US2157593A - Device for drawing strips through perforated materials - Google Patents

Description

y 9, 1939- I J T. CONKUN 2 ,157,593

DEVICE FOR DRAWING STRIPS THROUGH PERFORATED MATERIALS Filed Feb. 9, 1939 Patented May 9, 1939 UNITED STATES DEVICE FOR DRAWING STRIPS THROUGH PERFORATED MATERIALS John T. Conklin, Binghamton, N. Y., assignor to Endicott Johnson Corporation, Endicott, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 9, 1939, Serial No. 255,511

10 Claims.

This invention is a novel improvement in devices for drawing or threading flexible strips through perforated flexible materials, and is particularly adapted for use as a vamp lacing needle 5 or the like in the manufacture of shoes.

The principal object of the invention is toprovide an elongated needle, mounted on a suitable fixed support, and adapted to be manually threaded through a row or series of holes or perforations in a perforated vamp through which a leather or other ornamentation strip is to be threaded, the needle being hollow and having a wire extending therethrough looped at its outer end, the loop normally projecting beyond the outer end of the needle but being movable axially of. the needle so as to bind the ornamentation strip, which has its end inserted in the loop, to the end of the needle whereby as the vamp is being withdrawn from the needle the ornamentation strip fixed to the needle will be threaded through the row or series of perforations previously occupied by the needle in the vamp, or other material.

A further object is to provide a device of the above character in which the outer end of the needle is closed and rounded, and in which the wire loop extends through diametrically opposed perforations in the side walls of the needle adjacent said rounded end, whereby when the wire is retracted by treadle operated means to close the loop by the adjacent end of the needle, the engagement of the outer end of the loop with the outer rounded end of the needle will prevent undue flexing of the wire of the loop, thus preventing breakage of the wire, and moreover insuring that the legs of the loop will remain properly spaced apart throughout the normal life of the device.

Other minor objects of the invention will be hereinafter set forth.

Heretofore the above threading or drawing operation has usually been a slow and tedious operation done by hand; also vamp lacing needles have been used in which the needle has been provided with a hook on the outer end thereof into which the perforated end of the ornamentation strip was engaged after the perforated vamp has been threaded on the needle. However, the provision in my device of the treadle operated loop, binding the ornamentation strip to the needle, renders the device easier and quicker to operate, and moreover obviates the necessity of having tofirst perforate the end of the ornamentation strip and then manually engage the hook of the needle with said perforated end before removing the vamp from the needle, and thus my device saves considerable delay and manual operations on the part of the operator.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates one practical embodiment thereof to enable others familiar with the art to adopt and use the same; and will summarize in the claims the novel features of construction, and novel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawing:

Fig. l is a plan view of the device showing a perforated vamp threaded onto the needle, and showing an ornamentation strip engaged in the loop of the needle in threading position.

Fig. 2 is .a longitudinal section through the device as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the positions assumed by the parts when in normal position with the loop opened.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the loop and outer end of the needle.

As shown, the device comprises a relatively long hollow needle i of small diameter, rounded and closed at its outer end ia, and open at its inner end. In the side walls of needle i adjacent the outer end la are a pair of diametrically opposed perforations Ib. Needle. I is mounted in a block 2 having a removable upper member 2a secured thereto by screws 21), the opposing faces of the members 22a having opposed substantially semi-circular recesses to receive and securely clamp the needle therein when screws 21) are tightened. Block 2 is mounted upon a base 3 having perforations therein whereby same may be secured by screws 3a or the like upon the top of a workbench B or the like with needle I pointing in the direction of the operator or workman. The inner end of needle I terminates within the area of base 3.

At the outer end of base 3 opposite the inner end of needle i is a pad 4 secured to the base by screws 4a and having an upstanding perforated lug forming a bearing for a lever 5 having a pair of downwardly projecting perforated ears 5a at its lower end. A pivot pin 6 passes through the perforated ears 5a and through the perforated lug of pad 4. On lever 5 above ears 5a are a pair of upstanding ears 5b in which is mounted a pin 1; and a coiled spring 8, having one end hooked over pin 1 and its opposite end secured by screw 2d to the top of block member 2a., normally maintains lever 5 in raised position. On lever 5 above the upstanding ears 5b are a pair of superimposed clamp plates 50, 5d transfixed by a screw 5e passing through the plates and into the lever. On the underside of lever 5, at the outer end thereof, is a pad 9 secured by screws 5e, 5 which pad is pivotally connected as at Hid to the upper end of a treadle rod l passing downwardly to a point adjacent the floor F and having its lower end connected as at Hlb with a treadle ll pivoted as at Ha on the floor, whereby as the treadle is depressed the lever will be swung downwardly from normal position shown in Fig. 3 to lowered position shown in Fig. 2 against the action of the spring 8.

