Improvements in and relating to Machines for Attaching Heels to the Soles of Boots and Shoes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Sept., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 18th June, 1896-Accepted, 8th Aug., 1896
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
:
Improvements in and relating to Machines for Attaching Heels to
the Soles of Boots and Shoes.
1, ERASTUS WOODWARD, a citizen of the United States of America, residing
at 32 Wigglesworth Street in the Town of Somerville, County of Middlesex aud
State of Massachusetts, one of the United States of America, Mechanical
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
:
My invention relates to a machine for attaching heels, into which nails have
been previously driven, to the soles of boots or shoes.
My invention consists of certain novel features, arrangements and combinations
hereinafter described.
My improvement is shown applied to a well-known class of heeling machines, in
which there is a vertically reciprocating cross-head carrying an arm adapted to be
oscillated about the shaft; one end of said arm carrying a heel supporting plate
and nail driving mechanism, and the other end of the arm being adapted to attach
the top lift of the heel at the proper time. I have not shown in the drawings the
mechanism for reciprocating this cross-head, as it is too well known in the art at
the present time to require description.
In the drawings-
:
Figure 1 shows a vertical section of such cross-head as is referred to, together
with the jack in position thereunder holding the shoc;
Figure 2 is a perspective view of my device for centering the heel and driving
the nails;
Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the follower taken about midway between its
upper and lower surface;
Figure 4 is a vertical section of my improved device taken on the line - of
Figure 3, and showing the operation of unlatching the follower from the heel;
Figure 5 is a view of the heel showing the projecting heads of the nails ready
to be placed within the holes in the follower of Figure 2, which is located
below it.
In these drawings, A represents the cross-head, which is shown in section in
Figure 1, B being the rods by which it is reciprocated. B' is the last supported
on a suitable jack. C is the arm which carries at the upper end, as shown in
Figure 1, my improved driving device, the lower end C₁ being fitted with any
well-known means for holding the top lift. This arm C is mounted on a suitable
shaft c and may be locked in any desired way either in the position in which it is
shown, or the reverse position with the driving mechanism in position to attach the
heel to the last.
:
D is a bed-plate or driver carrier, adapted to be attached to one end of the
arm C by means of a stud d, or in any suitable way.' This carrier is provided with
a series of drivers d', each held in place therein by means of a set-screw d. "The
end of each driver is shaped to fit over the top of the nail E, which it is to
drive, this construction enabling the driver to center the nail more or less, and
consequently prevent unnecessary wear in the passage in the follower F.
if
The heel supporting plate or follower F is provided with a series of passages f;
one passage being provided for each driver d'; the follower being normally so
situated with relation to the bed plate or driver carrier that the end d of each
driver lics just within a passage The follower is held in the position shown in
* 831
139

page_text: Figure 4 by means of a centering stud G on which it slides, one end of which is
fastened to the bed plate D. The follower F is provided with a hole F¹ in its
center so that as the follower is depressed, the stud G may pass up through this
hole. A spring G¹ is provided about the stud G to keep the follower and bed
plate normally apart.
Such a device as this may of course be used in connection with a class of heeling
machines in which the nail driver is always below the work. In this case all that is
necessary is to place the heel with its projecting nails onto the follower, so that
each nail lies in its own passage, and bring the follower and the work together, in
which case the follower yields, as pressure is applied, and the drivers force the
nails home. In this case my mechanism is extremely useful, because the heel is
kept centered on the attaching mechanism by the nails which project into the
passages. But it is evident that such a device merely, would be impracticable
when used in a machine of the class shown in Figure 1, for as the arm C is turned
through an angle of 180° the heel would be dropped off from the driving mechanism,
unless some means were provided to hold it in place.
