Improvements in Boot Sewing Machines
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Aug., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 28th May, 1891-Accepted, 4th July, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boot Sewing Machines
I, WILLIAM HENRY DORMAN of the Hawthorns, Newport Road, Stafford in
the County of Stafford, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
My invention is intended to be used more especially in the manufacture of boots
& shoes and is particularly applicable to that class of machines operating by means
of a curved needle & used for sewing the welts to the uppers and insoles of
boots, in what, is commonly known as welted work," and for sewing the uppers
to the soles, in what is called "turned work."
The first part of my invention refers to that part known as the "shield and
cast-off" which serves to cast off the loop from the needle and also to support the
needle against the strain of passing through the material and consists in forming
the "cast off" with an auxiliary point on the side of the needle opposite to that on
which the barb is, the object of the additional or auxiliary point being to support
the needle as near to the barb as possible against the side way drag of the thread.
The second part of my invention applies to that part known as the "channel
gauge" or "feed dog."
In machines in which an awl feed is used, during the time the feeding appliances
are in motion the feed dog has usually to travel in advance of the awl in moving
in one direction and behind it, in moving in the other direction and in sewing boots
or shoes with very pointed toes, the feed dog is apt to be found in the way in
making the sharp turn round the toe. By my invention the feed dog is no longer
allowed to travel with the feed mechanism, and in point of fact ceases to be a feed
dog and becomes a channel guide or gauge which besides serving to guide the boot
while it is being sewn, also acts as a support to the work against the thrust of the
needle while it passes through the substance.
I carry the feed dog lever on the frame of the machine instead of on the feed
slide, so that it no longer partakes of the movement of the feed slide and I cause it
to rise up out of the channel, while the awl is carrying the work forward, and allow
the awl to pass under it, and then when the feed movement is finished to descend
again into the channel and resume its former position.
وو
The third part of my invention applies to the "feed dog" or "channel gauge
and to the "welt guide" or welt gauge" and consists in improvements by which
the welt, the upper and the insole are tightly pressed together while the stitch
is being made so as to promote the formation of "solid" or firmly sewn work.
In machines of the class to which my invention is applicable it is usual before the
needle returns with the loop of thread, for the welt gauge to be locked in the
position into which it is forced by the pressure of a spring which presses it against
the edge of the boot. The boot in turn is supported in the direction opposite to
the welt gauge by the feed dog, thus the welt gauge bears against the work with
only that pressure due to the tension of the spring that presses it forward and as
the shell of the welt gauge intervenes between the welt and the work the welt
itself is not really brought into contact with the work before the sewing draws the
materials together.
In my invention I remove the shell of the welt gauge and substitute a guide
which only holds the welt by its edges and I make a little more prominent
the shoulder or slight projection on the welt gauge that takes into the groove in the
welt.
The welt gauge so constructed, when caused to press against the work brings the

page_text: welt itself into contact with the shoe and particularly presses that part of the welt
through which the sewing is to pass into its place. After the wilt gauge is locked
in position, the welt being in contact with the work as described, I give the feed
dog a small inward movement, so as to squeeze the welt, the upper and the
insole tightly together, between it and the welt gauge before the stitch is made,
and this pressure remains on, until the needle having completed its backward
movement and drawn up the stitch, the feed is ready to commence, the feed
dog then releases its grip and is moved out of the way.
Dated this 97th day of August 1800
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Boot Sewing Machines.
I, WILLIAM HENRY DORMAN of the Hawthorns Newport Road Stafford in the
County of Stafford, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :—
This invention is intended to be used more especially in the manufacture of
boots and shoes and is particularly applicable to that class of machines which
operate by means of a curred needle and are used for sewing the welts to the
uppers and insoles of boots in what is commonly known as "welted work" and
for sewing the uppers to the soles in what is called "turned work."
A machine for this class of work is illustrated and described in the Specification
of C. F. Gardner dated Octr. 23, 1884, No. 14059 and an improvement on this
machine is illustrated and described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted
to me and dated Decr. 13, 1888, No. 18206. I herein describe and illustrate this
my present invention as applied to such machines as are illustrated and described in
the two above named Specifications.
One part of my present invention consists in improving the construction of the
"needle-shield" or <<
cast off" by making the same with an auxiliary point operating
on the side of the needle opposite to that on which the barb is for the purpose of
supporting the needle as near to the barb as possible against the side way drag of
the thread.
Another part of my invention consists in improving the construction and
arrangement of the "channel gauge" and parts in connection therewith so as better
to enable the turning of the toe of the boot by the operator to be accomplished.
This I do by mounting the levers which carry the "channel gauge" in a bracket
upon the main frame of the machine instead of mounting them upon the feed slide
so that the "channel gauge no longer partakes of the movement of the feed slide,
and I cause the channel gauge to rise up out of the channel, while the awl is
carrying forward the work, so as to allow the awl to pass under it, and when the
feed movement is finished the "channel gauge" descends again into the channel and
resumes its former position.
"
Another part of my invention consists in an improvement in the construction of
the "welt guide or "welt gauge." I remove the shell of the "welt gauge" and
substitute a "guide" which only holds the welt by its edges and I make a little
39 that takes
more prominent the shoulder or slight projection on the "welt gauge
into the groove in the welt. The welt gauge so constructed when caused to press
against the work brings the welt itself into contact with the shoe and particularly
presses, into its proper place, that part of the welt through which the sewing
is to pass.
от
32
Another part of my invention consists in so constructing the mechanism for
giving movement to the "feed dog" "channel gauge
that after the "welt
gauge" is locked in position, the welt being in contact with the work as described,
I give the "channel gauge a slight inward movement so as to squeeze the welt,

page_text: the stitch is being made.
My invention is illustrated by the accompanying drawings:
Figs. 1 and 2 are a front and side elevation respectively shewing my improved
mechanism for operating the "channel gauge."
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are views of my improved "shield and cast off."
Figs. 6 and 7 are views of my improved "welt gauge."
"
Figs. 8 and 9 are views shewing the needle and "cast off."
The same letters refer to the same parts.
"A" is the main frame of the machine head and carries in suitable bearings the
cam shaft "B" on which are mounted the various cams for operating through
their proper connections, the needle, the awl, the looper and other parts of the
sewing machine all as usually constructed.
Upon the main frame "A" I provide a bracket "a" upon which I mount a bell
crank lever "a" provided at one end with a cam roll "a" and at the other end
carrying a double ended lever "3" on the upper end of which is a cam roll "1"
and on the lower end a "channel gauge,
… …
The cam disc ""has cam ways "a" and "a" which operate upon the cam
rolls "a" and "a" so as to give movement to the levers "a¹ " and "a" and
consequently to the "channel gauge ""." The lever "a" gives to the "channel
gauge αξ movement in a vertical direction and the lever "a" movement in a
horizontal direction. The springs "a" and "a" keep the cam rolls "a2"
and "a" always in contact with the surfaces of the cams.
33 66
"
The cam ways "a" and "a" are so formed that the resultant of the action of
the two levers a¹" and "a³" is such that the "channel gauge" is, at the proper times,
alternately moved upwards and outwards, to allow of the feeding of the work and
of the awl passing under the "channel gauge," and downwards and inwards, after
the feeding is finished, to hold the work.
The cam way
"a" is so formed that after the "welt gauge" is locked by the
machine in the usual manner, the "channel gange" is pressed inwards by a slight
further movement so as to squeeze the welt, the upper and the insole tightly
together between it and the "welt gauge" while the stitch is being made.
29
or'
This slight inwards movement of the "channel gauge" after the locking of the
"welt gauge" is equally applicable to a machine in which the "channel gauge
"feed dog" moves forward with the work while the latter is being fed by the
machine in the ordinary manner as for instance in the machine described in
Specification No. 14,059 of Oct. 23, 1884, and before referred to.
The "cast off" "" is mounted upon a lever "1" and slides upon the
needle "e" to the curve of which it is properly adapted. It is suitably operated
by the machine in reference to the movements of the needle "." I make the
cast off" "," however of the form shown in Figs. 3, 4 and and provide an
auxiliary point "/2."
66
66
66 gauge
The welt guide" or
"d" is mounted in the usual manner and
operated by the machine. I make it as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, in which "d" is
the "guide" and "e" is the welt which is held by its edges "e" and "e2." The
portion of the welt which was formerly enclosed by a shell I leave exposed
so as to come into direct contact with the upper of the boot. The sewing for
and
attaching the welt to the upper of the boot passes through in the groove
the shoulder or projection "d" of the "welt gauge" I make sufficiently prominent
to press the welt "e" at the part "e" into firm contact with the boot upper.
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:
"
with a point
1. In a sewing machine, making the "cast off" or "needle shield
or part on the side opposite to that to which the barb of the needle is adjacent for
the purpose of supporting the needle against the side pull or drag of the thread.

page_text: "
SO
2. In a sewing machine for sewing welts to boots and shoes and in which an awl
feed is used, constructing the mechanism for operating the "channel gauge'
that the "channel gauge "shall not travel to and fro with the feed mechanism but
shall rise out of the channel to allow the awl to pass while feeding forward the
work and then descend again into the channel.
a
3. In a sewing machine employed for sewing welts to boots and shoes, the use of
"welt gauge
or "welt guide" having no shell or portion intervening between
the welt and the upper of the boot but holding the welt by the edges only.
a
4. In a sewing machine employed for sewing welts to boots and shoes, the use of
"welt gauge
or "welt guide" having no shell or portion intervening between
the welt and the upper of the boot but holding the welt by the edges only and
provided with a projection to enter the groove of the welt so as to press the part of
the welt through which the sewing is to pass into direct contact with the upper of
the boot.
"
"
5. In a sewing machine employed for sewing welts to boots and shoes, giving to
the "feed dog" or "channel gauge
an inward movement, after the "welt gauge
has been locked in position, so as to squeeze the welt, the upper and the insole
tightly together between the "channel gauge" and the "welt gauge "while the
stitch is being made.
Dated this 27th day of Mov 1901