US1374869A

US1374869A - Heel-breasting machine

Info

Publication number: US1374869A
Application number: US273845A
Authority: US
Inventors: Erastus E Winkley
Original assignee: United Shoe Machinery Corp
Current assignee: United Shoe Machinery Corp
Priority date: 1919-01-29
Filing date: 1919-01-29
Publication date: 1921-04-12
Anticipated expiration: 1938-04-12

Description

E. E. WINKLEY. HEEL .BREASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED JAN. 29, 1919- '1 974,869. Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

9 SHEETS-SHEET I.

E. E.WINKLEY.

HEELBREASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED IAN. 2S. 1919.

1,374,869. Patented Apr.-12, 1921.

9 SHEETS-SHEET?- E. E. WINKLEY.

HEEL BREASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29, 1919.

1,374,869 Patentedv Apr. 12, 1921.

9 SHEETSSHEET 3.

1%zltn 9 5s Jnve ntor E. E. WINKLEY.

HEEL BREASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29. I919.

Pa-tented Apr. 12, 1921.

E. E. WINKLEY.

HEEL BREASTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29.1919.

1,374,869. Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

witness WM)? E. E. WINKLEY.

HEEL BREASTING' MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 29. 1919.

1,374,869. Patented Apr/12, 192 1., i

9 SHEETS-SHEET 6..

- 2/ 7 12/035 w 7, 6 Invert/ L9!- E. E. WINKLEY.

HEEL BREASTING MACHINE.

APPUCATION -F|LED JAN. 29, 1919. v 1,374,869. Patented Apr. 12, 1921.

' 9 SHEETS-SHEET 7.

67a ZZZ tines 666 Inverpbof E. E. WINKLEY.

HEEL BREASTING MACHINE.

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Inventor UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

ERASTUS E. WINKLEY, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

HEEL-BREASTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 12, 192.1.

Application filed January 29, 1919. serial No. 273,845.

T 0 aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, ERASTUS E. 'WINKLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of hiiassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Heel-Breasting Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apper-' tains to make and use the same.

The present invention relates to heelbreasting machines and has for its objects to provide an eflicient and reliable machine for breasting heels prior to their attachment to the shoe and more particularly to provide a machine of this character which is capable of operating rapidly upon heels of various styles and sizes and which may be adjusted to trim the heel breasts at different angles.

To the accomplishment of these objects and such others as may'hereinafter appear, the features of the invention relate to certain devices, combinations and arrang ments of parts hereinafter described and subsequently defined in the appended claims and which possess advantages which will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

The various features of the invention will be readily understood from the following description and the accoInpanying, drawings of the preferred embodiment of the invention. in which Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation thereof; Fig. 3 is a top plan view thereof; Fig. t is a fragmental plan view of the shine with the upper parts broken away, showing a heel clamped in position for the breasting operation; Fig. 5 is a view similar 'to Fig. l, showing the heel released from the clamping members after the breasting operation has been completed; Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation taken on thaline 6 6 of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 7 is a view partly in section on the line 77 of 4, looking in the direction of the arrows, and showing also the broasting knife together with certain parts associated therewith, in side elevation, with the knife in its lowermost position; Fig. 8 is a sectional view on the line 8-8 of Fig.7

Fig. 9 isa view partly in front elevation and partly in section 011 the same plane as Fig.

Fig. 7; and Fig. 13 is a sectional view 0 the line 13-13 of Fig. 9.

i The invention is illustrated in the drawings as embodied in a machine which forms one unit of a system of machines for auto matically producing heels and performs its operation upon heels conveyed to it from one of the other machines in the system by means of an endless chain conveyer. The conveyer carries one heel in inverted position on each link of the chain and is fed intermittently so that each movement will advance a heel into position for automatic delivery to the breasting knife, and bring an empty link into position toreceive a heel which has been operated upon. The present machine is provided with means for removing the heels singly from the conveyer, bringing them into the path of movement of the breasting knife and then replacing them, after the breasting operation has been completed, upon the conveyer.

In the illustrated embodiment of theinvention the machine comprises, in general. a

substantially rectangular frame 16 which supports a'table 18 upon which the various operating instrumentalities are mounted, and. across which travels the conveyor chain 20, by which the heels are brought to the breasting machine and removed therefrom after being operated upon; a plurality of cams, by which said instrumentalitiesare actuated, which are secured to a cam shaft 22 that is journaled in bearings in the frame 16 and connected with suitable driving mechanism; a pusher 24 for transferring a single heel sidewise from the conveyor chain to the table 18; a slide 26 in the table 18, on to which the heel is delivered by thepusher 24:, and which subsequently moves the heel, rear end foremost, a predetermined distance at right angles to the direction in which it was moved by the. pusher 24; a second pusher 28 which is connected with a reciprocating carriage 30 and which advances the heel from the slide 26 into position to be operated upon; a breast block 32, over which the heel is fed by the pusher 28 and which is moved upwardly to support the breast end of the heel and serve as a cutting bed for the breasting knife; a plurality of clamping members 34 which are moved inwardly to grip the heel during the breasting operation; a breasting knife 36, which cuts downwardly toward the breast block 32; a reciprocating cutter head 38, on which the knife is mounted; a fixed cutter-head frame 40 having parallel guideways in which the cutter-head reciprocates and which may be angularly adjusted to vary the pitch of the heel breast; means including a presser foot 42 which is frictionally operated by the downward movement of the cutter-head 38 to aid in clamping the heel during the breasting operation; an upper heel-carrier plate 44,

which is connected with the carriage 30 and is interposed between the presser foot 42 and the heel before the former is actuated by the cutter-head; a lower heel-carrier plate 46, which is also connected with the carriage 30 and which cooperates with the upper heelcarrier plate 44, at the completion of the breasting operation to grip the heel and remove it from breasting position; and a third pusher 48 which is connected to operate simultaneously with the first pusher 24 to finally return the breasted heel to the conveyer chain.

