mprovements in Apparatus for Cutting Boot Soles and other Articles of Various Forms from Sheet Material.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd June, 1894
Complete Specification Left, 4th Feb., 1895-Accepted, 30th Mar., 1895
mprovements in Apparatus for Cutting Boot Soles and other Articles
of Various Forms from Sheet Material.
A communication by ALLISON MORRIS STICKNEY, of Medford, in the County of
Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6 Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street,
Manchester, both in the County of Lancaster and 323 High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
Machines for the purpose of cutting soles and the like from sheet material were
known before this invention; and such machines consist essentially of means for
clamping the sheet material to be cut and means for moving and guiding a knife
carrier in a desired path; but certain practical difficulties as to moving and guiding
the knife carrier and the knife have existed in all machines of this class known
before the present invention, especially in machines designed for cutting sheets of
rubber compound into soles and taps for rubber boots and shoes.
The present invention consists in means for moving the knife carrier; in means
for compelling the main portion of the knife carrier to move in the desired path;
and in a novel connection of the knife carrier with its knife block, by which the
knife blade is always held in proper position for cutting, and prevented from
getting into the position of a scraping blade instead of a cutting blade.
In carrying the invention into effect, the frame of the improved machine carries
the bed upon which the sheet material is clamped by a form, when the stem is
depressed by the levers and link. In some machines of this class, the material is
clamped between the bed and form by raising the bed; that bed being lowered
away from form when the sheet material is to be placed in the machine, and raised
to clamp the material; and as to this, it is obvious that the material may be
clamped in place in any suitable way. This improved knife carrier consists of two
main parts, a plate with a spindle secured to it, and a knife block upon which the
knife clamp is secured as described below. The spindle of the carrier is supported
by the arms so that the spindle may turn on its axis and also move bodily towards
and from the stem as required; for the arm is free to turn about stem, and the one
The collars and shoulders prevent end wise
arm is hinged to the other arm.
The stud in the upper box of arm is in function an
movement of spindle in arm.
extension of spindle, but, for convenience of construction, it is made fast to arm,
for it is desirable that spindle may be readily detached from arm, and this is better
accomplished by making stud separate from spindle, rather than by making the
stud in one piece with spindle, and making the boxes on the outer end of arm in
two parts; which would be necessary if spindle and stud were one piece. The
stud enters the groove in a grooved bar, which is fast to the lower plate of a sliding
frame composed of plates connected by studs which carry anti-friction rolls which
move in the guide slot formed by the space between two plates; the outer edge of

page_text: one of these plates being parallel with the inner edge of the other plate to form a
guide slot, so that, when the sliding frame is compelled to move, the said rolls will
follow slot and the grooved bar will extend across slot. The arms may be provided
to prevent the sliding frame from cramping. One plate is fast to the sleeve which
is fast to the arm of frame, and the other plate is fast to the cover; which is
secured to plate by the screw holts. The sprocket wheel is fast to gear which is
driven by a pinion which meshes with a pinion fast to a pulley; so that, when the
pulley is rotated, the sprocket wheel is also rotated, carrying with it its chain and
causing the idler sprocket to rotate.
Premising that the spindle of the carrier must be guided in some suitable way so
that it shall move in a path approximately to the outline of the sole or other article
to be cut from the sheet material clamped between the form and bed, the first
feature. of the invention will now be. understood; for the rotation of pulley will
compel the sprocket chain to move with, its wheels, and, as the link connects the
chain with the plate of the sliding frame, that frame will move with chain, the two
rolls of the sliding frame being guided by the slot, between the edges of plates;
and consequently the grooved bar will also move bodily in a path corresponding to
the slot but it will always stand across slot by reason of the fact that the position
of the sliding frame to which bar is fast is always controlled by the rolls in slot,
and the bar is mounted crosswise of the sliding frame. As the stud is in effect an
extension of spindle, that spindle will be compelled to move with the grooved bar
as that bar moves; but the stud is also free to move in the groove of the bar; and,
therefore, the spindle and stud (which, so far as their operation is concerned, may
be regarded as one piece, as above stated) may move in a path which differs from
the path in which the sliding frame and bar move by reason of the movement of
stud lengthwise of bar; and it is this combination of the spindle of the knife
carrier with the grooved bar which constitutes the first feature of the invention.
The main advantage of this feature of the invention is that the power to compel
the spindle of the knife carrier to move in its path is always applied by the bar
substantially in the line of movement of the spindle; for the bar is always crosswise
of the line of movement of the spindle, and the spindle is free to move in the groove
of the bar as its line of movement requires.
It will be obvious that the means for driving the grooved bar may be widely
varied, but, for cutting articles of sinuous outlines such as soles and tape, it is
preferred to drive the bar through the sliding frame, and to guide that frame in a
peculiar path, that shape of slot being practically adapted for a large number of
styles and sizes of soles and taps. The sprocket chain and its. wheels are also the
most practical means, in Mr. Stickney's judgment, for driving the sliding frame,
although other means are well known.
The second feature of the invention consists in the combination of two forms or
patterns with three bearings on the knife carrier, as the means for guiding. the
carrier in the desired path, which approximates closely to the outline of the article
to be cut. The pattern or form 2 is sole shaped for a shoe, or tap shaped for a
The three bearings are
tap, but is larger than the other form or pattern 3.
provided with rollers, to lessen friction, the roller turning on a sleeve which rotates
on a spindle, but is controlled by spring, one end of that spring being fast to sleeve
and the other end fast to plate. The second bearing is a roller on a stud fast to
When
plate, and the third bearing is a roller on a stud fast to the arm of sleeve.
these three bearings are arranged in proper relation to forms 2 and 3, the spring
pressure of bearing on the inner surface of form 2 keeps the bearing against the
outer surface of form 2, and the bearing against the outer surface of the other
form 3; and thereby the spindle and plate of the knife carrier are compelled to
travel. in the desired path, which, as before stated, approximates to the exact
outline of the. article to be cut from the sheet material. In practice, the form or
pattern 3 is made to correspond in outline with the form 1, whose outline is that of
the article to be cut, but the form 3 may be used with either one of several of the
forms 1, each of which differs slightly from the other; for example, any form 3,

page_text: suited to a certain size of sole, may be used not only with a form 1 for that size
and style, but also with forms for the next succeeding or preceding sizes or of
somewhat different styles. The form 2 is laid out from the form 3 in such a way
as to make sure that the spring bearing will keep the bearings against the forms 2
and 3. This means of guiding the main part of the carrier by three bearings and
two forms gives an easy motion to the carrier and is a more efficient and smoother
working way than any other known to my correspondent. The knife block is
connected with the plate by means of link whose outer sleeve turns upon a screw
stud which is fast in plate, and whose inner sleeve is connected with knife block by
means of screw stud; but, as this link connection alone would leave the knife block
free to move in all directions about the studs, the knife block is also connected to
the plate by means of slide a tongue on one side of slide fitting a groove in the
knife block, and a tongue on the upper side of slide fitting a groove in plate; and,
as these two tongues and their grooves are crosswise relatively: all axial motion of
the knife block is prevented while it is allowed to move bodily with relation to
plate, its motion being controlled by the contact of the blade with the edge of
form 1. The spring, one end of which is fast to the plate and the other end fast to
the adjusting collar of link, tends to press the blade against the edge of form 1,
and allows blade to yield slightly as required by the difference in outline or in size
between the forms 2 and 3. But, as it is highly desirable that form should be of
thin sheet metal, (commonly tinned iron in factories making rubber boots and
shoes) the spring should be a light spring, and it is for this reason that form 1
should not vary widely from form 3, as above explained.
:
The main advantage of this, the third feature of the invention, is that the
blade is always held in proper position for cutting, by means of slide, and its
crossed ways which allow the requisite bodily motion of the blade, but prevent it
from getting crosswise of the line of cut; that is, prevent it from getting into the
If the blade
position of a scraping blade and hold it always in position to cut.
were moved in the are of a circle about either of the pivots, or about a single pivot
out of line with the cutting edge of the blade, it would be at the proper position
for cutting at only one point in the arc, and would get out of its true position for
cutting more and more as it moved in its arc. This is a practical difficulty of
much importance in all prior machines, and it is especially objectionable where the
cut must be on a level and where the material to be cut is a sheet of rubber
compound. The blade is held in a clamp composed of the bridle whose threaded
tang passes through the other member of the clamp, and into the nut, so that, by
turning the nut in one direction, the blade is firmly clamped; while, hy turning the
nut in the other direction, the blade is unclamped so that it can readily be removed
for sharpening, and replaced. The member of the clamp is held to the knife block
by the screw, and the slant of the blade is adjusted by the screw and the slot in the
said member.
The form 2 is secured to a stem. When the heads of the studs on one portion
of the lock are inserted in the recesses of the other portion of the lock, fast to
form 2, the form is moved endwise until the bolt enters the bolt hole. The form 3
is locked to the foot, which is fast to form 2, in a similar manner, the headed studs
entering slots in the foot, and one of these studs is locked in place by the spring
catch. But these details will be familiar to all skilled in the art without further
description.
Dated this lot dor of June 1894
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.

page_text: &
Improvements in Apparatus for Cutting Boot Soles and other Articles
of Various Forms from Sheet Material.
A communication by ALLISON Morris Stickney, of Medford, in the County of
Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E. of The Agency for
Foreign Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street, Man-
chester both in the County of Lancaster, and 31 High Holborn in the County of
Middlesex, Civil 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 :-
Machines for the purpose of cutting soles and the like from sheet material were
known before this invention; and such machines consist essentially of means for
clamping the sheet material to be cut and means for moving and guiding a knife
carrier in a desired path; but certain practical difficulties as to moving and guiding
the knife carrier and the knife have existed in all machines of this class known
before the present invention, especially in machines designed for cutting sheets
of rubber compound into soles and taps for rubber boots and shoes.
The present invention consists in means for moving the knife carrier; in means
for compelling the main portion of the knife carrier to move in the desired path;
and in a novel connection of the knife carrier with its knife block, by which the
knife blade is always held in proper position for cutting, and prevented from getting
into the position of a scraping blade instead of a cutting blade.
On the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is an elevation of a machine embodying all the features of this
invention;
Figure 2, a sectional elevation illustrating the means for driving the grooved bar
by which motion is imparted to the knife carrier;
Figure 3, a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1;
Figure 4, a section on line 4-4 of Figure 2;
Figures 5 and 6 are elevations of the knife carrier;
Figures 7 and 8 are a plan and an elevation of the forms for guiding the parts
of the knife carrier, and
Figure 9 is a diagram showing the shape of the slot for guiding the grooved bar
and the general relation of other parts to that slot.
The frame A of this improved machine carries the bed B upon which the sheet
material is clamped by a form a, when the stem D is depressed by the levers d¹ d²
and link d³. In some machines of this class, the material is clamped between the
bed B and form a by raising the bed; that bed being lowered away from form a
when the sheet material is to be placed in the machine, and raised to clamp the
material; and as to this, it is obvious that the material may be clamped in place in
any suitable way. This improved knife carrier consists of two main parts, a plate f
with a spindle secured to it, and a knife block upon which the knife clamp is
secured as described below. The spindle of the carrier is supported by the
arms G G so that the spindle may turn on its axis and also move bodily towards and
from the stem D as required; for the arm G is free to turn about stem D, and the
arm G is hinged to the other arm G, see Figure 1. The collar g and shoulder g¹
prevent endwise movement of spindle fin arm G. The stud 92, shown fast in
the upper box of arm G', is in function an extension of spinale f', but, for
convenience of construction, it is made fast to arin G', for it is desirable that

page_text: spindle may be readily detached from arm G', and this is better accomplished by
making stud 92 separate from spindle, rather than by making the stud g² in one
piece with spindle f, and making the boxes on the outer end of arm G in two
parts; which would be necessary if spindley and stud 9 were one piece. The
studenters the groove in a grooved bar H, which grooved har is fast to the
lower plate of a sliding frame composed of plates hh connected by studs h² h³
which carry anti-friction rolls h* h³ which move in the guide slot formed by the space
between two plates J and J'; the outer edge of one of these plates J being
parallel with the inner edge of the other plate J' to form a guide slot j, so that,
when the sliding frame composed of plates and studs ³ ³ is compelled to move, the
rolls 15 will follow slot and the grooved bar H will extend across the said slot.
The arms may be provided to prevent the sliding frame from cramping. The
plate J is fast to the sleeve K which is fast to the arm of frame A, and the other
plate is fast to the cover J2; which is secured to plate J by the screw bolts j'
Figure 2. The sprocket wheel kis fast to gear k' which is driven by a pinion k
which meshes with a pinion fast to a pulley ; so that, when the latter is
rotated, the sprocket wheel k is also rotated, carrying with it its chain k and
causing the idler sprocket 4 to rotate. All these parts K to inclusive are in
prior machines and so are the plates J J', arranged to form a guide slot j, except
that the form of the slot j is modified as shown in Figure 9.
j
Premising that the spindle f¹ must be guided in some suitable way so that it shall
move in a path approximately to the outline of the sole or other article to be cut
from the sheet material clamped between the form a and bed B, the first feature
of the invention will now be understood; for the rotation of pulley k* will compel
the sprocket chain to move with its wheels and k, and, as the link ³ connects
the chain with the plate h of the sliding frame, that frame will move with
chain, the two rolls of the sliding frame being guided by the slot j, between
the edges of plates J J'; and consequently the grooved bar H will also move
bodily in a path corresponding to the slot j; but it will always stand across the slot
by reason of the fact that the position of the sliding frame to which bar H is
fast is always controlled by the rolls * * in slot j, and the bar H is mounted cross-
wise of the sliding frame. As the stud 2 is in effect an extension of spindle,
that spindle will be compelled to more with the grooved bar H as that bar moves;
but the study is also free to move in the groove of the bar H; and, therefore,
the spindle and stud g² (which, so far as their operation is concerned, may be
regarded as one piece, as above stated) may move in a path which differs from
the path in which the sliding frame and bar H move by reason of the movement
of study lengthwise of bar H; and it is this combination of the spindle of the
knife carrier with the grooved bar H which constitutes the first feature of the
invention. The main advantage of this feature of the invention is that the power
to compel the spindle of the knife carrier to move in its path is always applied
by the bar H substantially in the line of movement of the spindle; for the said
bar is always crosswise of the line of movement of the spindle, and the spindle is
free to move in the groove of the bar as its line of movement requires.
It will be obvious that the means for driving the grooved bar may be widely
varied, but, for cutting articles of sinuous outlines such as soles and taps, it is
preferred to drive the bar through the sliding frame as shown, and to guide that
frame in a peculiar path shown in Figure 3, that shape of slot j being practically-
adapted for a large number of styles and sizes of soles and taps. The sprocket
chain and its wheels are also the most practical means, in Mr. Stickney's judgment,
for driving the sliding frame, although other means are well known.
The second feature of the invention consists in the combination of two forms or
patterns with three bearings on the knife carrier, as the means for guiding the
carrier in the desired path, which approximates closely to the outline of the
article to be cut. The pattern or form a' best shown in Figures 7 and 8 is sole
shaped for a sole, or tap shaped for a tap, but is larger than the form or
pattern a².
The three bearings m m² m² are provided with rollers, to lessen

page_text: friction, the roller m turning on a sleeve m³ which rotates on spindle f, but
is controlled by spring m', one end of that spring being fast to sleeve m³ and the
other end fast to plate f. The second bearing m' is a roller on a stud fast to
plate f, and the third bearing m² is a roller on a stud fast to the arm of sleeve m³.
When these three bearings are arranged in proper relation to forms a' and a², as
shown in Figure 7, the spring pressure of bearing on the inner surface of
form a keeps the bearing m against the outer surface of form a', and the
bearing m against the outer surface of the form a²; and thereby the spindle fland
plate of the knife carrier are compelled to travel in the desired path, which, as
before stated, approximates to the exact outline of the article to be cut from the
sheet material. In practice, the form or pattern a² is made to correspond in outline
with the form a, whose outline is that of the article to be cut, but the form a² may
be used with either one of several of the forms a, each of which differs slightly
from the other; for example, any form a², suited to a certain size of sole, may be
used not only with a form a for that size and style, but also with forms a for the
next succeeding or preceding sizes or of somewhat different styles. The form a¹
is laid out from the form a² in such a way as to make sure that the spring
bearing m will keep the bearings m m' against the forms a' and a². This means
of guiding the main part of the carrier by three bearings and two forms gives
an easy motion to the carrier and is a more efficient and smoother working way
than any other known to my correspondent. The knife block fis connected
with the plate by means of link whose outer sleeve turns upon a screw
stud which is fast in plate f, and whose inner sleeve is connected with knife
block by means of screw stud f, as clearly shown in Figure 5; but, as this
link connection alone would leave the knife block 2 free to move in all directions
about the studs and f, the knife block is also connected to the plate f by
means of slide f; a tongue on one side of slide fitting a groove in the
knite block, see Figure 5, and a tongue on the upper side of slide f fitting a
groove in plate Figure 6, and, as these two tongues and their grooves are
crosswise relatively, all axial motion of the knife block is prevented while it is
allowed to move bodily with relation to plate, its motion being controlled by the
contact of the blade F with the edge of form a. The spring, one end of which
is fast to the plate and the other end fast to the adjusting collar of link f³, tends
to press the blade F against the edge of form a, and allows the blade to yield
slightly as required by the difference in outline or in size between the forms a
and a. But, as it is highly desirable that the form a should be of thin sheet
metal, (commonly tinned iron in factories making rubber boots and shoes) the
spring m should be a light spring, and it is for this reason that form a should not
vary widely from form a², as above explained.
The main advantage of this, the third feature of the invention, is that the
blade F is always held in proper position for cutting, by means of slide f®, and its
crossed ways which allow the requisite bodily motion of the blade F, but prevent
it from getting crosswise of the line of cut; that is, prevent it from getting into
the position of a scraping blade and hold it always in position to cut. If the
blade F were moved in the are of a circle about either of the pivots f* or f³, or
about a single pivot out of line with the cutting edge of the blade F, it would be
at the proper position for cutting at only one point in the arc, and would get out
of its true position for catting more and more as it moved in its arc.
This is a
practical difficulty of much importance in all prior machines, and it is especially
objectionable where the cut must be on a level and where the material to be cut is
a sheet of rubber compound. The blade F is held in a clamp composed of the
bridle whose threaded tang passes through the other member n¹ of the clamp,
and into the nut n², so that, by turning the nut in one direction, the blade is firmly
clamped; while, by turning the nut in the other direction, the blade is unclamped
so that it can readily be removed for sharpening, and replaced. The member n' of
the clamp is held to the knife block by the screw n³, and the slant of the blade F
is adjusted by the screw n' and the slot in n', as clearly shown in Figure 6.

page_text: The form a¹ is secured to stem D, as clearly shown in Figures 7 and 8, where
» represents one portion of a lock which is fast to the lower end of stem D and
prepresents the other portion of the lock fast to form a', the two portions being
shown separated in Figure 8. When the heads p² of the studs on the portion p
are inserted in the recesses of the other portion p', fast to form a', the form is
moved end wise until the bolt pt enters the bolt hole p³. The forn a is locked to
the foot p, which is fast to form a', in a similar manner, the headed studs
entering slots in the foot », and one of these studs is locked in place by the
spring catch. But these details will be familiar to all skilled in the art without
further description.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said 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 machine for cutting forms from sheet material the combination of the
knife carrier; a grooved bar receiving in its groove the spindle of the knife.
carrier; and incans for moving that grooved bar bodily in its proper path, the
motion of the grooved bar moving the knife carrier, all substantially as described.
2. The combination of the knife carrier, two forms; two bearings, one co-
operating with one form, and the other with the other form; a third bearing; and
a spring co-operating with the third bearing to keep the two bearings each against
its form, substantially as described.
3. The combination of the knife block; the knife carrier; a slide; ways for the
slide on the knife carrier; and ways for the slide on the knife block crosswise of
those on the knife carrier, substantially as described.
Dated this 2nd day of February 1895.
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Agents.