An Improved Machine for Sewing the Soles of Sandals.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Mar,, 1899
Complete Specification Left, 19th. Dec., 1899-Accepted, 17th Mar., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine for Sewing the Soles of Sandals.
I, EUGENE FEYS DOUTRELIGNE, Manufacturer of Sandals, Boulevard St. Jean,
Courtrai, Belgium, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be a
follows:-
-:
The object of the present invention is a machine, for sewing the soles
of sandals, having an oscillating shuttle with a bobbin of large capacity, and a
new arrangement for introducing the thread into the needle, for filling the bobbins
of the shuttle, of the lasts holding the soles to be sewn, and for carrying these
lasts along; and using a needle, a punch or awl, and a counter-punch.
A frame supports the whole system, and all the organs of the machine are
worked by means of a shaft provided with two pulleys, one of which is a loose
one, and guided by two supports fitted on said frame. This shaft works, by
bevel wheels, a vertical shaft, which has at its upper end a horizontal cam,
made with a groove in the shape of a heart, in which a pin glides, fixed below
a shoe, which has a to and fro motion in a slotted guide fixed above the frame; this
shoe has, at its end, the needle of the machine, and a punch, placed at the side of
this needle. At the end of the frame is a second' slotted guide in which a second
shoe moves with a to and fro motion. This movement is communicated, by the
shaft provided with the afore mentioned cam and by means of an eccentric.
fixed on that shaft and whose rod is jointed to a lever keyed on an inclined shaft.
which, by means of a horizontal shaft and conical' pinions, works an oscillating
lever, which pushes the second afore-mentioned shoe alternately in opposite
directions this shoe has a counter-punch. Between the afore-mentioned shoes,
two wheels are fixed, one of which, placed above the other, has grooves; each of
these wheels has a ratchet wheel, worked, through the intervention of appropriate
levers, by a hook fixed upon the shaft provided with the cam; the two wheels.
serve to actuate the lasts carrying the espadrille soles to be sewn; these lasts are
maintained between the two wheels by two rollers acted upon by two springs;
the forward movement of the lasts is in such relation with the motion of the
needle, the punch, and counter-punch, that, when the counter-punch (which is
shorter than the punch and the needle) has pierced the half of the thickness of the
sole, the two shoes move away from each other, and the wheels advance a tooth,
presenting to the punch the hole commenced by the counter-punch: the two shoes
then move towards each other again, the punch completes the piercing of the
hole, the shoes move apart a second time whilst the wheels advance another tooth,
and the needle passes with its thread into a hole ready made when the shoes
come together again. The movement of the cam, operating the needle, is such
that a loop is formed at the end of the latter at each forward movement, so as to
form a binding stitch with the thread of the oscillating shuttle, which is arranged
at the side of the two wheels, and which has an alternating rotatory movement.
imparted to it by means of a two fingered pawl or catch worked by a rack. The
shuttle carries a bobbin of large capacity. The needle has a hole at its
extreme end and two longitudinal grooves for guiding the thread or twine, the
latter being supplied to the needle by a bobbin placed on the frame, the thread
passes through a fixed eyelet, and a ring formed by a spring, and thereafter

page_text: over small pulleys fixed upon an oscillating lever carried by the movable shoe,
which has the needle and the punch, finally passing into a hole, made at the end
of said lever, in order to go to the needle.
The machine has an arrangement for filling the bobbins of the shuttle consti-
tuted by a spindle on which the bobbin to be filled is placed. This spindle can
be set in motion, with the movement of the machine, by means of two small
toothed wheels which automatically stop working whenever the bobbin is filled.
The lasts destined to hold the soles are arched and have two lateral plates
which can be united by means of a screw, and which present, when they are.
brought together, a hollow in the shape of a sole of a size which is determined
by the last employed.
Dated this 20th day of March 1899.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine for Sewing the Soles of Sandals.
