US1514615A - Automatic heel-breast trimming and finishing machine - Google Patents

Description

J. B. HADAWAY AUTOMATIC HEEL BREAST TRIMMING AN FINISHING MACHIN Nov. 11 ,'1924;

Filed Aue. 29. 15519 5 Sheets-Sheet l /Mm//WLj zg QQQ Nov. 11', 1924.

J. 4E. HADAWAY AUTOMATIC HEEL BREAST TRIMMING AND FINSHING MACHINE Filed Aug.' 2,9-, 1919v .'5 Sheets-Sheet 2 wf/v MAL Nav. 11 1924. 1,514,615

.L B.v HADAWAY y AUTQMATICHEEL BREAST TRIMMING AND FINISHING MACHINE Filed Aug. 29, `1919 5 Sheets-,Sheet 3 D//V VE/V U7@ A Patented Nov. 11,1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. J'OHN B. HA'DAWAY, OF/SWAMPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, F PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

AUTOMATIC HEEL-BREAST TRIMMING. AND FINISHING MACHINE.

Application led August 29, 1919. Serial No. 320,684.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. HADAWAY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Swampscott, in the county of Essex and 6 State of Massachusetts, have invented ce-rtain Improvements in Automatic Heel- Breast Trimmin and Finishing Machines, of which the fo owing description, connection with the accompanying drawings, is

10 a spcification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to shoe-making machinery and is illustrated as embodied in an automatic heel breast trimming and finishing machine.

The present usual practice in making those types of shoes which have heels of leather or leather substitutes is to attach an unfinished heel blank to the heel seat of the shoe and thereafter trim, scour and finish the breast and the side face surfaces of the heel. It is, of course, desirable that a high degree of uniformity be maintained in trimming and scouring the heals of the different shoes of a lot, and suc'h uniformity is absolutely essential as to the two shoes of a pair. To attain such uniformity necessitates a skillful and experienced operative when, as is usual, the operative holds the shoe or controls its position with respect to the trimming and the scouring means. It is very easy to remove too much material, and that means a misshapen heel.

On the other hand, heel blanks, being small rigid objects, are well adapted to mechanical and to automatic handling. When so handled they can be accurately positioned and accurately operated upon, the finished heels being thus of a high degree of uniformity, and this without any great amount of skill on the part of the operative.

An object of this invention, accordingly, is to provide an automatic machine for performing any or all of the various operations necessary in trimming and finishing the breasts of heels before they have been at tached to shoes. Such heels will also have their side face surfaces finished before they have been attached 'to shoes, either before or after the breast finishing operation. The use of such a machine will result in a product of a high degree of uniformity.

This machine is particularly adapted for use 1n the manufacture of shoes which have their heels attached from the inside lof the shoe, as by nailing, though it is also applicable to the manufacture of'shoes having their heels nailed or otherwise attached from the outside provided adequate precautions are taken to avoid marrlng the heels during the fastening operations.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention I have shown a rotary conveyor having a series of heel holders or supports to which the heel blanks are automatically fed and by which they are successively carried to breast trimming, scouring and blacking tools. The partially finished blanks are then transferred to a second rotary conveyor, Concentric with the first, by which they are carried while the blacking dries. After a suitable interval of time has elapsed the heels are re-transferred to the first conveyor, by which they are presented successively to waxing, burnishing and polishing tools, after which they are discharged from the conveyor.

The heel blanks move forward, it will be noted, in a continuous stream. When a heel with wet blacking thereon is transferred from the. first to the second conveyor, its place is taken by a heel on which the blacking has sufficiently dried. Thus the wet and dry heels are reciprocally interchanged between the two conveyors.

As an amplification of this idea, and to provide additional time for the blacking to dry, without slowing down the operation of the machine as a whole, the second or outer .conveyor is shown as provided with two vseries of heel holders on two different levels I and is raised and lowered from time to time so that each heel is carried around twice, once on a holder of each series of heel holders, before it is re-transfefrred to the conveyor which presents it to the remaining finishing tools.

To facilitate the drying of the blacking, means is illustrated to blow air `overthe breast surfaces of the heels as they are carried around by the second Conveyor.

The heel holders of that conveyor which brings the heels-to the different operating tools as shown are slidably mounted on the conveyor, and are spring pressed towards the operating tools. 4Each heel holder is preferably provided with a roll for engaging a series of cams to control the motion of the heel,l holders and heels toward and from the several operating tools. Hence by providing a number of appropriately formed interchangeable cams, heelsmay be finished with different curves at their breasts.

The novel features and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following detailed description whenread in connection with the accompanying drawings, and will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, i

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the machine, partly broken away and in section;

Fig. 2 is a View partly in side elevation and partly in section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a rea-r elevation;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of one of the heel holders or clamps of the inner conveyor; and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammaticview of an adjusting means for the outer conveyor.

In the description of the machine of this invention, and in the claims, the word heel is intended to be taken in a sense broad enough to include a heel blank or a partially completed heel, unless the contrary is obvious from the context.

The machine, as illustrated, is provided with a main frame having a base 10 provided with standards 12, 14 and 16. Standard 12 carries at its upper end a circular extension 18 (Fig. 2) for guiding and supporting various conveying instrumentalities as well as a stationary heel support 20.

Supported in any suitable manner above the heel support 20 is a magazine 22 for holding a supply of heel blanks. From this magazine the blanks are fed one at a time on to an inner annular rotary conveyor 24 by means of a reciprocatory feeder 26.

Journaled in standards 14 is a shaft 30, intermittently rotated by mechanism hereinafter described, and carrying a cam provided with a groove for engaging a roll 32 mounted at one end of an oscillatable lever 34 (Fig. 2) pivoted at 36 on any suitable support such as the standards 16. To the other end of lever 34 is pivoted one end of a link 38, connected at its other end to one arm of a, bell crank lever 40 pivoted at 41 to the main frame. The other arm of bell crank lever 40 is pivoted to one end of link 42, which in turn is connected at its other end to one arm of a bell crank lever 44, pivoted at 46 to the main frame and having its other arm connected through a short link 48 with the reciprocating feeder 26. Thus it is apparent that the intermittent rotation of the sha-ft 30 is utilized to inter mittently reciprocate the feeder 26.

Supported by the magazine 22 is a gage 50, adjustable by means of a screw and slot connection 52 to position the heels on the heel supports or holders 56 which are supported for radial sliding movement on the conveyor 24.

(lo-operating with each of the heel supports 56 is a clamp bar 58 having an inverted U-shaped portion of the form shown in Fig. 4 and adjustably held in place on screw threaded rods 60 by nuts 62. Rods 60 are connected at their lower ends by a bar or other suitable member 62 by which is carried a roller 64 travelin'g on cam track 66. Supported beneath each heel support 56 is a cross head 68, carrying a roll 70, and

receiving, through holes in its opposite ends,

rods 60. Each rod 60 is provided with a compression spring 72 bearing at one end against cross head 68 and at the other against an abutment 74 rigid on rod 60.

At, the heel receiving station and extending tofthe discharge station located adjacent thereto and clockwise therefrom, as viewed in Fig. 1, cam track 66 is provided with a rise, so that clamp bars 58 are elevated when in this locality, to permit the convenient feeding of a heel to each heel support by reciprocating feeder 26 and to permit later its discharge ltherefrom by mechanism hereinafter to be described.

The rotaryconveyor 24, which is of an annular form, is provided with a series of pockets in each of which is a stiff compression spring 7 6, these springs tending to move the heel holders 56 a short distance towards the center of the conveyor. To permit this movement rods 60 pass through a series of slots 7 8 (see Fig. 1) formed between projecting lugs on conveyor 24.

Adjacent to the inner edge of the conveyor 24 are two series of finishing or operating tools exemplified as consisting of a rotary trimmer 82, a scouring belt 84 passing around pulleys 85 and a blacking brush 86 constituting the first series, and 'rotary waxing, burnishing and polishing tools, 88, 90 and 92 respectively, constituting the sec ond, They foregoing tools, with theexcep tion of the blacking brush, are illustrated as driven by belts 94 and 96, receiving power from pulley 98 on shaft 100, which is driven from pulley 102 through shaft 104 and bevel gears 106 and 108. In view of the fact that the detail construction of these tools forms no part of the present invention, the show-y These cams are detachably secured to a portion of the main frame by screws 112 so that they may be removed and replaced by cams of a different form from time to time as demanded by the desired contour of the various sorts of heels to be operated upon After the blacking has been applied to the heel breasts it is necessary that it be allowed a suitable time to dry before the remaining operations are performed. Vith this end in view there is provided a second, or outer, annular rotary conveyor 114 which, like the inner conveyor, is given a suitable step-by-step movement by suitable operating mechanism hereinafter described. Conveyor 114 is made up of two rings, an upper 116 and a lower 118, each provided with a series of heel holders, and each conveniently having twice the number of heel holders provided on the inner conveyor.

rlhe upper and lower rings 116 and 118 are rigidly connected, as at 1.24 (Fig. 2), and the latter rests upon but is movable relatively to a flange 120 formed circumferentially upon the inner conveyor 24.

Transfer means, indicated generally at 126 in Fig. 2, and provided with suitable intermittently acting operating mechanism hereinafter described, is provided to transfer heels from the inner to the outer conveyor, and after the heels have been carried around by the outer conveyor, once at each level, so that the blacking has dried, to retransfcr them to the inner conveyor for presentation to the remaining operating tools.

Transfer means 126 consists of a bar 128 provided at its forward end with a downturned lip 130, and provided also with a pair of heel engaging pushers 132. Bar 128 is connected at its rear end to a link 134, pivoted at 136 to a lever 138 fulcrumed on the standard 16 and rovided with a roll 140 for engagement in a suitable cam groove in a cam on shaft 30 for intermittent oscillation.

A slideway 142 in a member 144 mounted for vertical movement in a guideway 146 of the main frame supports for reciprocatory movement a slide block 148 to which bar 128 is adjustably attached, as indicated at 149. A roll 150 mounted on the downwardly extending stem of member 144 is spring held against a cam mounted on shaft 30 to control the vertical movement of member 144. The configuration of the various cams is such as to give a suitable four-motion feed to bar 128, to move heels on its backward stroke from the inner conveyor and the outer conveyor to the outer conveyor and a stationary transfer table 152 respectively, and on its forward stroke from transfer table 152 and the outer conveyor to the outer conveyor and the inner conveyor respectively.

As previously noted, each clamp bar 58 of the heel holders of the inner conveyor is provided with an inverted U-shaped portion, as clearly shown in Fig. 4, .so that bar 128 may pass therethro-ugh during `the transfer of the heels. Cam 66 is provided with a rise at this transfer station so that the heels are at the time of transfer merely resting upon, but not clamped to, the holders of the inner'conveyor.

Turning now to the lconstruction of the outer conveyor, it is, as before stated, provided with upper and lower rings 116 and 118 on each of which is adjustably supported a pair of rings 156 and 158, carrying slightly converging approximately radial plates 160 and 162 respectively to form heel holders to position and hold the heels upon the outer conveyor. The adjustment of plates 160 and 162 towards and away from one another equally but in oppo site directions is controlled by a device 164, shown in detail in Fig. 5, and consisting of a disc 166 pivoted at 168 to the under side o-f each ring 116 and 118 and pro-vided with a pair of pins 169 passing up through curved slots in rings 116 and 118 and extending into radial slots 170 in rings 156 and 158, so that by the rotation of disc 166, rings 156 and 158 may be moved equally, but in opposite directions. A screw vand slot connection 171 (Fig. 1) is conveniently used to clamp each ring 156, and consequently also each ring 158 in adjusted position on rings 116 and 118 of conveyor 114.

During the transfer of the heels to and from the two series of heel holders of the outer conveyor, it is necessary that the respective holders be, at the time of transfer, on a level with the heelrholders 56 of the inner conveyor and the transfer table 152. Accordingly, suitably timed intermittently operating mechanism is provided for raising and lowering the outer conveyor. As previously stated, the outer conveyor rests upon flange 120 of the inner conveyor, and is carried and moved thereby. Conveyor 24 is provided with a large worm wheel172 surrounding the saine, and meshing with an intermittently operated worm 174. Beneath worm wheel 172, and suitably supported on extension 18 of standard 12 is a similar worm wheel 176 meshing with a second intermittently operated worm 178. Formed rigid with worm wheel 176 is a cam track 180 provided at suitable intervals with risers 182. Mounted for vertical sliding move'- ment through the flange 120 of the inner conveyor 24, and engaging at their upper ends lower ring 118 of the outer conveyor are a series of rods 184, one for each riser 182 of cam 180, each provided at its lower end with a cam engaging roll 186. It will llU be apparent that a partial notation counter- I clockwise (as viewed in Fig. 1) of the inner conveyor 24, cam 180 remaining stationary,

will elevate as well as rotate the outer conveyor, while a succeeding similar rotation of cam 180, the inner conveyor remaining stationary and the outer conveyors having at this time no rotary movement, will lower the outer conveyor.

Since the outer conveyor is provided with twice as many heel holders as the inner, it is necessary tofrotate it through only half as great an angle at each step. Accordingly the outer conveyor is provided with a series of projecting lugs 18S, adapted when the outer conveyor is in its elevated'or partially elevated position to engage a stop 190 supported by standard 16 near the transfer table 152, to stop the rotation of and accurately position the outer conveyor while permitting rotation of the inner conveyor and change in elevation of the out-er conveyor.

The transfer and exchange of the heels between the two conveyors by bar 128 and the parts co-operating therewith will now be explained. Assuming that the machine has been in operation long enough so that all the heel holders are supplied with heels, as shown in Fig. 2, and considering the heels at the left of that ligure and adjacent to transfer table 152, the heel on the inner conveyor 24 is dry. The upper heel on the outer conveyor we may conveniently call half-dry, it having been carried around once by the outer conveyor, while the lower heel on the outer conveyor is wet with freshly applied blacking. The transfer table is empty. (Positionl.)

Rotation of worm 174 will now cause ro- Y tation of both conveyors, with, since cam 180 is at this timeY stationary, an upward movement of the outer conveyor. The rotary movement of the latter is stopped by the engagement of one of the lugs 188 with stop 190, while the inner conveyor moves until worm 174 is disconnected from its driving means, as will be hereinafter described, to remove the dry and bring a wet heel into position. (Position II.) o

Rotation of shaft 30 will now cause feeder 26 to transfer a heel blank from magazine 22to a heel holder 56 on the inner conveyor, from which a heel will have been discharged by a bell crank lever 192 (Fig. 1) having an arm 194 projecting above the path of movement of the heels and swung by a trip 196, one of which is carried by each of the heel holders of the inner conveyor, to discharge the heels from the holders as they pass thereby. Thus each heel, as it moves under the influence of bell crank lever 192' is pushed olf the inner edge of the conveyor` the clamp bar 58 being at this time released by the rise in cam 66. The following heel, at this time still clamped to the inner conveyor, as it moves towards discharging position engages the curved arm of bell crank lever 192 and, acting as a cam, swings it back to the position of Fig. 1. Cams on shaft 30 will at the same time-operate bar 128 to move the same forwardly and then downwardly to engage the two heels on the inner convevor and the lower holder ofthe outer conveyor, and thereafter rearwardly to transfer the two heels to the lower holder of the outer conveyor and the transferV table 152 respectively, leaving ,the holderon the inner conveyor empty. (Position III.)

Rotation of cam 180, the conveyors at this time having no rotary movement, lowers the outer conveyor (Position IV), whereupon bar 128 isy moved forwardly, pushing a pair of heels from transfer table 152 and the upper holder of the outer conveyor to the upper holder of the outer conveyor and the empty holder-on the inner conveyorrespectively. (Position I.)

It will thus be seen that one cycle of operation ha-s been completed. This is repeated automatically in the continued operation of the machine.

The followino schematic representation ofy the location of the heels in the various positions, consecutively arranged, will, it is believed, be of assistance in following through and understanding the mode of operation of the transfer mechanism and the parts more closely (3o-*operating therewith Transfer Heel holders of Heel holders of table outer conveyor inner conveyor Position I Empty.. .gtm'y }Dry. Rotation of conveyors, with elevation of outer conveyor:

Position 11 Empty.. {ggflf if" }Wet. Rearward transfer by feed bar 128: 1

Position HL..- Hoifery ,32,25 }Empry. Lowering of outer Y conveyor: y i

Position iv..... nou-drylDv- }Empty. Forward transfer by l feed bar 128, resulting again in- Position I Empty.. (-ltf'dry }Drv.

Any suitable means may be used to give the' desired intermittent, properly timed movements to shaft 30 and worms 174 and 178. The drawings show dia ramniatically an arrangement of Horton c utches which will accomplish the desired result, but the arrangement is shown for illustrative purposes only. The invention is in no way to be limited to this'specilic arrangement, nor indeed to the use of Horton clutches at` all.

As illustrated, these parts of the machine are driven by a continuously rotating belt pulley 198 rigidly secured to a main drive shaft 200. 0n this shaft, and driven thereby, are shown three Horton clutches 202, 204 and 206, the last of these being connected to worm 174 to drive. the same when thrown into operation. Rigid with worm `174 is a pinion 208 meshing with a gear 210 on shaft 212. Clutches.202, 204 and 206 are provided with the usual controlling dogs 212, 214 and 216 respectively, thrown into operative position against springs 218 by suitable cams hereinafter described.

In the following description, when a clutch is said to be released, it is to be understood that the cam controlling its dog has. in the operation of the machine, reached a position so that the dog is moved by its spring 118`into position to effect driving operation of the clutch.

When the machine has been at rest, assuming it to be in Position I, and it is to be started, pulley 198 and its shaft v20() being continuously rotated, clutch 206 is released manually, which results in the revolution of worm 174 and consequently of the conveyors, with the elevation of the outer conveyor, resulting in Position II. At this time a cam in gear 210, loosely mounted on shaft 212 and meshing with pinion 208, holds clutch dog 216 released against the pull of its spring 218.

Immediately before the stopping of worm 17 4, cam 219 on the left hand end (as viewed in Fig. 3) of the extended hub of gear 210 releases clutch 204, through dog 214, which is held released by a cam in gear 220 (F ig. 1), mounted loosely on shaft 212 and meshing with pinion 224 and gear 226, the latter fast on shaft 30. This allows the transfer cam fast on shaft 30 to make one half a revolution, and operates transfer bar 128 to move the heels rearwardly, resulting in Position III. Immediately before the stopping of gear 226, a cam 230, on the left hand end (as viewed in Fig. 3) of shaft 30 releases clutch 202 through its dog 212, which is held released by a cam in 'gear 234 loose on shaft 212, this gear meshing with a pinion 236 connected to clutch 202 and with a pinion238 on the shaft of worm 178. This rotates worm 178, and through it, worm wheel 176 and cam 180, to lower the outer conveyor, resulting in Position IV. Immediately before the stopping of worm 178, a cam 240, on the right hand end (as viewed in Fig. 3) of the extended hub of gear 234, releases clutch 204, through its dog 214, which, as before stated, is held released by a cam in the gear 220. This through gearing 224, 226 causes the transfer cam on shaft 30 to make another half revolution, transfer bar 128 thereby moving a pair of heels forward and resulting again in Position I. During this last movement also a heel is transferred from the magazine to the empty heel holder of the inner conveyor as previously described.k Immediately before stopping, cam 241, on the right hand end (as viewed in Fig. .3)

of shaft 30, releases clutch 206, through its dog 216, and the foregoing movements are thus automatically repeated.

In order to expedite the drying of the blacking on the heels as they are carried around by the outer conveyor, means is illustrated for blowing a current of air on t-o their breasts. This comprises a stationary circular chamber 250, mounted on extension 18 of standard 12 of the main framel (see Fig. 2) and supplied with air under pressure from any suitable source, and a co-operating rotary chamber 252, forming part of the annulus of the inner conveyor, and having its lower wall in movable contact with the upper wall of the stationary chamber. These contacting surfaces are supplied with co-operating apertures 254 and 256, so that at all times air under pressure is supplied to the rotating chamber 252. This chamber is provided with a series of orifices 260 through which air currents pass out on to and assist in the drying of the breasts of the heels on the outer conveyor.

In the following claims, by a finishing operation is intended any of those operations by which a step is performedin the ,production of a finished heel from a rough blank.

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

1. In a machine for finishing unattached heels, the combination of means for trimming and finishing the breasts of heel blanks, and automatic means to present heel blanks successively thereto.

2. In a machine for finishing unattached heels, the combination of heel-blank deliver means, a series of tools for performing di ferent finishing operations upon heel blanks, and an automatically controlled conveyor to receive heel-blanks from the delivery Ineens and present them sequentially to the too s.

3. In a heel finishing machine, the combination of means for removing surplus stock from the breasts of heel blanks, means for applying finishing material to the surfaces produced by the removing operations, and mechanism for automatically presenting heel blanks sequentially to said stock removing and finishing material applying means.

4. In a heel finishing machine, the combi- Y nation of means for applying finishing material to the breasts of heel blanks, means4 applying finishing material to the surfaces produced by the removing means, means for operating upon the surface to which the finishing material has been applied to finish the same, and mechanism for automatically presenting heel blanks successively to said stock removing, said finishing material applying, and said operating means.

6. In a machine for finishing unattached heels, the combination of heel-delivery means, a trimming tool, a scouring tool, and automatic means to receive heels from the delivery means and present them sequentially to said tools.

7. In a machine for finishing unattached heels,` the combination of heel-delivery means, a trimming tool, a scouring tool, and an automatically controlled conveyor to receive heels from the delivery means and present them sequentially to said tools.

8. In a machine for finishing unattached y heels, the combination of a heel breasting tool, a heel breast scouring tool, and automatic means to present heels sequentially to said tools.

9. In a machine for finishing unattaohed heels, the combination of aheel breasting tool, a heel breast scouring tool, a blaoking applying tool, and automatic means to present heels sequentially to said tools.

10. In a machine for finishing unattached heels, the combination of a heel breast scouring tool, a blacking applying tool, and automatic means to present heels sequentially to said tools.

11. In a machine for finishing unattached heels, the combination of a WaX applying tool, a burnishing tool, andautomatic means to present heels sequentially to said tools. Y

12. In a machine for finishing unattached heels, the c/ombination of a wax applying tool, a burnishing tool, a polishing tool, and automatic means to present heels sequentially to said tools. f

13. In a machine for finishing unattached heels, the combination'of a blacking applying tool, a Wax applying tool, a burnishing tool, and automatic means to present heels sequentially to said tools.

14. In a machine for finishing unattached heels, the combination of a blacking applying tool, a wax applying tool, a polishing tool, and automatic means to present heels sequentially to said tools.

15. In a machine for finishing unattached heels, the combination of a blacking applyingtool, a wax applying tool, a burnishing tool, a polishing tool, and automatic means to present heels sequentially to said tools.

