Improvements in or relating to Heel Finishing Machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Feb., 1898-Accepted, 15th Oct., 1898
Improvements in or relating to Heel Finishing Machines.
A communication from THE XPEDITE MACHINE COMPANY, of Berwick Maine,
United States of America.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to a tool for smoothing, polishing and similarly, finishing
the edge surfaces of boot and shoe heels, having for its object to provide a tool
capable of automatically adapting itself to the varying curves of the surface to
be finished, and it comprises a tool provided with a working face composed of
separately acting work-members, adapted for yielding inwardly when subjected
to external pressure and to return to the normal position when said pressure is
removed. This invention consists of matters relating to the work-members; to
the arrangement of said members relatively to one another and to the line of work-
ing movement; also it pertains to the combination of the work-members with a
suitable carrier and work rests for resting and gauging the position of the work,
and it pertains to other matters of a minor character wherethrough the objects
of this invention are best secured, all of which are hereinafter more fully described.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings is illustrated a tool, constructed and
arranged for rapid operation rotatively in accordance with this invention.
Fig. 1 is a top view;
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section on line 2, 2, of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a front view;
Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line 4, 4, of Fig. 1;
carrier, 2, having
a
Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the work-members detached.
As carried out in the present instance the tool comprises
longitudinal central opening, for the shaft, 4, to which the carrier is secured in
any suitable manner, said shaft can be arranged to rotate in bearings and be
operated by any means suitable for the rotation of the shaft and tool attached to it.
In the tool represented each work-member, 1, consists of a narrow bar, preferably
of cast metal, having an outer working face, which preferably is grooved longitu-
dinally, as shown.
Each work-member is connected by a rivet or other suitable attaching medium
to the end of a spring, 9, composed of flat strip material, the working face of the
work-member being disposed outwardly in a diagonal line crosswise of the spring.
In the tool represented are twelve of these work-members supported each by a
separate spring, 9. To this end the periphery or circumferential face of the
carrier, 2, is made twelve sided. On each of these sides a spring, 9, carying one
of the work-members, is mounted and secured to the carrier, 2, by screws, 10.
Each spring being thus secured by one end to the carrier for rotation therewith,
has its outer end and shaft or body part free, and holds by its free end the work-
[Price d

page_text: member, with the working face of said member outwards. By this arrangement
the work-members are held in circular series with the outwardly disposed working
faces forming collectively an approximately circular circumferential surface, each
face being in position with its longitudinal axis or longitudinal area,--meaning
the middle line or surface in the direction of its length, and its transverse axis
or transverse area, meaning thereby its middle line or surface in the direction
crosswise of the longitudinal axis, also disposed in lines of direction oblique to
the line of its working movement, by which is meant the line of forward move-
inent taken by the tool in doing its work, it being, in the present instance the line
of rotation of the carrier, 2. The faces standing one after another in said circular
series extend from one to the opposite side of the tool and side by side transversely
with small open spaces between, whereby in the transverse or width section of the
tool (Fig. 2) as well as in the longitudinal section thereof (Fig. 4) are included
a plurality of the working faces.
Connected with the carrier, in the present instance shown as one material there
with, is a core-part, 13, its body portion being within the circle of the work-
members, its outer end being flanged circumferentially. Said flange has in its
side face an annular groove, 14, into which is projected the outer free end of each
spring, 9, its normal position being against the outer side wall of the groove.
Also in the flange are holes, 16, extending in diagonal lines oblique to the line
of its rotation from the outer face of the flange backwardly therethrough to the
chamber or space 17, wherethrough, in rapid rotation of the tool, air will be caused
to circulate inwardly against the work-members and thence outwardly through
the spaces between the work-members and against the surface of the material
worked upon, to prevent the work-members being overheated and the work surface
from being thereby damaged. If desired, heat may, in like manner, be drawn from
a flame to artifically heat the work-members.
Having support in connection with the machine frame or other suitable medium,
is a rest, 18, on which the edge face of the heel is rested while being turned in the
operation of the tool. Supported in a similar manner, is the vertically arranged
plate. 20, against which the bottom or tread face of the heel is pressed for
gauging the position of the work and preserving the desired alignment of the work
surface relatively to the working faces of the tool. Said plate has its bearing face
cut away or beveled from the tool outwardly and backwardly to permit of support-
ing the heel with its axis inclined relatively to the axis of the tool, and give way
for turning the heel so placed, during operation.
It will be found convenient and economical to give final shape and finish to the
working faces of the tool as a whole, after the work-members are in place, by
revolving the tool against a grinder, of emery or other suitable material, and there-
by giving lines of substantially circular curvature to the working faces in the
direction of working movement and lines of irregular curvature transversely, which
should be made to conform approximately near to the transverse line of the
intended heel face, the flexible character of the tool work-members being depended
upon for treating the minor irregularities of intended curvature in the heel sur-
face, so that by a single presentation and one turning of the heel longitudinally,
the entire edge surface thereof will be acted upon.
In operation of the machine, the boot or shoe is supported in the hands of the
workman, and presented with the edge face of the heel on the rest, 18, its bottom
or tread face being set against the plate, 20, and one corner of the heel adjacent
to the tool. It is then in position to be pressed against the tool face and turned
by hand longitudinally for bringing the whole face of the heel into bearing with
the working faces of the tool members during rapid revolution of the tool carrier,
preferably at a high rate of speed.
This arrangement of the work-members in a circular line, with the working faces
disposed circumferentially and oblique to the line of working movement, gives a
peculiar working face to the tool, which in further consequence of the yielding of
the work-members inwardly will conform generally to the hollow transverse

page_text: curvature of the heel, so that a single turning of the heel longitudinally, occupy-
ing about five seconds only, is all that commonly is required for the finishing
operation.
Though not intending to limit this invention, it is observed, that, in the tool
shown, the springs, 9, are of length suitable for yielding spirally to a degree
adapted for permitting a limited rocking of the work-members; that this length
of the springs further operates for causing the movement of the work-members
inwardly to take place in a direction approximately at right angle to the axis of
the tool, which rocking and inward movements are caused by the pressure of the
work against the working faces, and are limited by the inner wall faces of the
annular groove, 14.
The working faces are preferably continued from one to the opposite side of the
tool and are side by side transversely for giving touch with the work by a plurality
of said faces on the work surface at one time, whereby some are remaining on the
work when succeeding ones are introduced thereto, the result being a better adap-
tation of the tool to the work surface, and a more rapid operation of the finishing
process, besides a better steadying of the work and casier action. This arrange-
ment, too, allows of the work-members being sharpened so as to act upon the work
effectively without requiring a pressure sufficient to endanger separating the heel
lifts, to which end the working faces are made of little distance transversely and
preferably are grooved longitudinally and are shaped with angular or slightly
rounded formations, 7, along the marginal work engaging sides thereof.
In operation these formations, 7, spread the wax or filling material used, if any,
and by attacking the raised parts of the work co-operate with the working faces
proper which effect a rapid pounding and rubbing action, whereby the work sur-
face, is smoothed and the material of the separate heel lifts pounded and interworked
for closing up the spaces and hiding the lines of impact therebetween and causing
the heel to appear as of one solid piece. In cases where a slicking of the work is
most to be desired, the tool may be designed with the said formations, 7, and par-
ticularly the sharpness thereof omitted, and other modifications are obvious with-
out departing from the spirit of this invention.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of this said invention as com-
municated to me by my foreign correspondents and in what manner the same is
to be performed, declare that what I claim is:-
1. A tool of the character indicated, comprising, in combination, a carrier, a
plurality of work-members having each an outer oblique working face, and means
carried by the carrier, holding the work-members in series one after another, with
the working faces disposed outwardly, each of the said working faces being in
position with its longitudinal axis oblique to the line of its working movement,
and the combination adapted for yielding to permit the work-members to be moved
inwardly, during operation, for shifting the plane of the working face, substantially
as described.
