An Improved Machine for Stamping or Cutting Out and Simultaneously Superposing Lifts for the Heels of Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 17th July, 1896-Accepted, 26th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Machine for Stamping or Cutting Out and
Simultaneously Superposing Lifts for the Heels of Boots
and Shoes.
I, ALBERT ANDRES, of No. 46 Haupt-strasse Nieder-Walluf near Frankfort
on the Main in the Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire, Mechanical Engineer,
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 :-
Hitherto, the general practice has been to stamp or cut out the lifts for the
heels of boots and shoes separately by means of special tools or apparatus, and
not until they were thus cut out, was the super-position or "building up " of
the lifts, to form the heel piece, proceeded with. This, in most cases, caused
considerable loss of time, especially in the case of heels tapering in the downward
direction, as this necessitated the arrangement of the successive lifts, gradually
decreasing in size, in a certain predetermined order. For this purpose, it was
generally necessary to pick out lifts of suitable dimensions from the stock where
they were deposited promiscuously, as there were no means in existence, enabling
lifts to be classified according to size, or lifts of the same size to be piled up
aud kept together; so that one class of lifts were frequently confounded with
another, or lifts of a special kind were mislaid, with all the attendant loss and
annoyance.
The inconveniences herein before named are effectively obviated by the machine
which forms the subject of this invention and which, in addition to this, permits
a far larger amount of work to be completed in a given period of time, since,
by its aid, the lifts which, as before stated, may either be all alike, or differ
in size, according to the class or style of heel they are intended to form, are at
the same time cut out by a suitable punch, and put together, so that it only
remains to attach the heel, as it leaves the machine, to the boot or shoe.
This object is attained by means of a drum or roller, arranged to turn
periodically, a certain distance at a time, or in other words, to be fed along by
a step-by-step rotary motion, upon which drum, the required number of punches
or cutters of suitable dimensions are secured, so that a stamping die or plunger,
which is vertically movable, may, at predetermined intervals of time, be made to
act upon the leather placed upon the cutters, in such a manner as to both cut
out the heels and at the same time pass them on to nails, or pins located for
the purpose in a special apparatus. After this, the "pushers," which are timed
to come out of the said stamp or die at the requisite moment, force the lift
further down the nails or pins a sufficient distance to make room for the next
following lift, the points of the nails or pins protruding beyond the preceding
lift to that extent.
Then, after the apparatus, containing the nails or pins, with the lift passed on
the latter, has descended for a sufficient distance to be out of the path of the
drum or roller, such roller is automatically turned a step further, whereupon the
same operation as has just been described is repeated, and so on; the same
process being gone through over and over again until the number of lifts required
to form a heel of the desired shape and size has been fixed on to the nails or
pins; at which juncture the complete heel drops out of the machine.

page_text: The invention will be best, understood by reference to the accompanying
drawings in which the macbine such as may be carried out in practice, according
to this invention, is represented by way of example.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine,
Figure 2 is a plan thereof;
Figure 3 is a vertical section of the machine, on line 3-3, Figure 1, viewed
from the front, while
Figure 4 is a rear view of the machine;
Figure 5 is another rear view, in which certain details are supposed to be
omitted from the machine;
Figures 6, 7 and 8 are detail views;
Figure 9 is a vertical section of the cutter-drum or roller drawn to an enlarged
scale.
Figures 10, 11, 12 and 124 are detail views of the nail or pin arrangement;
Figures 13 to 16 represent the punch, stamp, the cutter and the upper part of
the pin arrangement in the several positions which these parts take up in succession
during the operation of the machine; and
Figures 17 and 18 show the manner in which the cutters may be attached to the
roller.
Motion is imparted to the machine from the shaft a, through the medium of,
say, a friction clutch (not shown), which is thrown into gear for the purpose. The
machine is driven in the direction of the arrow 1, and the small toothed wheel b,
mounted upon the said shaft, transmits such motion to the toothed wheel c, which
is treble the size of band is secured, at e, in the machine-frame (see the arrow 2),
in the front surface of which a cam-groove c¹ is cut. In this cam-groove engages
through the medium of a small roller d' the lever d, which is pivoted to the frame
at do, and of which Figure 8 shows a detached view. One end of this lever, which
is fork-shaped, engages in corresponding slots or notches e, formed in the plunger e,
contained in the stamp or punch f, while its other end is pivotally joined, or
hinged, to a rod g, adapted to operate the lever h, which is also pivoted to the
machine frame, at 4°, provided with a toothed segment &', and serving to feed along
the cutter roller t.
The machine is shown in a position wherein the cam-groove is supposed to be
just about to come into operation, and the plunger e, together with the punch or
die f, is assumed to be on the point of starting its downward movement. Now, as
the toothed wheel e continues to revolve, the cam-groove e', through the medium of
the lever d, causes the punch f, to descend a sufficient distance to enable it to act
upon the piece of leather placed upon the cutters t' of the drum or roller (see
Figure 15), to cut out a heel-lift and to force the same on to the pins, located in a
special apparatus aa; the points of which pins in this position, are situated in the
same horizontal plane with the cutting edges of the cutters t¹.
The pin or nail arrangement,-as regards its constituent parts,-will be fully
described further on. It need only here be mentioned, for the present, that what
enables the lift to be forced on to pins rising from the stationary drivers m is that
the sleeve, of the apparatus in question is submitted to spring-action, which fact
enables it to descend in the manner illustrated in Figure 13.
When the stump or punch is at the limit of its downward stroke, i.e. rests upon
the cutter-edge, the small roller d' of the lever d has, by that time, entered the
concentric portion of the cam-groove in the toothed wheel e; and whilst the suid
roller d' slides therein, no motion is imparted to the lever d or to the parts
connected therewith. But the rod g took part in the movement performed before
by the lever d, that is to say, it also moved in the upward direction, and the
segment-lever & turned for a certain distance in the direction of the arrow 3.
rotary movement, however, will not have the effect of feeding along the cutter-
roller t, inasmuch as the cutters t' remain at rest during the cutting-ont or
stamping process, and as the pin-arrangement an, too, is for the time being
situated within the cutter-roller.
This

page_text: This is accomplished by the following arrangement-
As illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, but more particularly and on a larger scale, in
the vertical section Figure 9, the cutter-drum t is supported by a cone ³, cast in
one piece with the machine-frame and placed at an angle to the vertical axial line
of the stamp or punch /, and is provided on its outer edge with teeth with which
engages the bevel wheel w, rigidly secured on a shaft a revolvable in the frame.
Outside the cheek of the machine frame facing the bevel wheel u, a pulley u³ is
keyed on the shaft u, as illustrated in Figures 1 to 3, while a small toothed
wheel , integral with an arresting disc or ratchet wheel r, is loose upon the same
shaft ; and with this wheel a gears the toothed segment 2 of the lever h. Upon
the fast pulley & there is pivoted an arresting pawl which a spring constantly
maintains in gear with the teeth of the arresting disc or ratchet wheel v; and
these teeth are so formed, that the pawl 2 may freely move over them when the
wheel is turned by the segmental lever in the direction of the arrow 3.
Whilst, therefore, the said wheel moves in this direction, both and revolve
loosely upon the shaft u¹ and the cutter-drum or roller t is not further "fed" or
turned. It may here be observed that when the segment lever h moves in the
opposite direction, i.e. as indicated by the arrow 4, the teeth o come to act upon
the pawl in such a manner that the loose wheel or disc v and the wheel are
coupled or thrown into gear with the disc u² firmly mounted upon the shaft u¹; in
which case the cutter roller is caused to turn a step further.
I shall now proceed to describe the operation of the machine:-
While the small roller d' of the lever d is located in the short concentric
portion of of the cam groove el, the stamp or punch f, as previously mentioned,
stops upon the required cutter t¹. But in order to feed the cutter-drum further it
is necessary, not only that the punch should rise, but, that the nail or pin
arrangement n' n should move upwards through the opening to, of which one is
provided in the drum or roller i under each cutter (see Figures 13 to 16). For
this purpose, the said pin arrangement is connected by the arm o with a rod o
vertically adjustable in the bushes or bearings o' of the machine-frame, at the lower
end of which a plate of, having a slot o³ is provided. In this slot there engages,
through the medium of a roller, a frame consisting of two rods or bars p
pivotted at p' close to the inner walls of the supporting frame of the machine;
which bars are connected, below, by a cross-tie, and at the top, by an incliue p
Besides, the said hars are connected by the rails pt with the lever g, pivoted at 9°,
adapted to act alternately with the arm q' mounted upon the hub or nave of the
large toothed wheel c. The two springs p (Figures 1 and 7) have a constant
tendency to maintain the frame p² 2, together with the lever q in the position
delineated in full lines in Figures 1 and 6. But when the arm 9' comes to act
upon the lever g, this lever will move the frame p p to the position indicated in
dotted lines, the incline of which frame will then strike the roller of the lever i
pivoted to the plunger e at e, which lever has taken part in the downward
movement of the plunger (see the roller i, shown in dotted lines) and is connected
with the pusher kk, movable, or adjustable, within the stamp or punch. This
causes the pusher & to issue from the punch and to force the heel-litt further down
the pins or nails, as indicated in Figure 14. In the meantime the roller p of the
frame p² 2 has moved out of the short concentric portion of the slot o³ in the
plate o, and, as a result, draws such plate, together with the pin arrangement, in
the downward direction, so as to release the cutter-roller t.
