Improvements in Machinery for Trimming the Heels of Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Aug., 1889-Accepted, 12th Oct., 1889
COATED MULTICATION
Improvements in Machinery for Trimming the Heels of Boots
and Shoes.
A communication from abroad by JAMES WILLSON BROOKS, of Cambridge, in the
State of Massachusetts, one of the United States of America.
I ALFRED GEORGE BROOKES of the firm of Wm. Brookes & Son of 55 & 56 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent 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 that class of heel trimming machine employing a rotary
cutter.
In another application for Letters Patent filed concurrently herewith I have shown
the shoe, the heel of which is to be trimmed, as mounted in a jack, the shoe being
provided with means to partially rotate it to bring the different portions of the heel
under the cutter, the machine having a pattern guard which rests upon a heel
pattern plate against which is confined in some manner the tread end of the
heel.
In the invention to be herein described, the shoe, the heel of which is to he
trimmed, is held by the hands of the operator, he merely resting one edge of the
heel upon a heel rest and with the heel so supported turning it under the rotating
cutter.
In my experiments to improve this class of machine I have provided means
whereby the rand or counter guard, in its movements to uncover more or less of
the blades of the heel trimming cutter as the heel is being trimmed, is made to tip
in the direction in which the shoe is tipped by the operator as he keeps the tread
of the heel pressed against the tread guard, and the shoe at the junction of the
heel and upper, against the lip of the rand or counter guard.
When the operator holds in his hand a shoe the heel of which is to be trimmed
and by hand presents the heel to the action of a rotary cutter it is essential that
the tread end of the heel be kept against a tread guard and that the rand crease
between the large end of the heel and the upper be kept against the lip of the
rand or counter guard; but when trimming that class of heel wherein the angle
or inclination of the back of the heel with relation to the tread of the heel is
greater than the angle of the side of the heel to the tread, it is somewhat difficult
to keep the rand crease which is substantially parallel to the tread of the heel on
the lip of the rand or counter guard which it is also necessary should be kept parallel
or substantially so to the face of the tread guard so as to be in proper position to
serve as a guide for the heel at the rand crease.
To properly trim this class of heel the machine herein to be described has been
provided with means whereby the counter-guard may be tipped in the same direction
as the heel,-
,-as the said heel during its rotation is tipped in the direction of its
thickness measured from its tread to its seat end, to keep the rand crease against
the lip of the rand guard, such tipping of the rand or counter guard preventing the
lip of the rand or counter guard leaving the rand crease.
To enable the rand or counter guard to tip as described it has been attached to
a carriage supported by links and adapted to be moved, as the shape of the heel
requires in a direction angular to the centre of rotation of the heel trimming
cutter, the said carriage as herein represented having suitable bearings for a shaft
provided with a rand cutter, the latter shaft as herein represented deriving its
motion of rotation by a universal joint connection with the shaft carrying the heel
trimming cutter.
As herein represented the carriage to which is secured the rand or counter guard

page_text: has an arm or extension provided with a projection which enters a slot in a cam
plate, fixed with relation to the frame-work but preferably adjustable, the said
projection and slot controlling the extent of the tipping movement of the rand-guard,
as will be described.
By pivoting the carriage of the rand or counter guard on a link or equivalent
which is free to swing about a centre at right angles to the axis of rotation of the
shaft carrying the heel trimming cutter, the said carriage is capable of being moved
and as it is moved of being tipped to uncover more or less of the acting edges
of the blades of the heel trimming cutter, the lip of the said rand guard in its
movement following closely the curvature of the edges of the blades, yet throughout
this movement the lip of the rand or counter guard is kept parallel or substantially
so to the tread guard and in position to act within and form a guile for the rand
crease.
The heel trimming cutter herein shown is substantially the same as in Letters
Patent No. 12346 dated August 28, 1888 granted to Alfred George Brookes entitled
Improvements in means or apparatus employed for trimming heels and soles in
the manufacture of boots and shoes," and it will be noticed that the said cutter may
be adjusted longitudinally on the shaft carrying it which is of especial advantage
when such a cutter is combined with, not only a throat, such as shown in the said
patent, but also with a tread guard such as has been herein referred to, for by
adjusting the cutter longitudinally on the shaft it is possible to adapt the same cutter
to trim to shape heels of considerably varying contour or shape from tread end to
seat end.
The machine herein to be described is also shown as provided with a treadle by
or through which, if used, the rand or counter guard may be moved or tipped; and
so also the machine has been provided with a novel rest for the shoe heel, the said
rest being capable of being raised and lowered to place it in proper position with
relation to the heel trimming cutter to enable the said rest to serve as a support
for the heel while the said cutter, in fixed bearings, acts to trim not only the
substantially circular rear part of the heel, but also the substantially straight sides
of the heel, the said rest by the said treadle being placed at different levels; and
the rest for the best results is also left free to turn or tip about an axis at right
angles to the length of its acting edge on or with relation to the arm supporting
it, as the heel is tipped, the rest being thereby enabled to remain substantially
parallel to the lifts of the heel throughout the trimming operation.
This invention in heel trimming machine includes the following instrumentalities,
viz.a rotary heel trimming cutter; a carriage; a swinging support for it; a
rand guard attached to the said carriage; and means to automatically tip the said
carriage and rand or counter-guard as the rand or counter-guard is moved to
uncover more or less of the acting edges of the blades of the rotary trimming
cutter.
Also in a heel trimming machine, a rotary heel trimming cutter; and a carriage
having an attached rand or counter guard to enter the rand-crease; combined with
links to support the said carriage.
Also, a rotary heel trimming cutter; and a carriage having an attached rand or
counter-guard; and a link support for the said carriage; and a rotary rand cutter the
shaft of which is supported in the said carriage.
Also, a rotary heel trimming cutter; and a carriage having an attached rand or
counter-guard; combined with links to support the said carriage; a rotary rand
cutter the shaft of which is supported in the said carriage; and with a universally
jointed connection between the shaft carrying the trimming cutter and the shaft
carrying the rand cutter, whereby the latter shaft is rotated in unison with the
shaft of the heel trimming cutter.
Also, a rotary heel trimming cutter; a carriage having an attached rand or
counter guard; and means to support the carriage, combined with means to auto-
matically move the said carriage to effect its tipping motion in the direction in
which the heel is tippēd.

page_text: Also in a heel trimming machine, a rotating shaft having a heel trimming cutter
thereon; a tread-guard; and a carriage having a rand or counter-guard; combined
with means to support the said carriage, and means to adjust the heel trimming
cutter longitudinally between the said tread-guard and the rand or counter-guard
to thereby adapt the cutter to trim heels of somewhat varying shape.
Also, a rotary heel trimming cutter; a tread-guard; and a carriage having a
rand or counter guard, combined with a rest upon which to place the edge of the
heel to be trimmed by the heel trimming cutter, and with means to raise and
lower the said rest whereby it may be placed and held at one level, as when the
substantially circular rear part of the lieel is being trimmed, and then in another
position as when the substantially straight sides of the heel are being trimmed.
Also, in the combination with a rotary heel trimming cutter; of a rest to support
the edge of the heel while the latter is being trimmed, the edge of the said rest in
contact with the heel remaining substantially parallel to the tread guard during the
trimming operation.
Also in the combination with a rotary heel trimming cutter; and a carriage; and
a connected rand guard; of an independent shaft supported by the said carriage;
and a rand cutter consisting essentially of arms and two disce like cutters thereon to
operate as will be described.
Figure 1, in front elevation represents a heel trimming machine embodying this
invention.
Figure 2, a partial plan or top view of the machine shown in Fig. 1.
Figure 3, is a partial view of the machine shown in Fig. 1 looking at it from the
left, the said Fig. 3 being partially broken out to shorten it and thereby save space
upon the drawing.
Figure 4, is an enlarged section of the cutter shaft, the heel trimming cutter and
the carriage containing the rand or counter guard and rand cutter.
Figure 5, is an enlarged detail supposed to be a plan view looking at Fig. 4
in the direction of the arrow immediately above it, the drawing being chiefly to show
the rand cutter.
