Machine for Making from One Piece of Leather, and without any Seam or Sewing, all kinds of Shoes Gloves, Caps, Hats, Cartouche Boxes, and Scabbards and Sheaths for Swords, Bayonets, and Knives.
Year: 1824

page_text: Machine for Making from One Piece of Leather,
and without any Seam or Sewing, all kinds of
Shoes, Gloves, Caps, Hats, Cartouche Boxes, and
Scabbards and Sheaths for Swords, Bayonets,
and Knives.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I.
JEAN HENKY PETITTIERRE, of Chalton Street, Somers Town, in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Fourth,
by His Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster,
the Twentieth day of March, in the fifth year of His reign, did give
and grant unto me, the said Jean Henry Petitpierre, my executors,
administrators and assigns, His said Majesty's special license that I,
the said Jean Henry Petitpierre, my executors, administrators, or
assigns, during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully
ight use, exercise and vend, within that part of the United Kingdom
Great Britain and Ireland called England, the dominion of Wales,
and Town of Berwick upon Tweed, my Invention of "AN ENGINE OR
MACHINE FOR MAKING THE FOLLOWING ARTICLES FROM ONE PIECE OF LEATHER

page_text: WITHOUT ANY SEAM OR SEWING WHATEVER, THAT IS TO SAY, ALL KINDS OF
SHOES AND SLIPPERS, GLOVES, CAPS AND HATS, CARTOUCHE BOXES, SCABBARDS
AND SHEATHS FOR SWORDS, BAYONETS, AND KNIVES;" in which said Letters
Patent there is contained a proviso, obliging me, the said Jean Henry
Petitpierre, to describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument
in writing under my hand and seal, and cause the same to be enrolled
in His Majesty's High Court of Chancery within Two calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent, as in
and by the said Letters Patent, relation being thereunto had may and
will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the
said Jean Henry Petitpierre, do hereby declare that the nature of my
said Invention, and the manner in which the same is to be performed,
are particularly described and ascertained in and by the Drawing here-
unto annexed, and the following description thereof (that is to say):
A, A, in Figures 1, 2, and 3, is the cast iron bed of the engine or
machine; B, B, B, parts of it which are made as truly plane or flat as
may be; C, C, ears, to which the adjustable table D, is jointed in a
manner to be described hereafter. The bed A, A, is supported upon
the bench or table E, E, Figure 2, at a convenient height for use;
F, F, in Figure 4, is a plan of the cast iron stock to which the cutters
hereafter to be described are affixed; and Figure 5, an edge view
thercof. In all these Figures, as well as in the other Figures of the
Drawing, the same letters of reference indicate the similar parts. G,
in Figures 3, and 5, is a cylindrical stud which works in the groove
H, H, shewn in Figures 1, and 3. I, I, in Figures 1, 3, 4, and 5, is
a rib formed on the under side of the stock F, the rounded edge of
which glides or plays upon the plane or flat service of the bed B; and
I, I., in the same Figures are arms projecting sideways, which also
glide or play upon the said flat surface, and the three bearings all con-
duce to give the cutters affixed to the stock that movement in a perfect
plane, or nearly so, which is requisite to the success of their operation.
K, Figure 6, is a section of one of the cutters on a larger scale, and
two views of them on their under sides are given in Figures 7, and 9.

page_text: They are affixed to the stock F, by screws.
L, L, in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4,
5, 8, and 10, is an arm united to the stock F, F, by the two screws
M, M, shewn in Figure 4; but not so firmly but that it will yield a
little to the action of an adjusting screw N, which screws into the arm
I, and presses upon the stock F, F; the necessity for this yielding will
be shewn hereafter. To the further end of the arm L, L, a handle O,
is affixed, by which the cutters are actuated as will be described here-
after. Guards and guides P, P, of different forms according to their
required uses are also affixed upon the arm L, L, as will be described
hereafter. The adjustable table D, is jointed to the bed of the ma-
chine A, A, in the following manner. Q, Q, are two screws with
conical points which screw into the ears C, C; the conical points of
the screws Q, Q, enter into holes made in the outsides of two elbow
pieces R, R, shewn in Figure 11, and one of them separately in Figure
12. The short bent ends of the elbow pieces have gaps or notches
made in them, one of which is shown in Figure 13, which fit into
grooves made in the shanks of two adjusting screws S, S, which are
screwed into the table D. These elbow picces R, R, fit into the
upright groves T, T, made in the table D, so as to allow it to be
adjusted higher or lower at that end as required in use. The table D,
is also farther supported and adjusted upon the top of a screw U, as
shewn in Figures 1, and 2, which screws into a nut fitted into the
upper end of the leg V, of the bench E, E. The screw U, has a
handle W, fixed upon it to turn it by. X, X, in Figures 1, and 2, is a
guage shewn separately in Figure 16, to adjust the level of the table
D, by. It consists of a stem of iron having a cross piece formed at
right angles with it, and the upper end of which is made straight. The
stem slides up and down in a groove Y, made in the support Z, which
is aflixed to the bench E, E, and it has a slit made in it, through which
the binding screw a, passes to adjust and secure it at the required
height.
Having thus generally described the machine, I shall next proceed
to describe how a shoe or slipper is to be made by it; and, first,
mention that I form the shoe of one entire piece of sole leather of a
proper thickness, according to the kind of shoe to be made of it. The

page_text: leather is to be cut of a proper form either by means of a knife, or
which is better by a tool or cutter, consisting of an iron ring made of
the required shape, and its cutting edge steeled and properly hardened
and tempered. A plan of such a tool is shewn at b, in Figure 17; an
end view of it in Figure 18, and a section thereof in Figure 19. I
place the leather to be cut previously soaked in water, with the tool b,
upon it, under a flat cast iron block C, affixed to the screw of a fly
press as shewn in Figure 20, and apply the power of the press to it as
usual. The leather when so cut will be of the shape shewn at d, in
Figure 21. I next proceed to plough a shallow groove e, e, across the
leather so cut into form. This I effect in the following manner: f, f, in
Figure 22, is a flat piece of wood affixed by screirs upon the bench
E, E; upon this piece of wood the two metal plates g, h, slide between the
four parallel guides i, i, i, so as to be made to approach towards or
recede from each other as necessary, and be secured in their required
places by the nuts upon the screws j, j, which are affixed in the piece
of wood, and pass through the slits k, k, in the metal plates, being
bound tight upon them. 1, 1, are two side plates affixed to the
piece of wood on each side of it, with upright grooves or slits in them,
as shown at l, in the side view, Figure 23. Into these grooves the
square bars m, m, fit, having gaps or notches cut into them to steady
them in the grooves 1, 1, and as shewn in one of the bars shewn
separately in Figure 24. The cut leather being laid upon the piece of
wood f, f, the bars m, m, are laid upon it, resting at each end in the
grooves l, l. The end plates g, h, are then slided into contact with the
leather at each end of it, and are brought into proper situations to hold
it at the required position, or to bring that part of the leather where the
groove is to be ploughed between the bars m, n. The double edged
tool, Figure 25, and which is shewu of its full size in Figure 26, and
in section Figure 27, is then drawn across the leather, laid with its
smooth surface upwards, so as to cut two linear incisions across it of a
proper depth, or equal to the intended thickness of the upper leather of
the shoe. The tool, Figure 28, is then employed to plough away the
leather between the two incisions made by the tool, Figure 25, to the
same depth with them, and which is regulated by the two guards n,

page_text: on each side of the cutter, shown of their full size in Figures 29, and 30.
It should be observed, however, that the cutter is a little broader than
the width of the grooves cut by the tool, Figure 25. The groove e, e,
being then ploughed across the leather, the pattern for the sole of the
intended shoe, Figure 31, is laid upon it as shewn by the dotted lines in
Figure 21, and prevented from slipping out of its place by the two
small spikes or points O, O. This pattern, Figure 81; is composed of
a block of wood and a plate of iron fastened together, as is shewn by
the edge view of it, Figure 82. The leather with the sole pattern upon
it is then laid upon the adjustable table D, of the machine, as shewn in
Figure 1, with the iron plate upwards, and secured in a proper position
by the two iron clamps, p, p, which are bound fast upon it by screws
passing through holes in the table D, and slits in the clamps with
screwed nuts upon them. In this position one of the side incisions is
made in the leather, so as to leave it of twice the thickness of the upper
leather of the intended shoe by means of the larger cutter K, affixed
to the stock F, the stud of which G, plays in the groove E, E, in the
bed of the machine as above mentioned, the guard and guide P,
Figures 8, and 9, regulating the cut so as to leave the leather of the
required thickness and shape. The shape is determined by the rounded
stem of the guard P, rubbing against the edge of the iron plate or
sole pattern, as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 1; and the thickness
is determined by means of the adjusting screw N, shewn in Figures 3,
4, and 5, being turned either to the right or left as required, and as in-
dicated by a pin in the head of the screw upon divisions made in a cir-
cular plate affixed to the arm L, the effect of which is to raise or lower
the foot of the guard P, which works in contact with the upper surface
of the leather (as more distinctly shewn in Figure 10, on a larger scale)
more or less above the edge of the cutter K, the cutter being worked
backwards and forwards, and advanced by the power of the operator
applied to the handle O. When this first side incision has been thus
made, the leather and sole pattern is turned half way round, and again
secured upon the table D, as before mentioned, and the other side incision
is made. The heel and toe are not cut at all. The side incisions being
thus executed, the sole pattern is removed and the leather is bent across

page_text: a right angle in the line of the plough groove e, e, Figure 21, by placing
it in the jaws of the vice q, Figure 33, and beating it down with a
wooden mallet (the front view of this vice as attached to the bench
E, E, is shewn at q, in Figure 2.) The leather thus bent is next to be
slit internally towards the toe and the heel of the intended shoe. In
order to do this the clamps p, p, are removed from the table D, and the
guiding plate r, Figure 15, is screwed upon it as there shewn. The
fore part of the bent leather is then laid upon the table within the
internal border of the plate 7, and which it must accurately fit. The
position of the bent leather upon the table D, but without the guide
plate 1, is shewn in the side view, Figure 3, with the heel part of the
leather hanging down, through the openings, made for the purpose,
and as shewn in Figure 1. In order to steady it and hold it down in
close contact with the table D, a screw t, passes upwards through the
table, and the point of it is made sharp and enters within the leather in
a small degree. The small cutter K, is then affixed to the stock F, F,
in place of the former one, and also the guard P, Figures 4, and 5,
which is of a different form from that before described, it having two
short arms u, u, which come into contact with the guide ribs W, W,
raised above the surface of the plate, and limit the action of the cutter
within the leather. The cutter is shewn as in the act of entering the
leather from the ploughed groove e, e, before mentioned in Figure 3.
This cutter enters the leather only half the depth of the former one,
leaving it above of the thickness of the upper leather of the intended
shoe; and consequently it divides the leather before cut on each side of
it through its thickness. The fore part of the intended shoe being
thus slit, the guide plate », of Figure 15, is removed, and another,
r, Figure 34, (an edge view of which is shewn in Figure 35.)
affixed upon the table D, in its place, which serves to guide the
cutter in slitting the heel part of the shoe. The leather thus slit
externally sideways and internally will appear of the shape shewn in
Figure 36, when viewed as a section thercof. The sole is next to have
its excess of leather on each side removed. This is effected by turning
it sole upwards and placing the iron plate of the pattern, Figure 31, in
contact with it. Both are then to be put under the screw of a press

page_text: as shewn at a, in Figure 2, and employing right and left hooked
cutters in the manner shewn in Figure 37, the cutter being carried
along in contact with the border of the pattern plate, whilst its foot rests
upon the leather within the side slit, and its edge cuts away superabun-
dant leather on each side of the sole. In order that the shapes of these
hooked cutters should be better seen, they are represented in Figures 38,
and 89, 40, and 41, of their real sizes. The sole being thus shaped, the
shoe is ready to be put upon a last, when it will appear as shewn in
Figure 42, it having been previously, however, again soaked in water
to render the leather sufficiently supple. The bands y, y, on each side
are then to be carefully pared with a proper knife and hammered down
upon the last, and when the shoe is sufficiently dry it must be finished
in the usual manner of currying and dressing leather. Gloves may be
slit interually by a compound cutter furnished with knives and guards
at the ends of the fingers and thumb as shewn in Figures 43, 44, and
45, and guided in the ribs W, W, of the plate r, secured upon the table
D, of the machine as shewn in Figures 46, and 47. The leather being
secured between the plate r, and the table D, and the slit leather must
be afterwards shaped into a glove and finished on properly formed
tools. In order to form a leather cap or hat, the leather must be cut
into the shape shewn by the external dotted line in Figure 48, and be
held down upon the table D, by the inner border of the guide plater,
which is screwed upon the table D, and confines the leather between it
and the table. The leather is then to be slit internally, as far as is
shewn by the inner dotted lines, by means of a similar cutter and guard
to those already described in making shoes, and the cut leather must be
blocked and worked into shape in the usual manner of hat or cap
making. For cartouche boxes the leather must be cut into shape by
the ring cutter b, Figure 49; a groove c, e, is then to be made across it.
It is then bent in the vice, and slit by placing it upon the table D, and
securing it by screwing the guide plate r, upon it as shewn in Figure 50.
It is then to be slit in the same manner as in making a cap, and be after-
wards blocked and formed into the required shape. Scabbards and
sheaths, for swords, bayonets, and knives may be formed by using
properly shaped cutters, such as that shewn in Figures 51, and 52, to