IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CRIMPING LEATHER AND OTHER MATERIALS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CRIMPING LEATHER AND OTHER MATERIALS FOR
BOOTS AND SHOES AND OTHER ARTICLES." A communication from abroad by
Samuel W. Jamison, of Brooklyn, King's County, New York, United States
of America.
Sealed the 4th January 1878, and dated the 17th November 1877.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said John Henry Johnson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 17th November 1877.
""
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CRIMPING
LEATHER AND OTHER MATERIALS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES AND OTHER ARTICLES."
A communication from abroad by Samuel W. Jamison, of Brooklyn, King's County;
New York, United States of America.
This Invention relates,―
1. To the manner in which the moving parts of the machine are arranged and
operated in relation to the frame or ways, which are not moveable as in similar
machinery heretofore constructed, but are rigid.
2. To the manner in which the crimping jaws are operated, so as to preserve
their parallelism.
3. To the means whereby the said jaws are rendered self-adjusting.
4. To the manner in which the jaws are supported and hung in their respective.
trucks, so that they are independent of each other, and free to adjust themselves.
5. To the manner of hanging the jaws by means of links, whereby friction is
avoided.
6. To the means, herein-after described, by which the jaws are moved up.
and down the ways, and stopped automatically at the respective ends of their
course.
7. To a novel combination with the boot-crimping machinery of belt-shifting
devices operated by a treadle, whereby the operator may, at will, start the machine
[ Price Gdl

page_text: with his foot, leaving his hands free to hold the article to be or being crimped in its
proper place.
8. To the combination with the crimping mechanism of special mechanism for
preventing the formation of wrinkles on the leather under the arrangement herein-
after shewn and described, whereby the wrinkle preventor automatically moves
out of the way to allow of the ready and convenient removal of crimped and
smoothed leather from the machine, and of the insertion therein of another piece of
leather to be crimped.
9. To the peculiar shape of the crimping jaws, whereby action on the heel portion
of the leather is continued after the toe or top part shall have passed through the
crimper.
10. To the manner in which the tree or form is held and supported, allowing of
its ready removal, and the insertion in lieu thereof of differently shaped trees or
forms, substantially as herein-after described.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of
reference indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the Drawings represents a perspective view of a machine made in
accordance with the said Invention; Figure 2 is a front elevation, partly in section
of the same; Figure 3 is a side view, with portions cut away.
Figure 4 is a detail view on an enlarged scale, partly in elevation, and partly in
section.
And Figure 5 is a perspective view of the belt-shifting device.
The working parts of the machine are supported by a pedestal or stationary
frame A. To this frame are hinged the upright ways K, upon which slide the two
trucks T and T¹, moved up and down by means of upright screw shafts B, which
are located one on each side of the machine. The shafts pass through screw-threaded
boxes or bosses on the trucks, and they are rotated by means of bevil gearing on
their lower ends, engaging with like gearing on the horizontal driving shaft, which
is supported in suitable bearings in the pedestal A, and carries a central fast pulley,
and two side loose pulleys. The pulley-bearing end of the shaft is supported in a
bracket on the side of the pedestal, which bracket also supports the belt shipper,
herein-after described.
To the trucks T, T¹, are attached two sets of jaws; the lower crimping jaws D,
D', are attached by means of vertical hinges h, h', respectively, whereby they are
allowed to slightly swing horizontally, which motion in the jaw D¹ is controlled
or limited by the thumb screws a, on the front and back of the truck T¹.
The jaw D is hung on binges h to a rectangular box F, which within the
truck T has a lateral movement which is effected automatically as the trucks move
upwards or downwards, that is to say, moving toward the central plate or form as
the trucks descend, thus effecting the pressure on the leather between the two
jaws, and moving away from the said plate when the trucks rise. Both jaws
being hung on vertical hinges, as above described, they are free to adjust themselves
to each other, to the varied thickness of the leather, or to the surface of the tree, or
the crimping form N.
The manner in which the box F is moved is more clearly shewn in Figures
3 and 4.
Within the body of the truck T, in suitable recesses for the purpose provided, is
the fulcrum of a lever H, the long end of which projects outwards, whilst the short
end is at all times within the said truck. From the head of the machine projects
downwards into the body of the said truck T¹ a bar G, the upper end or shank of
which is screw-threaded, and works in a screw-thread sleeve g¹, fast to the cross-
beam in the head of the frame. By means of a crank handle the bar G is made
adjustable to more or less project into the truck.
The arrangement of the bar is such as to come in contact at a certain point of the
elevation of the truck with the short end of the lever H. When the truck is

page_text: at its upper position, that is, before the leather is acted upon, the bar G is in contact
with the shorter arm of the lever H, within the truck T, levating the long end.
