IMPROVEMENTS IN NAILING MACHINES USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES
Year: 1884

page_text: I, RAPHAEL HUNTER BRANDON of 114 Queen Victoria Street E.C. London and
1 rue Laffitte, Paris, France, Engineer and Patent Agent do hereby declare the
nature of this Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN NAILING MACHINES USED IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF BOOTS AND SHOES" 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 an organized machine by
which to drive into the soles and uppers of boots and shoes, fastenings having the
properties of those mado subject of United States Letters Patent No. 265149,
dated September 26, 1882, and to set the same after they have been driven and
before they are cut from the strip or wire.
The strip or wire from which the fastenings are cut, resembles in cross section a
flattened wire the curved edges of which have sections of annular ribs or threads
and intervening notches or grooves as therein shown, leaving elevated sharp ribs or
threads between the grooves.
The machine, the subject of this Patent, is provided with mechanism to firmly
hold or grasp the strip of wire, force or drive its end into the leather or material
to the proper depth, give the strip or wire substantially a quarter turn, and then
cut off the strip or wire next the surface of the sole or in a channel, the short
piece of the strip or wire inserted and so cut off constituting a sole fastening, and
herein the length of the fastening is automatically determined according to the
thickness of the stock.
By partially rotating the strip or wire, the end of which has been driven into
the stock just before the strip or wire is cut off, the sharper ribs or threads at the
curved edges of the strip or wire are made to cut into a portion of the stock next
to the wire which, when the strip was driven into it, was not directly acted upon
and abraided or torn by the more prominent ribs or threads of the strip or wire.
The machine has devices by which to feed the stock along as it is operated upon.
ΓΕ

page_text: In the Drawing Figure 1, represents in side elevation a machine embodying my
Invention.
Fig. 2, represents details of the strip holding and rotating spindle and means for
turning it.
Figure 3, a detail of the stock feeding device.
Figure 4, a section along the dotted line x-x Figure 1.
Figure 5, a partial section and partial elevation of the working head and its
parts looking at it from the rear side of Figure 1.
Figure 6, a section on the dotted line y-y Figure 1.
Figure 7, is a section taken across the spindle and the throat piece to show the
projections thereon which operate the levers to drive the cutters, and
Figure 8, shows in side elevation and section a piece of a strip or wire such as I
prefer to employ.
A is the main frame work supported on suitable legs A¹. A², is the rotating
horn or work support, and A³ its pivot or post fitted to bearings 2, 2. The axis of
the post A is in the line of the axis of the strip or wire rotating spindle B, and is
free to rotate and also free to slide, so that the horn may be raised and lowered or
swung around to the right or to the left, as usual.
Just below the lower end of the post A³, is a wedge piece A', which may be slid
in guides B', to raise the horn into proper working position or to lower it for the
removal of the work therefrom.
The wedge A is operated by the foot lever B³ having two pins or rests B³, B*,
one pin being adapted to come below and the other above the foot, as shown in
Figure 1, so that the said lever may be worked both ways to raise or lower the
horn positively at the pleasure of the operator.
The main shaft C of the machine, see Figure 4, driven in any manner common
to nailing machines, has a crank-pin C¹ adjustably connected therewith by the
pointed adjusting screws C, and by turning the said screws, the crank pin may be
adjusted in position with relation to the center line of shaft C to enable the crank
pin to move the pitman more or less at each rotation of the shaft C.
The crank-pin C¹ receives upon it the T-shaped link C³, of a pitman or toggle
jointed link composed of the said link C³, and two narrow links C, C+, connected
with it as shown clearly by the bolt 4, see Figure 4, where the said links are all
shown in longitudinal section.
The lower ends of the links C, C, are bored to pass over pins or ears 3 which
project from the working hoad D, the movement of the said pitman by the
crank C reciprocating the said head. The length of the pitmen C³, C³, may be
adjusted by loosening the bolt 4, and moving the conical pointed screw 5, backward
and forward.
The working head D within its lower end, has an annular cavity 6, see Figure 4,
into which enter the points of the screws 7, 7, and also into which enter the shanks
of the grippers a, a, the latter travelling about in the said grooves for a short
distance as the spindle B is partially rotated, the grippers when their shanks are
brought against the said screws being forced in toward the center of the working
head D and grasping the strip or wire w with sufficient force to drive its end into
the stock.
The strip or wire w will be placed in the passage at the center of the spindle B
as shown in dotted line Figure 4.
The grippers a, a, are beld in longitudinal slots 3 of the spindle B, see Figures 1,
2 and 4-
The crank-pin C and pitman C3, C4, act to raise the working head D, sleeve D',
spindle B and the parts carried by the spindle always to a certain definite point
above the horn or work support, and the working head D always descends to a
definite spot so that the point of the strip or wire w grasped by the grippers a, a,
is forced down to a certain predetermined position as for instance so that the end
of the said strip or wire meets the horn or work support, when the latter is in its
most elevated or working position.

page_text: The working head D.mado as a cylinder is cut away or slabbed as it is called at
front and rear or at opposite sides to form two flat faces to fit a slot in the
sleeve D' which is fitted to and slides in the bearings D2, D3, the exposed
cylindrical edges of the working head left after slabbing, also fitting the
bearings D².
The longitudinal slot or mortise made in the sleeve D¹ for the reception of the
working head D is longer than the latter so that the working head may
reciprocate in the said sleeve for a distance equal to or in excess of the length of
the fastening used in the thickest stock.
The fastening is cut from the wire w after it is driven.
The lower end of the sleeve D¹ constitutes the presser or nose which rests on the
stock when the end of the strip or wire wis driven into it, and near its lower end
the said sleeve has ears which receive the pivots 10 of the levers E which carry or
reciprocate the cutters E¹, E', employed to cut a fastening from the strip or wire.
The sleeve D¹ or that part of it which slides in the bearing D is cut away or
notched to form projections 12 upon which rests the forked end of a lever d
pivoted at d and acted upon by an adjustable spring d which normally presses
the sleeve D' downward upon the upper end of the working head D with a force
equal to the full force of the said spring except when the lower end of the said
sleeve rests upon the stock, it in turn resting on the horn A³.
When the shaft C is rotated, the pitman C³, C, reciprocates the working head D
with a uniform constant stroke, and the latter, as it rises, acts upon the portion 12
of the sleeve D' lifting the latter with it for a like distance, and unless obstructed
by the stock, the sleeve D' will descend in unison with the said working head.
The working head D and sleeve D¹ do not rotate.
If the horn is in its normal upward position, and the working head and sleeve
are in their lowest position the nose of the sleeve will just touch the horn.
With the parts organized as stated, if a piece of leather be placed on the horn,
the nose or lower end of the sleeve D' in its down stroke, will strike the stock at
a point above the tip of the horn equal to the thickness of the said stock, but the
working head D will continue to descend and the grippers a, a, carried by it and
in engagement with the strip or wire w located centrally within the spindle B
acting against the strip.or wire at opposite sides, will carry the latter down with
it and drive the end of the same into the stock until the end of the strip or wire
strikes the horn,
It is obvious that the extent of throw of the working head and its grippers a, a,
may be made more or less so as to clinch the end of the strip or wire on the horn
should it be desired to do so, or to terminate the end of the strip or wire a little
short of the horn and the face of the stock thereon.
Arresting the sleeve D₁ at the surface of the stock and moving the working
head D down the full throw of the crank pin C³ makes provision for stock of
different thicknesses, and as every length of strip or wire driven is ultimately cut
off at the surface of the stock, it will be seen that the fastenings inserted in the
stock will be of different lengths according to variations in thickness of the stock.
The thicker the leather, the sooner the sleeve D' will be stopped in its descent,
and the greater the length of strip or wire which will be driven into the stock.
After the strip or wire has been driven into the stock it is given a quarter turn
or rotated for about 90 degrees to bring the ribs or threads of the edges 13 of the
fastening against and so as to cut into parts of the leather or stock which when
the strip was driven into the same were next the smooth or flattened sides 14 of
the said strip or wire, the ribbed or grooved parts of the strip thus being made to
cut into and hold the smooth portions of the stock and hold the same firmly.
The strip or wire wis given a quarter turn through the action of spindle B
made of two semi-tubular halves extended through both the sleeve D' and the
head D.
•
The spindle D at its upper end has connected with it a collar a³ having an
arm a³, provided with a pin a' which receives the link 6ª attached to the end of

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lever ³ pivoted at 15, and having a roller b which enters the groove c in the
cam G.
The collar a, is secured to the spindle B by a pin 16, carried by the collar and
entering a groove in the spindle.
The sleeve D' having a hook o² attached to it, see Figure 4, by a screw c³, is
provided with a hole for the passage of the strip w of indefinito length, and serves
as a stop to prevent the spindle B from rising in the sleeve D'.
The rotation of the spindle for a quarter turn effects the partial rotation of its
throat piece 17, located within the spindle B, and having an opening corresponding
substantially in shape with the cross section of the strip w, being used, thus
causing the said throat piece to grasp and turn the strip w with it, the throat
piece 17 by supporting the wire on all sides preventing buckling and acting on the
strip as a wrench acts on a nut when turning it.
The throat piece 17, is held in place in the spindle by the pin 18, and is made
removable in order that the spindle may be provided with a throat piece having
an opening of the size and shape of the strip of wire which is being used.
To enable the throat piece 17 to be removed from the lower end of the spindle
and obviate removing the grippers a, it is made in two parts or halves, as in
Figure 2, and to permit the grippers a to slide in the slots of the said throat piece
and not be pinched or held too tightly, the contiguous parts of the throat pieco
are separated by plates 27, 28, a little thicker than the grippers and located
respectively a little above the highest point of ascent and the lowest point of the
descent of the grippers a see Figure 2.
While the working head D descends after the sleeve D' has been arrested, the
spindle B occupies such a position with relation to the screws 7 that the shanks of
the grippers a rest against the said screws, and the said grippers hold the fastening
strip w firmly, but as soon as the cam G operates as described to partially turn the
spindle B, which is done as soon as the end of the strip has been driven into the
stock for the proper distance, the shanks of the grippers a are moved annularly-
away from the screws 7, in the annular channel of the working head D enabling
the said grippers to release the fastening strip.
Just as the grippers a release the strip, the grippers b catch and hold it while
the grippers a and the working head D make their upstroke.
The grippers bare placed loosely in the slots in the spindle, and at their upper
ends, the grippers are cut away to rest within the ring e which prevents the
grippers from being drawn entirely out from the said slots.
To operate the lower grippers b, b to grasp the strip wat the proper time, a
ringe is provided having a conical recess at its lower end, see Figure 4, which
surrounds the upper portions of said grippers, and acts upon the inclined outer
edges of the same as the said ring is forced down by metal strips e, e¹, see Figures 2
and 5, extended through longitudinal passages in the spindle B and acted upon at
their upper ends by a spring e¹.
When tho spindle B is in such position that the screws cause the gripper a to
grasp the fastening strip or wire, a pin of block et see Figure 1, located at the top
of the sleeve D' acts upon and lifts the spring e³, thus relieving its pressure on the
bars e¹, e¹, and the pressure of the ring e on the gripper b, but as soon as the
spindle B is turned as described to release the grippers a, the spring e² passes off
the block and immediately operates the said strips e¹ and ring to cause the
grippers 6 to take hold of the strip or wire w.
The grippers a, a, are fitted to slide in longitudinal slots in the spindle B and
throat piece 17 for a sufficient distance to enable them to hold the fastening strip
while it is being driven into the stock.
The grippers a and the slots in the throat piece in which they work, are thinner
and narrower than the width of the strip to thus enable a greater part of the throat
picce to practically touch the body of the strip and prevent the same from buckling
under strain, as it would be apt to do if the slots were wider.
To cut off the strip or wire after its end has been fully inserted into the leather

page_text: and after the strip has been rotated a quarter turn, the cutters E¹ are closed upon
the strip or wire by the levers E.
Those cutters sharpened at their inner ends and fitting to slide in channels
formed for them in the sleeve D¹ or its nose are screw threaded at their outer ends
to receive adjusting nuts 21 and 22.
The nut 21 has two flanges between which is a groove which is entered by the
lower forked arm of the lever E.
Each lever E is acted upon by a suitable spring e³ to retain its upper bent end
in position to be acted upon by a projection f see Figure 7, located on one side of
the spindle B.
•
The projections fare so located that the levers E, are turned about their fulcra
to cause the cutters to sever the strip just as the spindle B completes the turning
of the wire in the stock.
To feed the stock over the horn, a feed bar g is provided having serrated teeth
to engage the edge of the stock or sole.
This feed bar g has its rear end bent down through a slot in a slotted guide gl
and is provided near its forward end with a pin g². The upper side of the feed
bar has a pin g³ which is acted upon by the lower free end of a flat steel spring g
the upper end of which is fastened to a rigid part of the frame work, the said
spring acting normally to move the feed bar towards and keep it against the stock,
and the feed bar down upon the guide.
The forward part of the feed bar is engaged by a link h connected with the
lever h¹ having an adjustable fulcrum h2 by which to vary its throw, the upper
end of said lever entering a hole in the lever 63 before described, the movement
of which actuates the feed bar.
During its feeding movement, the feed bar moves about its downwardly bent
end as a fulcrum.
The forward movement of the feed is limited by the pin g².
The screws 23 which hold the guide g¹ are extended through slotted holes in the
same into the standard A.
H is a lever by which to move the guide H¹ and place it in proper position to
vary the distance of the fastenings from the edge of the stock.
The spindle B composed of two parts has its lower end held together by a ring n.
The projection n³ of the feed bar extended over the sole, towards the operator
serves as a gage for the bottom of the shoe to move against.
The mechanism for driving the fastening strip might be employed to drive a
strip into the sole of a boot or shoe held by a jack of usual construction, so by the
term support for the stock I mean to include not only a horn but also a last on a
jack.
The spindle B is described as though made in two halves, but it may be made in
one piece with a groove at its center for receiving the fastening strip w, the throat
piece 17 being let into a suitable opening at its lower end.
The wire or strip w will be supplied from a suitable reel not shown.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In a nailing machine a support for the stock, the uniformly reciprocated
working head, and the spring pressed sleeve carried thereby, and the spindle
therein and its grippers a, adapted to engage the fastening strip or wire and to
drive the same into the stock, the grippers acting to drive the said strip or wire
into the stock after the sleeve is arrested in its downward movement, substantially
as described.
2. The uniformly reciprocating working head, the spindle provided with grippers
to engage the fastening strip or wire, the sleeve to receive the spindle and adapted
to be lifted with the working head and to descend therewith, until arrested by the
stock on the work support, combined with the screws or projections carried by the

page_text: '
working head to act upon the grippers a and force them toward each other to
grasp and drive the strip or wire into the stock, substantially as described.
3. The work support, and the working head and its grippers both working in
unison with an unvarying length of stroke combined with the reciprocating
sleeve D', spindle B therein and grippers b, b, the latter having a varying stroke
determined by the thickness of the stock, all cooperating to insert the fastening
strip or wire to ensure the production of a fastening therefrom in accordance
with the thickness of stock being operated upon, substantially as set forth, and
described.
4. The spindle B, and its throat piece 17 having an opening or channel.
corresponding in cross section with the cross section of the fastening strip or wire,
combined with means substantially as described, to partially rotate the spindle, the
latter turning the strip or wire with it, as set forth.
5. In a nailing machine the combination of mechanism, substantially as described
to drive the end of the fastening strip or wire into the stock, with the grippers 6 1
to engage and partially turn or rotate the driven strip or wire after its insertion
into the stock, whereby the grooved edges of the strip are enabled to cut into
portions of the stock untorn or abraded by the grooved edges of the strip or wire
when being driven into the stock, as set forth.
6. The combination of the working head, sleeve D' partially rotating spindle B, 2
grippers a, a, and adjusting screws 7, 7, with the grippers b, b ringe, bars e¹, e¹,
block e, and spring e as described.
7. The working head D and sleeve D¹ combined with the lever & and spring to
act upon and press the nose of the sleeve upon the stock, substantially as described.
8. The working head, sleeve, and spindle B and grippers a, b, combined with 2
the levers and cutters to cut off the driven wire next the stock, substantially as
described.
9. The work support, and the spindle through which the fastening strip or wire
is extended, and means substantially as described to reciprocate and partially
rotate the said spindle, combined with grippers to engage the fastoning strip or 3
wire and drive it into the stock to hold and partially rotate the strip or wire in
the stock, as set forth.
10. The herein described method of uniting pieces of leather which consists in
forcing into the same a wire, portions of which are grooved or serrated while other
portions are smooth, and thereafter partially rotating the said wire in the leather 3
and cutting off the wire, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 28th day of April 1884.