Year: 1888

page_text: I JOHN FREDERICK KEVNEY O'CONNOR of the City of Tonkers in the County of
Westchester and State of New York United States of America Mechanical Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what inanner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
Reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my machine with a portion of the frame removed.
Fig. 1 is an elevation of the opposite side with a portion of the frame removed.
Fig. 2 is a plan view.
Fig. 3 is a rear end elevation.
Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of the pawl and ratchet which move the mould block
and of the device which operates the delivery fingers.
Fig. 5 is an inside elevation of one of the corrugated removable plates attached to
the opposite inner walls of the mould.
Fig. 6 is a front elevation of one of these removable plates showing its relieving
springs and screw adjustments.
Fig. 7 is a perspective of the press plates which are lowered upon the upper when
the latter is in position to be crimped.
Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a shoe upper in condition to be crimped showing by
dotted lines its relation to the mould.
Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a crimped upper on the plunger after leaving the
mould.
Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a crimped upper removed from the plunger.
Similar letters indicate similar parts in the several views.
The object of my invention is to provide a machine which primarily will economize
material labour and time in the crimping of the uppers of seamless foot-wear and
distribute the crimping through the whole of the upper and which again may be
economically employed for crimping uppers which are constituted of parts.
In the preferred form the invention consists of a series of revoluble moulds
combined with a series of plungers arranged to successively co-operate with the
SD 077

page_text: i
moulds to crimp uppers as the said moulds in their rotation are brought, one after
another into operative juxta position with the plungers.
The number of moulds and plungers used is optional. If it should be desired to
use a single mould in connection with one or more plungers the mould may be
stationary or revoluble as desired but the plungers in whatever number used will be
rotated.
The invention also consists in certain details of construction and in the combinations
and arrangements of parts hereinafter more particularly set forth and claimed.
In 'the embodiment of my invention selected for illustration in the drawings four
moulds and four plungers are employed. These as also all other portions of the
machine are constructed of any fit material desired.
A mould block A say of cast iron is made with four similar vertical wings radiating
at equal distances apart from a common centre and containing the moulds a which
are made as vortical recesses in said wings. The mould block is firmly attached to
the vertical-shaft (which passes through its centre. The moulds are formed by
cutting a simple vertical channel in each wing, from top to bottom in line with the
revolving shaft C.
The walls of all the moulds will be therefore in every way symmetrical.
The width of these channels or moulds is uniform and their depth at their
mouth somewhat greater than the length of the shoe uppers that are to be
crimped.
The profile of the wings is two curved lines the upper curve being such as to
bring the mould as close as possible to the master wheel M and its drum B to
which the plungers are attached and the lower one conforming to the profile
of the bottom of a crimped upper from the toe to the heel so that all points in
this bottom line of the upper which passes last from the mould, will leave it
simultaneously.
An essential feature of the mould is that its channel is open not only at both ends
but also on the side next the plunger for a purpose presently appearing.
The inner faces of the two opposite vertical walls of the moulds may be either plain
or corrugated. In the drawing they are shown as corrugated.
The walls of the moulds in either case consist of removable plates p which are
secured in place and adjusted by screws n.
$
Between these removable plates and the supporting walls of the moulds, springs
of steel or any other fit material are placed which cooperating with the corrugations
of the plates in the act of crimping relieve the leather of the otherwise unyielding
rigidity of the mould thus favouring the passage of the leather through the mould
and guarding it against tearing. The dispositions of the corrugations upon the plates
is such as to provide for their most efficient work.
table T is formed with or fitted to the walls of the mould at its mouth on which
the upper of the shoe to be crimped is placed. The mouth of the mould extends up
through the middle of this table.
The profile of a side elevation of the table shows a plane inclined surface t and an
upright curvilinear surface t¹ the line of meeting of these surfaces being at right
angles to the walls of the mould. The profile of the mouth of the mould corresponds
therefore with the profile of the face of this table.
The portion of the mouth of the mould which lies in the plane surface of the table,.
co-operates with the plunger to give form to the heel of the crimped upper and the
portion which lies in the curved surface co-operates with the plunger to give form to
the front of the crimped upper from the instep to the toe.
