GB2151904A - Machine for attaching soles to footwear - Google Patents

Abstract

A machine for glueing or otherwise attaching soles to footwear (36), comprises: a part (11) having two separate chambers (27, 31) provided by two elastic sheets (28, 32), one (32) being more elastic than the other (28), a first (27) of the chambers being defined by the less elastic sheet and the second of the chambers (31) being defined by the more elastic sheet; means (8, 14) for outlet of air or other gas from both chambers; and means (8, 14) for supplying air or other gas under pressure to the first chamber initially and to the second chamber subsequently. In use the part (11) descends so that air admitted to the chamber (27) causes both sheets (28, 32) to press the sole onto the upper, air then admitted to the chamber (32) causes the sheet 32 to conform the sole to the upper. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Machine for attaching soles to footwear The present invention relates to a machine for attaching soles to footwear. In particular the invention relates to a machine for glueing soles to footwear.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a machine for glueing or otherwise attaching soles to footwear, comprising: a part having two separate chambers, the part being provided with two elastic sheets, one being more elastic than the other, a first of the chambers being defined by the less elastic sheet and the second of the chambers being defined by the more elastic sheet; means for outlet of air or other gas from both chambers; and means for supplying air or other gas under pressure to the first chamber initially and to the second chamber subsequently.

The invention is further described below by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figures 1 to 3 are vertical sectional views through a machine according to the invention, a shoe being shown in position for the glueing of a sole to the remainder of the shoe; Figure 1 shows the machine in a rest condition; Figure 2 shows the machine at the start of an operating cycle; and Figure 3 shows the machine in its work condition during the operating cycle.

The machine shown in the drawings comprises a base or table 14 mounted on a pair of columns 44.

On the table 41 is fastened by soldering a mount 9. To the mount 9 is connected by means of a pivot 10 a swinging hassock 11 having a concave interior.

The columns 44 are joined together above the table by a strut 22. To the strut 22 brackets 23 are soldered.

A cylinder 19 of a pneumatic piston-cylinder assembly is connected by a pivot pin 18 to the brackets 20. A piston of the piston-cylinder assembly has a piston rod on which is mounted a head 17.

The head 17 is connected by a pivot pin 16 to levers 15. The levers 15 are connected to the swinging hassock 11.

The hassock 11 may be lowered by the pistoncylinder assembly from the position shown in Figures 1 and 2 to the work position shown in Figure 3. In the latter position the levers 15 keep the lower edge of the hassock 11 parallel to the table 14.

Microswitches 21, 24, 25, and 26 are mounted on the strut 22. The microswitches 24 and 25 are arranged to be operated by the levers 15 when the piston-cylinder assembly lowers the hassock 11.

A member 23 for cooperating with the levers 15 when the piston cylinder assembly lowers the hassock 11 is also provided on the strut 22.

A frame 29 is mounted in the hassock 11 and holds a semi-elastic sheet 28 in position. A hermetically closed chamber 27 is defined between the upper portion of the hassock 11 and the sheet 28.

A frame 33 is also mounted in the hassock 11 and holds an elastic sheet 32 in position. A hermetically closed chamber 31 is defined between the rim portion of the hassock 11, the sheet 28 and the sheet 32.

A conduit 14 is connected to the chamber 27 for evacuating the chamber and for supplying air under pressure to the chamber.

Similarly a conduit 8 is connected to the chamber 32 for evacuating the chamber and for supplying air under pressure to the chamber.

The chambers 27 and 28 may be evacuated and supplied with air independently of each other through the conduits 14 and 8.

A safety or security screen 34 is mounted on the hassock 11. The screen 34 is carried by a frame 13 provided on a bridle 12 positioned in the hassock11.

Microswitches 35 are mounted on the hassock 11 and/or the frame 33.

A base plate 39 is attached to the top of the table 41. A centralization plate is also provided at or attached to the top of the table 41. The plate 40 has a gap or aperture for receiving a shoe 36 as described below.

To the plate 40 is adhered an Indiarubber protective member 38 to cushion or soften of the hassock 11 onto the plate 40 when the hassock 11 is lowered.

A wedge or support member 37 for supporting the shoe 36 is also adhered to the plate 40. The wedge 37 is of injected Indiarubber.

A bracket 1 is affixed to the table 41. In the bracket 1 a post 6 is mounted. The post 6 is adjustable in height by means of a nut 5 carried by the bracket 1.

The post has a head or sucker 7 which can support or on which can be mounted a last 42.

A microswitch is mounted on the bracket 1.

Conduits 2 and 3 are provided for inlet and outlet if air respectively from the microswitch 4.

The screen 34, the microswitches 35 and an emergency button (now shown) form a safety or security system of the machine.

The microswitch 4 is actuated by the weight of a shoe and last placed on the post 6 and, unless the microswitch 4 has been actuated, the machine cannot be operated.

Operation of the machine is as described below in order to glue the soles of shoes to the upper portion of the shoes.

The machine is initially in the condition shown in Figure 1, i.e. with the hassock 11 raised and the chambers 27 and 31 neither evacuated nor pressurized.

An air supply is turned on but the machine remains in the condition of Figure 1.

Next an electric power supply is switched on and this causes the chambers 27 and 31 to be evacuated. The machine thus assumes the condition shown in Figure 2. It will be seen that in this condition the elastic sheet 35 is stretched and deformed upwardly.

The last 42, on which the shoe 36 has been fitted, is then placed on the head 7 of the post 6 with the sole of the shoe uppermost. The shoe 36 fits into the aperture or gap of the plate 40.

The sole, which has been prepared for glueing to the upper (in use) portion of the shoe, has a peripheral rim portion 43 extending around the upper portion of the shoe, the rim portion including a wider lip 46 at the heel of the shoe.

The shoe 36 is arranged to sit snugly on the wedge 37. The weight of the shoe 36 and the last 42 acting through the post 6 cause the microswitch 4 to be actuated provided that the shoe is properly positioned on the wedge 37.

Next the operating cycle, as described below 3 is initiated either by operation of a switch or automatically.

The hassock 11 is caused to descend by operation of the piston-cylinder assembly comprising the cylinder 19 until the hassock reaches the base plate 40 and is cushioned by the protective member 38.

The hassock is then in its work position as shown in Figure 3.

It is to be understood that unless the microswitch 4 has been actuated the hassock 11 cannot be caused to descend from its portion shown in Figure 2.

The hassock 11 descends together with the screen 34, which rests on the base plate 39 at the end of the descent of the hassock.

When the hassock 11 reaches the table 14, it forms a hermetically closed chamber defined by the elastic sheet 32, the frame 32 and the plate 39, the chamber accommodating the shoe on the last 42 and the lower edge of the hassock and the frame 33 being parallel to the base plate 39.

The descent of the hassock 11 is stopped when the hassock reaches the base plate 39. However, the operation of the piston-cylinder assembly continues and this causes the levers 15 to move rightwardly of the Figures. The levers 15 then actuate the microswitches 24 and 25.

Actuation of the microswitch 24 causes a pressure electrovalve or valves to be operated and thus causes air under pressure to be supplied initially to the chamber 27 and subsequently after a pre-deter mined time, to the chamber 31.

The pressurized air supplied to the chamber 27 causes the semi-elastic sheet 28 to press the sole of the shoe 36 firmly down against the upper (in use) portion of the shoe.

Pressurized air is supplied to the chamber 31 a predetermined time after being supplied to the chamber 27. The pressurized air supplied to the chamber 31 causes the elastic sheet 32 to be shaped over the bottom (in use) part of the shoe to ensure that the sole is securely glued to the upper portion of the shoe.

The protective member 38 assists in preventing damage to the shoe 36 during this glueing operation.

A predetermined time after the pressurized air has been supplied to the chamber 31, the machine returns to the condition shown in Figure 2 thereby completing the cycle and enabling the shoe 36 with sole affixed to be removed.

The above-described operating cycle may then be repeated as desired to glue the soled to the up per portion of further shoes. Each cycle can of course be started only after actuation of the microswitch 4.

If the protection afforded by the microswitch 4 were not provided then is the machine were operated to start the cycle described, the chamber 31 would in due course receive pressurized air and the elastic sheet 32 would distend, enter the aperture or gap in the plate 40 and burst.

The screen 34 rests on the base plate 39 when the hassock 11 has descended. If during the descent of the hassock, the screen 34 encounters any obstruction or obstacle, the microswitches 35 are actuated and the hassock 11 and all other parts of the machine return to their positions as shown in Figure 2. The machine is then ready to start operation again when the appropriate switch or key is operated.

The pressure of the air supplied to the chambers 27 and 31 may be controlled as desired depending on the hardness of the sole to be glued to the upper portion of the shoe. Such control may be effected by adjustment of respective valves.

The wedge or support 37 may be interchangable with other wedges or supports adapted to conform to shoes of different sizes and shapes.

It will be appreciated that the machine operates electropneumatically, the person operating the machine has only to place the shoe on the last 42, ensuring that the sole is properly positioned, initiate the operating cycle, and perhaps subsequently remove the shoe from the machine on the completion of the operating cycle.

The machine described above may be used for glueing soles of high heeled shoes, low-heeled shoes and shoes without heels to the remainder of the shoe, The shoes may be shoes manufactured from or include in their construction wineskin, jute, plastics, cork and other materials. The shoes may include woods wedges.

