Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Apr., 1898-Accepted, 18th June, 1898
40, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 that class of lasts which are divided transversely into
two sections, so as to allow the last to be contracted in length and withdrawn from
the boot or shoe without exerting any strain upon the upper by the removal of
the last; and the object of my invention is to increase the strength and rigidity
of the last when in use and to so shape and arrange the sections of the last as to
facilitate its removal and increase its efficiency.
In the accompanying drawing,
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a last embodying my invention.
Figure 2 is a central vertical sectional view; and
Figure 3 is a top view of the connecting-links by which the two sections of the
last may be united for the purpose of relieving the hinge-joint from strain, if so
desired.
Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts in the different figures.
The last embodying my invention is divided transversely into two sections. One
of these sections A includes the heel portion of the last and the other section B
the forward portion of the last, these sections being generally called, respectively,
the "heel" part and "fore" part. In forming these parts the last is (in the
preferred form now shown) divided on the line CC¹, extending from the bottom
of the last obliquely upward, so as to make the angle 1) on the portion B between
the line CC and the bottom of the last an obtuse angle. The portion B is then
cut away on the line EE¹, beginning at or near the centre of the line CC and
extending obliquely upward and forward to the point E¹, thence on the line E¹ E³
vertically, so as to form a right angle with the top line F of the last, forming an
open space G between the portions A and B. The leaves HH of a hinge are
inserted in slots cut in the sections A B of the last and are held in place by pins,
(shown by broken lines H'H',) so as to connect the two sections of the last by a
hinge-joint having its pintle I or axis of its rotation lying within the angle
included between the lines CC and E E. The position of the pintle I is deter-
mined by making the radial distance between the axis of the pintle and the centre
of the heel-section at a, as indicated by the broken line a¹, equal to the radial
distance from the axis of the pintle to the point b at the bottom of the heel-section,
as indicated by the broken line b', said measurements being taken in a plane
dividing the last in the centre vertically, as shown by the sectional view in Figure 2,
and the two equal radii a¹ and 6¹ are also the radii of the arc of the circle a b, so
that the path of the point b as the heel-section is raised will correspond with the

page_text: arc ab, or, in other words, the axis of rotation of the heel-section is concentric
with the arc of the circle a b, bounding the rear side of the heel-section from the
bottom of the heel at b to the centre of the heel at a.
Within the heel portion A, I place a metallic bushing J to receive a bench-pin,
and around the upper end of the bushing J is a metallic strap J, provided with
ears J2 J2, lying within a slot J³ in the heel portion of the last. To the ears J2, I
pivot one end of a link J4, having its opposite end pivoted to a link Js, which is
pivoted to a plug Jo, inserted in and fastened to the front portion B of the last. The
link Ja is provided with a lug J7, arranged to extend over and come in contact with
the upper edge of the link J and acting as a stop, so that when the centre joint
of the link is depressed below a straight line, as shown in Figure 1, the links will
serve as a rigid brace to hold the two sections in their extended position. When
the last is in use and a strain brought upon the bottom of the last, such as would
be exerted in pounding upon the sole of the boot, the links JJ5 will hold the
sections A and B together at their top and relieve the hinge from strain. By
separating the two sections of the last upon the line C C¹ and hinging them together
at or near the centre of the heel-section I provide an obtuse angle at D), which is
not liable to catch and which provides a long surface in contact between the points C
and E, and by hinging the two sections together, with the pintle of the hinge
included within and near the apex of the angle CEE', I enable the heel-section
to be turned into the position shown in Figure 2 without causing the lower corner
of the heel at C to project below, the line of the last when in its normal position.
The strain upon the links J J5 is received at one end by the strip J¹ and bush-
ing J, firmly held within the heel portion of the last and at the opposite end by
the plug J6, which extends a considerable distance into the body of the last and is
held by a pin JB.
The front portion B of the last is cut away on the line E E¹ sufficiently to allow
the heel portion A to be raised into the position shown in Figure 2, and an angle is
formed at E by the vertical line E¹ E2 in order to preserve the upper portion or
instep of the last at F, so as to form at this point a support for the upper.
I am aware that lasts divided transversely and having their sections hinged
together are not new, and I do not claim such generically.
The location of the pivot in or above the line of pressure between the heel and
toe, tending to collapse the last, prevents the last from collapsing topward as well
as bottomward. There is a tendency sometimes in the leather to contract, and
thus there is a tendency to collapse the last topward, and in the course of manu-
facture strains are frequently exerted upon the shoe and contained last that tend
to collapse the last bottomward. The described elevation of the hinge above the
bottom of the last produces broad and substantial bearing-surfaces at the opposed
ends of the fore part and heel part below the hinge or articulation, and these surfaces
prevent the last from collapsing bottomward. By the described location of the
pivotal connection a last is produced suitable for very extensible practical use
without the employment of any filling-block or other device between the upper
portions of the fore part and heel part.
66
By line of pressure "between the toe and heel tending to collapse the last is
meant all the pressures to which a last of this kind is subjected in use and which
tend to collapse it. Thus in the process of manufacturing shoes these lasts are
subject to longitudinal and also to vertical pressures which tend to collapse the
last, and at other times the lasts are subjected to longitudinal pressures which tend
to collapse them and which are exerted by the shrinkage or inherent elasticity of
the upper leather after it is on the last. The line of this pressure is from about
half to three-quarters of an inch above the back lower corner of the heel to the
toe of the last, and when the shoe and last are in operative relation, both in as
well as out of such machines, as the levelling and beating-out machines, wherein
the last is subjected to enormous pressure, the line of longitudinal pressure tending
to collapse the last is a fixed quantity although the occasional vertical pressure
which also tends to collapse the last may shift from point to point over the sole.

page_text: The proper location of the pivot or line of head of the hinge so as to produce a
transversely-divided hinged last, which, whatever its size or style, (contour),
enables the last to shorten when the heel part is turned upward and forward and
also to be self-sustaining under the lengthwise pressures to which the last is sub-
jected when in the shoe, is determined as follows: Strike three circles of equal
diameter, one from the upper rear corner of the last, so as to pass through the fore
part, a second from the middle point of the extreme rear line of the heel part,
and a third from the lower rear corner of the heel part. These circles will inter-
sect between the top and bottom of the last far enough above the last to insure the
contacting end surfaces or the heel part and fore part, the pivot located just
below the lower intersection of two of the circles if all three circles do not intersect -
at one point. The length of radii of the circles may be varied, but it is generally
desirable in the present type of lasts to have the points of intersection rearward
of the instep portion of the fore part. By reference to Figure 1 the reason of
the rule for so locating the pivot will be apparent. ff represent a portion of a
circle struck from the rear upper corner f' of the heel part as a centre. repre-
sent a portion of a circle struck from the middle point f of the rear line of the
heel part as a centre, and f* f represent a portion of a circle struck from the lower
rear corner f5 as a centre. Lines ff and f* f intersect at f and lines ff
and f f intersect at f, the latter being the lowermost intersection. If the
pivot I were located at this lowermost intersection f, the last would actually shorten
if the heel part were moved upwardly; but the shortening would not be sufficient
to allow the wider tread and immediately adjacent side portions of the heel part
to swing freely through and out of the narrower ankle-space of the shoe without
distorting the latter or injuring the backstays. Therefore in practice, I mount the
hinge in such wise as to bring its line of bend or pivot a little below this lowermost
intersection.
The links J and J5 may be wholly dispensed with, if desired, in most uses to
which lasts of this class are put, and the parts of the last may be sawed on some-
what different lines than those indicated without departure from my invention.
Additional advantages of my improved last are as follows: The preferable
insertion of the leaves of the hinge in the body of the last gives the combined parts
a strength that enables the last to withstand the heavy pressure frequently exerted
upon the bottom of the last by levelling and beating-out machines, there being no
liability to tear the fastenings from the wood. The location of the hinge permits
the shortening of the last when the heel part is swung upward and forward without
scraping the lower front corner of the heel part against the insole of the shoe and
thereby abrading it.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:
;
1. As a new article of manufacture, a boot or shoe last which comprises a fore
part a swinging heel part; and a hinging device; said device connecting the
fore part and swinging heel part on a fixed pivot which forms part of the hinging
device and the members of which are above the bottom surface of the last; the
fore part and heel part each having an inner end bearing-surface that extends
across it, between its sides and upwardly from its bottom; said end surfaces con-
tacting when the fore part and heel part are in alignment, and separating as the
heel part is swung upward and forward, the last being then and thereby shortened.
2. A last comprising a fore part and a heel part connected by a pivot to enable
said parts to have a relative movement for shortening the last, said pivot being
located in or above the line of pressure between the toe and heel tending to collapse
said last.
3. In a transversely-divided last, the combination with a fore part and heel part
formed with opposed contacting ends from the bottom of the last upwardly to near
the middle thereof, and with an open space, above said contacting surfaces and

page_text: between the upper portions of the inner ends of the fore part and heel part, of a
hinge whose leaves are respectively inserted and secured in the fore part and heel
part with the line of bend of the hinge above said contacting surfaces, all arrang-
ing and operating, substantially as described, to permit the last to shorten when
the heel part is turned upward and forward, and to make the last self-sustaining
under lengthwise pressure in the shoe.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.