Improvements in Hot Creasing and Edge Polishing Machines for Leather and other Flexible Materials.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 2nd Feb., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Hot Creasing and Edge Polishing Machines for
Leather and other Flexible Materials.
We, ALEXANDEr Maxwell, of 280 Johnston Street Abbotsford Saddler and
JOSEPH CHARLES DAY of Rankins Lane off 361 Little Bourke Street Melbourne
Saddlers Ironmonger both of the Colony of Victoria 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 :-
The objects of the invention are to provide a machine which will not only more
expeditiously and effectively apply the creases to a strip of leather but will also in
the one operation by the application of heat impart to its edges an improved
texture and surface finish.
Our invention consists in making a machine on the bottom spindle of which
(and not the top) is mounted the series of revolving creasing rollers. These
rollers which are removable and adjustable have inclined sides and are heated
by one or more flames obtained from the combustion of methylated spirits or a
similar smokeless burning agent liberated into one or more receptacles beneath said
rollers. The side angles of the grooves in the top roller agree with the side angles
of the corresponding creasing rollers and the compression between the two spindles
is obtained by means of an adjustable spring governed tension bar and levers
At the end
the latter being swung upon fulcrum pins secured in or to the frame.
of each lever is a fork in the bottom of which the ends of the lower spindle
repose and work loosely. The two spindle bearing blocks on the side of the
machine are separate castings to the side towers and bed plate and are attached
to the former by bolts in elongated holes. In the bottom of the bed plate are
more chambers filled with absorbent spongy material and covered with
From the bottom of the side towers which
a wire gauze and adjusting shutters.
are hollow and act as fuel tanks there descends to the wick wells through one or
more pipes a regulated supply of methylated spirit or other inflammable liquid.
This latter to prevent any deposit on the face of the creasing rollers must when
burning be smokeless.
two or
Referring to the drawings which form a part of this Specification similar letters
of reference indicate similar or corresponding parts where they occur in the several
views.
Figure 1. is a side view of the frame partly in elevation and partly in
These which may
section in which A is the bed plate and B the fuel towers.
be bolted or otherwise attached to the bed plate form liquid fuel reservoirs
which receive their supplies through covered charging holes E. At the bottom
of the fuel tanks are placed removable valve seatings D from which the pipes E
discharge the fuel either through their ends or through perforations into two
or more wick wells F. These wick wells which are charged with an absorbent
cotton wick and covered by a wire gauze G are each provided with a pair of
adjustable shutters H working in grooves O and locked by stops N one of which
is removable. By these covers the flames may be regulated to any desired height
or width whilst they permit of some of the wells being entirely closed if necessary.
The supply of fuel to the pipes E is controlled from the top of the towers by
the extended valve spindles I which are turned by wing nuts K and at their
screwed head J pass through the removable cover plate L. At M is seen the
shape of the creasing roller which we employ the sides of which as they become

page_text: hot transfer their heat to the correspondingly inclined recesses in the rollers on
the top spindle. The entering leather which is generally slightly wider than the
bottom of the recess is thus subjected to three influences, a compressing action,
a rubbing motion, and also to heat. By the application of these three agents
a smooth polished face is imparted to the edge of the leather as it leaves the
machine. The right hand tower B is a section and in it are seen the oblong holes P
through which the bearing blocks Q are bolted, and adjusted vertically. Beneath
the overhung spindles R the frame A is extended in which a wick well F with its
regulating shutters H are situated.
Figure 2. represents plan of the frame in which are to be seen the
removable covers L on top of the fuel towers B and in which are screwed holes to
receive the extended fuel valve spindles. The number of these is dependent upon
the number of wick wells to which it is required to supply fuel. The two extreme
wells have their shutters removed exposing the gauze G and pipes E which extend
to the centre beneath said gauze.
Figure 3. is a perspective view of the machine in which the bolting of the
bearing blocks Q to the towers B is clearly seen. The bottom spindle which is
free to move in an elongated opening in the bottom of the bearing block Q is com-
pressed against the top spindle by means of the spiral spring S actuating the solid
tension beam T and the spindle supporting levers U one of which is not seen in
this view. This combined tension beam with its levers (which are all formed in
the one casting) is compressed upon pins V secured to the sides of the oil
towers B.
On both spindles the rollers which are mounted separately, in sections or discs,
may have their width varied by the insertion of washers. By this means either
plain or fancy creasing rollers may be inserted and locked against a shoulder by a
nut which though not shown in the drawings is situated on the right hand side of
the spindle and near the handle.
