US2861282A

US2861282A - Machine for sole attaching and/or laying operations

Info

Publication number: US2861282A
Application number: US415503A
Authority: US
Inventors: Edward F Small
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-03-11
Filing date: 1954-03-11
Publication date: 1958-11-25
Anticipated expiration: 1975-11-25

Description

Nov. 25, 1958 E. F. SMALL 2,861,282

MACHINE FOR SOLE ATTACHING AND/OR LAYING OPERATIONS Filed March 11, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 X v d l Ziwenior 112 i E Edward $751110; ZZ

W/ll/l/lll. by W Mai/M E. F. SMALL Nov. 25, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 11, 1954 Nov. 25, 1958 E. F. SMALL 2,861,282

MACHINE FOR SOLE ATTACHING AND/OR LAYING OPERATIONS Filed March 11, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 A I7LZ/87ZZOI' I Eda/ana E fiilzail f 6 gmw zz WWW Nov. 25, 1958 E. F. SMALL 1,

MACHINE FOR SOLE ATTACHING AND/OR LAYING OPERATIONS Filed March 11, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 .ZIiI/QIZZOI F1 4 Eduard ZSznall @7%M,&4zzmn Elf hi:

Nov. 25, 1958 E. F. SMALL 2,851,282

MACHINE FOR SOLE ATTACHING AND/OR LAYING OPERATIONS Filed March 11, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 6 7 SHFETY SWITCH r3 8 a j 1.

0i cg sii 9 STAR TING SWITCH j TRANSFORMER 4 POWER SWITCH J fizz/awful" Eduard 1 SIIZQ'ZZ 15/ 739W (2241mm *W .fZZZ

United States Patent O MACHINE FOR SOLE ATTACHING AND/ OR LAYING OPERATIONS Edward F. Small, Newton, Mass., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Jacob S. Kamborian, West Newton, Mass.

Application March 11, 1954, Serial N 0. 415,503

16 Claims. (Cl. 12 -36) This invention relates to a machine for operating on shoes and the manufacture thereof and more especially to a machine for sole laying and/ or attaching operations.

The principal objects of the invention are to provide a machine of very high productive capacity in which the sole attaching and/or laying pressure will automatically be applied substantially perpendicularly to the bottom regardless of whether the shoes are placed squarely between the pressure applying parts or not, in which two shoes of widely different kind, size or hand may be operated upon at one time with equally as good results as if a pair of right or left shoes of identical size and kind were operated upon, in which there is a conformable member adapted when the shoes are pressed thereagainst to swell about theperimeters of the shoes and in which the swell may be limited in certain parts independently of other parts, in which the pressure may selectively be applied to favor parts of the shoes which have the greater area and, in which, the operating parts are located below the level of the shoes being operated upon so that the operator has free access to the shoes both to place them on the machine and to remove them after the bottom laying or attaching operation is completed. Other objects are to provide a very compact, completely enclosed apparatus which will be economical of space and will keep clean, an apparatus which is durable, which requires very little upkeep and is economical to operate. Other objects and advantages will appear hereinafter in connection with a more specific description of the machine.

As herein illustrated the apparatus has pairs of laterally disposed, opposed pressure applying units, each of which is comprised of relatively movable members between which shoes may be placed for application of sole laying pressure thereto. Each unit has as one of its opposed members a yieldable pad for receiving the bottom of a shoe which is so located with respect to the other member of the pair that a pair of shoes may be placed thereon side by side and operated upon by a common pressure applying member. Each pad is adapted to yield and simultaneously to swell about the perimeter of the shoe which rests thereon, when the latter is pressed into its surface. Each pad is in the form of a bladder or bag comprised of flexible sheet material forming the top and bottom walls thereof joined at their perimeters and filled with an incompressible fluid, for example, water so that normally the walls are distended having an outwardly convex shape. The bag is supported at its bottom side on its convex bottom wall so that its top side is free to tilt and there is means engaged with its perimeter to limit the tilt and normally to hold the bag leveled, that is substantially parallel with respect to a horizontal plane. Preferably, the perimeter of the bag is reinforced and is made rigid by a rigid hollow frame comprised of top and bottom members bolted or otherwise secured together with the perimeters of the top and bottom walls sandwiched therebetween. The bag has in it a masking member of rigid construction which is clamped between the top and bottom walls by the bolts joining the frame memice a; bers. The masking member has an opening in it located nearer one end than the other, which corresponds substantially in area to the forepart of a shoe bottom, through which the fluid in the bag may freely fiow from one side to the other. The two shoe receiving pads of a given unit are interconnected by a hollow conductor pipe connected at its opposite ends to the pads so that a free flow of fluid may take place from one pad to the other. The other members of the relatively movable members of which there are two, are each common to a pair of pads and each is movable to and from its associated pads and carries heel and toe hold-down members for engagement with the lasts to press the shoes into the pads. In accordance with the construction, the pairs of pads are mounted substantially at waist height on a frame so that the shoes may be placed thereon in an upright position with their bottoms resting thereon. Each member consists of a pair of spaced parallel pull rods rising from the top of the frame between a pair of the pads, to a point at least as high as the depth of the last and the several rods have pivotally suspended from their upper ends heel and toe holds for each of the pads. There is power operated means near the base of the frame and means pivotally connecting the lower ends of the pull rods thereto. The pull rods are movable on their pivots to and from each other in a plane perpendicular to the pads midway between them and parallel to their longitudinal center lines,-

