US2652865A

US2652865A - Machine for turning wood heel blanks

Info

Publication number: US2652865A
Application number: US74438A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wilfred J Grenier
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1949-02-03
Filing date: 1949-02-03
Publication date: 1953-09-22
Anticipated expiration: 1970-09-22

Description

Sept. 22, 1953 w. J. GRENIER 2,652,865-

- MACHINE FOR TURNING WOOD HEEL BLANKS Fi 1ed Feb. 3, l949 5 Sfieets-Sheet l Myred J Grant er 2 m M Amy fz var-afar:-

Sept. 22, 1953 W. J. GRENlER MACHINE FOR TURNING WOOD HEEL BLANKS Filed Feb. 5, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Iii/rag J: firenzer Sept. 22, 1953' w. J. GRENIER 2,652,865

MACHINE FOR TURNING WOOD HEEL BLANKS Filed Feb. 3, 1949 I I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 -Mfaoj Grenzer Patented Sept. 22, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT orFrcE ,0! :HEEL

Wilfred J.- Grenier, North. 'Rutland, Mass.

Ap l cati n F bruar 94=Q,. eria 0.- 741 .3

4=Claims.

'fI'he present invention relates to improvements in woodworking machines and moreparticularly, to improvements in wood-heel turning machines. The primary object of the present invention 'is to provide a :machine for automatically turning the two oppositely disposed side portions of a wood 'heel blank in a manner which will enable this work to Joeperformed'by unskilled labor, with no more effort than "is required merely to place the blank in the machine, which will securely clamp the blank and'h-oldit in place during the turning operations, and will automatically discharge it at the end of the cycle of operations. A jfurtherobject of the present invention is to provide a machine of-the above notedtype which ,is so designed that it may be quickly and easily adapted for the automatic turning of difierent size wood heels by relatively unskilled personnel. -With the above and other objects inv-iew, as will' hereina-f-ter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations, and arrangements of parts hereinafter set :forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, from which the several features of "the invention and the advantages attained ==thereby will be readily understood by those skilled intheart.

Inthe accompanying drawings,

.1 represents --a {rent elevation -=view -01 ;a machine in which the present invention is=i-nc orporated.

Fig. 2 representsasectionalview orthepresent machine ta'ken substantially along --the line -2- 2 of Fig. 3 represents, :on an enlarged scale, one of the several clamping heads which is employed on the p'resen-t machine.

Fig.4 represents a :bottomplan -view of the .clampingeheaddisclosedin Fig.3. ;Fig..=.5 represents :a-.-sectional viewof-thepresent machine taken substantially along the line:5-*5 or Eig. v1.

Eig. 6 trepresents a -;se,c tional .-view taken substantially along {the line ,:fi-6 of :Eig. :1.

.Fi =72renresents, .on an enlar d scale, a sectional sview through 1 an air valve, :yvhich view is taken substantially ,along' the iiline 'lof 1.

fig. 8 neptesents, .01 :anenlarged .scale, a see.- tiena .=v.iew throu h an air waive, zwhich view :is t en ubstantiallyalong .theliner 1-43. of '51, Files. 29., :10 and 11 represent, respectivel top, aside-land..end views of :a wooden l'leeleblank ofst-he :typewhic'h is adapted -to =be fed to the presentumachine.

Figs. :12, -13 and '14 represent, respectively,- the '2 t p. sid nd and vie s of a hee a th semi e e ted I! n; .l'a pre e t a hin 5 repr ent o n lar ed sca e a Pe spective iew of a c v yo mec ani m whic ma .be used in mniun iiqn w h res n m chine, for the purpose of successively placing a plu a i y o 990 71 1 blan s w th n t e a ell bl nk e'ri pinemecha sm ca ed .upq the machine.

