IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING TO SHAPE THE SOLES AND HEELS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1869

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Dennell, of Leeds, in the County of York,
Boot and Shoe Maker, and George Wright Dennell, of the same
Place, Machine Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING TO SHAPE THE SOLES AND HEELS FOR
BOOTS AND SHOES."
Sealed the 6th August 1869, and dated the 9th February 1869.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Dennell and
George Wright Dennell at the Office of the Commissioners of
Patents, with their Petition, on the 9th February 1869.
We, JAMES DENNELL, of Leeds, in the County of York, Boot and Shoe
Maker, and GEORGE WRIGHT DENNELL, of the same Place, Machine
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING TO SHAPE THE SOLES AND
HEELS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in a combination and arrangement of
mechanism or apparatus by the use of which we facilitate the cutting
out of the soles and heels for boots and shoes from sheets or belts
of leather or other material in any desired uniform shape and size with

page_text: economy or the least possible waste of material. For this purpose we
employ the usual kind or ring or stamp knife, that is, a knife with its
edge formed to the required shape of the sole or heel to be cut out, and
so as to be pressed through the material, but in the constructing of this
knife we form the interior thereof wider at its back than its edge, so that
the soles or heels as cut will easily pass through the knife. This knife
we fix with its edge upwards by means of adjustable clamps upon a suit-
able bed or table, and above it we mount in suitable framework a
reciprocatory stem or slide bar, upon which we fix a block or presser of
wood or other suitable material to be pressed into contact with the edge
of the said knife and then removed from it alternately, motion to which
presses may be given from a rotary shaft, by crank or eccentric and rod,
or by cams, tappets, or other suitable means. To enable the attendant
to place the material in suitable position upon the knife to be cut we
arrange a series of stops or guides outside the edge of the said knife in
such manner and position as will guide the sheet or belt accordingly;
and these stops may either be supported on springs so as to be capable
of being pressed down by the block, or may be fixed and enter into
cavities formed in the said block. We also place a series of knives out-
side and at right angles to the edge of the main knife to cut the
waste shread in parts, so as to enable the same to pass freely from the
machine.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said James Dennell and George Wright Dennell in the
Great Seal Patent Office on the 9th August 1869.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, JAMES
DENNELL, of Leeds, in the County of York, Boot and Shoe Maker, and
GEORGE WRIGHT DENNELL, of the same Place, Machine Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of February, in the year
of our Lord. One thousand eight hundred and sixty-nine, in the thirty-
second year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said James Dennell and George Wright
Dennell, Her special licence that we, the said James Dennell and

page_text: George Wright Dennell, our executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as we, the said James Dennell and George Wright Dennell,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINERY OR APPARATUS FOR CUTTING TO SHAPE THE SOLES AND HEELS FOR
BOOTS AND SHOES," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the
said James Dennell and George Wright Dennell, our executors or
administrators, by an instrument in writing under our, or their, or
one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that we, the said James Dennell and George Wright
Dennell, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying
Sheet of Drawings (that is to say) :-
:-
This Invention consists in a combination and arrangement of
mechanism or apparatus by the use of which we facilitate the cutting
out of the soles and heels for boots and shoes from sheets or belts
of leather or other material in any desired uniform shape and size with
economy or the least possible waste of material. For this purpose we
employ the usual kind of ring or stamp knife, that is, a knife with its
edge formed to the required shape of the sole or heel to be cut out, and
so as to be pressed through the material, but in the constructing of this
knife we form the interior thereof wider at its back than its edge, so that
the soles or heels as cut will easily pass through the knife. This knife
we fix with its edge upwards by means of adjustable clamps upon a suit-
able bed or table, and above it we mount in suitable framework a
reciprocatory stem or slide bar, upon which we fix a block or presser of
wood or other suitable material to be pressed into contact with the edge
of the said knife and then removed from it alternately, motion to which
presser may be given from a rotary shaft, by crank or eccentric and rod,
or by cams, tappets, or other suitable means. To enable the attendant

page_text: fixed in the stem, and operated by an eccentric
fixed on the shaft R,
on which is also a toothed wheel S in gear with another toothed wheel T
fixed on the main shaft U, on which is a fly wheel V, also fast and loose
driving pullies W. Fig. 4 shews the particular arrangements or relative
position of the stops by which we have found that the least possible
waste of leather or material is made. I are the three stops. The straight
line marked X shews the square end of the sheet or belt of the material
placed in contact with all the stops and in proper position for the sole to
be cut out, as shewn by the contour line Y. The curvilinear line
marked Z shews the end of the sheet after a sole has been cut off and
the sheet turned over, which is again placed in close contact with all the
stops. By turning the sheet over after each out the same will be the
result, as shewn by this Drawing or diagram, and by an inspection
thereof it will be seen that under careful manipulation the waste will
generally be cut by the sole knife at the points marked 1, 2, 3, 4, on the
contour line of the sole, so that it will fall away in three shreads at each
cut; should it not, however, the knives J will divide it so. The block
may be set or adjusted to the knife by means of the hand wheel * fixed
on a screw passing through the stud P in the slide stem.
Having thus set forth the nature of the said Invention, and shewn by
Drawings and description thereof how the same may be performed or
carried into practical operation, we would observe in conclusion that altho'
we have shewn the knife fixed on the bed plate with its edge upwards yet
by our method of fixing with adjustable clamps we may fix it equally
as well to the slideable stem with its edge downwards, an inclined slot
hole being made in the stem above the knife for the exit of the soles or
heels as they are cut and forced up and out by the succeeding ones into
a spout or other receptacle, and the press block being fixed on the bed
with the stops either self adjusting or fixed and suitably arranged or
placed therein, so as to guide the sheet of leather or other material into
proper position to be cut. And we wish it to be understood that we do
not claim any of the parts of which this machine is composed separatly
considered, except as hereafter specially named; but we do claim,-
Firstly. The combination and arrangement of the several parts con-
5 stituting the machine or apparatus, in manner substantially as shewn
and described.
Secondly. The method of fixing and holding the knife by adjustable
alamne as shewn and described.

page_text: Thirdly. The application and use of self-adjusting stops or guides,
constructed and applied as shewn and described.
In witness whereof, we, the said James Dennell and George Wright
Dennell, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Sixth day
of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred
and sixty-nine.