IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1872

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND
SHOES, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR." -A communication from abroad
by Louis Coté, of St. Hyacinthe, and Charles Edward Seymour, of
Montreal, both in Canada.
;
Sealed the 30th April 1872, and dated the 12th March 1872.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at,
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and.
Declaration, on the 12th March 1872, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,'
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES, AND IN APPARATUS THEREFOR," and have
petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, administrators,"
:

page_text: and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same, and have made
solemn Declaration that it has been communicated to me from abroad by
Louis Coté, of St. Hyacinthe, and Charles Edward Seymour, of Montreal,
both in Canada.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
'seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings forming
a part of this Specification.
This Invention is divisible into four heads, viz.: First, an improved
method of cutting the soles of boots and shoes from the side of leather.
Second, an improved die for cutting the soles from the side of leather
adapted to the method above-mentioned.. Third, an improved apparatus
for trimming the solcs cut to the exact form required, so that when
attached to the boot or shoe no further trimming is necessary. Fourth,
an improved apparatus for trimming the soles and heels to the exact
form required after they have been attached to the boot or shoe.
The said Invention has for its objects a saving in the amount of waste
arising in cutting up the side of leather into soles, and a reduction in
the amount of labour in the finishing of the soles and heels of boots
and shoes without deterioration from the intrinsic value of the boot or
shoe when finished.
I will first describe the improved method of cutting the soles of boots
and shoes from the side of leather. The Drawings referring to this part
of the said Invention are Figures 1 to 7 inclusive, where—
Figure 1 is a plan of part of a "side," shewing the old manner of
cutting strips; Figure 2 is a plan of part of a "side," shewing my
improved manner of cutting strips; Figure 3 is a plan of a strip shewing
the soles as cut from it by my method; Figure 4 is a plan of the same
sole cut in the ordinary way; Figure 5 is a plan shewing another class
of soles as cut by my method; Figure 6 is a plan illustrating the cutting
of soles, shewn in Figure 5, by the ordinary method; Figure 7 is an
outline of the form of die. In these Figures similar letters of reference
indicate like parts.
a is the side of leather to be cut in strips as in the old practice, repre-
sented in Figure 1; these strips 6 are cut at right angles to the length
of the side of leather, but by my Invention the strips care cut diagonally,

page_text: .
by which means the form of the side is better followed and less wastè
occurs. By this means also the outsoles, necessarily required to be of
the best part in quality of the sole leather, are reduced in length, and a
commoner piece of leather can be used to complete the sole, as at j in
Figure 3, cut by a die made, if desired, expressly for the purpose. I
would here explain that the method of cutting short soles and then
"piecing them out" with inferior leather is old, and I only mention it as
being used in connection with these improvements. The angle of the
diagonal cut in the heel of the sole is regulated by the length of the
shank and the outside curve of the sole, the angle being greater in pro-
portion as the shank is longer. The soles to be cut from the diagonal
strips c are arranged at an equal diagonal angle with the line of the strip,
so that the straight diagonal end of the die i, shewn in Figure 7 at the
heel end, agrees very closely or exactly with the edge of the diagonal
strip, as will be seen by referring to Figures 2, 3, and 5. By this
arrangement any waste which might occur is avoided. Figures 4 and 6°
show the result of cutting from the strips rights and lefts as at fand h.
The part of this Invention which relates to the improved die for
cutting the soles from the side of leather adapted to the method above-
mentioned is designed to improve the dies at present in use for
cutting the soles of boots and shoes for the purpose of enabling them to
cut either full length soles or shortened ones, and it also provides that
the same die may be used for cutting "tap" and "slip" soles. As
another advantage of this Invention I would remark that the dies now
in use can be altered with very little expense and therefore need not be
discarded, saving a considerable amount of the cost of extra dies.
"
The Drawings relating to this part of the Invention are Figures 8 to
18 inclusive. Figure 8' is a top plan of my improved die as applied to
'rights" and "lefts;" Figure 9 is a side elevation of Figure 8; Figure 10
is a top plan of my improved die as applied to "straights"; Figure 11 is
a detail of Figures 8 and 10; Figure 12 is a bottom plan of the die ;
Figures 13 and 14 are details of Figures 8 and 10, according to the first
inodification thereof; Figures 15 and 16 illustrate the second modifica-
tion;
and Figures 17 and 18 the third modification of the same.
This part of the said Invention consists in taking the ordinary die
now in use and adding thereto cross knives. These knives are made
separate from the die and may be adjustable or attached at certain fixed
intervals. In either case the die may be used with or without the knives,