' 16. In a machine for fimshin unattached heels, the combination of a eel clamp, means to `deliver a heel in position in sald' clamp, a rotary tool for operating upon the breast of a heel held by said clamp, and automatic-mechanism constructed and arheel supports relatively to said conveyor and for moving the conveyor to present different parts of the heel surfaces to the tool.

18. In a heel finishing machine, the combination of an automatically controlled conveyor arranged to pass a series of operating stations, a series of heel holders mounted thereon, means to hold heels on the respective heel holders, means to place heels on the holders, a tool at each operating station for performing a finishing operation upon the successive heels presented thereto, and means `for moving the heels relativelyto the different operating tools to present different parts of the heel surfaces to the tool.

19. In a heel finishing machine, the combination of a conveyor, a series of heel clamps mounted thereon and carried thereby, means to place heels in the clamps, and an operating too arranged adjacent to the path of movement of the conveyor and constructed and arranged to perform a finishing operation upon the successive heels clamped on the conveyor as the conveyor moves them bodily past the tool.

20. In a heel finishing machine the combination of a conveyor arranged to pass a series of operating stations, a series of heel holders movably mounted thereon, means t0 hold heels onv the respective heel holders, means to place heels in the holding means, means to move each heel holder and the heel carried thereby towards and awa from the successive operating stations, an means at each station to operate upon the successive heels presented thereto.

21. In a heel finishing machine the combination of a conveyor, a series of heel holders movably mounted on the conveyor, means to clamp heels on the respective heel holders, means to deliver heels thereto, means positioned adjacent to the path of movement of the conveyor to operate upon heels clamped on said heel holders, and means to move said heel holders towards said operating means to press the heels against said operating means.

means to press the heels against said oper-l ating means.

23. In a heel breastfinishing machine, the` combination of a conveyor, a series of heel holders movably mounted on the -conveyor, means to holdV heels on the respective heel holders, means to deliver heels thereto, means positioned adjacent the pathl of movement of the conveyor to operate upon the heels, and means to move said heel holders and the heels thereon towards and away from said operating means in accordance with the desired contour of the finished heels.

24. In a heel breast finishing machine the combination of a conveyor, a series of heel holders movably mounted on the conveyor.l means to hold heels on the respective heel holders, means to deliver heels thereto, means positioned adjacent to the path of movement of the conveyor to operate upon the breasts of the heels, and means to move said heel holders and the heels thereon towards and away from said operating means in accord-` ance with the desired contour of the breasts of the finished heels.

25. In a heel finishing machine, the combination of, a conveyor arranged to pass a series of operating stations, a series of heel holders movably mounted thereon, means to clamp the'heels on the respective heel holders, means to deliver heels thereto, a cam surface at each of said operating stations, means carried by each of the heel holders, in position t0 be engaged by the cam surfaces to move said heel holders and the heels which they carry towards and away from the operating stations, and means at each operating station to operate upon the successive heels presented thereto.

,26. In a heel breast finishing machine, the combination of a conveyor arranged to pass a series of operating stations, a series of heel holders movably mounted thereon, means to clamp the heels on the respective heel holders, a cam surface at each of said ope-rating stations, a roll carried by each of the heel holdeis in position to be engaged by the cam surfaces to move said heel holders and the heels which they carry towards and away from the operating station in accordance with the desired contour of the .breasts of the finished heels, and means at each operating stat-ion to opera-te upon the successive heels presented thereto.

27. In a heel finishing machine, the combination of a conveyorfmeans for driving said conveyor, a series of heel sup-ports mounted thereon, means actuated by move ment of the conveyor for clamping heels on the said heel supports, a rotary breasting tool mounted adjacent to the path of movement of said conveyor, and means to move said heel supports in a direction normal to combination of an annular said tool to present said heels in position to be breasted by said cutter as said conveyor moves forward.

28. In a hee-l breast finishing machine, the combination of an annular rotary conveyor, a series of heel supports radially movable thereon, a first series of tools mounted adjacent to the inner edge of said conveyor for trimming, scouring and applying blaclring to the breasts of heels carried by said heel supports, a. second series lof tools for waxing, burnishing and polishing the breasts of said heels, and means to successively move the -various heel supports radially towards and away from the different tools Iso that said tools may sequentially operate upon the breasts of the various heels.

29. In a heel breast finishing machine, the combination of an annular rotary conveyor, a series of heel supports radially movable thereon, a blacking applying tool mounted adjacent to the inner edge of said conveyor, a second annular rotary conveyor concentric with said first named annular conveyor, means to transfer the hee-ls to which blacking has been applied from said first named conveyor to said second named conveyor by which they may be carried while the blacking dries, and to retransfer said hee-ls on which the blacking has dried to the heel supports on said first named conveyor, a series of tools for waxing, burnishing and polishing the breasts of said heels on Awhich the blacking has dried, and moans to successively move the various heel supports radially towards and away from the different tools so that said tools may sequentially op-erate upon the breasts of the various heels.

30. In a heel breast finishing machine, the

rotary conveyor, a series of` heel supports radially movable thereon, a plurality of rotary tools for finishing the heel breasts, mounted adjacent to the inner edge of said-conveyor and equidistant from the center thereof, and means to move the heel supports andl the heels thereon successively radially towards and away from the various rotary tools to perform in sequence the various finishing operations upon the breasts of the heels as the heels are moved forward by the conveyor. 31. An intermittent-ly movable rotary conveyor, a circular seat at the periphery thereof, and a second rotary conveyor resting on the circular seat of the first conveyor and rotatable therewith.

32. In combination, two concentric rotary conveyors, the second sup-ported by the first and free to rotate. with respect thereto, means for rotating the first conveyor whereby the second is also rot-ated, and a stop to limitthe rotation of the second conveyor while permitting rotation of the first conveyor.

lUO

34. An intermittently movable rotary conveyor, a circular seat at the periphery thereof, a second rotary conveyor resting on the circular seat of the first conveyor, and a stop to limit the rotation of the second oonveyor while permitting rotation of the firstconveyor.

35. A rotary conveyor comprising a pair of concentric and relatively movable rings, each ring provided with a series of plates, a pair of said plates, one of each series, being adapted to position a heel on the conveyor.

36. A rotary conveyor comprising a pair of concentric and relatively movable rings, each ring provided with a series of plates, air of said plates, one of each series, being adapted to position a heel on the conveyor, and means for adjusting said concentric plates through equal angles but in opposite directions, in accordance with thc size of the heel to be handled. Y f

37. A rot-ary conveyor, a cam track underlying theconv'eyor and concentric therewith, a series of rods supporting the conveyor at their upper ends and provided at their lower ends with rollers to engage with the cam track, and means for alternately moving theV conveyorY and the cam to give the conveyor alternately a forward and upward movement and a downward movement.

38.` A11 endless conveyor having mechanism to clamp an article thereto, means to operate on an article carried thereby, means to release said mechanism at a discharge station, and means at said discharge station to eject said article from the conveyor.

39. A conveyor having a series of article holders, each provided with an outstanding lug, means to operate on articles presented by the holders, and means operated by contact with said lugs to eject articles from the respective holders.

40. A conveyor having a heel holder movably mounted with respect to the conveyor, said holder being provided with a bar for clampingV a heel in Y place thereon, yielding means urging said bar into heel clamping position, and means acting against the tension of said yielding means to move said bar from heel clamping position, in combination with means to operate on the breast of a heel clamped on the holder, and means to control the movement of the heel holder with respect to the conveyor in conformity to the curvature of the breast of the heel.

41. Aconveyor having a heel holder Yro-Y vvided wlth a bar for clamping `a hee in place thereon, means to place thereon, said bar having aligned portions engaging one face of a heel and an inverted U-shaped portion therebetween eX- tending in a direction away from the heel, and means to apply pressure to said bar to clamp a heel against the conveyor.

42. A conveyor having a heel holder provided with a bar for clamping a heel in place thereon, said bar having an inverted U-shaped portion extending in a direction away from the heel, means to apply a clamping pressure to said bar, and a transfer finger constructed and arranged to pass through ysaid inverted U-shaped portion to transfer a heel to or from the heel holder.

43. A conveyor having a series of article carriers, each provided with an outstanding lug and with article-clamping means, and an approximately L-shaped lever pivoted at its angle adjacentl to the path of movement of the conveyor, and with one of its arms extending into the path of movement of the lugs, to be swung therebyy to eject articles from the carriers.

44. A conveyor having a heel holder provided with a bar for clamping a heel in place thereon, means to place a heel on the heel holder, and a pair of spring held rods mounted on the conveyor, one rod engaging each end of the clamping bar to hold said bar in heel clamping position.

45. A conveyor having a heel holder provided with a bar for clamping a heel in place thereon, means to place a heel on the heel holder, a pairV ofV spring held rods mounted on the conveyor, one rod engaging each end of the clamping bar to'hold said bar in heel clamping position, and means to move said bar from heel clamping position.

46. A conveyor having a heel holder provided with a bar for clamping a heel in place thereon, means to place a heel on the heel holder, a pair of spring held rods Y mounted on the conveyor, one rod engaging each end of' the clamping bar to hold said bar in heel clamping position, and a cam to move said bar :fromY heelclamping position.

47. A conveyor having a heel holder pro.- vided with a bar for clamping a heel in lace a heel on the heel holder, a pair of yieldingly held rods mounted on the conveyor and engaging the respective ends of said bar to hold said bar 1n heel clamping position, av roll journaled in a support connected to the lower ends of said rods, and a cam having a rise for engaging and elevating said roll to raise said bar from heel clamping position'. f

48. A conveyor having a series of heel seats, each provided with a bar for clamping a heel in'place thereon, means to place a heel on each heel seat, a series of pairs of spring held rods mounted on the conveyor, one rod of each pair engaging each end of the respective clamping bars to hold Said bars in heel clamping position, and means to move said bars from heel clamping position.

49. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, a conveyor having a series of lheel holders, and means to blow separate currents of air on to the respective Y heels carried thereby.

50. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, a rotary conveyor having a circular series of heel holders, and means to blow separate currents of air on to the respective heels carried thereby.

51. A machine of the class described, having, in combination, a chamber for air under pressure, a second chamber having one of its walls in contact with one of the walls of the rst chamber, said contacting walls having openings therein to permit the passage of air under pressure from said rst chamber to said second chamber, and a conveyor adjacent to said second chamber, the walyl of said second chamber being provided with apertures adjacent to the conveyor to permit air under pressure to impinge upon articles carried by the conveyor.

52. A machine of the class described, hav-` ing, in combination, a chamber for air under pressure, a second chamber having one 1 of its Walls in contact with one of the Walls of the first chamber, said contacting walls having openings therein to permit the passage of air under pressure from said first chamber to said second chamber, aj conveyor adjacent to said second chamber, the wall of said second chamber being provided with apertures adjacent to the conveyor to permit air under pressure to impinge upon articles carried by the conveyor, and means for fmoving said second chamber in a path parallel ,to the path of said conveyor.

53. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a circular chamber for air under pressure, a second circular chamber having one of its walls in contact with one of the walls of the first chamber, there being openings in said contacting walls to permit the passage of -air under pressure from said first chamber to said second chamber, a rotary conveyor adjacent to said second chamber, and means for moving said second chamber in a path concentric with that of the conveyor, the wall of said second chamber being provided with apertures to permit air under pressure to impinge upon articles carried by said conveyor.

54. A pair of concentric rotary conveyors, the outer conveyor being provided With an upper and a lower series of heel holders, and means to interchange heels carried by the two conveyors.

55. A pair of concentric rotary conveyors, the outer conveyor being provided with an upper and a lower series of heel holders, and means to transfer a heel from a heel holder onl the inner conveyor to a lower holder on the outer conveyor, to transfer a heel from said lower holder on the outer conveyor to the corresponding upper holder on the outer conveyor, and to transfer a heel from said upper holder on the outer conveyor tov said holder on the inner conveyor.

56. A pair of concentric rotary conveyors, the outer conveyor being provided with an upper and a lower series of heel holders, and automatic means to transfer a heel from a heel holder on the inner conveyor to a lower holder on the outer conveyor, to transfer a heel from said lower holder on the outer conveyor to the corresponding upper holder on the outer conveyor, and to transfer a heel from said upper holder on the outer conveyor to said holder on the inner conveyor.

57. The combination of a pair of concentric rotary conveyors, the outer conveyor having an upper and a lower series of heel holders, a table located adjacent to the outer conveyor, and means to simultaneously transfer heels from the inner conveyor and the outer conveyor to the outer conveyor and the table respectively.

58. The combination of a pair of concentric rotary conveyors, the outer conveyor having an upper and a lower series of heel holders, a table located adjacent to the outer conveyor, and means to simultaneously transfer heels from the table and theouter conveyor to the outer conveyor and the inner conveyor respectively.

59. The combination of a pair of concentric rotary conveyors, the outer conveyor having an upper and a lower series of heel holders, a table located adjacent to the outer conveyor, means to simultaneously transfer a pair of heels from the inner conveyor and one of the heel holders of the lower series of the outer conveyor to said heel holder of the lower series of the outer conveyor and the table respectively, and means to thereupon lower the outer conveyor, and said first-named means being operable to thereafter transfer the heel on the transfer table and a heel on the adjacent heel holder of the upper series of the outer conveyor to said heel holder of the upper series of the outer conveyor and the vacated space on the inner conveyor, respectively.

60. The combination of a pair of concentric rotary conveyors, the outer conveyor having an upper and a lower series of .heel holders, a table located adjacent to the outer conveyor, means to simultaneously transfer a pair of heels from the inner conveyor and one of the heel holders of the lower series of the outer conveyor to said heel holder of the lower series of the outer conveyor and the table respectively, means to thereupon lower the outer conveyor, said transfer means being operable to thereafter transfer the heel on the transfer table and a heel on the adjacent heel holder of the upper series of theV outer conveyor to said heel holder of the upper series of the outer conveyor and the vacated space on the inner conveyor respectively, and means to thereupon rotate each of the conveyors a ste to bring the next pair of heel holderso Vthe outer conveyor and the next heel on the inner conveyor into alinement with the table. Y

61. In combination, a magaz'ne for heels, a conveyor adjacent to the magazine, means to feed the lowermosty heel in the magazine to the conveyor, and a gage supported by the magazine to gage the distance to which the heelv is fed to position it on the conveyor.

62. In combination, a magazine for heels, a conveyor adjacent to the magazine movable past the magazine to receive a series of heels therefrom, means to feed the lowermost heel in the magazine to the conveyor,

anda gage, adjustable according to the size of the heels toA be handled, to position the heels on the conveyor.

63. In an organized machine, in combination, means for performing an operation on articles such that succeeding operations should not immediately be performed, adjacent means for performing a subsequent operation on the articles, feeding and presenting means to present articles successively to the two said means, receiving and retaining mechanism, and means for transferring the articles to said mechanism and back to the feeding and presenting means after an interval sufficient to prepare the articles for the performance of the subsequent operation.

64. In an organized machine, in combination, means to treat articles inV such a manner that further operations cannot immediately be performed thereon, a conveyor to present articles successively thereto, receiving and retaining mechanism, means to transfer the articles from the conveyor to said mechanism and to replace them on the conveyor after the lapse of a substantial time, and means to perform a subsequent operation on the articles.

65. In a machine for finishing articles, means to apply a coating to the surfaces of articles, a conveyor to present articles successively thereto, means' to remove the articles from the conveyor and to replace them thereon after the drying ofthe coating, and means to operate on the coated surfaces of the articles.

66. In an organized machine, in combination, means to perform a preliminary operation on an article, means to perform a subsequent operation on an article, a conveyor to present articles sequentially to said preliminary` means and thereafter to said-sub sequent means, and intermediate means to conveyor,

.and thereafter to return to the conveyor in their places previously-removed articles for the performance of the subsequent operation.

67. In an organized machine, in combination, means to perform an operation on articles such 'that subsequent operations should not be performed immediately thereafter, means to perform a subsequent oper; ation Von the articles, a conveyor to present articles sequentially to said first named means and thereafter to said second means, a rotary conveyor having a portion between said means and adjacent said first-named and a transferrer to transfer articles from the first conveyor to the rotary conveyor, and substitute therefor articles on the rotary conveyor which have been thereon during the Vrevolution thereof, to allow the lapse of sufficient time before they are presented to said subsequent means.

68. In an organized machine, in combination, means to perform an operation on a second conveyor having a portion located adjacent to the first conveyor between the two said means, and a transferrer to interchange articles between the adjacent portions ofthe two conveyors so that the second conveyor will support them for the length of time required to prepare them for the performance of the subsequent operation.

69. In an organized machine, in combination, means to perform a preliminary operation on articles, means to perform a subsequent operation on the articles, a conveyor 'to present articles sequentially for the performance of the preliminary operation and thereafter for the performance of 'the subsequent operation, a double-decked rotary conveyor adjacent tothe first conveyor between the two said means, and a transferrer to change a preliminarily-treated article from the first conveyor to one ydeck of the-rotary conveyor, to change an article which has been onthe rotary conveyor during one revolution from said deck to the other deck of the rotary conveyor to make room for said first article, and to change another article wliich has been on the rotary conveyor during two revolutions of said second conveyor from said second deck to the position left vacant on the first conveyor by the removal of the first article, to leave room on .the second deck for the said second article, by which arrangement each article is carried by the rotary conveyor through vtwo revolutions bet-Ween the time of the performance of the preliminary operation and the time of the performance of the subsequent operation.

70. In an organized machine for acting on heels, means to apply a coating to the surface of a heel, means to perform a finishing operation on the coated surface of a heel, and conveying means to present heels sequentially to said coating means and thereafter to present the heels sequentially to the finishing means after the lapse of sufficient time to permit a drying of the coating on each heel.

71. In an organized heel-finishingr machine, in combination, means to coat the surfaces of heels, means including an endless conveyor to accelerate the drying of the surfaces so coated, means sequentially to present heels to said coating and drying means and means to remove the heel from said conveyor at the end of a complete cycle of movement thereof.

72. In an organized heel-finishing machine, means to coat the surface of a heel, means to accelerate the drying of the coated surface of a heel, means to impart a finish to the coated surface of a heel, and a conveyor sequentially to present heels to said coating, drying, and finishing means. y

7 3. In an organized machine, in combination, means to coat a surface, means to impart a finish to the coated surface, a conveyor to present articles sequentially to said coating means and thereafterto said finishing means, means to remove coated articles from the conveyor and return them thereto for the finishing operation, and means to accelerate .the drying of the coating while the articles are removed from the conveyor'.

74. In an organized heel-finishing machine, means to coat the surface of a heel, means to direct a current of air against a heel to accelerate 'the drying of the coating, finishing means to operate on the coated surface of a heel, and mechanism sequentially to present heels to said coating, drying, and finishing means.

75. In an automatic machine. means to perform an ioperation on an article which leaves it Wet, means to accelerate the drying of the article, means to perform a subsequent operation on the article, a conveyor sequentially to present articles to said firstnamed means, another conveyor to carry the articles under the influence of the dryingaccelerating means, and a device to transfer preliminarily-treated articles from the first to the second conveyor, and dried articles from the second to the first conveyor,said first conveyor being arranged thereafter to present the articles sequentially to the means for performing a subsequent operation.

76. In an automatic machine, a magazine for articles, article-delivery mechanism therefor, means to perform a preliminary operation on an article, means to perform a subcombination, an annular conveying device l having a plurality of concentrically arranged series of supports for blanks, said series of supports being relatively movable and mechanically-actuated transferring means to move blanks successively from the supports of one series to those of an adjacent series.

78. In a machine of the class described, in combination, an annular conveying device having a plurality of concentrically-arranged series of supports for blanks, mechanically-actuated transferring means to move blanks successively from the supports of one series to those of an adjacent series, an operating instrumentality to engage the blanks on the supports of said adj acent series, and means to remove the blanks therefrom after they have been so engaged.

79. In a machine of the class described, in combination, an annular rotary conveyor, means to place a succession of blanks thereon, an operating instrumentality to engage blanks thereon, and means operated by rotation of the conveyor positively to remove blanks Which have been engaged by said operating instrumentality.

80. In a machine of the class described, in combination, an annular rotary conveying device having a plurality of concentricallyarranged series of blank-supports, means to move blanks horizontally from the supports of one series to those ofan adjacent series, and means to move vertically the supports of said adjacent series.

8l. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a conveyor for transporting a series of articles, dual supporting means for a plurality of articles, and means for transferring articles from the conveyor to one part of said means, then later to the other part thereof, and thereafter returning them to the conveyor in the same order.

82. In a machine of the class described, in combination, an intermittently movable conveyorhaving a series of supports for articles spaced to correspond -to the stopping stations of the conveyor, means to support a plurality of articles, and a plurality of operating means opposite successive supports when the conveyor is at rest, one of said operating means being constructed and arranged to perform a preliminary operation on each article, the adjacent means being constructed and arranged to transfer articles successively from the conveyor to the supporting means and thereafter to return them in the same' order to the conveyor, and the next means being constructed and arranged further to operate on each article.

83. In an organized machine, in combination, a conveyor for a series of articles, dual supporting means for a plurality of articles, and means to remove articles from'the conveyor and transferl them to one part of said means, then later to another part thereof, and to return to the conveyor in their places articles previously removed from the conveyor.

84. An organized machine as defined by claim 83, in which the articles are returned to the conveyor in the same order that they were removed therefrom,

85. An organized machine as defined by claim 83, in combination with means to Wet articles on the conveyor before removal, and means to finish them after they have dried on said supporting means and been returned to the conveyor.

86. An organized machine comprising, in combination, a magazine for shoe-parts,

'blacking-applying means, means sequentially to deliver a series of shoe-parts from the magazine and present them to said means, supporting means, means to transfer the shoe parts to said supporting means and later to return them to the delivering means after an interval, and means to polish the blacked surfaces of the shoe parts supported on the delivering means.

87. .An organized machine comprising, in combination, blaclring-applying means, conveying means to present a series of shoeparts thereto, supporting means, means to transfer the shoe parts to said supporting means and later to return them to the con- Vthereto@ Y Y.

In testimony whereof I vhave signed myV veying means after an interval, and means automatically to eject the blacked parts after they have dried,

88. A heel-making machine, comprising,

in combination, means to apply blacking to a heel, and powenoperated'means comprislng a, circular conveyor surroundlng sald blacking applying means to present a-suc l cession of4 unattached heels thereto.

89. An organized machine for use in maki means for placing a succession of heels inl the holders, and means for removing heels successively from the holders, operating on them, and returning them to theholders.

91. In a machine of the class described, in combination, a rotary turret having a plurality of heelholders, each holder comprising a pair of fingers engaging opposite sides of a heel, power-operated means for placing 1a succession of heels inthe holders, and

means for removing heels successively from the holders, operating on them, and returning them to the holders.

92. Conveyor mechanism for heel-making machinery comprising, in combination, a rotary turret, a plurality of heel holders on the turret, a power-operated device for placf' ing heels in the turret, and means for removing theheels from the turret for an operation and thereafter returning them name to this specification.

JOHN B. HADAWAY.

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