Improvements in Leather-skiving Machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1896-Accepted, 27th Feb., 1897
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Leather-skiving Machines.
I, AMBROSE STEVENS VOSE, of 13 High Street, Boston, Massachusetts, United
States of America, Mechanic, 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 relates to a machine or apparatus for skiving counters for boots
and shoes, and has for its object to provide a simple and efficient machine for the
purpose described, and one with which a substantially wide scarf may be cbtained
on the sides and ends of the counter, whereby the scarfs on the sides of the counter
may be made so as to extend from substantially the center of the counter to its
opposite longitudinal edges and thereby leave the finished counter substantially
oval or curved in cross section, so that increased flexibility is imparted to the
counter. The scarfs at the ends of the counter are also made substantially deep or
wide so as to increase the flexibility of the counter at its ends.
The end and side scarfs are made in one operation by means of a revolving
circular or hoop knife, which travels transversely across a support for the counter
blank movable in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of rotation of
the circular or hoop knife. The counter blank support has its periphery normally
of circular cross-section, but is flattened off or formed with a recess or depression
at one or more points of a length substantially equal to the length of the counter
blank, to constitute or form one or more matrixes, which are of greater depth at
their center than at their sides, so that when a counter blank placed on the matrix
is brought in contact with the circular knife traveling in a circle of substantially
the same radius as the transverse curved periphery of the matrix support, the
counter blank will be cut or skived transversely from side to side, but owing to the
fact that the center portion of the counter is in substantially the same plane as
the cutting edge of the traveling knife, very little if any of the center portion of
the counter will be removed by the knife, while a substantially wide scarf will be
cut from the sides of the counter, which scarfs may and preferably will be of a
width substantially equal to one half of the width of the counter, and of a thickness
varying from a fine edge at the center of the counter to substantial thickness at the
sides of the counter.
The matrix is preferably made detachable from its support to permit various
lengths of counter blanks to be skived, and the matrix support is adjustable within
the circular knife to accurately position the matrix with relation to the circular
knife and thereby govern the thickness of the scarf removed from the counter
blank.
The machine is provided with a grinder for the knife, to permit both sides of the
cutting edge to be ground with different bevels while on the machine and in
operation, and the said machine may also be provided with an automatic feed for
the counter blanks.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a counter skiving machine embodying this
invention.
Fig. 2, a detail in elevation with parts broken out of the endless knife and matrix
and the driving mechanism for the latter.

page_text: Fig. 3, a detail in plan view of the counter feed to be referred to.
Fig. 4, a detail in elevation and section of the presser mechanism.
Fig. 5, details of the blank and counter to be referred to.
Fig. 6, an end elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1 looking toward
the left.
Fig. 7, a detail in elevation partially broken out of the matrix shown in Fig. 1.
Fig. 8, a diametrical section on the line 8-8, Fig. 7.
Figs. 9 and 10, sectional details to be referred to.
.
Referring to Figs. 1 and 6, A represents the main frame or support for the
operative parts, which is provided at its upper end with bearings for the main
shaft a, having mounted upon it suitable driving pulleys a 1, a 2, a 3, locate within
an opening a 4 in the framework. The shaft a has fast on it at one en 1, which my
be termed its inner end, a substantially semi-spherical knife carrier a 5, suitably
shaped on its inner circumference to receive a circular or hoop knife a 6 having a
cutting edge a 7, and which projects in front of the carrier as to practically form
an extension thereof. The circular or hoop knife a 6 has co-operating with it a
rotatable support or matrix for the counter blanks to be skived, and, in the present
instance, the rotatable support is shown as a wheel a 8 having a portion of its
periphery removed to receive a detachable matrix a 9, which is secured to the
wheel a 8 as by screws a 10, so that the matrix a 9 may be removed, if so desired,
to permit the substitution therefor of matrixes for different sizes and shapes of
counters. The matrix a 9 on its periphery is shaped or made so as to form a
recess a 12, which is of greater depth at its center and gradually merges with the
periphery of the matrix a 9 at the sides of the recess, so that a substantially wide
scarf may be made at the longitudinal sides of the counter blank, after the manner
represented by dotted lines in Fig. 5, the full periphery of the matrix being curved
transversely (see Fig. 8), and of substantially the same curvature as the knife a 6.
