IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING BOOTS AND SHOES."
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Keats, of Bagnal, near Stoke-upon-Trent, in the
County of Stafford, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR
MANUFACTURING BOOTS AND SHOES."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Keats at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th June 1881.
JOHN KEATS, of Bagnal, near Stoke-upon-Trent, in the County of Stafford.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING BOOTS AND SHOES."
This Invention relates to improved mechanism for operating the cutting and
burnishing tools used in finishing boot and shoe soles and heels, and in apparatus
for presenting boots and shoes to such tools, which apparatus is applicable in other
stages of the manufacture of boots and shoes.
The Invention also consists in novel means for securing the heels of boots and
shoes in place by nails, the same being driven from within the boot in curved or
inclined lines to meet the peculiar contour of the heel.
I will first describe the apparatus which I employ for presenting the boot or
shoe, while on the last, to the cutting and burnishing tools, the requirement being
to change the position of the up turned sole in relation to the tools as the work of
finishing the sole proceeds.
To provide for the turning of the last in any desired direction I fit it upon a
stud which enters a bole near the heel, and I support the toe on an adjustable rest.
On a base piece formed with a central socket I place a casting which consists of a
pair of cheeks found in one with a central vertical pin. This pin fits the socket
in the base piece and is capable of turning axially therein, and a clamping screw
is provided for fixing this casting in any desired position. A hole is drilled through
the cheeks of this casting to receive a transverse horizontal pin that forms a
fulcrum for a vertical screwed shaft. The upper edges of the cheeks of the casting
that carries this fulcrum pin are segment shaped, the curve being struck from the
axis of the fulcrum pin. Dropped over the screw shaft is a hollow block which is
formed on its under surface to fit the curved edges of the cheeks, but its upper

page_text: surface is made flat for a gripping nut to bear upon it. This nut is threaded to
receive the vortical screwed shaft, and its use is so to tighten the hollow casting on
which it bears against the segment shaped cheeks that the screwed shaft in what-
ever position it may for the time be set shall remain fixed in that position.
Mounted loosely on the head of the screwed shaft above the tightening nut is a
bracket casting which branches off to the right and left. The one branch forms an
inclined guide for a sliding bracket which serves as a rest for the too of the last.
The other portion of the bracket has hinged to it a socket piece that carries the
stud on which the last is fitted. Through a loop on the lower end of this hinged
piece passes an adjusting screw, the forward end of which enters a tapped hole in
the forward part of the bracket. A shoulder on this screw bears against the loop
of the hinged piece, and thus allows of it being tipped to any desired angle. By
turning this screw when the last is in place, the toe of the last may be caused to
press on the adjustable sliding rest, and thus fix it in its set position. Before the
last is applied to this apparatus it is inserted in the boot or shoe intended to bo
operated upon, and it is then applied, the sole being placed uppermost in a position
suitable for the work to be performed. This last supporting apparatus provides
for the presentation of the sole of the boot to the traversing tool in a horizontal
position or in a vertical position either edgwise or endwise, and in any inter-
mediate position according to the requirements of the work. In some cases it will
be necessary to regulate the distance of the last supporting apparatus from the
base of the finishing machine. To effect this the socket of the base piece should
be capable of sliding in horizontal guides, and of being clamped in its adjusted
position.
As a further modification of the last supporting apparatus I form the sliding
base piece with a vertical pin to receive a hollow standard, upon the upper end of
which is pivotted a vertical bell crank lever. The upper end of this lever forms
the stud for the reception of the heel of the last, and the horizontal or shorter arm
of the bell crank lever is connected by a pendent link to a hand lever pivotted on
the hollow standard. By raising and lowering this lever the inclination of the
stud which carries the last may be varied from a vertical to a horizontal position,
which position may be maintained by clamping the hand lever. The hollow
standard forms a pivot for a horizontal bracket arm which carries a vertically
adjustable toe rest for the last. This toe rest is capable of sliding on the bracket
arm, and it is hinged at its upper part to allow of its being inclined towards the
hollow standard.
I will now describe my improvements relating to the working of the cutting
and burnishing tools by which boot soles and heels are trimmed, smoothed, and
finished. The tool I fit in a bracket holder keyed to a horizontal rock shaft,
which is mounted in bearings and is capable of sliding ond wise therein. This tool
will stand nearly in a line with its rock shaft, and it thus will be enabled to
follow the curved surfaces of the sole. The mode of imparting these motions to
the tool holder may vary, but I will describe one arrangement to illustrate my
novel mode of working.
In the upper part of the framing which carries the bearings of the rock shaft I
mount a rotary shaft at right angles to the rock shaft, and on one end of this shaft
I fit an adjustable crank pin, which I connect by means of a link with the rock shaft.
The rotation therefore of the shaft carrying the crank pin will impart an endway
motion to the tool holder, and thereby cause the tool, whether a cutter or a
burnisher, to traverse to and fro any desired distance.
Mounted loosely on a squared portion of the rock shaft is a spur wheel, which
gears at its opposite sides into vertical racks. These racks are each pivotted to a
bell crank lever, which levers are borne upon by cams on the crank shaft. These
cams are counterparts the one of the other, so that while one is acting upon its bell
crank lever to depress the rack, and thereby turn the spur wheel on the rock shaft,
the other cam will allow the rack of its bell crank to rise under the action of the
spur wheel. The motion thus imparted to the spur wheel by one or other of the

page_text: racks will give an axial motion to the rock shaft, and thereby shift the tool to
the right or left as the case may be. The rock shaft it will be understood will
move end wise to give the traverse motion to the tool independently of the spur
wheel which it carries, but when that wheel is turned the tool holder will receive
a compound motion, viz., a longitudinal and an axial motion, by which means the
tool will be traversed up and down the sole alternately on opposite sides of a
central line. The lateral shifting of the tool may be modified as desired by
introducing cams of varying cuts to suit the special work in hand. Thus for
rights and for lefts the position of the cams will be reversed. In some cases it will
be desirable to stop the traverse of the tool holder and use only the rocking motion:
This may be done by disconnecting the crank of the crank shaft from the coupling
liuk, and the rocking of the tool only will be effected by the rotation of the crank
shaft. Similarly the rocking motion of the tool may be stopped by unshipping the
It will
racks, and the burnishing tool will then merely have a traversing motion.
be understood that the last holder must be set in position relatively to the finishing
machine in order that the tool may act properly on the work by its automatic
Inovements over the work.
To connect the tapered heels with the soles I provide a post, over which I fit a
cap piece, which is supported on the standard by a coiled spring, and is capable of
sliding down over the post when pressure is put upon it. This cap piece is pierced
with holes corresponding to the nails intended to be forced up into the heel, and
the holes through which the nails are to pass are drilled to an inclination corre-
sponding to that which the nails are to take. Pivotted to the inside of the cap is
a hammer having a segment shaped head, which is grooved to receive, say, three
nails, which converge towards the centre of the cap piece. Standing up from the
post is a projection which underlies the pivotted hammer. This is for the purpose
of forcing up the hammer as the cap piece is depressed, and thereby causing it to
thrust the nails which it carries into the heel of the boot. To force up the other
nails into the heel propelling rods are provided, the upper ends of which close the
holes in the cap in which the nails are deposited before starting work. Those
propelling rods are connected by links to the post, the object being to give them
play while forming a resistance to the nails. When the nails are placed in the
holes in the cap the boot or the shoe to be heeled is placed on the cap in an inverted
position, and the heel being set in position on the sole pressure is applied to the
heel by means of a suitable press, and the cap yielding to this pressure the nails
will be forced up into the heel, taking severally the direction indicated by the
holes in the cap piece. On releasing the heel from pressure the cap piece will rise,
carrying with it the boot, which has now the heel firmly secured in place.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Keats in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 8th December
1881.
JOHN KEATS, of Bagnal, near Stoke upon Trent, in the County of Stafford.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR MANUFACTURING BOOTS AND SHOES."
This Invention relates to improved mechanism for operating the cutting and
burnishing tools used in finishing boot and shoe soles and heels, and in apparatus
for presenting boots and shoes to such tools, which apparatus is applicable in other
stages of the manufacture of boots and shoes. The Invention also consists in
novel means for securing the heels of boots and shoes in place by nails, the same
being driven from within the boot in curved or inclined lines to meet the peculiar
contour of the heel.
I will first describe the apparatus which I employ for presenting the boot or
shoe while on the last to the cutting and burnishing tools, the requirement being
to change the position of the up turned sole in relation to the tools as the work of
finishing the sole proceeds.
In Sheet I. of the accompanying Drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the last
holder; Fig. 2 is an elevation of the last holder taken at right angles to Fig. 1 ;
and Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 2. The position of
the last on the holder is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the last being
represented as inserted in a boot. In these Figures A is a base piece, formed with
a central socket A. Upon this socket I place a casting which consists of a pair
of cheeks B formed in one with a central vertical pin B'. This pin fits the socket
A of the base piece and is capable of turning axially therein. A clamping screw a
is provided in the socket A' for fixing this casting in any desired position. A hole
is drilled through the cheeks of this casting to receive a tranverse horizontal
pin B. This pin B forms a fulcrum for a vertical screwed shaft C. The upper
edges of the cheeks of the casting that carries the fulcrum pin are segment-shaped,
the curve being struck from the axis of the fulcruin pin. Dropped over the
screwed shaft C is a hollow block D, which is formed on its under surface to fit
the curved edges of the cheeks, but its upper surface is made flat for a gripping
nut E to bear upon. This nut is threaded to receive the vertical screwed shaft C,
and its use is so to tighten the hollow casting D on which it bears against the
segment-shaped cheeks B that the screwed shaft in whatever position it may for
the time be set shall remain fixed in that position. Mounted loosely on the head
of the screwed shaft, above the tightening nut E, is a bracket casting F, which
branches off to the right and left. The one branch F forms an inclined guide for
a sliding bracket F which serves as a rest for the toe of the last. The other
portion of the bracket F has hinged to it a socket piece F that carries a removablo
stud on which the last G is fitted. Through a loop on the lower end of this
hinged piece F passes an adjusting screw Ft, the forward end of which enters a
tapped hole in the forward part F of the bracket. The loop of the hinged
piece is confined between a shoulder of tho screw F and a collar f¹ which is
made fast to the screw. This allows of the hinged piece F being tipped to any
desired angle by the turning of the screw to the right or left. By turning this
scrow to the left when the last is in place, the toe of the last may be caused to
press on the adjustable sliding rest F and thus fix it in its set position. Before
applying the last to this apparatus it is inserted in the boot or shoe intended to be
operated upon, and it is then applied to the holder and secured thereto by the
adjusting screw F³.
As the bracket casting F is mounted loosely upon the screwed shaft C it is

page_text: the
From the above explanation it will be understood that the holder is adapted to
receive lasts of different lengths, by reason of the rest F being capable of
adjustment towards and from the stud pin f. The last also is capable of being
turned to any angle or end for end by simply slackening the tightening screw a,
or the tightening screw 2. Again, if it is desired to tip the last into, say,
dotted position of Fig. 3, this may be done by slackening the nut E, which will
leave the screwed shaft free to rock upon its fulcrum pin B³. When the holder
has attained the position desired, the tightening of the nut E will secure it firmly
in that position. By thus providing the holder with axial motions and a rocking
motion, all the varying positions of the boot or shoe needed by the workman in
finishing the sole and heel of the same may be attained.
It should be remarked that in whatever position the last may be placed, any
blows which the boot sole may receive will be transmitted to the base of the holder
through the clamping nut E, clamping-piece D, and swivel block B, thus releasing.
the central screwed shaft C from all risk of injury and avoiding all tendency of the
parts to shift from their adjusted position.
The last supporting apparatus just described provides for the presentation of
the sole of the boot to the traversing tool in a horizontal position or in a vertical
position either edgewise or endwise, and in any intermediate position according to
the requirements of the work. In some cases it will be necessary to regulate the
distance of the last supporting apparatus from the base of the finishing machine.
To this effect the socket of the base piece should be capable of sliding on horizontal
guides and of being clamped in its adjusted position.
As a further modification of the last supporting apparatus I construct it in the
manner shewn in Sheet II., which represents the last supporter in combination
with the finishing machine, and will bo described in connection therewith.
Fig. 1 is a side clevation of this combined apparatus, the saine being represented.
in partial sectional elevation; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is a back
elevation of the burnishing machine; and Fig. 4 is a partial side elevation of this
machine and the last holder, with the position of the holder changed so as to present
the heel of a boot to the burnishing tool.
Fig. 5 is a cross section of the finishing machine taken in the line 1, 2, of
Figures 1 and 2, and shewing inore clearly the gearing for rocking the tool
holder.
Figure 6 is a section taken in the line 3, 4, of Fig. 2, and illustrating the parts
for giving the traverse motion to the tool holder.
Figures 7 are side views of certain detachable cains, the use of which will be
fully explained hereafter.
A, A, is the main framing of the finishing machine fitted with a burnishing tool
bolted to a bench or table A*, which also carries the last bolder. This framing A
is provided with bearings for the reception of a horizontal traversing shaft B.
Keyed to one end of this shaft is the bracket-shaped tool holder C, the face of
which is slotted to receive a square stem c, which carries at its lower end a
cylindrically shaped burnishing tool c'. This tool (see the detached sectional view,
Fig. 1a) is secured to the cheeks of the stem c by an axle pin, and is formed with
an arm that enters a cavity drilled up the lower end of the stem c. In this cavity
the arm has a little play, so that the burnishing tool is free to tip at each end of
the traverse of the tool and take a firm bearing on the work at each recommence-
ment of its traverse. The pressure of this tool upon its work is secured by a
tension spring c², the strain of which is made adjustable in any convenient manner.
The central part of the shaft B is squared to receive a spur wheel D, which is
mounted in a vertically slotted bearing forming part of the main framing. The
object of thus mounting the wheel D is to allow of its shaft moving endwise freely
while being subjected to the axial motion of the spur wheel. Gearing into the
teeth of the wheel at its opposite sides are the vertical racks E, which are pivotted
each to a bell-crank lever E' having their fulera at c. These bell crank levers are
intended alternately to operate their then respective racks, and thereby to drive

page_text: the wheel D around alterately in opposite directions so as to impart an axial
motion to the shaft B and consequently to rock the tool holder. F is a transverse
shaft mounted in suitable bearings in a bracket casting A¹ bolted to the end of the
framing A. This transverse shaft F is driven by a band passing over a pulley F¹
keyed to the shaft. To the shaft F are also keyed two discs G, G', to the inner
faces of which are attached cams g, g', which are counterparts of each other, as
illustrated by the detached views, Figures 7. Upon the peripheries of these cams the
bell crank levers E¹ respectively bear, and they are caused to rock, and thereby
to actuate the spur wheel D by the pressure alternately put upon these bell crank
levers by the cams g, g'. Thus by the rotation of the transverse shaft F the
longitudinal shaft B is caused to rock in its bearings, and thereby to rock the tool
holder C for the purpose to be presently explained. To impart the required endway
motion to the shaft B and its tool holder Ċ, the disc G is fitted with an adjustable
crank pin g (see Fig. 6), the head of which works in a radial slot in the disc.
Fitted loosely on this pin is a sleeve, which when the pin is adjusted is caused by
a nut on the threaded end of the pin to bear against the disc, and thus hold the
pin firmly in position. This crank pin carries a link g³, which is secured by a pin
to a loose strap b on the shaft B. By the rotation of the disc G the link g³ will
be caused to impart an endway motion to the shaft B, the amount of which motion
will depend upon the throw of the crunk pin g². The burnishing tool c' it will be
seen stands above the plane of the axis of its rock shaft B; this is to enable it to
follow the curved surfaces of the sole or heel of the boot on which it is intended
to operate. From the foregoing it will be understood that when the machine is
set in action the tool holder will receive a compound notion, viz., a longitudinal
and a rocking motion, by which means the tool will be free to traverse up and
down the sole bearing alternately on the right and left side of the same for every
rotation of the shaft F.
I will now explain the means for holding the last in the proper position for the
traversing tool to act upon the work. I have said that the last holder is repre-
sented at Figures 1, 2, and 4, Shect II. In Figures 1 and 2 the last is held in a
horizontal position ready for the sole to be acted upon by the traversing tool, but
at Fig. 4 the last is shewn as canted heel upwards to bring the back and sides of
the heel under the action of the tool. This last holder is mounted on a bed H
(bolted to the bench or table A*), over which bed it is free to slide by means of a
traversing screw I so as to move towards or from the burnishing and finishing
machine as desired. Through a slot in the bed H projects a block K which is
furnished with a vertical stud for receiving the hollow standard L of the holder.
The block K is tapped to receive the traversing screw I, by which its position is
adjusted on the bed.
On the upper end of the standard L is pivotted a vertical bell-crank lever M,
the upper end of which forms a stud m for the reception of the heel of the last N,
and the horizontal or shorter arm of the bell crank lever is connected by a pendent
link m' to a hand lever M¹ pivotted on the hollow standard L. By raising and
lowering this lever the inclination of the stud m which carries the last N may be
varied from a vertical to a nearly horizontal position. The adjusted position of
the band lever M¹ is maintained by screwing the clamping nut M² to the segment-
shaped projection on the standard. The hollow standard forms a pivot for a
horizontal bracket or radius arm O which carries a vertically adjustable toc-rest 0¹
for the last.
This toe-rest is pivotted to the upper end of a screwed rod o³ which is carried by
a socket casting 0³, having for its support the bracket arm O. This arm is slotted
longitudinally to receive a clamping screw which secures the socket casting to the
arm when the latter is adjusted relatively to the crank lever M to suit the length
of the boot or shoc under treatment, or to adapt the rest O¹ to the special work in
hand.
The screwed rod O is fitted with a pair of clamping nuts o, the one being above
and the other below the socket portion of the casting 0%. By turning these nuts

page_text: the screwed rod may be raised or lowered, and with it the rest O¹, to any desired
extent, and secured at the raised or depressed elevation. At the top of the screwed
rod O is a quadrant-shaped head in which a segment slot is formed to receive a
clamping screw carried by the too-rest O' for securing the rest in any desired
position; thus when the sole of the boot is under treatment the rest will take the
position shewn in Fig. 1, but when the heel of the boot is to be acted upon the rest
will be brought to the position shewn in Fig. 4, and it will then serve as a support
for the heel against the pressure of the burnishing tool. o' is a screw for clamping
the bracket or radius arın O to the standard L.
From this explanation it will be understood how the position of the work is
varied to suit the various stages of the finishing operation. In order to provide
for variations of the rocking motion of the tool holder the cams g, g³, are made
removable, so that different cuts of cams (always counterparts the one of the other)
may be employed to suit the work in hand.
Again to adapt the machine which has been set for finishing right foot boots to
work upon left foot boots, the cams g and g¹ are to be moved axially so as to
advance the time of the action of the cam upon the bowles of the levers E', by
which action the finishing tool is moved to the sides of the boot or shoe sole in its
traverse from the toe to the shank and back again, the segment-shaped slots in the
cam admitting of this adjustment being readily effected after slackening the screws
by which the cams are made fast to the discs Ġ and G¹.
In some cases it will be required to stop the traverse of the tool holder and use
only the rocking motion, as for instance when burnishing the heel, as indicated at
Fig. 4. This may bo done by disconnecting the crank ping from the link g³, and
the rocking only of the tool holder will then be effected by the rotation of the
transverse shaft F. Similarly the rocking motion of the tool may be stopped by
unshipping the racks E, and the burnishing tool will then merely have a traversing
motion. It should also be explained that by making the stems of the burnishing
or other tools square their position in the holder is capable of being shifted to
adapt them to work either transversely, as upon the edges of the heel, or
longitudinally from end to end of the sole.
When the machino just described is required to be used for paring the sole of
the boot or shoe or for shaping up the heel, the burnishing tool c¹ is removed from
the stem c and replaced by a suitably shaped cutting tool. Fig. 8 is a face view,
and Fig. 9, a vertical section of the tool designed for shaping up the heel.
It consists of a box c² formed with a tang which fits the drilled hole in the
stem c. This box is rounded at bottom to correspond roughly to the hollow
intended to be given to the walls of the heel. In the box are formed two inclined
slots to receive plane irons which converge to a central line, and are intended
to come into action alternately. The upper ends of these plane irons are made
somewhat broader than the cutting edges, and underlie projections in the box
formed for them to bear against. The plane irons are held against these shoulders
by clamping screws c', and by being thus held in place they are capable of yielding
to a pressure put on their cutting edges, and thus rocking slightly in the box. This
provision ensures that the advancing cutting edge shall enter the work while the
receding cutting edge will be carried backward clear of the work. The cutting
edges it will be understood must be so shaped as to be the counterpart of the form
the wall of the heel is intended to receive, and similarly the tool used for paring
the sole will be fitted with plane irons having cutting edges more or less concave
to impart to the sole the desired roundness.
The tool is held fast to the stem c by means of a pin passing through the stem
and the tang of the tool, as shewn in the Figures.
I will now explain the means of attaching tapered heels to boot and shoe soles
which constitutes the last part of my Invention.
In Sheet III. of the Drawing Fig. 1 shews in side elevation the apparatus which
I use for inserting nails from the inside of the boot or shoe into tapering heels, the
boot being shewn in position upon the apparatus.

page_text: Fig. 2 is a plan view of the apparatus; Figures 3 and 4 are vertical sections
taken in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 2, and shewing the apparatus in its two extreme
positions; Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the apparatus taken in the line 3, 4, of
Fig. 2; and Fig. 6 is a partial transverse section taken in the line 5, 6, of Fig. 2;
Fig. 7 is a detached view of a portion of the apparatus to be presently referred to.
A is a post of cast iron over which a cap-piece B is fitted so as to slide freely
up and down thereon. This cap-piece will take somewhat the form of the licel of
the last on which the boot was made, and it is pierced with holes corresponding to
the points of insertion into the sole of the nails which are intended to secure the
taper heel in place. This cap piece is supported in its raised position, as shewn at
Fig. 8 by a coiled spring B' let into a socket in the post A. This cap-piece is
capable of sliding down over the post when pressure is put upon it and thereby
taking the position shown at Fig. 4.
The holes in the cap-piece B through which the nails are to pass are drilled to
an inclination corresponding to that which the nails are to take. Pivotted to
the inside of the cap-piece is a hammer C having a segment-shaped head which
increases in breadth somewhat like a fan towards its upper end (see the detached
view, Fig. 7). This hammer is grooved to receive, say, three nails which converge
towards the centre of the cap-piece. Standing up from the post A is a projection a
which underlies the tail of the pivoted haminer C. This is for the purpose of
forcing up the hammer as the cap-piece is depressed and thereby causing it to
thrust the nails which it carries into the heel of the boot. To force up the other
nails into the heel, propelling rods D, D, are provided, the upper ends of which
close recesses in the cap in which the nails are deposited before commencing work.
These propelling rods D, D, are carried by links D¹ which are pivotted to the
post A.
The object of thus supporting the rods D is to give them play while
forming a resistance to the back pressure of the nails. When the nails are inserted
in the cap-pieco B the boot or the shoe to be heeled is placed on the cap-piece in an
inverted position, and the heel being set in place on the sole, pressure is applied to
the heel by means of a suitable press. As the cap-piece yields to this pressure the
tail of the hammer C will be arrested by the projection and the hammer will
therefore be rocked into the position shewn at Fig. 4 on the further descent of the
cap-piece. At the same time the rods D having come to their bearings will act as
propellers, and thus all the nails will be simultaneously forced up into the heel,
taking severally the directions indicated by the holes and recesses in the cap-piece.
On releasing the heel from pressure the cap-piece will rise, carrying with it the boot
which has now the heel secured to the sole.
It now only remains to complete the driving of the nails, which may be readily
effected by hand, the nails continuing to take the direction in which they have
been forced into the heel.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of "Improvements in
Machinery for Manufacturing Boots and Shoes," and explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, wish it to be understood that under the above in
part recited Letters Patent, I claim,―
First. A holder for boot and shoe lasts consisting of a swivel bracket F mounted
upon a screwed shaft C, which shaft is capable of rocking on a transverse fulcrum
pin B³ or its equivalent carried by a pivotting block B formed with segment-shaped
edges, on which edges a clamping piece D bears, such clamping piece being held
down by a clamping nut E working on the screwed shaft C, all substantially as
and for the purpose above set forth.
Second. In combination with a swivelling bracket F which is to receive the last
a sliding rest F² and a hinged socket piece F fitted with a stud f, such hinged
socket piece being adjustable to any desired angle by means of a screw Fo, as and
for the purpose above set forth.
Third. A machine for finishing the soles and heels of boots and shoes consisting
of a tool holder which receives a rocking motion and an endway motion, or at
pleasure one or other of these motions, obtained from the action of a crank and

page_text: cams or their equivalent whereby the tool of whatever kind is enabled to operate
upon the whole face of the sole and the edges automatically and upon the sides of
the heel, the work being adjusted for that purpose.
Fourth. In combination with a boot and shoe finishing machine a last holder
having a standard which is capable of turning on its axis and of being shifted
end wise on its base or support, such standard having adjustable supports for
carrying the last with the work upon it in any desired position for the purpose
above set forth.
Fifth. In combination with the standard an adjustable bell crank lever for
carrying the heel of the last and a slotted radius arm for carrying an adjustable
socket piece in which is mounted a screwed rod for carrying the toe-rest which is
pivotted thereon, and is capable of being clamped thereto, as and for the purpose
above explained.
Sixth. The apparatus above described for fixing tapering heels to the soles of
boots and shoes, such apparatus consisting of a fixed post fitted with a cap-pieco
and with a rocking hammer and propeller rods, such cap-piece yielding to external
pressure and serving to guide the attaching nails in inclined directions into the
boot and shoe heel, the back pressure of the nails being resisted by a rocking
hammer and propeller rods.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Keats, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, the Third day of December, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.