US2336739A - Heel building machine - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 14, 1943. J. A. McMAHoN i-rrAL.

HEEL BUILDING MACHINE 10 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. J., 1941 grr@ )eA/EK Dec. 14, 1943. J. A. McMAHoN ETAL HEEL BUILDING MACHINE 1o sneets;sheet 2 Filed Dec. 1. 1941 Bmw Dec. 14, 1943 .L A. MCMAHON` ETA.

HEEL BUILDNG MACHINE Fned Dec. 1, 1941 Aio sheets-sheet s De 14, 1943 .I A. McMAHoN Erm. 2,336,739

HEEL BUILDING MACHINE Filed Dep. 1, 1941 zal I/ mz if To en/EK Dec. 14, 1943. J. A. McMAHoN ETA). 2,336,739

4HEEL BUILDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 1, 1941 1o sieets-sheetA 5 @n I l 6 .an l

A 1o sheets-sheet 6 irrn/PNEK DSC- 14, 1943- J. A. McMAHoN ETAL HEEL BUILDlNG MACHINE Filed Dec. 1. 1941 Dec. 14, 1943. J. A. McMAHoN'ETAL `HEEL BUILDING MACHINE Filed Dec. l1, 1941 10 Sheets-Sheet 8 Dec. 14, 1943. J. A. McMAHoN Erm..

BUILDING MACHINE Filed Dec. 1, 1941 Dc. 14', 1943. A MCMAHQN'YET All, 2,336,739

HEEL BUILDING MACHINE Filed Dee. 1, 1941 1o sheets-sheet 9.

,1" 7747 77 k 227 x 5 74 I Jr-- fi A 1 I I l 85 l 6g 54@ 9.9 .I I 7/ V 7 De@ 14 1943 '.1. A. McMAHoN x-:r-'AL 2,336,739

HEEL BUILDING MACHINE Filed Dec, l, 1941 Patented Dec. 14, 1943 Mo., assignors to Joh Dalias, Tex.,

n E. Mitchell Company, a corporation of Missouri Application December 1, 1941, Serial No. 421,108

21 Claims.

The general object of this invention is to provide a novel heel building machine which in design and operation will enable various types and characters of heels to be built thereon which, in ordinary practice, would require the use of four diiierent machines. Thus at the present time, in the same factory, there may be found in operation a whole lift machine, a randing machine, a machine for building leather or combination heels of all types for womens shoes, and a rubber heel spotting machine; that is, a machine for applying rubber heels to heel blanks. Some of these machines are capable of use in more than one capacity. For example, a heel blank consistin T oi a Whole lift and a half lift, cr of a Whole lift and a Whole rand, can be built either on the Whole lift machine or on the randing machine; a heel blank consisting of a Whole lift, a half lift and a half rand, or of a half lift and a three-piece lift, can be built on the randing machine; a Womans decked heel, composed of Whole lifts and wedge lifts can be built on the whole lift machine or on the machine designed especially for building heels for Womens shoes. But whole lift heels for mens shoes are only built on the Whole lift machine, and heel blanks consisting of a leather base and rubber heel are only built on the rubber heel spotting machine.

Now a machine constructed according to our invention will enable all the types of heels, or heel blanks, referred to, to be built thereon, requiring, in some cases, momentary adjustment for height, and in others, slight re-arrangement ci the heel forming mechanism, according to the size, shape, or style of heel being built, both of which can be readily and expeditiously made, and the means for permitting these changes in the set-up oi the machine being an important part of the invention.

rlhe machine, as to its dominant features, is characterized by an endless conveyor composed of a relatively large number of pivotally connected clamp carriers; novel heel forming mechanisrn; an adjustable clamping plate on each clamp carrier; heel discharging mechanism, and retracting mechanism for the heel forming and heel discharging mechanisms; and a plurality of mechanisms placed in sequential operation by a single action of the operator, preferably by depressing a foot treadle, and operating automatically to move the heel former inward to a position to cause a built-up heel-blank to be placed on a clamp carrier at the completion of each stage of movement of the conveyor; to force the amping plate into clamping engagement with the heel-blank; to return the heel former to its original position; to unclamp a vnished heelblank, discharge it from the machine, and return the discharging device to its original position; and finally, to impart a single stage movement to the conveyor to bring `to rest an empty clamp carrier opposite the heel former, i. e., in position to have a freshly built heel-blank positioned thereon.

Embodied in the machine is a main drive shaft provided with a clutch operated by the foot treadle, and a cam shaft having a number of cams thereon which actuate most of the mechanisms above referred to, and which is rotated through a single cycle from the main drive shaft each time the treadle is momentarily depressed to close the clutch.

The power for causing the travel of the endless conveyor in the embodiment of the invention herein shown, is derived from coil springs, which are extended and then allowed to contract in each actuation of the treadle. lt is within the contemplation of the invention, however, to actuate the endless conveyor at will from the main drive shaft in a manner similar to that in which the cam shaft is rotated from the drive shaft; that is, by the use of conventional clutch mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. l is a plan View of a machine constructed according to our invention, the containers, or bins, for the lifts to be pasted, assembled and clamped being omitted for clearness of illustration;`

Fig. 2 is a View in iront elevation of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a view in rear elevation of the same;

Fig. 4 is a View in end elevation, viewed from the left-hand end of the machine;

Fig` 5 is a similar view, looking toward the right-hand end of the machine;

Fig. 6 is a broken cross-section, taken on the line 6 5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. '7 is a similar View, taken on the line 'i-'l of Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a similar view, taken on the line 8 8 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 9 is a similar view, taken on the line 8--9 of Fig. 3;

Fig. l0 is a similar View taken on the line l t-l il of Fig. 3;

Fig. ll is a fragmentary sectional View taken on the line il-H of Fig. l;

Fig. l2 is a broken plan View of the operatingV mechanism shown at the left of Fig. 1, showing the stop mechanism in a released position;

Fig. 13 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of the clamp adjusting gauge shown in Figs. 2 and 3;

Fig. 14 is a broken sectional enlargement of the clutch mechanism shown in Fig. '1;

Fig. 15 is a plan View of the same;

Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken on the line Iii-I6 of Fig. 14;

Fig. 17 is a view in front elevation on an enlarged scale of the heel-building and delivering mechanism, the clamping mechanism appearing at the rear being broken off;

Fig. 18 is a sectional plan View taken on the staggered line IB-IB of Figs. 17 and 20;

Fig. 19 is a horizontal section taken on the staggered line ISE- I9 of Figs. 17 and 20;

Fig. 20 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line J- 2li of Fig. 17, the heel-building mechanism, or heel former, being in its normal, or outward, position;

Fig. 21 is a horizontal section taken on the staggered line 2I-2I of Figs. 17 and 20;

Fig. 22 is a view similar to Fig. 20, the heel former being shown in its inward, or delivering, position, and the operating parts in the position to which they have been moved for clamping the heel-blank;

Fig. 23 is a view in front elevation, on an enlarged scale, of one of the heel-blank clamping members and carriers, of which, in the present machine, forty-two are employed, as shown by Fig. i; these clamp carriers are connected together and each is provided with wheels to enable it to travel over rails, a portion of one of which is shown in the iigure; as is also a clamped heel-blank;