2. A tool of the character indicated, comprising, in combination, a carrier, a
plurality of work-members having each an outer working face, and means carried
by the carrier, holding the work-members in circular series with the working faces
disposed outwardly and forming collectively an approximately circular circum-
ferential surface, each working face being in position with its longitudinal area
disposed obliquely transverse of the line of its working movement, and the com-
bination adapted for yielding to permit the work-members to be moved, during
operation, for shifting the plane of the working faces, substantially as described.
3. A tool of the character indicated, comprising, in combination, a carrier, a
plurality of work-members having each an outer working face, and means carried
by the carrier, holding the work-members in circular series, with the said working
faces disposed outwardly and forming collectively, an approximately circular cir-
cumferential surface, each work-member being in position with its longitudinal
area disposed obliquely transverse of the line of its working movement, the com-

page_text: bination being adapted for yielding to permit the work-members to be moved
inwardly, during operation for shifting the plane of the working face, and the
relative arrangements of the combination operating to cause the said movements
of the work-members inwardly to take place in paths or lines of movement approxi-
mately at right angles to the axis of said circumferential surface, substantially
as described.
4. A tool of the character indicated, comprising, in combination, a carrier, a
plurality of work-members having each an outer working face, and means carried
by the carrier, for holding the work-members in series one after another, with the
said working faces disposed outwardly, each working face being disposed
obliquely transverse of the line of its working movement and the com-
bination adapted for yielding to permit the work-members to be moved inwardly,
during operation, for shifting the plane of the working face, and means for actuat-
ing the members yielding in the direction opposed to said inward movements,
substantially as described.
5. A tool of the character indicated, comprising, in combination, a carrier, a
plurality of work-members having each an outer working face, and means carried
by the carrier, for holding the work-members in circular series with the said work-
ing faces disposed outwardly and collectively forming an approximately circular
circumferential surface, the combination being adapted for yielding to permit the
work-members to be moved inwardly, during operation, for shifting the plane of
the working face, and stop contrivances arranged for limiting the amount of said
movement inwardly, substantially as described.
6. A tool of the character indicated, comprising, in combination, a carrier, a
plurality of work-members having each a grooved outer working face, and means
carried by the carrier, holding the work-members in circular series, with the said
working faces disposed outwardly, and forming collectively an approximately
circular circumferential surface, each work-members being in position with the
groove in its said working face disposed obliquely transverse of the line of its work-
ing movement, and the combination adapted for yielding to permit the work-
members to be moved, during operation, for shifting the plane of the working
face, substantially as described.
7. A tool of the character indicated, comprising, in combination, a carrier, a
plurality of work-members having each an outer working face carying the ribbetl
or like angular formation, 7,, and means carried by the carrier for holding the
work-members in circular series with the said working faces disposed outwardly
and collectively from an approximately circular circumferential surface, each work-
member being in position with the said angular formation disposed obliquely trans-
verse of the line of its forward movement, and the combination adapted for yield-
ing to permit the work-members to be moved inwardly, during operation, for shift-
ing the plane of the working face, substantially as described.
8. A tool of the character indicated, comprising, in combination, a carrier, a
plurality of work-members having each an outer working face, and means carried
by the carrier for holding the work-members in circular series with the working
faces disposed outwardly and collectively forming an approximately circular cir-
cumferential surface, and the combination adapted for yielding to permit of the
work-members rocking in direction of the line of working movement, substantially
as described.
9. A tool of the character indicated, comprising, in combination, a carrier, a
plurality of work-members having each an outer working face, and means carried
by the carrier for holding the work-members in circular series, with the working
faces disposed outwardly and collectively forming an approximately circular cir-
cumferential surface, and the combination adapted for yielding to permit the work-
members to be moved inwardly and rocked longitudinally, substantially as
described.
