US1235651A

US1235651A - Method and apparatus for use in forming uppers of boots and shoes.

Info

Publication number: US1235651A
Application number: US87407014A
Authority: US
Inventors: Louis W Brown
Original assignee: United Shoe Machinery Co AB
Current assignee: USM Ltd; United Shoe Machinery Co AB
Priority date: 1914-11-25
Filing date: 1914-11-25
Publication date: 1917-08-07
Anticipated expiration: 1934-08-07

Description

l L. M. BROWN.' METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR USE I'N FOBMING-UPPER'S 0F BOOTS AND SHOES.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-.25'. |9141' 1,235,651. .PatentedAug 73,1917,

Fig4. N

1 UNITED STATES PAT-EM f LOUIS M. BROWN, OE BEVERLY, MaS'sAcHUsE'frfrs, ASsiGNO'E 1ro 'UNITED siioE MACHINERY COMPANY, .OE PETERSON, 'NEWfJEEsEr A OOEPORATION'FO'E NEW JERSEY.

'METHOD .AND @APPARATUS EOE USE To all whom t maja/ concern `Be it known that I, LoUis M. BROWN, a citizen of the 'United States, residing at Beverly, vin the Vcounty of yEssex and State of Massachusetts, have Yinvented certain lin# provements in Methods and Apparatus for Use in Forming Uppers OfQBoots and Shoes, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating `like parts in the several figures. Y f

This'invention -relates to methods and apparatus for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes for the purpose of forming the upper materials, or portions thereof, in substantially lthe shape desired for the finishedV shoe before the upper has been brought into assembled relation to thematerials that constitute the bottom portion of the shoe. Machines Vof this vclass are applicable to the manufacture of shoes of vdiffer- 'ent types vbut find their principal use at the present time in the `ma'nii-facture of stitchdown shoes, in which the upper is provided with an out-turiied flange to receive the stitches ror other fastenings by whichthe upper iS secured to the sole. Such machines are shown, for example, in United States Letters Patent No. 998,682, granted on July 25, 1911, upon the application of Karl Engel, and No. 1,181,296, granted on May 2, 1916, upon .the application of KarlEngel l and L'ouis'M. Brown.

The machines described in the patents above mentioned include, among other fea tures, means for shaping the forepart of the upper, and according to the practice therein disclosed the marginal portionof the upper at the toe end is confined between members that impart the necessary'pressure to form the out-turned fla-nge, and while the marginv is thus subjected to pressurethe unconfined portion of the blank lis operated upon by a' toe former which imparts Ato vthe blank the Shape desired forthe forepart of the vamp in the finished shoe. This toe forming'opl eration obviously requires ya fullness of that portion of the material Y bounded by the clamped margin, and by reason of the variation in contour at Vdifferent parts of the toe of the Shoe, there is a corresponding variation in the amount of material required foi` Specification of Letters Patent.

IN EOE-Mme UEEEES 10E BOOTS AND SHOES..

shaping different portions. In order vto avoid unduly stiaining or tearing the blank, therefore, it is necessary toI provide for some Patented 1917. .-[Appiit'ation inea November 25, 1912i.` serial No. stiamo, i Y

distribution of the material to meetA the de- I l mands of the operation of 'the toe former. The machines disclosed in the patents above mentioned accordingly haveprovision for suitable compensating movement of l the flange portion of theupper materials, which is effected by providing clamp members =with portions that are movable substantially in the plane vof the clamp 'margin 'of the blank.

to guide and impart to different portions'of the blank at lthe margin movements in suitable directions and of sufficient extent to meet substantiallyy the demands of the' toeV formerand insure the formation of a smooth toe without subjecting any portion of the material to 'excessive strains.

This invention, in `a more .particular as peet, relates to methods `and apparatus' for use inshaping the forepart or toefportion ofy shoe uppers; One feature of the invention resides in mechanism of ,novel and imf proved construction for effecting Ysuitable compensating lmovements of the marginal portion the blank so as to 4insure the foi'- mation of a smooth` toe without excessive strain upon the material. v v

Another feature resides in improved means for forming the flange on the blank, by the operation of. which the iiange is iroiied to cause it toretainthe shapeim; parted to it by. the clamping pressure, the ironing preferably taking place afterthe' material at the margin of the blank has been gathered' VaboutV the toe end. ,i .These and other features of the invention, and also the'steps of the novel method` herein disclosed, ywill now be described with tref.-

erence to the accompanying drawings, which show, an illustrative machine in which the novel features of the invention are embodied and by the use Aof which the novel method may be practised, and will thenbe pointed out inV the claims. i

