Improvements in Heel Burnishing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left. 18th May, 1892-Accepted, 25th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Heel Burnishing Machines.
1, ALFRED BURKE FOWLER, of Exeter in the County of Rockingham, State of
New Hampshire, United States of America Engineer do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in heel burnishing machines, in which the
heels of boots or shoes are burnished by the oscillation of a burnishing tool, to and
fro, from breast to breast of the heel mounted on a suitable jack, which tool is
attached to an oscillating shaft and adapted to burnish the entire height of the heel
from top lift to seat, either by a longitudinal movement of the burnishing tool and
burnishing tool holder on the oscillating shaft in combination with a stationary jack
for holding the boot or shoe, or by the use of a burnishing tool and burnishing tool
holder having no longitudinal movement on the oscillating shaft in combination with
a jack for holding the boot or shoe, which jack is movable to and from the burnishing
tool. The improvement consists in the employment of a peculiar device, whereby
the pressure of the burnishing tool on the entire surface of the heel is uniform, no
matter how irregular the contour of the heel or how it may vary in width at different
parts.
The invention is carried out as follows, reference being had to the accompanying
drawings forming a part of this application, whereon:
Figure 1 represents a sectional side elevation of my improved machine, arranged
for a longitudinally movable burnishing tool and a stationary jack.
Figure 2 represents a detailed vertical cross section on the line A-B in Figure 1,
showing the means for adjusting the amount of longitudinal movement of the
burnishing tool and tool holder to allow for variations in the height of the heels
from top lift to heel seat.
Figure 3 represents a detailed vertical cross section on the line C-D in
Figure 1.
Figure 4. represents a sectional side elevation of the upper portion of my improved
machine arranged for a burnishing tool and tool holder having an oscillating move-
ment with but no longitudinal movement on, the shaft, and also for a jack having a
movement to and from the burnishing tool while burnishing the heel.
Similar letters refer to similar parts on the different parts of the drawings.
Referring to Figures 1 2 and 3, a represents the standard or frame, which may be
made in any suitable form to support the various parts of the machine. The main
driving shaft, a', imparts an oscillating movement to the burnishing shaft, a², by
means of any well known mechanical device as usual in machines of this class, which
device, however, is not fully shown on the drawings.
To the front of the standard is pivoted the jack b, the upper part of which is
guided in the bracket a³, attached to the standard in such a manner as to allow a
boot or shoe c, mounted on said jack, to be brought into position to have its heel
burnished and afterwards to be moved from contact with the burnishing tool
in order to remove the boot or shoe from the jack and to supply its place with
another.
The jack b, is held stationary while the heel is being burnished, by means of a
suitable catch, a.
I do not wish to claim nor confine myself to, the particular manner of moving
the jack to and from the burnishing tool or any particular mechanism for
oscillating the burnisher shaft, as such device may be varied within the scope
of mechanical skill without departing from my invention which consists in
mechanism for equalizing the pressure of the burnishing tool upon the heel

page_text: throughout its entire surface, on the oscillating burnishing shaft a², is splined a
block d, in such a manner that it oscillates with said shaft and is also capable
of a longitudinal movement on the shaft. A lever e, is pivoted at e¹, to the
block d, and is guided by arms d', extending forward from said block, and to
the arms d', is attached a spring d², which tends to force the lever e, towards
the centre of the shaft a2 at all times. On the forward end of the lever
mounted the burnishing tool f, the spindle of which is guided in a counter bored
perforation in said arm and is surrounded by a spring f, which is compressed
slightly and exerts sufficient pressure on the heel to burnish the same when the
burnishing tool comes in contact with the heel.
e,
The block d, the lever e, and the burnishing tool fare moved longitudinally
on the shaft a², by means of the forked lever pivoted to a ring ₫³ in an
annular groove on said block and said lever is rocked on the pin g, by means
of the crank pin 92, projecting from the side of a worm wheel 93, operated by
means of a worm a³, on the driving shaft or by other well known mechanism.
This longitudinal movement causes the burnishing tool to burnish the entire
surface of the heel from top-lift to seat and from breast to breast.
To compensate for the variations in the height of different heels I provide the
lever 9 with the slot g', in which the pin g₁ rests, and I furnish said pin with
a means of adjustment within said slot. In Figure 2 of the drawings I have
shown such adjustment as consisting of a slot a, in the standard in which said
pin is adjusted and clamped by means of a collar and nut go. A former or
templet h, corresponding in form on its outer surface to that of the heel to be
burnished, is secured to the standard concentric with the oscillating shaft a², by
means of the bolt and nut ¹, or equivalent means, and is arranged in such a
position that a pin or roll e², attached to under side of the lever e, will move
on the surface of said templet during oscillation and longitudinal movement of
the lever e in burnishing a heel. The said templet being properly formed it will
cause the variations in the pressure of the spring d², on the lever e, during the
movements of said lever, to be exerted on said templet, and it will also cause
the end of said lever to move above and over the entire surface of the heel at
an equal distance from said surface at all times.
This causes the spring f, which is properly adjusted, to produce an even pressure
of the burnishing tool fagainst the surface of the heel, during the burnishing of the
entire heel. I prefer to provide the former or templet with an extension h² upon
which the pin or roll e² travels during the time occupied in taking a finished boot or
shoe from the jack and replacing it with another to be burnished. By the use of the
extension on the templet the machine may be kept in a continual motion and heel
after heel burnished thereon. Also, the burnishing tool will be kept in an elevated
position thus preventing it from coming in contact with the heel rest or plate on the
jack while the jack is being moved to or from the burnishing tool. The heel
templet h, may easily be removed therefrom and its place supplied by another
templet of proper form and size when it is desired to burnish heels differing from
those previously burnished on the machine.
In Figure 4 I have shown my invention arranged upon a machine in which the
burnishing tool is oscillated by the shaft a², but has no longitudinal movement on
said shaft and in which the jack is moved to and from the burnishing tool in order
to burnish the entire height of the heel. In this construction, the heel templet h, is
connected to the jack b, by means of the link or connecting rod ³, or by any other
and equivalent means and said templet is adapted to slide back and forward on the
standard on suitable splines similar to the splines a, a, as shown in Figure 3 when-
ever the jack is moved to and from the burnishing tool, in burnishing the heel, so
as to raise and lower the burnishing tool according to the form of the heel to be
burnished. In machines of this construction a suitable adjustment of the jack is
provided to compensate for the variation in the height of different heels and on the
drawings such adjustment has been shown in the form of the set screw a', screwed
through a projecting ear, as on the bracket a³, but I do not want to confine myself to

page_text: this construction as other and well known means may be employed to accomplish
the same result.
Dated this 14th day of August 1891.
WILLIAM BESTWICK MAXFIELD,
Leicester, England, Applicant's Agent.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Heel Burnishing Machines.
I, ALFRED BURKE FOWLER of Exeter, in the County of Rockingham, State
of New Hampshire, United States of America, Engineer, 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 improvements in heel burnishing machines in which the
heels of boots or shoes are burnished by the oscillation of a burnishing tool to and
fro, from breast to breast of the heel mounted on a suitable jack, which tool is
attached to an oscillating shaft and adapted to burnish the entire height of the heel
from toplift to seat, either by a longitudinal movement of the burnishing tool and
burnishing tool holder on the oscillating shaft in combination with a stationary jack
for holding the boot or shoe, or by the use of a burnishing tool and burnishing
tool holder having no longitudinal movement on the oscillating shaft in combination
with a jack for holding the boot or shoe, which jack is movable to and from the
burnishing tool. The improvement consists in the employment of a peculiar device,
whereby the pressure of the burnishing tool on the entire surface of the heel is
uniform, no matter how irregular the contour of the heel or how it may vary in
width at different parts.
That my invention may be well understood reference is made to the drawings
left with the Provisional Specification in which ;
Figure 1 represents a sectional side elevation of my improved machine, arranged
for a longitudinally movable burnishing tool and stationary jack.
Figure 2 represents a detailed vertical cross section on the line A. B in Figure 1,
showing the means for adjusting the amount of longitudinal movement of the
burnishing tool and tool holder to allow for variations in the height of the heels
from top-lift to heel seat.
Figure 3 represents a detailed vertical cross section on the line C-D in
Figure 1.
Figure 4 represents a sectional side elevation of the upper portion of my
improved machine arranged for a burnishing tool and tool holder having an
oscillating movement with but no longitudinal movement on the shaft, and also for
a jack having a movement to and from the burnishing tool while burnishing
the heel.
Similar letters refer to similar parts on the different parts of the drawings.
Upon reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 a represents the standard or frame, which
may be made in any suitable form to support the various parts of the machine.
The main driving shaft a', imparts an oscillating movement to the burnishing shaft, a²,
by means of any well known mechanical device as usual in such machines, which
To the front of the standard
device however, is not fully shown in the drawings.
is pivoted the jack b, the upper part of which is guided in the bracket a³ attached
to the standard in such a manner as to allow the boot or shoe c, mounted on said
jack, to be brought into position to have its heel burnished and afterwards to be
moved from contact with the burnishing tool in order to remove the boot or shoe
from the jack and to supply its place with another. The jack 6 is held stationary
while the heel is being burnished, by means of a suitable catch, a'. I do not wish
to claim nor confine myself to, the particular manner of moving the jack to and
from the burnishing tool or any particular mechanism for oscillating the burnishing

page_text: shaft, as such device of any well known kind may be varied within the scope of
mechanical skill without departing from my invention which consists in mechanism
for equalizing the pressure of the burnishing tool upon the beel throughout its
entire surface. On the oscillating burnishing shaft a² is splined the block d in
such a manner that it oscillates with said shaft and is also capable of a longitudinal
movement on the shaft. A levere is pivoted at e' to the block d and is guided
by the arms d extending forward from said block, and to the arms d' is attached a
spring d², which tends to force the lever e towards the centre of the shaft a² at all
times. Upon the forward end of the lever e is mounted the burnishing tool f, the
spindle of which is guided in a counter bored perforation in said arm and is
surrounded by the spring f, which is compressed slightly and exerts sufficient
pressure on the heel to burnish the same when the burnishing tool comes in contact
with the heel. The block d lever e and burnishing tool f, are moved longitudinally
on the shaft a by means of the forked lever g pivoted to the ring 3 in an annular
groove on said block and said lever is rocked on the pin g¹ by means of the crank
pin 9 projecting from the side of the worm wheel g³ operated by means of the
worm a on the driving shaft, or by other well known mechanism. This longi-
tudinal movement of the block in combination with its oscillating movement causes
the burnishing tool to burnish the entire surface of the heel from top lift to seat
and from breast to breast. To compensate for the variations in the height of
different heels I provide the lever g with the slot g', in which the pin g₁ rests, and
said pin is furnished with a means of adjustment within the said slot. In Figure 2
of the drawings I have shown such adjustment as consisting of a slot as in the
standard in which said pin is adjusted and clamped by means of the collar and
nut g³.
A former or templet h corresponding in form on its outer surface to that of the
heel to be burnished is secured to the standard concentric with the oscillating
shaft a² by means, of the bolt and nut ', or equivalent means, and is arranged in
such a position that the pin or roll e, attached to the under side of the lever e will
move on the surface of said templet during the oscillation and longitudinal move-
ment of the lever e in burnishing a heel. The said templet being properly formed
it will cause the variations in the pressure of the spring d² on the lever e, during
the movement of said lever, to be exerted on said templet, and it will also cause
the end of said lever to move above and over the entire surface of the heel at an
equal distance from said surface at all times. This causes the spring f¹ which is
properly adjusted, to produce an even pressure of the burnishing tool against the
surface of the heel, during the burnishing of the entire heel. prefer to provide
the former or templet with an extension 2 upon which the pin or roll e² travels
during the time occupied in taking a finished boot or shoe from the jack and
replacing it with another to be burnished.
By the use of the extension on the templet the machine may be kept in a
continual motion and heel after heel burnished thereon. The burnishing tool will
also be kept in an elevated position thus preventing it from coming in contact with
the heel rest or plate on the jack while the jack is being moved to or from the
burnishing tool. The heel templet is easily removed therefrom and its place
supplied by another templet of proper form and size when it is desired to burnish
heels differing from those previously burnished on the machine.
In Figure 4. the invention is shown arranged upon a machine in which the
burnishing tool is oscillated by the shaft a' but has no longitudinal movement on
said shaft and in which the jack is moved to and from the burnishing tool in order
to burnish the entire height of the heel. In this construction, the heel templet /
is connected to the jack 6 by means of the link or connecting rod h³ or by any
other and equivalent means and said templet is adapted to slide back and forward
on the standard on suitable splines similar to the splines a, a, seen in Figure 3,
whenever the jack is moved to and from the burnishing tool, in burnishing the
heel, so as to raise and lower the burnishing tool according to the form of the heel
to be burnished. In machines of this construction a suitable adjustment of the

page_text: jack is provided to compensate for the variation in the height of different heels
and on the drawings such adjustment has been shown in the form of the set
screw a', screwed through a projecting ear, as on the bracket a³, or may be a
projecting ear from column of machine but I do not want to confine myself to this
construction as other and well known means may be employed to obtain the same
result.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:-
-
1. In a heel burnishing machine the combination of a stationary jack such as
herein illustrated with a longitudinal movable burnisher tool and tool holder
operated and operating substantially in the manner described.
2. In a heel burnishing machine the combination with a jack capable of being
moved to and from the burnishing tool of a heel templet, connected to jack and
adapted to slide back and forward on the standard whenever the jack is moved to
and from the burnishing tool.
3. In a heel burnishing machine raising and lowering the burnishing tool
according to the form of heel to be burnished by templets of various forms and
sizes to suit different heights of heels to be burnished.
4. In a boot or shoe heel burnishing machine a former or templet with or without
an extension, that will correspond in form on its outer surface to that of the heel
to be burnished, and secured concentric with the oscillating shaft and so arranged
that a pin or roll attached to lever carrying the burnisher tool will move on the
surface thereof during the oscillation and longitudinal movement of the tool
carrier e, and block d, guided by arms d', and spring d² to force the lever towards
the centre of the oscillating shaft a², substantially as described.
5. In a heel burnishing machine the adjustment of the jack to compensate for
variations in the height of different heels by set screw screwed through an ear on
the bracket or may be a projecting ear from column of machine.
6. In a burnishing machine of the character described, a heel templet h connected
to the jack by link or connecting rod ³ or its equivalent.
7. In a boot or shoe heel burnishing machine the combination of a longitudinally
movable and oscillating tool holder, and means to compensate for the variations in
the height of different heels, by the block d, lever e, forked lever g pivoted to
ring d³, the said lever being rocked on the pin gl by means of the crank pin g² in
worm wheel g³ operated by worm on driving shaft or other equivalent means,
substantially as described.
V
Batca
DAIS Tom May
WILLIAM BESTWICK MAXFIELD,
The Central Office for Patents, &c.,
19, Bowling Green Street, Leicester, England, Applicant's Agent.