Improvements in Heel Attaching Machines.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 9th May, 1899-Accepted, 15th July, 1899
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by FREEBORN FAIRFIELD RAYMOND, 2d, of Newton, in
the County of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, United States of
America, Gentleman.]
Improvements in Heel Attaching Machines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
⚫nive
This invention relates to improvements in heel attaching machines and is
illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a view in front elevation of a machine having the features of my
invention.
Figure 2 is a view in rear elevation thereof.
Figure 3 is a view of the machine principally in vertical central section taken
from front to back.
Figure 4 is a view in horizontal section upon the dotted line 4-4 of Figure 3
and illustrates in plan the parts below said line.
Figure 5 is a detail view in vertical section representing the position of the
attaching devices at the completion of the attaching operation, also showing the
position of the toplift feeding and spanking devices.
Figure 6 is a detail view representing the position of the parts at the com-
pletion of the toplift spanking operation.
Figure 7 is a view in section upon the dotted line 7-7 of Figure 1 showing
in elevation parts back of said line, and also representing the jack as removed
from over the heel.
Figure 8 is a detail view representing the toplift holder and spanker and the
heel and nail holder in their receiving positions.
Figures 9, 10 and 11 are detail views representing modifications to which
reference will hereinafter be made.
Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.
This invention embraces an overhead last or work support preferably hinged
in such a manner as to permit the last to be swung forward and upward and means
for moving the said last or work support downward.
It further comprises a nail and heel holder and a toplift holder and spanker,
one or both of which are movable into and out of operative position, and the first
of which is combined with the last or work support, and means for moving it
downward in a manner to provide a preliminary compression to the heel blank in
advance of the driving of the nails. There is also combined with the nail and
heel holder nail driving devices which are moved upward to drive the nails at
the desired instant.
One of the objects of the invention is to provide a means whereby the heel
blank and the toplift may be quickly and accurately placed either by the operator
or his attendant. Another object is to provide for the preliminary compression

page_text: of the heel blank in heeling machines having a last or work support for holding
the shoe aloft. Another object is to simplify the construction of this type of
machine and permit the placing of the heel blank and toplift from the floor.
Referring to the drawings:
A is the frame of the machine. It has the upwardly extending sides a braced
together at the top by the rear brace a¹ Figure 2. Upon it is mounted a verti-
cally movable gate or frame B comprising the upper cross-head b, the lower cross-
head and the side rods 62 which connect the outer ends of the cross-heads out-
side of the frame and which have upper bearings 63 and lower bearings 6+ on the
sides of the frame. From the upper cross-head there extends downward the last
or jack holder c (Figures 1, 2 and 3) which is adjustable vertically upon the
head by means of its threaded portion c¹ and an adjustable nut c². The last or
jack arm C is suspended by means of a pivot 3 from the holder cand in a manner
to permit the last e to be swung forward and upward (see Figure 7). A stop c
limits the extent of its backward movement, (see Figure 3). The shoe is placed
on the last when the last has been swung upward or to the position represented in
Figure 7. The gate is provided with downward movements by means of the
cam D upon the cam shaft d. The edge of this cam bears upon the roll d¹
mounted on. the lower cross-head 6, the cam being constructed to provide the
gate and the last with the desired movements.
In the drawings the machine is represented as adapted to blind nail and the
gate as having two downward movements, first to compress and attach. the heel
blank upon and to the shoe and second to spank the toplift to the attached heel.
These downward movements may be to the same level or the heel compressing
and attaching movements may be to a slightly lower level than the spanking,
as preferred.
In flush nailing a heel but one movement of the gate and jack would be
required; namely, that for compressing the heel and holding it during the driving
of the attaching nails. The cam D is constructed to immediately move downward
the cross-head, last and shoe against the heel held by the heel holder upon the
starting of the machine and to compress it to any desired extent before the nails
are driven and to hold it compressed during the driving of the nails. The last
and cross-head are then moved upward preferably by the springs d² which sur-
round the rods 62, and are supported by the lugs d and bear against the collars (4
fastened to the rods and held elevated by said springs (see Figure 1). The cam
shaft d is supported by the frame of the machine and has a gear with which a
pinion d upon the power shaft d Figure 4 of the machine meshes, and this power
shaft carries a balance wheel 8 and belt wheel do which are loose thereon and
which are connected with the shaft by an appropriate clutch operated by a
treadle or lever.
The nail and heel holder E may be combined with the toplift holder and
spanker F as represented in Figures 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8, or it may be indepen-
dent of the toplift holder and spanker as represented in Figure 9. When com-
bined with it it is movable into and out of operative position. It may be moved
into the position shown in Figure S, there to receive a loaded heel blank or loose
nails and a heel blank or it may receive the loaded heel blank or loose nails and
a heel blank when in the position represented in Figure 3. It is stationary
during the compression of the heel blank and its attachment to the boot or shoe
and it is movable out of position upon the movement of the toplift holder and
spanker and toplift into operative position or from the position represented in
Figures 3, 5 and 7 to the position represented in Figure 6. When thus movable
the nail and heel holder and the toplift holder and spanker are mounted upon an
oscillating support E which is pivoted at e to the bed E2 of the frame, (see
Figures and 3). This support has two sides forming an opening el, (see
Figures 1 and 2) of a width sufficient to receive the driver head G and drivers g
and their holding plate or block g' which is carried upon the top surface of the
driver head. The oscillating support E¹ carries upon one side a spring latch h

page_text: which is adapted to automatically engage one of the notches h¹ in the latch plate h².
The latch is forced downward by a spring 3 and is lifted by a handle h (see
Figure 7). The driver head G has bearings provided in the bed E and has a
vertical reciprocating movement imparted to it by the crank pin g2 on the cam D
and the pitman ³ connecting the crank pin with the lower end of the driver head,
(see Figures 1 and 3). The crank pin is so arranged in relation to the section
of the cam which depresses the last and holds it depressed as to permit the cam
to so act to compress and hold the heel before the driver head and drivers are
lifted sufficiently to drive the nails, it being understood that the cam continues to
hold the heel compressed until the driving of the nails is completed. This
construction gives the driver-head and drivers a long throw but this is not a dis-
advantage; on the contrary, it is an advantage because it drives the nails more
rapidly, the drivers moving more rapidly at the time of the driving of the nails
because of their long throw, and it also gives but one reciprocation to the driver
block and drivers, thereby permitting the employment of a cam constructed to
move the last and shoe downward to the level of the heel holder in the attach-
ment of the toplift, or in other words the spanking surface of the toplift spanker
may be upon the same level as the surface of the heel holder when in operative
position as the drivers are then descending rather than ascending and
cannot therefore be brought into contact with the under surface of
the spanker plate, (see Figure 6) where to be sure the spanking surface is
represented as higher than the surface of the heel holder, but this
makes no difference in respect to the advantage claimed. I prefer that the
nail and heel holder be removable from its support. I also prefer that it have the
multiple die or perforations and that the drivers correspond in number to the
holes of the multiple die, as by this construction it becomes unnecessary to remove
the heel holder and drivers except at rare intervals. Any form of toplift holder
may be used and I prefer that it be carried by a toplift spanking plate made
longitudinally adjustable upon the support E¹.
In Figures 9 the nail and heel holder is represented as stationary and the top-
lift holder and spanker only as movable and when this construction is employed
the toplift holder and spanker is moved over the nail and heel holder to feed the
toplift to spanking position and it remains of course in such position during the
spanking of the toplift.
The machine is adapted to attach a loaded heel, that is, a heel in which the
attaching nails have been previously partially driven or to attach an unloaded
heel. In the latter instance the attaching nails are inserted into the holes of
the nail and heel holder and the heel then placed over them. This will necessitate
that the holes of the nail and heel holder be of sufficient depth to fully receive
the attaching nails.