` The invention ,is illustrated reference n to mechanism'suitable for use aspart of the machine' shown .and described VPatent No. 1,181,296, only such portions ofthe machine being shown herein as are necessary for an understanding ofthe present inventioi'i.y It will be understood,however, that with 0b- Figure 1 is a plan view, vwith portions broken away, of one form of apparatus illustrating the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1, showing the parts at a different stage of the operations; n

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing an alternative form of apparatus; and

Fig. 4 is a section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3

illustrating the same stage in the operations l as shown in Fig. 2.

In the apparatus shown the mechanism for confining and operating upon the marginal portion of the blank is mounted upon a supporting plate 2 which is adapted to be secured in its proper position as a part of the upper forming machine. This mechanism comprises coperating

clamp members

4 and 6, of which the member 4, shown fragmentarily in the drawings, is of well known form and has a smooth face to engage the upper or nished surface of the marginal portion of the blank around the edge of the toe former 8. This member is upheld normally in a well known manner by springs 10 encircling the guiding rods 12 and is suitably operated, as will be readily understood, to cause it to approach the plane of the lower clamp member and clamp the material. The mechanism for operating the toe former 8 is not shown herein in detail, but one form of mechanism for this purpose is fully disclosed in Patent No. 1,181,296 above-referred to. It is suicient for an understanding of the present invention to state that after the margin of the blank has been clamped, the toe former receives a slight upward movement and is then moved forwardly to form the toe simultaneously with the forward movement of a bar 14 which carries adjustable f pushers 16 the purpose of which will be subsequently explained.

The lower clamp member, indicated in general by the numeral 6, comprises a plate which is mounted upon the support 2 for sliding movement forwardly against the force of a spring 18 which positions the member normally at its limit of rearward movement determined by stops 20 on the support 2. Upon this plate, in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2, are mounted a plurality of arms or levers 22-pivoted at 24 for swinging movement in a plane parallel to the plane of the plate 6 or to the plane of the clamped margin of the blank and havingteeth -at their ends for engagement lower or unnished surface. In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4 the levers 26 are similar in function to the levers 22 but are pivoted yat 28 to swing about axes located inwardly from the edge of the clamped blank and their' toothed blank engaging portions are at some distance from their ends and swing in paths that curve about the blank margin. In

both forms the levers are held normally by springs 30 at limits of movement determined by stops 32 which are mounted on longitudinally adjustable curved slides 34 held by screws 36 in adjusted position in a curved slideway 38 in the plate 6. Operative forward movement is imparted to the levers from curved slides 40 mounted in a guideway 42 in the plate 6 and carrying pins 44 which are positioned upon each slide to engage the levers of therespective group in succession, beginning with the rearmost lever of the group, and thus to swing the blank engaging portions of the levers forwardly toward the toe end of the blank. The slides 40, in the form shown in Fig. 1, are engaged at their rear ends and movedV forwardly by bars 46 which are mounted in slideways at the rear end of the plate 6 and are engaged by the pushers 16 and moved forwardly at the beginning of the forward movement of the toe former 8 and the bar 14. In Fig. 3 the operating bars 48 for the slides 40, which are similarly advanced .by the pushers 16, yare mounted in extended Vguideways formed in the plate 6 below the plane of the guideway 42 and carry pins 50 which engage the rear ends of the slides 40.

In order to carry forward the marginal portion of the material at the sides of the Vtoe former in the rear of the levers, the

apparatus, in the form shown inFig. 1, includes toothed slides 52 which comprise preferably lateral and upward extensions of the bars 46 and move therewith. The apparatus shown in Fig. 3 includes similar slides 54 which are preferably integral with the bars 48, as shown. Both forms of the invention include also a plate 58 mounted upon the top of the rear portion of the plate 6 and out away to permit the movements of the slides 52 or 54. This plate is curved at its forward edge to conform substantially to thev curve of the toe former, and theforwa-rd portion of the plate formed as described has a function which will be subsequently explained.

