IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR SMOOTHING SURFACING AND BURNISHING THE EDGES OF BOOT AND SHOE HEELS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR SMOOTHING
SURFACING AND BURNISHING THE EDGES OF BOOT AND SHOE HEELS."-A
communication from abroad by Richard Clarck Lambert, of Quincy,
Messalvrette Tinited States at
America
OR
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 20th July 1871, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.

page_text: AND SHOE HEELS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for
the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it has been com-
municated to me from abroad by Richard Clarck Lambert, of Quincy,
Massachusetts United States of America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawing forming 1
a part of this Specification.
This Invention relates to an improved organization of machinery for
burnishing the heels of boots and shoes. In this machine there is
employed a boot-holding or jacking mechanism having a positive
reciprocating semi-rotative or vibratory movement, and in connection 1
therewith a polishing or burnishing tool, which is pressed down against
the vibrating heel edge, and which is so hung as to be capable of a free
movement to subject all parts of the heel edge to its action.
,
The said Invention consists primarily in a heel-burnishing machine
in which the boot or shoe is jacked to a frame that has a semi-rotative 2
movement, and in which the burnishing tool is attached to a lever
pivotted by a universal joint, so that the burnishing tool can be tipped
in any direction to bring all parts of the heel edge equally under the
action of the burnisher.
Also in the combination with a boot or shoe holding jack and a 2
polishing tool of a flange or plate against which the heel trcad rests or
is pressed, the said flange preventing the formation of a burring edge
and ensuring a sharp angle between the tread and the edge of the heel.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
A is a rear elevation of a machine embodying these improvements; a
B is a side elevation of the same.
a, denotes the main frame, through the standard 6 of which extends a
shaft c.
On the front end of this shaft is a jack frame d to which the
boot or shoe is fastened, the heel tread being clamped against a plate e,
and the inner surface of the boot or shoe at the heel being held by a
screw f. On the opposite end of this shaft c is a gear wheel g, and to this
wheel a reciprocating rotative movement is imparted by a reciprocating
5

page_text: gear bar or rack bar h, driven by any suitable mechanism. Over the
jack frame d extends a lever i, to which is fastened the burnisher or
burnishing tool k, this tool being made with a polishing face correspond-
ing to the edge of the heel, or of such form that as the heel passes
under it, it can be brought into contact with every part of the edge
surface of the heel. The tread of the heel is clamped against the
vertical plate e and the inner corner of the burnisher can reach into
the angle of the heel and plate, thereby polishing and solidifying
the leather to the extreme face of the heel tread and preventing the
formation of any burr at the corner or angle of the edge and tread face.
The pressure of the burnishing tool is produced by manipulation of
the lever i, and to enable the tool to be tipped to conform to or reach
the whole surface to be polished and condensed, I pivot the lever on a
compound or universal joint, as seen at 1, the operator being thereby
enabled to apply whatever pressure may be necessary on different parts
of a heel edge according to the varying quality of the stock and
the varying condition of the surfaces as left by the heel-trimming
mechanism.
The reciprocating movement of the jack is sufficient to bring the
whole length of heel edge under and into contact with the burnisher,
and to vary the extent of such reciprocation for different sizes of heels
the throw of the gear bar h may be variably adjusted.
Instead of a burnishing tool, a grinding or abrasive tool may be
employed to bring the edge of the heel to a uniform smoothness, pre-
paratory to burnishing it.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I claim,-
First. In combination with a burnishing or smoothing tool pressed
against the heel edge by hand or suitable mechanism a jack to which
the boot or shoe is fastened in position, when the said jack has a positive
reciprocating rotative or vibratory movement.
Second. In combination with such a jack a burnishing or reducing
tool attached to a hand-operated lever pivotted by a universal joint,
substantially as described.
Third. The heel plate e, against which the heel tread or face is
clamped, such plate projecting beyond the tread, and the burnishing tool

page_text: being so formed as to polish and condense the heel edge up to and
against the plate, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Twentieth day of August, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
W. J. Lowe.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)