10. A tool of the character indicated, comprising, in combination, a carrier, a
plurality of independent work-members having each an outer working face of less

page_text: distance transversely than the transverse or width distance of the tool, and means
carried by the carrier, and holding the work-members in circular series, with said
working face disposed outwardly and collectively forming an approximately
circular circumferential surface, each working face being positioned with its
longitudinal axis obliquely transverse to the line of its working movement, and
the combination adapted for yielding to permit the work-members to be moved,
during operation, for shifting the plane of the working face, substantially as
described.
11. A tool of the character indicated, comprising, in combination, a carrier, a
plurality of independent work-members having each an oblong outer working
face of less distance transversely throughout its length than the transverse or
width distance of the tool, and means carried by the carrier, holding the work-
members in circular series, with said working faces disposed outwardly and
collectively forming an approximately circular circumferential surface, each work-
ing face being in position with its longitudinal axis obliquely transverse to the
line of its working movement, and the combination adapted for yielding to permit
the work-members to be moved, during operation, for shifting the plane of the
working face, substantially as described.
12. A tool of the character indicated, comprising, in combination, a carrier, a
plurality of independent work-members having each an outer working face of less
distance transversely than the transverse or width distance of the tool, and means
carried by the carrier, and holding the work-members in circular series with said
working faces disposed outwardly and collectively forming an approximately
circular circumferential surface, each working face being positioned with its
longitudinal axis obliquely transverse to the line of its working movement, the
combination being adapted for yielding to permit the work-members to be moved,
during operation, for shifting the plane of the working face, and the relative
arrangement of the combination operating to cause the said movement of the
work-members to take place in a path of line of movement approximately at right
angles to the axis of said carrier, substantially as described.
13. A tool of the character indicated, comprising, in combination, a carrier, a
plurality of work-members having each an outer working face and means carried
by the carrier, holding the work-members one after another in circular series,
and side by side transversely, whereby the said working faces are disposed out-
wardly and forming collectively an approximately circular circumferential surface,
a plurality of working faces being included in the transverse or width section of
the plane, and the combination being adapted for yielding to permit the work-
members to be moved, during operation, for shifting the plane of the working
face, substantially as described.
14. A tool of the character indicated, comprising, in combination, a carrier, a
plurality of work-members having each an outer working face, and means carried
by the carrier, holding the work-members one after another in circular series and
side by side transversely whereby the said work faces are disposed outwardly and
forming collectively a substantially circular, circumferential surface, and a plurality
of the working faces being included in the longitudinally and also the transverse
section of the said plane and the combination adapted for yielding to permit the
work-members to be moved, during the operation, for shifting the plane of the
working faces, substantially as described.
15. A tool of the character indicated, comprising, in combination, a carrier, a
plurality of independent acting work-members, constructed with working faces
and arranged for operation and movement inwardly, substantially as described,
combined with means for resting and gauging the position, of the work relatively
to the working faces, substantially as described.
16. A tool of the character indicated, comprising a plurality of independently
acting work-members, constructed with working faces and arranged for operation
and movement inwardly, substantially as described, combined with means for
resting and gauging the position of the work relatively to the working faces, the

page_text: combination operating for resting the work in position with the axis of the heel
in direction oblique to the axis of the carrier, substantially as described.
17. A tool of the character indicated, comprising, in combination, a carrier, a
plurality of work-members, having each an outer working face, and means carried
by the carrier, holding the work-members in circular series with the said working
faces disposed outwardly, and collectively forming an approximately circular cir-
cumferential surface, with open spaces between the members, and the combination
adapted for yielding to permit the work members to be moved during operation,
for shifting the plane of the working face, combined with means for circulating
air artificially through the said open spaces, substantially as described.
Dated this 15th day of February 1898.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.