page_text: F
according to what is wished to be cut; thus the one die is capable of
doing the work of a number of dies with very much less expense in first
cost; is one of the ordinary dies as at present in use, as shown in
Figure 8, it is arranged for a "right" sole, and in Figure 10 for a
"straight;" is the knife used for cutting "tap" soles, shown in this
case curved, but it may be straight if desired; m is the knife for cutting
the shortened soles. These knives and m are secured as shown in Figures
8, 9, and 11, where slots n of any desired length are formed in the sides of
the dies in any desired position opposite the ends of the knives. In these
are placed slides or bearings o fitting closely but accurately the slots n,
so that they may easily be moved to and fro to enable the exact position
of the knife to be adjusted. In the ends of each knife and opposite to
the slots holes are drilled and tapped for the reception of screwed bolts p,
which are provided with necks accurately fitting the holes in the slides o,
while their ends are screwed to enter into the tapped holes in the ends of
the knives and m, and are otherwise so arranged that when the bolts p
are screwed up tight they firmly hold the knives in the required position.
In Figure 12 the outline of the cutting edge or the die is shown with the
knives and m´'ïn their required several positions.
In Figures 13 and 14 a modification is shown of a different way of
securing the knives; this is done by boring holes q in the side of the dic
in the required position opposite the ends of the knives, which are
provided with suitable tapped holes to correspond. Into these the bolts
pare introduced and screwed. It may be here well to remark that in
this modification and in those herein-after described, the exact position
of the knife will be positive and not capable of adjustment.
Figures 15 and 16 represent a second modification wherein the knives
are provided with flanges r, holes q, as before, being made in the sides of
the die and flanges, and bolts and nuts a being used for securing them
together.
Figures 17 and 18 show the third modification; holes q are drilled in
the sides of the die as before, and corresponding holes drilled through
the body of the knives, a bolt, and nut & passing through the knife and
both sides of the die securing them together.
Various other modifications might be shown for the same purpose, but a
they would be equivalent to those already described, and such as will

page_text: The die is used in the following manner -For cutting full length
soles the knives l, m, are altogether removed, and the die used in the
ordinary manner; for cutting shortened soles the knife m is put in place
and held there as herein-before described. A strip of leather from which
the shortened soles are to be cut of the required width to give the proper
length of sole is provided. The die is then placed upon it in the
required position with the toe placed fairly at or near one edge, and
the heel extends beyond the other, the knife m serving to trim off aný
superfluous leather at the shortened end, and the die being reversed
from side to side if desired so as to cut with greater economy. When it
is required to cut "tap" or "slip" soles the knife is introduced in the
die k in a similar manner to that above described for shortened soles, but
in this case the strip of leather is only of such width as will form the
"tap" sole.
The improved apparatus for trimming the soles cut to the exact form
required so that when attached to the boot or shoe no further trimming
is necessary, is as follows:-This part of the Invention has reference
improvements in the manner of shaping the edges of the soles of bòot,
and shoes, and remedying this great defect that in whatever manner and
by whatever device the soles of boots and shoes have been formed they
have always been cut out of flat leather so that they require trimming
after being attached. By this part of the said Invention this defect is
obviated, and the sole before being attached is brought to the exact
shape it will assume on the boot; it is then trimmed with any suitable
knife the operation requiring no particular skill or judgment. The
Drawings referring to this part of the said Invention are Figures 19 to 21
inclusive.
.
Figure 19 is a plan of my improved apparatus. Figure 20 is a side
elevation of the same. Figure 21 is a vertical section on the line A, B,
Figures 19 and 20.
u is the upper mould or die having its under surface v of the exact
shape to be taken by the sole when placed on the boot, and is a convex
model of the boot or shoe sole. wo is the lower die or mould having its
upper surface x an exact concave mould of the sole as before; y and
are two projections made in one with and w respectively, each having
in its end a socket or thimble a¹ and b¹. The upper and lower foulds
are provided with ridges c and d to strengthen thein, and have at the
heel end projections e, f with a-pin g' fixed in, and passing through

page_text: a suitable hole formed in e¹, this is to prevent the dies or moulds from
shifting longitudinally.
The operation of this part of the said Invention is as follows:-The
moulds and w having been placed in any suitable vice, and fixed by
pins entering into the sockets a', b', and the sole to be trimmed having
been placed between their concave and convex surfaces they are brought
together with such force as to cause it to assume the exact form it will
,do when attached to, the boot or shoe, care being taken that the toe ends
of the dies come fairly together laterally. While thus held between the
_dies the whole of the superfluous leather may easily be cut off by any
suitable knife guided by the edges of the dies, skilled labor not being
required as the dies give the exact outline of the sole. By the sockets
y and the dies may be freely turned over while being held as above-
-described to facilitate the operation.
2
The improved apparatus for trimming the soles and heels to the exact
form required after they have been attached to the boot or shoe is
delineated in Figures 22 to 32 inclusive. Figure 22 is a front elevation
of the said apparatus. Figure 23 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 24 is a front elevation of the heel trimming knife and con-
nections. Figure 25 is a detail plan of the same. Figure 26 shews
detail views of the back and front of the lever for operating it. Figure
27 is a detail plan of the sole form and heel plate combined. Figure 28.
is a detail of the jack for the upper. Figure 29 shews detail back and
side elevations of the jack and general heel plate. Figure 30 is a modi-
fication of the jack shewn in Figure 28 to adapt it for "Stoga " boots.
Figure 31 shews a detail clevation and plan of the knife for trimming
the soles. Figure 32 is a detail of the jointed lever.
:
-
This part of the said Invention has reference to an apparatus for
trimming and finishing the edges of the soles and heels of boots and
shoes without the skill and care at present required for that purpose.
According to the existing plan of operation the utmost skill, care, and
taste are required for this purpose in working with the ordinary tools, in
using which if too much is taken off the heel the upper is cut, and the
value of the boot or shoe impaired. On the other hand if not cut
deep enough the sole or heel projects in an unsightly and unfinished
manner.
In operating with the ordinary tools it will be found that the trimming

page_text: Invention it can be accomplished in one. I thereby not only save time
but also perform the work in a superior manner.
This division of the Invention may be subdivided into two principal
parts, viz., first an apparatus arranged with suitable appliances for
grasping or holding the boot or shoe on a suitable sole and heel plate,
and secondly suitable tools connected and arranged to be used in
trimming off the sole and heel to the size of the sole and heel plate.
Referring to the Drawing is a suitable stand or tripod of the form
shown in Figures 22 and 23. To this is attached by a pivot, two bent
levers,, connected at the lower end with each other by a toggle m'..
This toggle is acted upon to close the upper arms of the bent levers
by means of a foot. lever n¹ connected with the centre joint o¹ of the
toggle by means of a link p', and retained in position by the teeth of a
vertical rack q' situated as shown, and attached to the floor, to which
the apparatus itself is secured by suitable bolts or screws passing through
its feet. This link p¹ is made of two parts, the upper one terminates
below in two extensions between which the bottom part is placed with
a pin passing through a hole in the upper part of these extensions, the
lower part is provided with a number of holes 7 by means of which the
length of the link can be suitably varied, the lower extremity of the
bottom part being made in the form of a double eye to connect with
the lever n by means of a pin in the ordinary manner. The end of the
lever mis pivoted to a suitable projection s¹ formed on the back foot
of the tripod, this is also provided with a number of holes for adjusting
the position of the lever as shown in the Drawings. On the pins ¹ and
o' yokes are attached to form a connection for spiral springs u¹ of
sufficient force to overcome the gravity and friction of the parts, and'
cause the arms ¹ and to open, and the lever n¹ to rise when not
pressed down and engaged with the rack q'. To the upper extremity
of the lever is attached an adjustable and moveable pivot w₁ holding
the sole form x¹, and heel plate y¹ shown in Figures 22 and 24, these
correspond to the shape desired to be given to the sole when finished.
The heel plate y¹ is made adjustable by means of the combined screw and
pivot. On the corresponding end of the lever a moveable pivot a
is placed at the same distance from the pivot that the pivot w¹ is, as.
shewn in Figures 22 and 28; the inner end of this pivot is formed in
the shape of a socket to receive the pin 6° of the jack c², being held
together by the screw d²; this jack is furnished with the block or plate c²