Fig. 24 is a view in side elevation of a clamp carrier and clamped heel-blank, the supporting rails being shown in section;

Fig. 25 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 25--25 of Fig. 23;

Fig. 26 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 26-26 of Fig. 23, and which, in effect, is a plan view of one of the clamping plates;

Fig. 2'7 is a broken vertical sectional View on an enlarged scale, taken on the staggered line 2'I-2I of Fig. 23;

Fig. 28 is a horizontal section on the line 28-28 of Fig. 23;

Fig. 29 is a similar section on the line 29--29 -of Fig. 23;

Fig. 30 is a detached sectional View on the line BIJ-38 of Fig, 24;

Fi-g. 31 is a view in front elevation on an enlarged scale of one of the heel-blank clamps and carriers, with a heel-blank clamped therein, as it appears upon arrival at the discharge station, the figure being, in effect, a section taken on the line 3I-3I 0f Fig. 33;

Fig. 32 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 32-32 of Fig. 31;

Fig. 33 is a horizontal section taken on the line 33-33 of Fig. 31;

Fig. 34 is a view in sectional elevation taken on the line 311-34 of Fig. 32;

Fig. 35 is a View similar to Fig. 32, but showing the clamping plate raised and a heel discharged by an ejecting device; and

Fig. 36 is a fragmentary plan View, partly in section, of the heel forming and guiding mechanism.

Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1 to 5 thereof, the numeral I indicates the front supporting standards, and 2 the rear supporting standards of the frame of the machine, which frame is substantially rectangular in shape. Connecting these standards at opposite ends of the frame are frame bars 3, 3, Fig. Li, and 4, Fig. 5. Mounted in bearings on the rear standards 2 is the main drive shaft 5, on one end of which is secured a pulley 6 which is driven by a belt 'I from a source of power (not shown). Beside pulley 5 is mounted on the shaft a loose pulley B, a belt shifter 9 being employed to shift the belt from one pulley to the other, according to whether the machine is to be driven, or its motion stopped. Mounted on the drive shaft 5 near its opposite end is a clutch Il] (Fig. 3) comprising a loose clutch member II (Fig. 6) and a fast clutch member I2 (Fig. 7). The numeral i3 (Fig. 2) indicates a foot treadle, to be actuated at will by an operator, which is secured at its inner end on a rock-shaft I4 pivotally supported in hangars l5 depending from a cross-beam I5 secured at its ends to, and extending between, the front standards I of the frame. Also secured on rock-shaft I4 adjacent the head of the treadle is a rocker-arm II, extending downward from the rock-shaft, and pivotally connected at its lower end to one end of a connecting bar i8, the other end 0f which is secured to a depending rocker-arm I9, the upper end of which is secured to a rock-shaft 2S, supported in bearings 2I on the lower frame bars 3 and d, as shown more clearly in Figs. 4 and 6. The lower end of rocker arm I9 is pivotally connected to one end of a connecting bar 22, the other end of which is pivotally connected to the lower end of a rocker-arm 23, which depends from and is integral with a circular cam member 24 (Figs. 3 and 6), the outer face of which is provided with cam surfaces 25 working against complemental cam surfaces on a fixed cam member 26 mounted on the frame of the machine. The cam member 24 s loosely mounted on the drive shaft 5 and abuts against the hub 21 of a sprocket gear 28, said hub and gear being loose on shaft 5. When the treadle I3 is depressed, the connecting bar I8 is moved to the rear, moving the rocker arm I, connecting bar 22 and rocker-arm 23 in the same direction. This movement causes the cam member 24 to be rotated and the cam surfaces 25 to ride over the complemental cam surfaces on the iixed cam member 26, thereby moving its hub 21 into engagement with the side of the sprocket gear 28 and moving the latter inward, or toward the right in Fig. 3, causing the loose clutch member II to be moved into frictional engagement With the fast clutch member I2, which is constantly rotated by the drive shaft 5. The loose clutch member I I and the sprocket gear 28 have a common hub 29, so that when the loose clutch member is rotated by engagement with the fast clutch member l2 the sprocket gear 28 will be caused to be rotated. Secured on a cross-shaft 3i) (Figs. 5 and 6), supported in bearings 36a mounted on the lower frame bars 3 and 4, is a sprocket gear 3|, considerably larger in diameter than the sprocket gear 23, and which is operatively connected to the latter by means of a sprocket chain 32. Secured on the inner side 0f the sprocket 3l is a small sprocket wheel 33 (Fig. '7) Located above the cross-shaft 3i) and rotatably mounted in bearings Slla (Fig. 10) in the side frame members of .the machine, is a cam shaft 34 on Which is loosely mounted a relatively large sprocket wheel 35 which is operatively connected to the sprocket wheel 33 by a sprocket chain 35. Mounted on this cam shaft tl are a number of cams to be latei` described, and which are brought into operation in a given order, so that when the cam shaft is rotated the various operations of the machine will be caused to occur in a given scquence, as will later appear. The numeral 3l (Fig. 6) indicates a coil spring, one end of which is secured to the rock-shaft lli and the other to the rocker-arm iii. In the operation of the machine, the treadle i3 is held in a depressed position only momentarily, and when released, the spring 3l, which had been placed under tension when the treadle was depressed, operates to return the treadle and the cam faces 25 to normal lposition, thereby permitting the loose clutch member i l to separate from the fast clutch member IL. The return movement of the treadle i3 is arrested by an adjustable stop screw 3c (Fig. 6), which is adapted to be engaged by the lower end of rocker-arm is. The fixed clutch member 26 may be secured in adjusted positions by means of a simple clamp 33 (Fig. 3)

Referring briefly to Figs. l'?, 20, 22 and 36, the heel lifts iii are rst pasted and then assembled on a base plate il with their breast ends inserted. between two sets of heel forming plates 2, di, mounted in superimposed relation in holders d3 and clamped therein by means of set screws fili.

in building up a heel-blank according to the present invention, the lifts are assembled in order from the bot-toni, or tread portion, to the upper portion, or base, of the heel. To avoic eoniusion, it should be ste-.ted that the smallest lift, or that the bottom of the heel when the latter is secured on the shoe, is referred to in the art as the top liit, owing to the tact that ordinarily heelbianks are built up from the largest portion of the heel to the smallest, or tread portion, which becomes the upper end of the heel as it is built, and hence the last and smallest iii secured on the heel is referred to as the top lift.

To enable the heel-blanks to be built up in the manner herein shown and described, each of the h el ing plates fi?. (Fig. 35) is provided on its inner end with a portion [32a which serves as a breast plate, and with inward-extending projections [i5 which diverge from each other in an upward direction to form a space corresponding to the shape or" the heel at the sides of the breast. Each oi the plates 6L is approximately the thickness ci an average heel lift, the two series orn projections ril thus forming stepped recesses for reeel ts in order from the smallest to largest liit employed in building the heel plank. The holders are mounted on the inner ond of a movable support it which is mounted to in guides 35a over the top oi the base plate ril. The support ce carryine the holders with the heel forming plates clamped therein will hereinafter be referred to as the heel former. After a heel-blank been assemhled on the base plate el, the nrst operation that occurs upon depressing treadle i3 is the nievenient of this heel former inward to carry the assembled heel-blank into position on a travelh el clamp carrier l'i (Fig. 22), and the mechanism for eieoting this operation will nov: be described.

Secured on the cain sha-it 3d (Fig. is a can :i8 having a cam groove is formed in one face thereof. Pivoted at its lower end on the shaft is actuating lever 5d, the upper end oi which pivotaily connected at E! to the inner end of a connecting rod 52, the other end of bearings 'i2 on the frame.

which is pivotally connected at 53 (Fig. 22) to the lower end of a crank-arm 54, the upper end of which is secured on a rock-shaft 55 mounted in bearings 5511 at the iront of the machine. A second crank-arm Sb is similarly secured on rock-shaft 55 and its upper end is pivotally connected to one end of a link 55, the other end of which link is pivotally connected to a lug 5l carried hy, and projecting downward from the bottom of the support til. As the cam shaft 35i is rotated through the medium of sprocket 35 and sprocket chain from the sprocket 33, as previously described, the cam i3 will be turned. Mounted on the actuating lever 5t is a roller 58 which engages in the cam groove di?, and as the high part of this cam groove passes over the roller dil the actuating lever 5@ will be moved toward the front of the machine, thereby partially rotating rock-shaft 55 and moving the crank-arms 5d and ilb from the position shown in Fig. 20 to that shown in Fig. 22, and thus moving a heel former inward and rnoving the heel-blank from the base plate ll onto the bottom orn the clan-ip carrier il?. ln the continued revolution of cani 38, the low part of cam groove lil will engage roller 58 and return the heel former to the normal position shown in 20. nent operation that occurs is the clamping of the heel-blank deposited as described above on the clamp carrier ill; and this operation Will now be described, referring, iirst, particularly to Figs. 7 and 8.

Pivotally mounted on a cross-shaft 59 located at the rear part of the machine is a lever arm cil which extends weil toward the front of the nrachine and at its inner end is biiurcated, as ndicated in Figs. l, 18, 19 and 21, the two arms i of this bifurcated end being connected, repectively, at 52 to the upper ends of two links E33 loca-ted on opposite sides of a slide bar, or plunger, (Fig. 20), and being connected at their lower ends to a cross-pin 65 passing through said bar. The plunger @il is slidably mounted in bearings 6B mounted on the frame of the machine. Secured on the cam shaft s@ is a cam Si, the peripheral face of which normally engages a wea-r plate 68 secured on the under side of the lever arm As the cam E? rotates, its high point passing under and in engagement with wear plate i; raises the inner end of lever arm @il which in turn, through links 63, raises the plunger which operates to actuate the clamping mechanism, illustrated in Figs. 17 to 35, and which will now be described.

The numeral 59 (Figs. 20 and 22) indicates a rack-bar which is slidably mounted for vertical movement in guides lo secured on the frame ci the machine, and the teeth of which are in mesh with a spur gear 'il rotatably mounted in lixed The numeral i3 indicates a companion parallel rack-bar, also slidably mounted for vertical movement frame guide rneinbers lil, and the teeth of which are in mesh with the teeth of spur gear 'il on the side opposite that engaged by the teeth of rackbar $9. Projecting outwardly from the central p rtion rack-bar 69 is an integral boss 15, which is interiorly screw-threaded to receive a screw-threaded rod l, which is located above and in line with the slide bar ed. The screwthreaded rod 'iii is vertically adjustable, for a purpose later explained, but its normal position. may be assumed to be that shown by rig. 2i).

Each of the heel clamp carriers previously referred to is provided on its under side with rollers '11, shown on an enlarged scale in Figs. 23 to 25, which run on tracks 18 supported on the frame of the machine, and which extend entirely around the machine, as shown by Figs. 1 and 2. Each of the clamp carriers 4l is provided at one corner on its inner side with a pair of apertured lugs 19 (Fig. 1) which are circular in shape, and which receive between them an apertured lug on the corner of an adjacent carrier, the interlocking lugs receiving a pivot pin 89, all of the carriers thus connected forming an endless-chain conveyor. Slidably mounted in the sides of each clamp carrier are two parallel bars 8l which are connected at their upper ends by a cross-bar 82 and at their lower ends by a cross-bar 83 (Figs. 23, 24 and 31), thus providing a slidable clamping frame. Secured at their upper ends in, and projecting well below the under side of each carrier 4?, are two parallel rods 84, which are connected at their lower ends by a cross-bar 85. Formed integral with the cross-bar B3 at each end thereof, respectively, are two sleeves 85 which are slidably mounted on the rods 84. Loosely mounted in the cross-bar 32 of each carrier is a pin 81, the head 81e of which engages the upper side of the cross-bar 82, and acts as a stop, or retaining member. Pivotally mounted at 88 in a boss 89 on the lower end of pin 81 is an adjustable clamp plate Sil; and a coil spring 9i, surrounding the pin, is interposed between boss 89 and the under side vof cross-bar 82'. The clamp plate 9i) is illustrated in Figs. 26 and 27, and may be briefly described as comprising the pivcted plate itself, which is yieldingly held in the inclined position shown by means of a small coil spring S2 interposed between the boss 89 and an abutment at the breast end of the plate, permitting the plate to accommodate itself to various inclinations at the base of decked heels, as shown particularly in Figs. 24, 25 and 32. Also, pivotally mounted on the pivot 88, in a rectangular recess S3 provided in plate Se, is an independently-movable plate 94, normally held flush with the face of the clamp plate by means of a leaf spring S5. When the clamp plate is forced downward into engagement with the base of a heel-blank, indicated in the views where shown by the letter H, plate 9A will be enabled to engage the hollowed out portion` of the base at the breast of the heel to afford a rm engagement of the clamp plate with the base of the heel, as illustrated in Fig. 27. In such position, the breast end of the plate 94 will project a greater or less distance below the face of the clamp plate 90, depending upon the extent to which the base lift has been gouged out. If a heel-blank with a perfectly flat base is clamped, as in heels for mens shoes, plate 94 will remain flush with the face of the clamp plate. This type of pressure plate is fully described and claimed in the patent to Dennis Parks, No. 2,175,560, dated October 17, 1939. For lowering and raising the clamp plate 99, the following mechanism is provided.

Secured at its upper end in a boss 95 on the under side of the clamp carrier 4'! is a rack-bar 9'! (Figs. 22, 25, 3l, 32 and 35) which at its lower end is secured in the cross-bai" 85, centrally thereof. Projecting downward from the central portion of the cross-bar 83 are two parallel arms 98 (Fig. 30) between which is rotatably mounted a pinion 99 on a cross-pin l ill?. Pivotally mounted between arms S3 at their lower ends is a ratchet i! which normally engages the teeth of pinion 99 and is yieldingly held in such engagement by downward pressure of a coil spring |82 mounted in a housing H33 provided on cross-bar 83 and engaging a tail piece 104 on said ratchet.

Assuming the operator has built up a heelolank on base plate 4l, he depresses foot treadle i3, and through the mechanism previously described, and shown particularly in Figs. 3 and 6, forces the loose clutch member il into engagement with the fast clutch member I2 which, through the sprocket and chain driving mechanism also previously described, places cam shaft 34 in rotation. Cam 43 on said shaft (Fig. 9) now operates to move the heel former from the position shown in Fig. 20 to that shown in Fig. 22 and deposit the heel-blank on clamp carrier 41. Cam 'i (Fig. 8) now operates to raise the outer end of lever arm 5S, which by means of, links 63 raises plunger te until its upper end en-v gages the lower end of screw-threaded rod 16 and raises it, and with it the rack-bar 69 by reason of the engagement of the screw-threaded rod with lug 75 on the rack-bar. As the latter moves upward, it causes spur gear 'H to be rotated counterclockwise and thus move rack-bar 13 in a downward direction. Projecting outward from the upper end of this rack-bar is an arm |05 which extends over the cross-bar S3 and normally at some distance above the same, as shown by Fig. 20, and in the downward movement of rackbar Gil engages said cross-bar and through the medium of slidably mounted bars Si draws crossbar 82 downward to carry the clamp plate @il into engagement with the upper side of the heelblank (Figs. 23-25) and then to place spring 9| under tension to cause it to exert the proper pressure on the clamp plate. Ratchet lill, which rode over the teeth of pinion 99 as the latter was rotated by engagement with the teeth of rackbar 97 in the downward movement of the clamping frame, now engages behind a tooth of the pinion and prevents the latter from being rotated in the opposite direction and thus securely locks the clamp in its clamped position. Just prior to the descent of the clamping plate on the heelblank, the low part of cam 48 will pass over roller 58 and cause the heel former to be returned to the position shown in Fig` 20. As each heel-blank is clamped it is moved forward, in the operation of the machine, a distance sucient to bring an empty clamp carrier opposite the base plate 4|, while at substantially the same time a clamped heel-blank, which has travelled around the entire machine in order to give the paste between the lifts time to set, and arrived at a discharge point, or chute, |06 (Fig. 1), will be released and ejected from its clamp carrier immediately beyond the empty carrier moved into position, the clamp carrier from which the heel has been discharged becoming the empty carrier next to receive a heel-blank.

All the operations of the machine occur in stages, and while the clutch members Il and I2 are momentarily held in engagement by depression of treadle I3. However, the time interval between the various operations is very slight, depending upon the setting of the cams 0n the cam shaft,

and in some instances, as in the clamping of a fresh heel-blank and the discharge of a completed heel, the two actions occur almost simultaneously. The mechanisms for effecting the travel in stages of the endless series of connected clamp carriers, the release of the clamp of a completed heel arriving opposite the chute |05, and the ejection of .such heel from its carrier will next be described in order.

Referring to Fig. 1, the machine is provided at opposite ends with two upright stub shafts indicated, respectively, by the numerals I'l and |68, and rotatably mounted on these shafts are two large sprocket wheels I @I3 and IIIIIa which are provided in their peripheries with equidistant recesses III) adapted to receive the lugs 'I9 on the corners of the clamp carriers 47, which thus acts as an endless-chain carrier, or conveyor. Fixedly secured to the hub of each of the wheels I |39, I G9a, is a ratchet wheel I I I, shown more clearly in Fig. I2, from each of which projects a crank-arm IIE, the outer ends of these crank-arms being connected to opposite ends of a connecting rod IIB, which is provided near the sprocket wheel |69 on its outer side with a cam surface I III. Mounted on each of the arms I I2 is a ratchet I I5, which is mounted in keepers IIt, and yieldingly held in engagement with the teeth of the ratchet wheel II I by a coil spring III. Projecting inward from connecting rod III, near its left-hand end as shown in Fig. 1, is an arm IIB to which are secured the ends of two coil springs H9, the opposite ends of which are secured toa fixed arm 29 extending inward from a longitudinal frame member IEI. Pivotally mounted on the frame member II is a stop-arm E22 provided on its outer end with a roller I 23 which is normally pressed toward the periphery or" wheel I E39 by means of a spring Id (Fig. 12). Normally, roller |23 rests in one or the other of the recesses II@ of wheel IGQ, which position it is caused to take, as later explained, to stop the rotation of the wheel, and hence the rnc-vement of the endless series of clamp carriers. Rotatably mounted in a bracket IE5 on the under side of stop-arm |22 is a roller I which normally engages the Lipper side of connecting rod IIS beyond the cam surface IIS, and is adapted to be engaged by said cani surface to raise stop-arm IZIZ and release roller ISIS from engagement with a recess III! to permit wheel ISS to be rotated. The means for effecting a partial rotation of wheel Idd and causing a single rotation of cam shaft S13 when the foot treadle I3 is depressed, will now be described. Secured on the rock-shaft 2d, previously referred to is a second rocker-arm, I2? (Fig. 7) extending inward from the rock-shaft in an upwardly-inclined direction, and pivotally mounted at its lower end 'about centrally of this rocker-arm, as indicated at i253, is an upright arm |29, which near its upper end is provided with a shoulder ISII (Fig. i4) which normally engages under a lug (Fig. l5) provided at the outer end of a clutchcontrol bar |32 pivotally mounted at its inner end at |33 on a front frame member of the machine.

The arm IE is normally held with its shoulder l under lug ISI by means of a coil spring IS-'I secured at its upper end to the inner side of said arm and at its lower end tothe outer end of rocker arm |271. The sprocket gear 3? previously referred to is provided on one side .with a hub |35, provided around its periphery with a plurality (usually three) of lateral recesses I 3S (Figs. l5 and 16), each of which is provided with an inclined edge |37 to facilitate the entrance into the recess of a rectangular clutch pin |38 which is slidably mounted in a clutch ring ISS secured on the cam shaft 3Q and having a hub Ille provided with an open peripheral recess lei which is adapted to slidably receive the inner end of clutch pin It. The inner end portion of this clutch pin is provided on its outer side (the upper side 'as shown in Fig. 15) with a transverse recess H22 provided at one end and on one side with an inclined surface IflS. The lug ISI is formed with a rectangular projection I It adapted to engage in the recess I 42, said projection having a downwardly inclined projection MI5 having an inclined side M6 designed to cooperate with the inclined surface M3 of the clutch pin. The clutch pin |38 is normally held in a retracted position, or that shown in Fig. l5, by engagement of the projection ltd in its recess |42. In this position, one side of the inner end of the clutch pin will have engaged a shoulder Il on lug ISI to arrest further movement of the clutch ring. A coil spring |438 (Fig. 16) housed in a recess in the inner end portion of the clutch pin, and held under tension by a keeper It secured on the inner end of hub |136, operates to force the clutch pin into one or the other of the recesses I 1whenever the clutch control bar .52 is. raised to release said clutch pin.

Secured on the camshaft 34 is a cam ISI? (Fig. i6), and below this cam is a lever arm I5I which is pivotally mounted at its innerend at I5| on a front frame member of the machine. Mounted on the upper side of this lever arm is a wear yplate E52 which, when the cam shaft 34 is rotated, will be engaged by the high portion of cam Idd and cause the outer end of lever arm I5! to Vbe depressed. Pivotally connected at its lower end I 53 to the outer end of lever arm I5I is a pull rod I 5d, which at its upper end is pivotally connected at Idd (Figs. 10 and 1l) with one arm |56 of a bellcrank lever I5?, pivotally mounted at itsI elbow at |53 on the lower .end of a support |59 secured at its upper end to the frame of the machine. The other arm ISI? is pivotally connected at its upper end to one end of a link II, the other end of which is pivotally connected to a boss |52 secured 'on the connecting rod I I3.

lt will now be seen that when foot treadle I3 is depressed to turn rock-shaft 2t, rocker-arm IEI will cause upright armIEI to be raised, and

vthe engagement of its shoulder' ISI) with lug ISI will lift its projection I ll out oftherecess Iii? in the clutch pin and spring Idd will force said clutch pin outward against the face of hubv |35 Where it will enter one or the other of the recesses |36 as soon as it is rotated to a position opposite the end of the pin. Clutch ring |35 will now be placed in rotation thereby causing the rotation of cam shaft, during which rotation the clutchcontrol bar |32 will be held in an elevated posi-- tion, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 14. As the cam shaft rotates, the high point of cam I5@ will engage wear plate |52 and force the outer end of lever arm I5I downward, causing pull rod Isl to turn bell-crank leverV |51 to the left (Fig. ll), and moving connecting rod IIS in the same direction, or from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 12. In this movement of the connecting rod ratchets IIS will be moved by crank arms H2 over the teeth of ratchet wheels III and finally engage behind oneof said teeth, as shown as to one of said ratchets in Fig.

l2. This movement of connecting rod M3 toward the left, as shown in Fig. 1, places coil springs IIS under tension by stretching, or extending, them, and at the same time causes cam surface I I4 thereon to ride under roller |25 (Fig. l2) and raise stop-arm E22, disengaging its roller |23 from engagement with a recess I III in sprocket wheel |59. When the low point of cam I5@ (Fig. l0) reaches wear plate |52, the power stored in springs IIS by the previous movement will be eX- erted to move connecting rod I I 3 to the right, thereby, through the ratchet mechanism described, turning the wheels It and It@ clockwise and causing the movement in the same direction of the endless series of clamp carriers.

"The movement to the right of connecting rod I|3 also acts to release stop-arm |22, which is forced downward by its spring to enable its roller |23 to engage in a recess ||8 in sprocket wheel |89 succeeding that in which it had previously rested, and thus stop the rotation of the sprocket wheels and movement of the endless carrier. In addition to the positive stop of sprocket wheel |89 just described, it is desirable, also, to arrest the rotation of shaft 38 at the same time. To this end we provide the brake mechanism shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 18. Secured on shaft 38 is a brake drum |63, surrounding the upper side of which is a brake band |34 anchored at one end on a bolt |55 mounted in a plate |98 secured on the frame, and having its other end bent at an angle and apertured to loosely receive a rod |91 having a nut |88 on its upper end, between which and the apertured end of the brake band is confined a coil spring |99. A nut |18 is mounted on rod |91 below the apertured end of the brake band to hold it in position on the rod. The lower end of rod |61 is connected to the outer end of a short rocker-arm I1| secured on a rock-shaft 29. When the treadle I3 is depressed to turn rock-shaft 28, and through the mechanism which has been described to cause cam shaft 34 to be rotated, the rocker-arm I1| will raise pin |91 and release pressure of spring |89 on the brake band and also slightly raise the end of the latter, permitting free rotation of shaft 38. When the operator releases pressure on the foot treadle, spring 31 (Fig. 6) turns the rock-shaft and the rocker-arm I1I back to normal position, and the brake band is applied to the brake drum |93 under pressure of spring |69. The automatic release of the clutch pin |38 from a recess |38 in the hub of sprocket gear 35 is effected in the following manner:

The clutch-control bar |32 (Fig. 1) is always subject to the downward pull of a coil spring H2, which is secured at its upper end in said bar and at its lower end to a lug |13, which is convenient-I ly loosely mounted on rock-shaft 28. The cam ring |39 (Fig. 14) is provided in its periphery with a curved cam groove |14, shown by dotted lines, and on one side of the upright arm |29 there is rotatably mounted at |15 a roller |19, also shown by dotted lines. When the cam ring is locked to the sprocket gear 35 by clutch pin |38 and placed in rotation, the cam groove acting on roller |18 forces the upper end of arm |29 outward and moves shoulder |38 from under lug |3I, permitting clutch-control bar to fall so that its projecting portion |44, |45, will rest on the periphery of hub |48. As the cam ring |39 nears the completion of its revolution, the inclined projection |45 will engage the inclined surface |43 of the clutch pin and force its withdrawal from the recess |38 in which it was engaged, thereby opening the clutch, and the inner end of the clutch pin will engage shoulder |41 on lug ISI and stop further rotation of the cam ring. At the same time with the above operations, cam groove |14 will pass under roller |16 and permit spring |34 to draw arm |29 inward to bring its shoulder |38 under lug |3|.

The movement and stoppage of the endless carrier above described will have brought a clamped and dried heel blank to rest opposite the opening to the chute |86 (Figs. 1 and 2), where it is to be descharged. The operations of unclamping the heel blank and eecting its discharge will now be described.

Referring to Figs. 33 to 35, inclusive, the riu merals |11, |11, indicate two parallel rack-bars which are mounted for vertical movement in guides |18 connected at top and bottom, as indicated at |19, to constitute a guide frame, which is bolted at its upper and lower ends to angle irons |89 .on the frame of the machine. The numeral ISI indicates a shaft rotatably mounted in bearings |82 on the guide frame, on each end of which is secured a pinion |83, |84, respective- 1y, which pinions are in mesh with the rack-bars |11, |11. The purpose of these pinions is to transmit motion from the rack-bar |11a to the rack-bar |11. Secured on the rack-bar |11 is a contact member |85 having a vertical arm |85 and a horizontal arm |81, the latter being located under the ratchet |8I, and the vertical arm |83 under the tail piece |84 of said ratchet. Secured on the lower end of the rack-bar |112L is a Ibracket |88 to which is pivotally connected the lower end of a link |89, the upper end of which is pivotally connected to the outer end of a lever yarm |98 (Fig. 6), which is pivotally mounted on the cross-shaft 59 previously referred to. Secured on the under side of lever arm |98 is a wear plate |9I, which normally rests upon the low point of a cam |92 secured on crank-shaft 34. Adjacent the cam |92, and conveniently formed integral with its hub |93, is a smaller and more abrupt-acting cam |94. Loosely mounted at its lower end on shaft 38 is a lever arm |95, the up per end of which is pivotally connected at |98 to a push-rod |91, which is pivotally connected at |98 to the rear end of a slide-bar |99, operating in a grooved guide member 288 mounted on the frame of the machine (Fig. 34). The slide-bar |99 is provided at its forward end with an ejector 29|. Lever arm |95 is provided on its inner side with a wear plate 282 for contact by cam |94, which is normally held in engagement with said cam, or its hub, by means of a coil spring 283 (Figs.` 1 and 6) secured at one end to the upper end of arm |95 and its other end to the frame member |2I.

When cam shaft 34 is placed in operation, and a finished heel blank is brought to rest opposite the chute |88, cam |92 (Fig. 6) will have been turned to raise the outer end of lever arm |98 and thereby raise rack-bar. |11EL (Fig. 35) through pinions |84 and |35 raising rack-bar |11. In this movement, Contact arm |36 will engage the tail piece |84 of ratchet IlI and release it from engagement with pinion 99, after which contact arm |81 will engage the lower ends of arms 98, between which the pinion is mounted, and raise cro-ss-bar 83 and, through bars 8| and cross-bar 82, clamp plate 98, as will be readily apparent by comparing Fig. 32 with Fig. 35. Almost simultaneously with the above action, the high point of cam |94 (Fig. 6) acts on lever arm |95 to rapidly lmove the push rod |91 forward, and the ejector 29| engages the heel blank and discharges it into chute |85.

Referring particularly to Figs. 23 and 31, there is secured at each end on the front side of crossbar 83 a friction spring 284, which in its central portion bears against the rear side of rack-bar 91 and frictionally holds the clamping frame and clamp plate 98 in the extreme upward position shown in Fig. 35 until arm |85 again engages the upper side of cross-bar 33 (Figs. 29 and 22) and again forces the clamp plate 98 into engagement with a freshly built heel blank. When, in the continued rotation of cam shaft 34 rcam |94 (Fig.` 6) passes out of engagement with the wear plate 232 on lever arm 55, the spring 25S returns push-rod it? to normal position, or that shown in said ngure. We will now describe the method of building heel blanks and maintaining the pasted lifts in their proper assembled position while being clamped and during a portion of the movement of the endless carrier, first premising that the particular mechanism involved is embodied in a separate application for patent.

Referring to Figs. l and 2, there is mounted on a support, or table, 235 at the front of the machine a paste applying device 2% of any preferred construction, but as here shown comprising a lower roller 2li? and an upper roller 298 between which the lifts are passed to receive paste in a well known manner. The lower roller rotates in a paste pot 239, and supplies paste to the upper roller, the paste being maintained in a iiuid condition by an electric heater (not shown) supplied with current by a conductor 2id. The roller till is rotated by a shaft 2li (Fig. 6) having a pulley 2l2 driven by a belt El from a pulley d (Fig. 3) on drive shaft 5. As each lift is passed between the applying device to be supplied with paste, it is positioned with its breast against the heel-forming plates and its sides against the respective rejections Lie, and when the required number of lifts have been superimposed one upon the other to form the heel-blank, the latter is ready to be moved onto a clamp carrier to be clamped by the plate 99, as previously described.

Eeierrincr now to Figs. l and 36, a series of heel-engaging back-bars 2l5 are shown mounted in superimposed relation immediately behind the line followed in their movement by the inner, or rounded, sides of the heel-blanks as they are moved beyond (to the left of) the heel former l5 by the travelling clamp carriers fil'. ljach of these bars is provided on its inner side with two arms Zi'i which are inserted in vkeepers 2l? and secured in position by clamp screws ,253. Lilie the heel-forming plates 42, these back-bars are approximately the thickness or an average eel lift, and they are positioned in stepped relation to conform exactly to the incline of the rounded side of a decke-d heel-blank. Whenthe heel-blank is moved inward by the heel former to be clamped, the lifts at its rounded side will engage the stepped back-bars 2l5 and will be held from displacement when clamped. As shown by the drawings, one end of the assembled back-bars is directly opposite the heel former, and the freshly clamped heel-blank will slide alon the back-bars as its clamps carrier is moved in stages beyond its position opposite the heel former. As shown by Fig. l, the back-bars are long eno-ugh to engage four heel-blanks at one time, so that four separate movements of the endless carrier will occ-ur before a freshlyclamped heel-blank is moved beyond, and out of engagement with, the back-bars. This gives the paste between the lifts time to partially set, so that there is no danger of the lifts becoming displaced under the clamping pressure as the heelblank is carried around the machine to the discharge point.

For minimizing the jar to the machine occasioned by the stoppage of sprocket wheel ll when one of its recesses IES is engaged by stoparm 22, we provide the dash pot arrangement shown in Figs. i and l2. rThe numeral EES indicates a cylinder pivotally connected at its inner end to the frame of the machinain which rollers of the paste works a piston having a piston rod projecting from its outer end. This end of the piston rod is pivotally connected to one end of a lever 222i', which at its other end is pivotally connected to the frame member it! s indicated at Pivotally connected at one end to the lever k22l 'toward its inner end is an arm 223, the other end of which is pivotally connected to the ccnnecting rod H3, as indicated at d. Et ob vious that when the connecting rod lill is moved to the left, in Fig. l, as previously described, the piston rod 22@ will be drawn out of the cylinder, and when said connecting rod is moved to the right by springs Sie, the air will be compressed in cylinder M9, thereby absorbing the shock of the enga-gement betwee' stop-arm E22 and a recess lit.

We have heretofore referred to the fac" that the screw-threaded rod l@ is adjustable, this feature will now be described, referring to 2, 3, 18, 2G and 22.

Extending upward from, and forming a continuation of the screw-threaded red 'lo a rod 225 extending through a cylindrical guard 225 which at its lower end is connected to the upper end of rack-bar EQ, as shown atv 22?, and at its upper end provides guide 228 for slidably receiving rod 225. Mounted on the upper end of rod 225 is a cylindrical head 225 hai/ ng on its upper end Va thumb screw Secured at their lower ends on the upper end of guard are two parallel arms 23@ provided with numbered graduatio-ns, and secured on head 325i is an indicator 232 having bifurcated ends sliding over the graduated arms 23E. By turning thumb-screw 238 in one direction or the other, the screwthreaded rod it, through its engagement in the screw-threaded boss l5, will be raised or lowered, as the case may be, thereby varying tie distance rack-bar S9 will be raised when the lower end of screw-threaded rod 'i6 is engaged by plunger Sil, and consequently varying the distance rackbar i5 carrying arm ich will be moved dot-1 ward. As the function of arm is to move the clamping frame downward, it is obvious that extent of the downward movement of plate 36 may be regulated by the means descriw according to the height of the heel-blanks being built. Such height being known, the thumbscrew 2,35 is turned t-o move indicator to the corresponding graduation on the arms Edi so that the proper throw of clamp plate il@ will be secured.

For convenience of the operator, we niount above the machine a bin 23d open at its front side and provided with a number of compartments for holding lifts of the various sizes required ior building a decked heel. rfhis bin is mounted on columns 2555 supported on the frame of the machine.

The organization, or set-up, of the machine herein shown and described is that employed for building decked heels for ladies shoes. As indicated in the opening part of the specification, however, different set-ups of the machine may be provided for building various other types of heels. For example, in building flat'heels, the back-bars 2id would be entirely dispensed with, and the heel-forming plates be reduced in number to, say, two or three, and the projections tti arranged with their engaging faces flush with each other, and separated the proper distance apartaccording to the width of the lifts being employed. .Similaradiustmenis would tamed@ when rubber heels Were being cemented to the heel-blanks.

We Wish it to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction herein described and illustrated in the drawings, except as may be required by certain of the appended claims, and that various changes may be made in the construction, arrangement, organization and operation of the machine, or its elements, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

1. A heel building machine comprising, in combination, an endless series of carriers mounted to travel around the machine and past a loading station and a discharge station, and each of which carriers has a clamp mounted thereon, a reciprocable heel former located at said loading station, a reciprocable ejector located at said discharge station, mechanism for operating said heel former to deposit a freshly built heel-blank on one of said carriers, mechanism for clamping said heel-blank, mechanism for causing a stage movement of the carriers to bring an empty one to rest at said loading station, and a carrier With a clamped heel-blank therein, which has travelled around the machine, to rest at said discharge station, mechanism for unclamping said heel-blank, and mechanism for operating said ejector to eject the heel-blank, a cam shaft adapted to be placed in rotation at the will of the operator, a series of cams thereon for operating said mechanisms in substantially the order named, and automatic means for arresting the rotation of said cam shaft at the end of a complete rotation thereof.