Fie 16 rep esent a ee iqna Vie ta en bnt al a ong he l ne i o "F ga d lus a es e eo ve or e q ae sm a ne mvi ed w t an air cylind p feedin th fifl b a k b ee he laws the cl m heads" one of whichi disclosed 'ln its blank-receiving position. I

'Fig. 17 represents a sectional view of a modified form of the present machine, which sectional viewis taken substantially along the line 6 f :Fig. '1.

As hereinabove noted, Figs. :9, ll) and 1-1 illustrate the heel lolank of the'type which isadapted to "be fed to the present machine. --It is tobe noted that this particular blank is of a peculiar shape which -has been imparted to the'b lank 'by means of a so-called cupping machine. Actually, such a cupping 1nachine is adapted to receiyea substantially rectangular shaped blank for the purpose of forming the so-called cup surfaceon the=top portion of the-blank. Figs. 1 0 and-l1 particularly illustrate this cup surface which is slightly concave and is designated by the nume-ral I8. 'Ihe present machine is adapted to receive-these cupped blanks and to form at either side portion of the blank, a concave surface which j-iS designated by the numeral 19. Upon completing the surfaces 1 9, +9, the heel is then in a completed state and maybe secu'redtothe sole portion of thatgtype of shoe which is known in the trade-bythe term-wedgies.

- The present machine comprises a-pair oflaterallyspaced frame elements 20 and -21 which are rovided at their upper portions -w-ith bearing block-s =22, for -tl1e- -pnrpose of receiving a sub stantiall-y horizontally disposed -main shaft 23. -Su-rrounding but a not I secured to the .main shaft -'-23 is--a vertically disposed cam plate -24 which ie supported-upon spaced uprights-25, I 25. Referring particularly to ==Fig s. --1 and '5, -'-there is -secured"to"-the-shat*2-3 a pair of spaced rotatable i-rame elementsifi and Seen-red upon the upright frame element 20, and between the two'leg portions thereof, is a gnotorsupport platform zfl upon'which is secured an electric motor-Z9. This motor is providedior 3 the purpose of rotating the shaft 23 in a clock wise direction, as viewed in Fig. 5. In order to so rotate the shaft 23, the motor 29 may be provided with a speed reduction means 30 which is ultimately connected with a small drive pulley 3|. This drive pulley 3i is connected to a driven pulley 32 by means of a belt 33. The drive pulley 32 is rigidly secured to the shaft 23 and thus rotation of the motor 23 will drive the shaft at any desirable speed. 7

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 and 5,

the

rotary frames

25 and 21 are each provided with a plurality of radiating

arms

34, 34 which provide mounting means for a plurality of clamping heads which will be hereinafter more fully described. Rotatably mounted between a pair of the aligned

arm portions

34, 34 of the spaced

shafts

35, 35. Although the present invention contemplates the use of any reasonable number of .such shafts, in the form of the invention herein illustrated, six shafts are employed. Referring particularly to Figs. 1, 3 and 6, it is to be understood that the righthand portion of each of the shafts 35, as viewed in Fig. 1, is rockably mounted within a respective one of the arms of the frame 21, while the other end portion of each of the shafts is similarly mounted within a respective one of the arms provided on the frame 25. Also, it is to be observed that the left-hand end portion of each of the shafts 35 is bent at right angles to the shaft proper, so as to provide a crank element 36. Mounted on the end portion of each of the cranks 36 is a cam follower element 31 which is adapted to track the various cams which are provided upon the inner face of the cam plate 24. The structure and function of the cam plate 24 will be described in more detail hereinafter.

As may be best observed in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, there is secured intermediate the end portions of each of the

shafts

35, 35, a clamping head ele ment which is generally designated by the numeral 38. More specifically, each of these clamping heads includes a frame element 39 which is secured directly and rigidly upon and intermediate the ends of its associated shaft 35. One edge portion of the frame 33 is provided with a blankreceiving slot 40. The right-hand end portion of this slot may have its face serrated, as at 4i, to provide a stationary abutment member against which a wooden blank 42 may be secured by means of a movable jaw element 43. This jaw 43 is carried upon the distal end portion of a piston shaft 44, the other end portion of which extends into a hollow cylinder 45. A circular piston 46 carried upon the end portion of the shaft 44 is adapted to be actuated within the cylinder by air which enters the cylinder by means of a flexible hose 41. Anair vent hole 48 is provided at the right-hand end portion of the cylinder to permit the free movement of the piston 46 which is normally biased toward the left-hand end portion of the cylinder by means of a coil spring 49. Thus, it is to be understood that the piston is normally disposed at the left-hand end portion of the cylinder, whenever the air within the cylinder is at atmospheric pressure only. When the piston is in such a position, the movable jaw 43 is in its open or non-clamping position. Whenever air under pressure is introduced into the cylinder, the piston and piston shaft 44 will move.

in a right-hand direction, and thereby look a heel blank 42 against the stationary jaw .4 I.

Mounted upon the right-hand end portion of of the armature shaft 53 of the motor 52. armature shaft 63 is also provided with a second the clamping head 38 is a pattern member 53, the shape of which governs the actions of the present machine to the end that each of the blanks 42 is turned so that the blank, at the end of the machine cycle, will have a shape similar to that of the pattern 50. The function of the pattern 50 will be more fully described hereinafter.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5, there is provided upon the frame member 2| and between the leg elements thereof, a supporting flange 5! upon which is secured an electric .motor 52. This motor is adapted to drive a pair of cutting elements 53 and 54 which are mounted, respectively, upon a pair of parallel

rotary shafts

55 and 55. More specifically, each of the

shafts

55 and 56 is rotatably mounted within a respective one of a pair of stationary sleeves 5? and 58 which are, in turn, secured within a pair of

cylindrical housings

59, 59. Referring particularly to Fig. 2, it will be observed that each of the

cylindrical housings

59, 58 is mounted upon the frame element 2 l, and that the

shafts

55 and 56 extend through their respective sleeve and housing mem bers so as to have mounted upon their distal ends,

pulley elements

60, 65. As may be best seen in Figs. 1 and 2, the upper pulley 60 is connected, by means of a belt 5i, with a driving pulley .52 which is carried upon the end portion This pulley 54 which is connected to the lower pulley 55 by means of a crossed belt 65. From this, it will be appreciated that whenever the motor 52 is energized, each of the cutters 53 and 54 will be rotated in synchronism and in opposite directions from each other.

As may be best seen from Figs. 1 and 4, each of the cutter

shafts supporting sleeves

57 and 58 has mounted thereon a freely rotatable wheel element 56. More specifically, each of these wheel elements may be rotatably carried upon the sleeve, and a pair of snap rings E7, 61 function to retain the wheel in its proper axial alignment, due to the fact that each of the rings is received in the usual fashion within agroove provided within the sleeve 58. As will be hereinafter more fully described, each of the clamping heads 38, 38 is adapted to be rotated about the axis of the main shaft 23 in a manner such that its pattern element 50 will be first drawn over the upper guide wheel 66, to the end that the cutter 54 will turn one edge portion of a respective one of the wood-heel blanks in a manner as controlled by the shape of the pattern element 50. Thereafter, as the clamping head continues in its circular path, the pattern 50-is adapted to engage the lower control wheel 55, to the end that the cutter 53 will turn the opposite side of the wood-heel blank in a manner as controlled by the shape of the pattern element 55, thereby to complete the wooden heel.

As hereinabove noted, each of the clamp

head supporting shafts

35, 35 is provided with a cam follower element 3'! which is adapted to track the cams which are provided upon the inner face of the cam plate 24. As is best illustrated'in. Figs. 1 and 6, the cam plate 24 is provided with a primary stationary camstrip 68 which is rigidly secured to the frame. Also secured to the frame face are secondary stationary cam strips 59, 69' and 10. During the operation of the present machineythe unturned wood-heel blanks are in- .asindicated by that head'shown in the upper assess-t left-hand portion oftlie F'ig. 5. h's soon :as the blank is inserted-between the jaws, air is introduced into the cylinder 4-5,to the "end that the heel blank is rigidly clamped in place. Appropriate mechanism, which will hereinafter be described, functions both to introduce the air with in the cylinder, for the purpose of clamping the blanks, as well as to cause the evacuation of the cylinder, for the purpose of permitting the finished heel to drop away from the machine and into a tote box or upon a continuously moving conveyor system.

Still referring to Figs. 1, 5 and "6, it is to be noted that each of the

cam followers

31, 31 rests against the upper left-hand outer edge portion of the scam track 68, as its clamping head commences its cycle of rotation. Continued movement of the main shaft 23 causes the clamping heads to be carried about the shaft, randli t is manifest that the positions cf the individual clamping heads are entirely determined and controlled by the positions of the cam followers 31. It will be noted that the upper right-hand edge portion of the cam tracktti curves downwardly, as at ll, thereby to cause each cam follower to engage the upper portion of a bell crank cam 12 which is pivotally mounted upon the cam plate 24 by means of a pin T3. Aspring 1 3, having one end secured to the plate 24, and its other end secured to one end. of the bell crank cam, functions to urge a cam follower 31 in a counter-clockwise direction, to the end that its associated pattern element 50 will forcibly engage the upper control wheel 66. From this, it will be appreciated that the movements of the clamp head about its pivotal axis is thereafter controlled for a definite interval by the shape of the pattern member 59. Furthermore, as the clamp head is pulled past the control wheel 66, the upper cutter 54 will function to turn one'side of the heel blank 42 so as to shape the heel blank ina desired manner as controlled by the shape of the pattern element 50. Upon the completion of each initial turning or cutting cycle, each cam follower 3 will be delivered between the two curved stationary cam strips 69 and 69' which will control the movements and position of the clamp head, as the same continues in its 'rotative movements about the axis of the shaft 23.

When each of the cam followers 31 reaches the lower portions of the stationary cam-

strips

69 and 68, it will be delivered between the upper edge portions of apair of pivoted cam strips l5 and 16. Morespecifically, the lower cam strip 15 is pivotally mounted 'uponthe cam plate 24 by means of'a pivot pin 77, while the upper cam strip 16 issimila'rly mounted upon apin 13. A flat spring element 19 carried upon the plate 24 by means of a pin 80' functions to bias the cam strip Iii in a clockwise direction about its pivot pin 78 and against the strip 15. Thus, it will be appreciated that as a cam follower 3'! is deliveredbetween the cam strips 15 and '16, it will be biased by means of the spring 19 in a clockwise direction, to the end'that the patternel'ement 56 will en age the lower control wheel 66. Thus, as the clamp head is rotatedabout the axis of the shaft 23, the heel blank 42 will-engage the lower rotary cutter 53, to theendthat the other side portion of the blank will be turned in a manner as controlled by the shapeof the pattern element 59, thuscompleting the secondary turning or cutting operation.

.Referring particularly to Figs. 1 and 6, it is to be understood that the lower cam strip 15 is pivotally connected at its intermediate end portions to the upper end portion of a piston rod 8 1 which is connected with a piston' disposed within a dashpot cylinder 82. This dashpot cylinder 82 is of conventional designand functions as a shock absorber to prevent the'wood-heel blank from being jolted into contact with the lower cutter 53 under the impetus-of the spring T9.

After the second turning or cutting operation, each cam follower 31 will leave the cam strips J5 and 16 and engage the stationary strips 68 and It. Continued rotation of the mechanism will permit each :cam follower 3! to swing clear, under the-force of gravity, from the primary cam strip 68, until the clamping head is positioned adjacent the curved upper left-hand portion of the strip '58, at 'which time the follower '31 will engage the o'uter periphery of the strip for the purpose of swinging the clamp head to a horizontal position, preparatory to receiving a fresh wood-heel blank. v

In order to control-'the opening and closing or the several

movable jaws

43, 43, the present in vention contemplates the provision of a special air valve which is best illustrated in Figs. 1, 6, 7, and 3. Referring particularly to Figs. '-'7 and 8', this valve comprises a stationary member '83 which surrounds the left-hand end portion of the shaft 2 3, and has its left-hand face portion secured directly to the cam plate 24. Cooperating with the member 83 is a member '84 which surroundsand is secured to the shaft 23 so as to rotate in synchronism therewith. However, as will be particularly observed in Fig. 1, the respectiveface portions '85 and. B6 of the members 8-3 and-8d are disposed in intimate contact witheach other, and are adapted to rotate relative to each other during the operation'o'f the machine. The stationary member 83 has an arcuate groove 81 formed in its face 85, and communicating with this groove is an inlet aperture 88 which may be connected by means of a hose 89 (see Fig. l) to a vacuum pump n'olt herein disclosed. It will be understood that fthe aper'ture '88 extends through the cam plate 24 so as to be suitably connected with the hose 89.

Also formed within the face 85 of themember 83 is a second arcuate groove so which is connected with the atmosphere by means of an aperture 91 which passes directly through the cam plate 24.

The membert l of the air valve .is suitably-coupled directly to the shaft 23, and its face 86 is provided with a plurality of apertures 92, =92 which are so located thereabout that they will communicate with the :arcuate grooves 3 and of the member -83 as the member 84 rotates with the shaft 23. As may be particularly ob-- served in Fig. 6, ea'ch-of the

apertures

92, 92 may be connected toarespective-one of the air cylinders 55, by means of aflexible hose M. 'From this, it will be appreciated that as the member 84 rotates in synchronism with the sha'ft '23, the

various apertures

92, 92 will alternately be connected with the pressure chamber or groove 8-! and the =exhaust chamber or groove st, to the end thatith-emovable jaws 43, d3 will be actuated in a proper sequence. More specifically, the'areu'ate grooves 8 1 and 86 are-so disposed within the'stationary valve member 83 that they will cause the c'losingof each of the

movable jaws

43, 43 whenever its associated cam follower 3:1 reachesthe horizontal portion of the cam strip 68. Fu'rthermoreJth'e jaw will remain closed until the clamping head reaches a position adjacentthe-lowestpoint in its rotative movement,

at'which juncture theturning or cutting cycles have been completed and thus, the clamp will then be permitted to open under the force of the coil spring 49. The completed wood heel will then drop away, under the force of gravity, from the clamp head and then fall into a tote box or upon a movable conveyor belt. From the above, it will be appreciated that the present machine is adapted for automatically turning or cutting the two oppositely disposed side portions of a wood-heel blank in a manner which will enable work to be performed by unskilled labor. In other words, with the exception of placing the individual blanks within the jaw portions of the clamping heads, the entire machine cycle is entirely automatic and no attention need be given to the machine by the operator with the exception of the feeding operation.

Furthermore, it is manifest that the present machine may be quickly and easily adapted for the automatic turning of different size wood heels by relatively unskilled personnel, for the simple reason that such a change over requires merely the removal of the

various pattern elements

50, 50 and the replacement of these elements with new elements having a different size and shape. Such an operation merely requires a manipulation of a pair of pattern-securing bolts or screws 93, 93.

The present invention also contemplates the provision of means whereby the above described machine may be automatically loaded with woodheel blanks. Referring particularly to Figs. 15 and 16, there is disclosed a pair of laterally spaced

rollers

94 and 95, each of which is mounted upon a respective one of a pair of shaft elements 96 and 91, the opposite end portions of which may be rotatably journaled within the

upstanding side members

98 and 99 of a sheet metal framework designated by the numeral I00. An endless belt IOI may be trained over the

rollers

94 and 95, and for rotating this belt in a counterclockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 15, the distal end portion of the roller shaft 91 may be provided with a belt pulley I02. An electric motor, not herein shown, may be provided for rotating the pulley I02 through the medium of a belt I03. As is particularly disclosed in Fig. 15, the framework I may be mounted upon suitably supporting legs I04, I04 so that the entire conveyor mechanism may be disposed in front of the machine in a manner such that the blanks may be conveniently fed to the various clamping heads 38, 38.

Still referring to Fig. 15, it is to be noted that the upper side portions of the framework I00 project upwardly above the upper surface of the endless belt IOI so as to function as guide elements. Furthermore, the left-hand end portion of the framework is provided with a curved apron or guide I05 which is spaced from and concentrically of the roller 94 so that it will provide between itself and the roller a passageway, the Width of which is just sufiicient to receive the heel blanks when they are fed to the guide side foremost. Spaced at the lower left-hand side portion of the roller 94 is a guide plate 106 which functions in conjunction with the lower portion of the apron I05 to house a single wood-heel blank and to support the same in a position 90 out of phase from that which it occupied while being fed along the belt IOI. As may be particularly observed in Fig. 16, each of the

side portions

98 and 99 of the framework are provided with aligned apertures I01, I01, which will permit 8 a wood-heel blank to be fed away from the'co'nveyor and between the open jaws of one of the clamping mechanisms.

Still referring to Figs. 15 and 16, there is provided with the present conveyor mechanism an air cylinder I08 which is secured to one side of the conveyor by means of a flange I09. This air cylinder is provided with a piston I I0 and has a piston rod III, the right-hand end portion of which is aligned with the apertures I01, I01 and carries a blank-supporting member H2. The left-hand portion of the cylinder I08 is provided with an air hose II3 which may be connected with the above noted air pump. Thus; if air, under pressure, is delivered to the lefthand end portion of the cylinder I08, the piston rod III, with its blank support II2, will move in a right-hand direction so as to feed a single wood-heel blank through the right-hand aper-I tures I01 and between a pair of jaws carried on one of the clamping heads. As hereinabove noted, the jaw elements of the clamping heads 38, 38 are in an open condition when they reach the highest point in their path of travel, after which the above described

valve mechanism

83, 84 functions to close the jaws. From this, it will be appreciated that the piston rod I I I should be synchronized with the motion of the shaft 23, so that a wood-heel blank 42 may be inserted within the open clamping jaws of each clamp ing mechanism just prior to the closing of the latter. In order to accomplish this objective, the present invention contemplates the provision of a three-way air valve mechanism II4 which may be mounted upon the upper portion of the cam plate 24 by means of a flange or angle plate I I5. This valve mechanism may be of the usual commercial type which is provided with an actuating lever II6 which is normally biased into its closed position by means of a leaf spring II1. This handle member H6 is so positioned that it will be engaged by each of the

cam followers

31, 31, as the clamping heads 38, 38 rotate in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 6. From this, it will be appreciated that such a valve II4 may be connected with the air hose II3 so as to fill the piston I08 with air, under pressure, whenever the valve II4 is tripped by a respective one of the

cam followers

31, 31. After a cam follower has released the handle II6, it will be effective to exhaust the air cylinder I08 so that the piston I I I may be returned in a left-hand direction under the action of a coil spring I I8 provided within the cylinder I08 and about the pieton rod III. In its normally inoperative position, the support member II2 of the piston rod III is disposed within the confines of the conveyor mechanism so as to receive thereupon a wood-heel blank, as the same is fed into the channel formed by the guide apron I05 and the wall member I06. Such a support member II2 will function to maintain the lowermost heel blank at a proper elevation during the feeding stroke of the piston rod III, so that the blank will be properly positioned within the jaws of one of the several clamping heads. Furthermore, it is to be noted that the support member H2 is provided with an upper horizontal portion II9 which functions to engage that heel blank which is disposed adjacent the heel blank which is being fed toward the clamping head, so as to prevent the upper blank from interfering with the feeding motions of the piston rod iII. As soon as the piston rod is retracted into its inoperative or left-hand position, the member IIO will release the block so that it may fall upon the support member II2, preparatory to the feeding of such ablock into the jaws of an empty clamping head. From the above, it will be readily appreciated that the present conveyor mechanism is most simple and eifecti-ve, for it Will relieve the operator of the rather tedious job of placing a single heel blank within each of the clamping

mechanisms

38, 38, as the same comes up into its heel-receiving position. Since the present machine is adapted to operate at a relative- Iy high speed, it will be appreciated that without the present conveyor mechanism, an operator would soon be subject to extreme fatigue. However, the present conveyor mechanism will permit an operator to remove heel blanks from a tote box and place them upon a conveyor belt I01, with an expenditure of very little effort.

, Ashereinabove noted, the contours of each of the heel blanks is governed by the particular shapeof the

individual pattern elements

50, 50. In the event that the machine is to produce heel blanks having different contour shapes, it is necessary, with the above described mechanism, to remove the various pattern elements '5 and to replace them with pattern elements having different contours. The present invention, however, contemplates a modified form of the above described mechanism in which the six

similar pattern elements

59, 50 may be entirely eliminated and replaced by a pair of cams. or pattern elements I20 and I H which are secured to the cam plate 22 in a manner as is particularly i1- lustrated in Fig. 17.

' Referring particularly to Fig. 17, it is to be noted that each of the cam elements I20 and I2! is rigidly secured to the face of the member 2a, and cooperating with a respective one of these cams or pattern elements is a spring-biased member I22 and I23. More specifically, the up per member I22 is pivotally secured upon a pin I24 and is urged at all times toward the pattern element I20 by means of a leaf spring I25. Also, the lower member I23 is pivotally mounted upon a pin I26 and is urged toward its associated pattern element I2I by means of a leaf spring I21. Between the stationary pattern elements I20 and I2! may be positioned a stationary guide element I28, while another stationary guide element I29 may be rigidly secured to the plate I24 adjacent the end portion of the pattern element I2I. The-cam strip 68 which is disclosed in conjunction with the first described form of the present invention, may be retained in this second form of the invention. Thus, from the above, it will be appreciated that as each of the

cam followers

31, 31 track about the stationary cam strip 63 in a clockwise direction, they will be ultimately delivered between the stationary pattern element I20 and the spring-biased element I22, so that the cam follower 3'I, as it continues to rotate, will be forced to follow the outline of the active portion I30 of the pattern element I20. This latter pattern element has its active portion I30 so shaped so as to successively force each of the wood-heel blanks against the upper cutter element 54 in substantially the same manner as is illustrated in Fig. 5. After the first cutting cycle is completed, the cam follower 31 will be delivered between the confines of the lower or secondary pattern element I2I and its cooperating member I23, the latter of which will force the cam follower to traverse the active portion I3I of the pattern element I2I. The active portion I3I of this lower pattern element will urge the wood-heel blank against the lower cutter 53 in substantially the same manner as is illustrated in Fig. 5'. After leaving the pattern element I2I, the cam followers 31 will traverse substantially the same path as was described hereinabove in connection with the first form of the invention. This modified form of the invention is, advantageous in that it permits an operator to set up the machine for the production of different type wood-heel blanks by merely replacing the two pattern elements I20 and I21, whereas in the first form of the invention, it was necessary to replace six of the

pattern elements

58, 50. In this connection, the present inventionv also contemplates the provision of adjustable pattern elements in lieu of the nonadjustable elements I20 and I2I. A pattern element of the adjustable type is completely disclosed in my United Statesv Patent No. 2,603,257, issued July 1952, for Woodworking Machine. In the event that such adjustable pat:-

tern elements are employed in conjunction with,

the present machine, it will be manifest that the machine may be readily altered for the production of various size wood heels by merely adjusting each of the cam elements according to a predetermined schedule, thus obviating completely the necessity for the complete replacement of such elements.

