US1813390A - X x x x x - Google Patents

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M. J. DWYER MEANS OF DECORATING LEATHER July 7, 1931.

Filed May 22. 1930 Patented July 7, 1931 NITED STATES PATENT orrics MEANS OF DECORATING LEATHER Application filed May 22 1930. Serial No. 454,811.,

This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for decorating leather or the like, and pertains more particularly to an improved process and apparatus for coloring predetermined portions of the vamps of ladies shoes or the like.

Heretofore, as far as I am aware, all usual methods of producing a decorative pattern consisting of colored geometrical figures arm ranged at perdetermined points upon a leather vamp, have usually comprised a printing or stenciling operation upon theflat surface of the vamp before it is stretched over the last, lVhen a vamp so prepared is applied to the last in the usual manner, the stretching of the leather distorts the colored figures and impairs the desired efiect of the pattern by changing the outline of the figures. If, for example, the pattern as originally applied to 2 the fiat leather surface consistedof a pleasing arrangement of colored dots of circular outline, the lasting operation would irregularly distort the circular outlines of most of the dots; some would be square, others oblong, and others diamond shape, in the lasted vamp.

It is, accordingly, the principal purpose of this invention to remedy the foregoing ob jectionable result of former coloring methods by providing an improved process and apparatus for so coloring a vamp before lasting that the original outline and arrangement of the colored figures will be preserved after the lasting operation. More specifically, my improved method includes as a step the pre-stretching of predetermined portions of the leather surface, and the subsequent step of coloring said portion.

My invention is illustrated in a recom- 4o mended form in the accompanying drawings,

in which:

Fig. 1 is a face view of a strip of leather having a series of colored dots produced by my improved process;

Fig. 2 is a sectional View of a pair of plates preferably employed for stretching predetermined circular portions of the leather, the plates being compressed upon the leather by a pair of dies; and

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a preferred mode of coloring the stretched portions of the leather.

In the illustrated embodiment of my invention the preferred apparatus for practicing my improved process comprises a pair of complemented plates 4 and 5 for producing locally stretched portions in the surface of a leather sheet 6, in accordance with a predetermined pattern. The pattern, as here shown, consists of a series of regularly spaced colored dots 7 of circular outline, and the plates are accordingly formed to produce stretched portions of similar contour.

Hence, the bottom plate 4 has a series of round protuberances 8 upon its upper face, the protuberances corresponding to the predetermined pattern; and the top plate 5 has complemented openings 9 therethrough, the openings preferably counterbored to provide a Wide outer mouth and a smaller and shar edged base. It will be apparent that tffe contours of the complemental protuberances and openings may be varied as desired to produce raised and stretched portions of any suitable size or shape.

In carrying out my process, the leather vamp 6 is placed between the two plates, and the plates are pressed together by any suitable means such as the die members 10 and 11 shown in Fig. 2. This operation forms raised portions-12 in theleather corresponding to the cooperating protubcrances 8 and openings or recesses 9 of the respective plates; and it is obvious that said portions of the leather are stretched radially by the compression of the plates.

- The plates are then removed from the die press or other compression apparatus and the up er plate or, if desired, both plates are prefera 1y held upon the leather by suitable clamps (not shown), in order that the protuberances 12 may be colored while employing the upper plate as a stencil. The"color may be applied in several known modes; in Fig. 3 for example, a brush 13 is inserted in the openings 9 to color the stretched portions of'the leather, thereby to produce the dots 14 of Fig. 1.

When a leather vamp colored in the aforesaid manner is then applied to the last, the raised portions 12 may be flattened out by the stretching of the vamp, but the outline of the colored dots will be maintained without distortion.

I claim:

1. That method of producing colored figures upon a leather sheet which comprises first stretching the-sheet locally at predetermined portions thereof, and then coloring said stretched portions.

2. That method of producing colored figures upon a leather vamp before the same is lasted which comprises first stretching the vamp locally to produce stretched portions having outlines corresponding to the figures to be colored, and then coloring the stretched portions.

3. That method of producing colored figures upon a leather vamp before the same is lasted which comprises first raising and stretching the surface of the vamp at predetermined locations to produce raised portions corresponding in outline to the figures to be produced, and then coloring said raised portions.

4. Apparatus for preparing a sheet of leather to be colored comprising top and bottom plates adapted to be compressed upon the leather sheet, one of the plates having surface protuberances corresponding in outline to the figures to be colored, and the other plate havin complementa-l recesses in its opposed sur ace, and means for compressing the plates withthe sheet between them, there-- by to produce raised and stretched portions in the leather sheet.

5. Apparatus for use in producing colored figures on a leather vamp before the same is lasted, comprising top and bottom plates adapted to be compressed upon the vamp placed therebetween, the bottom plate having surface protuberances corresponding in outline to'the figure to be colored, and the top plate having complemental openings therethrough, and means for compressing the plates upon the vamp, thereby to produce raised and stretched portions in the vamp at the base of said openings.

6. Apparatus for use in producing colored figures on a leather vamp before the same is lasted, comprising top and bottom plates adapted to be compressed upon the vamp placed therebetween, the bottom plate having surface protuberances correspondin in outline to the figure to be colored, an the top MIGHEAL J. DWYER.

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