US2638776A

US2638776A - Mechanical footwear testing machine

Info

Publication number: US2638776A
Application number: US765619A
Authority: US
Inventors: Andrew A Aines
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1947-08-01
Filing date: 1947-08-01
Publication date: 1953-05-19
Anticipated expiration: 1970-05-19

Description

A. A. AlNEs 2,638,776 MECHANICAL FOOTWEAR TESTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 19, 1953 Filed Aug. l, 1947 J du: 2 2 g la r ,//Id

im@ *qu May 19, 1953 A. A. AINEs MECHANICAL FOOTWEAR TESTING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 1, 1947 ull 3 O32 3 33 2 Ma INVEN TOR.

wdm, Arron/wey Patented May 19, 1953 UNITED MECHANICAL FOOTWEAR TESTING MACHI Andrew A. Aines, United States Army, Petersburg, Va.

Application August 1, 1947, Serial No. 765,619

6 Claims. (Cl. i3-7) (Granted under Title 35, U. S. Code (1952),

sec. 266) ratus and especially to a machine for testing the lWearability and durability of shoes.

A primary object of the invention consists in the provision of a testing machine provided with feet on which shoes may be placed and the machine operated so as to simulate actual conditions `of use, as when Walking.

A further object of the invention 'resides lin the incorporation in the machine of heating means and perspiration simulating means so that actual service conditions may be reproduced and varied as desired.

A still further object of the invention consists in providing a machine Which is capable of sub- 4jecting shoes to actual Wearing` conditions at a A high rate of speed so as to indicate, in a matter of hours, the amount of wear which Would be produced in shoes over a period of Weeks or months of actual use.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of means for heating or cooling 'the track with which the shoes cooperate.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description ,taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which, f i

Figure l is a front elevational View of the apparatus with the rear hub and related parts removed.

Figure Z is a plan View of the apparatus with one of the shafts broken away.

Figure 3 is an enlarged sectional view through one of the artificial legs and related parts.

Figure 4 is a front elevational View of one of the artificial legs, and

4Figures 5, 6 and 7 are detail views of one of the shock-absorbing elements.

In the testing of shoes it is essential that the shoes being tested be subjected to the same wear and tear to which shoes are subjected in actual use, and to this end it is necessary that the shoes being tested be applied to a surface with pressure corresponding to that which would be applied by the wearer and that the shoes be moved relatively to the surface in a manner `corresponding to the movement of the feet of a person when Walking or running. But it is immaterial Whether the surface be moved relatively to the shoe supporting wheel or vice versa. In the present illustration,

the mechanism is intended for outdoor operation `mounted on and radiate from the hubs. `are preferably formed of live resilient rubber surand the surface is xed While the testing apparatus is considered to be moved bodily about the surface which is in the form of an annular track of approximately 50 feet in diameter. l

The numeral indicates a base preferably formed of concrete and to which is applied the annular track or surface 2. This tread-surface or trackway may be suitably roughened in simulation of conventional pavements or the like and to this end may be coated with abrasive garnet or carborundum imbedded in the concrete surface to provide an optimum index of resistance to the shoes as they are applied to and removed from the tread-surface. Also, one or more pipes 2 may be embedded in the concrete, slightly below the surface thereof, through Which heating or cooling mediums may pass so as to approximate varying Weather conditions. Disposed centrally of the trackway 2 is a pedestal or the like 3 on the upper end of which is rotatably mounted a disc i. This disc may be rotated at the desired speed by any preferred means, but in the present instance an electric motor t operating through a gear reduction box 6 and sprocket chain l provides the necessary motive power. Extending radially from the disc are a plurality of equally spaced horizontal rods t, of which four are employed in the present embodiment of the invention. Each of these rods 8 is provided intermediate its end with a shock-absorbing element Vwhich is shown in detail in Figures 5, G and 7 and comprises a casing 9 Xed to the outer end of the rod and forming a housing for a pair of compression springs l0. The outer side of the housing is provided with a vertically extending slot Il through which extends a rod I2. This rod is provided on its inner end with a piston i3 having pins It on its upper and lower ends which are received within the coils of the compression springs lo. Rotatably mounted on the outer ends of the rods i2 are the hubs l5 on which the artificial leg-foot members are mounted. It will thus be apparent that the shock-absorbing element, through the medium of the springs lil and slot Il serves to avoid damage to the apparatus in the event that any obstruction should be encountered by the shoes being tested.

ln the present illustration, eight of the artificial leg-foot members are attached to each of the hubs l5 and consequently these hubs are of octagonal form so that the artificial legs may be suitably The legs rounding a centrally arranged metal tubular area.'

aeeavve member. As clearly indicated in Figure 3 a metal tubular section 2d is threaded or otherwise xedly secured to each of the eight nattened surfaces of the hub i5 and surrounding and xed to each tubular section 2@ is a section 2l of live resilient rubber which is .representative of the upper portion of each leg. Fixed to the lower end of the tube 2t is a rectangular plate 22. The lower portieri of the leg is also formed of a central tubular section 23 of metal surrounded by aliveresilient rubber section 2li and to the upper endof` the tube 23 is fixed a rectangular metal plate 25. The

plates

22 and 25 are loosely connected against separation by means of bolts 2t which are threaded into the plate 25. By suitably adjusting these bolts the alignment of the elements 2l and 2limay be varied so as to alter the angle of gait. Interposed between these plates is a compression spring 2l which acts to provide the necessary pressure of the shoe on the track '2, and normally maintains `the leg sections 2i and 2d in their adjustedy relationship.

