Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Boots, Shoes, and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 7th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Boots, Shoes,
and the like.
We, WILLIAM BESTWICK MAXFIELD of No. 19 Bowling Green Street,
Leicester, Patent Agent, and EDWARD SMITH BARSBY, of North Evington,
Leicester, Boot Manufacturers' Foreman, both in the County of Leicester, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
"
"
"
This invention has reference to improvements in or relating to the manufacture
of boots, shoes and the like to facilitate the process of lasting by which we are
enabled to do away entirely with lasting machines, such lasting being accomplished
expeditiously by securing the upper, or upper and lining to the upturned edges of an
"attaching blank or base whereby the bottom of the boot, shoe or other foot
covering is shaped to conform more readily to the natural formation of the human
foot; instead of the bottom being flat as by the means now employed in lasting a
concavity will remain along the bottom from the fore part to the heel, and so
forming a solid bottom without a welt, tacks, or cement. To carry our invention
into effect and which we call "the Barsfield process we first cut out a reduced
sole blank or what we style an "attaching blank or base" of sole leather, or may
be of other anhydrous, water or damp proof material. Corresponding in shape to
rights or " lefts or
the pattern or shape of sole to be employed, and cut either
"straights" as the case may be, the edges thereof are then skived round or thinned
down, and turned (grain side up) all round by pinchers, or by specially shaped rolls
In the case
through which the edges of the blank will be passed and folded over.
of leather it is then damped by preference to soften and facilitate sewing. We then
place it "flesh side to "flesh side" of the insole and secure them together
temporarily to the last by pegs or rivets in the ordinary plug holes of the last, the
upper is then placed in position the edges pulled over to come parallel with the
upturned edges of the "attaching blank or base," when this is done the insole will
be quite clear and free from stitches, the boot or the like is then taken while on the
last to any welting machine or any well known wax thread-sewing machine for
stout work or sew-round machine for light work, and held in such a position that
the needle of the machine sews through the two parallel edges of the upper and
"attaching blank or base" all round. By sewing in this manner whether by hand
or machine the upper is pulled over inwards and is perfectly lasted. The boot, shoe
or slipper is then ready to receive the out-sole or soles, without putting in shanking
or bottom filling, by any ordinary sole-sewing process to sew in the channel of the
outsole or stitching aloft," and through the upper and may be also through the
insole but missing the "attaching blank or base thus producing a flexible, strong,
yet weltless bottom, and a better bed for the foot than by any other process of
lasting now employed. We sew the boots, shoes or slippers with any kind of wax
or other thread, or wire if desired.
Dated thin 5th day of M
1001
WILLIAM BESTWICK MAXFIELD,
EDWARD SMITH BARSBY,
Applicants.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of Boots, Shoes,
and the like.
We, WILLIAM BESTWICK MAXFIELD of No. 19 Bowling Green Street and
College Avenue Leicester, Patent Agent and EDWARD SMITH BARSBY of North
Evington Leicester, Boot Manufacturers' Foreman, all in the County of Leicester
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:—
66
This invention has reference to improvements in or relating to the manufacture
of boots, shoes and the like to facilitate the process of lasting by which we are
enabled to do away entirely with lasting machines as now constructed, such lasting
being accomplished expeditiously by securing the upper, or upper and lining of a
boot or shoe to the upturned edges of an
attaching blank" or "base" whereby
the bottom of the boot or shoe or other foot covering is shaped to conform more
readily to the natural formation of the human foot, instead of the bottom being
quite flat as by the means now employed in lasting it has a slight curve along the
bottom of the fore part or soles. We therefore form a solid bottom so that the boot
can be completed without a welt, tacks or cement.
In order that our invention may be better understood we will now refer to the
drawings accompanying this Specification in which:
Figure 1 is a view of the "attaching blank," "base," or filler A with the upturned
edges a¹.
Figure 2 illustrates the "blank," base, or filler A put upon the last having the
upper B drawn over preparatory to going to the machine or commencing the lasting
or stitching operation.
"766 basc," or filler A put "flesh
Figure 3 is a side view of the "attaching blank,"
side" to "flesh side" of the insole C.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of a last D the vertical broken lines indicating the
plug holes of the last.
Figure 5 shows the upper B lasted ready for the sole to be sewn or rivetted
thereto.
Figure 6 is a side view of an upper B lasted showing the shape of the "blank,"
"base" or filler A.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of a "sew round" machine adapted to stitch the
upturned edges of the "blank," "base," or "filler "A to the upper B held thereto
while upon the last D, a wooden one of which is preferred.
Figure 8 is a view looking down on to the contrivance for stitching with wire,
and
Figure 9 is a side view of the same hereinafter described.
The same letters of reference refer to like parts in the several views.
To carry our invention into effect and which we call "the Barsfield process" we
first cut out a reduced sole blank or what we call an "attaching blank or "base,"
of sole leather or may be of other anhydrous, water or damp proof material suitable
for the purpose, corresponding in shape to the pattern or shape of sole to be
employed, and cut either "rights or " lefts" or "straights as the case may be,
the edges thereof are then skived round or thinned down and turned (grain side up)
all round by pinchers or by specially shaped rolls "not shown" but which can be
attached to the driving shaft, through which the edges of the blank will be passed
and folded over 66
as seen in Figure 1."