By making the nail and heel holder to be stationary during the attaching
operation and by giving the last and the drivers the movements in relation thereto
specified an important result is reached in that the heel may be compressed to any
desired extent before the nails are driven and the nails driven while the heel is
so held compressed. This is of considerable advantage especially in the driving
of loose nails as the heel cannot then creep and the nails are straighter and better
driven. There is also a very considerable advantage arising from the arrangement
of the parts, not only in point of simplicity and cheapness of construction, but
also from the facility with which the heel blank and toplift may be placed by
either the operator or the boy, the heel holder and the toplift holder being equally
accessible by both, and without the interference of one with the other, as one is
at the front of the machine and the other at the back. The movement of the last
outward and upward fully exposes the heel holder to both even if it is moved out
of its operative position, so that in placing a heel it is not necessary to move it
to the position represented in Figure 8, although when the boy places the heel
and toplift it may be expedient to move the heel blank holder and toplift holder
to said position.

page_text: It will be noticed that at the end of the spanking operation the heel blank
holder is in the position represented in Figure 6, or where the operator may readily
and quickly place a loaded heel, having first placed a toplift in the toplift holder
if he so desires, and this affords means whereby the operator with a boy may
readily supply the machine with a heel and toplift and readily operate it to
attach them to the shoe.
'
It will be understood that the nail block is stationary during the attachment
of the heel blank, that the toplift spanker and holder are also stationary during
the spanking of the toplift, that the last or work support is movable towards the
nail block to compress the heel blank in advance of the driving of the nails and
that it is held stationary to hold the heel blank compressed during the driving
of the nails and that it is then moved away from the nail block taking
the attached heel with it, that the toplift spanker with the toplift is then moved
into position and that the last with the attached heel is then moved towards the
toplift spanker and away from the same to spank the toplift to the attached heel.
It will also be understood that unless the toplift spanker has an automatic
movement into position the machine comes to rest after the attachment of the
heel blank and is started a second time to spank the toplift. The drivers have
but a single reciprocation during the attaching and spanking operations of the
machine. This is very useful in that it permits the attaching nails to be driven
at the proper interval and the drivers to then be removed from the nail block
and held removed from the nail block during the spanking operation and also
during the return of the nail block to attaching position, and it permits the
surface of the toplift spanker to be placed at the same level as the surface of the
nail block when in operative position (see Figures 10 and 11) or in any other
position in relation thereto as the drivers when the toplift spanker is in operative
position do not return to come into contact therewith although the spanker plate
may then be in the path of reciprocation of the same and be occupying a position
which would not be a possible one for it to occupy had the drivers a reciproca-
tion for each of the two operations of the machine; namely, two reciprocations
as is usually the case, instead of a single reciprocation (see Figure 11).
This single, relatively long reciprocation also permits the nail block to be
movable into and out of position as the drivers at the end of the operation of the
machine are stopped out of line therewith.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. In a heel attaching machine the combination of the vertically movable last
arranged above the nail and heel holder to hold the shoe in an upright position,
a nail and heel holder stationary during the heel attaching operation, a recipro-
cating gang of drivers to drive the attaching nails from the nail holder and a
toplift holder and spanker movable upon an arc of a circle, from a receiving
position at the back of the machine to an attaching position.
2. In a heel attaching machine the combination of the vertically movable over-
head last, a reciprocating driver head and a gang or group of drivers carried
thereby, an oscillating support, a nail and heel holder and a toplift holder and
spanker carried thereby, the said oscillating support allowing the movement
into and out of position of the nail and heel holder and toplift holder and spanker,
and also holding them stationary while in operative position.
3. In a heel attaching machine the combination of an overhead vertically
movable last, an upward moving driver block and drivers carried thereby, an
oscillating support having two arms between which the driver block is recipro-
cated, a nail and heel holder and a toplift holder and spanker carried by said
oscillating support and means for moving, as specified, the last or work support
and the driver block.
4. In a heel attaching machine a nail and heel holder and a toplift holder and

page_text: spanker comprising a support pivoted at its lower end to a bed, and a nail and
heel holder and toplift holder and spanker mounted on the support and movable
therewith.
5. In a heel attaching machine an oscillating toplift holder and spanker com-
prising a support pivoted at its lower end to a bed and the toplift holder and
spanker mounted thereon to be movable therewith.
6. In a heel attaching machine the combination of an overhead suspended last
or work support, an underneath perforated nail block held stationary during the
attaching of the heel blank, a gang of drivers beneath the nail block, a toplift
spanking plate and carrier movable from a receiving position at one side of the
nail block to an attaching position, and means for moving the last or work sup-
port downward to compress a heel blank against the upper surface of the stationary
nail block in advance of the driving of the nails and to hold it compressed during
the driving of the nails, to then lift it and again depress it in relation to the top-
lift spanker to spank the toplift and again lift it, as and for the purposes set
forth.
7. The combination in a heel attaching machine of a suspended last or work
support, a perforated nail block held stationary during the attachment of the
heel blank, a toplift spanker and carrier movable from a receiving position to
an operative position with respect to the last or work support, a gang of drivers
and means for moving the last or work support first in respect to the nail block
and second in respect to the toplift spanker and the nail drivers in respect to
the nail block substantially as specified, and whereby the nail drivers are given a
relatively long, single throw and at a time which enables them to first drive
the attaching nails and to then be removed from the nail block and the spanker
block, as and for the purposes set forth.
8. In a heel nailing machine a nail block held stationary during the attach-
ment of the heel blank, a last or work support having heel attaching and toplift
spanking movements imparted to it and a toplift spanker and holder movable into
the position occupied by the nail block and held stationary during the spanking
operation, as and for the purposes described.
9. In a hecl attaching machine the combination of a perforated nail block held
stationary during the attachment of the heel blank, a movable toplift spanker and
carrier held stationary during the spanking of the toplift, a last or work support
movable towards and from the nail block to compress a heel blank thereon, hold
it compressed during the attaching operation and to remove it therefrom and
also towards and from the spanker to spank a toplift upon the attached heel,
with a gang of drivers having a single relatively long reciprocation during the
various movements of the last or work support and adapted to first enter the
holes of the nail block and drive the attaching nails therefrom, as and for the
purposes set forth.
10. The combination in a heel attaching machine of a nail block held stationary
during the driving of the attaching nails, a toplift spanker and carrier movable
to the position occupied by the nail block and held stationary during the spanking
of the toplift, and a gang of drivers having a single reciprocation during the attachi-
ing and spanking operation and adapted to first drive the attaching nails and to
then be moved from operative relation with the nail block and from interference
with the toplift spanker and to be held from interference with the toplift spanker
during the spanking operation.
11. In a heel attaching machine the combination of a nail block held stationary
during the driving of the nails and the attaching of the heel blank and then
movable from its stationary position, a toplift spanker and holder movable into
the position occupied by the nail block and held stationary in such position
during the spanking of the toplift, and a gang of drivers having a relatively
long reciprocation adapted to be first moved into the nail block to drive the
attaching nails therefrom and to be then moved away from the same and not
returned to a position to engage therewith or to or with the toplift spanker and

page_text: stopped with the drivers out of engagement with the holes of the nail block,
whereby upon the completion of the spanking operation the spanker may be moved
out of position and the nail block moved into position to bring its holes in line
with the drivers.
12. In a heel attaching machine the combination of a rocking support for a
perforated nail block and for a top-lift spanker and holder having two arms
pivoted to a supporting bed and separated from each other by a space in which a
gang of drivers is adapted to be reciprocated, the said nail block and toplift
spanker and holder being movable alternately into the same operative position
and a reciprocating gang of drivers.
Dated this 9th day of May 1899
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Builidings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.