Improvements in Heel Trimming, Burnishing, or Heel Finishing Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application. 22nd Mar., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Dec., 1890-Accepted, 24th Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Heel Trimming, Burnishing, or Heel Finishing
Machines.
I, ALFRED BURKE FOWLER of Exeter, in the County of Rockingham and State of
New Hampshire in the United States of America, Engineer and General Manager of
the Rockingham Machine Company of that town do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to improvements in heel trimming, sand-papering, burnishing.
brushing and beading or seat wheeling machines and consists of an arrangement of
several shoe holding devices attached to a frame mounted vertically opon a spindle
attached to the upper column of the machine, which frame is with its shoe holding
devices capable of rotary and longitudinal adjustment; also of a series of rotating
oscillating and reciprocating tool shafts mounted in flexible bearings, universally
jointed to shafts mounted in fixed bearings, with suitable contrivances or mechanism
for locking the multiple shoe jack in position, also in releasing the same, and
arresting the oscillating motion of the tools and retarding the same; for removing
such tools as may be required from contact with the heels after completion of the
operation and bringing them in contact with other heels to be operated upon,
and for sliding the shoe holding frame or multiple jack longitudinally from the
machine so that it may be moved round or rotated to bring the unfinished heels in
operative action when the said jack is longitudinally readjusted.
Also to provide in conjunction with the before mentioned appliances a beading or
seat wheeling device, and arrangements whereby the pressure upon the upper recipro-
cating shaft can be regulated to put what pressure is required in the operation on the
tool at the end thereof.
The means for accomplishing this I attach to the machine shown and described in
my former Patent No. 2258, dated Feby. 14th 1888. For the duplex jack described
in the said Patent I employ one constructed in the following manner; a spindle is
bolted to the machine projecting horizontally, upon this spindle is loosely mounted a hub,
from which four or more arms extend ratially, the outer ends of the said arms being
constructed so that boots or shoes can be held there by any of the well known
clamping devices, the length of the spindle being sufficient to allow the hub of the
shoe jack to be slid outwardly that the jack can be revolved and clear the several
tools that may be arranged around it, on the side of the pillar or column of the
machine is mounted in suitable brackets rock and tool shafts which are similar to
the rock and tool shafts shown in my previous Patent. The said tool shaft derives its
rotary motion from the main shaft of the machine, and an oscillating motion to
carry the tool at the outer free end thereof round the heel of the boot or shoe fitted
in the arms of the jack by a system of cranks, connecting rods and gears from the
upper rock shaft to the one on the side of the machine.
The tools are held in contact with the heels by pressure springs, acting upon
flexible bearings, and the said tools are removed from contact with the heels by the
springs being released the oscillating motion of the tool shafts is stopped and started
by a friction clutch or pulley same as in my previous Patent before alluded to. For
adjusting the multiple jack in position suitable guides and pins are provided and for
holding it in operative position a latch is provided operated by the rising or falling
of a lever connected to a foot, treadle at the base of the machine. When it is desired
to release the locking device above referred to after the trimming or burnishing
operation and when the tools are over on the off side of the heel the operator can by
depressing the foot treadle cause the latch to be lifted, and at the same time pulling
a pivoted lever fixed on front of the multiple jack, to which is linked a rod carrying

page_text: a saddle clutch fitting in an annular groove in the boss of the jack brings the jack
outwards clear of the tools, and at the same time stops the reciprocating and oscil-
lating movement of the tools. The jack is then moved round or rotated to bring the
heel from one tool to another, and the finished heel can be taken off, and fresh heels
take their place.
When this has been done by the operator pushing the lever outwardly the multiple
jack will slide inwards through a guide and the frame will become locked, and the
heels of the boots or shoes on the arms of the jack will be in a fixed working position
to the tools around them with this operation the pressure springs force the tools
against the heels and to oscillate around them for performing the various operations
herein described.
The tools may consist of heel trimmers, burnishers, sand paper wheels or polishing
brushes arranged on the ends of the top rotary, reciprocating and oscillating shaft,
and the rotary and oscillating shaft as may from time to time be required.
For regulating the pressure upon the tool in the upper shaft I make in the side of
the upper base of the machine a series of holes in the form of an arc of a circle into
any of which is put a projecting pin on the underside of a hand lever and crank, the
inner end of which is connected to a helical spring inside the pillar of the machine
which is in connection with a chain and rollers acting on a tension block in which is
carried the tool end of the said shaft.
