US2368829A - Method of and machine for coating heels - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 6, 1945.

v. F.- HARRINGTON 2,368,829

METHOD OF AND MACHINE FOR COATING HEELS Filed Feb. 10, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 6, 1945. v HARRlNGTON 2,368,829

METHODS OF AND MACHINE FOR COATING HEELS Filed Feb. 10, 1942 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 6, 1945. v. F. HARRINGTON I METHODS-OF AND MACHINE FOR COATING HEELS 4. Shets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 10, 1942 Feb. 6, 1945. v. F. HARRINGTON METHODS OF AND MACHINE FOR COATING HEELS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 10, 1942 MvvEA/TUH Patented Feb. 6, 1945 METHOD OF AND- MACHINE FOR COATING HEELS Valentine F. Harrington, Newton, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 10, 1942, Serial No. 430,259

19 Claims. (01. 117-104) The present invention relates to a method of and a machine for applying a coating toa shoe part, and more particularly to applying a spray coating to shoe heels. i

In United States Letters Patent 'No. 2,259,450,

granted October 21, 1941, on an application filed ,in the nameof Lewis J. Bazzoni, it is pointed out for the variou reasons set forth therein that it is desirable to apply the'coating to the heel by a spray gun, and a shield is sho-wntherein for protecting the upper of a shoe during the application of the coating to the heel. VVhiIe the coating may be applied to the heel by mounting the shoe on the aforesaid shield and moving the spray gun by hand about the heel, or by holding the spray gun steady and turningthe shield in front of the spray gun, this is a tiring procedure and an operator cannot hold the spray gun steady enough over prolonged periods to maintain as smooth and uniform a coating as is desirable. Spray machines have been developed in which the heel is oscillated in front of a fixed spray gun. In these machines, however,

the coating piles up at the breast'edges of the.

heel during the reversal of the direction of movement of the heel, forming a heavy coating along the breast edges which is of a deeper color than the remaining surface and producing. a noticeable ridge. Furthermore, because bf the shape of the heel, that is, the variation in the extent of the surface and radius of curvature of various parts of the heel, machines which have simply oscillated or turned the heel upon a vertical axis adjacent to a spray gun without regard to the aforesaid variations in the curvature of the heel have not produced satisfactory results.

It is an object of the invention to eliminate these objectionable features and to. coat the heel in such a manner that the coating materialapplied will be distributed substantially uniformly over the entire surface.

Accordingly, invention resides in applying a 1 Y coating by causing a quantity of the coating material to be projected in spray form, exposing the convex surface of theheel to the spray by turning the heel about an axis running heightwise thereof, and by moving the line of projection of the sprayed coating material from one side of the axis of the heel to the other in such a manner that the direction of movementof the convex surface of the heel is always opposite .to the direction of movement of the line of .projection of the sprayed coating material.

It has been determined that the. uniformity of the coating maybe improvedby app ying the coating while maintaining the directionof application within certain predetermined iimits with respect to the heel. Thatis, if thellin'eof projection is kept as'near normal as possible'to the surface of the heel at all times, there will :be a

minimum loss of materialzby recocheting. I

It is another object of the invention to .pro-

vide a machine for carrying out thismethod which will automatically coat the. heel of .the shoe rapidly'and eiiiciently, thereby relieving the operator of the duty of holding the spray .gun, .and at the same time maintain the aforesaid angular relations between the axis of the spray gun and the heel.

The machine, as illustrated herein, includes a shield of the kind shown in Patent No. 2,259,450 and the invention resides in embodying this shield, which serves as a support for the heel,- inmeans for oscillating the support in .front of a spray gun to expose every partof the convex surface of the heel thereto, and in meansfor moving the spray gun relative to the support to cause the gun to coat the entire convex surface ,of-the heel, the movement of the spray and heel support occurring simultaneously and in'the same direction of rotation.

The details of the aforesaid machine ,will now be describedwith reference to the accompanying drawin s, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the entire machine, partly in section;

Fig. 2 is a plan view showing the. position of the shoe at the opposite extremities of its oscillation; t I

Fig. 3 is a section ontheline III-III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic showing 'ofuthe rotation of the heel and the direction of the projected coating material at intermediateandextreme positions; f

Fig. 5 is a section on the line V--V in Fig. 3 showing the cam for reciprocating the shoe support; and

Fig. 6 is a section on the line vI-vrin Fi'g;:3.

spray unit 12 consisting of a pair of spray guns. i

the aforesaid shield and spray unit being mounted on a hollow base 14. The base His provided on the underside of its top portion with a pair of depending bearing sleeves l6 and I8 in which are journaled vertically disposed shafts 21! and 22. The shaft 28 extends through the top side of the base It and has fastened thereto a frame 24 to which the shield I is fastened by screws 26. The shield l9, which is shown in Patent No.

2,259,450 and will not be described in detail herein, consists of a, frusto-conical member 23 having a resilient U-shaped opening at its upper end for the reception of the back part of the shoe S, 'as illustrated. An additional shield 30 is associated with the member 28 to protect the forepart of the shoe. The support it is reciprocated in front of the spray unit i2 to expose the entire convex surface of the heel from breast edge to breast edge to the projected spray. of coating material from the spray guns, that is, the heel is oscillated about an axis d running heightwise thereof, so that a plane passing through the axis and bisecting the breast will other words, the spray gun is oscillated relative swing substantially 90 about the axis in one direction and then 90 about the axis in the other direction, starting the coating operation at a point A at the back of the heel, as illustrated in Fig. 4. Referring to Fig. 4, it will be observed that the heel oscillates from side to side about the axis d, the plane passing through the axis d-andbisecting the breast being represented by the line y. It is within the scope of the invention, however, to start the rotation at the breast edge B and to turn the heel through 180.

and back again. To provide for this oscillation,

a gear 32 is fastened to the lower end of the shaft 20, the gear meshing with a rack 34 which is slidably mounted in a horizontally disposed way 36 (Figs. 1 and 3) which is formed integral with a'wall of the base 14 adjacent to the lower end of the sleeve IS. The rack is held in the way 35 by plates l9 which are screwed to the open side thereof at each side of the gear 32, as illustrated in Fig. 3. The way extends rearwardly of the sleeve Hi, as seen in'Fig. 3, to bearings 38, so that the center line of the rack passes through the center line of a shaft 43 journaled therein. At the inner end of the rack 3' 5, there is provided a pin 40 (Fig. having a roller 4| thereon which occupies a cam slot 42 formed in a cam 44, the latter being fastened to the shaft 46. One of the bearings 38 is supported from the side of the base and the other from the top of the base, as illustrated in Fig. 3, by a-depende ing web 39. A gear 48 is also fastened to the shaft 46 and meshes with a gear 50 which is mounted to rotate freely on a shaft 52, the latter being journaled atone end in a bearing 54 and at the other end in a bearing box 55 formed at one side of a differential gear box 58. A shaft extending from the differential gearbox 58 is connected by means of an Oldh'am coupling 66 with a motor 68, so that the shaft 52 is constantly turning. A one-revolution clutch of the customary type, indicated generally at w, is mounted upon the shaft 52 and is operable to connect the gear 59 tothe shaft 52 for rotation. For this purpose, a rod BI is provided, one

end thereof being attached to the clutch throw.

The opposite end of the rod 5| extends down wardlythrough the table upon which the machine rests and is attached to an arm 62 pivoted at 6A to some convenient part of the table. By throwing the clutch into operation, the rack 34 may be causedto'reciprocate, thereby oscillating the shaft and turning the shoe back and forth in front of the spray unit.

