Improvements in and applicable to Lasts.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Nov., 1889
'Complete Specification Left, 22nd Aug., 1890-Accepted, 27th Sept., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and applicable to Lasts.
I, CARL BEHRENS, of the Alfeld Shoe-last Factory, Alfeld on the Leine, in the
Empire of Germany, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention relates to lasts for boots and shoes.
The usual means for locking the upper or instep portion of a last to the lower or
sole and heel portion are generally complicated and troublesome, for example, the
locking of the two parts is frequently effected through the medium of a wood screw
which is passed through a hole in the upper part and screws into the lower part.
Through constant use the connection becomes loose and the parts are then no longer
properly secured together. Moreover a special screw-driver is required to undo the
connection. Similar defects exist in other arrangements for the same purpose which
also require special tools for their manipulation.
The object of my invention is to make a solid or firm connection between the two
parts of the last, which connection can easily be loosened by means of the hook used
to withdraw the last from within the boot.
For this purpose I make use of a wedge-shaped spring peg having one leg longer
than the other and formed into an eye; the eye presses against the upper part
of the last when in position and allows of the peg being withdrawn by means of
the said hook.
The spring peg when locking the parts together is passed into a hole in the lower
part of the last and the eye of the peg fits in a metal groove in the rear end of the
upper part thereby preventing any lateral movement. The said eye presses against
the rear end of the upper part of the last and this pressure is transferred through the
spring legs of the peg to the rear side of the hole in the lower part.
Dated the 25th day of November 1889.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and applicable to Lasts.
I, CARL BEHRENS, of the Alfeld Shoe-last Factory, Alfeld on the Leine, in the
Kingdom of Prussia, 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 :-
My invention relates to lasts for boots and shoes.
The usual means for locking the upper or instep portion of a last to the lower or
sole. and heel portion are generally complicated and troublesome, for example, the
locking of the two parts is frequently effected through the medium of a wood screw
which is passed through a hole in the upper part and screws into the lower part.
Through constant use the connection becomes loose and the parts are then no longer
properly secured together. Moreover a special screw-driver is required to undo the
connection. Similar defects exist in other arrangements for the same purpose which
also require special tools for their manipulation.
The object of my invention is to make a solid or firm connection between the two
parts of the last, which connection can easily be loosened by means of the hook used
to withdraw the last from within the boot.
For this purpose I make use of a wedge-shaped spring peg having one leg longer
than the other and formed into an eye; the eye presses against the upper part

page_text: of the last when in position and allows of the peg being withdrawn by means of
the said hook.
The spring peg when locking the parts together is passed into a hole in the lower
part of the last and the eye of the peg fits in a groove in the rear end of the upper
part, thereby preventing any lateral movement. The said eye presses against the
bottom of the groove in the rear end of the upper part and this pressure is
transferred through the spring legs of the peg to the rear side of the hole in
the lower part.
In order to enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe how
it can be carried into practice by reference to the accompanying drawing, in
which―
Figure 1 represents side and edge views of the spring peg.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the last showing the two portions of the saine
locked together according to my invention.
Figure 3 is a plan of the same.
Figure 4 is a cross section on the line a Figure 2.
Figures 5 and 6 are elevations of the hook usually employed for withdrawing lasts
from boots and shoes.
Similar letters in Figures 1 to 4 indicate similar parts.
As illustrated in Figure 1 the two legs a and b of the peg are connected at c and
form a spring, and the leg is made longer than the leg a and is formed at its free
end into an eye d.
The lower part A Figures 2, 3 and 4 of the last has the hole f made therein in an
inclined position and the groove 9 in the rear end of the upper part is in the same
plane as the hole in the lower part of the last and forms so to speak a prolongation of
the said hole.
To secure the upper part of the last, the peg is introduced into the hole f, so that
the eyed slides against the bottom of the groove g and it is then pushed from the.
dotted position in Figure 1 into the position shewn in full lines. The bottom of the
groove o may be fitted with a metal plate to prevent it from wearing. The hole fis
inclined towards the groove g in such a manner that when pushing the peg down-
wards the free end of the leg a is pressed by the upper part of the hole fagainst
the other leg and the peg with the eye d presses in the direction of the arrow 1. To
prevent the edge f' from wearing out it may be also fitted with a metal plate. The
position of the groove g is so arranged with regard to the front surface
part B of the last as to prevent the latter from becoming loose or from lifting in
the direction of the arrow 2 Figure 1 when held down by the pressure of the peg in
the hole of the last A.
of the
The backward pressure of the upper part B of the last on the peg is transmitted
to the edge of the hole, the two legs a and b of the peg when pushed down coming
into contact as shown in Figure 2. As the eye d is located in the groove g Figure 3
it prevents any lateral movement in the direction of the arrows 3 Figures 3 and 4
between the two parts A and B. The part B is thus secured in all directions and
completely and firmly locked to the part A.
The book D Figures 5 and 6 commonly used for withdrawing the last from within 4
the boot, serves for taking the peg out of the hole f of the lower part A, when the
legs a and b resume their former position.
The eye d is for this purpose formed in such a manner that the end m of the hook
which, when withdrawing the last, grips in the holes o and i, is enabled to enter
the said eye d. Thus the same tool serves for withdrawing the peg as well as the 5
parts A and B.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. An arrangement for locking the instep or upper portion of a last to the sole and 5
heel or lower portion thereof consisting of a two-legged spring neg, one of the leas of

page_text: which is made longer than the other and is formed into an eye serving to withdraw
it by means of a hook in combination with a groove at the rear end of the upper part,
which groove forms a prolongation of a hole in the lower part of the last, and is so
arranged that, when introducing the peg the eye sides therein and thus prevents
a lateral movement of the upper part and whereby the backward pressure of the said
part on the peg is transferred through the two legs now in contact onto the opposite
side of the hole.
2. The improved last hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying
drawing.
Dated the 22nd day of August 1890.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.