If any part of the heel should require re-touching or polishing an auxiliary set of
tools are arranged on the shaft carrying the beading or heel seat wheeling device in
the following inanner, attached to the pillar of the machine in a convenient position
for the operator is a bracket having two bearings in which is mounted a shaft, which
is rotated by means of a belt and pulley from the main shaft of the machine, upon the
forward end of this shaft is fixed a beading wheel for beading the heel seat of the
boot or shoe.
This bead wheel has a circular lip for finishing the top of the rand and a polygonal
shaped beading surface, the angles of the polygon being rounded.
Upon the forward bearing of the bracket is mounted the milled or toothed seat
wheel so arranged that its forward face just clears the rear face of the head wheel.
By this construction it will be seen the probable turning of the seat wheel with the
shaft is prevented except when the boot or shoe is pressed and turned against it, as
trouble and damage occurs from mounting the seat wheel upon the swiftly rotating
shaft from the fact that should it become fast on the shaft it would act as a circular
saw and spoil the work.
In the centre of the same shaft I may arrange a trimmer or burnisher, and at the
outer end near the driving pulley I may put a sand papering wheel or brush, to polish
or further touch up the heels if necessary.
By the arrangement of the various devices as herein described such operations as
trimming sand-papering, or burnishing and brushing the heels of boots or shoes can
be accomplished simultaneously.
Dated this 10th day of Norb 1800
WILLIAM BESTWICK MAXFIELD,
Patent Agent, of Leicester, England, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Heel Trimming, Burnishing, or Heel Finishing
Machines.
I, ALFRED BURKE FOWLER of Exeter in the County of Rockingham and State of
New Hampshire in the United States of America, Engineer and General Manager
of the Rockingham Machine Company of that town, 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 heel trimming, burnishing, sand papering,

page_text: brushing, and beading or seat wheeling machines and consists of an arrangement of a
series of shoe holding devices mounted upon a frame, which with its shoe holding
devices is capable of rotary and longitudinal adjustment, with suitable contrivances
or mechanism for locking the multiple shoe jack in position. also in the means for
releasing the same and arresting the oscillating motion of the tools and retarding the
same and means of releasing spring pressure to allow the tool to fall away from the
heel so that the jack may be withdrawn. Also the means of applying a varying
pressure on the burnishing tool, also imparting a rocking motion from the top rock
shaft to the side rock shaft by gears, and counterbalancing the brush shaft. Also in
conjunction with the aforesaid appliances a beading or heel seat wheeling device
hereinafter described.
This invention is carried out in the following manner :-reference being made to the
accompanying drawings, in which
Figure 1. is a rear elevation of the improved machine.
Figure 2. an end view of the same showing the gears for operating the brush shaft
also the shaft carrying the heel seat beading device.
Figure 3. a view of the multiple jack frame.
Figure 4. is a detail of the contrivances employed for releasing the spring pressure
so that the jack can be withdrawn.
Figure 5. is a cut off view of the rod ², and pivoted lover. d, with rod d³, to connect
or disconnect the gear wheels inside the standard of the machine and stop or start the
oscillating motion of the tool shafts.
Figure 6. is a cut off view of the shaft Q and bracket q², carrying the heel seat
beading device 7. and milled seat wheel y
Figure 7 is an inner view of the bead wheel and beading surface, and
Figure 8 is a section above the shafts A and I.
The figures and letters of reference represent like parts in all the figures.
The parts of the machine not marked, or marked by figures represent those parts of
the machine forming the subject of my former Patent No. 2258, dated February 14th
1888 and now referred to for the purpose of more fully showing the nature,
construction and operation of my present improvements.
1. is the standard of the machine, having the bearing 2, for the rock shaft 3; and 4,
is the upright having the bearing 5, for the outer end of the rock shaft 3, and 6, is
the rotary driving shaft having thereon the fast and loose pulleys 7 and 8.
The mechanism for imparting the rocking motion to the shaft 3, from the rotary
shaft 6, is the same at that shewn in my former Patent before alluded to, 9, is the
burnishing tool secured on the end of the top shaft 10, which is universally jointed
at 11, to the rotary longitudinally movable and oscillating shaft 12, such motions
being imparted from the rotary driving shaft 6, by the connecting mechanism shown
and included in my former Patent.
For the horizontally revolving duplex jack shown and described in my former
Patent now employ a multiple jack constructed, arranged and operated in the
following manner :-
To the end of the standard 1, at 1, is secured the vertical post a', the upper end
of which supports the spindle A, carrying the revolving multiple jack frame B, and,
is its hollow hub that is journaled on the horizontal spindle A, and adapted to slide
forward and back on the latter, so as to bring the shoe heels held by the jack in
position when being burnished and brushed and to withdraw said heels and the jack
after the work is done, so as to enable the jack to be turned around its axis one fourth
of a revolution.
The frame B is comprised of four or more horizontal sleeves, in each of which is
the clamping devices, adjustable within the sleeve b¹, by means of the screw ³, and
hand wheel & the screw shaft 63, working in the screw threaded portion of the
sleeve, which is free to move forward and back in the sleeve, without turning
round;, is a bearing for the screw shaft 63, which is secured to the outer end of the
sleeve b, between the hand wheel &, and a collar on the screw shaft 3, so that the
screw shaft can be rotated without moving longitudinally.

page_text: .
16, are heel lift rests, and 67, are guides to keep the boot straight in position. When
the multiple jack frame B is pushed forward in the working position it is held and
locked by the latch e, engaging with the latch e', the lip c², being held by the spring c³,
pressing against it and keeping it in the extended position, see Figure 4, the
latch e being released by the operator depressing the foot treadle D, pivoted at d', its
inner end connected to the vertical push rod which works in the guide d³, resting
upon which is the ball end of the plunger dª, which when raised forces the latch e,
upwards, the jack being held from turning around its axis by the taper pin E, entering a
corresponding shaped hole or recess e¹, in the top lift rests 66, at the same time the
reciprocating and oscillating movement of the tools is stopped by the pin d, in the
rod 2 working up the lower part of the pivoted lever do, which causes the upper
end d', to move inwards sending the rod d, to which it is secured by the cotter d',
(see Figure 5) forward so that the right angle lever d, engaging with the spring
clutch will disconnect the gear wheels inside the pillar of the machine. When
the multiple jack B, is released by the aid of the hand lever F, attached to the short
lever, in the bert arm, attached to the post a', "see Figure 8" to which is linked
the horizontal rod G, carrying a sadile eluich not shown" fitting in the annular
groove g, of the boss of the jack clear of the tools, after the burnishing and brushing
of the heel, the frame B, by being turned a quarter of a revolution around its axis
and again pushed inwards into a corresponding operative position is again locked
while another shoe heel is being operated upon.
For regulating the pressure of the burnishing tool 9, on the top shaft. 10, or
applying a varying pressure on the burnishing toof a semi-circle of holes H, is made
in the front of the standard (see Figure 1) into any one of which is put the projecting
pin ', on the underside of the lever and crank, which is secured upon the spring
rod 3, to the opposite end of which is secured the crank, carrying the lower end of
the helical spring, the top of which is connected to the rod 6, to the end of this is
attached a chain, running over the pulley 4, the top of the chain being secured to
the collar 4, on the top shaft 10, which carries the tension block 4, attached to this
block is the curved bracket ", in which slides the holder 412, for the tube holding the
wax or the like 13, this has a hand wheel and screw connection to put pressure upon
the contents or regulate the supply of wax to the tool. The automatic mechanism for
brushing the heels after they have been burnished that is to say; to brush one
burnished heel while another one is being burnished, and the means whereby the
rocking motion is imparted from the top rock shaft 3, to the side rock shaft is arranged
in the following manner.
In the stationary bearings 13 and 14, is carried the side rock shaft I, which is
rocked by means of the crank J, to which is connected the rod, and at the end of
this is carried the lever end of the toothed segment K, pivoted to the bracket 13,
atk, which gears with the pinion L, on end of the shaft 1. To the said rock shaft
are secured the levers J', and J2, the outer ends of which bear the shaft m, which is
given a quick rotary motion by means of the pulley M', secured to the driving
shaft 6, and a belt M2, leading from it to the pulley M³, that is loosely journaled on
the rock shaft I, and a belt m, leading from the latter pulley to the pulley M,
secured to the brush shaft m, which is universally jointed at N, to the shaft M, which
carries at its free end the cylindrical brush, or may be sand papering wheel. To
put the necessary pressure so as to admit of the brush O, being held against the
heel to yield to inequalities in the curvature of the heel I journal the brush shaft M,
in the bearing O. that is pivoted in the outer end of the hanger 02, the spindle 03,
of which passes through the sleeve and bracket. 0%, secured to the end of the rock
shaft I, and has around it the coiled spring 0, held thereon by the collar 06,
below the sleeve and bracket 04, is the band 07, which carries one end of the
lever 08, which has at its outer end the balance weight 0%, the said lever being
pivoted to an arm from the sleeve 0%, to keep the said shaft properly balanced
during its rocking motion in conjunction with the weight P, on the rock shaft I.
By means of the crank J, on the top rock shaft 3, rod j', and toothed segment K,
and toothed wheel L on side rock shaft 1, motion is imparted to cause the brush O,

page_text: to swing from breast to breast of the heel held in the jack, and during such
swinging movement of the brush it is given a quick rotary motion around its axis
by means of the connecting mechanism from the driving shaft 6, to the shaft m, as
shown.
6h
If any part of the heel should require re-touching or polishing an auxilliary set
of tools may be conveniently mounted on the shaft Q"see Figure 2." which is held
in brackets 7', on the front of the machine the rotary motion to which is imparted
from the belt 2 passing over the pulleys q, and g, the other end of the shaft Q
carrying the heel seat beading device see Figures 6 and 7." This bead wheel has
a circular lip. for finishing the top of the rand and a polygonal shaped beading
surface the angles of the polygon being rounded, upon the forward bearing of
the bracket, is mounted the milled or toothed seat wheel 98, its forward face
clearing the rear face of the bead wheel in order that the probable turning of the
seat wheel with the shaft is prevented except when the boot or shoe heel is
pressed and turned against it, as trouble and damage occurs from mounting the seat
wheel upon the swiftly rotating shaft from the fact that should it become fast on the
shaft it would act as a circular saw and spoil the work. I may arrange at intervals
on the said shaft a trimmer or burnisher and near the pulley q', I may put a sand
papering wheel or cylindrical brush to polish or further touch up the heels if
desired.
By the machine herein shown and described it will be seen that while one heel
of a boot or shoe is being automatically burnished another one already burnished is
being automatically brushed, without any other manipulation than securing the boot
or shoe to the jack, turning the latter a part of a revolution around its axis, also in
conjunction with the heel seat beading device the operation of finishing the heels is
greatly facilitated.
I would have it understood that I may employ heel trimmers or sand papering
wheels in place of the burnisher and brush arranged in like manner upon the ends
of the shafts as may from time to time be required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed-I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a burnishing machine as herein described a multiple jack frame B, with its
horizontal sleeves 6', clamping devices, adjustable screws, hand wheel, heel
lift rests 6, and forked guides 67, the whole capable of sliding forward and back on
the shaft A, and means employed for locking the jack in operative position as herein
set forth.
2. In a burnishing machine, the automatic heel brushing device 0, on the
universally jointed shaft M, and m, mounted in bearings from the side rock shaft I,
with the spring pressure, yielding devices, and counterbalancing arrangements as
herein shown and described.
3. Burnishing and brushing the heels in one and the same machine by a plurality
of rotary and longitudinally movable jacks having guides and clamping devices for
holding the boots or shoes in position for a burnishing tool, a rotary oscillating and
yielding brush, or may be sand papering wheel, the foot treadle D and the con-
trivances connected thereto for releasing spring pressure to allow the tool to fall away
from the heel for the multiple jack to be withdrawn from the taper pin E, and
unlocking the spring pressed catch c' as herein before described.
4. In a burnishing machine the means of applying and varying the pressure on
the burnishing tool 9, by the spring pressed rod h³, carrying the cranksh², and,
spring 4, with rod and chain attached to collar on the burnisher shaft 10, by moving
the adjusting pin ', as before described.
5. The combination of a series of rotary and longitudinally movable jacks, operated
by the hand lever F, and rod G, with saddle clutch in the annular groove g', the
frame sliding in grooves in the manner and for the purpose specified.
6. In a machine for the purpose specified the contrivances connected to the

page_text: rod for stopping the reciprocation and oscillating motion of the tools as shown
and described.
7. In a burnishing machine of the character described the crank J, toothed
segment K and gear L to impart the rocking motion from the top rock shaft 3, to
the side rock shaft I, as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 8.
8. In combination with the beforementioned contrivances the attached heel seat
beading device on the shaft Q.
9. The herein described improvements in heel trimming, burnishing, sand papering,
brushing and heel seat heading machines, or heel finishing machines, constructed and
arranged in the manner substantially as set forth.
Dated this 19th day of December 1890.
WILLIAM BESTWICK MAXFIELD,
Certified Patent Agent,
No. 19, Bowling Green Street, Leicester, Applicant's Agent.