Improvements in or relating to age-gauges for Lasting machines.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 16th May, 1898-Accepted, 25th June, 1898
Improvements in or relating to age-gauges for Lasting machines.
A communication from the CONSOLIDATED HAND METHOD LASTING MACHINE
COMPANY, of Nashua, New Hampshire, United States of America.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 111, Hatton Garden, in the County of Middlesex,
Chartered Patent Agent, 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 relates to edge-gauges for boot and shoe lasting-machines.
In lasting-machines as hitherto usually constructed the laster moves the last
along in contact with the end of a gauge which is held immovable, the laster
altering the angle and position of the last in relation to the stationary gauge in
order to vary the direction in which the draught of the pincers is exerted upon
the edges of the upper. Such variation is necessarily greatest in the working of
the upper round and over the curves of the toe and heel of the shoe.
Heretofore the gauge tip has been modelled of such form that whilst it
normally presents a slightly curved smooth bearing-surface to the work and
permits the last to be canted or held aslant against the end of the gauge during
the working of the curves of the last, particularly those of the toe and heel, it
has been necessary in order to permit of such adjustment of the last without
injury to the upper to bevel or round the ends of the bearing surface, and these
somewhat angular portions on a stationary gauge-tip make undesirable marks or
depressions upon certain classes of work, or otherwise damage it.
According to this invention the edge-gauge is so constructed that its end
against which the work is pressed is smooth and slightly and uniformly curved
throughout almost its entire width and is so connected to the body of the gauge
that it can be moved automatically by the last, being for instance shifted
laterally thereby in such a manner that when the last is canted or held aslant
in relation to the body of the gauge the movable end against which the work
is pressed moves with the last so that the bearing-surface is always approximately
parallel with or tangential to the surface of the work against which it bears and
does not present to it any angle which would injure or mar the appearance of the
upper. As the improved tip of the edge-gauge above described maintains itself
approximately parallel with or tangential to the surface of the work it is not
necessary that its surface should be rounded or bevelled at the ends to anything
like the extent to which this rounding was carried in the old type of stationary
gauge and consequently a much flatter and wider support is afforded to the work.
Further, when the machine is running at a high speed it frequently happens that
the laster is unable to keep the last always squarely presented to the gauge so
that he sometimes puts it against the angular portions aforesaid; should the last
be misplaced in this manner against the improved edge gauge herein described
the latter will yield and adjust itself automatically so that the upper is not
marked or damaged.
A tip movable by the work on the last in the manner described is applicable
to various tones of edge-gauge.

page_text: In the accompanying drawings, in which it is illustrated in its application to
an edge-gauge capable of sliding endwise in a manner well understood,
Fig. 1 is a side elevation,
Fig. 2 a front elevation,
Fig. 3 a plan and Fig. 4 an underside view of the gauge, in which the tip
is shown in its normal or middle position, that is to say at right angles to the
length of the gauge;
Figs. 5 and 6 are views, corresponding respectively with Figs. 1 and 3
excepting that the tip is shown canted by the work to one extreme of its lateral
movement in the gauge; it is to be understood that the tip can be similarly
canted to an equal extent towards the opposite side of the gauge.
In Figs. 3 and 6 the chain lines indicate the heel of a last in plan and in
proper relationship to the tip in both examples.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
The pivotted tip A of the gauge has its front surface A¹ slightly curved and
made smooth to bear against the work; from its rear surface extends a lug A
which is received in the body B of the gauge between jaws B¹. A pivot pin C
passes through the jaws B and through a hole in the lug A2 to retain the tip A
in position on the gauge whilst permitting it to oscillate laterally; the hole in
the lug through which the pin passes is larger in diameter than the pin for as
it is not intended that the pin should be subjected to more than a small pro-
portion of the stress exerted upon the tip by the work the lug is curved in the
manner indicated at F in Fig. 6 and made to lie close against and in its lateral
movement to roll upon, the surface B2 of the guide which will support it against
the stress put upon it by the work, and so will relieve the pin C. In addition
the back of the tip A may bear against the rounded portion B3 of the gauge
body as shown in Fig. 4 and receive support therefrom. The lateral movement
of the tip A is limited by portions 13 of the gauge body with which it comes
into contact when it is at either extreme of its movement.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. In a lasting machine the employment of an edge gauge having a movable
tip for the purpose described.
2. In a lasting machine a movable tip such as A for the edge-gauge so sup-
ported by the body of the gauge that the pivot C is relieved of much of the stress
which the work would otherwise put upon it.
3. In a lasting machine the complete edge-gauge with pivotted tip sub-
stantially as described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 14th day of May 1898.
BOULT & WADE,
Agents for the Applicant.