'I'hearticial foot is lindicated by numeral 28 and is also preferably formed of live resilient rubber. This foot member is xed to a vertical plate 29 pivotally connected at its upper end within the lowerend of the tubular section 23 as indicated by numeral 3d, and the tubeis slotted as indicated luy-.numeral 33 to permit the plate to move about its pivot. Slightly below the pivot point 30 the plate 29;;is provided withy a horizontal slot 3l through `.which extends a pin 33 fixed adjacent the lower .end .of the tubular member v2t to provideqthe lnecessary ,articulation between the foot an'd;;leg,. in other words, simulating the function of the human ankle. The space between the top of` thefoot member 23 and the bottom of the leg member 2d maybe nlled by a sponge rubber section 33 which serves to mask the joint between the foot and leg. The shoes to be tested are indicated by the-letter A and it will be understood that. the feet 23 are alternately shaped for right and left shoes.

-To provide an adequate test of the shoes it is essential that actual conditions be reproduced as accurately as possible and to this end means are provided vfor heating the feet which are to be incased by the shoes, and preferably socks, and also means for simulating natural perspiration. For thispurpose any type of electric heater 49 may be suitably mounted 'within the interior of the foot 28-so as to extend over and parallel the plantar To provide the simulated perspiration each foot has imbedded-in its outer surface a plurality-of wicks-1li extending laterally from Va-main wick portion 42. Terminating Vat or adjacent to wick-portion@ isa lexible tube'll which has its upper end in communication with the-interior of astank. 44 .fixed to the outer surface of each of thehubslEi.. These tanks, oi course, are suppliedwvith liquid preferably having a chemical formula approximating .that of natural perspiration andthis liquid will. be fed through the tubes llitothewicks il by centrifugal force during the rotation of the hubs i5 as the latter are rotated intheir travel along the track 2.

In the operation of the device, the shoes to be tested, right and left, are applied to the feet 28, preferably after socks have been applied thereto. The. tanks 44 are provided with the proper liquid, thebolts 26 adjusted to provide the desired angularrelationship between the leg members 2l and 24, and the current turned on the heaters 49. The motor 5 is then set in operation to cause the disc!!v to rotate and `thereby' bodily move the hubs I5 about the trackway 2. In this movement 0l.' the hubs I5 about the track `the various shoes A mounted on the legs of each hub are caused to be successively brought into contact with the track; the heels of the shoe rst engaging the track as in normal walking andthenthe sole, after which the shoe leaves the track as the heel of the suoceeding shoe is brought into contact with the track. The desired pressure of the shoe against v.the track, corresponding to the weight of a person, is imparted by the springs 2l. During these operations the interior of the shoe is heated, as in natural walking or running, by means of the heater 4S and the moisture or perspiration is supplied from the tank 44 by means of the tubes i3 discharging the liquid on to the wicks 4I and 122.

From Vthe foregoing description and the attached drawings it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have devised an apparatusicrtesting shoes which is of rather simple construction; that it is capable of subjecting shoes to wear and tear in a manner closelyresembling the conditions to which shoes are subjected in ordinary use; and that the apparatus may roperate at high speed so as to apply to the shoes, in a matter of hours, stresses and strains corresponding inamount yto those normally met with over a period of several months or more.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have describedwhat I now consider to be the preferred embodiment of the invention but various changes mayobviously be made in the details of construction without in any way ydeparting from the spirit of the invention, and itis intendedthat all such changes be ,includedwithin `the'zscope of the in.- tended claims.

I claim:

1. Footwear testing apparatus. comprising an artificial foot adapted to receive a shoe, a circular track, pipes disposed beneath lthe track for -conveying .a `heating or cooling medium therebeneath, and'nieans to operate the foot to bring the shoe into contact with the track ina simulated walking movement.1

ZnFootwear testingl apparatus comprising a circular track, a vrotatably mounted horizontally disposed disc spaced above the track, a hub rotatably connected to the disc radially thereof, a plurality of articial feet radiating from the vhub and adaptedl to extend to or adjacent the track, a shock-absorbing element mounted between the hub'anddisc permitting up and down movement of the hub, and means for rotating the disc.

3. In a footwear testing apparatus, an articial foot, a plurality of wick-like members extending about the footya source of artificial perspiration, and means for conveying the artificial perspiration-*to `said wicks.

4. In a footwear testing apparatus, an articial leg and foot, said leg composed of upper and lower spaced-apart sections, bolt-receiving means secured to the adjacent ends of said sections, a

compressionspring interposed between the adjacent ends.v of vsaid sections, and bolts positioned in the bolt-receiving means for adjusting the angular relation. between said sections.

5. In a footwear testing apparatus, an artificial leg and foot, said leg composed of upper and lower spaced-apart sections, plates. secured `to the adjacent .ends ofsaid sections, a compression spring interposed between the plates, and means interconnecting said plates foradjusting the angular relation of saidplates.

ANDREW A. AINES.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Stubbs Dec. 23, 1919 Erb Dec. 13, 1921 Coffin Aug. 9, 1927 Harrington Sept. l2, 1944 Carter Mar. 4, 1947 OTHER REFERENCES An article entitled, Mechanical walker test shoe soles, found on page 29 of Popular Science Monthly, Jan. 1936.