Patent GB-190704236-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in Pulling Over Machines for Boots and Shoes.
Inventor: JUSTICE PHILIP MIDDLETON
Filed: 1907-08-20
Granted: 1908-08-20
Abstract: 4236. Justice, P. M., [Manufacturers' Machine Co.]. Aug. 20. Lasting; stapling.-Relates to a pulling - over machine in which the work to be operated upon is supported sole downwards and with its tip line in full view of the operator as he stands in working position at the front of the machine. The machine is provided as usual with two side grippers, but there are two sets of grippers, instead of one, at the toe. The shoe is positioned in the machine with its heel in contact with a support which is constructed for use with any shape of last heel. The support consists of padded, spring-pressed pivoted arms 44, Fig. 54, and an independent member 40, which forms a seat for the bottom and back of the last. This member is pivoted to a block 36 carried by spring-governed pins 30, which are located in a sleeve 28 keyed to a standard 26, Fig. 4, which projects from a bracket 16. The ball of the last contacts with wings 21, Fig. 4, extending from a toe block 18 mounted on a rearward extension of the bracket 16. Toe and side positioning stops are also provided. The side grippers each consist of transversely serrated jaws 61, 63, Fig. 24, pivoted about a pin 66 extending from a carriage 60, which is mounted in a curved, preferably circular, guideway 59 in a frame 58, which itself is mounted in guideways in a block 56 carried by a frame 14. The lower jaw of the grippers is preferably provided with a removable stop 63<x> adapted to enter an opening in the upper jaw ; this stop ensures that a definite amount of upper material is seized by the grippers. The shanks of the jaws 61, 63 are bifurcated and are engaged by a pin carried by a lever 72, which is connected by a short link 78 to a pivoted lever 76. This lever is fitted with a pawl-and-ratchet device 82, 84 for locking the grippers after they have been closed, and is provided with an arm 86 adapted to be engaged by a push-rod 88. A stop retains the lower jaw 63 in substantially an horizontal plane, so that practically the whole of the opening movement of the grippers is effected from the upper jaw. The toe grippers are of the same construction as the side grippers, except that they are provided with longitudinal corrugations instead of transverse serrations. They are mounted in a carriage 94, Fig. 23, which can slide in curved grooves in a guide 92 supported by a sliding frame 90 mounted in circular grooves in a guide 12 carried by a slidable table 8, Fig. 4. The various parts are arranged so that the four sets of grippers can be brought quite close together for pulling over uppers of small shoes. The grippers are preferably all closed simultaneously, and for this purpose the push-rod 88 of the side grippers rests upon a table 118, Fig. 10, which is yieldingly supported above a second table 112, on which rest the combined lower portions 104<x> of the push rods 104 of the toe grippers. The table 112 is coupled up with an actuating-treadle, the arrangement being such that when the treadle is depressed the tables rise until the grippers close, and then the springs between the tables yield to allow the upper to be gripped more firmly at the toe without further pressure upon the upper at its sides. The upper is then stretched, this operation preceding the operation of turning the upper under the last. To stretch the upper longitudinally, the toe grippers remain stationary while the last is forced heelwards, such a result being obtained by a movement of the toepositioning rest 52, Fig. 4. This is coupled up by spring-controlled links 122, 124, 128 and a camsurface 142, to an actuating hand-lever 138. To stretch the upper transversely of the last, the tables 118 are coupled up to a hand-lever which, when actuated, raises the tables so that the side grippers are caused to move outwards. The two actuating levers are arranged on opposite sides of the machine, so that they may be actuated simultaneously. The upper is then drawn down at right-angles to the last bottom, and afterwards is laid over the insole. The stretching movement is effected from a cam on a shaft 158, Fig. 10, which, at the proper time, actuates levers 176, 178, Figs. 10, 23, and 24, connected respectively by pins and slots to the carriages 60, 94, simultaneously drawing these down in their guideways. At the same time, the toe and side positioning stops are automatically moved out of engagement with the last, and the toe-positioning stop 52 is also withdrawn within the edge of the list, so that it will not interfere with the operation of laying the upper against the insole. This latter operation is also effected from the shaft 158, a cam 208 on which actuates a bell-crank 214 to cause, through the action of an intermediate link 213, rollers carried by a lug 218 on a guide-rod 220 which depends from the block 56 to ride along a lever 224, Fig. 24, which is coupled up to the side gripper support 