The operation of the described mechanism takes place after a toe blank, or the forepart of an upper, has been adjusted over the toe former 8 with its margin overlying the toothed slides 52 or 54 and the toothed portions of the operating levers 22er 26 which are4 in their idle positions as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The margin of the blank is then clamped in position, as will be readily understood, through l the movement o f Dthe clam-p member' 4, andthe toe former 8 yis then vraised slightly' and together with the bar 14 is moved forwardly .to jshapethe toe. During the lfirst portionof vthiS Orward movement the pushers 16' serve to Eadvance the slides 46 .or 48 in the'clamp member and thereby `impart ,movement to'gthe plates 52 or 54 and the-levers 22 01126, moving first that lever which is nearest to the rear of the .clamp memberoneach sideand bringing the other levers into ,operation successively in the manner .previouslyexplained. In this operation the slides 52 vvor 54 carry forward the material at the sides of the toek former, and the levers gather and move lforward the material at the `toe end, thereby `effecting such gathering and compensating movement ofthe portions of the .blank as to meet the demands of the toe former andpermit the formation of va smoothly shaped ftoe without excessive strains upon the material. Before the completion of .fthe forward movement' ofthe toe former 8V the headsof the pushers 16 come into contact withthe rear end ,of

the plate 6. Movement` of the slides 4and .levers relatively to the iplate 6 then ceases and the lower clamp membercornprising .the plate 6 and the mechanism carried thereby is advanced during the final stageof .theoperation of forming the toe. In this tmannerthe compensating forward movement of that portion of the material `which is engaged by the slides 52 ,or 54 is continued.;V .but the clamp member 4 and ,the toe former ,press upon the-.blank sufficiently to prevent Tany material forward movement .of ,the margin about the toe end, and in consequence the toothed portions o f the'leve-rsaboutfthe end of the toe former slide from under 4 the man gin `of the blank which .iseng'aged immediately bythe smooth plate 58 `and ironed and pressed to assist in shaping the outturned flange. The plate 58 mayfbe'heated if l.d esired by means such as is commonly usedin machines of this class forheating ,the toe former.l After these operations theparts come to rest and are retained inthetoe shaping relation illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4 asufiieienttime to permit the blank to set in the form in which it has been molded., The toe former Aandthe bar 14 are then re-f tracted and the cla-nip members, separated so as to release the work, permitting the lower clamp memberto be returned bythe spring 18 and the other parts of the apparatus yto vresume the positions indicated in Figs. 1 and 3, the return of the `slides '40.

being veffected by the spring operated levers 22 or 26.

Although the invention has been described with reference to mechanism in .which .the operations upon the marginal vportion of the blank take fplace simultaneously .With the movement .of v thetoe former, it should be 'unparted to the margin of the blank yor the -l ironing of the margin 'is effected, although' the latter operation should besubs'equent to the :gathering of the material at `the toe en d. `The term blank or toe blank7 used y1n the claims is tobe understood as referring generally to the materials Which are to be operated upon,'such, vfor example, as the forepart or vamp .portion of an assembled shoe upper; such materials being srntably shaped for use in'formingthe toefof a shoe, or yotherlike articleof manufacture.

Having described-the' inventionv and set forth fully rhow *the novel method may` practised, what I claim as new and vdesire, to-secure by Letters Patent of `the United States is 1. In apparatus for shaping .a toe bla-nk, thecombination with a toe former, of means for clamping the marginal portion of the blank Vto form a flange thereon, said -means including a plu1'a1lityof blank engaging members pivoted forswinging movement in a pla-ne substantially parallel to the .plane of said clamped margin, and means for imparting swinging movement tosaid members v while the margin ofthe blank is clamped by said clamping means. Y, l

2. vIn apparatus for shaping .to'ebla'n-k, the combination withva .toe former, of means for clamping the marginalfportion of :the blank to V form a flange thereon,-said means Aincluding .a plurality of blank engaging members pivoted to swing about Vaires located inwardly from 'the outer edge ofthe blank, and means 4for swinging'said members -to gather the material vat the margin 'fof the blank.

3. In apparatus for shaping a .toe blank, the combination `with a ktoe former, of means for ,clamping the marginal portion of the blank `to form v a flange. thereon, said means including a series of `blank engaging men-ifv bers pivoted for swinging movement ign a 'plane :substantially parallelto the vplane of said clamped margin, andgmeans for im- Yparting vmovement to vdifferent members of the' series in succession to gather/the mategage .the material atlth anvergirl'of the blank,

and a slide movable in a curved path about the margin of the blank and having means for engaging and operating said members.

