IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHOES AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Douglas Fraser, Patrick Fraser, and Norman Fraser, all
of Arbroath in the County of Forfar, North Britain, Manufacturers for an
invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHOES AND IN
MACHINERY THEREFOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Douglas Fraser, Patrick
Fraser, & Norman Fraser at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 20th April 1882.
DOUGLAS FRASER, PATRICK FRASER, and NORMAN FRASER, all of Arbroath, in
the County of Forfar, Manufacturers. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
SHOES AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR"
This Invention relates to shoes of a kind having soles formed of jute, esparto, or
other fibrous material plaited and bound together, and having uppers of canvas or
other suitable material and tho object of the Invention is to manufacture such
shoes by means of improved and novel machinery and so as to be of superior
quality.
In carrying out the Invention the plaited material employed is by preference
such as is produced by means of the machinery described in the Specification of
Letters Patent granted to Norman Fraser one of the present applicants and dated
10 June 1881 (No 2632). This plaited material is first wound in a peculiar form
which has by trial been found to be convertible to the desired form of sole by the
subsequent operations. The winding is effected on a disk or small turn tablo
which rotates about a vertical axis, a round central coil being first formed on a
small raised disk and the plait being then led alternately under holding-down clips
and raised guides proportioned to give the proper lengths to the several coils, there
being two holding-down clips diametrically opposite to each other and two sets of
raised guides at the intermediate points. The parts of the plait passing under the
clips are to form the heel and toe of the sole; and when this preliminary winding
bas been. effected, the plate carrying the wound plait is placed on a slide in a
machine at one part of which the heel and toe parts are pierced by rotating awls
The slide is then moved to a position in which sets of needles place loops of string
De 11

page_text: or thread in the pierced holes, the ends of the needles being notched, so as to push
the loops which have been previously laid in them into the pierced holes and leave
them there when the needles are withdrawn. The inner ends of the loops become
firmly secured subsequently and the strings forming them bind the plies of the
plait firmly together at the heel and toc.
In the completed shoe the uppers are fixed to the sole by being inserted between
the outermost and next coils or plies of the plait; and the sewing or stitching
which binds the coils or plies of plait together to form the sole at the same time
fixes the uppers to the sole. Prior to the piercing and stitching which has already
been described as applied to the heel and toe parts, the heel and toe parts of the
uppers are inserted in their places so that those parts are then fixed.
The next operation consists in compressing the coil of plait into the proper form
of sole; and for this purpose the coil is placed on a horizontal plate between two
movable side or compressing plates which are of about the thickness of the sole and
have their inner acting edges shaped to the intended contour of the sole. An upper
plate or last is brought down upon the sole to keep it flat, and then the side
compressing plates are moved towards each other by powerfully acting cams or
equivalent mechanism. Whilst the side compressing plates are moving inwards
certain points which project up through-slots-in-the-bottom plate and pass through
the sole and up into movable parts of the upper-plate or last are moved-by-cams.or
equivalent mechanism towards the heel and toe ends in order to elongate the coils.
of plait and arrange them suitably; and in this operation the small coil originally
_ formed in the centre as hereinbefore described is moved forward to the broad part
of the sole. After a first-squeeze or compression the side plates are drawn back;
and the outermost coil is loosened a little, and the insertion-of the bottom edges of
the uppers is completed. The side plates are then compressed together again, and-
being connected to each other by hooks, the slides by which they have been
compressed aro withdrawn. The arm-holding tho_upper plato or last is then
disengaged and the solo with the two side plates and the upper plate-or-last.are
free to be removed to the stitching machine.
Whilst being stitched the sole is by preference placed in a horizontal position in
a holding box on the stitching machine and the needle works horizontally and
across the sole; the breadth of the sole being thus as it were the thickness through
which the stitching is effected. With one set of stitching details there are two
holding boxes which are on a transversely moving slide arranged so that when one
box is in the position for stitching, the other is at one side having a stitched sole
being taken out and an unstitched one being put in. In cach holding box the sole
is held between a bottom plate and the upper plate or last, the latter being beld
down by a cover secured by a screw fastening. After the sole has been compressed
into the proper shape it is important to prevent alteration of its shape through the
elasticity of the jute or other fibrous material whilst it is being stitched, The side
compressing plates have to be removed to allow of the stitching, but their edges are
notched, and when the sole with these plates still on it is placed in the holding
bex, projecting pins fixed for the purpose in the bottom plate and in the under
edge of the top frame or cover of the box enter the notches of the compressing
plates from below and from above, and confine the sole so that its aides cannot
spring out when the compressing plates are removed. The projecting pins are
placed so as not to interfere with the stitching action the needle holes being formed
in the spaces between the pins. The bottom plate of the box is also provided with
a number of points which project up into the sole and prevent the displacement of
any part of it during the stitching operations.
