IMPROVE- MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES OR OTHER COVERINGS FOR PROAL FOR THE FEET, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Julian Bernard, of Club Chambers, Regent Street,
in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES OR OTHER COVERINGS FOR
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Julian Bernard at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 8th
March 1855.
I, JULIAN BERNARD, of Club Chambers, Regent Street, in the County of
Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES OR OTHER COVERINGS
FOR THE FEET, AND IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN,"
to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to the adaption of machinery or mechanical apparatus
for the manufacture of boots & shoes or other coverings for the feet, and
consists of an arrangement for effecting the turning in or over of the edge of
that part of the leather which forms the "tread," this turned over portion being
the part for the attachment to the heel of the boot or shoe.
In the manufacture of boots and shoes as at present carried on, the uppers
are prepared with their edges plain or straight, or nearly so, and being placed
upon the last, the edges are bent, cramped, or shaped in, so as to fit closely

page_text: round the edge of the last and over the inner sole, a sufficient portion of the
upper being left to be turned over to allow of the necessary bastening to the
sole, and which operation is performed upon the last itself, the inner sole being
first placed upon the last, the upper leather then being gradually drawn in over
the inner sole, and secured to it by pegs or stitching, as is well understood,
after which the outer sole or other portions of the boot are attached.
My Invention consists in the manufacturing by so cupping or shaping the
uppers or the counters and parts applicable to the toes and heels of boots and
shoes for the preliminary manufacture, that when placed upon the last they
are already so formed as to fit over the inner sole, thus obviating the necessity
of the binding, cramping, or shaping operation upon the last itself. This
arrangement can be effected in different modes, one arrangement of machinery
for which is as follows:-
A frame is fitted up with a series of traversing shaper slides, one or more,
however, being used as may be desirable, these slides being actuated by a set
of eccentrics or other similar movements. The last or support over which the
leather to be shaped is disposed in the lower part of the frame beneath the
slides, which are placed one within the other in regular gradations of size.
The external sliding shaper is of a semicircular shape in transverse section,
and it comes first into action upon the leather. The leather being duly
disposed upon the last on which an inner sole is placed, the outer shaper
is made to descend and embrace the leather with but a slight shaping or
moulding pressure. This action gives the primary bend or turn over to
the edge of the leather; in this way the edge of the leather is, as it were,
cupped in the manner of the moulded stuffing-box leathers of hydrostatic
presses, the partially turned-over portion of the leather being so constructed
as to have its component particles squeezed or pressed one over the other.
The second sliding shaper then comes down, and being inside the first and
consequently somewhat smaller in size, whilst it also embraces a larger portion
of the heel or tread part of the leather, it gives a still more severe bending-over
pressure to the leather. The next and any succeeding shapers may then be
brought down for the completion of the necessary bend. The operation may
be performed on any suitable support without the use of a last. A suitable
spring arrangement is also provided for bringing each slide up out of action in
succession. The same system of working is obviously applicable for bending
over the toe portion of the leather.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Julian Bernard in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th September 1855.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JULIAN
BERNARD, of Club Chambers, Regent Street, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the eighteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Julian Bernard, Her special license that I, the said Julian Bernard,
my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said
Julian Bernard, my executors, administrators, or assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN-
THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES OR OTHER COVERINGS FOR THE FEET, AND
IN THE MACHINERY OR APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED THEREIN," upon the condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Julian Bernard, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Julian Bernard, do hereby declare the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My said Invention relates to and consists of shaping or forming, or pressing
into form, that portion of the uppers or counters of boots and shoes applicable
to the "tread" or heels and toes, and in the machinery connected therewith.
In the manufacture of boots and shoes as at present carried on, the uppers are
prepared with their edges plain or straight, or nearly so, and being placed upon
or over the last, the edges are gradually bent, cramped, or shaped in, so as to
fit closely round or over the edge of the toe and heel part of the last and over
the inner sole, a sufficient portion of the upper being left to be turned over; if

page_text: secured by pegs or similar fastenings to allow of the necessary fastening to the
sole when secured by stitching, it is not necessary to turn over such parts, and
which operation is performed upon the last itself, the upper leather being
gradually drawn in and over the inner sole, and secured to it by pegs or
stitching, or other known process, as is well understood, after which the outer
sole or other portions of the boot are attached.
Now, my Invention consists in the manufacturing of boots and shoes by so
cupping or shaping the uppers or counters and parts applicable to the heels
and toes of boots and shoes in the manufacture, so that when the uppers are
"lasted," the said parts will fit close over and lay upon the heel and toe portion
of the last and inner sole without the necessity of scoring, plating, or any
packing or pieces or material being employed between the inner sole and the
parts of the upper referred to, thus obviating the slow and tedious method at
present practised; although I prefer to shape the parts referred to before being
put upon the last, the operation may be rapidly performed upon the last upon
which the boot or shoe is made, as will be herein-after referred to. The
mechanical arrangement I employ for carrying this process or operation into
effect, is as follows:-
Fig. 1 on my Sheet of Drawings is a side elevation of a machine which I
employ for this purpose; Fig. 2 is a front view of the same; Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6,
7, & 8 represent other parts or details of the machine. A is the bed plate or
framing of the machine on which the upright bracket B and other parts are
secured, as shewn. Figs. 3 and 4 shew sections of the shaping slides; and
Fig. 5 shews an arrangement by which the toe part is pressed into shape;
the machine illustrated is more adapted for shaping the "tread" or "heel"
portion, but the parts shewn at Fig. 5 can be readily adapted to it. The
operation of the machine is as follows:-When the part is to be shaped or
formed, the operator puts the upper upon the last or form, as shewn at Fig. 6,
which last or form may be either specially intended for the operation, or the
last on which the boot or shoe will be completed. He then, by means of the
lever handle a, puts the last with the upper upon it in proper position under
the slides, as shewn; he then, by turning the cranked handle b, or by means of
the pullies shewn, turns the shaft d on which is placed a pinion c, and which
takes into the spur wheel e placed upon the shaft f, and on which is placed the
eccentrics or cams g, 9, 9, and which are so formed or placed upon the shaft
that they force down the slides 1, 2, and 3 gradually and in succession, which
has the effect and performs the operation of forming or shaping the parts
of the upper to the desired form or contour, whether it be intended to shape
either the heel or toe. As the eccentrics or cams continue their revolution

page_text: they are so formed as to allow the slides to ascend, the springs h serving for
that purpose; when they are withdrawn, the operator draws out the stand on
which the last is placed by means of the handle a, and removes the upper, which
is now ready for the next operation, which is securing it to the inner sole,
which can be readily done by pegs or other convenient fastenings, until the
outer sole and heel are applied, and which operation of fastening forms no part
of this Invention.
The ends of the slides are formed to fit the part of the last on which they
press the leather, and in order to allow of different thicknesses of leather being
pressed, the standard on which the last is placed is furnished with two lock-
nuts i, by which means the last can be raised or lowered to any desired height;
the last or form is furnished with two holes which fit on to pins in the standard,
but which are not shewn. The slides may be made or formed continuous, as
shewn at Figure 8 on my Sheet of Drawings; but I desire it to be distinctly
understood that I do not limit or confine myself to any particular mechanical
arrangement for shaping the parts referred to for the purpose and in the
manner described.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of my
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried
into effect, I would observe in conclusion that I do not confine or restrict
myself to the precise details or arrangements which I have had occasion to
describe or refer to, as many variations may be made therefrom without
deviating from the principles or main features of my said Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Julian Bernard, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Eighth day of September, One thousand eight
hundred and fifty-five.
JULIAN BERNARD.
(L.S.)