"
22
In the case of leather it is then damped by preference to soften and facilitate
sewing. We then place the blank A "flesh side" to "flesh side" of the insole C

page_text: "see Figure 3" and secure them together temporarily to the last D by pegs or
rivets in the ordinary plug holes d', of the last. The upper is then brought up and
the edges a², pulled over, "see Figure 2," to come parallel with the upturned edges
of the "attaching blank," or "base" A. When this is done the boot or the like is
then taken on the last a wooden one preferred to the lasting machine.
We have found in practice that the lasting by stitching of both heavy and light
work can be done upon a sew round machine in the following manner. The boot or
the like while on the last is held somewhat in the position as indicated by dotted
line Figure 7, that the needle of the machine sews through the two parallel edges of
the upper B and attaching blank" or "base" A all round, by the operator
guiding the feather edge a² of the upper of the boot or shoe under the lip guide E
in which is carried an ordinary whirl e, so that the curved needle shall pass through
the upturned edge of the blank A and upper B, or upper and lining in an hori-
zontal line to pick up the thread from the whirl so drawing the loop at each stitch.
In ordinary sewing a curved needle is used to sew through fabrics or leather in a
diagonal line but is inapplicable to our case. The whirl e is carried in the
bracket e', (shown in section Figure 7) and sleeve and rotated in the usual way by
bevel gearing F from the driving shaft G. Upon this shaft is mounted a driving
pulley and belt H. The needle arm I is carried upon a front shaft J in the curved
bearings, and pivoted at K to the eccentric lever arm L, the eccentric being bound
by a brass strap 1, the shaft G carries also the balance weight M and cam m, which
by the revolution of the shaft operates the lever m', to depress the outer end m³, so
that upon the upward movement of the needle the curved looper will cover the
hook of the needle and keep the loop from coming off, the lever m¹, being held to
the cam by the spring mt, the wax or other thread being carried on the reel N and
conducted into the whirl e. When the operator has guided the upper by pressing
the edge. thereof to the curved lip or steel block e, of the lip (the said lip being
shaped on its outer face to conform with the irregularities of the sides or hollows
of the last) and has sewn all round, or after accomplishing this by hand stitching ;
the upper having been pulled over inwards is perfectly lasted the insole being quite
clear of stitches. The lasted upper of the boot, shoe or slipper is then ready
seen in Figures 5 and 6 to receive the outsole or soles, and requires no shanking or
bottom filling. The soleing is done by any ordinary sole sewing process by sewing
in the channel of the outsole and through the upper, and may also be through the
insole, but outside of the "attaching blank" or base A, or the boots and the like can
be rivetted in the ordinary way. We thus produce a flexible, strong, yet weltless
bottom, and provide a better bed for the foot than by any other lasting process now
employed.
"
<< as
We sew the boots, shoes or slippers with any kind of wax or other thread or wire
if desired. In stitching with wire holes are made with an awl in the "attaching
blank A and upper or upper and lining B the end of the wire is then put through
and threaded through the holes N in the cross bar O, Figures 8 and 9 which is
then turned in its socket O', when the wires will be drawn tight all round, then by
taking a pair of pinchers and twisting each at 03, breaks the connection. The bar
can then be lifted up and the upper removed and another take its place, when ready
for further operation the bar is again brought down and locked in position by the
catch O³. We are aware that "lacing" and "bracing" have been tried in lasting
the uppers of boots or shoes by sewing or pulling the upper to a blank secured to
the insole but such pulling by "lacing" or "bracing" being in alinement and level
with the last it cannot be accomplished satisfactory, or without bottom filling or
shanking. By overcoming this we can turn out a solid hoot by as before stated
stitching the upturned edges of an
attaching blank" or
to the upper in
the manner specified and causing the "base to fill up the space usually occupied
by scrap pieces of leather and shank filling. The lasting being also perfected by
enabling the whole of the upper to be gathered in with or under the needle and so
producing an equal strain all round while the boot is on the last,
$6
"base

page_text: -
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. In the process of lasting boot or shoe uppers, the employment of an "attaching
blank,"
," "base," or "filler such as A having upturned edges a¹ for the purpose
substantially as described.
2. Lasting the uppers of boots or shoes by sewing or stitching the upturned
edges a¹, of an "attaching blank," "base" or filler such as A to and parallel with
the edge of the upper B, or upper and lining in the manner described.
3. The process of lasting as herein described by stitching through the upturned
edges a' of the "blank" or "base"A and causing the "base" to fill up the space
usually occupied by scrap pieces of leather and shank filling.
4. In stitching the uppers, or uppers and lining of boots or shoes for lasting the
same, the employment of a lip guide such as E to enable the whole of the upper to
be gathered in under the needle and so producing an equal strain all round while
the boot is on the last.
5. Improvements in or relating to the manufacture of boots, shoes and the like
in the manner and by the contrivances and appliances substantially as herein
described and set forth.
Dated this 4th day of December 1891.
WILLIAM BESTWICK MAXFIELD.
EDWARD SMITH BARSBY.