Figure 6, is a right hand end elevation of the rand cutter shown in Fig. 5,
and
Figure 7, is a detail showing a portion of the lever d³ to be described.
The main frame-work of the machine, shaped as shown, is made hollow in the
part A to constitute a wind trunk, the hollow part A rising from a blower shell A¹
bolted to a base A having suitable legs, the said base having also bolted to it suitable
brackets A3, A4, which support usual pivoted bearings A³ for the main driving shaft A",
one of the said brackets as A³ being extended vertically to serve as a support for the
wind trunk.
The main shaft A has in practice fast on it any usual form of exhaust fan whereby
in the rotation of the said shaft air will be drawn through the trunk A and shell A¹
and be discharged from the mouth of the said shell, as shown by the arrow Fig. 3,
the said driving shaft containing not only the said exhaust fan, but also a driving
pulley B which by the belt B₁ extended over the pulley B2 secured to the cutter
shaft B3 by a set screw 533 rotates the said cutter shaft, it having suitable bearings B'
supported above the flanged head or table A².
Referring to Fig. 4 it will be noticed that the main shaft B³ runs in bushings 52
within the pivoted bearings B the said bushings being extended into the opposite ends
of the pulley 12 as in practice it is preferred to remove the cutter shaft B³ from the
machine when it is desired to grind the heel trimming cutter D, rather than to remove
the said cutter from the shaft. When the set screw 53 is relaxed to loosen the
shaft B³ the latter may be withdrawn from its bearings and thereafter the said
bushings serve to retain the driving pulley in place, which is a matter of very
considerable convenience.
The head A has bolted to it a bonnet composed of two hollow trunk portions B5, Bº,
one sliding telescopically into the other, the moveable portion 136 having an arm B7
connected to an adjustable block C in or on which is made adjustable the block C¹ to

page_text: which is pivoted at C the double link C³ employed to support between its ends the
carriage to which is connected the rand or counter guard a, it having at its edge
a lip to enter the rand crease...
The carriage C has suitable bearings for the hollow shaft carrying the rand
cutters consisting essentially of discs. 32, the peripheries of which are shaped so that
the cross section of the cutter corresponds with the shape that it is desired to give to
the upper edge of the sole, or that edge of the sole next the upper and to be acted
upon by the said rand cutters.
These cutters are cut into from their peripheries as best shewn in Fig. 6, to leave
cutting lips or projections p.
The rand cutters 32 are held in position by shouldered set screws 12 screwed
into arms 31 of a disc or shoulder herein shewn as connected to, but which may
form part of the shaft b.
The hollow shaft is prevented from being drawn longitudinally out through
the carriage C+ by means of a nut as 35, which is secured to one end of the said
shaft b.
The hollow shaft is represented as of greater thickness for most of its length
within the carriage C and its thickened portion is provided with two longitudinal
grooves, as 36, in which enter like projections 37 at one end of a rod 38, the opposite
end of the said rod being made somewhat globular and provided with projections to
enter notches at the end of the trimmer shaft 133, the said rod being so jointed to the
said shaft as to enable the said shaft B³ to rotate the rod 38 and cause it to rotate
the shaft b.
The ends of the rod and its connections with the part driving it and driven by
it are such as to form a universal joint connection to permit the carriage C
to tip as described and yet the shaft be always rotated in unison with the
shaft 133.
The rand cutters 32 are so located at the ends of the blades of the rotary heel
trimming cutter D, (which may be of any usual construction, or as in the said
Letters Patent No. 12546,) as to avoid the formation of a fin on the upper corner of
the heel or on that part of the sole to which the heel is attached.
The carriage has an outwardly extended rigid arm c provided with a roller or
other stud which enters a slot in an arm adjustably attached by a stud or
screw to an arm or portion of the block C, the adjustment of the arm with
relation to the block C enabling the slot in the said arm in which moves the said
roller or other stud c. to be placed in the desired position or angle with relation to
the axis of rotation of the cutter shaft 333 and the cutter D according to the shape
of the heel to be trimmed or the extent of tipping movement desired for the
carriage.
