Improvements in Machines for Lasting Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Lasting Boots and Shoes.
I, ALBERT EDWARD STIRCKLER, of 26, Billing Road, Northampton, in the
County of Northampton, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:
This invention relates to improvements in machines for lasting boots and shoes
for which Letters Patent were granted to me bearing date the 7th day of January
1896 No. 422. In the machine described in the Specification of the said Letters
Patent the last with the upper thereon to be lasted is clamped between toe and
heel clamps and the upper at the toe end of the last is held by a retarding device
while the last is forced down at the toe end by a depresser into the upper, the
part of the upper so held by the retarding device being then wiped by wiper
plates over onto the sole of the last and is secured to the insole by tacks or nails.
It has been found in practice that whilst a machine acting as described affects
the lasting in a more perfect manner than is the case with other machines hitherto
in use the upper is not drawn so tightly over the last as is desirable and the
object of this invention is to effect the lasting of the upper in a still more perfect
manner. According to my present invention instead of forcing the last into
the upper, the last is held stationary or practically stationary and the toe head
or clamp with the edge of the toe portion of the upper secured thereby as herein-
after described, is caused to rise so as to pull the upper upwards whereby the
leather is stretched before the wiper plates commence to move to lay the portion
of upper above the last over onto the sole of the said last. The toe head or clamp
carries a clamping jaw which together with the head itself constitutes a powerful
gripping device, the upper being securely held between the jaw and the wiper
plates carried by the said head or clamp. The head or clamp is pivotted at or
near its forward end to a rod or bar which is capable of being raised with the
head by a lever carried on the head or by any other suitable means so as to raise
the said head.
The vertical angle of the said head or clamp can be adjusted to suit lasts of
different dip by means of adjusting screws at the rear end of the head or clamp,
springs being also provided to admit of the said pivotted head yielding, or tilting
to accommodate itself to varying shapes of the last. The said head, or clamp,
can be raised by means of a lever pivotted thereto and carrying at one end a stud
or button which is caused to bear on the sole of the last so that when the forward
end of the head or clamp is raised or forced upward the stud or button acts as a ful-
crum for the lever to raise the head. The said stud or button presses forcibly on the
DQ77

page_text: last so that as the head rises, the upper at the toe end of the last held between the
gripping jaw and the wiper plates is stretched in an upward direction until the
wiper plates are above the surface of the sole of the last. The wiper plates are
then caused to move forward and close towards each other, thereby further stretch-
ing the portion of the upper which is above the last over the edge onto the sole
of the said last where it is secured by tacks in the usual manner or otherwise.
yielding
The said toe clamp or head is fitted beneath the wiper plates with a
block or buffer which buffer serves as a guide to regulate the distance to which
the wiper plates should be opened for lasts of different shapes and sizes, the said
buffer being carried on a stem or rod by which the said buffer can be caused to
project from the head more or less as desired whilst the pressure of the buffer
may remain constant. This buffer by pressing on the upper at the toe end of
the last, assists to stretch the leather at this part as the head rises. The buffer
is detachable from the rod which carries it, so that buffer's of different shapes can
be fitted to the said rod to suit the shape of the toe. The swivelling blocks which
press upon the upper at the sides of the toe end of the last are forced towards
the last by springs which press on nuts screwed on the rods which carry the said
swivelling blocks so that the springs will always exert the same pressure however
the blocks may be adjusted to suit lasts of different widths. To provide the
necessary friction to retain the wiper plates in position when moved forward
over the toe of the last the lever by which the said plates are operated is pro-
vided with a screwed stud which projects up through a curved slot in the top
plate of the head or clamp, on which stud is screwed a nut, between which nut
and the top plate of the head is interposed a spring. By screwing the nut down
more or less the friction may be regulated as required. This operating lever is
pivoted at one end to the head; the said lever being also pivoted to a longitudinally
sliding, plate or bar, the inner end of which is connected to another plate fitted
to slide longitudinally in the head or clamp. On the connecting stud of this
plate is mounted another plate having rounded ends which bear against guides
in the head, the said plate being normally held in position at right angles to the
longitudinal line of the head by springs which admit of the said plate turning
on its pivot to suit the angular direction in which the wiper plates are required
to work. Pivoted to the longitudinally sliding plate or bar hereinbefore described
as being connected to the operating lever, are two slotted arms or toggle levers
connected by links to the plate on which the curved ended plate hereinbefore
described slides. The plate with curved ends is provided with projections which
bear on the rear ends of the wiper plate or the carriers thereof and also with bars
having at their outer ends lugs or studs which engage in slots or recesses in the
wiper plates or in the wiper plate carriers so that as the longitudinally sliding
plates are moved forward by the operating lever the projections on the curved
ended plate operate on the wiper plates simultaneously move them forward and
to close towards each other so as to stretch the leather over the last, the said wiper
plates being opened and moved backwards by the backward movement of the
operating lever and sliding plates and the studs or lugs carried by curved end
plate engaging in the slots in the wiper plate carriers. The fulcra on which the
slotted toggle levers turn are adjustable in the slots of the said toggle lever nearer
to or further from the point of connection with the longitudinally sliding plate
or bar so as to adjust as required the extent of movement of the wiper plates.
