Patent GB-400930-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to the shaping of shoe soles
IPC: A43D35/00
Filed: 1932-04-28
Abstract: 400,930. Boot - making machines. BRITISH UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CO., Ltd., Belgrave Road, Leicester.- (United Shoe Machinery Corporation ; 140, Federal Street, Boston, U.S.A.) April 28, 1932, No. 12202. [Class 17 (i).] Sole blanks, machines for.-Relates to apparatus for permanently stretching by tension a margin of the shank portion of a sole, of the kind described in Specification 260,336, [Class 17 (i), Boots and shoes, Apparatus for making &c.], so that the sole may fit snugly against the shank of the shoe, and consists in elongating the shank portion at either side without stretching the axial portion, the stretch increasing with separation from the axis for part of the width with no increase for the remainder of the width. The apparatus comprises fore part and heel part clamps which are so connected that on relative heightwise movement, their distance apart may be held stationary or decreased. A shank pattern cooperates with a conforming tool so mounted that it may be disposed squarely against the shank although the fore part and heel part clamps have been moved out of alignment to compensate for the height of the heel. At the conclusion of each operation, the pattern on its supports is swung towards the operator to facilitate work changing. Gauges are provided for positioning the work, adjustable rectilinearly, at an angle to the axis of the work the tangent of which angle equals the ratio of increase in width to increase in length per size, so that a single movement adjusts both length and width gauges. A side-gauge is of flexible material tensioned heightwise of the sole to present a flat face to the work. Side and sole surface gauges prevent the work slipping from the pattern when this is tilted for work position. ing. A single handle adjusts the gauges with the aid of scales adjustable for length and width in relation to style. The machine is of twin construction, one sole being moulded while work is being changed at the other mechanism. Each mechanism comprises a heel part supporting table and a fore part supporting table upon which a pattern is retained by dowel pins. A clamping jaw 80, Fig. 4, for the toe end is carried by a rod 212 connected by arms 226, 358 to a sleeve 228, rotatable for adjustment for length of sole about a rod 230, a parallel link mechanism maintaining the clamping members in alignment with the axis of the work in all positions. To the jaw 80 is pivoted the upper link of a toggle mechanism comprising links 104, 102, 106, the latter being pivoted to a lever 100 actuated by a cam-operated lever arm 110. The lower toggle link is pivoted to a lever 210, having a fulcrum supported by an adjustable spring 220 and its other end pivoted to a rod 216 supporting the legs of the toe part table. The heel part clamp is similarly arranged except that, there being no need for adjustment longitudinally of the work, the grinding rod 60, Fig. 7, is capable of axial movement only, this being necessary when it is desired to lower the clamp after work clamping to mould a sole for a shoe with a high heel. To produce this movement, the support 396 for the heel clamp is carried on a lever 394 linked to a cam roll 406 guided by a link 404, a lever 398 adjustable angularly by a hand-wheel on a screw 412 affording an adjustable fulcrum for the lever 394. The fore part clamping mechanism is adjusted for length of sole by a screw 376, Fig. 1, and the two clamping mechanisms are connected by a link 360, the end connected to the heel part clamp being adjustable along a curved slot 366. If it is desired to maintain the clamps at a uniform distance apart during descent of the. heel clamp, the link is set at the middle of the slot. To elongate the shank, the link is set at the top of the slot, or at the bottom if it is desired to diminish the distance between the clamps upon their relative movement. The tables are tilted forwardly for work changing and returned by a cam roll 328, Fig. 6, rocking an arm 324 linked to a compound bell-crank lever carrying pins engaging slots in the tables. The pattern for high-heeled shoes may comprise a fore part 350, Fig. 9, to which is pivoted a shank member 346 with an end engaging a recess 354 in a heel pattern and shoulders 448 for supporting the outer marginal portions of the shank. The co-operating shank conforming tool 242, Fig. 10, may be of rubber carried in a holder 240 carried by a dove-tail slide at the lower end of a guide rod 232, the holder having a lug engaging a screw-thread adjustable by a thumb-piece 248 for varying the position of the tool transversely of the shank. The screw thread has a slot to allow the tool 242 to be exchanged. The tool is raised and lowered by a link 266 the lower end of which is adjustable by a hand-wheel 292 along a curved slot in an arm 274 oscillated by a cam 282. The hand-wheels for the two mechanisms are coupled by a chain 299. To enable the tool to engage the sole shank squarely, it is carried by a pivot 430, Fig. 11, on a link pivoted at 438 to the guide, a spring 440 supporting the rear end of the tool and a hook 444 guided to slide on a pin 446 supporting the forward end. Gauge mechanism for the sole may comprise a pivoted finger 450, Fig. 13, resting, in its operative position, on a pin 458, this finger engaging the sole end, and a sidegauge 460 comprising a rubber tube flattened by the tension of a pair of wire loops 462 so that it may present a flat surface to the side of the fore part of the sole. For combined adjustment for length and width variation, the gauges are slidable along an angularly adjustable guide 484 by an arm 500. The guide should be set so that the tangent of the angle between its axis and that of the median line of the sole is equal to the ratio of width to length extension of soles of the same style but various sizes. The gauge mechanism may be swung upwardly about a pin 476 to allow change of pattern. A modified side gauge comprises a sole edge engaging member 610, Fig. 15, in the form of a wire having a bent end urged upwardly by a spring and a finger 608 adapted to engage the under face of the sole, both pivoted on a pin 612 and urged toward the work by a spring to a limit determined by an adjustable stop 626. The finger 608 is mounted with limited movement relative to the member 610 and both gauges are swung away from the work as the clamps close by a lever contacting with a pin 636 on the finger 608. This member is thus swung to drag the sole into contact with the gauge 610. The heel end gauge comprises a pivoted arm 658 with a step at its end engaging the under surface and side of the sole. This gauge is yieldable vertically against a spring 660 and is adjusted by a pinion gearing with a rack 666. For combined length and width adjustment, the gauge is slidable along an inclined guide 648. The gauges are automatically adjusted along their inclined guides as the tables swing to work-receiving positions by levers 518, 500, the lower ends of which cooperate with forks 506, 526, Fig. 1, themselves adjusted by racks 528, 530 gearing with pinions a,t the lower end of a pivoted adjusting handle 538. If any change has been made by moving this handle, rolls on the lower ends of the levers 518, 500 contact with one side of the fork as the tables swing forwardly, and the levers are swung by this contact, which continues while the tables descend. The lever may carry a width scale 582, Fig. 20, triangular in cross-section, any one side of which may be turned uppermost, the three sides corresponding to men's, women's, and children's shoes. This scale co-operates with a length scale 576 adjustable with respect to a style scale 574. In a modification, the handle carries a pointer co-operating with a length scale adjustable along a width scale itself adjustable along a style scale having groups of graduations for men's, women's, and children's shoes. For starting the machine when work has been positioned. a treadle 166, Fig. 2, has an arm 170 linked to a strut 174 depending from a lever 190 having a roll 196 engaging a cam 198. The lower end of the strut 174 engages a flat at the end of one arm of aT-lever 180, Fig. 1, normally holding a clutch 150 in the free position. Depression of the treadle causes one rotation of the main cam-shaft 128, the roll 196 near the end of the rotation rising into the recess in its cam repositioning the strut 174, a slight further rotation of the cam freeing the clutch to stop the machine. A second treadle 200 co-operates with a third arm of the lever 180 to stop the machine at any desired time. The tables upon which the soles are clamped have peripheral channels which collect liquids squeezed out of the soles, drain pipes leading these to the base of the machine away from operating parts. Curved guard plates move with the clamp tables in their forward and rearward .swing.