Improvements in the Lasting of Boots, Shoes, and the like, and in Machinery or Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Feb., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 10th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 12th Jan., 1895
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Lasting of Boots, Shoes, and the like, and in
Machinery or Apparatus therefor.
I, SAMUEL LENNARD of 85 Asylum Street, Leicester, in the County of
Leicester, Boot and Shoe Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the lasting of boots, shoes and the
like and in machinery or apparatus therefor, the nature of which is hereinafter
described.
According to this invention the upper to be lasted is placed, (together with the
last therein) in a suitably shaped mould or into an opening in a bed-plate or
equivalent lined or padded with india-rubber or other soft, yielding, resilient or
elastic material.
The last and the upper thereon may be retained within the said mould or
opening by any suitable means and means may also be employed to draw down or
otherwise move the last within the upper so that the latter fits tightly thereover
and is free from creases and unevenness.
For the purpose of turning over the marginal edge of the upper on to the insole
fixed to the bottom of the last, I may employ a sheet of thick rubber or other
suitable elastic or resilient material having an opening therein preferably of the
shape of a sole and within and beyond the edge of which opening the marginal
edge of the upper extends or projects.
Suitable means are employed so that pressure may be brought to bear upon the
sheet rubber in such a manner that the sides of the opening are pressed inwardly
and brought nearer to each other and the opening thereby contracted in size.
The result of this operation will be that the projecting edge of the upper
turned over on to the insole which being previously cemented will hold the upper
attached thereto.
Other means than the sheet rubber may be employed to turn over the edge of
the upper on to the insole; these means may consist of suitable slides or
equivalent arranged in close proximity to the upper and adapted to be moved
inwardly by suitable mechanical means to turn over the edge of the upper as before
stated.
The lined or padded moulds or openings within which the uppers are first placed
may be made movable or extensible so as to be used for varying sizes of lasts and
uppers.
Dated this 10th day of February 1894.

page_text: Improvements in the Lasting of Boots, Shoes, and the like, and in
Machinery or Apparatus therefor.
I, SAMUEL LENNARD of 85 Asylum Street, Leicester, in the County of
Leicester, Boot and Shoe 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 relates to improvements in the lasting of boots, shoes and the
like and in machinery or apparatus therefor, the nature of which is hereinafter
described.
According to this invention the upper to be lasted is placed, (together with the
last therein) in a suitably shaped mould or into an opening in a bed plate or
equivalent, lined or padded with india rubber or other soft, yielding, resilient or
elastic material.
The last and the upper thereon may be retained within the said mould or
opening by any suitable means and means may also be employed to draw down or
otherwise move the last within the upper so that the latter fits tightly thereover
and is free from creases and unevenness.
For the purpose of turning over the marginal edge of the upper on to the insole
fixed to the bottom of the last, I may employ a sheet of thick rubber or other
suitable elastic or resilient material having an opening therein preferably of the
shape of a sole and within and beyond the edge of which opening the marginal
edge of the upper extends or projects.
Suitable means are employed so that pressure may be brought to bear upon the
sheet rubber in such a manner that the sides of the opening are pressed inwardly
and brought nearer to each other and the opening thereby contracted in size.
The result of this operation will be that the projecting edge of the upper is
turned over on to the insole, which being previously cemented will hold the upper
attached thereto.
The lined or padded moulds or openings within which the uppers are first placed
may be made movable or extensible so as to be used for varying sizes of lasts and.
uppers.
The invention will be fully understood from the following further description in
.reference to the accompanying drawings wherein,
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a lasting machine constructed in accordance with
my invention and Figure 2 is a front elevation of same.
Figure 3 is a plan of the machine.
Figure 4 is also a plan of the machine, with the head turned to one side to allow
of the insertion of the last and upper and with the frame P and metal sole plate Q
removed to allow of a clearer view of the slides and mould.
Figure 5 is a vertical central section of Figure 1 with certain parts omitted.
Figure 6 is a sectional plan of the head E and framing H.
Figure 7 is a section across the table showing the upper on the last, the slides,
the mould, frame and metal sole plate.