adjustment of the fulcra on which the said toggle levers turn can be effected by
means of a right and left handed screw engaging corresponding nuts or screw
threads in blocks carrying the said fulera or by other suitable means. Clamp-
ing devices may be provided on the head or clamp by means of which the wiper
plates can be caused to operate in a direction at an angle to the longitudinal
line of the head or clamp to suit either "rights" or "lefts."
The
The pivotted pads or blocks which bear on the sides of the toe of the upper while
being lasted are pressed against the said upper by springs bearing on nuts
screwed onto the rods or stems carrying the said blocks, so that the position of

page_text: the pads or blocks can be varied to suit lasts of different shapes without altering
the pressure of the pads against the last.
Dated this 4th day of November 1897.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C. Agents.
Improvements in Machines for Lasting Boots and Shoes.
I, ALBERT EDWARD STIRCKLER, of 26, Billing Road, Northampton, in the
County of Northampton, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion, 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 improvements in the machine for lasting boots and
shoes for which Letters Patent were granted to me dated the 7th day of January
1896, No. 422. In the machine described in the Specification of the said Letters
Patent the last with the upper to be lasted thereon is clamped between toe and
heel clamps or heads and the upper at the toe end of the last is held by a retarding
device while the last is forced down at the toe end into the upper, and the portion
of the upper held above the last by the retarding device is then wiped over on to
the sole of the last, by wiper plates carried on the clamp or head, and secured
to the insole by tacks or nails.
It has been found in practice that whilst a machine constructed and operating
in the manner described in the said specification effects the lasting in a better
manner than is the case with other machines hitherto in use, the upper is not
drawn so tightly over the last as is desirable and the object of this invention
is to effect the lasting in a more efficient manner.
According to my present invention instead of forcing the last down into the upper
the last is held stationary or practically stationary, and the toe head in com-
bination with a gripping jaw carried thereby, constitute a powerful gripping
device by which the upper is securely held while the said head is being raised,
and the upper thereby stretched in an upward direction to a considerable extent
before the wiper plates move forward to lay the portion of the upper above the
last on to the sole of the last. The said toe head is pivotted at its forward end
to a block fitted to slide up and down between guides and is elevated by means
of a lever carried on the said head, and acting on a rod so as to press the said
rod forcibly against the sole of the last, which last, being prevented from descend-
ing, causes the head to be elevated by pressure exerted by the lever on the said
rod. Or the said head may be elevated by means of a treadle and rod connected to
the sliding block to which the head is pivotted or by other convenient means.
Depending from the underside of the block to which the head is pivotted are rods
which pass through elongated holes in a plate which carries the head and which
slides longitudinally in guides in the frame of the machine. Surrounding these
rods are springs, the upper ends of which bear against the underside of the sliding
plate whilst their lower ends bear against nuts screwed into the said rods. These
springs admit of the head yielding so as to conform to the lateral inclination of
the last and also admit of the upper being stretched to any desired extent. The
rear end of the head is provided with adjusting screws by means of which
the longitudinal angle of the head can be regulated to suit the dip of the last.
The said adjusting screws are provided with helical springs which bear at their
upper ends against collars. on the screws and at their lower ends

page_text: against a block carried loosely on the lower end of the screw 80
as to yield and serve as a buffer between the head and the sliding
plate on which it is mounted. By screwing the screws more or less into
the head the longitudinal angle of the head can be adjusted as required whilst the
springs admit of the head tilting in any direction to suit the shape of the toe
end of the last. Projecting from the forward end of the toe head beneath the
wiper plates, carried in the said head, is a yielding block or toe pad which by
bearing against the upper at the toe end of the last assists, as the head is being
raised, in stretching the said upper over the toe of the last and also to retain the upper
in its stretched condition. This block or pad can be caused to project more or less
as required from the forward end of the head and is removably fitted to its holder
to permit of pads of different shapes being adapted to suit lasts of different
shapes and the said pad is free to turn in its holder to accommodate itself to the
shape of the last whether it be a right" or a "left." Pivotted blocks or pads
are also provided to bear upon the sides of the toe ends of the last with a yield-
ing pressure and are adjustable in position to suit the width of the toe end of
the last without altering the pressure of the said blocks or pads.
<<
The wiper plates by which the upper is wiped on to the sole at the toe or the heel
end of the last are operated by a lever and a system of sliding plates and con-
necting links and bars, hereinafter fully described, and the operating lever is
provided with an adjustable frictional device to retain the said lever in the position
into which it is moved.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood I will further describe
the same with reference to the accompanying drawings of which Fig. 1 is a
front elevation of a lasting machine provided with improvements according to
my invention and Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a plan of
the toe head or clamp with the top plate removed to shew the arrangement of
sliding plates and connecting links for operating the wiper plates. Fig. 4 is a
longitudinal section on the line a-b Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a transverse section on
the line cd, Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3 shewing the wiper plates
and actuating parts in their operated position. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of
the toe block or pad and its holder detached. Figs. 8 and 9 are enlarged eleva-
tions at right angles to each other of the gripping jaw and head elevating lever
carried on the toe head and Fig. 10 is an underside view of the toe ring or nipping
surface of the gripping jaw.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A, A² represent respectively the toe head and the
heel head between which the last, with the upper to be lasted thereon, is clamped.
The toe head to which the invention principally relates, is hinged at 1 to a block 2
capable of moving up and down between guides 3 on a plate 4 adjustable in a
longitudinal direction on a table or support 5 to suit the length of the last.
Projecting from the underside of the block 2 are studs or rods 6 which pass
through elongated openings in the plate 4, and surrounding each of these studs
or rods, is a spring 7 which bears at its upper end against the underside of the
plate 4 and at its lower end against a nut screwed on to the lower end of the said
stud. These springs admit of the head yielding to admit of the upper being
stretched to any desired extent and also of tilting laterally to accommodate itself
to lasts of various shapes. At the rear end of the toe head are studs 8 screwing into
the said head each stud carrying a piece 9 which can slide up and down on the
plain lower end of the stud. The studs are each provided with a head 10 which
enters a recess in the piece 9 and prevents the said piece from becoming detached
from the stud. Between the piece 9 and the collar 11 secured on the stud is inter-
pose a spring 12 which admits of the head A yielding slightly at the rear end.
By screwing these studs more or less into the head the said head can be caused
to incline more or less in a longitudinal direction to suit the dip of the last. Pro-
jecting up from the top plate 13 of the head A are lugs 14 between which is
fitted to turn on a pin 15 a gripping jaw 16. Between the gripping jaw 16 and
the wiper plates carried in the head, the upper is securely held while the upper

page_text: is being stretched over the sole of the last. The gripping jaw when out of
action is turned on the pin 15 into the position shewn by dotted lines in Fig. 1.
This gripping jaw as shewn in the enlarged views Figs. 8, 9 and 10 comprises
a slotted lever 17 which is capable of sliding and also of turning on the pin 15
and is forked at one end, the limbs of the fork having holes therein through
which passes a hollow rod 18 screw-threaded to receive a nut wheel 19 adapted
to turn on the screw-threaded hollow rod between the limbs of the forked end
of the lever 17, so that by turning this nut wheel in one direction or the other
the hollow rod can be caused to project more or less through the lever 17. The
lower end of the hollow rod 18 carries a block 20 provided with open slots 21
for the reception of studs 22 carried by the toe ring or pressing plate 22. Secured
to the block 20 is a block 23 of yielding material, such as india rubber, having
slots therein corresponding to the slots 21, which yielding material can be com-
pressed slightly by the toe ring when sliding it into position on the block 20,
the expansive action of the block 23 when the toe ring is in position serving to force
the heads of the studs 22* against the top surface of the block 20 so
retain the toe ring or pressing plate in position. The toe ring or pressing plate
can readily be removed from the block 20 by exerting a slight-pressure on the
said plate and then sliding it sidewise to free the studs 22* from the open ended
slots 21.
a
as to
It will be seen that toe rings or pressing plates of any desired size and shape
can be readily fitted to the gripping jaw to suit lasts of different sizes and shapes.
Fitted to slide in the hollow rod 18 is a rod 24 provided at its lower end with
plate or button 25 to bear upon the sole of the last to prevent the upward movement of
the last while the upper is being stretched thereon. The upper end of the hollow
rod 18 is forked, between the limbs of which fork is fitted to turn on a pin 26
a cam shaped lever 27 by means of which the head may be caused to rise as herein-
after described. This lever is shewn by full lines in Figs. 1 and 8 in its in-
operative position and by dotted lines in Fig. 8 in the position it is moved into
to effect the elevation of the head. When a last with the upper thereon to be
lasted is placed in position in the machine and clamped between the toe and heel
clamps or heads as is well understood with reference to machines of this kind,
the edge of the upper at the toe end of the last is laid over on to the wiper plates,
which project from the forward end of the toe head, and the gripping jaw 16 is
turned on the pin 15 into. the position shewn in full lines in Figs. 1 and 8 the lower
edge of the toe ring or plate 22 resting on the turned over edge of the upper
lying on the wiper plates. A lever 28 centred to the top plate 13 of the said. toe
head is then turned so as to insert a wedge 29, carried on the said lever, between
the top plate 13 and the rear end of the lever 17 thereby pressing the toe ring
or pressing plate 22 forcibly on to the edge of the upper so as to securely hold
it between the said toe ring and the wiper plates. The edge of the upper being
thus held, the lever 27 is turned from the position shewn by full lines in Figs. 1
and 8 into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 8 by which movement
the cam shaped portion of the said lever, acting on the upper end of the rod 24
forces the button. 25 against the sole of the last, which is thus prevented from
rising and as it cannot descend, the hollow rod 18 is caused to slide upwards on
the rod 24 and so elevate the forward end of the head A thereby stretching the
upper (which is secured between the gripping jaw and the wiper plates) upwards
until the wiper plates are above the sole of the last. Projecting from the for-
ward end of, the toe clamp or head, beneath the wiper plates, is a yielding pad 30,
shewn with its holder 30* detached in Fig. 7, which holder is screwed on to a
rod 31 Fig. 4 capable of sliding longitudinally in a hole or passage provided for
it in the toe clamp or head. The pad 30 is provided with a circular and preferably
conical projection 32 fitting a correspondingly shaped recess or opening in the
holder 30 to admit of the pad turning in the holder to accommodate itself to
the shape of the toe of the last whether it be a right or a left and also to admit
of toe pads of different shapes being readily adapted to the holder as required to

page_text: suit lasts of different shapes. The rod 31 onto which the holder is screwed is
reduced in diameter at the rear part as shewn in Fig. 4 and is surrounded by a
helical spring 33 one end of which bears against a shoulder in the hole or pas-
sage in which the rod slides and at its other end against a shoulder 34 formed
on the said rod 31 the said spring 33 tending to force the pad forward against
the toe of the last. The outer end of the rod 31 is screw-threaded to receive
nuts 35 by means of which the spring 33 can be more or less compressed and
the strength thereof thus regulated so as to press with greater or less force
against the last according to the quality of the material being lasted.
screw-
The pad 30 can be caused to project to the required distance from the for-
ward end of the head by screwing the rod 31 more or less into the holder 30*
without altering the power of the spring. Pivotted blocks or pads 36, shewn in
Figs. 3 and 4, are provided to press against the sides of the toe end of the last
the said blocks or pads being pivotted to plates 37 capable of sliding in guides
in the front end of the toe head. These plates 37 are each provided with a
threaded extension 38 on to which is screwed a nut 39 which normally bears
against the side of the head A and limits the inward movement of the said block
or pad. These blocks or pads are forced outwards by the last when placed in
the machine, in opposition to the pressure of springs 40 secured to the sides of
the head A at 41 their free ends bearing upon the nuts 39 so that the nuts can
be screwed along the screwed extensions 38 to vary the distance to which the
pads shall project from the head without varying the power of the springs.
The power of the springs can be regulated by screws 42* passing through slots
in the springs, and screwing into the sides of the head so that by driving these
screws more or less into the head the springs can be more or less compressed.
While the head is being raised these side blocks or pads 36 together with the
pad 30 assist in stretching the upper over the toe of the last and also serve to
retain the upper in its stretched condition. While the head A. is in its elevated
position with the wiper plates above the surface of the sole of the last, the wiper
plates are moved forward to stretch the upper over onto the sole of the last. The
mechanism for operating the wiper plates is illustrated in Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 in
which the wiper plates 42 are shewn as being connected by screws 43 to carrier
plates 44 which permit of the wiper plates being readily removed and replaced
by others of different shape to suit the shape of the last, but if desired the carrier
plates may be dispensed with and the wiper plates themselves be of the required
size and shape. Near the rear edges of the wiper plate carriers 44 are slots 45
in which studs 46 on bars 46* engage, the said bars being each arranged to slide to a
limited extent in a groove 47 in a plate 48 to prevent jamming. The plate 48 is
mounted on a pin or stud 49 projecting from a plate 50 beneath to which pin or stud
is also connected the operating lever 51, shewn by dotted lines in Figs. 3 and 6.
centred at 51 to the head. The plates 48 and 50 can slide within the head A
in a longitudinal direction between raised edges or ribs 52 on a plate 52³, also
capable of sliding longitudinally in the head A, against which raised edges or
ribs 52 the ends of the plates 48 and 50 bear, the ends of the plate 48 being
curved to admit of the said plate turning on the pivot, pin or stud 49, but which
plates are normally maintained parallel one to the other by springs 53 contained
in recesses 54 in the plate 48 and surrounding rods which pass through openings
in the said plates and which are bent at their outer ends to engage the plate 50
The plate 52 is connected by links 55 to arms or levers 56 connected together
at one of their ends, and to one end of a bar 57, by a stud or pin 58, the inner
end of the bar 57 being connected to the pivot pin 49 on which the plate 48 turns.
The outer ends of the arms or levers 56 are slotted as shewn at 59 in which slots
blocks 60 are fitted to slide. These blocks 60 are pivotted to nuts 61 adapted
to slide in slots 62 in the bottom of the head A. The two nuts 61 are respectively
provided with a right hand and a left hand screw thread corresponding to screw
threads on the two ends of a rod 63 which threads work in the said nuts. The
rod 63 is mounted in a bearing 64 on the underside of the head A as shewn in

page_text: Fig. 5 and is prevented from moving longitudinally in the bearing by collars 65
on the rod in. contact with the opposite sides of the said bearing, so that by
rotating this rod in the bearing the nuts 61 will be moved nearer to or further
from each other and the pivotted blocks 60, which serve as the fulcra on which the
arms 56 turn, will be adjusted in position nearer to or further from the pin 58
and accordingly regulate the distance to which the plates 52, 50 and 48 will be
moved longitudinally in the head by the lever 51. To force the wiper plates
forward to stretch the upper over on to the toe of the last the lever 51 is moved
from the position shewn in Fig. 3 to that shewn in Fig. 6 whereby the plates, 52*,
48 and 50 are forced forward in the head the plates 48 and 50 moving to a greater
distance than the plate 52 owing to the difference in the position of the connec-.
