1288371 Folding edges of non-metallic sheet material BRITISH UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CO Ltd 20 Oct 1969 [20 July 1968 19 March 1969 2 July 1969] 34712/68 14403/69 and 33302/69 Heading B5K A workpiece is clamped so as to leave unclamped an edge portion thereof to be folded and then, a deformable member is deformed so as to fold the projecting unclamped edge portion on to an adjacent part of the workpiece. In one embodiment, Fig. 1, a workpiece support 22 comprises a tubular body 24 having end flanges 26, 28 and which is cut-away and has a plate 30 bolted thereto, as shown. The deformable member comprises an inflatable rubber bag 38 accommodated within the body 24 and connected by a conduit 40, including a manually operable control valve 42, a main on/off valve 44 and a pressure regulator 46, to a source of compressed air. In operation, a workpiece W having a generally circular edge portion of small radius is skived to form a trough (54), Fig. 2 (not shown), and a chamfered edge (56). The skived area is coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive. The workpiece is placed on the flange 28 with its curved edge portion to be folded projecting beyond the edge of a circular aperture therein. A clamp plate 36, having a chamfered edge, is placed on the workpiece and held against the flange 28. Accurate location of the workpiece may be provided by dowel pins (not shown) on the plate 36 or by a double-sided adhesive tape secured to the flange 28. A platen 48 mounted on a pillar 50 is swung to overlie the clamped workpiece. The bag 38 is inflated and the projecting edge portion of the workpiece is folded upwardly along the trough (54), Figs. 3 and 4 (both not shown). The platen 48 is lowered pneumatically to apply pressure to the partly folded edge and the bag 38 to complete the folding and activate the pressure sensitive adhesive, Fig. 5 (not shown). In another embodiment, Fig. 6, for folding top line edge portions of shoe upper components U, the deformable folding member comprises an inflatable rubber bag 138 accommodated in a U-shaped opening formed by the inside wall of a chamber 132 in a support block 124 and a wall of an inner core 158. A clamp plate 136 and a platen 148 are provided to function similarly to the plate 36 and the platen 48 of Fig. 1. Before folding, the component U is skived on its flesh side and the skived portion is coated with pressure sensitive adhesive. The size of the chamber 132 may be altered by shims (not shown) of different thicknesses which are located against the inside wall of the chamber. In a further embodiment, Fig. 9, to form a top line fold in a shoe upper component U the component is skived on its flash side to form a trough 254 and the skived area is coated with pressure sensitive adhesive. The component is clamped by a plate 236 on a support board 224 with the edges projecting beyond a cut out 232 therein, the plate 236 being provided with dowel pins to locate the component U. A verticallymovable platen 248 is lowered pneumatically to a first operative position (full line position). Air under pressure is supplied to the underside of a rubber diaphragm 238 secured between the board 224 and a base 220. As the diaphragm 238 inflates it partly folds the skived edge along the trough 254. Folding is completed after lowering of the platen 248 to its second operative position (chain-dot line position). In a modification, the support member and clamp plate are adjustable for different sizes of shoe upper. In a still further embodiment, Figs. 10 and 11, a shoe upper component U is provided with a straight skive along its top line marginal portion on the flesh side and the skived area is coated. with pressure sensitive adhesive. The component U is positioned on a multi-ply wooden support member 324 with the edge portion to be folded projecting beyond the edge 339 of a cut-out 332 therein. Pressure fluid is supplied to piston-andcylinder arrangements (not shown) to lower members 336, 340 on to the component U. A folding means, comprising a deformable member 360, of rubber or a mixture of soft polyurethane and gelatine, sandwiched between a support 362 and a non-deformable folding member 364, is raised through the cut-out 332 so that a chamfered portion 365 of the member 364 part folds the projecting edge portion past an edge 337 of a blade 335 secured to the member 336, Fig. 13 (not shown). A ram 348 is lowered to contact the member 364 and, as pressure increases, causes the member 360 to bulge outwardly to fold the edge of the top line portion about the edge 337 of the blade 335, Fig. 14 (not shown). The ram 348 is raised so that the member 360 returns to its undeformed condition, Fig. 15 (not shown). The member 336 and thus the blade 335 are moved upwardly to an inoperative position and the ram 348 is again lowered to deform the member 360 to effect final folding and bonding of the edge, Fig. 16 (not shown). In a modification (not shown), a tape is inserted in the part-folded portion, either manually or automatically, after the member 336 and the ram 348 have moved to their inoperative positions prior to the ram 348 again moving to its operative position to effect final folding and bonding of the edge portion. In yet another embodiment, Fig. 17, a shoe upper component, coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive on a plain skived top line edge portion on its flesh side, is located within a matrix 416 on a platen 424 so that the edge portion extends past an edge 439 of a cut-out 432 therein. Members 436, 440 are moved downwardly by piston-and-cylinder arrangements to contact the component U and, thereafter, move the platen 424 downwardly against the action of springs 414. As the platen 424 moves downwardly, the projecting edge portion of the component U is folded upwardly by a curved edge 465 on a non-deformable member 464 of folding means 438 also comprising a deformable rubberlike member 460 and a lower support 462. The member 436 is moved upwardly into an inoperative position, Fig. 21 (not shown). A presser member 448 located above the member 464 is pulled downwardly by piston rods 504 of cylinders 500. As the member 448 applies pressure, the member 460 bulges outwardly to fold over and bond the edge portions of the component U, Fig. 22 (not shown). After a time laps seufficient to form a bond, the member 448 is moved to its inoperative position and, then the members 436, 440 are raised. The springs 414 return the platen 424 to its original position which is determined by stop collars 409. This apparatus may be used to bond together component parts of a shoe upper during folding. For example, the shoe upper may comprise separate vamp and quarter components which are located within the matrix 416 with pre-cemented joint portions thereof in overlapping engagement.