Power is continuously supplied to the machine from a suitable source by means of a sprocket chain 50 (Figs. 1, 2 and 3) which passes over a sprocket wheel 52 that is fixed to a drive shaft 54 journaled in bearings on the supporting frame 16. The cam shaft 22 of the machine is driven continuously from the drive shaft 54 through an intermediate shaft 56 which is also journaled in bearings on the frame 16, and is provided at one end with a bevel gear 58 that meshes with, a bevel gear 60 fixed to the drive shaft 54, while at its opposite end a worm 62 is provided, which cooperatively engages a worm-gear 64 that is fixed on the cam shaft.

No means is shown in the drawings for intermittently actuating the conveyer chain. as it may be understood that the machine is associated with one or more other machines provided with such means, an example of such machines being disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,102,311, granted July 7, 1914. It should be understood that after each intermittent movement through the space of one link the chain comes to rest in the position shown in the drawings; also that by meansof suitable positive driving connections which need not be shown or described, the mechanism of the present machine is actuated in timed relation with the chain, so that its parts perform one cycle of operations for each feed movement of the chain.

The conveyer chain 20 is shown as comprising a series of links 68, each in the form of a flat plate with lateral depending flanges 70. The series of links are connected together by pivot rods 72 seated in perforations in the lateral flanges 70, and each rod is provided at its ends with rollers 74. These rollers support that part of the chain which passes through the machine, by engagement with a track76 (Fig. 3) on the table 18. Each chain link is also provided with an upstanding flange 78 which is arranged to engagethe breast of the heel to determine the position of the heel upon the link.

After each heel has been brought to the machineby the advance of the conveyer. it is removed from the chain by a lateral movement which is produced by means of the pusher 24. This pusher consists of a flat plate carried by an arm 80 (Fig. 3) ex tending from a sleeve 82 which is mounted to slide upon a horizontal rod 84, in order that the pusher may transfer the heel side-v wise from the conveyer chain to a position on the slide 26 in the path of the second pusher 28. The rod 84 which is disposed at right angles to the length of the conveyer chain is fixed at its ends in brackets 86 rising from the table 18, and a bearing 88 on the table supports the sleeve 82 at a point between the brackets 86. The sleeve 82 is connected with a reciprocating slide 89 ('Figs. 2, 6 and 8) by means of an arm 90 which extends upwardly from the slide through a slot 92 in the table 18 and is Secured to the sleeve 82 at the opposite end from the pusher 24. The slide 89 is located beneath the table 18 and mounted to slide longitudinally upon a rod 94 which is parallel to the rod 84 and is rigidly supported by downward extensions of the brackets 88. The required movement of the pusher 24 is produced by cam mechanism comprising a cam 98, (Figs 1 and 2) that is fined on the cam shaft 22 and has a groove in which is received a cam roll 100 of a ('am'levcr 102, one end of which is pivoted at 104 while the opposite end is provided with a roll 106 that enters a notch 108 in the slide 89. The pusher 24 feeds the heel on to the slide in the table 18, which is arranged to be operated in connection with the second pusher 28.

After the heel has been transferred on to the slide 26 in the path of the second pusher 28, it is advanced into position to be operated upon by the knife 36. During this movement of the heel toward the knife. the

slide 26 and the pusher 28advance together until the movement of the slide is arrestedv by its engagement with the breast block 32,

when the continued movement of the pusher rests its further movement.

' clamping members 34.

transfers the heel from the slide onto the table 18, in the path of the breasting knife 36. The pusher 28, which moves with the carriage 30, is carried by an arm 110 (Figs. 1 and 3) rising from the carriage and extending through a slot 112 in the table 18.

The carriage 30 is mounted to slide in a plane parallel to the length of the conveyer chain and carries, in addition to the pusher 28, the upper and lower heel-

carrier plates

44 and 46, respectively, by which the heels are removed after they have been breasted. At one end the carriage 30 is supported by means of lateral flanges 114 on the arm 110,

. which engagethe upper surface of the table 18. The carriage is supported at the opposite end by'a bearing 116 (Fig. 9) on the under side of the table 18, through which slides a longitudinally disposed rod 118 which is located at one side of the carriage with its opposite ends fixed in lugs 120 that are formed on the carriage. The carriage 30 is actuated by means of a cam 122. (Figs. 1 and 2,) that is fixed on the cam shaft 22, and has a peripheral groove in which is received a cam roll 124 of a cam lever 126, one end of which is pivoted at 128 while the opposite end is connected through a link 130 with the carriage 30.

The heel is supported at the beginning of its movement toward the knife 36 by means of the slide 26, which is arranged to move toward and away from the breast block 32, in the direction of feed of the conveyer chain and is supported upon ways 132, (Fig. 5) that extendalong the parallel sides of a slot 134 in the table 18, with the upper face of the slide flush with the top of the table so that the heels may be readily fed thereon from the table by the pusher 24. The slide 26 is urged toward the breast block 32 by means of coil springs 136 (Figs. 5 and 8), one end of each spring being connected to the under side of the slide and the opposite. ends of the springs with the table 18. When thepush'er 28, which operates in a plane just above the slide 26, is in the position it occupies when a heel is being transferred from the conveyer chain by thepusher 24, the slide 26 is held retracted against the tension ofthe springs 136 by means of the engagement of the pusher 28 with the pins 138, which project upwardly from the slide behind the pusher. As the pusher 28 is advanced toward the knife 36, thesprings136 are permitted to advance the slide with the pusher until the slide engages the breast block 32 which ar- Continued advancement of the pusher 28 then feeds the heel along the stationary slide, over the breast block 32, which is then retracted so that it will. not interfere with the feeding of the heel, and into a position between the The members '34 movement of the pusher. The heel is positioned by the pusher 28 between the clamp ing members 34 and supported upon the top of two parallel supporting plates 140 (Figs.

4 and 5) which are secured to the table 18 and extend beneath the opposite sides'of the heel, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and the breast portion of the heel lies above the breast block 32 and int-he path of the knife 36. V i

In order that the pusher 28 may yield ingly press the heel against the rear of the clamping members 34 and so insure the proper positioning of the heel longitudinally, the pusher 28 is secured to a rod 142 (Figs. 5 and 8) which is mounted with provision for a small amount of longitudinal movement in a recess in a sleeve 144 which is fixed in the arm 110 of the carriage 30 I the recess, and tendsto force the pusher operation by means of the two clamping members 34 each of which is shaped to conform to the curved contour of the lateral edge of the heel from a point near the breast of the heel to the extreme rear thereof. The clamping members 34 are arranged and actuated in suchamanner that as they are operated to clamp the heel, each 'member moves through an equal distance thereby placing the heel laterally in a central position' with respect to the knife 36and the breast block 32. The clamping members'34 move across and are supported by the heel supporting plates 140, and the adjacent portion of the table 18, and are guided in their movements toward and away from the heel by means 'of a guide strip 150 (Figs. 4, 5 and 8) which is secured to the underside of the supporting plates 140 and extends between a pair of guide plates 152 (Figs. 6 and 8) which are secured to the under side of the clamping members 34.

As the clamping members move inwardly to clamp the heel, the breast blocle 32. is raised into contact with the breast portion of the heel. The breast block 32 is arranged to reciprocate vertically in ways 154, as shown in Figs. 5, 7 and 8. That portion of the upper face of the breast block which lies beneath the heel is shaped to" conform to the concave contour of the heel seat, so as to provide supportalong the entire breast end thereofand furni'sha cuttingbed for the cutting edge of the knife 36 which is shaped to fit the conveX upper face of the breast block. Both the knife and the cutting block are removable and may be replaced by others of different shapes according to the style of the heel to be op erated upon. The breast block 32 is held in position on a breast block support 166 (Figs.

6 and 7) by means of suitable spring pressed de'tents 168, so that it may be readily removed from the support when it is de sired to replace it by another.

In order that the breast block may not interfere with the feeding of the heel from the slide 26 into breasting position, the upward movement of the breast block is so controlled that the block does not protrude above the table 18 until after the rear of the heel has passed thereover. The clamping members 34 are brought into clamping position and the breast block 32 1s raised into position to support the heel, by means of a cam 170 which is fixed on the cam shaft 22 and which controls the movements of suitable actuating mechanisms.

The mechanism for operating the clamping members 34 is described as follows:

A pair of levers 172 (Figs. 2, 6 and 10) are severally fulcrumed between their ends on studs 174, that project from a cross bar 175 of the frame 16, and are operatively connected with the clamping members by means of rolls 176 (Figs. 5, 6 and 8), a pair of which are carried at the upper end of each lever and enter the spaces between two sets of oppositely disposed depending lugs 178 on the guide plates 152 of the clamping members 34. The levers 172 are operated by means of a toggle (Figs. 10 and 11) consisting of

links

180 and 182, whlch are connected with each other by a pivot pin 184 and to the lower ends of the levers 172 by the pivot pins 183. The toggle is operated by means of a link 186 and a spring 188 which is carried thereby. The link 186 is formed with two parallel sides 190 which embrace the knuckle of the toggle and are each provided with a longitudinal slot 192 (Figs. 10 and 11) to receive the pivot pin 184. The parallel sides 190 of the link 186 are connected at the top by a web 194 and the spring 188 is confined between the web 194 and a shoe 196 which engages the upper ends of the toggle links 180and 182. The shoe is held in place by a pin 198 to which it is secured and which extends through the coils of the spring 188 and through a guiding aperture in the web 194. The lower end of the link 186 is pivoted at 200 to an operating lever 202 which is fulcrumed at 204 (Fig. 2) on a bracket carried by the frame 16 and is provided at its opposite end with a cam roll 206 which enters a groove in the cam 170. The downward movement of the link 186tends to straighten the toggle con- -sisting of the

links

180 and 182 and to swing the levers 172 so as to bring the clamping members 34 into clamping position, while the upward movement of the link 186 causes the clamping members to be moved away from each other. In order that the same amount of movement shall be imparted to each of the levers 172 by the toggle, so that the. clamping members 34 shall be moved through equal distances, the pivot pin 184 of the toggle is constrained to move in a vertical plane by means of a guideway that is formed by a pair of parallel vertical ribs 208 (Fig. 11) projecting from a bracket which is secured to the cross bar 175, said guideway receiving a roll 210 that is carried by the pivot pin 184. With the above construction, after the downward movement of the link 186 acting on the t0ggle through the spring 188 and the shoe 196 has caused the clamping members 34 to be brought againstthe sides of the heel, continued downward movement of the link 186, which is permitted by its pin and slot connection with the toggle links, will compress the spring 188 and put the clamping members under pressure.

The actuating mechanism for operating the breast block 32 comprises a bell crank lever 212 (Figs. 2, 6 and 10) which is mounted to swing on afixed bearing sleeve 214 on the cam shaft 22, a link 216 which connects one arm of the bell crank lever 212 to the cam actuated lever 202 and a link 218 by which the other arm of the bell crank leveris connected to the bottom of the breast block 32.

By means of the mechanism just described, the lever 202 which is actuated by the cam 170 to move the clamping member also actuates the breast block 32. The clamping members are moved toward each other and the breast block is raised in timed relation and the heel is thus clamped and supported in breasting position.)

Before the breasting operation takes place, the retreat of the carriage 30 positions the upper and lower

heel carrier plates

44 and 46, respectively above and below the clamped heel, but not in contact therewith, and on the downward movement of the cutter head 38, the presser foot 42, carried thereby, is operated as hereinafter described to tilt the upper carrier plate 44 downwardly against the top of the heel and then to press the heel downwardly against the heel sup porting plates 140 and the breast block 32,

thus causing the heel to be more effectively it may be firmly gripped between the carrier plates by an upward movement of the lower plate. 1

After the heel is properly positioned and clamped, with its breast portion supported by the breast block 32, and after the carriage 30 has retreated to the position shown in Fig. 1, the heel is ready to be breasted by the knife 36, which cuts downwardly toward the breast block. Inasmuch as the heels are advanced into the path of the knife in inverted position, the knife engages first with the top or smaller end of the heel and cuts toward the base or larger end thereof, and consequently all portions of the stock progressively cut by the knife are firmly supported by the portions of stock immediately beneath and aclean cut is secured.

The breasting knife 36 is removably secured to the cutter head 38 behind a clamp ing plate 220 (Figs. 7, 8 and 12) by means of bolts 222, which extend through longitudinal slots in the plate 220 and through corresponding slots in the knife 36, the latter extending to the top edge of the knife as shown in Fig. 7. In order that the knife may be adjusted longitudinally and angularly with respect to the cutter-head to bring its cutting edge into proper engagement with the breast block 32, the upper end of the knife is engaged by a shoulder 221 on the clamping plate 220 and adjustment is effected by means of adjusting screws 224 in the cutter head which bear against the top of the clamping plate. By loosening the bolts 222 the knife may be removed to be re-sharpened or to permit the insertion of another knife of different shape. The cutter head 33 is provided with lateral flanges 226 (Fig. 12) which are arranged to slide in parallel guideways 228 formed on the stationary cutter head frame 40. The cutter head frame 46 comprises an inverted U-shaped portion, 229 overhanging the 38, and a laterally extending arm 236 which, together with the adjacent leg of the U- shaped portion of the frame, is secured to a shaft 232 that is adj ustably fixed in brackets 234 (Figs. 2 and on the table 18 by means of cap plates 236 which are bolted to the brackets 234. By loosening the bolts in the cap plates the cutter-head frame 40 may be angularly adjusted so as to vary the angularity of the cut produced by the knife 36. The axis of the shaft 232 lies in the plane of the upper surface of the table 18 so that the knife will strike as nearly as possible the same portion of the surface of the breast block, whatever may be the angular adjustment of the cutter-head frame,

The cutter head 38 is actuated by a cam 38 on the cam shaft 22 (Figs. 1 and 2). A. groove in the earn 238 receives a cam roll,

240 which is carried by one arm of a bell crank lever 242 that is fulcrumed at 244. The other arm of the lever 242 is bifurcated and provided with pins 246 which enter a groove 248 in a sleeve 250 that is mounted to slide on the fixed shaft 232 between the brackets 234. A similar groove 252 in the sleeve 250 is entered by pins 254 pro jecting from the bifurcated end of one arm of another bell crank lever 256 which is fulcrumed at 258 on the laterally extending arm 2300f the cutter head frame 40. The other arm of the lever 256 is connected by means of a link 260 with a cross bar 262 that is secured by bolts 263 to the cutter-head 38. With a construction of this sort by which the knife 36 is periodically reciproc'ated in timed cooperation with the other parts of the machine, the cutter-head frame may be adjusted angularly as desired, in order to vary the pitch of the heel breasts, without interfering with the operative con nections between the cutter-head and its cam 236, inasmuch as the grooved sleeve 250 provides, between the operating

levers

242 and 256, a pivotal connection, the axis of which is coincident with the pivotal axis of the cutter-head frame.

It is desirable that the chips removed by the breasting knife be disposed of so that they will not accumulate in the path of the heels as they are advanced to be operated upon. To this end the slide 26 is so proportioned that when it is in retracted position, as shown in Figs. 5 and 8, there is ample space between the cutting block 32 and the slide 26 through which the chips may fall, and the arrangement is suchthat the slide is retracted by the retreat of'the carriage 30 which occurs prior to the descent of the breasting knife. The cutting block 32 is beveled at on the side opposite the slide, to prevent the possibility of any chips being'retained upon the upper surface of the block.

The presser foot 42, which serves to position the upper heel'carrier plate 44 and to aid in clampingv the heel, is adjustably carried at the, bottom of a wedge slide 264 (Figs. 6 and 12) that is provided with a rib 265 that is dovetailed in the cuttenhead 38 so that the wedge slide may move longitudii'ially with respect to the cutter head. In order that the presser foot may be forced downwardly, as the cutter-head descends, to

engage the upper carrier plate 44, a pair of friction shoes 266 (Fig. 6) are provided on the cutter-head which are pressed by springs 268 against the inclined faces of the wedge slide 264, so that the presser foot is first moved down against the upper carrier plate 44, forcing the latter against the heel, and thereafterthe shoes 266 slip on the inclined faces of the wedge slide exerting increasing downward Pre r eon as the cutter head continues downward. Each shoe 266 is secured to oneend of a rod 270 which slides horizontally in an adjustable screw threaded bearing sleeve 272 in a boss 274 on the cutter head, and the springs 268 surround the rods 270 and are interposed between the shoes 2% and the en ds ot the hearing sleeves 272. The shoes 266 are held with their inclined faces in alinement with the inclined faces of the wedge slide by the engagement of tongues 276 (Fig. 6.) on the shoes with grooves 278 on the inclined edges of the wedge slide.

The wedge slide 264 is frictionally raised by the upward movement of the cutter head until it strikes a post 280 which projects downwardly from the top of the cutterhead frame 40, by means of which the up ward movement of the wedge slide is arrested, and as the cutter-head continues upwardly, the parts are restored to their normal relative positions as shown in Fig. 6. A pin 282 in the cutter-head 38 below the wedge frame prevents the latter from becoming accidentally disengaged from the former.

The presser foot 42 is provided with a tongue 284 (F 8) which enters a groove 286 in the bottom of the wedge slide and the curved top edge of the tongue is seated upon the base of the groove which is correspondingly curved as indicated at 287, and receives the pressure transmitted by the wedge slide. The tongue 284 is adjustably fixed in the groove 286 by means of a bolt 288 which extends through the wedge slide and through a slot 290 in the tongue 284, and by means of which the presser toot may be adjusted to conform to the different angular positions assumed by the upper heel carrier plate 44, when different styles of heels are being operated upon.

After the heel has been breasted it is removed by means of the upper and lower

heel carrier plates

44 and 46 to a position in the path of the third pusher 48. The heel carrier plates are positioned horizontally above and below the heel which is to be removed from the breasting position by the retreat (toward the left in F 8) of the carriage 30, which occurs prior to the operation of the brcastingknite. As the breasting knife descends, the presser foot 42 engages the upper heel carrier plate 44, tilting the plate downwardly so as to adjust it to the inclination of the top surface or the heel, and to press it firmly against the heel. Means is provided for holding the plate 44 in its adjusted position in contact with the heel after the cutter-head rises, and then as the carriage advances again (toward the right in Fig. 8) the lower carrier plate 46 is raised sui'iiciently to coijperate with the upper plate 44 to clamp the heel and the continued movement of the carriage carries the heel to a position in front of the pusher 48, whereupon the heel is automatically released and deposited upon the table 18. i

The upper heel carrier plate 44 (Figs. 8, 9 and 13) is mounted with provision for longitudinal adjustment in a bracket .292 and is secured therein by a set screw 294. The bracket 292 is pivotally connected, bya pin 296, with an arm 298 that is adjustably clamped by means of a bolt 309 to a standard 302 rising from the front of the carriage 30 and extendingthrough a slot 304 in the table 18. As best shown in Fig. 13, the pivot pin 296 extends through three

upstanding ears

306, 308 and 310 on the bracket 292, through elongated slots 312 in two depending

ears

314 and 316 on the arm 298, which embrace the central ear 308 of the bracket 292, and through two

plates

318 and 320. The plate 318 is interposed between the ear 396 of the bracket 292 and one side of the arm 298 and is provided with a lateral projection 319 which is received in a vertical slot 321 in the arm 298 and serves to position the plate relatively to the arm. The plate 320 is interposed between the car 310 of the bracket 292 and the opposite side of the arm 298 and is positioned relatively to the arm by means hereinafter described. The bracket 292 is normally maintained with its pivot pin 296 at the bottom of the slots 312 in the

ears

314 and 316 of the arm 298 by means of a spring 322 which is confinedin a recess in the arm 298 and presses downwardly against the central ear 398 on the bracket 292. Another spring 324 holds the bracket 292 against a stop shoulder 326 on the plate 320 which limits its upward tilt-inc movement in one direction so that the plate 42 may be normally maintained in a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 9. As the carriage 30 retreats toward the left, the upper and

lower carrier plates

44 and 48 are brought into their respective positions above and below the heel which is to he removed from breasting position, each being out of contact therewith. As the presser foot 42 descends with the cutter-head the upper plate 44 is tilted downwardly about the pivot 296 bringingit into coigact wi h the top of the heel. The plate 42 is locked in its tilted position by the engagement of a pawl 328 with one of a series of ratchet teeth 330 on the ear 396 of the bracket 292. The pawl 328 is carried at one end of a rod 332 which extends through a bearing lug 334 on the plate 318. and is held in engagement with the teeth 330 by a spring 336 which surrounds the rod between a head 338 on the rod and a shoulder 340 on the lug When the heel has reached the required position in the path of the third pusher 48, the head 338 of the rod 332 strikes a fixed abutment 342 which rises from the table 18. and the pawl 328 is moved out of engagement with the ratchet teeth 330, and the plate 42 is restored to its normal horizontal position by the spring 324.

By loosening the belt 300, the arm 298 may be adjusted angularly so as to increaseor diminish the distance between the plate 44 and the table 18, to adapt the plate 44 to operate in connection with heels of diflierent heights. When the angular position of the arm 298 is thus changed, it becomes necessaryto swing the bracket 292 to adjust the angle of the upper carrier plate 44, relatively to the arm 298 so as to maintain the former in a horizontal position, parallel to the table 18. To this end the plate 320, by

means of which the angular position of the carrier plate 44 is determined, is provided with an arouate slot 344, through. which extends a bolt 346, having a head 348, which is confined in a slot 350 in the arm 298, and a nut 352 by which thebolt may beclamped in any desired position in the slot 344. By loosening the nut 352 the plate 320 may be turned about the pin 296 as a pivot to vary the angular position of the bracket 292 and the carrier plate 44, and by tightening the nut 352 the plate 320 may be locked in its adjusted position relatively to the arm 298. l fhen the lower carrier plate 46 is raised to cooperate with the upper carrier plate and grip the heel, the upper carrier plate is prevented from tilting about the pin 296 by the engagement of the pawl 328 with the ratchet teeth 330 and will be raised bodily against the force of the spring 322, without changing its angular position. This upwarl movement is permitted by the

slots

321 and 350 in the arm 298 and by the slots 312 in the ears 314'and 316 of said arm, all of which extend at right angles to the length of the arm. The heel will then be held between the upper and lower carrier plates by the force of the spring 322 which acts against the central car 308 ofthe bracket 292.

The lower carrier plate 46 is arranged to move through the slot 304 in the table 18 and is carried at the top of a post 354, which is bifurcated to straddle the carriage 30 as shown in 8 and 9. The sides of the bifurcated portion of the post are guided in vertical grooves 356 on opposite sides of a boss 358 which is formed on the under side of the carriage 30, and the carrier plate 46 is pu led downwardly towa the carriage by aspiring 360, so that when the carriage is at the extreme limit of its movement toward the right, as shown Fig. 9, the car rier plate will be retracted below the surface of the table 18. in order that the lower carrier plate 46 may be elevated at the proper time to cooperate with the upper carrier plate 44, to grip the heel, 'a roll 362'is provided at the bottom of the post 354, between the bifurcated, sides thereof, which travels secured to the cross-bar 175. When'the carriage is in the position shown in Fig. 9, one end. of the pivoted bar 364 rests upon a ledge 370 on the latch 366, so that the bar is tilted, and serves to raise the carrier plate as the carriage moves toward the left. will be seen that as the carriage approaches the end of its movement, a pin 372 which projects from the under side of the boss 358 on the carriagestrikesv an abutment 374 on the pivoted bar 364 tilting the bar so as to bring its upper edge into a horizontal plane. A ledge 376 on the latch 366 is then moved beneath the right hand end of the bar 364,

' by means of a spring 378, thus supporting the bar in its horizontal position. The movemerit of the, latch 366 is limited by the engagement of a stop lug 380 on the latch with a fixed stop 382 on the bracket 369. As soon as the carriage starts to advan'ccytoward the right, the roll 362 rides up over a camsurface 386 on the upper edge of the bar 364, forcing the lower carrier plate 46 upwardly thereby raising the heel from the supporting plates 140 and causing the upper carrier plate 44 to be raised bodily and the heel to be securely held between the upper and

lower carrier plates

44 and 46 by the force of the spring 322. The heel is then carriedtoward the right and immediately before the carriage 30 reaches the limit of its movement, a'pin 388 inthe boss 35,8 strikes against an abutment 390 on the pivoted latch 366, swinging the latch so as to move the ledge 376 out from beneath the bar 364, allowing the latter to fall, whereupon the spring 360 returnsthe lower carrier plate 46 to its lowermost position.

he final movement which returns the heel to the conveyer chain 20, is produced by the third pusher 48. This pusher is secured to one end of a horizontal rod 392, which is mounted to slide longitudinallyin bearings.

which is parallel to the rod 392 and is fixed in brackets beneath the table 18. The third pusher 48 is actuatedsimultaneously with the first pusher 24, and in the opposite 'di rectiombeing connected therewith by a lever 404, (Fig. 3) which is fulcrumedat 406 on the under side of the table'18, The lever 404 is operatively connected at one end of the slide to which is also connected the 1 1 82 that carries the pusher at Y has passed thereover.

the opposite end the lever 404 is connected to the sleeve 400. The heel is returned by the third pusher 48 to the same link of the conveyer chain from which it was previously removed by the pusher 24.

The various operations of each cycle occur in the following order:

The conveyer chain 20 having advanced in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 3 through the space of one link, and thus brought a heel to the position indicated at 408 in said figure, the pusher 24 moves the heel transversely from the conveyer, across the table 18, to the slide 26, and concurrently therewith, the pusher 48 moving in the opposite direction, transfers a breasted heel, which has previously been deposited in its path by the

carrier plates

44 and 46, to the empty link of the conveyer-chain which is indicated at 410 in Fig. 3, and which is the same link that said heel had occupied before it was removed by the pusher 24. The carriage 30, together with the pusher 28 then advances, accompanied, during the first part of its movement by the slide 26, and after the movement of the slide has been arrested, the fresh heel is transferred therefrom by the pusher 28 onto the supporting plates 140 beneath the breasting knife. Simultaneously with this advancing movement, the heel, which was breasted during the previous cycle of opera tions, is gripped between the

carrier plates

44 and 46 and removed to a position in the path of the pusher 48 and there released from the carrier plates onto the table 18. During the advance ofl. the carriage the clamping members 34 and the breast block 32 commence to move toward their operative positions for respectively clamping and supporting the heel and their movements are so timed that the rear of the clamping members arrest the advance of the heel'before the heel is gripped by the sides of the clamping members, and the breast block does not protrude above the supporting plates 140 until after the rear of the heel The carriage 30 retreats, as soon as it has reached its advanced position, retracting the slide 26 away from the breast block 32 thus providing an opening through which the chips produced by the breasting knife may fall, and returning the slide into heel receiving position. The retreat of the carriage 30 also positions the

carrier plates

44 and 46 above and below the heel which is ready to be breasted. In the meantime the heel has been clamped and supported by the clamping members 34 and the breast block 32 respectively, and the cutter head has begun to descend. Before the breasting operction occurs the presser foot 42 engages and positions the upper carrier plate 44. The breasting knife 36 then trims the breas end f t l, the pr s r t t continuing to exert pressure upon the heel as the knife cuts downwardly. After the heel has been breasted the cutter head is immediately elevated, lifting the knife and the presser foot and causing the wedge slide 264 to be returned to its normal position with respect to the cutter head. The heel, thus breasted, is advanced during the succeeding cycle into the path of the pusher 48 and returned to the conveyer at the beginning of the third cycle after its removal therefrom.

It will be apparent that an extremely efficient mode of clamping and supporting the heel for the breasting operation has been devised, as well as a novel and reliable mode of feeding the heels successively to and from breasting position.

The inventionis not limited to the particular arrangement of parts hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompany ing drawings, but may be embodied in various other forms within the scope of the following claims.

The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated and its preferred embocliment having been specifically described that which is claimed as new is 1. A machine for operating upon heels having, in combination with a conveyer for advancing the heels, a reciprocating knife disposedat one side of the conveyer, means for transferring heels from the conveyer into position to be operated upon by the knife, means for clamping the heels in said position by engagement with the top and bottom thereof, and means for removing the heels after they have been operated upon and returning them to the conveyer. 2. A machine for breasting heels having, 1n combination with a conveyer for advancing shaped heels, a reciprocating breasting knife disposed at one side of the conveyer, means for transferring the heels from the conveyer to breasting position, means for engaging the curved sides and rear of the heels and holding them while being breasted, and means for removing the heels after they have been breasted and returning them to the conveyer.

3. A machine for breasting heels having, in combination with a conveyer for advancing the heels, a breasting knife," means for supporting a heel during the breasting operation, means for transferring the heel from the conveyer to the supporting means, means for removing the heel from the supporting means after the breasting operation has been performed, and means for return ing the heel to the conveyer.

4. A heel'breasting machine having, in combination, a breasting knife, a reciprocating carriage, means on the carriage for removing a breasted heel, and other means on the carriage for delivering a fresh heel into breasting position.

5. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, a breasting knife, a reciproeating carriage, and a plurality of means on the carriage for seizing and removing a breasted heel and concurrently feeding a fresh heel into breasting position.

6. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, a breasting knife, a reciprocating carriage, a pair of cooperating clamping members mounted on the carriage for gripping the heel and removing it after it has been breasted, means operated by the movement of the knife for bringing one of said members into engagement with the heel, and means operated by the movement of the carriage for bringing the other of said members into engagement with the heel.

7. A heel-breast1ng machine having, in combination, means for breasting a heel, means for supporting and clamping the heel during the breasting operation, and means for removing the heel from said supporting means and depositing it in a definite position.

8. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, a breasting knife, means for laterally clamping a heel to be breasted,

means for gripping the top and the bottom of the heel and removing it from breasting position, and automatic means for releasing the heel from said gripping means.

9. A heel-breasting machine having, in

combination, means for feeding heels having concave heel-seats, a breasting knife, means for transferring heels from the feeding means to breasting position, means for clamping the heels in breasting position including a convex supporting block arranged to be raised into engagement with the heelseat, and means for returning the heels to the feeding means after they have been breasted.

10. A machine for breasting heels provided withconcave heel-seats having, in combination, means for supporting a heel at the opposite lateral edges of the base, a movable member adapted to be positioned. to support the concave heel-seat portion adjacent the breast of the heel, means for actuating said member, means for holding the heel in breasting position, and means for breasting the heel.

11. A machine for breasting heels provided with "concave heel-seats having, in combination, supports upon which the opposite lateral edges of a heel may rest, a movable support adapted to be brought into engagement with the concave heel-seat portion adjacent the breast of the heel, said support having a surface which conforms to said portion of the heel, means for actuating said movable support, means for firmly clamping the heel in breasting position, and means for breasting the heel.

:12. A machine for breasting heels provided with a concave heel-seat having, in combination, a support for the lateral edges of the base of a heel, across which the heel is fed into breasting position,-means rising above the plane of said support for supporting the breast end of the heel,-means for breasting the heel, and means for feeding the heel into and out of breasting position. J

13.. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, means for breasting a heel, a fixed support upon which the rear of the heel ma rest while being breasted, means for placing a heel upon said support, and a piogable support for thebreast end of the 14. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, stationary supporting means for a heel over which the heel is fed into position to be operated upon, a movable support arranged to be brought into position to support the breast end ofthe heel during the breasting operation, means for clamping the heel in breasting. position,

means for breasting the heel, and means for feeding the heel into breasting position and removing it therefrom after it has been breaste 15. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, stationary supporting means for a heel, a normally retracted cutting block shaped to conform to the concavity of the breast end portion of the base of the heel and adapted to be moved intoposition for supporting the breast end of the heel during the breasting operation, a reciprocating knife shaped to fit the contour of the cutting block and arranged to out toward and against the cutting block for breasting the heel, and means for holding theheel in position to be operated upon.

16. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, a supportfor the heels, means for successively advancing heels rear end foremost on to the support and into breast ing position, a movable member for supporting the breast end of the heels during the breasting operation and arranged to be raised above the surface of the support after the rear end of a heel has passed over said member and thereafter to be retracted out of thepath of the advancingmovement of the succeeding heel, means for breasting the heels, and means for removing the heels after they have been breasted.

17. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, a breasting knife, means for actuating the knife, means for supporting a heel, yieldingmeans for feeding the heel into the path of thevbreasting knife, a plurality of clamping'membersfor engaging the opposite sides and rear end of the heel, means for actuating the clamping members so that they will first serve to arrest the feeding of the heel and subsequently to position the heel laterally with respect tothe breasting knife and to clamp it firmly in said position, and'means for removing the heel after it has been breasted.

18. A machine for breasting heels prior to their attachment to a shoe having, in combination, means for supporting and clamping a heel in position to be operated upon, a reciprocating knife for trimming the heel breasts, and means for adjusting the angle of stroke of the knife with respect to the heel to vary the pitch of the heel breast.

19. A machine for breasting heels prior to their attachment to a shoe having, in combination, a support for a heel, a guide frame pivotally mounted about an axis substantially coincident with the surface of said support, a cutter-head movable in said guide frame toward and from said axis, a breast ing knife carried by the cutter-head, a pair of operating levers for the cutter-head, and a sliding member having an axis coincident with the pivotal axis of said guide frame connecting said levers so as to permit said frame to be adjusted angularly with respect to the heel to vary the angularity of the cut produced by the breasting knife.

20. A machine for breasting heels prior to their attachment to a shoe having, in combination, a support for a heel, a reciproeating breasting knife adjustably mounted about a pivotal axis in the plane of the support, and means for reciprocating the knife including a plurality of members having a mutual pivotal connection substantially ,co incident with the pivotal axis of the knife to permit the angular adjustment of the knife to vary the angularity of the cut.

21. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, a support for a heel, a reciprocating breasting knife adjustably mounted about a pivotal axis in the plane of the support and means for reciprocating the knife including a member arranged to operate in the plane of the knife, and a second member arranged to operate in a fixed plane and operatively connected with the first member by means of a pivotal connection substantially coincident with the pivotal axis of the knife to permit angular adjustment of the knife to vary the angularity of the cut.

22. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, means for supporting a heel in position to be operated upon, a breasting knife adapted to reciprocate at an angle to the heel so supported, means for reciprocating the knife, a heel carrying slide movable toward and away from said supporting means, means for reciprocating the slide, and means for transferring the heel from the slide to the supporting means.

28. A heel breasting machine having, in

combination, means for supporting a heel in position to be operated upon, means for breasting the heel, a heel carrying slide movable toward and from said supporting means, a pusher for transferring the heel from the slide to the supporting means, and means for operating the slide and the pusher constructed and arranged to cause the slide to be retracted from the supporting means before the breasting operation occurs so as to permit the escape between the support and the slide of the chips produced by the breasting knife.

24. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, means for supporting a heel, a plurality of clamping members adapted to engage the opposite sides and the rear of the heel, means for moving said members into clamping position, and means for feedgaging the top and the bottom of the heel and removing it after it has been breasted.

26. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, means for supporting a heel, a reciprocating knife for breasting the heel, means for feeding the heel into'the path of the knife, means for positioning the heel latorally with respect to the knife and retaining it during the breasting operation, means frictionally operated by the downward movement of the knife for engaging the top of the heel and clamping the heel in position, and means for removing the heel after it has been breasted. o

27. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, means for supporting a heel, means for breasting the heel, and cooperating carrier members for engaging the top and bottom of the heel, respectively, and removing it from said support after it has been breasted.

28. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, means for breasting the heel, cooperating carrier members adapted to engage the top and bottom of the heel, respectively, means for bringing said members respectively above and below the heel preparatory to cooperating thereupon, means for adjusting the upper member to the angle of the top of the heel and for looking it in its adjusted position, means for operating the carrier member to remove the heel from breasting osition, and means for releasing the heel a er it has been so removed.

29. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, a movable heel support, means for moving said support'into contact with a portion of the heel-seat of a heel to support the heel during the breasting operation, a plurality of clamping members,

means for yieldingly pressing said members against the sides of the heel to hold the heel during the breasting operation, and means for breasting the heel.

30. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, a stationary support for a heel, a movable and normally retracted support adapted to be brought 1nto supporting engagement with the heel-seat portion adjacent the breast of the heel, a plurality of clamping members for engagin of the heel, means operating periodically in timed relation for actuating said movable support and said clamping members to sup port and clamp the heel respectively for the performance of the breasting operation, and means for breasting the heel.

31. A heel-breastin machine having, in combination, a movable support for a heel, means for bringing said support into position against a portion of the bottom of the heel to support the heel during the breasting operation, a clampin member for engaging the top of the hee means for operating said member to clamp the heel against said support to hold the heel during the breastin operation, and means for breasting the eel.

32. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, means for supporting a heel, a reciprocating breasting knife, cooperating carrier members for gripping the heel after it has been breasted and removing it from breasting position, means for moving one of said members into engagement with the top of the heel prior to the breasting operation and for pressing said member downwardly against the heel during the breasting operation, and means for subsequently causing the other of said members to cooperate with the first member to remove the heel.

33. A heel-breasting machine having, in combination, means for supporting a heel,

the sides a reciprocating cutter-head, a breasting knife carried thereby, cooperating carrier members for ripping the heel and removing it after it as been breasted, means frictionally operated by the downward movement of the cutter-head for moving one of said members into engagement with the top of the heel prior to the breasting operation and for pressing said member against the heel during the breasting operation, and means forwsubsequently causing the other of said members to cooperate with the first member to remove the heel.

34. A machine for breasting heels prior to their attachment to a shoe having, in combination, means for supporting and clamping a heel in position for the breasting operation, a knife for trimming the heel breast, means for reciprocating the knife, and a guideway for the knife adjustable to vary the angle of stroke of the knife and the pitch of the heel breast.

35. A machine for breasting heels prior to their attachment to a shoe having, in combination, means for supporting a heel in breasting position, means for firmly clamping the heel during the breasting op eration, a knife for trimming the heel breast, means for reciprocating the knife, and means for supporting and guiding the knife, said supporting and guidin means being adjustable about an axis in the plane ofthe upper surface of the heel supporting means to vary the angle of stroke of the knife and the pitch of the heel breast.

36. A heel breasting machine having, in combination, means for supporting a heel, means engaging the opposite lateral edges and the curved rear edge of the heel for clamping the heel firmly in position for the breasting operation, a breasting knife, means for reciprocating the knife to trim the heel breast, and means for varying the angle of stroke of the knife and the pitch of the heel breast.

ERASTUS E. WINKLEY.