Patent GB-1049653-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to the conforming of shoe uppers to the shapes of appropriate lasts
IPC: A43D21/18
Filed: 1963-06-24
Abstract: 1,049,653. Lasting machines. BRITISH UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CO. Ltd. June 24, 1963 [June 25, 1962], No. 24957/63. Heading A3B. A shoe upper conforming machine comprises a support for a last having an upper and insole positioned thereon, grippers mounted for independent movement heightwise of the support, locking devices operable to restrain the grippers against heightwise movement, means for moving the support heightwise while the upper is held by the grippers to tension the upper, operator controlled means for causing the locking devices to release the grippers for heightwise movement and means for adjusting the grippers independently heightwise while the upper is gripped to adjust the position of the upper on the last, said operator controlled means also causing the locking means to lock the grippers in adjusted position. As described the above features are incorporated in a machine of the type described in Specification 940,741. The grippers 22 (Fig. 7) are mounted on the upper end of a cylinder 41 and comprises a fixed jaw 30 and a movable jaw 34 which is closed by a cam 38 on a piston rod 40. The cylinder 41 is mounted for heightwise sliding movement in a housing 54 which is mounted on the machine frame in a universal coupling 60. Initial adjustment of the grippers widthwise of the shoe is controlled by an arm 64 (Fig. 7) attached to the housing 54 which is moved by a stud 66 by means of wedges 68, 69. Initial adjustment lengthwise of the shoe is controlled by an arm 72 (Fig. 5, not shown) which is moved by a series of lever (not shown). The grippers are movable heightwise to adjust the position of the upper after the upper has been tensioned by means of a lever 100 (Fig. 3, not shown), which is pivoted to the machine frame at 102 and is connected at one end to the cylinder 41 via a link 97 and which engages a resilient stop 138 to determine the initial position of the grippers. The lever 100 is moved by the operator by a lever 150 (Fig. 6, not shown) which engages a stud 144 on the lever 100. The lever 100 carries at its far end a bar 108 (Fig. 3, not shown) which can be locked against vertical movement by three chain links 112, 114, 116, the link 112 being pivoted to the machine frame and the link 114 being moved by a piston rod 126 via a bell crank 122. When the bell crank is turned anticlockwise, as seen in Fig. 3, by the piston rod the rolls 118 of the chain links bear against the bar 108 to lock it in position. To assist the adjustment of the upper the tension in the upper is decreased by lowering the shoe support, this movement being limited by a stop 176 (Figs. 3, 5, not shown) on a lever 170 which is moved into operative position by a piston and cylinder 166 and which engages a nut 172 on the rod 80 carrying the shoe support. In operation the operator places the last L, upper U and insole I on the shoe support and initiates the operation of the machine which causes the locking device to lock the grippers against heightwise movement, closes the grippers about the upper and moves the shoe support heightwise. The machine then stops to allow the operator to adjust the position of the upper, if necessary, by depressing a valve which moves the stop 176 into operative position, lowers the shoe support and unlocks the bar 108 to allow the grippers to move heightwise. The operator then adjusts the grippers to position the upper correctly on the last and releases the valve which locks the grippers in their adjusted position, raises the shoe support and moves the stop 176 to an inoperative position. The machine then continues its operation as described in the abovementioned Specification.