IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING LASTS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to August Stürmer of Elberfeld. Kölner Str. 84, in the
German Empire. Shoemaker. for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING LASTS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said August Stürmer at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th May 1883.
AUGUST STÜRMER of Elberfeld. Kölner Str. 84 in the German Empire. Shoe-
maker. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING
LASTS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES
دو
The improvement consists in the method of giving to boot and shoe lasts
such forms as will correspond to all irregularities of the feet such as corns, bunions,
ingrown nails, crooked toes &c and further making them so as to impart to the
foot covering, corresponding cavites that will protect the sore points of the foot
from pressure and leave them in their natural condition.
A mould is taken of the foot in exactly such a position with reference to the
height of the heel and strength of the sole afterwards to be given to the boot or
shoe to be worn and from this mould castings of cast iron are taken which
accurately reproduce all particularities of the feet.
The following apparatus is used for taking the necessary impression
Supported on a suitable frame is a plate for the sole, which is altogether about
two centimeters larger than the largest foot.
By means of a screw working in the frame work below the fore part of the said
plate can be inclined upwards in order to correspond with the various positions of
the toes of any persons foot.
The hind part of the plate is regulated by 2 screws placed side by side in the
frame work and by another screw so placed as to correspond to the exact position
of the heel.
These three screws are moveable in a longitudinal direction running in grooves
or suitable openings in the frame work.
The sole plate is provided with a number of holes through which the top of the
regulating heel screw can pass.

page_text: This latter screw has a scale marked thereon in order to show the exact height
of the sole plate.
The back end of the sole plate receives support by means of grooves made in the
heads of the two end regulating screws.
About midways between the hollow of the foot and the heel the sole plate is
supported by a transverse bar resting on and being regulated by a screw and is so
placed that the sole plate can be given a slanting position corresponding to that of
the hollow of the foot
A separating or dividing hollow rail or bar is laid on the sole plate, and having
two holes which rests upon corresponding pins, this rail is made hollow in order
to allow the passing of a piece of string for purposes hereafter described
Two brass knobs on the fore part of the sole plate with the heel screw and
separating or dividing rail mark the proper position for the foot.
The following is the way in which the cast of the foot is taken.
First the position of the end screws and the heel screw is made to correspond
with the size of the foot and regulated according to the heighth of the heel and
instep
The transverse bar is then placed so as to give the sole plate a slanting position
corresponding to the peculiarity of the foot and by the front screws the position
of the toes is regulated
The two brass knobs and the separating rail are then placed in position the
latter straight under the ankle joint.
The foot is first covered with an elastic stocking and where it was formerly
subject to pressure suitably formed pieces of leather are laid on.
In order that the toes may have plenty of room to move in or for giving the
shoe a pointed or broad form other pieces of leather are laid on around the toes as
many as required
A layer of gypsum is spread over the sole plate at a height corresponding to the
two Brass Knobs in front, the heel knobs, and the dividing rail
The foot being then placed on the gypsum so as to slightly touch the Knobs.
The two ends of the string passing through the dividing rail are then drawn
upwards over the ankle and fastened to the elastic stocking.
The foot is then entirely surrounded with gypsum.
Before the gypsum has quite dried the ends of the strings are loosened from the
stocking and drawn downwards cutting the gypsum in two parts, the bottom being
divided by the separating rail
The foot is then raised a little whereby the whole form is loosened from the
frame. The heel part is then easily removed and allows the foot to be withdrawn
from the forepart by taking off the elastic stocking
Both halves are then again laid on the frame, and after having removed the rail
and with the use of more gypsum, united again to form one mould from which the
required cast can be easily taken.
A piece of the mould is cut out to allow for the instep leather piece or tongue
of the shoe.
Grooves can be made in the bottom of the casting to allow for the fastening of
the sole to the uppers
The above method of casting iron casts reproduce exactly the shape of the foot
with all its peculiarities in the position it will have whilst walking and foot
coverings made on these lasts will therefore not cause the wearer any pain or
pinching whatsoever

