Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 24th July, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 24th Apr., 1900-Accepted, 2nd June, 1900
We, JOHN BARAGWANATH KING, of 30, Connaught Avenue, Mutley, near
Plymouth, and FREDERICK ROUSE POOL, of 33, Cedars Road, Clapham Common,
in the County of Surrey, Engineers, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
The invention has for its object an improved boot tree or last which is capable
of ready application to a boot or shoe and of removal therefrom whilst for
packing or transport it is capable of assuming a compact form without sepa-
ration of any of the parts.
For this purpose we form a boot tree or last preferably of the usual external
form and in two pieces, namely a front portion comprising the main part of the
foot and a heel portion formed with a forwardly projecting web fitting and
capable of sliding within a slot or space formed in the front portion. A slot is
preferably formed in the web of the heel portion and pins are passed through
the front portion and through said slot to guide and control the motion of the
heel portion, but other means may be employed for this purpose.
In the web of the heel portion is formed a space to receive the operating end
of a lever working within the slot or space in the front portion of the tree or
last and said lever has its fulcrum pin fixed in the upper part of said front por-
tion. The space in the web of the heel portion is of such form as to enable the
operating end of the lever to move said heel portion in either direction as may
be required and said space may be formed with notches to receive and lock the
operating end of the lever, in which case the latter would be formed as a tooth
or wiper. The lever may however have its operating end of a scroll or cam
form in which case said notches would be unnecessary.
In some cases the lever may be pivoted to the heel portion and the web may
form part of the front portion of the last.
We may also form a rack on the web portion and may form the lower part of
the lever in the shape of a curved rack to gear with the straight rack in which
case we employ suitable means to retain the lever in position.
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.

page_text: 33, Cedars Road, Clapham Common, in the County of Surrey, Engineers, 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:--
The invention has for its object an improved boot tree or last which is capable
of ready application to a boot or shoe and of removal therefrom whilst for
packing or transport it is capable of assuming a compact form without sepa-
ration of any of the parts.
Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is
a side view, Fig. 2 an underside view and Fig. 3 a vertical longitudinal section
of our improved boot tree or last. Fig. 4 represents a modification.
In carrying our invention into effect we form a boot tree or last preferably of
the usual external form and in two pieces, namely a front portion A comprising
the main part of the foot and a heel portion 13 formed with a forwardly project-
ing web fitting and capable of sliding within a slot or space a formed in the
front portion. A slot b preferably formed in the web b of the heel portion B
and pins are passed through the front portion A and through said slot 6 to
guide and control the motion of the heel portion B, but other means may be
employed for this purpose.
In the web of the heel portion B is formed a space to receive the operating
end of a lever c working within the slot or space a in the front portion A of the
tree or last and said levere has its fulcrum pin c¹ fixed in the upper part of said
front portion A.
The space in the web of the heel portion B is of such form as to enable
the operating end of the lever to move said heel portion B in either direc-
tion as may be required and said space may be formed with notches 3 to
receive and lock the operating end of the lever c, which latter is formed as a
tooth or wiper.
In Fig. the lever is shown by full lines in the position it would occupy
when inserting the tree or last in a boot or shoe, and by dotted lines in the
packed position.
If desired the operative end of the lever c may as represented at Fig. 4 be
made adjustable in length. In this case a metal sheath is fixed on the end of
the lever and a round headed screw is adjustably screwed into the end of
the said sheath, a lock nut et being employed to lock the screw c³ if necessary
in its adjusted position.
In some cases the lever may be pivoted to the heel portion and the web may
form part of the front portion of the last.
We have shown the slot b₁ slightly inclined from the horizontal by which
means the instep portion is caused somewhat to rise thereby stretching the boot
or shoe upper in a vertical direction in addition to the horizontal, but if desired
the slot may be made in a horizontal position.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1. A boot-tree or last characterized by one portion having a slot, another por-
tion having a web capable of moving longitudinally in relation to the first por-
tion and an operating and retaining lever pivoted to the upper part of the first
mentioned portion, capable of moving the heel and toe portion to and from each
other, of retaining them in position when in use, and when not in use, lying
compactly on the top of the boot tree or last, substantially as set forth.
2. In a boot-tree or last the combination of a front portion formed with a
slot, a heel portion formed with a web fitting in said slot, a slot in said web, pins
passed through the front portion and through said latter slot and an operating
and retaining lever pivoted to the front portion working in a space formed in
the web, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 3. In a boot-tree or last, the combination of a front portion, a vertical slot in
said front portion, a heel portion, a web carried by the heel portion and fitting
the slot in the front portion, a slot in the web, pins passed through the front
portion and through the slot in the web, an operating and retaining lever pivoted
to the front portion, a space in the web in which the end of the operating lever
works and a notch or notches formed in said space by which the parts are
retained in position when in use, substantially as set forth.
0411
J
1000
HARRIS & MILLS,
23, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents.