Improvements in Sole Sewing Machines for Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th July, 1896-Accepted, 7th July, 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sole Sewing Machines for Boots and Shoes.
We, ZACHARY TAYLOR FRENCH, of Waban Street, Superintendent, and WILLIAM
CHRISTIAN MEYER, of Peter Parley Road, Draughtsman, both of Boston,
Massachusetts, United States of America, 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 :-
In some classes of boots and shoes the sole projects beyond the upper a greater
distance around the fore-part than along the shank portions, such boots and shoes
being frequently referred to as having a Scotch edge, and in other classes of boots
and shoes the sole is made to project a greater distance beyond the upper along the
outside ball portion than around the toe or inside ball portion, such peculiar shape
being applicable to either a Scotch-edged sole or to a sole with an ordinary edge,
although at the present time it is usually seen in boots and shoes having Scotch
edges.
In sewing the soles of such boots and shoes, and particularly in welted work, it
is desirable that the stitches connecting the sole and welt shall pass through said
parts at a certain distance from the edge of the sole all around the fore-part of the
boot or shoe, regardless of the distance that the sole projects beyond the upper,
while along the shank portions it is desirable that the stitches shall lie farther from
the edge of the sole.
This invention has for its object to improve the construction of sole sewing
machines whereby this result may be carried out.
Our invention consists essentially in combination with stitch forming, mechanism,
of two guides acting to externally guide the lasted boot or shoe, one acting along
the shank, and the other acting around the fore-part, the shank guide holding the
boot or shoe in such relation to the stitch forming mechanism that the stitches
along the shank portions will lie at a certain distance from the edge of the sole,
while the fore-part guide holds the boot or shoe in such relation to the stitch forming
mechanism that the stitches around the fore-part will lie nearer to but at a certain
distance from the edge of the sole, regardless of the distance said sole projects
beyond the upper.
In carrying out this invention, we find that good results are produced by
employing as a shank guide one adapted to enter the crease along the shank
portions, and by employing as a fore-part guide, one adapted to bear against the
edge of the sole, although our invention comprehends any other form or construction
of independent shank and fore-part guides, when combined with stitch forming
mechanism.
The shank guide may be held in fixed relation to the stitch forming mechanism,
while the fore-part guide may be made movable with relation to the awl and other
members of the stitch forming mechanism, and with a machine so constructed the
boot or shoe is held with its shank portion bearing against the shank or crease guide
while sewing at such point, and while sewing around the fore-part, the movable
fore-part or sole edge guide is brought into use, and the boot or shoe held against
such guide..

page_text: The crease guide for the shank portions, and the sole-edge guide of the fore-part
form a specific embodiment of our invention, and such specific forms are believed
to possess many advantages.
As a means of moving the fore-part guide in and out we have herein represented
a hand lever, easily accessible to the operator, and intermediate parts connecting it a
with the guide.
In either class of work above referred to it is also desirable to lengthen the stitches
along the shank portion, and shorten them along or around the fore-part, and so our
invention comprehends means for thus lengthening and shortening the stitches,
when connected with the means employed for operating the fore-part guide, whereby
the stitches may be lengthened along the shank portion as they penetrate the sole
farther from the edge, and shortened along or around the fore-part as they penetrate
the sole nearer to the edge.
Our invention is herein shown as applied to the sole sewing machine such as
represented in English Patent No. 7793, of April 26/92.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1, shows in side elevation a sole sewing machine, having attachments
embodying this invention.
Figure 2, shows in front elevation a portion of a sole sewing machine embodying
this invention.
Figure 3, a plan view of the parts shown in Figure 2.
Figure 4, a side view of the parts shown in Figure 2.
Figure 5, a detail to be referred to.
Figures 6 and 7, modifications to be referred to.
The awl a, and its pivoted sector carrier a' form a co-operative part of the stitch-
forming mechanism of the sole sewing machine represented in the specification
above referred to, and as the stitch forming mechanism itself forms no part of our
present invention, it is not deemed necessary to more fully describe it.
b represents a shank guide, and as shown in Figures 2 to 4, is shaped to enter
the crease, although if differently shaped it would bear against the last, see
Figure 6.
This shank guide b is also made to serve as a work-support or table.
c represents a fore-part guide, shown in Figures 2 to 4, as an upright arm, with
an offset at its upper end, the abutting or acting face being shaped to bear against
the edge of the sole, although it might be differently shaped to enter the crease,
see Figure 7.
The fore-part guide is made movable in and out with relation to the awl a, and
other members of the stitch forming mechanism and therefore has a dove-tailed
recess at the lower end of its arm which receives a dove-tailed portion d., formed on
a stationary plate d', which is secured to the framework.
The lower end of the fore-part guide c, which is herein shown as a sole-edge
guide, is connected by screws 2 or otherwise with a plate c which is loosely
connected by a screw 3, or otherwise, to one end of a lever c2, pivoted at c3 to the
plate di, the opposite end of said lever extending to the right, as shown, for a
short distance.
By swinging this lever c back and forth on its pivot c³, the fore-part guide c is
moved in and out, or toward and from the awl a, and other members of the stitch
forming mechanism not shown, or in and out, with relation to the shank or crease
guide b.
When sewing the boot or shoe the shank guide b enters the crease, and at such
time supports the boot or shoe, as for instance the welt may rest ou such support,
and the boot or shoe is thus guided along the shauk portion; at the beginning of
the fore-part the fore-part guide c is brought into operative position, as for instance
if said guide is adapted to serve as the sole-edge guide it will be brought forward
against the sole edge, and thus move the boot or shoe out a short distance, so that
the shank guide no longer enters or bottoms in the crease, although the welt still
rests upon it, and the boot or shoe is thus guided by the sole-edge guide around the

page_text: fore-part; at the beginning of the opposite shank portion the fore-part guide c
recedes and the shank guide is again brought into use.
Thus the stitches will be formed along the shank portion at a certain distance
from the edge of the sole according to the relative distance between the acting face
of the shank or crease guide and the awl and other members of the stitch forming
mechanism, while along the fore part they will be formed in parallelism with the
edge of the sole, and at a certain distance therefrom depending upon the distance
between the acting face of the fore-part guide and the awl and other members of
the stitch forming mechanism, or if the fore-part guide is formed to bear against
any other part of the lasted boot or shoe the stitches will lie at a certain distance
from the edge of the sole according as they are guided by such fore-part guide.
To lengthen and shorten the stitches, as aforesaid, making them longer in the
shank, and shorter around the fore-part, we have supported the awl-carrier al upon
an upright arising from a plate a' arranged to slide laterally in guideways provided
therefor in the frame. A hand lever e is pivoted at el to a right angular portion e²
projecting from the slide a' and engaging a circumferentially grooved head e³ of a
stud screwed into the upright a², so that by moving said hand lever the awl carrier
is moved laterally.
The hand lever has a pin 5, see dotted line, which enters the groove in plate 6,
and is held frictionally on a graduated plate 7 secured to the sliding plate ('.
This feeding mechanism is substantially the same as that described in the
Specification of the above mentioned patent and is not therefore claimed in the
present Specification.
The hand lever e, by means of which the length of stitch is thus varied, is
connected by a link e' with the swinging lever c², which is used to operate the fore-
part guide, and by means of this connection the parts are simultaneously operated,
the stitches being lengthened when the hand lever e is moved toward the operator
and the fore-part guide recedes, and shortened when the hand lever is moved away
from the operator, and the fore-part guide brought into use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. In a sole sewing machine, the combination of stitch forming mechanism, and
two guides acting externally upon a lasted boot or shoe, one acting to guide the
boot or shoe along the shank portions, and the other acting to guide the boot or shoe
around the fore-part, substantially as described.
2. In a sole sewing machine, the combination of stitch forming mechanism, a
shank guide, and a fore-part guide normally held out of engagement with the boot
or shoe, and means for moving it into engagement with the boot or shoe, whereby
the same may be properly guided around the fore-part, said guides both acting
externally upon a lasted boot or shoe, substantially as described.
3. In a sole sewing machine, the combination of stitch forming mechanism, a
shank guide acting externally upon a lasted boot or shoe, and a sole-edge fore-part
guide normally held out of engagement with the boot or shoe, and means for moving
it into engagement with the boot or shoe, whereby the same may be properly guided
around the fore-part, substantially as described.
4. In a sole sewing machine, the combination of stitch forming mechanism, a
shank guide acting externally upon a lasted boot or shoe, and a sole-edge fore-part
guide c, a hand lever and connecting mechanism between said hand lever and sole-
edge guide for moving it in and out, substantially as described.
5. In a sole sewing machine, the combination of stitch forming mechanism, of a
crease guide acting to externally guide a lasted boot or shoe along the shank
portions, and a sole-edge guide acting to guide said boot or shoe around the
fore-part.
6. In a sole sewing machine, the combination with stitch formning mechanism, a
shank guide held in fixed position with relation to the stitch forming mechanism

page_text: and acting externally upon a lasted boot or shoe, and an independent fore-part
guide for externally engaging the lasted boot or shoe, moving it away from said
shank guide, and thereafter guiding the boot or shoe.
7. In a sole sewing machine, the combination with stitch forming mechanism,
means for supporting a lasted boot or shoe in proper relation thereto, and for
externally guiding it along the shank portions and a supplemental sole-edge guide
movable in and out with relation to the stitch forming mechanism, substantially as
described.
8. In a sole sewing machine, the combination with stitch forming mechanism, a
shank guide b serving also as an external support for a lasted boot or shoe, and a
sole-edge guide c moving in and out with relation to the stitch forming mechanism,
and by such movement moving the lasted boot or shoe away from the acting face of
the shank guide b, substantially as described.
9. In a sole sewing machine, the combination with stitch forming mechanism and
means for holding a lasted boot and shoe and externally guiding it along the shank
portions, the sole edge guide c sliding in and out with relation to the stitch forming
mechanism, and the pivoted lever c² to which it is connected.
10. In a sole sewing machine, the combination with stitch forming mechanism, a
shank guide and an independent fore-part guide, both acting to externally guide a
lasted boot or shoe, means for varying the length of the stitches, and an operating
lever connected with and adapted to operate conjunctively both the fore-part guide
and the stitch-varying mechanism.
11. In a sole sewing machine, the combination with stitch forming mechanism,
means for supporting a lasted boot or shoe and externally guiding it along the shank
portions, a sole-edge guide movable with relation to the stitch forming mechanism,
means for varying the length of the stitches, and an operating lever connected
with and adapted to operate conjunctively both the stitch-varying mechanism and
the sole-edge guide.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.