Improvements in Heel Burnishing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 14th July, 1891
Complete Specification Left, 13th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 14th May, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Heel Burnishing Machines.
I, ALFRED BURKE FOWLER, of Exeter, in the County of Rockingham, State
of New Hampshire, one of the United States of America Machinist do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be-as follows :-
This invention relates to improvements in heel burnishing machines in which an
oscillating burnishing tool is used, combined with a shoe holding jack adapted to be
moved forward and back relative to the said burnishing tool.
Heretofore machines of this kind have been made having a burnishing tool carrier
pivoted at a fixed distance from the oscillating shaft and moving therewith, being
pressed towards the centre of said shaft by means of a spring or springs so as to
cause the burnishing tool to be pressed against the surface of the heel of the boot
or shoe mounted on the jack; the centre of said heel being in a line with the centre
of said shaft.
Machines constructed as above are objectionable and do not perform their
function when operating on what are known in the trade as "French heels" and
"Wurtemburgs," on account of the great variation in width of such heel at the top,
bottom and intervening portions thereof, causing the burnisher tool to be pressed
harder against the wider portion of such heels than on the narrower parts thereof,
and thus making the burnishing uneven and irregular.
The object of this my invention is to avoid this difficulty and cause the burnishing-
tool to be held with equal pressure against all parts of the heel; and means are also
furnished so that the machine may be kept in continual motion while the jack is
drawn outward and a finished boot or shoe is being removed therefrom or another
boot or shoe is being placed upon the jack ready to have its heel finished on the
machine, as will be hereinafter fully shown and described, reference being had to
the accompanying drawings, in which :
Figure 1, represents a side elevation of the improved burnishing machine in the
aot of burnishing a beel of the shoe D.
Figure 2 represents a central longitudinal section of the same, showing the jack
drawn outward into the position occupied when a boot or shoe is removed from or
placed on the jack.
Figure 3, represents a horizontal section on the line x, x, as seen from below ‹said
line, and
Figures 4 and
represent modifications of the former used on my machine which
will be described hereafter.
Similar letters refer to like parts wherever they occur on the different parts of
the drawings.
a, is the pedestal, standard, column; or frame of the machine as usual, having
bearinga a a, in which is journaled the shaft b, which is rocked in said bearings by
means of any well known mechanism usually employed in machines of this kind. 1
wish to state that I do not confine myself to any particular form of standard or
mechanism for rocking the burnisher shaft b, as this may be done by means of any
desired mechanism without departing from the essence of my invention. C is the
shoe holding jack, having suitable means for securing to it the shoe D and its heel d,
as usual,
The jack C is adapted to slide forward and back in an arm or bracket a³, secured
to the standard a in the ordinary manner, which bracket is provided with a suitable
stop, a', to limit the outward movement of the jack, or the jack may be moved
forward and back and stopped by any other well known and suitable means

page_text: -
within the scope of mechanical skill without departing from the spirit of my
invention.
At the back of the shoe heel to be burnished, I secure in a suitable manner to the
upper rear portion of the jack C, a heel templet or former d', preferably made of
metal and of a size and shape corresponding to that of the heel to be burnished,
excepting that it is preferably provided with an extension d³, for a purpose to be
hereafter described.
To the shaft, is secured a forwardly projecting arm or block E, having pivoted to
it a lever F, the forward end of which is forced against the burnishing tool holder G,
by means of a suitable spring e, interposed between the rear end of the lever F, and
the block E. In the drawings I have shown the spring e as a spiral one arranged
within a recess in said block E, and provided with an adjusting screw e', for the
purpose of regulating the pressure against the lever F, but any other kind of spring
may be used without departing from my invention. is a balance weight on the
block E as usual. The forward end of the block E is preferably made forked, and in
such forked end the tool holder G, is vertically movable, the latter is preferably
provided with a rearwardly extending wing, vane or projection G¹ adapted to be
guided in a corresponding recess in the block E for the purpose of preventing said
tool holder from swinging sidewise relative to the block E during the oscillating of
the latter.
The tool holder G bas a contact, bearing point or surface g adapted to be held
against the heel templet d', or its extension d, as the case may be; by the influence
of the springe and the rock lever Fas shown in the drawings.
To the forward end of the tool holder G is pivoted at G, the burnisher tool H
having a rear extension H to which is adjustably secured the lower end of a
regulating screw h, surrounded by a spring I, located between the under side of the
head of said screw and the bottom of a recess in the tool holder G, in which said
spring and regulating screw are arranged. The object of the spring I is to hold
the burnisher tool H with a proper pressure against the heel d, while being oscillated
froin breast to breast of the latter.
Although a coiled spring I as shown is preferable for holding the burnisher
tool against the heel to be burnished, I do not confine myself to this exact
construction, as a spring of any other well known form may be used to equal
advantage.
In constructing the machine I make the spring e of a sufficient strength to
hold the tool holder projection g at all times in contact with the curved surface,
of the heel templet or former , d, and it will thus be seen that the burnisher
tool H is forced by the influence of its spring I with equal pressure against all
parts of the heel, no matter how it varies from its top lift to its base or bottom,
and consequently am enabled to burnish the heel uniformly throughout its
entire height and surface. The templets or formers d', are made in various
sizes and shapes to correspond with the different heels.used on boots or shoes
and they are made removable from the jack so as to be able to use any of the
different kinds desired.
It will be seen that when the machine is burnishing the heel of a boot or;
shoe, the bearing or contact point y moves back and forward over the outer
surface of the templet proper d', but when the-jack is drawn outward to the
position shown in Figure 2 so as to take a finished boot or shoe from the jack
and to place another thereon, the contact point moves upon the outer surface
of the extension, which extension is preferably so shaped as to cause the
burnishing tool H to be kept elevated sufficiently to prevent it from coming into.
contact with any part of the machine or the boot or shoe mounted thereon
while the shaft is kept in a continuous oscillating motion. Thus it will be seen
that by the use of the extension on the templet, the machine may be kept in
motion at full speed, and boot after boot placed upon the jack, its heel finished
and then removed from the jack. This increases the amount of work that can
bo done upon the machine and it also prevents the necessity of having to raise.

page_text: the burnishing tool and contact point by hand in order to bring the heel under
the burnishing tool and the templet under the contact point as would be the
case if the extension was dispensed with.
The operation of my improved machine. is as follows: Suppose the jack to be
drawn outward against the stop a³, and a heel templet d', d, of a size and shape
according to the size and shape of the heel to be burnished secured in its
proper place upon the jack C, the shoe D and its heel & are then secured to
the jack C in their proper places; the contact point of the tool holder G
during the placing of the boot upon the jack is caused to rest upon the extension (",
of the templet by the influence of the spring e, and the burnishing tool is held
in an elevated position as shown in Figure 2. The machine is then set in notion
causing the shaft b, to oscillate backward and forward, the contact point g to
move on the outer surface of the extension, and the burnishing tool to oscillate
to and fro without coming in contact with any part of the machine or the boot
mounted on the jack.
The jack is then moved inward towards the burnishing tool, by hand or auto-
matically as the case may be causing the contact point to follow the surface of
the extension d until it reaches the surface of the templet d', when the burnishing
tool will have been lowered sufficiently to cause it to press against the surface
of the heel by the influence of the spring I and to move over the entire length
of the heel from breast to breast of the same. By continuing the inward move-
ment of the jack, the burnishing tool is caused to burnish the entire height of
the heel from top lift to rand, and as the former, d', is conformably shaped it will
Cause the burnishing tool to press equally on all parts of the heel no matter
how irregular, or how it may vary in width, as the inequality of pressure
between the burnishing tool and the heel which would be caused by these
variations is transferred from the burnishing tool to the pressure of the contact
point against the templet.
This uniform pressure of the burnishing tool causes the heel to be burnished
evenly throughout its entire surface.
After the heel has been properly burnished the jack is again drawn outward
until it reaches the extent of such movement causing the various parts of the
machine to assume the position shown in Figure 2, when the finished boot or
shoe may be removed from the jack and replaced by another one to be burnished.
