US3025542A - Apparatus for automatically cleaning and spraying the sole of a shoe - Google Patents

Description

March 20, 1962 APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CLEANING AND Filed 001,. 27, 1960 FIG.2

J. L. PIOTROWSKI ETAL SPRAYING THE SOLE OF A SHOE 4 Sheets-Sheet l w INVENTORS i JOSEPH L. PIOTROWSKI BFg OBERT F. CURRIER ATTO R N EYS March 1962 J. L. PIOTROWSKI ETAL 3,025,542

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CLEANING AND SPRAYINGTHE SOLE OF A SHOE JOSEPH L. PIOTROWSKI ROBERT F. CURRI ER BY a Mame.

ATTORN EYS March 20, 1962 .1. PIOTROWSKI ETAL 3,025,542

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CLEANING AND SPRAYING THE SOLE OF A SHOE Filed Oct. 27, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 nvmvrozes E T -F 21511.???

05 R L Fl (5. 5 BY ATTORNEYS March 20, 1962 .1. L. PIOTROWSKI ETAL 3,025,542

APPARATUS FOR AUTOMATICALLY CLEANING AND SPRAYING THE SOLE OF A SHOE INVENTORS JOSEPH L. PIOTROWSKI EOBERT F. CURRIER flaw, fW M VW ATTORNEYS 3,025,542 APPARATUS FQR AUTDMATKCALLY CLEANING AND SPRAYENG THE SOLE 63F A SHOE Joseph L. Piotrowski, Nashua, and Robert F. Currier,

Manchester, N31, assignors to J. F. McElwain Company, Division of Melville Shoe Corporation, Nashua,

N.H., a corporation of New Hampshire Filed Oct. 27, 1960, Ser. No. 65,499 6 Claims. (Cl. ILL-18.5)

This invention is an apparatus for automatically dusting and applying a liquid finish to the sole of a shoe in manufacture.

It is usual in the shoemaking art, for example, to apply a coat of wax to the sole of a finished shoe in order to protect the leather sole and to enhance its appearance for sales purposes. in the past the wax has been brushed on by hand, an operation which is slow and inefiicient. On the other hand, other methods such as spraying have hitherto had numerous drawbacks. The wax must not be applied improperly or excessively to the vamp and it must not be allowed to harden in unslightly accumulation beads on the sole or adjacent parts of the upper. Both of these things happen when hand spraying is attempted, and accordingly the inefficient brush technique is still used.

Another drawback relating to the general problem of wax application is that prior to waxing the shoe sole, it is necessary to clean the sole of leather dust and other foreign matter which would adversely affect the appearance of the finished surface. On composition soles foreign matter is created by the prior manufacturing stesps, such as rounding, edge trimming, heel and edge scouring, etc. Removal of this dust and foreign matter is made more difi'icult by the presence of small quantities of grease and other substances which cause it to cling to the sole surface. Hence the dust must first be dislodged and then removed. In the case of leather soles dust is created by prior sole scouring. The nature of the leather dust results in a tendency to cling to the neighboring surfaces so that a brushing and air blasting sequence is necessary for complete removal.

Accordingly one object of this invention is to provide apparatus which automatically applies a coat of wax to shoe soles by a spray technique without excessive application to the upper or vamp and without creating unslightly accumulation beads on the sole.

Another object of this invention is to provide in conjunction with such waxing apparatus a cleaning apparatus to prepare the sole for waxing, whereby two shoemaking steps are performed in one automatic operation.

These and other objects of this invention will become more apparent as the description proceeds with the help of the accompanying drawings in which:

FlG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of our invention with top and side covers removed showing the shoe in its initial or final position;

FIG. 2 is a cut-away view showing the spray gun in side elevation;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the apparatus with the side cover cut away to show the shoe at the start of the waxing cycle;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view of the dust dislodging brush in raised position;

FIG. 5 is a bottom view of the spindle carriage and associated means for actuating the machine cycles;

FIG. 6 is a vertical section on the lines 6-6 of FIG. 5; and

FIG. 7 is a diagram of the pneumatic valve and piston drive arrangement.

Having more particular reference to FIG. 3, there is shown an enclosure 10, also shown in FIG. 1, which is ice constructed in such manner as to provide two operating chambers through which the shoe is transported, entering such enclosure through an opening formed in the end thereof shown in H6. 1.

The first chamber the shoe passes through is the dusting and cleaning area. FIG. 4 shows a brush 1'2 mounted ori a transverse rod 14 which is held above the opening formed in the enclosure 10 by brackets 16, 18. The transverse rod 14 is provided at one end with an offset crank element 19 which is operatively engaged to piston 20 of pneumatic cylinder 22. The transverse rod 14 is free to rotate axially in the brackets 16, 18, and thus when air is supplied to the cylinder 22, the piston 20 is extended causing the transverse rod 14 to rotate in the brackets 16, 3.8 and move the brush 12 from a vertical to substantially horizontal position. This provides a dust dislodging device which may be brought into contact with the sole of a shoe by controlling the supply of air to the cylinder 22.

After the dust has been dislodged by the brush 12 it must be removed from the sole, and we do this by means of an air jet arrangement shown adjacent to the brush 12 in H6. 3. The air jet comprises a tube 24 with jet openings 26 in its under surface. The tube 24 is arranged in horizontal position extending across the path of the shoe so that the air jet streams issuing from it sweep across the shoe sole as it passes beneath. Removed dust is carried out through an exhaust duct 28 located below the brush and jet area.

FIG. 6 shows in vertical section the carriage used to transport a lasted shoe. The carriage comprises a plate 39 which rides in and out of the operating chambers on channels 32, 33 in the base member 34 of the apparatus. Extending vertically from the carriage plate 30 is a cylindrical support member 36 arranged to extend upwardly from plate 36 through an elongated slot indicated at 37 in the base member 34. Also employed is a cylindrical sleeve 33 mounted on the support member 36 and having an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of the cylindrical support member 36. Fitted into the upper end of the sleeve 38 and fastened thereto is a spindle member 4t) formed to engage a conventional shoe last. At the lower end of the cylindrical sleeve 38 is a protruding step 42 having a beveled face 44-, the protruding step 42 being fastened to the sleeve 38. inside the cylindrical sleeve 38 is a coiled compression spring 46 which rests on the upper end 48 of the cylindrical support member 36 and at its other end presses against the lower face 50 of the spindle member 40. This provides a spindle member assembly which normally keeps the shoe at operating position, but which may be depressed against the force of spring 46 to cause the protruding step 42 to bring its beveled face 44 into contact with a rounded cap 52 affixed to a piston 54 of an air valve 56. The air valve 56 is attached to the undersurface of the base member 34 of the apparatus in such fashion that when the transport carriage 3G is at its initial position, pressure exerted on the spindle member 40 will cause the protruding step 42 to descend along the cylindrical support 36 in position to cause the beveled face 44 to engage the cap 52 of the air valve 56. This action actuates the transport system as will be hereinafter described.

The transport of the lasted shoe on the spindle member 40 is carried out by the movement of the carriage plate 36 along the channels 32, 33. The channels 32, 33 are of sufficient length to allow the carriage plate 36 to travel from its initial position as shown in FIG. 1 to a wax spraying position as shown in FIG. 3. The means used to move the carriage plate 30 is a pneumatic cylinder 58, one end of which is shown in bottom view in MG. 5. The piston 68 of the air cylinder 58 shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, is threaded into a block 62 which is affixed to the underside of the carriage plate The piston 60 is made secure to the block 62 by the use of a nut 64. The pneumatic cylinder 58 is positioned between the channels 32, 33 and under the base member 34 of the apparatus in such a way that when the piston 60 is fully extended, the carriage plate 30 is in initial and final position, and when the piston 60 is fully withdrawn the carriage plate 30 is in position for Wax spraying.

FIG. 5 also shows in fragmentary form each of the mechanisms employed for automatically controlling the sequence of operations. Shown are two air valves 66, 6'8 with associated pistons 70, 72 with capped ends 74, 76 aflixed by bracket members 78, 80 attached to the underside of the base member 34 respectively. In conjunction there-with are shown curved engagement members 82.

84 which are pivoted at 86, 88 to the underside of the apparatus base member 34. It wili be understood that the valves 66, 68 are actuated by lateral motion of actuating members and the curved engagement members 82;, 84 help translate this lateral motion into actuating motion for the respective valves.

Valve actuation is brought about by rollers 90, 92 carried by the carriage plate 30. The roller 98 is located at the far end of plate 30 from the cylinder 58 in position to actuate valve 66. Roller 92 is located at the near end of plate 30 from cylinder 53 in position to actuate valve 68. The rollers 90, 92 are adapted to actuate their respectively associated valves only in response to motion of the plate 30 toward cylinder 58. This is done by Spring loaded rocker arms. In the case of roller 90, it is pivotally mounted on rocker arm 94 at 96 with the rocker arm 94- being pivoted to plate 30 at 98. A tension spring 108 is connected to rocker arm 94 at one end thereof and to plate 30 at 110. The spring 108 urges the rocker arm 94 into position against a stop lug 102 which fits into a notch 104 in rocker arm 94. Thus when cylinder 58 is actuated to draw piston 61 inwardly and with it the plate 30, roller 90 comes into contact with member 82 of valve 66. Since the stop lug 1.82 holds rocker arm 94 in that direction, roller 90 depresses and actuates valve 66. On the return stroke, when roller 90 contacts the member 82, the spring 108 yields, rocker arm 94 pivots, and roller 99 passes valve 66 Without actuating it. The same thing happens with roller 92 and valve 68. Roller 92 is pivotally mounted on rocker arm 112 at 126* and 122, and rocker arm 112 is, in turn, pivotally mounted on plate 30 at 114. A tension spring 124 serves to hold rocker arm in position against a stop lug 128 mounted on plate 30. During the actuating stroke of cylinder 58 and piston 60, roller 92 actuates valve 68 and on the return stroke rocker arm 112 pivots away allowing roller 92 to pass valve 68 without actuating it.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show the spray mechanism and associated controls. A transverse cylindrical support member 130 is employed, held in place on the top of the enclosure 10 by hearing mounts 132, 134 which leave the transverse support member 130 free to rotate axially. A spray gun 136 is suspended from the transverse support member 130 by means of a clamp bracket 138 fastened thereto and by means of another clamp support 140 aflixed to the clamp bracket 138 and into which the spray gun 136 is clamped so that, during pivotal motion, the spray nozzle 142 subtends an arc whose center is the same as the axis of the transverse support member 138 in the plane of the spray nozzle 142. A trigger 144 of the spray gun 136 is engaged with a trigger bracket arm 146 which passes under the spray gun 136 and pivots on a pin 1 18 which is attached to the spray gun 136. Secured by a bolt 150 to the end of the trigger bracket arm 146 is an extension member 152 and cam follower 154 formed by a member perpendicular to the trigger bracket arm 146 and parallel to the transverse support member 138. The cam follower 154 is adjusted to travel over a cam face 156 of a stationary cam member 158 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

The stationary cam member 158 is formed to allow the transverse support member to pass through it and rotate freely, while the stationary cam member 158 is held in place by support brackets 161, 163, 165, bracket being afiixed to the sides of the enclosure 10. The cam face 156 is formed so that the cam follower 154 will be depressed in relation to the spray gun 136 while the spray gun 136' is rotated to pass over the sole which is to be waxed. The depressing of the cam follower 154 causes the trigger bracket arm 146 to raise up in relation to the spray gun 136 and engage the trigger 144. Thus by adjustment of the cam 158 and cam follower 154, the spray gun 136 will spray only during a portion of its movement.

The movement of the transverse support member 136 and thereby of the spray gun 136 is affected by the movement of a lever arm 168, one end of which is aflixed to one end of the transverse support member 138 as seen in FIG. 1. The lever arm 166 is caused to move by a pneumatic cylinder 162 which operates a piston 164 which is pivoted to the lover arm 160 at 166. The pneumatic cylinder 162 is, in turn, pivoted to the side of the enclosure 10 at 168.

