IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR FINISHING THE BOTTOMS OF BOOTS AND SHOES, AND FOR PARING THE EDGES OF THE SOLES AND HEELS
Year: 1872

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Charles Henry Southall at tho
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
1st May 1872.
I, CHARLES HENRY SOUTHALL, of Leeds, in the County of York, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY FOR FINISHING THE BOTTOMS OF BOOTS AND SHOES, AND FOR PARING
THE EDGES OF THE SOLES AND HEELS," to be as follows :—
The first part of my Invention consists in improved arrangements of
tools and mechanism for finishing the bottoms of the soles of boots and
shoes.
.
I place a last with a boot or shoe upon it, or a block similar in form
to a last, over which is slipped the boot on a taper or other shaped pivot
secured in a cradle by a screw, the cradle being so constructed that it
will move to and fro laterally. The centres or bearings on which the
cradle works are placed so that they come as near as possible opposite
the toe and heel of the boot, and thereby keep the sole in its proper
position for being acted upon by a file and burnisher employed for
finishing the bottom.

page_text: The lateral motion of the cradle and boot is slow, but the file and
burnisher are moved quickly in a longitudinal direction over the entire
length of the boot sole or any part thereof, and to obtain this motion I
place first the file and then the burnisher in an arm lever, to which
motion is imparted by means of another lever having one and connected
to it, and the other end connected by a rod to an adjustable crank used
for obtaining a longer or shorter stroke, and weights are attached to the
arm lever for obtaining the required pressure.
The fast motion for driving the arm lever and the slow motion for
working the cradle are obtained from two vertical shafts geared by bevil
wheels to the driving shaft, and the cradle is changed from one position
to another as required by cams, which call into action the change
motion.
C
The second part of my Invention consists in certain improved arrange-
ments for cutting or trimming the breasts of the heels of boots. For 1
this purpose I use a stationary knife or cutter in conjunction with a
properly constructed fence guard or stop, so arranged that the surplus
leather may be cut cleanly off without any injury being done to the sole,
the knife being adjustable, so that any depth of cut may be taken. The
boot is slipped on a block having a hole fitting the end of a screw in
such manner that the screw may be turned without the block and force
the part to be cut against the knife until the sole comes in contact with
the stop, thereby cutting off the uneven leather.
The third part of my Invention consists in an improved mode of
cleaning and levelling the surfaces of the heels. I accomplish this by
bolting or screwing to a face plate a file or cutter about three inches
square, and about three-eighths of an inch in thickness, and give revolving
motion to the face plate and cutter by ordinary pulleys. In front of the
file or cutter there is a rest against which the breast of the heel is held,
whilst the surface of the heel is pressed against the file or cutter, and I a
prefer bringing the centre of the heel as near as possible the centre of
the file and face plate, although it may be placed in any other position,
and the rest is made adjustable so that it may suit either large or small
heels.
The fourth part of my Invention consists in improved arrangements &
for paring, the edges of the soles and heels. To a slotted table fixed on

page_text: long enough to suit the largest boots and about the average width, tho
rack being geared into a pinion; and on the table there are two brackets
which hold the centres of the box in which the boot is held, the box
being made to oscillate by means of rollers at the corners travelling in
grooves. In the box there is a taper pivot to which lasts are fitted by
means of taper holes in such positions that the toe will in every case
come as near as possible over the half circular end of the rack, so that
as the rack is moved the boot may have a similar motion. Or instead of
the taper pivot and moveable lasts I fix in the box a block of the shape
of a last. On the shaft which drives the rack I fix a bevil wheel, gearing
into another bevil wheel on a horizontal shaft, which is turned by hand
by means of a winch handle or other ordinary contrivance, and when
the table has traversed its proper distance a cam upon it depresses a
lever, which lifts a catch box of gear and stops the machine, the catch.
box being kept out of gear as long as required by a small catch, and the
table is brought back to its starting position by hand. The tools are
placed in one end of an arm lever having an elbow and shoulder joint,
so that it can move sideways and up and down, the side pressure being
obtained by applying one end of a crank lever to the elbow joint, and ·
having a weight at the other end; and to keep the end of the arm lever
steady and central, I cause it to slide through a bearing placed at the
end of a vertical slide, and for cutters I use ordinary steel blades fixed
in frames with guides for keeping the cutters in their proper cutting
positions.