If a heel is oscillated in front of a fixed spray gun, the coating material will pile up at the breast edges B at opposite sides of the heel bea 'to the heel and in a direction which at any given time is opposite to the movement of the convex surface of the heel and overruns or moves beyond the breast edge of the heel at each end of its travel so that the coating is applied to the surface of the heel only while the surface is in motion. The coating of the heel, in accordance with this imposed condition, is provided by a spray gun 10 which is-attached to a vertical post 18; To permit adjustment, the spray gun is tiltably mounted upon a bolt 79 which is passed through a boss i1 formed on the spray gun, the bolt being threaded into: a split collar '54 clamped to the post by a bolt 75. The post 18 is fixed to one end of an arm 80. The opposite end of the,

arm 80 is fixed tothe upper end of the shaft 22 by which the arm, and consequently the post, is oscillated. The oscillation of the shaft 22' is accomplished by an arm 84, having a slot 36 therein, which is fastened to the lower end of the shaft 22. The arm 84 is connected by a pin 92 to an arm 88, also'having a slot 30 therein, the pin 92 being fastened to the arm 88 in the slot by a knurled nut 9 1. The arm 88 is formed integral with the rack 34 (Fig. 3) and moves therewith in a horizontal plane. During the reciprocation of the rack 34., the arm 88 will be moved horizontally and the pin 92 will cause the arm 84 to oscillate the shaft 22, and consequently the post 18 to which the spray guns are attached, through a given angle. This angle through which the spray guns turn may be'increased or decreased by adjusting the position of the pin 92 in the slot 9!? of the arm 88 and should be of such magnitude that the spray gun at the extremity of its movement will not project the coating material on the surface of the heel. Additional adjustment is also provided by movement of the post 18 in the slot 8 2 of the arm 80.

In orderito coat the entire convex surface of the heel with a fixed spray gun, the heel must be turned relative to the spray gun through an tour. The radius of curvature heightwise varies.

from a minimum at the attaching face to a maximum at the top lift and, aroundthe' periphery, the curvature varies from the back to the breast edges B at opposite sides of the heel. When a coating is to be applied to a uniform surface such as a cylinder witha maximum of emciency, the direction of projection of the spray'of coating material is kept normal to the surface. If

spray gun I0. ,VVhen two spray guns are emfrom the surface, and this tendency becomes more pronounced as the angle decreases. Accordingly, when coating a heel it is desirable to keep this angle as near 90 as is feasible without complicating the mechanism for turning the heel and spray gun. It was found by experience that a satisfactory angular relation between the axis of the spray gun and the surface of the heel could be approximated by oscillating the spray gun with respect to the heel during the oscillation of the heel in the manner prescribed if certain angular relations were preserved between the axis of the spray gun and. the plane of the attaching surface and a plane passing through the axis of the heel and bisecting the breast thereof. In order to minimize ricochet, it has been found that the direction of application, that is, the axis of the spray gun (represented at :r 'Fig. 1) should be substantially parallel to the plane of the attaching face of the heel. .Practically, this condition can not be attained for each size and style of heel without unduly complicating the machine. However, if the angle a. (Fig. 1) between the axis a: of the spray gun and a plane p passing through the locus of the points of intersection of the line of projection and the convex surface of the heel is not greater than 10, that is, if the angle between the axis of the spray gun and the aforesaid plane p is between and substantially the desired conditions will be obtained from any shoe that it may be necessary to coat. The aforesaid angular relation between theaxis of the spray gun and the plane p may be obtained by releasing the split collar 14 and moving the spray gun up or down on the post and by tilting the spray gun about the bolt I9. It has also been found that if the angle 11 (Fig. 4) between the axis a: of the spray gun and the plane y passing through the axis running heightwise of the heel and bisecting the breast is 75or greater at the point C, the angle at which the spray strikes the surface of the heel at any given time during the relative movement between the heel and spray gun will not be such as, to produce an undue amount of loss by ricocheting. To obtain this relation it, is merely necessary, when adjusting the spray gun for oscillation through an are sufficient to carry its cone of projection beyond the breast edge of the heel at each end of its oscillation, to see that the angle between the axis a: of the spray gun and the plane 11 passing through the axis of the heel and bisecting the breast is at least 75. Adjustments provided by the movement of the pin 92 in the slot 90 and the movement of the post 18 are sufficient. It is to be observed that the oscillation of the spray gun and the heel in such a manner that the direction of movement of the line of projected spray and the surface of the heel at any given time is opposite counteracts the tendency for the particles of sprayed material to ricochet. I