Also mounted on the side of the enclosure 10 is an adjustable stop member 170 shown in FIG. 1. One end is constructed to fit on the transverse support member 130 and is free to rotate thereon. The other end is provided with a locking nut 172 which slides between guide plates 174, 176, which are affixed to the side of the enclosure 10. The adjustable stop member 170 has an angle bracket 178 and an associated air valve 180, affixed to it at about mid-section. The air valve 180 is triggered by the lever arm 160 which contacts a trigger plate 182 pivoted to member 170 at 184. The trigger plate 182 is prevented from falling out of position by a stop pin 185 mounted on the stop member 170. Engagement of the trigger plate 182 causes it to move upwardly against and thereby to actuate valve 180. The adjustable stop member 170 and the associated air valve 180 is mounted in a spaced relationship to the lever arm 160 such that when the piston 164 of the pneumatic cylinder 162 has been extended to the furthest desired point, the lever arm 160 will contact the trigger plate 182 and thereby trigger the air valve 180. By means hereinafter to be described the flow of air in the pneumatic cylinder 162 is thereby reversed.

FIG. 3 shows the wax spray exhaust system which exhausts any wax spray which accumulatees in the spray chamber. A transverse bafile member 186 is employed to reduce air currents caused by exhaust which would distort the wax spray pattern. Any waste wax spray is exhausted through an opening formed in the rear wall of the enclosure 10 and through a stack 188 Shown mounted on the side of the enclosure 10 in FIG. 1 are two valve mechanisms 190, 192 of standard manufacture, capable of supplying air to a pneumatic cylinder and controllable to start, stop or reverse the air flow. Valve mechanism 198 is associated with pneumatic cylinder 162 which moves the lever arm 160 and consequently the spray gun 136; valve mechanism 192 is associated with the pneumatic cylinder 58 which moves the carriage plate 30 and consequently the shoe.

A third valve mechanism 194 is also mounted on the side of the enclosure 10 and is of standard manufacture and controllable to start and stop a flow of air. This valve mechanism 194 is associated with the air jet dusting mechanism comprising the transverse tube 24 with open ings 26 in its under surface as shown in FIG. 3.

Also mounted on the side of the enclosure 10 is an air valve 196 and a curved engagement plate 198 which moves on a pivot member 200. The air valve 196 is mounted in relation to the lever arm 160 so that when the push rod 164 is fully withdrawn in the pneumatic cylinder 162 a roller Wheel 202 aflixed to the end of the lever arm 160 by a bracket 204 will engage the curved engagement plate 198 and'actuate the air valve 196,

FIG. 7 is a flow chart for the pneumatic system and FIG. 3 shows the relationship between the important operating elements. All the elements are connected as hereinafter described by flexible air hose or rigid air pipe.

When a lasted shoe is put on the spindle member 40 in its starting position fully withdrawn from the enclosure 10, and thereafter the spindle 40 is depressed, the protruding step 42 actuates the air valve 56. The air valve 56 is connected to the valve mechanism 192 and the valve mechanism 194. This action opens the valve mechanism 194 and air is caused to flow into the dusting chamber from the transverse tube 24 and associated jet openings 26 to which the valve mechanism 194 is connected. The air is supplied to the dusting chamber at full pressure and is not lubricated.

At the same time the air valve 56 actuates the valve mechanism 192 which is connected to the pneumatic cylinder 58, the direction of flow is such that the piston 60 is withdrawn into the cylinder 58. This causes the shoe and last to travel into the enclosure 10. In its travel the shoe passes under the brush 12 which dislodges dust etc. on and near the sole. The shoe then passes under the jet openings 26 in the tube 24 through which air is flowing. This air sweeps the dust off the shoe and down through the dusting chamber into stack 28.

The shoe then passes into the spraying chamber, whereupon the roller wheel 92 on carriage plate 30 actuates the air valve 68, shown in detail in FIG. 5.

The air valve 68 is connected to the valve mechanism 194 so that when the air valve 68 is actuated the air flow in the dusting chamber ceases.

When the shoe has reached the position it assumes during waxing, at the end of the stroke of piston 60, roller 90 mounted on the carriage plate 30 actuates the air valve 66. Valve 66 is connected with the valve mechanism 190 and when actuated, causes air to flow into the pneumatic cylinder 162. As piston 164 is extended the associated lever arm 160 is moved and thereby the spray gun 136 is pivoted forward. During this motion the cam follower 154 engages the cam face 156 thereby depressing the associated trigger 144. Thereupon the wax spray begins and continues as the spray gun 136 arcs over the sole of the shoe.

When the spray gun 136 has covered the whole sole, the lever arm 160 contacts the trigger plate 182 on the adjustable stop member 170 thereby actuating the air valve 180. The adjustable stop member 170 is adjusted such that the lever arm 160 will make such contact at the end of the spray gun 136s desired arc.

The air valve 180 is connected with the valve mechanism 190 so that actuating the air valve 180 reverses the air flow in the pneumatic cylinder 162. Thereby the lever arm 160 and the associated spray gun 136 are rearwardly. When the wax spray has reached the toe of the shoe, the cam follower 154 is disengaged from the cam face 156 and the spray ceases. At the same time the roller wheel 202 associated with the lever arm 160 makes contact with the engagement member 198 thereby actuating the air valve 196.

The air valve 196 is connected with the valve mechanism 192 whereby actuation of the air valve 196 causes the thrust of pneumatic cylinder 58 to be reversed thereby withdrawing the shoe from the waxing chamber.

Cylinder 22 is connected into the exhaust line of the valve mechanism 192 so that, as the shoe is transported out of the waxing chamber, the pneumatic cylinder 22 is actuated and the brush 12 thereby lifted to clear the newly waxed shoe. When the shoe is fully removed from the enclosure 10, the carriage plate 30 is in position to start a new cycle.

FIG. 1 shows two air valves 206, 208 mounted flush with the front of the enclosure by means of a rightangle bracket 210. The air valve 206 is connected into the air line from the air valve 196 to the valve mechanism 192 and thereby provides a manual means to reverse and withdraw the shoe in mid-cycle. The air valve 208 is connected into the air line from the air valve 68 to the valve mechanism 194 and thereby provides a manual means for turning off the air in the dusting chamber. The two air valves 206, 208, therefore, provide an emergency stop function whereby the dusting air may be turned off and shoe withdrawn as desired at any time.

It is our intention to cover all changes and modifications of the example of the invention herein chosen for purposes of disclosure which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus described and illustrated a preferred embodiment of our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Apparatus for applying a sprayable coating substance to a shoe comprising a base, a coating applying station on said base, a shoe support on said base, means for transporting said shoe support across said base from a starting station to said coating applying station, means including a shield on said base for enclosing said coating applying station, a spray gun at said coating applying station pivotally mounted on said base to swing through an are a portion of which is intercepted by said shoe when said shoe is in position at said coating applying station, means actuated by the arrival of said shoe at said coating applying station for swinging said gun through said are at a uniform rate, means for spraying said coating on said shoe from said gun only during the portion of said pivotal motion when said gun is pointed at said shoe.

2. The apparatus defined in claim 1 further characterized by means operatively associated with said shoe support for actuating said transporting means automatically in response to placing said shoe on said shoe support at said starting station and depressing the same.

3. The apparatus defined in claim 2 further characterized by means for returning said shoe support to said starting station actuated by motion of said spray gun at the end of its stroke.

4. Apparatus for dusting and applying wax to a shoe sole comprising a base, a dusting station and a wax applying station on said base, shoe supporting means on said base, means for transporting said shoe supporting means from a starting station across said base through said dusting station to said wax applying station, means actuated by the arrival of said shoe at said dusting station from said starting station for brushing said shoe, further means actuated by the arrival of said shoe at said dusting station for directing a blast of air at the sole of said shoe, a wax spray gun at said wax applying station pivotally mounted on said base to swing through an arc, a portion of which is intercepted by the sole of said shoe at said Wax applying station, means actuated by the arrival of said shoe at said wax applying station for pivoting said gun at a uniform rate through said arc and back again, and means for spraying wax on said sole only during the portion of said pivotal motion when said gun is pointed at the sole of said shoe.

5. The apparatus defined in claim 4 further characterized by means operatively associated with said shoe support for actuating said transporting means automatically in response to placing said shoe on said shoe support at said starting station and depressing the same.

6. The apparatus defined in claim 4 further characterized by means for returning said shoe support to said starting station actuated by motion of said spray gun at the end of its stroke.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,275,221 Cavanagh Aug. 13, 1918

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