An Improved Method of Lasting Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Jan., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 11th July, 1891-Accepted, 15th Aug., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Lasting Boots and Shoes.
I, WILLIAM WARD of the Queensville Boot Factory, Stafford, Boot
Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to an improved method of lasting boots & shoes, &
is designed to dispense with the use of metallic substances such as nails, rivets,
tingles, or the like, being employed in the process of lasting, & thereby prevent
such from penetrating through the insole, or forming protuberances thereon, to the
discomfort of the foot of the wearer.
The invention consists essentially in lasting by the aid of draw-cords, by which
the upper is caused to assume the desired shape upon the last.
According to this invention the lasting edges of the upper are punched or
perforated, and the draw-cords passed through such perforations to draw the upper
tightly over the last, the cords, being crossed alternately from one edge of the upper
to the opposite edge.
The toe and heel seat portions may be gathered in, as is usual when lasting these
parts, and the draw-cord may pass through the openings, and round such toe and
heel portions, and finally crossed and tied.
The mode of passing the cords through the perforations in the lasting edges, may
be slightly varied as may be desirable.
Dated this 14th day of January 1891.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Method of Lasting Boots and Shoes.
I, WILLIAM WARD of the Queensville Boot Factory, Stafford, 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 method of lasting boots & shoes, &
is designed to dispense with the use of metallic substances such as nails, rivets,
tingles, or the like being employed in the process of lasting, and thereby prevent
such from penetrating through the insole, or forming protuberances thereon to the
discomfort of the foot of the wearer.
The invention consists essentially in lasting by the aid of draw-cords, by which
the upper is caused to assume the desired shape upon the last.
According to this invention the lasting edges of the upper and the stiffener are
punched or perforated, and the draw-cords passed through such perforations to
draw the upper tightly over the last, the cords being crossed alternately from one
edge of the upper to the opposite edge.
The toe and heel seat portions may be gathered in, as is usual when lasting
these parts, and the draw-cord may pass through the openings, and round such toe
and heel portions, and finally crossed and tied.
The invention will be understood from the following description in reference to
the accompanying drawing in which :-
Figure 1 represents a plan view of an upper showing the first stage of the lasting
operation according to my improved method.

page_text: Showing the second stage unereol.
Figure 3 is a view of an upper representing the third stage and showing the
lacing of the toe and heel completed..
Figure 4 is an underside view of an upper on a last, after the completion of the
lasting operation.
To carry my invention into practice the lasting edge of the upper is perforated
and the toe and heel portions thereof and the stiffener are also scalloped so as to
be more readily lasted and to reduce the bulk that would otherwise be formed at
such parts.
Draw-cords are then applied to the upper as hereinafter described.
In lasting the toe and heel portions the latter are caused to assume their position
on the last by the operator drawing tightly the two ends of a cord which is laced
in the manner as follows.
In commencing to lace the toe and heel portions according to this invention the
draw-cord a is first threaded through two of the perforations, one on each side of
the toe and heel, so that the said cord passes underneath the upper b and the
two cords a¹ and a' are allowed to come through to the outerside of the upper as
in Figure 1.
The end a¹ of the cord is then passed downwards through the perforation b¹ then
upwards through the next adjacent perforation, the process being repeated until
the thread has passed through the whole of the perforations on the toe or heel
parts and has reached and passed through the hole through which the opposite
end a of the cord first passed. At this stage the lacing is half completed, leaving
an unthreaded space between alternate holes and presenting the appearance indicated
in Figure 2.
To complete the lacing of the toe or heel portion the opposite end.a of the
thread is then passed through the opening and through every adjacent opening
exactly in the manner before described but in the opposite direction, when the
unthreaded spaces will now be covered by the draw-cord and the ends of the cords
have reversed their original positions as in Figure 3.
In order that the lasting operation may be successfully carried out by the method
herein described, it is necessary in lacing the heel and toe parts, that the terminal
ends a¹ and a² of the draw-cords pass upwards through a perforation and appear
on the exterior of an upper as in Figure 3 and in order to secure this desirable end
an odd number of holes must be selected for the lacing process.
The heel and toe parts having been laced in the manner before described the
upper may now be placed on the last in the usual way.
The operator will now proceed to last the toe and heel portions by drawing the
ends a¹ and a³ of the cord tightly over the last, meanwhile using his hammer to
mould the forepart and heel seat portions with the object of reducing the bulk or
thickness thereat, so that they assume the positions and appearance indicated in
Figure 3, temporary lasting tacks c being used as in Figure 4.
Upon the operator drawing the ends a' and as of the cord tightly over the last
the said cord will be caused to uniformly contract the threaded parts, gathering
them in at the toe and heel parts, the ends of the cord being then crossed. and
tied at a³.
The operator then proceeds to last the edges of the side portions of the upper.
This is effected by first connecting the draw-cord d to the now taut and tied
cord in the heel or toe and lacing it crosswise alternately through an opening on
each side of the upper, thereby drawing the side edges of the upper inwardly over
the bottom of the last and finally tying the said cord to the cord in the toe or heel
portion, the inward edges of the upper being flattened down and moulded by
hammering against the bottom of the last.
After the lasting operation is finished the outersole is held in position for sewing,.
by tacks or cement and the boot or shoe is then finished in the well known manner.
I wish it understood that although the herein before described method of lasting
is the most satisfactory of which I am aware. I do not limit myselfistrictly thereto

page_text: as it is possible to modify the process in matter of detail without departing from
the main lines or principle of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The improved method of lasting boots and shoes consisting in perforating the
edge of the upper and applying thereto draw-cords threaded and laced substantially
in the manner and for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawing.
2. The improved method of lasting boots and shoes substantially as hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing.
this 10
2
1001
WILLIAM WARD.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.