Improvements in Lasts for Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 31st July, 1889-Accepted, 7th Sept., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lasts for Boots and Shoes.
We HARRY WILLIAM MOBBS, Boot Manufacturer, and ALFRED LEWIS, Engineer,
both of Kettering in the County of Northampton, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
:―
This invention relates to lasts for uso when "finishing" in the manufacture of boots
and shoes.
"
Finishing is a term used in the trade for the operations of paring, inking,
burnishing, and cleaning the soles of boots and shoes, and is undertaken by specialist
operatives called "Finishers."
The sewn boot without a last is sent from the "Maker" to, the "Finisher," who,
for the purpose of "finishing," requires something to put into the boot to keep it in
shape. Many are the shifts to which the finisher has recourse in order to preserve
the shape, with the result, that the shape of the boots is often utterly ruined, and it is
the object of our invention to provide efficient means at a reasonable cost,
whereby the shape of the boot or shoes may be retained during the operation of
"finishing."
The chief desiderata in a last for this purpose are, that it must be of light weight;
it should be capable of being easily placed in, and easily removed from the boot or
shoe, and that the cost should be comparatively low.
In carrying out our invention, we make the last by preference of wood in the usual
manner, and we remove therefrom a portion more or less great, leaving only
the front and heel pieces. In removing this piece, we make the cuts diagonally
downwards towards the toc.
The two remaining parts we then connect together by a flexible connection of such
a character that when the two portions of the last are in the boot, the connecting
link will act the part of a strut, which, when pushed downwards, will force the two
portions apart, a suitable stop being provided to retain the strut in position when
pressed home.
By these means, the two parts will be securely and rigidly retained in position in the
boot, and at the same time they can be roadily released when it is desired to remove
them from the boot.
We may more or less fill up the space in the waist by loaving a triangular pro-
jecton on the front portion of the last.
31
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Lasts for Boots and Shoes.
I HARRY WILLIAM MOBBS, Boot Manufacturer, and ALFRED LEWIS, Engineer,
both of Kettering in the County of Northampton, 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:
This invention relates to lasts for use when "finishing" in the manufacture of boots
and shoes.
Finishing " is a term used in the trade for the operations of paring, inking,
burnishing, and cleaning the soles of boots and shoes, and is undertaken by specialist
operatives called Finishers."
The sewn boot without a last is sent from the "Maker" to the "Finisher,” who,

page_text: for the purpose of "finishing," requires something to put into the boot to keep it in
shape. Many are the shifts to which the finisher has recourse in order to preserve the
shape, with the result, that the shape of the boot is often utterly ruined, and
it is the object of our invention to provide efficient means, at a reasonable cost,
whereby the shape of the boot or shoe may be retained during the operation of
finishing.
The chief desiderata in a last for this purpose are, that it must be of light weight,
that it should be capable of being easily placed in, and easily removed from the boot
or shoe, and that the cost should be comparatively low.
According to our invention, tho last is made in two parts, a toe piece and a heel
picce, without a waist, or with only a part of a waist, the place of the waist being
supplied by a strut, by means of which the toe and heel pieces can be separated and
held apart when in the shoe.
In the accompanying drawings we have illustrated our invention, and in Fig. 1
have shown a last in side view, partially inserted in a shoe, the acting position of the
heel piece being indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a side view of the last detached
from the shoe. Fig. 2 is a plan of the connecting strut. Figs. 3, 4, 4, 5, 6 and 7
illustrate modifications in the strut and in connection with its attachment.
A is the toe piece of the last, and B is the heel. C is the strut pivotted to the
toe piece at one end, and sliding on the staple or guide piece D attached to
the heel.
The too pieco A of the last is first inserted in the shoe or boot, and then the heel,
and finally the strut C is pressed down as far as is necessary to force apart the toe and
heel pieces, and to secure the last in position.
The strut and staple D are capable of considerable modification, as will be seen
on reference to the drawings; for instance, the staple may have on it ratchet teeth
(see Fig. 3) for assisting to retain the strut in its extended position. Or the staple
may take the form shewn at Figs. 4 and 4ª (in plan), where a divided front plate
overlies a transverse pin on the strut C, and a rack behind serves to retain the same
in position.
Figs. 5 and 6 shew additional supports e for the strut, in Fig. 5 the support c is
pivotted to the toe part A, and drops into a rack formed on the strut C, and in
Fig. 6 the strut carries the pivot, and the toe pieco the rack.
Another mode of arranging the strut is shown in Fig. 7, where the strut is loosely
connected to a staple on the heel piece, and slides longitudinally within the toe
piece. The strut carries a rack upon it, into the teeth of which takes the spring
pawl c', for securing the strut in an extended position.
To remove the last from the boot, it will only be necessary to release the strut,
which can be readily done, owing to the elasticity of the boot, or the spring of the
strut itself; the last will then come out without difficulty. It will be found a great
advantage that the heel and too pieces of our last are never detachable the one from the
other, so as to make it troublesome to find the proper parts when it is desired to use
the last. The open space between the toe and heel pieces may be partially filled at the
bottom (sufficiently so for all practical purposes), by attaching a sinall projection a to
the too piece, as shewn in the drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is
Constructing finishing lasts for boots and shoes of two parts, a toe and a heel,
connected together by a strut for forcing and holding the toe and heel apart, in the
manner described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 21st of L1.. 1000
NEWTON & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.