US3252584A

US3252584A - Shoe rack positioning devices

Info

Publication number: US3252584A
Application number: US371207A
Authority: US
Inventors: Basil A Strout
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1964-05-29
Filing date: 1964-05-29
Publication date: 1966-05-24
Anticipated expiration: 1983-05-24

Description

y 1966 B. A. STROUT 3,252,584

SHOE RACK POSITIONING DEVICES Filed lklay 29, 1964 'T Sheets-Sheet 1 V int/e for 512517 A. 52202? 55/ his Azlomey y 1966 B. A. STROUT 3,252,584

SHOE RACK POSITIONING DEVICES Filed May 29, 1964 7 Sheets-5heet 2 B. A. STROUT May 24, 1966 SHOE RACK POSITIONING DEVICES 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 29, 1964 y 1966 B. A. STROUT 3,252,584

SHOE RACK PGSITIONING DEVICES Filed May 29, 1964 '7 Sheets-Sheet 4.

90 f I T 1 LL I i 1 76 F "1 i i L W J I i g i J l I May 24, 1966 B. A. STROUT SHOE RACK POSITIONING DEVICES '7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 29, 1964 May 24, 1966 s. A. STROUT SHOE RACK POSITIONING DEVICES '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed May 29, 1964 May 24, 1966 B. A. STROUT SHOE RACK POSITIONING DEVICES T Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed May 29, 1964 United States Patent 3,252,584 SHOE RACK POSITIONING DEVICES Basil A. Strout, 10 Birchwood Ave., Saugus, Mass. Filed May 29, 1964, Ser. No. 371,207 13 Claims. (Cl. 211-176) This invention relates to a shoe rack positioning device. More particularly, the invention is directed toward a device for holding and elevating to a convenient shoe machine operator Working level a standard shoe factory shoe rack.

Heretofore, it has been the practice in shoe factories to transport shoes from one shoe machine station to another in a shoe rack comprising a frame supporting several shelves which are adapted to receive shoes and retain them in relatively accessible positions. The rack is fitted with rollers which permit the rack to be easily maneuvered about a shoe factory. Normally, such a rack is pushed into position alongside a workman operating a shoemaking machine. The operator removes the shoes from the rack one at a time, performs his particular task upon them, and returns them to the rack. Regardless of the position of the rack, there is invariably some extended stretching on the part of the machine operator in reaching for the furtherrnost shoes on the lower shelves.

It is an object of the invention to provide a shoe rack positioning device which will receive, hold, and elevate a standard shoe factory shoe rack and, When desired by the workman, lower the rack to the floor level and release the shoe rack for removal from that particular station.

The positioning device is permanently installed next to a shoe machine in substantially the same position as the shoe racks have heretofore been located when supplying shoes to a shoe machine operator. A shoe rack is guided by hand or by conveyor means into the device. By manual control or by automatic means the device then raises the shoe rack to a height which positions the lower shelves at a convenient location for the shoe machine operator. The rack is automatically locked in the device when it starts its ascent. With the rack in a raised position, the operator may easily reach the lowest and furthermost shoes without the usual bending and stretching. The operator may then, by quick hand motion, cause the device to lower the shoe rack back to the floor level so that the upper shelves of the rack are in a convenient location. When the shoe rack is returned to the floor level an automatic release causes the device to unlock the shoe rack so that it may be moved along to the next station and another take its place.

The above and other objects and features of the invention, including various novel details of constructionand combinations of parts, will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims. the particular devices embodying the invention are shown by way of illustration only and not as a limitation of the invention. The principles and features of this invention may be employed in varied and numerous embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the device which is shown with its rack supporting carriage in the upper position holding a shoe rack at a convenient working level. Phantom drawings show the lower positions of components of the carriage. The shoe rack shelves are, with one exception, cut away or stripped down so that the positioning device may better be seen;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the carriage of the positioning device;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of another portion of It will be understood that 3,252,584 Patented May 24, 1966 the carriage of the positioning device with phantom positions to show rotative movements of a carriage member;

FIG. 4 is a perspective View of a Wire mounting block with portions cut away for clarity;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the carriage showing from another angle that portion shown in FIG. 2, and showing, with some parts exploded, a valve actuating mechanism;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the valve actuating mechanism with some parts exploded for greater clarity;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic showing of the hydraulic system of the positioning device;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the invention, shown holding a shoe rack in the raised positions. Phantom drawings show the lower position of components of the carriage;

FIG. 9 is a front elevational view of one of the upright frame members and a portion of the carriage of the device;

FIG. 10 is an elevational view, partly in section, of a control valve;

FIG. 11 is a top view of one of the upright frame members and a portion of the carriage of the device;

FIG. 12 is a top view of a second upright frame member and a portion of the carriage of the device;

FIG. 13 is a detailed sectional view of the upper end of a carriage member; and

FIG. 14 is a detailed perspective View of the automatic locking feature of the invention.

