NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR LASTING AND OTHERWISE PREPARING BOOTS AND SHOES FOR SEWING
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Brunell, of Chadwell Heath, in the County of
Essex, for the Invention of "NEW OR IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR
LASTING AND OTHERWISE PREPARING BOOTS AND SHOES FOR SEWING."
Sealed the 12th June 1877, and dated the 15th December 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Brunell at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 15th. December 1876.
HENRY BRUNELL, of Chadwell Heath, in the County of Essex. "NEW OR
IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR LASTING AND OTHERWISE PREPARING BOOTS
AND SHOES FOR SEWING."
My Invention relates partly to the preparation of the insoles of boots and shoes
for the sewing thereto of the "uppers' or of the "uppers" and welts, and partly
to means and apparatus for mounting the "uppers," insoles, and welts upon the
lasts in readiness for the sewing operation, and is applicable, more or less, not only
to boots and shoes in which welts are employed but also to those wherein the
sewing is "through and through," to those known as "turn over "boots and shoes,
and to the manufacture of boots and shoes whether sewn by hand or by machine.
The part of my Invention which has reference to the preparation of the insoles
for the sewing thereto of the "upper" or of the "upper" and welt consists in
forming therein, more or less closely to the edge thereof, a groove or grooves, the
edges of which are so raised that the "upper" or "upper" and welt can be easily
sewn to the fillet of leather left between the groove and edges of the insole or
between the grooves thereof, whether the said sewing be effected by hand or by
machine.
The part of my Invention which has reference to means and apparatus for
mounting the "upper," insole, and welt on the last in readiness for the sewing
operation consists in the employment of the following arrangements :-I make an
india-rubber mould, of the same shape internally as that of the last with the welt
attached thereto, so that the said mould has a rebate round it to receive the welt.
This mould fits into a metallic, or wooden, or other suitable frame or case prepared
to receive and support it, being, if necessary, steadied therein by means of a suitable
projection or projections fitting into the said frame or case or into the mould. In
the rebate of the india-rubber mould I place the welt, in the mould itself the

page_text: "
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'upper," and inside the "upper" the last. Over the last I place the insole, by
preference grooved or channelled, as above described in reference to the first part
of my Invention. The welt and the " upper now project upwards all round the
last and insole. The two latter are then pressed tightly into the mould by screw
or other pressure, whereby the "upper" becomes tightly stretched over the last.
A series of plates which are hinged all round the frame or case are then closed over,
pressing as they close the welt and "upper" against the insole. The said hinged
plates are provided with teeth or pegs which pierce holes through the welt, " upper,"
and insole, and into the last. The hinged plates are then raised one at a time and
wooden pegs driven, if necessary, into the holes already made by the teeth or pegs
on the plates, thus securing the "upper," insole, and welt to the last. The boot or
shoes thus lasted is now ready for sewing.
It will be understood that a similar arrangement of apparatus may be employed
for lasting boots or shoes in which no welt is employed, but in that case the rebate
in the india-rubber mould is dispensed with.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Henry Brunell in the Great Scal Patent Office on the 15th June
1877.
HENRY BRUNELL, of Chadwell Heath, in the County of Essex. "NEW OR
IMPROVED MEANS AND APPARATUS FOR LASTING AND OTHERWISE PREPARING BOOTS
AND SHOES FOR SEWING."
My Invention relates partly to the preparation of the insoles of boots and shoes
for the sewing thereto of the "uppers" or of the "uppers" and welts, and partly
to means and apparatus for mounting the "uppers," insoles, and welts upon the
"lasts" in readiness for the sewing operation, and is applicable, more or less, not
only to boots and shoes in which welts are employed but also to those wherein
the sewing is "through and through," to those known as "turn over" boots and
shoes, and to the manufacture of boots and shoes whether sewn by hand or by
machine.
"
The part of my Invention which has reference to the preparation of the insole
for the sewing thoreto of the "upper" or of the "upper" and welt, consists in
formning therein, more or less closely to the edge thereof, a groove or grooves, the
edges of which are so raised that the "upper or "upper" and welt can be easily
sewn to the fillet of leather left between the groove and edge of the insole or
between the grooves thereof, whether the said sewing be effected by hand or by
machine.
In Figure 1 of the Drawing A represents a transverse section of an insole; B, a
longitudinal groove formed round the said insole; the edge C of the said groove is
raised so that the "upper" D and welt E may be sewn thereto, the edge F of the
groove forming the boundary of the insole inside the boot or shoe. The right-hand
side of the Figure shows the "upper" and welt applied to the insole, ready for
sewing, and the left-hand side of the Figure shows the "upper" and welt sewn
thereto ready to be trimmed off and hammered down to receive the outer sole.
Figure 2 represents an arrangement in which a second groove C is formed round
the insole, the edge H of the said groove being raised up so as to back the edge C
of the groove B, the "upper" and welt being sewn to the fillet of leather between
the grooves B and G, as shown at the left-hand side of the Figure; this arrange-
ment is stronger than that shown in Figure 1. Similar letters refer to like parts
in both Figures 1 and 2.
The arrangements above described, and shown in Figures 1 and 2, are specially
applicable to boots and shoes sewn by means of a curved needle, such as that
employed in the machine known as "Destony's," but is also applicable to boots and
shoes sewn by other machines or by hand.

page_text: "
The part of my Invention which has reference to means and apparatus for
mounting the "upper," insole, and welt on the "last" in readiness for the sewing
operation consists in the employment of the following arrangements:-I make an
india-rubber mould of the same shape internally as that of the "last" with tho
welt attached thereto, so that the said mould has a rebate round it to receive the
welt. This mould fits into a metallic, or wooden, or other suitable frame or case
prepared to receive and support it, being, if necessary, steadied therein by means of
a suitable projection or projections fitting into the said frame or case or into the
mould. In the rebate of the india-rubber mould I place the welt, in the mould itself
tho "upper," and inside the "upper "the "last." Over the "last" I place the insole, by
preference, grooved or channelled, as above described in reference to the first part of
my Invention. The welt and the "upper" now project upwards all round the
"last" and insole. The two latter are then pressed tightly into the mould by
screw or other pressure, whereby the " upper becomes tightly stretched over tho
"last." A series of plates which are hinged all round the frame or case are then
closed over, prossing as they close the welt and "upper" against the insole. The
said hinged plates are provided with teeth or pegs which pierce holes through the
welt, "upper," and insole, and into the "last." The hinged plates are then raised
one at a time and wooden pegs driven, if necessary, into the holes already made by
the tooth or pegs on the plates, thus securing the "upper," insole, and welt to the
"last." The boot or shoe thus lasted is now ready for sewing.
n
"
Figure 3 shows a partial longitudinal section; Figure 4, a plan; and Figure 5,
a transverse section on line x, x, of Figures 3 and 4 of the aforesaid mounting or
lasting apparatus; A is a cast-iron or other suitable frame or case prepared to
receive and support the india-rubber mould B, such mould B resting in and being
supported at its upper edge by the rebate C, or by other suitable steadying and
supporting arrangement. The mould B has a rebate D formed round that part of
its upper internal edge which corresponds to the position the welt will occupy on
the lasted boot or shoe; E is the welt placed in the said rebate D; F, the "upper"
of the boot or shoe to be mounted or lasted. This may either be placed in the
mould B before the introduction of the "last" G, or, as is sometimes preferable, the
upper" may be placed on the "last" and the two together introduced into the
mould B inside the welt E, and being pressed down therein the elasticity of the
said india-rubber mould causes the "upper" to be stretched over the "last" to the
required extent; H is the insole, by preference grooved or channelled, as described
in reference to the first part of my Invention, and placed over the "last" inside the
projecting part of the "upper" and welt, as seen most clearly in Figure 5. The
"upper" and "last" may be pressed into the mould B by means of a screw I
working in a cross bar J, which may be adapted to turn on pivots fixed to the case
or frame A, as shown, so as to enable it to be turned down out of the way (as
shown in Figure 4) when putting a boot or shoe into or removing it from the
mould. The end of the screw I is shown as working in a socket K, to which is
hinged a presser piece L which bears at two points on the "last" or insole.
method of forcing the "last" and "upper" into the mould is convenient, but any
other suitable means may be employed for that purpose; M, M, are plates hinged
to the frame or case A, and so adapted that when closed and pressed over the edgo
of the mould (as shown at the left hand of Figure 5) whilst the "last" and "upper"
are held pressed into the mould by the screw I or other means employed for that
purpose, they close the projecting parts of the welt and the "upper" against the
raised part of the insole, the teeth or pegs N, N, fixed in the said plates M, M,
piercing holes through the welt, "upper," and insole, and into the "last." The
hinged plates M, M, being then raised (preferably one at a time) into the position
shewn in dotted lines at the left hand of Figure 5, pegs may be driven into the holes
made by the teeth N, N, thus securing or mounting the "upper," insole, and welt
on the "last." The whole may then be removed from the mould and is ready for
the sewing operation whether by hand or by machine.
This
When preferred the removal from the mould of the "last" with the parts

page_text: attached may be facilitated by adapting the said mould with its frame or case A
to open longitudinally on a hinge at one end or at the bottom.
It will be understood that a similar arrangement of apparatus may be employed
for lasting boots and shoes in which no welt is employed, but in that case the rebate
in the india-rubber mould is dispensed with, and when the "last" is to be with-
drawn from the boot or shoe before it is sewn as must be done when the sewing
machine employed is one that sews "through and through," or the boot or shoe is
of the kind known as "turnover," the "upper" may be attached to the insole while
on the last and in the mould by any suitable cement, or, if an iron "last" is used,
by means of "tingles" in the usual way.
In some cases the hinged plates A, M, may be dispensed with and the mould B
in its case A used without them, the upper edge of the india-rubber mould being
made to project a short distance over the insole so as to fold the " upper" or
upper" and welt down upon the insole.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and the manner in which
the same is to or may be carried into effect, I would have it understood that what
I claim as my Invention is,-
"
First. Preparing the insoles of boots or shoes for the attachment thereto of the
uppers" or of the "uppers" and welts by forming a groove or grooves therein, as
herein-before described, and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the Drawing.
Second. The use of an india-rubber mould, constructed and adapted substantially
as herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 3, 4, and 5 of the Drawing,
for the purpose of stretching the "upper" over the "last" and holding the said
upper" whilst so stretched or the said " upper" together with the welt in place
whilst it or they are being fixed to the insole or to the insole and "last."
ft
Third. The use in combination with the aforesaid india-rubber mould of the
hinged pieces M, M, as hercin-before described and illustrated in the Drawing, and
for the purpose set forth.
Fourth. The general arrangement, combination, and construction of apparatus
for the purpose of mounting or lasting boots or shoes, as herein-before described, and
illustrated in the Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Brunell, have hereunto set my hand
and scal, this Fourteenth day of June, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-seven.