At this point the movements of the several parts are so timed that the pusher k
descends somewhat more rapidly than the pin-arrangement, the consequence being
that the lift of the heel is forced a further "step" lower down upon the pins,
i.e. as much as is necessary to make room for the next following lift on the points
of the pins, which accordingly project a corresponding distance above the preceding
lift (Figure 15). In the meantime, the incline p' leaves the roller of the upper
lever i which, together with the pusher rod, is brought back to its initial position
by the spring P. As to the pin-device, it descends further until it comes to the

page_text: position depicted in Figure 15, because the arm g, which projects from the hub of
the large toothed wheel e, still acts upon the lever g, and because the lower
roller of the frame p p slides in the inclined slot o³ of the plate o. This
continues until the pin-arrangement reaches the position in Figure 15, and the
distance or extent of the movement performed for this purpose should be such, that
even the highest, heel, that may have to be formed, when ready, should come to take
up its position with its upper lift below the lower edge of the aperture in the cutter
roller. But in order to enable heels differing in height to be made on the same
machine, the pin-arrangement, as will be presently explained, is made adjustable in
the vertical direction.
In order, to retain the pin-arrangement in its lowest position, as shown in
Figure 15, until the plunger e, with the starap or punch f, has ascended, and the
cutter-roller t has been moved a step further, there is formed, upon the lever g, a
surface q concentric with the pivot of the arm g', upon which surface the said arm
continues to slide as long as may be required. In the meantime the cutter-roller is
fed along owing to the fact that now the other side of the cam groove c¹
comes into engagement with the toothed wheel c. The result is that, whilst
the plunger e with the lever i and punch frises, the bar or rod g descends; the
toothed segment of the lever is raised in the direction of the arrow 4; the
pawl firmly connects the pulley v and feeding wheel with the shaft u', as
already described before, and the bevel wheel u causes the cutter-roller to move
one step further.
After the parts have thus been thrown into gear, the arm q¹ leaves the concentric
surface of the lever q, and the springs p p conduct the frame p², together with
the pin-device, and with the lever g, back to its initial position in which it is shown
in Figure 1.
Instead of the arm g', a pin or stud might, besides, be implanted in the wheel e
and arranged to act in a similar way upon the lever q.
Advantage may be taken of the time, during which the roller d' of the upper
main lever d remains in the enlarged concentric portion of the cam groove of the
wheel e, for shifting the lift just cut out with a view to cutting out the next following
lift. Now when the cam groove next comes into operation again, the stamp or
punch descends to the position indicated in Figure 16, and the same operation as
before is repeated; and this is continued until the last lift has been transferred to
the pin-arrangement. The set of pius, with the lift superposed thereon, is then
released by the springs and, the building up of the heel of the required size and
shape being thus completed, such heel drops out of the machine. The machine is
then thrown out of gear, the pin-device is fitted with a fresh set of pins, the machine
is once more started and the formation of a fresh heel is commenced.
The nail or pin-device herein referred to is shown detached in Figures 9 to 12ª,
and mainly consists of a bulder », adapted to receive the drivers m and screwed into
On the drivers is arranged the tubular case or sleeve n', which is to
contain the nails or pins and is adjustable, being under the action of a spring n so
that, when a heel-litt is pressed upon the nails, it may be depressed, whereas the
nails or pins themselves continue firmly in position upon the drivers m m. To enable
the sleeve n', when released, to constantly resume its former position by a rising
movement, a rod 3 is secured to it, such rod being screw-threaded at its lower end
and passing through a plate a secured to the holder n, and having a nut n' which
is so adjusted as to limit the upward movement of the sleeve to the required or
predetermined extent.
