US3578480A

US3578480A - Methods of ornamenting pliable sheet material

Info

Publication number: US3578480A
Application number: US764089A
Authority: US
Inventors: Sydney A Vinter
Original assignee: USM Corp
Current assignee: USM Corp
Priority date: 1967-10-05
Filing date: 1968-10-01
Publication date: 1971-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 1988-05-11
Also published as: AU2994267A; AU431556B2

Abstract

IN ORNAMENTING PLIABLE SHEET MATERIAL , A SURFACE AREA THEREOF IS PROVIDED WITH A LAYER OF MASKING MATERIAL AND SUBJECTED TO PRESSURE FROM A CUTTING DIE TO SEVER THE LAYER AND INDENT THE SHEET MATERIAL ALONG LINES DEFININGAREA PORTIONS TO BE COLORED. THE MASKING LAYER IS REMOVED FROM THE AREA PORTIONS WHICH ARE THEN SPRAY COATED, AND THEREAFTER THE REMAINING MASKING LAYER IS REMOVED. THE MATERIALS ADJACENT THE EDGE OF THE CUTTING DIE ARE HEATED DURING PRESSURE THEREOF TO PROMOTE SEVERANCE OF THE LAYER AND THE FIXATION OF THE EMBOSSMENT SO THAT THE AREA PORTIONS ARE SHARPLY DEFINED AND STAND OUT HANDSOMELY. THE HEATING IS EFFECTED BY EMANATIONS FROM THE DIE, SUITABLE IN THE FORM OF A HEAT FLUX OR AN RF FIELD BUT PREFERABLY BOTH.

Description

S. A. VINTER May 11,1911

METHODS OF QRIEIAMENTING PLIABLE SHEET MATERIAL I Filed Oct. 1', 19 68 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I ll 1 J In men tor SidneyArf/wr V'nfer By his Aim/"nary fave 61 w M y 1971 s. A. VINTER 3,573,480

METHODS OF ORNAMENTING PLIABLE SHEET MATERIAL Filed Oct. 1, 1968 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 11, 1971 A, TER 3,578,480

METHODS OF ORNAMENTING PLIABLE SHEET MATERIAL Filed Oct. 1, 1968 3 Shee.ts$heet 5 United States Patent US. Cl. 117-4 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE In ornamenting pliable sheet material, a surface area thereof is provided with a layer of masking material and subjected to pressure from a cutting die to sever the layer and indent the sheet material along lines defining area portions to be colored. The masking layer is removed from the area portions which are then spray coated, and thereafter the remaining masking layer is removed. The materials adjacent the edge of the cutting die are heated during pressure thereof to promote severance of the layer and the fixation of the embossment so that the area portions are sharply defined and stand out handsomely. The heating is elfected by emanations from the die, suitably in the form of a heat flux or an RF field but preferably BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to improvements in methods of ornamenting pliable sheet materials.

Description of the prior art Many articles of manufacture fabricated from pliable sheet materials are considered to be aesthetically more pleasing if provided with ornamentation. There is a demand, for example, in ladies apparel, that articles of manufacture such as band bags, shoes, suit cases, which may be fabricated from pliable sheet materials such as leather, vinyl sheet material, substitute leathers, etc.; be provided with a decorative finish. Such decoration may be provided by a pre-cut pattern of a dilferent material or color being stitched or stuck onto the article.

One method of providing a sheet of pliable material with a decorative finish is to cover part of the material with a masking tape in a manner leaving an area uncovered, which areas is then sprayed or painted with a different material or material of a different color. After an interval of time, the masking tape is removed. However,

it is frequently dilficult to provide a clean edge to the pattern obtained, and usually a pattern is provided which is flat and which may be considered uninteresting.

