AN IMPROVED SYSTEM OF MANUFACTURING CLOG SOLES, PATTEN BOARDS, AND SIMILAR ARTICLES BY MACHINERY
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Robert John Jones, of Blue Pits, near Rochdale,
in the County of Lancaster, Timber Merchant, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVED SYSTEM OF MANUFACTURING CLOG SOLES, PATTEN BOARDS, AND
SIMILAR ARTICLES BY MACHINERY."
Sealed the 8th August 1865, and dated the 14th February 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Robert John Jones at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th
February 1865.
I, ROBERT JOHN JONES, of Blue Pits, near Rochdale, in the County of
Lancaster, Timber Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED SYSTEM OF MANUFACTURING CLOG SOLES, PATTEN BOARDS,
AND SIMILAR ARTICLES BY MACHINERY," to be as follows:-
This Invention consists in manufacturing clog soles, patten boards, and
similar articles by machinery instead of by manual labour, as hitherto
adopted.
I first take the log or tree and cut into lengths (by. a circular saw)
sufficient for one block or sole, and this I cut up at the heart or centre so as
to divide it in two sides or flitches which are squared up by the circular saw
to the required size for a block. In cases where the flitches or sides
make more than one block I save material by cutting the blocks wedge-
shaped in the deep cut way, thereby leaving the thin end of the wedge for
the heel, and the thick end for the toe, thus obviating the waste of material

page_text: in cutting the heel down; the block is then taken to the machine for forming
the inside. The said block is held on a sliding table, either by a lever over
the top, or at the end or side, this lever being held firm by the hand of the
operative, or by a cam or other motion. The block when secured on the table
is allowed to slide either over or under a shaft having a head or chuck secured
on it, to which head suitable cutters are fastened by set screws or other
means, which cutters shape the inside of the block to the required form, and
when the inside has been shaped the table is drawn back, the block taken
out and replaced by another. The table may also have a number of blocks
secured thereon at one time, and the sliding be a continuous motion, the
blocks disengaging themselves at the end, and the table returning by other
slides ready for refilling; or the blocks may be secured to a large revolving
drum instead of the sliding table. The outside of the block is then shaped
by similar means, the heads having side cutters secured where the heel is sunk
to assist the working out of the shank by the revolving cutters. The edges
are now cut to shape by revolving cutters of a suitable form placed on a shaft
parallel to the edge of the block to be cut. For this purpose the block is
secured either on the end or on the face of the table in a bevil or flat position,
as required; it is secured by the end or extremity of a lever or screw, and
the part that comes in contact with the sole has a stamp or die with the size
of sole on, thereby impressing the size of sole on the face of it, as well as
securing it for being operated upon by the cutters. When the sole is held
firm the table is worked past the cutters that are revolving, thereby cutting
the edge of the sole; the table then returns and is fed again, or it may have
a continuous motion as before, and be self-filling and feeding. The heel must
now be rounded; this is done by means of a number of cutters secured to a
head on a revolving shaft. The sole is placed in a gauge block set to receive
it; and this gauge block works on a pin in a slide on a table set to an incli-
nation to suit the bevil of the sole (if any), the block is then drawn up to the
cutters, and worked round in a semicircle to round the heel, and if the heel
wants more bevil at the back than at the sides the toe of the sole has to be
raised in proportion in the block; if the toes want rounding they are acted
upon in a similar manner. The sole must now be grooved for the upper
leather; this is performed by means of a saw having a V-shaped edge, with
another saw underneath, or at the top with a bevil edge to take the sharp edge
off so as not to cut the leather. The V-shaped saw may be in two parts if
required, or otherwise combined to form a groove. The soles may be also
grooved by revolving cutters of a form to represent the V and bevil cutter,
combined or separate, wedged, or otherwise secured to a suitable head.. The

page_text: sole rests on a gauge or fence, and is pressed against another gauge or fence,
which may be set to any required pitch or depth so as to make any size or
bevil of groove, the sole is pressed against the fences, and worked round by
the hands of the operative, thus presenting the sole to the action of the cutters
or saws. The sole is now completed by hollowing the inside to fit the foot;
this is performed by means of heads or chucks of a radius to suit the curve
required, the said heads carrying cutters of the same form secured by screws
or wedges, or other suitable means. The operative holds the sole in the
required position to be hollowed, either by hand or other contrivance; the sole
may also be hollowed by having the inside moulding, or other suitable cutters,
cutting the hollow transversely, either when the sole is first formed inside or
in a separate operation, the cutters being set to a radius of the required curve
for hollowing the sole. In right and left soles the rise of the instep may
be left full on the inside, as required, to fit the foot, by placing the block
diagonally (in proportion to what is required) with the shaft which carries
the cutters.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Robert John Jones in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
14th August 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ROBERT
JOHN JONES, of Blue Pits, near Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, Timber
Merchant, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-eighth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Ier heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Robert John Jones, Her special license that I, the said Robert
John Jones, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said Robert John Jones, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"AN IMPROVED SYSTEM OF MANUFACTURING CLOG SOLES, PATTEN BOARDS, AND
SIMILAR ARTICLES BY MACHINERY," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Robert John Jones, my executors or administrators, by an instru-

page_text: ment in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should
particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next, and
immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Robert John Jones, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement thereof, reference being had to the figures and letters on the
accompanying Sheet of Drawings (that is to say):-
This Invention consists in manufacturing clog soles, patten boards, and
similar articles by machinery instead of by manual labour, as hitherto
adopted.
I first take the log or tree and cut it into lengths (by a circular saw)
sufficient for one block or sole, and this I cut up at the heart or centre so as
to divide it into two sides or flitches, which are squared up by the circular
saw to the required size for a block. In cases where the flitches or sides make
more than one block, I save material by cutting the blocks wedge-shaped in
the deep-cut way, thereby leaving the thin end of the wedge for the heel, and
the thick end for the toe, thus obviating the waste of material in cutting
the heel down. The block is then taken to the shaping machine represented
in the end and front views, Figs. 1 and 2, for forming the inside. The said
block is shewn at a, it is held on a sliding table b, either by a lever c on the
top, or at the end or side, this lever being held firm by the hand of the
operative, or by a can or other contrivance. The block when secured on
the table is allowed to slide either over or under a shaft d, having a head or
chuck e secured on it, to which head suitable cutters f are fastened by set
screws or other means, which cutters have revolving motion imparted to them,
and shape the inside of the block to the required form, and when the inside
has been shaped the table is drawn back, the block taken out, and replaced
by another. In right and left hand soles the rise of the instep may be left
full on the inside, as required to fit the foot, by placing the block diagonally
(in proportion to what is required) with the head or chuck which carries the
cutters. The blocks are now removed to the machine shewn in the side and
end views, and plan, Figs. 3, 4, and 5, in order that their edges may be cut
to shape by revolving cutters of a suitable form. For this purpose there are
a number of templates 9 fixed flat on sliding tables h, on which templates the
blocks a are held fast at the toe and heel by projections, and screws or wedges.
The templates are formed for enabling half the length of the edges to be cut

page_text: by one cutter at each side, aud the other half by another cutter at each side;
one pair of cutters revolving in an opposite direction to the other pair for
suiting the grain of the wood, or they may all revolve in the same direction.
To the frame k are fixed four vertical rods or stationary shafts 1, carrying four
swing frames m, held together at the top by springs n, and having vertical
shafts o, to which are fixed bevilled cutters p and rollers q for being in contact
with the templates. On each rod there is a pulley s with four grooves, two
grooves of each pulley connected by bands t from the driving shaft u, and the
other grooves of the pulleys are connected by bands to the pulleys won
the vertical shafts for turning the cutters p. When the blocks are properly
fixed on the templates and sliding tables the machine is put in gear, and the
pulleys give a quick revolving motion to the cutters, and when the tables are
worked past the cutters, the said cutters move in and out according to the
shape of the templates, and shape first one-half of the length of the edges,
and then the other half. In order to maintain the machine in full work there
are several tables on which blocks are fastened, so that fresh tables and blocks
can be continuously supplied to the machine. The tables work in grooves in
the framework, and are pushed onwards by a worm r gearing into racks on
the bottom of the tables, and when the foremost table is leaving the machine,
another is entered into the back of the grooves, and so on one after the other,
and the inside and outside of the sole may be shaped by holding the blocks
on their edges in suitable slides, and having templates and cutters of the
required form.
The next operation consists in sinking the heel and cutting out the shank,
and for this purpose I employ revolving cutters formed of the required size
and shape. In the end view, Fig. 6, the cutters are shewn at x, they are
fixed to a head or chuck y on a shaft z, working in bearings fitted to slots or
guides a in the framework 6, the said head or chuck. having side cutters c¹
for assisting in working out the shank. To the shaft at each end is linked
a rod d', jointed at the top to an arm e', worked on a stationary stud f', so
that as the cutters revolve they can at the same time move up and down. The
blocks are held on the sliding table g¹ by a lever h³, or other contrivance, to
which table is fixed a template for working the cutters up and down, and
when revolving motion is given to the cutters, and the block moved backwards
or forwards in contact with them, the heel is sunk, and the shank shaped
according to the template. The bottom of the heel, and the treading and toe
parts of the sole have now to be shaped and finished, and these operations are
performed by revolving cutters of the size and shape required. The said
cutters are fixed to a head or chuck, and the blocks are held on a sliding table

page_text: similar to those marked e, d, Figs. 1 and 2, the only difference between the
operations of shaping the insides and bottoms being in the shapes of the cutters.
The heel must now be rounded, and this operation is accomplished by means
of a number of cutters secured on a revolving head or chuck. The said head
is shewn at ', Fig. 7, it is fixed on a shaft l¹, working in bearings in the
framework, and the cutters m¹ secured to the head are made of the required
shape, and placed at the proper cutting angle. The sole is held in a gauge
block n', which works on a pin in a slide o¹ in the table p¹, which is inclined
to suit the bevil of the sole as required. The table is drawn up to the cutters
and then worked round in a semicircular direction to round the heel, and if
the heel wants more bevil. at the back than at the sides, the toe of the sole
has to be raised in proportion in the gauge block n', and if the toes. require to
be rounded they are acted upon in a similar manner. The sole must now be
grooved for the upper leather, which operation is performed by means of a
circular cutter or saw having a V-shaped edge, with another circular cutter or
saw underneath, or at the top with a bevil edge to take the sharp edge off so
as not to cut the leather. These V-shaped cutters or saws may be in two
parts if desired, or otherwise combined to form a groove of the required shape;
or the soles may be grooved by revolving flat cutters of a V and bevil shape,
either combined or separate, and wedged, or otherwise secured to a suitable
head. One arrangement of the aforesaid circular V cutters is shewn at r
Figs. 8 and 9; they are fixed to a vertical shaft s¹ provided with a pulley t¹.
The sole rests on a gauge or fence u¹³, and is pressed against another gauge or
fence v¹, which may be set to any required pitch or depth so as to make any
size or bevil of groove, the sole is pressed against the fences and worked round
by the hands of the operative, thus presenting the sole to the action of the
circular cutters or saws, and the operations are similar with flat cutters. The
sole is now completed by hollowing the inside to fit the foot; this is performed
by means of heads or chucks of a radius to suit the curve required, the said
heads are shewn at w¹, Fig. 10, they carry cutters of the same form secured
by screws or wedges, or other suitable means, and the operative holds the sole
in the required position to be hollowed by the cutters, or the sole may be
hollowed by having the inside moulding, or other suitable cutters, cutting the
hollow transversely, either when the sole is first formed inside, or in a
separate operation, the cutters being set to a radius of the required curve for
hollowing the sole. The blocks may also be shaped by securing them to a
revolving table working under revolving cutters. This arrangement is shewn
in Fig. 11, in which a represents the table; b, the blocks; c², the cutters; and
d³, the frame and bearings in which they work. The table has a number of

page_text: projections forming serrated seatings or abutments for one end of the
blocks, and the other ends are pressed tight by screws f³, or by wedges, and
when revolving motion is given to the table and cutters the blocks are shaped
at their insides, outsides, and edges, according to the shape of the cutters,
which are of the required size and form.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be
understood that I claim, the improved arrangements of machinery for manu-
facturing clog soles, patten boards, and similar articles, as all such improve-
ments are herein described and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Robert John Jones, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Robert John Jones,
in the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
ROBERT JOHN JONES. (L.S.)