US2794994A - Machines for shaping uppers over lasts - Google Patents

Description

L. E. PROULX MACHINES FOR SHAPING UPPERS OVER LASTS June 11, 1957 2,794,994

Filed Oct. 7, 1955 2 She ets-Sheet 1 '1 n u e n 0 r' Leonard E. Pro uix By his Attorney June 11, 1957 L. E. PROULX MACHINES F'OR SHAPING UPPERS ovss LASTS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. '7, 1955 In 06 nlof Leonard E. ProuZI By his Azzor'ney McFeely.

United States Patent 2,794,994 MACHlNES FOR snarnsr; .UPPERS OVER LASTS Leonard E. Proulx, Arlington, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey Application October '7, 1955, Serial No. 539,068 SClaims. cits-10.2

This invention relates to machines for shaping uppers over lasts, and is herein illustrated as embodied in a pulling over machine of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 1,029,387, granted June 11, 1912, on an application filed in'the name of Ronald F. It will be understood, however, that in its broader aspects the invention is not limited to use in a 'pulling over machine or to the exact mechanical construction shown.

In the operation of a pulling over machine of the mentioned type, it is the accepted practice for the operator to position the toe end of the last of the shoe in lengthwise and widthwise directions relatively to a shoe support by bringing the toe end of the last into engagement with a locating surface provided on the toe gripper of the machine. Then, after the operator has inserted the upper materials into the open jaws of the toe and side grippers of the machine, he swings the heel end of the shoe toward one side or the other until the longitudinal novel means for facilitating the positioning of the shoe in the machine by the operator. With this object in View, the herein illustrated machine, which, in common with pulling over machines of the well-known type mentioned above, has a shoe support and a toe gripper lo- 'cated adjacent to the support, is provided with a pair of abutments spaced apart widthwise of the machine and disposed symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal center line of the shoe support, these abutments each serving as a member for engaging the heel end of a shoe placed on the support with the toe end of its last in engagement with the toe gripper to locate the shoe so that the longitudinal median line of the forepart of the last will be substantially parallel to the longitudinal center line of the shoe support. Preferably, and as herein illustrated, each of these abutments has a curved operating surface for engaging the heel end of the shoe in a location adjacent to the bottom of the shoe and, in order to accommodate shoes on lasts of different styles, means are provided for adjusting these abutment members toward and away from each other.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will appear in the following detailed description of the embodiment thereof which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a portion of a pulling over machine provided with improved shoe locating mechanism embodying the features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view, at a reduced scale, of the shoe ice locating mechanism as seen looking in the direction of the arrow A in Fig. 5;

Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of the shoe locating mechanism as seen looking in the direction of the arrow B and with parts shown in section substantially on line IIIIII, Fig. 5;

Fig. 4 is a view at an enlarged scale of a part of the shoe locating mechanism with certain portions shown in section substantially on line IV.IV of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of a portion of the pulling over machine which is illustrated in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a view in section substantially on line VI-VI of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to these drawings, and particularly to Fig. 1, the pulling over machine which is illustrated therein is of a well-known construction and similar to that shown in United States Letters Patent No. 1,029,387 mentioned above. Thus, this pulling over machine has a shoe support comprising fingers 10, 12, 12, a heel rest indicated generally by the reference character 14, a pair of side grippers 20, 20, a toe gripper 22, side tackers 24, 24, a toe tacker 26, and a pair of side arms 28, 28 each carrying two shoe engaging pads 30, 30. The elements which have just been enumerated are associated with a head casting 32 which is mounted on a column 34 of suitable height, and the several operating elements are actuated by drive mechanism, not shown, but contained within the head casting, generally in the same manner as in the prior patented machine.

The heel rest 14 of the herein illustrated machine includes a metallic backing plate 40 having two integrally formed arms 42, 42 by means of which the heel rest is connected to a carriage 44. This carriage has two side portions 46, 46 (corresponding to the ribs 36, 38 of the patented construction, see Fig. 10 thereof) by means of which the heel rest may be adjustably connected to two slides 48, 48 (corresponding to the slides 32, 34 of the patented machine). Secured to the backing plate. 40 is a facing piece 49 of rubber, or similar yieldable material, for engaging the heel end of a shoe presented to the machine. 'It will be understood by reference to the aforementioned patent that, during an initial portion of the operating cycle of the pulling over machine, the slides 48, 48, which are mounted in suitable guideways formed in the head casting, are moved yieldingly upwardly, as viewed in Fig. 1, to bring the heel rest into engagement with the heel end of a shoe presented to the machine, and thereafter, at a later point in the operating cycle and just before the toe and side tackers are operated, these slides are locked to hold the heel rest firmly against the shoe to support the shoe against movement in a heelward direction. As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the heel rest is of arcuate shape so as to engage the heel ends of different shoes presented to the machine, the radius of curvature of this arcuate shape being such that the heel rest will have no tendency to shift the heel end of the shoe laterally of the machine as it comes into engagement therewith.

In operating a pulling over machine of the type disclosed in the mentioned patent, the operator first turns back the upper materials of the shoe adjacent to the toe end of the last and brings the toe end of the last into engagement with the inner face 50 of the inside toe gripper jaw which, preferably, and as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, is arcuate in shape. Then, after inserting the upper into the open jaws of the toe and side grippers, he swings the heel end of the shoe toward one side or the other until the longitudinal median line of its forep-art is substantially parallel to the center line of the shoe support, indicated in the drawings by means of a broken line x.x, Fig. 2, this lining up of the forepart of the shoe being effected visually and with an accuracy which will vary Widely with different operators. In order to facilitate this operation and at the same time to eliminate the uncertainties of operator skill, the following arrangement is provided.

Secured to a portion of the head casting 32, by means of screws 6Q, 60, is a bracket member 62 having downwardly turned ends 64, 64, Figs. 2, 3 and 5. Projecting outwardly fromeach of these downwardly turned ends is a boss 66 carrying a shaft 68 on which an arm 70 is pivotal-1y mounted and held in place by means of a collar 72. Secured to each of these arms, by means of a screw 74, is an arm extension 76 having at its outer, end a pad 78 provided with a curved operating face 79, Fig. 6. Iournaled in each arm 70 is a trunnion shaft 80 having an integrally formed trunnion block 82 on one of its ends and held in place by means of a collar 84 on its opposite end, Fig. 3. Slidably mounted in an elongated slot86 formed in each trunnion "block, see Fig. 4, is the flattened end portion 87 of a nut 88. These two nuts are 4 respectively provided with right and left-hand threads to receive the correspondingly threaded end portions 90, 92 of a shaft 94 which is journaled in a bore formed in a block 96 carried by the bracket 62. Collars 98, 98, secured to the shaft by means of setscrews 100, 100, hold this shaft, against axial movement, while permitting it to be rotated by means of a hand knob 102 pinned to one end thereof. interposed between each of the collars 98,- .98 and one side of each trunnion block 82 is a coil spring the outline of the last of a mans shoe of medium size,

and for the right foot, placed in the machine with ,its toe end in engagement with the inner face 50 of the toe gripper 22 and with the inside face of its heel end, in the vicinity of the breastline, in engagement with the pad 78 which is on the left-hand side of the pulling over machine. Obviously, the pad 78 may be so adjusted that when this shoe is thus presented to the machine, the center line of its forepart will be parallel to the center line xx of the shoe support and the same results will be obtained with a shoe for the left foot placed in the machine with the inside face of its heel end in engagement with the pad 78 which is located on the right-hand side of the machine. The points a-b indicate diagrammatically the approximate points of contact of the pad 78 with the heel end of a mans shoe of large and small size, respectively. On the larger sizes of shoes, the pads 78 will contact the shoe in the location forwardly of the breastline where the last curves inwardly and downwardly toward the bottom of the shoe. Because of the curved shape of the operating faces 79 of the pads 78, these pads will contact the side of the heel end of the shoe in the vicinity of the bottom of the shoe, see Fig. 6. Thus, shoes of different sizes will be correctly positioned when brought into engagement with one or the other of thepads 78, '78,

,in the manner explained above, and errors, which otherwise might be introduced if the pads engaged the shoe higher up on the side of the last, are avoided. To adapt the locating mechanism for use with womens shoes, indicated by the reference character S1 in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the arm extensions 76, 76 are replaced by somewhat longer extensions, one of which is shown in Fig. 2 and designated by the reference characters 76--'1, 78-4, while still longer extensions, 762,.78-2, are provided for use with childrens shoes, indicated in Fig. 2 by the reference character S2. The difierent positions assumed by the heel rest in cont-acting shoes of the different types mentioned above are indicated by reference characters The manner in which the novel shoe locating means is used should be clear from the above description. It will also be apparent that, since the operator does not have to line up the forepart of the last visually, the accuracy with which the shoes are positioned will be improved and at the same time the whole operation will be speeded up. When changing over from one style of last to another, the pads 78, 78 are readily adjusted by means of the knob 102. Should the pulling-over machine be operated through a cycle with no shoe in the machine, the side arms 28, 28 may swing in far enough to strike the pads 78, 78. If this occurs, the arms 76, 76 can swing inwardly, as permitted by the springs 104, 104.

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

1. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a support for a shoe on its last, means adjacent to said shoe support for engaging the toe end of the last of a shoe to position the toe end of the shoe in lengthwise and widthwise directions on the support, and a pair of abutments spaced apart widthwise of the machine and disposed symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal center line of the shoe support, said abutments each serving as a member for engaging the heel end of a shoe placed on the support with its toe end in engagement with said positioning means to locate the shoe so that the longitudinal median 2. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a support for a shoe on its last, means adjacent to said shoe support for engaging the toe end of the last of a shoe to position the toe end of the shoe in lengthwise and widthwise directions on the support, a pair of abutments spaced apart widthwise of the machine and disposed symmetrical- .ly with respect to the longitudinal center line of the shoe support, said abutments each serving as a member for engaging the heel end of a shoe placed on the support with its toe end in engagement with said positioning means .so that the longitudinal median line of the forepart of the widthwise directions on the support, and a pair of abutments spaced apart widthwise of the machine and disposed symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal center line of the shoe support, said abutments each having a curved operating face for engaging the heel end of a .shoe placed on the support with its toe end in engagement with said positioning means to locate the shoe so that the longitudinal median line of the forepart of the last is substantially parallel to the longitudinal center line V of the support.

4. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a support for a shoe on its last, means adjacent to said shoe support for engaging the toe end of the last of a shoe to position the toe end of the shoe in lengthwise and widthwise directions on the support, a pair of abutments spaced apart widthwise of the machine and disposed symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal center line of :the shoe support, said abutments each having a curved operating face for engaging the heel end of a shoe placed on the supportwith its toe end in engagement with said positioning means to locate the shoe so that the longitudinal median line of the forepart of the last is substantially parallel to the longitudinal center line of the support, and means for adjusting said abutments toward or away from each other to accommodate shoes on lasts of different. styles.

5. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a support for a shoe on its last, a toe gripper adjacent to said shoe support and provided with a curved locating surface for engaging the toe end of the last of a shoe to position the toe end of the shoe in lengthwise and widthwise directions on the support, and a pair of abutments spaced apart widthwise of the machine and disposed symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal center line of the shoe support, said abutments each serving as a member for engaging the heel end of a shoe placed on the support with its toe end in engagement with said gripper to locate the shoe so that the longitudinal median line of the forepart of the last is substantially parallel to the longitudinal center line of the support.

6. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a support for a shoe on its last, a toe gripper adjacent to said shoe support and provided with a curved locating surface for engaging the toe end of the last of a shoe to position the toe end of the shoe in lengthwise and widthwise directions on the support, a pair of abutments spaced apart widthwise of the machine and disposed symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal center line of the shoe support, said abutments each serving as a member for engaging the heel end of a shoe placed on the support with its toe end in engagement with said gripper to locate the shoe so that the longitudinal median line of the forepart of the last is substantially parallel to the longitudinal center line of the support, and means for adjusting said abutments toward or away from each other to accommodate shoes on lasts of diiferent styles.

port for a shoe on its last, a toe gripper adjacent to said shoe support and provided with a curved locating surface for engaging the toe end of the last of a shoe to position the toe end of the shoe in lengthwise and widthwise directions on the support, and a pair of abutments spaced apart widthwise of the machine and disposed symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal center line of the shoe support, said abutments each having a curved operating face for engaging the heel end of a shoe placed on the support with its toe end in engagement with said gripper to locate the shoe so that the longitudinal median line of the forepart of the last is substantially parallel to the longitudinal center line of the support.

8. In a machine for shaping uppers over lasts, a support for a shoe on its last, a toe gripper adjacent to said shoe support and provided with a curved locating surface for engaging the toe end of the last of a shoe to position the toe end of the shoe in lengthwise and widthwise directions on the support, a pair of abutments spaced apart widthwise of the machine and disposed symmetrically with respect to the longitudinal center line of the shoe support, said abutments each having :a curved operating face for engaging the heel end of a shoe placed on the support with its toe end in engagement with said gripper to locate the shoe so that the longitudinal median line of the forepart of the last is substantially parallel to the longitudinal center line of the support, and means for adjusting said abutments toward or away from each other to accommodate shoes on lasts of different styles.

No references cited.

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