IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHOES FOR HORSES AND OTHER A communication from ab IN MACHINERY THEREFOR
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF SHOES FOR HORSES AND OTHER
A communication from abroad
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th July 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
SHOES FOR HORSES AND OTHER ANIMALS, AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR,"
[A communication from abroad by James A. Burden, of Troy, New York, United
States of America.]
This Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of shoes for horses
and other animals, and in machinery therefor.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I employ a great wheel, to which
the lower dies are attached, which wheel is substantially like one heretofore used,
One end of its
but the devices for moving or advancing it are quite different.
shaft is made to project out beyond the side of the frame, and on this end is
attached a double ratchet wheel; this may be cast in one piece or in two, placed
in juxta position and bolted together; they are of the same diameter and have the
same number of teeth, alike in every respect, except that they face in opposite
directions. By means of one the great wheel is propelled; by the other it is
stopped and held from advancing when in proper position, the main shaft also
projects beyond the side of the frame, and carries upon its end two excentrics.
The outer one actuates a pawl, which, acting against a tooth of the outer ratchet,
advances the great wheel the distance that the dies upon it are apart. In connection
with this is a catch which drops over the face of a tooth at the end of its movement
n
11

page_text: and holds the great wheel from any backward movement when the pawl is
retracted. There is also a torsional spring with its stem bearing against the pawl
to hold it in contact with the ratchet-wheel; a screw regulates its tension.
The inner excentric operates a stop which has its bearing in a casting screwed to
the side of the frame, and in this it is fitted to slide up and down as moved by the
excentric. Its motion is such that it rises up out of the way when the great
wheel starts to move forward, then it drops drown, and the face of the inner
ratchet strikes against it to arrest the great wheel and hold the same while a shoe
is being swaged by the top and side dies.
This making of two opposing ratchets in one wheel or in two in juxta position
has advantages with respect to the arrangement and construction of the machine.
Another improvement consists in a device for thickening the heels of shoes
after they have been bent, swaged, creased, and punched.
In a machine previously invented by the communicator of this Invention, the
shoe, after being formed, creased, and punched, is submitted to the operation of
dies, by which the creases and holes are narrowed and the contour of the shoe
improved.
It is found that the effect is much improved by using rods of greater width and
less thickness than those formerly used, and then upsetting and thickening the
heels as the final part of the process. In this mode of proceeding the rods for
shoes are rolled to a shape a little thicker than that required for the toe, and the
machine spreads the toe no more than what is necessary to give it a small increase
of width and a proper bevel on the inside, and the thickness at the heel is given
by swages after the shoe has been otherwise completed.
On the front ends of each of the sides of the machine are cast and fitted ways
for slides which are dovetailed into them. A plate makes the lower bearing of
the slide; and this, by screws in front and on the underside, may be adjusted to
proper tightness. The dies are held in these slides by caps and screws, one leg of
which caps bears on the slide, the other on a plate that rests on the die, and these,
with packing behind each die, serve to adjust their positions.
Two vertical shafts extend down below their bearings and carry excentrics.
A lever has one end forked to embrace the excentric, and the other end fits in an
orifice in the slide and imparts to it the movement produced by the excentric.
By these means, at the same time that the upper and side dies are brought up
against one shoe, the dies press against the heels of another, upset the iron, and
give to the shoe its finished shape and appearance.
In several machines heretofore made, the rod has been compressed and upset to
thicken the heels or shoes; but it has been done in the earlier stages of the
manufacture either before or immediately after the bending of the shoe.
My improvement in this respect consists in making it the final operation after
the shoe has been creased and punched, whether the creases and holes have or have
not been partially closed.
Another improvement consists in a device for taking the shoe from the machine
after it has been finished.
At the bottom of the machine are two shafts running lengthwise of the machine,
one on each side of the lowest die on the great wheel, and having bearings attached
to the bed-plate that may be adjusted by sliding in dovetail grooves therein. On
the rear end of each of these shafts is a crank, the pitman of which extends upward,
and is attached to the plunger through slots in a plate. The movement of the
plunger thus gives a reciprocating motion to the shafts. At about the middle of
each is attached by a set screw a wiper, that is up when the die is in motion;
but when it has stopped, it sweeps down across its edges and takes the shoe off
onto a carrier below.
