Improvements in or relating to Lasts for Boots and Snoes.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 6th Nov., 1899-Accepted, 6th Jan., 1900
Improvements in or relating to Lasts for Boots and Snoes.
I, BENJAMIN CHARLES SMITH, Boot Laster, of 133 Clare Street, Northampton,
in the County of Northampton, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
This invention relates to lasts for boots and shoes whereby the process of
lasting is facilitated and lighter lasts can be used than at present.
In carrying out the invention I form the sole portion of the last, that is the top
portion while the last is in use and inverted, preferably of cast steel or malleable
iron, in which is formed a groove passing around near the edge for the whole or
a sufficient portion of the surface. This groove is filled with any suitable
material adapted while sufficiently holding to allow of the free entry of the
pins or pegs employed. A suitable material would be wood or lead, but other
materials may be employed.
Metal lasts as at present employed are comparatively heavy and inconvenient
to use, and to avoid that inconvenience with these improved lasts I form the
upper portion of the last of wood or other suitable material sufficiently light
and strong for my purpose. By this means I obtain the advantages of a metal
last as well as those appertaining to a wooden last, and I also avoid the dis-
advantages of the ordinary construction of metal last with which as is well known
is not possible to make hand sewn or welted work.
In order that the last may be supported on a suitable stand I may form in the heel
portion a socket into which a tongue or projection from the stand, bench or
equivalent could be inserted so as to hold the last independently of the work-
man. If preferred the reverse construction may be employed, the tongue or pro-
jection extending from the last itself and preferably cast with it, and entering
a socket in the stand. The tongue and socket may be curved to prevent the last
from pulling off when the boot or shoe is removed from it.
These improved lasts may be used in any desired manner, the workman either
sitting or standing.
To facilitate the withdrawal of the boot or shoe from the last I extend the
removable portion which as above explained may be of wood much further
towards the toe than has hitherto been the practice. This I am enabled to do
by reason of the strong construction of the metal portion of my improved last
which will resist the strains to which it is subjected, whereas the ordinary
wooden last would not do so.
In practice I extend the removable portion of the last to within about an inch
of the toe end.
The effect of the metal upon the lining of a boot or shoe is apt to be bad
and to stain or spoil the colour: by my improvement the lining is only in
contact with the wooden or other harmless portion.
As there is objection to letting the wood portion run off to a feather edge I

page_text: prefer to sink the back portion of the metal below that of the front portion so
that the wood may be sunk into this lower portion and lie flush with the
forward portion. This step may be undercut so as to assist in holding the wood
which may be secured to it by screws or other suitable means.
Dated this 6th day of January 1899.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to 100 and OS.
I, BENJAMIN CHARLES SMITH, Boot Laster, of 133 Clare Street, Northampton,
in the County of Northampton, 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 lasts for boots and shoes and has for its object
to enable the process of lasting to be facilitated and lighter lasts to be used than
at present.
In carrying out the invention I form the sole portion of the last, that is the top
portion while the last is in use and inverted, preferably of cast steel or malleable
iron, in which is formed a groove passing around near the edge for the whole or
a sufficient portion of the surface. This groove is filled with any suitable
material adapted while being sufficiently holding to allow of the free entry of the
pins or pegs employed. A suitable material would be wood or lead, but other
materials may be employed.
Metal lasts as at present employed are comparatively heavy and inconvenient
to use, and to avoid that inconvenience with these improved lasts I form the
upper portion of the last of wood or other suitable material sufficiently light
and strong for my purpose. By this means I obtain the advantages of a metal
last as well as those appertaining to a wooden last, and I also avoid the dis-
advantages of the ordinary construction of metal last with which as is well known
it is not possible to make hand sewn or welted work.
In order that the last may be supported on a suitable stand I may form in the
heel portion a socket into which a tongue or projection from the stand, bench or
equivalent could be inserted so as to hold the last independently of the work-
man. If preferred the reverse construction may be employed, the tongue or pro-
jection extending from the last itself and preferably cast with it, and entering
a socket in the stand. The tongue and socket may be curved to prevent the last
from pulling off when the boot or shoe is removed from it.
These improved lasts may be used in any desired manner, the workman either
sitting or standing.
To facilitate the withdrawal of the boot or shoe from the last I extend the
removable portion which as above explained may be of wood much further
towards the toe than has hitherto been the practice. This I am enabled to do
by reason of the strong construction of the metal portion of my improved last
which will resist the strains to which it is subjected, whereas the ordinary
wooden last would not do so.
In practice I extend the removable portion of the last to within about an inch
of the toe end.
The effect of the metal upon the lining of a boot or shoe is apt to be bad
and to stain or spoil the colour; by my improvement the lining is only in
contact with the wood or other harmless portion.

page_text: prefer to sink the back portion of the metal below that of the front portion so
that the wood may be sunk into this lower portion and lie flush with the
forward portion. This step may be undercut so as to assist in holding the wood
which may be secured to it by screws or other suitable means.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of one construction of the improved last.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same.
Figure 3 is an underside view of the same.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of another construction of last.
Figure 5 is a side elevation showing a part of the invention as applied to an
existing last.
Figure 6 is an elevation showing the improved last and socket for holding it.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The last is formed in two main parts, which may be termed the "sole"
and "
upper." The sole A is made of suitable metal, preferably iron, and has
formed on the surface adapted to receive the upper a rib or feather A', which
runs longitudinally down the centre of the sole. The upper B is constructed of
wood or other similar suitable material, and recessed on the underside for the recep-
tion of the feather A. Towards the toe and heel ends holes A2 are made in the
feather A corresponding holes being made in the wooden upper B, the sole and
upper being connected together by pins C which run through these holes. At the
heel the feather A¹ is extended to form a tongue A³ which passes through a
suitable opening B¹ made in the upper B.
In order to enable the pins or pegs usually employed in lasting to be driven
into the last in the usual way, grooves or recesses A4 A5 are formed in the face
of the metal sole, and these recesses are filled in with some soft material D, such
as lead, into which the pins can be driven. When through constant use the
material D is getting worn away it may readily be renewed without affecting
the last as a whole, this being an important advantage over wooden. lasts as at
present constructed, where the destruction of the wood at the parts where the
pegs are driven into it frequently necessitates an entire new last being made.
in the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings
the toe portion of the upper is formed of metal in one with the sole as at A6,
the wooden upper being stopped off at B²; with this arrangement the toe is made
stronger as there is no thin portion of wood which is liable to be broken off.
In the construction shown in Figure 4 the whole of the upper is made of wood,
which is carried right down to the toe 133. In both these cases the wooden upper
is provided with a detachable piece E for the purpose of facilitating the removal of
the last from the boot or shoe.
In order to facilitate the holding of lasts when in use a supporting socket F
is constructed of suitable metal and attached to a bench or elsewhere by means
of screws or bolts passing through the flange F. The socket is adapted to receive
the metal tongue A3 which projects from the last, the latter being held in the
manner shown in Figure 6.
In order to enable existing lasts to be fitted with metal tongues so that they may
be held in a similar way the wooden last B is recessed at the heel for the reception
of a heel plate A provided with a feather A', which is extended to form a
tongue A³ the heel plate is attached to the last by a pin C in the same way as
the metal sole is described above as being attached to the wooden upper. In
order to strengthen the wood of the last at the part where the tongue A³ pro-
jects, a plate of metal leather or other suitable material G may be attached to the
last around the opening in the wood through which the tongue A³ passes.
In place of providing the last with a tongue such as A3 to engage with a
socket such as F mounted on a bench, a metal socket may be formed on the
metal sole of the last and a projecting tongue to engage therewith mounted on
the bench.

page_text: Where the whole of the upper of the last is formed of wood mounted on a
metal sole, the detachable piece E may be made to extend much further down
towards the toe than is usually the case, the thinness of the wood of the upper
near the toe being immaterial since it is backed with the metal sole.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a last for boots and shoes the combination with a wooden or similar
"upper" of a metal "sole" such as A A¹.
2. In a last for boots and shoes the combination with a wooden or similar
upper" of a metal "sole" having grooves or recesses in it for the purpose
described.
3. In a last for boots and shoes a metal sole" having a feather or rib such
as A¹ formed thereon for the attachment of a wooden or similar "upper" substan-
tially as described.
4. In a last for boots and shoes the combination with a wooden or similar
"upper" of a metal sole having cast thereon a tongue such as A³ or a socket
substantially as and for the purpose described.
5. The combination with a wooden or similar last for boots and shoes of a
metal heel plate having a tongue such as A³ or a socket cast thereon for the pur-
pose described.
6. In a last for boots and shoes the employment of a metal "sole" grooved or
recessed as at A4 A5 for the reception of renewable material for the purpose
described.
sole"
7. The combination with a last for boots and shoes formed of a metal"
and wooden or similar "upper" and having a tongue or socket formed in one with
the metal "sole" of a supporting socket or tongue adapted to engage respectively
with the tongue or socket of the last and hold the latter in position for use.
8. In a last for boots and shoes the combination with a wooden or similar "upper"
of a metal "sole" the toe portion of the "upper" being formed of metal in one
with the
'sole" substantially as described and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2
of the accompanying drawings.
66
9. The complete last for boots and shoes substantially as described or illus-
trated in Figures 12 and 3 or Figure 4 or Figure 5 of the accompanying
drawings.
10. The complete socket for holding a last for boots and shoes substantially as
described and illustrated in Figure 6 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 9th day of October 1899.
BOULT, WADE & KILBURN,
Agents for the Applicant.