IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Arthur Cridland and David Rose, of Dighton Street, in
the City of Bristol, Boot and Shoo. Manufacturers and Co-partners in Trade,
for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND
SHOES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS EMPLOYED THEREIN.”
Sealed the 20th December 1878, and dated the 30th September 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Arthur Cridland and David
Rose at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th September
1878.
ARTHUR CRIDLAND and DAVID ROSE, of Dighton Street; in the City of Bristol,
Boot and Shoe Manufacturers and Co-partners in Trade. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Our Invention relates to the cutting, skiving, and blocking of the leather
employed in making the fronts of boots and shoes automatically by one motion or
action, and it has especial reference to that description of boots and shoes known in
the trade as puffed toes or blocked toes.
In carrying out our Invention we employ a machine provided with a steel plate,
having in it an aperture of the shape and dimensions of the larger part of the front
or toe of a boot last, and with a metal block of the shape and dimensions of such
front or toe, being consequently smaller than the aperture at the extremity of the
toe which forms the bottom of the block and larger at the hinder part which forms
the top. The aperture in the steel plate is surrounded by a sharp edge of steel
which acts as a knife. The steel plate is stationary but the block is moveable, and
is so placed as to descend when the machine is worked immediately over and into
the aperture.

page_text: For the purpose of working the machine a piece of leather is placed upon the
steel plate in such a manner as to cover the aperture. The block is moved by
means of a treadle or similar mechanism, and is brought down upon the piece of
leather which forms a casing for the block until, as the latter gradually descends,
the knife skives the leather or cuts it with a tapering or feather edge, and the
portion of the leather thus forced into the aperture and cut after the withdrawal of
the block falls into a receptacle beneath the machine, and is then in the condition
and of the shape and dimensions for forming a "blocked toe without any further
process.
"

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Arthur Cridland and David Rose at the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 18th March 1879.
ARTHUR CRIDLAND and DAVID ROSE, of Dighton Street, in the City of Bristol,
Boot and Shoe Manufacturers and Co-partners in Trade. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
EMPLOYED THEREIN."
Our said Invention relates to the cutting, skiving, and blocking of the leather
employed in making the fronts of boots and shoes of the description known in the
trade as puffed toes or blocked toes, and it consists in so arranging apparatus that
these operations shall be performed simultaneously by one and the same action.
And in order that our said Invention may be fully understood, we shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in all the Figures.
Figure 1 of the accompanying Drawing represents a perspective view of a
machine for cutting, skiving, and blocking leather constructed in accordance with
our said Invention, and Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5 are detail views drawn to a larger
scale, Figures 2 and 3 being respectively a section and plan of the matrix or
plate, and Figures 4 and 5 being respectively side and front elevations of the block,
both herein-after referred to.
A is a plate, which may either be made of steel and formed with an aperture or
matrix having a cutting edge, or (as is preferred and illustrated in the Drawing)
the plate may be formed with an aperture a (Figures 2 and 3) for the reception of
a removable steel matrix B, which is maintained in place in the aperture a by
means of screws b, and is provided with the requisite bevelled cutting edge at c.
The opening d in the matrix B (whether the same be made in one with the
plate A or as shewn in the Drawing separate therefrom) is of the shape and
dimensions of the larger part of the front or toe of a boot last, and is bounded by
the cutting edge c, herein-before referred to. The plate A thus constructed or fitted
is secured to the base plate of the machine C, and above the matrix B is arranged
a block D (shewn in detail in Figures 4 and 5) carried on a vertical rod d¹ supported
and guided in the frame of the machine.
To the frame at e is hinged a lever E so arranged as to be in contact with the
upper end of the rod d in such a manner that by the act of drawing the said lever
downwards, either by hand or by depressing a treadle at f, the block D will be
lowered, a spring g being employed in order to return the block to its normal
position when the force or pressure has ceased or is removed.
The block D is made of the shape and dimensions of the front or toe, being con-
sequently smaller at its lower extremity h than at its upper extremity i, and the
block and the matrix are so situate relatively to each other that when the block is
depressed it will descend immediately over and into the opening d.
In operating with the machine a piece of leather is placed upon the matrix B in
such a manner as to cover the opening d, and on the lever E being depressed, the
block D is caused to descend upon the piece of leather, which then encases or
surrounds the block, until as the latter continues gradually to descend the cutting
edge or knife c skives the leather or cuts it with a tapering or feather edge. The
portion of the leather thus forced into the opening d and cut falls after the
ascent of the block on the release of the lever E into a receptacle beneath the
machine, and is then in the condition and of the shape and dimensions for forming
a blocked toe without any further process.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of our said Inven
tion, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into effect, we

page_text: would observe in conclusion that what we consider to be novel and original, and
therefore claim as the Invention secured to us by the herein-before in part recited
Letters Patent is,―
In the manufacture of the fronts of boots and shoes effecting the cutting, skiving
and blocking of the leather therefor simultaneously by one and the same action,
substantially as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, we, the said Arthur Cridland and David Rose, have to this
our Specification set our hands and seals, the Fourteenth day of February,
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-nine.