The stitching is effected to some extent as in a Singer sewing machine but with
the needle working horizontally and the shuttle or it requivalent (which equivalent
may be a kind of needle supplied with a length of string or thread sufficient for
one shoe) working vertically. The needle holes are formed and prepared prior to
the introduction of the needle with its string, which string is drawn off a bobbin
and through suitable tension devices of a known kind, suitable devices being 'also

page_text: provided for holding the loose end and slack loops as required to prevent their
getting into the way of the mechanism. To prepare cach needlo holo a rotating
awl first enters from the inner side about half way through the sole, and is followed
by a second rotating awl which enters about half way from the outer side. These
awls are worked by means of cranks, eccentrics or cams on the main shaft of the
machine, the rotation being effected by toothed wheels acting on the spindlos of the
awls through feathers and longitudinal grooves. After the two rotating awls
have acted a non-rotating clearing awl is passed completely through the sole from
the inner side and at a subsequent stroke the needle passes through with its string.
The clearing awl is worked like the needle bar of a Singer sewing machine, and
the needle which has a stroke double that of the clearing awl is worked by means
of a pinion and two racks the pinion being carried by the bar of the clearing aw!
and one rack being fixed whilst the other is on the needle bar. When commencing
to stitch a solo the inner rotating awl acts alone for the first outward stroke;
between the first and second outward strokes the slide carrying the sole moves
across to the extent of a stitch and then the inner rotating awl operates on the
second hole whilst the outer rotating awl acts on the first hole. At the third
stroke the rotating awls act on the third and second holes and the clearing awl
operates on the first hole. At the fourth outward stroke the rotating awls operato
on the fourth and third holes, the clearing awl' on the second and the needle passes
through the first. When the needle is to be stationary during the motion of the
clearing awl, the rack which has to be stationary to produce the movement of the
needle is set free to move and the needle is held back. The bar of the clearing awl
has engaging and disengaging catches which determine its movements and engaging
and disengaging catches are also fitted in connection with the parts which move
the rotating awis. The several engaging and disengaging catches or devices are
acted on through levers and links by small slides which are themselves acted on by
a pattern cam-action bar fixed to the cross slide this bar having inclines upon it
to move the small slides so as to put the various parts into or out of action at the
proper times. This pattern bar can of course be changed to suit soles of different
sizes. The various rotating awls used in the machines are by preference made
with screw grooves to enable them to screw their way into the material without
pushing it before them and without distorting it.
The shuttlo is moved up and down by cans of pinions at the upper and lower
parts of its course, these pinions being acted on by a sparwheel moved by a
reciprocating toothed sector, and engaging with rack teeth on the side of the
shuttle. The shuttle string or thread is by preference coiled round two pulleys
within the shuttle and it passes through a holo in the side of the shuttle and
through holes in an inner and an outer movable plate which are fixed together.
When the shuttle descends the three holes are in line and the string can pass freely
out but when the shuttle ascends the drag of the string itself on the movable
plates forces them to move their holes out of line with the holo in the side of the
shuttle and in consequence to nip the string so that the shuttle in rising firmly
tightens the stitch.
After being operated on in the stitching machine the shoe requires for its
completion merely to have projecting ends of string or thread cut off and the beel
parts and front parts of the uppers fixed together by sewing or by means of eyelets
or otherwise. The material of which the sole and uppers are made may be dyed
or colored or coated in any desired way; and with the view of rendering the sole
impervious to moisture and very durable it may be treated with glue and bichromato
of potash or with any other suitable composition.
T'he soles may be made by the herein before described machinery without the
uppers which may be fixed on afterwards; and in this case a plain or non-expanding
upper plate may be used when compressing and stitching the sole.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Douglas Fraser, Patrick Fraser, & Norman Fraser in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 28th October 1882.
DOUGLAS FRASER, PATRICK FRASER, and NORMAN FRASER, all of Arbroath, in
tho County of Forfar, North Britain, Manufacturers "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF SHOES AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR
"
Our said Invention relates to shoes of a kind having soles formed of jute,
esparto, or other fibrous material plaited and bound together and having uppers of
-canvas or other suitable material; and the object of our Invention is to manu-
facture such shoes by means-of-improved and novel machinery, and so as to be of
superior quality.
In carrying out our Invention the plaited material which we employ is by
preference such as is produced by means of the machinery described in tho
Specification of Letters Patent granted to Norman Fraser (one of us) and dated
16 June 1881 (No.2632). This plaited material is first wound in a peculiar form
which has by trial been found to be convertible to the desired form of sole by tho
subsequent operations.
-The machinery employed in the various operations is represented on five sheets
of explanatory drawings-which-are hereunto appended and which are hereinafter
referred to in the following particular description-of-the-machinery, reference
numerals being used, and the same numerals marking the same or like parts
wherever they are repeated,
The mechanism used in the first operation of winding the plaited material is
shown in figures 1. 2., 3, on sheet 1 of the accompanying drawing, which figures
are, respectively, a plan, a sectional elevation and a side elevation. The winding
is effected on a disk or small turn-table, 1, which is placed upon a vertical centre
pin, 2, fixed to a bracket, 3, and which is turned by hand to effect the winding
operation. A small central coil is first formed on a small raised disk, 4, by winding
the plait round a projecting centre pin, 5, which is notched to receive the end of
the plait, and the plait is next led alternately under holding-down clips, 6, and
raised guides, 7, proportioned to give the proper length to the several coils, there
being two holding-down clips, 6, diametrically opposite to each other, and two sets
of raised guides, 7, at the intermediate points. The parts of the plait passing under
the clips, 6, are to form the heel and toe of the sole, and when this preliminary
winding has been effected the plate, 8, carrying the parts referred to and the
plait, is lifted from the disk, 1, and transferred to a slide, 9, shown in figures 5, 6, 7,
and which is fitted to a machine shown in plan in figure, 4, and in sectional
elevation in figure, 8, on sheet, 2, the slide, 9, being shown apart from the machine to
avoid confusion. Figures 5, 6, 7. are respectively a plan, a transverso vertical section
and a side elevation of the slide, 9, which is fitted with parts for gripping the
plate 8 (figure 1, 2, 3) in a central position. At each side there are two bars, 10,
one above the other, fixed to transverse slides, 11, which are connected by curved
links to two wheels, 12, partly toothed and geared together by an intermediate
toothed wheel, 13. By means of a handle, 14, on one of the wheels, 12, these are
turned so as to move the slides, 11, and bars, 10, outwards or inwards as required
whilst keeping them parallel. The slide, 9, is fitted to move horizontally in
guides, 15, upon the machine shown in figure, 4, and after a quantity of plait has
been wound on it, it is first placed at the parts of the guides, 15, which are at the

page_text: upper part of figure, 4. In its first position the wound plait is pierced by two
sets of rotating awls, 16, 17, at the parts which are under the clips, 6, the points
of the awla entering holes at the parts of the plate, 8, under the clips, and one set
of which holes is shown in figure, 3. The awls, 16, 17, are carried by slides, 18,
moving horizontally in guides, 19, and they are made to rotate and are geared
together by pinions, 20, two of the spindles of each set being continued through
the slides, 18, and being geared together by larger pinions, 21, whilst one spindle 23;
of each set is continued still further and so as to pass through the eye of a
pinion, 24, which drives it by means of a groove and feather. The pinions, 24,
aro driven by intermediate spurwheels, 25, in gear with spurwheels on a shaft, 26,
extending beneath the table of the machine and carrying fast and loose pulleys, 27,
for a driving belt. The awls 16, 17, are mado with screw grooves to facilitato
their entrance into the plaited material and to prevent them from carrying tho
fibres inwards before thein. The slides, 18, which carry the awls, are moved by
rods, 28, jointed to them and to opposite ends of a lover, 29, which is on a short
vertical spindle having fast on it below the table a lever indicated by dotted
lines in figuro, 4, and which is acted on by a grooved face cain, 30, on a short shaft
driven by means of a worm and worm wheel from the first-motion shaft, 26. The
belt-shifting fork is on a lever, 31, mado with a handle, 32, and with an armi acted
on by a spring, 33, which spring tends to throw the belt on the loose pulley, the
outer one of the two pulleys, 27, in this example. When the lover, 31, is shifted
to put the belt on the fast pulley a spring catch 34, engages in a notch in the side
of one of the guides, 19, and at the same time a slotted link, 35, acting on a crank
on a rocking shaft 36, makes that shaft push forward two bars, 37, which pro-
jecting through slots in the main guides 15, lock the slide 9, in position. But if
the slide 9, has not been placed accurately in position the bars, 37, cannot bo
projected and the holding catch, 34, cannot enter its notch, and the worker will
