IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR INSERTING SCREWS FROM SCREW-THREADED WIRE IN THE PROCESS OF UNITING THE UPPERS TO THE SOLES OF BOOTS AND SHOES, AND IN UNITING HOSE TUBE SEAMS, BELTING, AND ALL LEATHER LAPPINGS."
Year: 1876

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR INSERTING SCREWS FROM SCREW-THREADED WIRE
IN THE PROCESS OF UNITING THE UPPERS TO THE SOLES OF BOOTS AND SHOES,
AND IN UNITING HOSE TUBE SEAMS, BELTING, AND ALL LEATHER LAPPINGS."
A communication from abroad by the American Cable Screw Wire Company
(Incorporated), of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 3rd March 1876.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVED MACHINERY FOR INSERTING SCREWS
FROM SCREW-THREADED WIRE IN THE PROCESS OF UNITING THE UPPERS TO THE
SOLES OF BOOTS AND SHOES, AND IN UNITING HOSE TUBE SEAMS, BELTING, AND ALL
LEATHER LAPPINGS." A communication from abroad by the American Cable
Screw Wire Company, Incorporated, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of
America.
Machines have heretofore been constructed to insert screws to unite the uppers to
the soles of boots and shoes by severing such screws from a threaded coil of wire.
In such machines the threaded wire has been seized and inserted by a clamping
device, which is then released to make the succeeding clamp and feed and insert
the next screw. In such intermittent seizing and clamping device the crushing of
the threads of the screw is unavoidable.
It is absolutely necessary that the threads of the screw should be kept from being
crushed by the action of the clamping device in seizing the wire, otherwise the
holding power of the screws would be greatly diminished and rendered un-
certain. It is one of the distinguishing aims of my Invention to remedy this
serious defect, and to produce such a machine in which the work may be rapidly
and perfectly done.
In the organization of my new screw machine I have provided a head carrying
the feeding and griping devices for the wire, and having a compound automatic
vertical and laterally reciprocating movement, one of such movements being for
its adjustment to different and varying thicknesses of work, and the other for
effecting the feed of the head over the work. With this last or side recipro-

page_text: cating movement of the head the work support co-operates and also moves in
unison. The screw is inserted while these parts are moving to the left, and the
return movement of the head and the work support determines the feed by the
extent of such movement, the work remaining in its position against an edge guide,
and both the head and the work support take their positions at another point,
with respect to the work ready to insert the succeeding screw. The support for
the work which in the example shown is a rotatable horn, is mounted by means
of an arm upon the stem, which carries and gives the head its compound motion
while the horn axis has a bearing upon the standard.
The wire carrying spindle is of novel construction having a noso projecting
between slides which hold the wire severing knives, and the feed of the wire is
effected by a sliding segment of the spindle having a revolving motion with the
spindle, and an automatically varying vertical movement independently of such
revolving motion to alter the length of feed to correspond to the thickness of the
stock to be united. This construction of the spindle is not only new but the
means for producing the result stated are also now, and consist in combining with
such segment slide a stop actu on a fixed point in the standard. The head is
held from having any vertical movement while the screw is being inserted by
means of an automatic locking device, the peculiar construction and operation of
which allow it to be used as the means whereby the head is raised as soon as
the screw is severed to give freedom to the head to be turned to the position to
insert another screw.
The laterally reciprocating movement of the head is effected by means of a cam
operating upon an arm of a coupling or hollow post jointed to the head, and pivoted
by means of a slotted arm to the standard at the rear of the head.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 is a partial sectional elevation of the
right side of a screw inserting machine for uniting the uppers to the soles of boots
and shoes according to this Invention; Figure 2 is a front elevation of the same;
Figure 3 is an elevation of the left side of the same; in these three views the head is
shown in its normal position upon the standard.
Figure 4 is a vertical section of the spindle showing the feeding and holding
devices enlarged; Figure 5 is an elevation of the same.
Figures 6 and 7 are views of the lower end of the spindle showing the geared
connection of the slide segment.
Figure 8 shew details of the severing knives and their operating devices.
Figure 9 shews details of the feeding rolls in plan and vertical section.
Figure 10 is a sectional view showing the device for locking the head while
inserting the screw.
Figure 11 is a horizontal section on the line x*, *, Figure 12, showing the hinge
of the head upon which it receives its laterally reciprocating movement.
Figure 12 is an elevation of the head showing its relation when raised to the
standard, the adjustable edge guide, and the horn.
Figures 13, 14, and 15, shew details of the pivotted armed spool for the coil of
wire, and Figure 16 is a sectional view showing the adjustable edge guide.
Figure 17 shews part of Figure 1 detached.
The work support A is mounted upon the stem B, Figure 1, which also carries
the head of the inachine, and these two elements are mounted upon a standard C.
