US2157123A - Shoe bottom pressing machine - Google Patents

Description

May 9, 1939.

K. ENGEL ET AL SHOE BOTTOM PRESS ING MACHINE Filed 001:. 22, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet l N/EA/TUHE May 9, 1939. K. ENGEL ET AL snoz BOTTOM PRESSING MACHINE Filed Oct. 22, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A/l/EN raw-e5 m i g a5 4 Sheets-Shet 4 K. ENGEL ET AL SHOE BOTTOM PRESSING MACHINE Filed Oct. 22, 1957 v N Z rlliil m w. m mmm I Patented May 9, 1939 UNHED STATES PATENT @FFECE SHOE BOTTOM PRESSING MACHINE ration of New Jersey Application October 22, 1937, Serial No. 170,432

1'7 Claims.

This invention relates to machines for press:- ing the bottoms of shoes, and in some aspects more particularly to means for applying pressure and heat to the lasted margin of an. upper overlying an insole preparatory to the application of an outsole to the shoe. The invention is herein illustrated by reference to the manufacture of shoes in which the upper along the sides of the forepart and around the toe end is secured in lasted position by an adhesive, although it is to be understood that the invention is not thus limited in its applicability.

For the purposes in View, the invention provides a novel construction and arrangement of means for applying pressure to the marginal portion of an upper extending inwardly over an insole in substantially parallel relation to the shoe bottom, the construction shown comprising a device having different shoe pressing members arranged to engage the lasted margin of the upper all around the forepart of a shoe, the different pressing members being heated and being also shaped to conform substantially to the contour of the bottom of the shoe both lengthwise and widthwise of the shoe to adapt them to receive a shoe placed thereon bottom downward. As herein illustrated, the shoe pressing members comprise plates of flexible resilient metal arranged to engage the lasted margin of the upper along the opposite sides of the forepart and an end plate of resilient metal slidingly mounted on the side plates and arranged to engage the lasted margin of the upper at the toe end, the metal plates being arranged to bend and conform themselves more closely to the contour of the shoe in response to pressure of the shoe upon them. For controlling the metal plates so as to apply firm pressure to the shoe there are provided, in ac cordance with a further feature, a plurality of blocks for backing-up the metal plates, the blocks being arranged to adjust themselves in accordance with the contour of the shoe and then to support the metal plates against further bending in response to pressure of the shoe on the plates. As further herein illustrated, the pressing device is movable in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, and in accordance with another feature of the invention, there is provided mechanism operative in response to the movement of the pressing device for moving the shoe pressing members inwardly over the bottom of the shoe in wiping engagement with the upper, this mechanism, as herein shown, comprising parts movable with the pressing device and other parts normally held against movement with the pressing device,

the last-named parts being adjustable relatively to the pressing device to Vary the initial positions of the shoe-pressing members to accommodate shoes of different sizes. For pressing the shoe against the pressing device there is provided a toe rest arranged to engage the top of the forepart of the shoe and movable to force the shoe against the pressing device, and in order that the pressure of the shoe-pressing members on the upper will be progressively increased during their inward movements to insure that the lasted margin of the upper will be pressed smoothly and evenly on the insole, spring means is provided against the increasing resistance of which the pressing device is movable. As the pressing members move inwardly over the bottom of the shoe they tend to draw the upper more tightly inward over the insole, thus obviating any tendency for the upper to bulge at the edge of the insole, and in order to render them more effective for this purpose, the pressing members for engaging the lasted margin of the upper along the opposite sides of the forepart have their upper-engaging faces provided with a plurality of projecting edges or burrs. Preferably also, and as herein shown, there is provided means for locking the toe rest in position to maintain the pressure on the shoe as long as. desired after the shoe pressing members have been moved inwardly over the bottom of the shoe.

The above and other features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described by reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a machine in which the invention is embodied, with parts broken away and parts in section;

Fig. 2 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the shoe-pressing means and parts associated therewith;

Fig. 3 is a View partly in front elevation and partly in section of the shoe-pressing means and associated parts;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to a portion of Fig. 3,

but illustrating the positions of the parts with a shoe under pressure in the machine;

Fig. 5 shows the shoe-pressing means partly in left-hand side elevation and partly in section, with the parts in the positions shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a transverse vertical section through a portion of the machine and a shoe, illustrating the positions of the parts before any substantial amount of pressure is applied to the shoe; and

Fig. '7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, but illustrating the positions of the parts at the end of the pressing operation.

