Patent GB-191509010-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to Methods of and Machines for Conforming Uppers of Boots and Shoes to Lasts.
IPC: A43D13/00
Filed: 1915-06-18
Abstract: 9010. Bates, A., and British United Shoe Machinery Co. June 18. Lasting.-A machine for simultaneously pulling over the upper and lasting the forepart of a shoe, more particularly for uee in connexion with veldtschoen uppers, is described as an improvement on the machine described in Specification 17,172/12, the parts represented by the references O, 01, .. O<4>, P, Q, Q<1>, Q<2>, S, S<1>, S<6>, S<7>, S<9>, W<2>, W. Fig. 1, and the side grippers and their operating and adjusting devices being arranged as described in the above-mentioned Specification. The plunger Q is adapted to be lowered against the action of a spring C by a lever E<1> operated from an eccentric E<6> on a power-driven shaft E<8>. The spindle S<1> has fulcrumed on it two collars S<10>, S<11> between which is a freely movable collar S<12> forming part of a lever S<13> ; this lever is connected by a pivoted link S<15> to the standard O<4>, and is also pivotally connected to one end of a link S<17>, the other end of which is connected to the links X<8> described in the above-mentioned Specification. The tread rest X is mounted on the pivot 8<16> and is adapted to be engaged by a pin Y<6> fulcrumed on an extension Y<5> of a double-armed lever Y<3>, which is pivoted on a head Z supported on the rear end of the bar P ; links Y<2>, Figs. 1 and 2, pivotally connect the lever Y<3> with a spring-controlled frame Y, which is guided upon a rod Z<15> carrying an adjustable collar Y'. The head Z carries a retarder comprising two plates Z<1>, Z<2> having curved cut-away portions Z<3>, Z' conforming approximately to the forepart of a last. The plate Z' is rigidly fixed to the head, while the plate Z<2> is mounted loosely on a threaded pin Z<5> and has a partly spherical portion to coact with a recess in a collar Z<6> held on the pin Z<5> by a nut Z<7>; a spring Z<8> maintains the spherical surfaces in contact, while a pin Z<9> acts as a guide for the plate Z' and also serves to limit its tipping movement. The pin Z<5> is pivotally connected to a lever Z", which is fulcrumed to a post Z" rising from the cross-bar P, and is actuated from the rod Z<15>. This rod passes through the bar P, head Z, and lever Z<12>, and carries a strong spring Z<17> and a weaker spring Z<18>, which are confined between the lever Z" and an adjusting nut Z<16> and the head Z respectively ; collars Z<19>, Z<20> fixed to the rod serve to relieve the lever Z" of the pressure of the springs at the proper times. The lower end of the rod Z<15> is threaded in a cross-head Z<21> pivoted to links Z<22> which are connected to the lever E<1> ; a guide-roll Z<23> supports the cross-head in its reciprocating movements. The lever S<13> is formei with two arms S'‹ to which are connected the ends of a loop S<20> of stout flexible wire, preferably comprising a number of fine strands. In operation, a shoe, which preferably has its heel seat moulded as described in Specification 3090/15, is placed on the rest X with the toe margin of the upper extending between the plates Z<1>, Z<2>, and the margin at the sides between the open grippers, and the loop S<20> is laid loosely round the fore part. When the power mechanism is thrown into operation, the lever E<1> and the rod Z<15> move downwards, and the lever Z<12> is relieved of the pressure of the spring Z<18>, allowing the spring Z<17> to swing the lever to draw down the pin Z' and close the plates Z', Z' ; the side grippers are closed at the same time in the manner described in Specification 17,172/12. Further movement of the lever E' causes the collar Y<7> to contact with the frame Y, so that the pin Y<6> is forced upwards to swing the rest X about its pivot, while the spring Z<17> is gradually compressed to cause the plates Z', Z<2> to exert a gradually increasing pressure on the work. Meanwhile, the side grippers are drawn downwardly as described in Specification 17,172/12, and forwardly through the levers X<8>, S<17>, S<13>, which effect a forward movement of the spindle S<1>. At the same time, the arms S<19> move rearwards and gradually tighten the loop S<20>, which draws the upper smoothly and tightly into conformity with the edge of the last bottom, the margin slipping to the requisite amount between the plates Z', Z<2>. The machine then automatically stops, through the action of a half-revolution clutch, and the upper is then secured by a bracing-cord or by tacks. The machine is then restarted to complete a cycle, and the various parts are returned to their initial positions. In a modified construction, Fig. 6, the rest X is furnished with a heel rest X<12> and is pivoted at X'3 on a bracket O<6> projecting from the standard O<4> ; it is also held in contact with the pin Y<6> by a light spring X<14>. The bracket O<6> also supports a shaft O<7> carrrying guide-rolls O<8> for the loop S<20>, each end of the loop being attached to a cross-head S" on a rod S<22> to which is pinned a collar S<22> ; the rod carries an adjustable spring S<28> and is actuated from the plunger Q through links S<27>, S<25>. The invention also includes a method of completely conforming in lasted position the forepart of a shoe, the margin of the upper being engaged by means which extend substantially continuously from one side of the toe to the other, which means of itself permits self-adjustment of the upper to the last during the relative conforming movement of the means and the last ; while so engaged, the upper is either drawn to, or wiped into conformity with, the last, or wiped over the last bottom, by a wire loop or like flexible wiper. The upper may also be engaged at the sides as well as the forepart, so that it may be subjected to longitudinal and transverse draught strains during the conforming movement. Specifications 21,800/96 and 21,556/98 also are referred to.