The matrix support or disk a 8 is rotatable in a plane substantially at right angles
to the plane of rotation of the circular knife a 6, and the said wheel or support is
mounted on a shaft a 13, having bearings in uprights a 14 a 15 (see Figs. 1 and 6),
erected upon a plate or bar a 15° (see dotted lines, Fig. 6), which is movable in a
frame or supporting plate a 16, provided with depending arms a 17 a 18 extended
substantially at right angles to the plate or bar a 15 and movable in suitable
guideways in a frame, shown as a top plate a 19 erected up in a vertical plate or
bar a 20, which is movable in guideways a 21 a 22 secured to or forming part of the
main frame A.
The plate a 20 is movable in a vertical plane by means of a screw a 23, extended
through a lug a 24 on the main frame A and through a lug a 25 on the plate a 20.
The frame or plate a 16 is movable on the plate a 19 substantially at right angles
to the movement of the plate a 20 by means of an adjusting screw a 30, extended
through a lug a 31 on the said plate and through a depending lug a 32 (see Figs. 1
and 6) on the underside of the plate a 16 between the arms a 17 a 18; and the plate
or bar a 15 is movable in the frame or plate a 16 substantially at right angles to
the movement of the plate a 16, by means of an adjusting screw a 34, extended
through a lug a 35 on the plate a 16 and into a suitably threaded socket in the end
of the plate a 15%. The plate a 15, as above described, has erected upon it the
uprights a 14 a 15, which support the shaft a 13 upon which the matrix-supporting
wheel a 8 is mounted, and, from the above description, it will be seen that the
matrix-supporting wheel is bodily movable or is adjustable within the hoop knife a 6
in three different directions, namely, first, radially in a vertical direction, effected
by means of the adjusting screw a 23; second, axially in a horizontal direction by
means of the adjusting screw a 30, and third, radially in a horizontal direction by
means of the adjusting screw a 34. The matrix wheel a 8 may be revolved as will
now be described.
The supporting frame or plate a 15 has mounted upon it an upright a 40, forming
bearings for one end of a shaft a 41, having its other end supported in the
upright a 15, the said shaft having mounted upon it a large gear a 42 and a small

page_text: rear or pinion a 43 (see Figs. 2 and 6), which latter meshes with an intermediate
rear or pinion a 44, which, in turn, meshes with pinion or gear a 45 (see Fig. 2)
East on the shaft a 13 of the matrix-supporting wheel. The large gear a 42 meshes
with and is driven by a pinion a 50 on a shaft a 51, having bearings in journal
boxes a 52, a 53, a 54, the journal box a 52 being vertically movable in a suitable
slot in the upright frame a 40, and the journal boxes a 53, a 54 being vertically
movable in suitable slots in the uprights a 15 a 14; the said journal boxes being
normally held stationary by suitable springs a 60 located above them, as represented
in Fig. 1, and adapted to be acted upon by adjusting screws a 61, a 62. a 63, by
which the tension of the said springs may be regulated. The springs a 60 permit
the shaft a 51 to have a vertical or yielding movement, and thereby permit a feed
roll mounted upon the said shaft to accommodate itself to counters of varying
thicknesses. The feed roll referred to, is preferably made as herein shown and
consists of a plurality of toothed er serrated wheels or disks b, (see Fig. 4), mounted
upon the shaft a 51 and secured thereon so as to leave spaces between the adjacent
disks, for the passage between them of presser fingers 1, secured to or forming
part of levers 2 mounted upon a pivot or rod 3, supported at its opposite
ends in side bars or links 64 of a frame pivotally mounted as at b5 to the
uprights a 14 a 15.