Figure 8 is a cross section on the line Z. Z. of Figure 7, and
Figure 8 is a similar section but showing the rubber pad compressed under the
compression plate F and the edge of the upper turned over on to the insole.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of the frame P with the rubber pad G and
upper.
Figure 10 is a perspective view of the metal sole plate Q, and
Figure 11 is a perspective view of a slide with the toe portion of the mould
engaged thereby.

page_text: A. represents the standard or framing of the machine, having bearings A¹ at its
rear in which is carried the driving shaft B carrying at one end a fly wheel B¹ and
at the opposite end the usual fixed and loose pulleys B².
On the said shaft B and adjacent to the fly wheel is a pinion C gearing into a
larger toothed wheel C' mounted on a shaft C2 passing through the framing A.
The said shaft C2 carries also an eccentric C³ giving motion to a vertical
link C which is movably connected at its upper end within the tubular pillar D
so as to impart a vertical reciprocating motion to the latter within the standard
or framing A and also to the head E at the upper part of the said pillar D.
The head E is loosely carried on the spindle D' and retained thereon by a nut D'
so as to be movable thereon in a horizontal plane.
A plate or block F (hereinafter referred to as the compression plate) is lowered
with the head E on to an india rubber pad G to turn over the edge of the upper
on to the insole as hereinafter described.
The said compression plate F as seen most clearly in Figure 2 is shaped to
correspond with the sole or bottom of a last and is removable to admit of another
plate being substituted for it, for varying sizes of uppers and lasts employed.
For the purpose of facilitating removal, each plate E has formed on its..
surface a projection F¹ preferably dovetailed, which is received into a
correspondingly shaped opening formed in the under surface of the vertically
movable framing H.
upper
Through the upper part of this framing there passes a spindle H' which has on
its top end a hand wheel H2 secured thereon by a nut H³ and the boss H' of which
hand wheel rests on the cross bar H. On the said spindle H' there is also a
collar H in contact with the underside of the said cross bar H' so that when the
said hand wheel H2 is turned, the spindle H¹ rotates within the said cross bar H³
without travelling up or down.
The said spindle H' is screwthreaded for the greater part of its length and
passes through an internally threaded, stationary block J, Figs. 1. 5. and 6 which
has on one side a screwed spindle J' passing through a hole in the head E and is
rigidly attached to the latter by a nut J' thereon.
The opposite side of the said block J is furnished with a similar spindle J'
passing through the plate K and rigidly secured thereagainst by a nut J.
•
From this it is obvious that upon turning the hand wheel H2 the screwed
spindle H' will travel up or down within the stationary block J while the framing H
and the compression plate F will also move with and in the same direction as the
spindle H.
The framing H as most clearly indicated in Figures 3. 4 and 6 moves within a
wedge shaped passage in the head E and by means of the said hand wheel H2 may
either be moved downwards or upwards to adjust the compression block F to ensure
it exerting sufficient pressure on the india rubber pad at each descent of the head E,
to cause the edge of the upper to be turned over on to the edge of the insole as
hereinafter described.
L represents the last, L' the upper, and L² the insole thereon which together
for lasting purposes are placed within a mould (Figures 4. 7. 8. 8 and 11) shaped
to receive them and having an internal facing or lining of india rubber or other
flexible or resilient material M** secured thereto by screws or other suitable
means.
The mould is by preference formed in sections four in number M M² M² M³ to
admit of lateral and longitudinal extension or coutractiou, to suit varying sizes of
lasts, as indicated more particularly in Figure 4.
One of such sections, namely that for the toe, is shown per se in Figure 11 and to
admit of adjustment relatively to each other for different sizes of lasts as mentioned,
each section is formed by preference with a wedge shaped projection M* which fits
into a similarly shaped passage in slides N. N N N³ movable within guideways ('
in the table O.
To vary the positions of the mould-sections relatively to each other, each of the

page_text: slides N. N N N³ connected thereto has a screwed spindle N* passing through
the same and through a plate 02 extending across the slide openings in the table O
and which said spindle upon being rotated by the hand wheel V causes the said
sections to move towards or from each other.
Upon the top of the table O and the mould there is placed a frame P (removed
from Figure 4) connected to the table O by bolts P₁ passing through slots 08
therein but which bolts may be loosened to admit of the frame P being adjusted.
