IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR. BURNISHING THE HEELS OF BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1881

page_text: ""
ETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
'IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR. BURNISHING THE HEELS
OF BOOTS AND SHOES." A communication from abroad by Zotique Beaudry,
Udger Beliveau, and Thomas Lewis Hoitt, all of Lynn, Massachusetts, Henry
Lewis Brown, of Middletown, Connecticut, and John Edward Peck, of Newton,
Massachusetts, all in the United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd May 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS
FOR BURNISHING THE HEELS OF BOOTS AND SHOES." A communication from
abroad by Zotique Beaudry, Udger Beliveau, and Thomas Lewis Hoitt, all of
Lynn, Massachusetts, Henry Lewis Brown, of Middletown, Connecticut, and John
Edward Peck, of Newton, Massachusetts, all in the United States of America.
This Invention relates to improvements in machinery or apparatus for burnishing
the edges of the heels of boots and shoes, and adapted more especially for
hand use.
The said Invention comprises a burnishing tool with a burnishing face having
its surface across its width shaped to fit substantially the surface of the edge of a
boot or shoe heel across the thickness of the heel, and in the direction of its length
made convex, and at each end of such convexity provided with a wing or extension
similar to each other, each of which wings or extensions is in continuation of the said
longitudinal convex portion, and has such a general direction in relation to it that
in the burnishing by the longitudinal convex portion of the burnisher face of the
periphery or edge of the boot or shoe heel at or near the line of juncture of such
edge with the front edge of the heel the burnisher face will project in one direction
therefrom, and be in position to have a rest or bearing upon the edge of the heel

page_text: beyond and in addition to its bearing by such convex portion, and will project in
the other and opposite direction therefrom, but in such projection be wholly clear
and free from contact and of all liability to touch the edge of the boot or shoe sole
which is on the corresponding side of the boot or shoe as that of the surface of the
heel so being burnished.
It also comprises the combination with a burnishing tool having a burnishing
face suitable for burnishing the edges of boot and shoe heels of an edge or edges for
operating and working upon the heel edge at or near the upper to burnish and
smooth, and otherwise to prepare the surface of the heel at such place, which edge
or edges are arranged and applied in relation to the main burnishing face of the
burnisher to be projected or withdrawn therefrom, and thus put into and out of
their plane of operation at pleasure, all substantially as hereinafter described.
It also comprises the combination with a burnisher for burnishing the edges of
boot and shoe heels by hand of a rest or brace for the arm or body of the operator
by whom the burnisher is handled and manipulated, all as hereinafter described.
It also comprises a jack or embracing device constructed and arranged to firmly
clamp and hold the boot or shoe in position with the edge of its heel exposed, and
to be capable of being turned upon their support, so that all parts of the edge of
the heel of the so clamped boot or shoe may be properly presented to the burnisher,
as hereinafter described.
I will first proceed to describe my improvements in heel burnishers for boots and
shoes. These improvements are illustrated in Figures 1 to 5 of the accompanying
Drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the said burnisher, and
Figure 2 is a plan or top view of the same.
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line x, x, Figure 2, with the arm rest, and its
connection with the burnisher at the back or rear of the parts in section in
elevation,
Figure 4 is a front elevation of the burnisher with the edge or edges for working
against the heel at. or near the upper of the boot or shoe in their operating or
working position in relation to the main burnishing face of the said burnisher.
Figure 5 is a diagram illustrating the position of the burnishing face in its
length when working at or near the juncture of the round edge or periphery of the
heel and the front edge of the same.
The remaining Figures are hereinafter described.
A represents a burnisher head; this burnisher head is chambered as at B, per-
forated as at a, and provided with a gas pipe C, which enters its chamber B, so that
it can be heated by the burning of gas therein; D is a tube of india rubber or other
suitable flexible material making the connection between the said gas pipe C and
the gas supply; E is the burnishing face of the burnisher head. This face E across
its width is of a convex shape, and corresponds in such convexity with the usual
concave outline of the edge of boot or shoe heels in the direction of the thickness
of the heel, or in other words between the treading face of the heel and the upper
of the boot or shoe. The said burnishing face in the direction of its length has a
convex portion b, the curve of which is of a short radius, and at each end of such
convex portion there is a wing or extension c, these two wings being similar to
each other. By reason of this construction of the burnisher head when the convex
portion b is in operation on the heel of a boot or shoe, one of the extensions c
thereof will have a bearing upon the outer edge of the heel, and the other
extension c of the said convex portion b will project outward in such a position as
to be entirely free from contact with that edge of the boot or shoe sole, which is on
the same side of the heel that is being operated upon.
This relative arrangement and direction of the wings c, c, and convex portion b
of the burnishing face, and their position when burnishing the heel at or near
each of its corners at the front of the heel are clearly illustrated in Figure 5 of
the Drawings, in which F represents the contour of a boot or shoe sole and heel;
d, the corner or juncture of the round edge and the front edge g of 'the heel;'

page_text: h, the edge of the sole; b, the convex face of the burnisher, and c, c, the wings or
extensions thereof at each end of such convex face.
This peculiar formation of the burnisher face in the direction of its length
possesses several advantages, as, for instance, some portion of such face is always
overlapping the edge of the heel beyond the part working and operating, all
possibility or danger of the face leaving the edge of the heel at its corner or
juncture with the front edge of the heel is avoided, and there is no possibility
of injuring the edge of the sole of the boot or shoe while burnishing the outer
edge of the heel at or near either of its corners or junctures d with the front.
edge of the heel.
The wings or extensions along their length may be either straight or curved, but
it is preferable to have them curved, and that each should have a curve of long
radius similar to that shewn in the Drawings.
The burnishing face at one side has a rigidly attached flange G, which rests
against the treading face of the heel, as the burnishing face is manipulated to
burnish the outer edge of the heel, and at the other and opposite side of the said
burnishing face is an edge H in two parts, both of which along their length have
the saine general shape and direction as the burnisher face E. One part of this
edge H and the burnishing face are corrugated across their width, as shewn, as is
common in heel burnishers, and the other part m is smooth. This double edge H
is for beading, as it is termed, the heel at and near the upper. The two parts l, m,.
of the said double edge H are formed in one piece with a stock J; this stock J lies
and plays against one side of the burnisher head, and is attached to a rod K which
plays through a socket arm n fastened to the burnisher head. This rod K at its end
opposite to that which carries the stock J projects from the socket n, and its
projecting portion is surrounded by a spiral or coiled spring o, which is confined
between the end of the said socket and a collar L secured by a set screw p to the
rod K, and provided with a thumb-piece M that projects at right angles therefrom,
and lies between the said socket and the burnisher handle N. By pressing upon
this thumb-piece with the thumb of the hand which grasps the handle N, the
double edge H on the stock J is caused to project beyond the burnishing face, and
thus is placed in position for work.
This movement of the double edge H to project it from or beyond the burnisher
face is effected against the action of the coiled spring o, so that. on releasing the
pressure through the thumb-piece M on such spring the said spring will obviously
in reacting automatically retract and cause such double edge H to occupy a position
inside the plane of the burnishing face, and thus out of the plane of work upon the
outer edge of the heel.
O is an arm lying alongside of and parallel to the rod K, which carries the
double edge H as above described. This arm O is secured to a collar q upon the
said rod, and this collar, as shewn, is between the thumb-piece-collar L and the
spring o, but the arm O may if desired be attached directly to the thumb-piece-
collar.
In pressing the double edge H to project it from the burnishing face E the
extent of such projection is limited by the abutment of this arm against the end
of the socket n, through which the rod carrying the double edge H plays, and thus
by adjusting this arm O upon the said rod the extent of the projection of the
beading and smoothing edges l, m, beyond the burnishing face E may obviously
be regulated as desired, and this adjustment of the arın O is secured by adjusting
the thumb-piece-collar.
The handle N of the burnisher-head may be of any suitable shape to be grasped.
by the hand, but it is preferable to give it the form and construction shewn.
P is a rest suitably shaped to surround the front and sides of a person's arm
between the shoulder and the elbow. This rest P is swivelled to the end of a
rod Q, and at each side or end of such swivel the said rest is connected by coiled
springs to a cross arm R of the said rod Q. The arm rest P swivels or turns
against the action of these springs, and they by their reaction return the said

page_text: rest to its normal position in relation to its carrying rod Q, when the force or
pressure by which the rest is turned or swivelled is released or withdrawn. The
arm-rest carrying rod extends to and swivels and turns within a socket at the
upper end of and in line with the burnisher-handle N, and between such handle
and arm-rest the said rod is of such length and curvature that with the handle
grasped by the hand the arm-rest will be against and about the front and sides of
the arm, between the shoulder and elbow, and thus act as a means of bracing the
burnisher in its work, as will be readily understood by reference to Figure 1 of the
Drawings.
The rest-carrying rod Q is connected at each side by spiral springs S to the
burnisher-handle, this connection, as shewn, being made through a collar & attached
by a set screw t to the socket T, in which the said rod swivels.
My improved burnisher above described is by preference suspended by spiral-
springs or other suitable elastic and flexible connections from an appropriate
support, and when used its handle N is grasped by the hand with the thumb of
such hand placed over the thumb-piece M, and with the arm of the same hand
between the ellow and the shoulder within and at rest against the arm-rest P.
The tool thus being held by the operator the flange G of the burnisher-head is
placed against the treading face of the heel, and then the burnishing face E is
presented to and rolled, and rocked or otherwise moved against the outer edge of
the boot or shoe heel, while at the same time the outer edge of the heel is rolled
about the burnisher-face, but in an opposite direction to that of the roll of the said
burnishing face. By this roll of the burnishing face and of the outer edge of the
boot or shoe heel such edge of the heel is burnished as desired, and polished with
but few movements of the burnisher and in a very short time.
After the outer edge of the heel is burnished the double edge H is brought into
play by pressing downwardly upon the thumb-piece so as to produce from it the
corrugation and smoothing off of the heel at or near its connection with the upper
of the boot or shoe, and this is accomplished when the double edge is so brought
into play by rolling or otherwise passing the double edge about the heel and the
heel about the double edge.
The arm-rest P with its brace-rod connecting it to the burnisher-head obviously
enables the operator to hold the tool with great steadiness and firmness to its
work, and as the arm rest is swivelled, the brace-rod Q, and the brace-rod to the
burnishing-head, the tool and brace rod can obviously be moved in all directions
necessary; thus giving the utmost freedom and ease to the manipulations of the
tool, while at the same time the burnisher is given a support and brace directly
from the operator's arm, in addition to the support and brace from the hand of the
operator which is grasping the burnisher-handle.
It is obvious that an arm-rest connected by a brace rod Q to a heel-burnisher
to be worked by hand as herein described is also applicable to burnishers worked
by hand other than the one herein shewn and described.
The double edge H for beading, corrugating, and smoothing the outer edge of
the heel near the upper may obviously be arranged for a separate operation of
each edge in lieu of the combined operation herein described, and moreover the
arrangement berein described for placing it in and out of operating position
is applicable to other forms of heel-buruishers as well as to the one herein
described.
The burnisher-head instead of being heated by gas, as described, may be adapted
to be heated in any other suitable manner, as, for instance, it may be made solid
and heated from time to time by placing it in a suitable fire or furnace, but it is
preferable to heat it by gas conveyed through a flexible connection with the gas
supply, as it thus is always under heat, and no time is lost to reheat it as would be
the case if adapted to be heated in a furnace. .
As shewn and described the brace rod Q extending from the arm to the hand
burnishing tool, and also the arm-rest P, are swivelled to each other, and the brace-
rod to the tool, and while for obvious reasons this connection of them is preferable,

page_text: yet either or both of such connections may be rigid if so desired. Although the
brace-rod has been herein particularly described as adapted to rest against the
arm of the operator, it is obvious that the same results and advantages may be
obtained by resting it against the body of the operator.
I will now proceed to describe my improved jack for clamping and holding the
boots or shoes the edges of whose heels are to be burnished with the burnisher
herein before described.
This improved jack is illustrated in Figures 6 to 9 of the Drawings, in which
Figure 6 is a side elevation of the said jack mounted upon a standard and
arranged in combination with my improved burnisher herein before described,
and
Figure 7 a plan or top view of the said jack.
it; C³, a
This shaft
projecting
The inner
Figures 8 and 9 are end views of portions of the same detached.
A represents a base plate, and B2 a standard or post rising from
horizontal shaft which turns freely in the upper end of the said post B².
projects to the right and left of the post, and one end D2 of its
ends D2, E2, carries two downwardly projecting radial arms F2 and G2.
radial arm F2 is attached to the shaft by a set screw a, which when loosened allows
the said arm to be slid lengthwise along the said shaft, and thus adjusted and set as
desired thereon. The outer radial arm G is free to move upon and lengthwise along
the shaft toward and away from its arm F².
The lower and outer end of the outer radial arm G2 bas an extension I which
extends beyond the end J2 of the shaft C, but in the same general direction with
the said shaft, and the outer end of this extension 12 has an upright piece K² pro-
vided at its upper end with a rest block L² in the same horizontal line with and
directly opposite to the end J2 of the horizontal shaft C. This rest block L² projects
beyond the inner face of the upright piece K2, and in the use of the jack the
treading face of the boot or shoe heel rests against the said block, while the
treading face of the boot or shoe sole rests against the inner, face of the upright
piece K³.
M² is a horizontal rod which passes loosely through the two arms F² and G³
under the shaft C², and projects at its part N2 beyond the arm G2 toward the inner
face b² of the upright piece K: This portion N2 of the rod M² carries a pad 02
having an outer concave face c², which is toward the inner face 62 of the upright
piece K². This pad rests by its concave face against the upper of the foot or shoe
between the toe and instep, and it may be either rigidly attached to the rod M² or
screwed thereon so as to be attachable and detachable at pleasure; this latter'
attachment is shewn in the Drawings.
P2 is a spiral spring loosely encircling the rod M² between the arms F2 and G³,
and at its two ends confined between the arm F2 and a collar f' secured by a screw g
to the rod M² Q2 is a collar secured by a set screw h² to the rod M² at the inner
side of the radial arm F2.
The spiral spring P2 presses the rod M² with its pad 02 in a direction toward the
inner face b² of the upright piece K2 forming a part of the radial armi G³, and this
movement of the pad is limited by the abutment of the collar Q2 of the rod against
the inner radial arm F of the shaft, and therefore by changing the position of the
outer collar such movement of the pad 02 may be controlled. Again by changing
the position of the inner collar in relation to the radial arm F2, or the position of
the radial arm in relation to the collar Q, the force of the pressure of the spring in
the direction of the length of the rod may be increased or decreased at pleasure. A
pressure upon the pad bears and acts against the encircling spring of its carrying
rod, and thus the pad is rendered yielding and elastic in its pressure.
A rod R² at one end is pivotted to a longitudinally slotted plate S2 secured by a
set screw m² passing through its slot to the upper side of the radial arm G³, and
at its other end it is hung to the shorter arm p² of a horizontal lever T. This lever
has its fulcrum n' on the upper face of a horizontal block .Us, which is fastened by
a set screw o² to the aforesaid projecting end E2 of the horizontal shaft C. Thus

page_text: the radial arm G2 of the horizontal shaft C2 is connected to the lever T2, so that by
swinging or turning the lever to the right or left, such radial arm.and the parts
carried thereby are as a consequence slid along the length of the horizontal shaft C₂
and horizontal rod M². The swing of the lever T2 to the right moves the heel-rest
block L² in the opposite direction, that is to say, to the left, and vice versa.
movement of the heel rest L² to the left it travels toward the end J2 of the
horizontal shaft C2, and in the movement to the right it travels away from the said
end.
In the
With a given swing of the lever the nearness of the approach of the heel-rest L³
towards the end of the shaft can be regulated by simply lengthening or shortening the
distance or length between the pivot of the connecting rod R2 on the radial arm G²
and the face of the heel rest L2 of such arm G for under a given swing of the lever to
the right the nearer this pivotal point is to the face of the said heel-rest the nearer
such heel-rest will approach towards the end of the shaft, and vice versa. As the
connecting rod R2 is pivoted to the radial arm G2 through the slotted block or
plate S attached by a set screw, this regulation of the approach of the heel-rest
toward the end of the shaft C2 is secured by simply adjusting such plate to bring
the pivot n² of the lever farther from or nearer to the said heel-rest.
But this result may be similarly accomplished by constructing the connecting
rod R in parts attached together by a set screw passing through slots whereby it
can be lengthened and shortened at pleasure, or by constructing the frame composed
of the radial arm G2, the horizontal extension 12, and the upright piece K2, in parts
attached together by a set screw and slot, whereby such frame could be lengthened
and shortened at pleasure, and again obviously these three several constructions
could be (or any two of them) combined in one and the same arrangement of
mechanism.
V2 indicates a plate which is arranged upon the face of the block U%, and is
adapted to slide along with its straight edge bearing against a shoulder Y' on the
said block. This plate V2 is provided with an inclined edge q2 which bears against
the short arm p² of the lever T2, the object of such arrangement being to hold the
said lever when it is brought to the position shewn in Figure 7. The plate V2 is
bent downward over the block U2 and is formed or provided with the horizontal
arm which projects beneath the said block U2 and beyond the front edge s² of
the same.
The horizontal rod portion of the arm plays loosely within the
block U2, and its projecting end t² is encircled by a spiral spring u² which is
confined end to end between the front edge s² of the block U2 and a shoulder v² of
the rod r².
When the handle W2 is pressed toward the block U2, in which movement the
spring 2 is compressed, the tapered plate V2 is carried in the same direction, and
thus the lever is free to be swung to the left as is obvious. The release of the
pressure upon the handle releases the spring, and thus by its reaction the plate V2
will be automatically carried back to such a position as to interlock with the
lever T2, provided such lever has first been sufficiently swung to the right to permit
the plate to move into the necessary position therefor, which is against the edge of
the shorter arm of the lever with the lever swung to the right,
In the use of the mechanism above described the boot or shoe is clamped between
the end J2 of the shaft C2 and the heel rest L, with the treading face of the heel
against the said heel-rest, and the treading face of the sole against the sole rest of
the upright piece. If the boot or shoe is lasted the end of the shaft C² rests against
the last at the opening of the boot or shoe and bears thereon in line with the 5
bearing of the treading face of the heel against the heel-rest, and the pad 02 is
against the upper of the boot or shoe between the toe and instep. If the boot or
shoe is not lasted then the end J of the shaft C2 bears against the inside of the
heel, and for a better hold thereon it may be provided with prongs and the pad not
used.
The clamping of the boot or shoe as above stated is secured by properly manipu-
lating the lever T' and its holding wedge, all as is obvious without further
5

page_text: explanation. The boot or shoe thus clamped and held has the edge of its heel
exposed, and to burnish it it is only necessary to present the burnishing tool
herein before described thereto, and to pass the same around the heel and the heel
around the tool, which latter can be done by simply swinging the shaft C² which
carries the clamping devices around, and for more conveniently revolving the jack
as described it is provided with a handle.
w is a guard arranged at each side of the heel rest'L³. These guards are formed
in one piece and are attached by a set screw w passing through the slot w³ to the
upright piece K³, and they act as stops or abutments to the burnishing tool
when at work to prevent injury to the corners of the heel edge at the front of the
heel.
The jack herein described is shown as provided with a stanchion X³ from which
to suspend the hand burnisher, herein before described, in connection with which
burnisher the jack is to be used. In all cases before a boot or shoe is clamped in
the jack the several parts are to be first adjusted to accommodate the saine thereto,
and to secure the desired hold and clamp of the said boot or shoe.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. A heel-burnisher for boots and shoes, the working face of which is con-
structed of the curved portion b and the two wings or extensions c, c, forming
opposite continuations of the convex portion, all substantially as shown in the
Drawings, and for the purpose specified.
Second. The combination with a heel-burnisher for boots and shoes of a suitable
block or support provided with two edges and m capable of adjustment in
relation to the burnisher, substantially as shown in the Drawings, and as above
described for the purpose specified.
Third. The combination with a hand-burnisher for the heels of boots and shoes
of a brace-rod connected with the burnisher, and projecting upward or outward
therefrom, and adapted to form a rest for the arm of the operator above the elbow,
as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Fourth. The combination with a burnisher for the heels of boots and shoes of a
brace rod, having at one end a swivelled connection with the burnisher, and at the
other end provided with a swivelled rest adapted to bear against the arm of the
operator above the elbow, substantially as above set forth and for the purposes
specified.
Fifth. The combination with a hand-burnisher for the heels of boots and shoes of
a brace-rod, constructed and arranged to extend from the said burnisher to the
operator's arm or body, and adapted for such arm to rest against it, all substantially
as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Sixth. In a hand burnisher for boots and shoes the edge or edges l, m, located
at one side of a burnishing face suitable for the heels of such boots and shoes in
combination with the stock J, the rod K, the socket n, the thumb-piece M, and the
spiral spring o, all arranged substantially as above set forth and for the purpose
specified.
Seventh. In a hand-burnisher for the heels of boots and shoes the combination
with the said burnisher of a brace-rod Q which is swivelled thereto, and to an
arm-rest P, and at each side is provided with spiral springs or other suitable
elastic connections, all substantially as above set forth and for the purpose
specified.
Eighth. The horizontal shaft C² adapted to turn in a suitable support in
combination with the heel-rest L² arranged to slide upon the said shaft, and in
relation to its end J2, all substantially as above set forth and for the purpose
specified.
Ninth. The horizontal shaft. C² adapted to turn in a suitable support in
combination with the heel-rest L², arranged to slide upon the said shaft, and in

page_text: relation to its end J%, and with the operating lever T2 and fastening plate V
therefor, all substantially as above set forth and for the purpose specified.
Tenth. The horizontal shaft C adapted to turn in a suitable support in
combination with the heel and sole rests L2, K2, arranged to slide upon the said
shaft C2, and in relation to its end J, and with the yielding pad 02, arranged to
bear upon the boot or shoe between its toe and instep, all substantially as above
set forth and for the purposes specified.
Eleventh. The guards w³ arranged on opposite sides of the heel rest of the jack-
frame, and forming abutments or stops to the burnishing tool when in operation to
prevent injury to the corners of the boot or shoe heel, all substantially as shown in
the Drawings, and as above described.
Twelfth. The yielding pad 02 and sole-rest K², constructed and arranged to
confine a boot or shoe between the toe and instep, in combination with mechanism
suitable to clamp and confine and hold the boot or shoe .at its heel portion, all
substantially as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of. May, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty one.
W. ROB. LAKE.
(L.S.)