IMPROVED TACK-MAKING AND LASTING MACHINE COMBINED
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Raphael Hunter Brandon of No 1 rue Laffitte Paris in
the Republic of France Engineer and Patent Agent for an invention of AN
Communicated to
him by François Huré of Paris in the Republic of France Mechanician.
IMPROVED TACK-MAKING AND LASTING MACHINE COMBINED
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Raphael Hunter Brandon at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th July 1882.
RAPHAEL HUNTER BRANDON of No 1 rue Laffitte, Paris in the Republic of
France Engineer and Patent Agent "AN IMPROVED TACK-MAKING AND LASTING
MACHINE COMBINED A communication to me by Francois Huré of Paris in the
Republic of France, Mechanician
"
This invention refers to a tack-making and lasting machine combined and it
consists of an improved machine in which three operations are fulfilled, to wit:
holding the upper upon a last while it is being tacked, making a tack and driving
the said tack into the upper, all three operations being effected one after the other
in one single machine
The upper to be lasted is pressed by hand against a stationary bearing piece
forming a lower jaw, and is bald by means of a movable upper jaw which is
brought down against the stationary jaw-thus holding securely the upper between
the said jaws, while tacks are being driven into the upper, as hereinafter explained-
the movable jaw is operated by means of a pedal
The tacks to be driven into the upper are severed from a strip of zinc or other
appropriate metal, which is rolled in such a manner that each longitudinal edge
forms a swelling, and assumes in section, the shape of an I The said strip is
introduced into the machine and fed forward to the extent of the width of one
tack and is then severed crosswise and slightly obliquely by ordinary shears, the
severed tack falls into a suitable groove or bed leading to the upper and is
then driven into the latter by a driving pin. The mechanism which serves for

page_text: feeding the strip forward is connected to a mechanism, the action of which causes
the strip together with its holder to turn at 180 degrees, i,e, to make half a
revolution at every successive cut of the shear, so that the strip is cut alternately
on one side and on the other; thus the head of the tacks is cut off alternately on
each longitudinal edge of the strip
For operating the machine a pedal is depressed, by which a clutch is made to
act, The clutch has for its purpose to prevent the machine from severing tacks in a
continuous manner and driving the same into the upper, the machine being put
in motion only after depressing the pedal for the clutch, and such motion stops
automatically after each single tack has been severed and driven
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Raphael Hunter Brandon in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
3rd January 1883.
RAPHAEL HUNTER BRANDON of 1 Rue Laffitte Paris in the Republic of
France Engineer and Patent Agent IMPROVEMENTS IN LASTING AND TACKING
MACHINES COMBINED. A communication to me by François Huré of Paris in the
Republic of France Mechanisian
This invention has reference to lasting machines and it consists of a new
machine, the object of which is to hold an upper for the purpose of lasting it, also
to manufacture tacks which are driven into the said upper; also to drive the said
tacks into the upper. These three operations take place in the same machine
In order that my invention be clearly understood I will describe it conjointly
with the two sheets of drawings hereto annexed. In sheet 1 fig 1 is a plan of the
machine: fig 2 is a front elevation of the same in section through- A A fig 1; fig 3
a sectional elevation through D. D fig 2.; fig 4 a lateral elevation in section through
C. C. fig 1.; fig 5 is a piece of a strip of zinc from which tacks are made, showing
the lines where they are severed from the strip. This fig 5 is on a larger scale
than the remainder. Fig 6 is a longitudinal elevation in section through B. B. of
fig 1 with the column supporting the machine; fig 7 shows the clutch in section;
fig 8 is a cross section of the same through E. E. fig 7.
In sheet 2. I have shown a modification of the above mentioned machine: fig 1
is a plan; fig 2 a side view of the machine fig 3 is a plan of the circular plate for
guiding the tacks while they are being manufactured and fig 4 a sectional elevation
of the same through F. F. fig 3.
I will first proceed to describe the arrangements of machine shown in sheet 1.
1 is the driving shaft and 2 the driving pulley. In order to manufacture the tacks
separately the operator must be able to limit exactly the run of the machine; for
this purpose I make use of the clutch shown in fig 7 and 8 in the hub of the
driving pulley 2 is a cavity 3, fig 7 and 8 which resembles a gear having internal

page_text: But
teeth The pulley 2 causes the shaft 1 to rotate as soon as the bell-crank-lever 4,
fig 7 and 8, bears with its side lug 5 against one of the teeth 7 by means of the
spring 6, as the axis 8 of the bell crank lever 4 is fastened upon the disk 9 fixed
to the shaft 1, it follows that the shaft 1 will also rotate and that its rotation
would be continuous. The rotation should however not be continuous and it is
prevented by the lower arm of the bell crank lever 4 which butts against a bolt 10;
the lug of the upper lever arm is raised and is released from one of the teeth 7 and
the pulley runs loose on the shaft, that is to say the machine will not rotate.
if the machine has to work, the operator presses on the pedal 11 in order to push
the spring bolt 10 to the left, by means of the rod 12. double lever 13 and stud 14.
The lower lever arm is then liberated, the spring 6 pushes the upper arm with its
lug 5 against one of the teeth 7 and the shaft 1 follows the same motion. After
a complete revolution, the bolt 10 reassumes its original position of means of the
spring 15, the bell crank lever 4 butts with its lower arm against the said bolt and
the lug 5 is liberated from the tooth 7 and the machine stops-In order to cause
the shaft 1 to turn more than once the pedal 11 is depressed accordingly.
Upon the shaft 1 is keyed a gear 16 which meshes into the teeth of a gear 17
the diameter of which is twice that of the gear 16. Upon the gear 17 is a
crank 18 which acts upon a slide 20 by means of a rod 19. the arm 21 of this
slide butts with its small roller 22 first against the stop 23 and then against
the stop 24 of the part 25 fig 1. and causes the latter to oscillate. Together
with the part 25 also oscillates the projection 26 fig 1 which engages in the
grove 27 of a sleeve 28, thus imparting a to and fro motion to the said sleeve. The
sleeve 28 is loose on the hollow cylinder 31 fig 1 and 2 whereas the collars 29
and 30 are keyed on the said cylinder or tube. The cylinder may turn in
bearings 33. 34 which are capable of being raised and lowered and it contains the
zinc slip 32 from which the tacks are cut off and the section of which corresponds
to an I or L-upon the said strip bear the sharp edges of the clicks 35. 36. fig 1
and 2 which allow of the strip 32 to move forwards towards the left fig 2 but
prevent it from retrograding. Upon the motion of the sleeve 28 towards the right.
fig 2 by means of the projection 28 the strip will not follow this motion because
it is held by the click 30 of the collar 29; but when the sleeve 28 moves from right
to left, the click 36 pushes the strip 32 forward and in this manner, the said strip
advances successively to the extent of the breadth of one tack, towards the shears 39
and knife 38 in consequence of the to and fro motion of the sleeve 28 by the
oscillations of the part 25.
When the strip 32 has been advanced so far that its right end lies in between the
clicks 35 & 36 of the collars 29 and 30, it is no longer seized by the click 35 and
fed forward in the machine; to remedy this, I have adapted an extra click 87 upon
the collar 30 which acts to replace the click 36 when a fresh strip 32 is introduced
into the hollow cylinder 31; the said click 37 now acts in place of the click 36
and while the fresh strip is brought forward by the click, it pushes or drives the
remainder of the former strip towards the shears until the said remainder is
used entirely; by this arrangement there is no waste of the material forming the
tacks.
In order to severe the tacks from the strip 32 through the lines shown at fig 5,
it is necessary that the longitudinal axis of the strip be oblique to that of the
shears, see fig 1. and that the strip lies or rests upon the bearing 40 fig 1 and 2
once on one side, once on the other side, that is to say the strip must be turned
over to an angle of 180 degrees. This motion is effected by the pinion 41 fig 1
and 2. driven by the rack 42 which receives its motion from the lever 43 fastened
to a stud 44 of the slide 20 But as at each revolution of the gear 16, the gear 17
only makes half a revolution and as the slide 20 thereby merely executes either a
backward or a forward motion, the change of position of the lever 43 will correspond
to that shown in full lines and in dotted lines fig 1. at every complete revolution
of the gear 16. At the same time, the pivoting piece 25 is caused to oscillate, its
roller 22 coming in contact with the stops 23 and 24 at each forward and each

page_text: backward motion, under the action of a small spring 45 fig 1; to the sleeve 28 is
thus imparted a to and fro motion and the strip 32 is moved forward to the extent
of the width of one tack. Therefore it will be seen that one tack is made at each
revolution of the shaft 1. While the tack is being severed, the strip 32 lies or
rests upon the bearing 40. fig 2, but before it is turned over, it must be slightly
raised. The said rise of the strip 32 with its cylinder 31 and the bearings 33
and 34 fig 1. is effected by means of the forked lever arm 45, fig 2. and 4. which is
actuated by a pin 46 fastened to the slide 20, the pin 46 depresses the lever 45
except when it assumes the extreme positions; it then engages one of the slots 47
or 48 fig 4 and allows the said lever 45 to rise, whereupon the bearings 33 and 34
are lowered. The strip 32 then bears upon the bearing 40 and it can then be cut
by the shears. The knife 38 together with the slide 39 to which it is attached,
receives a vertical to and fro motion by means of a lever 67 fig 6 which receives a
to and fro motion by means of an excentric 68. The severed tack falls upon the
part 49 fig 2. which is between the bearing 40 and the slide 39 and thus lies in a
groove or channel from where it is driven into the upper by means of a needle 50
fastened to a slide bar 51 fig 1. 2. and 6. immediately after it has been severed
from the said strip 32 The slide bar 51 is operated by a roller 52 to which motion
is imparted by a cam 53 on the shaft 1. a spring 54 acting for driving the said
slide to the left. The bearing 56 for the slide bar 51 is provided with a flexible
or rubber buffer 55 for lessening the shock of the slide bar 51.
The tack is thus driven out of the machine into the upper which is held against
the bearing 57 and seized by the pincers 58. 59. The upper jaw 59 is liberated
by means of a pedal 60 which by means of the rod 61 fig 1 and 6. lever 62 and
rod 63 raises the lever arm 64 fig 1 whereby the cam 65 fastened at the end of
the lever 64 comes under the horizontal arm of the jaw 59 and causes the latter
to be brought against the stationary jaw 58 in order to hold tightly the upper.
By depressing the pedal 60 the spring 66 presses upon the horizontal arm of the
movable jaw 59 and causes the jaw to rise, so that the upper can then be taken out.
In the modification shown in fig 1 to 4 of sheet 2, 1 is the driving shaft
and 2 the driving pulley which is connected to a clutch the same as shown in
fig 7 and 8 of sheet 1.
Instead of employing a I or similarly shaped strip of zino I make use in this
machine, of a wire which is coiled on a cylinder 69 whence it is conducted to a
plate 74 by means of a guide-roller 70, through an eye 71 and by two clamps 72, 73.
These two clamps are constructed so as to allow the wire to move downwards but
prevent it from moving backwards and the clamp 72 is secured to the moveable
plate 75 which is is connected to the lever 79 pivoted at 78 by means of the
bracket 76 and pivoted arm 77. The other end of the lever 79 carries a roller 80
engaging an irregular groove or cam of the disk 81 which imparts the required
motion to the lever 79; by this motion, the wire is brought down a certain
length and arrives at 95 fig 3. of the plate 74. The wire is then seized between
two jaws 83 and 84 let into the plate 74 and between which are small spiral
springs 124 and 125 fitted into suitable cavities; the rotary plate 74 which
moves in a stationary ring 82 is provided with four pairs of jaws 95, 96, 97 and 98
see fig 3 The lower end of the wire is cut off by shears, the two branches 85 and 86
of which are pivoted to the vertical pin 87 and operated by a spiral spring placed
on the studs 88 and 89 and also by a wedge 90, The wedge 90 is placed at the
end of a lever 92 pivoted at 91 which receives its motion by means of a lever 93
at the other end of the lever 92 and engaging a cam or groove of the disk 94.
After the piece of wire has been cut off, the plate 74 describes a partial circle
equal to 90 degrees, so that 95 now occupies the position of 96, this being effected
by a stud upon which is secured a gear 99 having four teeth. The said gear 99 is
rotated one tooth that is to say one quarter of a circle, by an arm 103 pivoted at 91
actuated by a roller 101 engaging a groove of the disk 102. When the said piece
of wire arrives at 96 the part protruding above the jaws is struck by a hammer 107
whereby a head is formed. The hammer 107 as well as the slide bar 51 and nail

page_text: driver 50 are secured to a cross bar 108 to the pin 110 of which is connected a
movable arm 111 which is fixed to the end of an arm 109 pivoted at 78 The
lever 109 is guided by a roller 113 bearing on the periphery of a disk 112 so that
the left arm of the lever 109 first rises gradually, but as soon as the roller has
reached the groove of the disk 112 the said arm is rapidly lowered with the cross-
bar 108 by means of the spring 54 fixed on one side to the cross-bar and on the
other side at 114 whereby the hammer is caused to strike the said piece of wire
at 96 whilst the needle 50 secured to the slide 51 drives into the upper one of the
previously made tacks having arrived at 98. In order to prevent the said tack from
being lowered while it is being struck by the hammer, the jaw close to the ring 82
is strongly pressed against the internal jaws by means of a stud 115. which is
introduced from the outside by a cavity in the ring 82 at 96. The stud 115 is
operated by the end of the lever 117 pivoted at 116, the other end of which
is connected to the rod 118 the latter receives a to and fro motion by means of a
lever 122 pivoted at 119 and operated by a roller 121 engaging a groove of the
disk 120. The finished tack is then carried over from the plate 74 to 97, fig 3. by
means of the gear 99 and ratchet 100 and then to 98 whence it is driven out by
the needle 50 fixed to the slide bar 51 under the action of the strong spring 54, whilst
at the same time the hammer 107 strikes a new tack at 96
In order that the tacks may easily be driven into the upper, an excentric
groove 123 is made in the ring 82 fig 3. into which the outer jaw may recede, under
the action of the springs 124 and 125, so as to liberate the tack from the jaws.
The tack thus driven out of the machine enters, as in the machine shown in
sheet 1, into the upper which is made to bear against the lip 58 of the pincers and
which is also held by the said pincers 58 and 59. The lip. 59 is brought down
against the lip 58 by a projection 65 of a lever 64; the latter is depressed by a
connecting rod 61 fastened to a pedal and is brought back to its original position
by a spring 126
Instead of the zinc strip 32 assuming a longitudinal head on each edge its edges
may simply be turned over so as to form an 1; and I may here remark that by
means of the arrangement which causes the said strip to be turned over, once on
one side once on the other, tacks may be severed therefrom without any waste
whatsoever.
The above described arrangement of pincers for holding the upper, as above
stated may be applied to any machine the purpose of which is to drive nails into
boots and shoes or into uppers, whether the said tacks are introduced ready made
into the said machine, or severed from a specially prepared wire or strip.
I claim.
First In self making tack machines for boots and shoes, the device for causing
the strip 32 fig 5, to be turned over, composed of the hollow cylinder 31, pinion 41,
rack 42 lever 43, slide-bar 20 and connecting rod 19, as shown in fig 1, sheet 1 of
the drawings.
Second. In self-making tack machines for boots and shoes, the device for feeding
the strip 32 fig 5. composed of the projection 21 on the slide bar 20 having a
roller 22 on its under face, stops 23, 24, projection 26 on the swivelling part 25,
sleeve 28 on the hollow cylinder 31, having a feed click 85, in combination with
the stationary collars 29, 30 pivoted with clicks 36 and 37 respectively, as shown
in fig 1 and 2 sheet 1 of the drawings.
Third In self making tack machines, the device for driving tacks into uppers or
boots and shoes, composed of the slide bar 51, having the driving needle 50 fixed at
one end, and operated partly by a cam 53 actuating a roller 52 fixed at the other
end of the said slide bar 51 and partly by a spring 54 as shewn in figures-1 and 6
sheet 1 of the drawings
Fourth In self making tack machines for boots and shoes, the device for slightly
raising the strip 32 before it is turned over, composed of the stud 46 actuated by the
connecting rod 19 forked lever 45 with grooves 47 and 48 and bearings 33 and 34
as shewn in fig 2 and 4 sheet 1 of the drawings

page_text: Fifth The metal strip 32, fig 5 substantially as above described and for the
purpose set forth.
Sixth The application to tacking machines for lasting or tacking boots and shoes,
of pincers 58 and 59 for holding the upper or boot, while it is being tacked, as shewn
in fig 1, and 6, sheet 1 of the drawings.
Seventh The rest or bearing piece 40 upon which the strip 32 lies while it is
being cut, as shewn in fig 1 and 2 sheet 1 of the drawings.
Eight In self making tack machines from a coil of wire, for boots and shoes the
device for forming the tacks, composed of the moveable plate 74, with four pairs of
jaws 95, 96, 97, and 98 having springs 124 and 125, hammer 107 operated by the
spring 54 and cross head 108, lever 79 and guide roller 80 as above described and
shewn in fig 1, 2, 3 and 4 sheet 2 of the drawings
Ninth. In self making tack-machines from a coil of wire for boots and shoes the
device for driving the tacks into uppers or boots and shoes composed of the needle 50
fastened to a cross bar 108 operated by the lever 109, as shewn in fig 1 and 2, sheet 2
of the drawings
In witness whereof I the said Raphael Hunter Brandon have hereunto set my
hand and seal this 28th day of December 1882.
Witness
P. SCHOLTU
D. H. BRANDON
R. H. BRANDON (L.S.)