US2716764A - Lasting machines - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 6 1955 F. c. EASTMAN 2.736.764

LASTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 28, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet l Sept 6 1955 F. c. EASTMAN LSTING MACHINES 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan.. 28, 1954 [T7/vena? Eea! C Easman Sept. 6 1955 F. c. EASTMAN 2,716,764

LASTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 28, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Tn/vento@ Fred CEasmczn SePt- 6 1955 F. c. EASTMAN 2,716,764

LASTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 28, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 nvenzof Fred C Eczsman Sept. 6 1955 F. c. EAsTMAN 2,716,764

LASTING MACHINES Filed Jan. 28, 1954 5 Sheets-'Sheerl 5 Fb'g JA W32 FEED @E E9.. F" 10 6W F j 75555536@ F1914 9i Z T/Lg'j Inf/@nm Hed C'Eczsman United States Patent LASTING MACHINES Fred C. Eastman, Marblehead, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application January 28, 1954, Serial No. 406,629

22 Claims. (Cl. 12-1) This invention relates to lasting machines and is herein illustrated as embodied in a machine for tensioning successive portions of a platform cover over a platform as a shoe is fed automatically, each successive cover portion being secured in lasted position with an adhesive. The invention is not limited in use to machines for lasting platform covers, however, it being understood that in several novel aspects the invention is particularly well adapted for use in a machine for performing analogous shoemaking operations such as the lasting of the uppers of conventional types of shoes with or without an adhesive and in which the work may be fed manually or by the machine itself.

The common experience in working the tensioned marginal portion of an upper or of cover material into lasted position is to form undesirable pleats, folds or wrinkles in the margin especially as the operation proceeds around the curved end portions of a shoe bottom. No doubt the characteristic behavior of different fibers and fabrics as they are tensioned has its effect, as does the direction and the degree of tensioning, the area of each segment being pulled, and the nature of the control exercised with respect to adjacent segments. Various attempts .have been made to provide machines which would minimize or completely avoid producing the malformations referred to, but so far as I am aware no lasting machine has hitherto been developed which entirely eliminates the forming of these irregularities in a lasting margin. It is an object of this invention to provide an improved lasting machine capable of substantially wrinkle-free performance on upper or cover material, said machine to be small, of simple and compact design, and easy to operate effectively.

With this end in view, and in accordance with various novel features of this invention, the herein illustrated machine is provided with a gripper for tensioning heightwise of a shoe successive iinite portions of the stock to be lasted, a member for drawing inwardly over a sole member successive different small portions of the stock while each is held under tension imparted to it by the gripper, a wiper operative on other successive .small portions of marginal stock as each portion is being released from the control of the overdrawing action of said member to wipe and press it firmly against the bottom face ofthe sole member, and means for independently and continuously actuating the gripper, overdrawing member, and wiper in predetermined time relation. As embodied in the illustrated machine, these elements respectively act intermittently on a lasting margin, and, in order to exert continuous control over successive portions thereof being lasted, each of the mentioned elements is operative for a part of the interval in which another of the elements is operative, the two operating elements having a joint influence on successive portions of the margin being lasted. More particularly, the intervals of operation for each element are substantially equal and any two of them have an overlapping or coextensive period of shoe engagement. For engaging the bottom face of the sole member to sup- ICC port it against the tension effected by the gripper and overdrawing member, a shoe bottom rest is provided. As herein shown, this rest has a serrated horizontal surface arranged protectively to engage the margin of the bottom face of the sole member adjacent to the operating zones of the gripper and overdrawing member. In addition two angularly related and upwardly inclined surfaces of the sole erst, one confronting the gripper and the other extending inwardly from the edge of the sole member for cooperation in a novel manner ,with the overdrawing member, are arranged to control and progressively to present with minimum distortion the tensioned. margin of the stock to be lasted for favorable performance thereon of the wiper.

As above indicated, the gripper, overdrawingmember, and wiper successively operate on small iinite portions of the stock to be lasted though it is to be understood that preferably the arrangementl is such that each portion seized by the gripper is not necessarily the same as, but is adjacent to, the portion frictionally engaged and pulled inwardly by the overdrawing member; likewise each portion acted on by the wiper is, preferably, not the same small portion as was engaged by the overdrawing member but is one which is closely adjacent thereto and consequently is under the tensioning and positioning influence of said member. To secure in this manner the benefit of minimum distortion in the stock being lasted while allowing it to suffer no loss in the tensioning developed by the gripper heightwise and by the overdrawing member inwardly, the organization afforded' by this invention .provides a minimum of space between the pulling zones and the wiping zone. Thus, in accordance with a feature of the invention, the gripper, overdrawing member, and wiper are arranged for orbital movement in substantially parallel planes and they act on the work to feed it step by step by oscillation in unison about an axis extending heightwise of the shoe.

In the usual machine embodying means for tensioning an upper or cover material and for securing it in lasted position the shoe is customarily fed automatically along step by step by appropriate movement of the tensioning means in the direction of feed while exerting a pull of the upper or cover material. This occurs in the machine of this invention but with the distinction that the feeding oscillations of the operating instrumentalities are relatively short compared to their movements widthwise of a shoe and that the angular formation and inward operation of the wiper are relied upon, not only to prevent retrogressive or back feed of the work but also to provide a positive or forward feeding tendency.

As the respective shoe engaging members of the machine shown herein are reciprocated orbitally widthwise of a shoe during the progressive lasting or upper conforming action, the effectiveness of their shoe engaging strokes is augmented by friction devices. In the case of the over-drawing member and the wiper, which are respectively actuated inwardly of the shoe bottom by spring-controlled levers to which the friction devices are applied, the effect of the latter is automatically to add to the shoe engaging force afforded by the spring during operative shoe engaging movements and to subtract therefrom during retraction of such movements. In somewhat similar manner, and in a novel construction provided by a further feature of the invention, another friction device is provided, which is treadle-controlled by an operator, for acting on a spring-governed grippery jaw-carrying lever. Whilethe latter normally has a component of movement heightwise eiecting tensioning of the cover or upper in conjunction with a cooperating gripper jaw, it is particularly desirable at times, for example when a cover comprises a double thickness of leather (as it frequently may be in the shank of the shoe for areas of slip lasted shoes), to increase the etective pull of the gripper jaws heightwise of the shoe at selected areas or for certain upper materials by the application of the frictional force to the gripper jaw-carrying lever.

The above and other features of the invention, including novel combinations and arrangements of parts will now be more fully described in connection with an illustrative embodiment and with reference to the accompanying drawings thereof, in which:

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of a machine in which the invention is embodied, portions being broken away to show details of construction;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on a larger scale of a friction device seen in Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a view in front elevation of the upper portion of the machine;

Figs. 5, 6 and 7, respectively, are views in side elevation of the gripper, overdrawing member, and wiper and their independent actuating means;

Fig. 8 is a time chart; and

Figs. 9 to 14, inclusive, are plan views each illustrating the relative operating positions of the lasting instrumentalities at 60 intervals throughout a cycle, the arrow shown in each view indicating the direction of feeding oscillation at those instants, and the incllnations of the instrumentalities to the line of feed being exaggerated more clearly to show movement of the head of the machine.

The illustrative machine comprises a main frame f (Fig, l) having a tubular column for supporting a machine head including a base plate 22 which is oscillatory in a horizontal plane about a pivot stud 24 secured in the frame. A pair of spaced upright arms 26, 26 (Figs. 1 and 2) integral with the rearward end of the plate 22 provides bearings for a drive shaft 2S to one end of which a belt driven pulley wheel 30 is secured. The shoe engaging instrumentalities 0f the machine are individually operated from the drive shaft 2S and consist of a gripper jaw 32, an overdrawing member 34, a wiper 36, and an anvil or shoe bottom rest 33. During use of the machine in the platform cover lasting operation, for example, a shoe (Figs. 9-14) is held by an operator bottom upward with the edge portion of its bottom face in engagement with the serrated bottom face of the rest 38 as the shoe is fed automatically step by step as will hereinafter be explained.

For supporting the shoe rest 38, its upwardly extending stem is adjustably affixed by a setscrcw in a vertical bore formed in the upper end of a bracket 40 (Figs. l and 5) integral with the front end of the plate 22. A rearward portion of the rest 38 is recessed above a lip 42 (Fig. 5) of the rest which extends for engagement with the inner side of a margin M (Figs. 9414) of a cover or upper in proximity to the portion to be tensioned heightwise by the gripper jaw 32, the recess affording space for heightwise movement of an arm 44 (Figs. l, 5) provided with a notched gripper jaw 46 that is arranged for cooperation with the jaw 32. This arm is pivotally supported on a stud 4S axed in the bracket 40 and is biased for closing the jaw 46 on the jaw 32 by means of a coil spring 50. As indicated in Fig. 5, however, the lip 42 is normally engaged by the jaw 46 unless the latter is displaced upwardly against resistance of the spring by actuation of the gripper jaw 32 to tension the stock. The margin M of the stock may be readily inserted initially when the jaw 32 is retracted from the jaw 46. An edge or side gage 52 arranged to en gage the side of the shoe near its bottom is secured to the bracket 40 and serves to position the shoe widthwise in the machine as Well as guide successive portions of the marginal stock to be worked into lasted position.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 5, 6 and 7, the respective means for orbitally actuating the gripper jaw 32, overdrawing member 34 and wiper 36 will new be described. Confronting upright arms 54, 54 (Figs. 2 and 4) integral with the base 22 provide bearing support for av transverse fulcrurn bar 56 on which three spaced rocker arms 58 (Fig. 5), 69 (Fig. 6), and 62 (Fig. 7) are rotat ably mounted. With respect to the gripper actuating mechanism on arm 64 (Fig. 5) has one end pivotally connected to the arm 5S and its other end is mounted on an eccentric 66 affixed to the shaft 23. The rocking motion thus transmitted to the arm 58 is imparted by it to a lever 63 pivotally mounted thereon and in a split upper end of which a stem portion of the gripper jaw 32 is xedly clamped. As seen in Figs. l and 5 a tension spring 7G connecting the base plate 22 and the lever 68 urges the latter counterclockwise, and a roll 72 secured t0 the bracket 40 is arranged for engagement with the lever to determine the lower limit of its movement. A depending arm 74 of the lever 63 is pivotally connected to one end of a link 76 that has its other end acted on by friction means later to be described. The overdrawing member 34 is actuated by mechanism which consists of an arm 78 (Fig. 6) having one end connected to the rocker arm and its other end mounted on an eccentric 80 affixed onto the shaft 28. An arm 82 pivotally connected at its bifurcated end to the arm 60 by a pin 83 (Fig. 3) supports at the other end the overdrawing member 34. lt is to be noted that a serrated upper engaging surface 84 (Fig. 4) of the overdrawing member is disposed substantially adjacent and parallel to a cooperative surface 36 of the shoe rest 38 and that the surfaces 84, 86 are normal to a plane through which successive bottom edge portions of the shoe upper or platform cover pass as they progress from the tensioning Zone of the gripper. As viewed in Fig. 4, the surfaces S4, 86 are inclined (approximately 45) to the horizontal bottom or rest surface of the rest 38 to redirect upwardly tensioned portions of the ma chine back toward the plane of the shoe bottom. ln other words, the surfaces 84, 36 are tilted about an axis extending forwardly and rearwardly of the machine and adapted progressively to lower the tensioned stock. A tension spring 33 connecting the plate 22 and the arm S2 urges it counterclockwise and a stop pin 9C fixed in the bracket 4f) projects to limit upward movement of the arm 82.

For operating the wiper 36 an arm 92 pivotally connected at one end to the arm 62 has its other end mounted on an eccentric 94 fast on the shaft 28. An arm 96, substantially parallel to the arm 32 and the lever 63, is pivotally connected at one end to the arm 62 and carries clamped in its other end the stem of the wiper 36. Pins 98 and 16) affixed to the bracket 4G respectively limit upward and downward movement of the arm 96 but it is urged counterelockwisc, as viewed in Fig, 7, by a tension spring 102. The wiper 36 has a rather small work engaging surface ilfM (Figs. 9-l4) which, though it is reeiprocated widthwise of a shoe in time relation to similar movements of the gripper 32 and overdrawing member 34, is disposed at an angle to the line of feed, i. e. to a tangent to the bottom edge of the shoe in the location where the marginal portion of the stock is be ing wiped inwardly over its bottom face. This angle is;

changeable by reorienting the wiper stern in the arm 96 but is preferably about 45, to enable the surface 104 to act as a plow while wiping the stock and thus aid in the feeding movement as will be subsequently' described.

It will be noted in Figs. 5, 6, and 7 that the operating strokes of the gripper jaw, overdrawing member, and wiper are effected during their respective movements widthwise of a shoe and toward the left, and that tl jaw-carrying lever 68 has a component of movement upward while the arms 82 and 96 have components directed downward. For augmenting the effectiveness of the operating strokes of the overdrawing member 34 of the wiper 36, friction devices are applied thereto respectively. A description of one of these devices (Figs. 2, 3 and 4) will suffice as they are of like construction and operation. 'Ihe pin 83 is received by a disk 106 that is coupled to the arm 82 by a projection 108, by a friction disk contacting the disk 106, and by a pressure disk 112 contacting the disk 110. Three pins 114 having reduced end portions in the pressure disk 112 are slidable endwise in bores formed in the head of the pin 83 and function to press the disk 110 against the disk 106 to impede relative turning movement therebetween. The resulting force applied to the arm 82 by the projection 108 thus retards pivotal movement of the arm 82 about the axis of the pin 83. Pressure exerted via the pins 114 is adjusted to increase or reduce the friction by means of a setscrew 116 threaded into the pin 83 and bearing on a spring 118 having resilient arms engageable endwise with the pins 114.

Controlled friction means tending to strengthen the tensioning grip of the gripper jaw 32 operate through the link 76 and the lever 68, the link being connected at one end to an arm 120 arranged to extend between cooperative friction applying members 122, 122 (Figs. l and 4), the lower one of which is riveted to a plate 124 suspended by screws 126 extending through the members 122 and threaded into the plate 22. The frictional drag imparted by the members 122 is initially determined by the pressure normally exerted thereon by a compression spring 128. The latter is in endwise engagement with the underside of a flat lever pivotally secured at its rearward end to the arms 26 and adjustable heightwise more forwardly by means of locknuts 132, 132 threaded on an adjusting screw 134 extending freely through the lever 130 and secured to the plate 22. In order to be able to increase the friction and hence the power of the grip when lasting a selected portion of a cover or upper the compression of the spring 128 is increased by stepping on a treadle 136. The latter is pivotally mounted on the frame 20, is yieldingly supported by a return spring 138 aixed at one end to the frame, and is connected by a rod 140 to the lever 130.

In order rapidly to oscillate the head of the machine to elfect feeding of a shoe (in a counterclockwise direction as viewed from above, Fig. 2) as successive portions of its stock are being worked into lasted position, a cam 142 fast on one end of the shaft 28 is arranged to cooperate with a cam roll 144 supported on the upper end of a lever 146 fulcrumed on a stud 148 secured to the lower end of one of the arms 26. The lower end of the lever 146 is maintained in engagement with an abutment 150 on the frame 20 by means of a compression spring 152 abutting one of the arms 54. An adjusting screw 154 threaded through a lug 156 formed on the frame 20 engages the spring 152 endwise and assures engagement of the roll 144 With the cam 142 during the return or non-feeding part of the oscillation of the head.

In operating the machine, that portion of the precemented cover or margin M rst to be tensioned and worked into lasted position may be inserted between the jaw 46 and the gripper jaw 32. The lip 42 will engage the shoe bottom near its edge and adjacent to the side gage 52. The sequence of operations diagrammatically illustrated in Figs. 9 to 14, inclusive, thereafter'occurs in each cycle of rotation of the main shaft 28. These views, when considered in conjunction with Fig. 8, disclose the relative positions of the operating instrumentalities throughout a cycle as controlled by the eccentrics 66, 80 and 94. With reference to Fig. 8 the respective harmonic curves represent a positively acting portion and a return stroke. The positively operating stroke is actually effective in each case for less than this is to say that pulling, overdrawing, or wiping strokes operate on the stock nearly up to the extremity of inward movement widthwise of a shoe but that upper engagement or actual effectiveness commences some degrees after the beginning of such inward strokes.

As the jaw-carrying lever 68 cornes forwardly the jaw 32 engages a finite portion of the margin of the cover 6 near the edge of the shoe bottom and moves upwardly and to the left as viewed in Fig. 5, the roll 72 engaging, if need be, the lever 68 to guide the jaw over the lip 42 and into cooperation with the jaw 46. The spring 70 acts to tighten the grip which the jaw 32 effects in cooperation with the notched portion of the jaw 46 as the latter is displaced upwardly to tension the stock heightwise of the shoe. Also, the spring 50 functions to the same end in bearing on the arm 44. The eccentric 66 will swing the rocker arm 58 to the limit of its clockwise movement (as seen in Fig. 5) to carry the jaw 32 to its upper limit of tensioning movement and out of engagement with the notch of the jaw 46, the latter then being free to return to its position of engagement with the lip 42. It will be understood that during the stock tensioning movement of the lever 68 the spring 128 and the friction members 122 have, through the arm 120, the link 76, and the arm 74, supplemented the resistance of the spring 70 to clockwise movement of the lever 68 and hence, in effect, tightened the tensioning grip on the stock. The orbital cycle of the jaw 32 is completed out of engagement with the stock as the lever 68 is lowered and retracted. As the arm 58 is moved counterclockwise, the friction members 122 effect automatically a relatively clockwise turning movement between the lever 68 and the arm 58 thus maintaining the gripper jaw 32 separated from the margin M, the spring 70 acting to aid in lowering the lever 68 and in moving the arm 120 rearwardly between the members 122, 122. Had the particular stock being tensioned required more than normal pulling force, as where an added thickness of stock is being gripped, the operator would, for the appropriate interval, step on the treadle 136 further to compress the spring 128 and thus impose added frictional drag on the I' arm 120 thereby, in effect, stiffening the spring 70 more rmly to hold and tension the successive portions of stock being worked into lasted position. Seizure and tensioning of each successive portion of stock by the gripper jaws 32, 46 occur during oscillatory movement of the machine head about the stud 24 and in the direction of feed `(Figs. 10 to 13, inclusive), the feeding increment preferably being small, i. e. of the order of approximately lA of an inch.

From Figs. 10, 11 and Figs. 1l, l2 and 13 it will be noted that during the effective tensioning movement of the gripper jaw 32 it moves inwardly widthwise of the shoe and is followed inwardly on an adjacent parallel path by the overdrawing member 34, the latter continuing its inward wiping movement in cooperation with the surface 86 after the gripper jaw 32 has released and been retracted. Accordingly, the tensioning influence of the gripper jaw 32 is at least maintained in the successive portions of the stock to be lasted and the pull may, during the inward overdrawing action, even be increased. Another function of the overdrawing member 34 results from the inclination of its surface 84 and the surface 86 relatively to the shoe bottom; each portion of stock that has been tensioned heightwise of the shoe is drawn inwardly while caused to be disposed at an angle of about 45 from horizontal and in a manner, therefore, to be directed and controlled from the upper level of gripper tensioning and release to the lower and substantially horizontal plane of the shoe bottom in which the adjacent wiper 36 operates. Overlapping portions of the cycles of the gripper jaw 32 and the overdrawing member 34 may be considered to operate on one portion of stock while an adjacent portion previously thus treated comes under the joint influence of overlapping portions of the cycles of the overdrawing `member and the wiper 36. Viewed in a different way, each successive portion of the lasting margin M that was pulled heightwise of the shoe is maintained under substantially undiminished tension as it is drawn inwardly over the shoe bottom edge and progressively lowered to the level of the shoe bottom for final inward wiping action of the wiper 36. The

proximity of the gripper jaw 32, the overdrawing member 34, and the wiper 36 to each other and the small but finite portions of the stock which they are respectively adapted to operate upon assure uniform treatment in smoothly laying over the stock into adhering relation with the shoe bottom whether the operation occurs along the relatively straight side of the shoe or at a curved end thereof. Thus, though some natural distortion, i. e. narrowing, of each iinite marginal portion as it is stretched, is to be expected, this minimum of distortion is about constant and not substantially increased by these lasting instrumentalities as they relatively traverse the shoe bottom edge.

The work engaging portion 104 of the wiper 36 is shown in Fig. 8 as commencing its inward wiping action at about 210 in the cycle of operations of the machine, i. e. during return of the machine head and non-feeding movement of the jaw 32 and overdrawing member, the overdrawing member 34 having preceded and operated effectively inward from about 100 in the cycle to about 270. Consequently, not only is the tensioned margin M maintained under tension as it is drawn inwardly over the shoe bottom by the member 34, but it is progressively directed downward by frictional engagement with said member and presented to the operating level of the portion 104 so that the latter may wipe successive portions against the shoe bottom. During the inward wiping movement of the portion 104 (Figs. 9, 13 and 14) it acts in effect as a plow and, by reason of its 45 angular relation to the line of feed, tends to prevent retrogressive feeding of the shoe, the margin M having been momentarily released by the jaw 32 and the overdrawing member 34 and the machine head then swinging counter to the direction of positive feed. With the wiper 36 having a length of inward wiping stroke of the order of 37s of an inch, approximately, for example, and assuming a feeding increment of /s of an inch, the relative path of the portion 104 on the lasting margin and with respect to the line of feed is at an angle of about SOI/2. Each inward wiping stroke of the portion 104 accordingly has a component, due to its angular disposition, which tends to push the lasting margin in the direction of positive feed and prevents retrogressive movement of the shoe.

The operating cycle is repeated as the lasting operation proceeds along the edge of the shoe bottom, and the cover will be stressed over the platform edge face and the lasting margin M will be pressed firmly into lasted position on the sole member S by the wiper 36. The shoe may be lowered from the rest 38 at the end of the lasting and withdrawn from the machine. It will be appreciated that a relatively simple machine, easily operated, has thus been provided for securing the stock being lasted so that it is distributed evenly and smoothly on the shoe bottom, premature adhesion of the tensioned margin thereon being avoided by the nature of the operating path of the overdrawing member 34.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A machine for lasting a shoe comprising means for seizing and releasing successive portions of the lasting margin of stock to be lasted and for imparting to each portion a pull in a direction heightwise of the shoe, means movable widthwise of the shoe for drawing inwardly over the shoe bottom and in inclined relation thereto the different successively pulled portions of stock while maintaining each overdrawn portion under tension, and means for wiping the successive portions of the lasting margin against the shoe bottom as they are presented by said overdrawing means.

2. In a lasting machine, lasting instrumentalities including a gripper, overdrawing member and wiper respectively operative on adjacent and successive portions of the lasting margin of stock to be lasted, means for moving said instrumentalities heightwise of the shoe and in sequential relation, and means for moving the lasting instrumentalities in unison about an axis extending height- `wise of the shoe to feed it, said overdrawing member having a margin-engaging surface adapted to cause each of said successive portions, when released from said gripper, to be slanted toward the operating level of said wiper.

3. A lasting machine comprising a rest engageable with the bottom of a shoe near its marginal edge, means for tensioning heightwise of the shoe successive small but finite portions of the lasting margin of stock to be lasted, means for wiping the lasting margin inwardly over the shoe bottom in adhering relation thereto, and an overdrawing member disposed between said tensioning and wiping means for operating movements extending inwardly over the shoe bottom, said member having a surface for engaging said successive marginal portions which is disposed at an angle adapted to direct them under continued tension from the locality of their release from said tensioning means to said wiping means.

4. A lasting machine as set forth in claim 3 further characterized in that said overdrawing member and wiping means are also adapted, respectively, to engage successive small but finite portions of the lasting margin.

5. A lasting machine comprising a rest engageable with the bottom of a shoe, lasting instrumentalities operable in parallel orbital paths proximate to one another, means for operating said instrumentalities widthwise of the shoe and in sequence so that the effective movement of one of said instrumentalities in engagement with a portion of the margin of the stock to be lasted overlaps the effective movement of another of said instrumentalities in engagement with an adjacent portion of the lasting margin, and means for automatically feeding the shoe relatively to said lasting instrumentalities, said feeding means comprising mechanism for oscillating said instrumentalities in unison about an axis extending heightwse of the shoe.

6. A lasting machine comprising a rest engageable with the bottom of a shoe, said rest having a surface arranged to extend widthwise over the shoe bottom and with inclination thereto, means for gripping adjacent to the locality of engagement of said rest with the shoe bottom successive portions of the lasting margin of stock to be lasted and for tensioning each of these portions heightwise of the shoe, an overdrawing member having a surface adapted for cooperation with said inclined surface of the rest, means for moving said overdrawing member inwardly over the shoe bottom for engagement with each of the successively tensioned portions of the lasting margin, said member moving means tending to maintain in each of the portions of the margin being lasted the tension imparted thereto by said gripping means, and a wiper arranged for operation adjacent to the lower edge of the inclined surface of saidrest and adapted to wipe successive portions of the overdrawn lasting margin inwardly from the edge of the shoe bottom.

7. A lasting machine comprising a rest engageable with the bottom of a shoe adjacent to its marginal edge, means for gripping adjacent to said rest successive portions of the lasting margin of stock to be lasted and for imparting to each portion a pull in a direction heightwise of the shoe, mechanism for drawing each of the successively tensioned marginal portions inwardly over the bottom of the shoe while maintaining each portion under tension, and a wiper for successively pressing the overdrawn portions against the shoe bottom, said mechanism including a reciprocable member adapted and arranged to engage successive portions of the tensioned marginal stock between the operating localities of the gripping means and the wiper progressively to direct said portions to the operating level of the latter.

8. In a machine for lasting a shoe having a pair of cooperative gripper jaws for seizing successive portions of the lasting margin of the stock to be lasted and for irnparting to each portion a pull in a direction heightwise of the shoe, a member on which one of said jaws is mounted for carrying it in van orbital operating path, a spring connected to said member for urging said jaw into marginal stock gripping relation, and a frictiondevice associated with said member and under the control of an operator for augmenting the jaw closing tendency of said spring.

9. In a lasting machine having a rest engageable with the bottom of a shoe adjacent to its marginal edge, means comprising a pair of jaws for 'gripping and tensioning heightwise of the shoe successive portions of the margin of stock to be lasted, a pivotally mounted member by which one of said jaws is supportedvfor carrying it into and out of cooperative relation with the other jaw, means yieldably urging said one jaw into gripping relation, power means for actuating said member to move said jaws heightwise cooperatively in one direction and disengaged in the opposite direction, and friction means operative on the member to tighten the grip of said jaws when in cooperative relation and to resist their closure when disengaged.

10. A lasting machine comprising a rest engageable with the bottom of a shoe adjacent to its marginal edge, a guide engageable with the side of the shoe and adjacent to said rest, a pair of jaws arranged to grip successive portions of the lasting margin of the stock to be lasted and to impart a pull to each of the portions in 'a direction heightwise of the shoe in the locality of `said rest and guide, power means for driving one of said jaws in lan orbital operating path and into and out of cooperative relation with the other jaw, means yieldingly urging the other of said jaws into gripping relation, and means for wiping the successively tensioned portions of the lasting margin inwardly over the shoe bottom, iirst to draw each of them on an angle relatively thereto and then into adhering relation therewith.

ll. In a lasting machine having a rest engageable with the bottom of a shoe adjacent to its marginal edge and means operative to seize adjacent to said rest and tension heightwise successive portions of the lasting margin of stock to be lasted, a reciprocable wiper, a reciprocable overdrawing member mounted for movement widthwise of the shoe between said tensioning means and the wiper, said overdrawing member having a surface adapted to engage successive portions of the tensioned lasting margin to draw each of them inwardly and downwardly against a surface of said rest, said surface of the rest being iriclined downwardly toward the operating path of said wiper, and power means for drivingl the tensioning means, overdrawing member, and wiper in sequential relation.

l2. A lasting machine as set forth in claim ll further characterized in that it is provided with spring means for yieldingly urging said wiper against the shoe .bottom during its inward overwiping movement, and a friction device arranged to act on said wiper to augment the influence of said spring means during inward movements of the wiper, and subtract therefrom during its outward movements.

13. A machine as set forth in claim' 12 further characterized in that the machine is provided with spring means for yieldingly urging said overdrawing member against said inclined rest .surface during inward movements of the overdrawing member, and a friction device arranged to act on said overdrawing member to augment the influence of the last-mentionedspring means during inward movements of the overdrawing member and subtract therefrom during its outward movements.