While the coating may be accomplished by employing a single spray gun by turning the head thereof to produce a vertical fan of projected material which will coat the entire surface of theheel, it is found to be advantageous to use two spray guns because of the great difference in the area of the surface to be coated at the base and top of the heel, respectively. Accordingly, a second spray gun I2 is mounted above the of-the heel and is; adjusted togive an elliptical or fan-like projection, the long axis of the ellipse being disposed horizontally, while the spray gun I2, which is directed at the top of the heel, is adjusted to'give an elliptical projection the long axis of which is disposed vertically. The second spray gun 12, which, as stated, applies the coating material to the upper end of the heel, is provided with a split collar I4 and is mounted onthe post. 18 above the spray gun I0, as illustrated in Fig. l. The split collar I4, like the collar 14,- is clamped to the post by a bolt I5 and has threaded into one sidethereof a bolt I9 which is passed through a boss 11' formed on the spray gun It is to be observed that the between the axis of the spray gun I2 and a plane p passing through the locus of the points of intersection of the line of projection of the spray gun I2 and the convex surface of the heel adjacent to the toplift may vary between 0 and 10". Thus the conditions maintained at the lower part of the heel are substantially duplicated at the top portion of the heel since the spray gun I2 turns with the spray gun I0, thereby having the same angular movement relative to the heel as the spray gun 10.

The spray guns I0 and I2 are furnishedwith compressedair, for'atomizing the coating material, through a pair of conduits 96 (Figs. 1 and 2) connected to a common conduit 91 and with a source of coating material through conduits 98 which are connected to a common conduit with air from conduits I06, the latter being connected to a common duct I05.

It has been found that in order to coverthe .heel properly at least three coats of material should usually be applied, although the number of coats may be varied without affecting the scope of applicant's invention. .In the present instance three coats are applied and means is provided for turning the heel three times through of rotation. This is taken care of by the ratio of the gears 48 and 50 and it is evident that, :by changing the size of the gears, the number of rotations may be varied. The valves admitting the coating material to the nozzles'o-f the spray guns are automatically opened and'cl-osed at the beginning and at the end of the rotation of the heel. The admission of compressed air to the conduit '9'! is also automatically controlled. To thisend, a cam I08 (Fig. 6) is fastened to the gear 50. A cam follower H0 rides on the surface of the cam I08, the cam follower being fastened to a plunger H2 arranged to slide vertically in a sleeve I I4 fastened to the :base I4. Theplunger H2 is urged downwardly by a spring H6 to hold the follower IIO against the cam surface. plate [I8 is fastened to the upper end of the plunger and abuts a pair of valve pins I20 which extend from a pair of valves I22 placed in the supply ducts 91 and I05. The surface of the cam I08 is so formed that the valve pins I20 will be held open to admit compressed air to the nozzle of the guns and compressed air to the pistons I04 which open' the coating material valves during the oscillation of the heel through three times 180 and will then permit the valve pins to close. In the operation. of the machine, a sh'o'e'S is slipped intothe frusto-conical member 28 of the shield N3, the member 30 being placed over the forepart of the shoe. The spray guns l and 12 are then tilted until the angles between the axes of the guns and the planes passing'through the locus of the points of intersection of the lines of projection of the respective spray guns and the convex surface of the heel are between 0 and The angular movement of the spray guns is then determined by adjustments of the post in the slot 80 and the pin 92 in the slot 84 to obtain a maximum angle of at least 75 between the axes of the spray guns anda plane passing through the axis of the heel and :bisecting the breast atone extremity of the movement. The clutch 50 is then closed and the shoe isoscillated in front of the spray guns from breast edge to breast edge, that is, through 180 of rotation, three times, thereby applying three coats of material to the surface of the heel. The'spray guns turn simultaneouslywith the oscillation of the heel and the valves supplying compressed air to the spray guns are held open during-this time. After the heel has been oscillated three times,

the machine automatically stop and the shoe.

