Improvements in the Manufacture of Laces and in Machinery Connected therewith.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Mar., 1887
Complete Left, 20th Dec., 1887
Complete Accepted, 20th Jan., 1888
Improvements in the Manufacture of Laces and in Machinery
Connected therewith.
I JAMES HALLIWELL of Chester Road Manchester in the county of Lancaster
Mechanic do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In the manufacture of laces for fastening boots shoes and other articles of appare¹
it is customary to weave plait or twist the material in long lengths and afterwards
reel it and cut it into the required lengths for the laces. The lengths or laces so cut
are then taken and a tag is squeezed or clamped onto each end two operations of
tagging being required to complete the lace.
The object of this invention is to provide a method or means for tagging the laces
whereby the same may be done more expeditiously and evenly than by the method at
present adopted of tagging each end separately.
It consists essentially of applying the tags to or of tagging the laces while in the
piece and before being cut into lengths and subsequently cutting the piece into lengths
through the tags thereby forming the finished lace tagged at each end and also in the
arrangement of apparatus whereby the laces are held while being tagged and after-
wards cut into lengths through the tags.
In carrying out the invention the laces are woven plaited or twisted into long
lengths as is at present the case.
These lengths are wound on to reels of such size as may be required each lap or
ply being equal to the length of lace to be produced. From the reel the lace is taken
to the tagging machines which may be of ordinary or well known construction but
with the addition of a frame or carrier for the lace. This frame may be attached to
the frame work or base of the machine with arms projecting upwards to carry the
bundle in a horizontal position above the machine. The movable and stationary heads
of the machine have also each an arm fixed thereon to hold the laces and prevent them
falling between the jaws of the machine when it is at work. The reeled bundle of
laces is placed on the frame with one side of the bundle over the heads of the machine
and preferably round the arm on the movable one. The operator places the tag in
the jaws of the machine and takes each ply of the bundle singly and fastens the tag

page_text: thereon and lifts the ply of the bundle over the arm on the other head so as not to
interfere with the continuing of the operation. The tags differ from those of ordinary
construction merely in being somewhat longer. When the tagging is completed the
recled bundle has the tags attached at given intervals apart and these are then cut
into lengths through the tags so that each lace when cut off the piece is finished and
tagged at both ends. For this cutting operation a small guillotine machine or one
with revolving cutters or shears or other suitable machine may be employed. At
present I prefer a guillotine machine. The cutters of the machine should be provided
with V grooves in the blades to receive the tags a frame such as that above described
may be attached to the machine to hold the bundle and each ply will be taken
separately and passed into the machine to be cut. The laces are then finished and
ready for the market. The cutting of the tags after they have been secured in posi-
tion smoothly finishes the end and obviates the necessity of polishing or finishing
them as at present in a grinding or polishing machine.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Laces and in Machinery
Connected therewith.
I, JAMES HALLIWELL, of Chester Road, Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Mechanie, 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 :-
In the manufacture of laces for fastening boots shoes and other articles of apparel
it is customary to weave plait or twist the material in long lengths and afterwards
reel it and cut it into the required lengths for the laces. The lengths or laces so cut
are then taken and a tag is squeezed or clamped onto each end two operations of
tagging being required to complete the lace.
The object of this invention is to provide a method or means for tagging the laces
whereby the same may be done more expeditiously and evenly and the tags be more
securely fastened than by the method at present adopted of tagging each end separately.
It consists essentially of applying the tags to, or of tagging, the laces while in the
piece before being cut into lengths and subsequently cutting the piece into lengths
through the tags thereby forming the finished lace tagged at each end and also in the
arrangement of apparatus whereby the laces are held while being tagged and
afterwards cut into lengths through the tags.
The drawings annexed hereto show suitable apparatus for tagging and cutting laces
in accordance with this invention.
Fig. 1. is a side elevation of apparatus for tagging the laces.
Fig. 2. front elevation and
Fig. 3. plan of same.
Fig. 4 side elevation of carrier or frame K.
Fig. 5 side elevation of guillotine machine for cutting the tags.
Fig. 6 front elevation of same.
In carrying out the invention the laces are woven plaited or twisted into long
lengths as is at present the case. And these lengths are wound on to reels of such
size as may be required each lap or ply being equal to the length of one or more
laces to be produced. From the reel the lace is taken to the tagging machine which
may be of ordinary or well known construction but with the addition of a frame or
carrier for the lace.
Such a machine is shown in Figs. 1. 2 & 3. It is made with a stationary jaw A and
movable jaw B shaped at a and b to receive the formed tag and compress it upon the
lace. The movable jaw B is caused to move forward by the cam or clutch piece U
which is rotated against the stationary cam piece D by the cord or rope E attached
to the lever F. At its other end the lever F carries the counter balance weight G
which returns the cam C to its original position when the cord or rope E is released.
The spring H then forces back the movable jaw B. 1, is a spindle which carries the
cams C and D and guides the movement of the jaw B and spring H. In all these
respects the machine is similar to what are in ordinary use with the exception that
the jaws at a and b where they receive the tags are made broader so as to receive a
tag of double length. Attached to or in combination with the machine I place a
carrier or frame K to receive the reeled and uncut bundle of laces. These are tied or
knotted to prevent them slipping and placed into the fork of the carrier K passing
over or in front of the stationary jaw A. Being thus held the girl operating the
machine can quickly take one ply after another and tag it the tags being placed on
each ply at a given distance from the carrier K. This operation can be more quickly

page_text: performed than the operation of tagging the end as the only care necessary on the
part of the girl to have the work properly done is to see that the tag is placed
properly between the jaws of the machine. The carrier K is fastened to the plate L
by a thumb nut K on a bolt passing through a slot in the plate so that its
position in relation to the jaws can be adjusted. The plate L is shown separate from
the machine though if desired it may form part of the framework or base thereof. In
addition to the carrier K the jaws or heads may also have an arm fixed to each to
hold the laces and prevent them falling between the jaws of the machine when it is at
work but in practice I do not consider it necessary. The reeled bundle of laces is
placed on the carrier K with one side of the bundle over the heads of the machine.
The girl or operator places the tag between the jaws of the machine and takes each
ply of the bundle singly and fastens the tag thereon and lifts the ply of the bundle
away so as not to interfere with the continuing of the operation. The tags differ
from those of ordinary construction merely in being somewhat longer. When the
tagging is completed the reeled bundle has the tags attached at given intervals apart
and these are then cut into lengths through the tags so that each lace when cut off
the piece is finished and tagged at both ends. For this cutting operation a small
guillotine machine or one with revolving cutters or shears or other suitable machine
may be employed.
Figs. 5 and 6 show a small guillotine machine designed for the purpose. A crank M
connected to the spindle N and driven by the pulleys O actuate the cutters P which
are carried by the upright R. The erank works in the slot or groove S. T is the
framework of the machine. The cutters P are provided with V grooves p to receive
and cut the tag. A carrier similar to that described in connection with the tagging
machine may be used to hold the laces while being cut but I prefer to place them on
the carrier U and place a gauge W at one side of the cutters P against which the
tag may be placed while being cut, so that all may be of equal length. As in the
case of tagging each ply of lace will be taken separately and placed in the machine
and cut. When leaving the machine the laces are finished and ready for the market,
the cutting of the tags after they have been secured in position smoothly finishes the
end and obviates the necessity of polishing or finishing them as at present in a
grinding or polishing machine.
By this invention I effect a saving in the manufacture of the laces consequent upon
doing away with two operations is the process viz. :-one of tagging and the finishing
of the tag ends upon a polisher or grinder besides having as a result a better finished
article with the tags more evenly and securely attached.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is.
1. The improvements in the manufacture of laces which consists in taking the
plaited woven or twisted laces in the piece tagging them before they are cut and then
cutting them into lengths through the tags leaving the lace finished with tags on both
ends substantially as described.
2. The combination with a machine for tagging laces of a frame or carrier to
receive the reeled bundle and hold it in position while the tags are being applied
substantially as described.
3. A machine for dividing or cutting laces through their tags having guillotine
cutters with V grooves to cut the tags and a stop or gauge or equivalent mechanism
to guide them or hold the laces substantially as described.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester,
Patent Agents.