IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR NAILING OR PEGGING THE SOLES OF BOOTS AND SHOES TO THEIR VAMPS OR UPPERS
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the "International
Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Consulting Engineer, for the Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR NAILING OR PEGGING THE SOLES
OF BOOTS AND SHOES TO THEIR VAMPS OR UPPERS."-A communication
from abroad by Lyman Reed Blake, of Boston, Massachusetts,
United States of America.
Sealed the 6th March 1868, and dated the 20th January 1868.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 20th January 1868, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the "International Patent Office," No. 8, Southampton
Buildings, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Consulting
Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY POR NAILING OR PEGGING THE SOLES OF BOOTS AND SHOES TO

page_text: THEIR VAMPS OR UPPERS," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant
unto me, my executors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters
Patent for the same, and have made solemn Declaration that it has
been communicated to me from abroad by Lyman Reed Blake, of
Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do
hereby declare that the following Complete Specification, under my
hand and seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying
Drawings forming a part of this Specification.
This Invention relates to certain novelties of construction, com-
bination, and arrangement whereby the soles of boots and shoes are
secured with ease and dispatch and by the employment of mechanism
to their uppers with nails, pins, or pegs of metal, or other suitable
material. The said Invention consists in one particular in combining
with mechanism which inserts nails or pins of metal, or other suitable
material by driving (by pressure or percussion) a device, which from its
inclined form and arrangement is termed a horn, and which acts as a
support for the work, and as an anvil on which the blow or thrust of
the driver is ultimately received, and on which the nails or pins may be
clinched or slightly enlarged on their entered ends.
In another particular the said Invention consists in the combination
named of such an arrangement of the horn as will permit of its being
turned either with the boot or shoe, or within the boot or shoe thereon,
the point of the horn being of such width and thickness that it may
be introduced into the smallest space between the vamp and the
inner sole, and the shoe or boot being presented, fed, and turned on
and with the horn in a manner similar to that practised by operators
on the machine with a turning horn used for sewing soles of boots
and shoes to their uppers,
In this machine the thickness of the parts of the boot or shoe are
measured or calipered between the upper surface of the point of the
horn and the under surface of the presser foot, which bears on the
outer surface of the sole; and another item of this Invention consists
in the use of mechanism operated primarily from the presser foot, or
an instrument bearing on the surface of the sole. By the position of

page_text: the said foot or instrument the length to which the nails or pins shall
be cut is determined automatically, so that the nails or pins shall in
all and variable thicknesses be long enough to reach through the stock
with a little extra length for clinching or heading if desirable. And
with relation to this part of the said Invention it consists further
in combination therewith of means for causing all the nails or pins to
exceed or fall short of the exact thickness of the materials united to
any amount desired by the operator, which amount is determined by
his adjustment of the mechanism.
My Invention further consists in the combination with mechanism
by which nails or pins are fed and cut off from a long wire strip or
rod of means for driving such nails or pins in a direction inclined
longitudinally, or in the direction of the general line of the fastenings
in contradistinction to a side or lateral inclination toward or from the
edge of the sole, though the arrangement may be such that the nails
or pins will be driven with a lateral as well as with a longitudinal
inclination; the lateral inclination being given toward the centre of
the shoe to insure the entry of the nails or pins into the inner sole,
even when they are driven from near the edge of the outer sole.
In connection with the longitudinal inclination given to the nails
or pins this Invention further consists in combining with mechanism
for cutting them from a wire strip or bar of considerable length certain
means for driving the nails or pins in opposite inclined directions with
the inclination in the general direction of the row or line made by the
driving.
Another part of my Invention consists in means for bringing the
driver down to the variable height of the surface of the work, or in
other words to a variable distance from the surface of the horn, that
is, a distance above the horn corresponding with the thickness of the
material at the point to be operated upon, no matter what that thickness
may be within reasonable limits, or the ordinary range of variation in
the thickness of boot and shoe soles at their different parts, not
including the thickness of raised heels, as contradistinguished from
spring heels, which raised heels it is not intended to secure by this
machine to the soles. In connection with this part of the said
Invention it may here be stated that while the stroke of the driver
may commence and end at different heighths, the range of motion

page_text: between the beginning and ending of each stroke is constant, and is
in amount at least equal to and may be in excess of the length of the
longest nail or pin designed to be driven by the machine.
Figure 1 is a front elevation of a machine constructed according to my
improvements; Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same; Figure 3 is a
plan of the said machine.
Two views of details or detached portions of the said machine are
marked A and B.
It may be here stated that the Drawings show the parts of a full-
sized machine, except that the frame is omitted, and the horn is shown
as dwarfed. The said machine is organized to make use of wire, which
may be flat instead of round if desired, from which the nails or pins
are automatically cut off in the machine to the lengths required by
the varying thicknesses of the work. On the main shaft driven by
the balance wheel in the direction indicated by the arrow thereon
are located all the cams (except one) which are employed to give
motion to various parts of the mechanism. a being the cam which
works the wire cutters; b, the cam which works the shoe feed, and
c the cam which works the presser foot. There is also on the said
shaft an eccentric e which operates the nail driver and a wheel geared
into another wheel formed on cam d which operates to rotate the
nail tube.
To aid in tracing the operations of this somewhat complex mechanism
a short statement of what is effected thereby will be given before
describing it in detail. The horn or inclined anvil f is made capable
of rotation, and with a boot or shoe slipped upon it sole uppermost is
swung around by the operator so as to allow the shoe to be moved by
what we will term, for convenience, the sole feed. This is the device
marked g, which after each operation of driving a nail or pin in the
sole feeds or moves the latter the distance which it is desired to have
exist between the centres of two adjacent nails or pins, the operator
turning the horn with the shoe and also in it in the manner well
understood by operators of machines for sewing soles to boots and shoes.
There is a presser foot marked h, which except at the time of that.

page_text: movement of g which feeds the shoe, presses the sole down upon the
horn, the presser foot at the time the shoe is fed being lifted auto-
matically by the mechanism, and after the feed movement of the sole
is effected descending and resting on the surface of the sole. Provision
is also made by which in some positions of the mechanism the feeder g
and the presser foot h can both together be raised by the operator to
facilitate the placing upon or the taking off from the horn a boot or
shoe. Located concentrically with respect to the upward continuation
of the axis about which the horn rotates is a tube i, through which
wire is led from a coil above the machine to the device which seizes
and draws down to be delivered to the cutters such lengths of the wire
as may be called for by the thickness of the sole at the place where
the wire is to be driven. The piece containing the wire feeder is
marked j. The tube i operates the driver, this being located within
the picce k, which is arranged to be vibrated with the tube i 180°
after the driving of each pin or nail, there being at and in the lower
end of k a pivoted tube for the reception of the pins as cut from the
wire, the said tube being then substantially in the axial line of tube i,
and being afterward by proper provisions for the purpose swung or
inclined to conform to the inclined direction of the driver. It is the
rotation of piece k and the movement described as given to the tube
in the end thereof, that in connection with the operation of the
inclined driver causes the nails or pins to be driven in oppositely
inclined directions from each other, while the sole feeding device
determines the distance apart of the nails.
In tracing the mechanism in its construction and operation each
part will be treated separately, as when separately considered it will
be easier to understand the joint operations of all the parts and their
connection one with the other. The piece k is so fitted on the tube i
that while one may be moved longitudinally with respect to the other
they both turn together, say about 180°, the said turning being effected
through the medium of the long toothed pinion on the upper part
of k. Into this pinion gears the toothed segment m, this being worked
from cam d through the arm n, link o, and arm p, which forms part
of the segment m, the said arm p being slotted, so that the extent of
movement of the segment may be accurately adjusted. At about the
middle of piece k it is slotted through on one side, so that an arm q
on the end of tube i may project for the purpose of working the slide r.

page_text: or carrier of the nail driver. The latter is inclined with respect to
the axis of the tube, the arm q having from its lower surface a dove-
tail groove, in which fits a dovetail connection made on the upper
end of slider, so that as slider is forced up and down in its inclined
socket or ways made in the piece k, and thus moves toward and from
the centre of the tube, the connection between the arm 9 and slider is
maintained. Opposite to the inclined part of k its material is cut away
to give room for the piece ; which carries the wire feeder, so that it
can operate in the axial line of tube i. The slider carries in its end
a wire which acts to impinge upon the upper end of the nails, or the
cut off pieces of wire to force them through the tube which is pivoted
in a slot in the end of k and into the sole. This tube is marked s and
its lower end bears upon the sole when the nails are driven therein; it
is pivoted in k, so that its bore may be brought into line with the axis
of the tube i and so that the wire may be fed directly into it, and also
that the said tube s may be inclined to correspond with the inclination
of slider and the driver carried thereby, so that the said driver may in
its reciprocations enter the said tube 8 and drive out therefrom any
nails or pins therein. Pivoted within the lower and inclined part of k
is a lever t, the said lever having pins in its ends, one entering a cam
groove in the nail driver carrier r, and the other entering a slot in the
tube piece 8, so that when the grooved piece r is reciprocated the lever t
is vibrated and causes the tube pieces to assume a vertical position for
the reception of the nails, or an inclined position for the driving of the
same, the vertical position of the nail tube being had when the driver
carrier is at the top of its stroke, and the inclined position of the nail
tube being obtained from the first part of the downward movement of
the driver carrier.
The mechanism thus far described is best shown in Sheet 2, partly
in dotted lines where enclosed or covered by other parts of the machine.
In piece k, and above the tube piece 8, in a mortice parallel to the
axis on which the nail tube 8 vibrates, are the cutters u which sever
the short pieces from the coil of wire, thus forming the nails. These
cutters are of steel and can move toward and from the axis of tube i
They are formed to an edge by a bevel on the upper side which makes
the wire pins or nails square on the ends, whereon is received the
action of the nail driver and chisel, edged with a bevel on each side
at the ends of the nails which enter the leather. The edges of the

page_text: cutters are kept from destroying each other by abutments left on the
cutting ends. These cutters are forced apart by the wire itself as it
is fed downward, and are made to cut off the wire by the grasp of jaws o
which are made by the action of cam a through the lever wo, link x,
lever y, and links z, z, to move guided in ways towards and from the
cutters.
The detail Drawing on Sheet 3, marked A, is a plan showing the
lever y, links z, z, the cutter jaws v, v, and the ways in which they slide.
The presser foot h bears on the surface of the sole in the vicinity of the
place where the nail is driven, and as shown in the Drawing, may
partially surround the end of the nail tube 8 where this bears on the
surface of the sole. The presser foot is worked from its cam c through
the lever 6 pivoted on the fulcrum post c¹, and carrying in its forked
end a frame d' which contains the nut e¹ having ratchet teeth formed on
its periphery. The threads in the nut are formed to fit and move
freely on the sharply pitched threads on the upper end of the rod f¹,
to which the presser foot is connected. The frame d¹ carries two
pawls g', g', which are kept in gear with the teeth of the ratchet nut e¹
by springs, till by mechanism, to be hereafter referred to, the said
pawls are removed from the teeth of the ratchet, when the spring which
is seen located around the rod f' and beneath the frame d' acts to cause
the rod
and the presser foot to drop, if not then resting at the time,
when the frame d' is at the lowest position which it can receive from
action of cam c on the sole, the descent of rod f¹ causing rotative
movement of the ratchet nut. As the rod has a rectangular part
which is fitted to slide in suitable guides in the framework, and cannot
therefore rotate, it will be clear that if the forked end of the lever b¹
vibrates downward when the presser foot rests on the surface of
the sole, the ratchet nut will turn on the screw threads on rod f¹,
whether the pawls are left free to act on the ratchet nut or not,
the ratchet teeth on the nut being inclined in such a direction as to
permit the required rotation of the nut; but when the said end of
the said lever vibrates upward the pawls hold the ratchet nut from
turning and the presser foot will be raised by lever 6'; thus it will
be seen that the presser foot is raised to a fixed distance from any
thickness of work which may rest upon the end of the horn, and it will
be shown hereafter how the variable positions which the presser foot
is thus made to assume, consequent upon the thickness of the work, are

page_text: made to cause the driver to operate to and from variable points (but
always moving a constant distance or length of stroke) to suit the
varying thickness of the work on the horn. Also how the position
of the presser foot on thick or thin work is made to control the lengths
of the nails or pins which are fed and cut off from the wire. By
allowing the fulcrum post c¹ to move more or less by means of adjustable'
check nuts which may be applied thereto more or less of the entire
throw of the presser foot cam c may be utilized in lifting the said
presser foot, and thus its range of motion may be varied, though the
throw of the cam is constant. Fixed to the rocker shaft k¹ is a rocker
arm g² which vibrates at such a time that it acts through the link j² to
pull the pawls g' out of gear with the ratchet teeth on the nut e¹ at
the time when the nut frame d¹ is at it lowest position so that the
presser foot may then drop down on the surface of the work to hold
it on the horn under the action of the nail driving mechanism. On
the two parts of this link j³ are coiled springs which always act to
keep the pawls in gear with the teeth of the ratchet except when the
link pulls the pawls which in yielding or moving out of the ratchet
teeth compress the said springs. The sole feeder g is worked from its
cam through the lever h¹, adjustable link i', rocker j', rocker shaft k',
rocker, and links m', m³, the feeder g being hung upon a link n¹
working on a pin in a slot in the presser rod f¹. The upper end of the
said link n' is slotted so that it can rise and fall on the pin, the feeder
being influenced in its movement by inclined slots in pieces o¹ fixed
to the presser foot as pins p' in the feeder g fit in the said slots. The
movement of the said feeder g is still further affected by the inclined
shape of the presser foot itself and by the retractile spring q' which
tends to keep the point of the feeder closely against the inclined
surface of the presser foot. When the rod f¹ is lifted by the
manipulation of the lever ¹ by the operator, said rod f¹ and lever
being connected by the link s¹ the feeder g is also lifted therewith
through the connection of the pins p' in the pieces o¹. The tube i
is guided in bearings fixed to a frame ¹ which is capable of
vertical movement. The reciprocations of tube i are caused from the
eccentric e through its strap and arm v¹, the lever w¹ and link .
The lever wis pivoted to a vertical post y¹ capable of a limited
vertical movement. On the top plate z' of the machine and on
either side of the fulcrum support y' are pieces a having inclined

page_text: tongues or guides on which slides as a carriage the picce 6, the top and
bottom of which piece are parallel to each other. In the said piece 6*
are inclined grooves fitting the inclined guides, and the piece b² is
mortised through vertically and longitudinally, so that it may be
permitted to slide between the adjustable shoulders d on the fulcrum
post y', the said shoulders by their contact with the upper and lower
surfaces of 63 influencing the motion transmitted from the eccentric to
the tube i. The piece 6' is connected with the presser bar f¹ by means
of the link e, bent lever pivoted on the fulcrum post c¹ of the presser-
lever b', link, and bracket, secured to the presser bar f, so that it
will be seen that the higher the position of the presser foot the higher
will be the upper and lower surfaces of 63, and the higher will be the
positions taken by the fulcrum of the lever w¹; thus a corresponding
change of position is effected of all the parts operated through the said
lever, including the end of the nail tube s, which is about in the plane
of the operative face of the presser foot. The tube i has upon it a
coupling, secured between two adjustable collars &, the said coupling
being connected to the lever w¹ by the link x'. In forcing down the
tube i the springs 1, 2, are compressed, which compression reacts when
link a ascends and aids in elevating the tube i. The presence and
action of these springs during the ascent of tube i keeps the fulcrum
post y¹ from falling and the upper shoulder d from contact with the
upper surface of 6 till the expansion of the said springs is expended,
w¹ being then no longer supported at both ends acts as a lever pulled
down by the eccentric e, and lifts tube i the remaining distance it has to
move, the fulcrum of lever w¹ falling till arrested by the upper surface of
6. The slide or frame u¹ is moved upward by the contact of the upper
collar with the under side of the upper bearing t¹ of the tube i, and is
moved downward through the medium of the springs 3 till arrested by
the contact of the lower end of piece with the presser foot h, the tube 8,
and the parts to which it is connected being moved vertically by and
with the frame w. The throw of the cccentric being constant though
not all effective by reason of the play permitted to the fulcrum rod y', it
follows that the movement of tube i and of the nail driver thereby
operated is constant in amount though stopping and starting from
different points according as the piece 62 assumes a higher or a lower
position in accordance with the position of the presser foot on thick or
thin stock placed on the end of the horn f. To change the amount of

page_text: movement given the tube i by the eccentric e I adjust the position of the
collars d'. The presser foot has given to it a positive lift of an amount
greater than the difference in the thickness of any material likely to be
presented at the different points where any two adjacent nails are to be
inserted. The time of the lift of the presser foot is just before the work
is fed or moved on the horn, and the pawls g' being then in the teeth of
the ratchet nut the lever b' lifts the presser foot as far as it lifts the nut
frame d. When the stock has been fed to the horn, then the nut frame
assumes the lowest position it can be made to assume by mere movement
of lever b', and then the pawls g¹ are thrown out of gear with the ratchet
teeth on the nut. The spring around the presser bar throws the
presser foot down on the stock, the nut in the frame being rotated by
the descent of the presser bar, and the stock on the horn being held by
the pressure exerted by said spring . After the short end of lever b
has vibrated downward, and after the descent of the presser foot on the
stock, the pawls are returned into gear with the ratchet teeth on the nut,
so that at the next upward movement of the said short end of this lever
the presser foot is again lifted to allow the feed movement of the stock
on the horn. Thus it will be seen that the presser foot acts to clamp
and relieve the stock from clamp on the horn; also that the lift of the
presser foot is uniform in amount from any thickness of stock, that is,
the lift of the presser foot is a constant measurement from variable
points or surfaces. Whenever thick stock succeeds to thin by the
operation of the feed the presser foot in its descent rests on the stock
before the nut frame completes its downward stroke, and during the
time the nut frame moves down, when the presser foot and bar does
not move, the nut rotates in the direction permitted by the shape of
the ratchet teeth.
In machines for sewing soles to boots and shoes the needle when it
pulls up the thread keeps the stock up against the lower face of the
presser foot. As in this machine there is no thread to keep the stock
against the presser foot the horn is mounted on a spring, so that it may
have a small amount of vertical movement to follow the lift of the
presser foot, the horn however resisting solidly the thrust of the presser
foot and the driving of the nail. The amount of spring movement given
to the horn is but slight, say about one-eighth of an inch in a full sized
working machine. A spring is shown on Sheet 1 so placed under the
horn as to cause it to rise when the presser foot is lifted.

page_text: To effect the feed of the wire to be cut into nails the following devices
are employed:-The arm j contains a yielding or spring nipper or pawl,
which after moving up over the wire seizes it and draws it down, forcing
it between the cutters to be cut off thereby. The said arm j is fixed on
a sleeve a³, which may slide on a guide 63, to effect which sliding move-
ment the spring is provided to draw up sleeve a', which is thrust down
by link d³, operated by lever e³. The latter is moved by contact with a
pin or roll on projection f secured to the bottom of and moving with
the frame ', the end of the said projection being slotted, so that the
friction roll may be moved with reference to the fulcrum of said lever
to modify the movement thereof. The movement of the projection f³
is effected through the leverage shown, and when all of said movement
is utilized is enough to produce a feed movement sufficient- for the
longest pin or nail for the thickest stock. To utilize all of the move-
ment of the said projection in producing the feed of the wire I adjust
the collar on the post guide 63, so that when the presser foot is resting
in the highest position designed for it on the sole, the spring will
bring the upper, end of the sleeve a³ into contact with the collar g³.
At the same time the pin or roller in the projection f is brought into
contact with the lever es, the upward movement of projection f being
all thus utilized in operating to feed the wire; then when the presser
foot rests on thinner stock the sleeve a will remain in contact with the
collar g, and as the pin in projection f will then have to move some
distance before striking the lever the amount of the nail feed move-
ment will be lessened by reason of the lost motion between the said lever
and the pin in projection f³. When the collar g³ is adjusted so that the
nails are fed to be cut off in exact accordance with the thickness of the
sole the lowering of the collar g³ will cause all the nails to fall short of
the said thickness, and raising it will cause them to exceed it.
On Sheet 2 may be seen in dotted lines the pawl lever *, which is
pivoted in the piece j, the long arm of the lever being provided with the
spring. On inspection of the Drawing it will be seen that the arrange-
ment of the said pawl lever and its spring is such that when the piece j
moves upward the pawl will slip upward on the wire, and when the
piece j moves downward the pawl k will bite upon the wire and feed
it downward. To stop the operation of the wire feed there is provided a
bent lever m³, which the operator can manipulate to throw the feeding
end of the pawl away from the wire.

page_text: In the Drawings the tube i and the parts connected therewith for the
purpose of driving the nails are shown as arranged so as to drive the
nails about parallel with the edges of the soles in which they are
inserted, but in practice the top of tube i will be inclined outward; this
inclination of the said tube and a similar inclination of the other parts
directly operative in the driving of the nails operate to incline the nails
towards the centre of the shoe.
While this Invention has been referred to in its application to uniting
the soles of boots and shoes to their vamps or uppers it will be evident
that the machine may be used for uniting leather or other material
with inclined nails automatically, gauging the length of the nails by
the distance between the top of the anvil or horn and the bearing
surface of the presser foot.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, and shown how the same may be
conveniently and advantageously carried into practice, I claim,-
The combination of the work-supporting horn with mechanism which
operates to drive nails or pins by pressure or percussion.
Also in the aforesaid combination arranging the horn so that it can
be rotated.
Also in the aforesaid combination arranging the horn so that it can
yield and move in a vertical direction, substantially as described.
Also the combination with the presser foot of mechanism which
operates, by reason of any change in height at which the said presser
foot rests on the stock, to automatically cut nails or pins from material
supplied for that purpose to a length proportioned to the thickness of
the work at the place where the presser foot operates.
Also in combination with mechanism by which nails are supplied
to the action of a nail or pin driving mechanism means for automatically
driving the nails in a direction inclined in the general direction of the a
row of driven nails.
Also means for automatically driving each nail in an inclined direction
opposite to the inclination of the driven nail preceeding, substantially as
described.
Also combining with the presser foot or other device resting on the 3
surface of the stock and with the nail driver means for automatically

page_text: point to which the said end will descend at each stroke will depend upon
the thickness of the stock at the point where operated upon, and will
have a definite relation to the surface of the stock at each descent of the
driver.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
driver.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)
Witness,
THO. N. PALMER,
Clerk to Messrs. Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
8, Southampton Buildings, W.C.