Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1887.
Specification Accepted, 5th July, 1887.
We, CHRISTOPHER HERON and WILLIAM RIDD of Galena, in the County of Jo
Daviess, and State of Illinois, United States of America, gentlemen, 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:
This invention relates to that class of devices by means of which the successive
layers of the heel are cut into proper shape by means of a suitable die or dies driven
by a hammer or mallet.
i
The object of the invention is to provide for cutting the layers, successively
building up the same, so as to form heels having the proper taper and of uniform and
determined height, nailing the layers together, and finally stamping the number of the
shoe to which the heel is to be applied, upon said heel, as more fully hereinafter set
forth.
These objects we attain by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings in
which,
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a die constructed according to our
invention.
Figure 2 a view partly in section and partly in side elevation of our improved du,
showing the parts in position for cutting the lower heel layers.
Figure 3 a similar view showing the parts of the die in position for cutting the
upper heel layers.
Figure 4 a detached view in perspective of a portion of the mechanism for shifting
the parts of the die.
Figure 5 a bottom view of a follower operating within the die, and
Figure 6 a sectional view of a series of heel layers as cut by the die, connected
together and ready for trimming.
The letter A indicates a hollow die, of the general configuration in plan of one of
the heel layers to be cut. The die is preferably made of steel with its lower edge
sharpened in order to cut readily. The die is provided with the usual yoke B and
shank C to receive the stroke of the hammer and for handling. Across the yoke just
above the die, extends a flat cross bar D, which has a central opening E, and an
opening F at one side thereof for the purpose more fully hereinafter described. Within
[ Price 8d I

page_text: the. die A is arranged a smaller die G of similar shape, which is capable of being
moved vertically in said die A, and within the die G is arranged a follower H, which
is also capable of a vertical movement. The follower is provided with a central boss I,
which is adapted to receive a vertical gauge-bar K which extends upward through the
aperture E and is adapted to move therein. The follower is also provided with a
vertical tubular extension L, in which slides a rod L' extending upward through the
aperture F, and through a tube M located in an aperture N in the breast of the yoke.
The boss I is provided with a set screw P by means of which the gauge-bar K may be
temporarily confined. The extension L is provided with a vertical slot R, through
which extends a spring S the object of which is to hold the nail in position to be
driven into the layers as cut in order to bind them together. The tube M has a cam
slot T at one side in which is adapted to work a pin U on the rod L' in order to
elevate the rod when required. V indicates a wire frame having rings at the upper
and lower ends which encircle the tube M and the vertical portion of the frame is
provided with an arm W, which is bent at right angles and connects with a bent arm
or rod X, secured to a bifurcated lever Y, fulcrumed on the flat side of the die A and
held normally by means of spiral springs B¹. C also indicates a spring actuated lever
fulcrumed to a bearing D' at the opposite curved side of the die. These levers at their
lower ends are turned inward at right angles and enter apertures in the walls of the
die projecting through the same to the inside thereof. The operation of our invention
is as follows:
The parts being in the position shown in figure 2, it will be seen that the lower edge
of the inner die projects below the lower edge of the outer die, the inner die being
held in position by means of the inwardly projecting ends of the levers above
mentioned. In this position a series of layers or laps are cut, by driving the
die with a hammer or mallet, the die being driven by striking the upper end of
the shank C, and the nail being driven into each successive layer by striking the
rod L¹.
The pin U while the inner die is in position for cutting plays in the lower part n of
the cam slot which limits the movement of the rod, so that the nail will be driven
only a certain distance into the lap and not sufficiently through it to clench its
lower end.
When a sufficient number (say three layers) are cut by the inner die—the upper ends
of the levers are pressed inward or towards each other, withdrawing the inwardly
projecting ends of the lovers, releasing the inner die and permitting it to fall back at
the subsequent cuttings. The outer die now commences its work, and the subsequent
layers are cut as before, but in this instance by the outer die, and larger than those
previously cut. When the outer die is thus shifted it is necessary to elevate the rod L'
and carry the pin U out of the lower portion of the slot, so that the rod may have
sufficient play to subsequently drive the nail.
This is accomplished as follows:-
Upon pressing in the levers the wire frame surrounding the tube turns the rod by
means of its pin, in the cam groove so as to elevate the rod to the proper position to
drive the nail successively through the layers last cut. The height of the heel is
regulated by the length of the bar K which is interchangeable as before mentioned.
When the layers are fully and finally cut, the number die on the follower makes
the proper impression upon the last layer to indicate the size of the shoe to
which the heel is to be applied. The layers when removed are joined together and
are of two different sizes, so that when trimmed off as indicated by the dotted lines
in figure 6, the proper taper to the heel will be given with the least waste of
leather.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we do hereby declare that what we
claim is
1st. The combination in a device for forming heels for boots and shoes, of a
cutting die, a movable follower having a secondary cutting die, a gauge-bar, a nail

page_text: tube and driving bar the whole arranged to operate substantially in the manner
specified.
2nd. The combination in a device for forming heels for boots and shoes, of the inner
and outer dies, and mechanism for holding the same and changing their relative
positions, and the gauge-bar, nail holding tube and driving bar, arranged to operate
substantially in the manner specified.
3rd. The combination with the cutting dies and the mechanism for holding and
releasing the inner die, of the nail holding tube, the driving bar and its pin, the cam
slotted tube in which said pin is adapted to work, and the shifting frame, connecting
with the bifurcated lever forming part of the mechanism for holding and releasing the
inner die, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
4th. The combination of the outer and inner dies, the holding and releasing
mechanism, the follower and interchangeable gauge-bar, the nail holding tube and
spring, the driving bar and its pin, the cam slotted tube, and the shifting frame
connected with the bifurcated lever forming part of the holding and releasing
mechanism, the whole adapted to operate substantially as and for the purposes
specified.