IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPLITTING LEATHER AND COMMIRATS HEELS OR BOOTS AND SHOES.
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Crosman Dinsmore, of Boston, in the United
States of America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR SPLITTING LEATHER AND COMMIRATS HEELS OR BOOTS AND SHOES.
Sealed the 18th December 1860, and dated the 25th June 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Crosman Dinsmore
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the-
25th June 1860.
I, DAVID CROSMAN DINSMORE, of Boston, in the United States of America,..
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR SPLITTING LEATHER AND CUTTING THE HEELS OF BOOTS AND
SHOES," to be as follows:-
The first part of this Invention relates to the cutting or splitting of leather
in a manner not hitherto adopted, as in most cases the machinery for a similar
purpose has been made with two metallic rollers for the leather to pass through,
which produce a hard unyielding surface, having the effect of compressing the-
thicker portions or inequalities of the hide and rendering them harder and
more compact than the other portions thereof, so that the knife cannot cut.
through them readily and evenly, or without tearing. I propose feeling the
leather to be operated on through rollers, one of which is composed wholly or

page_text: in part of india-rubber, gutta percha, or a compound of the two. The great
use of an elastic feed roller is, that it overcomes the difficulties before men-
tioned, as it yields to the inequalities to be cut, and thus bears equally upon all
portions of the bide, whether thick or thin; moreover, by its yielding a little it
presents a longer bearing surface, or a bearing in a straight line, upon the
leather, and thus a stronger feeding power than the rigid rollers which bear
upon the material to be fed only on one point of their circumference. The
cutter which I propose using will either split the leather to any required thick-
ness, or cut it to a bevel for welts and such like, also to any width at the same
time. I effect this by the use of a bent knife, one edge or side of which stands
in a vertical direction, or nearly so, while the other forms any desired angle
thereto, the two edges or sides being formed in one piece. This peculiar form
of knife gives it great strength and stiffness, qualities so highly desirable in
knives for splitting and cutting leather and performing two operations at one
and the same time.
I also employ a tongue peculiarly applicable to the knife before mentioned,
which bears or presses the leather upwards against the feeding roller just in
advance of the cutting edge, thereby holding the leather firmly at that point
and preventing the liability of cutting the hide to various widths, where a hard
place presents itself, or of cutting the strip (with an upper or cross cut) entirely
off, which might otherwise occur.
I also propose attaching the cutting tool to a moveable stock, which can be so
adjusted by a set screw, as to change or set the cutters in a position to cut any
desired width, or split any desired thickness or bevel at the same time.
The last part of my Invention consists of a peculiar arrangement of cutters
to scoop or shape the heels of boots and shoes, and is effected by forming the
cutters somewhat in the shape of a pair of "callipers," jointed in the centre or
end, and opening and shutting by the action of springs; the heel being first
built and secured to a table or block, the expansion knives are brought down,
and opening in their downward course shape the heel to the desired form.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David Crosman Dinsmore in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 22nd December 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
CROSMAN DINSMORE, of Boston, in the United States of America, send 35
greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fifth day of June, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said David Crosman Dinsmore, Her special licence that I, the said
David Crosman Dinsmore, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
other as I, the said David Crosman Dinsmore, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, froin 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 King-
dom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR SPLINTING LEATHER AND CUT-
TING THE HEELS OF BOOTS AND SHOES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I,, the said David Crosman Dinsmore, 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 naturo of the said In-
vention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the
same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months
next and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said David Crosman Dinsmore, do hereby
declare the nature of said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, that is to say:-
The first part of this Invention relates to machinery for the cutting or split-
ting of leather in a manner not hitherto adopted, as in most cases that used for
a similar purpose has been made with metallic rollers for the leather to pass
through, which passes a hard unyielding surface, having the effect of com-
pressing the thicker portions or inequalities of the hide and rendering them
harder and more compact than the other portions thereof, so that the knife
cannot cut through them readily and evenly, or without tearing.
The second part of this Invention consists of a peculiar arrangement of
cutters or knives to scoop out or shape the heels of boots and shoes, and is
effected in a more simple and efficient manner than heretofore.
In order to explain the said Invention as completely as possible I now pro-
ceed to describe the best means I am acquainted with for carrying the same
into practical effect, reference being to the illustrative Sheet of Drawings
hereto annexed, and to the numeral figures and letters of reference marked
thereon respectively as follows:-

page_text: Figs. 1 to 3 shew different views of the machine for cutting or splitting
leather; Figs. 4 and 5 being views of the cutters or knives detached; Fig. 6
is a front view of the machine for cutting and shaping the heels of boots and
shoes; Fig. 7, side view of the same, Figs. 8, 9, and 10 being different views
of the knives or cutters detached, similar letters of reference denoting corre-
sponding parts where such parts appear or can be seen at each of the Figures
respectively.
At Figs. 1 and 3 will be seen rollers a, a, through which the leather is
passed, said rollers being composed wholly or in part of india-rubber, gutta
percha, or a compound of the two, or any other pliable material which will
render the same advantage, which is, that such rollers will overcome the difficul-
ties mentioned in the former part of this my Specification, as they will yield to
the inequalities to be cut, and thus bear equally upon all portions of the hide,
whether thick or thin; moreover, by yielding a little they present a longer
bearing surface, or a bearing in a straight line upon the leather, and thus a
stronger feeding power than the rigid rollers which bear upon the material to
be fed only on one point of their circumference.
The cutter which I use, b, b, is formed in one piece and with two cutting
edges, and although shewn in the Drawing with the two edges set at right
angles to each other, yet they may be formed either acute or obtuse, as the case
may require. Thus the leather may be cut to any width and thickness, at the
same time bevelled for welts and such like; this peculiar construction of cutter
giving it great strength and stiffness, qualities so higbly desirable in knives for
splitting and cutting leather and performing two operations at once and the same
time by the means exhibited, the leather presses upwards just in advance of
the cutting edge, thereby holding the leather firmly at that point and prevent-
ing the liability of cutting the hide to various widths where a hard place pre-
sents itself, or of cutting the strip (with an upper or cross cut) entirely off,
which might otherwise occur. The cutting tool is attached to a moveable
stock c, which can be so adjusted by a set screw as to change or set the cutters
in a position to cut any desired width, or split any thickness, or bevel at one
and the same time..
At Figs. 6 and 7 will be seen a front and side elevation of the heel-shaping
machine, d being a pillar supported by feet or legs e, e; on the top of this
pillar is firmly secured a table or slab f, upon which are placed standards g, I,
and which carry the working parts of the machine.
At Figs. 8, 9 and 10 will be seen three views of the knife or cutter, some-

page_text: what in the form of a horse-shoe hinged at the toe, Fig. 8 being the plan view,
Fig. 9 front view, and Fig. 10 side view. This knife or cutter will be seen in
position at both Figs. 6 and 7. Any person acquainted with machinery will
instantly perceive the modus operandi operandi of this machine; but to render
it more intelligible to these unacquainted with the science of mechanics, [ will
here describe the working of the various parts. It will be seen that the knife
is secured by screws to a plate or frame h, the upper part of which is a semi-
sphere, and fits into a cup i for its reception; the knife is hinged at the back
and the sides thereof, adjusted by turnbuckles j, j, the back of the knife being
adjusted in like manner; the knife being (with its frame and cup) attached
to a horizontal cross piece k, mounted on vertical rods with helical springs
around each, as shewn; it will appear evident that as the pedal is brought
down by the foot of the operator, so must the knife descend, and in its descent
is caused slightly to expand sideways by the action of the turnbuckles, move
by the action of the back adjustment fi n its inclined position into the hori-
zontal, thus giving to the heel to be cut a graceful curve all round, according
to the manner in which the knife and turnbuckles are set or adjusted.
bed beneath the knife upon which the heel is secured, it will be seen, is also
resting in a cup, and therefore accomodates itself to the downward action of
the knife..
The
Having now described the nature and objects of my said Invention of "Im-
provements in Machinery for Splitting Leather and Cutting the Heels of Boots
and Shoes," and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I would
remark in conclusion, that I do not confine or restrict myself to the precise
details of the various parts of the machinery shewn and herein described, as
many modifications and alterations may be made therein without in any way
departing from the principle of my Invention; for instance, I do not claim any
peculiar construction of framing, or shape or size of rollers for cutting or split-
ting, as many descriptions of framing may be used for the same purpose; but
what 1 claim, and therefore wish to be secured to me by the herein in part
recited Letters Patent is, the forming of the feed rollers of a semi-rigid sub-
stance; also the peculiar construction of knives or cutters as herein described
and shewn in the accompanying Drawing, for the purposes herein set forth.
I do not claim the exact form of machine with pillar and framing, as shewn,
for cutting the heels of boots and shoes (although I have found the same to
answer well in practice), as other modifications may be made use of, such as a
fly press, lever press, or other such like presses; but what I particularly claim
in this part of my Invention is, the peculiar construction of cutter or knife and
mode of adjusting the same; also the mode of actuating the same by the ball

page_text: and cup; also the bed upon which the heel is to be placed, in the manner
hercin described and shewn in the accompanying Sheet of illustrative Drawings,
for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Crosman Dinsmore, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifteenth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
D. C. DINSMORE. (L.S.)
Witness,
ALEX. PRINCE,
Agent for Patents,
4, Trafalgar Square, Charing Cross.