As the truck descends, the short end of the lever H slides along the bar G,
until it reaches the end thereof; when actuated by the weight I on the longer
end, it will tilt and rise, causing the longer end of the lever H to be depressed
and fall.
The shaft forming the fulcrum on which the lever H moves has a right
and a left hand screw thread respectively cut on its opposite ends, working
in the truck T, and in the rectangular box F. As therefore the long end of the
lever H descends, the screws force the box out, and with it the jaw D towards the
opposite jaw D¹.
The weight I is arranged to slide upon the long end of the lever H, so that at
the beginning of the downward motion of the trucks it may be near the fulcrum of
the lever; and that as the trucks descend it may be thrown out to press the jaws
forward with increasing force. This is effected by the means and in the manner
next herein-after described.
To one side of the frame (preferably in the rear) is secured a raised or projecting
track M, parallel with the way K, upon which the truck T runs. To the part of
this truck, which embraces the way K, is secured a bracket or sleeve, holding a
shaft which carries on one end a tumbler L, and on the other end a crank l. The
foriner consists of a double shoe, having two sliding surfaces at an angle of, say,
about 60° to each other in two different planes, one corresponding to that of the
raised track M; the other to the face of the frame to which the track M is attached.
It will be understood that when the tumbler is opposite the track M, the sliding
surface corresponding to the track will be in contact with it, as shewn in Figure 3,
and slide upon it until it shall have reached the lower end, when actuated by
weight, as will be presently described. It will upon its axis rotate and tumble over
until arrested by the other sliding surface on coming in contact with the face of the
frame, as shown in Figure 1. In thus rotating the tumbler describes an arc of a
circle of about 300°. The shaft upon which the tumbler is rigidly mounted, rotating
with the tumbler causes the crauk on its other end to describe a similar arc of a
circle. This crank being connected with the weight I, by means of a connecting
rod, and the lever H which carries the weight I having its fulcrum at a fixed
relation to the axis of the tumbler, as shewn in the Drawing, the operation will be
as follows:-
When the lever H is in its uppermost position, and the tumbler on the track,'
then the crank pin, the joint of the connecting rod with the weight I, and the
fulcrum of the lever H, will form a triangle, of which the lever is the base. As the
lever H descends, the relative position of the fulcrum and crank pin will remain
the same so long as the tumbler keeps on the track; the weight I, however, will
be shifted slightly towards the free end of the lever until the three points come as
nearly as possible in one line; but when the tumbler reaches the end of the track;
then in turning over and describing, with the crank, an arc of a circle of about
300°, the weight will be rapidly pushed out towards the end of the lever now
depressed. The weight thus thrown upon the end of the lever causes the right and
left hand screw, which is actuated by the said lever to press the jaw D toward the
other jaw, with an increased force at a point where it is safe, and eminently
useful to exert simultaneously great compressive and drawing action upon the
leather.
The upper or smoothing jaws E, E¹, are attached to the trucks T, T¹, in the fol-
lowing manner-Both the jaws E and E' are secured at their lower ends by
projecting binge joints, the jaw E by a hinge e, which is moveable, as herein-after
described, and the jaw E¹ by a fixed or immoveable hinge e¹, and at their upper ends
both jaws are attached to their respective trucks by toggle joint levers operated by
the handles 0, 0, to tilt the upper end of both or either of the jaws backward by'
depressing both or either of the said handles,

page_text: The hinge e of the jaw E is attached to a box P operated by a lever H', weight I',
tumbler L, and screws as already above described with reference to the lower jaw
D. The fulcrum of this lever O is fixed to the truck T, but the links o¹ are con-
nected to the box P, so that independently of the tilting motion of its top the jaw E
is moved bodily by the above-mentioned lever, weight, cam, and screw towards its
opposite jaw E, producing a pressure on the leather between them. The tracks of
the tumbler L¹ are arranged to cause the jaws E, E¹, to press with increased
pressure against each other after (when opposite the form) they shall have performed
their work.
By the above arrangement of the mechanism of the two kinds of jaws it will be
seen that they are hung independently of one another, that they open parallel to
each other, that they are self-adjusting, and that they move with but little
friction.
The adjustable bar G is attached to the upper portion of the machine, and is
moved vertically by a screw within the boxing or sleeve g' worked by the handle g.
The upper end of the bar projects downward, and as the trucks are being raised it
enters a hole in the top of the truck T, and successively coming in contact the short
arms of the lever Hand H depresses them. This bar is stationary during the
process of crimping, but by the handle g can be elevated or depressed within narrow
limits, so as to operate the levers H¹ and H, and through them the jaws E and D
earlier or later in the process of crimping, according as the thickness of the leather
or other material requires.
The movement of the trucks at the upper and lower end of the stroke is arrested
automatically in the following manner: The main driving shaft 1, (which is provided
with pinions 2 and 21, engaging with pinions 3, 3¹, on the vertical right-hand and left-
hand screw shafts B, B',) extends laterally from the frame of the machine, and carries
three pulleys 4, 5, and 6, the central one of which is fast. Two belts running in
opposite directions are engaged in the rings 7 and 8 of bell-crank levers having
their fulcra upon a fixed or stationary frame or bracket overhanging the pulleys.
Pins 9 and 10 on the end of shorter arms of these levers are engaged in a slot of
peculiar formation in the sliding bar 11. The slot is so shaped that in shifting the
bar 11 in its bearings the outer ends of the long arms of the levers, that is to say,
the belt-carrying rings will be shifted to bring either belt opposite the fast, and the
other on to one of the adjoining loose pulleys. In this manner by merely shifting
the slide bar the fast pulley may be caused to engage with either belt, revolving in
either direction.
The shifting of the slide bar is effected in this machine either by hand, or by
foot, or automatically.
A curved rod 12 connects the slide bar at 13 with a vibratory lever 14, which is
pivotted at 15; the fulcrum of a bell crank, one end 16 of which is free, whilst the
other end 17 is connected by means of a connecting rod 18 to a similar bell crank
19 on the top of the machine. These bell cranks are arranged in the path of the
trucks, so that when the latter reach the terminal position of their course a cam 20
on either of them shall strike the free end of one of the bell cranks, and cause it to
tilt, and thus operate the shifting bar of the belt-carring levers. When the trucks
descend, and the cam 20 strikes the lower bell crank at 16, then the lever 14 will
be forced to push the curved bar 12 so as to bring the bells over 5 and 6, but when
the trucks ascend, and the cam 20 strikes the upper bell crank at 21, then the action
will be reversed, and the belts shifted on to 4 and 5, so that automatically the belts
are shifted at the end of each stroke, and the action of the machine is reversed.
In order to start the machine, or to work it if necessary by hand, a hand lever is
employed, the fulcrum of which is at 22 in a bracket fast to the face of the frame.
The short end of this lever is secured to the connecting rod 18, so that by working
the lever up or down the belts are shifted in like manner as by the cam on the
trucks T¹.
In order to keep the machine at rest both belts are run on to the loose pulleys,
and for the purpose of preventing the belts from accidentally shifting, the hand lever

page_text: is provided with a latch or locking device consisting of a second hand lever q¹
parallel with the first, so that both can be grasped by the operator at once. This
second hand lever q¹ is, by means of a spring actuated so as to cause it to lodge in
a notch in the stationary curved locking plate 24. In order to release it the operator
compresses the two handles q', q², and the two levers may be worked in unison to
shift the belts.
In order to start the machine with the foot, leaving the hands free to adjust the
leather to be crimped, a treadle Q is provided, which by means of the rod q operates
an angular cam 25, moving the handle q¹ towards the handle q³, thus freeing the
catch, holding the handles in their central position and depressing them shifts the
belts and starts the machine.
The crimping jaws are suitably corrugated to crowd the leather towards the heel
of the boot, and a wrinkle preventor is provided for the purpose of obviating the
liability to the formation of wrinkles in the leather at the part where it doubles
over the top of the tree N. This wrinkle preventor consists of a flat piece of metal
R of the same thickness as the tree, pendant from a rod R', which slides in guides r
in the head of the machine. On the lower end of the rod R¹ is a cross piece ²,
which is caught by the notch in the upper jaws E, E, as they rise, thus lifting
the wrinkle preventor out of the way to allow the leather to be placed in position
to be crimped. As the jaws descend the lower end of the preventor which conforms
in shape to the upper edge of the tree N comes in contact with the leather just
before the upper jaws begin to act upon it, and during the remainder of the descent
is firmly held in that position by suitable adjustable weights or spings applied to
the top of the rod R¹.
In order to operate the wrinkle preventor automatically the following arrange-
ment of mechanism is employed:-After both jaws have wholly passed over the
leather the projections on the side of the truck T, shown in dotted lines in Figure 2,
comes in contact with the end of the bent lever S, depressing the rod S₁, and
liberating the catch S² from the arm V³ of a three-way lever, when the weight V on
the arm V₁ of the said lever falls, elevating the further end V2 of this lever which,
catching the pin (Figure 1) in the rod R¹ elevates the said rod, and with it the
wrinkle preventing plate R, allowing the leather to be removed. In the upward
movement of the trucks the vertical projection W coming in contact with the lower
arm Vs of the three-way lever gradually raises the weight V, allowing the rod R¹
and the wrinkle preventor plate R to descend until the catch S² moved by the spring
S again engages the arm V³. The rod R¹ is at the same time raised by the cross
piece, elevating the wrinkle preventor, as above described, while another piece of
leather is being placed in position.
