IMPROVED METHODS OF CUTTING THE SOLES AND OTHER PARTS OF BOOTS AND SHOES, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVED METHODS OF CUTTING THE SOLES AND OTHER
PARTS OF BOOTS AND SHOES, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR."-A communication
from abroad by Joseph Woodley, of Quebec, Canada, Boot and
Shoe Manufacturer.
Sealed the 15th March 1872, and dated the 21st September 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 21st September 1871.
I, WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., .
Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVED METHODS OF CUTTING THE
SOLES AND OTHER PARTS OF BOOTS AND SHOES, AND APPARATUS THEREFOR," a
communication, to be as follows:-
This Invention has reference mainly to cutting boot and shoe soles,

page_text: working so as to reduce to a very small per-centage the amount of
material wasted in cutting soles, but also greater rapidity in cutting,
thereby saving material, time, and labour.
The present method of cutting the soles of boots and shoes is to divide
the side into strips, the length of the sole having straight edges cut
across the side, and then to cut soles from these strips. By this means
a certain amount of precision in cutting the soles is secured, but on
the other hand, a large amount of material is wasted. It has also been
the practice to a small extent to cut the soles direct from the side
without the intermediate stage of “stripping." This plan, although
theoretically economizing material, is found in practice to result in
no real benefit for the following reasons:-)
-It is far more difficult
for the workman to handle the side than a strip; impracticable to roll
the leather for the purpose of giving it durability; impossible to avoid
imperfect parts in cutting, or to change from one size to another to
suit the varying thickness and quality of the side, as it is absolutely
necessary in this method to cut the whole side into one size and for
one foot. It is also found almost impossible for the workman to keep
the die in the proper position, either vertically or with its edge placed
accurately on the line of solc last cut, any deviation from which causes
a large loss, and destroys the whole plan of cutting. All of these
difficulties are avoided by the intermediate method of stripping. Strips
of leather are easily hardened by rolling; the imperfect parts are
avoided, and any size of foot, either rights, lefts, or straights, or all, cut
from the same side as the varying thickness and quality of the side may
require. The die is easily placed, and any error on the part of the
workman in placing the die does not necessitate a change in the method
of cutting. For these and other reasons cutting from the side has been
practically abandoned.
I obviate these disadvantages, and cut soles either from strips or
from the side with equal precision, at the same time economizing both
materials and labour. The soles also instead of being cut straight at
the shortened heel end may be hollowed out for the purpose of further
economizing material without destroying the durability of the article.
The soles are cut rights and lefts from the same side. The shortened
sole may have the heel end cut straight, but by preference it is hollowed
to allow the toe of the sole next following to enter, the points left being
of sufficient width to allow of the sole being secured by nailing to render

page_text: the attachment of the sole as secure as if the whole were of the full
length at the points, and still saving an amount of material estimated
at about 4 per cent. This may be used in combination with any of my
methods of cutting soles.
A moveable gauge straightedge is constructed with two arms secured
together loosely by a pin, and capable of being set at any angle
required, and it is held in position as follows:-To one of the arms is
secured a curved piece slotted and struck with the pin as a centre;
the other arm extends beyond the first arm as far as the curved piece,
a pin capable of being screwed up passing through both, and a slot
allowing the arm to be set at any required angle, where it is held by the
pin. On the first-mentioned curved piece are marked the different
degrees of inclination at which one arm may be set to the other
arm.
I use combined dies for cutting two or more soles at the same
time from the side or strips as may be desired, shortened to save
material, and by preference, hollowed out as before described. This
compound die may be made up of two or more dies bolted or fastened
together, or may be made in one solid piece with single intermediate
knives cutting both sides of the soles at the same time.
In a side of leather some parts are softer than the rest, and require
rolling or pressing to render them fit for sole leather. This, as
before mentioned, cannot be done where the intermediate stage of.
stripping" is omitted; and should the operation be performed after
the side is cut into single soles the shape is destroyed, and the sole
rendered useless. To remedy this I use a modified combined die
without a centre knife for cutting the soles in pairs, so that they may
be rolled after having been cut without in any way injuring the sole.
These coupled soles may be divided by a knife or by a die in any
ordinary way.
Knives of the same configuration as the ends of these combined dies
are used for cutting from the side crosswise strips to be afterwards
divided into soles; and a knife is also used with the configuration of
the sides of the dies for the purpose of cutting lengthwise from the side
strips, which are again divided into soles lengthwise by the shortened
compound die and guides.

page_text: On the side of the combined die and passing through brackets securely
attached to the side of the die are placed guides for fixing the die in the
position to be occupied by it while making the next cut, and enabling
the operator to retain it in place while the cut is being made, one guide
giving the proper position lengthwise and the other guide crosswise.
These guides are preferably formed with arms set at right angles to the
feet of shafts, into the farther ends of which are inserted pins projecting
down below the level of the edge of the die and pressed in a down-
ward direction against the side of the die, by a spiral spring. The said
shafts pass upward through the said brackets while the cut is being made,
returning at once to their former position directly the pressure is removed.
Gauge lines marked by the moveable gauge regulate the cutting of the
soles. Although specially adapted for cutting the soles of boots and
shoes this apparatus may be used for cutting heels, stiffeners, and other
parts.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 20th March 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said William Robert Lake, Her special licence
that I, the said William Robert Lake, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Robert Lake, my
executors, administrators, 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 "IMPROVED
METHODS OF CUTTING THE SOLES AND OTHER PARTS OF BOOTS AND SHOES, AND
APPARATUS THEREFOR," a communication to me from abroad by Joseph

page_text: Woodley, of Quebec, Canada, Boot and Shoe Manufacturer,-upon-the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said William Robert Lake, 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 thie.
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.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, 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 aud
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings forming a part of this Specification:-
This Invention has reference mainly to cutting boot and shoe soles,
and its object is not only economy of material and greater precision in
working so as to reduce to a very small per-centage the amount of
material wasted in cutting soles, but also greater rapidity in cutting,
thereby saving material, time, and labour.
:
The present method of cutting the soles of boots and shoes is to divide
the side into strips, the length of the sole having straight edges cut
across the side, and then to cut soles from these strips. By this means
a certain amount of precision in cutting the soles is secured, but on
the other hand a large amount of material is wasted. It has also been
the practice to a small extent to cut the soles direct from the side
without the intermediate stage of "stripping." This plan, although
theoretically economizing material, is found in practice to result in no
real benefit for the following reasons:-It is far more difficult for the.
workman to handle the side than a strip; impracticable to roll the
leather for the purpose of giving it durability; impossible to avoid
imperfect parts in cutting, or to change from one size to another to suit
the varying thickness and quality of the side, as it is absolutely necessary
in this method to cut the whole side into one size and for one foot: It
is also found almost impossible for the workman to keep the die in the
proper position either. vertically or with its edge placed accurately on
the line of sole last cut, any deviation from which causes a large :
loss, and destroys the whole plan of cutting. All of these difficulties
are avoided by the intermediate method of stripping. Strips of leather

page_text: are easily hardened by rolling; the imperfect parts are avoided, and any
size of foot, either rights, lefts, or straights, or all, cut from the same
side, as the varying thickness and quality of the side may require. The.
die is easily placed, and any error on the part of the workman in
placing the die does not necessitate a change in the method of cutting.
For these and other reasons cutting from the side has been practically
abandoned.
I obviate these disadvantages, and cut soles either from strips or
from the side with equal precision, at the same time economizing both
materials and labour. The soles also, instead of being cut straight
at the shortened heel end, may be hollowed out for the purpose of
further economizing material without destroying the durability of the
article.

page_text: were of the full length at the points, and still saving an amount of
material estimated at about four per cent. This may be used in com-
bination with any of my methods of cutting soles.
The movable gauge straightedge is constructed as shewn in Figure 2.
Two arms c and d are secured together loosely by a pin e, and are
capable of being set at any angle required; and the gauge is held in
position as follows:-To the arm d is secured a curved piece of slotted
as shewn, and struck with the pine as a centre. The arm c extends as
at c¹ beyond the arm d as far as the curved piece f; a pin 9, capable of
being screwed up, passes through both c¹ and f, the slot f¹ allowing the-
arm c to be set at any required angle, where it is held by the pin g,
or in any ordinary method. On the curved piece of are marked the.
different degrees of inclination at which the arm c may be set to the
arm d.
•
In Figures 3 and 4 are shown the combined dies h.for cutting two or
more soles at the same time from the side or strips as may be desired;
they are shortened to save material, and by preference hollowed out, as
before described. This compound die may be made up of two or more
dies bolted or fastened together in any approved manner, or may be
made in one solid piece with single intermediate knives cutting both
sides of the soles at the same time. Although in these Figures only two
dies are shown combined, any greater number of dies requisite or con-
venient may be combined in the same manner and for the same
purpose, so that a whole strip may be cut off and divided up at the
same time.
In a side of leather some parts are softer than the rest, and require
rolling or pressing to render them fit for sole leather. This, as before
mentioned, cannot be done where the intermediate stage of "stripping"
is omitted; and should the operation be performed after the side is cut
into single soles the shape is destroyed and the sole rendered useless.
To remedy this difficulty the modified combined die i is shewn without
a centre knife for cutting the sole in pairs, so that they may be rolled
after having been cut without in any way injuring the sole. This die
may be also found very useful in cutting pairs of soles to be sold to the
trade, or such dies may be combined together in any convenient number,
as before described. These coupled soles may be divided by a knife i", as
shewn in Figure 6, or by a disc in any ordinary way.

