US3514800A - Thimble setter - Google Patents

Description

June 2, 1970 J. M. FAMIGLIETTE THIMBLE SETTER Filed A ril 2. 1969 Z 7 7 j A J lwezzfag' am a Z dzzg United States Patent 3,514,800 THIMBLE SETTER John M. Famigliette, 630 Plain St., Stoughton, Mass. 02072 Filed Apr. 2, 1969, Ser. No. 812,788- Int. Cl. A43d 00/00 US. Cl. 12-1 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A holder containing an axial hole within which is pivotally supported a punch bar and a spindle telescopically mounted in the hole in the holder for movement relative to the punch bar, said spindle being adapted to fit snugly into a thimble and containing an axial slot through which the punch bar extends and a lateral opening through which the punch bar is adapted to be displaced by relative movement of the support and spindle to cause the punch bar to make a depression in the wall of the thimble.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the manufacture of footwear a form is used upon which the component parts of which the footwear is to be comprised are assembled and joined to produce the desired article. Such forms are generally known as lasts and the neck of the last contains a hole by means of which it may be mounted on a support during the assembly of the parts thereon. The lasts are used over and over again and hence the holes become enlarged and worn out of round and so it is customary to insert a metal thimble into the hole to lessen the amount of wear and hence lengthen the useful life of the last. The thimble is an open-ended sleeve 'with a flange at one end and is driven into the hole in the neck of the last, the hole being made slightly smaller in diameter than the thimble so that a tight fit will be obtained. In spite of this, the rough handling that the last undergoes tends to loosen the thimble so that it pulls out and if not lost must be driven back into the hole. In some instances, the flange at the upper end of the sleeve has been provided with teeth which are driven into the neck of the last around the hole and do facilitate holding the sleeve in place. This invention has for its purpose to provide an improved way of holding the thimble in the last and to a simple and yet highly effective piece of apparatus for setting the thimble in the hole of the last.

\SUMMARY As herein illustrated, the thimble is set into the hole by first inserting it into the hole and then displacing a portion of its side wall laterally into the wall of the hole such as by forming a detent in the wall or by cutting through the wall and forcing the cut metal laterally into the substance of the last. The apparatus for effecting the operation comprises telescopically associated parts, one of which is adapted to fit snugly into the thimble, and an implement such as a punch pivotally connected to the other part which is contained within the one part but is movable relative thereto as the parts are telescoped relative to each other, on the one hand, to displace the implement laterally from the one part and, on the other hand, to withdraw it into the one part. More specifically, the parts comprise a rigid holder, a pivotally mounted punch bar mounted at one end for pivotal movement from a position in alignment with the holder to a lateral position, a spindle telescopically mounted on the holder about the punch bar, said spindle corresponding in crosssection to the inside of the thimble and being adapted to fit snugly thereinto and containing a lateral opening through which the punch bar is adapted to be moved by 3,514,800 Patented June 2, 1970 pivotal movement, and a cam on the spindle movable into engagement with the punch bar by telescoping movement of the holder and the spindle relative to each other to move the punch bar through the lateral opening and force it against the thimble within which the spindle is situated.

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

FIG. 1 is an elevation, partly in section, of the thimble setter engaged with a sleeve set into the neck of a last preparatory to operation;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary elevation taken on the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary section similar to FIG. 1 showing the operative position of the device; and

FIG. 4 shows a thimble with a portion of its wall displaced laterally so as to lock the thimble in the neck of the last.

Referring to the drawings, the tool comprises a holder 10 within which there is telescopically mounted a spindle 12 operable by movement relative to the holder 10 to displace a punch bar 14 supported by the holder 10 and extending longitudinally through the spindle from a retracted inoperative position, as shown in FIG. 1, within the spindle through a lateral opening therein to an operative position such as shown in FIG. 3, to displace the wall 16 of a thimble 18 set into a hole 20 in the neck 22 of the last to form a locking detent or spur 24 of metal which prevents the thimble from working its way out of the hole.

The holder 10 comprises a cylinder block 26 containing an axial hole 28. One end of the hole is closed by an adapter 30 and an end plate 32. The other end of the hole has concentric portions of smaller diameter, to wit, a portion 34 which forms in conjunction with the hole 28 a shoulder 36 and a portion 38 which forms with the portion 34 a shoulder 40.

The adapter 30 contains a slot 42 within which one end of an arbor 44 is mounted and pivotally connected by a bolt 46. The arbor 44 is concentric with the hole 28 and extends from the closed end toward the open end, terminating short of the shoulder 36. The distal end of the arbor contains a transverse slot 48 within which the end 50 of the punch bar 14 is pivotally connected by a pin 52. The punch bar extends from its pivot through the open end of the hole 28 and through the smaller diameter openings 34 and 38.

The spindle 12 is cylindrical and is provided at one end with a flanged portion 54 adapted to fit into the opening 34, a portion 56 of smaller diameter adapted to fit in the opening 38 and a portion 58 adapted to fit snugly into the inside of the thimble that is to be operated on. The spindle has a longitudinally extending slot 60 entering it through the flanged end and extending part way through to the opposite end and a lateral opening 62 which in effect is a continuation of the slot 60 through one side of the'spindle. Opposite the lateral opening 62 there is an inclined cam surface 64 against which the distal end of the punch bar 14 rests in its withdrawn position, that is, when the punch bar is contained wholly within the slot in the spindle as is shown in 'FIG. 1. By moving the spindle telescopically within the holder 26, the cam surface 64 is caused to displace the distal end of the punch bar laterally as shown in FIG. 3. To facilitate the camming action the distal end of the punch bar is provided with a smooth convex surface 66 to reduce the friction between it and the cam and at the opposite side has a sharp cutting shoulder 68 adapted, when displaced laterally through the opening 62 by engagement with the wall of the thimble, to displace or cut through it.