Such means is shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4. They consist of a forked latch H
(see Figures 3 and 4), adapted to project into one of the passages in the
follower, being normally held therein by the leaf spring J. The construction of
this latch is such that as the heel is put in place on the follower, the head of such
nail which is to pass down through the passage f containing the latch, throws the
latch to one side while it passes the latch, after which the latch resumes its position,
and the head being caught behind it, the heel cannot fall off. It is necessary,
however, to release the heel at some time after the heel has been properly placed upon
the sole, and this release is accomplished by means of the wedge-shaped piece K
attached to the sides of the bed plate and so located that when the follower is
depressed, as it will be in the process of driving the nails, the entering end of the
wedge-shaped piece K will pass between the spring J and the side of the follower,
and consequently withdraw the latch, releasing the nail and heel. I have also
shown the top of the follower F as corrugated in both directions, whereby there is
produced a series of points which tend to hold the heel to the follower and assist in
holding the heel during the reciprocation of the arm Cand prevents the slipping
of the heel during the driving operation so that the nails are driven vertically.
My device is easily constructed and is certain of action, and though various
ways may be adopted for carrying it into effect, I believe that I have shown the
simplest method.
In practice, where such a machine as shown in Figure l' is used, the heel is
placed upon the driving mechanism, which is represented at the top of the machine,
as shown in Figure 1, the arm is turned through an angle of 180°, the cross head
is then reciprocated, driving the nails. bome and securing the heel to the sole of
the shoe, as shown in Figure 4. While this is going on the operator prepares a top
lift C and places it upon what is now the upper end C¹ of the arm C, and the
cross-head rising, he has opportunity to turn the arm C again through an angle
of 180°, bringing the parts into. position shown in Figure 1, when the cross-head
again reciprocates and, compresses the top lift onto the heads of the nails projecting
from the heel, which are elongated to receive and hold it, (see Figure 4). While this
is going on the operator places another heel in position.on the attaching mechanism,
and after the top lift has been applied to the previous heel, the arm is swung
around and a new heel applied to the next shoe, and while said heel is being
applied to the next shoe, a top lift is being placed in position and is carried around
and applied to said. attached heel, so that as either a heel or top lift is attached, a
new heel or top lift is being applied to its respective holder, and in this way the
operation continues, and by such an arrangement the top lift holder and beel holder
are moved in. turn into and out of position with the heel seat of the boot or shoe,
and the heel and top lift can be applied without danger to the operator, as in this
arrangement the part, to which the heel or top lift is applied is always.above and.
out of the way of the operative parts, and at the same time a great saving of time

page_text: is made, inasmuch as a top lift or heel is being placed in its respective holder while
the previous part is being attached, and is ready to be sprung into position as the
previous operation is completed.
It will be understood that the constructions shown in the accompanying drawings
of my improved heel driving machine show only one form by which my invention
may be carried out, as other forms of construction could be designed, and
I therefore do not limit myself to the arrangement and construction shown, as the
same may be varied without departing from the spirit of my invention.
Dated this 30th day of September 1895.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.
*
Improvements in and relating to Machines for Attaching Heels to
the Soles of Boots and Shoes.
I, ERASTUS WOODWARD, a citizen of the United States of America, residing
at 32 Wigglesworth Street in the Town of Somerville, County of Middlesex and
State of Massachusetts, one of the United States of America, 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:-
My invention relates to a machine for attaching heels, into which nails have been
previously driven, to the soles of boots or shoes.
My invention consists of certain novel features, arrangements and combinations
hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.
My improvement is shown applied to a well-known class of heeling machines, in
which there is a vertically reciprocating cross-head carrying an arm adapted to be
oscillated about the shaft; one end of said arm carrying a heel supporting plate
and nail driving mechanism, and the other end of the arm being adapted to attach
the top lift of the heel at the proper time. I have not shown in the drawings the
mechanism for reciprocating this cross-head, as it is too well known in the art at
the present time to require description.
:-
In the drawings left with the Provisional Specification
Figure 1 shows a vertical section of such cross-head as is referred to, together
with the jack in position thereunder holding the shoe.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of my device for centering the heel and driving
the nails.
Figure 3 is a horizontal section of the follower taken about midway between its.
upper and lower surface.
Figure 4 is a vertical section of my improved device taken on the line x-x of
Figure 3, and showing the operation of unlatching the follower from the heel.
Figure 5 is a view of the heel showing the projecting heads of the nails ready
to be placed within. the holes in the follower of Figure 2, which is located
below it.
In these drawings, A represents the cross-head which is shown in section in
Figure 1, B being the rods by which it is reciprocated.
B' is the last supported
on a suitable jack. C is the arm which carries at the upper end, as shown in
Figure 1, my improved driving device, the lower end C¹ being fitted with any
well-known means for holding the top lift. This arm C is mounted on a suitable
shaft c and may be locked in any desired way either in the position in which it is
shown, or the reverse position with the driving mechanism in position to attach the
heel to the sole.
D is a bed-plate or driver carrier, adapted to be attached to one end of the

page_text: arm C by means of a stud d, or in any suitable way. This carrier is provided with
a series of drivers d¹³, each held in place therein by means of a set screw d. The
end d of each driver is shaped to fit over the top of the nail E, which it is to
drive, this construction enabling the driver to center the nail more or less, and
consequently prevent unnecessary wear in the passage in the follower F.
The heel supporting plate or follower F is provided with a series of passages f,
one passage being provided for each driver d', the follower being normally so
situated with relation to the bed plate or driver carrier that the end of each
driver lies just within a passage f. The follower is held in the position shown in
Figure 4 by means of a centering stud G, on which it slides, one end of which is
fastened to the bed plate D. The follower Fis provided with a hole F¹ in its center
so that as the follower is depressed, the stud G may pass up through this hole.
A spring G¹ is provided about the stud G to keep the follower and bed plate
normally apart.
Such a device as this may of course be used in connection with a class of heeling
machines in which the nail driver is always below the work. In this case all that
is necessary is to place the heel with its projecting nails onto the follower,
so that each nail lies in its own passage, and bring the follower and the work
together, in which case the follower yields, as pressure is applied, and the drivers
force the nails home. In this case my mechanism is extremely useful, because the
heel is kept centered on the attaching mechanism by the nails which project into
the passages.
But it is evident that such a device merely, would be impracticable when used in
a machine of the class shown in Figure 1, for as the arm C is turned through an
angle of 180° the heel would be dropped off from the driving mechanism, unless
some means were provided to hold it in place.
Such means are shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4. They consist of a forked latch H
(see Figures 3 and 4), adapted to project into one of the passages in the follower,
being normally held therein by the leaf spring J. The construction of this latch
is such that as the heel is put in place on the follower, the head of the nail which
is to pass down through the passage containing the latch, throws the latch to
one side while it passes the latel, after which the latch resumes its position, and
the head being caught behind it, the heel cannot fall off. It is necessary, however,
to release the heel at some time after the heel has been properly placed upon the
sole, and this release is accomplished by means of the wedge-shaped piece K
attached to the sides of the bed plate and so located that when the follower is
depressed, as it will be in the process of driving the nails, the entering end of the
wedge-shaped piece K will pass between the spring J and the side of the follower,
and consequently withdraw the latch, releasing the nail and heel. I have also
shown the top of the follower F as corrugated in both directions, whereby there is
produced a series of points which tend to hold the heel to the follower and assist in
holding the heel during the reciprocation of the arm C and prevents the slipping.
of the heel during the driving operation so that the nails are driven vertically.
My device is easily constructed and is certain of action, and though various
ways may be adopted for carrying it into effect, I believe that I have shown the
simplest method.
