Improvements in Machines for Lasting and Sewing Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Sept. 1906
Complete Specification Left, 6th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 12th Dec., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 6th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 12th Dec., 1895
Communicated from abroad by EDWARD BAYLIES SEAVER, of 122 South Street,
Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America, Manufacturer.]
Improvements in Machines for Lasting and Sewing Boots
and Shoes.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to boot and .shoe lasting machines in which stitch-
forming mechanism is employed to secure the uppers to the soles during the
operation of lasting.
In some machines of this kind heretofore known a sliding clamp, presser or
wiper is employed which is advanced to press the edge of the upper inwardly upon
the face of the sole and hold it while the stitch is formed, said presser being then
withdrawn to leave the shoe free to be moved by the operator to form a stitch of
the desired length.
My present invention has for its particular object the improvement of the said
presser or clamp whereby it may hold the upper to better advantage and may be
withdrawn while the needle is still in the work.
The operation of the stitch-forming mechanism in my improved machine is the
same as in the machines of this type heretofore in use, and the sliding clamp or
presser is actuated by similar mechanism and for the same purpose.
According to my invention the sliding clamp or presser is formed to press on
the upper entirely around the needle and to this end is composed of a plate having
its outer end cut away to form a tongue of less width than the rest of the plate.
The rear end of the plate is thicker than the forward end and is provided with an
overhanging projection or ledge to the underside of which an arm is pivoted, the
said arm extending forward parallel with the plate and normally held against said
plate by means of a spring. The said spring may be coiled about a pin in the
plate and may have one end confined in an opening in said plate and its other end
confined in a turned-over ear at the end of the arm which it controls.
The said turned-over ear extends transversely about to the tongue of the arm and
is inclined on its inner projecting end, and on its under side.
After the slide has been advanced to press on the upper the needle passes under
and behind the ear aforesaid and up through the opening in the slide between the
arm and the plate, during which time the said slide holds the upper firmly and
prevents the lifting of any portion of the edge of the upper as would be liable to
occur without such form of slide. The lifting of the edge of the upper would
interfere with the action of the looper. The slide then retreats while the needle is
still in the work and causes the arm to move laterally outward, owing to the
contact of the inclined inner projecting surface of the ear with the needle. The
moment that the ear has cleared the needle, the arm is closed up to the plate again

page_text: by its spring, and is ready to surround the path of the needle when it is advanced
for the next stitch.
Dated this 5th day of September 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in Machines for Lasting and Sewing Boots
and Shoes.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 relates to machines for lasting boots and shoes, in which stitch-
forming mechanism is employed to secure the uppers to the soles during the lasting
operation. In machines of this character, a sliding clamp or presser is employed,
which is advanced to press the edge of the upper inwardly upon the face of the
sole, and hold it while the stitch is formed, said presser being then withdrawn to
leave the shoe free to be moved by the operator to form a stitch of the desired
length.
My invention has for its object the improvement of a machine of the type above
specified, and particularly the improvement of the said presser or clamp, whereby
it may hold the upper to better advantage and may be withdrawn while the needle
is still in the work."
To this end, my invention consists in the construction and combination of parts
substantially as hereinafter described and claimed.
Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,―
Figure 1 represents a plan view of my improved sliding clamp or presser.
Figure 2 represents a perspective view of the same.
Figure 3 represents an edge view.
Figure 4 represents a bottom plan view.
Figure 5 represents an end view.
Figure 6 represents a section on line 6-6 of Figure 1.
Figure 7 represents an elevation of a portion of a machine of the type above
referred to, and showing the clamp
or presser retracted.
Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7, showing the parts when the needle is
about to enter the work.
Figures 9 and 10 are similar views, showing the parts when the needle is at its
full inward stroke, and partly withdrawn, respectively.
Figure 11 is a detail perspective of the positions of parts of the machine when
the needle is about to enter the work, the work being omitted.
Figure 12 illustrates a result likely to follow the use of a plate or presser not
embodying the present improvements.
Similar reference characters indicate the same parts throughout the several
views.
In the machine illustrated in the drawings, the frame, the curved oscillating
needle a, the channel-guide c, the adjustable rest d, and other parts not shown, are
or may be of the usual or any suitable construction; the stitch-forming mechanism is
the same as in former machines of this type; and the sliding clamp or presser

page_text: is actuated by mechanism and for a purpose already well understood and involving
no part of my invention.
In the present instance, the slide or wiper h is formed to press on the upper
entirely around the needle, and to this end is composed of a plate 1 having its
outer end cut away to form a tongue 2 of less width than the rest of the plate.
The rear end of the plate is thicker, and is provided with an overhanging
projection 3, to the under side of which an arm 4 is pivoted at 5, the said arm 4
extending forward parallel with the plate 1 and normally held against said plate
by means of a spring 6 coiled about a pin 7 in the plate 1, and having one end
confined in an opening in said plate, and having its other end confined in a turned-
over ear 8 at the end of the arm 4.
The ear 8 extends across about to the tongue 2, and is inclined on its inner
projecting end, as indicated at 9, and on its under side, as at 10.
The slide is reciprocated by suitable mechanism, and advances to the position
shown in Figure 8. The needle then passes under and back of the ear 8, and up
through the opening in the slide, as indicated in Figure 9, the said slide holding
the upper firmly and preventing the lifting of any portion of the edge of the upper,.
as is liable to occur without such form of slide. This objectionable lifting is
indicated in Figure 12, and interferes with the action of the looper.
The slide then retreats, while the needle is still in the work, as shown in
Figure 10, the rearward movement of the slide from the position shown in Figure 9
to the position shown in Figure 10 causing the arm 4 to move outward, owing to
the inclined surface 9 of the ear 8 engaging the needle in an obvious manner..
The moment that the ear has cleared the needle, the arm is closed up to the plate 1
by the spring 6, and is ready to surround the path of the needle when it is advanced
for the next stitch.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :
1. In a machine for lasting boots and shoes, the combination of a sole-guide or
gage, stitch-forming mechanism including a curved oscillating needle, and a
reciprocating upper-clamp for opposing the pressure of the needle against the
upper, said clamp being adapted to surround the path of the needle and having a
movable side.
2. In a machine of the character specified, the combination with stitch-forming
mechanism, of the slide / comprising the plate 1 having the tongue 2, the arm 4
pivoted to the plate 1, the spring 6, and the projection at the end of the arm.
having an inclined side extending across the space between the tongue 2 and
arm 4.
3. In a machine of the character specified, the combination with stitch-forming
mechanism, of the slide / comprising the plate 1 having the tongue 2, the arm 4
pivoted to the plate 1, the spring 6, and the ear 8 extending across the space
between the tongue and arm and having inclined inner side 9 and inclined under-
side 10, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 6th day of November 1896
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant..