IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HEEL TIPS AND TOE TIPS, AND TOE PLATES FOR BOOTS AND SHOES."
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Yates, of Wolverhampton, in the County of
Stafford, Mechanic, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HEEL TIPS AND TOE TIPS, AND TOE
PLATES FOR BOOTS AND SHOES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Yates at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 10th
November 1868.
I, GEORGE YATES, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Mechanic,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HEEL TIPS AND TOE TIPS, AND
TOE PLATES FOR BOOTS AND SHOES," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, firstly, of the machinery herein-after described for:
countersinking the depressions in the said heel tips and toe tips and plates for
the heads of the nails by which the said tips and plates are attached to boots
and shoes, and also for shaping the iron by which the said heel tips and toe
tips are made.
The said machinery is constructed as follows:-Two rolls, mounted upon.
parallel axes, are geared together by means of pinions. The axis of one of
the said rolls is provided with a pinion, with which a rack engages. A
reciprocating motion is given to the said rack by steam or other power, and a

page_text: reciprocating motion or a backward and forward motion of partial rotation is
thereby communicated to the said rolls. The lower roll of the pair of rolls is
provided with collars, one of which is conical, and within the said collars a
flange on the upper roll engages, the said flange on the upper roll being also
conical. The figures of the acting parts of the said rolls are such as are
proper to convert the bars or strips of iron fed between them into iron of the
figure employed in making heel tips and toe tips. The cylindrical part of the
lower roll has a series of projecting pieces fixed therein, which produce the
required countersinks in the iron operated upon. The flange of the upper
roll carries a projecting stop which guides or limits the distance to which the
iron to be operated upon can be introduced between the rolls. In using the
machine a bar or strip of iron of the proper length is introduced between the
rolls when the said rolls have been brought to rest. The bar or strip of iron
is pressed against the stop, and the rolls performing their advancing motion
the bar of iron is carried between them and properly shaped and countersunk.
Instead of giving the rolls a reciprocating motion they may have a continuous
rotatory motion in one direction only. When, however, they have a motion
in one direction only, the workman cannot so conveniently feed the bars or
strips of iron against the stop or guide as when the rolls have a reciprocating
motion. When bars or strips for heel tips and toe tips have been operated
upon by the machine, they are bent into the required form in the ordinary
way, and when plates for toe plates have been countersunk by the machine
they are cut, when necessary, into the required shape after countersinking.
My Invention consists, secondly, in machinery herein-after explained, for
polishing heel tips, toe tips, and toe plates for boots and shoes.
The said machinery is constructed as follows:-A vertical support or holder,
capable of rising and falling vertically, and capable also of a rotatory motion,
earries the heel or toe tip or toe plate to be operated upon. The summit of
the said support or holder has such a figure that the tip or plate only requires
to be dropped thereon to be held securely. Above the said support is the end
of a horizontal axis carrying a rotating polisher, the said polisher consisting-of
a short cylinder with a slightly conical flange. The cylindrical and conical
faces of the said polisher are cut into fine teeth resembling those of a fine file.
Besides the rotatory motion communicated to the said polisher by the shaft
which carries it, the said polisher is capable of a sliding motion upon the said
shaft, and a weighted lever is made to press the polisher towards the end of
its axis so as to bring it more directly over the support or holder on which the
tip or plate is supported. The heel tip or toe tip or plate being placed upon its
holder or support the said support is raised vertically, by which the flat surface

page_text: of the tip or plate is brought against the cylindrical surface of the polisher, and
the outer edge of the said tip or plate against the conical surface of the said
polisher. The edge and flat portions of the tip or plate are thus subjected to
the action of the polisher, and a slow rotatory motion being given to the
support or holder, all the parts of the said edge and flat surface are brought
under the operation of the polisher. The polisher may be made of steel or of
case-hardened iron. Or instead of a metallic polisher having teeth, the said
polisher may be made of wood covered with leather, and provided with a
polishing material, such as emery.
SPECIFICATION filed in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
and of an Order of the Lord Chancellor, by the said George Yates in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th June 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
YATES, of Wolverhampton, in the County of Stafford, Mechanic, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Tenth day of November, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said George Yates, Her special licence that I, the
said George Yates, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said George Yates, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF HEEL TIPS AND TOE TIPS, AND TOE PLATES FOR BOOTS AND SHOES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said George Yates, my executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of
their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office on or before
the Tenth day of June One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said George Yates, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention consists, firstly, of the machinery herein-after described for
countersinking the depressions in the said heel tips and toe tips, and plates for
the heads of the nails, by which the said tips and plates are attached to boots
and shoes, and also for shaping the iron by which the said heel tips and toe
tips, and plates are made.
The said machinery is constructed as follows:-Two rolls mounted upon
parallel axes are geared together by means of pinions. The axis of one of the
said rolls is provided with a pinion with which a rack engages. A recipro-
cating motion is given to the said rack by steam or other power, and a
reciprocating motion, or a backward and forward motion of partial rotation is
thereby communicated to the said rolls. The lower roll of the pair of rolls is
provided with collars, one of which is conical, and within the said collars a
flange or projection of the upper roll engages; the said flange on the upper
roll being also conical. The figures of the acting parts of the said rolls are
such as are proper to convert the bars or strips of iron fed between them into
iron of the figure employed in making heel tips and toe tips. The cylindrical
part of the lower roll has a series of projecting pieces fixed therein, which
produce the required countersinks in the iron operated upon. The upper or
lower roll carries a projecting stop, which guides or limits the distance to
which the iron to be operated upon can be introduced between the rolls. In
using the machine a bar or strip of iron of the proper length to form a tip is
introduced between the rolls when the said rolls have been brought to rest.
The bar or strip of iron is pressed against the stop, and the rolls performing
their advancing motion the bar of iron is carried between them and properly
shaped and countersunk. Instead of giving the rolls a reciprocating motion, they
may have a continuous rotary motion in one direction only. When, however,
they have a motion in one direction only, the workman cannot so conveniently
feed the bars or strips of iron against the stop or guide as when the rolls have
a reciprocating motion. When bars or strips for heel tips or toe tips have
been operated upon by the machine, they are bent into the required form in
the ordinary way; and when plates for toe plates have been shaped and
countersunk by the machine, they are cut, when necessary, into the required
shape after countersinking.
My Invention, consists, secondly, in machinery, herein-after explained, for
polishing heel tips, toe tips, and toe plates for boots and shoes.
The said machinery is constructed as follows:-A vertical support or holder
capable of rising and falling vertically, and capable also of a rotary motion,

page_text: carries the heel or toe tip, or toe plate to be operated upon. The summit of
the said support or holder has such a figure that the tip or plate only requires
to be dropped thereon to be held securely. Or the tip may be held by the
hand or tongs. Above the said support is the end of a horizontal axis car-
rying a rotating polisher, the said polisher consisting of a short cylinder, with
a slightly conical flange. The cylindrical and conical faces of the said polisher
are cut into fine teeth resembling those of a fine file. Besides the rotatory
motion communicated to the said polisher by the shaft which carries it, the
said polisher is capable of a sliding motion upon the said shaft, and a weighted
lever is made to press the polisher towards the end of its axis, so as to bring
it more directly over the support or holder on which the tip or plate is sup-
ported. The heel tip or toe tip or plate being placed upon its holder or
support, the said support is raised vertically, by which the flat surface of the
tip or plate is brought against the cylindrical surface of the polisher, and the
outer edge of the said tip or plate against the conical surface of the said
polisher. The edge and flat portions of the tip or plate are thus subjected to
the action of the polisher, and a slow motion of partial rotation being given to
the support or holder, all the parts of the said edge and flat surface are
brought under the operation of the polisher. The polisher may be made of
steel or of case-hardened iron. Or instead of a metallic polisher having teeth,
the said polisher may be made of wood, covered with leather, and provided
with a polishing material, such as emery.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to describe,
with reference to the accompanying Drawings, the manner in which the same
is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in side elevation a machine for shaping and counter-
sinking short straight lengths or bars or plates of iron to be made into heel
tips and toe tips for boots and shoes, the said machine being constructed
according to my Invention, and Figure 2 represents a transverse section of
the same taken through the line A, B, of Figure 1. The same letters are
employed to indicate the same parts in both Figures.
The said machine consists of two rolls c, d, of the construction herein-after
explained, mounted on parallel axes c, d, respectively, and geared together
by means of the pinions e, f. On the axis d2 of the lower roll d is a toothed
wheel g, with which toothed wheel 9 a rack (not shown in the Drawing)
A reciprocating motion is given to the said rack by steam or other
power, and a reciprocating motion, or a backward and forward motion of
partial rotation is thereby communicated to the rolls c, d, through the toothed
wheel
I and pinions e, f. The lower roll d of the pair of rolls c, d, is provided
engages.

page_text: with collars or flanges d³, d*, the inner face of the flange d³ being conical, as
represented. Within the said collars d', d', of the lower roll d, a flange or
projection on the upper roll c engages, the said flange c³ being also conical.
The space enclosed by the flanges described and the cylindrical part of the
roll d is of the figure in cross section to be given to the strips or bars of iron
fed between the rolls. The cylindrical inner part of the lower roll d is pro-
vided with a series of pegs or projecting pieces marked h, (best seen in
Figure 2,) which projecting pieces h produce the required countersinks in the
iron operated upon by the rolls. The lower roll d also carries a projecting
stop i (see Figure 2) situated a short distance in advance of the highest peg
or projecting piece h. The said stop i guides or limits the distance to which
the strip or bar of iron to be operated upon can be introduced between the
rolls. The lower roll d is made up of the three discs d³, d, and d. The
said discs are keyed together by being slipped upon the plain end of the
screw k, and are fixed upon the axis of the roll by the screw nut 1. The upper
roll consists of the conical disc c² keyed to the roll by being slipped upon the
plain end of the screw m, and held between the cheeks of the roll by the
screw nut n. The distance between the two rolls c, d, can be adjusted by
raising or lowering the upper roll c by means of the screws r, r, of the said
upper roll. The axis of the upper roll is supported upon a support t, having
the Figure best seen in Figure 2, pressed upwards by the coiled spring s. In
using the machine a plain straight bar or strip of iron of the proper length to
form a tip is heated and introduced between the rolis c, d, when the said rolls
have been brought to rest, that is, when the rolls are in the position repre-
sented in Figure 2. The end of the strip or bar is pressed against the stop i,
and the rolls performing their advancing motion in the direction of the arrows
in Figure 2 carry the said strip or bar between them, and properly shape and
countersink it, delivering it at the side p of the rolls. By the figure of the
acting portions of the rolls c, d, the strip or bar being operated upon is shaped
of the required form, and its shape preserved during the countersinkings made
therein by the lower roll. The strip or bar shaped and countersunk by the
rolls is represented in section in Figure 1, and marked q. The rolls after
delivering the strip or bar make their return motion, and when they have
reached the position, Figure 2, another plain bar or strip is introduced
between the rolls and pressed against the stop i, when the operations described
are repeated.
By means of the machinery described and represented, straight strips or
bars of iron of the length proper to make a tip can be shaped and counter-
sunk simultaneously, whereby great economy results, as the waste which

page_text: takes place when, as is ordinarily practised, long pieces of shaped and counter-
sunk iron are cut up into the lengths proper for making tips is avoided. The
short strips or bars for heel tips and toe tips, shaped and countersunk as
described, are bent into the required form in the ordinary manner. Plates of
iron for toe plates are shaped and countersunk in the same way as the bars or
strips for heel and toe tips are shaped and countersunk, and the said toe
plates are afterwards cut, when necessary, into the required shape. The rolls
used for countersinking and shaping toe plates differ from the rolls described
and represented only in having two sets of countersinking pegs for the two
rows of depressions required, and in having the size required to operate on
plates to be made into toe plates. Instead of both shaping the strip, bar, or
plate of iron into the required figure, as well as countersinking the holes by
the operation of the machine, short bars, strips, or plates having the required
figure may be employed, and the countersinking only of the said bars, strips,
or plates effected by the machine. Instead of effecting the reciprocating
motion of the rolls by means of a rack gearing with a toothed wheel g on the
axis of the lower roll d, the said rack and toothed wheel may be dispensed
with, and the said motion effected by means of an arm u, Figure 2, fixed to
the axis of the lower roll d. The said arm u is connected to a crank driven
by a steam engine, or any other motive power; a connecting rod from the
said crank being made to work in the slot or opening u² in the said arm u.
By the motion of the said crank and connecting rod the arm u is made to
perform a reciprocating motion on the dotted line v, and thereby to give
through the pinions e, f, a reciprocating motion to the rolls c, d. Instead of
giving the rolls a reciprocating motion in either of the ways described, they
may have a continuous rotatory motion in one direction only. In this case
the workman cannot so conveniently feed the bars or strips against the stop
or guide i as when the rolls have a reciprocating motion.
Figure 3 represents in side elevation (partly in section) a machine for
polishing heel tips, toe tips, and toe plates for boots and shoes constructed
according to my Invention; and Figure 4 represents an end elevation of the
same; Figure 5 represents in plan and section a portion of the same on a
larger scale. The same letters of reference are employed to indicate the same
parts in Figures 3, 4, and 5. The said machine, Figures 3 and 4, is made
double, that is, is capable of polishing two tips or plates simultaneously.
a is a vertical shaft carrying on its top the holder or support 6 for the tip or
plate to be polished. The said shaft a is capable of rising and falling ver-
tically, and is also capable of a slow rotatory motion. The rising and falling
motion is effected by a forked lever c connected with a trendle, and the

page_text: rotatory motion is effected by a band passing over the pulley d, the said shaft a
being connected with and disconnected from the said pulley in the manner
herein-after explained. The summit of the support or holder 6 (shown sepa-
rately of the full size in Figure 5) is so shaped that the tip or plate & only
requires to be dropped thereon to be held securely, as will be understood by
an examination of Figure 5. In Figure 3 the second vertical shaft carrying
the second holder is omitted, but the position of the said shaft is indicated
ate; fis a horizontal shaft working in the uprights g, h, situated above the
vertical shafts a, e, the ends of the said shaft projecting beyond the said vertical
shafts. Each end of the said shaft f carries a rotating polisher i, the said
polisher consisting of a short cylinder with a conical flange. The cylindrical and
conical faces of the said polishers i are cut into fine teeth resembling those of a
fine file. Rotatory motion is given to the shaft f by means of the fast pulley k
of the fast and loose pulleys k, l; and besides the rotatory motion communi-
cated to the polishers by the shaft f, the said polishers are also capable of a
sliding motion upon the said shaft. This is effected by means of a fixed key m
on the said shaft taking into a slot in each of the said polishers, as will be
understood by an examination of Figure 4. Each of the polishers i is pressed
towards the end of the shaft f so as to make it bear more directly over the
support or holder b, on which the tip or plate 6 is supported by means of a
weighted lever n. The said lever n is connected through the axis o with the
fork or levers p, p, the ends of which fork or levers carry rollers q, which are
pressed by the said weighted lever n against the back of the polisher i and
force the said polisher forward against the edge of the tip or plate being
operated upon. By the pressure thus given to the polishers they are made to
follow the curvature of the tips or plates under treatment. It is only neces
sary to give the vertical shafts carrying the supports or holders a slow motion
of partial rotation, and I effect this motion, and also the return motion of the
shafts, in the following manner:-The pulley d, which transmits motion to the
shaft a, works between fixed bearings r, r. The shaft a is not fixed perma-
nently upon the said pulley d, but is capable of sliding therein. Near the
bottom of the said shaft a are projecting pieces or lugs 8, 3, (the shape of which
is best seen in the separate view at t,) and in the bottom of the pulley d
recesses of a corresponding shape are made. When the shaft a is raised by
the forked lever c, acted upon by a treadle, into the position represented in
Figure 3, the lugs s are made to engage with the recesses in the pulley d, and
the motion of the pulley is thereby transmitted to the said shaft a; and when
the foot is removed from the treadle the shaft a descends by its own weight,
the lugs s are thereby disconnected from the pulley d, and the motion of the

page_text: shaft a arrested. During the motion of the shaft a the cord u, the end of
which carries a weight v, is wound upon the pulley w on the said shaft, and
when the motion of the shaft is arrested by its descent the said shaft is turned
in the opposite direction and brought back to its original position by the
descent of the weight v of the weighted cord u. By this means the holder b
is brought to a position proper for the polisher i to commence to act upon a
fresh tip. In polishing toe plates a holder is employed, having at its top a
recess into which the plate drops, or the plate may be held by the hand or by
tongs. The action of the machine is as follows:-Rapid rotatory motion
being given to the shaft f and a slow motion to the pulley d, the tip or plate b³,
supported on the holder 6 of the shaft a, is raised vertically by the lever c acted
upon by a treadle. By the raising of the shaft a a slow rotatory motion is
communicated to it in the manner herein-before explained, and the tip or plate
on the said holder 6 is pressed against the polisher i, the flat surface of the
tip or plate being brought against the cylindrical surface of the polisher, and
the outer edge of the said tip or plate against the conical flange of the said
polisher, as represented in Figure 3. The edge and flat portions of the tip or
plate are thus subjected to the action of the polisher, and by the partial
rotation of the holder or support 6 every part of the tip or plate to be polished
is brought under the operation of the polisher, the said polisher being made to
follow the curvature of the said tip or plate by the pressure of the rollers q, q,
acted upon by the weighted lever n. As soon as the polisher i has acted upon
all parts of the tip or plate to be polished the workman removes his foot from
the treadle of the lever c. The holder 6 is thereby made to descend from the
polisher, and its rotatory motion is at the same time arrested by the shaft a
being disconnected from the pulley d. The holder b is then brought back to
its original position by the weighted cord u. The polished tip or plate is
removed from the holder b and a fresh one dropped thereon, and the operations
described are repeated. The polishers i may be made of steel or of case-
hardened iron. Or instead of a metallic polisher having teeth, the said polisher
may be made of wood covered with leather, and provided with a polishing
material, such as emery.
b
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
limit myself to the precise details herein-before described and illustrated, as
the same may be varied without departing from the nature of my Invention ;
but I claim as my Invention,-
Firstly, the improvements in machinery for shaping and countersinking, or
countersinking only, short bars or strips or plates of iron to be made into heel

page_text: tips and toe tips and toe plates for boots and shoes, herein-before described
and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the accompanying Drawings, that is to
say, combining the two rolls c, d, with projecting pegs or pieces h and a
stop i, for simultaneously shaping and countersinking, or countersinking only,
short bars or strips or plates of iron for heel tips or toe tips or toe plates,
substantially in the manner described and illustrated.
Secondly, the general arrangement or combination of the parts of the
machine herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 3, 4, and 5 of the
accompanying Drawings, for polishing heel tips and toe tips and toe plates for
boots and shoes.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Yates, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Seventh day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
Witness,
RICHARD SKERRETT,
Clerk to George Shaw,
Birmingham.
GEORGE YATES. (L.S.)