The machine enables all the desired surfaces of the sole to be securely glued to the bottom and sides of the remainder or upper portion of the shoe.

Also the machine ensures high security against the risk of accidents in operation.

The interior shape of the hassock 11 may be chosen in accordance with the size and shape of the shoes, the soles of which are o be glued to the remainder of the shoes by the use of the machine.

The reference numerals used in the drawings and the parts they refer to are listed below.

1. Butt Bracket of the last and pneumatic micro of security 2. Entrance of air for the micro of security 3. Exit of air from the micro of security 4. Micro of security 5. Nut 6. Butt of the last 7. Head of the but of the last's groper 8. Conduit in which the air arrives under pressure to the chamber 31.

9. A mount soldered to a firm basement 10. Cylindrical part connected with the piston.

11. Swinging hassock.

12. Subjection bridle of the protection screen's frame 13. Protection of the screen's frame 14. Conduit in which the air arrives under pressure to the chamber 27.

15. Levers 16. Cylindrical part with what are submitted the heads of the cylinder and levers 17. Cylinder's head 18. Cylindrical part of cylinder swinging 19. Cylinder 20. Cylinder brackets 21. Protection skeleton of the empty space micro 22. Suspender 23. Butt of embedding of levers 15 24. Operating of empty space micro 25. Operating of entrance of air under pressure micro 26. Protection skeleton of operating of entrance of air under pressure micro 27. Independent chamber 28. Halfelastic sheet 29. Halfelastic sheet's frame 30. Subjection bridle of the superelastic sheet 31. Independent chamber 32. Superelastic sheet 33. Superelastic sheet's (32) frame 32 The invention may be summarized as follows: 1.Machines for glueing soles in footwear, characterized because they contain a hassock with two independent chambers, with an empty space in both of them and entrance of air under pressure in the closed chamber by a halfelastic sheet, and when the fixed time has passed, in the other, which is closed by a superelastic sheet.

2. Machines for glueing soles in footwear, according to Summary 1, characterized because during the cycle of work, the hassock swings till get closed over the firm basement, envolving the shoe with the last which is in the centralization plate gap which is exchangeable and at the same time the shoe stays over a butt which operates a micro, which operating is necessary to start the cycle of work and because the security system is sympathy to the hassock in her movement, so that if this movement finds an obstacle, the order of on is annuled and the system goes back to its initial position.

3. Machines for glueing shoes in footwear, according to the above summaries characterized mainly because the hassock contains two independent chambers, one is closed by a halfelastic sheet and the other by a superelastic sheet.

4. Machines for glueing soles in footwear, according to the above summaries, characterized mainly because the introduction of the empty space to the two independent chambers, which constitute the hassock and the injection of the air under pressure to both chambers is with a regulable difference in the entrance of air to one chamber and another.

5. Machines for glueing soles in footwear, according to the above summaries characterized mainly because the shoes centralization plate is exchangeable depending on the size of the shoes to glue.

6. Machines for glueing soles in footwear, according to the above summaries characterized mainly because the shoe with the last supports on a top, which operated the security system micro, which is necessary to put the machine on.

7. Machines for glueing soles in the footwear, according to the above summaries mainly characterized because the security screen accompany sympathyly and forward in its movement to the hassock, so that if this movement suffers and obstacle, before reston the table, annul the order of one and makes the system to go back to its initial position.

Claims (9)

1. A machine for glueing or otherwise attaching soles to footwear, comprising: a part having two separate chambers, the part being provided with two elastic sheets, one being more elastic than the other, a first of the chambers being defined by the less elastic sheet, and the second chambers being defined by the more elastic sheet; means for outlet of air or other gas from both chambers; and means for supply air or other gas under pressure to the first chamber initially to the second chamber subsequently.

2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein the hassock is movable towards and away from means for supporting a shoe of which the sole is to be glued to the remainder of the shoe.

3. A machine according to claim 2, wherein means for supporting the shoe comprises a last means for locating the last in position, the machine being operable to move the hassock towards the means and shoe are correctly positioned for the glueing of the sole.

4. A machine according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the hassock carries means for detecting any obstruction in the path of movement of the hassock towards means for supporting the shoe and when such an obstruction is detected the hassock is caused to return to an initial position

5. A machine according to claim 4, wherein said means comprises a safety screen carried by the hassock, interference with the movement of the safety screen during the lowering of the hassock causing the hassock to return to its initial position.

6. A machine according to any of claims 2 to 5, further comprising interchangable means for supporting shoes of different shapes and/or sizes during the glueing of the soles to the upper (in use) portions of the shoes.

7. A machine according to any preceding claim, further comprising means for withdrawing air from the two chambers.

8. A machine according to any preceding claim, comprising means for regulating the supply of air or other gas under pressure to the two chambers.

9. A machine substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.