tion of the plates 48 and 50 with the lever 51, and the connection of the plate 52
by the links 55 to the arms 56 which are indirectly connected by the bar 57 to
the said lever 51. The plate 48 is provided on its forward end with projections 66
which bear upon the rear edges of the wiper plate carriers which projections
as the plate moves forward cause the wiper plates 42 to turn inwards towards
each other on their axis or imaginary pivot 67 and thus, in combination with
the forward movement of the said wiper plates, effectually stretch the upper over
the extreme end, and the sides of the toe end of the last. The lever 51 is provided
with a frictional device to retain it in the position to which it is moved which
frictional device may consist as shewn in Fig. 5 of a stud 70 extending upwards
from the said lever through a curved slot 71 in the top plate 13 of the head, on
which stud is placed a washer 72 bearing on the said top plate, between which
washer and a nut 73, screwed on to the said stud, is interposed a spring 74 so
that by screwing the nut more or less along the stud the pressure of the washer
on the top plate can be adjusted as required to retain the lever in position. The
heel head may be provided with an arrangement similar to that in the toe head
for wiping the upper over the heel end of the last and the upper at the sides
of the last may be forced over on to the sole of the last by any suitable arrange-
ment of draughting nipper wiper such as are now employed in this kind of
machine. The upper having been efficiently stretched over on to the sole of
the last is secured to the insole placed thereon by tacks in the ordinary manner
after which the lever 51 is returned to its normal position shewn in Fig. 1
whereby the plates 52 48 and 50 together with the wiper plates 42 will be
moved rearward in the head. The edges 68 of the wiper plate carriers 44 are
arcs of a circle the centre of which is the axis or imaginary pivot on which the
wiper plates 42 turn the said edges bearing and moving against correspondingly
curved recess 69 in the raised sides or ribs 52 on the plate 52. The upper
having been secured to the insole and the wiper plates 42 retracted the toe and
heel heads are separated so as to release the last which is then removed from the
machine and another last with an upper thereon to be lasted placed in position.
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. In a machine of the kind herein before described for lasting boots and shoes
the combination with the toe clamp or head, of a gripping jaw which together
with the head itself constitutes a powerful gripping device, means for raising
the clamp or head a down hold carried by the gripping device to prevent the last
from rising with the head, so that by the rising of the head the upper will be
stretched upwards above the sole of the last; wiper plates carried in the clamp or
head and means for operating them to stretch the upper held by the gripping
device above the toe of the last over on to the insole placed on the last substan-
tially as herein before described.
2. In a machine of the kind herein before described the combination with the
toe clamp or head, of a gripping device on the said toe head, a hold down carried
by the gripping device, a lever carried by the gripping device for raising the toe

page_text: head, and an adjustable and yielding block or pad carried by the toe head and
caused to press against the toe end of the last so as to assist in stretching the
upper over the toe of the last as the head is being raised, and to retain the said
upper in its stretched condition substantially as herein before described.
3. The combination in the toe clamp or head, of the yielding block or pad for
pressing against the end of the toe of the last; swivelling blocks to press upon
the sides of the toe end of the last; sliding plates to which the swivelling blocks
are pivotted, screwed extension on the sliding plates, nuts adapted to the screwed
extension for regulating the distance between the said blocks to suit lasts of
different sizes and springs pressing on the nuts to force the swivelled blocks
against the last with the necessary pressure substantially as herein before described.
4. In a machine of the kind hereinbefore described the combination with the
block or pad for pressing against the toe end of the last, a conical or tapered
projection on the said pad, a conical or tapered recess in a holder in which the
tapered or conical projection on the block or pad enters, a rod on which the
holder is adjustably screwed, a spring acting on the rod to impart to the block
or pad the necessary pressure on the last, and means for adjusting the power of
the spring substantially as herein before described.
5. In a machine of the kind herein before described the combination with the
clamps or heads, of parts for operating the wiper plates carried on the said clamps
or heads the said operating parts comprising the lever 51 centred to the head,
the bar 57 and plates 48 and 50 pivotted at 49 to the lever, arms 56 pivotted to
the bar 57, plate 52* connected to the arms 56 by the links 55, slots 59 in the
arms 56, blocks 60 adjustable in position in the slots 59, nuts 61 on which the
blocks 60 are pivotted, screwed rod or spindle 63 adapted to screw-threads in
the nuts 61 so that by rotating the screwed spindle the blocks 60 can be adjusted
in position in the slots 59 in the arms 56, rods or links 55 connecting the arms 56
to the plate 52* bars 46* slidable to a limited extent in grooves in the plate 48,
studs 46 on the bars 46* engaging grooves 45 in the wiper plates or their carriers,
projections 66 on the plate 48 bearing against the wiper plates or their carriers,
curved ends to the plate 48 to admit of the plate turning on the pivot 49 and
springs 53 for normally retaining the plate 48 parallel to the plate 50 the whole
being arranged to operate substantially as herein before described.
6. The combination with the operating lever 51 of a spring frictional device
for retaining the lever in the position to which it has been moved substantially
as hereinbefore described.
7. The combination of parts constituting the improvements in machines for
lasting boots and shoes substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 30th day of August 1898.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C. Agents.