Improvements in or relating to Boot and Shoe Finishing Machinery.
Year: 1895

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Boot and Shoe Finishing
Machinery.
We, JOHN BUTCHER, of Springfield Road, Leicester, Boot and Shoe
Manufacturer, and JOHN CLARKE, of 72 Clarendon Park Road, Leicester,
Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to boot and shoe finishing machinery and has for
its object the provision of mechanism for automatically supplying the finishing tool
with the wax or similar preparation used therewith in the finishing processes of
boots and shoes.
The invention is chiefly designed to facilitate the process of what is technically
known as "top-ironing" sometimes termed "bordering," and which consists in
forming round the sole of a boot or shoe a narrow marginal border of a different
colour from that of the sole itself.
The invention may, however, be applicable to other forms of finishing machinery
in which a wax like preparation is applied to the sole of a boot or shoe and a
heated tool passed to and fro over the same to produce a burnished or polished
surace, such for instance as the rotary edge setting machine.
Heretofore, in the process of top-ironing, the operator has placed by hand, small
portions of the waxy preparation at intervals round the edge of the sole, after
which the latter has been submitted to a heated top-iron to form the bordering
before-mentioned.
By the present invention this operation by hand is dispensed with, and the
process is completely carried out automatically by the machine, the waxy preparation
being supplied to the tool by suitable mechanism.
The present invention includes means for maintaining the waxy preparation in
contact with the finishing tool, and means for regulating the pressure of the wax
against the finishing tool.
In "top-ironing" machines the tool, which is circular, is heated by a gas jet and
revolved at a very high speed. The waxy preparation preferably formed in sticks
or rods, is carried in a suitable holder adjacent to the tool and so as to be in contact
therewith.
The holder may be counter-weighted or spring-controlled, (but preferably the
former) so as to keep the preparation against the tool, the heat of which melts the
latter and causes the tool to become coated thereby, so that when the sole is held
against the tool, the wax is transferred thereto to form the bordering.
The holder may be of any suitable construction, but one convenient form
consists of a tubular socket in which the sticks of wax are placed.
A piston or plunger, preferably counterweighted, within the said tube, may be
employed to keep the said wax in contact with the tool and a suitable brake
or pressure regulating device may be employed to keep the wax from feeding
too freely.
The holder itself, may be arranged to present the wax to the tool and thereby
dispense with the use of the plunger.

page_text: By means of this invention a more economical use of the preparation takes place
and the latter is also more evenly distributed round the edge of the sole
Dated this 6th day of February 1895.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements in or relating to Boot and Shoe Finishing:
Machinery.
We, JOHN BUTCHER, of Springfield Road, Leicester, Boot and Shoe
Manufacturer, and JOHN CLARKE, of 72 Clarendon Park Road, Leicester,
Machinist, 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:-
This invention has reference to boot and shoe finishing machinery and has for
its object the provision of mechanism for automatically supplying to the finishing
tool the wax or similar preparation used therewith in the finishing processes for
boots and shoes.
The invention is chiefly designed to facilitate the process of what is techuically
known as "top-ironing" sometimes also termed "bordering" and which consists in
forming round the sole of a boot or shoe, a narrow marginal border of a different
colour from that of the sole itself.
Heretofore, in the process of top-ironing, the operator has placed by hand, small
portions of the waxy preparation at intervals round the edge of the sole, after
which the latter has been submitted to a heated top-iron to form the bordering
before-mentioned.
By the present invention this operation by hand is dispensed with, and the
process is completely carried out automatically by the machine, the waxy preparation
being supplied to the tool by suitable mechanism.
The present invention includes means for maintaining the waxy preparation in
contact with the finishing tool and means for regulating the pressure of the
wax against the finishing tool.
In "top-ironing " machines, the tool, which is circular, is heated by a gas-jet and
is revolved at a very high speed.
The waxy preparation used for purposes of the present invention is preferably
formed in sticks or rods, which are carried in a suitable holder adjacent to the tool
and so as to be in contact therewith.
The holder may be counterweighted, or spring controlled (but preferably the
former,) so as to keep the preparation against the tool, the heat of which melts the
latter and causes the tool to be coated thereby, so that when the sole is held
against the tool, the wax is transferred to the boot and forms the bordering in the
well known manner.
The holder may be of any. suitable construction but one convenient form consists
of a tubular socket in which the sticks of wax are placed.
A piston or plunger, (preferably counterweighted,) within the said tube
maintains the wax in contact with the tool and a suitable brake or pressure
regulating device is employed to keep the wax from feeding too freely.
In order that the invention may be fully understood reference is made to the
accompanying drawing in which
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the major portion of the type of boot and shoe
finishing machine known as a top-ironing machine, having our invention applied
thereto.

page_text: Figure 2 is a plan of the same, partly in section on the line ▲ ▲ of Fig. 1.
Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line Z Z of Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a detail view hereinafter referred to.
Figures 2, 3 & 4 are drawn to a larger scale than Figure 1.
Only so much of the top-ironing machine is shown in the drawings and will
be hereinafter described and referred to as is necessary to clearly illustrate
the invention.
A represents the top-iron which is heated by a gas-jet from the pipe B and
attached to the end of a rapidly revolving spindle A' carried in the head C¹ of the
standard C and receiving motion from the pulley A 2 band A 3 and driving pulley A4
the latter having bearings in two arms C 2 forming an integral part of the
standard.
Drepresents a bar screwed at D' to the head C¹ and having connected, by a screw
and wing nut D3 Fig. 2, at its lower end, a felt disc D2 which is fixed so as to be
in contact with the top-iron and assist in removing superfluous wax therefrom.
So far the machine is of the usual construction.
The manner of presenting the sole of a boot or shoe to the top-iron so as
to form the narrow marginal border thereon is so well understood as not to need
description.
For the purpose of automatically supplying the top-iron A with wax according
to this invention the said wax is by preference in solid form and cast or moulded into
sticks or rods.
E represents a wax rod which, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4, is loosely placed
within a tubular holder F the latter being supported by a split socket Fl
tightened thereover by a screw F 2 passing through lips formed on its upper side
and by which screw the holder can be adjusted relatively to the finishing tool.
The said socket is connected by means of a web F 3 to a tubular socket G,
hereinafter referred to, forming an integral part of the bracket H which is secured
by bolts H¹ to the standard C.
One end of the wax rod projects from the end of the holder and is maintained
in contact with the top-iron, as most clearly shown in Figure 1, by means of a
plunger J which enters the opposite end of the holder, and means are employed to
keep the end of this plunger in contact with the wax so as to constantly press or
urge the wax forward against the tool A.
Convenient means for this purpose consist of a counterweight K the cord K₁
supporting which is attached to an arm J¹ forming part of the plunger J and
passes over a revoluble pulley K 2 pivotted to a downward extension G¹ of the
socket G Fig. 1.
The location of the pulley relatively to the holder is such, as will be noticed
most clearly in Fig. 2, as to cause the plunger to travel so far in holder that
while any wax
is contained within the latter it will be forced against the
top-iron.
In order to insure the smooth working of the plunger J and provide against any
vibration thereof which might be due to the accidental jerking or swinging of the
counterweight the said plunger is connected at its outer end to the arm J' which
latter is furnished with a tubular sleeve J 2 passed over and adapted to move
freely along a guide rod L the latter being firmly secured by a screw L' passing
into the tubular socket G.
wide
In some classes of work viz. those in which the top-ironing consists of a
bordering, the tool will use or part with the wax as quickly as it is supplied to it,
but in other cases viz. narrow bordering, the wax may be supplied to the tool
more freely than the latter can dispose of it, in which event the excess wax may
get on to the other parts of the sole and disfigure it.
In order to obviate this excessive supply taking place we provide brake
mechanism under the control of the operator and which can be instantly
operated to increase or decrease the supply of wax to the tool as circumstances
require.

