Improved Method of Lasting Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Sept.. 1890-Accepted, 1st Nov., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of Lasting Boots and Shoes.
I, FRANK HUGHES, of the firm of Hughes, Eli & Hughes of 76 Chancery Lane
London, W.C., Patent Agents, do hereby declare the nature of this invention, (a
communication to me from abroad by George W. Willey of Athol, and Parley
Augustus Stone of Haverhill, both in the State of Massachusetts, United States of
America, Gentlemen,) 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 the operation of lasting boot and shoe uppers by the aid of
draw cords which are applied to the edges of the upper, so that by pulling said cords
taut and securing their ends the edges of the upper will be drawn inwardly over the
bottom of the last to which the upper is applied.
The invention has for its object to provide an improved method of lasting, which
shall not only more perfectly conform the upper to the shape of the last than the
methods now in use, but will also enable the operator to exercise a more complete
supervision over the work during the operation of lasting.
The invention also has for its object to enable the lasted upper to be securely held
in the shape imparted to it by the lasting operation after it is removed from the last
and without the aid of an inner sole; also to provide a durable boot or shoe made
without an inner sole, and therefore easy and flexible to the foot, in which the inner
surface of the bottom of the shoe shall be smooth and free from depressions or
protuberances which would be likely to cause discomfort to the foot of the wearer.
To these ends the invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to
describe and claim.
Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of this Specification,
Figure 1 represents a bottom plan view of a boot or shoe upper and the last on
which it is lasted, showing the first step or stage of the lasting operation.
Fig. 2 represents a bottom plan view showing the second stage.
Fig. 3 represents a similar view showing the third stage of the operation, and
Fig. 4 represents another similar view showing the upper after the completion of
the lasting operation.
.
Fig. 5 represents a section on line 5, 5, Fig. 4.
Fig. 6 represents a view of the lining holder detached.
Fig. 7 represents a section on line 7, 7, Fig. 5.
Fig. 8 represents a similar section, showing the outer sole in place.
Fig. 9 represents a transverse section of the completed boot or shoe removed from
the last, the outer sole being firmly attached.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all of the figures.
In carrying out my invention I temporarily attach to the bottom of the last, by
means of small tacks, a shank piece i which extends from the heel portion forward
along the shank to the ball portion, and a lining holder p which constitutes a
continuation of the shank piece and is arranged to fill the space or recess that would
otherwise exist between the edges of the fore part of the upper after the same has been
applied to the last. Said lining holder is beveled or skived at its edges, said edges
extending outwardly so that they are covered by the edges of the upper when the
latter are drawn over upon the bottom of the last, hence when the upper and lining
holder are removed from the last the skived edges of the lining holder cover the edges
of the upper and its lining and hold the lining so that its edges cannot be displaced by
contact with the horn of the sewing machine, which subsequently unites the outer
sole to the upper, as hereinafter described.
The lining holder p is used for three purposes, viz.: first, to cover and hold the

page_text: edges of the lining of the upper, as above stated; secondly, to fill the depression or
recess surrounded by the edges of the fore part of the upper; and, thirdly, to
constitute an extension of the shank piece and constitute, with the latter, a smooth
surface extending continuously from the heel to the toe and conforming accurately to
the contour of the bottom of the last, said accurate conformation being due to the fact
that the shank piece and lining holder are secured to the bottom of the last and
remained secured thereto during the lasting operation and the subsequent temporary
attachment of the outer sole by cement, hereinafter referred to.
I then last the upper a
by the following method:
The upper a is prepared for lasting by applying the two cords bc to the fore part
and the single cord d to the heel seat portion. Said cords are passed through a series
of loops e¹ formed on the upper by means of a sewing machine known as the "Union
Special," said machine making the loop portions entirely on the outer side of the
upper, leaving on the inner side only single threads having no appreciable bulk. The
cords bc in the fore part are of different lengths, the cord b, which extends along
the toe portion, being shorter than the cord c, which extends from the toe portion
backwardly along the edges of the upper to the rear portion of the fore part. The
cord 6 is engaged with the cord c at 2, 2 by means of half hitches or knots which
prevent the cord e from slipping or moving end wise when the cord is tied.
The upper having the cords b c d is applied to the last as usual. The operator then
draws the upper over the toe of the last with pinchers, drawing the edge of the upper
backwardly from the toe, and after the desired tension is exerted drives a temporary
lasting tack e through the centre of the toe to hold it in place. He then draws the
toe portion of the upper inwardly at points at each side of the centre and secures said
portions by two temporary tacks ff, one at each side of the central tack e.
I prefer to then last the shank portions of the upper by drawing the dges inwardly
over the shank piece i and securing said edges to the shank piece by tacks. After this
the heel seat portion may be lasted by drawing in and tying together the ends of the
lasting cord d at the heel portion, thus exerting a uniforin inward pull on all parts of
the heel seat edge of the upper toward the centre of the heel, the operator at the same
time using his hammer to mould the heel seat.
The upper is now firmly secured to the last so that the operator is enabled to
manipulate the last at his pleasure in completing the lasting of the fore part, in which
operation more care and skill are required than in any other portions of the upper.
In said operation the workman proceeds as follows:
0
The toe lasting cord 6 is first engaged with the longer lasting cord e by taking a
half hitch of the latter around the former at two points 2, 2 near the free ends of the
toe cord, the tacks eff are then removed and the toe cord is then pulled taut and is
caused to exert a uniform inward pull on portions of the toe of the upper, thus con-
forming all parts of the toe of the upper closely to the toe of the last and causing said
portions to smoothly fit all parts of the toe of the last, including the bottom, this
condition being maintained by tying together the ends of the toe cord across the
bottom of the last, as shown in Fig. 3, the inwardly turned edge of the upper held by
the toe cord being preferably flattened down by hammering it against the bottom of
the last before the ends of the cord are tied.
The lasting of the toe portion is now completed and the operator next proceeds to
draw the edges of the side portions of the upper inwardly over the bottom of the last
by the use of pinchers. After said edges are suitably drawn, the operator grasps the
longer cord c and pulls rearwardly on the ends thereof, away from the points where
said cord is engaged with the toe cord and laterally or crosswise of the boot or shoe,
first toward one side and then toward the opposite side, thus drawing first one side
edge and then the other inwardly upon the bottom of the last. The operator hammers
each edge down upon the bottom of the last after drawing it to place, thus moulding
said edges; and, finally, after the said edges are suitably drawn, moulded and con-
formed, he ties the ends of said main cord together at the rear portion of the fore part,
the cord being thus caused to hold the side edges of the upper in the position to which
they were drawn by the operator's pinchers. This completes the lasting operation,