A strip retaining loop, preferably consisting of a length of flexible wire I2 doubled upon itself, extends through needle I, the legs of the wire passing into the needle through the opposed perforations lb at the outer rounded end of the needle. The free ends of the legs of wire i2 extend out of the open inner end of the needle and pass under a guide pin l3 fixed in the upstanding cars 52; below the pin "i, the ends of the wire passing between the pair of clamp lates 5c, 5d and being clamped therebetween by tightening the screw 5c. The length of wire I2 is such that when the treadle I l is fully depressed, as in Figs. 1 and 2 the outer end 12a of the wire loop will engage and conform with the outer rounded end la of needle I between the spaced perforations lb. By this construction the outer end of the loop lZa is prevented from flexing through an are greater than that of the rounded end la of the needle, thereby insuring against breakage of the wire, and said end la maintaining the legs of the loop [2a properly spaced apart so that the loop will not become permanently closed after short usage of the device.

Treadle H is used by the operator for the purpose of closing wire loop l2a of the needle i, spring 8 normally maintaining the treadle raised and the loop i2aopened to receive the end of the strip S which is to be threaded, which strip is somewhat longer than the length of the series of perforations V in the vamp V, and strip S is preferably pointed or otherwise narrowed at its front end.

Loop [2a is initially closed by the operator stepping on the treadle, and while same is held closed the operator takes the pre-perforated vamp V or other material, and manually threads same on the needle through a single row of holes V, from one side of the vamp to the other, as shown in Fig. 1. When the needle is thus inserted through an entire row of holes, treadle H is released to open the wire loop l2a, and into the said loop is inserted the narrowed tip end of a strip S as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the treadle is then again depressed to close the loop I200 and bind the end of strip S against the outer end of needle I. Then while loop l2a is held closed, the operator removes the vamp V from the needle by hand which motion simultaneously threads or draws the strip S through the rows or series of holes in the vamp or other material formerly occupied by the needle. The operation is then repeated for other rows of perforations V in the vamp or other material, as desired.

The above device is simple and efficient, and the use of the treadle H for opening and closing the loop 12a permits the operator to use both hands in threading the vamp V onto needle I and in removing the vamp therefrom. Furthermore, the strip S which preferably has its front end pointed as indicated, is quickly attached to the end of the needle without necessitating perforation of the strip. Moreover, owing to the construction in which the legs of loop I2a pass through the spaced perforations lb in the outer end of the needle, bending of the loop through an are greater than the curvature of the outer end of the needle is prevented, and at the same time the legs of the loop are maintained properly spaced apart at all times regardless of the length of time the device is in service.

I do not limit my invention to the exact details shown in the drawing, for obviously changes may be made therein within the scope of the claims.

I claim:

1. A device of the character specified, comprising a fixed hollow needle; a lever pivoted adjacent the needle; a loop member extending through the needle and having one end secured to the lever, the loop of the member normally extending beyond the end of the needle opposite from the lever; and means for swinging the lever to retract the member and close the loop by the adjacent end of the needle.

2. In a device as set forth in claim 1, said means comprising a treadle operatively connected with the lever; and means for normally maintaining the treadle in raised position.

3. In combination with a device as set forth in claim 1, a pair of clamp plates mounted on the lever; and the loop member comprising a wire, the ends of the wire being held between said plates.

l. In combination with a device as set forth in claim 1, means for preventing undue flexing of the outer end of the loop, and for maintaining the legs of the loop in constant spaced relation.

5. A device of the character specified, comprising a base; a hollow needle mounted on the base having a rounded and closed outer end; said needle having diametrically opposed perforations in its sides adjacent the outer end; a lever pivoted on the base; a looped wire having its legs entering the needle through the opposed perforations respectively, said legs extending through the needle and being secured to the lever, and means for swinging the lever to retract the wire and engage the outer end of the loop with the closed rounded end of the needle.

6. In a device as set forth in claim 5, said means comprising a treadle operatively connected with the lever; and means for normally maintaining the treadle in raised position.

7. In combination with a device as set forth in claim 5, a pair of clamp plates mounted on the lever; and the ends of the wire being held between said plates.

8. A device of the character specified, comprising a base; a hollow needle mounted on the base having an open inner end, and having a rounded and closed outer end, said needle having diametrically opposed perforations in its sides adjacent the outer end; a lever pivoted on the base and disposed opposite the open inner end of the needle; a looped wire having its legs entering the needle through the opposed perforations respectively, said legs extending through the needle and being secured to the lever, and means for swinging the lever to retract the wire and engage the outer end of the loop with the closed rounded end of the needle.

9. In a device as set forth in claim 8, said means comprising a treadle operatively connected with the lever; and means for normally maintaining the treadle in raised position.

10. In combination with a device as set forth in claim 8, a pair of clamp plates mounted on the lever; and the ends of the wire being held between said plates.

JOHN T. CONKLIN.

(ill.

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