I, EUGÈNE FEYS DOUTRELIGNE, Manufacturer of Sandals, Boulevard St. Jean,
Courtrai, Belgium, 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 :-
The object, of this invention is a machine for sewing the soles of sandals and
especially a kind of Spanish sandal or slipper known as Espadrilles" having
an oscillating shuttle with a spool or bobbin of large capacity, an arrangement
for distributing and regulating the tension of the thread of the needle and an
arrangement for filling the bobbins of the shuttle.
In order that my said invention may be properly understood I have hereunto
appended four explanatory sheets of drawings which show, by way of example,
one method of constructing the machine.
r
On the drawings:-
Fig. 1 is a front view of the machine.
Fig. 2 is an end view of the same.
Fig. 3 is a detail view of the controlling device for the wheels which hold the
lasts for shaping, the soles of the sandals.
Figs. 4 and 5 are side and front detail views of the mechanism for filling the
shuttle bobbins.
Figs. 6 to 17 are detail views of various parts of the machine.
The same reference letters wherever repeated indicate the same parts.
The machine consists of a frame-work (see Figs. 1 and 2) which supports the
various pieces of mechanism. A shaft a having fast and loose pulleys p, p is
driven by power and turns in the direction indicated by the arrow. A pinion a¹
keved to the shaft gears with a toothed wheel fixed to a shaft b which is
supported in bearings on the frame-work k. The shaft has fitted on it a bevel
pinion which gears with a bevel wheel j¹ on the vertical shaft f. The vertical
shaft has also fitted to it an arm y', an eccentric, and a special cam, the
function of which will be explained in the course of this, specification.
The shaft also carries a bevel pinion c which gears with another pinion
keved to the lower end of the inclined shaft c¹.
To the frame-work is fixed a suitably shaped piece m having a dove-tailed
groove in which works a shoe 7. (see Fig. 14). The shoe 7 can be moved back
wards and forwards in a horizontal direction by means of the vertical pin y
which passes through it and whose lower end works in a heart shaped groove

page_text: made in the cam :. A vertical support is fixed upon the -movable shoe 7 and
carries a lever fulcrumed at ¹. One end of the lever has fitted to it a pin ið
which works in a slot formed in the guide-bar o which latter is bolted or
otherwise secured to the frame-work kat o", o At the point of on the lever l
a bent lever is fulcrumed and this lever carries, at one end, a roller, and, at
the other end, it has jointed to it a horizontal shaft which is guided in a
vertical support .
This shaft t¹ has fitted on it two antagonistic springs,
Two other rollers are arranged upon two bearings fixed to the lever
latter is rounded off at its upper end, 26, and has a small hole drilled through
it. The lever 12 has also fitted to it, near its lower end, a small catch 2.
which
At the point o¹ of the vertical support is horizontally fitted a tube n³ (sec
detail plan view Fig. 12 and also enlarged view Fig. 13). which can be regulated
by a suitable screw and counter screw. This tube is made with a rounded end
which constantly presses against a horizontal bar j carried by the vertical
supports bolted to the frame-work of the machine. These vertical supports
have screwed horizontal rods g' at their upper ends which carry the horizontal bar j
which latter can be readily adjusted at will, either backwards or forwards; by
means of the jamb nuts q³. The horizontal piece is made with a cut out
portion or depression m2 preferably at the position shown.
The tube is pressed outwards by means of a spring
inner end bears against a cylindrical rod 2 which passes
support rat o' and is fixed to the lever 12. A snug
turning upon the rod (see Fig. 13). Finally the tube
ings made in them in such a manner that the openings in are sometimes
opposite those of and sometimes not according to the part of the horizontal bar j
against which the rounded end of the tube bears.
(see Fig. 13), whose
through the vertical
prevents the tube ³
and rod have open-
As shown at Fig. 12 the reciprocating slide or shoe is fitted with a horizontal
needle which moves backwards and forwards with it.
