US1893795A - Inflatable cleaning and dyeing last for shoes - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 10, 1933. R, MCK. CHAPMAN INFLATABLE CLEANING AND DYEING LAST FOR SHOES Filed Nov. 24, 1951 Patented Jan. 10, 1933 Area oFFicr.

ROY MCKINLEY GHAPIVIAN, OF ERWIN, TENNESSEE INFLATABLE CLEANING AND DYEING LAST FOE- SHOES Application filed November 24, 1931.

This invention relates to the class of boots and shoes and pertains particularly to an improved form of last.

The primary object of the present invention 5 is to provide a shoe last having particular val ue as a means for holding a shoe in filled out condition while the same is being cleaned and polished or dyed, although the present last may, like the ordinary wooden last, he

used for the purpose of maintaining a shoe in proper shape or condition when not in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide a shoe last of resilient material, which is hollow and adapted to be filled and expanded with air after being placed in a shoe so that the shoe will be completely filled by the last, or in other words, the last will conform itself to any and all irregularities in the contour of the shoe.

The invention broadly contemplates the provision of a hollow last of rubber having top and bottom portions formed of hard unstretchable rubber, which portions taper at their edges and merge into other portions of heavy slightly stretchable rubber, which in turn taper ofi sharply and oin a third area or section formed of relatively thin easily stretchable rubber.

The hard rubber portions position in the top and bottom of the shoe while the thin rubber portions fill out the toe and sides of the shoe. The top of the last is provided with a handle carrying a valve element through which air is introduced into the last.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, with the understanding however, that the invention is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of the drawing but may be changed or modified so long as such changes or modifications mark no material departure from the salient features of the invention.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the lastembodying the present invention;

Serial No. 577,088.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the same;

Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1.

7 Referring now more particularly to the drawing wherein like numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral 1 indicates generally the last embodying the presentinvention. This last is preferably formed entirely of rubber of different degrees of resiliency.

The last is formed in the usual design to snugly fit in a shoe and it has the substantial elliptical top and bottom portions 2 and 3 respectively which are preferably formed of a hard material such as hard vulcanized rubher. The top and bottom portions 2 and 3 taper in thickness slightly toward their edges and surrounding these portions and joined thereto are relatively narrow areas 4 and 5 of a heavy slightly stretchable rubber. The

rubber in these areas 4 and 5 tapers relatively sharply from their inner edges or from their points of connection with the points 2 and 3 to the outer edges thereof where they are integrally connected by the thin rubber area 6. The major portion of the toe of the last and the sides thereof are formed of this thin rubberporti'on 6 which joins the portions 4 and 5, the heel section of the last being thickened to substantially conform in weight with the slightly stretchable rubber of which the areas a and 5 are made up. This thickened heel portion, which constitutes a thickened area of the thin rubber portion 6, is indicated by the numeral 7.

The top 2 of the last has formed integral therewith the handle 8 which may be formed of the same material as the top and, therefore, these two portions may be cast as a unit. Extending through the longitudinal center of the handle 8 is a passage 9 which opens into the interior of the last and at its outer end is enlarged to receive a valve assembly 10 of the character of a pneumatic tire inner tube valve.

is shown and described, the toe portion of the last which is indicated generally by the numeral 11 is formed entirely of thin rubber, the top and bottom portions 2 terminating at their forward ends a substantial distance from the toe of the last as shown, while the back ends thereof extend to a point over the heel portion 7. It will thus be seen that when the last is placed in position in a shoe and air introduced thcreinto through the valve 10 and bore 9, the toe portion 11 in filling out will press against the toe of the shoe and force the last back into its proper position and continued introduction of air thereinto will cause the last to enlarge until the shoe is completely filled. After fixing the last in the shoe in the manner described it will be readily appreciated that the shoe may be easily handled by grasping the handle 8, so that it may be cleaned and polished and dyed and the distended last will prevent any dye or other liquid entering the shoe and thus spoiling the interior thereof.

It will also be readily understood, as has been previously explained, that the present last may be put to other uses besides the use for which it is primarily intended, as for eX- ample, it canrbe used in the same capacity as the ordinary wooden lasts for maintaining a shoe in proper condition while not in use.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is 1- 1. A shoe last comprising a hollow body of rubber material shaped to conform to the interior of a shoe, the top and bottom of the body having areas of hard rubber and areas surrounding and tapering off from the hard rubber areas of heavy slightly stretchable rubber, the said slightly stretchable areas of rubber being joined by rubber of a relatively thin character, and means for introducing air under pressure into the last to expand the same.

2. A shoe last comprising a hollow body formed throughout of rubber material shaped to conform to the interior of a shoe, the top and bottom of the body having areas of hard rubber and areas surrounding and tapering otffrom the hard rubber areas of heavy slightly stretchable rubber, the said slightly stretchable areas of rubber being joined by rubber of a relatively thin character, a handle carried by the hardened top area of the body and having an air passage therethrough leading into the body, and a valve in said air passage.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature.

ROY M. CHAPMAN.

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