p, p, for adjusting the grip of their jaws
or points upon said leather F. Clamps of other construction may be used for this
purpose, but those herein shown are effective. O is the gathering cord designed to
be drawn and tied around the stretched leather F between the clamps I, I, and
bottom of the last C after the said leather F has been sufficiently stretched in order
to draw it more closely in about the last C, and to make it fit thereon more
smoothly.
I
To last a boot or shoe on this machine, I take the upper leather F for a boot or
shoe that has been prepared for lasting and turn it bottom up, and insert the last C
therein bottom up, said last C having an insole already tacked on the bottom;
then place the last C bottom up in the seat B, so that the pin c shall enter the
corresponding hole c¹ in said last C, the toe of the last C resting in curve 61 of the
said seat B. Then I lower the template G to the full extent, and adjust the
clamps I, I, making them grasp the upper leather F all around the edge thereof,
first grasping at the centre at the heel, then at the centre at the toe, and then at
proper distances apart all around the said leather or upper F. Then I force down
the holding bolts N, N, upon the last C, thus forcing said last C firmly down on
the seat B, and next I draw up the template G by means of the eccentric levers
L, L, thereby pulling up the clamps I, I, and consequently the upper leather F
closely to the last C at every point alike, and said last C being firmly held down,
all the surplus leather of the upper leather F is then above the bottom of said
last C. I now close the flanged levers E, E, thereby pressing the upper leather F
to the shape of the last C all around the bottom thereof at or about the insole
which has been tacked thereon. I next put on the gathering cord O about the
said upper leather F and draw it tight, then release the eccentric levers, pull again
on the cord O and secure it, and the boot or shoe is then lasted or ready for tacking,
which tacking may be done in the machine while the last C rests on the seat B on
opening the levers E, E, or the boot or shoe, or rather the upper leather F, may be
removed with the last C to a place prepared for the convenience of the tacking.
Having described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. A lasting machine, constructed substantially as herein shown and described,
consisting of a suitable frame A, last seat B, curved levers E, E, template G
provided with hooks and clamps H, I, respectively, eccentric levers L, L, connecting
rods K, K, holding bolts N, N, and gathering cord O, as set forth.
2nd. In a lasting machine, the combination with the clamps I, I, of the vertically
adjustable template G and hooks H, substantially as herein shown and described.
3rd. In a lasting machine, as a means for stretching the leather F on the last C
the vertically moving clamps I, I, and holding screws N, N, in combination
substantially as herein shown and described.
4th. In a lasting machine, as a means for stretching and holding the leather For
the last C, the combination with the clamps I and holding screws N of the gathering
cord O, substantially as herein shown and described.

page_text: 5th. In a lasting machine, as a means for stretching, forming, and holding the
leather F on the last C, the combination with the clamps I and holding screws N
of the curved levers E, E, substantially as herein shown and described.
6th. The method, substantially as herein described, for lasting a boot or shoe,
which consists in placing the boot or shoe upper properly upon a last, in then
fixing the last bottom uppermost, and applying downward pressure to the last and
upward draft, and lateral compression to the boot or shoe upper, as set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Fourth day of July, A.D. 1881.