2. A heel building machine comprising, in combination, an endless conveyor consisting of a series of pivotally connected carriers each of Which has a depressible clamping member mounted thereon, said conveyor being arranged to travel around the machine and past a loading station and a discharge station, a plurality of mechanisms operating, respectively, to deposit a freshly built heel-blank in one of said carriers, to clamp said heel-blank by depressing said clamping member, to cause a stage movement of the conveyor to bring an empty carrier to rest at the loading station, and a clamped heel-blank, that has been carried around the machine, to rest at the discharge station, to unclamp said heelblank, and to eject the same from the machine, a main drive shaft having a clutch, a cam shaft, driving means including said clutch for rotating the cam shaft from the drive shaft, automatic stop mechanism for the cam shaft, an operators treadle, means actuated by depressing said treadle for closing said clutch and simultaneously releasing said stop mechanism, whereby to permit rotation of said cam shaft, a series of cams on said cam shaft operating to actuate said plurality of mechanisms in substantially the order named, means operating on the release of said treadle to open said clutch, and automatic means operating to restore said stop mechanism to its stop position to arrest the rotation of the cam shaft at the end of a complete rotation thereof.

3. A heel building machine comprising, in combination, an endless conveyor consisting of a series of pivotally connected carriers each of which has a depressible clamping member mounted thereon, said carriers being arranged to travel around the machine and past a loading station and a discharge station, a plurality of mechanisms operating, respectively, to deposit a freshly built heel-blank in one of said carriers, to clamp said heel-blank by depressing said clamping member, to cause a stage movement of the conveyor to bring an empty carrier to rest at the loading station, and a clamped heel-blank, that has been carried around the machine, to rest at the discharge station, to unclamp said heelblank. and to eject the same from the machine, a main drive shaft having a clutch, a cam shaft having an automatic clutch, driving means including said clutches for rotating the cam shaft from the drive shaft, an operators treadle, control means governing the opening and closing of said automatic clutch, means actuated by depressing said treadle for closing said clutch and simultaneously releasing said control means to permit the cam shaft clutch to close, thereby causing the cam shaft to be rotated, automatic means operating to restore said control means to a position to cause the cam shaft clutch to open, and a stop on said control means for arresting the rotation of the cam shaft at the end of a complete rotation thereof.

4. A heel building machine comprising, in combination, an endless conveyor consisting of a series of pivotally connected carriers each of which has a depressible clamping member mounted thereon, said carriers being arranged to travel around the machine and past a loading station and a discharge station, a plurality of mechanisms operating, respectively, to deposit a freshly built 'neel-blank in one of said carriers, to clamp said heel blank by depressing said clamping member, to cause a stage movement of the conveyor to bring an empty carrier to rest at the loading station, and a clamped heel-blank, that has been carried around the machine, to rest at the discharge station, to unclamp said heel-blank, and to eject the same from the machine, a main drive shaft having a clutch, a cam shaft having an automatic clutch, driving means including said clutches for rotating the cam shaft from the drive shaft, an operators treadle, control means governing the opening and closing of said automatic clutch, means actuated by depressing said treadle for closing said clutch and simultaneously releasing said control means to permit the cam shaft clutch to close, thereby causing the cam shaft to be rotated, automatic means including a cam on said cam shaft operating to restore said control means to a position to cause the cam shaft clutch to open, and automatic stop mechanism for arresting the rotation of the cam shaft at the end of a complete rotation thereof.

5. A heel building machine comprising, in combination with the frame of the machine, a pair of relatively large, horizontally-disposed sprocket Wheels mounted, respectively, at opposite ends of said frame, an endless conveyor operatively mounted on said sprocket wheels and consisting of a series of pivotally-connected traveling carriers each of which has clamping mechanism mounted thereon, a drive-shaft having a friction clutch, an operators treadle, mechanism actuated thereby on depressing and releasing the treadle to close and open said clutch, and a plurality of automatic mechanisms, including a reciprocable heel former on which heel-blanks are built up, placed in actuation on closing said clutch for depositing a freshly built heel-blank in one of said carriers, for operating its clamping mechanism to clamp the heel-blank, for turning one of said sprocket wheels, thereby causing the travel of the conveyor, and for releasing said clamping mechanism at a predetermined point distant from the heel formenin the travel of the conveyor, and automatic stop mechanism operating to lock said last-named sprocket wheel from rotation and stop the movement of said conveyor as each carrier in turn arrives at said predetermined point.

6. A heel building machine comprising, in combination, an endless conveyor consisting of a series of pivotally-connected carriers mounted to travel around the machine in a horizontal plane and past a loading station and a discharge station, a vertically movable normally upwardly urged clamping member mounted on each carrier, automatic mechanisms for causing the travel of said conveyor and for arresting its movement as successive carriers arrive opposite said loading and discharge stations, respectively, automatic mechanism for depressing a clamping member at said loading station, automatic means on said clamping member for locking it in its depressed position, automatic mechanism for releasing said locking mechanism and for raising said clamping member at said discharge station, driving means, and means for actuating said automatic mechanisms from said driving means at the will of the operator. Y

7. A heel building machine comprising, in combination, an endless conveyor consisting of a series of carriers mounted to travel in a horizontal plane around the machinev and past a loading station and a discharge station, a vertically movable frame mounted on each carrier and provided with a rack-bar and with a pinion engaging the same, a ratchet engaging said pinion and y locking it against rotation in an upward direction, a clamping plate mounted in each frame, driving means, and a plurality of automatic mechanisms placed in actuation from said driving means at the will of the operator for causing a stage movement of said conveyor to bring successive empty carriers to rest at the loading station to receive a freshly built heel-blank, and successive carriers having a clamped heel-blank therein to rest at the discharge station, for depressing the frame of the carrier lat the loading station to cause its clamping plate to clamp the freshly built heel-blank and its pinion to travel downward over its rack-bar to be locked at the limit of its downward movement by the engagement of the ratchet with a tooth of said pinion, and for releasing the ratchet and raising said frame to unclamp the heel-blank at said discharge station.

8. A heel building machine comprising, in combination, an endless conveyor consisting of a series of carriers mounted t0 travel in a horizontal plane around the machine and past a loading station and a discharge station, a vertically movable frame mounted on each carrier and provided With a rack-bar and with a pinion engaging the same, a ratchet engaging said pinion and locking it against rotation in an upward direction, a clamping plate mounted in each frame, driving means, and a plurality of automatic mechanisms placed in actuation from said driving means at the will of the operator for causing a stage movement of said conveyor to bring successive empty carriers to rest at the loading station to receive a freshly built heel-blank, and successive carriers having a clamped heel-blank therein to rest at the discharge station, for depressing the frame of the carrier at the loading station to cause its clamping plate to clamp the freshly built heel-blank and its pinion to travel downward over its rack-bar to be locked at the limit of its downward movement by the engagement of the ratchet with a tooth of said pin-ion, and a unitary device operated bythe machine for releasing the ratchet and raising said frame to unclamp the heel-blank at said discharge station.