The spindle D through which the wire a passes is arranged in line with the axis of
the nose of the work support. It revolves in vertical bearings D2 of the head E,
and carries at its upper end the spool F for the coil of wire, in position to
allow it to uncoil in line with the wire passage in the spindle. It is revolved by a
pulley Fat its upper end and has a worm wheel G, which imparts motion to the
cam shaft through a gear wheel G² thereon.
The feed rolls H are situated within an enlargement I of the lower end of the
spindle, and the device by which they are operated consists primarily of a slide J
which forms a segment of the spindle, and which has a vertical movement in a
groove cut in the spindle. Just above the lower bearing of the spindle the

page_text: diameter of the latter is reduced slightly, but the arc of the slide remains equal to
the greatest diameter of the spindle, and the upper part of this segment has a screw
thread b on its circumference to receive a threaded sleeve c upon which a loose
collar is secured by a nut, Figures 4 and 5. This collar chas a vertical move-
ment upon the spindle, and the slide segment J moves with it because its screw
threaded portion b is of a greater diameter at that point than the spindle, and thus
all friction on the spindle is avoided and a free vertical movement given to the slide
segment. The lower part of this segment J is provided with cogs d, Figure 4,
having a groove e, Figure 4, at right angles with the cogs through which the wire
passes to the griping and feeding rolls H, and is therefore in line with the wire
passage of the spindle. The feed rolls are operated by this rack d by means of a
gear wheel having a groove equal to half the diameter of the wire, and which
forms with the groove e in the slide segment J a continuation of the wire passage
of the spindle, and thereby forming a support for the wire while it enters the feed
rolls immediately below. In its upward movement the slide segment J moves
without operating the feed rolls because the grooved gear wheel fis mounted by a
sleeve g, Figures 4 and 12, upon the shaft which carries at one end a ratchet wheel
h into which a pawl i acts fastened to the arm j of the gear wheel sleeve
and at
the other end said shaft carries a pinion which by an intermediate pinion gears
with a pinion on the end of the feed roll shaft. The other feed roll is made
adjustable to give more or less pressure upon the wire, and is held in a bearing
plate H² screwed to the head of the spindle. Now the operation of this wire
feeding mechanism is as follows, namely:-The wire being fed between the griping
and feed rolls H is held firmly and caused to revolve with the spindle, the slide
segment J being in its lowest position and the pawl i preventing the rolls from
having any backward movement at the time of severing the screw.
The slide segment J in rising to take a new feed being connected with the sleeved
gear wheel causes the sleeve arm j and its ratchet pawl i to move backward
without turning the ratchet wheel h. This gives the pawl a new bite on the ratchet
h, when the segment slide is at its highest point, so that when brought down it will
cause the ratchet wheel to turn its geared shaft, which being connected to the feed
rolls will turn them, thus feeding down the wire. In this way the slide segment
moves up freely over the wire and down carrying the wire with it.
The feed rolls are of peculiar construction, one of them I prefer to construct with
an annular concave screw worm k, Figure 9, to suit the pitch and size of the screw
thread and in which the thread embeds itself, so that the pressure needed to hold
the wire can be applied by the opposite feed roll without injuring the thread of the
wire, while the other roll, in order to give it the most perfect holding power has
two annular threaded edges with an annular groove between them. This double
screw worm is of the same pitch as that of the other roll, and projects slightly
beyond the circumference of the roll, to allow them to enter between the threads
and press against the body or core of the wire at two or more separate and distinct
points of the circumference of the body of the wire. This is a most important
feature as it gives the required holding power upon the screw without increasing
the pressure to such an extent as would render the feeding difficult. This holding
principle gives an intermittent contact and allows the free passage of wire between
them in the direction of its length, holding it firmly, to cause it to revolve with
the spindle, and preserving the thread from the least injury. The feed of the wire
being effected by the vertical movements of the slide segment, I obtain this move-
ment by means of a lever K having three arms pivoted to the head, one arm k²
of the same is forked and connected by a pivoted block working in the fork to
a vertical bar m, moving in ways, and which is connected to the loose collar c²,
Figures 4 and 5, of the slide segment, another arm is connected by pin and roll
with cam L which gives it its motion, while the third arm is connected to a
vertical rod n passing through a base of the head, and which touches and rests upon
an adjustable stop o, Figure 1, inside the hollow stem B which carries the head,
each time the length of the feed is determined. This central gauge stop o is made

page_text: adjustable by having a screw on its lower end passing through a nut in the standard
and provided with a check nut o
The cam L, Figure 12, which operates to depress the slide segment being a face
cam, if the roll was always allowed to follow the surface of the cam during its
revolutions, would raise the slide segment always to its highest point and con-
sequently make the same feed. But if held from following the greatest curve
described by the path of the cam L during any portion of its revolution, it is plain
that the slide segment J would not rise so great a distance over the wire, and con-
sequently would not feed down so much wire. The higher therefore the slide
segment is raised the longer will be the screw, and vice versa.
