IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING THE EDGES OF BOOT OR SHOE SOLES, WHICH INVENTION IS PARTLY APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR TRIMMING THE EDGES OF BOOT
OR SHOE SOLES, WHICH INVENTION IS PARTLY APPLICABLE FOR OTHER
PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by Daniel Cilley Knowlton, of
Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 8th October 1881.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
TRIMMING THE EDGES OF BOOT OR SHOE SOLES, WHICH INVENTION IS PARTLY
APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES." [A communication from abroad by Daniel
Cilley Knowlton, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.]
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for trimming the edges of
boot or shoe soles, which Invention is partly applicable for other purposes.
The first part of the said Invention relates to the tool proper which carries the
knife, the gauges, and other parts used in trimming the sole edges, and comprises
the combination of the stock carrying the knife for trimming the edge or for both
trimming the edge and the rand with a second stock carrying the gauge and rand-
guide, the two stocks being adjustable relatively to each other in order to make
the cut fine or rank, and the rand-guide being also adjustable on its stock in order
that the relation of the said rand-guide to the knife may be independent of the
relative adjustment of the knife and gauge.
It also comprises a gauge narrower than the sole edge to be trimmed and
combined with a bottom guard, both being mounted upon a slide in order that.
in trimming from the shank over the forepart of the boot or shoe the narrow

page_text: gauge may be moved sidowise by the bottom guard for the purpose hereinafter
described.
In carrying this part of the said Invention into practice the knife is held in its
stock, and the stock is secured to the handle by a tang in the usual manner. The
rand-guide and gauge are mounted in an adjustable stock in which the said rand-
guide is adjustable. The object of this adjustability is that when the said stock
is raised or lowered to adjust the depth of cut by bringing the gauge into proper
relation with the knife, the said rand guide is also raised or lowered and requires
therefore to be readjusted.
When the tool is adapted for trimming both the shank and fore part of a boot or
shoe, the gauge is preferably formed in one piece with the bottom guard, but this
bottom guard is not essential and the gauge need not move sidewise when the tool
is used for trimming the shank alone or the forepart alone.
The chief feature of this part of my Invention comprises the combination with
the knife and its stock of the adjustable stock carrying the gauge, so that the latter
can be adjusted accurately to regulate the depth of cut, and also carrying the rand-
guide which is itself adjustable in this stock, so that after the proper adjustment of
the stock and gauge the rand-guide can be itself properly adjusted.
Another feature of this part of my Invention comprises the combination with
the knife-stock and its knife of a second stock carrying the rand-guide and a
narrow gauge and bottom guard both sliding sidewise on the stock.
In trimming shoes with a half-sole between the outer and inner-sole the half
sole often projects beyond the edge of the outer sole, and unless the gauge be
moved the tool must pass several times over the edge when the tap projects in
order to trim it sufficiently. The gauge is no wider than the width of the outer
sole and is controlled by the bottom guard, and as the tool trims that part of the
edge where the tap projects the gauge is moved sideway away from the rand-guide
(by the increased thickness of the sole), and the projecting part of the half sole is
cut away by one cut.
Another part of my Invention relates to the improved jack on which the boot or
shoe is held while being trimmed.
This jack has a metallic body having at its outer end a short lug cast solid with
the said body. An instep-piece is secured in front by means of a bolt or screw
passing through the said lug, and at the back part by means of a shaft which
passes through the body and also through this instep-piece. The instep-piece has
toward the toe a square cut groove running in the direction of the toe and heel.
The toe-piece has a tongue which fits into the groove in the said instep-piece, and
which is slotted in the direction of its length so that the toe-piece may be secured
to the instep-piece by means of a screw, and set at any desired distance in advance
of the said instep piece.
The heel-piece is composed of a solid back to which is attached by means of
screws a piece which is channelled to a point near the round of the heel. At the
edges of the sides of this channel are two dovetailed slides which slip into corre-
sponding dovetailed grooves in the instep-piece, and on the inner side of the
channel there is a rack into which a pinion works for the purpose of running the
heel piece backward and forward to lengthen the foot so as to make it fit any sized
boot or shoe.
The aforesaid shaft to which the pinion is attached at one end passes through
the body of the jack, and encircling this shaft is a spiral spring which has one end
attached to a hub on the instep-piece, and the other end fastened to a rivet or
screw passing through or into the said shaft. A ratchet wheel having a hub is
secured to the other end of the shaft after it has been inserted into the body of the
jack. From this hub four handles extend in different directions; by means of
these handles the hub may be rotated. A pawl is secured by a screw to a pro-
'jecting arm on the body of the jack, which pawl engages with the teeth of the
ratchet-wheel, and is held firmly in position by a small spiral spring, one end of

page_text: which fits into a depression cast in the pawl, and the other into a similar depression
in the body of the jack. This pawl takes into the ratchet-wheel and prevents the
shaft from flying back when it has been rotated against the pressure of the spiral
spring to extend the foot by running back the heel piece. The projecting arm on
the body of the jack has a groove and a slot for convenience of adjustment and
attaching the jack to a machine or bench. It will be obvious that my improved
jack may be used for other purposes than holding a boot or shoe whilst its sole
edges are being trimmed.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
8th April 1882.
#t
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent
Agents, Southampton Buildings, London. IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR
TRIMMING THE EDGES OF BOOT OR SHOE SOLES, WHICH INVENTION IS PARTLY
APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES." A communication from abroad by Daniel
Cilley Knowlton, of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
This Invention relates to improvements in apparatus for trimming the edges of
boot or shoe soles, which Invention is partly applicable for other purposes.
The first part of the said Invention relates to the tool proper which carries the
knife, the gauges, and other parts used in trimming the sole-edges, and comprises
the combination of the stock carrying the knife for trimming the edge or for both
trimming the edge and the welt with a second stock carrying the gauge and welt-
guide, the two stocks being adjustable relatively to each other in order to make
the cut fine or rank, and the welt-guide being also adjustable on its stock in order
that the relation of the said welt-guide to the knife may be independent of the
relative adjustment of the knife and gauge. It also comprises a gauge of suitable
dimensions, that is to say, narrower than the sole-edge to be trimmed and
combined with a bottom guide, both being mounted upon a slide in order that in
trimming from the shank over the fore part of the boot or shoe the narrow
gauge may be moved sidewise by the bottom guard for the purpose hereinafter
described.
In the accompanying Drawing Figure 1 is a front elevation of the tool containing
the trimming knife and its mountings.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a section on line x³, x', Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a section on line y, y, Figure 1.
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the knife.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the welt-guide.
Figures 7 and 8 are detail views.

page_text: Figure 9 is a perspective view of the jack which holds the boot or shoe while it
is being trimmed.
Figure 10 is a plan of the body of the jack with the other parts removed.
Figure 11 is a view of the shaft which passes through the body of the jack with
its spiral spring and pinion attached. .
Figure 12 is a view of the ratchet-wheel and hub cast with its bearing handles
by which the wheel and shaft may be turned.
Figures 13 and 14 are respectively a plan and side view of the pawl which acts
on the teeth of the ratchet.
Figure 15 is a view of the instep-piece detached.
Figure 16 is a view of the toe-piece detached.
Figure 17 is a plan of the heel-piece.
Figure 18 is a side view of the heel-piece detached.
Figure 19 is a view of the other part of the heel-piece detached.
In carrying this part of the said Invention into practice the knife n is held in
its stock n' in any well known manner, and the stock is secured to the handle; by
a tang in the usual manner. The welt-guide o and gauge o¹ are mounted in the
adjustable stock p, in which the said welt-guide is adjustable. The object of this
adjustability is that when the said stock p is raised or lowered to adjust the depth
of cut by bringing the gauge o' into proper relation with the knife, the said
welt-guide o is also raised or lowered and requires therefore to be readjusted.
I have shewn the gauge o¹ as formed in one piece with the bottom guard o³, as
the tool shewn is adapted for trimming both the said shank and fore-part of a
boot or shoe, but this bottom guard of is not essential, and the gauge need not
move sidewise when the tool is used for trimming either the shank alone or the
fore part alone.
The chief feature of this part of my Invention comprises the combination with
the knife n and its stock n' of the adjustable stock carrying the gauge o', so that
the latter can be adjusted accurately to regulate the depth of cut, and also
carrying the welt-guide o which is adjustable in the said stock p, so that after
the proper adjustment of the stock and gauge the welt-guide can be properly
adjusted.
Another feature of this part of my Invention comprises the combination with
the knife-stock n' and its knife n of a second stock p carrying the welt-guide o
and a narrow gauge o' and bottom guard o³, both sliding sidewise on the stock.
In trimming shoes with a half sole between the outer and inner sole the half-
solo often projects beyond the edge of the outer sole, and unless the gauge be
moved the tool must pass several times over the edge when the tap projects in
order to trim it sufficiently. The gauge o' is no wider than the width of the outer
sole, and is controlled by the bottom guard Os, and as the tool trims that part of
the edge where the tap projects the gauge is moved sidewise away from the welt-
guide (by the increased thickness of the sole), and the projecting part of the half-
sole is cut away by one cut, as indicated in Figures 7 and 8, which are diagrams
illustrating the action of the narrow gauge and bottom guard, Figure 7 shewing
this action when the gauge is passing over a part of the sole edge when the half
sole projects; 1 being, the outer sole, 2 the projecting half-sole, and 3 the upper;
the line 4 shows the line of cut. In Figure 12 the narrow gauge is shewn close
up to the welt-guide as it is when trimming through the shank.
Another part of my Invention relates to the improved jack on which the boot or
shoe is held while being trimmed.
This jack has a metallic body E, having at its outer end a short lug / cast solid
with the said body. An instep-piece r is secured in front by means of a bolt or
screw passing through the said lug l, and at the back part by means of the shaft 8,
which passes through the body and also through this said instep-piece. The
instep-piece has toward the toe a square cut groove running in a longitudinal
direction. The toe-piece t has a tongue, which fits into the groove in the said
instep-piece, and which is slotted in the direction of its length, so that the toe

page_text: piece t may be secured to the instep-piece r by means of a screw, and set at any
desired distance in advance of the said instep-piece.
The heel-piece is composed of a solid back 8', to which is attached by means of
screws a piece 8, in which a channel is formed to a point near the round of the
heel. At the edges of the sides of this channel are two dovetailed slides, which
slip into corresponding dovetailed grooves g³ in the instep piece r, and on the
inner side of the channel there is a rack v, into which the pinion & works for the
purpose of running the heel-piece s' backward and forward to lengthen the foot, so
as to make it fit any sized boot or shoe.
8
The shaft 8, to one end of which the pinion s³ is attached, passes through the
body of the jack, and encircling this shaft is a spiral spring, which has one end
attached to the hub h³ on the instep-piece r, and the other end fastened to a rivet
or screw passing through or into the said shaft 8. A ratchet-wheel ³ having a
hub is secured to the other end of the shaft s after the said shaft has been
inserted into the body of the jack. From the hub four handles extend in
different directions; by means of these handles the hub 7 may be rotated. A
pawl is secured by a scrow to the projecting arm H on the body of the jack,
which pawl engages with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, and is held firmly in
position by a small spiral spring, one end of which fits into a depression cast in
the pawl, and the other into a similar depression in the body of the jack. This
pawl takes into the ratchet-wheel, and prevents the shafts from flying back when
it has been rotated against the pressure of the spiral spring to extend the foot by
running back the heel-piece. The projecting arm H on the body of the jack has
a groove and a slot for convenience of adjustment, and for attaching the jack to a
machine or bench. It will be obvious that my improved jack may be used for
other purposes than holding a boot or shoe whilst its sole edges are being
trimmed.
The jack being attached to the shaft of a machine the boot or shoe is placed
upon the foot of the said jack, which foot is then extended by turning the ratchet
wheel, which will also turn the shafts and with it the pinion 85, which working
in the rack v runs the heel-piece 8' back, and at the same time winds up the spiral
spring which encircles the shaft a. When the foot of the jack has been extended
enough to stretch and hold firmly the boot or shoe, the pawl p³ will bear on the
teeth of the ratchet and hold it firmly, thus securing the shoe in position while
the operator is at work upon it. The work being finished the boot or shoe may
be removed from the jack by pressing upon the free end of the pawl, thus raising
the bearing end from the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, which, together with the
shaft and pinion, will be actuated by the released spring and rotated rapidly in
the opposite direction, thereby running in the heel-piece 8' and releasing the boot
or shoe.
Having thus fully described the said Invention, as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondent, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that I claim,-
First. In an apparatus for trimming the edges of boot and shoe soles edges the
combination of the stock n' carrying the knife n', and the adjustable stock P
carrying the welt-guide and gauge, the welt-guide being adjustable on the stock p
substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Second. In an apparatus for trimming the edges of boot and shoe soles the
gauge O narrower than the edge to be trimmed, and the bottom guard 0°
both arranged on a slide, whereby the gauge O' is moved by the action of the
bottom guard away from the welt-guide when the tool passes from the thin edge
at the shank of the sole to the thicker edge of the foro part, substantially as and
for the purpose specified.
Third. A boot or shoe jack having the shaft passing through the body, and
encircled by the spring in combination with the pinion and the rack of the heel-
piece, substantially as described.
Fourth. In combination with a boot or shoe jack the shaft having a ratchet

page_text: attached to its outer end, and a pinion attached to its inner end, and the heel-
piece having a rack, whereby the foot of the jack may be adapted to the length of
the boot or shoe, all substantially as described.
"
Fifth. In a jack employed in the manufacture of boots and shoes the combination
of the shaft and the spiral spring, by means of which the said shaft may be
revolved to loosen the foot of the jack from the boot or shoe..
Sixth. The shaft encircled by the spring in the body of the jack in combination
with the pinion and ratchet, for the purposes set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty two.