The bottom of the lower or crimping jaws D, D¹, is made to conform with the
shape of the top of the plate or tree N, whatever that shape may be, as more clearly
shown in Figure 3. The top of the jaws is nearly straight, so that they can still
operate upon the corner or heel of the boot after they have passed over the leg and
toe. This is found to be absolutely necessary in order to get all of the stretch out
of the leather or other article, and make the corner of the boot sufficiently long.
The tree or form N is supported on dovetailed slides X, and moves with freedom
laterally to correspond to the position of the jaws; but in lieu of the tree being
firmly fastened to the slide it is attached by fitting it in a groove held there firmly
by a pin on the front and back of the machine. By this arrangement the plate
can readily and speedily be removed, and another of the same or different shape
substituted by simply removing the two pins .
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, I
would observe in conclusion that what I consider to be novel and original and
therefore claim as the Invention is,-
First. In machinery for crimping leather and other material for boots and shoes
and other articles, the combination with a crimping tree or plate of jaws for crimping.
or smoothing the material, arranged in pairs and mounted in trucks moveable upon

page_text: stationary and rigid ways, and mechanisın for imparting lateral movement to the
said jaws towards each other, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated
by the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The combination with the moveable truck of a jaw-carrying box moveable
within the said truck, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated by
the Drawings.
Third. The combination with the moveable truck and jaw-carrying box of a right
and left hand screw, forming the fulcrum of a lever to be operated from without the
truck, substantially as herein-before described.
Fourth. The combination with the jaw-carrying box operated to move within
and transversely to the path of the truck by means of a right and left hand screw
of an automatically operated lever to rotate the said screw, substantially as herein-
before described and illustrated by the accompanying Drawings.
Fifth. The combination with the moveable truck on the stationary frame and the
jaw operated by a lever, as described, of an adjustable stop-fast to a fixed portion
of the frame, and actuating the lever within the said moveable truck to turn the
screw at the proper intervals of time, substantially in the manner and for the
purposes herein-before described.
Sixth. The combination with the jaw hung upon a box operated by a right
and left hand screw and lever of the automatically shifted weight upon the lever for
operation, substantially as and for the purposes herein-before described.
Seventh. The general arrangement of supporting and hanging the jaws, whereby
each jaw of any pair of jaws may adjust itself independently of the other with
respect to the crimping tree, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated
by the Drawings.
Eighth. The manner herein shewn and described of hanging the jaws to the
trucks by means of links.
Ninth. The smoothing jaws arranged in opposite pairs, both being attached to
their respective trucks by hinge joints, substantially as herein-before described, so
as to admit of each being tilted upon its lower end, as described.
Tenth. The smoothing jaws arranged in opposite pairs, the one being hinged at
its lower end to the truck, whilst the lower end of the other is hinged to a box
moveable within the truck, both jaws having toggle joint connections at their upper
ends with their respective trucks, substantially as herein-before described and illus-
trated by the Drawings.
Eleventh. The combination with the smoothing jaws hung at their upper ends to
their respective trucks by means of toggle joints of levers to operate said toggle
joints for spreading the jaws apart, substantially as and for the purposes hereiu-before
described.
Twelfth. The combination with one of a pair of smoothing jaws of the mechanism
whereby the hinge by which its lower end is secured to the truck is made automa-
tically to move towards and away from the crimping tree, as and for the purposes
herein-before described.
Thirteenth. The combination with the belt-shifting device of the system of levers
bell cranks, and connecting rods herein shown and described, or their mechanical
equivalents, operated by a cam fast to one of the trucks to shift the belts automa-
tically, and to reverse the motion of the machine at the completion of either stroke,
substantially as and for the purposes herein-before described.
Fourteenth. In combination with the belt-shifting device and the means herein
described for automatically operating the same I claim the hand lever and latch
with the angular cam and treadle to operate the same by hand or foot at the
pleasure of the operator, substantially as herein-before described and illustrated by
the Drawings.
Fifteenth. In boot and shoe leather crimping machinery and in combination with
the crimping tree and crimping jaws, and whether the latter are or not used in
connection with smoothing jaws, I claim the wrinkle preventor, consisting of a plate,
the lower edge of which conforms with the upper or crimping edge of the tree, the

page_text: same being arranged for operation substantially as herein-before described and illus-
trated by the Drawings.
Sixteenth. The combination with the wrinkle preventor of automatic means,
substantially as herein shewn and described, for lifting it off and dropping it upon
the tree at the proper time, as herein-before described.
Seventeenth. The crimping jaws shaped substantially as herein shewn and
described, so that their action upon the leather on the tree shall be continued on
the heel or corner portion of the same after they shall have ceased to act upon the
other portions of the leather.
Eighteenth. The crimping tree supports, made substantially as shown and
described, with grooves to hold the plate therein, and pins or other fastening device,
so as to allow of its ready removal and replacement.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my Complete
Specification set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of November, One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)