US1342970A - Last for footwear - Google Patents

Description

R. B. PRICE.

LAST FOR FOOTWEAR.

APPLICATION HLED APR. 6. 1915. RENEWED APR. 9, 1920.

Patented June 8, 1920.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RAYMOND B. PRICE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO THE GOODYEARS METALLIC RUBBER SHOE COMPANY, A CORPQRATION OF CONNECTICUT.

LAST FOR FOOTWEAR.

. Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 6, 1915, Serial No. 19,431. Renewed April 9, 1920. Serial No. 373,224.,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAYMOND B. PRICE, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of New York city, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lasts for Footwear, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to lasts for footwear, more particularly lasts which are used for the manufacture of rubber footwear which is subjected to a difl'erential of pressure at some period during its construction.

In the above mentioned method of manu-. facturing, the built-up article on its last is compacted by the application of greater pressure to its exterior surface and a lesser pressure to its interior. This differential pressure is applied to the article through the connection of an exhaust pipe with the interior of a hollow last, said last having perforations at certain points in its surface to permit the lesser pressure to act on the interior surface of the article. It is essential that there be no appreciable permeation of air through the last except at the above mentioned perforations, and that all portions of the last surface not covered by the article being treated be substantially impervious, in order that the desired differential be maintained.

The ordinary last is made of material which is more or less permeable, the most common being wood, because of its quality of being easily cut to shape. and porcelain are also used.

The object of my invention is to provide a last which may be built of material such as is ordinarily used in the manufacture of footwear but which will not permit permeation of air through its surface when used for the manufacture of footwear by the differential method.

I accomplish my object by applying to a last of the usual construction, preferably a removable flexible impervious coating, more fully set forth in the following specification, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a last made in accordance with this in vention, and

Fig. 2 is a view of a section through one Aluminumsuitable material and is provided at the end with a tapered or threaded opening 41 for the reception of a correspondingly tapered or threaded nipple 5 which in turn is mounted on a conduit 6 connecting with a suitable suction pump.

The last is preferably made hollow and in the sole or foot portion is perforated at one or more points 7.

Thus far I have described the conventional last for use with a differential pressure. My invention rests in the combination with such a last of an impervious, flexible covering 8, either partially or wholly enveloping the last. For this covering I have found India rubber the most satisfactory, both because of its elasticity and its comparative low cost. However, I do not limit myself thereto, as I contemplate using any material which has the necessary qualities.

The impervious covering 8 is perforated at predetermined points 9 to correspond with the ports 7 of the last. These openings permit communication from the article being treated to the rarefied atmosphere within the last and supply a channel for the escape of any volatile substances which may have been entrapped within the material or between the plies of the article. These ports being positioned remote from the edge of the boot or shoe upper, leakage which would otherwise occur at that point is obviated, the suction of the pump on the foot portion causing the leg portion to closely hug the last, thereby acting as a self-sealing means. Without such a covering as I have shown the strong suction caused by the pump produces a leakage, through the pores of the last material at the point of least resistance, viz.that part which is uncovered by the boot or shoe being treated. Such a leakage prevents the close contact of the plastic at the edge of the article, a flow of gas is thereby permitted to penetrate between it and the last, and, so far as the plies of material in the article are concerned, much of or all differential is destroyed. In Fig. 2 of the drawings I have shown a device for registering the ports in the covering and the last. This device consists of a small cylindrical sleeve 10 of suitable material having one edgeextended outwardly forming a flange as at 11 to overlap the material of the covering. By the use of this device any tendency on the part of the cover to slip on the surface of the last and thereby act a closure to the port '7 is prevented;

While I have shown the last 3 of hollow construction, I wish to be understood as not confining the use of my cover to this type as I also contemplate the use of a solid last With channels bored therein to connect the ports with the suction conduit.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: a a a In combination with a perforated hollow pervious last for boots and shoes, a covering formed to it the foot of the last and to extend upwardly beyond the area adapted to support the upper margin of tl eboot or shoe, said covering having perforations which register With the perforations of the last, the material of which said covering is formed being substantially impervious to gases.

Signed at New York, N. Y.', this 5th day of April, 1915.

RAYMOND B. PRICE.

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