page_text: after which I remove the tacks that secure the shank piece and mining holder to the
last.
I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself in all cases to the method of
lasting above described, but prefer the same to any other method of which I am aware.
I next take the outer sole g and apply the same by means of suitable gutta-percha,
or other cement, to the bottom surfaces of the inwardly turned edges of the upper and
to the lining holder, and also to such portions of the shank piece as may naturally
come in contact with the outer sole. A steel shank spring interposed between the
outer sole and the shank piece will, however, prevent extended contact of the shank
piece with the cemented surface of the outer side. After the cement has suitably set
or hardened the upper may be removed from the last, and is securely held in shape by
its temporary union with the outer sole. The outer sole may now be stitched or
otherwise permanently secured to the upper and lining holder by any suitable means,
as shown in Fig. 9. I prefer to stitch the outer sole to the upper by stitches extending
through and through the outer sole to the upper.
The boot or shoe is now ready for the wearer; but to give its foot supporting
surface a finished appearance it is preferable to cover it with a light lining or false
inner sole, which may be secured by cement or other suitable means.
It will be seen that by thus making the boot or shoe by lasting the upper directly
upon the last without an inner sole and by stitching the outer sole through and
through to the upper, I obtain a boot or shoe which is light and flexible; while by
the use of the shank piece and lining holder I provide a smooth and comfortable foot
supporting surface. It will be seen that the cement that secures the outer sole to the
lining holder retains the latter in place in the completed boot or shoe, so that the said
lining holder is not liable to be displaced.
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. The improved method of lasting the hereindescribed upper having a plurality of
draw cords around the fore part, one around the toe portion and the other around the
toe portion and extending to the rear portion of the fore part, both cords being con-
nected as described, which consists in placing the same upon a last and gathering in
and securing the toe part by temporary lasting tacks, then drawing in and securing
the toe lasting cord, thereby completing the lasting of the toe portion, and then lasting
the sides of the fore part by drawing the longer cord backwardly from the toe,
pulling the ends of said cord crosswise of the shoe in opposite directions to hold the
edges of the upper in place, and at the same time moulding said edges upon the
bottom of the last by hammering, and finally securing the rear ends of the said longer
cord, thereby retaining the edges of the fore part in position, as set forth.
2. The improved method of lasting the hereindescribed upper having a plurality of
draw cords around the fore part, one around the toe portion and the other around the
toe portion and extending to the rear portion of the fore part, both cords being con-
nected as described, and a third cord around the heel seat portion of the upper, which
consists in placing the same upon a last and gathering in and securing the toe part by
temporary lasting tacks, then securing the shank edges of the upper to a shank piece
laid upon the bottom of the sole, then drawing in and securing the heel seat lasting
cord, thereby completing the lasting of the heel seat portion of the upper, then drawing
in and securing the toe lasting cord, thereby completing the lasting of the toe portion,
and then lasting the sides of the fore part by drawing the longer cord backwardly
from the toe, pulling the ends of said cord crosswise of the shoe in opposite directions
to hold the edges of the upper in place, and at the same time moulding said edges
upon the bottom of the last by hammering, and finally securing the rear ends of the
said longer cord, thereby retaining the edges of the fore part in position, as set forth.
3. The improved method of making a boot or shoe without an inner sole, the same
consisting in temporarily attaching to the bottom of the fore part of the last a lining
holder having skived or beveled edges, and to the shank and rear portion of the last

page_text: a shank piece, lasting the upper upon said shank pieco and lining holder, and during
the lasting operation permanently attaching the upper to the shank piece by tacks or
other permanent fastenings, the edge of the fore part of the upper bearing upon the
skived margin of the lining holder and being protected thereby during the subsequent
operation of attaching the outer sole to the upper, cementing an outer sole to the
inwardly turned edges of the upper and to the under surface of the lining holder, and
thus causing the outer sole to hold the upper and lining holder in place when removed
from the last, and then removing the boot or shoe from the last and permanently
attaching the outer sole to the upper outside the lining holder and through the shank
piece, the beveled edges of the lining holder covering the edges of the fore part of the
upper and its lining and preventing the displacement of the said lining when the outer
sole is being attached, as set forth.
Dated this 16th day of September 1890.
HUGHES, ELI & HUGHES,
76, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.