Improvements in Machinery for "Lasting" Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Feb., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 11th Nov., 1893-Accepted, 10th Feb., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for "Lasting" Boots and Shoes.
I, JOHN BLAKEY, of Lady Lane, Leeds, in the County of York, Boot
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to an improved arrangement and construction of
apparatus for "lasting" boots and shoes. My improved machine comprises means
for stretching or pulling the boot upper over the sides of the last; also means for
forcing the heel and toe part of the upper over the corresponding portions of the
last; and means for holding or retaining the leather upon the last after the
stretching pincers have been removed, so that the operative has free access to
the last for the purpose of nailing the leather and making it secure thereon.
According to my improvements for effecting the above named purposes, I employ
a suitable number of toggle-jointed pincers attached by strap or wire to rod
connected to a rocking lever arm, so that after the pincers have seized the leather the
lever arm is made to rock for the purpose of pulling the upper over the last, which
when done, another rocking lever and rod carrying adjustable holders, are brought
into use and are forced against the outer edge of the side of the boot for holding or
retaining the leather in position. After these holders are placed into position
against the leather upon the last, the pincers employed to stretch the leather are
removed so that the operative has free access to the last, for the purpose of nailing
the upper thereon. For the purpose of forcing the heel and toe part of the upper
onto the last, the toe and heel of the latter, rest in suitably shaped cups. A pair of
jaws occupying a horizontal position is made to advance and recede as required by
screw and hand wheel. These jaws are made to catch the edge of the upper and
to force it over the heel or toe as the case may be, an arrangement of cams being
employed to open the jaws, and studs are also used for guiding the jaws. These
jaws are made to place more or less pressure onto the leather by a T form of lever.
A corresponding pair of jaws and a similar method of operation is employed for
the toe. The last carrying the upper is made adjustable.
By this construction of machine the parts are all adjustable, and can be adapted
for boots and shoes of different sizes.
Dated this 11th day of February 1893.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery for "Lasting" Boots and Shoes.
I, JOHN BLAKEY, of Lady Lane, Leeds, in the County of York, Boot
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 :-
This invention has reference to an improved arrangement and construction of
apparatus for "lasting" boots and shoes.
In order that my invention may be better understood reference is made to the
accompanying sheets of drawings, wherein
Fig. 1 is front elevation, partly in section of my improved "lasting" machine,
Fig. 2 is end elevation of same and Fig 3 is a plan view.
Paid]

page_text: 1 represents the standards of the machine upon which is fixed a table 2. Rising
up from this table is a socket 3 in which is an adjustable pillar 4 for carrying a
horizontal bracket 5 which holds the toe cup 6 (shewn in detail Fig. 4) for receiving
the toe of the last 7 supported upon a pivot 8. The toe of the last is forced into
the cup and held secure therein by means of a screw 9 and hand wheel 10, the said
screw and hand wheel being carried by the bracket 11 which is supported by the
pillar 12 upon the top of which it is capable of oscillating so as to be put on one
side when the last is being removed from its position and a fresh one put in its
place. The fringe of the upper is forced over the toe of the last. for the purpose of
being secured by nails by a pair of jaws 13 shewn detached on an enlarged scale
at Fig. 5, end view Fig. 6 and sectional elevation at Fig. 7. These jaws are free
to work upon studs 14 which carry small rollers or bowls 15 shewn in Fig. 8.
These studs with their bowls upon them work in radial slots 16 (see Fig. 8) formed
in the adjustable plate 17, on the underside of which plate is a nut through which
passes the screw 18 so that on the hand wheel 19 being operated in a forward
direction the jaws 13 come into contact with the fringe of the upper, and as the
said jaws advance by the continued motion of the hand wheel the fringe of the
upper is forced with great pressure over the toe of the last. Fig. 9 shews the jaws
in their normal position but on the hand wheel 19 being operated the said jaws are
forced over the fringe of the upper as shewn in Fig. 8. These jaws are closed or
brought nearer together as they advance over the toe of the last in the following
manner viz.
On the jaws 13 being forced forward by the hand wheel 19 the bowls 15 which.
are lying in the slots 16 come into contact with cam surfaces 20 attached to the
sides of the plates 5, and as the jaws advance the cam surfaces cause the pivoted
ends of the jaws to open out and the inner end to close up as shewn in Fig. 8, the
effect of which is to force the fringe of the upper over the toe of the last, this
closing of the inner end of the jaws being assisted by the bowls 21 against which
the outside of the jaws ride, and when the jaws are in the position shewn in Fig. 8
the operative makes the upper fast by nails, certain openings or perforations 223
in the jaws being formed for that purpose. It will be obvious that when the jaws
have forced the leather over the last the operative will have his hands free and be
able to drive the nails into the leather the perforations 22 in the jaws permitting
him to do this. As soon as the upper has been secured the motion of the hand
wheel 19 is reversed and the jaws withdrawn. The spiral springs 23 within the 3
slots 16 forces the pivoted ends of the jaws together, and so open the inward end,
the opening of the jaws being further assisted by means of two vertical studs 24
fixed in slides 25, which slides are connected together by a spiral spring 26, the two
slides being free to move backwards and forwards-on the dovetailed bar 27. The
pressure of the jaws upon the toe of the last is effected by the bent spring 28 which
carries a horizontal cross bar 29 each end of which bar rests upon one jaw 13 as
clearly shewn in plan views Figs. 3, 8, and 9. Pressure of the jaws upon the toe of
the last can however be removed by the operative placing his foot upon the
treadle 30 connected to, the bottom of the vertical rod 31 on the top of which is the
dovetailed bar 27, and it is upon this dovetailed bar that the end of the jaws rest, 4
so that when pressure is put upon a small hand lever 32 in the direction of the
arrow shewn in Figs. 1 and 11 the movement of the said lever will bring a cam 33.
underneath the bent spring, and so lift the pressure of the cross bar 29 from off the
-jaws.
I would here remark that the pivoted ends of the jaws 13 are not only capable
of opening and closing horizontally but that the joint is partially a ball joint to permit
a slight upward and downward movement of the said jaws when they are either.
forced upon the toe of the last or removed slightly from it.
The method of forcing the fringe of the upper over the heel of the boot is similar
to that which has been described with reference to the toe, the parts of mechanism
employed and the method of operation being the same with this difference that
whilst the toe cup holder 5 has an upward and downward motion vertically to suit

page_text: different heights of lasts it has no horizontal movement, but the parts for operating
upon the heel of the boot are made to have a horizontal movement, and this is
effected by means of a nut 34 formed in the bottom of the standard 35 (see enlarged
details Figs. 12, 13 and 14).
Through this nut passes a screw 36 provided with a hand wheel 37 which on
being operated causes the standard 35 to advance nearer the toe mechanism or
further from it, the bottom of the standard being dovetailed and working in a dove-
tailed groove formed in the top of the table 2. An enlarged detail of the
mechanism for operating upon the heel is shewn in Fig. 10. I would here observe
that the toe mechanism may be made to advance and recede horizontally in like
manner to the heel mechanism.
So far I have described the mechanism I employ for forcing the fringe of the
upper over the toe and heel of the last, but I will now describe the mechanism [
employ for pulling the fringe of the upper over the inner sole of the last, and for
this purpose I employ two pairs of pincers 38 arranged at each side of the last
shewn on an enlarged scale at Figs. 15, 16 and 17.
These pincers are connected by a series of links 39 to a yoke or slotted part 40.
Within the yoke is a cross bar 41 connected to two lever arms 42 mounted upon
studs 43 on the top of vertical rods or pillars 44. These lever arms 42 are free to
oscillate upon their studs and when the pincers 38 have seized hold of the fringe of
the upper, the said lever arms are drawn downward, the effect of which is, through
the intervention of the several links 39 to close the pincers so as to get tightly hold
of the fringe of the upper, and on the lever arms being forced downward the leather
is pulled over the last and stretched tightly thereon, the said lever arms being held
or retained in a suitable degree of tightness by a pawl 45 taking into one of a series
of teeth formed on the top of one of the pillars 44, thus when the upper is stretched
in the manner just described and the lever arms held by the pawl 45 the hands of
the operative are at liberty and he is enabled to drive in the nails so as to make the
upper secure on the last. Two sets of pincers 38 are arranged at each side of the
machine for operating upon both sides of the upper and when the lever arms 42 are
not in use they occupy the position shewn in Fig. 17.
The machine herein shewn and described can be adapted to stretch leather over
lasts of different sizes as the machine is adjustable in all parts with the exception of
the lateral movement of the toe mechanism.
The uprights 44 which carry the pincers are attached to radial arms 46 and they
can be raised or lowered vertically by operating hand wheel 47.
The stroke of the pincers or extent of their movement can also be lengthened
and shortened by the screw 48, whilst the mechanism for operating upon the heels
of the last can also be made to advance or recede according to the length of last
being used, all the various movements of adjustment being independent of each
other.
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 :-
Firstly. In a boot lasting machine the use of the operating jaws 13 for forcing
the fringe of the upper over the toe and heel of a boot last, such said jaws being
opened and closed in the manner substantially as herein shewn and described.
Secondly. In a boot lasting machine, the use of the jaws 13 perforated as at 22,
for purposes specified, when used in combination with pincers 38.
Thirdly. In a boot lasting machine having operating jaws 13 the combination
therewith of means for making the toe or heel mechanism to advance backwards
and forwards for purposes and in manner substantially as shewn and described.
Fourthly. In a boot lasting machine, the use of sliding jaws 13 operated as
described and forced upon the fringe of the upper by springs such as 28 or
equivalent devices when used in combination with pincers 38.
Fifthly. In a boot lasting machine, the pincers 38 operated by lever arms 42 in

page_text: combination with rack and holding catch or pawl 45 as shewn and for purposes
described.
Sixthly. In a boot lasting machine, the pincers 38 operated by lever arms 42,
such said pincers being adjustable by screws 48 for purposes and in manner
described.
Seventhly. In a boot lasting machine, the combination therewith of the treadle 30
connecting rod 31 and plate 27 for removing the pressure of the jaws 13 off the last
substantially as described.
Lastly. The general arrangement and combination of parts comprising a boot
lasting machine substantially as herein described and illustrated in the drawings.
Dated this 10th day of November 1893.
TASKER & CROSSLEY,
Halifax, Agents.