6. In apparatus for shaping a toe blank, a clamp member having a plurality of levers pivoted thereon and provided severally with means for engaging the marginal portion of the blank, a slide on said clamp member having projections for engaging and Swing ing the levers, and means for operating the slide.

7. In apparatus for shaping a toe blank, a clamp member having a plurality of levers pivoted thereon and provided severally With means for engaging themarginal portion of the blank, stops for determining the idle positions of said levers, resilient means for holding the levers normally in contact vvith the stops, and means vmovable transversely of the levers for imparting operative movements thereto.

v8. In apparatus for shaping a toe blank, a clamp member having a plurality of levers pivoted thereon and provided severally with means for engaging the marginal portion of the blank, an adjustable slide on the clamp member provided With stops for determining the idle positions of said levers, and an operating slide having means for imparting operative movements to the levers.

9. In apparatus for shaping a toe blank, a plurality of pivoted blank engaging members arranged to project outwardly in a series about the margin of the blank, movable slides curved about the blank and having means for imparting operative movement to different members of the series in succession, and means for imparting operative movement to said slides.

10. In apparatus for shaping a toe blank, the combination With a toe former, of means for clamping the marginal portion of the blank to form a flange thereon, said means including a plurality of members arranged to engage the marginal portion of the blank about the toe end thereof and pivoted for svvinging'movement in a plane substantially parallel to the plane of said clamped margin, movable slides having means for engaging the blank margin at the sides of the blank, and means for eiieeting operative movement simultaneously of said pivoted members and slides.

11. In apparatus for shaping a toe blank, the combination With a toe former, of a plurality of blank engaging members arranged for relative swinging movements to gather the material about the toe end of the blank, means for operating said members, and means for moving forward the marginal portion of the material at the sides of the blank simultaneously vvith the operation of said members.

A12. `In apparatus for shaping a toe blank, the combination with toe forming means, of

means for forming a flange on the blank, and means for ironing the flange to cause it to'retain the shape imparted thereto by said forming means.

13. In apparatus for shaping a toe blank, the combination With toe forming means, of means for gathering the material at the margin of the blank, and means for subjecting said gathered material to rubbing pressure.

14:. In apparatus for shaping a toe blank, the combination With toe forming means, of means for clamping the material at the margin of the blank to form a flange thereon, means for gathering the material at said clamped margin, and means for ironing the margin of the blank to set the flange in permanent shape.

15. In apparatus for shaping a toe blank, the combination with toe forming means, of clamp members relatively movable to clamp the margin of the blank, said members being relatively movable also to iron the blank.

16. In apparatus for shaping a toe blank, clamp members relatively vmovable to clamp the margin of the blank, one of said members having blank engagingdevices movable thereon to gather the material at the margin of the blank and an ironing member in the rear of said devices, said clamp member being movable forwardly to cause the ironing member to operate upon the blank.

17. In apparatus for shaping a toe blank, clamp members relatively movable to clamp the margin of the blank, one of said members having blank engaging devices movable thereon to gather the material at the margin about the toe end of the blank and an ironing member in the rear of said devices, means for operating said devices to gather the material, and means for subsequently moving said clamp member for- Wardly to cause the ironing member to operate upon the gathered material.

18. In apparatus for shaping a 'toe blank, clamp members relatively movable to clamp the margin of the blank, one of said members having blank engaging devices movable to gather the material at the margin of the blank and also ironing means, and means for imparting relative movement to said clamp members to cause the gatheredv ma- 'terial to be ironed by said ironing means.

19. In apparatus for shaping a toe blank,

means for gathering and clamping the material at the margin of the blank comprising clamp members for confining the margin under pressure, and means for imparting relative movement to said clamp members to iron the gathered material.

20. The method of shaping a toe blank Which comprises gathering in the material at the margin of the blank to provide a fullness in the portion of the material bounded by said margin, and ironing said gathered material under pressure to cause it to set in permanent form.

21. The method of shaping a toe blank which comprises clamping the marginal portion of 'the blank, gathering-in the material along the margin vof the blank While the clamping pressure is maintained, and then ironing the gathered material to cause it to set in permanent form.

22. The method of forming a flange on a toe blank Which comprises clamping and Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each. by addressing the gathering in the material at the margin of the blank, and While the clamping pressure is maintained ironing said material t0 cause it to set in permanent form.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speoiication in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses. v,

LOUIS M. BROWN.

. Witnesses: v

' CHESTER VEyltoernzs, n ABBE; L. FREAR.

Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.