58. This causes this support to move inwards so that the upper is placed within the last edge ; simultaneously with this movement, the link 78 permits the grippers to be moved upwards to place the upper adjacent to the insole and in a position ready for tacking. Preferably, the bellcrank 214 also actuates the toe grippers, its arm 246, Fig. 10, being connected up with the table 8. A curved guide 248, Figs. 10 and 23, concentric with the guide 12 after this has been moved forwards, is fitted with slides 250, each of which yieldingly supports an arm 251, which projects within the side plates of the gripper supports. The ends of the links 72 engage recesses in these arms, and cause the grippers to be drawn upwards as they move inwards. Preferably, the operation of stretching the upper under the bottom of the last and placing it adjacent the insole is performed by a simultaneous movement of all the grippers ; but, afterwards, the toe grippers receive a further movement so as to place them parallel to the edges of the last. For this purpose, the toe-gripper supports carry pins which are connected by toggle-levers 256, Fig. 10, and yielding connexions 260, 266, 268, 270 to the arm 246 of the bell-crank 214. The first movement of the latter actuates the table 8 ; but, when the table has been brought to rest, a further movement actuates the connexions above referred to, and forces the toe-gripper supports outwards to bring the grippers into the desired position of parallelism. Preferably, staples are used to secure the upper to the insole. These ara contained in a portable open-ended container 334, Fig. 40, in which they are held by a locking-rod 340, until the container is introduced into a sleeve 324 mounted to slide in a casing 322. When the rod is released, the staples fall on to a presenter block 332, which is actuated through the sleeve 324 from the gripper carriage 60. At the proper time, the block presents a staple in a position to be engaged by a spring-pressed latch 312, Fig. 41, pivoted between ears on the end of the driver 300, Fig. 23, which is mounted on the carriage 60. The bar is normally held yieldingly against the upper side of the gripper jaw, but it is forced away and in a position to engage the staple, and its latch is opened, when the gripper carriage reaches the upper end of its stroke. Meanwhile, a spring- pressed pawl on the lever 176 actuates links to compress the spring 278 of a hammer lever 274 until the end of the latter is held by a latch 286, when the pawl automatically releases itself. Finally, when the upper has been placed against the insole and the drivers have moved again into contact with the upper gripper jaws, the latch 286 is tripped, and the hammer 274 imparts a driving blow to the driver to force the staple into the work. All four staples are driven substantially simultaneously, and it is preferably arranged that they shall not be driven right home, so that they may be readily withdrawn when the shoe is lasted. After the staples have been driven, the various parts concerned in the pulling-over and driving operations are automatically returned to their initial positions. The push-rods 88, 104 of the side and toe gripper closing-mechanisms are arranged so as to be moved out of the path of the socketed ends of the arms 86 as the gripper carriages move up and down in their guideways. These push-rods must be operated to close the grippers before the rods 176, 178 are actuated to move the gripper carriages, and to ensure that this will take place the treadle controlling the clutch on the stop and start motion is arranged so that it cannot be moved to throw the clutch into or out of gear unless it first actuates the treadle controlling the movements of the table 112. To ensure that the tip line of the upper is square across the last and correctly located with respect to the toe of the shoe, the side grippers are marked with index lines which are preferably parallel to the edges of the side grippers, and a tip-line gauge is provided to indicate when the tip line reaches this desired position. This gauge is adjustable, and is connected up to the toe-positioning stop 52 so that, when the stop is in its back position ready to receive a shoe, the gauge is raised to a position where it will not interfere with the placing of the shoe in the machine ; but when the stop forces the last backwards, the gauge automatically drops into measuring position. All the grippers are arranged so that. when open and at rest at the top of their guides, the planes of their lower jaws are somewhat above the plane of the top of the support for the ball of the shoe. With this arrangement, the upper may be stretched while it lies substantially in a single plane, and friction during stretching is thus practically eliminated. Various adjustments are provided in order that the machine can be used for operating on " right " and " left shoes of various styles and sizes, such adjustments ensuring that the tip line will always remain correctly placed. The adjustment for the toe-gripper support and