and there is means operably associated therewith to adjust the pull rods to and from each other. The power operated means for each unit, preferably is an air cylinder supplied through a suitable control valve with air under pressure.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is an oblique projection as seen from the front and right side of the apparatus with the cover elevated to show the pairs of pads;

Fig. la is a vertical transverse section of a pair of pads showing the conduit interconnecting the same;

Fig. lb is a fragmentary detail of the safety switch;

Fig. 1c is a fragmentary detail of the starting switch;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the right side of the machine showing the right hand operating unit, the left hand side being a duplicate thereof;

Fig. 3 is a top view of the right hand side of the machine with the cover omitted;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken longitudinally of one of the conforming pads;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the cover of the machine;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the masking plate; and

Fig. 8 is a wiring diagram for the operation of the machine.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a frame 10 (Fig. 4) of substantially rectangular shape consisting of vertically spaced, rigid, substantially rectangular bottom and top plates .12 and 14, joined together by four rigid metal posts 16, located near the four corners of the plates. The frame is closed at its front, sides and back by sheet metal Walls, which are removably held in engagement with upwardly and downwardly projecting flanges of two pairs of angular rails 2222 welded to the front and rear edges of the bottom and top plates respectively. The walls are made in three pieces, two U-shaped pieces 18 and a flat piece 2t). Each U-shaped piece includes onehalf of the back wall, an end wall and less than one-half of the front wall. The corners at the intersection of the back, side and front wall portions of the pieces are smoothly curved. The U-shaped walls are placed about the opposite ends of the frame so that the back wall portions overlap. A gap exists at the front of the frame due to the fact that each of the front wall portions is less than half the width of the frame and in this gap is placed the third piece, which is the flat rectangular plate 20. The

plate 20 is fastened by screws to the angle rail 22 at thefront of the frame and the Ushaped pieces 18 are held engaged with these rails by a cap 24 (Figs. 4 and 6) of substantially rectangular shape, having a rigid skirt 26, which fits down over the top plate 14 against the upper margins of the walls holding them snugly against the flanges of the rails. The cap has a top wall 28 which is spaced from and parallel to the top plate 1 in which are spaced pairs of openings corresponding generally in shape to the bottoms of shoes, and being symmetrically located with reference to the forwardly and rearwardly extending center line of the machine. The frame as thus formed is comparatively narrow from front to back, about twice as wide as deep, and its top plate is located at about waist level of an average operator.

The top plate 14 provides a support for two pairs of spaced bottom receiving elements 34 (Figs. 3 and 4), which are arranged parallel to each other and extend in a direction from front to back of the machine. Each bottom receiving element 34 is in the form of a hollow pad, bag or bladder and consists of yieldable, flexible top and bottom walls joined at their marginal edges and contains a body ofincompressible fluid. The top wall is comprised of two plies, a thick inner ply 36 of sheet rubber or rubber-like material and a thinner outer ply 38 of leather, for example, a good grade of chrome leather. These plies are unjoined except at their perimeters as will appear hereinafter. The bottom wall is a comparatively thick strong layer 40, for example, three ply rubber. The perimeters of the top and bottom wails are joined together with a rigid metal masking plate 42, placed therebetween by a pair of hollow, rigid, substantially

rectangular frame members

44 and 46, which are bolted to each other with the perimeters of the top and bottom walls and the masking plate sandwiched therebetween.

