Improvements in Machines for Treeing and Shaping Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 21st July, 1896-Accepted, 5th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Machines for Treeing and Shaping Boots
and Shoes.
We, GEORGE HENRY CLARK, of 23 South Street, Boston, Massachusetts,
Mechanic, and EDWARD CABOT STORROW, of 53 State Street, Boston, Massa-
chusetts, Merchant, both in the United States of America, 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 machines for treeing and shaping boots and shoes, and
bas for its object to provide improved means for reducing the size or measurement
of the form or tree on a line extending from the rear end of the heel to the instep
portion, as the boot or shoe is drawn off or onto the tree, to thereby not only
facilitate this work but to obviate wrinkling the boot or shoe and also tearing the
lining, as it is withdrawn; and to this end my invention consists in a heel piece
adapted to slide obliquely on the back leg portion or other part which supports it.
To hold the heel piece from sliding when the boot or shoe is on the form or
tree, and the latter "jacked up" a locking device is provided which may be made
automatic, that is to say, it may be automatically operated to lock the sliding heel
piece and may be automatically operated as the parts of the form or tree close
together to unlock said sliding heel piece.
Another part of our invention has for its object to so construct and arrange an
expansible form or tree having a detachable fore-part that the measurement at the
top of the shoe may be changed for the different sizes, and to this end it consists in
providing such a form having a detachable fore-part with an independent
detachable shin piece may be readily removed and another substituted of a
different size.
In practice we may use three or more different sizes of shin pieces.
The fore-parts of the feet of the forms or trees are also detachable and are
graduated to correspond to certain of the shin pieces.
Both the shin piece and fore-part are detachably connected with a slide on the
tree.
The parts of the form are herein shown as separated bodily, two wedges being
employed on the expanding device which act upon or at different parts of the form,
and the expanding device is adapted to be operated by a treadle and locked when
the form is expanded to hold it in such condition.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1, shows in side elevation a machine embodying this invention for treeing
and shaping boots and shoes.
Figure 2 is a vertical section of the form or tree shown in Figure 1, taken on the
dotted line -x.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the detachable shin piece.
Figure 4, is a rear end view of the fore-part removed, and,
Figure 5, is a detail of a portion of the expanding device.
The central support or frame of the form or tree consists of a frame bar a, of a
width corresponding to the width of the form or tree, and extending from end to
end of said form or tree, and having at its upper or knee end a circular flange a',
and an ear or equivalent a' formed adjacent to it, and a cylindrical hub a3 which
enters and is adapted to revolve in a bearing box a stationarily supported on a
bench or other suitable frame.
On the underside of the central frame or support a the back leg portion b is

page_text: mounted, it being suitably hollowed out or recessed, and having at its upper or
knee-end two ears which receive between them the car a of the frame bar, and
having at its lower or opposite end a heel piece c.
A pin projects from the ear a² which passes through a hole at the upper end
of the back leg part , and thence through a plate d, one end of which bears upon
or against the back leg portion, and the other end of which has a pin d' which
enters a hole formed in the circular flange a'.
A strong spiral spring d2 encircles the pin which presses against the plate d
and a thumb-nut d is turned onto the pin 6 which acts upon the spring.
By means of this device for connecting the upper or knee-end of the back leg
portion with the central or main frame it will be seen that said back leg portion
is bodily movable toward and from said central portion to a certain extent.
The heel piece e is cut off obliquely and adapted to slide obliquely with relation
to the part to which it is connected, and it has a dove-tailed projection which
enters and slides freely in a groove formed to receive it in the heel-end of the back
leg part 1.
The obliquely sliding heel piece c has a pin c which enters a slot formed in the
part to which it is connected, which limits the sliding motion of said heel piece.
When the parts of the form or tree are separated it is necessary, or at least very
desirable, that the sliding heel piece should be locked in position, and when the
parts close together that said heel piece shall be free to slide in order that the
advantages sought for may be gained.
Therefore an automatic locking device is provided which consists of a detent c³,
pivoted at 3 in a suitable recess formed in the heel-end of the back leg part b,
which is adapted to enter a hole formed in the sliding heel piece c, when said heel
piece is in its normal position, and the hole therein is thus brought into position
beneath the detent.
The pivoted detent has a projection or extension e which is acted upon by a
spring co, the tendency of which is to press the detent into engagement with the
sliding heel-piece, when it is permitted to act.
A projection or lug e, (see dotted lines Figure 1), is arranged on the under side
of the central portion or frame bar, just above the extension ct of the detent, and
when the parts of the form or tree close together this lug engages said extension
and by depressing it, raises the detent out of engagement with the sliding heel
piece.
Thus this locking device is automatic in its action to both lock and unlock the
sliding heel piece.
The upper face of the frame bar a is formed with a T-groove which receives a
T-shaped slide c, and the fore-part e is formed in any usual manner having,
however, at its rear side a recess 2, and a back plate e, having a slot eat its
lower end, the slotted end of said plate partially covering the recess e so as to
form a socket, oue side wall of which is the projecting edge of the plate, said
socket being adapted to receive a headed stud es rising from the slide e
Also mounted on this slide is a detachable shin piece f against the front end of
which the fore-part abuts, the latter being suitably graduated to fit this end of the
shin piece.
which is
The shin piece is formed at its front end with a grooved recess
designed to receive a headed stud 2 on the slide made similar to the headed stude
thereby detachably connecting this end of the shin piece to the slide.
The upper end of the shin piece has a socket which receives a spring pressed
piu, sliding in holes formed in studs 3 rising from the slide, said spring pressed
pin having a finger piece by means of which it may be operated to disengage the
shin piece.
This fastening detachably connects the upper end of the shiu piece with the
slide.
A socket is formed in the upper end of the fore-part or in that face which abuts
against the lower or front face of the shin piece, which receives a spring pressed

page_text: piu or rod sliding longitudinally in the shin piece, it having a binger/projecting
out through a slot in said shin piece, by means of which it may be operated to
disengage the fore-part.
Thus both the fore-part and the shin piece are independently or separately
detachably connected with the slide.
For different sizes we may employ, say, three different sizes of shin pieces, and
the fore-parts will be graduated to fit their respective shin pieces.
The fore-part will also be graduated to fit the standard size shank piece which
is formed at the front end of the central frame or bar a.
In inaking the fore-parts of different sizes hit the standard sized shank piece, and
also fit the shin pieces, the back plate serves as a templet, being made of metal
and shaped to fit the standard sized shank piece.
Thus this templet is of a standard size, and all the fore parts are graduated to it.
And on top of the fore-part, the flat face which abuts against the shin piece
has a plate thereon which also serves as a templet, being made of metal and shaped
to fit the shin piece.
The templet on top of the fore-part and the templet on the rear of the fore-part
may be made of a single piece, if desired, but more or less right angularly.
When so made the upper ends of the flat blanks may be made longer and some
shorter than others, to fit the different shin pieces.
The expanding device for the parts of the tree consists of a screw rod g having
thereon two wedges g', g', which may be adjusted along the rod, said wedges
entering and sliding in a groove formed in the underside of the central portion a
and bearing upon rollers journalled in the back leg portion b.
This screw rod g passes through a hole made in the knee-end of the frame bar a,
and is attached to a rod g2, swiveled to a block g³, having its bearings in the
rotating hub a³ of the tree.
The block g² is connected to a sliding block having its bearings in a suitable
stationarily supported frame, which block has at its rear end a hook go to which a
cord is attached which passes over a suitable pulley, and thence to a treadle by
means of which the parts are drawn rearwardly and the form or tree expanded.
A spring is provided for retracting the parts.
The block is provided with a series of notches 96 which are engaged by a
spring pressed pawl to lock the expanding device in whatever position it may be
set, said pawl having a hand engaging portion by means of which it is operated to
release the expanding device.
In some instances it is desirable to lengthen the heel c, hence it may have an
adjustable plate n, such as shown in Figure 1.
We do not desire to limit our invention to the particular way herein shown of
connecting the obliquely sliding heel piece to its support as we believe myself to
be the first to provide a form or tree with an obliquely sliding heel piece; nor do.
we desire to limit our invention to the particular way of attaching the shin piece
as it is obvious that many simple ways may be devised which would come within
the spirit and scope of this invention.
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. In a shaping machine for boots and shoes, an expansible form having a
detachable fore-part and an independent detachable shin piece.
2. In a shaping machine for boots and shoes, an expansible form having an
independent detachable shin piece and a fore-part detachably connected thereto.
3. In a machine for treeing or shaping boots and shoes, an expansible form
having a slide, a fore-part and a shin piece made independent of each other, and
separately detachable from the slide to which they are connected, substantially as
described.
4. In a machine for treeing or shaping boots and shoes an expansible form

page_text: having a detachable shin piece, and a detachable fore-part abutting against said
shin piece, said parts being made independent of each other, and separately
detachable, substantially as described.
5. In a machine for treeing or shaping boots and shoes, an expansible form
having a slide, a shin piece detachably connected thereto, an independently
detachable fore-part made separate and independent of said shin piece, and
means for connecting its rear end to the slide and means for connecting its upper
end to the shin piece, substantially as described.
6. In a machine for treeing or shaping boots and shoes, a form having a heel
piece sliding obliquely on the rear side of the back leg part in a direction toward
the shank, substantially as described.
7. In a machine for treeing or shaping boots and shoes, an expansible form
having a heel piece sliding obliquely ou the rear side of the back leg part in a
direction toward the shank, and a locking device therefor, substantially as
described.
8. In a machine for treeing or shaping boots aud shoes, an expansible form
having a heel piece sliding obliquely on the rear side of the back leg part in a
direction toward the shank, and an automatic locking device therefor, substantially
as described.
9. In a machine for treeing or shaping boots and shoes, an expansible form
having a heel piece sliding obliquely on the back leg part, a locking device
therefor, means for operating said locking device to lock the sliding heel piece
when the parts are separated, and means for operating said locking device to
unlock the sliding heel piece when the parts close together, substantially as
described.
10. In a machine for treeing or shaping boots and shoes, an expansible form
having a heel piece sliding obliquely on the back leg part, a pivoted locking lever
for said sliding heel piece, spring for moving it into locking position, and a
projection on one member of the form for operating said locking lever when the
parts thereof close together, substantially as described.
11. In a machine for treeing or shaping boots and shoes, an expansible form
having a sliding fore-part, and a sliding heel piece, the latter sliding obliquely on
its support, substantially as described.
12. In a machine for treeing or shaping boots and shoes, an expansible form,
having a fore-part and a heel, and a plate on the bottom of said heel, adjustable
toward and from the heel, substantially as described.
13. In a machine for treeing or shaping boots and shoes, an expansible form,
having a rotatable frame provided with a pin having a screw threaded end, a back
leg portion having at its upper end a hole for said pin, a plate bearing at one end
upon the back leg part, and at the other end upon the rotatable frame, a spring
encircling said pin and bearing upon said plate, and a nut turning on the pin
and acting on said spring, substantially as described.
14. The detachable fore-part el having at its rear side the recess e³, and in its
top a hole, and the back plate e bent angularly and shaped to fit the rear and top
sides of said fore-part, it having a hole in the top part, and a slot et in its rear
part, the slotted end portion of said plate partially covering the recess e, and
thereby forming a socket to receive a headed stud, substantially as described.
15. In a machine for treeing or shaping boots and shoes, a shin piece, a detachable
fore-part, a fastening for the rear end of said fore-part, and a spring actuated
locking pin for the top of said fore-part which passes through said shin piece,
substantially as described.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicaute