Patent GB-1108222-A (GB)
Title: Application of a sole to the bottom of a shoe assembly
IPC: A43D25/10
Filed: 1966-09-30
Abstract: 1,108,222. Boots, &c. J. S. KAMBORIAN. 30 Sept., 1966 [18 Oct., 1965], No. 43798/66. Heading A3B. In a sole laying machine a lasted shoe is supported bottom down on a last pin 14, a sole is placed on a support 66 and is aligned with the shoe bottom, the support 66 is moved towards the lasted shoe and the sole is pressed against the shoe bottom to attach the sole. The last 346 (Fig. 31) is locked on to the last pin 14 by a toggle 26, 28 which, when actuated by the piston rod 30 of an air motor (20), presses against the last pin socket 344. The air motor (20) is actuated to lock the last 346 in position when the last depresses a plunger 34 to operate a valve to supply compressed air to the air motor (20). The toe portion of the last is prevented from moving upwardly during the pressing operation by a toe pad 36 (Fig. 2). The toe pad 36 can slide lengthwise of the shoe in guides in a beam 12 and can be locked in position by the operation of air motors (46) which press one side of the guide against the toe pad 36. The sole 352 (Figs. 2, 10) is supported on an inflatable bladder 66 on a plate (68) which can be moved heightwise by a fluid motor 86. A groove 78 on the upper surface of the bladder 66 is connected to a vacuum pump via ducts 82 to hold the sole in its correctly aligned position on the bladder 66. The heel end of the sole is positioned by sole locators 136 (Figs. 10, 14) which are mounted in brackets 114 in alignment with last locators 118. Each bracket 114 is moved towards the shoe assembly by an air motor 110 until the last locator 118 engages the shoe assembly, the sole locator automatically moving the heel end of the sole into alignment with the shoe bottom. Each sole locator 136 can be raised by an air motor 120, a pin 128 and slot 130 causing the sole locator to be swung to one side as it is raised as shown in Fig. 10. The toe end of the sole is positioned by similar sole locators 190 (Fig. 10) and last locators 164 which are moved towards the shoe assembly by an air motor 194. The air motor 194 also operates a pusher 202 which engages the toe pad 36 to move the toe pad 36 to its correct lengthwise position. The machine also includes adhesive applicators 238 (Fig. 33) which move lengthwise of the sole on guides (not shown) and are urged inwardly so that rollers 252, 254 guide each nozzle as it moves lengthwise of the sole to apply a ribbon 438 of adhesive along each side of the sole. The machine includes a pneumatic control circuit which operates as follows: the operator places a lasted upper on the last pin 14 which locks the last in position as described above. He then places a sole on the bladder 66 and operates a valve to start the machine cycle. The heel end locators move towards the shoe to position the heel end of the sole and the toe end locators move towards the shoe to position the toe end of the sole and to position the toe pad 36. Suction is then applied to the groove 78 on the bladder 66 to hold the sole in its correct position, the toe pad 36 is locked in position and the sole locators 136, 190 are raised. The adhesive applicators 238 then move forwardly to apply the ribbon 438 of molten thermoplastic adhesive to the sole and the bladder 66 is raised by fluid motor 86 until the sole contacts the toe end of the shoe bottom. The sole locators then move away from the shoe, the suction is removed from the groove 78 and the bladder is supplied with air under high pressure to inflate the bladder 66 and press the sole against the shoe bottom. After a predetermined time lag the bladder 66 is deflated and the various parts return to their initial positions.