US2719310A

US2719310A - Grippers for machines for shaping uppers over lasts

Info

Publication number: US2719310A
Application number: US265962A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frank E Stratton; Philip R Scott
Original assignee: United Shoe Machinery Corp
Current assignee: United Shoe Machinery Corp
Priority date: 1952-01-11
Filing date: 1952-01-11
Publication date: 1955-10-04
Anticipated expiration: 1972-10-04

Description

Oct. 4, 1955 F. E. STRATTON ET AL 2,719,310

GRIPPERS FOR MACHINES FOR SHAPING UPPERS OVER LASTS Filed Jan. 11, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor Fran/6 E. Szmzzzon P/zi Zip 1?. 500 it Oct. 4, 1955 F. E. STRATTON ET AL 2,719,310

GRIPPERS FOR MACHINES FOR SHAPING UPPERS OVER LASTS Filed Jan. 11, 1952 3 sheets-Sheet m M 95 w 74 Inventors Frank E. Szratton Philip 2a 500w O 1955 F. E. STRATTON ET AL 2,719,310

GRIPPERS FOR MACHINES FOR SHAPING UPPERS OVER LASTS 3 Sheets-Sheet (5 Filed Jan. 11, 1952 Jig-6 Q Z'II\1 I 5 5%- fi? wl g United States PatcntO GRIPPERS FOR MACHINES FOR SHAPING UPPERS OVER LASTS Frank E. Stratton and Philip R. Scott, Beverly, Mass, assignors to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey This invention relates to machines for use in the manufacture of shoes for shaping uppers over lasts, and more particularly to means used in some machines of that class. for pulling the uppers. An immediate object of the invention is to provide improvements in upper-pulling grippers such as are commonly used in pulling-over machines of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,029,387, granted on June 11, 1 912, on an application of R. F. McFeely. The invention is accordingly herein described as applied to such well-known grippers, but it should be understood that it is not limited to details of this illustrative embodiment.

As more fully disclosed in Letters Patent No. 1,030,264,. granted on June 18, 1912, on an application of R. F. McFeely, grippers commonly used in machines of the above-mentioned type for pulling the uppers at the ends, of the toes, and sometimes also at the sides of the foreparts, have the following characteristics. Each gripper includes a single pair of upper-gripping jaws carried by a casing, one jaw being fixed on the casing and the other pivotally mounted thereon to swing toward and from the fixed jaw. Mounted in the casing to move relatively thereto in directions heightwise of the shoe is a jaw-closing device, sometimes called a closing slide, provided witha roll arranged to engage a tail portion of the pivoted jaw and to swing that jaw toward the fixed jaw to grip the upper in response to movement of the closing slide. Such movement of the closing slide is effected by a gripper bar which extends into the casing and is connected by a latch to the slide. The gripper bar is operated by a lever, commonly known as an updraw lever, which is operated yieldingly through a spring by a power-driven cam. Mounted within the gripper casing and within a recess in the gripper bar is a spring which is under compression and acts oppositely on the bar and the casing respectively, the purpose of the spring being to hold the'casing stationary in a position determined by engagement of lugs thereon with a bracket on the frame until the upper hasbeen gripped by the jaws through the movement of the closing slide, whereupon the gripper bar, acting through the closing slide, begins to move the casing with it to cause the jaws to pull the upper by reason of the resistance, of the upper to further closing movement of the pivoted jaw. After the pulling of the upper a tacker arm provided with wiping and tacking means is swung inwardly to cause the wiping means thereon to wipe the margin of the upper over the insole into position to be tacked. By its inward movement this arm acts through a tripping member mounted on the closing slide to swing the above-mentioned latch into position to disconnect the closing slide from the gripper bar, whereupon the jaws release the upper and the gripper is Withdrawn from the shoe heightwise thereof by the spring which acts on the updraw lever, the gripper also being swung inwardly over the bottom .of the shoe as the tacker arm is swung farther inwardly.

The disconnection of the closing slide from the gripper bar as above described frees the spring in the gripper. casing for further expansion, as a result of which the "ice casing is moved relatively to the gripper bar in a direction'toward the shoe while the gripper is being moved awayfrom. the shoe by the spring which acts on the updraw lever. The extent of such reverse movement of the casing varies somewhat in accordance with the thicknessof the upper materials previously gripped between the gripper jaws and is limited by engagement of portions of the bar and;the casing with each other. While the movement is comparatively short, its tendency, of course, is to retard the withdrawal of the gripper jaws from the shoe heightwise thereof after they release the upper. Under most operating conditions the jaws are, nevertheless, withdrawn promptly enough to avoid any unfavorable result. It has been found, however, that under some conditions, because of the tendency of the spring in the gripper thus to retard the withdrawal of the jaws, they may not clear the edge of the insole as the gripper is swung inwardly over the shoe bottom after release of the upper. Such conditions may arise, for example, if the upper pattern allows for only a scant lasting margin and the gripper terminates its upper-pulling movement short of the position which it usually occupies at the end of such movement.