Resting in a recess 04 within the said table O is a preferably metal sole plate Q
(not shown in Figure 4) shaped to the contour of the last and upon this is the
superposed elastic pad G the lower edge of which is in a line with the bottom of
the last.
When the upper is placed within the mould for the purpose of being lasted, the
edge thereof extends beyond the bottom of the last as indicated in Figure 8 and
upon the compression plate F being lowered with the head E as before described
and exerting pressure upon the flexible pad G the latter is reduced in thickness
and increased in area so that the opening therein is reduced in size and the edge of
such opening is forced inwards in such a manner as to press over the upturned edge
of the upper on to the bottom of the insole L2, as in Figure 84, the marginal edge
of the latter having been previously covered with a strong cement so as to
maintain the edge of the upper in adherence thereto.
After the edge of the upper has been turned over on to the insole as before
described the compression plate F is raised with the head E so that the india
rubber pad will resume its normal condition and allow the last and upper to be
removed; the head E for this purpose being partly rotated on the stud D³ in a
horizontal plane as hereinbefore referred to.
The last, prior to being placed with the upper thereon into the mould, is screwed
or otherwise firmly secured to a post L³.
The lower end of this post L³ may be slid into a dovetail passage in a block R
on the upper end of a screwed spindle R' having bearings R2 in the arm R³
connected to the pillar R*.
By turning the hand wheel S the last L may be raised or lowered within the
mould but the main function of this contrivance is to draw down the last within the
mould so that the upper L' by contact with the india rubber M** of the mould
may be drawn tightly and without creases over the last before the edge is turned
over as before stated.
The table Ocarrying the mould and mechanism operating therewith is
adjustably supported by a post T screwthreaded into the top of the pillar R' the
latter being connected by bolts R' to the foundation plate of the standard or
framing A.
The said table O is provided with guideways U which move up and down on
wedge shaped projections A² Figs. 1. 3. 4. and 5 formed one on each side of the
standard A.
The table O is moved when it is desired to adjust it relatively to the compressing
block F by means of the hand wheel T¹ fixed upon the post T the lower part of
which post is screwthreaded and fits into the pillar R4 which is bolted to the
framing as before described.
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. In a lasting machine for boots and shoes, a mould for the reception of the last
and the upper to be lasted thereon, an india-rubber or other flexible lining for the
said mould, means for moving the last within the said mould to tighten the upper
over the said last preparatory to the edge thereof being turned over on to the insole
substantially as described.
2. In a lasting machine for boots and shoes, a mould, for the reception of the last
and the upper thereon, said mould having a flexible or elastic lining and formed in

page_text: sections adjustable relatively to each other for varying sizes of lasts and uppers and
means for adjusting the said mould-sections for the said purpose, substantially as
described.
3. In a lasting machine for boots and shoes, a mould for the reception of the last
and the upper thereon, said mould having a resilient or flexible lining, an elastic
pad having a central opening therein, means for compressing the said pad so that
the size of the said opening is reduced and the edge of the upper thereby turned
over on to the insole the marginal edge of which is cemented, substantially as and
for the purpose described.
4. In a lasting machine for boots and shoes, a mould for the reception of the
last and the upper thereon, a resilient lining for the said mould, an elastic pad
having an opening therein, through which the edge of the upper projects, a shaped
compression plate adapted to be forcibly pressed on to the said pad and increase
the area thereof in such a manner as to force over the edge of the upper on to the
cemented marginal edge of the insole, and means for raising the said compression
plate to admit of the last and upper being placed within or removed from the said
mould substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.
5. In a lasting machine for boots and shoes, an elastic lined mould for the
reception of the last and the upper thereon, means for tightening the last within
the said mould, a vertically adjustable table on which the said mould is located, an
elastic pad within the said mould, a shaped compression plate for said pad, a
vertically reciprocating head for placing the said compression plate into and out of
contact with the said pad substantially as and for the purpose described.
6. The improved lasting machine consisting of the parts constructed, arranged
and operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Desember 1904
D
Witness:
E. NORTH LEWIS,
Leicester.
SAMUEL LENNARD.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.