Improved Method of and Apparatus for Perforating Soles of Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Nov., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Aug., 1894-Accepted, 2nd Nov.,
1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Apparatus for Perforating Soles of Boots
and Shoes.
WILLIAM DOUGLAS and EDWIN DOUGLAS of Kingswood in the County of
Gloucester Engineers and Ironfounders, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
It has for its object the perforating of soles of boots and shoes, to receive hob-
nails, rivets, sprigs, nails or other protectors from wear.
A machine constructed in accordance with the first part of this invention has a
suitable frame, with bosses for carrying a driving shaft, crank shaft and plunger.
On the driving shaft are fast and loose pulleys, a fly-wheel and a pinion; in gear
with pinion is a tooth wheel, attached to which is a clutch, this tooth wheel with
the clutch runs loose on the crank shaft by the side of a bossed flange, which is
keyed to the crank shaft. In a suitable position in this bossed flange is a hole to
carry a catch which is put in and out of gear with clutch, by means of levers and
springs, which are controlled by a treadle, so that the operator can place the sole
to be perforated between the dies (hereinafter described) and cause the plunger to
descend perforating the sole, ascend and then stop ready for the next sole; the
cranked part of the crank shaft is at the opposite end to the tooth wheel; on the
crank works a sliding bearing which slides in top end of plunger, which has a
suitable slot for bearing to work in; on lower end of plunger is a flange to attach
dies to.
The second part of this invention relates to the dies which consist of three steel
plates, two metal plates (preferably cast iron on account of the saving in cost of
material and labour) and any number of steel pins or punches; these pins or
punches are of sufficient length to fasten into the top steel plate, and pass through
the middle plate, through the sole which is inserted between the middle and bottom
plates, and some distance into the bottom steel plate; the pins or punches may be
round square or any suitable shape, and can be so arranged as to form any design
required. The top steel plate is of suitable size and thickness, and has fastened
into it the steel pins or punches before mentioned to the design required, and is
attached by means of screws to one of the cast iron plates, which acts as a stay to
the pins or punches; this cast iron plate is made of a suitable thickness to receive.
screws to connect it to the flange end of the plunger. The middle and bottom steel
plates are drilled the counter-part of the top steel plate, and are separated by
means of distance pieces of sufficient thickness to allow the leather sole to enter
between the said middle and bottom plates; the distance pieces also act as guides
to keep the sole in proper position; under these steel plates is the other cast iron
plate drilled in a like manner to the others; the object of this plate is to support
the bottom steel plate, and so prevent it from springing or breaking with the
pressure: this cast iron plate rests on a bed which forms part of the machine.
The third part of this invention relates to the punching of parallel holes through
the soles, making the holes the same size on either side, thus enabling a right and
left foot sole to be perforated with one set of dies; the present method of making
holes to receive nails, rivets, sprigs, etc., is to make them with a taper pricker or
punch, which makes a large hole on one side, and a very small one, if any, on the
other side.
Dated this First day of November 1893..

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Method of and Apparatus for Perforating Soles of Boots
and Shoes,
WILLIAM DOUGLAS and EDWIN DOUGLAS of Kingswood in the County of
Gloucester, Engineers and Ironfounders, 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 has for its object the perforating of soles of boots and shoes, to
receive hob-nails, rivets, sprigs, nails, or other protectors from wear.
The first part of this machine has a suitable frame, with bosses for carrying a
driving shaft, crank shaft and plunger. On the driving shaft, are fast and loose
pulleys, a fly wheel and a pinion; in gear with this pinion is a tooth wheel attached
to which is a clutch, this tooth wheel with the clutch runs loose on the crank shaft
by the side of a bossed flange, which is keyed to the crank shaft; in a suitable
position in this bossed flange is a hole to carry a catch which is put in and out of
gear with clutch by means of levers and springs which are controlled by a treadle,
so that the operator can place the sole, to be perforated, between the dies (herein-
after described) and cause the plunger to descend, perforating the sole, ascend, and
then stop ready for the next sole; the cranked part of. the crank shaft is at the
opposite end to the tooth wheel'; on the crank works a sliding bearing, which
slides in top end of plunger, which has a suitable slot for bearing to work in; on
lower end of plunger is a flange to attach dies to.
The second part of this invention relates to the dies which consist of three steel
plates, two metal plates (preferably cast iron on account of the saving in cost of
material and labour) and any number of steel pins or punches; these pins or
punches are of sufficient length to fasten into the top steel plate, and pass through
the middle plate, through the sole, which is inserted between the middle and
bottom plates, and some distance into the bottom steel plate; the pins or punches
may be round, square, or any suitable shape, and can be so arranged as to form
any design required! The top steel plate is of suitable size and thickness, and has
fastened into it the steel pins or punches above mentioned, to the design required,
and is attached by means of screws to one of the cast iron plates, which acts as a
stay to the pins or punches; this cast iron plate is made of a suitable thickness to
receive screws to connect it to the flange end of plunger. The middle and bottom
steel plates are drilled the counterpart of the top steel plate, and are separated by
means of distance pieces of sufficient thickness to allow the leather sole to enter
between the said middle and bottom plates; the distance pieces also act as guides
to keep the sole in proper position; under these steel plates, is the other cast iron
plate, drilled in a like manner to the others; the object of this plate is to
support the bottom steel plate, and so prevent it from springing or breaking
with the pressure. This cast iron plate rests on a bed which forms part of the
machine.
The third part of this invention relates to the punching of parallel holes through
the soles, making the holes the same size on either side, thus enabling right and
left foot soles to be perforated with one set of dies; the present method of making
holes to receive nails, rivets, sprigs etc., is to make them with a taper pricker or
punch, which makes a large hole on one side, and a very small hole if any on the
other side.
In order that the invention may be fully understood the following further
description is given in reference to the accompanying drawings.
Figure is a front and Figure 2 à side elevation of a sole perforating machine.
Figure 3 is a sectional detail of clutch.
Figures 4. 5 and 6 are details of clutch arrangement.

page_text: Figure 7 is a front and Figure 8 a side elevation of dies.
Figure 9 is a plan of metal plate.
Figure 10 is a plan of top, and Figure 11 of bottom and middle steel plates.
In Figures 1 and 2, A is the frame with bosses A A A for carrying a driving
shaft B, crank shaft C and plunger D. On the driving shaft are fast and loose
pulleys, a fly wheel E and a pinion F; in gear with pinion F is a tooth wheel'G attached
to which is a clutch H, this tooth wheel G with the clutch H runs loose on the crank
shaft C, by the side of a hossed flange J which is keyed to the crank shaft C. In
a suitable position in bossed flange is a hole to carry a catch K which is put in
and out of gear, with the clutch H by means of levers L L' and springs M M'
which are controlled by a treadle N connected to the lever L by rod N'.
On the cranked part of crank shaft C which is at the opposite end to the tooth
wheel G works a sliding bearing P which slides in top end of plunger D at lower
end of which is a 'flange Q.
0
The dies consist of three steel plates R. R R attached to two metal plates T-T
with distance pieces or guides U and pins or punches S which are fixed in steel
plate R and made to pass through steel plates R R
The method of effecting the third part of this invention is as follows. The sole
to be perforated is placed between the die plates R' R' of the dies shown in Fig. 7.
of accompanying drawings. The machine being set in motion as before described,
applies pressure to the die plate R which contains the punches S; these are forced
through the sole and enter the bottom die plate R' carrying with them portions of
the leather pressed out of the holes, which are the same size both sides of the sole,
by reason of the punches S being parallel.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. The combination of crank, clutoh, sliding bearing, and levers, which allows of
plunger coming to rest at end of each complete stroke.
2. The arrangement of steel and metal plates with punches for perforating soles
of boots and' shoes.
3. The perforating of parallel holes through soles, allowing right and left foot
soles, by reversing them, to be perforated by one die.
Dated this 1st day of August 1894.
WILLIAM DOUGLAS.
EDWIN DOUGLAS.