Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Folding and Preparing Parts of Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 19th Dec., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machinery or Apparatus for Folding and Preparing
Parts of Boots and Shoes.
We FRANK FORRESTER STANLEY of Swampscott, Superintendent, and
CHARLES WILLIAM SHIPPEE of Milford, Inventor, both in the State of Massa-
chusetts one of the United States of America do hereby declare the nature of this
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention has for its object the production of a novel machine for folding and
preparing uppers and linings for the reception of goring.
One part of this invention therefor, consists in the combination with a table, and
a heater secured thereto and provided with an inlet and outlet for a heating medium,
of folding and pressing plates provided on their undersides where corners or sharp
bends are to appear in the folded edges, with channels or recesses by which to form
a pleat or pleats in the material, and with a longitudinally movable carriage and
clamping plate to operate, substantially as will be described.
Fig. 1, is a top or plan view of a machine embodying our invention, the clamping
plate being broken off to show the heater and bed plate below it.
Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of the machine shown in Fig. 1 on line x-x.
Fig. 3, an under side view on an enlarged scale of one of the clamping plates.
Fig. 4 an edge view on an enlarged scale of one of the clamping plates shown in
Figs. 1 and 3.
Fig. 5 a detail of one half of a lining of a congress shoe folded as and by means
already known.
Fig. 6, a detail of a lining folded with the machine-shown in Fig. 1, according to
our improvements.
Fig. 7 a detail on an enlarged scale of a portion of the lining shown in
Fig. 6.
Fig. 8 is a section in the line -, Fig. 1 and
Fig. 9 is a top or plan view of the clamping plate.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, A shows a heater secured to a metal frame or plate A¹,
and having a steam inlet pipe a and a steam outlet pipe a', the said frame having
suitable feet a² by which the machine may be screwed or otherwise secured to a
table, not shown."
The heater A is provided at its upper face with lugs a³, shown chiefly by dotted
lines, Fig. 1, inclined with relation to a central line through the heater from end to
end, the said lugs entering grooves a, at the under side of the pressing or folding
plates a, a, there being as herein shown three such parallel slots or channels for
each folding plate.
The folding plates a, a, see Fig. 3, are each composed of a long arm 2, and a
short arm 3 extended substantially at right angles to the arm 2, and the said plates
are connected by links a', to a lever a, pivoted at a³, to the bed plate A¹.
The folding plates a, a when closed together, are of substantially the shape of
the opening to be left in the folded lining.
These folding plates a³, as are provided with gauges b b¹, connected thereto by
screws 62, 63.
The bed plate A¹ is provided with a movable carriage A* which is herein shown
as secured to rods a20 extended through openings in lugs a" depending from the
under side of the bed plate.
The carriage A has secured to it by hinges b, a clamping plate 65 provided
preferably with a suitable handle 66, having a non-conducting cover b'; the said
clamping plate having an opening to conform with the shape of the edges of the
folding plates.

page_text: According to known methods of manufacture the cloth entering into the formation
of the top folds or lips (marked a and e) constituting the top folds of the lining
(see Fig. 5,) is disconnected from the lips or folds (marked band d,) and as a result
thereof, the lining is weakened at the point of junction of the said folds, and an
objectionable ragged edge is left.
One of the features of our present invention, is to so construct the folding
plates a, a, that when the lining is folded, the top folds a and e will be integral
with and connected to the side folds ↳ and d, thus greatly strengthening the lining
at such parts and leaving a smooth crimped or folded edge, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7
all about the opening.
We accomplish this feature of our invention by providing the folding plates a³, aº,
with crimping or pleating notches or grooves, as c at their under side at the junction
of the long portion 2, and the short portion 3 of the said folding plates, see
Fig. 3.
The notches or grooves e preferably made of the shape shown in Figs. 3 and 4
(they being wide at their mouth and extending back to substantially a point), afford
room for the surplus cloth in the lining and enable it to be notched or gathered to
form a crimp or pleat to constitute an additional fold c', shown best in Fig. 7, just
at the corner where the side lips or folds meet.
The pressure upon the folding plates to effect the folding of the edges of the
lining, may be obtained as represented by a sheet metal spring e³, secured to the
heater as by screws c', or the said pressure may be obtained in any other desired or
equivalent manner, and when the edges of the lining have been folded, the carriage A*
and the clamping plate thereon, may be drawn back longitudinally from under and
between the folds and when cleared from the folds, the said plate is automatically
raised ready for the next lining to be placed in position by a counter-balance shown
as a weight B2 on a curved arm d¹º, secured to the clamping plate.
After the said clamping plate is withdrawn from the folis, the latter may be more
firmly pressed or ironed by pressure exerted upon the folding plates.
The machine herein described may be also used for folding the tops and facings
of balmorals and button shoes.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
In machinery or apparatus for folding and preparing parts of boots and shoes.
1:- The combination with a heater and folding plates, each provided with a
crimping or pleating notch or groove e to form a crimp, pleat or fold c¹ of a table,
and a clamping plate, and a longitudinally movable carriage to which the said
clamping plate is attached, to operate, substantially as described.
2The combination with a table A, a heater, and folding plates, of a clamping
plate and a longitudinally movable carriage supported by the table and to which
the clamping plate is secured.
3: The combination with a table A, a heater, and folding plates provided with
notches or grooves c, of a clamping plate and a longitudinally movable carriage
supported by the table and to which the clamping plate is secured.
4:-The combination with a table A, a heater, and folding plates, of a clamping
plate and a movable carriage supported by the table and to which the clamping
plate is secured, and a counterbalance secured to the clamping plate, substantially
as described.
Dated the 16th der of November 1901
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicants.