IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING-OUT SOLES AND OTHER PARTS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES, AND ALSO PARTS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1862

page_text: County of Somerset, for the invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR CUTTING-OUT SOLES AND OTHER PARTS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF
BOOTS AND SHOES, AND ALSO PARTS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF OTHER
ARTICLES."
Sealed the 23rd December 1862, and dated the 3rd July 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Miles at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
3rd July 1862.
I, JAMES MILES, of Street, near Glastonbury, in the County of Somerset, do
5 hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR CUTTING-OUT SOLES AND OTHER PARTS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS
AND SHOES, AND ALSO PARTS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF OTHER ARTICLES," to
be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for cutting-out
soles and other parts used in the manufacture of boots and shoes, and also
parts used in the manufacture of other articles. For these purposes cutters.
of the forms of the intended soles are fixed to the under surface of the rising

page_text: and falling platten of a press, which is put in motion by two connecting rods
and two cranks on a shaft, which receives motion by means of a pinion on a
shaft driven by hand or other power, there being a fly wheel on the pinion
shaft. Two cutters are used, and they are formed suitably to cut the sole for
the right and for the left foot respectively. The leather or other material
used for forming soles is moved laterally alternately from one cutter to the
other, by which waste of material will be prevented. Above the platten is a
bar carrying two forces, one for each cutter, so that as the platten rises
carrying with it the cutters and the piece of leather or other material cut
out by one of the cutters, the forcer of that cutter will by passing through the
platten and against the sole piece in the cutter force it out therefrom, when
it will be received into a basket or other receiver. The leather or other
material used for making soles is placed on a bed suitably formed with a
surface of lead, wood, or other material, where each of the cutters comes,
and there are suitable stops or guides to aid in placing the leather or other
material correctly. An instrument actuated by a cam clears the bed of any
bits of the leather or other material that might otherwise interfere with or
obstruct the action of the cutters at the next cut. The correct height of the
bed of the press is regulated by set screws or other convenient means.. When
other parts of boots or shoes, or parts of other articles are to be cut by the
press, other cutters are to be introduced and fixed to the platten in place of
those above-mentioned.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Miles in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
2nd January 1863.
9:33
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
MILES, of Street, near Glastonbury, in the County of Somerset, send.
greeting.
רי
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her' L'etters
Patent, bearing date the Third day of July, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and "grant unto
me, the said James Miles, Her special licence that I, the said James
Miles, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Miles, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-

page_text: after 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 "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN MACHINERY FOR CUTTING-OUT SOLES AND OTHER PARTS USED IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES, AND ALSO PARTS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF OTHER ARTICLES," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
James Miles, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, 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 J, the said James Miles, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
This Invention has for its object improvements in machinery for cutting-out
soles and other parts used in the manufacture of boots and shoes, and also
parts used in the manufacture of other articles. For these purposes cutters of
the forms of the intended soles are fixed to the under surface of the rising
and falling platten of a press, which is put in motion by two connecting rods
and two cranks on a shaft, which receives motion by means of a pinion on a
shaft driven by hand or other power, there being a fly wheel on the pinion
shaft. Two cutters are used, and they are formed suitably to cut the sole.for
the right and for the left foot respectively. The leather or other material used
for forming soles is moved laterally alternately from one cutter to the other,
by which waste of material will be prevented. The leather or other material
used for making soles is placed on a bed suitably formed with a surface of
lead, wood, or other material, where each of the cutters comes, and there are
suitable stops or guides to aid in placing the leather or other material cor-
rectly. An, instrument actuated by a cam clears the bed of any bits of the
leather or other material that might otherwise interfere with or obstruct the
action of the cutters at the next cut. The correct height of the bed of
the press is regulated by set,screws or other convenient means. When.other
parts of boots or shoes or parts of other articles are to be cut by the press
other cutters are to be introduced, and fixed to the platten in place of those
above mentioned.
Having thus stated the nature of my said Invention, I will proceed more
fully to describe the manner of performing the same.

page_text: Figure 1 shows an elevation of the machine. A, B, A, B, are two solid
beds of hard wood, accurately fitted to the iron boxes Y, Y, Y, Y, and capable
of being raised or depressed by means of the male and female screw and hand
wheel F, F, F; these beds can thus be adjusted, an 'improvement of great
importance, as the cutters become worn, and also admitting of various depths
of said cutters. The machine is put in motion by means of an endless band
working on the fast and loose pullies U, M, and thrown in and out of gear
by a fork and handle V, Z. Hand power may be used, if preferred, by means
of the handle on the fly wheel, shewn in the Drawing. The loose pulley,
shaft, fly, and tooth wheel M, M, M, M, set in motion the toothed wheels
L, N, connected by the shaft II, H, and by means of the crank motion at G, G,
and the connecting rods P, P, raise and depress the platten S, S, S, S, to the
bottom of which are attached (by means to be hereafter described) the
cutters R, R. At each descent of the cutters they strike through the leather
(placed and regulated as hereafter described), upon the beds A, B, cutting
out the soles to the shapes and sizes required. The knives R, R, being
slightly bevilled in the interior the cut soles are forced successively up
through them and the platten S, S, (as shown by the arrows in Figure 2)
and guided by the inclined partition T, and by other inclines T¹, and are
thrown into any receptacle that may be provided for that purpose. The
knives R, R, are furnished with projecting blades or nibs (marked Z, Z, on
the Drawing), at the ends, in order completely to sever the whole width of
the strip of leather passed under them, and are of different sizes and patterns,
being affixed by means of screws to detached plates Q,,Q, which slide into
bevels at the bottom of the receiving boxes S, S, and are thus easily changed
when requisite. In order that detached fragments of leather may not impede
the action of the machinery two claws E, E,' project upon the beds 'A, B,
and when stationary form a stop regulating the advance of the leather in the
hands of the workman. At the moment of the cutting action of the knives
these claws rise, and as the former are again elevated the claws advance,
descend, and retreat carrying with them the waste scraps left by the action of
the machine. This quadruple movement is given to the arms and claws
E, E, E, by means of a cam wheel I, I, to which two cams are affixed in
opposite directions (as shown by Figure 4), and of different heights, which by
their joint action raise, carry forward, and again depress the horizontal arm;
to which are attached the sliding arm and claws E, E, E. The arm and
claws last referred to have also a sliding motion upon an oscillating piston K,

page_text: and after being raised, drawn forward, and let go by the cam above described
return to their original position by the action of a spring coil upon the
piston K, shown in the transverse section, Figure 2. The necessary motion
is given to the cam wheels by the tooth wheel N, before referred to, driving
the tooth wheel O, to the shaft of which the cam wheels are attached.
The passage of the leather under the knives is regulated by the quadrant
guides D, D, to which both parallel and circular adjustment can be given by
means of the slots and thumb screws shewn in Figure 3, by which a great
saving of material is gained. The table B, C, over which the leather travels
towards the knives between the guides thus described, is so arranged as to be
raised or depressed by means of a thumb screw shewn in Figure 2.
In conclusion, I claim under the above Letters Patent, firstly, the action of
the clearing arm and claws E, E, E, as applied to the removal of scraps, as
above described.
Secondly, the arrangement of the cutting apparatus and platten by which
the soles or other forms are cut, as above described.
Thirdly, the screw adjustment applied to the beds upon which the cutting
knives impinge.
And, fourthly, the arrangement and application of the stops and guides,
by means of which the position and direction of the leather are regulated and
adjusted.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Miles, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this 30th day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
JOSEPH PENNY.
JAMES MILES. (L.S.)