The top frame 44 (Fig. 3) is partially covered by a horizontal top Wall 48 which is thinner than the marginal edge of the frame so that it is vertically spaced from the top wall of the bag clamped between it and the bottom frame 46. The wall 48 has an opening 50 therein very generally corresponding to the shape of the bottom of the shoe, being somewhat narrower at the heel end than at its toe end. Partial closing of this top frame by the Wall 48 controls swell of the top wall of the bag so that it is limited to the area closely adjacent to the perimeter of the shoe. The space beneath the wall 48 affords a pocket between the wall of the frame and the top wall of the bag in which may be placed a protective covering sheet for the chrome leather surface of the bag to keep it clean and dry.

The bottom frame 46 differs from the top frame 44 in that it is a completely hollow, rectangular frame and is hat on both surfaces.

The mask plate 42 (Fig. 7) has an opening 52 in it located closer to one end than the other and of an area corresponding in size and shape to the forepart of the bottom of a shoe.

The bag 34 is filled with an incompressible body of fluid, for example, water so that normally its walls are normally distended in opposite directions with respect to the masking plate and so that their outer surfaces are somewhat convex. The bottom Wall may even be initially shaped so that the distention or bulging is appreciably more than that of the top wall, although, of course, the bottom wall will normally tend to bulge the greater amount because it is composed solely of rubber, whereas, the top wall is constrained by the much less elastic chrome leather ply. As thus constructed, when the bag is placed on the top plate 14, itis held elevated by the convex shape of the bottom wall with its perimeter out of contactwith the'p'late, so that it is free to rock with reference to the plane of theplate- 1'4. The bag nearly fills the space-be- .4 tween the plate 14 and the underside of the top wall 28 of the cap 24 (Fig. 4), and the latter holds the bag in a substantially level position by engagement of the frame 44 with the underside of the cap. If desired, small springs may be placed beneath the perimeter of the bag, one at each corner, to assist in holding the bag level; however, this is not necessary. There are two bags 34 for each unit and all fourbags are confined on the top of the plate 14 by the cap 24, the skirt of which prevents outward displacement of the pads and the topwall 28 of which prevents excessive tilting thereof. Inward displacement of the pads is prevented by

partitions

56 and 58, located between the pads of each unit and between the units at the underside of the cover (-Fig. 6).

The pads of each pair of pads are'interconnected (Fig. -1a) by a conductor 35, the opposite ends of which are connected to the bottom walls of the pads by suitable coupling members. As illustrated,-' a threaded nipple 37 is inserted in the bottom wall of each pad, and fastened thereto by a washer and clamp

nut

39 and 41, screwed tight onthe neck of the nipple against a flange at the inside of the wall so as to pinch thewall-tlierebetween. A sleeve 43 is mounted on the threaded end of the neck and has on it a; nut 45 for engagement with athreaded sleeve fast to the conductor 35. By this interconnection of the two pads of each pair of pads, a freefiow of the fluid in the pads may take place from one pad to the other and hence the pressure will always be the same in the two pads regardless of the difference in size or shape of the shoes operated upon. The hold-down or pressure applying means, as will appear hereinafter, is constrained to move in a substantially predetermined direction with respect to the subjacent pads; however, as pointed out above, the pads themselves are free to rock, tilt or roll on their con'' vex bottom walls, limited only by Contact of the rims thereof with the cover. This construction insures application of pressure substantially perpendicular to the shoe bottom regardless of whether are operator is care ful or not in centering the shoes squarely on the pads, since if they are slightly o-if center or canted the pads will roll or tilt to compensate. Since the pads win automatically compensate for any inaccuracy in placing the shoes thereon, care in placing the shoes on thepads is no longer required and hence the speed of operation may be materially increased without spoiling the shoes.