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said August Stürmer in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 27th November
1883.
AUGUST STÜRMER of Elberfeld Kölner Str. 84 in the German Empire, Shoe-
maker IMPROVEMENTS IN THE METHOD OF, AND APPARATUS FOR MAKING LASTS
FOR BOOTS AND SHOES
The improvements consist in the method of giving to boot and shoe lasts such
forms as will correspond to all irregularities of the feet such as corns bunions
ingrown nails crooked toes, knobs &c. and further making them so as to impart
to the foot covering corresponding cavities that will protect the sore spots from
pressure and leave them in their natural condition.
A mould is taken of the foot in exactly such a position with reference to the
height of the heel and strength of the sole afterwards to be given to the boot or
shoe to be worn, and from this mould castings of cast iron are taken which
accurately reproduce all particularities of the feet
The following apparatus is used for taking the necessary impression.
Supported on a suitable frame A. Figs 1. 2. 3. is a plate B for the sole, which plate
is on all sides about two centimeters larger than the largest foot.
The plate is attached to the frame by screws a. b. c.
By means of the screw c working in the forepart of the frame work the plate B
can be inclined upwards in order to correspond with the various positions of the
toes of any persons foot.
The hind part of the plate is regulated by two screws E E¹ placed side by side
in the frame work and by another screw F so placed as to correspond to the exact
position of the heel. These three screws are moveable in a longitudinal direction
running in grooves or suitable openings in the frame work A.
The sole plate B is provided with a number of holes o o' o' through which the
top of the heel screw F can pass. This latter screw has a scale marked thereon in
order to show the exact height of the sole plate.
The back end of the sole plate receives support by means of grooves made in the
heads e and e of the two end regulating screws E and E
About midways between the hollow of the foot and the heel. the sole plate is
supported by a transverse bar T resting on and being regulated by the screw M
and so placed that the sole plate can be given a slanting position corresponding to
that of the hollow of the foot.
A separating or dividing hollow rail or bar S is laid across the sole plate and
having two holes which rest upon corresponding pins S and S., this rail S is made
hollow in order to allow the passing of string for purposes hereafter described.
Two Brass Knobs m and m' on the fore foot of the sole plate with the heel
screw F. and separating or dividing rail S mark the proper position for the foot.
The following is the way in which the cast of the foot is taken.
First; The end screws E. E. and the heel screws F are placed so as to correspond
with the size of the foot. The position of the foot plate under the heel is then
regulated by means of the same screws E and E' and F according to the height
of the instep
The scale on the heel screw F will facilitate the fixing of the height.

page_text: The transverse bar T regulated by the screw m is then placed so as to give the
sole plate a slanting form corresponding to the peculiarity of the foot and by the
front screws E the portion of the sole plate is made to correspond to the toes
The two brass knobs m m' and the separating rail S are then placed in position
the latter straight under the joint of the foot.
The foot is first covered with an elastic stocking, and where it was formerly
subject to pressure suitably formed pieces of leather are laid on.
Fig. 7 shows some pieces that may be used for knobs. Fig 8 as used for corns.
In order that the toes may have plenty of room in the boot to move, or for
giving the shoe a pointed or broad forin, other pieces of leather, Fig 9, are laid
around the toes, as many as required, and one extra for the large toe Fig 10.
A layer of gypsum is spread on the sole plate B at a height corresponding to the
brass knobs m m' and the dividing rail S.
The foot is then to be placed on the gypsum so as to slightly touch the knobs m m¹
and f. The two ends of the string passing through the dividing rail S are then
drawn upwards over the ankle and fastened to the stocking.
The foot is then entirely surrounded with gypsum. Before the gypsum has
quite dried, the ends of the string are loosened from the stocking and drawn
downwards cutting the gypsum in two parts the bottom part being divided by
the separating rail
The foot is then raised a little whereby the whole form is loosened from the
frame, the heel part is then easily removed and allows the foot to be withdrawn
from the forepart by taking off the elastic stocking. Both halves are then again
Jaid on the frame B, after having removed the rail S, and with the use of more
gypsum they are united to form one hollow mould from which a cast can be easily
taken by spreading some oil or charcoal powder on the inside of the mould and
using a mixture of sandy tile clay and gypsum.
A piece of the cast is cut out to allow for the instep leather piece or tongue
of the shoe. This cast is then used as a model for making the final iron last.
Grooves g, g, can be made in the bottom of the iron last to allow for the
fastening of the sole to the uppers by the insertion of wood plugs. Figs 11
and 12.
The above method of casting iron lasts reproduces exactly the shape of the foot
with all its peculiarities, in the position it will have whilst walking, and foot
coverings made on these lasts will therefore not cause the wearer any pain
whatsoever.
Having now described the nature of the said invention and the manner in which
the same is to or may be carried into effect I would have it understood that what
I claim is
First The process of obtaining the nature like lasts by giving to the foot during
the taking of the gypsum mould, a position exactly answering to its
position whilst walking, and at the same time providing for all peculiarities
of the foot, such as corns knobs bunions &c, by means of layers of material
as herein described and set forth.
Second The apparatus required for applying this method consisting principally of
the frame A, the elastic sole plate B, the end screws E, E', the heel
screw F, the middle screw screw m, with the traverse T; these various
parts so acting together that they render it possible to give the sole plate
any desired position.
Third In connection with claim 2 the separating rail S and the method of expe-
ditiously obtaining the hollow mould as herein described & set forth in
the accompanying drawings
Fourth The cast iron lasts obtained by the method and apparatus herein described
and set forth

page_text: Fifth Foot coverings made on the lasts as claimed under the foregoing claim
N° 4.
In witness whereof I the said August Sturmer have hereunto set my hand and
seal this
day of November in the year of our Lord one thousand eight
hundred and eighty three.