US1722385A - Last - Google Patents

Description

Patented July 30, 1929.

Uh-llTED STATES ARTHUR C. MURPHY, OF HAVERH'ILL, MASSACHUSETTS.

LAST.

Application filed September This invention relates to lasts for boots and shoes, and more particularly to the bot tom plates therefor.

' t is an object of the invention to facilitate the making of repairs to certain tack receiving portions of a last which are limited in areas, and which require frequent repairs to keep the last in usable condition.

It is a further object of the invention to accomplish the above result in a simple and inexpensive manner, and by the use of which, lasts which require such repairs may have them made at the shoe factory by cheap labor, thus saving the time and expense of shipping them to a last factory to have them made by high cost labor.

It will be understood that lasts intended for certain classes of work have metallic plates secured. to the bottoms thereof which have holes therein exposing small areas of the last into which tacks are driven to temporarily secure portions of a shoe, such the inner sole, to the last.

The small areas of wood thus exposed soon becomes so badly mutilated by the repeated driving of tacks thereinto that the last becomes useless until such time as the mutilated part is removed and a plug or dowel of wood is inserted in place thereof.

Heretofore when'lasts required this sort of repair they were laid aside until a sufficient quantity had collected to warrant shipping them to a last factory to have the Work done, which meant the loss of the use of the lasts for indefinite periods plus the cost of making the repairs,'and consequently a surplus supply of lasts had to be kept on hand. for use while repairs were being made to others.

In the present instance the repairing tory, without sending them to a last factory,

thus saving the time and cost which would be incurred, and obviating the necessity of a surplus supply of lasts to take the place of those waiting to be shipped to the last factory and those being repaired, as is at present the case.

Other objects of the invention will be fully understood from a description of the drawings and the claims hereinafter given.

Of the drawing.

Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal 23, 1926. Serial No. 137,346.

section through the heel portion of a last. having the inventionapplied thereto.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan View of the heel portion of a last showing a metallic plate thereon. V y

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 1slhoyving a plug about to be inserted in the ee Y Figure 4 is a view showing the preliminary step to be taken in removing a mutilated plug from the heel.

Like characters represent like. parts throughout the several figures of the drawing.

Referring to the drawing.

The drawing herewith illustrates the heel portion of a last having a metallic plate secured to the bottom thereof, but it will be understood that the plate might be extended to include the fore part as well, and therefore it is not the intention to limit the invention to the precise constructioniand arrangement shown as changes might be made therein without departing from its spirit and scope.

In the present instance the heel portion 10 of the body of the last has the usual metallic plate 11- secured. thereto by the nails 12. i

As is well known the plate 11 is attached to the last for the purpose of clinching nails during certain operation of shoe building, and for the purpose of temporarily securing an inner sole to the last the plate has had a hole punched approximately centrally thereof to expose a small area of the-last bottom which receives the securing tacks for the inner sole. y i v This area is quite small,and repeated driv .ing of tacks thereinto very soon mutilates the wood to such extent that the tacks will not hold, and repairs must be made.

Heretofore it has been necessary to send me lasts which have been mutilated, as above referred to, to a last factory where the mutilated portion was bored out, and a plug or dowel was inserted in the bored hole, and held therein by glue.

Generally the lasts which need such repairs are laid aside, until quite a number has accumulated when they are sent away for that purpose, meanwhile other lasts must be on hand to take their places which means extrat expense, and the loss of the use of the lasts from the time they are laid aside until they are returned ready to use again.

Apparently the operation of repairing was one that did not appeal to the shoe manufacturers as it entailed a careful op eration of boring thelast, and a subsequent 7 one of gluing a plug or dowel in the bored hole.

The present invention including the usual metallic plate having a hole punched centrally thereof butvin place of a smooth walled hole, thishole is arranged to present a plurality of mwardly extending points to v the number desired, as seen in Figure 2 of the drawing.

In applying the invention it is preferred to bore the hole 13, in the bottom of the last, of a size equivalent to the diameter of the hole in the plate or a trifle less, at the base of the inwardly extending points, and then securing the plate 11 to the last, and thereafter driving a dowel or plug 14 into the last leaving its outer end flush with the said plate.

For the best results the dowel 14 will be approximately the diameter of the hole 13 so that when it is driven into the hole the projecting points 15 will be, to some extent, embedded in it thus affording an excellent plug'or dowel retaining means which effectively obviates the necessity of gluing the plug in place.

It willbe understood that the number of inwardly projecting points or the shape or I location thereof is immaterial so long as means isprovided at the wall or edges .of the hole in the plate to engage the dowel or plug and prevent it from being dislodged in the ordinary use of the last or through shrinkage of the dowel.

.If desired the said points may be bent laterally and inwardly of the plate 11 to form hooks or barbs to thus permit ofthe comparatively easy passage of the dowel when being driven into the hole of the last,

and because of the barb like hooks, effectively prevent the withdrawal thereof.

' When a dowel has become mutilated to r such extent that the last becomes unusable it may be very readily removed by unskilled labor at the shoe factory "at a very slight expenditure of time, andthe last again returnedto its work thus saving the loss of its use for extended or indefinite periods.

To remove the mutilated dowel a hole Will be bored in it as seen in Figure 4 of the drawing, and thereafter a pointed instrument will be inserted between the periphery thereof and the wall of the hole of the plate 11 thus breaking down the shell 14* which was once the dowel 14 by which means it may be readily and quickly 'removed' from the hole 18 in sections after which a new dowel will be driven into place and the last is then ready'for use insofar as that portion of it is concerned.

The means for retaining the dowel in its place obviates the necessity of the gluing operation which is a messy one, anddelays the return of the last for use until the glue has set to properlyretain the dowel in place.

The operation of boring the mutilated plug, removing it, and substituting a new one requires but a few moments of time and may be accomplished by cheap labor with simple tools such as a drill, sharp pointed tool, and a hammer.

dowel driven into said aperture and cavity with its outer end flush with the outer side of said plate.

2. A last constructed in accordance with claim 1 and wherein said points are bent inwardly toward said cavity.

Signed by me at Haverhill, Massachusetts, this 21st day of September, 1926.

, ARTHUR' C. MURPHY.

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