Normally the punch bar is held retracted within the spindle by a coiled spring 70 mounted within the hole 28 with one end bearing against the adapter 30 and the other end bearing against a collar 72 set into the hole against the shoulder 36 and against a portion of the flange 54. The spring will yield to pressure applied to move the spindle toward the arbor to effect lateral displacement of the punch bar.

Normally the device is used for the purpose described by thrusting the spindle into the thimble Which has already been placed in the neck of the last and then mounting the device and the last between the platens of a press so as to move the parts relative to each other and hence to force the punch bar laterally from the spindle against the wall of the thirnble.

Optionally, the operation may be performed by setting the last on a rigid surface and applying pressure to the holder or by striking the upper end of the holder With a heavy blow.

The device is so constructed as to be easy to assemble and disassemble in the event that it is necessary to replace the punch bar, embodies the minimum number of operative parts and hence requires very little maintenance and While the holder is described as being cylindrical it is obviously within the scope of the invention to make the holder of any cross-section suitable for the purposes herein described.

I claim:

1. A thimble setting device comprising telescopically associated parts, one of which is adapted to fit snugly into the thimble, an implement pivotally mounted to the other part said implement being contained within said one part but being movable relative thereto and means carried by said one part situated in a position to intercept the implement as the parts telescopically move relative to each other on the one hand to displace the implement laterally from the one part and on the other hand to withdraw it into said one part.

2. A thimble setting device comprising telescopically associated parts one of said parts being adapted to fit snugly into the thimble, an implement mounted on said other part for movement relative to the one part in a direction to extend it laterally from the one part against the inner side of the thimble within which the part is inserted, and means operable by telescopic movement of the parts in one direction relative to each other to effect lateral movement of the implement from the one part to cause the implement to displace the wall of the thimble and in the other direction to retract the implement into the one part.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the implement has a cutting edge adapted to cut through and displace the wall of the thimble.

4. An implement according to claim 2, wherein a spring compressed by movement of the parts to effect lateral displacement of the implement is operable to effect movement of the parts in an opposite direction to retract the implement.

5. A thimble setting device comprising a rigid part, a spindle mounted on the part for telescoping movement relative to the rigid part, a punch bar pivotally connected to the rigid part and extending therefrom along the axis of the spindle, said spindle having a portion adapted to fit snugly into the thimble and said punch bar being normally contained within the geometry of the spindle, and means carried by the spindle operable, by engagement with the punch bar as the spindle is moved in one direction relative to the rigid part, to displace the punch bar about its pivot to a lateral position relative to the spindle and in the other direction to permit it to be returned to its initial position within the geometry of the spindle.

6. A thimble setting device comprising a rigid base containing a hole closed at one end open at the other, a rigid arbor of smaller size than the hole mounted in the hole With one end pivotally connected to the closed end, a punch bar having a cutting edge pivotally connected to the other end of the arbor and extending from the hole, said punch bar being movable from a position in alignment with the arbor to a lateral position, a part mounted in the open end of the hole with one end adjacent the end of the arbor and the other end extending therefrom, said part embodying a portion adapted to fit into the thimble and containing a longitudinal slot for receiving the punch bar and a lateral slot through which the cutting edge of the punch bar is adapted to be moved, said part being movable in the open end of the hole toward the arbor and by such movement operable to effect lateral displacement of the cutting edge of the punch bar through the lateral slot, a coil spring situated in the hole around the arbor with one end against the closed end of the hole and the other against said part, and means at said one end of the part holding the part in the base in Spaced relation to the end of the arbor in opposition to said spring.

7. A thimble setting device comprising a rigid base containing a hole closed at one end and open at the other, a rigid arbor mounted in the hole, means pivotally connecting one end of the arbor to the base at the closed end of the hole, a punch bar pivotally connected at one end to the other end of the arbor, said punch bar extending from the arbor through the open end of the hole, a part mounted in the hole in alignment with the arbor with one end spaced from the arbor, a spring disposed against the arbor between the closed end of the hole and said one end of the part urging the part away from the arbor, means on said one end and the base at the open end of the hole which, by engagement therewith, holds the part at said predetermined spacing but which permits the part to be moved toward the end of the arbor, said part containing longitudinal and transverse openings within which the punch bar is situated and pivotally movable, said part, by movement inwardly relative to the base, being operable to displace the punch bar laterally about its pivot through said lateral opening in the part, and said spring being operable when the part is unconstrained to retract the punch bar.

8. A thimble setting device comprising a block containing a hole closed at one end and open at the other, an arbor in the hole, means pivotally connecting one end of the arbor to the block at the closed end of the hole, the distal end of the arbor terminating short of the open end of the hole, a punch bar pivotally connected at one end to the distal end of the arbor, said punch bar extending from the arbor through the open end of the hole, said hole beyond the end of the arbor being of smaller size and providing a shoulder spaced from the distal end of the arbor, a part mounted in said portion of the hole of smaller size with one end spaced from the distal end of the arbor and the other end extending from the hole, said part containing a longitudinal opening for receiving the punch bar and a lateral opening through which the distal end of the punch bar is adapted to be moved, means at the inner end of the part adapted to be held engaged with said shoulder and to limit outward movement of the part beyond said limiting position of said means with the shoulder, a spring in that portion of the hole of larger size yieldably bearing against said means and normally holding the part against said shoulder, and means on said part operable by displacement of the part inwardly toward the arbor to move the punch bar laterally through said lateral opening.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 12-146

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