The illustrated device has a pair of floor plates 2, 4 which are securely attached to the floor alongside a shoe machine operator position. An upright pole 6 is one of two vertical frame members and is fixedly mounted on the upper surface of the floor plate 2. An upright post 8 comprises the second vertical frame member and is fixedly mounted on the upper surface of the floor plate 4. Attached to the upper ends of the pole 6 and the post 8 is a top plate 10 which is disposed approximately seven feet from the floor, and which retains the pole 6 and the post 8 in parallel attitude. A tube 12 is slidingly disposed upon the pole 6. In the down position the tube 12 has limited rotational freedom to facilitate the easy entrance and withdrawal of a shoe rack. Attached to the upper portion of the tube 12 is an upper locating bar 14 having flared

ends

16, 18 which guide the shoe rack into position and which tend to retain the shoe rack in the positioning device. Attached to the lower end of the tube 12 is a lower locating bar 20 having flared

ends

26, 28, and a bottom plate which are adapted to receive and, in cooperation with the

flared ends

16, 18, retain one end of a shoe rack in the positioning device. A stop 22 is mounted on the pole6 (FIG. 3) and cooperates with a cut out portion of the tube 12 to limit its rotational movement when the tube 12 is in its down position to permit movement of the locating bar 20 between the phantom position of FIG. 1 and the position in which it is parallel to the plate 2, with corresponding movements of the locating bar 14. Extending downwardly from the cut out portion of the tube is aslot 13 which cooperates with the stop 22 when the tube is elevated to prevent rotation thereof. The stop 22 may also be used to secure a pair of braces 24 thereto with screws.

A slide assembly 32 is slidingly disposed upon the post 8. Attached to the lower end of the slide assembly 32 are

tongue members

34, 35 having their lower ends interconnected by a bottom plate 36. In the vicinity of the

tongue members

34, 35 in the down position, the post S has :a dog leg bend 38 to facilitate the receiving of the shoe rack, particularly those having bot-tom boards extending well beyond the end rails of the rack.

The top plate 10 has mounted thereon an air cylinder '40 which receives a piston rod 42. Attached to the free end of the piston rod 42 are a pair of

wires

44, 46. The wire 44 takes a half turn around a pulley 48 (FIG. 1) which is rotatably mounted on the top plate 10, takes a quarter-turn around a pulley 50 which is rotatably mounted on the top plate, and extends to, and is attached to, a screw 52 which threadedly enters a projection 53 of the tube 12 (FIG. 3). The pulley 50 is disposed generally above and in alignment with the pole 6 so thatthe wire 44', between the pulley 50 and the tube 12, is substantially vertical. The wire 46 takes a quarter-turn around the pulley 48 and extends to, and is attached to, a screw 54 which threadedly enters a bracket 56 which is fixedly attached to the slide assembly 32. The wire 46 between the roller '48 and the slide assembly 32, is substantially vertical. Thus, when the cylinder 40 is activated so as to draw in the piston rod 42 the

wires

44 and 46 exert an equal upward pull on the slidable tube 12 and the slide assembly 32.

Mounted on the upper end of the slide assembly 32 is a valve actuating means 60 which causes the device to raise a shoe rack either automatically or upon signal from the operator, and which upon signal from the operator, causes the device to lower the rack. Attached to the slide assembly 32 is a bifurcated lug 62 (FIGS. and 6) mounting a pivot pin 64. Pivotally mounted upon the pivot pin 64 is a lever 66 on one end of which there is mounted an end plate 68. The end plate 68 retains a screw 69 which engages a block 70, which in turn engages a valve actuating plate 72. The valve actuating plate 72 is, when the slide rod 32 is in the down position, aligned with a plunger 74 which enters a pilot valve 76. An angled corner piece 77 guides the shoe rack into engagement with the free end of the lever 66. Thus, outward movement of the free end of the lever 66, as by the pushing of of a shoe rack against it, will cause the lever topivot about the pin 64, carrying the end plate 68 inwards, thereby causing the block 70 to move inwards, the block 70 urging the valve actuating plate 72 inwards. Inward movement of the plate 72 forces the plunger 74 into the pilot valve 76, opening the valve 76 and causing the raising of the shoe rack, as will be further explained below,

Also attached to the slide assembly 32 is a spring, mounting plate 88 on which is fitted one end of a coil spring 82. The other end of the coil spring is attached to a cam follower 84 which is fixed on one end of a rod 86 which is rotatably mounted in a horizontal plane in the slide assembly 32. A lug 88 is fixed to the other end of the rod 86. A cam 90 is attached to the post 8 and is in the vertical path of the cam follower 84. When the slide assembly 32 is in the lower position the cam follower 84 is maintained by the cam 90 in the position shown in FIG. 6, so that the lug 88 is in a substantially vertical attitude, neither blocking entrance of a shoe rack nor holding a shoe rack in the device. However, as soon as the slide assembly 32 starts its ascent, the cam follower 84 moves out of engagement with the cant 90 and the coil spring 82 pulls the cam follower 84 into the position shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. Such movement of the cam follower 84 causes rotation of the rod 86 and its attached lug 88, which is caused to move from a substantially vertical position to a substantially horizontal attitude. The lug 88 is then in position to lock a shoe rack in the device, one end of the shoe rack being held by the flared bar ends 16, 18, 26 and 28, and the other end by the lever 66 on one side and the lug 88 on the other side. Upon descent of the slide assembly 32, the cam 90 again forces a change in the position of the cam follower 84 with a corresponding change in the position of the lug 88, thereby moving the lug 88 from a locking position. The tube 12 and its aforementioned attachments, and the slide assembly 32, and its aforementioned attachments, together form a carriage which is slidably mounted on a frame comprising the two upright frame members, the pole 6 and the post 8, and the top plate 10.

A hand control plate 92 is attached at one end to the block 78 and is also connected to the lever 66 through an interconnecting bifurcated link 94 which is attached to the hand plate 92 by a pivot pin 95. A coil spring 91 mounted on a pin 93 exerts a spring pressure upon the hand control plate 92. The arrangement issuch that a movement of the plate 92, as indicated by the arrow H in FIG. 6, causes an inward movement of the block 70 and the valve actuating plate 72. When the slide rod 'is in its up position the valve actuating plate 72 is aligned with a plunger 96 (FIG. 5) which enters apilot valve 98. Thus, by pressing against the inward surface of the plate 9 2, the valve actuating plate 72 is caused to push the plunger 96 into the pilot valve 98. Activation of the pilot valve 98 causes the slide assembly 32 and tube 12 to lower to the down position, as will be further explained below. A threaded pin 97 (FIG. 6) is anchored in the lug62 and passes through an opening 63 in the lever 66. The pin 97 has a nut 99 mounted thereon between the lever 66 and the lug 62 which may be threadedly adjusted to abut the lever 66 so as to prevent the pivotal motion of the lever 66 and place the machine in a semi-automatic status for both raising and lowering the carriage. When this is done, raising the carriage, as well as lowering it, is initiated by manual movement of the hand plate 92.

A mounting block 100 (FIG. 4) is fixed to the free end of the piston rod 42. The mounting block has two bores 104 for receiving the

wires

44, 46 which are secured to the mounting block by a pair of screws 106 entering the bores at right angles thereto in well known fashion. Thus, by loosening a screw a wire may be drawn so as to lengthen or shorten it with respect to the carriage and then made secure by tightening the screw down against the wire in its bore. A guide block 102 is attached to, or may be an integral part of, the mounting block 100. The guide block slides along the front of the top plate 10 (FIG. 1) preventing any rotational movement of the piston rod 42.

Referring to FIG. 7, it will be noted that the piston rod 42 is well extended and that the slide assembly 32 is in the down position. A shoe rack striking against the lever 66 causes it to rotate about the pivot pin 64 so that the valve actuating plate 72 actuates the pilot valve 76 which allows a surge of air under pressure to pass through that valve and on to a two-way valve 75 mounted on'the rear of the top plate 10 (FIG. 1), which is thereby opened so as to admit air from a main air line L into the cylinder 40. The piston in the cylinder 40 is forced toward the closed end of the piston, drawing the piston rod 42 into the cylinder. The wires 44 (not shown in FIG. 6) and 46 are accordingly drawn upwards, causing the carriage to be raised. The pilot valve '76 is spring biased and snaps back to an exhaust position but the valve 75 remains open. At the end of the piston stroke the valve actuating plate 72 is just opposite the pilot valve 98. When it is desirable to lower the rack, the operator manually actuates the valve 98 by use of the hand plate 92, which momentarily opens the valve 98 and allows a surge of air to pass through the valve 98 which reverses the position of the two-way valve 75, permitting air in the cylinder 40 to escape. The weight of the carriage pulls the piston rod out of the cylinder.

Referring to FIG. 1, it may be seen that a standard shoe rack comprises essentially a pair of bottom boards B1, B2, vertical end rails E1, E2, E3, E4, shelves S1, S2, S3, S4 and four rollers, three of which are shown, R1, R2, and R4.

In operation, a factory shoe rack is pushed along toward the positioning device with the leading end, or side, being directed toward the upright pole 6. The upper and lower locating bars 14 and 20 are rotated on the pole 6 until the tube 12 is prevented from further rotation by the stop 22. This will normally be done upon removing a rack from the positioning device. The-lower bar will then be in the position shown in phantom in FIG. 1 and designated 20" and the upper bar 14 will be in a corresponding position shown in phantom in FIG. 3 and designated 14. The leading end of the shoe rack is guided into engagement with the upper and lower locating bars. The flared ends 16, 18 and 26, 28 assist in guiding the shoe rack against the locating bars 14 and 20. When the shoe rack is abutting the lower bar 20 the bottom plate 30 is under the end of the shoe rack.

The trailing end of the shoe rack is then moved sideways, generally toward the upright post 8, and is pushed to a point at which it is over the bottom plate 36. The end rail E3 is pushed against the lever 66, the corner piece 77 directing the end rail E3 against the free end of the lever. When the trailing end of the shoe rack is moved sideways, the lower bar 20 moves from position 20" to position 20' as shown in FIG. 1 the upper bar 14 moving in a similar manner from position 14' as shown in FIG. 3. The engagement of the end rail E3 with the lever 66 causes the lever to move as indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 6, assuming the pin 97 is set to permit automatic operation. Thereupon the lever 66 pivots about the-pivot pin 64 and, as is described above, causes the opening of the valve 76 which in turn causes the right end of the cylinder 40 to be charged with ressurized air. The piston rod 42 is drawn into the cylinder and, through the wires 44, -46 draws the tube 12 and the slide assembly 32 upwards. The cam follower 84 shifts at the start of the upward movement and positions the lug 88 so as to securely retain the shoe rack in the carriage. If the end rail E3 fails to make sufiicient contact with the lever 66 to cause its operation, the operator may, by slapping the hand plate 92, open the valve 76.

It has been found that an elevation of about twenty inches is a convenient working level for most shoe machine operators. Slight adjustments in elevating height may be made by turning the

screws

52, 54. Larger adjustments may be made by drawing up or easing ofi the

wires

44, 46 at the mounting block 100.

With the carriage in the up position (FIGS. 1 and 5) the shoe machine operator easily reaches the lower shelves of the shoe rack which are now about twenty inches higher than normal. When the operator is ready for the upper shelves, he merely slaps the hand plate 92 and thereby opens the pivot valve 98 which causes air to be released from the cylinder 40. The weight of the carriage draws the piston rod 42 out of the cylinder and the rack is smoothly returned to floor level. The cam follower 84 strikes the cam 90 and causes the lug 88 to move to a non-locking position. The rack is thereby made free to be wheeled out of that station and on to the next. As soon as the operator has finished the upper shelves, the shoe rack is removed from the device, in the reverse order of its insertion, and the locating bars 14, 20 are turned outwardand left in positions corresponding to 20 of the lower bar and 14 of the upper bar, ready to receive the forward end of another shoe rack.

It will be obvious that the positions of thevalve actuating means 60 and the lug 88, and their associated members, may be reversed if factory space limitations or wall locations make it desirable to have the shoe rack enter the positioning device from the opposite side. The locating bars on the tube 12 can be angled toward either side, as indicated by

phantom positions

14 and 14" in FIG. 3. Additionally, the

bottom plates

30, 36 and the horizontal portions of the tongues 34, may be hinged so as to permit swinging of the bottom plates upwards. This arrangement is useful where racks have rollers close to the ends of the rack and there is danger of a set of rollers being pinned beneath a bottom plate.

Referring to FIGS. 8-14, an alternative embodiment of the invention may be seen having

floor plates

202, 204

which are secured to the floor alongside a shoe machine operator position. Triangularly shaped

brace members

203 and 205 are attached to the floor plate 202 and hold in a vertical position one of two upright frame members, post 206. A pair of

braces

207, 209 are secured to the floor plate 204 and retain the second of the two upright members, post 208. A top bar 210 interconnects the

posts

206, 208 at their upper ends. Both

posts

206, 208 have

channels

212, 214 which face each other and which receive

slide rods

216, 218. The slide rod 216 has an upper locating bar 220 with flared ends 222,

224, and a lower locating bar 226 with flared ends 228, 230, recesses 232, 234 and a bottom plate 236, which cooperate to receive the forward end of .a shoe rack. Notches 237 (FIGS. 8 and 11) in the post 206 permit limited rotation of the slide rod 216 when in the down position, the extent of which is indicated in phantom in FIG. 11.

ends of two

wires

248, 250. The wire 248 extends upwards to, and takes a quarter-turn around, a pulley 251 which is mounted on the top bar 210, extends to a second pulley 253 mounted on the top bar takes a quarterturn around the pulley 253 and extends downward through the channel 212 and is attached to the slide rod 216. The wire 250 extends upwards to, and takes a halfturn around, the pulley 251, and extends downward through the channel 214 and is attached to the slide rod 218 (FIG. 13). Each of the slide rods retain in its upper end a hook, as 255 in the slide rod 218, for receiving a looped end of wire.

The slide rod 218 has a cross bar 252 attached to its lower end, the cross bar having flared ends 254, 256, one of which facilitates guiding the trailing end of a shoe rack into position in the device, depending on the side from which the shoe rack is to enter the device. Attached to the cross bar 252 are two

tongues

258, 260 which are interconnected at their lower ends by a bottom plate 262. The

slide rods

216, 218 and their attachments comprise a carriage which is mounted in a frame comprising the two upright frame members,

posts

206 and 208, and the top bar 210.

A cross bar 264 is attached to the upper end of the slide rod 218 and has a flange 266 which stops the movement of the shoe rack into the carriage. The cross bar 264 has a second flange 268 which "receives a shaft 270, which is spring biased by a torsion spring 272 disposed on one end of the shaft 270 (FIG. 14) and which has mounted on its other end a lug 276. The shaft 270 has two radially extending

pins

267, 269. The spring 272 urges the shaft 270 to rotate clockwise. When the slide rod 218 is down, the pin 267 rests upon a stop 271 which is fixed to the post 208. When the slide rod 218 moves upwards, the pin 267 disengages from the stop 271 and permits the shaft 270 to rotate clockwise. The cross bar 264 has mounted thereon an angle plate 273 which sup ports the shaft 270 and which also mounts a second stop 274 which stops the clockwise notation of the shaft 270 by engaging the pin 269. Thus, the lug 276 is I shifted from a substantially vertical position to a subassembly 284 with relation to air holes 282. When it is position.

desired to raise the carriage the operator merely moves the disc 284 mounted on the valve 280 upwards to a position designated 284 in FIG. 10 so that the disc 284 covers a second set of holes 286. The'air from the air line L is no longer blocked but may pass through the holes 282 through an annular passage 290 inside the disc assembly 284, into the holes 286, and into the air tube 281, and into the cylinder 238, acting upon the piston therein and forcing the piston rod 240 downwards, the-reby pulling the carriage upward. When the piston within the cylinder 240 has completed its stroke, the movement of the carriage stops and the shoe rack is in the up position. The disc assembly 284 remains in the upper position 284 because of the frictional holding properties of a pair of annular rings 285.

When the operator desires to lower the carriage he moves the disc 284 downwards, isolating the holes 282 and uncovering the holes 286 which allow air to escape from the system. The weight of the carriage and shoe rack pulls the piston rod 240 out of the'cylinder and the pressure within the cylinder decreases.

A guide plate 288 may be fixed to the wire mounting block 242, or may be a part thereof. The guide plate 288 is a bifurcated member having two arms 289 which are disposed on opposite sides of the rigid air tube 281 (FIG. 9). Any tendency of the piston rod 240 to rotate and foul the

wires

248, 250 is prevented by the guide plate 288 which rides vertically along the rigid air tube 281.

In operation, a shoe rack is guided into the angled locating bars 200, 226 and then moved sideways until the end rail E3 strikes the flange 266 of the cross bar 264. The operator then moves the disc 284 of the air valve 280 upwards. This energizes the cylinder 238 and starts the carriage upwards. As soon as the carriage begins to move upwards, the spring 272 causes.

the shaft 270 and the lug 276 to pivot into a locking The upward movement of the carriage continues until the piston in the cylinder 238 has reached the end of its stroke. The operator then may easily reach the shoes resting in the lower shelves of the shoe rack. -When he is ready for the upper shelves, he moves the disc 284 downwardly and thereby causes the carriage to lower to the floor. Upon reaching the down position the locking lug 276 returns to a non-locking position.

The above described second embodiment is semi-automatic in both raising and lowering the shoe rack while the first embodiment may be either semi-automatic or automatic in raising the shoe rack. However, the second embodiment is of lighter construction, has an extremely simple pneumatic system, and is less costly.

Since certain obvious changes may be made in the illustrative device without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matters contained herein be interpreted in an illustrative and not a limiting sense.

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

1. A shoe rack positioning device comprising upright frame members, a carriage mounted for vertical movement on said frame members, said carriage being open on at least one side for receiving a shoe factory shoe rack, means for raising the carriage containing a shoe rack to a shoe machine operator working level, means responsive to the upward movement of the carriage for locking a shoe rack in said carriage during movement of said carriage, control means for initiating lowering of the carriage upon signal from a shoe machine operator, and automatic means for unlocking a shoe rack so that it may be removed from said positioning device, said unlocking means being responsive to said carriage return- :ing to floor level.

2. A shoe rack positioning device comprising first and .second upright frame members, a carriage mounted for vertical movement on said frame members, a portion of said' carriage being mounted on the first of said frame members for pivotal movement about the axis of said member for receiving one end of a shoe factory shoe rack, means for raising the carriage containing a shoe rack to a shoe machine operator working level, automatic means for locking a shoe rack in said carriage during movement of the carriage, said automatic locking means being responsive to the upward movement of the carriage, control means for initiating lowering of the carriage upon signal from a shoe machine operator, and automatic means for unlocking a shoe rack, said auto matic unlocking means being responsive to the return of the carriage to floor level.

3. A shoe rack positioning device comprising a frame, a carriage mounted on said frame for receiving a shoe factory shoe rack, said carriage including first and second members for receiving first one end and then the other end of the shoe rack, respectively, and automatic means for raising said carriage to a shoe machine operator working level in response to the receiving of the second end of a shoe rack by the second of said receiving members.

4. A shoe rack positioning device comprising a frame, a carriage mounted on the-frame member for receiving a shoe factory shoe rack, automatic means for raising the carriage containing a shoe rack to a shoe machine operator working level in response to the receiving of a shoe rack in the carriage, and control means for initiating lowering of the carriage.

5. A shoe rack positioning device comprising a frame, a carriage. mounted on the frame for receiving a shoe factory shoe rack, automatic means for raising the carriage containing a shoe rack to a shoe machine operator working level in response to receiving of a shoe rack in the carriage, and control means for initiating lowering of the carriage.

6. A shoe rack positioning device comprising upright frame members, a carriage mounted for vertical movement on said members, said carriage being adapted to receive a shoe factory shoe rack, automatic means for raising the carriage containing a shoe rack to a shoe machine operator working level, said automatic raising means being actuated by the fullinsertion of a shoe rack into the carriage, and control means for initiating lowering ofthe carriage upon signal from the shoe machine operator.

7. A shoe rack positioning device comprising upright frame members, a carriage mounted for vertical movement on said frame members, a portion of said carriage being pivotally mounted on one of said frame members for the purpose of receiving one end of a shoe factory shoe rack, means for raising the carriage containing a shoe rack to a shoe machine operator working level, automatic means for locking a shoe rack in said carriage during movement of said carriage, control means for initiating lowering of the carriage, and automatic means for unlocking a shoe rack so that it may be removed from said positioning device, said unlocking means being responsive to the return of the carriage to floor level.

8. A shoe rack positioning device comprising upnight frame members, a carriage mounted for vertical movement on said frame members, a portion of said carriage being pivotally mounted on one of said frame members for the purpose of receiving one end of a shoe factory shoe rack, automatic means for raising the carriage to a shoe machine operator working level, said automatic raising means being responsive to the full insertion of a shoe rack in the carriage, automatic means for locking a shoe rack in said carriage during movement of the carriage, said automatic locking means being responsive to the upward movement of the carriage, control means for initiating lowering of the carriage, and automatic means for unlocking a shoe rack, said automatic unlocking means being responsive to the return of the carriage to floor level.

9. A shoe rack positioning device comprising upright frame members, a carriage mounted on said frame members, said carriage comprising a tube mounted for vertical movement on one upright member and a slide assembly mounted for vertical movement on another upright memher, the tube being pivotally disposed upon its upright member, locating bars attached to the tube for receiving and retaining one end of a shoe rack, a lever mounted on the slide assembly for stopping movement of the other end of a shoe rack into the carriage, means responsive to the abutting of a shoe rack against said lever for raising the tube and the slide assembly simultaneously, a locking lug disposed on said slide assembly, means responsive to the upward movement of said slide assembly for moving the lug into a rack locking position, control means on the slide assembly for initiating lowering of the carriage, and means responsive to the return of the carriage to floor level for moving said lug into a non-locking position, thereby releasing a shoe rack for movement out of the device.

10. A shoe rack positioning device comprising upright frame members, a carriage mounted on said frame members, said carriage comprising a plurality of rods mounted for vertical movement on upright members, the first of said rods being pivotally disposed upon its upright member for the purpose of receiving one end of a shoe rack, locating bars attached to the first rod for receiving and retaining said end of a shoe rack, a cross-bar mounted on the second of the rods and having a flange for stopping movement of the other end of a shoe rack into the carriage, hand control means mounted on one upright frame member for initiating simultaneous raising of the rods, a locking lug disposed on said cross-bar, means responsive to the upward movement of one of said rods for moving the log into a rack locking position, control means mounted on one upright member for initiating lowering of the carriage, and means responsive to the return of the carriage to the floor level for moving said lug into a non-locking position, thereby releasing a shoe rack for movement out of the device.

11. A shoe rack positioning device comprising first and second upright frame members, a [first carriage means mounted for vertical movement on the first of said frame members, a second carriage means mounted on the second of said frame members, said first and second carriage means being adapted cooperatively to receive a multishelved shoe factory shoe rack, means for raising the car riage means containing a shoe rack to a shoe machine operator Working level, and control means for initiating lowering of the carriage means.

12. The invention according to claim 11 in which said first carriage means in pivotally mounted and is engageable with one end of a multi-shelved shoe rack.

13. The invention according to claim 11 including means responsive to the raising of the carriage means for automatically locking a shoe rack in said carriage means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 606,858- 7/ '1898 Edwards 214-392 1,289,529 12/ 1918 Overlin 214392 1,837,263 12/1931 Glidden 211- 34 2,576,345 11/ 1951 Jacob 2J14392 2,790,555 4/ 1957 Horchner 2113-4 3,123,023 3/ 1964 Bronson 1081136 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner.

W. D. LOULAN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims

11. A SHOE RACK POSITIONING DEVICE COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND UPRIGHT FRAME MEMBERS, A FIRST CARRIAGE MEANS MOUNTED FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT ON THE FIRST OF SAID FRAME MEMBERS, A SECOND CARRIAGE MEANS MOUNTED ON THE SECOND OF SAID FRAME MEMBERS, SAID FIRST AND SECOND CARRIAGE MEANS BEING ADAPTED COOPERATIVELY TO RECEIVE A MULTISHELVED SHOE FACTORY SHOE RACK, MEANS FOR RAISING THE CARRIAGE MEANS CONTAINIGN A SHOE RACK TO A SHOE MACHINE OPERATOR WORKING LEVEL, AND CONTROL MEANS FOR INITIATING LOWERING OF THE CARRIAGE MEANS.