Improvements in Lasts for Use in Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 8th June, 1897-Accepted, 10th July, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lasts for Use in Boots and Shoes.
I, OLIVER AMMI MILLER, of The Miller Shoe Treeing Machines Works Brockton,
in the State of Massachusetts one of the United States of America, Manufacturer,
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 :-
In the manufacture of boots and shoes the last on which the upper is lasted is
removed and a finishing last is inserted in the shoe for finishing, etcetera.
Shoes are made of certain lengths, and such length of shoe is duplicated in
different widths to thus enable customers to be properly fitted, but an ordinary
last cannot fill out a shoe of say the width A, and also widths B, C and D, etcetera,
and consequently a great number of finishing lasts are required.
I have aimed to and have produced a shoe filling and holding last which may be
readily made to fill and properly distend the uppers of shoes of different widths.
My improved shoe filling and holding last presents a divided or two part fore-
part, said fore-part being herein shown as connected with a heel part or end having
its crown bored for the reception of any usual last holding pin, the forepart
receiving in it a suitable spring which normally acts to expand the fore-part. The
cut of the fore-part of the last dividing it into two pieces runs substantially from
the toe end of the last backwardly toward the heel part, and emerges from the
side of the last at or near the crown of the heel part.
This line of separation of the fore-part appears at the side of the last, and the
separated fore-part normally expanded by the spring in it may be squeezed or pinched
together when the last is to be inserted in a shoe and it will thereafter expand to fit
and fill the upper of the shoe.
I have shown the inner side of the toe and foot of the last as made movable, for
it is the inner side of the shoe which it is hardest for the last to fit and hold up
properly.
Fig. 1 shows an inner side view of one of my improved lasts;
Fig. 2, a top view ;
Fig. 3 an underside view; and
Fig. 4 a section on the line x, Fig. 1.
The heel part A of the last has a crown a provided with a hole a¹ to receive the
usual stiff pin to hold the last in firmly when the shoe is being finished.
The outside A¹ of the last is shown as integral with the heel, but the inner side B
of the last is shown as separated or cut from the outer side by a cut starting at the
toe, running through substantially the middle of the last to the crown of the heel,
and the cut is then turned through the last emerging at its inner side.
The part B so cut from the last is suitably connected to the remaining part of the
last but loosely, so that the fore-part may be normally separated by a suitable spring.

page_text: suitable spring or springs placed between the parts A¹ and B acting normally to
expand the last in the direction of its width, the extent to which the springs may
act being limited by adjustment of the screws.
To put the last in a shoe the part
may be squared and closed up to the part A¹
and when released the springs will expand the forepart.
This invention is not limited to the particular shape shown for the expanding
device or spring.
I have herein shown the inner side of the forepart of the last as detached from
the heel but it will be obvious that the outer side may be separated in like manner
from the heel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. A shoe filling and holding last presenting a divided fore-part, springs placed in
the said forepart to normally move one part away from the other, and stops connected
with one part and extended loosely through the other part to act as guides for the
movable part and to also limit the extent of movement of said movable part from the
other part.
2. A shoe filling and holding last consisting of a heel part having a crown, a divided
fore-part and a spring located in the fore-part and acting to keep it separated in the
shoe.