be thereby made aware that the slide, 9, requires adjustment. When the parts
are properly placed the driving action causes the slides, 18, with the rotating
awls 16, 17, to approach each other, and afterwards to move outwards again; and
on one of the slides, 18, approaching the outer end of its stroke a finger, 38,
fixed on it puts the catch, 34, out of its notch whereupon the spring, 33, shifts the
belt to the loose pulley. After the awls have operated, the slide, 9, is moved
along the guides, 15, to the part of the machine shown at the lower side of
figure, 4, and there two sets of needles, 39, 40, are made to approach each other
and enter the holes formed by the awis 16, 17, in the plaited material. These
needles 39, 40 are fixed to heads 41, formed or fixed on the ends of bars, 42, fitted
to move in guides, 43, and acted on by rods, 44, jointed to them and to a lever, 45,
which is moved by ineaus of a hand lever, 46. The needles, 39, 40, are made with
notches horizontally across their ends, and the heads, 41, have connected to them
pins which are between the needles, and nipping catches are provided for retaining
pieces of string or thread, which are placed so that each needle carries a loop in
its notch. Then when the needle heads, 41, are moved towards each other by
means of the hand lever, 46, the needles 39, 40, carry their loops of string or
thread into the holes previously formed in the plaited material by the awls, 16, 17,
and when the needles 39, 40, are withdrawn the loops are left in the holes, the
pins between the needles being fixed in small bars, 47, jointed to the fixed framing
and connected by links to the heads, 41, in such a way that the inward movements
of the beads turn the pins over so as to release the loops of string or thread. The
inner ends of the loops become firmly secured subsequently, and the strings forming
them bind the plies of the plait firmly together at the heel and toe.
In the completed shoe the uppers are fixed to the shoe by being inserted
between the outermost and next coils or plies of the plait; and the sewing or
stitching which binds the coils or plies of plait together to form the sole at the
same time fixes the uppers to the sole. Prior to the piercing and stitching which
has already been described as applied to the heel and toe parts of the sole, the heel

page_text: and toe parts of the uppers are inserted in their places so that those parts are
then fixed.
The next operation consists in compressing the coil of plait into the proper form
of sole, and this operation is effected by means of the mechanism shown upon
sheet 3, of the drawings, figure, 9, being a plan, and figure, 10, a front elevation,
whilst figures 11, 12, 13, show details. The coil of plaited material is taken off
the plate, 8, (figures 1, 2, 3,) the clips, 6, being turned up to release it, and is
placed on a horizontal plate, 48, (figures 9, 10) between two movable side or
compressing plates, 40, which are of about the thickness of the sole, and have their
inner edges shaped to the intended contour of the sole, but notched for a purpose
heroinafter explained. An upper plate or last, 50, (figures 10, 12) is brought down
upon the sole to keep it flat and then the side compressing plates, 49, are moved
towards each other by powerfully acting cams, 51, which move slides, 52, bearing
against the outer edges of the compressing plates, 49. Whilst the side compressing
plates, 49, are moving inwards, certain points, 53, which project upwards through
slots in the bottom plate, 48, and pass through the sole and up into movable parts
of the upper plate or last, 50, aro inoved towards the heel and toe onds in order to
elongate the coils of plait and arrange them suitably; and in this operation the
small coil originally formed in the centre-as-herein before-described-is-moved
forward to the broad part of the sole. After a first squeeze or comprossion the
side plates, 49, are drawn back, and the outermost coil is loosened a little, and the
insertion of the bottom edges of the uppers is completed. The side plates, 40, åre
then compressed together again, and being connected to each other by hooks, 54,
the slides 52, by which they have been compressed are withdrawn. The compressing
slides, 52, work in guides 55, 56, and are fitted with antifriction rollers on their
under sides to be acted on by the cams, 51, which are on short vertical shafts
driven by means of bevil wheels, 57, from a horizontal shaft 58, having on it a
large hand wheel, 59. Weights; 60; attached to-straps-passing-over-pulleys to the
compressing slides, 52, are applied for drawing these slides outwards. The last, 50,
is carried by an arm 61, which is jointed to a bracket, 62, and held in position by
a handled catch, 63; being weighted so as to turn up vertically when not held by
the catch and when the compressing operation has been effected the last, 50, is
turned up and the sole with the two side plates, 49, is free to be removed to the
stitching machine. Figure, 11, is a horizontal section showing the mechanism for
moving out the projecting points 53, and this mechanism is also shown in figure, 12,
which is a vertical section; whilst figure, 13, is a plan of the last 50, as inverted
and before its parts have been moved out. A double rack, 64, moved by a pin
fixed in one of the compressing slides, 52, gears with two pinions, 65, which also
gear with racks moving at right angles to the rack, 64, and in opposite directions
to each other. The last-mentioned racks have the blocks in which the points, 53,
are fixed attached to them by screws, 60, which admit of the positions of the
points, 53, being adjusted for soles of different forms or sizes.
