Patent GB-475127-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to shoe upper conforming machines
IPC: A43D21/12
Filed: 1936-05-15
Abstract: 475,127. Lasting-machines. UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION. May 15, 1936, No. 13737. Convention date, May 17, 1935. [Class 17 (i)] Relates to machines of the kind described in Specifications 355,817 and 465,267 and consists in improvements in detail. The toe clamp is self-adjusting to conform to the fore-part of the last, and is so connected to the wipers that these also are correspondingly adjusted. A device is moved automatically heightwise of the shoe to engage the shoe bottom at positions spaced apart widthwise of the shoe to tip the shoe about its longitudinal axis into proper relation to the wipers. A device is provided for clamping the margin of the upper at the toe end and applying tension thereto during the relative heightwise movement of the shoe and wipers. As described in the prior Specifications, the wipers and heel band are carried on a slide 24, Fig. 23, slidable towards and from the shoe on guide rods mounted on a vertically movable slide 14, Fig. 19, urged upwardly by a spring 16. The mechanism for moving the slide to starting position at the end of the cycle is modified. The chain 56, Fig. 23, described in the prior Specifications, is secured to a member 64 slidable in the slide 24, urged to the left by springs and formed with cams 60 co-operating with a cam on a lever 36 carrying a latch plate 42. Before starting the machine, the righthand end of this plate is in engagement with a plate 48 secured to the slide 24 ; which slide is allowed to move to the left to approach the shoe when a treadle connected to the rod 50 is depressed. At the end of the cycle the chain 56 is pulled over its eccentrically mounted pinion 58, the cam 60 depresses the lever and the plate 48 is carried to the right of the plate 42 and latched. The means for depressing the wiper carrying plunger 88, Fig. 11, is modified to provide a quick adjustment. The plunger is engaged by the head 104 of a plunger 102 urged upwardly by a spring. 106 into contact with a lever 116, the free end of which may be adjusted by a spring plunger 118 co-operating with a number of holes 120. Improved means are provided for tipping the heel wipers laterally to suit the plane of the heel end of the shoe. The holder 124, which, as in the prior construction, is mounted for tip laterally of the shoe, is provided with a vertically movable slide 130 with a downwardly extending arm 132 to which is pivoted a bar 136 itself carrying a downwardly extending arm 142 having at its lower end two presser feet 144 spaced apart to engage opposite side portions of the shoe at the forward end of the heel seat. A spring 148 allows the feet to. be pushed forwardly by the wipers at the end of their travel. The height of the wipers relatively to the heel seat is adjusted by a screw 152 which bears against a slide 154 normally spaced slightly above the slide 130, the gap being maintained by a latch 156. A shoulder 162 on the wiper operating plunger frees this latch near the end of the wiper's advance, and increases the pressure of the wipers on the shoe. The toe band, which wipes the toe end of the upper upwardly, is resiliently mounted. Its adjustable casting carries a pair of levers 174, Fig. 10, carrying pivots 178 for a pair of blocks 180, Fig. 9, formed with slots to receive the end portions of the toe band 182. The intermediate portion is similarly supported by blocks 184 slidable between upper and lower plates, and backed by a spring 186 secured to ears 189 on the levers 174. The ends of the band are separated or brought nearer together by a hand wheel 202, Fig. 10, on a shaft engaging the other ends of the levers 174, one end of the shaft being threaded to engage a nut 192. A spring 196 provides yield. The toe rest supporting springs are modified, a stout spring 218, Fig. 7, abutting against a collar 212 also forming an abutment for a weaker spring 210 threaded over a sleeve providing an initial yield over a predetermined distance before the stronger spring comes into action. The toe wipers follow the self-adjustment of the toe band. The wiper-closing slides 258, Fig. 6, are each connected to its corresponding wiper by a link 260, a member 263 mounted to turn about an eccentric 264, and a link 268 pivoted at 270 to the wiper. A link 272 connects the member 263 with the adjacent lever 174 carrying the toe band, the construction causing the toe wipers to be swung to follow the adjustment of the toe band. At the beginning of the operative movement of the