Improvements in Machines for Channelling the Soles of Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 11th July, 1891
Complete: Specification Left, 11th May, 1892-Accepted, 11th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Channelling the Soles of Boots
and Shoes.
I, JOHN THOMAS RUSH of 10 Cranson Street, Northampton in the County of
Northampton, Machine Operator do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
In the usual machines for channelling boots and shoes well known to the trade
the knife or cutting tool is rigidly held in position. and the sole leather is fed
against it by means of a feed wheel and a disc worked by hand gear. By this
arrangement the channel is cut or formed around the outside of the fore part and
waist of the sole leather, the knife acting in one direction only. In soles channelled
by this method it is difficult to stitch the waist so that the stitches are hidden from
view; moreover in the old machine different knives or outters have to be used for
the various angles of channelling required.
i
Now by my invention I provide a machine in which the knife or cutter is capable
of being reversed and set at any suitable angle without interfering with the
mechanism or removing the knife or cutter so enabling the operator (by reversing
the knife) to change the course of the channel when the waist part of the leather is
reached, thus the fore part of the sole leather is. channelled outwardly and the
waist portion is channelled inwardly so forming a right and left handed channel
enabling the waist stitches to be easily covered and protected.
In carrying out my invention I mount a standard at or near the centre of a
machine such as the one usually used in which is a vertical groove or channel
encasing a bar capable of moving up or down therein and which is held normally
close to the top of the channel by a spiral spring but is capable of being pulled
downwardly by the action of a treadle or lever. The upper part of this bar is
toothed on one side forming a ratchet in which engage the teeth of a wheel or disc
which is pivotted on a lug or bracket formed on the standard for the purpose.
This wheel or disc is toothed on the half of its periphery facing the ratchet
bar only.
In the machine usually used the knife or cutter was fixed or fitted to a block.by
means of two set screws both on the same side of the block. In my improved
machine I attach to the block by means of one of the old set screws and another
one on the opposite side of the block or by other suitable means a jacket or sleeve
in which works a bar or rod the extremity of which is shaped to form the knife.or
cutter. The top of this rod is secured to a crank which again by means of a con-
necting rod or arm pivotted on the semi-toothed wheel before described is actuated
by the ratchet end of the bar working in the standard in such a manner as to turn
the knife as far round as is required for the purpose before described.
A set screw and set nuts on spindles carried by the bar working in the vertical
standard control the angle at which it is desired to set the knife or cutter.
The machine is worked by the usual hand gear and the whole of my fittings or
attachments may be added to one of the usual channelling machines on removing
the old knife or cutter and its fastenings.
1001
POPPLEWELL & Co.,
17 & 18, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Machines for Channelling the Soles of Boots
and Shoes.
I JOHN THOMAS RUSH of 10 Cranstone Street Northampton in the County of
Northampton Machine Operator do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner it is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:→
In the machines usually employed for channelling the soles of boots and shoes or
for analogous purposes, such machines being well known in the trade, the knife or
cutting tool or blade rigidly held in position on the machine after being adjusted
and the sole leather is fed against it by means of a feed wheel and disc worked by
hand gear.
By this arrangement the channel is cut or formed around the outside of the fore-
part and waist of the sole leather the knife or cutter acting in one direction only
consequently, in soles so channelled by these means it is difficult to stitch the waist
so that the stitches are hidden from view. Moreover in such machines different
knives or cutters have to be used for the various angles of channelling frequently
desired
Now by my present invention I provide certain parts and fittings which may be
applied, with slight alteration to various existing channelling machines or to which
other necessary parts with which I do not interfere may be added so as to provide
an improved channelling machine wherein the knife or cutter is capable of being
reversed as to its cutting direction or turned partially round at any portion of its
course along the sole without interfering with the mechanism or removing the knife
or cutter, so enabling the operator to change the course of the channel when the
waist portion of the leather is reached, thus, the forepart of the sole leather is
channelled inwardly so forming a right and left-handed channel enabling the waist
stitches to be easily covered and protected.
I will proceed to describe my invention as attached to a well known channelling
machine and in order to explain it clearly I have caused to be attached to this
Specification a sheet of drawings to the figures and letters of reference whereon I
- now refer.
Figure 1. is a view of an ordinary channelling machine having my novel fittings
attached the only portion of original machine that is removed being the block
carrying the rigid knife or cutter and as all the parts of this machine are well
known I do not describe them.
Figure 2. is a side view of my knife and block or sleeve in which it works.
Figure 3. is a perspective view of same shewing the orank or link by which the
. knife or cutter is turned and
Figure 4. is a plan of the above mentioned crank or link and part of its con-
necting rod.
Figures 2. 3. 4 are shewn enlarged the remaining portions of my mechanism are
shewn in position upon the machine.
At or near the centre of the usual machine and on the bedplate thereof !
mount a standard A in which is a vertical groove or slide channel B encasing a
bar C capable of moving up or down therein and kept normally close to the top or
head or the grooved standard or to adjusting screws hereafter described by a
spiral spring D encircling the lower portion of said bar which is rounded for
this purpose. The bar C may be pulled downwardly by a treadle or like means
connected to a loop E.
The upper portion of the bar C is toothed on one side C₁ so forming a ratchet in
which engage the teeth of a partially toothed wheel or disc F. pivotted on a lug or
bracket & formed on the standard A for this purpose; the wheel or disc F being
toothed only on that portion of its periphery facing the ratchet bar C¹.

page_text: In the machines generally used the knife or cutter was fixed or fitted to a block
shewn at H (said block being vertically adjustable) by means of set screws, usually
two, on the same side of the block. I attach to this block H by means of one of
the said set screws on one side and by another, (not shown on drawing) on the
opposite side in the place of the attachment removed a hollow block or sleeve J
mounted on a flange or foot K (see Figures 2 and 3) in which works a spindle or
rod L. the extremity of such spindle or rod being shaped to form the knife or
cutter M.
The top of the spindle or rod L. is secured to a crank or link N. which by means
of a connecting rod or arm O. pivotted to the semi-toothed wheel Fat P is
actuated by the ratcheted end of the bar C working in the standard A so as to
turn the knife or cutter as far round as may be found requisite.
A set screw S acting on a lug S¹ and the set nuts T. T running on a threaded
spindle (both lug and spindle being carried by the bar C) control the travel of the
ratchet Cl and so the amount of revolution of the wheel or disc F and consequently
the change of direction given to the knife or cutter M.
The end of the crank or link N is forked or divided at Q so as to secure or
release the spindle L by means of a set scrow or key R. so that the knife or cutter
at end of said spindle may be set at any desired angle before the operation of
channelling is commenced.
The action of my improved mechanism is as follows. The knife or cutter M is
adjusted to the proper angle by means of its spindle L in the jaws QQ by set
screw
or key R. the block or sleeve J is then attached to block H and the
connecting rod or bar O is secured to crank or link N by device or screw U.
The amount of trim to be given to the knife that is to say the travel of the
ratchet C¹ is now determined and adjusted by means of screw S and nuts T. T and
the machine is ready for action. The sole leather is then fed through the feeding
device and at the point when it is desired to reverse the direction of the knife or
cutter the treadle (or the like) is operated and the bar or rod C pulled down so
actuating the ratchet C' toothed wheel F connecting rod O link or crank N
governing spindle L and knife M.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my Baid inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1. In machines for channelling the soles of boots and shoes the use of a reversible
or revoluble knife or cutter as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
2. In a machine for channelling the soles of boots and shoes the means for
reversing the direction of the knife or cutter substantially as hereinbefore described.
and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
3. The means for and method of chaunelling the sole leathers of boots and shoes
substantially as hereinbefore described and as illustrated by the accompanying
drawings.
avou VELXO
POPPLEWELL & Co.,
17 & 18, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.