IMPROVEMENTS IN LASTS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1884

page_text: I ROUGHSEDGE WALLWORK of the firm. of Henry Wallwork and Company, of
Union Bridge Iron Works, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Ironfounder,
do hereby declare the nature of said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN LASTS FOR
BOOTS AND SHOES," to be as follows:-
Ordinary lasts are made in two parts an upper part termed the "blook," which
when in the boot or shoe has to be first detached and withdrawn from it, leaving
the lower, or what may be termed the sole part of the last, to be subsequently
withdrawn.
In many cases it is difficult to withdraw the last when made in two pieces in
the ordinary form-My invention consists in first making the last all in one piece
and then cutting off the heel in a diagonal line, starting at the upper part of the
last near the heel and slanting in the direction of the toe of the last-The two
parts are connected by a tongue, projection, or dovetail on one and a corresponding
recess in the other part of the last, there being one or more projections on the heel'
part which will come against a recess or recesses in the front part of the last these
projections resisting the hammering and preventing the dovetail (when used) from
wedging tight.
Two or more heels are or may be made to fit the same front part of a last of.
different sizes so that a boot or shoe to be stretched by applying a larger heel to
the front part of the last, when required.
My improved lasts are made either in wood, iron or other suitable material.

page_text: I ROUGHSEDGE WALLWORK, of the firm of Henry Wallwork and Company of
Union Bridge Iron Works, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Ironfounder,
do hereby declare the nature of said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN LASTS FOR
BOOTS AND SHOES, and in what 'manner the same is to bo performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
Ordinary lasts are made in two parts, an upper part termed the block which
when in the boot or shoe has to be first detached and withdrawn from it, leaving
the lower or what may be termed the sole part of the last, to be subsequently
withdrawn.
In many cases it is difficult to withdraw the last when made in two pieces in
the ordinary form-My invention consists in first making the last all in one piece
and then cutting off the heel in a diagonal line, starting at the upper part of tho
last near the heel and slanting in the direction of the toe of the last-The two
parts are connected by a tongue projection or dovetail on one, and a corresponding.
recess in the other part of the last, there being one or more projections on the heel
part which will come against a recess or recesses in the front part of the last, these
projections resisting the hammering and preventing the dovetail (when used) from
wedging tight.
Two or more heels are or may be made to fit the same front part of a last of
different sizes so that a boot or shoe may be stretched by applying a larger heel to
the front part of the last when required.
My improved lasts are made either in wood, iron or other suitable material.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an ordinary last, in which a is termed the block
and a may be called the sole part of the last-When the last is to be withdrawn
from the shoe, the block a¹ is first taken out and then the sole part a, but the
taking out of this latter part is frequently very difficult and in some cases causes
the shoe to be pulled out of shape.
By my invention these difliculties aro obviated and shapes of shoes can be mado
with my improved last which cannot be made by the ordinary last.
Fig. 2 is a side elevation of my improved last-It is, or may be first formed in
one piece, and then tho heel is cut off in the diagonal line -y thus making the
last into two parts, namely; a front part b which may be termed the foot part, and
a back part 6 which may be termed the heel part.
The heel part 6 has formed on the face joining with the foot part a projecting
dovetail piece 6* that fits a corresponding recessed dovetail 67 on the foot part b, or
the dovetails on each part may be reversed, that is, the projecting dovetail may
take the place of the recessed dovetail.
Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of the foot part 6 of an iron last upon the ordinary
stand c, as when in use, a hole being made in the foot part b as usual for the end
of the stand o to enter-Fig. 4 represents a side elevation of a heel part b' fitting
and corresponding to the foot part b but shown detached therefrom.
Fig. 5 shows the side elevation of another heel part b¹ detached but of larger size
to fit and correspond to the foot part b.

page_text: Larger heels b¹ can be used with the same foot part 6 for stretching a shoe when
required.
In using my improved lasts the heel part b' is first placed in the shoe and then
the shoe with the heel in it is placed and forced down upon the foot part 6 fig. 3,
the dovetails between the heel and foot part of the last coming and fitting into
each other as shown by the side elevation fig. 7.
Fig. 6 is an elevation of the foot part 6 of the last when on the stand o looking
from the heel end of the last.
Fig. 8 shows a side elevation of one of my improved lasts made of wood.
The last is made of wood in one piece, then I prefer to bore a hole, the axis
of which is in the diagonal line xy which is to separate the foot part b from the
heel part 61, then a cut is made in the said diagonal line by a fine saw separating
the heel b¹ from the foot b and thus a cavity forming one half of the bored hole is
left in each part 6 and b¹.
In each half of the bored hole a corresponding metal part (6ª and 6*) is fitted
and secured.
Fig. 9 shows a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale of the two metal parts
when together, one part 62 is secured to the foot part 6 by screws passing through
holes b and the other part b' is secured to the heel part b¹ by screws passing
through holes 6º. .
Fig. 10 is a cross section at A-A fig. 9 and fig. 11 is a cross section at B-B
fig. 9 and fig. 12 is an end view.
In place of the metal pieces 62 and 6* represented by figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12, flat
plates with dovetail projections are or may be let into and secured to the foot and
heel parts b and 61 of the lasts.
One piece b' fig. 9 has a screw screwed in it, with one side of the head of the
screw cut away.
The head of the screw when turned into the position shown in figs. 9 and 12
will secure the two parts b³ and b and thus the parts b and 6 of the last together,
but when the screw is turned half round to bring the flat side of the head opposite
the part 6' the two parts of the last 6 and b¹ can then be separated.
The screw.d fig. 2 is also for securing the two parts of the last together when
required, or pins d passing each through a hole in b to one in b¹are or may be
used as shown in fig. 7 for securing the parts together.
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. The construction of lasts by combining the foot part (6) with the hec!
part (b) having dove tails or projections, the two parts separating in a diagonal
line, substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the drawings.
2. Lasts formed of a foot part (b) and heel part (6¹) separating in a diagonal line
and kept together by dovetails or projections, and where one foot part (b) is
arranged to be used with heel parts (6) of different sizes, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated by the drawings.
3. The combination of parts to form lasts substantially as hereinbefore described
and illustrated by the drawings.