The stitching machinery is shown upon sheets 4 and 5, of the drawings figure, 14,
being a general plan; and figure, 15, a vertical section as at the lower part of
figure, 14. Figure, 18, is a vertical section as along the vertical centro line of
figure, 14. The other figures will be more conveniently designated when reference
is hereinafter made to them. Whilst being stitched the sole is by preference
placed in a horizontal position in a holding box, 67, 68, on the stitching machine.
and the needle, 69, works horizontally and across tho sole; the breadth of the sole
being thus as it were the thickness through which tho stitching is effected. With
one set of stitching details, as shown in the drawings, there are two holding boxes,
67, 68, which are on a transversely moving slide, 70, arranged so that when one
box is in the position for stitching the other is at one side having a stitched sole
being taken out and an unstitched one being put in. In cach holding box the sole
is held between a bottom plate, 67, and an upper plate or last, 71, the latter being
held down by a cover, 68, which when closed is scured by a hand lever, 72, having

page_text: n catch, 73, jointed eccentrically to it so as to be tightened by turning down the
lever after being engaged with the retaining hook of the bottom plate. In figure 15,
one of the boxes is shown in side elevation as open, and the other is shown in
section as closed but without the shoe; whilst in figure, 16, the cover, 68, is shown
in section with the shoe, 74, in position. In figure, 14, the bottom plate, 67, of
one box is shown in plan with the cover removed, whilst the cover, GS, of the
other box is shown with the plate or last, 71, in position. After the sole has been
compressed into its proper shape it is important to provent alteration of its shape
through the elasticity of the jute or other fibrous material whilst it is being
stitched: The side compressing plates, 49, have to be removed to allow of the
stitching, but their edges are notched as herein before inentioned, and when the
sole with these plates still on it, is placed in the holding box, projecting pins fixed
for the purpose in the bottom plate, 67, and in the under edge of the top frame or
cover, 68, enter the notches of the compressing plates, 49, from below and from
above, and confine the sole so that its sides cannot spring out when the compressing
plates are removed. The projecting pins are placed so as not to interfere with the
stitching action, the needle holes being formed in the spaces between the pins,
whilst the upper and lower pins do not quite meet each other, but allow the
external parts of the stitches to get between so as to lie close to the edges of the
sole. The bottom plate, 67, is also provided with a number of points which
project up into the sole and prevent the displacement of any part of it during the
stitching operations.
