US2925613A

US2925613A - Toe lasting machines

Info

Publication number: US2925613A
Application number: US608018A
Authority: US
Inventors: James Cyril Harry
Original assignee: United Shoe Machinery Corp
Current assignee: United Shoe Machinery Corp
Priority date: 1955-10-12
Filing date: 1956-09-05
Publication date: 1960-02-23
Anticipated expiration: 1977-02-23

Description

Feb. 23, 1960 c. H. JAMES TOE LASTINGQMACHINES s Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 5, 1956 I n u e ntor Cyril H. James B Feb. 23, 1960 c. H. JAMES TOE LASTING MACHINES v 3 Sheets-$heet 2 Filed Sept. 5, 1956 [nven for Cyril H. Jame-s Feb. 23, 1960 c. H. JAMES TOE LASTING MACHINES 3 Sheets-$heet I 5 Filed Sept. 5, 1956 Inventor Cyril H. James United States Patent TOE LASTING MACHINES Cyril Harry James, Leicester, England, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N.J., a corporation of New Jersey Application September 5, 1956, Serial No. 608,018

Claims priority, application Great Britain October 12, 1955 7 Claims. (Cl. 128.8)

This invention relates to machines for shaping shoe uppers over lasts and is herein illustrated in its application to end lasting machines. The invention is illustrated in the drawings as applied to a machine of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,524,882, granted October 10, 1950, on an application filed in the names of Frank C. Choice and Cyril H. James. In certain aspects thereof the invention is con cerned with the reorganization of machines of this type to adapt them to operate alternatively on stitchdown shoes or on shoes in which the upper is lasted inwardly and cement attached to an insole. It is to be understood, however, that in its broader aspects the invention is not limited to machines of this type but is applicable to lasting machines generally, and moreover, in certain of its aspects, the invention is not limited to lasting machines but is applicable to shoe machines generally.

In the manufacture of shoes in the smaller shoe factories it is often desirable to have a lasting machine which can be used to manufacture different types of shoes and specifically certain shoe manufacturers producing both stitchdown shoes and cement lasted shoes demand a machine of the type disclosed in the patent above referred to which can readily be adapted to either cement lasting or stitchdown lasting. Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide in a machine of the type illustrated in said patent means whereby the machine may be adapted to operate alternatively on either of these two types of shoes.

Machines of the type illustrated in said patent are commonly provided with a toe gripper and two side grippers at opposite sides of the toe portion of the last for tensioning the upper over the last preparatory to the operation of the wipers. In order to improve the upper tensioning operation performed by machines of this type it is an object of the present invention to provide in such a machine an additional pair of grippers for tensioning the upper over the last, these grippers operating preferably at the ball portion of the shoe, this being the area defined generally as the junction between the forepart and the shank portion.

In its application to the provision of ball grippers in machines of the type above referred to the present invention in one aspect thereof consists in the combination with toe lasting wipers, of a toe gripper, grippers operating at opposite sides of the toe portion of the shoe and ball grippers which are mounted for movement about a fulcrum extending heightwise of a shoe in the machine and adjacent to a plane bisecting the toe grippers and equally dividing the space between the side grippers, said fulcrum being disposed relatively to the grippers so as to afford movement of the grippers widthwise of the shoe with a toeward component. Preferably, the ball grippers are also adapted to move heightwise of the shoe in order, more effectively to tension the upper heightwise prior to their inward movement. Preferably, the ball grippers are constructed to permit the lasting margin of the upper to be withdrawn from the gripper jaws by the inward wiping movement of the wipers, thus facilitating the performance of a cement lasting operation by the wipers.

These and other features of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a toe lasting machine embodying features of the present invention, certain parts being broken away and other parts shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a detail view in side elevation illustrating the work supporting assembly and the upper pressing means;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating the ball gripper assembly at the right side of the machine; and

Fig. 4 is a right side elevation illustrating particularly the combination of the wiper assembly and the holddown organization.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings as embodied in a machine which is generally similar to the machine illustrated in United States Letters Patent No. 2,524,882, hereinbefore referred to and which has incorporated therein the improvements disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,524,883, granted October 10, 1950, in the name of Frank C. Choice. For a description of those features of the machine not fully described herein reference may be had to the patents above referred to.

For supporting in upright position a last having a shoe upper loosely assembled thereon and an insole of last bottom shape attached to its bottom surface there is provided alast supporting member 10 corresponding generally to the work support in the patents above referred to but differing therefrom in certain respects as hereinafter described.

The toe portion of the last is located on the work support for the operation of toe wipers 12 by a pair of last positioning and upper controlling fingers 14.

For imparting tension to the toe portion of the upper and pulling it down to the last the illustrated machine is provided with a toe gripper 16 and a pair of side grippers 18. In order topermit the side grippers to yield toewardly during the tensioning of the upper longitudinally of the last the side grippers are mounted respectively in casings 20 having bores in which the side grippers are seated by gravity and the casings are mounted for movement heightwise of the last in bores 22 formed in brackets 24 and the bores are elongated horizontally, as shown in Fig. 1, to permit the casings 20 to move toewardly during the longitudinal tensioning of the upper. The brackets 24 are carried by brackets 26 which are adjustable substantially lengthwise of the last toward and from its toe end in accordance with the size of the shoe upper to be operated upon.

For tensioning the upper at opposite sides of its ball portion the illustrated machine is provided with grippers 28 which are mounted, as hereinafter described, on brackets 30 which are secured to the brackets 26 so that the ball grippers 28 are adjusted lengthwise of the last with the side grippers 18. The ball grippers 28 receive their closing movements from the movement of the toe wipers 12 heightwise of the last.

The illustrated last supporting means comprises three studs 32 having head portions spaced from each other and adapted to engage the bottom surface of an insole on a last bottom thereby to support the last in predetermined height-wise relation to the operating instrumentalities of the machine. The headed studs are secured in a suitable member 34 (Fig. 2).

For assisting the toe wipers 12 in maintaining the tension imparted to the upper by the grippers after the grippers have released their hold on the upper, a plate 38 (Fig. 2) is yieldably supported by three compression springs 40 surrounding the last supporting studs 32. The plate has an outline corresponding generally to that of the toe portion of a shoe but on a somewhat larger scale. One plate is suitable for use with all but the smallest range of sizes of shoes to be operated upon by the machine. Inasmuch as the plate 38 is required to move angularly as well as heightwise-with relation to the studs 32 the holes which register with the studs are made somewhat larger in diameter than the studs themselves. The plate is normally positioned by the engagement of counterbored portions 42 with the heads of the studs 32 with its upper surface slightly'below the level of the upper surfaces of the heads of the studs, as shown in Fig. 2.

Referring to Fig. 3, each of the ball grippers 28 com prises a lower jaw 44 andan upper jaw 46 having a'common pivotal mounting on a pin 48. The lower jaw 44 is provided with gripping .teeth while the upper jaw 46 is provided with a smooth work engaging surface in order to obviate damage to the upper. The jaws are normally held open by a torsionspring 50, the open position being determined by .the engagement of a tail portion of the upper jaw 46 with the lower jaw 44. The lower jaw 44 is secured to an arm .52 of a bell crank lever fulcrumed on a stud 54 fixed in ahead 56 of a swivel pin 58 freely rotatable in a boss 60 projecting upwardly from the end of the horizontal armof the bracket 36, the axis of the swivel pin 58 extending generally heightwise of a last on the 'work support. The swivel pin 58 is retained in its'position relatively to the bracket 30 by a collar 62 secured to thelower end portion of the swivel pin. A tension spring 64 connected at one end to the bracket 30 and at the other end to the vertical arm 66 of the bell crank lever urgesthe lever about the stud 54 in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 3, to raise the ball grippers28, the normal position of the ball grippers being adjustably determined by the engagement of a stop screw 68 in the arm .66 with the bracket 30. j

The rest position of the ball gripper assembly illustrated in Fig. 3 is determined 'by the engagement of an arm 70 extending forwardly and outwardly from the head 56 of he swivel pin 58 with the inner endportion of a latch lever 72 (Fig. l) fulcrumed betweenits ends on a headed pin 74 mounted in a block 76-secured to the bracket 30. A leaf spring 78 secured tovthe block 76 and bearing against'the innerportion of the latch lever 72 normally holds the lever. in its position shown in Fig. 3 in which its inner end portion is engage'd'by the arm 70.

The ball grippers are closed to grip the margin of a shoe upper during the downward movement of the toe wiper head to effect the wiping of the toeportion of the upper heightwise of the last. During such downward movement of the wiper assembly forward .extensions of the toe wiper plates 12 engage theupper jaw 46 of each pair of ball grippers thereby closing the jaw into gripping engagement with the marginal portion of the upper overlying the lower jaw 44. During continued downward movement of the wipers after the closingof the ball gripper jaws on the work the ball grippers are depressed bodily against the resistanceofthe springs 64, each gripper assembly swinging about its stud 54. As the wipers approach the levelvat'which they commence their inwiping movements arms 80 ,(Fig. 1)ecarried by the wiper head engage the outer end portions of the latch levers 72 and swingthe levers in a direction to disengage them from .the arms 70 whereupon the springs 64 urge the ball grippers 28 inwardly about the axes .of the swivel pins 58. The inward movement of the ball grippers is normally terminated by the resistance of the upper to further tensioning thereof. 'When'the machine is operated without a shoe therein inward movement of the ball grippers is limited bythe engagement 4 of the arms 70 with abutment members 82 secured to the brackets 30.

The toe wipers 12 are mounted in a wiper carrier 84 (Fig. 4) constructed and arranged to swing vertically on an axis extending transversely of the machine and similarly a toe holddown mechanism hereinafter described is mounted at the forward end of a carrier, herein illustrated as a tubular gooseneck 86, which is also mounted for vertical swinging movement on an axis extending transversely of the machine. The wiper carrier has pivotally connected to it the lower end portion of a rod .88 which extends upwardly from the carrier through a trunnion block swiveled on the gooseneck. Between the trunnion block and a hand nut 92 threaded on the upper end portion of the rod 88 is a compression spring 94 which serves to support the wiper carrier 84. The spring 94 determines the normal vertical position of the wiper carrier,'this position being determined by the engagement of .an abutment 96 on the wiper carrier with an opposing abutment 98 extending downwardly from a member 100 embracing the forward portion of the gooseneck 86 and secured thereto. Downward movement is imparted to the gooseneck by mechanism operating through links 102 pivotally mounted onthe member 100. The downward movement of thegooseneck is positively imparted to the wiper carrier through the abutment members above referred to, to cause the wipers to wipe the toe portion of the upper heightwise of the last.

, The illustrated holddown assembly comprises an upper engaging pad 104 made of rubber or the like and secured to a plate 106 mounted in a yoke 108 in the lower end portion ofa plunger 110 which is slidably mountedfor movement heightwise of a shoe in the machine in aLbOre extending through a head. 112 provided with a stern 114 which is secured in the forward end portion of 'the gooseneck 86. Threaded into the upper end portion ofthe plunger 110 is a headed bolt 116 which extends freely through a bore in a crosshead 118 of a yoke 120 fixed to the head 112. The downward movement of the gooseneck is imparted to the pad 104 through a spring 122 surrounding the screw Y116 and confined between the crosshead 118 and the upper end of the plunger .110. The rest position of the plunger relatively to the gooseneck may be adjusted, as required, by turning thescrew 116 in the plunger 110. In the operation of the illustrated organization the toe wiper assembly advancesfrom its retracted position illustrated in Fig. 1 to .bring the lower end of a rod 140 into registration with a fixed abutment 154 and into a verticallyvspaced relation to the abutment predetermined by the position of a collar .142 on the rod. During the initial stage of their downward movement-the wiper assembly and theholddown assent bly move as a unit. At apredetermined stage inthe downward-movement the holddown. pad 104 engages the shoe and thereafter the wiper assembly moves downwardly relatively to the holddown compressing the spring 122. As the wiper assembly nears the limit of its downward movement the lower end of the rod 140 engages the abutment 154 and the final stagelof downward move ment of the wiper assembly produces sufficient movement of the holddown assembly together with the gooseneck 86 to cause the rod 140.to bring a pawlnl32 into engagement with a ratchet wheel thereby to lock the holddown 104 positively against upward movementduring the inwiping operation and during the subsequent application of upward pressure to the wipers to cause the lasting margin of the upper to be cement attached .to the insole. As'shown in Fig. 4, the illustrated ratchet wheel 130 is secured to a shaft 126 journaled in anvupward extension 128 otthe member 100. Also secured to the shaft .126 is a pinion 124 which meshes with rack teeth'forrned in the plunger 110. The pawl..132 isfixed to one end of a crosspin 134 journaled inthe upward extension .128. Fixed. tethe. opposite end of thecrosspin 134 is a horizontal arm 136 which carries at its free end a swivel block 138 having a vertical bore in which the rod 140 is slidably mounted. Upward movement of the rod 140 relatively to the gooseneck 86 is imparted to the arm 136 through a spring 144 surrounding the rod and confined between the swivelblock 138 and a collar 146 fixed to the rod. A generally vertical disposition of the rod 140 is maintained by a bracket 148 having in its horizontal portion an aperture through which the rod extends, said bracket being fixed to the member 100. The pawl 132 is normally held disengaged from the ratchet wheel 130 by a spring 150 anchored at its lower end to the bracket 148 and at its upper end to a collar 151 fixed to the rod 140.

In the operation of the illustrated machine the toe wipers 12 move heightwise of the shoe toward the shoe bottom to perform a wiping operation on the peripheral portion of the upper and, concomitantly, the fingers 14 are withdrawn to allow the wipers to advance into a position in which their upper surfaces are substantially coplanar with the bottom of the insole on the last bottom, ready to close beneath the shoe. During the movement of the wipers heightwise of the shoe forward extensions thereof engage the upper jaws 46 of the ball grippers 28 closing them on the lasting margin of the upper and cansing them to swing downwardly in order to apply tension to the ball portion of the upper at opposite sides of the shoe. During the heightwise wiping operation the toe gripper and the side grippers release their hold on the upper and the wipers press the outwardly flanged margin of the toe portion of the upper against the margin of the plate 38 which, it will be remembered, is yieldingly mounted on the studs 32 of the shoe supporting assembly. The plate 38 yields downwardly as the wipers continue to advance heightwise of the shoe and acts as a retarder to cause the application of tension to the upper after the grippers have released their hold thereon. As the wipers come to the limit of their movement heightwise of the shoe the arms 80 cause the latch levers 72 to release the arms 70 thus allowing the ball grippers 28 to be moved by the springs 64 inwardly and toewardly beneath the shoe bottom as the wipers begin their inwiping movements. During the inwiping operation the plate 38 continues to act as a retarder and the ball grippers 28 continue to maintain a yielding grip on the margin of the upper, the upper material being progressively drawn by the wipers away from the plate 38 and out of the jaws of-the ball grippers. It will be understood that the ball grippers, by reason of their combined inward and toeward movements during the wiping operation, assist in the lasting of the ball portion of the shoe. During the inwiping movements of the wipers, beveled surfaces formed at their wiping edges cause the wipers to be urged downwardly against the action of a compression spring supporting the forward portion of the wiper assembly. After the wipers have completed their advancement inwardly under the shoe bottom they are urged upwardly with sufiicient pressure to flatten the margin of the upper against the insole while pressure sensitive cement pre viously applied tothe margin of the upper and/or the margin of the insole sets at least sufiiciently to hold the upper in lasted position. To this end the wipers are urged upwardly by the actuation of a plunger 152 by means disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,524,882 hereinbefore referred to. The plunger acts against the plate 38 associated with the shoe supporting assembly and urges it upwardly against the bottom surfaces of the toe wipers 12 to cause the wipers to press the margin of the upper against the insole as above described.

The machine comes to rest with the uppers under their maximum upward pressure and after an appropriate interval the machine is again operated to cause the operating instrumentalities to return to their rest positions thus releasing the shoe for removal from the machine.

Inasmuch as the toe wipers 12 of the illustrated machine operate at a lower level than the'wipers of the machine illustrated in the patent above referred to, the operating portions ofthe wipers 12 are olfset downwardly to bring them to the proper level to last the upper inwardly beneath the insole.

If it is desired to adapt the illustrated machine to operate upon stitchdown shoes the wipers 12 are removed and replaced by wipers of a suitable type and size. The illustrated holddown assembly is removed from the gooseneck 86 after first releasing the wing-headed clamping screw 156 and this assembly is replaced by the holddown assembly illustrated in the patent above referred to.

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 toe lasting machine the combination with toe lasting wipers of toe grippers, ball grippers, and means mounting the ball grippers for movement about a fulcrum extending heightwise of a shoe in the machine and adjacent to a plane bisecting the toe grippers and equally dividing the space between the side grippers, said fulcrum being disposed relatively to the grippers so as to afford movement of the grippers widthwise of the shoe with a toeward component.

2. In a toe lasting machine the combination with toe lasting wipers of toe grippers, side grippers, ball grippers, and means mounting the ball grippers for movement heightwise of the shoe and for movement about a fulcrum extending heightwise of a shoe in the machine and adjacent to a plane bisecting the toe grippers and equally dividing the space between the side grippers, said fulcrum being disposed relatively to the grippers so as to afford movement of the grippers widthwise of the shoe with a toeward component.

3. In a toe lasting machine, the combination with toe lasting wipers, of ball grippers, means mounting the ball grippers for movement widthwise of a shoe in the machine, means mounting the wipers for movement heightwise of the shoe, means for holding the ball grippers against inward movement widthwise of the shoe, means operated by heightwise movement of the wipers for releasing the holding means at a predetermined time in the machine cycle, and means operating upon the release of the holding means for advancing the ball grippers inwardly widthwise of the shoe.

4. In a toe lasting machine, ball grippers, a member providing a fulcrum about which the ball grippers move generally heightwise of a shoe in the machine, and means providing a fulcrum on which the member swivels to permit movement of the ball grippers generally widthwise of the shoe.

5. In a shoe machine, means for supporting a shoe upper mounted on a last, means for pulling a portion of the upper over the last including a gripper, means mounting the gripper for movement about a first axis extending generally heightwise of the last and about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and an operating member for moving the gripper about both axes.

6. In a shoe machine, means for supporting a shoe upper mounted on a last, means for pulling a portion of the upper over the last including a gripper, a first fulcrum member upon which the gripper is movable generally widthwise of the last, a second fulcrum member alfo'rding movement of the gripper generally heightwise of the last, and a spring for moving the gripper in a first direction about the first fulcrum member and in a second direction about the second fulcrum member.

7. In a shoe machine, means for supporting a shoe upper mounted on a last, means for pulling a portion of the upper over the last including a gripper, a first fulcrum member upon which the gripper is movable generally widthwise of the last, a second fulcrum member affording movement of the gripper generally heightwise of the last,

. a springfbrmovingthe-gripperimwfii'st direction about 1,432,532 Clie'ney M0 961? 1912 21 the fii-stfillcrum member'andin'a' second direction about" 1,678,873 P'ym Iifly 3'1 19 2 tHe second fulcrummember, andretractable means fbr 2,059,327- Fausse uh-.. N013} 1936? holding the gripper against movement in one" direction 2,146,762 Pym et all Y Feb.-.14; 1939. by the spring; 5" 2,210,586 Kamborian- ;Aug, 6, .1:9 40

2,573,886 Zaoralet a1. Nov;- 6,1951

References'Ci'tedin the'fil of this patent 2,703,420 Finn Mar. 8; 1955 UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS 693,620 Presto'n -Fe1i-. 18,190210" 1,069, rance Feb-10,1954"