IMPROVEMENTS IN LASTS FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1884

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I, HENRY HARDING, of 7 Southam Street, Westbourne Park, in the County of
Middlesex, Boot and Shoe Maker do hereby declare the nature of my Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN LASTS FOR USE IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND
SHOES" 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 wood and iron lasts for use in the manufacture of boots
and shoes.
The object of my said Invention is to enable boots or shoes to be made to fit
more perfectly than heretofore around the ankle of the wearer, and to facilitate the
insertion of the last into a boot or shoe and its withdrawal therefrom. My said
Invention, moreover, enables the last to be withdrawn without injury to the boot
or shoe and more especially to the back seam thereof.
According to my said Invention I make the last in two parts, which are provided
with means whereby they can be readily joined so as to exactly correspond with
each other, and which are so formed that, when they are joined, the line of division
between them extends transversely across the last at any suitable angle to the sole
thereof.
In the accompanying Drawing I have shewn how my said Invention may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wood last made according to my Invention.
Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of the same shewing the two portions
separately.
Figure 3 is a plan of the said last.
Figure 4 is a plan of an iron last made according to my said Invention.
Figure 5 is a side elevation of the same, and
Figure 6 is a sectional elevation thereof shewing the two portions separately.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the Drawing.
a,
b are the two portions of the last.
In the last shewn in Figures 1 to 3, the line of division between these two
portions extends transversely across the last from the sole thereof, at a point near
the heel towards the toe of the last, as shewn.
The portion a is made with a tongue or projection c to fit into the groove d in the
portion b, and a screw e is provided for securing the two portions of the last
together. But this screw may, if desired, be dispensed with, the said tongue and
groove being so made that the two parts will be held together thereby without
the screw.
In using this last, the portion a is first thrust into the boot or shoe and then the
portion b, the latter being inserted in such a manner that the groove d will fit and

page_text: slide upon the tongue c. The two parts are then secured together by means of the
screw e. To remove the last from the boot or shoe, the screw e is withdrawn and
the portion b is then drawn out of the boot or shoe by means of a hook inserted
in the aperture f. It will be readily understood that, as the portion b in its
upward movement must follow a forwardly inclined path, its withdrawal can
readily be effected and will cause no strain on the back seam of the boot or shoe.
The portion a can be afterwards easily withdrawn by means of the said hook
which, for this purpose, is inserted in the aperture g. It will, moreover, be readily
understood that, when a last is made as above described, it will not (like the
lasts heretofore used) in its removal from a boot or shoe stretch the part thereof
which surrounds the ankle of the wearer, so that this part can be made to fit
more perfectly than has heretofore been practicable.
In iron lasts which are intended to fit upon a metal holder or support, it is
necessary that the line of division between the portions ab should be inclined in
the opposite direction to that shewn in Figures 1 to 3 for the purposes hereinafter
specified.
In Figures 4 to 6, I have shown one of these lasts made according to my
Invention. The portions a, b are joined in a similar manner to that above
described, but the tongue or projection c is formed on the portion b, while thé
groove d is made in the portion a, and no screw is employed for securing the two
portions together. The portion a is made with an aperture a¹ to fit the metal
holder or support. It is important that this portion should be held by the support,
because it has to bear the greater stress while the boot or shoe is being operated
upon; and it is to permit the aperture a¹ to be formed in the portion a, as well as
to allow the boot or shoe with the portion b therein to be drawn off the portion a
as hereinafter described, that the line of division must be inclined in the opposite
direction to that shewn in Figures 1 to 3. In order to leave sufficient metal
around the aperture a¹, the last is not cut away like ordinary iron lasts at the part
surrounding this aperture.
In using this last, it is fitted upon a stand or holder; the inner sole is then
placed upon it, and the upper is lasted and the sole and heel attached in the
ordinary manner. When these operations have been completed, the boot or shoe
with the portion b therein is drawn off the portion a, leaving this portion on the
stand or support; and the portion b is then removed from the boot or shoe without
injuring or stretching the same. When the last is removed from the boot or shoe,
the latter presents the same appearance as when on the last. h is a projection
which serves to support the front of the upper of a boot or shoe when on the last.
It is obvious that other means than the tongue and groove above described may,
if desired, be used for joining the two parts of the last.
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:
A last made in two portions which are joined by a tongue and groove or other
suitable means, the line of division between the said two portions extending
transversely across the last, substantially as, and for the purposes, specified.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.