IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINES TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HEELS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Horatio Hodges, of Street, in the County of
Somerset, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF
MACHINES TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF HEELS FOR BOOTS
AND SHOES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Horatio Hodges at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 22nd November 1880.
SAMUEL. HORATIO HODGES, of Street, in the County of Somerset. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINES TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF HEELS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES."
In the manufacture of boots and shoes it is very desirable so to build and apply
the heels as to avoid cracks between the various pieces composing the latter, and at
the same time avoid a wide space being left between that portion of the sole to
which the heel is attached and the corresponding part of the "upper" of the boot
or shoe. This is often found to be a matter of considerable difficulty, especially in
factories, where leather frequently varies very much in substance and compacture.
Under the old system of making shoes by hand it was necessary to strike upon the
edge of the heel a series of blows with the pane of a hammer, thereby forcing the
material more compactly together, and thus filling up all spaces between the "lifts
of leather forming the heel.
"
There have of late years been introduced into the trade machines which possess
many advantages, but which have a tendency to increase the difficulty above
referred to; for instance, a machine known to the trade as the "Blake heeling
machine," in the use of which a clamp is forced under the heel of the sole in order
to protect the upper from the knife while cutting off the waste material on the
heel edge, but it is found on the removal of the said clamp that a wide space is
left between the upper and sole, and either this space is allowed to remain, resulting
in a very unworkmanlike heel, or the heel is further pared until it is underseated,
thereby detracting from the wearing qualities of the boot; or if pressure be applied
to remove this evil of a wide seat, the sole forming the seat of the boot, together
with the lifts immediately above it, are pressed away from the solid and compact
part of the heel, and what is technically known as a "cracked heel" is certain to be
the result.

page_text: The object of this Invention is to produce a machine which will save much time
and labor in effecting the desired object and remedy the said defects, which are
common to most heeling machines, and which will therefore be available for work
of a better quality.
The machine forming the subject of this Invention is constructed as follows:-
A last, preferably constructed in the same manner as that employed in the "Blake
heeling machine," is provided for the reception of the boot, and is mounted on a
suitable stand fitting into a hole in a plate which slides on a bed to or from a
hammer, for the purpose of adjusting the distance between the head of the latter
and the boot. The lower end of the said hammer is pivoted or hinged to an
upright or bar, and is further maintained in the desired position by means of a
screw pin, one end of which is connected to the same above the pivot or hinge,
whilst the opposite end projects through a slot in the said upright or bar, the part
so projecting being enlarged or provided with a head to prevent it from passing
through the said slot. A spiral spring is mounted on that portion of the screw pin
situated between the hammer and upright or bar. The lower end of the said
upright or bar is keyed upon a shaft, which is connected by means of two
connecting rods to an eccentric or crank, in such a manner as will be well
understood by persons conversant with mechanism, that on the spindle of the said
eccentric or crank being caused to revolve by any suitable means, a rocking motion
will be given to the said shaft, thereby causing a series of blows to be delivered by
the hammer against the heel, by which means the cracks in the same are filled up,
the leather is made more solid, whilst at the same time the seat of the sole is
beaten down into its proper place, thus making a close instead of a wide seat.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Samuel Horatio Hodges in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st May 1881.
"
IMPROVE-
SAMUEL HORATIO HODGES, of Street, in the County of Somerset.
MENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF MACHINES TO BE EMPLOYED IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF HEELS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES."
In the manufacture of boots and shoes it is very desirable so to build and apply
the heels as to avoid cracks between the various pieces of which they are composed,
and at the same time to avoid a wide space being left between that portion of the
sole to which the heel is attached and the corresponding part of the upper of the.
boot or shoe. This is often found to be a matter of considerable difficulty, especially
in factories, where leather frequently varies very much in substance and compacture.
Under the old system of making shoes by hand it was necessary to strike upon the
edge of the heel a series of blows with the pane of a hammer, thereby forcing the
material more compactly together, and thus filling up all spaces between the "lifts"
of leather forming the heel.
There have of late years been introduced into the trade machines which possess
many advantages, but which have a tendency to increase the difficulty above
referred to; for instance, a machine known to the trade as the "Blake heeling
machine," in the use of which a clamp is forced under the heel of the sole in order
to protect the upper from the knife while cutting off the waste material on the heel
edge, but it is found on the removal of the said clamp that a wide space is left
between the upper and sole, and either this space is allowed to remain, resulting in
a very unworkmanlike heel, or the heel is further pared until it is underseated,
thereby detracting from the wearing qualities of the boot; or if pressure be applied
to remove this evil of a wide seat, the sole forming the seat of the boot, together
with the "lifts" immediately above it, are pressed away from the solid and compact
part of the heel, and what is technically known as a "cracked heel" is certain to be
the result.
The object of my said Invention is to produce a machine which will save much
time and labor in effecting the desired object and remedy the said defects, which
are common to most heeling machines, and which machines will therefore be
available for work of a better quality.
The machine forming the subject of this Invention is constructed as follows:-
A last, preferably constructed in the same manner as that employed in the "Blake
heeling machine," is provided for the reception of the boot, and is mounted on a
suitable stand fitting into or on to a plate which slides on a bed to or from the
hammer for the purpose of adjusting the distance between the head or pane of the
latter and the boot. The lower end of the said hammer is pivoted or hinged to a
vibrating upright lever or bar and is maintained in the desired position by means
of a screw pin, one end of which is connected to the same above the pivot or hinge,
whilst the opposite end projects through an aperture in the said vibrating upright
lever or bar, the part so projecting being enlarged or provided with a head to
prevent it from passing through the said slot. A spiral spring may be mounted on
that portion of the screw pin situated between the hammer and upright or bar,
but I prefer to dispense with the use of the said spring and to adjust the hammer by
screwing the said said pin into the upright lever or bar, and in some cases instead of
arranging the head or pane of the hammer, as above described, I mount it on the
upper end of the said vibrating upright lever or bar. In order to effect the requisite
vibratory movement of the upright lever or bar the lower end thereof is keyed
upon a shaft, which is connected by means of two connecting rods to an eccentric

page_text: or crank in such a manner as will be well understood by persons conversant with
mechanism, that on the spindle or shaft of the said eccentric or crank being caused
to revolve by any suitable means, a rocking motion will be given to the said shaft.
In some cases I modify the last described arrangement by mounting the vibrating
upright lever or bar loosely on a fixed bar and prolonging the lower end of the
former and connecting the same directly with the eccentric or crank by a connecting
rod. The vibration of the upright lever or bar causes a series of blows to be
delivered by the head of the hammer against the beel, by which means the cracks
in the same are filled up, the leather is made more solid, whilst at the same time
the seat of the sole is beaten down into its proper place, thus making a close instead
of a wide seat.
I will now proceed to refer to the accompanying Drawings, from which the nature
of my said Invention will be more clearly understood. The same letters of reference
indicate like parts in both the figures.. Figure 1 is a perspective view of a machine
constructed in accordance with my said Invention. A is the last mounted on the
stand a, which is fitted into or on to the plate al sliding on the bed plate B, a
suitable stop is provided to prevent the plate a¹ being approached too closely to the
hammer. The bed plate B is supported by the frame 6 mounted on the stand b¹;
C is the head or pane of the hammer, the rod c of the same being pivoted or hinged
at c¹ to the vibrating upright lever or bar D; e is the adjusting screw, the shaft to
which the upright lever or bar D is keyed being shewn at d, and the connecting
rods which connect the said shaft d with the crank pin F are shown at d', d².
Figure 2 is a perspective view of the machine modified as hereinbefore described.
The lead C of the hammer is shown attached to the upper end of the vibrating
upright lever or bar D, the lower end of the latter being shown prolonged and
connected by the connecting rod d' with the crank pin F; in this case the shaft & is
fixed.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention and the
manner in which it is to be performed, I would observe in conclusion that what I
consider novel and original, and therefore claim as constituting the Invention secured
to me by the said herein before in part recited Letters Patent are,-
First. The construction and arrangement of the vibrating hammer, substantially
as and for the purposes herein before described and set forth.
Secondly. The combination and arrangement of the vibrating hammer and the
adjusting sliding bed plate and last, substantially as and for the purposes berein-
before described and set forth.
And, Thirdly. The combinations and arrangements of mechanism, substantially as
and for the purposes herein before described and set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Samuel Horatio Hodges, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of May, in the year of our Lord
1881.
SAMUEL HORATIO HODGES. (L.S.)