Improvements in the Manufacture of Leather Belting, and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1896

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Leather Belting, and in
Apparatus therefor.
I, EDWARD FRANK SARGEANT of Linden Villa, Lower Street, Stroud, in
the County of Gloucester, Patent Strap Manufacturer, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Belts known to the trade as Sampson's leather belts are made by uniting the
edges of long leather strips cut spirally out of the butt and subsequently stretched
by sewing them by hand with a welt stitch, edge to edge while they are stretched
and tacked to a table. The united widths of these leather strips makes the width
of the belt, and as a rule the strips are without a joint from end to end. Double
belts are made of two such single belts pegged together back to back so that the
sewing is entirely concealed and protected from injury.
According to this invention I accomplish this sewing by a machine.
I take the strips after they have been properly strained and tack them down to a
table by wood or other pegs, keeping them well stretched until they are completely
held down flat by the pegs. I then connect the edges together by means of a welt
stitch sewing machine or a machine for driving in wire staples or metal binders
across the joint; the sewing machine or metal binder or stapler travels along the
tables and joins two strips as it proceeds; it may either be actuated by ropes in the
way common to travelling machines, or by a toothed wheel engaging in a rack at
the side of the table, or by other suitable method; the machine is provided with a
foot to seize hold of the surface of the leather and to hold the needle or driving
apparatus stationary while the needle is making a stitch or while the machine is
driving a staple or a binder, and this foot is actuated by cams or other device in
such a way that as soon as this act is completed it moves the machine forward by
the length of one stitch or the interval between two staples or binders; the foot
then takes a fresh hold in a forward position while another stitch is being made, or
staple or binder driven.
Or the table to which the leather strips are tacked is driven forward with an
intermittent motion under the sewing machine or wire binder or stapler.
Or I dispense with the table altogether, and secure the proper tension in the
leather strips while they are passing through the sewing machine or binder, by
feeding them up to it from off a roller or from between a pair of rollers or through
a set of clamps and on to another roller, rollers or clamps on the other side of the
machine, the two sets of rollers or clamps being connected together in such a way
that the second set pulls the strips through at rather a faster rate than the first set
delivers it and both together pass it through the machine with an intermittent
motion while the strips are kept in the right amount of stretch to secure good
work. In some cases it is preferable to propel the partly finished belt through the
sewing machine or binder by means of one complete set of clamps or rollers and the
strip which is to be sewn to it by another complete set, the object being to stretch
each individual strip by the exact amount that the varying nature of the leather
requires as it is being formed into the belt.

page_text: Improvements in the Manufacture of Leather Belting, and in
Apparatus therefor.
I, EDWARD FRANK SARGEANT, of Linden Villa, Lower Street, Stroud, in the
County of Gloucester, Patent Strap Manufacturer, 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 :-
Belts known to the trade as Sampson's leather belts are made by uniting the
edges of long leather strips cut spirally out of the butt and subsequently stretched
by sewing them by hand with a welt stitch, edge to edge while they are stretched
and tacked to a table. The united widths of these leather strips make the width
of the belt, and as a rule the strips are without a joint from end to end. Double
belts are made of two such single belts pegged together back to back so that the
sewing is entirely concealed and protected from injury.
According to this invention I accomplish this sewing by a machine.
I take the strips after they have been properly strained and tack them down to a
table by wood or other pegs, keeping them well stretched until they are completely
held down flat by the pegs. I then connect the edges together by means of a welt
stitch sewing machine or a machine for driving in wire staples or metal binders
across the joint; the sewing machine or metal binder or stapler travels along the
tables and joins two or more strips as it proceeds; it may either be actuated by
ropes in the way common to travelling machines, or by a toothed wheel engaging
in a rack at the side of the table, or by other suitable method; the machine is
provided with a foot to seize hold of the surface of the leather or of the table and
to hold the needle or driving apparatus stationary while the needle is making a
stitch or while the machine is driving a staple or a binder, and this foot is actuated
by cams or other device in such a way that as soon as this act is completed it moves
the machine forward by the length of one stitch or the interval between two
staples cr binders; the foot then takes a fresh hold in a forward position while
another stitch is being made, or staple or binder driven.
Figure 1 is part of a transverse section of the machine showing the moving parts
in elevation. Figure 2 is a part longitudinal sectional elevation.
AA are two side frames carried on flanged wheels BB which run between
rails CC attached to the table D to which the stretched strips of leather are pegged
down side by side. The side frames A carry a shaft E which actuates the sewing
or stapling machine by means of a long feather. This machine is of any ordinary
type and is not shown in the drawing. It can be traversed along the shaft E by
means of a screw or other device so as to be brought above the several seams.
There are two side frames A one on either side of the table which are kept together
by the four bolts F F F F. The shaft E carries close to either side irame
a cam plate G with two cam paths shown by dotted lines on the side view. The
inner path actuates a link H J carried by a second link K the free end of
the link being pivotted to a vertical lever J L turning on a pivot W in the free
end of the lever M R N.
Figure 3 is a sectional plan to a larger scale showing the connection between the
levers M R N and JL. V is a block through which the lever J L is free to slide.
It carries trunnions V₁ working in slots in the forked end of the lever M R N
which are prevented from escaping by cottars V2.
The vertical le ver J L has a loot L at its lower end which can be pressed upon
the surface of the table by the lever M R N which is also actuated by the same

page_text: cam. The outer cam path raises and lowers a foot O which also rests on the upper
surface of the table, this foot O having a stalk which slides in a boss attached to
the side frame.
The action is as follows :-When the free end of the lever M R N is depressed
(said lever being pivotted to the side frame at R) the foot L grips the table
through the pressure caused by the helical spring S being compressed by the lever.
As the cam plate revolves the link H J travels forward in the direction of its
length which pulls the foot L backwards aud this pulls the machine forwards.
A further revolution of the cam plate causes the foot O to descend and shortly
after the foot L is raised and the link H J is pulled back so as to throw the foot L
into a forward position once more. The shaft E is worked by a rope passing
round the grooved pulley T or by any other suitable means.
Or the table to which the leather strips are tacked is driven forward with an
intermittent motion under the sewing machine or wire binder or stapler. In this
case the table and machine are so connected that no motion of the table is possible
while a stitch is being made.
Or in place of fixing the strips to the table I move them along it keeping them
at the proper tension while they are passing through the sewing machine or binder
by feeding them up to it from off a roller or from between a pair of rullers or
through a set of clamps and on to another roller, rollers or clamps on the other
side of the machine, the two sets of rollers or clamps being connected together in
such a way that the second set pulls the strips through at rather a faster rate than
the first set delivers them and both together pass them through the machine with
an intermittent motion while the strips are kept in the right amount of stretch to
secure good work. In some cases it is preferable to propel the partly finished belt
through the sewing machine or binder by means of one complete set of clamps or
rollers and the strip which is to be sewn to it by another complete set, the object
being to stretch each individual strip by the exact amount that the varying nature
of the leather requires us it is being formed into the belt.
Figure 4 is a plan, Figure 5 a section on the line 5-5 Figure 4, Figure 6 a
part side elevation and Figure 7 an end elevation of a machine constructed in this
manner.
a is a roll of finished belting wound on a drum a¹ to whose shaft a² are fixel the
pin wheels b. c is a strap resting on the top of the belting and whose ends work in
slots in the arms a' which are fixed to the shaft a' and carry driving pawls a' and
these and also the retaining pawls a pivotted to the frame engage with ratchet
teeth on the wheels b. The bearings of the shaft a² are free to rise up and down
in slots in the frame of the machine and are supported on screws d working up and
down in nuts d' fixed to the frame and which carry pin wheels d gearing with the
pin wheels b. e are horizontal rods pivotted to the strap c and free to move to and
fro in guide eyes e. It will be seen that as the drum fills the pin wheel 6 turns
the pin wheel d and the screw d so that the shaft a² and drum a' descend. The
rods e accordingly act on the arms a³ at a greater and greater distance from the
shaft a² and therefore turn the shaft a² and drum a' through a smaller and smaller
angle and in this way the take up is kept constant. The two rods e are connected
by a cross rod to which are pivotted a number of telescopic rods (one for each
strip of leather) and carrying compressed helical springs f' tending to elongate
them. are connecting rods pivotted to the rods e and to the levers e pivotted
to the transverse rod whose other ends are pivotted to rods e carrying rollers e
working in a groove in the cains g.
The ends of the rods are fixed to blocks (shown in end elevation in
Figure 8) against which the springs fpress. The blocks f are mounted on
rollers running on a table & carried by arms &' (pivotted to it and to the frame)
and resting on a cam h on the same shaft as the cam g. jis a transverse rod free
to move in horizontal slots in the frame and having pivotted to it connecting
rods whose other ends are pivotted to levers joperated by rods j* carrying
rollers working in groves in the cams g.

page_text: j
m are blocks
The rod ; also has pivotted to it connecting rods k whose other ends are pivotted
to levers carrying pawls gearing with ratchet teeth on the feed roll k³. is a
presser foot carried by rods pivotted to the levers themselves pivotted to the
rod and carrying rollers 13 working in grooves in the cams g.
carrying rollers m¹ running on the underside of a fixed transverse table m². The
blocks m are threaded on rods m³ having one end pivotted to a rod m* and the other
end supported on a transverse rod m hanging from uprights me supported on helical
springs m bearing on the table m². m³ are helical springs pressing against the
blocks m.
The blocks m and parts connected with them are omitted from
Figure 4.
The sewing or stapling machine may be of any ordinary construction and is not
shown in the drawing, it may be fixed at any convenient part of the machine
between the presser foot 1 and strap c but it must be driven synchronously with and
preferably from the cam shaft.
The action is as follows:-
Whilst the stitch is being made the strips of leather are kept stretched by reason
of the compression of the springs f¹. When the stitch is finished the table h
descends, the roller is moved by its cam to the right moving the bar j and with
it the blocks to the left compressing the springs f¹ and at the same time turning
the feed roll k³.
The parts are now in the positions shown in diagrams 9. The table / is then
raised causing the strips of leather to be nipped between the blocks and the
blocks m, immediately afterwards the roller 13 and presser rise releasing the strips
at this point. The bar j next moves to the right, the roller e' is then moved to the
right carrying the bars e to the left and turning the shaft a² winding up the finished
belt, drawing the blocks m and 2 to the left and taking up the slack which has
been fed by the roller k³; e' next moves to the left carrying bar e to the right &
further compressing springs f¹. The presser foot then descends, the table h
descends and the blocks are carried by the springs f¹ to the right till they are
stopped by the bar and the cycle is complete.
Figure 10 is a side elevation of an alternative arrangement of the mechanism at
the right hand end of the machine for feeding and keeping the tension on the
strips and Figure 11 is a vertical section of the same on the line 11. 11.
Figure 7.
In this arrangement the strips of belting are gripped between quadrants 1 and
spring rollers 2 one quadrant and one roller being provided for each strip. The
quadrants are mounted on an axle 3 carried by slides 4 and are kept in the
position shown by the weighted levers 5. When however the tails of the levers 5
are acted on by wipers 5* on the main shaft 6 the levers are raised and the
quadrants turned slightly.
The slides 4 work in guides in the framing of the machine and are moved to and
fro in the following way: The rods e3 which are pivotted to the rods e (Figures 4
to 7) are operated by eccentrics 7 on the main shaft 6. To these rods e are
pivotted the ends of the rods 8 the other ends of which carry pins 9 adjustably
pivotted in the forked oscillating levers 10 pivotted to the frame. The rods 11
are also pivotted to the levers 10 and by the pins 12 move the slides 4 to
and fro.
The rollers 2 are mounted on a bar 13 which moves in guides 14 in the slides 4
and they are moved towards and away from the quadrants 1 by means of the
rods 15 which are pivotted to the bell crank levers 16 which turn on the axle 3.
The other arms of the levers 16 carry pins 17 which move in slots 18 cut in the
sliding plates 19 which are slidden to and fro in the following manner:-On the
side of the eccentrics 7 cam grooves (see Figure 12) are provided which by
pins 20 cause the bent levers 20 fulcrummed at 21 to oscillate. These levers 20
rock the bent levers 22 which are pivotted to the frame at 23 and connected by a
pin working in a slot to the sliding plates 19 which are thus moved to and fro.
These sliding plates 19 also operate by means of other pins * working in the

page_text: slots 18 the rods which raise and depress the presser feet 1 (see Figures 4
to 7). The presser feet work in spring boxes (**.
The feed roller k may in this arrangement be actuated by connecting rods k
from the slides 4.
The action is as follows:-
As the cam and eccentric 7 turn from the position shown in Figures 10 and 12
for the first half revolution of the shaft 6 the rods e cause the drum a' (Figures 4
to 7) to wind up the belt and the slides 4 quadrants 1 and rollers 2 all move
forward together, and the roller & feeds the strips forward also-the plate 19
being stationary the while as the pin 20x is moving in the circular part of its path
(Figure 12). The pin 20x now moves to the right and causes the plate 19 to move
to the left owing to which the pin * descends and the feet 7 grip the strips.
Immediately after this the pin 17 also descends and moves the rollers 2 out of
contact with the strips and the quadrants 1 are tilted by the wipers pressing on the
tails of the levers 5. The rollers 2 are pressed against the strips on the quadrants 1
and immediately afterwards the wipers free the tails of the levers and the presser
feet are raised; the weights then turn the quadrants back and stretch all the
strips to an even tension and the cycle is complete.
Figure 13 is a diagram view illustrating a modification of the arrangement
shown in Figures 10 to 12 in which the quadrants are replaced by complete
rings 24 provided with internal rings of teeth 25 with which engage detaining
pawls 26 sliding on the levers 5 and moved by bell crank levers 27 turning in
bearings 28 carried by the levers 5.
In this arrangement the sliding plates 19 are dispensed with and the rollers 2.
are pressed by springs against rings 24 but otherwise do not move relatively to
the axle 3, while the slides 4 and the rods e³ (see Figures 4, 5 and 10) are moved
by the links 4* actuated by the rollers 4° moving in the cam paths shown. In
these cam paths also move other rollers * which by the links to raise and lower the
rods and the presser feet l.
The action is as follows:-
The parts being as shown the feed forward takes place owing to the rollers 4°
moving to the left, the feet. I being at this time out of contact with the strips. The
feet then move down and take hold of the strips while the slide 4 remains in its
forward position. The slide 4 then moves back the rings 24 being free to turn
because the detaining pawls 26 are moved out of engagement with the teeth 25 by
means of quadrant shaped wipers on the shaft 6 (the position of which relatively
to the cam path is shown by the hatch lined portion) acting on the levers 27 the
said quadrant wipers at the same time raising the levers 5 by depressing their tail
ends.
As soon as the wipers have cleared the levers 27, the pawls 26 re-engage by
means of springs which pull them forward and as soon as the wipers free the levers 5,
these put a tension on the strips (which are gripped between the rollers 24 and
rollers 2); the feet then move up and the cycle is complete.
The tension varies from about fifty pounds per inch of width of the strip for
narrow strips to about two hundred pounds per inch of width for wide strips.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination of a sewing or stapling machine with means for holding the
strips side by side in a stretched condition and means for traversing the machine or
the strips step by step relatively the one to the other.
2. The combination of a sewing or stapling machine with a table ou which the
strips are held side by side in a stretched condition and means for traversing the
machine or the table step by step relatively the one to the other.
3. In n.echanism for passing the strips past a sewing or stapling machine driving
the take up faster than the feed so that the strips are stretched in their passage.

page_text: 4. In apparatus such as is referred to in the preceding claims stretching the strips
when arranged side by side independently the one of the other.
5. Apparatus substantially as described and shown in the drawings.
11-
TL
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