IMPROVEMENTS IN DARNING LASTS
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by George Augustus Cochrane at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 23rd May 1882.
GEORGE AUGUSTUS COCHRANE of Montreal, Canada, and of the city of New
York, State of New York and United States of America "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DARNING LASTS"
The operation of darning upon a last demands that the surface of the latter
should be devoid of sharp angles with which the needle during the operation of
darning may come in contact.
The surface should furthermore be composed of curved lines to permit the needle
to make the stitches in various directions. For this reason darning lasts of
spherical or ovoidal shape, made of some hard substance, highly polished, such as
porcelain, glass, hard wood or analogous substances have heretofore been used.
One of the most trying operations in the process of darning upon such lasts is
to hold the latter in the required position, since, owing to the form of the last the
slightest pressure of the hand will cause it to shift its position under the fabric.
The latter has also to be of such size as to enclose the last and provide a hold
whereby the last when enclosed in the fabric may be held in the required position.
The slight hold the fabric affords tends to cramp the hand and to obtain relief
the work has to be laid aside. When so laid aside and again taken up it becomes
necessary to again adjust the last to the required position for darning as such lasts
do not afford any means whereby a fabric may be firmly attached thereto, nor
are there any means whereby a fabric of less superficial area than the last itself
may be darned without holding or grasping both the last and fabric to be darned.
The object of my invention is to overcome these difficulties and it consists
broadly
In providing a last for darning of whatsoever shape and material with means
whereby a fabric either of greater or less superficial area than the last itself may
be securely attached thereto.
It further consists in giving the last the necessary form whereby articles of
various sizes and shapes may be darned.
It further consists in a series of variously shaped darning lasts arranged in a
suitable box the whole constituting a darning necessary for household purposes as
a new article of manufacture

page_text: In carrying out my invention various means may be employed for connecting
the fabric to the last; these means it is desirable, should be such as to adapt the
fabric being readily connected with and disconnected from the last.
A simple and convenient method of effecting this result consists in forming a
groove around the periphery or body of the last and a rubber band adapted to be
sprung into said groove after the fabric has been applied to the last
In practice I form the groove semi cylindrical and I employ a rubber band that
is cylindrical in cross section and I form the groove with rounded edges whereby
the rubber band may be readily removed from the groove by drawing the fabric
against the band thereby imparting to the latter a rolling motion owing to its
being cylindrical in cross section.
The form of the last may vary according to the uses made of it for example :
It may be spherical or ovoidal or conoidal for darning stockings or analogous
materials, or such last may be ring shaped for darning laces or handkerchiefs for
use in conjunction with a last constructed to be held on one of the fingers like a
thimble, or said last may be cylindrical with convex faces or it may be spindle
shaped to adapt it for insertion into the finger of a glove.
Of whatsoever form the last may be it should however be provided with means
for securely attaching the fabric to be darned thereto.
Hence I do not limit myself to any particular form of last or to any particular
means for connecting a fabric therewith.