9. A heel building machine comprising, incombination, an endless conveyor consisting of a series of pivotally-connected carriers mounted to travel around the machine in a horizontal plane and past a loading station and a discharge station, a vertically movable clamping member mounted on each carrier, automatic mechanism for causing the travel of said conveyor and for arresting its movement as successive carriersfarrive opposite said loading and discharge stations, respectively, automatic mechanism for depressing a clamping member located at said loading station, automatic mechanism for raisingfsaid clamping member located at the discharge station, automatic heel-ejecting mechanism operating at the discharge station, driving means, and means for actuating said automatic mechanisms from said driving means at the will of the operator and substantially in the order named.

10. A heel building machine comprising, in combination, an endless `vconveyor consisting of a series of pivotally-connected carriers mounted to travel around the machine in a horizontalplane and past a loading station and a discharge station, a vertically movable `clamping member mounted on each carrier, automatic mechanism for causing the travel of said conveyor and for arresting its movement as successive carriers arrive opposite said loading and discharge stations, respectively, automatic mechanism for depressing a clamping member located at said loading station, automatic mechanism for raising said clamping member located at the discharge station, driving means, means for actuating saldantomatic mechanisms from said driving means at the will of the operator, and means for regulating the throw of said clamp-depressing mechanisms in accordance with the height of the heel-blank being clamped.

11. A heel buildingY machine comprising, in combination with the frame of the machine, an endless runway mounted thereon and extending entirely around the machine, an endless series of pivotally-connected clamping members 'mounted to travel over said runway, depressing and releasing mechanisms for said clamping members located adjacent eachother at one side of the machine, driving means, means under the control of the operator for causing a movement in stages of said clampingmembers to successively bring two clamping members to rest opposite said depressing and releasing mechanisms, respectively, and means placed inoperation in initiating the travel oisaid clamping members for depressing one clamping member and releasing another clamping member after the latter completed the circuit of the runway. y' l l2. In a, heel building machine ofthe class described, in which an endless series ofv carriers is caused to travel in stages around the machine to successively bring two carriers to rest at a loading station and a discharge station, respectively, a vertically movable clamping member mounted on each carrier, operating mechanism therefor, including afverticallyadjustableY rod, mounted on the machine at the loading station, a reeiprocable plunger operated by the machine ier engaging and raising said rod to cause a member of said operating mechanism to engage and depress the clamping member of a carrier at rest at said loading station, and means for adjusting said rod to vary the throw of the clamping members in accordance with the height of the heel-blanks to be clamped.

13. In a heel building machine of the class described, in which an endless series of carriers is caused to travel in stages around the machine to successively bring two carriers to rest at a loading station and a discharge station, respectively, a vertically movable clamping member mounted on each carrier, o-perating mechanism therefor mounted on the machine at the loading station, means operated by the machine to cause a member of said operating mechanism to engage and depress the clamping member of a carrier at rest at said loading station, means on each carrier for locking its clamping member in a depressed position, operating mechanism fo-r the clamping members mounted on the machine at if the discharge station, and means operated by the machine to cause said latter mechanism to release the locking means and raise the clamping member of a carrier at rest at said discharge station.

14. A clamp carrier for use in a machine of the character described comprising a wheeled base, a clamping-frame slidably mounted for vertical movement thereon, a clamping plate yieldably mounted in and depending from the top of said frame, a xed rack-bar depending from said base, a pinion carried by the clamping-frame and meshing with the teeth of said rack-bar, and a ratchet associated with said pinion and operating to lock the same against rotation to prevent upward movement of said clampingframe from a lowered position.

15. A clamp carrier for use in a machine of the class described comprising a base, a clamping-frame slidably mounted for vertical movement thereon, a clamping plate yieldably` mounted in and depending from the top of said frame, and releasable locking means on said carrier operating to prevent upward movement of said clamping-frame from a lowered position.

16. In a heel building machine, a'base, an endless series of carriers movable on the base to bring each carrier to a loading station, thence around the machine to a discharge station, and

back to the loading station, clamping means on each carrier comprising clamping elements, one movable toward the other, means to dispose a plurality of cement containing, superposed lifts in the clamping means at the loading station, means to cause one clamping member to move toward the other to engage and hold the lifts together, means to displace the carrier one stage at a time toward the discharge station, while holding the clamping member in clamping relation, the staged movement bringing the carriers successively to loading and discharge stations, and means to release the clamping means at the discharge station whereby the now cemented heel blank may be ejected from the carrier.

17. In a heel building machine, a base, an'

endless series of carriers movable on the base to bring each carrier to a loading station, thence around the machine to a discharge station, and back to the loading station, clamping means on each carrier comprising clamping elements, one movable toward the other, means to dispose a plurality of cement containing, superposed lifts in the clamping means at the loading station, means to cause one clamping member to move toward the other to engage and hold the lifts together, releasable latch means to hold the clamping means together, means to displace the carrier one stage at a time toward the discharge station, while holding the clamping member in clamping relation, the staged movement bringing the carriers successively to loading and discharge stations, and means to release the latch means at the discharge station, whereby the clamping means may release the now cemented heel blank and the same may be ejected from the carrier.

18. In a heel building machine, a base, an endless series of carriers movable on the base to bring each carrier'to a loading station, thence around the machine to a discharge station, and back to the loading station, clamping means on each carrier comprising clamping elements, one movable toward the other, means to dispose a plurality of cement containing, superposed lifts in the clamping means at the loading station, means to cause one clamping member to move toward the other to engage and hold the lifts together, means to displace the carrier one stage at a time toward the discharge station, while holding the clamping member in clamping relation, the staged movement bringing the carriers successively to loading and discharge stations, and means to release the clamping means at the discharge station whereby the now cemented heel blank may be ejected from the carrier, and a plurality of cam mechanisms to operate the several means in the order named.

19. In a heel building machine, a base, an endless series of carriers movable on the base to bring each carrier to a loading station, thence around the machine to a discharge station, and back to the loading station, clamping means on each carrier comprising clamping elements, one movable to-ward the other, means to dispose a plurality of cement containing, superposed lifts in the clamping means at the loading station, means to cause one clamping member to move toward the other to engage and hold the lifts together, means to displace the carrier one stage at a time toward the discharge station, while holding the clamping member in clamping relation, the staged movement bringing the carriers successively to loading and discharge stations, and means to release the clamping means at the discharge station whereby the now cemented heel blank may be ejected from the carrier, and a plurality of cam mechanisms to operate the several means in the order named, with a one-cycle clutch adapted to operate the mechanism from the point at which the disposing means loads one carrier to the point at which it loads the next carrier.

20. In a heel building machine, a base, an endless series of carriers movable on the base, operating means to bring each carrier from a loading station around to a discharge station and back to the loading station, a clamping member on each carrier including two clamping elements movable one toward another, means at the loading station to move one of the clamping elements toward the other, and means to adjust the extent of movement of said last-named means to vary the extent of movement of said one clamping element toward the other.

2l. In a heel building machine, a base, an endless series of carriers movable on the base, operating means to bring each carrier from a loading station around to a discharge station and back to the loading station, a clamping member on each carrier including two clamping elements movable

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