14. In a lasting machine having a rest engageable with the bottom of a shoe, orbitally driven lasting instrumentalities comprising a gripper jaw for seizing, tensioning heightwise, and releasing successive portions of the lasting margin of stock to be lasted, a member f or drawing inwardly over the shoe bottom and on an incline with respect thereto each of the successive portions of the margin without substantial loss in the tension previously imparted, and a wiper for wiping inwardly the successive overdrawn portions which have come under the influence of said member, a drive shaft having spaced eccentrics mounted thereon, a rockshaft having arms actuated by said eccentrics respectively, and parallel members for cyclically actuating, respectively, the jaw, overdrawing member, and wiper in sequential relation, each of said parallel members being operatively connected to said rockshaft arms respectively.

l5. A machine as set forth in claim 14 further characterized in that it is provided with spring means acting on each of said instrumentalities yieldingly to urge them into engagement with the lasting margin of the stock to be lasted, and friction devices respectively acting on said instrumentalities to modify the influence of said spring means thereon.

16. In a lasting machine having a rest engageable with the bottom of a shoe, a gage adjacent to said rest for engaging the side of the shoe, and lasting instrumentalities comprising a gripper jaw, a wiper, and an overdrawing member for respectively engaging successive portions of the lasting margin of stock to be lasted, means for orbitally ,operating said instrumentalities widthwise in substantially parallel and adjacent planes extending heightwise of the shoe, said means comprising individually movable holders by which each of said instrumentalities is carried, and mechanism for moving said holders heightwise of the shoe in sequential relation, the gripper jaw-carrying holder having a component directed away from the shoe bottom and the other holders having components respectively di- .,rected toward said shoe bottom.

17. In a lasting machine, a rest engageable with the bottom of a shoe near its marginal edge, lasting instrumentalities including a gripper and a wiper respectively operative on adjacent and successive portions of the lasting margin of stock to be lasted, means for orbitally operating said instiiimentalities heightwise of the shoe and in sequential relation to cause each of said portions to be wiped inward at least partially before the pull of said gripper is released, and means for oscillating the lasting instrumentalities in unison about an axis extending heightwise of the shoe to feed it step by step by the pulls iinparted to the margin by said gripper, the increments of feed being smaller than the effective portions of the inward wiping strokes of said wiper.

18. In a lasting machine, a rest engageable with the bottom of a shoe neai its marginal edge, lasting instrumentalities including a gripper jaw, overdrawing meinber, and wiper respectively operative on adjacent and successive portions of the lasting margin of stock .to be lasted, means for orbitally operating said instrumentalities heightwise of Ithe shoe and in sequential relation, and means for oscillating the lasting instrumentalities in unison about an axis extending heightwise of the shoe to feed it step by step by the pulls imparted by said jaw to the successive portions of the lasting margin, the increments of feed being less than the effective inward wiping strokes of either said wiper or of said overdrawing member.

19. A machine as set forth in claim 18 further characterized in that said wiper is provided with a work engaging surface disposed at an acute angle relatively to the line of feed to aid in preventing retrogression of the shoe relatively to said instrumentalities.

20. A machine as set forth in claim 19 further characterized in that said wiper work engaging surface is disposed at an angle of substantially 45 relatively to the line of feed.

21. In a lasting machine a rest engageable with the bot-tom of a shoe, an oscillatory head arranged to swing about an axis extending heightwise of the shoe, lasting instrumentalities mounted on said head and adapted to feed the shoe step by step, said instrumentalities coinprising a gripper, an overdrawing member, and a wiper, and means for operating said lasting instrumentalities widthwise in substantially parallel orbital paths and in overlapping phase relation successively to `tension heightwise, draw over and wipe inwardly in adjacent locations successively different portions of the lasting margin of the stock to be lasted, said overdrawing member being adapted frictionally to engage each successive portion of thc stock while pulled by said gripper and to incline said marginal portions toward the shoe bottom, and said wiper being adapted to lay the inwardly drawn marginal stock against the shoe bottom while preventing retrogressive movement thereof.

22. A lasting machine comprising a plurality of lasting instrumentalities including a wiper for laying the lasting margin of stock to be lasted on the bottom of a shoe, and means for oscillating said instrumentalities in unison about an axis extending heightwise of the shoe to feed it step by step, said wiper being movable inwardly on the margin being overlasted and along a path thereon at an angle with respect to -the line of feed, the wiper having a margin engaging surface which is inclined to said line of feed at an angle smaller than that of said path of the wiper with respect to the margin.

UNITED STATES PATENTS References Cited in the le of this patent 865,936 Pym Sept. l0, 1907 2,607,936 Kamborian Aug. 26, 1952 2,663,035 Miller Dec. 22, 1953

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