page_text: to one end, by'a slotted hole is attached a knuckle-jointed adjustable
presser e² formed to rest upon the front part of the boot or shoe, as
shown in Figure 22, while to the upper end of the plate c² a pivotted
pin f is attached. This enters a corresponding hole made in the back
part of the last, this pin f* extends as shown towards the back of the
jack which is provided with a projecting arm carrying a spiral spring
to cause the inner extension of the pin to incline towards the knuckle
joint e so that when it is placed in its corresponding hole in the last the
spring causes the knuckle joint e² to press on the upper of the boot or
shoe adjusting the presser e² in the slotted hole. The pin 62 is also
connected to by the slot in which is placed, and which extends up
as far as the dotted line C in Figure 28. The knuckle joint e² is secured
by a suitable nut in the required position, and the pin is free to
slide up and down, finding its own position in the slot.
"
Figure 30 shews another modification of the jack above described and
illustrated in Figures 22 and 28 in which it will be seen that the general
arrangement is the same with the exception that in this case the upper
extremity of the jack terminates in a long elbow 2 of the configuration
shown. This is for the purpose of giving the room required for "Stoga
boots or those with long legs. The pin f2 is in this case acted upon by
a bow spring instead of the spiral spring shown for the other jack. A
downward pressure on the lever n brings the boot or shoe placed on the
jack e in contact with the sole form held by the lever l', and by applying
force to the lever n' it is securely held in place, the lever n' being caught
in one of the notches of the rack q' to keep it down. To the lever ¹ is
pivotted a cross bar ², while on the lever is formed a rack ² so that
the outer end of the cross bar may be placed at various heights, thus
proportionally adjusting the centre of it. This cross bar forms a rest
to hold the boot or shoe and prevent its turning round while being
operated upon. The boot or shoe arranged as above described in the
apparatus is now ready for the trimming tools. On the end of the
pivot screw ¹ is placed the eye of the lever m², of the general form
shown in Figures 24 and 26, terminated in a suitable handle n² for
operating it. To the lever m² is pivotted at of a link p² having an eye q³,
into this the spindle r of the knife lever s loosely fits, the end being
provided with a nut of a head shape to keep the two parts attached
as shewn in Figure 25. The lever s² and knife u³ attached to it by v
are bent in the form required to be given to the boot or shoe heel, and

page_text: are also provided with a guard w³ placed on the under side of the lever
and end of the knife, and so situated as to rest upon the upper, pre-.
venting the knife from cutting too deeply on that side, while at the heel
plate end another guide ² is provided to slide upon the edge of the heel
plate and act as a guide for the knife at the lower edge of the heel. At
the point 1 shewn in Figure 24 is placed a hinge 22³ of the construction
shown clearly in Figure 32, which represents a plan and elevation of n³ ;
the ends are formed one with a double and the other with a single eye
with a pivot pin connecting them; corresponding slots are cut through
the eyes with bolts for cramping them together in any required position.
This is operated by a handle y², as shown in the Drawings. The arrange-
ment of the link p³, lever 2, and spiral spring a³ is for the purpose of
pressing the guide a on the edge of the heel plate y', and forcing it to
follow around the configuration of the plate. The guide w³ is. attached
to the lever by means of a thumbscrew e³, and slotted hole f³ pro-
viding for the requisite adjustment of the guide. Referring to the lever
m² in Figure 26 the link p² is pressed towards the eye 1 by means of
a pivotted lever ; one end of this lever presses against the link, and to.
the other end is attached a spiral spring a³, as fully shewn in the
Drawings. On the opposite side of the lever m² to that on which the
link p' and lever are placed is pivotted a pawl b of the configuration
shewn; this pawl is actuated by a spring to cause its extremity d³ to
enter any suitably formed groove on the pivot pin z to hold it in the
required position thereon. The sole plate a' is pivotted to the lever las
hercin-before described, and as shewn in Figure 28.
Figure 31 shews the sole trimming apparatus, this consists of a steel
blade g³ properly shaped to the required bevel of the edge of the sole,
and secured in projections of a holder 3 by means of dovetailed
grooves or screws; in using this knife one of the projections by resting
on the edge of the sole plate serves as a guide for it on that side, while
the other projection rests upon the upper and guides it on the other
side, so that by it the sole is by one cut at once trimmed down to the
required size; is a handle.
In Figure 29 the details of a general holding plate and heel plate
marc delineated, these may be considered as a modification of those
shewn in Figures 22, 24, and 27, where it is obvious that a sole and heel.
plate will be required for each size of sole, and also for the "rights,".
lefts," and "straights" of each size. This modification is only intended for.
<

page_text: trimming the heels, and to suit the various sizes; the plate m³ only has
to be changed, 3 being placed in the machine in the same manner as the
sole and heel plate x¹; ¹ is the pivot which answers to that shewn at
in Figure 24. In this case however it is shewn short, the object of the
long pivot being to enable the operator to move back the levers m² and
s to a distance sufficient to give free access to the jacks and holding
plate without altogether detaching them.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim,—
First. Cutting strips diagonally from the side of leather substantially
as set forth.
Second. Arranging the soles diagonally on the strips substantially
as set forth.
"
Third. The metal dic 2, of the novel configuration shewn adapted to
cut "rights" and "lefts," varying in the diagonal inclination of the heel
substantially as described.
Fourth. The novel combination of the die with the knife or m, and
otherwise arranged substantially as and for the purpose described.
Fifth. The novel arrangement of the die k, knives l or m, slots n,
guides o, tap bolts p, or equivalent contrivances all working together
substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.
Sixth. The novel combination of the die k, knives or m, bolts P, and
holes 2, all working together substantially in the manner and for the
purpose described.
Seventh. The novel combination of the die k, knives / or m, flanges r,
bolts and nuts s, and holes q all working together substantially as and.
for the purpose described.
Eighth. The novel combination of the dick, knives / or m, holes q
and bolt and nut tall working together substantially as set forth.
Ninth. The novel method of shaping and trimming soles while placed
between curved dies u and w substantially in the manner and for the
purpose described.
:
Tenth. The dies u and w with concave and convex surfaces v and a
and otherwise constructed and arranged substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.

page_text: Eleventh. The novel combination of a tripod ', pivot i, levers k¹, l',
toggle m', foot lever n', link p², rack q', spiral springs u', moveable pivot
a², sole form x, heel plate y', screwed pivot z', pivot w', pin b³, jack c²,
with or without long clbow ², screw d², adjustable presser e³, nut g³,
slotted hole represented by dotted line C, Figure 28, pin f², cross bar ²,
rack k, eye, lever m³, handle n², pivot o, link p³, eye q³, spindle 7,
lever s, nut, knife u³, screws v², guides w³, x³, handle y*, pivotted
lever, spiral spring a³, pivotted pawl &, spring c³, extremity of pawl d³,
thumb screw e³, slotted hole f³, knife blade g³, holder h³, projections ¿",
handle, plate 3, heel plate m³, all working together substantially as
and for the purposes described.
Twelfth. The novel combination of the lever m², pivot o², eye 1,
curved link p², eye q³, lever s³, joint n³, knife u², guides w² and v², slotted
hole f, and thumbscrew e³, all working together in combination with
other parts of the apparatus substantially as and for the purpose
described.
Thirteenth. The novel combination of the general heel plate. holder
, pivot, heel plate m³, all working together in combination with other
parts of the machine substantially as and for the purposes described.
Fourteenth. The novel arrangement of the sole trimming knife and
its blade g, holder, projections 3, and handle ³, all working together
substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Eleventh day of March, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-two.
UM DADT T77
Witness,
EDWARD C. JACKSON.
W ROB LAKE. (L.S.)