Patent GB-661764-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to shoe-upper conforming machines
IPC: A43D21/12
Filed: 1949-03-03
Abstract: 661,764. Lasting machines. BRITISH UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CO., Ltd. (United Shoe Machinery Corporation). March 2, 1950 [March 3, 1949], No. 5793/49. Class 17 (i). Comprises improvements in toe-lasting machines of the kind described in Specification 553,881 wherein a pair of toe-embracing wipers 14, Figs. 1, 3, wipe the margin of an upper at the toe inwardly over an insole on a last positioned bottom up, and a toe former 12, wipes the toe of the upper heightwise of the last, the wipers 14 being mounted on a carrier 58 and held retracted out of contact with the shoe, during at least the greater portion of the upwiping movement, e.g. by a latch rod 86, and then released for movement towards the toe, the time of such release being varied by adjustment of nut 102. The improvements comprise (1) means for controlling the toe former 12 to ensure that it will be applied to the upper promptly and in effective wiping engagement with the upper, at the desired point in the cycle of operations, and (2) means for enabling the former to adjust itself to suit variations in different shoe toes which may be successively presented to it. (1) is done, in an illustrative form of machine described, by providing for release of the former 12 independently of the release of the wiper carrier 58 by separate fluid pressure means 242, 248, which retract the carrier with little or no retarding effect on the movement of the former 12 towards the toe, and which also serve to increase the pressure of the former 12 on the upper after the upwiping movement has been completed. The independent release means for toe former and wiper carrier permit the times of release in the working cycle to be adjusted, the toe former being preferably released before the carrier. This adjustment is effected by adjustment of a camshaped member 270 by a flexible arm 278, pin on which is engageable in any one of series of holes in plate 284. (2) is done by mounting the former 12 on a support which is pivoted to a resiliently flexible rod 188 which extends lengthwise of the last and which may yield laterally so that the support may swing about an axis heightwise of the last or move bodily widthwise thereof against the resistance of the rod, or both of these movements may occur together. Spring controlled levers 122, Fig. 6, connected together for equal movements and movable bodily with the former, support its opposite side portions against the outward pressure caused by wedging action of the shoe toe thereon. The toe former is detachably mounted on pins by latch members 140, Fig. 6, to suit shoes of different style or size, and the formers are adjustable to suit shoes of different widths by a rod 164. The formers are made less flexible at the sides of the toe by providing ribs 176 thereon. The toe former is controlled by pressure fluid means 242, 248, so as to be moved into shoe upper engaging position at a desired time in its upward movement and not at an undesirably low level of the upwipe. In the preferred form of machine, which is somewhat similar to that described in Specification 553,881, a stationary member 2 (Fig. 9, which shows the general lay-out) engages an insole on a last supported bottom up and supported by a toe rest 4, an instep support 6 and heel rest 8 (not shown). Unwanted movement of shoe as the support 6 and rest 8 are applied to the last is avoided by controlling the admission of fluid pressure to the cylinder and piston devices which operate them in such way that the support 6 moves into operative position after the shoe is clamped by rest 4 but before it is engaged by rest 8. While the upper is held under tension by toe pulling grippers 10 (not shown) it is wiped heightwise by the flexible band toe former 12, the inner layers of lining &c. at margin of upper at toe are trimmed away, a second upwipe is performed by the grippers on the outer layer of upper materials after the upper has been coated with cement, and the upper is wiped in over the insole as described in the earlier Specification. Pressure fluid (light oil) for operating the various lasting instrumentalities is delivered by a continuously driven pump 16, Fig. 9, from an open reservoir 18 to a manifold 22, in which it is maintained under a pressure determined by a relief valve 24, fluid returning to reservoir 18 through escape valve 26 when machine is not operating. Valve 26 may be closed by a treadle to cause pressure to develop in the manifold, and another operation of treadle opens a valve 28 to admit pressure fluid to a cylinder 30 to rotate a control shaft 32 which governs the supply of pressure fluid at appropriate times to the operating instrumentalities. The toe rest 4 is supported on piston 34 movable in cylinder 36, instep support 6 on piston 42 which is smaller than piston 34 and is movable in cylinder 44, and heel rest 8 is operated by cylinder-andpiston means 50. The wipers 14 are detachably secured to a pair of holders 56 mounted for swinging movements on guideways on a carrier 58 about a pin 60, and the carrier is moved by piston 62 movable in cylinder 64. Pairs of parallel links 70, 72 support wiper carrier 58 for up and down swinging movements. Toe former 12 is carried on a support 68 which supports the wiper carrier 58 and is carried up and down with the wipers, which are held in abnormally retracted position, to avoid interference with the toe ends of shoes as wipers are moved upwardly, by rod 86 and recess 90 in carrier 58, time of release of carrier 58 being adjustable by nut 102. On release, the carrier is moved forwardly a short distance by spring 104, until a block 108 engages pin 112 in cylinder 106 which houses spring 104. The toe former is moved into engagement with the upper while the upwiping operation is in progress, by a spring 230, and the wipers are moved into engagement with the upper substantially at the end of upwipe by a spring. The toe former is retracted by fluid-operated double-acting piston and cylinder device 242, 248, which, when the former has been moved into engagement with the upper, act to press the toe former more forcibly against it.