Improvements in or relating to Machines for Securing Boot Soles.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Jan., 1897-Accepted, 20th Mar., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Machines for Securing Boot Soles.
We, ETIENNE BALLET, ANTOINE LÉON and FRANÇOIS BARBIN, all of 21 Rue
Voltaire, Paris, in the Republic of France, 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 for imy rovements in or relating to machines for securing boot soles
has for its object to provide a machine for fixing the soles of boots in position by
means of invisible fasteners forming a kind of sewing, and also cutting off the
fasteners used, called "harpoon fasteners" by means of a suitable matrix and punch
proportionately to the output of the nailing parts. The method of special fixing or
fastening employed and the form of the fastener, ensures a perfectly secure and
inseparable connection of the parts, and produces a boot without any interruption in
the surface of the leather, or any visible hole in that part of the sole coming in contact
with the ground.
The harpoon fasteners which are inserted in the leather by a strong and sudden
pressure, are maintained therein by the drawing together of the two lower hooks,
which hold the leather of the sole and fix it, and by their upper head or point in the
form of a lance which is bushed over on the last after passing through the insole, to
the sole which is superposed thereon.
It will be seen that such a method of fixing or fastening the soles together is
superior to any of the systems of nailing or screwing hitherto known on account
of its similarity to the sewn boot recognised up to the present as the most rigid.
The machine effects first the forming or cutting of the harpoon fasteners and
secondly their insertion, calculated with due regard to the thickness of the leather,
into the exterior sole.
In the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings
Fig. 1 is a left side elevation of a machine constructed according to this invention,
the column serving as a stand being omitted. Fig. 2 is a front elevation.
Fig. 3 shows a front, left side, and back elevation of the sliding part carrying
the matrix for cutting the harpoon fasteners, and the punch corresponding thereto and
its control catch.
Fig. 4 shows a right side and a front elevation of the punch carrier and the
nailing punch, which moves backwards and forwards in the slide formed by the
part shown in Fig. 3.
Fig. 5, is a back sectional elevation of a group of parts for feeding, holding back
and regulating the brass, wire serving for the production of the fasteners.
Fig. 6 shows a front and left side elevation of a quadruple action cam, actuating
the feeder.
Fig. 7 shows a right side and front elevation of an intermediary tappet between
the tappet of the nailing punch carrier and the fastener guide.
Fig. 8 is a front elevation of the cutting punch and
Fig. 9 is an elevation of a fastener to an enlarged scale.
The machine is actuated by a belt running on the pulley 1, having fly-wheels 1*
and 1; this pulley is engaged by an internal coupling actuated by the foot by
means of a pedal connected to the plate 2 by a vertical rod 3 fitted in the column
which acts as a stand for the machine, and jointed to an elbow lever 4 with fork 5,
and which oscillates about its axis 6.
On the same shaft which carries the plate 2 are keyed two similar wheels 7 and 8,

page_text: the wheel 8 having on its back face a cam 12 (Figs. 1 and 6) effecting the forward
and backward motion and the lateral movement in both directions of the feeder 10,
which causes the sole to advance one point or the distance of two fasteners.
The first or backward movement of the feeder is produced by the combination of a
spring 14 pulling from front to back, which acts on the tail 10% of the feeder, with a
depression 13 made in the cam 12 (the cam rotating in the direction of the arrow
Fig. 6).
The second movement of the feeler, that from right to left, is obtained by the
combination of a spring 17ª which, by pressure, engages the claw 50 of a piece 51 in
the indent 15 made on the circumference of the cam 12, (see dotted lines) with a
catch 52 formed by the part 51. The end of the oscillating tail piece of the feeder,
engaging in the catch 52 effects the desired movement of the feeder to a length
regulated by the screw 11, to which the frame X serves as a stop.
The third or forward movement of the feeder making contact with the sole, is
obtained by the projection 16, which is the return of the projection 13, which caused
the backward movement.
Finally, the fourth movement, which is that feeding the sole from left to right, that
is to say, after the placing of a fastener, is produced by a projection 17 working in a
lateral direction on the point 53 of the hook 52 so that by means of the claw 50 the
part 51 returns to its original position opposing the spring 17".
The wheel 7 engages with a similar wheel 20 keyed on a spindle 20 which carries
at its back end, an eccentric plate 21 to which is jointed a connecting rod 22 actuating
a knee lever 23 (Fig. 2) corresponding to the hook 24, which forms part with the
cutting punch 25 connected with the matrix 26 (Figs. 2 and 3).
From what has been described we obtain, first the starting of the machine, the four
movements of the feeder, or the advancement of the sole, and the operation of the
cutting punch tor the fasteners; we will now follow the wire from its starting point
up to the moment of cutting the fasteners.
As shown by Figs. 1 and 2 the machine is surmounted by a bobbin B, the variable
diameter of which is determined by rods B' arranged and held in sliders made in four
arms arranged crosswise by means of eye screws. This bobbin engages on an axis D¹
surrounded by a spiral spring D, acting as a brake, thus preventing the premature
unwinding of the brass wire.
The brass wire A which serves for the manufacture of the harpoon fasteners, is flat
and may vary from oths. to 1 millimetre in thickness by 4 to 6 m/m in width.
On leaving the bobbin B the wire A engages in the guide 41 (Figs. 2 and 5) where
it is retained by a toothed cam 41" with lever 42, which acts continuously by the
tension of a spring 43 fixed to the frame X. This cam 41ª holds the wire and
prevents it from rising when the feed cam 40 having released it after its descent, rises
again to clamp it afresh at the required distance, that is to say, at the length of a
fastener.
The feed cam 40 has an oscillating movement imparted thereto by a plate 19, with
a projection 19ª keyed on the shaft 18, which carries the wheel 27 gearing with the
wheel 8 already described.
On rotating the plate 19 the projection 19ª thereon brings downward by means of
the stop piece 36ª a movable piece 36, in which engages a finger 39 forming part of
the feed cam 40. The stop piece being released by the projection 19ª is drawn upward
together with the finger 39, by a return spring 43, fixed to a pin formed on the
piece 36 and having a fixed crutch hook 46.
The feed of the wire A is regulated by a screw 44 (Figs. 1 and 2) which brings the
feed cam 40 near, or removes it, leaving it a larger or smaller play, and consequently
a feed corresponding to the travel of the cam on the wire.
The wire thus regulated in its descent continues to be guided in a sliding piece 26ª
up to the cutting punch 25 (Fig. 3).
In the slide 26 a nailing punch carrier 30 moves with a vertical alternating motion,
actuated by a connecting rod 29 jointed to an eccentric plate 28 which is keyed on
the shaft 18 already carrying the plate 19 and the wheel 27.

page_text: The nailing punch carrier 30 Fig. 4, is provided at its base with a movable tappet 31
which by its lower abutment piece 32 actuates the fastener guide 33 which is
constantly under tension downward from a return spring 33. The control of the
fastener guide by the tappet 31 is effected by an intermediary tappet 34 with spring 35,
against which the fastener, just cut off by the punch, rests whilst awaiting the sudden
descent of the nailing punch 30. It is at this moment that the intermediary tappet 34
bears on the guide 33 which lowers the harpoon fastener, at the same time that the
nailing punch forces it into the leather the required distance.
The extent of the penetration of the fasteners into the leather varies according to
the length of the fasteners used and also with the thickness of the leather; this
regulation is obtained by means of a wheel 54, which by means of a return screw
inside the socket 55 carrying it, raises or lowers a plate 56 on which is arranged a
rod 57 acting as the point of support for the sole to be operated on. Finally a kind
of divertor 58 receives the scraps of the brass wire A and removes them out of
the way of the article being worked on.
The mobility of the matrice which effects the cutting of the harpoon fasteners
renders the machine adaptable for nailing with the ordinary or visible pegs, and
on the last.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is :-
1. A. machine for nailing the soles of boots by means of invisible fasteners forming
a kind of sewing, characterised by a cam which makes the feeder describe a horizontal
travel in the form of a rectangle, a mechanical arrangement actuating a punch,
cutting the fasteners proportionately with the demand made by the nailing parts
and the combination of a retaining cam and a feeding cam for the brass wire with
the double action of the cutting punch and its matrice, and of the nailing punch with
its fastener-guide.
2. The harpoon fasteners. substantially as and for the purposes described.
3. The improvements in or relating to machines for securing boot soles substantially
as described with reference to the drawings.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40 Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.