In machines heretofore in use the shoe has been removed by scrapers thrust
in between the shoe and the die on which it rests. This often bends the shoe and 5
otherwise defaces its surface

page_text: My improvement removes the difficulties. The two wipers at about the middle
of the shoe move downward, and remove it without the least injury.
Another improvement consists in the manner of securing the lower dies on the
periphery of the great wheel. These dies have heretofore been liable to work
loosely by the wear of the bolt which held them to their places.
Across the channel into which the rib on the bottom of the die is fitted I place
a bar let into the sides, and a corresponding portion of the rib is cut away to fit
over it, so that when the die is fastened down in place by the bolt the rib against
the sides of the channel and the bar against the sides of the recess hold it firmly
against any displacement.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th January 1882.
"
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
SHOES FOR HORSES AND OTHER ANIMALS, AND IN MACHINERY THEREFOR.'
A communication from abroad by James A. Burden, of Troy, New York, United
States of America.
This Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of shoes for horses
and other animals, and in the machinery therefor, described in the Specification of
former Letters Patent dated March 9th, A.D. 1876, No. 1033.
The said Invention is illustrated in the accompanying Drawing, in which
Figure 1 is a front elevation.
Figure 2, a side elevation, and
Figure 3, a plan or top view of my improved machinery.
The remaining Figures are sectional views hereinafter referred to.
The frame, the plunger, the top die, and the side dies, and all the means for
holding and actuating the said dies are substantially the same as those shewn and
described in the Specification of the said former Letters Patent.
The great wheel W to which the lower dies are attached, is also substantially
like the one described in the said former Specification, but the devices for moving
or advancing it are quite different. One end of its shaft 2 projects outward
beyond the side of the frame, as shown in Figure 5, which is a central vertical
section of the machine, and to this end is attached a double ratchet wheel 3,
Figures 1, 2, 5, 6, and 7. This wheel may be cast in one piece or in two pieces
placed in juxta position and bolted together. The said pieces are of the same
diameter and have the same number of teeth, which are alike in every respect
with the exception that they face in opposite directions. By means of one part
the great wheel is propelled, and by the other it is stopped and held from advancing
when in proper position. The main shaft 1 also projects beyond the side of the
frame and carries upon one end two excentrics. The outer excentric 4 actuates a
pawl G, which, acting against a tooth of the outer part of the ratchet wheel,
advances the great wheel the distance that the dies upon it are apart (see Figure 2).
In connection with this part of the ratchet-wheel is a catch 12, Figure 2, which
drops over the face of a tooth at the end of its movement, and holds the great
wheel from any backward movement when the pawl is retracted. There is also a
torsional spring 7 whose stem 8 bears against the pawl to hold it in contact with
the ratchet-wheel. A screw 9 regulates its tension.
The inner excentric 5 operates a stop 11 which has its bearing and moves up
and down in a casting 10 screwed to the side of the frame. The motion of the
said stop is such that it rises up out of the way when the great wheel commences
to move forward; then it drops down, and the face of the inner ratchet wheel
strikes against it to arrest the great wheel and hold the same while a shoe is being
swaged by the top and side dies. The making of two opposing ratchet teeth in
the one wheel or in two wheels in juxtaposition has advantages with respect to
the arrangement and construction of the machine.
Another improvement consists in a device for thickening the heels of shoes after
they have been bent, swaged, creased, and punched.
In the machine described in the Specification of the said former Letters Patent,
the shoe, after being formed, creased, and punched, is submitted to the operation of
dies by which the creases and holes are narrowed and the contour of the shoe
improved.

page_text: It is found however that the effect is much improved by using rods of greater
width and less thickness than those formerly used, and then upsetting and
thickening the heels as the final part of the process. In this mode of procedure
the rods for shoes are rolled to a shape a little thicker than that required for the
toe, and the machine spreads the toe no more than is necessary to give it a sinall
increase of width and a proper bevel on the inside, and the thickness at the heel is
given by swages after the shoe has been otherwise completed.
On the front ends of cach of the sides of the machine are cast and fitted ways
for the slides 13, 13, which are dovetailed into them. A plate 14 constitutes the
lower bearing of the slide, and by screws in the front and on the under side may
be adjusted to the proper tightness. These slides are represented in Figure 1, and
in horizontal section in Figure 7. The dies are held in these slides by caps and
screws; one leg of these caps bears on the slide, and the other on a plate that rests
upon the die, and these, with packing behind each die, serve to adjust their positions.
The motions of these slides will be understood by reference to Figure 7.
The two vertical shafts F, F, Figure 5, extend down below their bearings E, E,
and carry the excentrics 14¹, 14'. A lever 15 has one end forked to embrace the
excentric, and the other end fits in an orifice in the slide and imparts to it the
movement produced by the said excentric. By these means, at the same time that
the upper and side dies are brought up against one shoe, the dies 16 press against
the heels of another shoe, upset the iron, and give to the shoe its finished shape
and appearance.
In several machines as heretofore constructed, the rod has been compressed and
upset to thicken the heels of shoes, but this has been effected in the earlier stages
of the manufacture, that is to say, either before or immediately after the bending
of the shoe.
My improvement in this respect consists in making it the final operation after
the shoe has been creased and punched, whether the creases and holes have or have
not been partially closed as described in the Specification of the said former Letters
Patent.
Another improvement consists in a device for taking the shoe from the machine
after it has been finished. At the bottom of the machine are two shafts 16, 10¹,
Figures 4 and 5, running lengthwise of the machine, one on each side of the lowest
die on the great wheel, and having bearings attached to the bed-plate that may be
adjusted by sliding in dovetail grooves therein. On the rear end of each of these
shafts is a crank, the pitman 17 of which extends upward, and is attached to the
plunger through slots in the plate B. The movement of the plunger thus gives a
reciprocating motion to the shafts, At about the middle of each shaft is attached
by a set-screw a wiper 18 that is up when the die is in motion, but when the die
has stopped it sweeps down across its edges and takes the shoe off onto a carrier
below.
In machines heretofore in use the shoe has been removed by scrapers thrust
in between the shoe and the die on which it rests. This arrangement however
frequently bends the shoe and otherwise defaces its surface.
By this Invention however these difficulties are obviated. The two wipers at
about the middle of the shoe move downward and remove it without the least
injury.
Another improvement consists in the manner of securing the lower dies on the
periphery of the great wheel. These dies have heretofore been liable to work loose
by the wear of the bolt which held them to their places.
For this purpose I place across the channel into which the rib on the bottom of
the die is fitted a bar 19 (see Figures 8 and 9) let into the sides, and a
corresponding portion of the rib is cut away to fit over it, so that when the die is
fastened down in place by the bolt the rib against the sides of the channel
and the bar against the sides of the recess hold it firmly against any
displacement.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my

page_text: foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it understood
that I claim,
First. The double ratchet-wheel 3, as above set forth and for the purposes
specified.
Second. In the manufacture of horseshoes the thickening and shaping the heel
portions of the shoe after the operations of bending, creasing, and punching have
been performed.
Third. Supplementing the process of partially closing the creases and holes in
shoes as described in the Specification of the said former Letters Patent, by the
operation of dies that impart additional thickness and otherwise give shape to the
heel portions of the shoe, as set forth.
Fourth. The combination with the series of revolving dies and the co-operating
vertical and lateral edge-compressing dies of the heel thickening and shaping dies,
as herein set forth.
Fifth. The oscillating wipers for removing the shoes from the dies, substantially
as set forth.
Sixth. The bar 19 extending across the channel in combination with the
corresponding recess in the rib of the die to prevent its displacement, substantially
as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and eighty two.
TIK
W“. ROD. LAKE. (L.S.)