Each of the levers 2 is spring-pressed at its rear end, and, in the present
instance, each lever has pivotally secured to it a rod 6, extended through a
suitable hole in the bar or frame 67 and encircled by a spring 68, the tension of
which is regulated by a nut 69 on the threaded end of the rod 66. The presser
fingers and the sectional feed roll co-operate together to hold the counter blank
which is being cut, firmly down upon the matrix, so as to effect a more efficient
skiving of the blank 10 shown in Fig. 5. The counter blanks b 10, shown in
section in Fig. 5, and by dotted lines in Fig. 1, are preferably automatically fed to
the matrix by means of a feed mechanism, preferably made as herein shown, and
consisting of a bar or plate & 12 (see Figs. 1 and 3) secured to or forming the upper
surface of a sliding bar 613, the plate 12 being movable in suitable guides 614
in the sides of a box or receptacle b 15 for the counter blanks, the sliding plate b12
being reciprocated, as herein shown, by means of a connecting rod 16 joining
cranks 17 on the shaft a 40, to a pin or projection 618 adjustably secured to the
sliding bar & 13, the said pin or projection &18 being extended through a slot & 19
in the sliding bar and secured thereto by a nut 620. The counter blanks 10 to
be skived are placed in the box 6 15 at one end, and the feed bar or plate 6 12 is
made of substantially the same thickness as a blank, and acts upon the lowermost
of the said blanks so as to project the same froin the box 15 forward onto the
matrix, the said blank being supported outside of the hox 15 by an extension of
the bottom plate of the box, until the blank is seized by the feed roll and matrix.
The reciprocation of the feed bar b 12 and the rotation of the matrix wheel a 8 are
so timed, that the counter blank will be fel from the box so as to rest in proper
position on the matrix and be engaged by the latter and the presser fingers and
feed roll, so that on the continued revolution of the matrix wheel, the counter
blank will be held firmly onto the matrix; and as the matrix and the feed roll b
are rotated in opposite directions, the counter blank will be gripped by the roll
and the matrix, and be carried forward with the matrix; and when the blank has
been carried beyond the feed roll b, it is acted upon by the rotating hoop knive a 6,
which cuts the blank transversely from one longitudinal side to the other, removing
two substantially wide scarfs as represented by the dotted lines in Fig. 5. By
reason of the recess a 12 of the matrix being of greater depth at its center than at
its sides, the center of the counter is left of greater thickness than its sides or
edges, so that increased flexibility is imparted to the counter at its sides or edges,
while the center portion of the counter is left of greater thickness to give it the
5 desired stiffness.
In the operation of the machine herein shown, the circular or hoop knife is
subjected to severe usage, and in order that the cutting edge a 7 of the hoop knife

page_text: may be sharpened without interfering with its operation, I have provided the
machine with a grinder for the knife, which grinder, as herein shown, consists of
an emery or other suitable wheel c, (see Fig. 6) mounted on a shaft el having
bearings in a yoke or frame e 2, provided with an arm ex adjustably secured in a
block 3, which is clamped to the substantially flat end e4 of a rod or pin e 5,
extended through the hub c6 on an upright 7, fastened to the frame A as by
bolts e8, the said upright being provided, as herein shown, with an arm e 9, which
is secured to the frame as by a bolt e 10 (see Fig. 1). The rod e5 is adjustably
secured in the hub c6 by means of a set screw c 12, and the block c 3 is secured
to the flattened end c4 of the rod c5, by a screw-threaded bolt c 14 extended up
through the block e 3 and the flattened end e 4, and engaged by a hand nut e 15.
The arm of the yoke e2 is preferably made dovetailed as represented in
Fig. 10, so as to enter a dovetailed recess c20 in the block c 3, and the said arm
is adjustable in its dovetailed recess by means of a hand screw c21, extended
through the end of the block c3 and into a threaded socket c 22 in the arm ex.
The dovetailed arm e is adapted to be rendered fast to the block 3 by a set
screw 25 and a shim c 26. The bolt c 14 is provided with a round head as repre-
sented in Figs. 9 and 10, so that the block c3 may be turned on the said bolt as a
pivot, after the clamping nut 15 has been loosened; which permits the yoke e 2
to be turned on the bolt e 14 as a pivot, and thereby permits the grinding tool to be
engaged with both sides of the 'knife edge, to thereby provide the cutting edge
with two different bevels.
The shaft c1 is longitudinally movable in the arms of the yoke 2 to withdraw
the grinding wheel e from engagement with one side of the knife edge and permit
it to be engaged with the other side of said edge. The block e 3 may be positively
locked against rotation by means of a threaded piu or bolt c 31, which extends
through the flattened portion c4 of the bar e 5, and into a suitable socket e 32 in
the block c3. The shaft c1 is rotated, as herein shown, by means of a belt c 40,
passed about a small pulley e41 on the shaft e 1 and about a substantially large.
pulley c42 on a shaft c 43, having bearings in suitable brackets or arms c44 c45
secured to the side of the frame A as by bolts e46, e47, the said shaft having
mounted upon it a substantially small pulley e48 in line with the pulley 3 on the
knife shaft a, and about which latter pulley is passed a suitable belt, not herein
shown. The matrix wheel a 8 has co-operating with it a counter-discharging chuted,
which is provided with a curved portion, shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, which is
projected into the revolving boop knife at the rear of its cutting edge, and which
also embraces the matrix wheel, so that the counter, which has been skived, is
directed by the rotation of the matrix wheel into the curved upper portion of the
chute d and is directed out therefrom in front of the machine."