The walls of the moulds are guarded from springing apart during the process of
crimping by the braces or webs w.
The mould block rests upon and is bolted to the circular bracket D which is firmly
secured to the shaft C.
The foot of this shaft C is stepped and revolves in a foot block attached to or formed
in the bed plate E.
This bed plate E is made of any desirable length, breadth and thickness and

page_text: upholds the frame F, the standards F1 which support the master wheel M the bearing
of the mould moving geared wheel, the bearings f₁ of the pinion W and the support a¹¹
of the bell crank k.
The upper end of the shaft C passes through and is held in position by the hub h
formed in the upper portion of the frame F.
As thus placed and secured the shaft C with the mould block A is revolved by
means of four pawls pl arranged in the circular plate d which is secured to the shaft
and a single ratchet tooth attached to the reciprocating crosshead r.
This crosshead is moved forward and backward upon the ways y by the connecting
rod whose rear end is secured to the crank attached to the mould moving
geared wheel Z which again is actuated by the pinion W arranged upon the shaft
of the belt pulley L. This pulley takes motion for the machine from some power
shaft.
The peculiar form of pawl I prefer to use is constructed as follows.
Four pawl pins p¹ are arranged in holes in the circular plate d bored equidistantly
and near its circumference. Each of these pins is suspended at the end of a spring
The springs are secured at their other ends to the top of the plate d. The pins extend
below the plate d nearly to the cross head_z.
Instead of the ordinary form of ratchet I employ the before mentioned single tooth
which is attached to the upper face of the cross head and extends about half way
across it.
When the cross head is moved backward one of the pawls p¹ rides up the chamfered
face of the ratchet tooth and drops in front of it and between it and the stop 1.
The forward movement of the crosshead then carries this pawl along with it and
at the same time turns the shaft and mould block, through the intervention of the
plate d.
When a quarter revolution is thus described the pawl slides out from behind the
stop which is attached to the cross head in front of the ratchet tooth and prevents
the momentum of the mould block from carrying it too far around. At this moment
the bar 61 secured to and depending from the press plates P moves down and into the
mould a beyond the reach of the plunger and holds the mould block firmly in position
while the plunger enters the mould. The cross head at the same time moves
backward to engage the succeeding pawl, at the proper moment and repeats the
operation just detailed.
A revoluble mould block with a series of moulds will be used in the preferred form
of machine, and it has many advantages among which I mention increased out put
and the facility for feeding the blanks to be crimped, and in this connection I call
attention to the fact that an operator can feed the machine from the front and wholly
without danger to himself from the moving parts.
Having described the moulds and their subordinate parts I now proceed to
particularize as to the plungers b and their accessories. The profile of the plunger
corresponds to the profile of the mouth of the mould and both to the profile desired
for the top of the crimped upper. The depth of the plunger is somewhat greater
than the height of the upper when crimped and its length somewhat greater than the
full length of the upper. Its thickness is so much less than the thickness of the
mould as to enable it to do the desired crimping of the leather as it forces it
through the mould. In the drawing the four plungers correspond to the four moulds.
They are attached to the drum B of the master wheel M and are located equidistantly
about this drum its axis being horizontal and at right angles with the axis of the
mould block A. Therefore while a plunger is passing through its corresponding
mould the same vertical plane which cuts each of the four plungers into two equal
and similar parts also cuts each of the two opposite moulds and the intervening
shaft C' into two equal and similar parts. The space between the two vertical faces of
the plungers and the opposing faces of the mould are therefore equal. The path of
the plunger in passing through the mould is indicated by the dotted line d' and is an
arc of a circle concentric with the master wheel and drum so that in describing this
arc in its passage through that opening in the mould next the master wheel the blank

page_text: of the upper will be drawn and crimped about the plunger without wrinkles and thus
the crimped upper requires no subsequent rubbing to remove wrinkles.
The master wheel is supported by and revolves in the standard F. It is geared
with and driven by the pinion W, which as already shown drives the mould moving
geared wheel Z. Thus the plungers and the moulds are alike revolved by the same
pinion while the communicating parts between them and it are so adjusted that the
plungers and moulds revolve at once about their respective axes in the same period of
time.
