IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOT AND SHOE HEELS AND TIPS, AND SHOES FOR HORSES AND OTHER BEASTS OF DRAUGHT PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION
Year: 1870

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Horatio Fletcher, of Upper Baker Street,
Regent's Park, in the County of Middlesex, Agent, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOT AND SHOE
HEELS AND TIPS, AND SHOES FOR HORSES AND OTHER BEASTS OF DRAUGHT
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Horatio Fletcher at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 26th April 1870.
I, HORATIO FLETCHER, of Upper Baker Street, Regent's Park, in
the County of Middlesex, Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the
said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOT AND
SHOE HEELS AND TIPS, AND SHOES FOR HORSES AND OTHER BEASTS OF DRAUGHT
AND BURDEN, AND IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN," to
be as follows, that is to say:—
My Invention relates, firstly, to the construction of machinery for the
purposes above named, whereby several of the operations necessary in

page_text: their formation, and which are usually performed separately, may be
automatically effected by one machine, and when required simultaneously.
I construct a machine consisting of a pair of standards mounted upon
a bed for carrying a main shaft, upon which is mounted a central
cam for giving a downward stroke to a vertical rod carrying a punch
or die holder with piercing pegs adjusted therein. Upon the main shaft
are also secured a pair of cams, one on either side of the central cam,
which impart when the shaft is in motion a downward action to a pair
of rods suitably guided and having their lower ends secured to a holding
and partially forming foot plate, which is made to fit the outside edge
of the tip or blank under operation. Upon the main shaft are also secured
a pair of eccentrics or cranks, one on each side of the two side rods.
The action of these eccentrics raises or takes upward into position when
requisite the side rods and the punch or die shaft after the completion
of a stroke. Upon the bed of the machine is fitted in position for the
action of the punch or die shaft a raised bed or counterpart perforated
with a series of holes corresponding to the piercing pegs or tools in the
punch or die holder, and upon the raised bed is formed a shape or block
piece, around which the blank is held; a vertical shaft passes and works
through an angular hole in the bed, and is connected to the punch
or die holder for the purpose of ensuring a certain and steady action
thereto.
To work a machine so constructed a heated blank is first put in
position upon the raised bed and surrounding the block piece; motion is
then imparted to the driving shaft, when the side rods will be caused
to descend by the action of their cams, taking with them the holding and
partially forming foot plate until it has reached its seating upon the
bed plate, when it will by its peculiar form bear slightly upon and also
around the edges of the blank, thereby compressing it into a more
perfect form during the descent of the side rods. The action of the
central cam causes the punch or die shaft to descend and follow the
side rods until the piercing pegs or punches come into contact with and
perforate the blank, the burrs or refuse metal falling through the holes
in the bed plate. The continuing revolution of the main shaft brings
into action the eccentrics which will first cause the die or punch shaft
to rise and withdraw the piercing pegs from the blank which is firmly
held down in position at such time by the clipping or retaining action
of the holding and part forming foot plate. The further action of the

page_text: eccentrics also causes the side rods to ascend and follow the punch or die
shaft, when the blank may be removed and a fresh one supplied ready
for the next descent of the punch or die.
contour or shape
Secondly. My Invention refers to machinery or apparatus for the
purposes herein-before mentioned, whereby such articles may be entirely
produced in one machine, either singly or in suitable numbers, sizes, and
forms at one time. I form a male or female die or a series of counter-
part dies or matrices upon a solid bed or plate to the
and gauge of boot heels, tips, or shoes for horses and other beasts, such
dics being interlaced in any suitable manner to avoid waste of space
and material, and such set or sets of dies or matrices may be capable
of adjustment one upon the other by suitable pegs or guides, and may
be fitted in suitable carriages or holders provided with slides or set
screws. I take a heated plate or blank of iron of suitable gauge and
lay it upon the lower die or series of dies, and secure down upon such
plate in accurate position the counterpart die or series of dies;. the set
or sets of dies with the heated plate between them are then removed
or submitted to the action of a hydraulic press, by which the dies will
compress and gradually cut out and produce from the heated metal the
desired shapes. The perforations required may be produced either wholly
or partially by the action of such dies as may be found most expedient
or desirable, or when the dies are adjusted with the heated plate
between them and are ready for the compressing or forming action
they may be taken to a pair or sct of rolls, the passage of the dies
through such rolls operating upon the heated plate in a similar manner
to the hydraulic press.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Horatio Fletcher in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 26th October 1870.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HORATIO
FLETCHER, of Upper Baker Street, Regent's Park, in the County of
Middlesex, Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of April, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy, in the thirty-.

page_text: third year of Her reign did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Horatio Fletcher, Her special licence that
I, the said Horatio Fletcher, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Horatio Fletcher, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term therein
expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF BOOT AND SHOE HEELS AND TIPS, AND SHOES FOR HORSES AND
OTHER BEASTS OF DRAUGHT AND BURDEN, AND IN MACHINERY AND APPARATUS
TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Horatio Fletcher, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed, and
cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
29
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Horatio Fletcher, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had the Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thercon, that is
to say :-
My Invention relates, firstly, to the construction and arrangement of
machinery for the manufacture of boot and shoe heels and tips, and shoes
for horses and other beasts of draught and burden, whereby several of
the operations necessary in the formation of such articles, and which
are usually performed separately, may be automatically effected by one
machine, and when required simultaneously.
Sheet 1 of the Drawings illustrates in Figure 1, a front elevation, and
Figure 2, a transverse section, a machine constructed according to my
Invention for the purposes already described.
Figures 3 to 7 inclusive, Sheet 2, are sections and plans of some
portions of the machine in detail, and which will be readily compre-
hended by referring to the notes on the Drawings relating thereto.

page_text: (a, a,) are standards or supports secured upon a suitable bed not
shewn; (b) is the main shaft upon which is mounted a central
cam (c) for giving a downward stroke to a vertical rod (d) carrying a
punch or die holder (e) with piercing dies or pegs (f), Figure 4,
adjusted therein; (f¹) is a guide rod for steadying the action of the die
holder (e); upon the main shaft (b) are also secured a pair of cams
(g, g',) one on either side of the central cam (c). The cams (g, g',)
impart when the shaft (b) is in motion a downward action to a pair of
vertical rods (h, h¹,) which are suitably guided and have their lower ends
secured to a holding and partially forming foot plate (i) which is made
to fit or slightly clip around the outside edge of the tip or blank under
operation. Upon the main shaft (6) are also secured a pair of eccentrics
or cranks (k, k,) for the purpose of raising or taking upward into position
when requisite the sid rods (h, ',) and the punch or die shaft (d) after
the completion of a stroke. Upon the bed of the machine is fitted
in position for the action of the punch or die shaft (d) a raised bed or
counterpart plate (1) perforated with a series of holes (m), Figure 3,
corresponding to the piercing pegs or dies (f) in the punch or dic
holder (c), and upon the raised bed (1) is formed a shape or block
piece (1) around which the blank (0), Figures 3 and 4, is held.
In the section, Figure 3, will be seen more clearly in detail the punch
or die shaft (d) carrying the die holder (e) with pegs or dies (S)
adjusted therein, the steadying rod (S) working through the bed, the
side rods (, ) working in guides and carrying the holding and
partially forming foot plate (i) which is shown as down and slightly
bearing upon the edges of the blank (o). The raised counterpart bed
plate (1) is also shewn perforated as at (m) for the clear passage of the
dies or pegs (S) and for the removal of the punched out or refuse metal.
Figure 4 represents in plan the holding and partially forming foot
plate (i) upon upon a blank (o), the side rods (1, ',) being shewn in
section and also the steadying rod (f); the remaining Figures of the
Drawings require no further description.
The operation of a machine so constructed will be thus:-A heated
blank (o) is first put into position upon the raised counterpart bed plate
(7) and surrounding the block piece (n); motion is then imparted to
the driving or main shaft (6), when the side rods will be caused to
descend by the action of their cams (g, g'), the side rods (h, ',) taking
with them the holding and partially forming foot plate (i) until it has

page_text: reached its seating upon the raised counterpart bed (1), when it will by
its peculiar form, as shewn in Figures 3 and 4, bear slightly upon and
around the edges of the blank (o), thereby compressing it into a more
perfect form. During the descent of the side rods (h, ¹,) the action
of the central cam (c) causes the punch or die shaft to descend and
follow the side rods until the piercing pegs, punches, or dies (f) come
into contact with and perforate the blank (o), the burrs or refuse metal
falling through the holes (m) in the raised counterpart bed (1). The
continuing revolution of the main shaft brings into action the eccentrics
or cranks (, ¹) which will cause the die or punch shaft (d) to rise and
withdraw the piercing pegs or dies (f) from the blank (o), the blank (0)
being firmly held down in position at such time by the clipping or
retaining action of the holdind and partially forming foot plate (i). The
continuing action of the eccentrics or cranks (k, ¹,) also causes the
side rods (h, ¹,) to rise with the holding plate (i) and follow the punch
or die shaft, when the blank may be removed and a fresh one supplied
ready for the next descent of the punch or dic. I adjust in the die or
punch holder (e) pegs, punclics, or dies of suitable form and contour to
suit the requirements of the tip or shoe to be produced.
Secondly. My Invention refers to machinery or apparatus for the
purposes herein-before mentioned, whereby such articles may be entirely
produced in one machine, either singly or in suitable numbers, sizes,
and forms at one time. I form a male or female die, or a series of
counterpart dies or matrices upon a solid bed or plate to the contour
or shape and guage of boot heels or tips, or shoes for horses and other.
beasts, such dies being interlaced in any suitable manner to avoid waste
of space and material, and such set or sets of dies or matrices may be
capable of adjustment one upon the other by suitable pegs or guides, and
may be fitted in suitable carriages or holders provided with slides or
set screws. I take a heated plate or blank of iron of suitable guage 3
and lay it upon the lower die, or scries of dies, and secure down upon
such plate in accurate position the counterpart die or series of dies;
the set or sets of dies with the heated plate between them are then
removed or submitted to the action of a hydraulic press by which the
dies will compress and gradually cut out and produce from the heated 3
metal the desired shapes. The perforations required may be produced
either wholly or partially by the action of such dies as may be found
most expedient or desirable, or when the dies are adjusted with the

page_text: heated plate between them and are ready for the compressing or forming
action they may be taken to a pair or set of rolls, the passage of the dies
through such rolls operating upon the heated plate in a similar manner.
to the hydraulic press.
Having thus described the object and nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be carried into effect, I claim,
without limiting myself to these precise details, improvements in the
manufacture of boot and shoc heels and tips, and shoes for horses and
other beasts of draught and burden, and in machinery and apparatus to
be employed therein, substantially in manner as herein more fully set
forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Horatio Fletcher, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of October, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy.
HORATIO FLETCHER. (L.S.)