The adjustment of the block C is determined by the screw bolt 2, and as the said
block is adjusted the portion B of the bonnet will enter the portion 135 thereof more
or less, thus enabling the area of the mouth of the bonnet or wind-trunk to be
changed according to the length of the cutter D being employed.
The flanged head A' has erected upon it a stand d, shewn in Fig. 2, which receives
within it the reduced pin forming part of a lever 3 shewn as of elbow shape see
Fig. 7, one arm of the said lever having connected to it a link or rod d' the said rod
being shewn as partially broken out in Fig. 3 to shew rod m² behind it, the rod d
having at its lower end a roller or other stud 5 which enters a cam slot 22 in an
arm 23 rising from or forming part of a treadle 20, the movement of the said treadle
and cam slot causing the lever to be rocked upon its pivot.
This bell crank lever 3 has an are shaped arm 25, see Figure 7, made dove-tailed
in cross section, the said dove-tailed portion depending and having adjustably mounted
upon it a block 20 which may be secured in adjusted position thereon by a set
screw 27.
This block 26 has attached to it by a set screw 28 a loop 24 jointed by a pin to onc
end of a link 29 the outer end of which is pivotally attached to a post or block shown
by dotted lines Figure 2, pivoted at its upper and lower ends by suitable pivot

page_text: screws 30 to the links C³ so that the movement of the said lever causes, the said
links to be moved upon the pivot C2 in a direction to: cause the rand or counter guard a
to be moved. toward or from the rotary cutter D, and at the same time that the. said
link is so moved the roller or other stud c¹ travelling in the slotted portion of the
cam 2: causes the carriage C+ to tip more or less upon the pivot. 83 which supports
the carriage upon the link C3, the curve or arc in which the lip of the rand, guard
travels during its movement following substantially the curvature of the edges of the
blades which are attached to or form part of the rotary cutter D.
I have herein described a means for moving the rand or counter guard and rand
cutter by or through a treadle mechanism under the control of the foot of the, operator,
but I desire it to be understood that the link 29 may be disconnected from the link.C³
thus leaving the said link C³ entirely disconnected from the treadle mechanism and in
such condition the pressure of the shoe against the lip of the rand or counter guard
while the said lip stands in the heel crease will effect the swinging of the link C³ about
its pivot thereby enabling the counter guard to uncover more or less of the acting
edges of the blades of the rotary cutter D, the lip of the rand-guard in its movement
following as before the curvature of the blades of the said cutter D."
The tipping of the carriage on the links supporting it, is due to the pin or stud c¹ in
the slot c².
+
In Figure 4 the blades of the rotary cutters D are shown in section but, the waved
dotted lines show the path in which the cutting edges of the blades travel during the
rotation of the said cutter.
- A
The throat g is supposed to be the same as in the said Letters. Patent. No.. 12346
of 1888.
The rotary heel trimming cutter D, herein shown as in the said patent, may, be
adjusted longitudinally on the shaft B3 which is of especial advantage when such
cutter is combined with not only the throat g but with a tread guardisuch as. herein
referred to, for by adjusting the cutter longitudinally with relation to the, shaft:133 it
is possible to adapt the one and the same cutter to shape heels of considerably varying
contour or shape from tread-end to seat-end.
By pivoting the carriage of the rand or counter-guard on a link or equivalent which
is free to swing about a centre substantially at right angles to the axis.of.rotation of
the shaft carrying the heel trimming cutter, the said carriage is, capable of being
moved and at the same time of being tipped to uncover more or less of the acting
edges of the blades of the heel trimming cutter, the lip of the said rand guard a in its
movement following closely the curvature of the edges of the blades of the cutter D,
yet throughout its movement the lip of the rand or counter-guard is kept parallel or
substantially so to the tread guard D' and in position to act within and form a guide
for the rand crease.
;
The heel rest m upon which rests the heel to be trimmed is represented as provided
with a shank 34 which enters loosely a hole in an arm 33, the said rest being thereby
permitted to be turned as about a vertical pivot.
The arm 33 is made adjustable horizontally in a lever m' and the said arm may also
be turned about its axis in said lever and when in position may be held in place by a
set screw 48.
The arm 33 and heel rest have been broken out of Figure 1.