The thread which is used for sewing the soles of the sandals is wound round
a vertical bobbin (see Figs. and 12). It passes through a guide ², then
through an eye which is formed by a spring g' fixed to the horizontal bar j, and,
then into an ordinary form of tension catch on the lever
passes through the openings in the rod n² and tube
small rollers, 6, and and through the hole in the upper end
from whence, following the direction of the arrow Fig. 1, it passes through a hole
in the frame-work and to the needle g
from whence it
to the various
of the lever 12
The shuttle V which is placed at the right hand side of the machine consists
of a piece with a movable cover (see Figs. 1 and also Figs. 7 and 8 which latter
are enlarged side and sectional views of the shuttle) carrying a hook 3 which, as
will be explained further on, receives an oscillating motion and works in a
circular box fitted rigidly to the frame-work and having a foot & cast in one
with it in which the needle q' works.
The oscillating motion is imparted to the shuttle by the following arrange-
ment of mechanism :-
The bevel pinion e' (Figs. 1 and 2) keyed to the shaft gears with a pinion f
fitted at the end of a horizontal shaft which through the pinion (see dotted
lines Fig. 1) gears with the pinion g' and vertical shaft e This shaft has a
cranked portion formed on it (see Fig. 2) to which is attached the horizontal rod d
jointed to a rack supported in suitable bearings. The rack gears with a
small pinion having attached to it a cross bar (see also Fig. 7) which
rotates along with it. The bar has fitted to it two parallel fingers, which,
as the rack moves backwards and forwards under the action of the cranked portion
of the vertical shaft e, rotate of a revolution in each direction thereby giving to
the shuttle the required oscillating movement.
The two wheels r, r', as shown at Figs. 1 and 2, are for the purpose of pressing
between them the last for the soles of the sandals, during the working of the
machine, as will be explained subsequently. The wheel which is carried on

page_text: the axle g and works in a pit 10 has two corresponding rows of holes formed
round its circumference. One edge of the wheel is made with ratchet teeth n'
with which a pawl m engages. A wooden shoe or brake worked by a counter-
weight and lever checks or brakes the wheel thereby regulating its move-
ment tooth by tooth. The other wheel is fluted and carried on the shaft_h.
It is situated a little distance above the wheel so that when the wheels revolve
the lasts carrying the soles of the sandals are pressed or squeezed between them.
A ratchet wheel is also keyed upon the shaft h (see Figs. 1 2 & 3). Two
rollers press upon the lasts on each side of the wheel The rollers
are fitted in suitable axle boxes provided with strong springs which are arranged to
bear upon the axles of the rollers and thereby ensure a steady pressure on the
lasts t. Working in conjunction with the wheels rare two check pawls 23
(see Fig. 2). The double wrought-iron jaw and curved fixed finger c¹ are for
the purpose of taking up and freeing the lasts from the wheel r as the work of
sewing goes on.
and
The reciprocating shoe or slide 7 to which the needle q¹ of the machine is fixed
also carries an awl 72 (see Fig. 12). A counter-awl q³ (Fig. 1) is fixed to a movable
shoe or slide which reciprocates in a guide block m² secured to the frame
is actuated by mechanism described hereafter. The needle q¹ is longer than the
awl which again is longer than the counter-awl 7. As is shown at Fig. 12
the awl ranges itself during the working of the machine at the side of the
needle g¹.
The needle q is pierced with a hole (see Fig. 10 which is an enlarged view
of it) and has two grooves for lodging the thread in; these grooves are
diametrically opposite each other as shown in the sectional view Fig. 9.
to
The counter-awl is set in motion by the movement of the eccentric.¹ (see
also Fig. 6) keyed to the shaft f. The eccentric has attached to it a rod
which is jointed an arm connected to a vertical shaft fl arranged in suitable
bearings. Near the upper end of the shaft f¹ is fixed an arm 2 which connects
with one end of a horizontal rod z which, at its other end, is connected to
the crank keyed on the shaft i as shown clearly at Figs. 1 and 6 of the drawings.
