Improvements in Buffing Machines for Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Complete Specification Left, 6th May, 1893-Accepted, 9th Dec., 1893
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Buffing Machines for Boots and Shoes.
I, HAROLD ARTHUR WEBSTER, of the City of Haverhill, in the County of
Essex and State of Massachusetts, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 buffing or abrading the bottoms of boot
and shoe soles, employing a tool consisting of a disk of abrasive material, secured
to a holder which is rotated on an axis substantially at right angles with the plane
of the abrasive disk, so that the entire surface is presented to the article to be
acted upon.
In tools of this class, the abrasive material is rapidly worn out, so that the disk
has to be frequently removed and a new one substituted for it. My invention has
for its object first, to provide an improved tool or disk-holder, adapted not only for
the quick and convenient removal and application of the disk or pad, but also to
furnish a yielding support for the margin of the pad, so that said margin can
conform closely to the curved surfaces presented to it. The invention also has for
its object to provide a machine comprising a pad and its holder, and means for
yieldingly supporting the pad against the article upon which it acts, by pneumatic
or fluid pressure. To these ends, the invention consists in the several improvements
which I will now proceed to describe and claim.
Of the accompanying drawings, forming part of this Specification :
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a buffing-machine embodying my
invention.
Figure 2 represents a front elevation of a portion of the same.
Figure 3 represents a section on line 3-3, Figure 2.
Figure 4 represents a section on line 4-4, Figure 1.
Figures 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 represent sectional views of the buffing-tool, showing
modifications hereinafter referred to.
Figure 10 represents a perspective view of a suitable construction of the disk
or pad.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
In the drawings:
a represents a disk or pad, of abrasive material, such as the well-known emery-
cloth of commerce; and 6 represents the holder, which supports said pad when the
latter is in use. The holder is externally of tapering or flaring form, and comprises
a hub or neck 3; and a margin 4, which is preferably of considerably larger
diameter than the said neck, and is brought down to a comparatively thin edge,
which is preferably circular in form. The holder is composed of a suitable elastic
material, such as rubber vulcanized to a suitable degree of elasticity, the described
Price Sal

page_text: form, in connection with the elasticity of the material of which the holder is made,
enabling the pad to be very readily applied to and removed from the holder, the pad
being provided with a permanently-formed inturned flange a', formed to bear upon
the tapering external surface of the holder, as clearly shown in Figure 3. The
thin edge 4 of the holder readily yields at any desired point, to permit the flange
to be withdrawn from or applied to the holder, as will be readily seen; and, owing
to the holder being slightly larger than the interior of the pad, the latter will be
firmly and securely held on the former.
By my improved construction of holder, the pads may be secured to the holder
by simply first contracting the margin of the holder, and then allowing it to spring
outwardly under the flange a', the elasticity of the holter being sufficient to
maintain the flange in engagement with the holder. The flange on the pad may be
formed in any suitable way. I prefer to make it by crimping or plaiting the
margin of a circular piece of material, in such manner as to turn said margin
inwardly over one side of the piece, as shown in Figure 10. The flange thus
formed will, in most cases, be sufficiently stiff and permanent to maintain it in the
desired position and in engagement with the holder; but, if desired, the plaits or
folds may be positively secured together, by stitching, glueing or otherwise.
The holder is suitably attached at its hub or neck portion to a shaft or spindle c,
which is journalled in bearings 5 5 on a supporting-frame e, the attachment of the
holder to the spindle being effected in any suitable manner. I have here shown
the neck of the holder provided with an orifice to receive one end of the shaft, the
shaft being provided with a nut or collar c¹ within the holder, formed to secure the
holder to the shaft.
I prefer to make the holder hollow or chambered, as shown in Figure 3, in order
that it may contain a yielding cushion. In Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, I show means
for forcing air under pressure into the interior of the holder, and thus furnishing a
pneumatic cushion, constituting a yielding and constantly-maintained support for
the pad, whereby the latter is given a sufficient pressure, and at the same time
permitted to yield to conform readily to the curvature and inequalities of the
surface upon which it acts. To this end, I provide the shaft c with a longitudinal
air-passage c', which communicates with an air-passage cc formed in the supporting-
frame, the part c³ of said passage being formed in an adjustable head, which
includes the bearings 5 5 of the shaft c; while the portion c* of said passage is
formed in the main portion of the supporting-frame. 9 represents an air-pump,
which is suitably affixed to the supporting-frame, and is connected by a pipe g¹ with
the air-passage c. The air-pump may be operated by any suitable means, the
means here shown being a shaft i, journalled in bearings in the supporting-frame;
a disk i, affixed to said shaft and provided with an eccentric wrist-pin ; and a
pitman, connecting said wrist-pin with the piston-rod of the air-pump. The
shaft is driven by a belt j, connecting it with a pulley on the main driving-shaft k.
It will be seen that, while the machine is in operation, the air-pump will be con-
tinuously operated, and will maintain a pressure of air within the holder b, said
pressure being therefore constant, regardless of any leakage of air that may take place
through or around the pad. I prefer to make one or more minute holes in the pad,
to permit a slight leakage of air, for the purpose of blowing away the dust formed
by the action of the pad upon the article being acted upon.
The head f, in which the shaft c is journalled, is here shown as provided with a
trunnion, which is fitted to turn in a socket formed in the supporting-frame, the
portion of the air-passage passing through said trunnion, as shown in Figure 3.
The trunnion f' is detachably secured, by means of a set-screw f, so that the
head may be turned to give the shaft c and holder 6 any desired position, the
shaft being therefore capable of being placed vertically or at any desired angle.
The shaft and holder b may be rotated by means of a belt ', running on a
pulley m, affixed to the shaft c, said belt being driven by a pulley o, affixed to the
shaft k, and passing over suitable idle-pulleys p.

page_text: 9 represents an exhaust-fan, mounted upon the supporting-frame, and adapted to
draw the dust and particles of material, removed by the action of the pad, from
the pad through a trunk or flue q¹.
In
I do not limit myself to the use of air as the means for yieldingly supporting the
pad, although I much prefer this means. In Figures 5, 6 and 7, I show certain
modifications in which the pad is supported by other than pneumatic means.
Figure 5, I show the holder b provided with a cavity or chamber of only sufficient
size to permit the introduction of the nut c' that secures the holder to the shaft c,
the holder therefore presenting a comparatively large area upon its under side.
The pad is in this case yieldingly supported by a cushion u, which may be of felt
or any other suitable yielding material.
In Figure 6, I show the holder b as formed with a convex bottom, without a
chamber or recess. In this case, the pad bears directly upon the bottom surface of
the holder.
In Figure 7, I show the holder formed hollow, as in Figure 3, but provided with
a cushion or yielding filling of some granulated material, which may be cork scraps
or shavings or any other suitable material.
It will be seen that, in all cases, the holder 6 has its margin reduced to a
comparatively thin edge, and is made of elastic material, so that it permits the
ready application and removal of the pad.
In Figure 8, I show the holder b provided with a permanent bottom-piece b²,
extending across the air-chamber, and made of flexible material, preferably of
rubber. In this case, the air-chamber is permanent, and is not dependent on the
pad a, the latter bearing against the outer side of the bottom-piece. The holder
constructed as last described may contain a liquid cushion instead of air, or it may
contain any suitable filling or cushion.
In Figure 9, I show the pad-holder of rigid construction, excepting at its
marginal portion, the holder comprising a rigid hub or central portion 12, and
an elastic or resilient marginal portion 13, which is preferably an annular flange
of yielding rubber.
It is obvious that I may force water or other fluid into the chamber of the
pad-holder, instead of air, a suitable pump being used adapted to the fluid used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1st. In a buffing machine for boots and shoes a buffing-pad holder having an
elastic or resilient margin, in combination with a removable pad having a
permanently-formed in-turned flange, the interior of the pad being smaller than
the normal size of the holder, substantially as set forth.
2nd. In a buffing machine for boots and shoes a buffing-pad holder having an
elastic or resilient margin reduced to a thin edge at its periphery and presenting
a tapering or inclined outer surface, in combination with a removable pad having
permanently-formed in-turned flange, the interior of said pad being smaller than
the normal size of the holder, for the purpose set forth.
a
3rd. In a buffing machine for boots and shoes a disk-shaped buffing-pad holder
having an elastic or resilient margin, an air-space or chamber inside the plane of
the margin, and a normally open air-inlet communicating with said chamber, as
set forth.
4th. In a buffing machine for boots and shoes a disk-shaped buffing-tool,
comprising a recessed or chambered holder having a normally open air-inlet, and a
buffing-pad engaged with said holder and extending across the recess or chamber
thereof, as set forth.
5th. In a buffing-machine for boots and shoes, the combination of a pad-holder
having an internal chamber, a pad at one side of said chamber, a shaft secured to
the holder and having a passage communicating with the chamber, a supporting-

page_text: passage
frame having bearings for said shaft and a passage communicating with the
in the shaft, and a pump or forcing apparatus adapted to maintain pressure in said
chamber, as set forth.
Dated this 12th day of April 1893.
HAROLD ARTHUR WEBSTER.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.