The shaft of the pinion W revolves in journal boxes arranged in the frame F and in
the bearings f¹.
Cooperative with the plungers and moulds are the press plates P constructed of two
similar plates parallel to each other and of sufficient thickness to render them firm.
They are separated from each other by a space, equal at least to the thickness of the
mouth of the mould and are so located that the plunger may pass between them and
the mould. Their profile is similar to that of the table and the mouth of the mould.
They are so formed that when the upper is in position upon the table they may be
lowered down upon it with sufficient force to hold the whole upper tant while the
plunger is giving it its profile by forcing it into and through the mould. These press
plates are suspended at the ends of two tines of a fork F" whose movements are
guided and steadied by an arm a¹ which passes through a hub in the bracket 611
attached to the front cross bar of the frame F and by its handle H which passes
through a bearing in the top of this same frame.
The fork is lifted and lowered by the lever L which is supported by and operated
upon a fulcrum in the jaws of a hanger H¹ attached to the rear of the upper part of
the said frame F.
The rear end of this lever is furnished with a grooved wheel u fitted to travel on the
edge of a cam Q having as many operating surfaces as there are plungers and which
cam is secured to and revolved by the master wheel.
The front end of the lever L' passes into a slot o in the handle of the press plate
fork. The relative positions of the slot and the fulcrum require an off set in the lever
as indicated in Figs. 2 and 3 and by the shadings in Figs. 1 and 1º in order to bring
the two into alignment.
A small springs attached to the under side of the lever within the slot o provides
for any required springing upwards of the pressplates and so for a uniform action upon
the upper when the leather varies in thickness.
Another spring c coiled around the handle of the fork above the frame F lifts the
press plates when the lever L' is relieved of this function.
The cam Q is so formed and adjusted by its attachment to the master wheel that
when the upper is in place upon the table and its mould is in position to receive the
plunger the press plates are at once lowered upon the upper and are immediately
followed by the plunger.
The machine is set in motion by the foot or hand of the operator on moving the
lever K to the right whereby the belt pulley L is thrown into gear by means of a
clutch. The opposite movement of this lever will stop its motion.
When the machine is set in motion, the upper to be crimped is placed upon the
table at O symmetrically over the mouth of the mould with the heel portion pointing
towards the shaft C.
It is then carried around with the mould block and brought into position to receive
the plunger, when at once the press plates descend first to hold the mould block in
position with their bar band next to hold the leather taut for the plunger which now
follows the press plates and forces the blank into and through the mould thus
crimping the upper. And now when the crimp is removed from the plunger and that
portion above the dotted line i Fig. 10 is cut away it is ready to be put upon the
fast.
After the crimped upper leaves the mould it is carried upon the
of the machine where at a determined point it is removed by the
attached to the small shaft m which is pivoted to the standard F¹.
plunger to the rear
delivery fingers d¹¹
These fingers are

page_text: tilted backwards by the action of the crank z of the mould moving geared wheel Z
against the bell crank & supported upon its standard a¹ and connected by the rod c
with the simple crank m¹ of the shaft m. When so tilted they pass between the
leather and the plunger and removing the crimped upper toss it into a box provided
to receive it.
This done, the fingers are at once tilted forward again by the spring c¹ coiled around
the small shaft m.
The moulds and the delivery fingers are therefore operated by the geared wheel Z,
the plungers and the press plates by the master wheel M. and the master wheel and
mould moving geared wheel by the pinion W and belt pulley L.
The arrangement of the plungers and moulds herein before illustrated may be
reversed so that the plungers shall be attached to the block A and the moulds to the
drum B.
The heel and toe of the plunger may also be reversed in position and finally the
plunger may be so constructed as to crimp leather or other similarly impressible
material into other forms and for other purposes besides footwear.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.
1. In a machine for crimping uppers of footwear a mould constructed with an
entrance described on an arc of a circle substantially concentric with the path of
travel of the plunger and an outlet of substantially the shape of the profile of the
bottom of the crimped upper for receiving the blank for the upper and open through-
out its length next to the plunger combined with the plunger adapted to be forced
through the mould in an arc of a circle and carrying with it the blank to crimp it
substantially as described.
2. In a machine for crimping uppers of footwear a rotary mould block having a
series of vertical wings containing the moulds a, the removable plates p arranged in
said moulds and adjustably secured in place as by screws and the springs interposed
between the plates and the rigid wings combined with a plunger and means to rotate
it and carry it through the mould from end to end in an arc of a circle substantially
as described.
3. In a machine for crimping uppers of footwear a mould having a channel the
outlet through which is substantially the shape of the profile of the bottom of the
crimped upper combined with a plunger forced through such mould in an arc of
a circle and carrying with it and crimping the upper substantially as described.
4. In a machine for crimping uppers of footwear a mould having a table the surface
of which is composed of a plane incline abruptly ending in an upturned curvilinear
portion extending outward and above the plane to give initially to the blank of the
upper the profile of the crimped upper combined with the rotary plunger whose leading
end has substantially the same conformation so as strike the initially formed blank
and force it at once throughout its length into the mould without injury to the leather
and continuing to move in an arc of a circle carry the said blank through and out of
the mould substantially as described.
5. In a machine for crimping uppers of footwear a rotary plunger moving in an arc
of a circle and having its leading end formed in substantially shape desired for the
profile of the top of the finished crimped upper combined with a channel mould the
shape of whose mouth is the counterpart of the leading end of the plunger, having
a table the surface of which is an inclined plane ending abruptly in an upturned
receding portion elevated above the plane and also of substantially the conformation
the leading end of the plunger and a press plate whose shape is the counterpart of the
table substantially as described.
6. In a machine for crimping uppers of footwear a rotary master wheel a drum
thereon and a series of plungers projecting from the periphery of such drum com-
bined with a mould separated from the master wheel and arranged in the arc of travel
of the plungers substantially as described.
المتمة

page_text: 7. In a machine for crimping uppers of footwear a master wheel provided with a
series of plungers, and a series of cams combined with the mould, press plates
co-operating with the mould and plungers and the lever connecting the press plates
and cams substantially as described.
8. In a machine for crimping uppers of footwear the revolving mould block the
channel moulds made lengthwise in said block, the corrugated plates arranged in the
moulds and relieving springs for said plates combined with a plunger substantially as
described.
9. In a machine for crimping uppers of footwear the revolving mould block and its
moulds and the shaft for said block combined with a plate on the mould block shaft
and spring pawls in said plate, the reciprocating crosshead and a ratchet tooth and
regulating stop co-operating with said pawls substantially as described.
10. In a machine for crimping uppers of footwear the plungers and a rotary carrier
therefor combined with the moulds and a carrier for them, revolving at right angles
with the axis of the carrier for the plungers substantially as described.
11. In a machine for crimping uppers of footwear the revolving mould block and a
plunger combined with press plates and the bar b¹ attached to the press plates sub-
stantially as described.
12. In a machine for crimping uppers of footwear, the press plates normally
elevated by a spring combined with a rotating cam and a lever interposed between the
cam and press plates to bring and hold the press plates in position for securing the
work or blank of the upper substantially as described.
13. In a machine for crimping uppers of footwear the combination of the mould
block and shaft, pawl plate and spring pawls, reciprocating cross-head with ratchet
tooth and regulating stop crank connecting rod and mould moving geared wheel with
a suitable source of power substantially as described.
14. In a machine for crimping uppers of footwear the combination of the press
plates, shaft, coiled spring lever and lever spring cam and master wheel with
operating mechanism substantially as described.
15. In a machine for crimping uppers of footwear the combination of the tilting
delivery fingers, their shaft, shaft spring, crank connecting rod and bell crank, with
crank of the mould moving geared wheel and suitable driving mechanism substantially
as described.
16. In a machine for crimping uppers of footwear the combination of the mould
block, plunger drum, press plates, and tilting delivery fingers with the driving
mechanism substantially as described.
Dated this 24th day of July 1888.
HERBERT & Co.,
18, Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C.,
Agents to Applicant.