A Combined Machine for Operating upon Leather and other Soft Materials.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 14th Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 14th May, 1891-Accepted, 11th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Combined Machine for Operating upon Leather and other Soft
Materials.
I, WILLIAM JAMES, of Gilbert Street, Adelaide, South Australia, Saddler do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has for its object, a machine for splitting, skiving, and bevelling
leather, and scolloping, vandyking, pricking (including crooked work) leather,
fabrics, and other like soft materials.
The machine consists essentially of a rectangular shaped framing, with gapped
sides, and provided with interchangeable appliances and parts, whereby the said
operations admit of being performed by a single framing.
The framing consists essentially, of opposite upright housings, supported upon a
base plate, and connected by an arched top, or a transverse horizontal stay, through
the middle of which, a perpendicular screw, inwardly passes.
The inner end of the screw, within the rectangular shaped opening of the framing,
is swivelly connected to the middle of an arch shaped carrier, whose lower ends, are
provided with clamping means, for the affixing of the horizontally directed knife,
slicer, or spindle, which may be required to be carried, according to the character
of work to be performed.
The said side uprights or housings, are gapped longitudinally and vertically, for
the blocks at the ends of the carrier, to slide within as guides, in directing the
vertical adjustment of the knife or other appliance, carried by the said carrier.
One of the sides or housings of the frame, immediately opposite the part where
an operation is to be performed, is transversely gapped, in order to allow any sized
material to be introduced to the operating appliances.
The other housing or upright, is only partially transversely gapped, and leads
into one of the vertical guide gaps, above it.
Situated below the carrier, I arrange a horizontal spindle, with its ends taking
into bearings in the uprights of the framing, and upon which spindle, rollers or
other appliances, as hereinafter described, take.
The spindle has at one end, a milled head, to facilitate its introduction and
removal from its bearings, and parts carried by it.
When ordinary breadths of material are operated upon, the transverse and open
gap is stayed or closed, by a jointed rod, directed and affixed across it.
Thus it will be seen, that the framing is open at its middle, with an allthrough
side gap, stayed at times by a removable bar.
In carrying out my invention, I will now describe it in connection with the
operation of splitting.
I employ a horizontally directed knife, with its ends, directed and affixed within
the depending ends of the carrier, which is situated immediately above gaps of the
sides of the framing.
Threaded upon the spindle, arrange a drum or roller, preferably of the full
breadth of the lower inside part of the framing, and with the top side of it, coming
opposite the transverse gaps as aforesaid.
To split, or to take off a slice of uniform thickness, from a piece of leather, place
the same upon the top of the roller or drum, then bring down the knife, (by the
turning of the adjusting screw) to the thickness required, when the pulling of
the leather through the machine, causes a uniform slice to be removed, hence the
splitting.
If the material, is broader than the open inside of the framing, then the one side

page_text: of it is introduced through the open gap, with the stay removed, and then afterwards
the other side.
For a skiving machine, substitute for the roller or drum, a semi-circular excentric,
or an excentric semi-circular roller, so that by changing its position. relative to the
knife, a greater or less space is left between it and the knife, so that on a piece of
leather being drawn through the machine, the same becomes tapered, or reduced in
thickness.
Thus, in skiving breeching seats, first adjust the horizontal knife, by the screw,
then introduce the material upon the excentric roller, when the face of the same is
in its lowest position, or is at the greatest distance from the knife. Then draw the
material through, when the excentric roller, rises forward, and gradually diminishes
the distance between itself and the knife, thus the skiving or tapering down of the
material is performed.
For bevelling straps, remove the excentric roller, and substitute for it, an annular
grooved roller, the grooves of which are of varying breadths, so as to operate upon
various straps, or lengths of material. Place the fore part of the material, into one
of the grooves, and bring down and adjust the knife to the desired extent, then
draw the material through the machine, when the edges are bevelled or shamfered
off, thus the bevelling.
In bevelling materials of the breadth of the inside opening of the machine, the
roller has a concared or other shaped face from end to end, and when material is
operated upon, of a greater breadth than the inside of the machine, by introducing
it through the open gap, then the roller is shaped acccordingly, to take off one edge
at a time, only.
