IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING LACING HOOKS TO BOOTS AND SHOES and in what manner is
Year: 1885

page_text: Boots and Shoes.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING LACING
HOOKS TO BOOTS AND SHOES and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :—
"
This invention relates to a press for attaching lacing hooks to boots and shoes,
and is particularly adapted for attaching the hooks described in the specification of
former Letters Patent granted to me, and dated August 22 A D 1883 Nº 4063, but
is also applicable for attaching hooks of other constructions.
The hooks described in the said former specification are provided with three
prongs, projecting from the back of the hook at right angles, which prongs are
designed to pass through the upper of the shoe, and to be turned down upon the
reverse side.
In employing setting devices for forming these hooks the prongs are liable to
turn in the wrong direction, or out of line in passing through the upper.
The object of this invention is to construct a press or apparatus in such a manner
as to protect and direct the prongs of the hook as they pass through the upper,
and prevent their being turned out of their direct plane in such passage, or until
the setting device is applied; and to this end the said invention consists in the
novel construction hereinafter described.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 represents a side view of the machine partly in section.
Figure 2 is a vertical, central section of the setting devices drawn to an enlarged
scale and showing the hook as in place, and the material over it as prepared for
setting.
Figure 3 is a similar view showing the parts closed after having set the hook.
Figure 4 is a top view of the setting post and sleeve, showing the guides.
Figure 5 is an underside view of the follower.
Figure 6 is a vertical section through the face of the follower.
Figure 7 is a transverse section on the line xx Figure 2, looking downward.
Figura 8 is an elevation of the sleeve and most looking toward the guide channel.

page_text: Figure 9 is an elevation of the samo on the reverse side to that shown in
Figure 8.
A represents the base and B the upright or standard of the machine. On the
said base is arranged the device for holding the book, which device consists of
a post C, having its upper end constructed so as to correspond to the face of the
hook, as seen in Figures 3 and 7 and so that the point of the hook may abut
against a shoulder a thereon, as seen in Figure 2. Surrounding the post is a
sleeve D, which is supported by a spring E so as to be moved up and down on the
post which serves as a guide. In the upper end of the sleeve is an opening b
corresponding to the shape of the hook; and into this opening extends a cliannel d
for guiding the point of the hook to its place, so that when the sleeve is in its
raised position, as seen in Figure 2, the hook may be passed in, prongs upward,
the nose of the hook passing through the channel d so as to ensure the book finding
its seat on the top of the post, and within the sleeve. The sleeve extends above
the post to the full height of the prongs of the hook, as seen in Figure 2, so that
the hooks are supported against the sides of the opening b through the sleeve.
Above the post, and in axial line with it, is a follower F, arranged in a suitable
guide G on the upright B, and supported by a spring H, the tendency of which
is to hold the follower up and away from the post below. In the upright a lever I
is hung upon a fulerum Jas indicated in broken lines in Figure 1 to which lever
power may be applied to force the follower downward, and in the usual manner for
foot, or other setting presses. The face of the follower F is constructed with
cavities e, e, e, corresponding to the three prongs of the hook; these cavities start
flush with the face of the follower and incline upward and inward toward the
centre, as shown in Figures 5 and 6. At the inner end, the cavities are curved
downward and inward, as seen in Figure 6, the incline of the cavity being a
'tangent from the curve, the several cavities being in radial lines from the centre of
the follower.
In operation the hook is placed upon the post, and within the opening in the
'sleeve, as seen in Figure 2, then the upper L of the shoe, or whatever it may be
to which the hook is to be applied, is laid over the sleeve and, then the follower F
is forced downward upon the material, so as to depress the sleeve. In such
'depressions the prongs pass through the material, and oach prong striking the
inclined surface of a cavity is turned inward, until it meets the downwardly
curved end of the cavity, when the points of the prongs are each turned downward,
so that in the last part of the operation, or downward pressure, the point of the
prong will be turned into the material and just as the prong itsolf is forced down
upon the reverse side of the material, and as seen in Figure 3. In this operation
the sleeve serves as a guide and support for the prongs during their entire progress
through the material in setting, so that the prongs are not liable to be thrown out
of shape by the material coming upon them or in their passage through the
material, but their proper position and clinching upon the back is ensured.
•
On the sleeve a guide f is arranged, against which the edge of the material will
strike, as it is placed over the hook, and thereby serve to ensure the proper relative
position of the hook to the edge of the material to which it is to be applied.
It is desirable that the hooks be equally spaced; to do this I arrange⚫ adjustable
guides one on each side of the opening in the sleeve, as shown in Figures 4 and 9.
These guides are secured by screws i through slots in front, and so that they may
be moved nearor to or farther from the hook opening as indicated in Figure 4.
After one hook has been attached, that hook is brought against one of the guides,
which locates the material in position to receive the next hook, then the second
hook serves to fix the position of the third hook, and so on.
One of the guides may be omitted; I prefer to apply two to the machine,
however, in order that the setting may be from right to left, or left to right, as the
operator may desire.
While I have described the holding device for the hook as fixed below, and the
follower above and movable, it will be understood that these may be inverted, or

page_text: arranged in other positions, it only being essential that they shall have the same
relative positions however they may be placed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
me by my foreign Correspondent, I declare that what I claim is
First. The combination of the fixed post C, the top of which corresponds to the
face of the hook and is constructed to form a shoulder a as a stop for the nose of
the hook; the sleeve D surrounding said post, and having an opening in its top,
constructed with sides corresponding to and constituting supports for the several
prongs of the hook; a spring arranged to support said sleeve with its said sides
above the end of the post; and a vertically movable follower in line with the said
post, and having cavities in its face corresponding to the respective prongs of the
hook; substantially as, and for the purpose, described.
Second. The combination of the fixed post C having its upper face corresponding
to the face of the hook to be set, and constructed with a shoulder against which
the nose of the hook will rest; a sleeve surrounding said post and having an
opening in its upper end, constructed with sides corresponding to, and constituting
supports for, the several prongs of the hook; a spring arranged to support said
sleeve with the said opening above the post; a vertically movable follower in line
with said post and constructed with cavities upon its face corresponding to the
several prongs; and an adjustable guide h arranged upon said sleeve, substantially
as, and for the purpose, described.
Third. The combination of the fixed post C having its upper face recessed to
correspond with the face of the hook, and constructed with a shoulder a against
which the nose of the hook will bear; a sleeve D movable on said post and.
constructed with an opening in its upper end and with sides corresponding to, and
constituting supports for, the several prongs of the hook; a spring arranged to
support said sleeve with the said opening above the end of the post; and a
vertically movable follower in line with said post, the under face of said follower
being constructed with cavities corresponding in number to the prongs of the hook,
and each cavity being inclined from the face of the follower inward and upward,
and the inner end of the cavity curved downward to the face of the follower,
substantially as, and for the purpose, described.
Dated this 19th day of Anus 100k
.HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.