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

1. A method for applying a coating to a heel including as steps creating a projection of sprayed coating material, presenting the convex surface of a heel to the projected spray, oscillating the heel about an axis running heightwise thereof to expose the entire convex surface thereof to the spray, and moving the line of projection of the spray from side to side of said axis and always in a direction opposite to the movement of the convex surface of the heel.

2. A method for applying a coating to a hee includin as steps creating a projection of sprayed coating material, presenting the convex surface of a heel to the projected spray, oscillating the heel about an axis running heightwise thereof to expose the entire convex surface thereof to the spray, and oscillating the line of projection of the spray from side to side of the axis of the heel, the oscillation of the heel and the line of projection of the spray being simultaneous and so related. that the directions of movement of the line of projection and of the surface of the heel at any point are opposite.

3. A method for applying a coating to a heel includin as steps creating a projection of sprayed coating material, progressively changing the direction of projection laterally through a given'angle, holding a heel within the limits of the angular change in the direction of the projected spray, and oscillating the heel laterally in directions opposing the lateral change of direction of the projected spray. 4

4. A method for applying a coating to a heel including as steps creating a projection of sprayed coating material, holding a heel within the range of the projected spray, oscillating the heel and oscillating the spray gun progressively to change the direction of projection through a given angle sufficiently great to cause the line of projection of the spray to move beyond the heel surface at each side thereof, the oscillations of the spray gun and heel being such that the tip of the spray gun andthesurface of the heel always move in opposite directions. .5. A method for applying a coating to a heel including as :st'eps creating :a' projection of sprayed coating materiaL'holding a heelwithin the range of the projectedspray, oscillating the heel and oscillating the spray gun progressively port oscillatable about an axis running height wise thereof, a spray gun mounted for oscillation about an axis adjacent to the heel support and parallel to the axis thereof, means for effecting oscillation of the heel support in clockwise and counterclockwise directions about its axis, and means for simultaneously effecting movement of the spray gun in similar clockwise and counter.,

clockwise directions of rotation about its axis.

'7. A machine for applying a coating to the convex surface of a heel, comprising a spray gun for projecting a spray of coating material, means for supporting said spray gun for oscillation, a support for a heel adjacentto the spray gun, said heel support being oscillatable, means for vefiecting oscillation of the heel support, and means connecting the last-named means to the spray gun support for effecting oscillation thereof to cause the tip of the spray gun to move from side to side of the heel'support and always in a direction opposite to the direction of move,- ment of the surface'of the heel, the amplitude of the oscillations being such that the tip of the spray gun moves beyond the surface of the heel during each oscillating movement.

8. A machine for applying a coating to the convex surface of a heel, comprising a heel sup- .port for holding a heel in a position to be turned from breast edge to breast edge about an axis running heightwise thereof, a spray gun, a support for said spray gun adjacent to the heel support, said support being movable about a center between the axis of the heel'support and the spray gun, means for turning the heel about its axis, and means for simultaneously turning the spray gun support to move the spray gun bodily in an arc of such magnitude that the'tip of the spray gun moves beyond the breast edge of the heel at each end of its movement 9. In a machine for spraying a heel, a support for th heel, means for oscillating said support, a spray gun, a support for said spray gun, said spray gun support being oscillatable about .a center locatedbetween the center of rotation of the heel support and the spray gun, means on said spray gun support for adjusting the spray a gun about a horizontal axis so that the angle between the axis of the spray gun and a plane passing through the locus of the points of intersection of the line of projection and the convex surface of the heel is not greater than 10, and means for oscillating the spray gun support to move the spraygun bodily in an are relative to the heel support during the oscillation of the heel support. I

10. In a machine for spraying a heel, a support for the heel, means for oscillating said heel support to turn the heel about an axis running heightwise thereof, a spray gun, a support for said spray gun mounted for rotation about a center between the axis of rotation of the heel support and the spraygun, and means for oscillating the spray gun support relativeto theheel support to move the spray gun in an arc about the heel'during the oscillation of the heel supi port, the bodily movement of the spray gun being the axis of the heel and bisecting the breast of the heel is at least as great as 75.

