Improvements in Boot and Shoe Sewing Machines
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd July, 1897--Accepted, 2nd Oct., 1897
[Communicated from abroad by THE INTERNATIONAL EPPLER WELT MACHINERY CO., of
125 Kingston Street, Boston, United States of America.]
Improvements in Boot and Shoe Sewing Machines,
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 relates to that class of curved-needle boot aad shoe sewing-machines
in which the work is supported by a channel-guide, and fed by a lateral movement
of the awl. The invention has for its object to provide a simple and efficient machine
of this class, adapted to form a tight seain and to stitch with equal ease and efficiency
aronnd an abrupt curve, such as is found in sharply pointed toes, as along a practi-
cally straight surface. The invention consists, first, in certain improvements in the
relative arrangement of the awl, needle, channel-guide, and back-gage; secondly, in
certain improvements relating to the looper-operating mechanism; and thirdly, in
certain improvements relating to the wax-pot, all of which I will now proceed to
describe and claim.
Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,―
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a boot or shoe sewing-machine embodying
my improvements.
Billu
Figures 2 and 3 represent portions of the mechanism shown in Figure 1, illustrating
different positions of the needle, awl, and looper.
Figure 4 represents a front elevation of the machine.
Figures 5, 6, and 7 represent views illustrating different parts of the stitch-forming
operation.
Figure 8 is a diagrammatic view representing the paths of movement of the awl
and needle.
Figure 9 is an elevation of a portion of the machine, from the side opposite that
shown in Figure 1.
Figure 10 represents a section on line 10-10 of Figure 9.*
Figure 11 represents a side view of the looper and its operating mechanism.
Figure 12 represents a front view of the mechanism shown in Figure 11.
Figure 13 is a top view of the wax-pot.
Figure 14 is a section on line 14-14 of Figure 13.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
In the drawings,-
a represents the supporting head or frame, to which is rigidly attached the down-
wardly projecting channel-gage or guide, the latter being a curved and pointed
finger formed to enter the channel c formed in the inner-sole d.
e represents the
driving-shaft, which is journalled in bearings in the frame a. f represents the back-
gage, affixed to a lever f¹ which is provided with a hub f2 (Figure 10) fitted both to
oscillate and more endwise on a tubular or hollow stud g affixed to the frame a. The
upper end of the lever f¹ has an ear h (Figure 9) which is held by the pressure of a

page_text: spring against an inclined rib or flange j on a vertically reciprocating slide k. Said
slide, which is fitted to move between vertical guides or ways on the frame a, is
normally raised by a spring m, and depressed by a cam n on the driving-shaft e, said
cam bearing on a trundle-roll o on the upper end of the slide k.
p represents the curved awl, which is attached to one end of a lever p¹, the latter
having two arms or branches on which are sockets or hubs p2 p2, one of which is
fitted to oscillate on the hub f of the back-gage lever and the other on the hollow
stud g, as shown in Figures 4, 9, and 10, the awl-lever being thus adapted to oscillate
on said stud g.
The awl-lever p¹ is provided with a slot which receives a slide-block q (Figure 9)
which is pivoted to a slider adapted to slide vertically between suitable fixed guides
on the frame a, and is provided at its upper end with a trundle-roll 8, which enters a
cam-groove (not shown) in the back of a disk t on the driving-shaft. The downward
movement of the slide k causes the inclined rib j thereon to move the back-gage
away from the fixed channel-guide b, while the upward movement of said slide, caused
by the spring m, moves the back-gage toward the fixed channel-guide, said spring
enabling the slide to be stopped in its upward movement by the contact of the back-
gage with the shoe-upper. The downward movement of the slide 7 moves the
awl-lever p¹ to throw the awl forward in the arc of a circle toward the channel-guide b,
while the upward movement of said slide moves the awl-lever to retract the awl.
The back-gage lever f¹ and the awl-lever p¹ are movable together laterally on the
stud g, to enable the awl to feed the work and return to its starting position, and to
this end said levers are moved on said stud in the direction required to give the awl
its work-feeding movement, by a lever u (Figures 4 and 9) pivoted at v to the
frame a, and a cam w on the driving shaft bearing on a trundle-roll x on said lever u,
the latter having at its lower end an adjustable stud y bearing on a cap f³ secured
upon the hub f on the back gage lever. The said awl and welt-guide levers are
moved in the opposite direction when permitted by the recession of the cam w,
by a spring-plunger (Figure 10), which is fitted to slide in the stud g and is
pressed against the cap f3 by a spring z¹ which is supported by an adjustable
plug screwed into one end of the stud g.
A represents the needle, which is attached to an arm or lever B mounted to
oscillate on a supporting stud C suitably affixed to the supporting frame. The
needle is oscillated by means of a cam D on the driving-shaft, a lever E pivoted
at E¹ to the frame a and engaged at one end with said cam, a lever E2 pivoted at E³ to
the frame and connected by a link E* with the lever E, and a link F connecting said
lever E2 with the needle-arm or lever B.
It will be observed by reference to the drawings, that the needle and channel-
guide are located at opposite sides of the work or "between-substance," and that the
awl is located at the same side of the work with the needle. The awl is arranged so
that when it moves forward to penetrate the work, it is at one side of the channel-
guide, and out of the path of the needle. The work-feeding movement of the awl is
such that at the end of the feeding movement the awl is in the path of the needle and
at the opposite side of the channel-guide from the starting-point. This arrangement
of the awl, whereby it is caused to penetrate the work at one side of the channel-guide
and leave the work at the opposite side, enables the work to be turned freely during
the stitching operation, without sacrificing the tightness of the stitch, so that the
machine adapted to form a tight seam around the toe portions of pointed or
abruptly curved boots and shoes. By reference to Figures 5, 6, and 8, it will be seen
that the awl moves in a circle having a much greater radius than that of the needle,
and that the awl when in its forward position is in the path of the needle, and when
retracted is out of said path.
N represents the looper, which is affixed to one arm of a lever N¹, the looper being
-located on the same side of the work with the channel-guide. The lever N is mounted
to oscillate, as indicated by full and dotted lines in Figure 12, on a stud N² which is
affixed to an ear N³ on a slide N. Said slide is fitted to move horizontally on a
.guide N³ affixed to the frame of the machine, the slide being movable in a path at

page_text: right angles to the plane in which the lever N₁ oscillates on the stud N2, as indicated
by full and dotted lines in Figure 11, so that the lever and looper are given a
substantially horizontal forward and back movement. The upper arm of the lever N¹
carries a trundle-roll N, which engages a cam-groove No in one side of a disk affixed
to the driving-shaft e, said cam-groove being formed to impart to the lever and the
looper the oscillating movements indicated in Figure 12. The slide N+ carries a
trundle-roll N", which engages a cam-groove N° in the periphery of the said disk, the
said cam-groove being formed to impart to the slide and to the lever N¹ and the
looper N the reciprocating movements indicated in Figure 11. The movements thus
imparted to the looper give it an orbital motion around the needle, with the maximum
vertical displacement, the looper travelling in a helical path, which is slightly inclined
from a horizontal plane, so that the looper has no tendency to strike a downward blow
upon the work.
It will be seen that the slide N' movable in a fixed guide and provided with a stud
or trundle-roll, and the lever N1 pivoted to said slide, having on one arin a looper and
on the other arm another stud or trundle-roll, are adapted to be operated by a single
cam-disk having two cam-grooves, one engaging the stud on the slide, and the other
the stud on the looper. My improved looper-operating mechanism is therefore very
simple and compact, occupying but little room on the machine.
O represents the wax-pot, which is provided with a guide 01 through which the
thread passes. The wax-pot is located over a chamber 02 which is heated by steam or
other suitable agent, which melts the wax in the pot 0. 03 is a wax-reservoir, which
communicates through a narrow passage 04 with the lower portion of the wax-pot O
and is offset from the heating-chainber 02, the reservoir being separated from the wax-
pot and from its heater (2 by an air-space, as shown in Figures 13 and 14. The
object of this construction is to keep the main accumulation of wax away from the
action of the heat, so that only such quantity of wax will be melted as is required for
inmediate consumption, the mass of wax in the chamber 03, excepting that immedi-
ately adjacent to the passage 04, being unaffected by the heat. As fast as the melted
wax in the wax-pot is consumed, a sufficient supply enters the lower portion of
the wax-pot through the passage 01. I have found that a mass of wax subjected
to long-continued heat, or heated repeatedly, becomes hard and brittle.
difficulty is avoided by providing the wax-pot with a connected reservoir in which
only a small quantity of the wax can be acted on by the heat which melts the
wax in the wax-pot proper.
