US496437A - Automatic boot-blacking machine - Google Patents

Description

` (No Medel.) 4 sheets-sheet 1.

I'. G. NORTON.- .AUTOMATIC BOOT BLAOKING MACHINE.

A Patented Mey 2, 1893.

2 rez/cn for.'

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet .2.

F. GpNORTON. AUTOMATIC BooT BLAGKING MACHINE.

No. 496,437. Patented May .2, 1893.

. A' @Il (No Model.) 4 sneetsfsheet y4L.

F. G. NORTON.

y AUTOMATIC BOOT BLACKING MACHINE. No. 496,437.. r Patented May 2, lags.

UNrTnn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK G. NORTON, OF WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS.

AUTOMATIC BOOT-BLACKING MACHINE.l

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 496,437, dated May 2, 1893.

Application filed March I8, 1891.

To all whom it may concern:

Beitknown that I, FREDERICK G. NORTON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waukegan, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in'Automatic Boot-Blacking Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the construction of automatic boot blacking machines.

My object therein has been the production of a simple and efficient machine of this class, in which a series of rotating brushes is given a movement around the foot during which they may both apply the blacking and polish the shoe. In order to obtain this movement around the foot, the brushes which act upon the sides and back of the shoe are mounted upon vertical axes in swinging'arms which are pressed toward each other with a yielding pressure by springs, While the brush which acts upon the toe portion of the shoe is so mounted and operated that it will move from side to side over the front, of the foot and rise and fallaccording to the height of the shoe, thus adapting itself to the contour of the front portion of the shoe. The series of brushes are all mounted upon a carriage which when the motor of the machine is set in motion advances sufficient] y to carry the brushes to and around the foot in their prescribed paths and then retreats to its starting position. The machine is also so organized as to feed the brushes with blacking during their advance movement and to shut it off during their retreat, thus leaving them at liberty to polish during the latter movement.

The details of construction, as well as the novel features of the machine will be fully understood from the description which I give below when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure l is a plan of my machine, the topl of the surrounding case being removed. Fig. 2 is a side elevation; the side of the case being omitted. Fig. 3 is an enlarged partial horizontal section on substantially the plane of shaft G in Fig.-2. Fig. 4 is a detail section showing the mechanism for supporting and actuating the toe brush. Fig. 5 is a plan of the parts shown at Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an elevation of one of the swinging arms carryingthe side brushes. Fig. 7 shows the rack 'for reci procating the carriage carrying the brushes. Fig. 8 is au enlarged detail of the cam for opening the blacking reservoir valve of the ltoe brush. Fig. 9 is a detail of the arm actuated by the cam of Fig. 8. Fig. lO is adetail section of the devices for actuating the valve controlling the supply of blacking to the side brushes. section, of one of the blacking reservoirs. Fig. 12 is a section on the line lf2-l2 of Fig. l1. Fig. 13 is a section on the line 13-13 of Fig. at.

upon which the machine is mounted.

a a represent raised platforms or foot rests on which the feet may be placed while the shoes are being blacked. y

B represents a suitable casing covering the operative parts of the machine when at rest.

Fig.vl1 is an elevation, partly in I This covering is open at the end toward the rests ct, and the mechanism moves out of such open end when the motor is set in motion, as hereinafter explained;

' I have shown in the drawings a machine adapted to black both shoes at the same time,

but it will be understood that instead of this the machine may embody only one. set of brushes, and repeat its operation.

All the moving parts of the maehineare mounted upon a carriage consisting of a cross beam C, and branches c. At D is the electric motor by which th'e machine is operated,. Z v

terial, and hence I do not enter into any del tail of explanation with regard to it. It actuates a pinion E, and through such pinion gives motion to the machine. This pinion meshes with a gear e mounted upon a shaft Fcarrying a miter pinion f meshing with a like pinion g upon the cross shaft G supported from the beam O. From this shaft Gl the various brushes are actuated as hereinafter'more fully set forth. Shaft F also carries a worm H meshing with a worm gear h mounted upon a'vertical shaft ,'the latter carrying a pinion j meshing with arack J, stationary as regards longitudinal movement, but movable laterally, as stated farther on. Surrounding the Iloo . 65 In the drawings A represents a suitable base Y rack J is a frame K, united to the rack so as to be rigid therewith, by cross bars k supported upon the plate A. The rack and surrounding frame are also fast upon a cross shaft L which has freedom to slide in its bearings on. By means of this pinion j, in conjunction with the rack and the frame, the carriage C c is reciprocated forward and back at each blacking operation, the carriage being supported upon rollers M at each end of the cross beam and the roller N at the rear, track bars i?, being provided for each of said rollers. It will be readily seen that when the motor is set in motion thata rotary movement will be imparted to pinion j, and as the rack is held by its shaftLagainst any longitudinal movement, the resultant effect is necessarily a longitudinal movement of the main carriage. This movement which advances the brushes to their work continues until the pinion j reaches the end of the rack, at which time beingin continuous motion and confined by the frame K, said pinion forces the rack laterally and then commences to engage the teeth upon the opposite side of the rackand to cause a retreat of the carriage. This retreat continues until the pinion has reached thev other end of the rack, when it moves around that end and forces the rack back to its starting position ready for another advance.

For operating upon the sides and heel of the shoe I provide a pair of brushes O O, one at either side of the foot and mount them upon spring pressed swinging arms P. Each of said brushes is mounted upon a vertical shaft o in the end of said swinging arm, and said shaft is actuated by the miter gears q, the shaft p extending longitudinally of the arm P, the bevel pinion r meshing with the gear R upon a vertical journal S, and the gear snponthemaincrossshaftG. EacharmPfinds supportin a bracket T and is forked at the end joined to the bracket, so as to give room to the gears R r, and is pivoted at each junction of the fork with the bracket, the journal S forming one pivot and the other pivot being indicated att (Fig. 6). The arms Pare employed in pairs, one for su pporting a brush at each side of the foot, and are yieldingly pressed toward each other at their operating ends by springs W, secured to the cross bar C and extending forward and acting upon the arms near the brushes. Each of the brushes O carries a blacking reservoir 3, and the flow of the blacking from these reservoirs is controlled by appropriate valves 4, (Figs. 11 and 12) seated in cylinders 5 provided with discharge openings (i adapted to be closed by rotating the valve.

A simple construction of the valves and cylinders is illustrated, the former being cut away at one side and the latter being open upon the side adjoining the reservoir. These Valves are opened momentarily and immediately closed again during the forward movement of the brushes by anysuitable mechanism, such for instance as the following: Each valve has a stem 7 and a crank arm 8, and the latter is joined by a pitman rod 9 to a pivoted lever 10 stationarily supported from frame C by a bracket 11. A spring 10a (Fig. 10) draws the lever 10 in the direction indicated, and by so doing retains the valve inits closed or normal position. Said spring is however overpowered during the forward movement of the carriage by the contact of a depending elbow extension 12, rigid with lever 10 and preferably carrying an anti-friction roller 13, with a stationary stop 14. This contact results in a tipping of the elbow and the lever, so that the roller 13 may ride over the stop and also in a partial rotation of the valve sufficient to discharge a small quantity of the blacking. The stop 14 upon its farther side may be inclined as shown, or it may be prolonged to any extent desirable to insure the discharge of a suiiicient quantity of the blacking, but I prefer that the valveshould be retained in the open position only an in stant and to employ a plurality of stops 14in order to repeat the operation just described at a later stagein the advance of the carriage and thus supply the brushes at intervals instead of once for all. In this manner the blacking is economized and is more evenly distributed upon the shoe than it would beif the valves were opened but once.` The stop or stops 14 are secured toa stationary bar 15 attached to base A. And where more than one stop is employed, it will be understood that spring 10 closes the valve between the contacts of the elbow with the several stops. During the retreat of the carriage, there is no actuation of the reservoir valves because the foot in which the roller 13 is mounted, is pivoted in ,a recess y in the elbow l2, which recess allows such foot to yield and ride over the stops 14 when the carriage is moving back, while it holds the foot rigidly during the advance movement.

The toe brush is indicated at 1G. Itis supported upon a horizontal axis 17, carrying bevel gear 18 engaging with a like gear 19 upon the vertical shaft 2O furnished with a bevel gear 2l (Fig. 4) meshing with a like gear 22 upon the main cross shaft. Through this train of gearing the brush receives its rotation. It is also vibrated laterally over the shoe by appropriate mechanism and the means I have employed for this purpose I will now describe. The brush arbor 17 is supported in an arm 23 which encircles and swings upon the shaft 20, said shaft 20 being supported in a frame 24 which is journaled upon the main shaft G. In this frame 24 is also journaled a short shaft 25 carryingagear wheel 26 receiving power from the shaft 2O through the pinion 27. Upon its upper end shaft 25 carries a crank and wrist pin 2S and 29, such wrist piu working in the slot 30 of a horizontal arm or extension 3l of the arm 23. By this mechanism the brush is during the operation of the machine vibrated to and fro over the toe of the shoe, as will be readily IOO IIO

