Improvements in Boot and Shoe Lasting Nippers.
Year: 1891

page_text: Improvements in Boot and Shoe Lasting Nippers.
I, DAVID LAKE of Hornellsville in the State of New York, United States of
America, Mechanical Engineer, 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 object of my invention is to so construct the nippers used in lasting boots and
shoes that said nippers will slip on the upper until they reach a given point near
the edge, whereupon the nippers will seize the upper and draw it over the last..
In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1, is a transverse section of a last and upper with the lasting nippers..in
position, the jaws of the nippers being open;
Figure 2, is an enlarged exaggerated view of the nipping jaws:;
Figures 3 and 4, are diagrams showing the action of my improved nippers ;
Figure 5, is a view of a pair of hand nippers embodying my invention; and
Figures 6, 7, and 8, are exaggerated views illustrating modifications.
In lasting boots and shoes especially by machinery, it is of the utmost importance
to centre the upper upon the last and to nip the upper at its extreme lower edge
so as not to destroy the leather of the upper, consequently considerable time
is ordinarily expended by the operator in adjusting and centering the upper on
the last.
The main object of my present invention is to so construct the nippers that they
will centre and adjust the upper quickly and accurately, and will automatically
grip the upper at a certain point on the edge thereof.
I will first describe my invention in connection with the ordinary hand nippers
shown in Fig. 5.
The two jaws a, and b, of the nippers are pivoted at c, and have the usual
rearwardly projecting portions a¹ 6 for being grasped by the hand.
There are two independent gripping faces on the jaws a, b, one gripping faces d,
being smooth, while the other gripping face e, is roughened; the roughened
gripping faces being situated at the ends of the jaws, and the smooth faces d, back
of the roughened faces.
The faces of the gripping jaws are slightly back of the line of the faces of the
smooth jaw, so that they will not interfere with the slipping of the upper until it is
released from the control of the said smooth jaws.
The faces d, although pressing upon the leather of the upper when the nippers
are closed will slip upon said leather while the roughened faces as soon as they
close upon the upper leather, will nip the same and will not slip, and the faces are so
arranged, that when the smooth faces d, are in contact with the leather of the upper,
the roughened surfaces are held away from the upper and will not bite into it, but
as the nippers slip upon the upper, the faces d, d, slip from the lower edge of the
upper, and consequently the tendency of the nippers is to close and permit the
roughened faces to nip the upper and firmly hold it at its lower edge, thus
preventing further slip and insuring the drawing of the upper over the last in the
usual manner.
By this construction of the nippers the care usually demanded in lasting is not
essential, for if one side of the upper is higher than the other, that side will be
hipped first and the upper will be properly centered upon the last before the jaws
on the other side nip it, and the actual lasting operation begins.
In some instances where the upper is so situated on its last that it cannot slip,
he nippers will always engage the upper, (no matter how uneven the lower edge
Pine Bl

page_text: of the
upper
is) at a given point at the edge of the upper, insuring a positive grip
by the nippers.
In Fig. 1, I have shown my improved nippers mounted on a lasting machine, the
upper being mounted on the last, and the last supported in the machine. I have
simply shown enough of the machine to illustrate the action of my improved
nippers.
I prefer to round the teeth of the roughened jaws e, e, shown in Fig. 2, and I
also prefer to have a small space y, between the smooth jaws d, and the roughened
jaws e.
In some instances the jaws may be made as shown in Fig. 6, the roughened jaw
being close to the smooth faced jaw, or the jaws may be made as shown in Fig. 7,
with a wide space y, between the smooth and roughened jaws.
The teeth may, in some instances, be formed as shown in Fig. 7, or in other
forms without departing from my invention, the teeth being so formed, however,
that they will not lacerate the upper. I have found that the rounded teeth will
hold sufficiently to permit the proper lasting of the shoe.
In Fig. 8, I have shown a modification in which only one jaw of the nippers is
provided with both a roughened and a smooth portion, the opposite jaw being
smooth. This jaw acts satisfactorily on light or ordinary work.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. Lasting nippers having jaws which will engage with an upper and which will
first slide thereon, and then grip and draw upon the upper to last said upper,
substantially as described.
2. Lasting nippers having both slipping jaws and gripping jaws so located in
respect to each other that when the slipping jaws are in contact with the upper, the
gripping jaws will be held away from the upper, but when the slipping jaws have
passed the edge of the upper, the gripping jaws will engage with the upper
substantially as described.
3. Lasting nippers having an outer roughened or toothed portion for gripping
the upper, and an inner plain bearing portion projecting forward beyond the toothed
or roughened portion, and serving to hold the latter out of action until the plain
bearing portion has passed beyond the upper, substantially as specified.
Dated this 29th day of September 1891.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.