US2212553A - Apparatus for pulling over shoe uppers - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 27, 1940. J. M. ROHRER APPARATUS FOR PULLING OVER SHOE UPPERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOE r 7 ,7 m i 4 A filo 1 a w 4 m 5 A 7 A 0. r .r/ 1

Aug. 27, 1940.

J. M. ROHRER APPARATUS FOR PULLING OVER SHOE U PPERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Criginal Filed Sept. 29, 1931 I vzm'orz-i dohn Milfn Eohrer,

Aug. 27, 1 940.

J. M. ROHR'ER 2,212,553

APPARATUS FOR PULLING OVER SHOE UPPERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Original Filed Sept. 29, 1931 Swami?! A Mitu I Patented Aug. 27, 1940 ATEr OFFICE APPARATUS FOR PULLING oven SHOE UPPERS .John Milton Rohrer, Orwigsburg, Pa.

Refiled for abandoned application Serial No.

565,815, September 29, 1931;

This applicatio October 10, 1938, Serial No. 234,319

21 Claims.

This application is for the same subject-matter as my application for patent filed Sept. 29, 1931, Serial No. 565,815 which became abandoned.

invention relates to the manufacture of shoes, slippers, and similar articles of footwear,

and comprises improved apparatus for effecting "such work, whereby I am enabled to last a shoe without the application of tacks or other ex- 7 traneous holdingmeans passing through the upper into. the last-or carried by the latter. -The' particular object of my present invention is -to provide means-in the form of a portable device for pulling-over and holding an upper to I atlast, preparatory to further operations upon such upperin the making of a shoe therefrom; such portable holding device carrying gripping means-movable' -into engaging relation with a projecting portion of the upper to hold the latter in a stretched or pulled-over condition upon the last.- From such' holding device the last and the positioned upper thereon are transferred to a sectional mold and after the last and upper have been gripped by the same, the holding device is released. 25. A further objectof my invention is to provide simple and efficient mechanism for actuating into holding condition the gripping means'carried by the portable holder.

"A further object of my invention is to provide means for guiding the last and upper with respect to the portable holding device and the mechanism for actuating the gripping means into holding condition.

And a still further object of my invention is to provide means for releasing the gripping means engaging the edge of the upper pulled over or stretched upon the last.

"fThese and other features of my invention are more fully set forth hereinafter; reference being had to the accompanying drawings, more or less diagrammatic in character, in which:

"Figurel'is a cross sectional View of one torm ofportable pulling-over device within the scope of my invention; showing a last with an upper positioned thereon disposed upon a table portion ofthepulling-over device, and gripping means for engaging a portion of the upper in the open or inoperative position. v

.Fig.;- 2is a similar sectional view showing the gripping means of the pulling-over device in the closedposition; the upper having been stretched oy' e r the last and held in such position; such lasted-upper being ready for transfer to a'sectionalmold, which may be portable, wherein it is clamped in the pulled-over or stretched condition. 4

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the portable pullingover device shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

' Fig. 4 is a longitudinal elevation of the pullingot'er device, in section on the line IVIV, Fig. 3. 5

Fig. 5 is a sectional view illustrating a detail or" the releasing means for the gripping jaws.

Fig. 6 is a View in elevation of one form of mechanism which I may employ for actuating the gripping means of the pulling-over device shown in Figs. 1, 2, et seq.

Fig. 7 is a diagrammatic view illustrating guiding means for the upper, which may be associated with the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the structure shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged view of the plungersfor actuating the-gripping means of the pulling-over device, in section of the line IX-IX, Fig. 8, and

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view illustrating a further detail of my invention.

An important feature of my invention resides in the provision of means for holding an upper to a last without the application of tacks or, 25 other extraneous securing means passing through the upper and designed or intended to hold the upper in position during the lasting operation. A common practice is to tack the upper in place upon the last, and means have been employed to effect the pulling over step of a lasting operation and simultaneously apply a series of tacks to hold the upper to the last. This tacking operation is objectionable for several reasons, among which may be mentioned the necessity of removing the 5 tacks from the upper and last before the outsole is secured tothe upper, and the further danger of tacks breaking off and leaving projecting portions within the shoe.

For the purpose of pulling over the upper and holding the same in taut condition upon the last I have provided means in the form of a portable holding device which supports the last and upper during and after the pulling over operation preparatory to placing them in a sectional and port- 45 able holding mold which confines the upper to the last in the stretched or pulled-over condition while the subsequent operations of turning down and holding and/or wiping the projecting portion of the upper, which may be secured to the insole, or turned outwardly, preparatory to the application of the outsole, are being carried out. The outsole may be cemented fast to the insole and the turned over and wiped portion of the upper, or such sole may be secured to the upper and/or insole by a sewing operation which maybe effected by any of the shoe-sewing machines in well-known use.

In Figs. 1, 2, et seq., of the drawings I have shown a structure which may be termed a portable holder with means for pulling over andl/or stretching the upper upon the last and holding it preparatory to introduction into the sectional mold; such holding device having gripping devices or nippers which engage the extended portion of the upper; means for keeping such nippers in the closed position until the last and positioned upper have been deposited in such sectional mold and clamped thereby, and means for simultaneously releasing the nippers.

This portable holder may comprise a frame I, substantially horse-shoe shape in contour, having flanges 2 and 2 and these flanges carry in a semicircle, which may correspond substantially to the toe contour, aplurality of sets of complemental jaws forming nippers and comprising a series of lower jaws 3, carried by rods 4 passing through the flanges 2 and 2?, and a series of upper jaws 5, carried by rods 8, which also pass through the flanges 2 and 2 In addition,

l the holder has a support in the form of a table or plate 1 upon which the last and positioned upper are placed, as indicated in Figs. 1, 2, et seq; with the'projecting or overhanging portion :0 of'the upper positioned relatively between the respective jaws of the several sets of nippers. The last and upper are placed on the table I of the frame I after the upper has been properly positioned, and then this portable holder is placed upon the table A of the structure shown in Fig. 5, beneath a. series of vertically movable plungers 8, which register with the rods 6 carrying the jaws 5 of the nippers.

For the purpose of assisting in the positioning of the upper upon the table or support 7 of the portable holder and with respect to the plungers 8 which act upon the rods 6 carrying the upper jaws 5, I may provide an adjustably mounted bar 9 having a. pad b which may be suitably mounted upon the table A in such position that when the holding device is placed on said table beneath the plungers B, such pad will contact with the toe portion of the upper and rest upon the same in substantially the position illustrated in Fig. 4. The bar 9 may be carried by a bracket 9' adjustably secured to the table A.

The faces of the gripping jaws may have complemental gripping means, or the upper jaws alone may have a series of teeth or projections 5 over their engaging face and when the plungers 8 are moved downward into engagement with the rods b carrying said upper jaws 5, which operation may be effected by suitable treadle mechanism B, the said jaws 5 engage and pull down the projecting portion at of the upper and clamp the same tightly with the lower jaw 3; continued movement of the plungers 8 lowering the closed jaws with the engaged upper until a satisfactory limit of movement is reached and the upper is stretched tautly over the last. To hold the nippers in this position, the rods 6 may carry blocks 5 having notched portions, and spring-pressed latches it, supported on pins Ill carried by the lower flange 2 of the portable holder have projections lil adapted to engage these notched portions of the blocks 5* as the rods 55 are lowered under the influence of'th'e plungers 8. The loweredges'of the blocks 6 are preferably beveled at 6* and the upper ends of the latches are preferably beveled at W, to

facilitate engagement. The rods 4 and 6 may be square, or round. If round, they are preferably provided with keys so that they will be prevented from turning during their movement into and out of clamping position.

Mechanism for actuating the plungers 8 to cause their engagement with the upper jaws 5 of the nippers carried by the rods 6, is shown in Fig. 5. It may comprise the table A supported by legs or standards a. Carried by the table are guide members 0 for vertical rods 0; the latter being connected at their upper ends to a crosspiece D, from which depends a rod E supporting a frame F made up of spaced plates 1, J" and I connected by bolts F, in which the series of vertically movable plungers 8, equal in number to the sets of jaws of the pulling-over device and disposed in exact registry with respect to the rods 6 of the same when the latter is posi tioned beneath said plungers, are mounted. Each plunger is held down by a stiff spring 8 disposed between the collar B thereon and the lower plate 1 of the frame F; the upper ends of the plungers B being supported from the plate f by heads 8, which may be in the form of nuts.

The lower ends of the rods 0 are connected by a cross-piece D and this in turn is connected to the treadle mechanism B, which includes the foot treadle b. When the pulling-over device is positioned beneath the plungers 8, an operation that may be facilitated by providing guides such as those indicated at A, preferably adjustable, on the table A, the foot treadle is depressed by the operator; thereby bringing the several springpressed plungers 8 simultaneously into engagement with the upper jaws of the nippers carried by the rods 6 with the result that the nippers will be caused to grip the marginal edge a: of the upper and pull the latter tautly over the last; confining the last and upper thereto until ready for transfer to the sectional mold which engages and holds the last and the upper in the pulledover and stretched condition thereon.

When the foot treadle b is released, the plungers 8 rise under the influence of the springs 8 and the portable holder carrying the last and the pulled-over upper thereon may then be removed for transfer to a sectional mold in the manner indicated in my application before referred to. The portable holder is inverted for this transfer; the sectional mold having engaging portions following the contour of the last over which the upper is stretched, and these engaging portions are then brought into gripping contact with the stretched upper so as to hold it securely in the pulled-over condition for further operation thereon.

When the stretched upper and last have been finally positioned in the sectional mold and held, they are released from the portable holder by disengaging the gripping jaws 3 and 5 from the projecting portion a. of the upper and this is effected by releasing the latches ID which have served to hold said jaws in the gripping position. By preference, these latches are simultaneously released and this operation may be effected by means of an actuating member in the form of a yoke-shaped plate ll, pivotally connected at ll to the frame or holder I and normally held in the plane of the base of the same, as clearly indicated in Fig. 4. This plate H is held in the inactive position by stems 12 attached to brackets l3 carried by the front of the frame I; said stems having heads [2 which may lie in recesses H in the underside of the plate I I with springs 14 encircling said stems I2 and lying between thetopjof'the'plateH and thebracketsl3. The

inner edge oi the plate H] is provided with a lcamfmCe'lP formed by beveling the same as indicated in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, and this fcam face "ism: operatiye position with respect to the ends of the latches l when in their holding position, "asi'indicat'ed in Fig. '2. The low'erends of the latches are preferably beveled as indicated at l0 and when the portable holder is in the invertedposition over a sectional mold, they may be simultaneously released from their engagement with the notched portions of the blocks 6? carrie dby the rods "6 by pressure applied by the plate I l, which may be given a sharp blow by, the jbperator. For this purpose the plate I I may have a projecting portion at the front to which such blows maybe imparted,'as indicated at ll Figs. 3 and i. ,The latches it have a loose connection withlthe' pins w and when'they are engaged by, the plate- U for release, they are pushed against the springs Hi which restore them to the position shown in Fig. 1, whereupon the rods 6 are" permitted to rise. When the latches are released, the rods4 and 6 may be returned to normal positionjthereby opening the jaws 3 and 5, by the action of the springs 4 and 6, encircling saidfrods 4 and 6; the springs 4 lying between fixed collars 4 carried by the rods 4 a'nd'the flange, 2 whilethe springs 5? lie between theblocks 6 and said flange 2 In the'arrangement of the plungers 8 shown in Figs. 6, 8 and 9, simultaneous engagement with the, upper jaws 5 is provided for, and in this connection'the action of these plungers is preferably'r'egul'ated as to the tension'of the springs 8 and the timing of the full engagement of said plungers il with respect to the gripping jaws. In some instances it may be desirable to press the side grippingjaws down with greater force than the others so that the pull exerted by such side gripping'}jaws is slightly greater than the pull exerted by the other gripping jaws. This effect may' be produced by increasing the tension of thesprihgs 8? carried by the side plungers 8,

and relieving the tension of said springs upon the other plungers. And such relief may be graduated, for instance, from the front plunger to theside plungers. It will be understood that the tension of the springs 8 may be regulated by turningthe nuts 8* carried by the plungers 8 and and in Fig. I have illustrated diagrammatically an arrangement of the plungers wherein provision is made to engage the front set of gripping jaws first, and the others in regular suc- Cession until the side gripping jaws are last 'engaged.

In this view the position of the several jaws with respect to the plungers ,8 is indicatedby projecting them in single planes, and it will be understood that the central jaw of the group indicates the front jaw of the holding device which, in this arrangement, is designed to be first engaged by a plunger; the other jaws being engaged in gradual succession, as clearly indicated in such view. This arrangement may .be. desirable in the lasting of uppers made of. some leathers. Other arrangements for the timed engagementof said plungers 8 with the jaws 5 in any desired relation is within the scope of my invention.

In carryingout my improved method or process of pulling-over the upper upon a last with the use of my improved portable holder, the operator takes a last of proper size and places thereon an upper; holding the same in his hand and properly positioning the upper thereon with respect to the centre of the last. He then pulls the upper forward on the last so that the rear or heel portion of the upper engages the curved heel portion of the last and is substantially flush with the top of the. same (in the case of low shoes) and/or is in proper position with respect to the heel counter (in the case of high shoes) and then places the last with the upper over it, upon the table 1 of the portable pulling-over device shown in Figs. 1, 2, et seq. He then places the holding device on the table A in proper position relatively to the guides A and the pad 9 which engages the top of the upper at the toe portion thereof, and actuates the plungers 8 by operating the foot treadle b to lower. the plungers 8 and cause the nippers comprising the jaws 3 and 5 to engage the. overhanging or projecting portion a: of the upper and pull the same tautly over the last; such nippers being locked by the latches it, so that the holding device with the lasted upper may be picked up and inverted over an open sectional mold and placed therein and clamped thereto before the pulling-over or holdins device is released from the last and upper in the manner described.

It will be understood that the pad 9 designed to assist in positioning the lasted upper when the holding device is presented beneath the plungers 3 may be of suitable contour to engage such upper, and that its supporting bar 9 is bifurcated as shown so that a plunger may pass through the same. The bracket 9' supporting said arm Sis adjustable so as to accommodate different lengths and/or sizes of shoes.

It will be understood that modifications may be made in the mechanism which I have described without departing from my invention, hence the appended claims are intended to cover the mechanism disclosed and such modifications thereof as would be naturally suggested by the employment of such means in carrying out the several steps of such method.

, No claim is made to the method herein disclosed; the same forming the subject of an application for patent filed July 31, 1940, Serial No. 348,625.

I claim:

1. A portable pull-over device comprising a 7 frame adapted to receive a last and positioned upper, a plurality of pairs of spaced jaws disposed adjacent to a portion of said last and upper, rods mounted in said frame and separately supporting the jaws of each pair, means for moving said rods whereby the jaws may be brought to clamping position upon a portion of the upper, engaging means carried by one of the rods of each pair, and pivoted latches carried by the frame and cooperating with said engaging means for holding the jaws in clamping position and retaining the last and upper to the frame of said pull-over device.

2. A portable pull-over device comprising a frame, a plurality of pairs of spaced jaws disposed adjacent to a portion of said'last'and up,

per, rods mounted in said frame and separately supporting the jaws of each pair, a support arranged between said jaws upon which a last and positioned upper may be placed, means for moving said rods whereby the jaws may be brought to clamping position, engaging means carried by one of the rods of each pair, and pivoted latches carried by the frame and cooperating with said engaging means for holding the jaws in clamping position and retaining the last and upper to the support of said pull-over device. I

3. A portable pull-over device comprising a frame adapted to receive a last and positioned upper, a plurality of pairs of independently operable spaced jaws carried thereby, rods mounted in said frame and separately supporting the jaws of each pair, means for moving said rods whereby the jaws may be brought to clamping position upon a portion of the upper, notched members carried by one of the rods of each pair, and spring-pressed latches carried by the frame and engaging said notched members for holding the jaws in clamping position and retaining the last and upper to the frame of said pull-over device.