In practice, where such a machine as shown in Figure 1 is used, the heel is
placed upon the driving mechanism, which is represented at the top of the machine,
as shown in Figure 1, the arm is turned through an angle of 180°, the cross-head is
then reciprocated, driving the nails home and securing the heels to the sole of the
shoe, as shown in Figure 4. While this is going on the operator prepares a top
lift C' and places it upon what is now the upper end C₁ of the arm C, and the cross-
head rising, he has opportunity to turn the arm C again through an angle of 180°,
bringing the parts into position shown in Figure 1, when the cross-head again
reciprocates and compresses the top lift onto the heads of the nails projecting from
the heel, which are elongated to receive and hold it, (see Figure 4). While this is
going on the operator places another heel in position on the attaching mechanism,

page_text: and after the top lift has been applied to the previous heel, the arm is swung
around and a new heel applied to the next shoe, and while said heel is being
applied to the next shoe, a top lift is being placed in position and is carried around
and applied to said attached heel, so that as either a heel or top lift is attached, a
new heel or top lift is being applied to its respective holder, and in this way the
operation continues, and by such an arrangement the top lift holder and heel
holder are moved in turn into and out of position with the heel seat of the boot or
shoe, and the heel and top lift can be applied without danger to the operator, as in
this arrangement the part to which the heel or top lift is applied is always above
and out of the way of the operative parts, and at the same time a great saving of
time is made, inasmuch as a top lift or heel is being placed in its respective holder
while the previous part is being attached, and is ready to be sprung into position
as the previous operation is completed.
It will be understood that the constructions shown in the drawings accompanying
the Provisional Specification of my improved heel driving mechanism, show only
one form by which my invention may be carried out, as other forms of construction
could be designed, and I therefore do not limit myself to the arrangement and
construction shown, as the same may be varied without departing from the spirit of
my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim, is:-
1. In a heel nailing machine, a bed plate carrying a series of drivers, a heel
plate having a series of passages registering with said drivers and adapted to carry
a heel loaded with nails and to receive in said passages the heads of said nails,
in combination with a heel holding device adapted to engage with one or more
nails, and mechanism for releasing said heel holding device from said engagement
to release the said heel in the operation of driving the nails into the sole of the
boot or shoe.
2. In a heel nailing machine, a bed plate carrying a series of drivers, a heel
plate having a series of passages registering with said drivers and adapted to carry
a heel loaded with nails and to receive in said passages the heads of said nails, in
combination with a heel holding device located on said heel plate and adapted to
engage with one or more nails, and mechanism for releasing said heel holding
device from said engagement to release the said heel in the operation of driving
the nails into the sole of the boot or shoe.
3. In a heel nailing machine, a bed plate carrying a series of drivers, a yielding
heel plate carried by said bed plate and having a series of passages registering
with said drivers and adapted to carry a heel loaded with nails and to receive in
said passages the heads of said nails, in combination with a heel holding device
located on said heel plate and adapted to engage with one or more nails, and
mechanism for releasing said heel holding device from said engagement to
release the said heel in the operation of driving the nails into the sole of the boot
or shoe.
4. In a heel nailing machine, a bed plate carrying a series of drivers, a heel
plate having a series of passages registering with said drivers and adapted to carry
a heel loaded with nails and to receive in said passages the heads of said nails, in
combination with a heel holding device located on said heel plate and projecting
into one or more of said passages in engagement with one or more nails, and
mechanism for releasing said heel holding device from said engagement to
release the said heel in the operation of driving the nails into the sole of the boot
or shoe.
5. In a machine for attaching heels to boots and shoes, a support for the boot or
shoe, a movable arm, a heel attaching mechanism secured thereto and consisting of
a bed plate carrying a series of drivers and a heel plate provided with a series
of passages registering with said drivers and supporting a heel loaded with nails

page_text: located in said passages and adapted to carry the said heel into relation with the heel
seat of the boot or shoe, a top lift holding device on the movable arm for receiving
the top lifts and carrying the same by a movement of said arm into relation with
the heel after it has been attached to the boot or shoe, mechanism for driving said
nails into the sole of the boot or shoe and for attaching the top lift to the attached
heel, and means adapted to engage with said heel holding device for releasing the
said heel therefrom in the operation of said driving mechanism.