Providing a decorative pattern by an embossing process frequently provides a pattern which is considered particularly pleasing because it appears to stand out. It is, however, difiicult to adapt this method to provide an embossed pattern with provision in the pattern, of a material or color different from that of the base material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION adhesive. The sheet material with a surface portion so masked is then placed in a press in which a die is pressed against the surface while the materials adjacent the edge of the cutting die are heated. The die severs the layer of masking material along its line of contact therewith and also indents the surface of the sheet material to provide thereon an embossed pattern effect. To promote such severance, and to fix the embossment, the materials adjacent the cutting edge of the die are heated. Preferably the die is electrically heated, heating the materials by conduction, largely promoting the severance and in appreciable degree the fixation, and also, while the die is thus held under pressure against the surface of the sheet material, an RF electric field is established between the die and a work support on which the sheet material is supported. The sheet material is subjected to this field for a controlled time interval; this largely promotes the fixation of the embossment. The time interval is variable according to the nature of the sheet material being operated upon and according to the depth of indentation desired.

The sheet material is then removed from the press and portions of the layer of masking material are removed along the lines of severance, thus to uncover portions of the surface of the sheet material which are to be colored, and the sheet material is then presented for a spraying operation. Any suitable coloring medium, e.g., a cellulose based paint, can be used. When the sprayed sheet material has been allowed to dry, the remainder of the layer of masking material is removed.

A shoe upper component thus ornamented has a clearly defined pattern from the point of view not only of coloration but also of embossing. The embossed and colored area has sharply defined, indented edges and appears to stand out rather than having a flat and uninteresting appearance.

While the above pleasing effect may to some extent be provided by the above method in which either the RF field or the heating of the cutting die is omitted, both of these forms of heating by emanations from a cutting die contribute to the overall effect.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will best be understood from the following description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of the illustrated method. It will be understood that this illustrative method has been selected for description by way of exemplification of the invention and not by way of limitation thereof.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 is a right hand side view of a press suitable for use in carrying out the illustrative method;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pattern die suitable for use in carrying out the illustrative method;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a portion of a shoe upper component after having been ornamented in accordance with the illustrative method; and

'FIG. 4 is a diagram showing pneumatic and electrical control circuits of the press shown in FIG. 1.

In carrying out the illustrative method a plain leather shoe upper component U has a lightly adherent masking layer applied to the toe and forepart portions thereof. Suitably the layer may be masking tape of a plasticized PVC having a low elongation at break and coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive on one surface thereof, the adhesive providing a tensile adhesion of less than 15 p.s.i. to facilitate removal.

The component U thus provided with a masking layer is then placed on a work supporting table 10 of the press shown in FIG. 1 and the table 10 is moved manually rearwardly along guideways formed in a main housing 12 of the press to carry the component beneath a die 14 carried at the lower end of a ram 16, the ram being movable heightwise towards and away from the table by means of a rocking lever 18 supported by the main housing and connected at one end to the ram and at the other to a piston rod 20 of a piston and cylinder arrangement C2 mounted on the housing 12. The die 14, which may be made of brass, is mounted on a plate 22 secured, by a dovetail arrangement, to an under-surface of a block 24 which is carried by a plurality of insulators 26 on a further block 28 secured to the lower end of the ram 16. The block 24 is connected to an RF generator (not shown except in FIG. 4) and the guideways for the table 10 are connected to ground so that an RF electric field can be established between the die and the table. Thus, the RF electric field may be considered as emanating from the die. For tuning the field in, a coil (not shown) extends between the block 24 and the block 28. In addition the die 14 is heated by conduction through two electric heating elements (not shown) secured in the block 24. In carrying out the illustrative method the die is heated to about 100 C. by these elements and in turn the heat emanates from the die to the materials as a heat flux.