In view of the above and other considerations, the present invention, in one aspect, provides a construction such as to avoid any tendency for the gripper spring to retard the withdrawal of the gripper jaws from the shoe after their release of the upper. For the purpose in view the construction shown comprises a pawl carried by the gripper bar and arranged to engage teeth on the gripper casing to lock the bar and the casing together against relative movement by the spring in the casing after the pulling of the upper. More particularly, the pawl is moved into operative position in response to the movement of the above-mentioned latch to disconnect the closing slide from the gripper bar and thus to cause the gripper to release the upper, and in response to reverse movement of the latch in the return of the parts to starting positions the pawl is withdrawn from the teeth to permit the gripper bar to move relatively to the casing in closing the gripper on the upper of the next shoe.

When the closing slide is moved relatively to the gripper casing to close the pivoted jaw on the upper through the action of the roll carried by the slide on the tail portion of the jaw, this portion of the jaw exerts a thrust on the slide toward one side of the casing. It has sometimes happened heretofore that because of the resulting friction between the slide and the casing the latter would start to move with the gripper bar before the slide had moved far enough relatively to the casing to cause the jaws to grip the upper with the desired amount of force,

in consequence of which the upper might slip in the by the pivoted jaw is taken by the rolls, the plate in which the rolls are positioned moving with the slide but a shorter distance than the slide. Accordingly there is no danger that friction between the slide and the casing may cause I the jaws to start prematurely their upper-pulling movement, substantially all the force applied to the casing by the gripper bar for moving the casing in the direction to pull the upper being that applied thereto through the pivoted gripper jaw.

'For pulling the upper at opposite sides of the forepart machines of the above-mentioned type are usually provided' with double side grippers as distinguished from the gripper with a single pair of jaws used at the end of the toe. That is, each side gripper includes two pairs of upper-gripping jaws, the two pairs of jaws, being carried respectively by separate gripper casings mounted for relative movements heightwise of the shoe and associated with a single gripper bar operated by a sideupdraw lever; Mounted within each casing is a spring arranged to act oppositely on that casing and on the gripperbar'to con' trol the casing in the same manner as the spring hereinabove referred to as part of the gripper having a single pair of jaws. Mounted in the two casings are closing slides connected together for relative movements heightwise of the shoe by a lever pivotally mounted between its ends on a block which is normally connected by a latch to the gripper bar to cause the bar to close both pairs of jaws on the upper and to operate them to pull the upper. A tripping member pivoted on the block is operated by the inward movement of the corresponding side tacker arm to' move the latch into position to dis-- connect the gripper bar from the closing slides and thus to cause the pairs of jaws to release the upper, whereupon the gripper is withdrawn from the shoe heightwise thereof by aspring acting on its updraw lever as it is swung inwardly over the shoe bottom. The constructi'on thus outlined is substantially as disclosedin Letters Patent No. 1,030,522, granted on June 25, 1912, on an application of R. F. McFeely, and the above-described features of the present invention are herein shown as ap-- plied also to such a double gripper. More particularly, each of the two gripper casings has therein a pawl carried by the gripper bar and arranged to engage teeth on that casing, the two pawls being controlled by the single latch and when moved by the latch into positions to engagethe' teeth locking the casings and the gripper bar against relative movements by the springs in the casings when the jaws release the upper, regardless of the relative post tions: assumed by the two casings in the pulling of the upper. This avoids, in the same manner as hereinbefore explained with reference to the gripper having a single pair of jaws, any tendency for the gripper springs to retard the withdrawal of the jaws from the shoe upon their release of the upper. To insure, moreover, that neither of the two pairs of jaws will start to pull theupper before the upper has been gripped with the requisite amount of force, there is mounted in each gripper casing a plate provided with a plurality of rolls arranged to act; in the same manner as the plate and rollshereinbefore described as associated with the closing slide of the gripper having a single pair of jaws.

The novel features of the invention, including various novel details of construction and combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described with referenceto' the accompanying drawings andthereafter pointed out" in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. I is a view partly in left-hand side elevation and partly in section showing generally the arrangement of the grippers and their operating means in a machine of the type to which the invention is shown as applied;

Fig. 2 is a view from the front, with parts broken away, showing the greater portion of the toe-end gripper detached and differently oriented than in the machine, the parts being shown in. their initial positions;

Fig; 3 is a section on' the line III-III of Fig. 2', with the parts in. the same positions as in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, with the parts in the positions which they occupy in the pulling of the upper;

Fig. 5- is a view also similar to Fig. 3, showing the parts as they appear after release of the upper by the gripper but before the jaw-closing slide has fully returned to its initial position;

Fig. 6 shows one of two double side grippers included in the machine, as viewed from its outer side but with parts" broken away, this gripper also being diiferently 4. oriented than in the machine and the parts being shown in their initial positions;

Fig. 7 shows the double side gripper as viewed in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 6, with parts broken away, the parts being shown in the same positions as in Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 7, showing the parts in the positions which they occupy in the pulling of the pp Fig. 9 is a view also similar to Fig. 7, with the parts as they appear after release of the upper by the gripper;

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a portion of. the structure included in the double side gripper; and

Fig. If is a perspective view showing detached a device included in the toe gripper.

A machine of the type to which the invention is shown as applied includes a toe gripper 2 for pulling the upper at the end of the toe and opposite side grippers 4 which, as herein illustrated, are commonly double grippers, only one of the two side grippers being visible in Fig. 1. The" toe gripper is pivotally connected at its upper end by a pin 6 for swinging movements lengthwise of the shoe to an updraw lever 8 fulcrumed between its opposite ends on a rod 10 and connected at its rear end to a block 12 movably mounted on a vertical rod 14. This rod extends upwardly from a cam-operated slide 16 and is surrounded by a compression spring 18, commonly referred to as an updraw spring, located between the block 12 and a nut 20 on the upper end of the rod. The slide 16 carries a roll 22 mounted in a cam groove 24 formed in a cam member 26 which is fast on a cam shaft 28. It will be understood that the toe gripper is operated to pull the upper by downward movement of the slide 16, the spring 18- yielding more or less in response to resistance of the upper to the force of the pull applied thereto. Upon release of the upper by the gripper the spring expands to withdraw the gripper from the shoe hei'ghtwise thereof as wiping means carried by a swinging toe tacker arm 30 is moved rearwardly to wipe the margin of the upper over the insole into position to be fastened by a tack. As the tacker arm is thus swung rearwardly the toe gripper is swung in the same direction relatively to the updraw lever 8 to' make way for the tacker arm by so-called overdraw springs 32, the gripper being guided in its swinging movement by a bracket 34 on the frame. Such swinging movement of the gripper is permitted by retractive movement of gripper-spreading mechanism a portion of which is shown at 36 in Fig. 1 and which serves to impart forward return movement to the gripper in the return of the parts to starting positions.

Each of the opposite side grippers 4 is connected at its upper end by a ball joint 38 to a side updraw lever 40 also ful'crumed on the rod 10, only one of these levers being visible in the drawings. Each side updraw lever is connected at its rear end, similarly to the toe gripper updraw lever, to a block 42 mounted on a vertical rod 44 extending upwardly from a second cam slide 46, each rod being surrounded by an updraw spring 48 under compression between the block 42 and a nut 50 on the upper endof the rod. The slide 46 carries a roll 52 mounted in a cam groove 54 formed in a cam member 56 fast on the cam shaft 28. It will be understood that in the operation of the side grippers to pull the upper the springs 48 are more or less compressed and upon release of the upper by these grippers move the latter far ther upwardly away from the shoe simultaneously with inward swinging movements thereof effected by overdraw springs (not shown). The inward movements of the side grippers are accompanied by inward swinging movements of side tacker arms (also not shown), the inward movements of these grippers being permitted by retractive movements of portions of the same gripper-spreading mechanism 36 which controls the toe gripper. The construction thus far described may be better understood by reference to Letters Patent No. 1,029,3 8-7.

The part of the toe gripper 2 which is pivotally mounted on the pin 6 consists of a gripper bar 58 (Figs. 1 and 2) arranged to extend toward the shoe into a gripper casing 60 including a detachable front cover plate 62. The casing'60 is guided in the bracket 34, and its initial position heightwise of the shoe is determined by engagement of lugs 64 on opposite sides thereof with the bracket. Secured in fixed relation to the casing 60 is a gripper jaw 66, and arranged to cooperate with this jaw in gripping the margin of the upper is a jaw 68 pivotally mounted on a pin 70 in the casing. The pivoted jaw is controlled by a jaw-closing device 72, which may be termed a closing slide, movably mounted in the casing and carrying a roll 74 arranged to engage a tail portion 76 of the pivoted jaw to swing this jaw toward the fixed jaw 66 for gripping the margin of the upper. Pivotally mounted on a pin 78 on the closing slide is a finger 80 the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained, and when the closing slide is in its initial position a hub portion of this finger engages the tail portion 76 of the jaw 68 and thereby holds the jaw in open position, as illustrated in Fig. 3. In the construction herein shown the closing slide is held initially in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3 by a pair of springs 82 (Fig. 2) which extend into sockets formed in the closing slide and the gripper bar 58.

For imparting to the closing slide 72 movement to close the jaw 68 on the upper there is pivotally mounted on a pin 84 on a forked end portion of the gripper bar 58 a latch 86 arranged to engage an abutment 88 formed on the closing slide. The latch is held in the position to act on the closing slide by a spring 90 mounted in a bore in the latch and pressing against a movable pin 92 which is held by the spring in engagement with a crosspiece 94 inserted in grooves in the gripper bar. Fixed in the gripper casing 60, within the forked portion of the gripper bar, is a member 96 engaged by one end of a spring 98 which extends into a bore in the gripper bar and is seated at its other end against the bar. This spring is under compression and applies force in opposite directions respectively to the gripper bar and the gripper casing. Initially the parts are in the positions in which they are shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and as the cam slide 16 begins to move downward it acts through the spring 18 to swing the lever 8 and thus to move the gripper bar 58 in a direction away from the shoe. At first, however, the spring 98 holds the gripper casing 60 stationary in the position determined by engagement of its lugs 64 with the bracket 34, and accordingly the gripper bar moves relatively to the casing, causing the latch 86 to move the closing slide 72 from the position shown in Fig. 3 to that shown in Fig. 4, the roll 74 on the slide acting on the tail 76 of the jaw 68 to close that jaw on the margin of the upper. When the resistance of the upper to the closing movement of the jaw becomes great enough to prevent further expansion of the spring 98, the gripper bar starts to move the casing 60 with it to cause the jaws to pull the upper, the bar thus acting on the casing through the closing slide and the pivoted jaw. Before the completion of the upper-pulling movement of the gripper the spring 18 through which movement is transmitted from the slide 16 to the lever 8 is more or less compressed, as hereinbefore explained.

It will be noted that a portion of the finger 80 is arranged to engage the latch 86, and when the tacker arm 30 is swung inwardly after the upper-pulling operation, as hereinbefore described, it acts on the finger 80 and causes the latter to swing the latch 86 out of position to act on the abutment 88. In this manner the gripper bar 58 is disconnected from the closing slide 72 to cause the gripper jaws to release the upper, permitting the springs 82 to impart return movement to the closing slide as indicated by the arrow a in Fig. 5. Upon release of the upper the spring 18 expands and thereby moves the gripper farther away from the shoe heightwise thereof while it is being swung inwardly over the shoe bottom. In the return of the parts thereafter to starting positions the gripper is moved reversely heightwise of the shoe by the lever 8 until the lugs 64 on the gripper casing 60 engage the bracket 34 and thereby stop the movement of the casing. Continued movement of the gripper bar thereafter against the resistance of the spring 98 returns the latch 86 into position to be swung by its spring into operative relation to the abutment 88 of the closing slide 72, as shown in Fig. 3, ready to operate the slide and close the jaw 68 on the upper of the next shoe.

The construction of the toe gripper as thus far described, except for the provision of the springs 82 for returning the closing slide, is essentially the same as disclosed in Letters Patent No. 1,030,264. It will be evident that when the gripper bar is disconnected by the latch 86 from the closing slide the spring 98 is freed for further expansion in the absence of anything to prevent relative movement of the gripper bar and the gripper casing under the influence of the spring. This has resulted heretofore in a sudden short movement of the casing, with the gripper jaws thereon, reversely in a direction toward the shoe relatively to the gripper bar, such movement of the casing being limited by engagement of the crosspiece 94 on the gripper bar with the member 96 in the casing. It will be evident that the tendency of such movement of the casing is to retard the withdrawal of the gripper jaws from the shoe by the spring 18 after their release of the upper, and under some conditions it has happened that the jaws have not been withdrawn quickly enough to prevent them from engaging and displacing the edge of the insole in their swinging movements inwardly over the shoe bottom. The invention accordingly provides means for preventing the casing 60 from being moved relatively to the gripper bar by the spring 98 when the gripper releases the upper. This means comprises a pawl 100 pivotally mounted on the same pin 84 as the latch 86, this pawl being arranged to engage teeth 102 formed on the cover plate 62 of the gripper casing. Mounted in the pawl and abutting against a portion of the latch 86 is a spring 104 which tends to move the pawl in a clockwise direction as the parts are viewed in Fig. 3 and holds it normally in a relation to the latch determined by engagement of a projection 106 on the pawl with the latch. When the latch is in the operative position in which it is shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the pawl is held by the latch in a position where it will just clear the teeth 102 during the closing of the gripper and the pulling of the upper regardless of the movement of the closing slide 72 in the gripper casing. When the latch 86, however, is moved by the finger 80 into position to disconnect it from the closing slide, this movement of the latch carries the pawl into position to engage the teeth 102, the pawl arriving in position to cooperate with the teeth before the latch actually releases the closing slide. The result is that the gripper bar 58 and the gripper casing 60 are locked together against any relative movement under the influence of the spring 98, as illustrated in Fig. 5, thus preventing any further expansion of the spring upon release of the upper by the gripper. Accordingly, the expansion of the updraw spring 18 is immediately effective 'to retract the gripper jaws heightwise of the shoe without any tendency for such retractive movement of the jaws to be retarded by reverse movement of the gripper casing relatively to the gripping bar. It will be understood that as the gripper bar is moved relatively to the casing in the return of the parts to starting positions the pawl 100 slips yieldingly over the teeth 102 until the latch 86 is swung to its initial position by the spring 90, such swinging movement of the latch serving to return the pawl to a position where it will not engage the teeth as the gripper is closed on the upper of the next shoe.

It will be evident that when the closing slide 72 is moved relatively to the casing to closev the pivoted jaw 68 on the upper, the tail portion 76 of the jaw by its engagement with the roll. 74 exerts a thrust on the closing slide: toward one side of the casing. Because of the result-ing. friction between the slide and the casing itv has sometimes happened heretofore that the casing would start to move with the gripper bar before the upper was gripped with. the desired amount of force and under some conditions the upper would slip in the gripper jaws and might slip out from. between the jaws. To insure against such a result the casing. 60 in the construction herein shown is provided along one side with a recess 108 in which is mounted a small plate 110. As shown in Fig. 11, this. plate has in each. of its: opposite side margins a series 015 recesses 112. in which are mounted rolls 114 the diameters of which are: slightly greater than the thickness of the plate, the recesses having. curved walls providing bearings for the rolls. Each series of rolls is held in the recesses by a wire 116 engaging. the outer ends of the rolls and anchored at its opposite ends in the plate. It will thus be seen that the rolls engage at their opposite sides respectively the closing slide 72 and the casing. 60 and support. the slide against the lateral thrust applied thereto by the tail portion of the jaw 68. As the closing slide is moved. relatively to the casing to close the jaw 68 on the upper the plate moves: with. it in the same direction but a shorter distance, the rolls turning. in rolling engagement with the slide and. the casing. Friction between the closing slide and the side of the casing toward which the thrust of the tail portion of the jaw 68 is exerted is thus avoided, and as a result insurance is attorded that the upper will be gripped firmly enough under any conditions to prevent it from slipping in the gripper jaws. Located in the plate 110 is an opening 118 to provide clearance for the tail portion 76 of the jaw 68. To insure that in the closing of the gripper the plate 110 will be positioned in proper relation to the portion of the closing slide where the roll 74 is located, the plate is confined between the fixed jaw 66 and a lug 120 on the closing slide, this lug being arranged to return the plate to the position in. which it is shown in Fig. 3 in the return of the parts of the gripper to their starting positions.

In general accordance with the disclosure of Letters Patent No. 1,030,522, each of the two double side grippers 4 comprises a gripper bar 122' connected by the previously mentioned ball joint 38 to the corresponding updraw lever 40' and a pair of gripper casings 124 (Fig. 6) each including on its outer side a detachable cover plate 126. Open sides of the two casings are adjacent to each. other to provide a common chamber into which the gripper bar extends, and by tongu'e-and-groove connections, not herein shown in detail, between the gripper bar and the casings' the latter are guided for relative movements height- Wise of the shoe. Mounted in sockets in the gripper bar are two springs 128 which are under compression and are in engagement respectively with members 130 fixed in the different gripper casings, these springs holding the casings initially in positions determined by the engagement of lugs 132 (Fig. 6) thereon with the previously mentioned bracket 34. Mounted on the lower end of each casing in fixed relation thereto is agripper jaw 134, and pivotally, mounted on a pin 136 in each casing for swinging movement toward and from the jaw 134 is a jaw 138. Movably' mounted in each casing is a closing slide 140 which carries a roll 142' arranged to engage a curved tail portion 144 of the pivoted jaw 138 to swing that jaw into position to grip the margin of the upper between it and the fixed jaw 134 in response to upward movement of the closingv slide relatively tothe casing 124.

Mounted for sliding movements in directions lengthwise of the shoe in guideways formed in the two closing; slides 140 are blocks 146 in which are swiveled the opposite ends. of a lever 148 pivotally mounted between its ends on a stud 150 carried by a block 152. This block is mounted on a slide 154 in fixed relation to the slide,

and an upwardly extending portion of the slide 154 has along, its opposite side margins grooves 156 (Fig. 6} to receive marginal portions of the two cover plates 126. The slide 154 is accordingly guided by the cover plates and the gripper bar to move in directions heightwise oi the shoe, and it willbe. understood that it is by movement of this slide and the block. 152 in. an upward direc-- tion that the two closing. slides 140 are operated to close the pivoted jaws 138 on the upper, the lever 148 permitting. such relative movements of the closing: slides as may be necessitated by different thicknesses of upper materials engaged by the ditierent pairs of gripper jaws. For thus moving the slide 154 to close the jaws there is pivotally mounted on a pin 158 on the lower end of the gripper bar 122 alatch- 160 arranged to engage and. act

on the block 152. The latch is heldinitially in position thus to act on the block, as shown in- Fig. 7, by a spring 162 mounted in a socket in the gripper bar 122 and: acting on a pin 164 (Fig. 10') which engages. the latch atone side of the pin 158. The springs 128 hold the gripper casings 124 stationary while the gripper jaws are thus being closed on: the upper, after which, inresponse to resistance of the upper to further closing movements of the jaws, the gripper casings are. moved upwardly by further movement ot the gripper bar to cause the jaws to pult the upper, as illustrated in Fig. 8. In this operation the lever 148 permits relative movement of the two casings in accordance with such differences as there may be in. the resistance of the portions of the upper acted upon. respectively by the different pairs of jaws. In. the construction hereinv shown, as sometimes heretofore, the two arms of the lever 148 at the opposite sides respectively of the stud 150 are of difierent lengths to cause one pair of jaws. to apply to the upper a more forcible pull than the other pair of jaws.

Pivotall'y mounted on a pin 166 carried by the block 152 is a finger 168 on. which is formed a lug 170 arranged to engage the latch 160. Associated with each of the side grippers is a side tacker arm (not shown) which, like the toe tacker arm 30, carries wiping means for wiping the margin of the upper inwardly over the insole into position to be tacked and which is swung inwardly widthwise of the shoe after the pulling of the upper simultaneously with inward. swinging movements of the side grippers. Each side tacker arm in its inward swinging movement acts on the finger 168 of the corresponding. side gripper and by swinging movement of the finger about the pin 166 disconnects the latch 160 from the block 152'. In this manner the gripper bar 122 is disconnected from the two closing slides 14%, whereupon the slide 154 and the closing. slides are moved reversely in directions toward the gripper jaws by a spring 172 (Fig. 6) which is mounted in a socket in the slide 154 and abuts at one end against a member 174 on the gripper bar 122. Extending from this member part way through the spring is a rod 176 which helps to hold the spring in place. It will be understood that the disconnection of the gripper bar from the closing slides causes the gripper jaws to release the upper, and upon such release of the upper by the jaws the updraw spring 48 acting on the corresponding updraw lever 40 expands to move the side gripper farther away from the shoe heightwise thereof as it is being swung inwardly over the shoe bottom. In the return of the parts thereafter to starting positions the gripper is moved reversely heightwise of the shoe by the lever 40 until the lugs 132 on the gripper casings engage the bracket 34 and thereby stop the movements of the casings. Continued movement of the gripper bar' thereafter against the resistance of the springs 128 returns the latch 160 into position to be swung by the spring 162 into operative relation. to the block 152, as shown in Fig. 7, ready to operate the block and close the jaws 138 on the upper of the next shoe.

It will be evident that when the gripper bar 122 of each side gripper is disconnected, as above described, by the latch 160 from the closing slides 140, the springs 128 will, in the absence of anything to prevent, further expand and move the casings 126 suddenly short distances toward the shoe relatively to the gripper bar. Such movements of the casings, limited by engagement of the members 130 therein with lugs 178 on opposite sides of the gripper bar, have had the same tendency heretofore to retard the withdrawal of the side gripper jaws from the shoeby the updraw spring 48 that the similar movement of the toe gripper casing has had to retard the withdrawal of the toe gripper jaws. To prevent this there are pivotally mounted on the same pin 158 as the latch 160 two pawls 180 (Fig. at opposite sides of the latch respectively, these pawls being arranged to engage teeth 182 formed on the cover plates 126 of the different gripper casings 124. Mountedin sockets formed in laterally extending lugs on the latch and in tail portions 184 of the pawls are springs 186 which tend to swing the pawls relatively to the latch toward the teeth 182. To limit such swinging movements of the pawls each pawl has thereon a lug 188 extending laterally therefrom into a recess 190 in an adjacent hub portion of the latch 160, as shown in Fig. 10. Normally this lug, under the influence of the spring 186, is held in engagement with a shoulder 192 on the hub of the latch, and when the latch is in position to act on the block 152 the pawl is thus held in a position where it will not engage the teeth 182 during the closing of the gripper jaws and the pulling of the upper, as illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8. When the latch, however, is moved by the finger 168 into position to disconnect the closing slides 140 from the gripper bar 122, this movement of the latch carries the two pawls 180 into engagement with the teeth 182 on the respective cover plates 126. Accordingly the gripper bar and the two gripper casings are locked together against relative movements by the springs 128 before the latch actually releases the closing slides, thus preventing any further expansion of the springs upon release of the upper by the gripper. The expansion of the updraw spring 48 associated with each side gripper updraw lever 40 is therefore immediately effective to withdraw the side gripper jaws from the shoe heightwise thereof without any tendency for such movements of the jaws to be retarded by reverse movements of the gripper casings relatively to the gripper bar. When the gripper bar of each gripper is moved relatively to the casings in the return of the parts to starting positions the pawls 180 slip yieldingly over the teeth 182 until the latch 160 is swung by its spring 162 into position again to act on the block 152, this swinging movement of the latch serving to return the pawls to positions where they will not engage the teeth as the gripper jaws are closed on the upper of the next shoe and during the pulling of that upper.

Each of the two casings 124 of each double side gripper has therein a recess 194 (Fig. 7) in which is movably mounted a plate 196 generally similar to the plate 110 (Fig. 11) of the toe gripper and similarly provided with a plurality of rolls 198 arranged to support the corresponding closing slide 140 against the lateral thrust applied thereto by the tail portion 144 of the gripper jaw 138 in the closing of the jaw on the upper. As hereinbefore explained with reference to the toe gripper, this avoids friction between the closing slide and the side of the casing toward which the thrust of the tail portion of the jaw is exerted and thereby insures that the upper will be gripped firmly enough to prevent it from slipping in the gripper jaws before the gripper begins to pull it. Each plate 196 is confined in its movement between the fixed gripper jaw 134 and a lug 200 (Fig. 9) on the closing slide 140, this lug extending into a slot 202 in the plate and serving to return the plate to its initial position when the closing slide is returned.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States 1. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a gripper for pulling an upper over a last, said gripper comprising a movable casing, a pair of upper-gripping jaws carried by said casing, jaw-closing means in the casing, a gripper bar connected to said jaw-closing means for moving said means relatively to the casing to effect relative closing movement of the jaws and for thereafter moving the casing to cause the jaws to pull the upper in response to resistance of the upper to further relative movement of the jaws, a spring arranged to apply force in opposite directions respectively to the gripper bar and the casing and to hold the casing against movement until after the relative closing movement of the jaws, means for disconnecting the gripper bar from said jaw-closing means after the pulling of the upper to cause the jaws to release the upper, and a device for automatically preventing the casing from being moved by said spring relatively to the gripper bar in a direction toward the shoe when the jaws release the upper.

2. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a gripper for pulling an upper over a last, said gripper comprising a movable casing, a pair of upper-gripping jaws carried by said casing, jaw-closing means in the casing, a gripper bar connected to said jaw-closing means for moving said means relatively to the casing to effect relative closing movement of the jaws and for thereafter moving the casing to cause the jaws to pull the upper in response to resistance of the upper to further relative movement of the jaws, a spring arranged to apply force in opposite directions respectively to the gripper bar and the casing and to hold the casing against movement until after the relative closing movement of the jaws, means for disconnecting the gripper bar from said jaw-closing means after the pulling of the upper to cause the jaws to release the upper, and means constructed and arranged to lock said gripper bar and casing together against relative movement by said spring after the gripping of the upper but prior to its release by the gripper jaws to prevent the casing from being moved by said spring relatively to the gripper bar in a direction toward the shoe upon such release of the upper.

3. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a gripper for pulling an upper over a last, said gripper comprising a movable casing, a pair of upper-gripping jaws carried by said casing, jaw-closing means in the casing, a gripper bar connected to said jaw-closing means for moving said means relatively to the casing to effect relative closing movement of the jaws and for thereafter moving the casing to cause the jaws to pull the upper in response to resistance of the upper to further relative movement of the jaws, a spring arranged to apply force in opposite directions respectively to the gripper bar and the casing and to hold the casing against movement until after the relative closing movement of the jaws, means for disconnecting the gripper bar from said jaw-closing means after the pulling of the upper to cause the jaws to release the upper, a plurality of teeth on said casing, a pawl carried by the gripper bar for engaging said teeth to lock the bar and the casing together against relative movement by said spring, and means for moving said pawl into engagement with the teeth after the pulling of the upper to prevent such relative movement of the bar and the casing when the jaws release the upper.

4. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a gripper for pulling an upper over a last, said gripper comprising a movable casing, a pair of upper-gripping jaws carried by said casing, jaw-closing means in the casing, a gripper bar, a member arranged to connect said gripper bar to the jaw-closing means for moving said means by the bar relatively to the casing to effect relative closing movement of the jaws and for thereafter moving the casing to cause the jaws to pull the upper in response to resistance of the upper to further relative movement of the jaws, a spring arranged to apply force in opposite directions respectively to the gripper bar and the casing and to hold the casing against movement until after the relative closing movement of the jaws, means for moving, said member to disconnect the gripper bar from. the,

jaw-closing means after the pulling of the upper to cause the jaws to release the upper, and. a device arranged. to be moved by said member into position to prevent the casing. from being moved by said spring relatively to the gripper bar in a direction toward the shoe when the jaws. release the upper.

5.. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a gripper for pulling an upper over a last, said. gripper com-- prising a movable casing, a. pair of upper-gripping jaws carried by said casing, jaw-closing means in the casing, a gripper bar, a member arranged to connect said gripper bar to the jaw-closing means for moving said means by the bar relatively to the casing to effect relative closing movement of the jaws and for thereafter moving the casing to cause the jaws. to pull the upper in. response to resistance of the upper to further relative movement of the jaws, a spring arranged to apply force in opposite directions respectively to the gripper bar and the casing and to hold the casing against movement until after the relative closing movement of the jaws, means for moving. said member to disconnect the gripper bar from the jaw-closing means after the pulling. of the upper to cause the jaws to release the upper, and means responsive to that movement of said member for locking the gripper bar and the casing against relative movement by said spring when the jaws release the upper.

6. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a gripper for pulling an upper over. a last, said gripper comprising a movable casing, a pair of upper-gripping jaws carried by said casing, jaw-closing means in the casing, a gripper bar, a latch arrangedv to connect the gripper bar to said jaw-closing means for moving said means by the bar relatively to the casing to effect relative closing movement of the jaws and for thereafter moving. the casing to cause the jaws to pull the upper in response to resistance of the upper to further relative movement of the jaws, a spring arranged to apply force in opposite directions respectively to the gripper bar and the casing and to hold the casing against movement until after the relative closing movement of the jaws, means for moving said latch to disconnect the gripper bar from the jaw-closing means after the pulling of the upper to cause the jaws torelease the upper, a plurality of teeth on said casing, and a pawl carried by the gripper bar for engaging said teeth to lock the gripper bar and the casing against relative movement by said spring, said pawl being arranged to be moved into engagement with the teeth in response to the movement of said latch when the latch is moved to disconnect the gripper bar from the jaw-closing means.

7. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a gripper for pulling an upper over a last, said gripper comprising a pair of casings mounted to move together and also relatively heightwise of the last, a pair of upper-gripping jaws carried by each of said casings, jaw-closing means ineach casing, a gripper bar common to both casings and connected to the jaw-closing means in each casing for moving said means relatively to the casing to eiiect relative closing movement of the jaws and for thereafter moving the casing to cause the jaws to pull the upper in response to resistance of the upper to further relative movement of the jaws, springs arranged to apply force in one direction to the gripper bar and in the opposite direction respectively to the different casings and to hold the casings against movement until after the relative closing movements of the jaws, means for disconnecting the gripper bar from the jaw-closing. means in both casings after the pulling of the upper to cause the jaws to release the upper, and means for automatical- Iy preventing the casings from being moved by said springs relatively to the gripper bar in a direction toward the shoe when the jaws release the upper.

8. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a gripper for pulling an upper over a last, said gripper comprising a pair of casings mounted to move together and also relatively heightwise of the last, a pair of upper-gripping, jawsv carried by each of said casings, jaw-closing means in. each casing, a gripper bar common to both casings and connected to the jaw-closing means in each. casing, for moving said means relatively to the casing to effect relative closing movement of the jaws and for thereafter moving. the casing to cause the jaws topull the upper in. response to resistance of the upper to further relative movement of the jaws, springs arranged to apply force in one direction to the gripper bar and in the opposite direction respectively to the difierent casings and to hold the casings against movement until after the relative closing movements of the jaws, means for disconnecting. the gripper bar from the jaw-closing means in. both casings after the pulling of the upper to cause the jaws to release the upper, and mechanism constructed and arranged to lock said gripper bar and the casings against relative movement by said springs after the pulling of the upper and thereby to prevent such relative movement when the jaws release the upper.

9. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a gripper for pulling an upper over a last, said gripper comprising; a pair of casings mounted to move together and also relatively heightwise of the last, a pair of upper-gripping jaws carried by each of said casings, jaw-closing means in each casing, a gripper bar common to both casings and connected to the jaw-closing means in each casing. for moving said means relatively to the casing to effect relative closing movement of the jaws and for thereafter moving the casing to cause the jaws to pull the upper in response to resistance of the upper to further relative movement of the jaws, springs arranged to apply force in one direction to the gripper bar and in the opposite direction respectively to the different casings and to hold the casings against movement until after the relative closing movements of the jaws, means for disconnectingv the gripper bar from the jaw-closing means in both casings after the pulling of the upper to cause the jaws to release the upper, each of said casings having a plurality of teeth thereon, pawls carried by the gripper bar and arranged respectively to engage the teeth on the different casings to lock the bar and the casings together against relative movement by said springs, and means for moving said pawls into engagement with the teeth after the pulling of the upper to prevent such relative movement of the bar and the casings when the jaws release the upper.

it). In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a gripper for pulling an upper over a last, said gripper comprising a pair of casings mounted to move together and also relatively heightwise of the last, a pair of uppergripping jaws carried by each of said casings, jaw-closing means in each casing, a gripper bar common to both casings, mechanism including a releasing member arranged to connect said gripper bar to the jaw-closing means in both casings for moving said means relatively to the casings to effect relative closing movements of the jaws and for thereafter moving the casings to cause the jaws to pull the upper in response to resistance of the upper to further relative movements of the jaws, springs arranged to apply force in one direction to the gripper bar and in the opposite direction respectively to the different casingsand to hold the casings against movement until after the relative closing movements of the jaws, means for moving said releasing member to disconnect the gripper bar from the jaw-closing means in both casings after the pulling of the upper to cause the jaws to release the upper, and devices arranged to be moved by said releasing member intopositions to prevent the easings from being moved by said springs relatively to the gripper bar in a direction toward the shoe when the jaws release the upper.

11. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a gripper for pulling an upper over a last, said gripper comprising a pair of casings mounted to move together and also relatively heightwise of the last, a pair of uppergripping jaws carried by each of said casings, jaw-closing means in each casing, a gripper bar common to both casings, mechanism including a releasing member arranged to connect said gripper bar to the jaw-closing means in both casings for moving said means relatively to the casings to elfect relative closing movements of the jaws and for thereafter moving the casings to cause the jaws to pull the upper in response to resistance of the upper to further relative movements of the jaws, springs arranged to apply force in one direction to the gripper bar and in the opposite direction respectively to the different casings and to hold the casings against movement until after the relative closing movements of the jaws, means for moving said releasing member to disconnect the gripper bar from the jaw-closing means in both casings after the pulling of the upper to cause the jaws to release the upper, and means responsive to that movement of said releasing member for locking the gripper bar and the casings against relative movement by said springs when the jaws release the upper.

12. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a gripperfor pulling an upper over a last, said gripper comprising a pair of casings mounted to move together and also relatively heightwise of the last, a pair of uppergripping jaws carried by each of said casings, jaw-closing means in each casing, a gripper bar common to both casings, mechanism including a latch arranged to connect said gripper bar to the jaw-closing means in both casings for moving said means relatively to the casings to effect relative closing movements of the jaws and for thereafter moving the casings to cause the jaws to pull the upper in response to resistance of the upper to fur ther relative movements of the jaws, springs arranged to apply force in one direction to the gripper bar and in the opposite direction respectively to the difierentcasings and to hold the casings against movement until after the relative closing movements of the jaws, means for moving said latch to disconnect the gripper bar from the jaw-closing means in both casings after the pulling of the upper to cause the jaws to release the upper, each of said casings having a plurality of teeth thereon, and pawls carried by the gripper bar and arranged respectively to engage the teeth on the diiferent casings to lock the bar and the casings together against relative movement by said springs, said pawls being arranged to be moved by said latch into engagement with the teeth when the latch is moved to disconnect the gripper bar from the jaw-closing means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 954,933 Cossey Apr. 12, 1910 1,030,264 McFeely June 18, 1912 1,030,522 McFeely June 25, 1912 1,898,273 Stevens Feb. 21, 1933 2,025,721 Broulhiet Dec. 31, 1935 2,030,789 Harris Feb. 11, 1936 2,366,237 Clausen Jan. 2, 1945