The shaft which is rocked by the movement of the crank 2, carries the
vertical army which enters a projection on the movable shoe and causes it to
be reciprocated when the machine is in operation thereby giving the necessary
movement to the counter-awl g
The needle g and awl receive their backward and forward movement through
the reciprocating shoe / actuated by the vertical pin y and heart-shaped groove
made in the cam =. As the shaft f revolves. the cam z rotates, and in doing
so, owing to its peculiar shaped groove gives a rebound at a certain point in its
revolution, to the piny and slide thereby causing the thread to wave and form
a loop at the end of the needle g¹.
The shoes or slides and slide in dove-tailed guides m and m³ (see Fig. 14).
The wheels are driven in the following manner: The arm y¹ is suitably
fixed to the shaft f and turns round with it in the direction shown in Fig. 3. At
each turn of the shaft f the arm y' strikes the end of the lever and oscillates
it about its fulcrum as a spring attached to the opposite end of the lever
always brings the lever back again after each displacement. A rod y jointed at
one end to the lever has its other end attached to a vertical lever which
latter is connected to and gives a rocking movement to the horizontal shaft f
carried in bearings.This shaft rotates the wheel through its pawl m
which engages with the ratchet teeth n on the wheel and the wheel through
its arm which actuates the connecting rod # whose upper end is connected
to and actuates the arm and through it the pawl m³, ratchet wheel n, shaft h
and wheel r'.
An arrangement for filling the bobbins or spools of the shuttle of the machine
is shown at Figs. 4 and 5 and consists of a pinion wheel pi keyed to the horizontal
shaft ḍ. Opposite the pinion wheel 27 is another pinion wheel 78 which, as-

page_text: the
desired, can be thrown into and out of gear. The shuttle spool g', which is
placed on the shaft of the pinion wheel 8, is rotated when the latter is in gear
with the pinion wheel . The mechanism for throwing the spool filling device
into and out of gear consists of a bracket carrying the pinion wheel 8 and
fitted on the shaft of. A coil spring 70 on the rod tends to force the
bracket backwards. Depending from the shaft of is an arm of to the lower
end of which is fitted a pin on, which is movably secured a special plate spring
having a projectiong finger 8. In order not to confuse the drawing Fig.
shuttle spool has been moved to the left clear of the bracket but when it is
desired to use the device the shuttle spool is placed close up to the bracket and
the plate spring with projecting finger turned upwards in the direction of the
arrow X.
When the part y" of the finger comes in contact with the projecting
part of the bracket the latter moves in the direction of the arrow Y until the
pinion wheels p, 18 come into gear when they are securely held in that position
by the catch locking under the projection of When the pinion wheels
are in gear the finger lies exactly between the sides of the shuttle spool g
As the spool rotates it is filled with thread supplied from the bobbin
y is
a guide for the thread. When the shuttle spool is filled the further supply of
thread thereto is automatically stopped by the thread on the spool forcing.
the finger backwards and so causing the part y" to be released from the projec-
tion of the bracket whereupon the spring to forces back the bracket and auto-
matically throws the wheel out of gear.
C
The special last for shaping the soles is represented at Figs. 15, 16 and 17
and it has, at its lower part, slots c corresponding to the stitches of the needle q¹
and awl. It has two lateral pieces 1 and 2 hinged at m² m² and cut in such a
mauner that when they come together they form a shape for a sole of a definite
size. A locking bar and catch lock the two parts together in the closed
position. The parts 1 and 2 are made with a series of openings pl2 for the passage
of the needle q', the awl q², and counter-awl q³. The distance between each of the
openings is equal to the distance travelled by the wheels r, from tooth to
tooth of the ratchet wheels n. The last has two small pins which enter
into the corresponding guiding holes of the wheel (see Fig. 1).
In order to keep the sole rigid in the last when it is in the machine a cover-
piece (see Fig. 16) covers the parts and 2 and upon this bear the wheel
and rollers as shown at Fig. 1.