In order to enable heels of different heights to be obtained, it is, of course,
necessary (as before stated) to provide a device for the adjustment of the nail or
pin-arrangement as to height. The means of effecting this adjustment is this:
The driver-holder n, by means of its lower rod or pin, which is serew-threaded, is
screwed into a bush or sleeve I provided with a corresponding "tapping"
internal screw-thread and adapted to turn within an eye formed for the purpose in
the arm o but incapable of any vertical motion or displacement. By turning. this.

page_text: bush or sleeve to the required extent, by means of a milled head or the like, the
height or level of the holder a with its drivers m m may be adjusted as required.
In order to enable the nails or pins to be in all cases maintained exactly in the
centres of the openings in the sleeve or case n', springs rr are provided, the upper
circularly cut ends of which pass through slots in the said case or sleeve and grasp the
shank of each nail from two sides. When the last beel-lift has been passed upon
the nails the heads of these issue from the springs and the completed heel drops.
out of the machine.
As the nail or pin-holder is being filled with a fresh set of nails, it is necessary,
in order to leave the openings in the sleeve a free, to depress the springs rr, and
for this purpose, the springs are secured to a frame, adjustable apon the said
sleeve n', which, through the medium of the rods, is connected with the handle ³
pivoted at. By simply pressing upon this handle, the springs will be caused to
leave the slots in the upper part of the case or sleeve n', thereby leaving open the
apertures for the insertion of a fresh set of nails. To ensure exact coincidence
between the stamp or punch f, with its lower plate f, made of brass or any other
suitable material, and the edge of the cutter t, even though such plate should
be to some extent worn out; and in order that the pusher k may always be relied
upon to be flush with the lower edge of the plate, at its lower surface, whilst the
lever i is inoperative, further means of adjustment are required. Accordingly, the
stamp or punch,-as will be seen from the vertical section Figure 3,-is screwed
into the plunger e, and the pusher k, by means of a screw thread of the same pitch,
is screwed into the rod or bar ko, and both the punch and the pusher are so
connected that they must revolve together; but in addition to this, the pusher
should be capable of sliding within the punch in the axial direction. With this
object in view, the pusher may, for example, be provided with a groove and screwed
into the same from outside, though the punch, may be a set screw.
According to the number of cutters t t that are arranged upon the roller or
drum -which number depends upon the number of lifts to be employed in
forming a given heel ;-or in other words, according to the manner in which the
drum or roller t is divided, the extent of each "step-by-step" movement of the said
roller, under the action of the segment-lever & should of course be capable of being
varied.
As indicated this object may, for example, be attained by a corresponding
adjustment of the bar or rod g upon the arm of the said segment-lever
which arm is curved in the shape of an arc of a circle having its centre at the
pivot-point of the said bar or rod and by changing the ratchet wheel v. Preferably,
such arm should be provided with a graduated scale corresponding to the divisions
of the diverse cutter-drums or rollers accompanying each machine.
A method of connection of the said drums or rollers, and means for fixing the
cutters thereon, in such a manner that the whole arrangement may readily be taken
to pieces when required, are illustrated in Figures 9 and Figures 17 and 18,
respectively, with sufficient clearness to necessitate no further elucidation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A machine for cutting out and at the same time joining together the lifts
for heels of boots and shoes, mainly consisting of a drum or rolier such as t,
adapted to be set in rotary motion periodically by means of suitable feeding
mechanism; such drum being provided with cutters, such as t, upon its periphery;
upon which cutters a stamp, punch or die, such as comes to act from time
to time in order to cut out (by a stamping action) heel-lifts from a piece of leather
placed upon the said cutters, and to transfer them onto nails held in a nail-device,
Euch as an, which has been moved under the cutter which is being operated upon
at the time, whereupon a pusher such as k, whicis has by that time moved out of the
stamp or punch /, moves the lift just passed on to the nails, further down upon the

page_text: same a sufficient distance to enable the points of such. nails to receive the next
following lift; whilst for the purpose of further feeding along the cutter-drum t,
the said nail-device is conducted downwards, substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. One form of the nail-device referred to in the first claim, mainly consisting of
a driver holder, such as n adjustably secured in the arm o, and of a case or sleeve:
such as n¹, vertically adjustable upon the drivers and subjected to spring action; the
movements of such sleeve or casing being capable of being limited by means of a
device such as n n and whereon a frame is adjustably arranged, the springs r of
which grasp the nail and maintain it exactly in a central position within the
perforations of the sleeve or casing n', substantially as described and illustrated in
the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 17th day of July 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.