Improvements in Machinery for Rough-rounding and Channelling. Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Jan., 1892-Accepted, 12th Mar., 1892
COMPLETE SIMOITIATION.
[Communicated from abroad by JONATHAN MUNYAN, of 121, Pleasant Street,
Worcester, Massachusetts, Merchant.]
Improvements in Machinery for Rough-rounding and Channelling.
Boots and Shoes.
I, WILLIAM HENRY BECK of 115 Cannon Street, in the City of London
Consulting Engineer and Chartered Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature
of the 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 to the accompanying four sheets of drawings and to the letters and
figures marked thereon that is to say :-
<<
This invention relates to improvements in machinery to rough-round
" and
"channel" boot or shoe soles, while upon the shoe and with the last in or out of
the shoe, whereby the boot or shoe soles are prepared for the hand or machinery
used in the subsequent processes required to complete the boot or shoe-namely,
hand-stitching or stitching-machines to unite the sole and welt to the shape of the
last used and sole desired. This object may be obtained by the device shown in
the accompanying drawings, in which
Fig. 1 shows a front elevation of my machine as in operation, with the feed-
clamp 1 forward (toward A) and locked, and the four-motion drop-feed 45 also
forward toward A:
Fig. 2, a detail of throat-plate and gage 15, feed-clamp 1, and four-motion drop-
feed 45 in front elevation, the solid lines showing them locked in contact, as in
Fig. 1, the two latter being forward, (toward A), the dotted lines showing the two
latter back (toward B) with the four-motion drop-feed 45 down:
Fig. 3, a vertical transverse view of throat-plate and gage 15, looking from B
toward A of Fig. 1:
Fig. 4, an end view of Fig. 1 looking from B toward A of Fig. 1:
Fig. 5, a vertical transverse section on line E F of Fig. 1 looking from A
toward B of Fig. 1:
Fig. 6, an end view of Fig. 1 looking from A toward B of Fig. 1, omitting
parts 15, 20, 24, 44, 46, and r:
Fig. 7, a vertical transverse section of the fore part of a shoe while being rough-
rounded and channelled in this machine, looking from A. toward B of Fig. 1:
Fig. 8, a detail of throat-plate and gage 15, sliding pin 106, feed-clamp 1, and
four-motion drop-feed 45 in front elevation, the solid lines showing the feed-clamp 1
drawn back toward B, the four-motion drop-feed 45 also down and back, (toward B),
the dotted lines showing the two latter fed forward toward A, with the four-motion
drop-feed 45 also up.
Similar letters and figures denote similar parts throughout the several views.
This machine is designed to rough-round and channel boot or shoe soles while
upon the shoe, and with the last either in or out of the shoe, while the work
operated upon is being automatically fed through the machine.
In previous machines of this class, the feed movement has been defective in its
operation in some parts of the process. For instance, when the sole operated on
has no material in places outside of the cut made by the edge-trimming or oscillating
cutting-blade, the four-motion feed-blade or feed-awl heretofore used, will not have
any material to enter, and consequently will not be able to feed the sole operated
upon, forward or against the edge-trimming or oscillating cutting-blade and
channeling-knife, necessitating this feeding being performed by hand. By my
invention this mechanical defect is overcome, and the shoe and sole are fed forward
automatically to the channeling-knife 72 and edge-trimmer or oscillating cutting-

page_text: blade 89, by a positive feed-motion 45 and feed-clamp 1. The principal objects to
be attained in this part of the process of the manufacture of boots or shoes are, that
the edge of the sole operated upon shall be rough-rounded to an equal and uniform
width from the inseam, and that the channel shall be cut at any varied distance
desired from the rough-rounded edge of the sole, as in the shank, the channel is
required to be at a greater distance from the rough-rounded edge, than in the fore
part of the sole.
My invention consists of a frame carrying a main rotating shaft a, having upon
it hubs or cams bed to correctly actuate the various parts of the machine to feed,
rough-round, and channel the soles of boots or shoes while upon the boot or shoc
and with the last in or out of the boot or shoe. A vertically and horizontally
adjustable channeling-knife 72, having a vibratory motion, is supported and
operated by the knife-holder or carriage 73, mounted on and supported by the
upper part of the vibrating arm 86. This channeling-knife 72 and its holder or
carriage 73 and vibrating arm 86 are vertical, or nearly so, and supported by the
pivot or fulcrum 77 as a center. This vibrating channeling-knife 72 and its
holder or carriage 73 are mounted on the vibrating arm 86, and are capable of
being raised and lowered by the screw-thread and adjusting-screw 76, to cut the
channel in the sole to the depth required.
The vibrating arm 86 is mounted on the slide-block 78 by its pivot or fulcrum 77
extending into the slide-block 78, which extends through a groove or slot cut in a
rigid part or standard 116 of the frame of the machine, thereby permitting lateral
adjustment of the slide-block 78 and channeling-knife 72, to the required distance
from the edge of the sole to be channeled. The slide-block 78 carries a stud 92,
which is embraced by the slot 91 in the hand-lever 93, pivoted at 94 to a rigid part
of the machine, so that the slide-block 78, vibrating arm 86, knife-holder or
carriage 73, and channeling-knife 72 may be moved laterally by the hand-lever 93.
The slide-block 78 is a T-shaped piece, the arm 79 containing two stop-screws 96
and 97, the screw 96 screwing through the arm 79 and adapted to strike against
an arm 98 on a plate 95 secured to or forming part of the standard 116, the said
plate being herein shown as fastened to the said standard by screws 99. The other
screw 97 passes loosely through the arm 79 of slide-block 78 and is screwed into
the arm 98 of the plate 95. The screws 96, 97 regulate the lateral adjustment of
the slide-block 78, vibrating arm 86, knife-holder or carriage 73 and vibrating
channeling-knife 72, the screw 96 limiting the said adjustment in one direction by
striking against the arm 98 of the plate 95, and the screw 97 limiting the
adjustment in the opposite direction by the arm 79 striking against the head of the
screw 97.
In prior channeling-machines, the graduation of the distance of the channel from
the edge of the sole has been effected, by adjusting a guide or guides which rest
against the edge of the previously-trimmed sole. In the present machine I have
no edge-guide nor any equivalent therefor, as I guide by means of the work-
support, which rests against the upper of the boot or shoe as near as practicable to
the edge of the bottom of the last. The line of the channel is thus made con-
centric with the edge of the bottom of the last and at a distance therefrom,
which can be regulated while the machine is in operation, by moving the slotted
lever 93, thereby laterally adjusting the channeling-knife 72.
Means for adjusting the length of the vibrating knife will not be necessary unless
it is desired to use the machine to produce channels of varying depth.
A bracket 80, attached to the lower part of the frame of the machine, supports a
rock-shaft 105, pivoted in two lugs 81 and 82 of the bracket 80. One arm 115 of
this rock-shaft 105 carries a cam-roller 85, geared into the groove 84 of the cam-
wheel. The other end 118 of the rock-shaft 105 carries a swivel-block 126,
geared into a slot 107 in the vibrating arm 86, vibrating this arm 86 on its fulcrum
or pivot. 77.
The part of my machine intended for rough-rounding the sole at the same time
that the channel is being cut, consists of the oscillating cutting-blade 89, having its

page_text: cutting-edge parallel to its axis of oscillation and passing through the long slot
forming the throat of the four-motion drop-feed 45, through the "work," and
through the throat or slot of the throat-plate and gage 15, and operating, in con-
nection with the edge of the throat of the throat-plate and gage 15, to form a
scissors-cut, separating or rough-rounding the sole as it is fed forward (from B to A)
by the four-motion drop-feed 45 and feed-clamp 1. This throat-plate and gage 15
and clamp-feed 1 are connected by a pin or pivot 106, projecting from the side of
the feed-clamp 1 and working in a slot in the throat-plate and gage 15, which
permits a lateral movement also of the feed-clamp 1. My oscillating cutting-
blade 89 is attached to a carrying-segment s, which is mounted to turn about the
bolt t, the head of the bolt acting against the side of the segment. 8. The segment's
and oscillating cutting-blade 89 are oscillated by the rack 21 at the end of a lever 22,
pivoted at 23, a pin or roller 24 entering a cam-groove 25 in the disk or cam c.
The four-motion drop-feed 45 is attached to one arm 117 of a bell-crank, pivoted at
108 to the upright portion 119 of the feed-slide 50, the other end 109 of the bell-
crank having a roller 110, bearing against the periphery of the cam c, having a
depression 111 to allow the feed end to drop at the proper time. The lower portion 50
of the feed-slide works in guideways g, attached to a rigid part of the frame of the
machine, and has a stud h, geared in a slot or lever i, one end of said lever i
oscillating on a pivot or fulcrum 7, attached to a rigid part of the machine, the
other end carrying a cam-roller e, geared into the groove 6 in the cam-wheel d.
The upright arm 119 of the feed-slide 50 carries the swing-piece or lock-
segment, 44, pivoted at 48*. This lock-segment 44 carries on its upper side the
band-lever 46 and feed-clamp 1. The throat-plate and gage 15 is pivoted at t on
the rigid standard 116. The lock-segment 44 has on its upper end teeth 18, which
gear into the pinion u, pivoted at w on the rigid part or standard 20, through which
the pivot wo passes, and carries on its other end the ratchet-wheel 24. The teeth 18
of the segment 44 are made long enough to remain constantly in engagement with
the teeth of the pinion u, as the said segment is moved horizontally (toward A.).
with the upright arm 119 of the feed-slide, each time the material is fed. The
throat-plate and gage 15 and feed-clamp 1 are pressed down on the work by a
spring, acting at one end against the hand-lever 46 and at the other end against
the standard 20. The throat-plate and gage 15 and feed-clamp 1 act in combination
as the gage for the work operated on, as well as forming a clamp with the four-
motion drop-feed 45. The "lock consists of the ratchet-wheel 24, the two
pawls 47 and 48, their pressure-springs n and y to operate in connection with them,
and the cam-lever, pivoted at on the rigid part 20 of the frame of the machine,
this cam-levere having a roll 13 geared into the cam-wheel d.
"
The work-support consists, as herein shown, of two adjustable rests 113 and 114,
having slotted uprights, which may be adjusted to accommodate any style of round
or flat boot or shoe sole, as different styles of lasts vary in their shape of bottom.'
The rest 113 has a flat surface on its upper end, which comes in contact with and
supports the sole. The distance which the vibrating channeling-knife 72 projects
above this flat surface gives the depth of channel required. The other work-
support 114 has a roller at its upper end, the height of which may be adjusted to
suit the pitch of any shape of sole operated upon.
In Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7, the solid lines show the position of the parts of
the machine as in operation with the four-motion drop-feed 45 up and forward,
(toward A), the throat-plate and gage 15 and feed-clamp 1 also locked and
forward, (toward A.), the oscillating cutting-blade 89 being up at the end of its
stroke. The four-motion drop-feed 45 then moves down and backward, (toward B),
the lock of the feed-clamp 1 and throat-plate and gage 15 unlocks, and the feed-
clamp 1 next moves backward, (toward B). The oscillating cutting-blade 89 now
drops. At the same time the channeling-knife 72 and its hand-lever 93 are in
position for the channeling-knife 72 to commence cutting the channel at the
proper distance from the edge of the sole in the "shank," the dotted lines showing

page_text: the position of the hand-lever 93, when adjusting the channeling-knife 72 to cut
the channel in the fore part of the sole.
The operation of this machine is as follows: to insert the work, the hand-
lever 46 is pressed back (toward D) to the position shown by the dotted lines,
thus raising the feed-clamp 1 and throat-plate and gage 15, permitting the work to
be inserted between the work-supports 113 and 114 and the throat-plate and
gage 15 and feed-clamp 1, until the inseam is against the edge of the two latter
parts, the bottom of the sole resting on the guards or work-supports 113 and 114.
The hand-lever 46 is then released and forced by the spring a toward the solid
lines, (toward C), pressing the feed-clamp 1 and the throat-plate and gage 15
against the upper side of the sole of the boot or shoe operated on. The machine is
now put in motion, the lock of the feed-clamp I and throat-plate and gage 15 now
locks, and the four-motion drop-feed 45 now rises, clamping the work. The four-
motion drop-feed 45 and feed-clamp I are next moved forward (from B toward A)
by the feed-motion 50, carrying the work clamped between them from B toward A.
The oscillating cutting-blade 89 now moves upward through the four-motion drop-
feed 45, and the sole is operated on, the throat-plate and gage 15 separating or
rough-rounding the edge of the sole. The lock of the feed-clamp 1 and throat-
plate and gage 15 next unlocks, the four-motion drop-feed 45 drops down, and its
backward movement from A toward B takes place, while the throat-plate and
gage 15 with the work remain stationary. Next the oscillating cutting-blade 89
drops down, leaving the machine in the position it was in, when the work was
inserted. The spring presses the hand-lever 46, so as to keep the feed-clamp !
and throat-plate and gage 15 pressed down on the upper part of the sole, and
automatically adjusts them for any variation in the thickness of the sole
operated on.
When the machine is started, the vibrating channeling-knife 72 is also put in
motion, actuated by the cam-wheel b, and continues to operate while the four-
motion drop-feed 45, feed-clamp 1, and oscillating cutting-blade 89 are in action,
the distance of the channel from the edge of the sole being regulated by moving
the hand-lever 93. By a repetition of these motions the boot or shoe sole is rough-
rounded and channeled. When the operation is finished on the sole operated upon,
the machine is stopped in the position described when ready to insert the work.
The hand-lever 46 is then pressed back, (toward D), raising the feed-clamp 1, and
throat-plate and gage 15, releasing the sole, which is then removed from the
machine, which is now ready for the insertion of the next sole to be operated
upon.
If preferred, the pin or pivot 106 may be attached to the throat-plate and
gage 15, and pass into a slot in the feed-clamp 1, or it may be a loose pin or pivot
or bolt passing through both parts 15 and 1, of sufficient length to permit the
lateral movement of the feed-clamp 1, as previously described.
In Fig. 3 at 89, I have shown a side view of my oscillating cutting-blade, an end
view showing it, as at 89¹, grooved on the upper side, for the purpose of removing
the "chips or waste material in sections, in place of in a continuous strip as
removed by a flat-edged oscillating cutting-blade, which may also be used in this
machine but I prefer to use the grooved oscillating cutting-blade shown.
What claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-
1. A rough-rounding and channeling-machine, having the pivoted throat-plate
and gage, actuated by the sliding-pin and clamp-feed, and mechanism for operating
them, substantially as shown and described..
2. A rough-rounding and channeling-machine, having the lock-clamp feed,.
sliding-pin, and pivoted throat-plate and gage, and the four-motion drop-feed, and.
mechanism for operating them, substantially as shown and described.
3. A rough-rounding and channeling-machine, provided with the oscillating
cutting-blade 89, having its cutting-edge parallel with its axis of oscillation, a

page_text: work-support, and a four-motion drop-feed, with a lock-feed clamp, sliding-pin, and
throat-plate and gage, and a vertically-vibrating adjustable channeling-knife and
mechanism for operating the cutting-blade, four-motion drop-feed, lock-clamp feed,
sliding-pin, pivoted throat-plate and gage, and channeling-knife, substantially as
shown and described.
4. A rough-rounding and channeling-machine, having the adjustable rests 113
and 114, constituting a support for the work, and mechanism for operating the
channeling-knife and rough-rounding cutting-blade, substantially as shown and
described.
5. A channeling-machine provided with a channeling-knife supported by a
holder or carriage mounted on vertically vibrating arm, mechanism, substantially
as described, for supporting and adjusting the holder or carriage vertically, and
means for supporting the material operated on and for feeding it against the
cutting-edge of the channeling-knife, substantially as shown, and for the purpose
described.
6. A channeling-machine provided with a channeling-kuife supported by a
holder or carriage mounted on a vertically-vibrating arm, mechanism, substantially
as described, for supporting and adjusting the holder or carriage vertically, means
for adjusting the same laterally while the machine is in operation, and means for
supporting the material operated on and for feeding it against the cutting-edge of
the channeling-knife, substantially as shown, and for the purpose described.
Dated this 26th day of January 1892
W. H. BECK,
115, Cannon Street, London, E.C., Applicant.