In operating the press, the operator first arranges a template (not shown), formed complementarily to the component to be operated upon, on the table 10, on which a Ms" thick sheet of silicone rubber has been placed and arranges the component U in relation thereto. The table is then moved rearwardly and in entering its fully rearward position a lug 30 depending therefrom operates an interlock valve Vla (see also FIG. 4), thus enabling the press to be operated. When the table is fully rearward the operator actuates trip valve Vlb mounted at the front of the press thus allowing air under pressure to pass along the line P1 through the valves Vlb, Vla to switch pilot valve PVlc thus to allow air under pressure to flow to two piston and cylinder arrangements C1 mounted on the front of the housing. On depending piston rods 32 of these arrangements is supported, by means of brackets 34, a guard 36 of suitable transparent material and admission of air under pressure to the cylinders is effective to cause the guard to be lowered, against the action of two springs 38, which are effective to raise the guard when the air is allowed to exhaust. The air pressure which effects the lowering of the guard is relatively light, being controlled by a regulator =R1, so that interposition of an operators hand, for example, can prevent lowering of the guard without injury to the operator.

When the guard is fully lowered two switches MSl are actuated, by lugs 40 on the brackets 34, and energize solenoid valve SVZa which allows air to flow along line P2 to operate pilot valve PV2b thus to allow air under pressure to be admitted to the piston and cylinder arrangement C2 thus to cause the ram to be lowered, and the die to sever the masking layer and to indent the surface of the component U. At the same time air in line P2 also passes to a pressure switch PS2a through a flow control valve FV2c, operation of the pressure switch when the arrangement C2 has been operated and the pressure allowed to build up in line P2, being effective to transmit a signal to the RF generator RFG whereby an RF field is established between the die and the table to enhance fixation of the indentation already effected by the heated die in the surface. The RF generator can be set in respect of both its output and also the time over which the RF field is generated. These will vary both for different types of material and also according to the depth of the indentation desired. It has been found that for an attractive embossment a time of 2 to 2 /2 seconds is desirable.

When the RF electric field has been applied for the desired time a signal is transmitted to solenoid 'valve SVla thus allowing air under pressure to flow along a line P3 through a shuttle valve Vle to return pilot valve PVlc to its position shown in FIG. 4. This in turn causes the guard to be raised and thus, through the de-energization of solenoid valve SV2a, causes the ram to be raised too. A safety valve Vlf is also provided on the front of the housing for returning the press to its rest position.

The table 10 is then moved to its forward position and component U removed therefrom.

In carrying out the illustrative method, the component then has an area of its surface uncovered by the removal of portions of the severed tape according to the pattern which it is desired to color, this patterned area being defined by lines indented in said surface. The removal of these portions is effected manually, in carrying out the illustrative method, but may be otherwise effected in carrying out other methods in accordance with the invention.

The component U thus treated is now placed in a spray booth (not shown) and the uncovered area sprayed with a suitable coloring medium. In carrying out the illustrative method this medium may be a cellulose based paint.

When thus painted the component U is placed in a drying unit (not shown) and when dry the remainder of the masking tape is removed.

The shoe upper component U is then ready for other shoe making operations; a component thus treated provides a very attractive appearance in the finished shoe.

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

1. The method of ornamenting pliable sheet material with a coated area defined by indentations in the sheet comprising the steps of:

(a) covering part of the sheet with a layer of masking material adhesively secured to the sheet;

(b) engaging the sheet with a cutting die acting through the masking material to indent the sheet along an outline defining an area portion of the sheet and to deform the sheet adjacent the outline;

(c) heating the sheet and layer at the outline to sever the layer in cooperation with the die engagement and to fix deformation in the sheet;

(d) removing the layer within the outline of the area portion;

(e) coating the surface of the sheet within the area portion; and then (f) removing the remaining layer from the sheet.

2. The method as in claim 1 in which the heating is effected at least partly by establishing an RF electric field between the cutting die as one electrode and another electrode on the opposite side of the sheet from the die.

3. The method as in claim 2 in which the heating is additionally effected by heating the cutting die.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,465,627 9/1969 Vigneault l174 2,062,865 12/ 1936 Cleveland l17--4 119,710 10/1871 Hyatt, I1. 1-17-8 ALFRED L. LEAVITI, Primary Examiner M. F. ESPOSIFO, Assistant Examiner us. 01. X.R.