4. A portable pull-over device comprising a frame, a plurality of pairs of independently operable spaced jaws carried thereby, rods mounted in said frame and separately supporting the jaws of each pair, a support arranged between said jaws upon which a last and positioned upper may be placed, means for moving said rods whereby the jaws may be brought to clamping position, notched members carried by one of the rods of each pair, and spring-pressed latches carried by the frame and engaging said notched members for holding the jaws in clamping position and retaining the last and upper to the support of said pull-over device.

5. A portable pull-over device comprising a frame having a plurality of flanges, a plurality of spaced jaws, rods vertically mounted in said flanges and supporting said jaws, means for simultaneously moving said rods to carry the jaws into clamping position, releasable means for holding the jaws in clamping position, and means for simultaneously releasing said jaws from clamping position.

6. A portable pull-over device comprising a frame having a plurality of flanges, a plurality of spaced jaws, rods vertically mounted in said flanges and supporting said jaws, a support arranged between said jaws for receiving a last and positioned upper, means for simultaneously moving said rods to carry the jaws into clamping position upon a portion of the upper, releasable means for holding the jaws in clamping position, and means for simultaneously releasing said jaws from clamping position.

7. A portable pull-over device comprising a frame having aplurality of flanges, a plurality of pairs of spaced jaws, rods vertically mounted in said flanges and supporting said jaws, springs supporting said jaws in open position, means for simultaneously moving said rods to carry the pairs of jaws into clamping position, releasable means for holding the jaws in clamping position, and means for simultaneously releasing said jaws from clamping position.

8. A portable pull-over device comp-rising a frame having a plurality of flanges, a plurality of spaced jaws in pairs, rods vertically mounted in said flanges and supporting said jaws, springs supporting said jawsin open position, a support arranged between said jaws for receiving a last and positioned upper, means for simultaneously moving said rods to carry the pairs of jaws into clamping position upon a portion of the upper, releasable means for holding the jaws in clamping position, and means for simultaneously releasing said jaws from clamping position.

9. A portable pull-over device comprising a frame having a rounded end and a plurality of flanges, a plurality of spaced jaws positioned adjacent to said rounded end, rods mounted in said flanges and supporting said jaws; the latter being arranged in complemental pairs, springs holding said jaws in open position, means for simultaneously moving said rods to carry the jaws into clamping position, releasable latches for holding the jaws in clamping position, and camming means for simultaneously releasing said latches.

10. A portable pull-over device comprising a frame having a rounded end and a plurality of flanges, a plurality of spaced jaws positioned adjacent to said rounded end, rods mounted in said flanges and supporting said jaws; the latter being arranged in complemental pairs, springs holding said jaws in open position, a support arranged between said jaws for receiving a last and positioned upper, means for simultaneously moving said rods to carry the jaws into clamping position with respect to a projecting portion of an upper positioned upon a last carried by said support, releasable latches for holding the jaws in clamping position, and a camming member pivotally connected to said frame for simultaneously releasing said latches.

11. A portable pull-over device comprising a frame for receiving a last and positioned upper, a plurality of independently operable spaced jaws carried thereby, means for moving said jaws to clamping position with respect to a portion of the upper, means for holding the jaws in clamping position and retaining the last and upper to said frame, a support for the pull-over 'device,-a Y

series of vertically movable plungers carried by said support, and means for operating said plungers to move the jaws of the pull-over device to clamping position.

12. A portable pull-over device comprising a frame for receiving a last and positioned upper, a plurality of independently operable spaced jaws carried thereby, means for moving said jaws to clamping position with respect to a portion of the upper, means for holding the jaws in clamping position and retaining the last and upper to said frame, a table for adjustably supporting the portable pull-over device, a series of plungers carried by said support and registering with the jaws of the portable pull-over device, and means for lowering said plungers to move the jaws to clamping position.

13. A portable pull-over device comprising a frame for receiving a last and positioned upper, a plurality of independently operable spaced jaws carried thereby, means for moving said jaws to clamping position with respect to a portion of the upper, means for holding the jaws in clamping position and retaining the last and upper to said frame, a support for the pull-over device,

a series of spring-pressed plungers carried thereby registering with the jaws of the portable pull-over device, and means for lowering the plungers to move the jaws to clamping position.

14. A portable pull-over device comprising a frame'for receiving a last and positioned upper, a pluralityof independently operable spaced jaws carried thereby, means for moving said jaws to clamping position with respect to a portion of the upper, means for holding the jaws in clamping position and retaining the last and upper to said frame, a support for the pull-over device, aseries of vertically movable plungers carried by said support, means for operating said plungers to move the jaws of the pull-over device to clamping position, and an adjustable member carried by the .support for engaging the lasted upper; said member being positioned to engage said upper when the pull-over device with an upper is placed beneath said plungers.

15. A pull-over device comprising a portable frame having a rounded end and a plurality of horizontally disposed spaced flanges, a plurality of independently operable spaced jaws positioned adjacent to said .rounded end; said jaws being arranged in complemental pairs, rods vertically mounted in said flanges and supporting said jaws, means for simultaneously moving said rods to carry the jaws .into clamping position, and releasable means carried by the portable frame for holding the jaws in clamping position.

16. A pull-over device for lasting shoes comprising a,portable frame for receiving a last and positioned upper, a plurality of pairs of spaced jaws carried by the frame, meansfor imparting movement to oneof each pair of said jaws; the movement of said jaws carrying them against a portion of the upper and into clamping engagement with the other jaw of each pair, and means for holding the several pairs of jaws to the portable frame in clamping position.

'17. A pull-over device for lasting shoes comprising a portable frame, a plurality of pairs of spaced jaws carried by said frameQa support carried by the frame and arranged between said jaws upon which a last and positioned upper may be placed, means for imparting movement to one of each pair of said jaws; the movement of said jaws carrying them against a portion of the upper and into clamping engagement with the other jaw of each pair, and means for holding the several pairs of jaws in clamping position and retaining the last and upper to the portable frame.

18. A pull-over device for lasting shoes comprising a portable frame supporting a last and positioned upper, a plurality of pairs of spaced jaws carried by the frame, means for imparting movement to one of each pair of said jaws whereby it may be carried into engagement with the upper and into clamping engagement'with the other jaw of each pair, and means for holding the several pairs of jaws in clamping position.

19. A pull-over device for lasting shoes comprising a portable frame, a plurality of pairs of spaced jaws carried thereby, a support carried by the frame and arranged between said jaws upon which a last and positioned upper may be placed, means for imparting movement to one of each pair of said jaws whereby it may be carried into engagement with the upper and into clamping engagement with the other jaw of each pair, and means for holding the several pairs of jaws in clamping position and retaining the last and upper to the portable frame.

20. A portable pull-over device comprising a frame, a plurality of spaced jaws carried thereby, a table arranged between said jaws upon which a last and positioned upper may be placed, means for moving said jaws to clamping position with respect to said upper, and means for holding the jaws in clamping position and retaining the last and upper to said table.

21. A portable pull-over device comprising a frame, a plurality of spaced jaws carried thereby, rods mounted in said frame and supporting said jaws, a table arranged between said jaws upon which a last and positioned upper may be placed, means for moving said rods whereby the jaws may be brought to clamping position, engaging means carried by said rods, and pivoted latches cooperating with said engaging means for holding the jaws in clamping position and retaining the last and upper to said pull-over device.

JOHN MILTON ROHRER.

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