A Machine or Apparatus for Rounding Spun Leather Laces.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Apr., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 27th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 29th July, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Machine or Apparatus for Rounding Spun Leather Laces.
I, SAMUEL ÜLDERSHAW, of No. 29, Saint Saviour's Road, Leicester; in the County
of Leicester, Carriage Builder and General Smith, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows;-
This invention relates to a machine or apparatus for rounding spun leather laces
ready for the rolling machine, hitherto such process has been attended by
difficulties inasmuch that the lace has had to be skived before being put through
the tube cutters as now employed.
The object of this invention is to obviate this and provide a series or system
of flat diagonally disposed knives or cutters with a keen edge similarly to a chisel,
and at intervals therein half circular grooves are made through which the laces are
pulled by the operator in rounding them. To carry out this invention the machine
or apparatus is constructed in the following manner. Two knives or cutters are
made, and one end turned to an angle and bored so that each may be secured to
its bearing, the other end is ground, and half circular grooves cut at intervals in
the cutting face of the knives, each to correspond when bringing the two knives
or cutters together. The knife bearings are made of a suitable shape, and capable
of being fitted to a bench or the like. To one of the uprights the lower, or
stationary knife is secured with its cutting edge uppermost, while the upper or
movable knife is secured with its cutting edge downwards, and quite level with
the lower or stationary knife. The bearings of said upper knife move on a pivot,
so that the knife can by pressing a foot treadle be raised for placing the laces in
the grooves in the lower knife. When this has been done, the upper knife falls
again under the influence of a suitable spring connected to the pivotal bearings,
and the operator then takes hold of the lace or laces that are in between the
knives and pulls them through at one pull, a hand wheel and roller or rollers may
be employed for taking off the rounded lace or laces, but it can be done equally
as quick, possibly quicker by hand, whatever the length.
The upper or movable knife or cutter may be made to turn up instead of lift
up, by fitting in a hinged bracket or the like, or it may slide and be adjusted and
wedged like unto a carpenters plane, relatively to the stationary knife. To protect
the operator a suitable guard may be placed over the keen edge of the knives
and the lace or laces passed therethrough. Or has an alternative both knives may
be worked in angular slide brackets, and in this case be made similar to ordinary
chisels, with the before mentioned half circular grooves hollowed out in their
cutting faces, and the upper knife bracket work on pivots so that the operator
can raise it by means of a handle instead of foot treadle.
The aforesaid machine or apparatus may be put in rows in series, but each upper
knife raised by separate foot treadle or handle as the case may be..
Dated this 30th day of March 1899.

page_text: .
I, SAMUEL OLDERSHAW, of No. 29, Saint Saviour's Road, Leicester, in the County
of Leicester, Carriage Builder and General Smith, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
larly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to a machine or apparatus for rounding spun or straight
cut leather laces ready for the rolling machine; hitherto such process has been
attended by difficulties inasmuch that the lace has had to be skived before being
put through the tube cutters in the form of punches as now employed.
The object of this invention is to obviate this and provide a series or system of
flat or other diagonally disposed. knives or cutters with a keen edge similarly to a
chisel, and at intervals therein half circular grooves are made through which,
when both cutters have been brought together the laces are pulled by the operator
in rounding them. That this invention may be clearly understood drawings are
annexed in which:-
Figure 1 is an upper plan view of one form of knife and Figure 2 an under
view of same.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of the two knives or cutters in the position ready
for pulling the laces through the grooves D'. Several different shaped, and size of
groove is shown in this figure which will differ according to the size and shape of
the lace required.
Such round, oval or similar section grooves are made to correspond in both
cutters.
Figure 4 is a front view of the machine or apparatus arranged for fixing to a
bench or counter.
Figure 5 an end view of same, and Figure 6 also an end view with the jaws
or cutters brought together by depressing the foot treadle connected to rod H
after the laces have been laid in the hollow grooves of the lower or stationary
jaw B.
shows in a side view an alternate method of setting and securing the
Figure
movable upper jaw B.
Figure 8 represents the front of a row or series of jaws or cutters having one
hollowed out groove D₁ in each, the sides of each jaw being rounded off at D² to
facilitate the passing of the laces without jamming.
Figure 9 is a top view of one of the jaws seen in the previous figure, and
Figure 10 shews the movable and stationary jaws fitting together.
The same letters of reference are employed to denote like parts in all the figures.
To carry out this invention the machine or apparatus A is arranged in the
following or equivalent manner. The jaws or cutters B and B are severally made
of good steel, the ends b and b¹ being turned up vertical from the blade and bored
so that they can be secured by a screw and nut 2, and 3, or the like to suitable
bearings and C, the angular ends being ground straight to a keen edge and
the half circular or similar shaped grooves D and D' cut therein at equal distances
as seen in Figures 1 and 2 or separately in each jaw as seen in Figures 8 and 9, or
at equal intervals in the cutting faces of the knives so that each will correspond
and come together when the jaws are closed, as seen in Figures 3, 6, 7 and 10 of
the accompanying drawings. The knife bearings C and C are made of
any suit.
able shape and size, the former pivotally attached to the uprights E by pin and
cotter el, the latter Csecurely fastened to and between the uprights E, and to the
plate F by which the machine is secured to the counter or bench G. The lower

page_text: or stationary knife B is secured to the bottom bearing C¹ with its cutting edge
or grooved side uppermost, while the upper or movable knife B is secured to its
bearing with its grooved side downwards. When the laces have been placed
in the grooves D₁ the operator presses down a foot treadle (not shown) con-
nected to the rod H which is hooked on to the lever I fitted to the side of the
movable cutter bearing C, and the two jaws are brought together in the position as
shown in the figures immediately above referred to. The movable bearing C
works in the guide bracket J, and upon the release of the foot treadle the jaws
are separated as in Figures 4 and 5 by influence of the spring K fitting round a
pink, in the uprights E.
When the machine or apparatus is in the working position; the laces L placed
thereien, and the cutting jaws closed thereon, the operator takes hold of the front
end of the laces and pulls them through at one pull.
The upper or movable knife or cutter B may be made to turn up instead of being
lifted up, as shown by fitting to a hinged bracket (not shown). Or it may slide
and be adjusted to the fixed lower one by a screw 6, and wedged 65, like unto a
carpenters plane in a case 66 "see Figure 7." Or has an alternative arrange-
ment both cutters may slide in angular brackets and in this case made like
ordinary chisels except that the before mentioned half circular grooves are made
or hollowed out in their cutting faces. Or the upper knife bracket may work on
a pivot or pivots so that the operator can lower or raise it by aid of a hand lever
or handle attached to the pivotal bearings without departing from the spirit of
this invention.
The aforesaid machine or apparatus may be put in rows or series as shown in
Figures 8 to 10 inclusive and such series of cutters fitted to their bearings as in
Figure 1 and operated either by a foot treadle, hand lever or handle as the case
may be.
Said apparatus will be found useful in rounding or cutting into a round or oval
section leather in the preparation of belt laces, dog leads, whip lashes, also in
leather used in the manufacture of dog muzzles, and spun or straight cut leather
boot laces by employing for such purpose any hollowed half section hole and
groove in a jaw that opens and closes on to a corresponding stationary jaw as
hereinbefore described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is;-
1. In rounding or cutting into a round or oval section spun or straight cut
leather laces the employment of any hollowed out half section hole and groove
in the knife end of a jaw or cutter that opens and closes on to a correspondingly
stationary hollowed out half sectionally grooved jaw or cutter, substantially as
lescribed with reference to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the accompanying drawings.
2. In rounding or cutting into a round or oval section spun or straight cut
leather laces the employment of any hollowed out half section hole and groove
in the knife ends of a series of jaws or cutters that opens and closes on to a series
of correspondingly stationary hollowed out have sectionally grooved jaws or
cutters, substantially as described with reference to Figures 8 to 10 inclusive of
the accompanying drawings.
3. A machine or apparatus for rounding spun or straight cut leather laces con-
structed and arranged substantially as described with reference to Figures 4 to 7
inclusive of the accompanying drawings.
W. BESTWICK MAXFIELD,
34, Belvoir Street, and Regent House, Leicester,
Registered Patent Agent, Applicant's Agent.