Year: 1898

page_text: I, JAMES EDWARD KENNEY, Gentleman, residing at No. 4037, Cook Avenue, in the
City of St. Louis, State of Missouri, U.S.A., 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:-
My invention relates to improvements in lasts; and it consists of the novel con-
struction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter shown, described and
claimed.
The object of my invention is to produce a last, the toe portion of which may be
removed and discarded when the style or shape of the shoe constructed over that
particular toe portion has gone out of use. After the toe portion has thus been
removed and discarded, a toe portion of different style and shape may be fixed to the
remaining heel portion of the last, and thus a great saving is effected in the expense
of making and cost of new lasts; in other words, the heel portion of the last, the
style and shape of which never changes, is made use of until worn out or broken,
while the toe portion, the style and form of which frequently changes, may be
removed when the style and form changes and a proper toe portion fixed to the heel
portion.
Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improved last.
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken approximately on the line 2-2 of
Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the toe portion of my improved last.
Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the heel portion.
Referring by numerals to the drawings, 1 indicates the heel portion of my
improved last, 2 the toe portion and 3 the instep portion thereof, and when said
portions are properly put together they will form a complete last ready for use.
The front of the heel portion of the last is provided with a smooth vertical face 4,
from which face project one or more dowel-pins 5, the same being rigidly seated in
the heel portion 1. The toe portion 2 is provided at its rear end with a smooth
vertical face 6 in which are formed one or more recesses 7 to correspond with the
dowel-pins 5 previously mentioned. Projecting upwardly from the tops of the heel
and toe portions of the last are dowel pins 8 which enter suitable recesses 9 located
in the under face of the instep portion 3 of the last.
A plate 10 has its rear end let into a recess 11 formed in the forward edge of the
top face of the heel portion 1, and said plate is held in position by means of
a screw 12, or similar device. The forward projecting end of this plate 10 is let into
a recess 13 formed in the rear edge of the top surface of the toe portion 2 and held
in place by a screw 14. Recesses 15 are formed in the meeting edges of the bottom
of the heel and toe portions of the last, and a plate 16 is let into said recesses and
held therein by means of screws, or similar devices.
When the heel and toe portions of my improved last are fixed together, a coating
of glue or analogous substance may be located upon the meeting faces 4 and 6, the
glue greatly assisting in holding the two sections of the last together, and, in some
instances, it is only necessary to make use of the dowel-pins and glue to hold said

page_text: sections together, but to form a rigid connection between the parts of the last, I prefer
to use the plates 10 and 16, or their equivalents.
When it is desired to remove the toe of the last and substitute another of
different style and form, it is only necessary to remove the screws from the plates 10
and 16 and then apply a proper power to the toe to detach the same from the
dowel pins 4 and 5 of the heel 1. It will thus be seen how I have constructed a
last, the heel portion of which may always be made use of and the toe portion of
which may be changed whenever the style and shape changes. By so doing, a
great expense in the cost of lasts to the shoe manufacturer is curtailed, and a very
solid, substantial and complete last is produced.
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. A last provided with a transverse cut at a point between the ball and the heel,
substantially as specified.
2. A last, comprising a heel portion and a toe portion, the meeting faces of which
portions are vertical and formed to lie flat one against the other, substantially as
specified.
3. A last provided with a transverse cut at a point between the ball and the heel,
and means for rigidly connecting the separated portions, substantially as specified.
4. A last comprising a heel portion, dowel pins projecting from the front vertical
face thereof, a toe portion, in the rear vertical face of which are formed recesses to
receive the dowel-pins, and an instep portion arranged to fit upon the meeting heel
and toe portions, substantially as specified.
5. A last comprising a heel portion, a toe portion separated from said heel portion,
means for rigidly connecting said heel and toe portions, and an instep portion
removably located upon said heel and toe portions, substantially as specified.
6. A last comprising a heel portion, a toe portion separated from said heel portion,
dowel-pins projecting from the heel portion into the toe portion, plates fixed to the
heel portion and removably fixed to the toe portion, and an instep portion removably
fixed on top of the heel and toe portions, substantially as specified.
Dated the 5th day of November 1907
HIGDON & LONGAN,
Agents for Applicant.