Part 124

The “Star Channel Cementing Machine--Model A” is again called into operation for the purpose of coating with cement the inside of the channel in which this stitch has been made. A special brush with guard is used for this purpose, and the operation is very quickly performed by the skilled operator.

After this cement has been allowed to set a sufficient length of time, the channel lip, which has previously been laid back against the sole, is again forced into its former position and held securely in place by rubber cement. This work is done by the Goodyear Channel Laying Machine, in which a rapidly revolving wheel provided with a peculiar arrangement of flanges forces back into place, securely hiding the stitches from observation on this portion of the shoe.

CHANNEL LAYING MACHINE.

Rubs channel lip down to cover stitches.]

Drives small nails which hold outsole in place at heel.]

The next operation is that of leveling, which is performed on the Automatic Sole Levelling Machine--one of the most interesting used in the shoemaking process. This is a double machine provided with two spindles, on one of which the operator places a shoe to be levelled. It is securely held by the spindle and a toe rest, and on the operator’s pressing a foot lever, the shoe passes automatically beneath a vibrating roll under heavy pressure. This roll moves forward with a vibrating motion over the sole of the shoe down into the shank, passes back again to the toe, then cants to the right, and repeats the operation on that side of the shoe, returning to the toe and canting to the left, repeating the operation on that side; after which the shoe automatically drops forward and is relieved from pressure. This rolling motion removes every possibility of there being any unevenness in the bottom of the shoe, and while one shoe is under pressure the operator is preparing a second one for the operation.

Rolls out any unevenness in soles.]

TOP LIFT

COMPRESSED HEEL

BEFORE OPERATION AFTER OPERATION

Heel Attaching

WORK PERFORMED BY HEELING MACHINES.]

Drives small pieces of ornamental metal which protect the heel.]

Trims rough lifts of heel to desired shape.]

Cuts the breast of the heel to correct angle and curve.]

Trims edge of outsole smoothly.]

Paper such as found in this book is made from trunks and limbs of trees.

The use of good fibers in book paper is a guarantee of quality and durability. The above illustration represents a lump of this pulp prepared for the beaters.]

How the Paper in this Book is Made

Where Does Paper Come From?

Egyptians were the first people to make what would today be called paper. They made it from a plant called papyrus and that is where the name comes from.

This plant is a species of reed. The Egyptians took stalks of reed cut into as thin slices as they could, laid them side by side; then they arranged another layer on top with the slices the other way and put this in a press. When dried and rubbed until smooth, it made a kind of paper, which could be written upon.

One of the first substances used for making the kind of paper we have today was cotton. Paper was made from cotton about 1100 A. D. From this thin cotton paper our present papers are a development, i.e., paper today is largely made of vegetable fibers. Vegetable fibers consist mostly of cellulose surrounded by other things which hold the short vegetable fibers together.

The fibers best adapted for making paper are those of the cotton and flax plants, and while the uses of paper were few, no other material was needed when it was once learned that cotton and linen fibers would do for making paper. All we had to do was to save all the old rags and sell them to the paper man.

In making paper from rags, the rags were allowed to rot to remove the substances that incrust the cellulose, and then beaten into a pulp, to which a large quantity of water was added. This pulp was put into a sieve, until the greater part of the water had been drained off by shaking, and the fibers remaining formed a thin layer on the bottom of the sieve. This layer of fiber was put into a pile with other similar layers, and the whole pile was placed under a press, where more of the water was removed. When they were dry, we had a very fair kind of paper which was, however, not much better than blotting paper and could not be written on with ink because it was loose in texture and very absorbent.

To give it good writing surface it was necessary to fill the pores. This was done by sizing which gave the paper great firmness. Paper was sized by drawing the layers of paper through a solution of alum and glue, or some similar substances, and then drying them, then finally passed between highly polished rollers to iron it. This gave it the necessary smooth hard surface.

In the modern method of making rag paper by machinery, the rags are boiled with caustic soda, which separates the cellulose fibers, and placed in a machine in which rollers set with knives tear the rags to pieces and mix them with water to form a pulp. This is called a breaker. The pulp is then bleached with chloride of lime, and is passed on to the sizing machine. This machine mixes the pulp with alum and with a kind of soap, made from suitable resins which serves the purpose better than glue.

This shows the great piles of trunks and limbs of trees near a wood pulp paper mill used in making paper for newspapers, books, magazines, etc.]