Apparatus to be Employed in Cleaning Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1884

page_text: Apparatus to be Employed in Cleaning Boots and Shoes.
WILLIAM JOSEPH COCK Engineer 77 Margaret Street Clerkenwell W.C. JAMES
DOWLING Engineer 35 Jewin Street E.C. do hereby declare the nature of our
invention for APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN CLEANING BOOTS & SHOES to be
as follows:
The
The Invention consists in so arranging and constructing the machine, that the
boot or shoe placed to be cleaned is held firmly and rigid during the process.
top plate of our machine is in two parts, so as to open out to the required length
of any size boot, and is constructed with prongs for holding the boots or shoes
placed to be cleaned firmly & rigidly in position. Under the plate we place a
slide, spring, and stud for drawing it out to required lengths-We have constructed
lasts for the purpose of keeping the boots and shoes filled out while being cleaned.
The said last expand from leverage of the handle, and can be placed easily in any
boot or shoe and taken out again by merely straightening the handle, when the
last is at its smallest size. In places where power can be obtained we have
arranged a machine for driving revolving brushes on any part of boot or shoe, and
the stand jointed so as to turn at right angles to allow the brush to get at waist
of boot.
The driving mechanism consist of a light shaft fitted with pulleys for convenience
of power applied, and with pliable top gear to allow the circular brush to be
brought into use on any part of the boot, the top gear or counter shaft being fitted
between two centers in a frame, one end of which is fitted on cheeks of stand and
can be drawn backwards or forwards at will of the operator-To this frame is
fixed a spiral spring to a arm which is at right angles with uprights of frame and
the other end of spring connected to floor, thereby giving the required pull to
drive the circular brush.
DIL
31
WILLIAM JOSEPH COCK.
JAMES DOWLING.

page_text: Apparatus to be Employed in Cleaning Boots and Shoes.
We WILLIAM JOSEPH COCK, Engineer, of 77 Margaret Street, Clerkenwell, W.C.,
and JAMES DOWLING, Engineer, of 35 Jewin Street, E.C. do hereby declare the
nature of our invention for APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN CLEANING 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 :—
Figure 1 on the accompanying Sheet of Drawings represents a perspective
view of our improved machine or clamp employed for cleaning Boots and Shoes.
Figure 2 is a plan of the same. Figure 3 is a side view and Figure, 4 an end view
of our adjustable last or tree, to be used in connection with the machine or Clamp.
Figure 5 represents the last in the position when placed in the boot or shoe, for
stretching the same.
A, A¹ Figures 1 and 2 represent the Machine or Clamp, formed of cast iron or
other material, supported on a standard B and base plate B¹, to be screwed or
firmly secured to a bench or table, or to the floor, in which latter case, the
standard B is made of a suitable height for conveniently cleaning the boot or shoe.
C, C¹, is the cast iron foot plate formed of two parts or pieces.
At the toe and
heel of this plate, are firmly secured by rivets or other means, the hooks D, D₁ for
holding the boot or shoe whilst being cleaned and polished. The hook D¹ has a
small steel stud or pin E fixed to the points. The toepiece C of the foot plate
is made adjustable, to grip any sized boot or shoe by the following means:-
F, F, are two guide plates cast to the piece C, forming a box for the helical steel
spring G. This spring is attached to a stud H on the heel hook D¹, the opposite
end being fixed to another strong stud I Figure 2 fixed to the moveable piece C.
This arrangement enables the toe piece to be pulled out to the distance required,
by the handle J, cast to the hook D. During this longitudinal movement, the toe-
piece and the spring are guided by the cheeks or vertical plates K, K¹ cast to the
piece C¹ of foot-plate and by the cross pins L L¹.
In Figure 1 a boot, shewn in dotted lines,
the clamp holds the boot ready for cleaning.
is to be cleaned the toepiece is pulled out by the hooked
dotted lines.
exhibits the manner in which
But if a larger size of boot
handle, as shewn by
The last or tree Figures 3, 4 and 5 is constructed of wood. The handle M. works
on a pin N connecting the two sole pieces 0, 0¹, together. When in the position
as shewn at Figure 3, it is put into the boot, the handle M being raised, as in
Figure 5, forces the toe piece P upwards until it rests against the abutment Q,
and thus stretches the upper leather so as to be easily and quickly cleaned or
polished.

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
1. The construction and arrangement of a machine for cleaning and polishing
Boots and Shoes, to be employed with or without an adjustable last, substantially
as described, and shewn in the accompanying Drawings.
2. The last as shewn in the accompanying drawings.