This
It
The foregoing description includes all the features of novelty of the machine
illustrated in the drawings, and as all other features of the machine as illustrated in
the drawings are well known, I do not deem it necessary to describe the same.
may be stated, however, that in British Letters Patent No. 4276, dated March 10, 1891,
a machine is fully shown and described, which differs from the machine here shown
only in the relative arrangement of the awl, needle, channel-guide, looper, and back-
gage, the looper-operating nechanism, and the wax-pot.
The operation of the machine is as follows:-
The awl in advancing penetrates the material at the opposite side of the channel-
guide from the stitch last set, and then moves laterally across the channel-guide into
the path of the needle, the latter being retracted. The back-gage moves forward and
laterally with the awl. The awl is then withdrawn, the back-gage remaining in its
projected position. The needle then advances and enters the perforation made by
the awl. After the needle has entered the material, the back-gage is retracted, the
back-gage and awl then moving laterally back to their starting position. The looper
is then operated, and moves around the needle for about one and a half turns, to
wrap the thread securely around the needle, so that it will not be liable to pull off
during the operation of setting the stitch. The needle is then retracted, and while
it is retreating the looper moves laterally toward the left of the operator, and stands
practically in a line with the needle while the stitch is being set by the backward
movement of the needle. While the needle is setting the stitch, the back-gage and
awl again move forward, the awl penetrating the work as before.

page_text: By feeding the work by a movement of the awl across the channel-guide (the
feed movement of the awl commencing at one side or end of the channel-guide and
terminating at the other end), I am enabled to stitch much more satisfactorily
and easily around a sharp toe than would be possible if the movement of the feeding
instrument were away from the channel-guide, i.e., commencing at or near one end
of the channel-guide and terminating at a point farther from the channel guide than
at the point of beginning.
By oscillating the needle in an unvarying path and giving the awl a feed movement
which leaves it in the path of the needle, the said path being close to a channel-guide
which is located at the opposite side of the work, I am enabled to turn the shoe on
the channel-guide without materially increasing the strain on the thread, thus
preventing liability of breaking the thread when turning the work, which liability
always exists when the work is fed away from the channel-guide, so that the distance
between the needle and the work is increased by the turning movement of the
work.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to.
me by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :
1. In a sewing-machine of the character specified, the combination of a channel-
guide, an awl located at the opposite side of the material from the channel-guide and
having a lateral movement across the channel-guide, a curved needle located on the
same side with the awl and arranged to coincide with the awl when the latter reaches
the end of its feed movement, and suitable complemental parts co-operating with
said awl, needle, and channel-guide.
2. A sewing-machine of the character specified, comprising an awl, a needle, and a
back-gage, located at one side of the material, and a channel-guide and looper
located at the opposite side of the material.
3. A sewing-machine of the character specified, comprising a curved needle moving
in an unvarying path, an awl having a lateral work-feeding movement. a back-gage
movable laterally with the awl to support the work while it is being fed, said parts
being located at one side of the work, and a channel-guide located at the opposite side
of the work, the lateral movement of the awl and back-gage being across the channel-
guide, or from side to side thereof.
4. In a sewing-machine of the character specified, the combination with suitable
complemental stitch-forming parts, including a curved needle, of a looper, a slide
movable horizontally toward and from the front of the machine and provided with a
stud or trundle-roll, a lever mounted to oscillate on said slide in a plane at right
angles to the path of movement of the slide, and having an arm projecting below the
slide and provided with a looper, and an arm projecting above the slide and provided
with a stud or trundle-roll, and a cam-disk or plate having a cam-groove engaged with
the stud on the slide and another cam-groove engaged with the stud on the
lever, whereby the slide is reciprocated and the lever oscillated.
5. A waxing apparatus for sewing-machines, comprising a wax-pot having a heater
at its bottom, and a thread-guide adjacent thereto, a wax-reservoir located at one
side of the wax-pot and its heater and separated therefrom by an air-space, whereby
the heater is prevented from injuriously heating the wax in the reservoir, and a
conduit connecting the lower portion of the wax-pot with the lower portion of the
wax-reservoir.
Dated this 23rd day of July 1897.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.