The stitching is effected to some extent as in a Singer sewing machine, but with
the needle, 69, working horizontally and the shuttle or its equivalent (which
equivalent may be a kind of needle supplied with a length of string sufficient for
one shoe working vertically. A first-motion shaft, 75, having on it fast and loose
pulleys, 76, for a driving belt, drives by bovil wheels, 77, a vertical shaft, 78, which
has on it a pinion gearing with a large spurwheel, 79, indicated by a dotted circle
in figure, 14. This spurwheel, 79, is on a vertical shaft, 80, which has also fast
on it the crank, 81, for working the awls and needle., this crank carrying an
antifriction roller which works in the Singer cam slot of a head, 82, which is
guided by a rod, 83, and other parts so as to reciprocate longitudinally or along
a line which is vertical in figure, 14. The cam-slut head, 82, has fixed to it a long
slide, 84, (shown in cross section in figure 24) and this slide has fitted to slide
along it a bar 85, which is the needle bar and has the needle 69, fixed to it. The
needle bar, 85, has rack teeth formed on its under side which gear with a pinion, 86,
carried by the long slide. 84. which gears with a rack 87, below it, and when this
lower rack, 87, is stationary the action of the pinion, 86, when moved by the long
slide, 84, is to give the needle bar, S5, double the motion or stroke of the long
slide. The needle holes are formed and prepared prior to the introduction of the
needle, 69, with its string, which string, 88, is drawn off a bobbin, 89, carried on
the needle bar, 85, and through and in contact with tension devices, suitable
devices being also provided for holding the loose end and slack loops as required
to prevent their getting into the way of the mechanism. A spring brake, 90, is
applied to the bottom, 89, from which the string, 88, first passes to a clipping and
frictional plate, 91, next going round a grooved disk, 92, the motion of which is
retarded by an adjustable frictional washer and then proceeding to the eye near
the point of the needle, 69.
To prepare each needle hole a rotating awl, 93, first enters from the inner side
about half way through the sole, and is followed by a second rotating awl, 94,
which enters about half way from the other side. These awls, 93, 94, are moved
inwards and outwards by means of an eccentric 95, on the crank shaft, 80, shown
in plan in figure, 19, and also seen in figure, 18, the eccentric strap being connected
by rods, 96, 97, to cranks on vertical spindles 98, 99, to which they impart rocking
motions. Sectors, 100, 101, acted on by the upper ends of the rocking spindles
98, 99, give motion through links and swivel couplings 102, 103, to the spindles

page_text: 104, 105, of the awls 93, 94. Portions of these spindles 104, 105, are grooved
and can move endways through pinions 106, 107, which drive them by means of
feathers, being themselves driven through intermediate pinions by pinions 108, 109,
on a shaft 110, driven by bevil wheels from the second-motion shaft 78.
After the two rotating awls 93, 94, have acted, a non-rotating clearing awl 111,
is passed completely through the sole from the inner side and at a subsequent
stroke the needle, 69, passes through with its string. The clearing awl 111, is
worked by the long slide, 84, but is not rigidly fixed to it, being carried by a
har, 112, fitted to slide in a groove in the long slide, 84, with which it engages by
the action of a trigger, 113, as hereinafter explained.
When commencing to stitch a sole the inner rotating awl, 93, acts alone for the
first outward stroke; between the first and second outward strokes the slide, 70,
carrying the sole moves across to the extent of a stitch, and then the inner
rotating awl, 93, operates on the second hole whilst the outer rotating awl, 94,
acts on the first hole. At the third stroke, the slide, 70, having again moved
across to the extent of a stitch the rotating awls 93, 94, act on the third and
second holes-and-the-clearing awl 111, operates on the first hole. At the fourth
outward stroke, the-rotating awls 93, 94, operate-ou_the_fourth and third holes,
the clearing aw] 111, on the second hole, and the needle. 69, passes through-the-
first hole. The stitching then proceeds regularly until the end of the sole is
approached and then the action of each instrument is stopped as soon as it has
-operated on the last hole.
=
When, as at the commencement with a sole, the needle, 69, has to be stationary
relatively to the long slide, 84, until a prepared hole is brought-opposite to it, the
rack, 87, which has to be stationary to produce the extra movement of the needle
bar, 85, is set free-to-move (its movement being assisted by a weighted cord if
necessary) The lower rack 87, is ordinarily-held-stationary by a spring catch, 114,
as shown in figure 25 and when the rack is to move this catch is drawn aside-by-
a rod 115, (or it may be moved aside when desired by means of a push rod 110,
acted on by the hand). As already mentioned the bar, 112, of the clearing awl
111 has engaging and disengaging devices which dotermine its movements, and
engaging and disengaging devices are also fitted in connection with the parts
which move the rotating awls 93, 94.
