IMPROVEMENTS IN A MACHINE FOR SKIVING BOOT UPPERS, AND CUTTING SPLIT-LIFTS OR RUNNERS."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Douglas, of the Firm of Douglas & Williams, of
Saint Crispin Works, 4 and 5, Redcross Street, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Boot
Machinist, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN A MACHINE FOR SKIVING
BOOT UPPERS, AND CUTTING SPLIT-LIFTS OR RUNNERS."
ЧОНА
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Douglas at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th March 1879.
WILLIAM DOUGLAS, of the Firm of Douglas & Williams, of Saint Crispin Works,
IMPROVE
4 and 5, Redcross Street, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Boot Machinist.
MENTS IN A MACHINE FOR SKIVING BOOT UPPERS, AND CUTTING SPLIT-LIFTS OR
RUNNERS."
'
The object of this Invention is the skiving boot uppers and splitting lifts.
For this purpose I employ a machine arranged as follows:-Two feed rollers, the
one grooved and the other plain, are mounted on the ends of axles working in
bearings in a suitable framing. On the opposite ends of these axles are spur wheels
for driving the same. The bearing of the upper feed roller has a vertical adjust-
ment to suit the varying thicknesses of the leather to be operated upon. The
lower bearing is fixed. On one side of these feed rollers is a moveable guide or
gauge upon which the leather rests whilst being fed in between the rollers. This
guide or gauge can be adjusted to suit the different widths of leather to be skived.
A stud is used as a guide when skiving inside curves of boot vamps. As the
leather passes between the feed rollers it comes in contact with a fixed knife blade,
which can be so adjusted as to skive the leather to any required bevil. In split-
lift machines both the upper and lower bearings of the feed rollers are made
adjustable.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
tho said William Douglas in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th Sep-
tember 1879.
WILLIAM DOUGLAS, of the Firm of Douglas & Williams, of Saint Crispin Works,
4.& 5, Redcross Street, Bristol, Gloucestershire, Boot Machinist. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN A MACHINE FOR SKIVING BOOT UPPERS AND CUTTING SPLIT-LIFTS OR
RUNNERS."
The object of this Invention is the skiving of boot uppers and split lifts. For
this purpose I employ a machine arranged as follows:-
Two feed rollers, the one grooved and the other plain, are mounted on the ends of:
axles working in bearings in a suitable framing. On the opposite ends of these
axles are spur wheels for driving the same.
The bearing of the upper feed roller has a vertical adjustment to suit the varying
thicknesses of the leather to be operated upon. The lower bearing is fixed. A
stud is used as a guide when skiving inside curves of boot vamps to enable the
operator to work round curves and angles.
As the leather passes between the feed rollers it comes in contact with a fixed
knife blade, which can be so adjusted as to skive the leather to any required bevil.
In split lift machines both the upper and lower bearings of the feed rollers are
made adjustable.
The accompanying Drawings show several views of a machine arranged and
constructed in accordance with my Invention, and I will now describe the manner
of performing or carrying the same into practice. The same letters indicate corre-
sponding parts in each Fig.
Fig. 1 is a plan; Fig. 2, a front elevation; Fig. 3, a back elevation; and Fig. 4,
an end view of the machine.
a, a, is the frame of the machine; b, c, are the upper and lower feed rollers
mounted on the axles or spindles 6¹, c', which are driven by the spur wheels b³, c²;
d is a screw to adjust the necessary pressure for carrying the leather through the
feed rollers b, c; and e, a stud for guiding the leather as it passes through.
The back elevation, Fig. 3, shews the knife or cutter f attached to the blade
holder f¹; g, g', g², are set screws to adjust the knife or cutter to the required bevil;
f2 is a screw (movable in a slot in the holder f¹) to set the blade at any required
distance from the rollers; f³ is a set screw to fix or lock the knife holder in
position when adjusted to the required bevil and distance.
The end elevation, Fig. 4, shews the method of adjusting the top roller b by
"means of a vertical screw socket i forming part of the bearing of the upper roller b,
which is raised or lowered by means of a hand wheel or screw nut h. The vertical
screw socket i also forms the bottom bearing of the axle or spindle 6¹.
.
Fig. 5 is a part section through the line 1, 1, of Fig. 2; is a spiral spring com-
pressed by the screw plug d to exert any required pressure on the top bearing i³ of
the upper roller b.
When it is desired to skive a piece of leather the knife ƒ is fixed to the required
bevil by means of the adjusting screws g, g', g³, and at the required distance by the
'screw. The upper feed roller b is raised or lowered by turning the stationary
screw nut h, and the required pressure is exerted by the spiral spring & above
described.
The machine may be worked by manual, pedal, steam, or other suitable motive
power.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I would have it understood that I do not claim any of the
parts separately which are well known, but what I claim is,-
Firstly. The improved arrangement and combination of parts for adjusting the
position of the top feed roller b and for exerting the required pressure thereon,

page_text: substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore described and represented in the
Drawings hereto annexed.
Secondly. The arrangement, and application of a fixed knife f in combination
with the rollers b, c, and the means of adjusting the same, substantially in the
manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described and represented in the
Drawings annexed.
Thirdly. The improved arrangement and application of the stud or guide e for
controlling the movement of the leather in passing between the rollers b, c, as and
for the purposes herein before described and represented in the Drawings annexed.
Fourthly. The improved arrangement and combination of mechanism for skiving
leather for the manufacture of boots and shoes, substantially as and for the
purposes hereinbefore described and represented in the Drawings hereto annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Douglas, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fifth day of September, One thousand eight hundred and
seventy nine.
WILLIAM DOUGLAS. (LS.)