**
The inner end of the lever m has connected to it a rod m² provided at its lower
end with a roller or other stud which enters a cam slot m³ at the inner side of the
arm 23 before described, the shape of the two cam slots in the said arm being shown
in Figure 3.
The lower ends of both the said rods d' and m² are suitably guided in a- loop-like
projection 49 extended from the frame-work.
The cam slot m³ is of such shape that when the treadle 20 is moved the lever m² will
be moved together with the heel rest m, so that the heel will be raised or lowered
properly to enable it to be put into position to be acted upon by the heel trimming
cutter D, while the said cutter operates upon the substantially straight sides of the
heel.

page_text: Prior to this invention the rest m on which the shoe heel is supported while being
trimmed has always remained parallel to the tread guard or to the plane which the
tread guard stands, and when the heel was tipped, as when trimming about the rear
part thereof; the said heel has had to swing on the said rest which, when the heel.is
considerably concave, has prevented the heel from taking a bearing on the rest at the
point where the heel is, of least diameter, and consequently the heel cannot, except
with greatest care, be held steadily by the hand of the operator while being
trimmed.
This evil is however overcome by pivoting the rest in the arm 33 as described, so
that the rest is left free to turn in the said arm with the heel as the latter is tipped,
the heel 'tipping while the latter end thereof is trimmed.
This construction of rest enables the heel to bear at all times in like manner upon
the rest in during the trimming operation.
The lever mis pivoted at 54 on a bracket 55 attached to the frame-work.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said in-
vention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1: In a heel trimming machine the following instrumentalities, viz.: a rotary heel
trimming cutter; à carriage; a swing support for it; a rand guard attached to the
said carriage; and means to automatically tip the said carriage and rand or counter-
guard as the rand or counter-guard is moved to uncover more or less of the acting
edges of the blades of the rotary trimming cutter, substantially as described.
2:--
In a heel trimming machine, a rotary heel trimming cutter; and a carriage
having an attached rand or counter-guard to enter the rand-crease; and a link
support for tlie said carriage, substantially as described.
3: The rotary heel trimming cutter; and a carriage having an attached rand or
counter-guard; combined with links to support the said carriage; and with a rotary
rand cutter the shaft of which is supported in the said carriage, substantially as
described.
4: The rotary heel trimming cutter; and a carriage having an attached rand
or counter-guard; combined with links to support the said carriage; a rotary rand
cutter the shaft of which is supported in the said carriage; and with a universally
jointed connection between the shaft carrying the trimming cutter and the shaft
carrying the rand cutter, whereby the latter shaft is rotated in unison with the shaft
of the beel trimming cutter, substantially as described.
5: A rotary heel trimming cutter; a carriage having an attached rand or
counter guard; and means to support the carriage, combined with means to auto-
matically move the said carriage to effect its tipping motion in the direction in
which the heel is tipped, substantially as described.
6: In a heel trimming machine the rotating shaft B³, the heel trimming cutter
thereon; the tread-guard and the carriage having the rand or counter-guard; com-
bined with means to support the said carriage, and means to adjust the heel trimming
cutter longitudinally between the said tread-guard and the rand or counter-guard to
thereby adapt the cutter to trim heels of some what varying shape, substantially as
described.
7: The rotary heel trimming cutter; a tread guard; and a carriage having a
rand or counter guard, combined with a rest upon which to place the edge of the
heel to be trimmed by the heel trimming cutter, and with means to raise and lower
the said rest whereby it may be placed and held at one level, as when the substantially
circular rear part of the heel is being trimmed, and then at another position or level
as when the substantially straight sides of the heel are being trimmed, substantially as
described.
-
8: The combination with a rotary heel trimming cutter; of a rest to support
the edge of the heel while the latter is being trimmed; the edge of the said rest in
contact with the heel remaining substantially parallel to the tread guard during the
trimming operation, substantially as described.

page_text: 9: The combination with a rotary heel trimming cutter; and a carriage; and
a connected rand guard; of an independent shaft supported by the said carriage;
and a rand cutter consisting essentially of arms and two disc like cutters as 32 to
operate, substantially as described.
Doted the 27th day of tuoust 1880
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.