Improvements in Last Supports for Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1898

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Last Supports for Boots and Shoes.
I, WILLIAM HENRY DORMAN, of the Green Hall, Stafford, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows: -
The object of this invention is to provide a last support which will allow of a
boot upon its last being presented to a heel attaching machine in such a manner
that in spite of variations, or inaccuracies, in the form or construction of the lasts
used the heels shall still be properly attached to the boots.
Hitherto provision has been made for adjusting the last longitudinally and
transversely in a horizontal direction, for raising and lowering the last, for tipping
the last lengthwise and for turning the last horizontally.
I now provide means for tipping the last sidewise so that in case the heel seat
of the last or boot does not lie level across its width when in the machine, due
to the hole for the last heel pin being out of vertical with the heel seat, the last
and boot may be tipped sidewise sufficiently to bring the seat level across its
width.
I prefer to do this by making a curved slide in the heel post so that the upper
portion of the post may be set at an angle sidewise relatively to the lower
portion.
The curve of this slide is struck from the centre of the surface of the heel
seat so that the heel seat may be set level without being moved sidewise away
from its central position.
I may if desired construct the last support with a longitudinal tipping slide
struck from the same centre as the aforesaid side tipping one or I may con-
struct the support with a slide formed as a portion of a sphere to accomodate
both movements. In this latter case the centre of the sphere would be the
centre point of the surface of the heel seat so that, however the boot was tipped
the centre of the heel seat surface would not move.
Dated this 17th day of October 1898.
I, WILLIAM HENRY DORMAN, of the Green Hall, Stafford, Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The obiect of this invention is to provide a last support which will allow of a

page_text: boot upon its last being presented to a heel attaching machine in such a manner
that in spite of variations or inaccuracies in the form or construction of the lasts
used, the heels shall still be properly attached to the boots.
Hitherto provision has been made for adjusting the last longitudinally and
transversely in a horizontal direction, for raising and lowering the last, for tipping
the last lengthwise and for turning the last horizontally.
I now provide means for tipping the last sidewise so that in case the heel seat
of the last or boot does not lie level across its width when in the machine, due
to the hole for the last heel pin being out of vertical with the heel seat, the last
and boot may be tipped sidewise sufficiently to bring the seat level across its
width.
prefer to do this by making a curved slide in the heel post so that the upper
portion of the post may be set at an angle sidewise relatively to the lower
portion.
The curve of this slide is struck from the centre of the surface of the heel
seat when the last is in position on the heel pin so that the heel seat may be
set level without being moved sidewise away from its central position.
I may if desired construct the last support with a longitudinal tipping slide
struck from the same centre as the aforesaid side tipping one, or I may con-
struct the support with a slide formed as a portion of a sphere, to accommodate
both movements. In this latter case the centre of the sphere would be the
centre point of the surface of the heel seat so that however the boot was tipped
the centre of the heel seat surface would not move.
My invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:-
Fig. 1 is a side view of my improved post.
Fig. 2 is a front view of the same.
Fig. 3 shews another construction.
Fig. 4 is a front view of the last support complete, together with a portion
of a heel attaching machine.
Fig. 5 is a side view of the same, partly in section.
Fig. 6 shews an alternative construction of the post.
The shoe a portion a of which is shewn in section-is, with its last a',
mounted upon the heel pin b which is formed, as is also the last support
generally, in the same manner as already described in the Specification of
1ormer Letters Patent granted to me numbered 3858 and dated A.D. 1898.
In my present invention I provide a curved slide c-Figs. 1, 2 and 5-to
carry the heel pin b, the curve of the slide c being struck from a point c¹ situated
at or near the centre of the heel seat when the last a' is in its place on the heel
pin b. The slide c is free to be moved by the operator in a slide way & formed
in the post c³.
Now should a last, as a¹ Fig. 2, have the hole a², intended for the reception
of the heel pin b, bored out of vertical to the general level of the heel seat a³
the slide c may be moved over by the operator as shewn in Fig. 2, until the
heel seat a becomes level across its width, so that when the attaching pressure
is applied such pressure will be equal on each side of the heel; and this without
moving the heel seat laterally.
In Fig. 3, is shewn, in addition, a longitudinal curved tipping slide d, its
curve being also struck from the point c', by means of which the last may be
tipped lengthwise, i.e. higher or lower at the toe and without moving the heel
seat from under the device .r. When this is used the pin b does not require to
have any liberty, as the spaces 6' 6', allowed for tipping.
In Fig. 6, the slides c and d are omitted and are replaced by the saucer shaped
piece e which is formed as a portion of a hollow sphere and provided with the
post e to carry the heel pin b. A fellow portion of a sphere e is formed as a
supporting bearing for e upon the post and a cover et is provided, in shape
like a dished washer, and is held to the portion 2 by screws e5.
The screws hold the cover et upon the piece e and large clearance holes e

page_text: are formed in e for the screws to allow of a universal movement of the post e¹
about the centre point c¹ from which point the curves of the portion of the
sphere e, the bearing 2 and the cover are all struck.
The last a¹ can therefore be tipped sufficiently in any direction to set the heel
seat a³ and can also be turned or revolved as far as allowed by the clearance in the
holes without moving the heel seat a³ out of position in relation to the
machine nailing device a-see Figs. 4 and 5.
In the drawings my improvements are illustrated in connection with the
machine known as the "lightning heeler" but they can be employed with other
sorts of heel attaching machines in some of which the boot lies horizontally and
in others the boot is vertical but with the sole downwards.
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
1claim is
In last supports employed in connection with heel attaching machines for
boots and shoes:-
1. The use of a curved slide, which has its curve struck from a point at or
near the centre of the heel seat when the shoe is in proper position, for the
purpose of setting or levelling the heel seat across its width without moving the
centre of the heel seat relatively to the nailing device, substantially as described.
2. The use of two curved slides at right angles to one another, with their
curves struck from a point at or near the centre of the heel seat when the shoe
is in proper position, for the purpose of setting or levelling the heel seat across
its width and longitudinally without moving the centre of the heel seat from
its position relatively to the nailing device, substantially as described.
3. The use of a bearing formed as a portion of a sphere, struck from a point
at or near the centre of the heel seat when the shoe is in proper position, and
adjustable in every direction about such centre, for the purpose of setting or
levelling the heel seat without moving the centre of the heel seat from its position
relatively to the nailing device, substantially as described.
Dated this 17th low of Tu.. 1900