In Figures 4 and 5 I have shown modified forms of the heel templet or
former d', and its extension d, from those shown on other parts of the drawings
and in the former figure the extension is made without flaring so as to keep the
burnishing tool from being raised when the jack is withdrawn but to hold it in
about the same position as it occupied when the extreme top of the lift was
burnished.
In Figure 5 the templet and extension is shown as being made in two separate
pieces bolted together. This construction has its advantages but I prefer to
make the templet and extension in one piece as shown in the other figures of
the drawings.
I do not coufine myself to the mechanism as shown for operating the tool
carrier and its burnishing tool nor to the style of burnishing tool shown as
others may be used to cqual advantage without departing from my invention.
Dated this 11th day of July 1891.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Heel Burnishing Machines.
1, ALFRED BURKE FOWLER of Exeter, in the County of Rockingham, State
of New Hampshire, one of the United States of America, Machinist, 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 improvements in heel burnishing machines in which an
oscillating burnishing tool is used, combined with a shoe holding jack adapted to
be moved forward and back relative to the said burnishing tool.
Heretofore machines of this kind have been made having a burnishing tool carrier
pivoted at a fixed distance from the oscillating shaft and moving therewith, being
pressed towards the centre of said shaft by means of a spring or springs so as to
cause the burnishing tool to be pressed against the surface of the heel of the boot
or shoe mounted on the jack; the centre of the said heel being in a line with the
centre of said shaft. Machines constructed as above are objectionable and do not
perform their function when operating on what are known in the trade "French
and "Wurtemburg" heel; on account of the great variation in width of such becl
at the top, bottom and intervening portions thereof, causing the burnisher tool to
be pressed harder against the wider portion of such heels than on the narrower
parts thereof, and thus making the burnishing uneven and irregular.
"
The object of this iny invention is to avoid this difficulty and cause the burnisliing
tool to be held with equal pressure against all parts of the heel; and means are
also furnished, so that the machine may be kept in continual motion while the jack
is drawn outward and a finished boot or shoe is being placed upon the jack rendy
to have its heel finished on the machine, as is hereinafter fully shown and
described, reference being had to the drawings left with the Provisional Specifica-
tion in which':
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improved burnishing machine in the act of
burnishing a heel of the shoe D.
Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section of the same, showing the jack drawn
outward into the position occupied when a boot or shoe is removed from or placed
upon the jack.
Figure 3 represents a horizontal section on line X X as seen from below said
line, and
Figures 4 and
horeinafter described.
Similar letters refer to like parts wherever they occur on the different parts of
the drawings.
are modifications of the "former" used on my machine which is
a is the pedestal, standard, column or frame of the machine as usual, having
bearings a a, in which is journaled the shaft, which is rocked in said bearings
by means of any well known mechanism usually employed in machines of this kind.
I do not confine myself to any particular form of standard or mechanism for
rocking the burnisher shaft bas this may be done by means of any desired
mechanism without departing from the essence of my invention. C is the shoe-
holding jack, having suitable means for securing to it the shoe D and its heel d
as usual.
'
The jack C is adapted to slide forward and back in an arm or bracket a secured
to the standard a in the ordinary manner, which bracket is provided with a suitable
stop, a to limit the outward movement of the jack, or the jack may be moved
forward and back and stopped by any other well known and suitable means within
the scope of mechanical skill without departing from the spirit of my invention.
At the back of the shoe heel to be burnished, I secure in a suitable manner to
the upper rear portion of the jack C a heel templet or former d', preferably made

page_text: of metal and of a size and shape corresponding to that of the heel to be burnished;
excepting that it is preferably provided with an extension d, for the purpose
hereinafter described. To the shaft bis secured a forwardly projecting arm or
block E having pivoted to it a lever F, the forward end of which is forced against
the burnishing tool holder G, by means of a spring e interposed between the rear
end of the lever F, and block E. In the drawings is shown a spiral spring e,
arranged within a recess in the block E and provided with an adjusting screw e¹,
for the purpose of regulating the pressure against the lever F, but other springs
may be used without departing from my invention.
is a balance weight on the block E as usual. The forward end of the block E
is proferably made forked and in such forked end the tool holder G is vertically
movable, the latter is also preferably provided with a rearwardly extending wing,
vane or projection G', adapted to be guided in a corresponding recess in the block E
for the purpose of preventing the tool holder from swinging sideways relative to
the block E during the oscillating of the latter.