Sole laying or attaching pressure is applied to a pair of lasted shoe uppers of like or dissimilar kind which together with their bottoms temporarily tacked thereto have been placed on the pads by pressure applying members in the form of jack posts and hold-down members mounted'to move to and from the pads. V

For each shoe there is a pairof heel and toe holddo-

wn members

62 and 64, so that at each operating staftion there are two pairs of elements 62* and 64, arranged to be moved to and fromthe upper surface of" the subjacent pads by a common member 66 (Fig: 2 which is housed within" the frame. Each member consists of spaced, substantially parallel, vertically arranged or pull

rods

68 and 70 which risethrough an opening '71 in the plate 14' between the pads ofeach station to a height which exceeds the depth of the last. The upper end of the'pull' rod 68 (Fig. 3) has fast to it laterally extending arms 7272 which are substantially parallel to the plate 14, and the heel hold-down niembersh62 are pivotally suspended on thejends of these arms. Suitable means may be provided for. keeping the hold-downson the ends of the arms '72". In likemanne'r, the pull rods 70 have at their upper ends transversely, extending, horizontal arms 7474,'on which are pivotally mounted the toe hold-downs 64'. The lower end of the

pull rods

68 and 70 are pivoted as'will appear hereinafter to permit movement of the vrods'to and from each other in a plane extending longitudinally ofthe padsand midway" between the same. The pii'llrods} are constrairid against lateral displacement" by sliding cohtadt with tli'e' edges of the openings 71, and are guided in their vertical movement by bearing pins 78-78. Longitudinal adjustment of the pull rods to permit increasing or decreasing the spacing of the heel and toe hold-downs for different size shoes, is effected by the pairs of pins 78-78, which slidably embrace the edges of the rods. To this end, each pair of pins 78-78, is made fast to a block 82, which has a screw threaded hole through it to receive a lead screw having right and left hand threads engaging respectively the threads. The screw 80 is journaled in the flanges of the angle rails near the top of the frame and has an end portion projecting from the front wall of the frame on which is made fast a hand wheel 84 by which the screw may be rotated. Rotation of the screwwill, therefore, effect movement of the blocks 82 longitudinally which in turn rocks the pull rods about their lower ends and changes the spacing of their upper ends.

The lower ends of the

pull rods

68 and 70 are pivotally fastened to the ends of a link 86 by

pivot pins

88 and 90. The link 86' is pivotally fastened by a pin 92 extending through thearms 94 of a yoke which in turn is made fastto the upper end of a piston rod 96 extending fro-m a power cylinder 98, located at the bottom of the frame. The pull rod 68 is longer than the pull rod 70 and has fast to it a counterweight W, which normally tends to tilt the link 86, so that there will always be a space between the toe hold-down and the pad, when the hold-down means is in its elevated position. In order to limit the height of the toe hold-down means from the top of the pad, a cam disc 95 is mounted on the pull rod 70, which by contact with the underside of the plate 14 will prevent the rod 70 from rising beyond a predetermined amount. The cam disc is mounted on a pin or shaft 97, which provides for rotation of the cam and hence for adjusting the amount of upward movement which may take place.

The power cylinder is preferably air operated, al though, it may be hydraulically operated and is fastened by bolts 100 to the bottom plate 12 of the frame. The power operated cylinder is double acting and air under pressure is admited thereto by a control valve 102, so as to draw the jacks down into. engagement with shoes resting on the pads to apply sole laying pressure and then to elevate the jacks after a predetermined time interval to permit removing the finished shoes. There are two independently operated power cylinders and control means, one for each of the stations.

The machine is operated semi-automatically in response to actuated control members. As herein illustrated, the power cylinder is actuated by supplying air under pressure alternatively to one end or the other through

conduits

104 and 106, so that the piston is positively driven in each direction. The

conduits

104 and 106 are connected to a common conductor 108 which brings air under pressure to the machine from a source of air pressure by way of control valve 102, which is electrically operated to control delivery of air from the conduit 108 to one or the other of the

conduits

104 and 106, as desired. The control valve 102 is shifted from one position to another by a double acting solenoid P' (Fig. 8) which is energized by a treadle 110, of which there are two, one for each station. The treadles 110 are mounted in cantilever fashion on spaced parallel pivots 112 at the base of the frame and at the front thereof, so as to extend parallel thereto, and in opposite directions. Depression of the treadle that extends toward the right will effect operation of the power station at the right, while depression of that at all left will effect operation of the power station at the left. Each treadle has fast to it a vertical post 114 at its pivot point and a strong coiled spring 116 is anchored between the two posts so as to return the treadles to inoperative position as soon as they are released. There is also a safety release knob 118, which when tripped will cause the jacks at both stations to be elevated so that in the event of improper positioning of a shoe or jamming of any parts during.

operation, the jacks can be immediately stopped andreelevated to their inoperative position so as to relieve all pressure in the machine.

More specifically, the control of the machine is illustrated in Fig. 8, which shows a diagrammatic circuit for effecting operation of the control valve for the power cylinder. Referring to the circuit diagram, there are shown two switches S1-S1, each of which is operated by one of the treadles and consists of a mercury capsule, turning of which momentarily closes the circuit but which opens the circuit upon restoration to its normal position. The circuit for each of the cylinders operates in exactly the same manner and hence the descrip tion will be confined to one-half of the circuit illustrated. Referring to the diagram, a switch S2 is connected to one side of a transformer by a conductor C1, and is normally open when the jacks are elevated. This switch S2, is connected to a relay r, and conductor C2 to the opposite side of the transformer so as to complete its circuit through the relay, which is part of a timer t. The switch S2, is located in such a position that it is held opened'by contact of the yoke 94 therewith, when the latter is in its up position, but as soon as the yoke moves out of engagement with it, the switch is closed so as to complete a circuit through the relay r. The circuit also includes the switch S1, which is actuated by the treadle 110 and when this circuit is closed, current is supplied by way of a conductor C3 or C4 to one or the other side of the double acting solenoid P'. In the solenoid circuit is a timing switch S3. In operation when the switch S1 is. closed the jacks being in their up position, the switch S2 is open and hencetheswitchS3 is open. Accordingly, current can pass only through the conductor C3 to the right hand side of the solenoid marked down. This energizes the right hand coil of the solenoid, shifts the valve 102 to a position in which air is admitted to the top of the cylinder so as to push it downwardly and hence draw the jacks downwardly toward the pads. As the jacks descend they release the switch S2 which promptly closes, thus energizing the relay r, which closes the switch S3 at the end of a predetermined time so that current then passes from the transformer through the conduit C4 to the up side or left hand side of the double acting solenoid so as to effect elevation of the jacks. Upon elevation of the jacks, the switchSZ is mechanically opened by contact of the yoke therewith so that the circuit is broken. A counter N is connected by a conductor C5, with the circuit of each station. For the purpose of stopping operation of both stations at once and raising their jacks to inoperative position, a safety switch S4, is connected by conductors C6 and C7 to oppositercircuits and by a common conductor C8 to the transformer. 118.

In operation of the machine, two shoes may be operated upon at once while two other shoes are being placed on the pads of the adjacent operation station. The machine has a very unique characteristic, in that it is not necessary to place a pair of mating shoes on the pads of a given operating station but in contrast shoes of very different size, shape and character may be placed on the pads of a given station, for example, a man's shoe and womans high heel shoe may be operated upon at the same time if necessary, a small shoe and a large shoe, a shoe with a heel and a shoe without a heel. The reason for this is the water filled pads which are interconnected as heretofore described, yield independently of each other but are so connected that the pressure in one with be equal to the pressure in the other regardless of the size or shape of the shoe being operated upon. When a pair of shoes have been placed on the pads of a given station the operator trips one of the treadles 110, de pending upon which station he wishes to actuate, where-. upon through the circuit previously described, air is The switch S4 is operated by the knob 7 admitted to the ower cylinder 98 to bring the jacks down into engagement with the shoes on the pads and to press thorn in the pads. As the jacks descend, if either shoe is slightly out of alignment, that is not quite level, the pad will compensate since it is free to rock and thus tilt sufficiently to make up for the inaccuracy in placing the shoe on the pad thereby insuring a uniform pressure over the entire bottom of the shoe which is perpendicular thereto.

: In the use of a pad for applying pressure to the bottom of a shoe, pressure suflicient to cause proper conformation at the forepart of the shoe, which is of large area as compared to the heel end of the shoe, causes wrap around at the heel end of the shoe which is injurious. This has" been corrected in the present machine by incorporating the masking plate 42' in the pad, which supports the heel endof the shoe, preventing it from being forced down into the diaphragm so far as to cause undue wrap around.

'While the primary purpose of the plate 42 is to prevent the heel from sinking too far into the diaphragm, occasionally it is used to control the amount of swell about the forepart of a shoe. For example, a womans shoe which has a thin sole may be reversed on the pad so th: the forepart rests on the pad above the masking plate so that the latter limits the amount of wrap around to a very small amount, Thus, it becomes useful for attaching bottoms to womens high heel shoes which are very thin andrequire but a very small amount of wrap around.