The modus operandi is as follows:-
(see Fig. 2)
The two
The lasts t are presented at the right of the wheel
and successively squeezed between the wheels and 2, and
movable shoes and approach one another simultaneously and the needle q',
awl and counter-awl ³ penetrate, at the same time, the sole through the
openings of the last 7. The thread which comes from the bobbin enters
the eye of the needle and each time the needle penetrates the sole the thread
forms a loop below the part 68 (see Fig. 11) whilst the hook of the shuttle
performs its oscillatory movement with the result that the thread of the needle
is knotted to that of the shuttle. This knotting by loops always takes place
along the central longitudinal axis of the sole Each time the shoes approachi
each other this takes place whilst each time the shoes move apart the wheels r
are rotated the extent of one tooth. As the counter-awl is very short it
cannot penetrate the sole more than half-way through at each movement of
the wheels r. However, at the next movement of the wheels, the awl q enters
the sole and completes the hole partially formed by the counter-awl q, whilst, at
the next movement again of the wheels, the needle q' enters the hole formed as
above described and effects the sewing.
When the movable shoe moves sufficiently far to the left (Figs. 1 and 12)
the thread from the bobbin is tightened and no longer distributed but when the
shoe moves again to the right and the tube 3 passes the shoulder m³ in the hori-
zontal bara supply of thread is again distributed.

page_text: The lasts with the finished soles move forward step by step towards the left
(Fig. 2) and as they are only connected to each other by the endless loops of
thread they can be easily separated by cutting the thread at the spaces between
the lasts.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I consider novel and desire to claim is:
1. A machine for sewing the soles of sandals characterized by a frame-work,
which supports the whole system, a shaft which receives its motion from any
suitable motor and drives the various pieces of mechanism constituting the
machine; an arrangement for supplying the thread to the needle; an oscillating
shuttle with a spool carrying a large amount of thread; an arrangement for
driving the shuttle, special curved lasts holding the soles to be sewn, two movable
shoes, one of which has the needle and an awl and the other a counter-awl, the shoes
working in an opposite direction to each other in such a manner that, during
the work, the counter-awl partially bores the hole in the sole, the awl finishes the
hole, and the needle, with its thread, penetrates the hole so made; a needle made
with longitudinal grooves and a hole or eye; an arrangement for driving the afore-
said shoes; mechanism for filling the spools of the shuttle; two wheels for
travelling the lasts along and gear for driving these wheels; all substantially
às hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings annexed.
2. In a machine for sewing the soles of sandals such as claimed in Claim 1,
an arrangement for supplying the thread to the needle, characterized by a lever t
oscillating upon a support fixed to the movable shoe which carries the needle
and awl, one end of this lever having a stud which glides in a guide provided with
an appropriate groove and fixed to the frame-work the other end being pierced
with a hole, the lever being connected by means of a bent lever to a rod
provided with antagonistic springs, the said lever carrying rollers over which the
thread, coming from a bobbin placed upon the frame-work, passes; substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to the drawings annexed.
3. In a machine for sewing soles of sandals such as claimed in Claim 1, the
driving gear for the needle and the awls characterized by a vertical shaft f
which receives its motion from the driving shaft by a heart-shaped-groove cami
keyed upon this shaft and in the groove of which a finger belonging to the shoe 1,
which carries the needle and awl, works, whilst the shoe carrying the counter-awl
is actuated by an eccentric, keyed on the shaft f, and by the intervention of a
lever a shaft f¹, a lever 1, a shaft ¹, and the oscillating lever, substantially
as herein before described with reference to the drawings annexed.
4. In a machine for sewing soles of sandals such as claimed in Claim 1, two
cylinders, one of which is fluted, for carrying the lasts along, each being provided
with a ratchet-wheel which advances one tooth at each stitch of the needle and is
actuated by means of an arm y', the levers yo, y, y, the shaft f, the levers u¹, u²,
and the catches m³ and m² substantially as herein before described with reference
to the drawings annexed.
5. In a machine for sewing the soles of sandals such as claimed in Claim 1, a
mechanism for filling the shuttle-spools characterized by two pinions gearing
together in order to make the spool which has to be filled rotate and which are
moved out of gear when the spool is filled by the action of a spring and appro-
priate levers, substantially as herein before described with reference to the draw-
ings annexed.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
100, Wellington Street, Glasgow, Agent: