IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HEEL COUNTERS OR STIFFENERS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
We, HENRY SNOW, and STEPHEN BENNETT, both of numbers 39, and 41, Welford
Road, Leicester, in the County of Leicester, Boot and Shoe Manufacturers, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE
CONSTRUCTION OF APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HEEL COUNTERS OR
STIFFENERS FOR BOOTS AND SHOES," to be as follows:-
This invention consists of improvements in the construction of apparatus for
the manufacture, from solid leather, leather scrap, paper pulp or other similar and
suitable material, of counters, or stiffeners to be placed on the inner side of the
heels of boots and shoes.
The nature of the said invention will be clearly understood from the following
description, in which reference is made to the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1. is a front elevation of an apparatus or machine constructed in
accordance with this invention, Figure 2. is a vertical section of the same, and
Figure 3. is an end view. The same letters indicate like parts in all the Figures.
The ball A., which is fixed on one end of the revolving shaft B., has its surface
perforated or otherwise roughened and revolves within the cup D. the said shaft B.
works within the sleeve C. which is pivoted at one end c. The cup D. is heated
from time to time from the underside by gas, a jet of steam or other suitable
means. The surface of the ball is made according to the shape it is desired to give
to the counter or stiffener, and the interior of the cup is formed to correspond
therewith. The leather or other material having been cut to the desired shape and
size, the edge thereof is placed within the space between the ball and the cup at
one side, when it is gripped by the roughened surface of the ball and is carried
round between the ball and the cup by the revolution of the former, and is ejected
at the opposite side in a completed condition. The revolving shaft B., as encased
within the sleeve C., will allow of the employment of material of any desired
thickness. In order to ensure the requisite pressure of the ball A. upon the
material under treatment, a spring E. within a screw box, is mounted above ono
end of the sleeve C.

page_text: By the employment of machines constructed as herein before described heel
counters or stiffeners are manufactured from leather, leather scrap, paper pulp or
other material, such counters or stiffeners being true in shape and flexible, whilst
at the same time, they are not liable to get out of shape or to become hard. The
use of counters or stiffeners manufactured as hereinbefore described will give
support to the wearer of the boots or shoes and will enable him to keep the same
straight upon the feet, and the said counters or stiffeners will not, as is the case
with similar articles manufactured in the ordinary manner, have a tendency to
become shapeless and the injury to the skin of the heels, which is frequently
occasioned by the employment of counters or stiffeners made of lumpy hard
substances, is avoided.
Dated this sixteenth day of May One thousand eight hundred and eighty

page_text: We, HENRY SNOW, and STEPHEN BENNETT, both of numbers 39, and 41, Welford
Road, Leicester, in the County of Leicester, Boot and Shoe Manufacturers, do
hereby declare the nature of our Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUC-
TION OF APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF HEEL COUNTERS OR STIFFENERS
FOR BOOTS AND SHOES," and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
Our said Invention consists of improvements in the construction of apparatus
for the manufacture, from solid leather, leather scrap, paper pulp or other similar
and suitable material, of counters or stiffeners to be placed on the inner side of the
heels of boots and shoes.
The nature of the said invention will be clearly understood from the following
description in which reference is made to the drawings lodged with the provisional
specification of this application.
Figure 1. is a front elevation of an apparatus or machine constructed in accord-
ance with this invention. Figure 2. is a vertical section of the same, and Figure 3.
is an end view. The same letters indicate like parts in all the Figures.
The ball A. which is fixed on one end of the revolving shaft B. has its surface
perforated or otherwise roughened and revolves within the cup D. the said shaft B.
works within the sleeve C. which is pivoted at one end c. The cup D. is heated
from time to time from the underside by gas, a jet of steam or other suitable
means. The surface of the ball is made according to the shape it is desired to give
to the counter or stiffener and the interior of the cup is formed to correspond
therewith. The leather or other material having been cut to the desired shape and
size, the edge thereof is placed within the space between the ball and the cup at
one side, when it is gripped by the roughened surface of the ball and is carried
round between the ball and the cup by the revolution of the former, and is ejected
at the opposite side in a completed condition. The revolving shaft B., as encased
within the sleeve C., will allow of the employment of material of any desired
thickness. In order to ensure the requisite pressure of the ball A. upon the
material under treatment a spring E. within a screw box, is mounted above one
end of the sleeve C.
By the employment of machines constructed as herein before described beel
counters or stiffeners are manufactured from leather, leather scrap, paper pulp, or
other material such counters or stiffeners being true in shape and flexible, whilst,
at the same time, they are not liable to get out of shape or to become hard. The
use of counters or stiffeners manufactured as hereinbefore described will give
support to the wearer of the boots or shoes and will enable him to keep the same
straight upon the feet, and the said counters or stiffeners will not, as is the case
with similar articles manufactured in the ordinary manner, have a tendency to
become shapeless, and, the injury to the skin of the heels, which is frequently
occasioned by the employment of counters or stiffeners made of lumpy hard
substances, is avoided.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what
we claim is
First. The combination and arrangement of the ball A. and cup D., substantially
as, and for the purposes, herein before described and set forth.
And Secondly. The combination and arrangement of parts, substantially as, and
for the purposes, hereinbefore described and set forth.
Dated this sixteenth day of February, One thousand eight hundred and
VAUGHAN & SON,
Agents for the Applicants.