For scolloping or vandyking, I remove the knife, and also the roller, and substitute
for the knife, a horizontal spindle, whose ends have moveable bearings, which slide
within cutaway parts of the carrier; and threaded upon this said spindle, which has a
winch handle at its end, are the scolloping or vandyking wheels, secured in position
by lock or jamb nuts. These wheels have their edges cut to the pattern required,
so that when rotated in contact with, or upon a cutting roller, which may be of
wood, lead, or other soft material, the material, or the edge of the material operated
upon, is cut out in a scolloped or vandyked manner. The scolloping consists in
forming the desired pattern upon the wheels, after the manner of pinking, whilst
the vandyking consists in any pattern that may be desired, to be cut out or impressed
upon the material.
For pricking. I arrange two or more prickers upon the spindle as aforesaid,
which when rotated, impresses the material with a series of parallel rows of pricks,
to indicate where the stitching is to come. In traces, I prefer to prick two at a
time, and then slit the material down the middle, whereby the markings are perfectly
uniform. The operation of pricking consists in drawing material through the
machine, by rotating the winch handle, and so feeding forward the material as it is
pricked. The same operation refers to the scolloping or vandyking.
The roller employed in conjunction with the pricker, is preferably of a hard
material.
For crooked work in connection with scolloping, vandyking, and pricking, I
place the wheels of the said scolloping, vandyking, and pricking, at an angle with
respect to the spindle upon which they are carried, so that by rotating the said
spindle, the scolloping, vandyking, and pricking is performed, in a wave-like
manner.
The scolloping and vandyking is applicable for ornamenting the edges, and parts
of cloths, fabrics, and other soft materials.
WILLIAM JAMES.
By Henry Skerrett,
Agent for Applicant.

page_text: A Combined Machine for Operating upon Leather and other Soft
Materials.
1, WILLIAM JAMES of Gilbert Street, Adelaide, South Australia, Saddler, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention has for its object, a machine for spliting, skiving and bevelling
leather, and scolloping, vandyking, pricking (including crooked work) leather,
fabrics and other like soft materials.
The machine consists essentially of a rectangular shaped framing, with gapped
sides, and provided with interchangeable appliances and parts, whereby the said
operations, admit of being performed by a single framing.
The framing consists essentially of opposite upright housings, supported upon a
base plate, and connected by an arched top, or transverse horizontal stay, through
the middle of which, a perpendicular screw inwardly passes.
The inner end of the screw, within the rectangular shaped opening of the
framing, is swivelly connected to the middle of an arch shaped carrier, whose lower
ends are provided with clamping means, for the affixing of a horizontally directed
knife, slicer or spindle, which may be required to be carried, according to the
character of the work to be performed.
The said side uprights or housings are gapped longitudinally and vertically, for
the blocks at the ends of the carrier, to slide within as guides, in directing the
vertical adjustment of the knife or other appliance carried by the said carrier.
One of the sides or housings of the fraine, immediately opposite the part where
an operation is to be performed, is transversely gapped, in order to allow any sized
material to be introduced to the operating appliances.
The other housing or upright is only partially transversely gapped, and leads into
one of the vertical guide gaps above it.
Situated below the carrier, 1 arrange a horizontal spindle, with its ends taking
into bearings in the uprights of the framing, and upon which spindle, rollers or
other appliances, as hereinafter described, take.
The spindle has at one end, a milled head, to facilitate its introduction and
removal from its bearings, and parts carried by it.
When ordinary breadths of material are operated upon, the transverse and open
is stayed or closed by a jointed rod, directed and affixed across it.
gapi
Thus it will be seen that the framing is open at its middle, with an all-through
side gap, stayed at times by a removable bar.
In carrying out my invention I will now describe it in connection with the opera-
tion of splitting.
1 employ a horizontally directed knife, with its ends directed and affixed within
the depending ends of the carrier, which is situated immediately above gaps of
the sides of the framing.
Threaded upon the spindle, I arrange a drum or roller, preferably of the full
breadth of the lower inside part of the framing, and with the top side of it, coming
opposite the transverse gaps as aforesaid.
To split, or to take off a slice, of uniform thickness, from a piece of leather,
place the same upon the top of the roller or drum, then bring down the knife (by
the turning of the adjusting screw) to the thickness required, when the pulling of
the leather through the machine, causes a uniform slice to be removed, hence the
splitting.
If the material is broader than the open inside of the framing, then the one side
of it is introduced through the open gap, with the stay removed, and then afterwards
the other side.

page_text: For a skiving machine, substitute for the roller or drum, a semi-circular excentric
or an excentric semi-circular roller, so that by changing its position relative to the
knife, a greater or less space is left between it and the knife, so that on a piece
of leather being drawn through the machine, the same becomes tapered or reduced
in thickness.
Thus, in skiving breeching seats, first adjust the horizontal knife by the screw,
then introduce the material upon the excentric roller, when the face of the same is
in its lowest position, or is at the greatest distance from the knife. Then draw the
material through, when the excentric roller, rises forward and gradually diminishes
the distance between itself and knife, thus the skiving or tapering down of the
material is performed.
For bevelling straps, remove the excentric roller, and substitute for it, an annular
grooved roller, the grooves of which are of varying breadths, so as to operate upon
various straps or lengths of material. Place the fore part of the material into one
of the grooves, and bring down and adjust the knife to the desired extent, then
draw the material through the machine when the edges are bevelled or shamfered
off, thus the bevelling.
In bevelling materials of the breadth of the inside opening of the machine, the
roller has a concaved or other shaped face from end to end, and when material is
operated upon of a greater breadth than the inside of the machine, by introducing
it through the open gap, then the roller is shaped accordingly to take off one edge
at a time only.
For scolloping or vandyking I remove the knife and also the roller, and sub-
stitute for the knife, a horizontal spindle, whose ends have movable bearings, which
slide within cut-away parts of the carrier; and threaded upon this said spindle,
which has a winch handle at its end, are the scolloping or vandyking wheels, secured
in position by lock or jamb screw nuts. These wheels have their edges cut to the
pattern required, so that when rotated in contact with, or upon a cutting roller,
which may be of wood, lead or other soft material, the material, or the edge of the
material operated upon, is cut out in a scolloped or vandyked manner. The scol-
loping consists in forming the desired pattern upon the wheels, after the manner of
pinking, whilst the vandyking, consists in any pattern that may be desired, to be
cut out or impressed upon the material.
For pricking, I arrange two or more prickers upon the spindle as aforesaid,
which when rotated impresses the material with a series of parallel rows of pricks,
to indicate where the stitching is to come. In traces, I prefer to prick two at a
time, and then slit the material down the middle, whereby the markings are pre-
ferably uniform.
The operation of pricking, consists in drawing material through the machine, by
rotating the winch handle, and so feeding forward the material as it is pricked.
The same operation refers to the scolloping or vandyking.
The roller employed in conjunction with the pricker, is preferably of hard
material.
For crooked work in connection with scolloping, vandyking, and pricking, I place
the wheels of the said scolloping, vandyking and pricking, at an angle with respect
to the spindle upon which they are carried, so that by rotating the said spindle, the
scolloping, vandyking or pricking is performed in a wave-like manner.
The scolloping and vandyking, is applicable for ornamenting the edges, and parts
of cloths, fabrics and other soft material.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, represents in front elevation, partly in
vertical section, a combined machine for operating upon leather, and other soft
substances, as hereinafter described, and which said machine is shown provided
with one of the interchangeable appliances, for the splitting of leather, so that as
the machine stands in the said figure, I may speak of it as a leather splitting
machine.
Figure 2 represents a transverse vertical section of the same, showing the
positions of the knife or slicer, the roller bed, the arch-carrier, and the adjustment

page_text: Screw, which latter is swivelly connected at its inner end to the said carrier. This
said Figure 2, is taken through the middle of the machine Figure 1, and upon the
dotted lines A B.
Figure 3 represents a horizontal section of the said Figure 1, upon the dotted
lines CD, or in other words, a section above the knife, showing how the bolsters of
the said knife, take within holders secured to the carrier ends.
It is thus understood, that the knife is attached to the carrier, which is adjustable
by the screw.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the said Figures 1,
2 and 3.
a is an open frame, consisting of upright housings a², united at top by a cross a³,
and supported at bottom by a base a. is an adjustment screw, passing through a
screw box a, formed within the cross-head a³, and with the lower end 2, swivelly
connected to the bossed eye c², disposed within the middle of an arch shaped
carrier whose depending ends e, are gapped at (see Figure 2) wherein the
holders d, of the knife e, take, and are there held, by the shanks 2 of the said knife
holders, extending themselves into vertical guide gaps a of the sides a² of the
framing a, so that by the rotation of the adjusting screw, the carrier and knife,
are made to rise and fall, and with the ends d, sliding within the vertical guide
gaps a
The ends of the knife e, have bolsters or ends e², which fit into like shaped
openings, formed through the walls of the holders d, while the knife is secured to
its holders, which are in turn secured to the carrier by small screws f
The cutting edge of the knife is presented above the middle of the top of a
horizontally directed roller h, working free upon a spindle i, with a head, passing
across the machine, and with the said spindle working in bearings, made in the
opposite sides of the machine.
One of the sides of the framing of the machine, has an all-through gap as, and
the other side has a semi-gap a. The full or all-through gap as, which may be
closed and the sides strengthened by a stay bar j, jointed at, and connected by a
detachable connection 3, is for the purpose of introducing to the machine, material
which is of a greater breadth than the length of the knife or roller.
Thus, when a broad piece of material is required to be split, the stay bar jis
turned down, and the gap as, clear, then introduce one side of the leather, and pull
the same through the machine, in the direction indicated by the arrow; then
introduce the other side.
It will be understood that the knife will require to have its ends crankod
upwardly, so that the bolsters may take into their holders above the gap, and that
the top of the roller, shall lie in the same plane as the bottom of the gap.
kis a bar, carrying adjustable guides 1, sccured in position by screws, best scen
in Figure 3, so that the leather to be split, passes between the guides, when the
said material, is of the breadth, or of a less breadth than the knife.
To split a piece of leather of the breadth, or less than the breadth of the knife,
place in position the adjustable guides, then introduce into the machine, the
material in the direction of the arrow, and when upon the top side of the roller,
bring the knife down by means of the adjusting screw to the thickness to which it
is to be split, when by the pulling of the material through the machine, the
necessary splitting is accomplished, as in Figure 4, where a length is shown partly
split.
Figure 5 represents in longitudinal vertical section, a leather operating machine,
fitted with appliances for skiving, hence a skiving machine.
a is the framing, a² the housings, a the base, a the side gap, an adjusting
screw, passing through the head of the framing (as in the preceding figures) e is
the carrier, to which the inner end of the screw is swivelly connected, e the knife
secured within holders d, whose ends are secured to the carrier. k is a bar,
carrying the adjustable guides 1, secured by set screws 1. h is an excentric semi-

page_text: circular roller, mounted loosely upon a spindle i. This said machine is particularly
applicable to the skiving of breeching seats, and in performing the operation of
skiving, first introduce the material upon the top side of the excentric roller, when
the face or bed of the same is at its lowest position as in Figure 5; or in other
words, when the face of the excentric is in its lowest position with respect to the
knife, then introduce the material into position, and bring down the knife apon its
top side, and then draw the material through the machine in the direction of the
arrow when the same will be transversely sliced, cut or shaped in an oblique
direction, by the rising of the semi-roller or drum, on the drawing through of the
material, hence the skiving, effected by the diminution of the distance between the
knife and the excentric face or bed.
Figure 6 represents a piece of leather to be skived with the dotted lines showing
the direction in which the slicing takes place.
Figure 7 shows the same obliquely cut, or gradually tapered.
It will be understood that in addition to the obliquely cutting or shaving down
of the edges of the material, the same may be obliquely cut in the same way.
Figure 8 represents a machine, provided with bevelling tools, hence a bevelling
machine.
is the framing, alike unto that of the machine Figure 1. c is the carrier of the
knife e. is a roller, with scolloped middle parts 2, having intervening collars h³,
between them, and which roller runs free, and is mounted upon a spindle i. n is a
uniform strip of leather to be bevelled, or its edges reduced, which is performed by
placing the said leather upon or within one of the scollops or concaves of the roller,
which on following its contour, causes the corners of its ends to be lifted or jutted
outwardly, and which are removed, or sliced off, by the knife, whose cutting edge
is directed in the same plane as the middle of the top side of the leather to be
operated upon, so that by the drawing of the material through the machine, the
edges are bevelled or sliced off.
Figure 9 represents a length of leather, with the edges bevelled.
Figure 10 represents a machine, provided with scolloping or vandyking tools or
appliances, hence a scolloping or vandyking machine, and Figure 11 a vertical
section of the same.
a is the framing, a² the sides, a' the base and as the allthrough gap, alike in con-
struction and arrangement to Figure 1. c is a carrier. an adjusting screw,
swivelly connected to it, and m the spindle, carried and working within bearings m²,
carried by the depending end of the carrier c, and with extensions m³ working
within the guide gap . are wheel scolloping or vandyking tools, threaded upon
the spindle m, and which are kept apart by threaded-on rings o²; and kept together
by nuts is a soft surfaced roller, of such as wood, leather, lead faced, or the
like, and is the spindle.
To scollop, vandyke, or otherwise ornament or impress leather, according to the
pattern of the impressing or cutting-out tool, introduce the material into the machine,
with its front part upon the roller h, then bring the cutting-out, impressing, or
ornamenting tools upon the leather, and then draw the material through the
machine, and in the direction indicated by the arrow, when the said leather will be
ornamented by either impressions or cuttings-out.
Figure 12 represents a scolloped ornament, or edging.
Figure 13 another pattern, and
Figure 14 also another pattern.
Figure 15 is a simple scolloped pattern, and Figure 16 an ornamenting tool,
placed at an angle, which, on the material being drawn under it, will rotate, and
give an impression of an undulatory or wave figure.
For pricking, the wheels or discs o, have upon their peripheries, simple points, to
mark the places or parts for stitching, as represented in Figure 17.
By changing and adding suitable wheels, a great variety of fancy work can be
produced, with the greatest facility.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inveu-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is ;-
First The general construction and arrangement, of the parts of the machine
for the splitting of leather, and other soft substances, as herein described, and set
forth in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
Secondly The general construction and combination of the knife e with its
carrier c, of a roller or drum h; and which parts are mounted, operated, and
adjusted, substantially as, and for the purpose, as described, and set forth in
Figures 1, 2, and 3.
Thirdly The general construction and arrangement of the parts, and gaps, of
the framings of the machines, as described and set forth.
Fourthly The combination with the ends of the knife, and the ends of the
carrier, of knife holders d, d², d³, as described and set forth in Figures 1, 2, 3
and 5.
Fifthly The general construction and arrangement of the parts of the machine
for skiving leather, and the like, as described and set forth in Figure 5.
Sixthly The combination with a horizontally directed cutter, of an excentric
drum or roller h, or a semi-drum or semi-roller, substantially as, and for the
purpose, as set forth in Figure 5.
Seventhly The general construction and arrangement of the parts of the
machine for bevelling, as set forth in Figure 8.
Eighthly -The combination with a knife or slicer e, mounted within a carrier c,
of a roller or drum h, having a shaped surface or periphery, as set forth in Figure 8.
Ninthly
-The general construction and arrangement of the parts of the machine
for pinking, scolloping, vandyking, pricking, or otherwise operating upon, or
ornamenting leather, fabric, or other like soft materials, as set forth in Figure 10.
Tenthly Placing the scolloping, pricking, or like tool, at an angle as set forth
in Figure 16, whereby the work done, is of an undulatory, wave, or crooked
character, as described and set forth.
:-
Eleventhly--In a combination machine, or a machine for performing the various
operations herein described, by substituting different parts or tools, for, or according
to, the kind of operation to be performed, substantially as described and set forth.
MARKIMIS LOVI (2) UT AL
WILLIAM JAMES.
By Henry Skerrett,
6, Livery Street, Birmingham, Agent for Applicant.