understood. The vibrating movement thus given the toe brush is not in a horizontal plane but is a rising and falling movement in order that the brush may conform to the foot and properly black the sides as well as the top of the toe portion and to permit thiscompound movement, the brush and its supports and frame 24 are made capable of swinging upon the main shaft G as a center, and the shoe itself is made the means of both causing and determining the extent of the rise and fall. A spring 33 is placed between the frame 24 and the cross beam C, the power of which is exerted in an upward direction and thus tends to throw said frame and the parts Supported thereby including the brush over toward the shoe, the spring and brush being located at opposite sides of the main shaft G' upon which the structure swings. With this construction, it will be obvious that the brush will in the vibrating movement ride over the shoe, moving in irregular curved lines corresponding to the outline of the shoe, and remaining in operative contact with the surface thereof during the entire operation. The features just described also permit the vibrating movements to vary according to the height or width of the portion of the shoe being blacked or polished. An arm and set screw 34 and 35 may be employed to limit the downward movement of the brush, its upward movement beinglimited only by the possible compression of the spring 33. A stud 36 is preferably employed to hold the spring in place, and this stud may be integral with shaft 25.

The toe brush is provided with a blacking reservoir 37 similar to those used with the side brushes and controlled by a similar valve 38. This valve is also opened during the ad- Vance of the machine by appropriate devices, which may be the following: The stem of valve 38 carries a laterally and downward eX- tending arm 39 which is actuated by an arm 40 upon the upper end of a shaft 4l supported from frame 24 in bearings 42 and 43. The normal position of arm 40 is indicated by full lines and its actuating position by broken lines Fig. 5. The lower end 'of shaft 4l carries an arm 44 on which is pivotally mounted a dog 45 carrying a pin 46, and the latter contacts with a stationary cam 47 as the machine advances to its work. The dog 45 has a side extension 48 which engages with a stop 49 upon the arm 44, and a spring 50, shown by broken lines Fig. 9, maintains the dog normally in the position given at said figure. This construction insures a deflection of arm 44, and a consequent actuation of shaft 4l and contact at each vibratory movement of the brush arm 40 with arm 39, and an opening ro'- tation of valve 38 these movements taking place whenever the carriage advances and brings pin 46 against the cam 47. No such result is caused during the return movement however because the pivoted dog can then yield and allow the pin to ride over the cam 'Shaft 4l.

without communicating movement to arm 44. After each actuation of the valve in this manner, a spring 51 located upon its stem closes it. Contact between arms 40 and 39 takes place only during the time arm 40 occupies its position indicated by dotted` lines at Fig. 5, but there may be more than one actuation of the valve as such contact should occur at each vibration, and there may be a series'of vibrations during the time the cam 47 is holding the arm 40 in its acting position, the motion of the carriage being a slow one to give the brushes ample time to do their work. In the case of the double machine shown, the valves of the two toe brush reservoirs may be connected together, and be operatedl simultaneously by a single cam, and I have so shown them, the connections consisting of the rod 52 and the cranks 53 and 54 affixed one to each The valves of all the side brushes may all be operated from a single crank shaft 55 extended across the machine and connected to all the valves and to the actuating mechanism as illustrated, andthis shaft may carry a spring 56 intended to aid in closing the valves.

The operation of the machine may be briefly described as follows: The person whose shoes are to be blacked positioning his feet upon the pedestals or rests ct, and the motor being set in operation the entire machine ad- Y vances with a slow motion and simultaneously all the brushes begin to rotate. The side brushes move along the sides of the shoe and a little later the toe brush also begins to operate upon the shoe upper. The side lbrushes are supplied with blacking each time the elbow 12 encounters the stops 14, the valves of their reservoirs being opened by such contact between the elbow and stops. Thev toe brush is also supplied with blacking whenever the pin 46 encounters the cam 47, and it moves over the rounded face of the front portion of the shoe with a vibrating movement caused by the wrist pin of crank 28 working in slot of the horizontal extension 31. The forward movement of the carriage due to the engagement of pinion j with rack J continues until said pinion has traversed the length of said rack and then begins a return movement, the rack shifting laterally as the pinion -passes around its end and the return movement commencing with the engagement by the pinion of the teeth upon the farther side of the rack. During the return movement no blacking is fed, owing to the peculiarities of construction already pointed out, but the brushescontinue to rotate and are thus permitted to polish the blacking applied during the advance movement. When the carriage has reached its IOO normal or starting position the motor is nation of rotatingside brushes mounted upon yielding arms and moving along the side of the'shoe, and a rotating toe brush' vibrating laterallyand having liberty to rise and fall to accommodate the contour of the shoe, substantially as specied.

2. In a shoe' blacking machine th'e'cornbinationof rotating side brushes mounted upon yielding arms and moving along the side of the shoe, and a rotating toe brush vibrating laterally and having' liberty to rise and fall to accommodate the contour of the shoe, with' means for automatically movin g said'brushes into operative contact with the shoe, lcomprising-therack .I and pinionj, one'ofv said parts being connected with a motor and the other with the supports ofthe brushes, substantially as set forth. g

3. Ina'shoe' -blacking machine the combi# nat-ion of rotatingside brushes mounted' upon yielding arms and moving alongthe sidev of theshoe, anda rotating toebrush vibrating laterally and having liberty to rise and fall toaccommodate the contour 'of' the shoe,"with a carriage upon which said brushes are mount# ed and whereby they are `moved into operative contact with `the shoe, substantially as set forth.

4. In a shoe blacking machine the combination of-a rotating toe brush vibrating laterally and having "liberty to rise and fall` to accommodate thecontour ofthe shoe, with a carriage upon which said brush is mounted and whereby itis moved into operative contact with the shoe, and a suitable motor, substantially as specified.

5. In a shoe'blacking machine the combination of rotating side brushes mounted upon yielding arms and moving along the side of the shoe, and a rotating brush vibrating laterally and having liberty to rise and fall toV accommodate the contour of the shoe, with a carriage upon which said brushes are mounted and whereby they are moved into operative contact with the shoe, and a suitable motor also mounted upon the carriage, substantially as set forth. y

6. In a shoe blacking machine the combination of rotating side brushes mounted upon yielding arms and moving along the side of the shoe, and a rotating brush vibrating laterally and having liberty to rise and fall to accommodate the contour of the shoe, with a carriage upon which said brushes are mounted and whereby they are moved into operative contact with the shoe, and a suitable motor also mounted upon the carriage, and serving both to move the carriage and actuate the brushes, substantially as set forth.

7. In a shoe blacking machine the combination of a suitable foot rest, a' carriage movable toward a'ud from the same, guides for said carriage, rotary brushes mounted on the carriage, actuating mechanism for rotating the brushes, a motor for moving the carriage, and connections between said motor and the brush rotating mechanism, substantially as set forth.

S. Ina shoeblackingmachine the'combination with'a series of brushes anda carriage upon which they are mounted and whereby they are moved into operative position, of a stationary rack, gearing on the carriage engaging the rack, and a motor also mounted upon'said carriage and serving bothv to operatesaid gearing and to actuate the brushes, substantially as set forth.

9. In ashoeblacking machine thecombnation of a'series of rotating brushes movable along the shoe, blacking reservoirs and their valves, and means for opening said valves comprising 'a stationary cam 14, foot m, and

extension 12 connected with the valve,said means being arranged tooperate during the advance of the brushes, substantially as set forth.v

l0. Ina shoeblacking machine the combi'- nation of a series of rotating brushes movable along the shoe, blac'king reservoirs and their valves means foropen'ing said valves arranged to operate only during the advance of the brushes, and devices for maintaining'the closure of said valves during the retreat of the brushesV substantially as set forth.

11. In ashoe blacking machine, the combination of aseries of rotating brushes-movable along the shoe, blacki'ng reservoirs and'their oscillatory valves and means foropening said valves arranged to operate at intervals during the advance ofthe brushes, comprising a lever arm, and stationary projections substantially as setforth.

12. In a shoe blacking'machine a rotating toe brush, mounted toyield vertically to accommodatethe rounded top ofthe shoe and also having a vibrating movement across the shoe, in combination with a longitudinally reciprocating carriage carrying the brush supporting devices means for imparting the rotary and the vibratory movements, substantially as set forth.

13. In a shoe blacking machine, an automatic shoe blacking mechanism adapted to move forward and black the shoe and then retreat therefrom, and a platform such as d located in front of and within the limit of travel of said mechanism and adapted to support the foot during the blacking operation, substantially as set forth.

14. In a shoe blacking machine a casing open at one side, an automatic shoe blackin g mechanism located in said casing and adapted to move forward through the open side to its work, and a platform for the foot located opposite said open side, substantially as set valve at the required point in the movement forth. of the blacking mechanism, substantially as l5. In a shoe blacking machine wherein the set forth. blacking devices are movable along the shoe, FREDERICK G. NORTON. 5 the combination with a blacking reservoirl Witnesses: f.

and its Va1ve,of a stationary cam and mech- EMMA HACK, anism actuated by said cam for opening the H. M. MUNDAY.

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