6. In a machine for attaching heels to boots and shoes, a support for the boot or
shoe, a movable arm, heel attaching mechanism secured thereto and consisting of a
bed plate carrying a series of drivers and a heel plate mounted thereon provided
with a series of passages registering with said drivers and supporting a heel loaded
with nails located in said passages and adapted to carry said heel into relation with
the heel seat of the boot or shoe, mechanism for driving said nails into the sole
of the boot or shoe, and a heel holding device on said heel plate engaging with one
or more of said nails for holding said heel on said heel plate and adapted to be
released from said engagement in the operation of said driving mechanism, the said
heel plate in its non-operative position receiving a loaded heel which is carried into
operative position with said support by a movement of said arm.
7. In a machine for attaching heels to boots and shoes, a support for the boot or
shoe, a heel attaching mechanism consisting of a bed plate carrying a series of
drivers and a yielding heel plate mounted thercon provided with a series of
passages registering with said drivers and supporting a heel loaded with nails
located in said passages, an arm turning in a vertical plane and carrying the said
heel attaching mechanism which is secured thereto into and out of operative
position with said support, mechanism for driving said nails into the sole of the
boot or shoe, and a heel holding device on said heel plate engaging with one or
more of said nails for holding said heel on said heel plate and adapted to be
released from said engagement in the operation of said driving mechanism, the
said heel plate in its non-operative position receiving a loaded heel which is
carried into operative position with said support by a movement of said arın.
8. In a machine for attaching heels to boots and shoes, a support for the boot or
shoe, a movable arm, a heel attaching mechanism secured thereto and consisting of
a bed plate carrying a series of drivers and a heel plate provided with a series of
passages registering with said drivers and supporting a heel loaded with nails
located in said passages and adapted to carry said heel into relation with the heel
seat of the boot or shoe, mechanism for driving said nails into the sole of the boot
or shoe, a heel holding device for holding said heel on said heel plate, and means
for releasing said heel from said heel holding device in the operation of said
driving mechanism.
9. In a machine for attaching heels to boots and shoes, a support for the boot or
shoe, a movable arm, a heel plate attached thereto for supporting a heel loaded
with nails and adapted to carry said heel into relation with the heel seat of the
boot or shoe, a top lift holding device on the movable arm for receiving the top
lifts and carrying the same by a movement of the said arm into relation with the
heel after it has been attached to the boot or shoe, mechanism for driving said
nails into the sole of the boot or shoe and for attaching the top lift to the attached
heel, a heel holding device for holding said heel on said heel plate, and means for
releasing said heel from said heel holding device in the operation of said driving
mechanism.
10. In a machine for attaching heels to boots and shoes, a support for the boot
or shoe, a heel plate supporting a heel loaded with nails and provided with a series
of passages in which the heads of the nails are located, a top lift holding device for
receiving and carrying the top lifte, an arm turning in a vertical plane and
carrying the said heel plate and said top lift holding device, which are secured
thereto, successively into and out of operative position with said support,
mechanism for driving said nails into the sole of the boot or shoe and for 'attaching
the top lift to the attached heel, a heel holding device on said heel plate engaging

page_text: with one or more of said nails for holding said heel on said heel plate, an means.
for releasing said heel holding device from said engagement to release the said
heel in the operation of said driving mechanism.
11. In a machine for attaching heels to boots and shoes, a support for the boot
or shee, a movable arm, a heel attaching mechanism secured thereto and consisting
of a bed plate carrying a series of drivers and a heel plate provided with a series
of passages registering with said drivers and supporting a heel loaded with nails
located in said passages and adapted to carry said heel into relation with the heel
seat of the boot or shoe, a top lift holding device on the movable arm for receiving
the top lifts and carrying the same by a movement of the said arm into relation
with the heel after it has been attached to the boot or shoe, mechanism for driving.
said rails into the sole of the boot or shoe and for attaching the top lift to the
attached heel, a heel holding device on said heel plate for holding the heel thereon,
and means adapted to engage with said heel holding device for releasing said heel
therefrom in the operation of said driving mechanism.
Dated this 18th day of June 1896.
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Patent Agents.