Improvements in Buffers, such as are Used to Finish the Soles of Boots and Shoes, and in Abrading Coverings therefor.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd July, 1889-Accepted, 14th Sept., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Buffers, such as are Used to Finish the Soles of
Boots and Shoes, and in Abrading Coverings therefor.
A communication from abroad by SIDNEY WILMOT WINSLOW, of Beverly,
Massachusetts. United States of America, Manufacturer.
1, JOHN EDWARD LLOYD BARNES, of the firm of Sloan and Lloyd Barnes, Castle
Chambers, Castle Street, Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, Patent Agent, 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 present invention is an improvement in buffers such as are used to finish the
soles of boots and shoes, and of that class in which the buffer has the general shape
of the frustrum of a cone the lower part being composed of elastic yielding material
such as felt, this being provided with an abrading covering. In this class of inven-
tions the foot of the buffer is suitably rotated and the abrading surface operates to
finish the front of the shoe sole and to work upon the surface of the sole. This
invention is an improvement upon this general class of inventions, and the objects
sought to be accomplished by it, are facility of removal, from the face of the flexible
portion of the foot, of the abrading covering when worn an economical construction
of such covering with its attachments; adaptibility to work close to the breast of the
heel of the boot operated upon without injuring the surface thereof, and capacity to
work perfectly on all parts of the sole.
In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional view of the buffer which is
shown in position. Figures 2, 3, 4, and 5, being detail views of the attaching connections
and the flexible pad.
According to this invention an abrading covering for the foot of a buffer is con-
structed in relation thereto so that the stiff edge of the covering will extend beyond
the margin of the foot whether a rigid or yielding foot is used. The connection
between the covering and the foot is such that the edge of the foot may move upon
the covering as the foot is turned or its spindle inclined, to work up to the breast of
the heel as shown in Figure 1. The bending in this case causes the flexible foot to
move outward on the covering, the margin leaving room for that purpose without
preventing the foot from coming in contact with the breast.
At the same time the flexible foot projecting out on the covering supports the edge
thereof in its work. For the best effect in the particulars just described it has been
found desirable that the yielding foot when used in connection with an abrading
covering extending beyond its margin should be made thinner by rounding or bevelling
on the edges as shown in Figure 1.
The invention is shown with reference to an abrading covering having attaching
connections secured to the inner face of the covering for connecting it to the foot,
these connections being capable of great variation, but being distinguished from
other methods of attachment heretofore known, by being attached to or fixed per-
manently upon the inner face of the covering, so that the covering may be sold
as an article of manufacture with the attaching connections fixed thereto and ready
for application to the buffer.
It will also be observed that these connections are applied to the inner face of
the buffer, between the margin and the center, whereby a strong connection is made
to resist the tendency to rotary movement of the covering on the foot in working,
while at the same time the movement on the margin referred to is freely permitted.
Another feature of the invention is providing the flexible foot with notches or
holes to receive the projections or attaching connections, these connections being
preferably flexible.

page_text: In Figure 1, the buffer foot is shown at A and is of well known construction,
the covering being shown at B composed of suitable material having an abrading
face, and interposed between the foot A and the covering, is a pad of flexible
material, preferably felt, which it is preferred to use as it gives better results than
when the covering is used in connection with a rigid foot though this may be done.
The attaching connections are shown in Figures 2, 3, and 5 being composed of
flexible material and connected to a reinforce a, which is permanently secured to
the margin of the inner face of the covering, this being a very cheap way of making
the connections as they may be formed out of one piece as shown in Figure 2.
The felt pad C may have slits cut through it or notches formed in the periphery
as shown in Figure 4, through which the projections & extend, being clamped in place
upon the foot. Instead of forming the projection bin one piece with the reinforce I
may apply the reinforce as shown in Figure 5 independent of the attaching projec-
tions, or I may apply the attaching projections between the reinforce and the inner
face of the covering.
I do not limit myself to the particular connections shown but desire to claim any
kind of connections connected to the covering between the center and the margin
and further any kind of connections permanently secured to the inner face of the
covering.
The abrading covering is made larger in surface extent than the pad or foot to which
it is applied and when the pad is made in circular form as described the covering is
also circular, being of slightly greater diameter than the foot. The amount of exten-
sion of the covering beyond the margin of the pad may be varied somewhat depending
principally upon the rigidity and strength of the covering. And in order to
strengthen the margin of the covering 1 secure to the edge the annular reinforcing
piece before described. By the flexibility of the attaching connections they permit
the free working of the foot in relation to the covering and the forward movement
of the pad operates to strengthen and support the edge of the cover at the moment
when the cover is doing its hardest work..
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. A detachable abrading covering for buffers having its connections to hold it to
the foot attached directly to the inner face of said covering.
2. An abrading covering for the foot of a buffer combined with attaching connections
secured to its inner face between the margin and center thereof.
3. An abrading covering for buffers having flexible attaching connections for
holding it to the foot.
4. In. combination with the foot of a buffer, a covering loosely connected thereto,
and extending beyond the margin of the foot."
5. An abrading covering for buffers having a reinforcing strip upon the margin of
its inner face.
6. An abrading covering for buffers having a reinforcement on its inner face, and
connections for holding it to the foot integral with said reinforcement.
7. In combination with an abrading covering and its attaching connections, a flexible
pad having holes or notches for the said connections.
8. In combination with a foot of a buffer, an abrading covering for said foot having
a practically stiff margin extending beyond the margin of the said foot and provided
with a non-abrading edge.
Doted this 22nd love of In 1820
SLOAN & LLOYD BARNES,
Castle Chambers, Castle Street, Liverpool, Agents for Applicant.