wipers, steps on the links 260 free the tails of pawls 280 which, then, lock the eccentrics in their adjusted position. The wipers are heated by units 294, Fig. 5, housed in members having flat lower faces contacting with enlarged parts 298, Fig. 6, of the links 268, which have sliding contact with the top surfaces of the wipers. The marginal portion of the toe of the upper is clamped while the last is depressed. A lower clamp member 302, Fig. 7, curved to extend around the end of the toe, is secured by a screw 306 to a bracket mounted to turn about a shaft 310. A co-operating upper clamp member 314 is carried by arms 320, Fig. 5, slotted to engage the shaft 310. The arms 320 pivotally carrying a block 326, Fig. 7, urged counterclockwise by spring-plungers 328 so that links 334 connected to crank-arms on the shaft 310 tend to maintain the clamping members separated. Springs 338 connected to the pivot of the links 334 assist the spring plungers. An arm on the shaft 310 is linked to a treadle, depression of which carries the member 314 into engagement with the upper, the margin of which has been placed between the members. The clamping members are locked together until the wipers begin to advance over the insole, when the grip is released and the wipers pass under the member 302 as it returns to starting position. The fore-part presser foot 364, Fig. 11, is pivoted to a bracket 366 adjustable vertically by a screw 370. For tipping the toe portion laterally into the plane of the wipers, a member 382, pivoted with the presser foot, has spaced lugs engaging the opposite sides of the fore-part, and is controlled by links 388, 390 urged to alignment by a spring. To allow the toe rest to tip with the shoe, it is supported on a curved rib 406, Fig. 14. Fast on the upper pivot 396, Fig. 11, of the. link 390, to turn with the link, is a bracket 410 housing a plunger 414 cooperating with a lug on one of the wiper heating casings 292 and urged upwardly by a spring to a limit determined by the adjustment of a lever 424. The member 382 is thus withdrawn when the shoe has been properly positioned, the plunger 414 engaging the heater casing as the shoe is depressed and turning the upper link 390 anticlockwise. For pressing the margin of the toe end of the insole against the last, a U-shaped clamp 430 is pivoted to a yoke member having side arms 434, 436, Fig. 14, connected to arms 438, Fig. 11, of a rock-shaft 440. One arm 438 is urged downwardly by a spring-plunger 446 to a limit determined by a stop 450. A link 454 connects the yoke with an eccentric 456, which is turned for adjusting the position of the clamp lengthwise of the shoe. The clamp is inclined so that the advancing wipers can pass beneath it in their over-wiping movement. To prevent undue rise of the heel end of the shoe when the hold-downs are released, as described in the prior Specifications, to increase the pressure of the wipers on the shoe, the slide 14 is provided with means for limiting its rise at this stage, co mprising a slide 464, Fig. 19, urged upwardly by a spring engaging a lug 496 secured to the slide 464, a stop screw 502 determining the normal position of this slide. Teeth on the slide co-operate with pawls 468 pivoted to the end of an arm 470 moving with the arm described in the prior Specifications as swinging forwardly to advance the heel wipers. The tails of the pawls are engaged by springs on a lever 474 carrying an adjustable stop 488 co-operating with a bar 490 guided in the slide 14 and abutting a fixed part of the machine. The pawls thus provide an abutment limiting the rise of the slide 14 to the gap between the slide and the lug 496. The machine is provided with mechanism for stopping it with the wipers under pressure in their fully advanced position, and starting it, to complete the cycle, after a predetermined interval. As described in the prior Specifications, the machine is stopped when a pin 527, Fig. 17, engages a stop to swing a clutch member urged to operative position by a spring 522 and locked there by a pawl 536. An additional lever 546 is provided, with stop surfaces 550, 552 to co-operate with the pin 527 and pawl 536, respectively. A bar 596 is reciprocated periodically by a constantly turning cam, the return travel being adjustable. Ratchet teeth 564 move with the bar, and co-operate with pawls 566 to lower the free end of the lever 546 step-by-step' until the pin 527 is released and the machine re-starts. On the starting of the machine the pawls are kept away from the teeth by a spring-controlled member 572, moved away from the tails by a finger 540 when the machine comes to a stop.