The tool holder G has a contact hearing point or surface g, adapted to be hold
against the heel templet d', or its extension.d, as the case may be; by the influence
of the spring e, or its equivalent, and the rocking lever F. To the forward end of
the tool holder G is pivoted at G³, the burnisher tool H having a rear extension H',
to which is adjustably secured the lower end of a regulating screw surrounded
by the spring I located between the under side of the head of said screw and the
bottom of the recess in the tool holder G, in which said spring and regulating screw
are arranged.
The object of the spring I is to hold the burnisher tool H with a proper pressure
against the heold while being oscillated from breast to breast of the latter.
Although a coiled spring is shown and is preferable for holding the burnisher
tool against the heel to be burnished, I do not confine myself to this exact
construction, as a spring of any other well known form may be used to equal
advantage. In constructing the machine I make the spring e of a sufficient strength
to hold the tool holder projection g, at all times in contact with the curved surface
of the heel templet or former d', ', and it will thus be seen that the burnisher
tool H is forced by the influence of its spring I with equal pressure against all parts
of the heel, no matter how it varies from its top lift to its base or bottom, and
consequently I am enabled to burnish the heel uniformly throughout its entire height
and surface.
The heel templets or formers d', are made in various sizes and shapes to
correspond with the different heels used on boots or shocs, and they are made
removable from the jaok so as to be able to use any of the different kinds desired.
It will be seen that when the machine is burnishing the heel of a boot or shoe, the
bearing or contact point g moves backward and forward over the outer surface of
the templet proper d', but when the jack is drawn outward to the position shown in
Figure 2 so as to take a finished hoot or shoe from the jack and to place another
thereon, the contact point moves upon the outer surface of the extension, which
extension is preferably so shaped as to cause the burnishing tool H to be kept
elevated sufficiently to prevent it from coming into contact with any part of the
machine or the boot or shoe mounted' thereon while the shaft is kept in a continuous
oscillating motion. Thus it will be seen that by the use of the extension on the
templet, the machine may be kept in motion continually at full speed, and boot
after boot be placed upon the jack; its heel finished and then removed from the
jack. This increases the amount of work that can be done upon the machine and
it also prevents the necessity of having to raise the burnishing tool and contact
point by hand in order to bring the heel under the burnishing tool and the,
templet under the contact point as would be the case if the extension was dispensed
with.
The operation of the machine is as follows: Suppose the jack to be drawn out-
ward against the stop u³, and a heel templet d' of a size and shape according to
the size and shape of the heel to be burnished secured in its proper place upon the

page_text: jack C. The shoe D and its heel-d, are then secured to the jack C in their proper
places; the contact point of the tool holder G during the placing of the boot
upon the jack is caused to rest upon the extension d, of the templet by the
influence of the spring e, and the burnishing tool is held in an elevated position
as shown in Figure 2. The machine is then set in motion causing the shaft to
oscillate backward and forward, the contact point g, to move on the outer surface
of the extension, and the burnishing tool to oscillate to and fro without coming in
contact with any part of the machine or the boot mounted on the jack. The jack
is then moved inward toward the burnishing tool, by hand or automatically as the
case may be causing the contact point to follow the surface of the extension a³,
until it reaches the surface of the templet d', when the burnishing tool will have
been lowered sufficiently to cause it to press against the surface of the heel by the
influence of the spring 1, and to move over the entire length of the heel from
breast to breast of the same. By continuing the inward movement of the jack, the
burnishing tool is caused to burnish the entire height of the beel from top lift to
raud, and as the former d' is conformably shaped it will cause the burnishing tool
to press equally on all parts of the heel-no matter how irregular, or how it may
vary in width, as the inequality of pressure between the burnishing tool and the
heel which would be caused by these variations is transferred from the burnishing
tool to the pressure of the contact point against the templet. This uniform pressure
of the burnishing tool causes the heel to be burnished very evenly throughout its
entire surface.