The links 64 are joined by a cross or tie bar h (see dotted lines, Fig. 6), and
one of the said links has extended through it an adjusting screw 1 (see Figs. 4
and 6), which strikes a stationary part of the supporting frame and thereby enables
the presser fingers 61 to be properly placed over the matrix.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of any said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A skiving machine comprising a rotatable circular knife or cutter, a support
for the material to be skived movable bodily toward, beyond and within the cutting
edge of the said circular knife, a supporting frame for the counter support
adjustable axially with relation to the said circular knife, and means to hold the
material on the support while it is acted upon by the rotatable circular knife,
substantially as described.
2. A skiving machine comprising a rotatable circular knife or cutter, a rotatable
matrix or support for the material to be skived having its periphery movable
toward and within the cutting edge of the said circular knife, a supporting frame
adjustable with relation to said knife axially and radially, and in which the said

page_text: matrix is mounted, and means to hold the material on its matrix or support,
substantially as described.
3. A leather skiving machine comprising a rotatable circular or hoop knife or
cutter, a matrix or support for the material movable bodily axially and radially
within the rotatable circular or hoop knife, a support for said matrix adjustable
axially and radially with relation to the sail knife to effect the axial and rudial
movements of the matrix within the said circular knife, and means to hold the
material on its support while it is being acted upon by the circular knife,
substantially as described.
4. A counter skiving machine comprising a rotatable circular or hoop knife or
cutter, a support for the counters movable bodily axially within the rotatable
circular or hoop kuite and provided with a transversely curved surface of
substantially the same curvature as the circular knife, having a portion thereof
intermediate of the siles of the support removed to form a matrix of greater
depth at its center than at its sides, whereby the counter may be skived or cut
on both sides on the passage of the knife in one direction over the said support,
and means to hold the counters in the matrix of the said support, substantially as
described.
5. A skiving machine comprising a rotatable circular knife or cutter, a support
movable bodily within and across the path of movement of the said knife and
beyond its cutting edge and provided with a transversely curved surface of
substantially the same curvature as the circular knife and having a portion thereof
intermediate of its sides removed to form a matrix of greater depth at its center
than at its sides, and means to hold the counter on its matrix while it is being acted
upon by said kuife, and a supporting frame for the said matrix support adjustable
axially and radially within the said circular knife, substantially as described.
6. A counter skiving machine comprising a matrix wheel revolving in a substan-
tially vertical plane, a circular or hoop knife revolving in a plane substantially at
right angles to the plane of revolution of the matrix wheel, a presser roll
co-operating with the matrix wheel, and an automatically operated counter blank
feed, substantially as described.
7. A counter skiving machine comprising a inatrix wheel revolving in a substan-
tially vertical plane, a circular or hoop knite revolving in a plane substantially at
right angles to the plane of revolution of the matrix wheel, a presser roll
co-operating with the inatrix wheel, and a rotating grinder co-operating with the
said circular or hoop kuife, substantially as described.
8. A counter skiving machine comprising a matrix wheel provided with a
detachable matrix having its periphery provided with a counter-receiving recess of
unequal depths, a feed roll co-operating with said matrix wheel, a receptacle for
the counter blanks, an automatically operated feed mechanism movable in said
receptacle, and a knife movable transversely over the said matrix and curved to
skive both sides of the counter blank in one operation, substantially as described.
9. A counter skiving machine comprising a matrix wheel provided with a counter-
receiving recess of unequal depths, a feed roll co-operating with said matrix wheel,
a receptacle for the counter blanks, an automatically operated feed mechanism
movable in said receptacle, a knife movable transversely over the said matrix and
curved to skive both sides of the counter blank in one operation, and a discharge
chute having its upper end curved to embrace the matrix wheel at the rear of the
cutting edge of the knife, substantially as described.
Dated this 20th dose of November 1896
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.