To sum up, the machine provides for operating on shoesof Widely varying characteristics at the same time, for equaliaation of pressure between the pads of each pair of pads, for compensating for unintentional or careless spotting of the shoe'son thepads, for limiting excessive wrap around at the heel end, for operating upon the forepart of shoes having very thin soles where wrap around of a limited amount is desired, and for very efficient and rapid operation. Moreover, since all of the operating parts except for the jacks are contained within the frame housing in out-of-the-way positions, there are no parts which obstruct or interfere with the operators loading and unloading the machine quickly. The jack posts do not interfere with loading the machine because they rise between eachpair of pads at each operating station leaving the pads accessible from their sides so that the operator standing at the front of the machine finds it possible to place a pair of shoes onthe pads at a given side of the machine merely by thrusting them forwardly beneath the heel and toe hold-down members which are elevated above the pads. When the operation is completed the operator merely lifts the shoes from their places and with a forward thrust pushes them off the rear side of the machine into a container oronto a traveling belt. Thus, no motion is lost in loading or unloading the machine.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

I. In a bottom attaching machine, a bottom mold universally rockable within predetermined limits with respect to a given plane, and means limiting the extent of rock to said predetermined limits, said means including a part normally engaged with the perimeter of the mold at its top side for holding the mold in said predetermined plane, said mold being angularly, downwardly displaceable from said engagement with the part.

2. A bottom attaching machine wherein there are opposed relatively movable parts between which the shoe may be placed for an application of sole laying pressure thereto, and one of the parts is conformable to the shoe bottom when the latter is pressed into contact therewith by relative movement of the parts, characterized in that the conformable part is a bladder comprised of flexible elastic sheets joined together at their perimeters and filled with an incompressible fluid so that both its top and bottom sides are normally convex, that the bladder rests on its convex bottom side and that the shoe is pressed into the convex top side for universal rocking movement of its top side with reference to a line perpendicular to the top side.

3. A bottom attaching machine wherein there are opposed relatively movable parts between which the shoe may be placed for an application of sole laying pressure thereto, and one of the parts is conformable to the shoe bottom when the latter is pressed into contact therewith by relative movement of the parts, characterized in that the conformable part is a double convex bag resting with one of its convex surfaces in contact with a flat supporting surface and with its perimeter elevated from said supporting surface by an amount corresponding to the perpendicular depth of the convex side of the bag resting on said supporting surface and is universally rockable on said convex side with reference to a line perpendicular to said flat supporting surface.

4. A bottom attaching machine wherein there are opposed relatively movable parts between which the shoe may be placed for an application of sole laying pressure thereto, and one of the parts is conformable to the shoe bottom when the latter is pressed into contact therewith by relative movement of the parts, characterized in that the conformable part is a double convex bag resting with one convex side in contact with a rigid flat supporting surface, that its' perimeter is made fast to a rigid hollow frame and that the bag is universally tiltable on its convex side with reference to the flat surface but is limited by contact of the rigid frame with the support, and with a support vertically spaced therefrom.

5. A bag for applying conforming pressure to the bottom of a shoe comprising sheets of flexible material, a pair of rigid hollow frame members and a rigid mask, means fastening the perimeters of the respective members together with the mask interposed between the flexible sheets and the latter sandwiched between the rigid frame members, said mask having an opening therethrough permitting flow of fluid in the bag from one side of the mask to the other, said opening being located at that portion of the bag with which the forepart of the shoe normally has contact, and an incompressible fluid holding the flexible sheets distended in opposite directions from the mask so that the external surfaces thereof are convex.

6. A bag according to claim 5, wherein said opening in the mask corresponds roughly in area to the forepart of the bottom of the shoe.

7. A bottom attaching machine comprising laterally spaced operating stations, each station including opposed relatively movable parts between which two shoes may be placed for an application of solo laying pressure thereto, one of the parts of each station comprising a pair of receptacles, each including a flexible diaphragm distended by an'incompressible fluid contained within the receptacle and means interconnecting the receptacles of each station permitting free flow of the incompressible fluid from one receptacle to the other, said receptacles and means interconnecting them constituting a closed system containing a constant volume of fluid.

