US1344316A - Gripper mechanism - Google Patents

Description

C F. PYM.

GRIPPER MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 6, 1911. I 1 ,344, 3 1 6 Patented June 22, 1920.

. mm R. NM R. mm. 5%

. g Qw H @w UNITED STATES CHARLES F. PYM, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, BY

PATENT OFFICE.

MESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A COR- PORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

GRIPPER MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J He 22 1920 Original application filed June 24, 1911, Serial No. 635,183. Divided and this application filed November 6, 1917. Serial No. 200,607.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. PYM, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of hlassachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Gripper Mechanisms, 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.

This invention relates to gripper mechanisms for use in the manufacture of boots and shoes and is shown as embodied in a mechanism for engaging the upstanding edges of the shoe upper materials to assist in conforming the upper materials to the last. This application is a division of my application, Serial No. 635,183, filed June 24:, 1911, and accordingly the present invention is illustrated and described as em-- bodied in a toe lasting mechanism corresponding to that of: the application referred to but is not intended to be limited to use in connection with machines of that character.

In the lasting of shoes, the upper materials are conformed to the contour of the last and are folded over the edge of the bottom of a sole mounted on the bottom of the last and tacked or otherwise secured to said sole. Gripper mechanisms may be advantageously employed in the lasting opera tion to grip the upstanding edges of the upper materials which extend. around the edge of the sole and to stretchand tension said materials and conform them closely to the last.

The upstanding edges of the different layers of the upper materials are found in actual practice to be more or less spread apart so that grippers, to be most effective, should provide a relatively wide opening between their opened vgripping jaws to receive these upstanding edges and should be so con-I structed as to gatherin all of the up oer materials when their jaws are closed. dvantageously a closing movement as short as practicable should be required for one or both jaws. I i

One feature of my invention consists in a novel construction of gripp r mechanism providing gripping jaws arranged in open position to a flord a relatively wide opening to receive the upper materials, the jaws being arranged to have a short relative clos- 1ng movementas shown a combined downwardly sliding and inwardly swinging movement of a movable jaw relatively to a fixed jaw-effective to gather in all of the upper materials between the jaws.

When grippers are employed in the lasting of shoes to pull and stretch the upper into close conformity to the last, the best results will be secured by gripping the upper close to the plane of the sole. Vith this end in view, a further feature of. the invention consists in a novel construction and ar rangement of gripper jaws in which one jaw is movable relatively to the other from a starting position comparatively remote from the plane of the sole and is mounted and controlled in a novel manner to cause it to receive a component of movement to ward the plane of the sole as it swings laterally toward the other jaw and until it arrives substantially at the end of its closing movement. In the construction shown the jaw which receives this movement is the inner jaw, and the other jaw is arranged to engage the upper materials at the outer side and closely adjacent to or in the plane of the sole. Such a construction enables the gripper jaws to engage the upper close to the plane of the sole without striking the sole bottom or the edge of the last in their relative closing movement, and permits the use of grippers having the advantages above set forth in lasting welt shoes since the closing movement of theinner jaw is such that it may clear the upstanding lip or sewing rib of a sole.

WVhen grippers are used in connection with lasting machines, one aw of the gripper is usually positioned at the outer edge of the shoe bottom to aline the opening between the gripper jaws with the upstanding edges of the upper materials. Lasts vary inshape and width, and a gripper mechanism so constructed as to enable the grippers accurately to be positioned relatively to therlateral periphery of the shoe independently of the eye of the operator is, therefore, very desirable. Anotherfeature of the invention consists in a gripper having novel means toposition it relatively to the and shoes work, the construction shown comprising jaws relatively movable to grip upper materials between theln, one of said jaws having associated therewith a non-gripping member for engaging the shoe and positioning the gripper in stock-seizing relation to the shoe. This member acts as a feeler and is shown as an ofiiset lug depending from the outer jaw and supporting a contact roller, which is adapted for positioning engagement with the outer side face of the shoe below the plane of the work'that is to be gripped. For lasting the toe end of a shoe, for example, two of these gripper mechanisms will be employed at opposite sides of the toe.

In tensioning and stretching the upper materials, grippers may exert excessive strain on said materials, causing them to tear, unless provision is made for relative yield. In addition to the previously mentioned features, the gripper mechanism herein shown is constructed and arranged yieldingly to grip the upper materials between the gripping jaws so that the upper materials may be released iii the grippers impose such strain upon the upper materials as to approach the tearing point. As shown, a coiled spring is interposed in the closing means for av pair of gripper jaws, and means are provided for adjusting the tension oi? said spring so that the gripping tension of the jaws may be varied with different materials to be operated upon.

These, and other features of the invention will be more fully apparent from the detailed specification which follows, when read.

in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings, and will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, partly in section, illustrating a preferable embodiment oi? the present invention incorporated in the lasting machine of my said application Serial No. 635,183, and

Fig. 2 is a vertical. sectional view showing opposite side grippers with their operating mechanism in operative relation to a last and shoe which have been operatively positioned in said machine.

In the machine 01' said application, two gripper mechanisms are positioned at each side i the longitudinal median line of the toe end of a supported last, the two gripper mechanisms at one side being shown in Fig. 1. The illustrated lasting mechanism includes a wiper head 31 mounted torlongitudinal reciprocating movement through a connected power actuated rod 22 and recessed to receive carrier plates 32 provided with recessed edges within which are mounted pivoted wiper plates 33. These wiper plates are swung toward and from each other by a power reciprocated rod 50 pivotally connected to the middle portion of an equalizing cross-bar 43 having adjustable and yielding connections with ears 39 depending from the carrier plates 32.

The gripper mechanisms cooperate with this wiper mechanism in the lasting operation and are supported from pivoted carrier bars 148 which are swung toward the opposite sides of a last and shoe supported between them by av cam actuated bell crank lever 161, a bar 160 and links 159 to position the grippers in operative relation to the shoe upper, the bars 148 becoming automatically latched to intergeared pivoted members 172 turned by power operated connections to swing the carrier bars 148 outwardly from the shoe with them in timed relation to the closing of the wi er plates 33 over the bottom of the shoe. rior to the swinging of the bars 148 outwardly, the open jaws of the gripper mechanisms are closed by jaw closing bars 153 pivoted to the laterally extended end of a lever 166 which is operated by power in timed relation to the wiper and gripper outswinging mechanisms.

The gripper mechanisms illustrated in connection with the described lasting mech anism each comprises an outer aw 146, here. in frequently termed a fixed jaw since it has no closing movement, this jaw having a vertically extending shank portion 147 se cured at its upper end in an opening in the carrier bar 1 18 previously referred to, and a relatively movable inner jaw 149 having its upper end pivotally attached to a collar 150 free to slide longitudinally on the shank portion 1-47 of the fixed gripper jaw. The fixed and movable jaws 14:6, 149 have later ally extended grip )ing faces, preferably serated as shown. The fixed jaw is intended to be positioned at the outer side of the shoe upper in substantial alinement with the side face of the shoe and last. The fixed jaws of the grippers have lugs laterally offset and depending from the gripping faces 01'' said jaws in which are journaled il'eeler wheels 157 arranged to engage the side of a shoe supported by and clamped between a toe support 59, (it) and a suitable clamping holddown 72, for instance, and to position the opening between the open jaws of the gripper in line with the upstanding edges of the upper materials. In the drawings, since each carrier bar 1453 supports two gripper mechanisms for swinging movement toward the side of the shoe and last, only one of said gripper mechanisms at each side need be and is shown as provided with a feeler or positioning wheel 157.

