COMPLETE  SPECIFICATION — Improvements in Lasts.

I, John Reeson of Gladstone Terrace, Wellingborough Road, Rushden, Higham Ferrers in the County of Northampton, Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my said 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 has for its object improvements in lasts by which I obviate the necessity for the use of insoles in the making up of boots and shoes also of driving iron points into the insole where used in the case of machine sewn boots which latter has hitherto been usual but most objectionable as the perspiration of the foot and damp rusts the points and consequently rots the insole preventing it from wearing nearly so long. The points are perfectly useless after the boot is sewn besides being 10 most unpleasant to the wearer and by omitting the use of an insole and of these iron points a great saving of expense would be effected both in expense time and points.

Details of the Improvements

My invention consists of a part of the, bottom of the last being loose from and sunk into the other part the loose part being of such a shape as not to interfere with the arm of the machine and provided with a number of spikes which are either moulded with it or screwed in. When the last is in the boot the spikes enter the insole or the upper only where no insole is used, and thereby effect the purpose for which the loose points were used, and at the same time cause the loose part to remain in the boot when the body of the last has been removed the boot being then ready for the machine. After the boot has been sewn the portion of the last remaining in the boot is removed.

My invention applies equally, to all classes of machine sewn boots and shoes and I may have a screw arrangement for facilitating the insertion or removal of the last.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried into practice I have appended hereunto two sheets of drawings upon which are illustrated several examples of my improved lasts.

Figure 1 is a plan and Figure 2 is a section on line 1. 2. of the bottom of a last shewing a loose shaped piece which may be in several pieces and which, is sunk into the main body of the last B ready for use. The spikes a¹ are either screwed into pr moulded with the loose piece A, so that when in the boot they enter the insole and 30 upper or upper only where no insole is used and together with the piece A remain there after the body B has been removed as shewn in Figure 6 which is a section through a portion of the sole z¹ of the boot Z ready for being sewn.

The loose piece A is so shaped that the space b¹ is left to allow of a free movement of the arm of the machine which if necessary may be slightly altered while at the  same time it obviates the necessity of loose points which would have to remain in the boot while in my last after the boot is completed the whole are withdrawn.

A screw arrangement may be added to facilitate the insertion or removal.

Figure 3 is a plan of the bottom of a last and Figure 4 is a side elevation of same showing a method for facilitating the removal of the last and allowing a portion to 40 remain in the boot while being sewn, in this case the body of the last is divided into three pieces D¹, d² and d³, the piece D¹ being provided with a number of small holes d⁶ to admit of the spikes or points d⁶ which come from the removable plate or frame D in the centre of the last so that instead of the spikes being taken out with the bottom of the last they would be withdrawn from the centre in one or two portions leaving the space d⁵ for sewing as before. To further facilitate the removal I may attach hinged pieces of metal or other material at d⁸ and d⁹.

This arrangement keeps the boot in shape during the process of sewing and gives it additional firmness for handling.

Figure 5 is a similar plan to Figure 1 but shewing the spikes or points e³ fixed to or forming part of a plate which may be in any number of parts E, E¹ and E² and set in the moveable rim F which forms the outer edge of the body of the last H as shewn by Figure 7 which is a section on the line 3. 4. In this case the plates and spikes only remain in the boot as shewn by the section at Figure 8 the other parts being removed previous to sewing. Instead of being divided transversely into three parts the plate E may be divided longitudinally as shewn by dotted line on Figure 5. Separate rivets k² Figure 9 may be used in which case they would pass through holes formed in the loose piece or plate K a second plate or piece L being provided to butt up against the heads k² and keep them stiff in their place or they may be secured by means of the small nuts m Figure 10, m¹ being the plate and m² the point.

Figure 11 shews a device whereby the moveable plate or bottom is drawn up until the points pass through the upper which is pressed down by the clamps of any suitable machine or its equivalent. As here shewn the body B of the last is so placed that the clamps r¹ of the machine press against the edge of the upper around it. The bottom of the last B is gripped by the arms s¹ and s² which are hooked on in any suitable way and drawn up by means of the hand wheel s⁴ and screw s³ which revolves in the fixed support s⁶.

Figure 12 shews the alteration to the arm of the machine rendered necessary by the plate being left in the boot during the process of sewing the arm T being provided with the nose piece t¹ which allows the point of the arm to clear the plate.

Instead of having the points to enter from the inside I may as shewn in Figure 13 drive in loose points v from the outside through the upper v¹ and first sole v² into the loose bottom v³ of the last V withdrawing the points again after the boot is sewn.

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 :—

First: In improvements in lasts the loose piece or pieces having the spikes or points secured to or forming part of same substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth and illustrated upon the accompanying drawings.

Second : In improvements in lasts the loose plate or plates or bottom of last having the spikes or points attached thereto so as to leave a portion of the last within the boot while being sewn substantially as herein set forth and illustrated by Figures 3 and 4.

Third : In improvements in lasts the mode of attaching the loose points to the plates or bottom of last as herein set forth and illustrated by Figures 9 and 10.

Fourth : In improvements in lasts the use of a loose bottom to allow of the points being driven from the outside as herein set forth & illustrated by Figure 13.

Fifth : The improvements in lasts substantially as herein set forth and illustrated upon the accompanying sheet of drawings.

Dated this 13th day of September 1888.

GEORGE BARKER,
77, Colmore Row, Birmingham,
Agent for Applicant.