8. A bottom laying machine comprising spaced operating stations, opposed relatively movable members at each station between which two shoes may be placed for application of sole laying pressure thereto, one of said members at each station comprising a pair of containers, each having for one side a flexible diaphragm held distended so that its outer surface is upwardly convex, an incompressible fluid filling the containers and means interconnecting the containers of each station so that the fluid is confined exclusively within the containers and the interconnecting means but is free to flow from one container to the other.

9. A bottom laying machine comprising laterally spaced pairs of relatively movable parts between which shoes may be placed for an application of bottom laying pressure, one of said parts including elements for simultaneous engagement with the heels and toes of a pair of lasts and means for effecting movement of said heel and toe elements into engagement with shoes placed between the parts, comprising laterally spaced pairs of longitudinally spaced pull rods, means pivotally connecting the heel elements to the upper ends of one of the rods of each pair and the toe elements to the upper ends of the other rods of each pair, a link pivotally joining the lower ends of the pull rods and power operated means pivotally connected to the link to bring the heel and toe elements into contact with the shoe, said power operated means being connected to said link midway between the pull rods on the line of centers of the pivotal connections of the pull rods with the link.

10. In a bottom laying machine according to claim 9, a frame supporting the several parts in operative relation to each other, guide members slidably associated with the pull rods and means on the frame supporting the guide members for movement to and from each other, thereby to vary the spacing of the pull rods and hence the longitudinal disposition of the heel and toe engaging elements relative to each other.

11. In a bottom laying machine according to claim 9, a frame supporting the several parts in operative relation to each other, a lead screw mounted on the frame, said screw having right and left-handed threads, guide members mounted on the screw having right and lefthand threads engaged with the corresponding threads on the lead screw, said guide members being movable along the screw to and from each other and being operably associated with the pull rods to effect movement of the pull rods and to and from each other, and means for rotating the lead screw.

12. A bottom laying machine comprising a frame, a mold supported by said frame at waist level, means for supporting heel and toe jacks for movement from a position above the mold into contact with a shoe resting thereon, said means comprising a pair of spaced pull rods rising from the frame to a point above the mold,

the lower ends of said pull rods being pivotally connected to the opposite ends of a link which in turn is pivotally connected to power operated means for eifecting reciprocation of the pull rods, said pull rod for the heel jack being longer than the pull rod for the toe jack and a counterweight fast to the pull rod for the heel jack.

13. A bottom laying machine according to claim 12, wherein the pull rod for the toe jack has a stop on it which limits vertical movement thereof.

14. A bottom laying machine according to claim 12, wherein the pull rod for the toe jack has an adjustable stop on it for limiting vertical movement thereof.

15 A bottom laying machine comprising a frame, two alternately operable bottom laying stations laterally spaced thereon, mold members at the stations adapted to receive in side by side relation two shoes, said stations being substantially waist high, laterally spaced pairs of longitudinally spaced, pull rods rising from the frame one at each station, a bar fastened to the upper end of each pull rod, said bar having opposite laterally projecting portions extending above and parallel to the mold member beneath it, a heel jack pivotally suspended from each of the laterally projecting portions of the bars at the upper ends of one of the pull rods of each pair, a toe jack pivotally suspended from each of the laterally projecting portions of the bars at the upper ends of the other pull rods of each pair, power operated means located at the base of the frame and means pivotally connecting the power operated means to the lower ends of the pull rods at a point located midway between the center lines of said pull rods.

16. A bottom laying machine comprising a box frame standing substantially waist high, said box frame having a substantially flat top in which is a pair of spaced, paral lel apertures, each aperture being subdivided into two lobes, a mold member for the bottom of a shoe located within each lobe of each aperture just below the top and in registration with each lobe of each aperture so that shoes set into the apertures will rest on said mold members with their upper portions projecting above the top, a pair of jack carrying members rising from the frame through the top between the lobes of each aperture to a height greater than the depth of a last, said members carrying heel and toe engaging elements for each mold, and power operated means within the frame operably connected to the members for pulling the heel and toe engaging elements downwardly into engagement with the shoes resting on the molds, said members rising in planes perpendicular to the plane of the top and midway between the molds so that the top forwardly and rearwardly of the mold apertures is unobstructed and means for effecting operation of the power operated means for one pair of members independently of the other.

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