page_text: In Figure 7 are shewn knives k of the same configuration as the ends
of these combined dies for the purpose of cutting from the side cross-
wise strips to be afterwards divided into soles. Figure 8 shews a
knife with the configuration in this case of the sides of the dies for
the purpose of cutting lengthwise from the side strips, which are again
divided into soles lengthwise by the shortened compound die and guides,
an operation nearly impracticable by the single die. The configuration
of the knives k, l, may be altered to any pattern required, but they may
be considered as the equivalents of the ends and sides of combined dies.
The side may be divided up into soles entirely by the operation of the
knives and 7, the knife 7 being used to divide into soles the horizontal
strips cut by the knife k, and vice versa, or a pattern of the lengthwise
or crosswise strips may be made, and the side cut with a knife in the
ordinary manner.
On the side of the combined die h or i, placed as shewn in Figures 3
and 4, passing through brackets n, n¹, securely attached to the side
of the die, are guides m, m³, for the purpose of fixing the die in
the position to be occupied by it while making the next cut, and
enabling the operator to retain it in place while the cut is being made,
the guide m giving the proper position lengthwise, and the guide m'
crosswise. These guides may be shaped in any convenient or suitable
manner for accomplishing their object, but are preferably shaped as
shewn in the Drawings with arms o set at right angles to the feet
of the shafts m, m¹, into the farther ends of which are inserted pins p
projecting down below the level of the edge of the die, and being kept
pressed both in a downward direction against the side of the die h
or i by a spiral spring r (or any other suitable contrivance). The
shafts m, m', pass upward through the brackets n, n¹, while the cut is
being made, returning at once to their former position directly the
pressure is removed. These guides may be used in combination with
any kind of dic, or a detached guide may be placed in the part cut, and
the die brought against it to hold it in position, or the guides may be
placed on the cutting machine for the same purpose.
Figure 9 shows the manner in which the gauge lines marked by the
movable gauge regulate the cutting of the soles, as shewn also in
Figure 1, the vertical line being distinguished by the figure 1; and the
horizontal or oblique one by the figure 2. m, m', show where the
guides would rest during the cut of the second and succeeding pairs of

page_text: soles. The lines marked 3 and 4 show the cuts made respectively by
the knives and l, the dotted lines showing in each case how the soles
may be shaped from these strips. Although specially adapted for
cutting the soles of boots and shoes, this apparatus may easily be used
for cutting heels, stiffeners, and other parts.
By any of these modes a saving of at least 36 per cent. is made over
the old way of cutting, as shewn in Figure 10.
"
The side of leather a being placed on the cutting machine as for
stripping," and the width of the soles required to be cut and the
projection of each pair of soles beyond the preceding one being deter-.
mined, the gauge is set to the required angle, and marks it on the side
of leather. I now place the dies h or i on the side in a direct line with
the mark. 1 at the back of the side, and the toe touching the horizontal or
inclined line 2 extending across the side, and make the first cut; I then
remove the soles cut, and place the die again on the side of leather, with
the guides m, m', in the place already cut out, and pressing up against the
edge of the next piece to be cut, the guide m¹, or that nearest to the toe,
pushed close against the edge of the cut lengthwise, determining the
position of the dies h or i in. that direction, and the guide m, or that
nearest the heel, determining its position crosswise. If in the correct
position, the toe of the die will touch the inclined line 2, and the side of
the die will fit the previous cut. I make as before the second cut, and
continue in like manner through the range. I then begin the second
range in the same manner with the die in a straight line with the line
marked 1; make the first cut, and continue through the range in the
same manner as specified for the first range, and so on for the whole of
the side. The machinery used for actuating the dies may be of any
ordinary or convenient description.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated
to me by my foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the
same, I wish it understood that I claim,—
First. The novel method of cutting strips lengthwise of the side and
the soles lengthwise of the strips, preferably with curved or wavy
edges, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Second. The novel method of cutting soles directly from the side, as
illustrated in Figures 1 and 8.

page_text: Third. The novel combination of two or more separate dies with
or without the single centre knife, as and for the purposes set forth.
Fourth. The novel arrangement and combination of the die or dies
with the single centre knife, as and for the purposes set forth.
Fifth. The novel arrangement and combination of the die or dies i
without the centre knife or knives, as and for the purpose described.
Sixth. The knives k and 1, or equivalent contrivances, as and for the
purpose described.
Seventh. The guides m, m³, or equivalent contrivances in combination
with
any kind of single or combined die or dies, or detached therefrom,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Eighth. The movable gauge straightedge consisting of arms c and d
and curved piece f, or equivalent contrivances, working together with
the other parts in combination with any kind of die or dies, substantially
as and for the purpose set forth.
Ninth. The novel arrangement of the shortened die with or without
the hollow b' in the heel end, substantially as and for the purpose
described.
Tenth. The hollow b' in the heel end of the shortened sole, as and for
the
purpose set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of March, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two.
Witness,
W. J. Lowe.
WM. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)