Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Aug., 1896-Accepted, 24th Oct., 1896
We, IRVING OSCAR LITTLEFIELD, aud JOHN THOMAS BARTLETT, both of
Raymond, in the County of Rockingham and State of New Hampshire, United
States of America, Gentlemen, 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 is a device for holding in place nails, brads, tacks, or any metal
points by means of parallel metal wires pointed and contained in a metal tube, socket,
or ferrule into which the aforesaid metal brads, tacks, or points may be driven, and it
consists of a metal tube, ferrule, or socket containing poiuted parallel metal wires
fastened to or into the metal back or end of the tube, socket or ferrule, and held in
place by said back or end and the sides of the tube-socket, or ferrule. within which
they are contained.
The device is intended primarily for a protection to lasts used in the manufacture
of boots and shoes at those places in them where tacks and brads are driven to
hold in place teinporarily the different parts of the boots and shoes in process of
manufacture.
The tube, socket or ferrule containing the pointed wires is let into the lasts with
the pointed ends of the wires toward the surface, and the tacks or nails being
driven into the open end of the tube, socket or ferrule are held there by the
pressure against them of the pointed wires, which are practically indestructible so
that by the use of this device lasts are rendered much more durable than without it.
We attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings
in which
Figure 1 is an end view of the tube, socket or ferrule containing the pointed
parallel wires.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of a last containing the last-protectors in
place, and
Figure 3 shows the protectors in place in the bottom of the last.
The tube, socket or ferrule containing the parallel wires may be circular, square
or oblong in shape and the exposed end may be reamed out on the inside, so that
the outside edge may be sharp. The outside surface of the tube, socket or ferrule
may have a thread cut upon it to hold it in place in the wood or other material, or
it may be cut or scored for that purpose. The wires within the tube, socket or
ferrule are parallel with the sides thereof and aro held in place by being soldered,
brazed, headed or swaged to or into the back or end of the tube, socket, or ferrule
in which they are placed and by compression of the sides of the tube, socket or
ferrule.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
A plug made entirely of metal consisting of pointed parallel wires, attached to,
imbedded in, or projecting from a metal back (contained in a metal tube forming a

page_text: retaining cushion or holder for receiving and holding in place taoks or brads, to be
inserted in lasts at those places in them where tacks are driven into them to hold
in place different parts of boots and shoes in process of manufacture.
1904
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants.