A support for a sole-and-heel unit

Abstract: For use in a machine for operating on sole-and-heel units in the manufacture of shoes a support is provided which comprises a platform (12, 16) having a first, forepart, portion (12) and a second, heel end, portion (16), the latter being mounted for pivotal movement about two axes (20, 26) extending transversely of a unit supported thereby whereby both the angle of inclination and also the heightwise position of the heel end portion (16) can be varied in relation to the forepart portion (12). The support also comprises a toe end centralising device (68) and a heel end abutment (60) with which is associated heel end centralising means (74), the toe end centralising device (68) being movable towards the heel abutment (60) thus to position a shoe lengthwise of the support. A linear potentiometer (78) is also provided, connected with the toe end centralising device (68), for measuring the length of a shoe positioned as aforesaid.

Description: This invention is concerned with a support for a sole-and-heel unit in or for use in a machine for use in the manufacture of shoes. A number of different needs arise for supporting a sole-and-heel unit, in particular such that the upper surface, i.e. the surface which engages the bottom of a shoe, is held flat, regardless of the shape of the heel end of the unit. It will thus be appreciated that it is not possible to support such a unit merely on a flat surface, but rather the heel end must be accommodated according to its height. Nevertheless, it is usually desirable that the heel end be supported in order that the particular shoe-making operation can be successfully accomplished. Typical operations upon a shoe-engaging surface of such a unit are adhesive application and also attachment of the unit to a shoe bottom. A known shoe box to support a shoe is shown in US Patent No. 4080679 (representing the most relevant prior art), where the shoe is supported at its toe, waist and heel end. A flat sheet of material is placed in the shoe box to allow a shoe to be pressed upon it. However, with a heel unit instead of the flat sheet it is difficult to ensure the heel support plate remains substantially flat as the plate is inclined using a ratchet and pawl arrangement. The invention thus provides, in or for use in a machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, a support for a sole-and-heel unit comprising a split platform including plates on which such unit can be supported, wherein the platform has a first, forepart, portion and a second, heel end, portion, and is characterised in that the heel end portion is mounted for pivotal movement about two spaced axes extending transversely of a unit supported thereby, to provide for the angle of inclination and also the heightwise position of the heel end portion to be varied in relation to the forepart portion whilst maintaining flat support for the heel end of the sole-and-heel unit. It will thus be appreciated that, by reason of the variation of the position of the heel end portion of the platform a heel can be properly supported while at the same time the upper surface of the unit can be held in a flat position in readiness for a shoe-making operation to be performed thereon. It may be envisaged that the heel end portion of the platform will accommodate itself to the desired heightwise position and angle of inclination by downward pressure applied through the heel portion of a unit supported by the platform, but preferably independent operator-controlled means is provided for effecting such pivotal movement of the heel end portion of the platform about each of said axes. In a preferred embodiment, furthermore, one of said axes is supported by a fixed frame portion of the support and the other axis is supported by the heel end portion and is also supported for movement about said one axis the arrangement being such that effecting pivotal movement about said other axis causes the angle of inclination of the heel end portion to be varied, while effecting pivotal movement about said one axis varies the heightwise position of said other axis and thus of the heel end portion. Moreover, conveniently effecting pivotal movement about both axes simultaneously enables the heel end portion of the platform to be moved heightwise without varying the angle of inclination. It will thus be appreciated that, by the provision of a support as described above, sole-and-heel units can readily be supported in a condition for a treatment or other operation to be performed thereon. The support in accordance with the invention is suitable for use in an automatic machine, especially (but not exclusively) a machine for applying adhesive progressively along marginal portions of the shoe-engaging surface of a unit, in which case it is necessary that the unit be accurately positioned in the support. To this end, therefore, preferably the support in accordance with the invention further comprises a heel end abutment arranged adjacent the heel end portion of the platform, a toe end centralising device on the forepart portion of the platform, means for effecting movement of the toe end centralising device towards the heel end abutment thus to urge the heel end of a unit against the abutment and to position such unit in the support, and means for centralising the heel end of the unit when the latter has been urged against the abutment as aforesaid. Moreover, in such a case, conveniently the heel end abutment has a datum position from which it is resiliently urged but into which it is moved when a unit is urged thereagainst as aforesaid, sensing means being provided for sensing when the abutment is in its datum position and for generating a signal in response to which the heel end centralising means is operated. In addition, the means for effecting movement of the toe end centralising device may be de-actuated in response to the generation of said signal. Such signal may also of course be used to then initiate an operating cycle of the machine of which the support forms a part. In one particular adhesive applying machine the path of an adhesive applicator of the machine is pre-programmed, namely by the digitising of selected points along the marginal portions of the bottom of a model shoe, and, in order to avoid the need for carrying out such a digitising procedure in respect of all sizes for a given style, the machine's control is provided with a grading programme based upon the length of the unit. For providing the necessary information for such a grading programme to be implemented, therefore, preferably the support in accordance with the invention comprises a device for measuring the length of a unit supported thereby, which device is connected to the means for moving the toe end centralising device. There now follows a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompany drawings, of one support in accordance with the invention. It will be appreciated that this support has been selected for description merely by way of non-limiting example of the invention. In the accompanying drawings:- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the support in accordance with the invention; and Fig. 2 is a side view of the support shown in Fig. 1. The support now to be described is adapted for use in a machine for applying adhesive progressively to marginal portions of a shoe sole-and-heel units; machine differing only in respect of its shoe support aspects is described in detail in EP-A 0351993, with particular reference to Figs. 1 to 4 of that specification. The support thus comprises a box-like structure 10 providing a flat forepart support 12 and having a cut-out 14 in which a heel end support plate 16 is arranged. The forepart support 12 and heel end support plate 16 constitute forepart and heel end platform portions of the support in accordance with the invention. The support plate 16 has secured to the under-side thereof two blocks 18 by which a pin 20, constituting a first axis of the support plate 16, is mounted, said pin also being pivotally connected to two arms 22, opposite ends of which are captive on a hollow shaft 24 supported by a further pin 26, constituting a second axis of the support plate 16, said further pin being supported in the box-like structure 10. The hollow shaft 24 carries, at its end adjacent a side wall of the box-like structure 10, a block 28 having a bifurcated end in which is received a trunnion block 30 to which is threadedly connected an adjustment screw 32 having a knob 34 which projects above the upper surface of the structure 10. It will be appreciated that rotation of the knob 34 is thus effective, through the block 28, shaft 24 and arms 22, to raise or lower the pin 20, and thus the support plate 16 mounted thereon, heightwise in relation to the structure 10. Pivotally connected to an extension formed on one of the blocks 18 is a link 36 which in turn is pivotally connected to an arm 38 an opposite end of which is captive on a further hollow shaft 40 supported on a the pin 26 for rotation relative thereto. Also secured to the shaft 40 is a lever 42 connected by a drag link 44 to a further lever 46 which is fixed to a hollow shaft 48 supported by another pin 50 secured in the structure 10. The pin 50 carries a block 52 in one bifurcated end of which is mounted a trunnion block 54 in which is threadedly received a further adjustment screw 56. A knob 58 on the screw 56 projects above the surface of the structure 10. It will thus be appreciated that by rotating the knob 58, through the linkage just described the plate 16 is caused to pivot about the axis of the pin 20. It will thus be appreciated that rotation of the knob 58 effects variation of the angle of inclination of the plate 16 in relation to the forepart support 12, while rotation of the knob 34 effects heightwise movement of the pin and thus of the plate 16. Where, moreover, it is desired to move the plate heightwise without varying the angle of inclination, this can be achieved by the simultaneous rotation of both knobs 34, 58. The support in accordance with the invention also comprises a heel end abutment 60 in the form of a plate which is supported by a pin 62 on a block 64 and is spring-urged away from the block, an inductance switch 66 being provided adjacent the block in such a manner that, when the abutment 60 is urged against the block, a signal is generated by the inductance switch, as will be referred to hereinafter. Mounted on the forepart support 12, furthermore, is a toe end centralising device 68 comprising two abutment blocks in a generally V-shaped arrangement by which the toe end of a unit can be engaged and centralised. The device 68 is mounted on slide 70 for movement in a direction extending generally lengthwise of a shoe supported by the support, a piston-and-cylinder arrangement 72 being provided for effecting such movement of the slide. In addition, mounted on the block 64 are two clamps 74 which move equidistantly towards or away from the heel end of a unit supported by the support in order to centralise it, a further piston-and-cylinder arrangement being provided for effecting such movement of the clamps 74. When the support in accordance with the invention is in use, with a unit placed on the support, firstly the operator can set the position of the plate 16 to accommodate the heel end of the support such that the upper, i.e. shoe-engaging, surface of the unit is flat or substantially flat. Thereafter the operator initiates a cycle of operation, whereupon the toe end centralising device 68 is moved heelwardly and thus urges the heel end of the unit against the heel end abutment, overcoming the influence of the spring, and thus actuating the inductance switch 66 whereby a signal is generated as aforesaid. In response to this signal firstly the heel end centralising means is operated and secondly the supply of pressure fluid to the piston-and-cylinder arrangement 72 is discontinued. In an alternative embodiment, the operator locates the heel end of the unit against the heel end abutment 60 and urges it rearwardly to actuate the inductance switch 66. In this case the signal thus generated causes the toe end centralising device 68 to move heelwardly until it engages the toe end of the unit. Further in this embodiment the device 68 is resiliently urged heelwardly relative to the piston-and-cylinder arrangement 72 by a spring the force of which allows the device to yield when it engages the toe end of a unit. Associated with the device 68 is a further inductance switch (not shown) which is actuated by the yielding movement of the device and generates a signal which discontinues the supply of pressure fluid to the piston-and-cylinder arrangement 72 and also actuates the heel end centralising means 74. In either case a lock (which may be either fluid pressure operated or mechanical) may then be applied to the toe end centralising device 68 to hold it in such position. The unit is thus positioned accurately in the support both lengthwise and also widthwise. Associated with the toe end centralising device 68, furthermore, is a linear potentiometer 78 which serves as a shoe length measuring device and is able to supply information, in the form of a voltage, to control means of the machine of which the support in accordance with the invention forms part, in particular in order to facilitate the implementation of a grading programming, where such is stored in the computer control of such machine.

Claims: In or for use in a machine for use in the manufacture of shoes a support for a sole-and-heel unit comprising a split platform including plates (12,16) on which such unit can be supported, said platform (12,16) having a first, forepart, portion (12) and a second, heel end, portion (16), characterised in that the heel end portion (16) is mounted for pivotal movement about two spaced axes (20,26) extending transversely of a unit supported thereby to provide for the angle of inclination and also the heightwise position of the heel end portion (16) to be varied in relation to the forepart portion (12) whilst maintaining flat support for the heel end of the sole-and-heel unit. A support according to Claim 1 characterised in that one (26) of said axes (20,26) is supported by a fixed frame portion of the support and the other (20) is supported by the heel end portion (16) and is also supported for movement about said one axis (26), the arrangement being configured to ensure pivotal movement about said other axis (20) causes the angle of inclination of the heel end portion (16) to be varied and to ensure pivotal movement about said one axis (26) varies the heightwise position of said other axis (20) and thus of the heel end portion (16). A support according to Claim 2 characterised in that the heel end portion (16) is supported to ensure effecting pivotal movement about both axes (20,26) simultaneously causes the heel end portion (16) of the platform to be moved heightwise without varying its angle of inclination. A support according to any one of Claims 1 to 3 characterised in that the heel end portion (16) is coupled to independent operator-controlled means (58,34) for control of pivotal movement of the heel end portion (16) of the platform about each of said axes (20,26). A support according to any one of the preceding Claims further characterised in that adjacent the heel end portion (16) of the platform (12,16) there is a heel end abutment (60) on the forepart portion (12) of the platform (12,16) there is a toe end centralising device (68) and there is means (72) for effective movement of the toe end centralizing device (68) towards the heel end abutment (60) thus to urge the heel end of a unit against the abutment and to position such unit in the support, and the heel end portion (16) of the unit has means (74) for centralising that heel end portion (16) when the latter has been urged against the abutment (60) as aforesaid. A support according to Claim 5 characterised in that the heel end abutment (60) has a datum position defined as a position into which that heel end abutment (60) is urged and said abutment (60) is coupled to sensing means (66) to determine when the abutment (60) is at its datum position and control the heel end centralising means (74). A support according to Claim 6 characterised in that the means (72) for effecting movement of the toe end centralising device (68) is de-actuated in response to the generation of said signal. A support according to any one of Claims 5 to 6 characterised in that the means (72) for moving the toe end centralising device (68), is coupled to a device (68) for measuring the length of a unit supported thereby.

Inventors: LE VESCONTE IVOR JOHN RAYMOND, LE VESCONTE, IVOR JOHN RAYMOND
Applicants: BRITISH UNITED SHOE MACHINERY, BRITISH UNITED SHOE MACHINERY LIMITED
Application year: 1992
Main classification: A43D119
IPC codes: A43D25, A43D119, A43D5