Improvements in or relating to Work Supports for Boot-finishing Machinery.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Oct., 1898
Complete Specification Left, 4th July, 1899-Accepted, 5th Aug.,
1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Work Supports for Boot-finishing
Machinery.
I, WILLIAM ERNEST BURNELL, 7 & 9, Brunswick Street, Leicester, Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention has reference to a new or improved construction of work support
which is adapted to be attached to the pedestal or framing of certain existing
machines used in the manufacture of boots and shoes, so as to obviate the necessity
of the operator having to hold entirely manually the boot or shoe against the
operating tool.
Such a stand or support is particularly applicable in connection with a machine
which has a stitch wheel or analogous small rotatable tool attached.
My improved work support comprises a circular table upon which the sole of
the boot to be operated upon is placed.
The said table is supported by a spring controlled pillar located in a tubular
pocket attached to an arm, the said pillar being connected through the medium of
a chain or equivalent means to a foot pedal by which the said table can be lowered
against the action of a spring so as to permit the boot sole to be placed thereon
and under the stitch wheel or other tool against which it is held by spring pressure.
The said arm at its other end is also provided with a tubular socket which is
passed over a vertical shaft or pillar on which it may be fixed by a set screw.
By means of an adjusting screw the said arm can be raised or lowered on the
said vertical shaft or pillar to adjust the table relatively to the stitch wheel for
varying thicknesses of soles.
The vertical shaft or pillar passes through one or more tubular guides provided
with back plates or other means by which the complete work support can be
screwed or otherwise attached to the pedestal or framing of edge setting or other
existing machines.
A collar or equivalent fast on the said shaft rests on the tubular bearing to
hold the work support and the foot pedal may be fulcrummed to the end of the
said shaft.
The said shaft is movable within its guides so that the said arm, work table and
pedal can be turned from under the table and placed out of the way when desired.
A stop plate or equivalent is connected to the said collar or elsewhere so as to
abut against a similar stop when the table is in its proper position under the
tool.
The details of construction may be varied without departing from the main
lines of the invention.
1
Stabo 1900
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Work Supports for Boot-finishing
Machinery.
I, WILLIAM ERNEST BURNELL, 7 & 9, Brunswick Street, Leicester, Engineer, 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 a new or improved construction of work sup-
port which is adapted to be attached to the pedestal of certain existing machines
used in the finishing of boots and shoes so as to obviate the necessity of the
operator having to hold and present by hand to the operating tool the boot or
shoe to be acted upon thereby.
Such a stand or support is particularly applicable in connection with an edge
setting machine which is provided with a stitch wheel or analogous small rotary
tool.
The invention will be fully understood from the following further description in
reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of an adjustable work support of which my
invention consists.
Figure 2 is a section, on a larger scale than Figure 1, of the work table and
connected mechanism.
Figure 3 is a detail of a modification representing a counter-weighted lever for
supporting the work table and its pillar.
Figure 4 is a side elevation and Figure 5 a plan of an alternative construction
of work support table.
Figure 6 is a detail in horizontal section of the foot pedal, collar and clamping
screw.
The same letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the various figures
and only so much of a finishing machine to which the work support is applied is
shown as is considered necessary to render clear the invention.
A work support constructed in accordance with my invention and capable of
being applied to existing machines comprises a circular table upon which the
sole of a boot or shoe is placed and rests when it is to be operated by a stitch
wheel or other small rotary finishing tool (not shown in the drawing) but which
it will be understood is located immediately over the said table.
The latter according to the construction shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises
a mushroom head A on a shank A' which enters a socket in the upper end of a
pillar A3 furnished with a boss A³ and flange A shrunk thereon and upon which
latter the table rests and is free to revolve thereon.
The spindle of the table rests upon a ball A5 at the bottom of the socket and
thereby obtains a perfectly free movement when the boot sole is placed on the
table and the boot is being moved around therewith under the operating tool
in the well understood manner.
The pillar is located in a tubular socket B' formed in the front of the arm B
and is reduced in diameter for the greater part of its length where it is encircled
by a spiral spring C, the said pillar resting with its shoulder A2 on the said
spring and the latter is supported by a circular nut D which screws into the inter-
nally threaded lower end of the socket B¹.
The lower end of the said socket is split and clamped by a nut and arm 132
around the nut D to lock the latter in position.
The tension of the spring C can be adjusted by tightening or releasing the
nut D.

page_text: The lower end of the pillar A2 passes out of the socket B₁ through the nut I
and through the medium of the hook B3 is engaged by the upper end of a chain B
which connects it to a foot pedal E loosely fulerummed on a pin F1 projecting from
a split collar F on a vertical shaft or pillar G.
The position of the collar F on the shaft may be varied by releasing the clamp
nut on the screwed end of the pin F which passes through the split parts
of the collar.
A flanged bush F³ passes through the boss of the pedal as shown in Figure 6
and is slightly longer than the said boss so that no matter how tightly the split
collar is clamped by the nut and handle F2 the pedal boss has always a free move-
ment on its fulcrum.
The opposite end of the arm B is provided with a tubular socket H fitted over
the top of the vertical shaft or pillar G and is fixed in position thereon by a
clamp screw H¹ passing through the said socket and into a longitudinal groove H³
in the said shaft.
By means of a set screw J passing through the upper end of the socket and
bearing on the shaft G the arm B can be raised or lowered bodily on the latter
for the purpose of adjusting the table à relatively to the operating tool for vary-
ing thicknesses of soles.
The vertical pillar passes through one or more tubular guides or sockets K pro-
vided with back plates or lateral extensions K' which are fixed direct on to the
pedestal or standard L of an edge setting or finishing machine by screws K2 passing
through the one into the other.
The socket K is split as shown and can be tightened around the shaft by a
clamping nut K on the end of a screw passing through the two split parts."
When it is desired to use the said support the operator places his foot upon
and depresses the pedal E which through the medium of the chain B' draws down
the pillar A2 which compresses the spring C between the adjusting nut D and the
shoulder A* and lowers the table A.
When the latter is in this lowered position the operator rests the sole of the
boot thereon in the well understood manner and removes his foot from the pedal
whereupon the spring C returns the parts to their original position when the
table will clamp the boot sole against the operating tool.
In Figures 4 and 5 the table comprises a circular block M provided with a
stalk M secured to the flat upper end of the pillar A2 by a screw bolt M² which
permits the angle of the table to be varied when required.
The upper face of the table is hollowed or recessed for the reception of one,
two or more rollers M which are free to revolve on a pin or screw M* passing
through from side to side of the block.
In some cases I may dispense with the spring C and substitute therefor a
counterweight N suspended by a chain or cord N¹ from the notched or perforated
end of a lever O fulcrummed at O¹ to the arm B and hooked at its opposite end
to support a pin A2** projecting from the pillar A2 and passing through a slot B**
in the side of the tubular socket B'.
The counterweight through the medium of the said lever keeps the table in
its proper relative position to the tool and the table is lowered by depressing the
foot pedal E as hereinbefore described, for placing the boot sole thereon.
A collar fixed on the shaft, by a set screw 1" and resting on the tubular
socket K further assists in holding the shaft G and its attachments in the position
to which it may be placed.
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 claim is
1. A work support of the character described combined with means by which
it can be attached to the pillar of an edge setting or analogous machine.
2. A work support comprising a vertical pillar, means for fixing it to the

page_text: pedestal of a boot finishing machine, an arm adjustable on the said pillar and
provided with a boot supporting table, and a foot pedal also adjustable on the said
pillar and having connections between it and the said table substantially as
described.
3. The improved work support adapted to be attached to the pedestal of a
boot finishing machine and consisting of the parts constructed, arranged and
operating substantially in the manner described and illustrated in the accom-
panying drawings.
TI
WILLIAM ERNEST BURNELL.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.