Improvements relating to Boot and Shoe Lasts.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Sept., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 7th June, 1894-Accepted, 7th July, 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements relating to Boot and Shoe Lasts.
We HARRY WILLIAM MOBBS and ALFRED LEWIS both of Kettering in the
County of Northampton Boot Last Manufacturers do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to what are known as "divided lasts" the subject matter
of Letters Patent granted to us dated 21st March 1885 No. 3652 and the object
of the invention is the adaptation in a simple and economical manner of the principle
therein enunciated to wooden lasts.
In the Specification of the Letters Patent above referred to we state that the
invention is equally applicable to wooden as to iron lasts but in practice difficulties
have arisen in producing a satisfactory wooden last.
The locking device consisted of a recess and a moveable bolt or catch on the
beel piece and a hooked portion and a recess on the foot portion to enter and receive
the respective parts on the heel piece.
We still retain these parts and our present invention consists in the method
whereby we adapt such parts to the two portions of the divided last.
In carrying out our invention we take an ordinary wooden last slightly longer
than is wanted and from the heel end we bore a hole (say inch) projecting
forward well into the foot. We then by a transverse saw cut divide the last into
two parts the saw cut taking a diagonal direction downwards from the heel towards
the foot.
We next take the foot portion and form a groove in the edge of the cut from
the hole upwards.
We then take the heel portion and taking the hole therein as a guide for a
suitable tool we turn out an enlarged and concentric portion to receive part of the
locking device.
The locking device is formed (preferably cast) in two parts each with a
cylindrical stem to enter the hole and thus give strength and rigidity to the
fastening.
The foot part is provided with a hooked portion and a recess and it is secured
to its part of the last by one or more wood screws.
The heel part is formed with an enlarged boss having an inclined face and in
which is a recess to receive the hook on the other portion and in the stem which is
hollow for the purpose is provided a spring bolt which when the parts are in position
will enter the recess on the foot part.
These parts when cast and after cleaning are put together and locked and are
then placed in a lathe that they may be turned perfectly true and of the proper
diameters to fit into the respective recesses made to receive them.
When the parts are properly fitted the hole in the heel portion is plugged and
finished off.
It will be obvious that other forms of catch (spring or otherwise) may be employed
without departing from the nature of our invention.
The parts are separated by means of a key which is inserted in the groove of
the foot portion and pushes back the bolt or catch.
Dated this 7th day of September 1893.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: improvements relating to Do and
S.
We HARRY WILLIAM MOBBS and ALFRED LEWIS, both of Kettering in the
County of Northampton, Boot Last Manufacturers, 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 that form of divided last the subject matter of Letters
Patent granted to us, dated 21st March 1885, No. 3652, and the object of the
present invention is the adaptation, in a simple and economical manner, to the two
parts of a divided wooden last, of the locking device described in the Specification
of the said Letters Patent.
In the said Specification we state that the invention is equally applicable to
wooden as to iron lasts, but in practice we have met with difficulties in applying the
locking device to the parts of the wooden last in such a manner as to obtain the
requisite strength and rigidity.
The locking device consists of two castings, as before, one for the heel piece,
provided with a recess and a bolt or moveable catch; and the other for the foot
piece, with a hooked portion and a recess to enter and receive the respective parts
on the heel piece, and our present invention consists in the method whereby we
adapt such parts to the two portions of the divided last.
In carrying out our invention, we make each part of the locking device with a
cylindrical stem, which we insert in holes in the respective parts of the last, and
secure by screws or otherwise.
And in order that our invention may be clearly understood, we will now proceed
to more fully describe it, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in
which-
Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of our improved wooden last.
Fig. 2 is a rear view of the foot portion; and
Fig. 3 is a front view of the heel portion.
Fig. 4 shews the parts of the locking device separated, with the parts of the last
indicated by dotted lines; and
Fig. 5 shews the key used to unlock the parts, the key being shewn in position
in dotted lines in Fig. 1.
A A¹ is an ordinary wooden last, made slightly longer (say, the width of a saw
cut) than the proper size for any particular number, and from the heel end we
bore a hole x of small diameter, projecting forward well into the foot, as clearly
shown in Fig. 1. The object of making this hole is to ensure that the recesses
subsequently to be made in each part of the divided last, shall exactly correspond.
We then, by a transverse saw cut, divide the last into two parts, which we will
designate the foot part A and the heel part A³.
The saw entering at the point X on the upper edge of the last, passes out at the
point Z in the waist, or vice versa, thus dividing the last by a diagonal or oblique
cut, as shewn at Fig. 4.
The object of this diagonal or oblique cut is to facilitate the withdrawal from
the boot or shoe being manufactured, of the parts A A', as the case may be, when
unlocked.
We next take the part A, and taking the hole as a guide, we enlarge the hole
to receive the stem of one part of the locking device, and we then form a groove B
in the rear face, from the hole upwards to the top, for a purpose to be presently
explained.
20
We next take the part A', and with the hole therein also serving as a guide
for the tool, we enlarge the hole, and turn out, in addition, from the part, an
-

page_text: enlarged and concentric portion to receive the corresponding parts of the locking
device.
The two parts of the wooden last are thus prepared with perfect accuracy to
receive the two parts of the locking device.
The locking device, as before explained, consists of two parts C C¹, which are
intended to interlock, the part C being inserted and firmly secured in the part A of
the last, and the part C in the part A'.
The part C consists of a cylindrical solid stem C, a hooked portion D, and a
recess D'. The face a of the hooked part D, when the device is in position, should
be in the same line, and correspond with the inclined face of the part A. The
part C may be secured in position by a pin passing through the last, and also.
through a hole in the cylindrical stem Č.
The part C consists of a cylindrical or tubular stem C', and a cylindrical and
concentric boss E, the face of which is inclined to the same inclination as the
incliued face of the part A¹. The boss E has, in the lower half, a recess c to
receive the hook D. In the tubular stem is fitted a spring bolt F, which, when the
parts C Care brought into conjunction, will take into the recess D' above the
book D, thus locking the two parts together.
We prefer to use the spring bolt encased within the tubular stem, as being
convenient and efficient, to lock the two parts together, but it will be obvious that
any other form of spring catch may be used, such, for instance, as that described
in the Specification of our former Patent, without departing from the nature of our
invention.
The parts C C (when cast, and after cleaning) are accurately fitted and locked
together, and are then placed in a lathe, that they may be turned perfectly true, and
of the proper diameters to fit into the respective recesses made in the parts A A¹
to receive them.
When the parts of the last and the locking device are all properly fitted, the
hole in the back of the heel piece A¹is closed by a plug A³, and the last is
finished off.
The parts are separated by means of the key, which is inserted in the groove B
of the part A, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, so that the point will push back
the bolt or catch F clear of the recess D', the bottom of the groove acting as the
fulcrum. The strain of the "upper" leather on the part A of the last, as well as.
the pressure of the key, will cause this part to ride up the face of the part A¹
sufficiently to prevent the bolt springing back into the recess, and the part A can.
then be withdrawn from the boot or shoe with facility. The inclined faces will
also facilitate the insertion of the last in the boot, the heel piece being first
introduced. The last, if desired, may be provided with a post hole and an instep.
block, as usual.
When a post hole is provided, we line the same with a cast metal socket G,.
having at one end a plate G¹ and at the other end a pin or stem G. The plate Gi
lies on the top of the foot portion A, and is formed at its outer end with two-
lugs G, which project on either side of the groove B, and serve to take up any
lateral strain caused by the working of the key, and thus prevent the walls of the
groove being broken away. The stem G2 passes through a hole in the cylindrical
part C of the locking device, and into a hole in the last, and thus holds the part C
firmly in position in the foot portion A. The part C' is preferably secured in.
position by the pin H, as seen at Fig. 1, which may be secured by rivetting, or in.
any other convenient manner. By these means, the requisite strength and rigidity
is given to the last, to withstand the strain that is necessarily put upon the last.
while the "upper" is being lasted.
It will be obvious that the diagonal cut may be made in the reverse direction, as
indicated in the Specification of our former Patent above referred to, without.
departing from the nature of our present invention, and that the wooden lasts may
be "plated in the usual manner, either all over the bottom, or on the heel part.
only.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. The method as herein shown and described, of adapting a locking device to
the parts of a divided wooden last, and consisting in boring a hole of small diameter
horizontally of the last, from the heel forwards, dividing the last by a diagonal
cut; then, taking the hole in each part as a guide, enlarging the same concentrically
to one or more diameters, to receive therein the cylindrical stems and other parts
of the locking device; inserting and securing the locking device in and to the
lust; and finally, plugging the hole in the heel, and finishing off the last, as set
forth.
2. A locking device for the two halves of a divided wooden last, consisting in
two interlocking parts, each provided with a rearwardly extending stem, to fit into
corresponding recesses in the respective parts of the last, as and for the purpose
set forth.
3. A boot last of wood constructed substantially as shewn and described, that is
to say, with a foot piece A and a heel piece A', the said pieces A A¹ being formed
with inclined faces, and provided each with a part, C and C¹, of a locking device,
the part C having a hooked portion D and a recess D₁, and a rearwardly extending
stem, and the part C₁a recess c to receive the hooked portion D, a spring catch F,
to enter the recess D' and a rearwardly extending stem,-the said stems being
fitted into suitable recesses made to receive them in the parts A A', and secured
therein by pins, or in any other convenient manner, as set forth.
Dated this 7th day of June 1894.
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.