The several engaging and disengaging devices are acted on through levers and
links by small slides 117, working in guides and which are themselves acted on by
a pattern cam-action bar, fixed to the cross slide, 70, this bar, (or the slide 70,
itself) having fixed upon it inclined pieces, such as are shown separately in
figure 17, to move the small slides, 117, so as to put the various parts into or out
of action at the proper times. This pattern bar, or the inclines (figure 17) can of
course be adjusted or changed to suit soles of different sizes. A rod 118, from the
first pattern slido 117, is guided to move above the sector 100, through which
endway motion is communicated to the spindle, 104, of the first rotating awl 93,
the rod.118, having on the end of it an arc which when pushed towards the driving
end of the machine prevents a spring catch 119, jointed to a crank fast on the
rocking spindle, 98, from engaging with a notch in the sector 100, and so moving
that sector. In a similar way a rod 120 from the second pattern slide 117, is cun-
nected to a small crank which is in one piece with a second crank having jointed
to it a rod 121, connected at its other end to a lever, 122, forined with an arc-
shaped part, which when the pattern slide is pushed by the pattern incline keeps a
spring catch 123, from engaging with the sector, 101, through which the second
rotating awl 94, gets its motion, the catch 123, being jointed on a crank fast on
the rocking spindle 99. A rod 124, from the third pattern slide 117, is jointed to
a lever 125, which when the long slide 84, is nearer the driving end of the
machine, acts on the trigger, 113, and causes the bar 112, of the clearing awl 111,
to be disengaged and held back, when the pattern slide is acted on by the pattern

page_text: incline. Finally a rod 126, connects the fourth pattern slide 117, to a small crank
fast on a spindle having also fast on it a crank shown in figure 25, with the rod 115,
connected to it which is hereinbefore described as provided for moving the holding
catch of the lower rack, 87. The same crank has also connected to it a rod 127,
connected to a crank on a horizontal rocking spindle, 128, and this spindlo has on
it handles 129, and also a crank 130, made with a notch or hook to engage with
the handle of the belt shifting lever, 131. A spring 132, is applied to the lever 131,
to tend to move it so as to shift the belt to the loose pulley and this spring acts
whenever the rocking spindle 128, is moved either by hand or automatically so as
turn the crank 130, into a position to release the belt-shifting lever 131.
The slide, 70, is moved across by means of a rack 133, fixed to it and acted upon
by a feeding dog 134, jointed to a crank 135, which is on the upper end of a
vertical spindle having at its lower end a crank 136, connected to a rod 137. This
rod 137 has its other end which is slotted, supported on a collar on the main crank
shaft, 80, and it is acted on through an antifriction roller by a cam 138, on that
shaft, being kept against the cam by a spring 139. These parts are best seen in
figures 18, 19. The feeding dog 134, is drawn from between the teeth of the
rack 133, after each feeding stroke by a piece jointed to it and having a spring
hook 140, which is acted upon by a projection 141, on the long side 84, this pro-
jection acting on the hook 140, and then passing it as the slide 84, moves backwards.
A spring pushes the dog 134, into gear again after the lever 135, has moved it
back for a fresh stroke, and a rod, 142, connects it to a finger lover, 143, by which
it can be taken and kept out of gear by hand when required. For the purpose of
moving the slide, 70, quickly by hand a rack 144, (figure 15) is fixed to its under
side and gears with a pinion 145, fast on a spindle geared by bevil wheels 146,
(figure 14.) to a spindle having on it a hand wheel, 147. The projection or
tappet, 141, on the long slide, 84, which moves the feeding dog 134, out of gear,
also acts when moving back wards on a lever 148, centered on a fixed point and
acted on by a spring; and this lover 148, is connected by a rod 149, to a bell-
crank 150, centered on a bracket 151. The bell crank 150 has jointed to the end
of its longer arm a spring hook which catches the loop of string when the needle, 69,
moves backwards; and then the movement of the bellcrank due to the action of
the tappet 141, on the lever 148, holds the loop to one side with sufficient tension
to prevent it from getting entangled when the needle moves forward again. When
commencing to stitch a sole the end of the needle string is inserted in and held by
a pair of spring clips, 152, fitted upon the box bottom, 67. The rotating awls
93, 94, like those 16, 17, of the machine shown in figure, 4, are by preference made
with screw grooves to enable them to screw their way into the material without
pushing it before them and without distorting it.
The shuttle employed is shown enlarged in front elevation in figure 21, in
longitudinal section in figure 22, and in back elevation in figure, 23, and is also
seen at 153, in figure 18. It moves vertically in a race or guide 154, partly above
and partly below the level of the needle, 69, and is moved up and down by means
of two pinions 155 one at the upper and one at the lower part of its course, and
engaging with recessed rack teeth on the back of the shuttle. The pinions 155,
are actuated by a vertical rack, 156, which is in one piece with a lower rack 157,
gearing with a spurwheel 158, and this spurwheel has frictionally connected to it
a pinion 159, which is turned by a horizontal rack 160, supported on a roller. The
bar of this rack 160, is fixed to a slotted plate 161, resting on a collar on the main
crank shaft 80, and provided with two antifriction rollers to be acted on by a
cam 162, on the shaft, 80.
The shuttle string or thread is by preference coiled round two pulleys 163,
within the shuttle and it passes through a hole in the side of the shuttle and also
through holes in an inner and an outer movable plate 104, which are fixed
together. When the shuttle descends the three holes are in line and the string can
pass freely out, but when the shuttle ascends the drag of the string itself on the

page_text: movable plates, 164, forces them to move their holes out of line, with the hole in
the side of the shuttle, and in consequence to hold the string fast whilst the stitch
is being tightened.
After being operated on in the stitching machine the shoe requires for its
completion merely to have projecting ends of string or thread cut off and the heel
parts and front parts of the uppers fixed together by sewing or by means of eyelets
or otherwise. The material of which the soles and uppers are made may be dyed
or colored or coated in any desired way; and with the view of rendering the solo
impervious to moisture and very durable, it may be treated with glue and
bichromate of potash or with any other suitable composition.
The soles may be made by the herein before described machinery without the
uppers which may be fixed on afterwards; and in this case a plain or non-
expanding upper plate (50) may be used when compressing the sole.
Having thus particularly described our said Invention and the manner of
performing the same we have to state that we do not restrict ourselves to the
precise details herein described or delineated but that what we believe to be novel
and original and claim as the Invention secured to us by and in terms of the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is :-
1. The making of shoes by the combination of processes herein beforo described,
the soles boing formed by coiling plaited fibrous materials and the uppers being
secured thereto by inserting their bottom edges within the outer coil and prior to
stitching the coils together.
ratus herein before. described. with..
drawings.
2. The improved construction of coiling
reference to figures 1, 2, 3, of the accompa
3. The arranging or combining of me, m for first forming holes by rotating
awls.and then inserting loops of string of read in such holes at the toe and heel
parts of the sole substantially in the manner herein before described with reference
to figures 4, and 8, of the accompanying drawings.
4. The arranging or combining together of mechanism for shaping the sole by
compression in the improved manner hereinbefore described with reference to
figures 9 to 13, of the accompanying drawings.
5. The notching of the side compressing plates (49) and the application in the
holding boxes of the stitching machine of pins to enter said notches and allow of
the removal of the said plates substantially as herein before described.
6. The arrangement of the points (53) for elongating the coils whilst the sole is
being shaped in the machine hereinbefore described with reference to figures 9,
to 12, of the accompanying drawings.
7. The combination of parts forming the improved stitching machine herein-
before described with reference to figures, 14, to 25, of the accompanying drawings.
8. The mechanism for preparing the holes for the needle.and consisting of two 4
rotating awls and a clearing awl, arranged and made to operate substantially as
herein before described.
9. The arrangement of the parts working the awls and needle, by which their
action is made dependent on engaging and disengaging devices controlled by
pattern slides acted upon by adjustable or changeable pattern slides substantially 4
as hereinbefore described.
10. The arrangement by which the needle bar is worked but with a double
length of stroke from the long slide which works the clearing awl, substantially as
herein before described. .
.
11. The arrangement of the shuttle and its driving mechanism substantially as 5
herein before described.
12. The combination of the connected movable plates (104) with the side of the
shuttle and arranged to nip the shuttle string or thread in one direction of
movement but not in the other as hereinbefore described.

page_text: 13. The mechanism by which the loop formel when the needle moves back is
prevented from becoming en tangled as hereinbefore described.
In Witness whereof I, the said Patrick Fraser, on behalf of the said Douglas
Fraser, of myself and of the said Norman Fraser, have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty-fifth day of October in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty-two.
Witness
EDMUND HUNT
Patent Agent
Glasgow
}
PATRICK FRASER (L.s.)