After the heel has been properly burnished the jack is again drawn outward
until it reaches the extent of such movement causing the various parts of the
machine to assume the position shown in Figure 2, when the finished boot or shoe
may be removed from the jack and replaced by another one to be burnished. In
Figures 4 and 5 I have shown modified forms of the heel templet or former d¹ and
its extension d, from those shown on other parts of the drawings and in the former
figure the extension is made without joining: so as to keep the burnishing tool from
being raised when the jack is withdrawn but to hold it in about the same position
as it occupied when the extreme top of the top lift was burnished.
In Figure 5 the templet and extension is shown as being made in two separate
pieces bolted together. This construction has its advantages but I prefer to make
the templet and extension in one piece as shown in the other figures of the drawings.
I would have it understood that I do not confine myself to the mechanism as shown
for operating the tool carrier and its burnishing tool nor to the style of burnishing
tool shown as others may be used to equal advantage without departing from my
invention.
Having now fully described and ascertained the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :
1. In a boot and shoe heel burnishing machine the combination with a sliding
shoe carrying jack a heel templet or former d', d, a rook shaft an arm secured
to rock shaft and overhanging the templet, a vertically movable tool holder carried
by the overhanging arm and having at one end a contact point resting on the
templet, and at the opposite end a burnishing tool to bear against the heel to be
burnished, and a vertically oscillating spring pressed lever pivoted on the over-
hanging arm and acting at one end on the tool holder to force the contact point
against the templet, substantially as described.
"
2. In a burnishing machine a sliding shoe carrying jack and heel templet or
"former secured thereto, in combination with an adjustable spring pressed
burnisher tool pivoted on a tool holder adapted to bear against the heel templet,
and an oscillating arm or lever for carrying said tool holder, and an adjustable
spring pressed lever for holding the tool holder against the heel templet, substantially
as set forth.
3. In a heel burnishing machine the combination with a sliding shoe carrying

page_text: jack laying an attached heel templet or "former," of a rocking shaft having an
attached arm overhanging the templet, a vertically movable tool holder arranged on
said arm, and having a contact point resting on the templet, a swinging burnishing
tool pivoted on the tool holder, a spring acting on the tool' to press it against the
heel to be burnished and a spring pressed lever acting on the tool-holder to press
the contact point against the heel templet,.substantially as described.
4. In a boot or shoe heel burnishing machine, a sliding shoe carrying jack of the
charactor described having a heel templet or "former" mounted thereon, a tool
carrier having a burnishing tool attached thereto, and a contact or bearing point or
surface adapted to be held against and moved on said heel templet to equalize the
pressure of the burnisher upon the heel being burnished, and mechanism for operating
the tool carrier and its attached burnishing tool, combined with an extension on the
heel templet or "former" to prevent the tool carrier from being forced downward
and the necessity of stopping the machine while the jack is withdrawn to remove
and replace a boot or shoe for the burnishing operation, substantially as set
forth.
5. Improvements in heel burnishing machines employing a sliding boot or shoe
carrying jack with a heel templet mounted thereon, a tool carrier having a burnishing
iron attached thereto, and also a contact or bearing point or surface adapted to be
held against and moved on said heel templet and the herein described mechanism
for operating the tool carrier and its attached burnishing tool, and an extension on
heel templet to prevent the tool carrier from being forced downward and the
necessity of stopping the machine while withdrawing the jack from contact;
combined with a stop for said jack to limit its movement, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth and described.
Dated this 19th day of Anvil 1005
WILLIAM BESTWICK MAXFIELD,
"The Central" Office for Patents,
19, Bowling Green Street, Leicester, England, Applicant's Agent..