I claim:

1. A wood shaping machine comprising, a pair of cutters each rotatably mounted about a respective one of a pair of laterally spaced axes, a plurality of work-holding clamps, a clamp-carrying frame rotatably mounted about a first axis disposed substantially in parallelism with the axes of said cutters, with each clamp rockably mounted about a pivotal axis movable with said frame, and laterally spaced from and disposed in parallelism with said first axis, means for opening and closing said clamps in a predetermined sequence, means for rotating said frame to carry each of said clamps about the frame axis and past each of said cutters, and means effective during continuous travel of the frame from one cutter to the other to oscillate each of said clamps about its pivotal axis thereby to control the cutting action of the cutters upon the work carried by the clamps and to cause each clamp to have a first side thereof presented to one of said cutters and a second side thereof presented to the other of said cutters so as to cut successively the two opposite sides of each work piece.

2. A wood shaping machine comprising, a plurality of work-holding clamps, a clamp-carrying frame rotatably mounted about a common first axis, with each clamp pivotally mounted on said frame about a respective one of a plurality of secondary axes circumferentially spaced about and disposed in parallelism with said common first axis, means for opening and closing said clamps in a predetermined sequence, a pair of cutters each rotatably mounted about a respective one of a pair of laterally spaced axes located adjacent the circular path traversed by said rotating clamps, means for rotating said frame about said common first axis to carry said clamps past said cutters, and means effective during continuous travel of said frame from one cutter to the other to oscillate each of said clamps about its individual secondary axis thereby to control the cutting action of the cutters upon the work carried by the clamps and to cause each clamp to have a first side thereof 11 presented to one of said cutters and a second side thereof presented to the other of said cutters so as to cut successively the two opposite sides of each work piece.

3. A Wood shaping machine comprising, a rotary main shaft, a work-carrying frame mounted on said shaft, a plurality of work-holding clamps each pivotally mounted upon and at circumferentially spaced locations about the periphery of said work-carrying frame, a pair of cutters each mounted upon a respective one of a pair of rotary shafts disposed adjacent the periphery of said work-carrying frame, means for rotating said main shaft so as to convey each of said clamps to and past said cutters, fluid-actuated means for opening and closing said clamps, a valve for controlling the supply of a fluid pressure medium to said clamps, to operate them in a predetermined sequence in response to the rotative movements of said Work-carrying frame, a camfollower member connected with each of said clamps, and cam means engaged by said camfollower members so as to cause the clamps to oscillate about their respective pivotal axes thereby to control the cutting action of the cutters upon the work carried by the clamps and to cause each clamp successively to have a first side thereof presented to one of said cutters and a second side thereof presented to the other of said cutters in response to the continuous rotation of said main shaft through an angle corresponding to the peripheral displacement of said cutter shafts.

4. A wood shaping machine comprising, a rotary main shaft, a work-carrying frame mounted on said shaft, a plurality of work-holding clamps pivotally mounted upon and at locations spaced circumferentially about the periphery of said work-carrying frame, a pair of cutters each mounted upon a respective one of a pair of rotary shafts disposed adjacent the periphery of said work-carrying frame, means for rotating said main shaft so as to convey each of said clamps to and past said cutters, means for opening and closing said clamps in a predetermined sequence in response to the rotative movements of said work-carrying frame, a stationary plate disposed adjacent said work-carrying frame, cam means disposed upon one face of said plate, and a cam-follower member connected with each of said clamps and extending into engagement with said cam means so as to track about said cam means in response to continuous rotative movements of said main shaft through an angle corresponding to the peripheral displacement of said cutter shafts, thereby to oscillate said clamps back and forth about their respective pivotal axes, said cam means being adapted successively to cause each clamp to have a first side thereof presented to one of said cutters and a second side thereof presented to the other of said outters so as to cut the two opposite sides of each Work piece.

WILF'RED J. GRENIER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 66,184 Stearns June 25, 1867 2,045,390 Howe June 23, 1936 2,151,875 Sosa Mar. 28, 1939 2,426,487 Clausing Aug. 26, 1947