The movable jaw 1.49 in its opened position is raised a substantial distance above the sole of a supported shoe (see Fig. 2) and is swung inwardly to provide a relatively wide opening between the jaws to emreceive the upper materials.

brace all of the upper materials. It is moved to and supported in this position, and in closing is moved bodily downwardly and simultaneously swung outwardly, gathering in all of the upper materialsand bringing its gripping face close to the plane of the sole substantially at the end of its closing movement. These movements are effected through an operating lever 151 pivotally mounted at a point intermediate of its ends on the fixed jaw at a point on said jaw between its upper and lower ends, and having one arm, as shown, the shorter arm, pivotally connected to the movable jaw at a point above its lower gripping end, the lever thus serving as a link connection between the jaws. The other arm, as shown, the longer arm, of this operating lever, has a pin and slot connection with the lower end of a vertically movable rod 152, the upper end of the rod extending through an opening in a jaw closing bar 153 with a coiled spring 155 sleeved on the upper end of the rod between the upper face of bar 153 and a tension adjusting nut 154 threaded on the end of said rod. A collar 156 fixed on the rod engages the under face of bar 153 and limits the upward movement of the rod relatively to the bar, determining the area of the upper-receiving opening between the jaws.

The spring 155 normally acts to elevate the rod 152 and to hold the collar 156 against the bar 153. It also forms a yielding element in the jaw closing means so that when the bar 153 is lifted, the jaws 149, 146 will yieldingly grip the upper materials between them and will yield as the tension on the upper approaches a degree predetermined by the adjustment of the spring-tensioning nut 154C. 3

By attaching the movable jaw to the sliding collar 150 and connecting the jaw closing lever to the movable jaw below said collar, the movable jaw, through the action of the lever 151 is carried bodily upward and is coincidently swung inwardly away from the fixed jaw providing a relatively wide area of opening between the jaws to \Vhen the lever 151 is reversely moved by the jaw closing bar 153, the movable jaw 149 is moved bodily downward with the collar 150 and at the same time swings outwardly toward the fixed jaw, gathering in the upstanding edges of the upper materials and gripping them between the serrated gripping faces of the fixed and movable jaws. By reason of the combined sliding and swinging movement of the movable jaw,

only a comparatively short swinging movement of this jaw and of the lever151 is required to open and close the gripper mechanism. Additionally, the lower gripping face of the movable jaw, in its closing movement, travels in a curved path which causes it to gather in all of the upper materials and to grip them close to the bottom face of the sole, and to do this without interference with the bottom of the sole, or, if the movable jaw is positioned on the outer side of the shoe, the edge of the last or sole.

It is contemplated that the gripping face at the lower end of the movable jaw will arrive at its lowest point substantially at the end of its closing movement, as suggested by the dotted line in Fig. 2 indicating the path of closing movement. The movement of this jaw toward and from the fixed jaw has two components of movement, one longitudinally of the fixed jaw substantially parallel with its shank portion, and the other a laterally swinging component about a pivot point progressively approaching or receding from the gripping face of the fixed jaw. This movement enables the grippers to secure the above mentioned advantages when working with shoes having soles with upstanding sewing ribs since the swing of the movable jaw may be and is figured to cause its edge to clear this rib in closing.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:-

1. In a mechanism of the character described, a gripper comprising a fixed jaw, a cooperating jaw pivotally connected to said fixed jaw to swing toward and from the fixed jaw and guided on said fixed jaw for bodily straight line movement of its pivot coincidently with said swinging movement, and means for swinging and simultaneously moving said cooperating jaw in a straight line lengthwise of the fixed aw.

2. In a mechanism of the character described, a gripper having afixed jaw and a pivoted, bodily movable jaw, a support for said jaws, a lever connected to the pivoted jaw for closing and opening the jaws and for coincidently effecting bodily movement of the pivoted jaw, an operating member movable relatively to said support, and means yieldingly connecting said lever and said operating member.

3. In a mechanism of the character de scribed, a gripper comprising a fixed jaw and a movable jaw pivotally connected to the fixed jaw for swinging movement toward and from the fixedj aw and mounted for coincident straight line bodily movement of its pivot, and a lever pivotally attached at one end to the movable jaw and intermediate its ends pivotally attached to the fixed 4. A. gripper mechanism comprising a fixed jaw, a relatively movable jaw supported for swinging movement toward and from the fixed jaw and for bodily sliding movement lengthwise of said fixed. jaw, and an actuating member pivoted to said fixed jaw and connected to said movable jaw to effect longitudinal sliding and coincident swinging movement of said movable jaw relatively to the fixed jaw.

A. gripper mecl'ianism comprising a fixed jaw, a. pivoted relatively movable jaw connected to said fixed jaw for relative longitudinal sliding movement, and an actuating lever fulcrumed on said fixed jaw and having one end connected to said movable jaw to effect longitudinal sliding and coincident lateral swinging movement of said jaw relatively to the fixed jaw.

6. fr gripper mechanism comprising a fixed jaw having a supporting shank portion, a collar mounted on said shank portion for longitudinal sliding movement, a movable jaw pivotally connected to said collar and bodily movable with said collar, and a lever pivoted to said shank portion and having one end connected to said pivoted jaw and arranged, when actuated, to effect longitudinal sliding and coincident lateral swing ing movement oi said pivoted jaw.

7. 1i gripper mechanism. comprising a fixed jaw having a supporting shank por tiou, a collar freely slidablc longitudinally on said shank portion, a movable jaw having one end pivoted to said collar and bodily movable with said collar longitudinally of the fixed jaw, a lever pivoted on said fixed jaw between its gripping end and said collar and having one end pivotally connected with said movable jaw at a point lietween its ends, and means tor operating said lever bodily to slide said movable jaw longitudinally ot the fixed jaw and coincidently to swing said movable jaw toward and from said fixed jaw.

8. A gripper mechanism comprising a fixed jaw, a movable jaw supported for swinging movement toward and from the fixed jaw and for. bodily sliding movement lengthwise oi. said fixed jaw, an actuating member tulcrumed on said fixed aw and connected to said movable jaw to e'liect longitudinal sliding and. coincident lateral swinging movement 01 said jaw relatively to the fixed jaw, and means arranged yieldingly to move said movable jaw into stock gripping relation to the fixed jaw.

9. A gripper mechanism comprising a. fixed jaw having a supporting shank portion, a pivoted movable jaw having a shank portion connected to the shank portion oi the fixed jaw for longitudinal sliding movement relatively thereto, a lever fulcrumed on the shank portion of the fixed aw and connected to said movable jaw to effect longitudinal sliding and coincident lateral swinging movement oi? said aw relatively to the fixed jaw, means acting through said lever normally to hold said jaws longitudinally and laterally separated, and additional spring means arranged to act throughsaid lever yieldingly to close said jaws together.

10. A gripper mechanism comprising a fixed. jaw, a movable jaw, means for support ing said movable jaw tor coincident longitudinal sliding and lateral'swinging movement from a position laterally and vertically removed from the gripping portion of said fixed jaw, said means being constructed and ar 'anged to bring the gripping portion of the movable jaw into the plane of and in coiperative gripping relation to the gripping portion of the fixed aw approximately at the end 0t said sliding and swinging movement, and an actuating lever tulcrumed on the fixed jaw and conn ed to said movable jaw to eli'ect said coincident sliding and swinging movement 11. A grippermechanism comprising a fixed jaw, a pivoted movable aw, means for supporting said movable jaw tor bodily sliding movement longitudinally oi? the fixed jaw, and an actuating lever tulcrumed on the fixed jaw and connected to said nlovable aw to effect in one direction oi" actuati-m longitudinal sliding and coincident lateral swinging movement oi said movable jaw to position said jaw in a location vertically and laterally removed trom the grip iing portion of said fixed aw and in the reverse direction of actuation to ellect coincident sliding and swinging movement of the movable jaw in path to bring its gripping portion into the pl aue of and in coilperative gripping relation with the gripping portion. oi? the fixed jaw approximately at the end of said coincident sliding and swinging movement.

12. it gripper mechanism. comprising cooperating stock seizing jaws, one of said jaws having associated therewith a nongripping member for engaging the shoe and laterally positioning the gripper in stock seizing relation to the shoe ncliminarily to the seizing oi the shoe stock by the gripper jaws.

13. A gripper mechanism comprising rela tively movable stock gripping jaws, one of said jaws having a non-grip iiing member associated therewith and arranged to move with said jaw to engage a shoe at a point removed from the gripping point to position the gripper in operative stock gripping relation to the upper materials preliminarily to the seizing ot the shoe stock by the gripper jaws.

14. A gripper mechanism coi'nprising relatively movable stock seizing jaws and a non gripping extension below one jaw adapted for gripper-positioning engagement with the side of" ashoe below the portion oi the upper materials to be gripped preliminarily to the seizing oi the shoe stock by the gripper jaws.

l5. Gripper mechanism for use in lasting the toe ends of shoes comprising two grippers adapted to engage an upper at opposite si: of a shoe toe and a nongripping extension below each gripper for engagement with the opposite sides of the toe portion of the shoe relatively to position the shoe and grippers for the two grippers properly to seize the upstanding shoe upper materials.

16. A gripper mechanism comprising a fixed jaw arranged to engage the outer side of a shoe upper, a relatively movable cooperating jaw at the inner side oil: the upper arranged for movement to grip shoe upper materials between it and the fixed jaw, and a non-gripping extension from the fixed jaw arranged for gripper-positioning engagement with the outer side of the shoe,

upper at a point removed from the gripping point of said jaw in the direction of the top of the last preliminarily to the seizing of the shoe stock by the gripper jaws.

1'7. Gripper mechanism for use in lasting the toe ends of shoes comprising two grippers adapted for bodily movement toward opposite sides of the toe end of a last and shoe upper and constructed and arranged to engage the upper materials at said opposite sides, each gripper comprising a fixed jaw at the outer side 01 the shoe, a relatively movable cooperating jaw at the inner side of the upper, and a non-gripping extension from the fixed aw arranged for gripperpositioning engagement with the outer side of the shoe upper at a point removed from the gripping point ofsaid jaw in the direction of the top of the last.

18. Gripper mechanism for lasting shoes comprising two grippers adapted to seize the margin of" the shoe stock at opposite sides of the shoe, each gripper comprising.

relatively movable stock-seizing jaws and l'iaving associated therewith a non-gripping member, said members being arranged to engage opposite sides of the shoe to position said grippers in stock seizing relation to the sides of the shoe preliminary to the seizing of the shoe stock by the gripper jaws.

19. An upper pulling gripper comprising a pair of cooperating gripping jaws elon-,

gated substantially in the direction of their pull upon the upper, a link connecting said jaws at points between their opposite ends to cause relative swinging movement of the jaws in closing, and means connecting the outer end portions of the jaws for relative rectilinear movement throughout the entire relat1ve closing movement of the aws.

20. A gripper comprising a pair of jaws one of which is mounted to swing laterally toward the other in closing, and means connected to the outer end portion of said swinging aw to guide the outer end of said jaw in a straight path throughout the entire closing movement of the aw.

21. An upper pulling gripper comprising a pair of cooperating gripping jaws, a link connecting said jaws at points between their opposite ends to cause one of the jaws to swing laterally toward the other in closing, and a controlling member pivoted on the outer end portion of said swinging aw and slidably mounted for rectilinear movement in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of the pull of the gripper throughout the entire closing movement of said aw.

22. A gripper comprising a pair of jaws one of which is arranged to engage an upper on its outer side and is held substantially stationary during the closing movement of the other jaw, and means for controlling the closing movement of said other jaw to cause it to swing laterally over the shoe bottom toward the first jaw with a bodily movement from a starting position comparatively remote from the plane of the sole of the shoe and in a direction transverse to said plane throughout its entire lateral swinging movement.

23. In gripper mechanism, the combination with relatively movable gripper jaws, of an extension on one of said jaws for engaging the lateral periphery of a shoe to position the jaws relatively to the shoe before they close upon the upper material.

24. In gripper mechanism, the combination with relatively movable gripper jaws, of means on one of said aws for determining the correct relation of the gripper to a shoe, said means being arranged to engage the lateral periphery of the shoe adjacent to the gripping face of said jaw in a loca tion farther from the edge of the upper than said face.

25. In mechanism of the class described, the combination with a gripper mounted for positioning movement in a direction transverse to the lateral periphery of a shoe, of means carried by said gripper for engaging the lateral periphery of the shoe to limit said positioning movement.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES F. P YM.

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