We find by the application of heat beneath the bottom roller as before
described that a much better sample of creasing work is obtained and at an
infinitesimally small increase in cost. No black deposit is discharged from the
heating flame to accumulate on the face of the rollers and the heat imparted from
the bottom to the top is quite sufficient to give to the edge of the material (in one
passage through) a perfectly smooth glossy face. The amount of the inclination
of the edges of the rollers depends materially upon, 1stly the thickness of the
leather treated, 2ndly its quality, 3rdly the amount of compression, and 4thly
the quantity of heat imparted to the said rollers. This which is required by the
adjustable shutters above the wick wells admits of any particular section or sections
being either used or cut off. Should the flames from the wick wells be insufficiently
controlled by the sliding shutters the spindles may be elevated or depressed bodily
by means of the bolts within the elongated holes P.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is.
1. In a rotary machine for hot creasing variable widths of leather or other
flexible material as before described the combination of a top spindle (with over-
hung end R) carrying a series of rollers with recesses of adjustable width and with
inclined sides into which there are compressed by the action of a spiral spring a
series of heated creasing rollers M (also of adjustable width) mounted on a spindle
(also with overhung end) the side inclination of which rollers corresponds with
the aforesaid recesses substantially as herein illustrated and described.
2. In a rotary machine for hot creasing variable widths of leather or other
flexible material as before described the combination of a top spindle (with over-
hung end R) carrying a series of rollers with recesses (of adjustable width) and
with inclined sides into which there are compressed by the action of a spiral spring
a series of heated creasing rollers M (also of adjustable width) mounted on a

page_text: spindle (also with overhung end R) the side inclination of which rollers correspond
with the aforesaid recesses, the heating of said bottom creasing roller being
effected by the combustion of any liquid which will yield a smokeless flame
substantially as herein described.
3. In a rotary machine for hot creasing variable widths of leather or other
flexible material as before described the combination of a top spindle (with over-
hung end R) carrying a series of rollers with recesses of adjustable width and with
inclined sides into which there are compressed by the action of a spiral spring Sa
series of heated creasing rollers M (also of adjustable width) mounted on a spindle
(also with overhung end R) the side inclination of which rollers corresponds with
the aforesaid recesses, the bearing blocks Q containing the two spindles being
bolted to fuel towers B and adjustable vertically over one or more wick wells F
covered by gauze G and by adjustable shutters H, substantially as herein
described.
4. In a rotary machine for hot creasing variable widths of leather or other
flexible material as above described the combination of a bed plate as A in which
are situated two or more wick wells F covered by a gauze G and adjustable
shutters H working in grooves O and controlled by stops N, beneath which gauze,
by pipes E are conveyed regulated supplies of liquid fuel (through the renewable
valve seatings D) from fuel towers B, charged at C, and in which are elongated
bolt holes P and extended spindles I with screwed tops J which pass through a
removable cover L substantially as herein illustrated and described.
5. In a rotary machine for hot creasing variable widths of leather or other
flexible material as before described the combination of a top spindle (with over-
hung ends R) carrying a series of rollers with inclined sides and recesses of
adjustable width into which there are compressed by the action of a spiral spring S
a series of heated creasing rollers M (also with inclined sides and of adjustable
width) mounted on a spindle, (also with overhung end R), the side inclination of
which rollers corresponds with the aforesaid recesses, the bearing blocks Q
carrying the two spindles being capable of vertical adjustment over one or more
flames obtained from a smokeless inflammable liquid.
6. In a rotary machine for hot creasing variable widths of leather or other
flexible material as before described the combination of a top spindle (with over-
hung end R), carrying a series of rollers with adjustable width inclined side
recesses, a bottom spindle (with overhung end R) carrying a series of adjustable
width inclined side creasing rollers M, detachable adjustable bearing blocks Q
carrying spindles, the adjustment between which is effected by the spiral spring S,
solid tension beam T, and bottom spindle supporting levers U fulcrummed on
pins V attached to towers B of the frame A; frame A with fuel towers B
elongated holes P, charging entrance C, extended fuel valve spindles I rotating in
screw holed detachable covers L, removable valve seatings D, pipes E, wick
wells F, adjustable shutters H, stops N, gauze G, substantially as herein illustrated
and described.
7. The combination of the whole of the parts set forth upon Figures 1, 2, 3 of
the accompanying drawings consisting of our improvements in hot creasing and
edge polishing machines for leather.
Dated this 23rd day of October 1894.
WHEATLEY & MACKENZIE,
40, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.