Patent GB-752111-A (GB)
Title: Sole pressing machine
IPC: A43D25/06
Filed: 1954-02-05
Abstract: 752,111. Sole-pressing machine. KAMBORIAN, J. S. Feb. 5, 1954 [May 27, 1953], No. 3447/54. Class 17 (1). A two-station sole pressing machine comprises a frame co-operable relatively movable means at each station for receiving lasted shoes between them, including a member with flexible means conformable to the shoe bottoms and hold down means to contact the lasts, and operable to apply pressure to the shoe bottoms, and means for effecting operation of the means at each station alternately to apply pressure to the work at one station while simultaneously releasing it at the other station, each station being adapted to receive two shoes. As shown, the hold-down 112 of the upper station is stationary but adjustable vertically by means of screw 34, pad box 86 of the lower station is fixed to the frame, and the upper pad box 66 and lower hold-down 110 move together vertically on slides 40 which run in the uprights 14, anti-friction bearing strips 44, 46 (not shown), 50 being provided. In operation box 66 and hold-down 110 are lowered so that the latter presses on shoes on box 86, and later raised to release these shoes and cause holddown 112 to press on shoes on box 66. The hold-downs, normally held level by springs, have heel and tow pads 120, 122, 128, 130 which are adjustable longitudinally by means of screws 124, 132. The oil-filled pad boxes 66, 86 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the centre line of the frame and each comprises a rigid metal box with a flexible elastic diaphragm 104 clamped over the upper edge by a frame 106. A changeable rigid shield 65 secured by frame 106, and shaped to receive two shoes, ensures that the diaphragm swells at the portions close to the shoe perimeter only. The depths to which the shoe heels are pressed into the diaphragm are limited by an incompressible block 61 situated just below the diaphragm where the heel rests. (The boxes are fitted with pressure gauges and means to introduce fluid and bleed out air.) The carriage, composed of slides 40, box 66, and cross-bar 52, is moved by the rod 72 of a piston in cylinder 78 which may rock slightly about pin 82 and is supplied with fluid through a valve V from a pump P driven by motor M. Valve V determining to which end of the cylinder fluid is passed is operated by means of a double-acting solenoid which is actuated in the required direction by means of a selector switch which may be operated by hand, or automatically by a motor-operated cam, the timing being such as to give a required period of application of pressure. A normally closed pressure-responsive microswitch 136 is mounted in each pad box, and these switches are included one in each of the two circuits to the doubleacting solenoid. The microswitch in the active circuit opens when the desired pressure is attained in the pad box, allowing the solenoid and valve to return to their neutral positions to maintain the pressure so long as the selector switch is not actuated. If the pressure should drop off during the pressing operation the microswitch will close again to again actuate the solenoid &c. to admit more fluid to the cylinder. The level of the fluid in the box may be lowered or a portion of the fluid withdrawn, before or after the shoe is placed on the diaphragm, so as to form " pockets " in the diaphragm or supplement existing " pockets," thus preventing the " breaking " of the lasts by the hold-downs, particularly when deep shank shoes are being treated. To apply pressure the fluid is restored to its original level or returned to the box. Thus the box may be filled while piston 152 is located therein, and the piston then withdrawn into cylinder 154, the size and extent of withdrawal of the piston determining the amount by which the diaphragm may be drawn down. An accumulator 156 with a spring-backed piston 158 may be used in conjunction with piston 152, piston 158 being drawn into the cylinder to withdraw fluid from the box and returned to its normal position to restore the fluid. The alternative hold-down means, to distribute pressure uniformly at the toe and to act as a positioning guide, shown in Fig. 14, comprises a saddle 111 with sponge rubber and soft leather lining connected to side rails 121 by spring straps 117, 119. Rails 121 are pivoted at 123 to plates 125 pivoted on rods 127 to top plate 129. Rods 127 extend through holes in a bar 131 supported in slots 133 in posts 135 by springs 137. The device is pressed downwardly by a post J replacing the conventional toe pad.