Improvements in Machines for Forming Boot and Shoe Counter Stiffeners.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Sept., 1890-Accepted, 11th Oct., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Forming Boot and Shoe Counter
Stiffeners.
A communication from LOUIS COTE, of St. Hyacinthe, Province of Quebec, Canada.
1. ALFRED JULIUS BOULT M.I.M.E., of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
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 relates to machines for forming boot and shoe counter stiffeners and
it consists in certain novel features of construction, arrangement and combination
of parts which will be readily understood by reference to the description of the
drawings.
Figure 1 of the drawings is a front elevation of a machine embodying this invention.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a plan of the former and the side moulds for re-shaping the forward end
portions of the counter stiffener.
Figure 4 is a sectional plan of the same parts as are shown in Figure 3 but drawn
to an enlarged scale.
Figure 5 is a similar section with the parts in the positions they assume when the
segmental wedge has separated the free ends of the pivoted sections of the former.
Figure 6 is a vertical section on line of Fig. 4.
Figure 7 is an elevation of the disc for re-shaping the rear of the counter stiffener
and the gearing for revolving the same.
Figure 8 is a section of said disc on line y y on Fig. 7.
Figure 9 is an elevation of the corrugating rolls and their supports and the gear
for operating them, looking in a direction opposite to Fig. 2, and
Figure 10 is a section on line zz on Fig. 9 and showing the corrugating rolls in
elevation.
In the drawings A is the frame of the head of the machine which is mounted upon
a column B or other suitable support and has mounted in suitable bearings formed
thereon the horizontal shafts C, D E and F as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
The shaft C has mounted upon its right hand end the tight and loose pulleys G
and G' respectively and between its two bearings, the pinion a which engages with
and imparts motion to the spur gear wheels b and c mounted respectively upon and
firmly secured to the shafts D and E as shown.
The shaft C also has firmly secured thereon near the pulley G₁ the mitre gear
wheel d which engages and imparts motion to a corresponding uitre gear wheel e
firmly secured upon one end of the shaft which is mounted in a bearing f1 see
Figs. 1 and 9, and has firmly secured upon its other end the corrugating roll g which
co-operates with another corrugating roll gl mounted upon a shaft having a bearing in
a vertically adjustable box shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 9 for the purpose of
corrugating that portion of the counter blank which is to form the flange or heel soat
when the counter stiffener is built into the boot or shoe.
One of the corrugating rolls has an annular bead or rounded projection formed
thereon while the other roll has a corresponding annular depression formed thereon
said annular bead and depression operating to form upon the counter blank a longi-
tudinal corrugation at the desired distance from the edge of the blank which serves
to determine the line of fold for the flange or heel seat.
That portion of each of the rolls 9 and 7' between its circumferential bead or
groove and rear end has formed thereon a series of rounded teeth arranged parallel
to its axis of revolution as shown in Figure 10 which serve to crimp or corrugate
that part of the blank that is to form the flange or heel seat.
A gauge j is mounted in a bearing in the stand or bearing f 'so as to be adjustable

page_text: therein and is secured in the desired position by the set screw; whereby the width
of blank to be corrugated may be readily regulated.
The shaft E has formed upon or secured to its left hand end a spherical or spheroidal
former H which revolves partly within and co-operates with the hemispherical
mould H' to curve the counter blank both longitudinally and transversely to ares
of circles or to form a partially shaped countur or what is known in the trade as a
clam shell counter.
1 is a metal disc having a rounded edge and mounted in bearings in the two
side stands I' I so as to be revoluble therein.
Jis an adjustable mould partially surrounding and enclosing the upper portion of
the disc I and provided with a flaring mouth to facilitate the introduction of the
counter stiffener between it and the disc 1, after the "clam shell" shape has been
given to the blank by passing it between the former II and the mould II³.
The office of the disc 1 and mould J is to re-shape the rear or central portion of the
counter stiffener by passing the "clam shell" transversely between them. The dise
is provided with two short journals or trunnions which have bearings in the
stands and form in the right land side of said disc an annular chamber in the
outer wall of which is formed an internal gear with the touth of which the teeth of
the pinion mounted in the left hand end of the shalt D engage to impart to said
dise a rotation in the direction indicated by the arrow 2 on Fig. 2. By this method
of applying power to rotate the disc I the disc can be made of the proper diameter
to give to the rear of the counter stiffener the desired curvature from top to bottom
and the top of said disc will be sufficiently distant from the top of the shaft. D to
permit the long counter stiffeners now in use to be re-shaped without difficulty.
The gear wheel e mounted on the shaft E engages with and imparts motion to the
gear wheel m firmly secured on the shaft between its hearings in the frame A 8-
shown in Figs. 1 and 2.
The shaft has secured upon its left hand end the segmental wedge shaped arm u
the purpose of which will presently appear.
To the base of the frame A or to the top of the column B as may be preferred is
firmly bolted the table L having formed in its upper surface two rectangular slots o
extending from opposite sides thereof toward the centre with a rabbet ol along each
side to receive an H-shaped sliding block M the upper surface of which is flush with
the upper surface of the table L.
N is a heavy spring bar bent into a shape somewhat resembling the letter C and
arranged to engage at each end with one of the slide blocks M so as to press them
towards each other as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6.
The slide blocks M have each pivoted thereto by a vertical pivot pa mould jaw O
the inner faces of which are curved convexly in the direction of its length and con-
evely in the direction of its height so as to conform substantially to the outer sides
of the two parts and of the former P which are pivoted together and to the
table Lat s as shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5.
To complete the former and sorve as a gauge to locate the countor stiffener which
is placed thereon for re-shaping its side, the heel section is attached to the table L
in a fixed position, the outer end of which is shaped to conform to the shape of the
rear or heel end of the counter stiffener after it has been subjected to the action of
the disc I and monld J and its inner and is curved to fit around the pivoted ends of
the parts and as shown.
The inner upper corners of the parts and r¹ at their free ends are bevelled as
shown at ss to facilitate the outrance of the point of the sogmental wedge n between
said parts and to force them apart and into contact with the counter stiffener and
compress it between said parts and the mould jaws 00 in doing which the jaws O
are moved about their pivots against the tension of the springs t t as shown in
Fig. 5.
A stop pin is set in the table L in the proper position to limit the inward move-
ment of the parts rand and properly register them so that the point of the segmental
wedge n will enter between them at every revolution thereof.

page_text: A set screw is fitted to a threaded hole in each of the sliding blocks M so that its
inner end will bear against the lug or boss L' projecting downward from the underside
of the table I, to limit the inward movement of the sliding blocks M as shown in
Figs. 1 and 6. The movements of the blocks M are very slight, and are only
necessary to compensate for varying thicknesses of stock and as a considerable
pressure is required to properly re-shape the counter stiffeners, the yoke like spring
must be very heavy as shown.
Heretofore the manufacture of counter stiffeners by machinery has been confined
to factories fitted up especially for the purpose instead of in the shoe factory for
the reason that a different machine had to be employed for each different stylo of
counter stiffener thereby making the plant too expensive to be set up in the shoe
factory.
By the employment of this improved machine, counters of all styles can be made
upon a single machine thus rendering it practical for boot and shoe manufacturers
to make their own counter stiffeners without fitting up an expensive plant.
The operation of this improved machine is as follows:-
The blank cut to the desired shape from leather board or leather is first passed
between the corrugating rolls and to corrugate that portion of the blank
which is to form the flange or heel seat, the blank is then passed endwise between
the former H and the mould H' to curve it both lengthwise and widthwise to arcs
of circles and form what is known in the trade as a claim shell counter."
"
This "clam shell counter" is then passed transversely between the rounded edge
of the disc I and the mould J so as to re-shape the rear portion of the counter
and give it a quicker bend in the direction of its length.
The counter stiffener is then placed between the former P and the side mould
jaws 00 with its lower edge resting on the table L when the action of the
segmental wedge n passing repeatedly between the freer ends of the parts and
of the former P as the shaft F is revolved, causes the sides of the counter
stiffener to be repeatedly compressed between the outer moulded surfaces of the
parts and and the moulds OO to re-shape the side or forward ends of the
counter stiffener and partially straighten them in the direction of their length and
impart thereto a quicker curve in the direction of the height of the counter.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a machine for forming boot and shoe counter stiffeners the combination
of a former composed of a fixed heel section and two side sections pivoted together
and to the bed or table at a point near the heel end of said former two mould
like jaws having their inner faces shaped to conform to the longitudinal and
vertical curves of the side sections of said former and pivoted at or near the
middle of their lengths to slides one upon each side of said former a spring or
springs arranged to press said slides towards each other, and a revolving wedge
constructed and arranged to pass between the free ends of the pivoted side sections
of the former and move them about their common fulcrums and compress the
forward portions of the counter between said side sections of the former and the
mould jaws.
2. The combination of the bed L, a former composed of the fixed portion >²
and the two pivoted portions having a portion of their inner or contiguous
faces bevelled as at the slides M fitted to guideways in said bed,-the
spring N, the mould sections 0, 0 pivoted to the slides M, M the springs it the
revolving shaft F and the seginental wedge a mounted upon said shaft and con-
structed and arranged to act upon the inner bevelled sides of the pivoted sections
of the former and move them in opposite directions substantially as and for the
purposes described.
3. The combination in a machine for forming boot and shoe counter stiffeners,
of a pair of fluted rolls for corrugating one edge of the blank, a revolving spherical

page_text: or spheroidal former and a fixed mould for imparting to the blank longitudinal
and transverse curvas in the form of arcs of circles, a revolving disc having a
semicircular edge and a fixed mould co-operating therewith to re-shape the rear
portion of the counter stiffener, a mechanism for re-shaping the forward part of
the counter stiffener comprising a former in sections two of which are pivoted
together at one end, two side moulds pivoted to slides pressed toward each other
and said former by a spring or springs, and a segmental revolving wedge constructed
and arranged to intermittently act upon said pivoted sections of the former and
force them apart and press the forward portions of the counter stiffener between
suid former and the side moulds and re-shape them.
Dated his and hy al bunda
1904
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.