page_text: One form of brake and mechanism for controlling the wax supply consists of a
brake block or shoe M which normally exerts sufficient frictional pressure on the
plunger to arrest the motion of the latter.
As shown it is fixed on the upper flat end of a bar M¹ which latter is forced
upwardly by means of a spring M2 so as to cause the said brake shoe to press
against the underside of the plunger and exert sufficient frictional pressure to
arrest its motion.
The spring is suitably supported on a fixed rest or block N which forms a
horizontal continuation of the downward extension G¹ and between which latter
and the block N the bar M' is located and movable on a fulcrum G 2.
To the bottom of the bar M' is attached the loop of a cord O or equivalent the
lower end thereof being fastened to a foot treadle Fig. 1 fulcrummed at O2 to
one of the splayed legs O3 of the standard.
Upon the operator placing his foot on the treadle and depressing it, the bar M'
is moved on its pivot G 2 and the brake shoe M is lowered from under the plunger
so that the latter is then free to move in its socket and exercise its normal function
of pressing the wax against the top-iron, and upon the foot of the operator being
removed from the treadle the spring M 2 in regaining its normal tension forces the
brake shoe M in an upward direction and causes it to bear against the plunger and
arrest its motion.
To place the wax rods within the holder F the plunger is first withdrawn by
sliding the arm J' along the guide rod until it reaches the limit pin L2.
Although the casting of the wax in sticks or rods is a convenient form in which
to apply it to the finishing tool yet within the limits of the invention the wax may
be moulded in other solid forms and a holder and plunger therefor correspondingly
shaped to carry and automatically supply it to the finishing tool.
Instead of the counterweight K a coiled spring placed round the guide rod L
and compressible between the arm J and the limit pin L2 may be employed to
impart the herein before described movement to the plunger.
The invention is applicable to other forms of finishing machinery in which a
wax like preparation is applied to the sole of a boot or shoe and a heated tool
applied to the same to produce a burnished or polished surface; such a machine is
instanced in the rotary edge setting machine.
By means of this invention a more economical use of the preparation takes place
and the latter is also more evenly disposed round the edge of the sole and greater
uniformity in the bordering effected.
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 boot and shoe finishing machine the combination with the finishing
tool of a wax holding device, solid wax therein and means for automatically
maintaining the wax in contact with the said tool for the purpose described.
2. In a boot and shoe finishing machine the combination with the finishing
tool of a wax holding device, solid wax therein, a plunger or equivalent, and
means for maintaining the latter pressing the wax against the tool substantially as
described.
3. In a boot and shoe finishing machine the combination with the finishing
tool of a wax holding device, solid wax therein, a plunger in the said device and a
spring or counterweight for automatically causing the plunger to press the wax
against the tool substantially as described.
4. In a boot and shoe finishing machine the combination with the finishing
tool of a wax holding device, solid wax therein, a plunger, means to cause the latter
to maintain the wax in contact with the tool and a guide rod for the said plunger
substantially as described.
5. In a boot and shoe finishing machine the combination with the finishing
tool of a wax holding device, solid wax therein, means for maintaining the wax

page_text: in contact with the finishing tool, and mechanism for regulating the supply of
wax to the tool substantially as and for the purpose described.
6. In a boot and shoe finishing machine the combination with the finishing
tool of a wax holding device, solid wax therein, a plunger or equivalent for
keeping the wax in contact with the finishing tool, a brake device for controlling
the action of the plunger, and means for placing the brake in and out of contact
with the latter substantially as and for the purpose described.
7. In a boot and shoe finishing machine the mechanism for supplying and
regulating the supply of wax to the finishing tool, constructed, arranged and
operating substantially in the manner and for the purpose described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawing.
JOHN BUTCHER.
JOHN CLARKE.
Witness :-
E. N. LEWIS,
Berridge Street Chambers,
Leicester.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicants.