At the present time the types of shoes ordinarily made are but five:
the “peg” shoe, which is the cheapest type of shoe made; the “standard
screw,” which is used in the soles of the heaviest types of boots;
the “McKay sewed,” which is made after the fashion established by
Gordon McKay; the “turn” shoe, a light type of shoe which was invented
centuries ago and which is still worn at this time to a limited extent;
and the “Goodyear welt,” which has been universally adopted as the
highest type of footwear.
For this reason, this type of shoe has been selected to show the
methods employed in making shoes.
THE GOODYEAR WELT SHOE.--A Goodyear Welt shoe in its evolution from
the embryonic state in which it is “mere leather and thread” to the
completed product, passes through one hundred and six different pairs
of hands and is obliged to conform to the requirements of fifty-eight
different machines, each performing with unyielding accuracy the
various operations for which they were designed.
It might seem that in all this multiplicity of operations confusion
would occur, and that the many details and specifications regarding
material and design of any given lot of shoes in process of manufacture
would become hopelessly entangled with those of similar lots undergoing
the same operations. But such is not the case; for, when an order
is received in any modern and well-organized factory, the factory
management promptly take the precaution to see that all the details
regarding the samples to which the finished product is to conform are
set down in the order book. Each lot is given an order number and this
number, together with the details affecting the preparation of the
shoe upper, are written on tags--one for each two dozen shoes--which
are sent to the foreman of the cutting room. Others containing details
regarding the sole leather are sent to the sole leather room, while a
third lot is made out for the guidance of the foreman of the making or
bottoming room, when the different parts which have received attention
and been prepared according to specifications in the cutting and sole
leather rooms are ready to be assembled for the making or bottoming
process. If the tags which were sent to the cutting room were followed,
it would be found that on their receipt the foreman of this department
figured out the amount and kind of leather required, the kind of
linings, stays, etc., and that the leather, together with the tags
which gave directions regarding the size, etc., was sent to one of the
operators of the Ideal Clicking Machine.
~SHOEMAKING MACHINERY IS ALL BUT HUMAN~
This machine has been pronounced one of the most important innovations
that have been made in the shoe manufacturing industry during recent
years, as it performs an operation which has heretofore successfully
withstood every attempt at mechanical aid. Prior to its introduction,
the cutting of upper leather was accomplished by the use of patterns
made with metal edges, which were laid upon the leather by cutter, who
then ran a small sharp knife along the edges of the pattern, cutting
the leather to conform to it. This was a slow and laborious process,
and if great care was not taken, there was a tendency to cut away from
the pattern; and in many cases, through some slip of the knife, the
leather was cut beyond the required limits.
This machine has a cutting board very similar to those which were used
by the hand workman and over it is a beam which can be swung either
to the right or to the left, as desired, and over any portion of the
board. Any kind of skin to be cut is placed on the board, and the
operator places a die of unusual design on it. Grasping the handle,
which is a part of the swinging beam, he swings the beam over the die,
and on downward pressure of the handle a clutch is engaged which brings
the beam downward, pressing the die through the leather. As soon as
this is accomplished, the beam automatically returns to its full height
and remains there until the handle is again pressed.
The dies used are but three-quarters of an inch in height and are so
light that they do not mar the most delicate leather when placed upon
it. They enable the operator to see clearly the entire surface of the
leather he is cutting out, and it is obvious that the pieces cut by the
use of any given die must be identically the same.
After the different parts required by the tag have been cut out by the
operator of the Clicking Machine, some of the edges which show in the
finished shoe must be skived or thinned down to a beveled edge. This
work is performed by the Amazeen Skiving Machine--a wonderful little
machine in which the edge to be skived is fed to a sharp revolving
disk that cuts it down to the desired bevel. The machine does the
work in a very efficient manner, conforming to all the curves and
angles. This skiving is done in order that the edges may be folded,
to give the particular edge on which it is performed a more finished
appearance. The skived edges are then given a little coating of cement
and afterwards folded on a machine which turns back the edge and
incidentally pounds it down, so that it presents a very smooth and
finished appearance.
Aside from the work of skiving toe caps and folding them, there is
generally a series of ornamental perforations cut along the edge of
the cap. This is done very often by the Power Tip Press, by means of
which the piece to be perforated is placed under a series of dies which
cuts the perforations in the leather according to a predetermined
design, doing the work all at one time. The number of designs used
for this purpose are many and varied, combinations of different sized
perforations being worked out in innumerable designs.
On one of the top linings of each shoe there has been stamped the
order number, together with the size of the shoe for which the linings
were intended. After all the linings have been prepared in accordance
with the instructions on the tag, they, in connection with the various
parts of the shoe, receive attention from the Stitchers, where all the
different parts of the upper are united. The work is performed on a
range of wonderful machines, which perform all the different operations
with great rapidity and accuracy.
At the completion of these operations the shoe is ready to receive the
eyelets, which are placed with remarkable speed and accuracy by the
Duplex Eyeletting Machine. This machine eyelets both sides of the shoe
at one time with bewildering rapidity. The eyelets are securely placed
and accurately spaced; and as both sides of the upper are eyeletted at
one time, the eyelets are placed directly opposite each other, which
greatly helps the fitting of the shoe, as thereby the wrinkling of the
shoe upper is avoided.
With the completion of this operation, the preparation of the shoe
upper is finished, and the different lots with their tags are sent to
the bottoming room to await the coming of the different sole leather
portions of the shoe. These have been undergoing preparation in the
sole leather room, where on receipt of tag the foreman has given
directions for the preparation of outsoles, insoles, counters, toe
boxes and heels, to conform with the requirements of the order.
The soles are roughly died out from sides of sole leather on large
Dieing-out Machines, which press heavy dies down through the leather;
but to make them conform exactly to the required shape, they are
generally rounded out on a machine known as the “Planet Rounding
Machine,” in which the roughly died-out piece of leather is held
between clamps, one of which is the exact pattern of the sole. On
starting the machine, a little knife darts around this pattern, cutting
the sole exactly to conform with it.
The outsole is now passed to a heavy Rolling Machine, where it is
subjected to tons of pressure between heavy rolls. This takes the place
of the hammering which the old-time shoemaker gave his leather and
brings the fibres very closely together, greatly increasing its wear.
This sole is next fed to a machine called the “Summit Splitting
Machine--Model M,” which reduces it to an exactly even thickness. The
insole--which is made of very much lighter leather--is prepared in
much the same manner, and in this way it will be noticed that both the
insole and outsole are reduced to an absolutely uniform thickness.
The insole also receives further preparation; it is channeled on the
Goodyear Channeling Machine. This machine cuts a little slit along the
edge of the insole, extending about one-half inch towards its center.
It also cuts a small channel along the surface.
The lip which has been formed by the Goodyear Channeling Machine is now
turned up on the Goodyear Lip Turning Machine, so that it extends out
at a right angle from the insole, forming a lip or shoulder against
which the welt is sewed. The cut which has been made on the surface
inside this lip serves as a guide for the operator of the Welt Sewing
Machine, when the shoe reaches that stage.
The heels to be used on these shoes have also been formed from
different lifts of leather which are cemented together. The heel is
then placed under great pressure, giving it exact form and greatly
increasing its wear.
~THE DIFFERENT PARTS OF THE SHOE COME TOGETHER~
The counters are also prepared in this room, as well as the toe boxes
or stiffening, which is placed between the toe cap and the vamp of
the shoe. When these are all completed, they are sent to the making
or bottoming room, where the completed shoe upper is awaiting them.
Here a wonderfully ingenious little machine called the “Ensign Lacing
Machine,” passes strong twine through the eyelets and in a twinkling
ties it automatically. This is done so that all parts of the shoe will
be held in their normal position while the shoe is being made. The
knot tied by this machine is perfect and is performed with mechanical
exactness. On high-grade shoes this work was formerly performed by
hand and it will be readily recognized how difficult it was to obtain
uniformity. The spread of the upper at the throat can be regulated
perfectly when this machine is used. The different parts of the shoe
now commence to come together. The workman places the toe box, or
stiffening, in the proper location as well as the counter at the
heel, and draws the upper over the last. To the bottom of this last
has already been tacked by means of the U. S. M. Co. Insole Tacking
Machine--which drives tacks automatically--the insole, which, it will
be noticed, conforms exactly to the shape of the bottom of the last.
This last, made of wood, is of the utmost importance, for upon the last
depends the shape of the shoe.
[Illustration: EACH SHOE MACHINE DOES SOMETHING DIFFERENT