By this construction and combination the operating cam L is made to perform
the function of a series of cams which would otherwise be required to give the
desired elevation to the slide segment. This is accomplished in the following
manner-When the cam L has reached its greatest point of projection, it will be
seen that unless some pressure is applied on the third arm k, the second arm k³
would not follow the receding curve of the cam, so a spiral spring p, Figure 1, is
arranged to press upon that arm k to throw it down. Now if the vertical rod n
leading from the third arm k, strikes the stop o in the base previous to the
maximum throw of the cam being reached, it is plain that it will determine the
height which the arm operating the slide segment can rise just as definitely as if
the arm had followed and rested upon the face of the cam during its entire
revolution. Not only this spring p and stop rod n determine the length of
feed for a particular or given thickness of work, but the operation is automatic.
The pressure spring p is held in position by a rod rising from the third arm k⭑
and passing through a sleeve nut q in a threaded projection on the head, the spring
pressing upon the end of the sleeve nut, by which the pressure is regulated. The
fixed point made by the adjustable standard stop o and upon which the vertical
rod n acts constitutes the base from which this automatic action operates, when the
head is resting upon the top of the standard. The head of the machine having a
vertical movement while the gauge stop o remains stationary, it follows that the
higher the head of the machine is raised the farther the vertical rod n will descend
before it touches the stop. Now if I start with material which requires the head to
be raised, say, three-eights of an inch, to place it upon the work support, the
distance between the gauge stop o and the end of the vertical rod n will be pro-
portionately increased, and the moment the time comes for determining the length
of feed at that point the cam face L recedes suddenly and allows the compressed
spring p to force down the vertical rod n through the space made by raising the
head above the fixed gauge stop o, which it strikes, and thereby stops the further
ascent of the slide segment, and thus determines the length of wire fed down, which
will correspond with the thickness of the stock. Any point of elevation of the
head caused by the thickness of the stock between its contact with the cutter arms
and the work support will be in like manner determined. If at any time it is
desired to let the machine run and suspend the action of the wire feeding mechanism,
this may be effected by a set screw 7, Figure 1, passing through the base of the
head in position to be forced against the vertical rod n which acts upon the fixed
stop o when said rod is at its highest elevation and keep it from descending, and
consequently holding the arm from receiving any motion from the cam L until
the rod n is unclamped. This gives very great control over the working of the
machine without disturbing its other movements. The screw having been inserted,
it is necessary to sever it from the wire very quickly, and just previously to the
head being automatically raised.
The wire severing cutters 8 are secured each to an arm t, Figure 8, which is fitted
to slide within a groove formed in the under side of the head, and which arms t
rest upon the work. One is longer than the other, and they are parallel to each
other, and provided with cogs on their inner edges at the rear ends, into
which a geared pinion u meshes for imparting opposite sliding movements to these
arms, the longest one of which extends in front of a vertical line through the

page_text: spindle, and the shortest one terminates just back of said line, so that the cutters &
being fixed with their cutting edges on opposite sides of this line, will approach and
recede just half the distance necessary to sever the screw.
In practice it has been found most desirable to set the cutters so that their
cutting surfaces strike the wire diagonally, and at opposite angles, instead of in the
same plane or at right angles to the length of the wire. This oblique set is made
by beviling the top and under surfaces of the cutters, so that their edges when
brought together will form an X, as at Xa,. The advantages of this formation are
that the knives last longer, cut the wire easier, and form a cutting edge on the end
of the screw, causing it to enter more easily and the end to rivet on the horn,
making a more secure fastening, besides leaving the inside of the shoe perfectly
smooth, as shown at Xb. The cutters are held in these arms flush with their
under surfaces by set screws, so as to be adjusted in line with the axis of the
spindle, and the arms are held in place by a bottom plate t³, which also furnishes a
bearing for the geared pinion u for operating the slides. A recess is made in the
upper surface of the arm t to receive a cylindrical projection, which forms the
nose D, Figures 4 and 5, of the spindle D, and by which the wire is supported as
near as possible to the stock to prevent it from bending under the pressure necessary
to insert the screw, and bringing the end of the nose D³, the stock, and the cutters
nearly in the same horizontal plane, and cutting the wire level with the surface of
the stock.
The geared pinion u for the cutter arms is enlarged at its upper end to form a
second pinion u², Figure 8, and has a bearing in the head. In this second pinion
meshes the cogged end of a lever M, Figures 1 and 8, pivoted in the head, and whose
upper end is acted on by a small projection w on the circumference of the cam L,
Figure 17, which operates the wire feeding device. The vibration of the upper end
of the lever M causes its lower cogged end to travel back and forth over the
pinion u², turning the latter in alternate opposite directions, and thereby give the
same movement to the cutter arms, as described in reference to Figure 8.
It is necessary that the cutting of the wire should be done instantly, and for this
purpose the projection w is made very steep, and terminates abruptly, so that the
cutters may at once open to allow the wire to again pass between them and enter
the stock. To open the cutters instantly after the severing of the wire a spring x,
Figures 3 and 8, bears upon the geared end of the pivoted lever M, so as to throw
it back, and thus cause the pinion u² to revolve backward to open the cutters, and
bring the other end of the lever in position to receive the action of the projection w.
I have described the vertical movement of the head, and have stated that in con-
junction therewith it has a laterally reciprocating movement. To obtain this latter
movement the head is hinged at its rear by a vertical rod N, Figure 11, to a hollow
post N3, provided with an arm at each end at right angles to each other. This
rod N passes through the post, and enters a bearing in the head at each end, so
that the post rises and falls with the head, and the reciprocating lateral movement
is made upon its central supporting sleeve B. The post N2 has an oscillating move-
ment caused by its upper arm N3 having a pin and roll connection with a groove
cam O on the cam shaft, while the lower arm N, Figure 11, is forked, and has an
adjustable fulcrum block working in a slot in the top of the rear of the standard.
Any vibration of the upper arm N³ caused by its cam necessarily causes the
slotted arm N* to vibrate in the same direction, but this arm being held by its
fulcrum block from any vibration it must therefore turn upon said fulcrum block
as a hinge, but the lower arm N* being shorter than the other, causes the head to
turn on its post pin N, and allow of the vibration of the cam arm N3 by the hinge
joint connection of the head with the post. A variable lateral movement of the
head is effected by moving the fulcrum block of the lower arm N' nearer to or
farther from the post pin N, in order thereby to vary the movement of the head
over the work to increase or diminish the distance between the screws.
adjustable fulcrum block is of sufficient length to allow it to perform its function at
any elevation of the head above the horn. The post cam O is of such form as to
The

page_text: cause a slow lateral movement of the head and horn to take place to the left, and
while the screw is being inserted and a quicker movement in an opposite direction
to place the head and horn in position to insert the next screw..
A new element in the work support consists in its having a laterally reciprocating
movement with the head, and it is carried by the hollow sleeve B, upon which the
head is mounted by means of a forked arm P extending from the sleeve, to which it
is properly secured, and passes through an opening y, Figure 1, in the standard.
This forked arm P rests and moves upon a base stud 2, which gives a support for
its horizontal movement, and a pin Q passing vertically through the forked ends of
this arm forms the support for the work support. Upon this pin the horn is
mounted by a sleeve between the forks of the arm, so that it is free to have a
rotating movement, while the arm P is allowed to have a vertical movement with
the head without imparting any vertical movement to the work support, as the
play between the ends of the sleeve and the forked arms is equal to the greatest
vertical play of the head. Through the sleeve of the horn is a set screw by which
to fasten it to the pin Q at just the proper height.
In machines in which a rotating horn has been used it has always been turned
upon a fixed centre, but in my plan the centre upon which the horn revolves is
constantly changing in traversing an are over the base stud, yet always maintaining
its work supporting end in line with the spindle. By this construction it will be
seen that the work support also has a compound movement to carry it back and
forth sidewise to determine the distance between the screws, and perfect freedom to
be turned on its axis at the same time. The head is raised, as in Figure 12, to put
the work upon the support by means of a treadle R pivoted to the standard C, and
having a vertical rod S passing up through the base of the standard, and bearing
upon the forked arm P, where it is connected with the sleeve B supporting the head;
in releasing the treadle R the head E automatically adapts itself to the varying
thicknesses of the work.
It is necessary to prevent any vertical movement of the head during the operations
of inserting and cutting off the screw, and for this purpose I have devised an
automatic locking device constructed and operated as follows, namely:-A pin T,
Figure 10, rises from a projection on the standard, and is provided with a clamping
device consisting of two blocks 22 pivoted in a carrier T, which moves up and down
over the pin. The bearing surfaces of these blocks z conform to the shape of the
pin T, and are pivoted in the same horizontal line, so that when the carrier T is
kept horizontal these blocks will move easily vertically over the pin. The inner
end of this carrier T2 is fitted to move in a slot in the standard, and by which it is
held from moving sidewise. This carrier T is supported at its inner end by a
rod T³, the upper end of which is connected to the base of the head, while the lower
end passes some distance through the carrier, and has a spiral spring ², upon which
the inner end of the carrier rests with a nut resting upon the carrier so as to keep it
level when the head descends.
The outer end of the carrier is attached by a ball-and-socket joint to one end of a
vertical rod U, having a screw extension, its other end being connected by a similar
joint to the slotted end of an arm V, pivoted to the head with a branch V2 con-
necting it with a groove cam V³. Now so long as the carrier T2 is kept in a
horizontal position no clamping pressure of the blocks 22 is applied upon the pin T,
but as soon as one end is lowered the carrier becomes oblique to the positions of the
blocks, and hence the blocks will be caused to hear by reason of their pivots upon
the opposite sides of the pin T, and it is plain that any lifting upon the raised end
of the carrier must tend to clamp the pin more firmly. Just previous to the screw
touching the stock the cam V³ has raised the vertical rod U, and with it the outer
end of the carrier T2, thus clamping the pin. The rod U, which has tilted the
carrier, being connected to the head, any receding of the head from the work would
carry the rod U also higher, but which is prevented from so moving by reason of
the carrier refusing to slide over the pin T, so that the greater force exerted to raise
the head the more firm will be the grasp of the clamping device, thus making the

page_text: head as rigid as if it had no vertical movement during the operation of inserting the
screw.
In order to get the head back over the work to insert another screw it must be
raised from the stock, and consequently the lock must be taken off, the operation is
effected by the cam V³ forcing down the connecting rod U, and depressing the outer
end of the carrier T2, and applying the lock in the opposite direction; this operation
does not raise the head, but the rod U being prevented from any greater descent by
the clamp T, and the cam V3 having a still further throw exerts its force upon the
arm V pivoted to the head; therefore the head must rise, as all the force of the
cam V is transferred to elevate the pivoted end of the arm V connected therewith;
but the lock still remaining some provision must be made for such movement of the
head without disturbing the lock. This provision is made by the rod T³ connecting
the head E with the inner end of the carrier T2, Figure 10, which at this moment
is the highest, and the elevation of the head carries up this rod with it by com-
pressing the spiral spring a³, which bears against the lower side of the inner end of
the carrier, and this elevation of the head is preserved during part of its movement
to the right over the work, when the cam V³ again allows the head to drop down
suddenly upon the work, and compress the parts tightly together, the clamp having
been relieved from the pin T just previously to automatically determining the feed
of the wire and locking the head to insert another screw.
In uniting very thick work an auxiliary pressure of the head upon the work is
obtained by a rod W united to the head, and passing through the arm of the
standard with a spiral spring w², Figure 3, exorting a constant downward force upon
the head, which may be relieved when desired.
The locking device is automatic as regards time, and also works irrespective of
the relative height of the head above the horn, and holds the head equally for all
thicknesses of work.
The height to which the head may be raised is regulated by adjusting the ball-
and-socket connection in the slot z³, Figure 10, of the pivoted arm V nearer to or
farther from the head E to suit the thickness of the work to be screwed together.
This is important, because more elevation is needed when there is considerable
difference in the thickness of the same sole than with a sole of comparative
uniform thickness.
Hitherto the work has been moved over the horn in being fed, but in this machine
the work is held stationary while the support and the head move over the work to
bring them in a new position on the sole. In this arrangement the work is held
by a self-adjusting edge guide v, Figure 16, fitted in a bracket v³, and extending
beneath the cutter arms t. The point which acts on the edge of the sole is
roughened to hold the shoe, with slight pressure from moving back with the head
when taking a new feed. Its seizing end is kept up close to the arms which carry
the cutters by a spring v³ acting on its under side, so that it will always strike tho
edge of the sole at whatever height the head may be. It is adjustable lengthwise
by cogged connection with a hand lever vt so as to determine the distance of the
screws from the edge of sole.
To control the speed of the machine 1 employ a friction pulley X, which connects
with the driving pulley X2, Figure 1, and is operated to apply and release the
friction thereon by a treadle X3, a connecting rod X' from which forces a wedge 83
against a nut which bears against the friction pulley. This driving pulley is
arranged at the back of the standard, and the band therefrom passes over two
loose pulleys Y at right angles to the spindle pulley F, and as these pulley's rise and
fall with the head I compensate for the "slack" in the driving belt by means of a
take-up follower pivoted to the axis of the driving pulley, one arm of which
has a loose pulley bearing against the belt, and the other arm is weighted to
cause this pulley to bear against the belt, receding as the belt becomes taut, and
following it as it slackens, and thereby giving uniform driving power to the belt.
The spool F, Figures 14 and 15, for receiving the coil of wire, is mounted in a
frame f, which is screwed upon the top end of the spindle. It is provided with

page_text: curved fingers n² pivoted to the sides of the spool so as to be folded therewith
within the circumference to allow the coil to be placed upon the spool and held
thereon by turning the fingers 2 out, in which positions they are held by springs
n³ acting upon angular portions of their bearings. An interior spring gives the
spool the necessary friction operation of the machine: The machine having been
set in motion, and the wire a fed through the spindle D and between the feed rolls
H, with the head E pressing upon the stock, and the segment slide J in its
elevated position, the spindle revolving gripes and turns the screw-threaded wire
with it. The head is now locked upon the pin T by the cam V3 elevating the
outer end of the lock carrier T2 as to prevent the least ascent of the head. The
slide segment J is now caused to descend by the action of its cam L to feed down
the wire as fast as it enters the work. At this moment the head commences its
lateral movement to the left caused by the cam 0 operating the arm N³ of the
hollow post N, and said head turning upon its hollow post carrying the work with
its support in its proper supporting position, with its armed support P resting upon
the base stud 2, and preserving at all points its axial line of support, and upon
which it may be rotated. At this point the cam L, operating the slide segment J,
has forced it down, operating the feed rolls H and inserting the screw. The screw
having thus been inserted must be severed from the main length. Just at the
moment of severing the screw (which is effected by the stud cam w striking the
end of the pivoted arm M, causing its cogged end to revolve its geared pinion u³), the
ends of the cutter arms t approach each other and close the cutters 8, severing the
wire, after which the cutters open quickly by the action of the pressure spring x
forcing back the cogged end of the lever M, and thereby reverse the motion of the
pinion u opening the cutters, the upper end of the lever pressing upon the surface
of the cam cylinder L in readiness to be again operated by the stud cam w.
soon as the screw is inserted the cam V3 begins to force connecting rod U down,
releasing the lock, but continuing in the same direction, causes the clamp carrier T
to lock on the pin T in the opposite direction, the outer end of the clamp carrier
being now the lowest. The further revolution of the cam V³ still pressing upon
the rod U which can descend no farther, causes the pivoted end of the cam arın V
to rise and elevate thereby the head to release it from the stock. The head
being lifted clear of the stock the cam which operates the hollow post N2 by its
arms N3 and N* now reverses the lateral movement of the head, bringing it with
the work support to the right. The work being during this time pressed against
the edge guide v does not move from the position to which it was carried to the
left, hence it is retained in position for the insertion of the next screw.
As
Just previous to completing the movement of the head to the right the can V³
has elevated the rod U, bringing the clamp carrier level, and relieving the lock,
when a sharp curve in the cam allows the head and the rod to descend equally
without making the lock, and thereby pressing the layers of the work compactly
together so as to determine definitely the amount of wire needed for the next
screw. Just at this point the cam I, which operates the segment slide, recedes by a
sharp curve 2 and allows the pressure spring p to force down the third arm k',
and with it the vertical rod n, until it strikes upon the stop gauge o at whatever
height the head may be, and by this means arresting the ascent of the slide
segment J at this point and holding it there until the cam L again acts upon the
second arm to force down again the slide segment J, and bringing up the
vertical rod n in position to again set the feed at whatever height the head may be
above the work support.
In this way the screw wire is fed automatically and the screws are severed at
the right lengths in the line occupied by every revolution of the cam w, the
severing action being effected at the moment the screw reaches the work support,
and a short screw being inserted no quicker than a long one.
To remove work from and place it upon its support the operator has only to
place his foot upon the treadle and raise the head.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my

page_text: foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that although I have given a specific description of the several operating
devices of the machine, my Invention comprehends a broader principle than mere
construction. I do not therefore wish to be confined to the specific details
described, but may vary the same so long as the essential combinations and results
stated are obtained; nor do I wish to be confined to the manufacture of boots
and shoes, as the machine is well adapted for uniting the seams of hose, belting,
and other similar work, and although the horn has its advantages as a work
support, yet I do not wish to be confined to such device, but may use any proper
work support which will answer the purpose in properly presenting the work,
and I further wish it understood that I claim,―
First. In a machine for uniting the uppers to the soles of boots and shoes by
screws severed from a continuous wire, an automatic laterally reciprocating head
carrying the screw feeding, holding, inserting, and screw-severing mechanism to
determine the distance between the screws during the operation of inserting each
into the stock.
Second. In a machine for uniting the uppers to the soles of boots and shoes by
screws severed from a continuous wire, a rotating work support having also an
automatic laterally reciprocating movement to carry the work the distance between
cach screw while the latter are being inserted.
Third. In a machine for uniting the uppers to the soles of boots and shoes, the
combination with mechanism for feeding, holding, and inserting screws, and
severing them from a continuous wire of a work supporting horn having a
compound rotating and automatic laterally reciprocating movement, for the purpose
herein set forth.
Fourth. The combination in a machine which inserts and severs screws from a
continuous wire of a rotating work support having a compound rotating and
automatic laterally reciprocating movement, with a head carrying the feeding,
holding, and screw-severing mechanism, and having an automatic vertical and
lateral movement, as herein set forth:
Fifth. The combination in a machine for uniting the uppers to the soles of boots
and shoes by screws severed from a continuous wire of an automatically perfectly
vertical adjusting head E with a rotating work support A, as herein set forth.
Sixth. The combination of mechanism by which screws are cut from a continuous
wire and inserted in the stock of a head and a work support, having a simultaneous
and equal automatic laterally reciprocating movement, as herein set forth.
Seventh. The combination of a head which carries mechanism adapted to insert
various lengths of screws cut from a continuous length of wire, with a horn carried
thereby, and free to rotate on its axis at any point in its lateral movements with
the head, as herein set forth.
Eighth. The combination with a work support of an unintermittent griping
device for the screw-threaded wire, whereby said device has a continuous feeding
grasp upon the threaded wire during the operation of the machine, as herein set
forth.
Ninth. The combination with a work support of a revolving wire carrying
spindle D, having a vertical movement with and equal to that of the head, as
herein set forth.
Tenth. The combination with a work support of a revolving wire carrying
spindle D and an automatically regulated slide segment J for operating the uninter-
mittent pressing and griping device revolving with the spindle, as herein set
forth.
Eleventh. A screw-threaded wire suitably clamped and held by a continuous
grip to turn it with the spindle, while at the same time permitting it to have a free
feeding passage within and through such grip.
Twelfth. The combination with the screw wire carrying spindle D of feeding and.
griping rolls H, having annular screw threaded recesses and projections k, l, corre-

page_text: sponding with the threads of the wire for receiving the same and allowing the wire
to pass between them in the direction of its length, so that pressure may be applied
to grasp and feed the wire without injuring its threaded surface.
Thirteenth. A pair of rolls for seizing and feeding screw threaded wire, one or
both of which has annular projecting screw threaded edges 7, 1, adapted to the
threads of the wire, aud into which they enter in passing between the rolls,
whereby pressure is exerted upon the core or body of the wire at two or more
separate and distinct points.
Fourteenth. The combination of the wire carrying spindle D and its automati-
cally operating cogged slide segment J with its annular grooved geared pinions f
the pawl i, and the ratchet h, whereby the descent of the slide segment causes the
feed rolls to revolve and feed the wire while allowing the said slide segment to move
upward without giving motion to the feed rolls.
Fifteenth. The combination with the revolving wire carrying spindle D of feeding
and griping rolls H, constructed substantially as herein described for feeding screw
threaded wire with a rotating work supporting horn.
Sixteenth. A revolving wire carrying spindle D, provided with a nose D³, in
combination with the cutter supporting arms t, between which it enters, and the
rotating work supporting horn, whereby the wire is supported at the point of
the severance of the screw therefrom.
Seventeenth. In combination with an automatic vertically adjusting head E,
carrying the feeding, inserting, and severing devices, and a work support of an
automatic vertically adjusting edge guide for the work, as herein set forth.
Eighteenth. In combination with an automatic vertically adjusting head E,
carrying the feeding, inserting, and wire severing devices, an edge guide for the
work, having an automatic vertical adjustment, and an adjustment at right angles
to the feed of the work, as and for the purpose herein set forth.
Nineteenth. The combination with the revolving wire carrying spindle D and an
automatically adjusting head E of a wire coil carrying reel F, carried by said head,
and revolving with the spindle to deliver the wire to the same.
Twentieth. The wire coil carrying reel F, provided with pivoted curved fingers n³,
whereby they may be folded to put on the coil and turned outward to hold it in
place.
Twenty-first. The combination with a revolving wire carrying spindle having an
automatically operating slide segment J revolving therewith to operate the feeding
and griping devices, and a work support of means for automatically determining the
proper feed of the wire for the varying thicknesses of the work by governing the
movement of said slide segment.
Twenty-second. The combination with a wire carrying spindle having a slide J
revolving therewith for operating the feeding and griping devices of the vertical
rod n, adjustable gauge stop o, lever K, operated by a cam L and a spring p acting
upon said lever, whereby the relative height of the head above the fixed stop auto-
matically determines the feed of the wire.
Twenty-third. The combination with the revolving spindle D, and means for
automatically determining the feed of the wire, of means for throwing out of action
the feeding mechanism without arresting the revolving motion of the spindle and
without releasing the grasp of the feed rolls upon the wire.
Twenty-fourth. In a machine for inserting screws in the manufacture of boots
and shoes, the combination with an automatic vertically adjusting head and a work
support, of means for locking the head at any point corresponding to the thickness
of the work while inserting the screw.
Twenty-fifth. In a machine for inserting screws in the manufacture of boots and
shoes, the combination with an automatic vertically adjusting head E, a revolving
wire carrying spindle, and a work support of means for automatically raising the
head a definite height from the work, whether thick or thin, as herein described.
Twenty-sixth. In a machine for inserting screws cut from a continuous wire in

page_text: the manufacture of boots and shoes, the combination with an automatic vertically
adjusting head E, and a work support of a locking device which constitutes the
medium through which the head is both raised and kept from being raised.
Twenty-seventh. The employment in a machine for inserting screws in the manu-
facture of boots and shoes of a locking device, one end of which is attached to the
bead E and the other end connected to a lever V operated by the cam V³, whereby
the locking device is brought into and out of action.
Twenty-eighth. The combination in a machine for inserting screws in the manu-
facture of boots and shoes of a locking device for the head, and a rod T3 connecting
such device with the head, and having a yielding connection therewith, whereby
the head is allowed to rise when the locking device is in action.
Twenty-ninth. The locking device, consisting of a fixed pin T, pivoted clamping
blocks 22, and a movable carrier T, operating to clamp the pin T by the depression
or elevation of either end of the clamp carrier by the action of the operating
cam V³, as described.
Thirtieth. In combination with a rotating work supporting horn and the locking
device for the head of an adjustable lever device V, V3, 23, whereby the head is
caused to be lifted more or less by the lever v, as described.
Thirty-first. The combination with the work support and the vertically movable
head E of an auxiliary yielding rod W connecting the head with the standard to
increase the pressure of the head upon the stock to bring the parts of the work
close together, as herein set forth.
Thirty-second. A revolving wire carrying spindle with its feeding and uninter-
mittent griping rolls and a vertically moving slide segment J for feeding screw
threaded wire, in combination with the worm G operating the cam shaft by the
direct revolving motion of the spindle.
Thirty-third. The combination in a machine for inserting screws cut from a con-
tinuous wire in the manufacture of boots and shoes of a treadle R for lifting the
head E with the automatic laterally moving work support to place and remove the
work.
Thirty-fourth. The combination in a machine for inserting screws cut from a
continuous length of wire in the manufacture of boots and shoes of a friction
device operated by a treadle X³ with the vortically adjustable head, as described,
for controlling the speed of the machine.
Thirty-fifth. The combination in a screw inserting machine of a vertically
adjusting head, which carries the driving pulley for the spindle and a driving
pulley X carried by the standard with a take-up follower for making uniform the
driving power of the belt during the vertical movement of the head.
Thirty-sixth. In a machine for inserting screws in the soles of boots and shoes
cut from continuous screw threaded wire, the combination of the following instru-
mentalities, that is to say, a revolving wire carrying spindle, having the automatic
feed device, the unintermitting operating screw threaded griping rolls for holding
screw threaded wire while being fed, a device for severing the wire close to the
work, a work support, and an edge guide for the sole, which rises and falls with the
wire severing device, as herein set forth.
Thirty-seventh. The combination with a vertically adjusting head in a machine
for inserting screws cut from a continuous length of screw threaded wire of a
bracket P secured to the head stem, and furnishing a pivot support Q for the work
support, such bracket having freedom for vertical movement with the head over
the pivot pin Q and without disturbing the work support, as herein set forth.
Thirty-eighth. In a machine for inserting screws in the soles of boots and shoes
to unite them to the uppers, the combination of a revolving wire carrying spindle,
unintermittent griping rolls, a wire feeding mechanism, and a work support with
cutters having their cutting edges approaching in oblique lines, whereby the wire
is severed with a cutting edge on the entering end of each screw.
Thirty-ninth. The head E operated by suitable mechanism to have a slow side
movement while inserting the screw and a quick return into position to insert the

page_text: screw.
next screw into the work, the latter moving only during the operation of inserting
the screw,
and is held while the other parts move back over the work for the next
Fortieth. The head E made adjustable to vary its lateral reciprocating movement
to increase or diminish the distance between the screws to be inserted in the stock.
Forty-first. The fulcrum block of the head for maintaining the connection of the
latter with the standard at whatever height the head may be raised above the horn,
so that the oscillating post N2 must act whether the head is raised or lowered.
Forty-second. The method of determining the different lengths of screws to suit
the varying and different thicknesses of stock by setting the feed for each screw at
whatever height the head may be above the work support by means of a feeding
slide carried by the spindle and an automatically controlled rod carried by the head,
both co-operating through a single cam, so that the movable rod touches a fixed
stop upon the descent of the head, and thus operates as a base and determines
through the movement of the feeding slide the length of each screw, as herein set
forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Third day of March, in the year of our Lord One
thousund eight bundred and seventy_air
Witness,
LEWIS SANDERSON,
8, Southampton Bdgs.,
London.
WM. ROBT, LAKE. (L.S.)