11. In a machine for spraying a heel, a support for the heel, means for oscillating said support to turn the heel about an axis running heightwise thereof, a spray gun, a support for 'said spray. gun mounted for rotation about a center located between the axis of rotation of the heel support and the spray gun, means on said spray gun support for adjusting the spray gun about a horizontal axis so that the angle between the axis of the spray gun and a plane passing through the locus of the points of intersection of the line of projection and the convex surface of the heel is not greater than and means for oscillating the spray gun support relative to the heel support during the oscillation of the heel to move the spray gun bodily in an are about the heel, thelength of the arcuate movement of the spray gun being such that the angle between the line of projection of the spray gun and a plane passing through the axis of the heel and bisecti ng the breast of the heel is at least 75 at either extremity of the oscillation of the heel.

12. In a machine for spraying a heel, a support for the heel, means for oscillating the heel support to turn the heel about an axis running heightwise thereof, a spray gun, a support for the spray gun, means for oscillating the spray gun support relative to the heel support, andmeans for increasing or decreasing the degree of oscillation of said spray gun support relative to the heel support. I

13. In a machine for spraying a heel, a movable support for the heel, a spray gun, means for oscillating said heel support to turn about the heel from breast edge to breast edge in front of the spray gun, a movable support for said spray gun, means for oscillating the spray gun support relative to the heel support as it oscillates, means for adjusting said spray gun on the support to and from the heel support, and means for tilting said spray gun on said spray gun upport.

14. In a machine for spraying a heel, an oscillatable support for the heel, a. spray gun, means for-oscillating said heel support to turn the heel from breast edge to breast edge in front of the spray gun, and an oscillatable support for said spray gun, said means for oscillating said heel support oscillating said spray gun support.

15. In a machine for spraying a heel, an oscillatable' support for the heel, a spray gun, means for oscillating said heel support to turn a heel from breast edge to breast edge before said spray gun, an oscillatable support for said spray gun, and adjustable means connecting said spray gun support to said heel support for oscillation.

16. In a machine for spraying a heel, an oscillatable support for the heel, a pair of spray guns, oscillatable means for supporting said spray guns adjacent to the heel support, ,one of said guns being opposite the large end of the heel and the other opposite the small end of the heel, and means for simultaneously oscillating the heel support and spray guns relative to each other and'in the same direction of rotation.

17. In a machine for spraying a heel, a shaft, means for supporting the heel for rotation with said shaft, a spindle parallel to the shaft, means for supporting the spray gun on said spindle, a second shaft between the first shaft and spindle, means for supporting the spindle on the second shaft for movement in an are about the first shaft, and means for adjusting the spindle radially of the shaft.

18. In a machine for spraying a heel, a pair of parallel shafts, means for supporting the heel for oscillation with one of the shafts, means'for supporting a spray gun for oscillation with the other of said shafts, means for oscillating said shafts, and means for varying the degree of oscillation of one of said shafts with respect to the other.

19. In a machine for spraying a heel, a pair of parallel shafts, means for supporting the heel for oscillation with one of said shafts, means for supporting a, spray gun for oscillation with the other of said shafts, reciprocable means, means on said one shaft cooperable with the reciprocable means to produce oscillation of said shaft, an arm on said other shaft, and means connecting said arm to the reciprocable means for oscillation thereby, said last-named means being adjustable to vary the degree of oscillation of said other shaft.

VALENTINE F. HARRINGTON.

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