Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Dec., 1887
Complete Specification Left, 4th Sept.. 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 12th Oct., 1888
I, THOMAS BRINING, of 44 Pontefract Street, Iichmond Hill, Leeds, in the County
of York, Boot Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:
In Clicking, or Cutting the various portions, constituting the upper Leathers of
Boots and shoes, it has been usual to employ a Knife, shaped to the contour of the
part to be cut, and furnished with a cutting edge. The Leather being placed on a
Wood Block, and the Knife resting on the surface of the Leather, pressure is applied
by means of Press power, and the Knife forced through the Leather.
This System necessitates the Leather being cut with the Grain side uppermost, to
forin, say a left hand portion of the Boot, and with the Flesh side uppermost to form
the right, necesitating frequent handling and turning of the Leather, with the conse-
quent loss of time.
To obviate this, is the object of my Invention, which consists in forming the Knife
with two cutting edges, placed opposite, the one, to the other, and intended
in all cases, to work with the Grain or right side uppermost, It will thus be seen,
that one edge of the Knife will cut a right, and the opposing edge, a left hand portion
of the upper Leather, and this without any turning of the Leather, The Knife being
turned to cut the right and left hand portions of the upper Leather.
In operating a Knife of this description, it will be seen, that as one cutting edge is
in contact with the Leather, the opposing edge would be liable to injury from the
Buffer of the Press, to obviate this, The Buffer is shod or armed with a suitable
alloy of metal, that will provide sufficient driving power, and this, without injury to
the Knife.
I also provide in a conveniant position, and attached to the operating Press, a series
of shelves, readily accessible, on which are arranged the different Knives employed in
cutting out the various portions of the Boot or Shoe required, The object of this
being, to enable the Operator, on coming to a damaged or otherwise unsuitable portion
of Leather to readily change the Knife, and produce some smaller, or other form,
where the material can be better utilised.
The Wood Cutting Block is prepared and charged with Oil, to make it denser, and
in order to enable the Knife to make a cleaner cut.
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page_text: 1, THOMAS BRINING, of 44, Pontefract Street, Richmond Hill, Leeds, in the County
of York, Boot Manufacturer, 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
--
This invention relates to improvements in or relating to knives for cutting the
uppers" of boots and shoes, and to adapting the ordinary eccentric cutting press to
operate such knives.
In clicking or cutting the various portions constituting the "uppers" of boots and
shoes, it has been usual to employ a knife provided with a single cutting edge
shaped to the contour of the part to be cut. The leather is placed on a wooden
block, and the knife allowed to rest upon the upper surface of the leather; pressure
is then applied usually by means of an eccentric press for forcing the knife through
the leather.
This system necessitates the leather being cut with the grain side uppermost to form
say a left hand leg quarter, or other portion of a boot or shoe "upper," and with
the flesh side uppermost to form the right hand portions, thus necessitating frequent
handling and turning of the leather with the consequent loss of time.
To obviate this is the object of my Invention which consists in forming the knife
with two cutting edges placed opposite to each other, and in adapting an ordinary
eccentric or other cutting press to force said knife through the leather without
damaging the cutting edges, whereby the operator is enabled in all cases to work with
the grain or right side of the leather uppermost.
In the drawings hereunto annexed Fig. 1. is a plan of a knife constructed according
to this invention, Fig. 2. a sectional elevation on line a, x, fig. 1. and Fig. 3. a part
elevation of an eccentric cutting adapted for operating the improved knife.
Like parts in all the views are marked with the same letters of reference.
A is the knife constructed according to this invention. B the adjustable ram or
buffer of a cutting press mounted in the head B₁ to which a reciprocating motion is
imparted by any well known means through side arms B2. C the wood block on
which the cutting operation takes place and D the table of the machine which is
mounted upon the standards or legs d. With the exception of the knife A all the
above described parts may be of ordinary construction.
The knife A is formed out of one or more pieces of bar steel or other suitable metal
(preferably about one and a half inches wide by one fourth of an inch thick) welded
together and bent to the required shape. The knife is bevelled from the centre a of
its outer portion in opposite directions to form two cutting edges a¹ a² which are
arranged opposite to each other as shown at Fig. 2; whilst its inner portion a³ is made
straight and vertical. In the drawings the knife is shown in a form suitable for
cutting the leg quarters of a boot, but it may also be made in any other form or shape

page_text: suitable for cutting out the other portions of a boot or shoe. On reference to the
drawings it will be readily seen that the edge a¹ of the knife will cut a right hand,
and the opposite edge a² a left hand portion of the ". upper" by simply reversing the
knife, and without in any way turning over the leather, thus enabling the operator in
all cases to work with the grain or right side of the leather uppermost, as well as
discover any flaw therein.
In operating a knife of the above description it will be seen that as one cutting
edge a² is in contact with the leather its opposite edge a would be liable to injury
from the buffer B of the press. To obviate the buffer B damaging the cutting edge,
the buffer is shod or armed with a suitable soft metal covering such as sheet brass,
zine, or other alloy (say about a sixteenth of an inch in thickness, which may be
secured to the face of the buffer by clips, screws, or other suitable means) that will
provide sufficient driving power without injury to the knife. By having the face
of the buffer or plunger B covered with sheet brass b, which being softer than the
knife A does not injure the cutting edge, but being at the same time harder than
the material below the cutter, and the wood block which is in turn below that, the
pressure given to the top edge causes the cut to be made by the bottom one, which
has the less resistance to encounter. The brass covering of the plunger B thus
escapes penetration, and the material comes out cleanly.
In order to enable the knife to make a cleaner cut the wood cutting block may be
charged with oil to make it denser.
I also provide in a convenient position and attached to the operating press one or
more shelves E preferably arranged above each other so as to be readily accessible
to the operator. On the shelf or shelves may be placed the different knives employed
in cutting out the various portions of the boot or shoe. The object of this being to
enable the operator on coming to a damaged or otherwise unsuitable portion of
leather to readily change the knife and produce some smaller or other form where the
material can be better utilized.
Although I have described the knives as being suitable for cutting the "uppers" of
boots and shoes, yet I would have it understood that the invention might if
required be adapted to other similar knives used in the Boot, Shoe, and Saddlery
Trades.
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
First. A knife for cutting the upper portions of boots and shoes provided with
two cutting edges placed opposite to each other, and operating substantially as herein
described and for the purposes set forth.
Second. The combination of a boot or shoe "upper" cutting knife provided with
two cutting edges arranged opposite to each other, one of which edges operates upon
a prepared wooden block, such as C, with an eccentric or other press buffer or plunger
such as Barmed or shod with a thin covering of soft metal such as whereby the
knife may be forced through the material without damage to the knife edge coming
in contact with said plunger, substantially as herein set forth.
Dated this Third day of September 1888.