The illustrated machine comprises a base I0 (Fig. 1) for supporting a casting I2 which is bored to receive vertical rods I4 depending from a plate I6 on which is mounted a device for pressing or ironing the margin of the lasted up: per around the forepart of the shoe. The plate I6 is supported by springs I 8 which surround the rods I4 between the plate and shoulders; 20! formed within recesses 22 in the casting I2 and by a spring 24 which presses upwardly against the intermediate portion of the plate and at its lower end engages a shoulder 26 within a recess 28 in the casting I2 (Fig. 5). Initially the springs I8 and 24 are under slight tension and act tohold the plate I 6 in spaced relation to the casting I2 determined by the engagement of collarheaded screws 30 (Fig. 2) with the upper surface 32 of the plate, the screws 36 extending through the plate and being threaded into the casting I2.

The shoe bottom pressing and ironing device comprises a pair of flexible resilient metal plates 34 (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) which are shaped to conform substantially to the contour of the bottom of a shoe both lengthwise and widthwise of the shoe and are arranged to engage the margin of the lasted forepart of the upper along the sides of the shoe, and a flexible resilient metal plate 36 slidingly mounted on the side plates 34 and arranged to engage the margin of the lasted upper at the end of the toe (Figs. 2 and 5). The outer margin of each side plate 34 is clamped to a holder 38 (Figs. 3 and 4) having formed on its opposite ends trunnions 40 connected by links 42 to links 44 that are pivotally connected to bosses 46 on a rectangular-shaped hollow casting 48 which is fastened to the plate I6 by screws 50 (Fig. 5) and over which extend the ironing plates 34, 36, Each pair of links 42, 44 is pivotally connected together and to one link 52 of a toggle, the other link 54 of which toggle is pivotally connected at 56 to a bracket 58 secured to the plate I6 by a screw 60. The links 52, 54 of each toggle are held normally in non-parallel relation, with a roll 62 carried by a downwardly extending portion 64 on the link 54 in engagement with an adjustable abutment, illustrated as a short rod 66 extending upwardly through a recess 68 in the plate I6, by means of a spring 10, one end of which is connected to the link 54 and the other end of which is connected to a pin I2 in the plate I6 (Fig. 3). Each rod 66 is slidably mounted in a vertical bore I4 (Fig. 1) in the casting I2 and threaded into the lower end portions of the rods 66 are adjustable screws I6 arranged to engage inclined surfaces 18 formed on a pair of parallel bars slidably mounted in horizontal guideways in the casting I2. The bars 80 are connected together by a cross piece 82 and extending through the cross piece is a screw 84 threaded in the casting I2. Fast to the outer end of the screw 84 is a small handwheel 86 for turning it, the screw being held against endwise movement relative to the cross piece by means of a collar 88 on the hand wheel and a collar 90 formed on the screw, the collars 88 and 90 engaging opposite side faces of the cross piece. From the above description it will be evident that by turning the screw 84 the flexible plates 34 may be adjusted toward or from each other laterally of the shoe to vary their initial positions as may be necessary in operating upon shoes of different sizes. To assist in sup-- porting and guiding the holders 38 for movements toward or from each other laterally of the shoe, there is secured to each holder by a screw 92 a bar 94 the lower end portion of which is provided with a substantially horizontal bore to receive a shouldered screw 96 threaded into the plate I6.

In the illustrated construction, the end plate 36 for engaging the margin of the lasted upper at the toe end is arranged to overlie the side plates 34 and is secured by a clamp 98 to a holder I00 (Figs. 2 and 5) pivotally connected to the upwardly extending arm I02 of a bell-crank lever I04 which is pivotally connected at I06 to a bracket I08 fastened to the plate I6 by screws IIO (Fig. 2). The bell-crank lever I04 has a pair of rearwardly extending arms I I2 which straddle an upwardly extending rib II4 on the casting I2 and are arranged to engage adjustable abutments II6 one on each side of the rib H4. The holder I00 has a rearwardly projecting portion H8, and engaging a shoulder within a recess I22 in the portion II8 of the holder is one end of a spring I24 the opposite end of which engages a shoulder within a recess I28 in one of the rearwardly extending arms I I2 of the bell-crank lever I04, the spring I24 acting to swing the bell-crank lever and the holder I00 in opposite directions to hold the arms II2 of the bell-crank lever in engagement with the abutments H6 and to press the plate 36 against the plates 34. Each abutment II6 has formed therein an elongated slot I30 and extending through the slots I30 and a bore I32 in the rib H4 is a bolt I34 for clamping the abutments in adjusted position. It will be evident that the initial position of the end plate 36 lengthwise of the shoe to accommodate shoes of different sizes may be varied by loosening the bolt I34 and moving the abutments II6 heightwise of the shoe.

In the illustrated machine the shoe-pressing device is arranged to receive a shoe placed initially thereon bottom downward, after which the shoe is forced downwardly to cause the pressing device to apply pressure to the bottom of the shoe by means of a toe rest I36 (Figs. 1 and 3) which is arranged to engage the top of the forepart of the shoe. The toe rest comprises a felt pad I30 preferably molded to conform approximately to the lateral contour of the top of the forepart of the shoe. The pad I38 is adhesively secured to a block I40 formed on the end of a post I42 slidably mounted for movements toward and from the shoe-pressing device in a bracket I43 secured by screws I44 to a crosshead I46 adjustably secured to the upper ends of a pair of vertical bars I4? which are slidably mounted in guideways I48 (Fig. 2) in the casting I2. Threaded into the post I42 is a rod I50 provided with a reduced end portion I52 which extends through the crossbar I54 of an inverted substantially U-shaped bracket I56 fastened to the bracket I43 by screws I 58. Fast to the upper end of the rod I50 is a handle I60 for turning the rod, the rod being held against endwise movement relatively to the bracket I56 by the handle I60 and a collar I 62' The vertical'bars I41 are connected at their lower ends by a crosspiece I'II] to which there is pivotally connected one end of an adjustable rod I72 pivotally connected at its opposite end to a treadle I14 fulcrumed at I16 to the frame I0. The treadle H4 is normally held in upraised position in engagement with a stop I'I8 by springs I80, one on each side of the machine, each spring being connected at its upper end to a pin I82 in the casting I2 and at its lower end to a pin I84 projecting from the end of the crosspiece I'Iil. For locking the treadle in depressed position there is provided a springoperated latch I86 arranged to engage a finished surface I8! on the treadle I I4. To release the treadle I74 for upward movement there is provided an auxiliary treadle I88 pivotally connected to the treadle H4 and having a forwardly extending portion I90 arranged upon depression of the auxiliary treadle to move the latch I86 against the resistance of its operating spring out of eneagement with the treadle I14.

When the shoe is forced downwardly against the metal plates 34, 35, the plates bend and conform themselves more closely to the contour of the bottom of the shoe, and in order that more effective pressure will be applied to the shoe by the plates 34, 36 there are arranged within a recess I92 (Fig. 2) in the hollow casting 48 a plurality of blocks I94 for engaging those portions of the plates that extend inwardly over the bottom of the shoe. The blocks I94, illustrated as four in number, are confined by the walls I95, I98 of the recess I92 and each block is provided with a tapered recess 268 terminating in a semispherical seat 202. Engaging this seat is the rounded upper end of a pin 204, the opposite rounded end of which engages a similarly shaped seat 2% in the plate 58. The pins 294 are held against excessive tipping movement relatively to the plate It by small plates 2% fastened to the plate if) by screws 21s, each plate having formed therein a tapered hole 2 I2 through which the pin 284 extends, the hole 2I2 being in alinement with the seat 2653. The blocks I 94 are thus free to tip relatively to each other and the plate I6 in directions both lengthwise and widthwise of the shoe to adjust themselves to the contour of the shoe bottom with the plates 34, 36, after which they act to support the plates against further bending in the pressing operation. Preferably, the upper surfaces of the blocks I94 are shaped to conform su "stantially to the contours of those portions of the ironing plates 34 engaged by the blocks and preferably also the blocks are heated to maintain the ironing plates in a heated condition. For heating each block I94 there is provided an electrical heating unit 2M which extends into the block and is connected by electrical conductors tie to any convenient source of electrical energy for heating the unit.

As previously pointed out, the plate IE on which the pressing or ironing unit is mounted is sup ported initially in spaced relation to the casting I2 by springs 58 and 24. With the plate I6 thus upheld the holders 38 and the side plates 34 are held in their outermost positions by the springs iii which act to hold the toggle links 52, 54 in non-parallel relation, the holder Iilfi and the end plate 35 being also held in their outermost positions by the spring i24 which acts to hold the arms H2 of the bell-crank lever I84 in engagement with the abutments I It. As thus positioned, the ironing plates 34, 38 are arranged to engage the overlasted marginal portion of the upper around the forepart of a shoe placed initially thereon bottom downward. It will be understood that before a shoe is presented to the machine the forepart of the shoe will have been previously lasted, the upper being preferably fastened to the insole by an adhesive. If desired also the upper overlying the insole may be moistened to assist in smoothing it free from wrinkles by the inwardly moving heated plates 34, 36 of the machine. With the shoe positioned properly on the plates 34, 36, the operator depresses the treadle I74 to force the shoe, through the action of the toe rest I85, against the plates. In response to the pressure of the shoe upon them, the plates 34, 36 are flexed to conform more closely to the contour of the shoe bottom and the blocks I 94 tip relatively to each other and to their supporting pins 244 until they have adjusted themselves to the contour of the bottom of the shoe with the plates 34, 36. Thereafter, in the continued downward movement of the treadle the plates 34, 36 are supported against further bending by the blocks I94 and the pressing or ironing device is moved downwardly with the shoe against the resistance of the springs It and 24 until the plate I6 engages an adjustable stop illustrated as a screw 2 It threaded into the casting I2 (Fig. As the pressing or ironing device is depressed, the toggle links 54 are swung into substantially parallel relation in response to the relative movement of the plate 55 and the rods 66, and the bell-crank lever IE4 is swung in a clockwise direction (Fig. 5) by the engagement of its arms H2 with the abutments I it. As the toggle links 52, 54 are thus swung into parallel relation and the bell-crank lever Hi4 is swung in a clockwise direction the plates 34 and 36 are forced inwardly over the shoe bottom in wiping engagement with the marginal portion of the upper. It will be understood the downward movement of the pressing or ironing device occurs only after the pressure of the shoe upon the plates 3&- and 36 is great enough to overcome the resistance of the springs I8 and which are further compressed as the plates are moved inwardly over the bottom of the shoe in wiping engagement with the upper. The margin of the upper around the forepart is therefore subjected to progressively increasing pressure and heat to flatten it upon the insole and to smooth it free from wrinkles. As the shoe-pressing members or plates 34, 36 move inwardly over the bottom of the shoe they tend to draw the upper around the entire forepart of the shoe inward over the insole, thus obviating any tendency for he upper to bulge at the edge of the insole in response to the pressure applied, and in order to render the plates 34 more effective for this purpose the upper engaging face of each plate 3 1i is provided with a plurality of projec' ing edges or burrs 22E] formed by punching holes 222 in the plate (Figs. 6 and 7). With the plate I6 in engagement with the adjustable stop 21s, the toe rest is? and the bars Ml are locked against upward movement by the engagement of the latch I85 with the finished surface I88 on the treadle H4, to permit the shoe to be subjected to pressure and heat as long as desired without the necessity for the operator to hold the treadle depressed. To release the shoe, the operator depresses the auxiliary treadle I88, whereupon the bars l il and the toe rest I36 are moved upwardly by the springs I89, and the pressing or ironing device is moved upwardly by the springs 58 and until the plate it engages the screws As the pressing device moves upwardly the springs act to swing the toggle links 52, 54

into non-parallel relation to move the plates 34 outwardly to their initial positions, the end plate 36 being moved outwardly to its initial position by the action of the spring I24 on the bell-crank lever I04.

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

1. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a device for applying pressure and heat to the bottom of the lasted forepart of a shoe before an outsole is applied to the shoe, said device comprising diiferent heated shoe pressing members arranged to engage the lasted margin of the upper at the opposite sides of the shoe, means for pressing the shoe upon said device, said pressing device being movable rectilinearly in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, and means operative in response to such movement of the pressing device for imparting to said shoepressing members movements inwardly over the bottom of the shoe in wiping engagement with the margin of the upper.

2. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a device for applying pressure and heat to the bottom of the lasted forepart of a shoe before an outsole is applied to the shoe, said device comprising heated shoe-pressing members arranged to engage the lasted margin of the upper all around the forepart of the shoe, means for pressing the shoe upon said device, said pressing device being movable rectilinearly in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, mechanismoperative in response to the movement of said device for moving said shoe-pressing members inwardly over the bottom of the shoe in wiping engagement with the margin of the upper, and spring means engaging said rectilinearly movable device for progressively increasing the pressure of said shoe-pressing members on the upper during their inward movements.

3. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a device for applying pressure to the bottom of the lasted fo-repart of a shoe before an outsole is applied to the shoe, said device comprising shoe-pressing members for engaging the lasted margin of the upper all around the forepart of the shoe, a toe rest arranged to engage the top of the forepart of the shoe and movable to press the shoe against said device, said device being yieldingly movable in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, mechanism operative in response to movement of the device for moving said shoe-pressing members inwardly over the bottom of the shoe in wiping engagement with the margin of the upper, and means for locking the toe rest in position to maintain the pressure on the shoe after said shoe-pressing members have been moved inwardly over the bottom of the shoe.

4. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a device for applying pressure and heat to the bottom of a lasted shoe before an outsole is applied to the shoe, said device comprising shoe-pressing members arranged to engage the lasted margin of the upper at the opposite sides of the shoe, means for pressing the shoe upon said device, said device as a whole being movable in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, and mechanism controlled by the movement of said device for imparting to said shoe-pressing members movements relatively to other portions of the device in directions to draw the upper inwardly over the bottom of the shoe, said shoepressing members having their upper engaging faces provided with a plurality of projecting edges to render them more effective to tighten the upper inwardly over the edge of the shoe bottom.

5. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a device for applying pressure to the bottom of a lasted shoe before an outsole is applied to the shoe, said device comprising shoe-pressing members for engaging the lasted margin of the upper at the opposite sides of the shoe, a toe rest arranged to engage the top of the forepart of the shoe and movable to press the shoe against said members, a support for said shoe-pressing members movable with said toe rest in response to pressure of the shoe upon said members, spring means against the resistance of which the support is thus movable, and mechanism for moving said pressing members inwardly over the bottom of the shoe relatively to said support in wiping engagement with the upper in response to the movement of said support.

6. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a device for applying pressure to the bottom of a lasted shoe before an outsole is applied to the shoe, said device comprising shoe-pressing members arranged to engage the lasted margin of the upper along the opposite sides of the forepart and a pressing member for engaging the lasted margin of the upper at the toe end, a common support for said pressing members yieldingly movable in response to pressure of the shoe on said members, mechanism operative in response to the movement of said support for moving said side-pressing members relatively to the support inwardly over the bottom of the shoe, and additional mechanism operative in response to the movement of the support for moving the end-pressing member inwardly over the bottom of the shoe with the side members.

7. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a device for applying pressure to the bottom of a lasted shoe before an outsole is applied to the shoe, said device comprising different shoe-pressing members arranged to support a shoe presented by the operator bottom downward by engagement with the lasted margin of the upper along the sides of the forepart, means arranged to force the shoe against said pressing members, a support for said pressing members yieldingly movable in response to pressure of the shoe on said members, and mechanism operative in response to the movement of said support for moving said pressing members inwardly over the bottom of the shoe in wiping engagement with the upper, said mechanism comprising parts movable with said support and. cooperating parts normally held against movement with the support, said last-named parts being movable relatively to the support to adjust the pressing members lengthwise and laterally of the shoe to accommodate shoes of different sizes.

8. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a device for applying pressure to the bottom of a lasted shoe before an outsole is applied to the shoe, said device comprising shoepressing members arranged to engage the lasted margin of the upper along the opposite sides of the forepart of the shoe, a support for said pressing members movable heightwise of the shoe in response to pressure of the shoe on said pressing members, and means operated by such movement of the support for moving the pressing members toward each other laterally of the shoe, said means comprising different pairs of toggle links connecting said pressing members and the support and members normally held against movement with the support for engaging and swinging said different pairs of toggle links into substantially parallel relation.

9. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a device for applying pressure to the bottom of a lasted shoe before an outsole is applied to the shoe comprising shoe-pressing members arranged to engage the lasted margin of the upper along the opposite sides of the forepart of the shoe, a support for said pressing members movable heightwise of the shoe in response to pressure of the shoe on said pressing members, mechanism operative in response to such movement of the support for moving the pressing members toward each other laterally of the shoe comprising different pairs of toggle links connecting said pressing members and the support and abutments normally held against movement with the support for swinging said toggle links in directions to impart to said pressing members their movements toward each other, and means for adjusting said abutments relatively to said support to vary the initial positions of said pressing members to accommodate shoes of different sizes.

10. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a device for applying pressure and heat to the bottom of a lasted shoe before an outsole is applied to the shoe, said device comprising heated plates of flexible resilient metal shaped to conform substantially to the contour of the bottom of a shoe and arranged to support a shoe placed thereon bottom downward by engagement with the lasted margin of the upper all around the forepart of the shoe, means arranged to engage the top of the forepart of the shoe and movable to press the shoe against said metal plates, said device being movable in response to pressure of the shoe on said plates, said device including means conformable substantially to the contour of the bottom of the shoe for supporting said metal plates against the pressure of the shoe upon them, and mechanism for forcing said metal plates inwardly over the bottom of the shoe relatively to said conformable means in wiping engagement with the upper in response to the movement of the device.

11. In a machine for pressing the bottoms of shoes, a device for applying pressure and heat to the bottom of a lasted shoe before an outsole is applied to the shoe, said device comprising heated plates of flexible resilient metal for engaging the lasted margin of the upper along the opposite sides of the forepart and a plate of resilient metal slidingly mounted on said side plates for engaging the lasted margin of the upper at the toe end, said plates being flexibly conformable to the contour of the bottom of a shoe in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, a support for said plates, a plurality of blocks on said support mounted to tip relatively to one another to adjust themselves in accordance with the contour of the shoe with the plates and thereafter to increase the pressure of the plates on the shoe, means arranged to engage the top of the forepart of the shoe and movable to press the shoe against said plates, said support being yieldingly movable in response to pressure of the shoe on said plates, and mechanism for moving said side plates laterally of the shoe and the end plate lengthwise of the shoe in Wiping engagement with the upper in response to the movement of said support.

12. In means for pressing the bottoms of shoes,

a pressing device comprising metal plates arranged to engage the bottom of a shoe at the opposite sides, said plates being flexibly conformable to the contour of the shoe in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, a plurality of blocks backing up said plates and mounted to tip relatively to one another to adjust themselves in accordance with the contour of the shoe and then to support the plates against pressure of the shoe upon them, and means for moving the plates relatively to the blocks inwardly over the bottom of the shoe.

13. A device for pressing the bottoms of shoes, said device comprising metal plates arranged to engage the bottom of a shoe at the opposite sides and flexibly conformable to the contour of the shoe in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, and a plurality of blocks mounted to tip relatively to one another to adjust themselves in accordance with the contour of the bottom of the shoe with said plates and then to increase the pressure of the plates on the shoe.

14. A device for pressing the bottoms of shoes, said device comprising shoe-engaging plates arranged to engage the bottom of a shoe at the opposite sides, said plates being flexibly conformable to the contour of the bottom of the shoe in response to pressure of the shoe thereon and being mounted for movement inwardly over the bottom of the shoe, and a plurality of blocks backing up said plates and mounted to tip relatively to one another to adjust themselves in accordance with the contour of the shoe and then to support said plates against pressure of the shoe upon them.

15. A device for pressing the bottoms of shoes, said device comprising resilient shoe-engaging plates arranged to engage the bottom of a shoe at the opposite sides of the forepart and at the toe end, said plates being flexibly conformable to the contour of the shoe in response to pressure of the shoe upon them and being mounted for movement inwardly over the bottom of the shoe, and a plurality of blocks for backing up said plates, said blocks being mounted to tip in directions both lengthwise and laterally of the shoe to adjust themselves in accordance with the contour of the shoe and arranged then to support said plates against pressure of the shoe upon them.

16. A device for pressing the bottoms of shoes, said device comprising metal plates arranged to engage the bottom of a shoe at the opposite sides and at the end of the forepart, said plates being flexibly conformable to the contour of the shoe in response to pressure of the shoe thereon, and a plurality of blocks backing up said metal plates, said blocks being curved to approximate the contour of the shoe bottom and being mounted to adjust themselves more closely to the contour of the shoe bottom and then to support the metal plates against pressure of the shoe upon them.

1'7. A device for pressing the bottoms of shoes, said device having metallic shoe-engaging plates at the opposite sides and at the end of the forepart, said plates being conformable to the contour of the bottom of the shoe and being also movable inwardly over the shoe bottom, a plurality of blocks backing up said metallic plates, said blocks being mounted to tip in directions lengthwise and laterally of the shoe to adjust themselves in accordance with the contour of the shoe and arranged then to increase the pressure of the plates on the shoe during their inward movements, and electrical heating means in each of said blocks for heating them.

KARL ENGEL. CHARLES S. IQNNEY.

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