Patent GB-1029275-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to shoe upper conforming machines adapted for use in operating on heel end portions of shoes
Inventor: BRADSHAW ARTHUR
IPC: A43D11/12
Filed: 1962-02-27
Abstract: 1,029,275. Moulding shoe uppers. BRITISH UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CO. Feb. 25, 1963 [Feb. 27, 1962], No. 7529/62. Heading A3B. A machine for moulding rear end portions of shoe uppers comprises means for supporting an inner form on which an upper can be placed, a gauge co-operating with the inner form for correctly positioning the back seam of the upper on the inner form, means for clamping the upper on the form, grippes for gripping the upper at each side of the form, means for tensioning the upper about the form and means for moving the gauge into an inoperative position after the upper has been positioned and tensioned but before any application of mouldpressure. The machine comprises a main frame 30 (Figs. 1 and 2) in which is mounted for swinging movement a hollow post 32 and on which is secured an inclined moulding head support 34, a moulding head 38 being supported on the support 34 for limited sliding movement thereon. The hollow post 32 carries at its upper end a thermostatically controlled heated inner form 40 in the form of a heel end of a last. The post 32 is mounted on a plate 44 integral with which are two lugs 46 which support a cranked lever 48, one arm 48b of which abuts against a rod 49 in the frame 30. Slidably mounted in the post 32 is a link 52 one end of which rests on the ether arm 48a of the lever 48. The upper end of the link 52 is connected through linkages 54, 60 to a back seam gauge 68. The gauge 68 comprises an element 70 pivoted at 72 and carrying a spring biased pin 82 and work engaging pad 90. Pivoting of the element 70 is effected by a rod 98 operated by a piston and cylinder P1 through rod 114 and levers 112 and 108 pivoted at 110. The seam gauge linkages are such that the gauge moves from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig. 4 when the post 32 is moved to its operative position. Grippers 120 are pivoted on ball races in blocks 118 accommodated in the plate 44. Each gripper comprises a fixed arm and a movable arm operated through linkage actuated by piston and cylinder arrangements P2. Each gripper arm has a pad 172. The grippers may be positioned laterally by means of slots 154 in lugs 152 on the post 32 and may be adjusted vertically in sleeves 166. Each of the blocks 118 is pivotally mounted on a lug 174 on a composite member 176 one end of which is pivoted at 184 and the other end of which is secured to a shaft 186. A link 188 connects each shaft 186 to an arm 192, pivoted at 194. Cranked handles 198 are provided on the arms 192 for manual adjustment of the work about the form 40. Springs 200 urge the arm 192 anti-clockwise. The initial position of the grippers 120 is adjustable by screwing rods 202 in the arms 192 by knurled knobs 203 prior to the exhaustion of the cylinders of the piston and cylinder arrangement P3. The plate 44 is connected by a link 218 to the piston 222 of a cylinder P6, exhaustion of which causes pivoting of the post 32 into its operative position, thus releasing a valve V5b. The moulding head support 34 comprises two sleeves 226 integral with the upper surface 36 of the frame 30. Two posts 228 are mounted for sliding movement in the sleeves 226 and carry a support member 230 for the moulding head 38. The posts 228 are connected at their lower ends to a bar 236 which is also connected to the piston of a piston and cylinder arrangement P7. A collar on the piston carries a member 248 which operates valves V6b and V8a. The moulding head comprises a block 282 (Figs. 4 and 6) slidably supported in grooves 286 in the member 230. Two other blocks 288 are slidably supported in grooves 292 in the block 282. Each block 288 has a front plate 296 and a back plate 298 provided with lugs 300, 302 for supporting the diaphragm cylinders P8. Mounted on each diaphragm 316 of the cylinders P8 is a rod 320 provided with a plate 326 to which is secured a side mould member 328. Mounted in the grooves 292 of the block 282 is a further block 330 in which is threaded a shaft 338 which may be rotated by means of a knurled disc 344 and which carries on its lower end a roll 346 on which is pivotally mounted a bifurcated member 348 supporting a mould member 350. Toggle linkages comprising links 354 and links 360, pivoted to the front and back plates 296, 298 and connected by links 358, are provided. The links 354 are moved by pins 370, 372 on the plates 326 of the cylinders P8 so that inward movement of the plates 326 causes the links 360 to pivot downwardly. Rods 364 are provided on the ends of the links 360 around which is fixed a leather strap 366 arranged between the inner form 40 and the mould surfaces 328, 350 the strap being tensioned when the links 360 pivot downwardly. Adjustment of the block 282 in the support member 230 forwardly and rearwardly is effected by rotation of a head 380 and adjustment of the blocks 288 in the block 282 laterally is effected by rotation of heads 388. Heads 398 are provided for clamping the blocks 288 after adjustment. The machine is also provided with a treadle 402 having four positions A, B, C. D. The treadle is supported on arms 404, 406, the arm 404 being mounted on a bracket 410 (Fig. 11) and spring urged to return the treadle to its inoperative position A. The arm 404 has a slot 412 in which runs a roller 414 carried on an arm 418 on a shaft 420. Three cam members 422, 424, 426 are provided on the shaft 420 which engage, during rotation of the shaft by depression of the treadle, levers arranged to operate successively valves Via, V2a, and V3a. A piston and cylinder arrangement P5 is connected by a rod 436 to an arm 440 on a shaft 442 to which is secured a bush 444 having a finger 446 arranged to be moved into a recess 448 formed in a locking member 450 on the shaft 420 when the treadle is in position D. Rotation of the shaft 442 also operates valves V1d, V1c and V6c. The other treadle supporting arm 406 operates a valve V4c (Fig. 12) when the treadle is in position D. A hand operated lever 460 (Figs. 1 and 2) is arranged to operate a valve V4a. In operation the moulding head 38 is first positioned by operating heads 380, 388 and disc 344, the back seam gauge 68 by screwing a rod 49, and the grippers by means of knobs 203. An upper U is then placed on the inner form 40 and treadle 402 depressed to position B opening valve V1a and causing air to be introduced into the cylinder P1 to clamp the upper U on the form 40. Depression of the 'treadle to position C opens valve V2a and causes air to be introduced to cylinder P2 to move the grippers 132, 134 into closed position. In position D on the treadle valve V3a is opened and air is exhausted from cylinder P3 to allow tensioning of the upper over the form 40. Final adjustment of the upper on the form may be effected by means of the handle 198. Valve V4c is also opened to allow air to pass to valve V4a. Lever 460 is then moved to its "on" position thus moving valve V4a into a condition in which air can pass (a) along a pilot line 468 restricted along its length by a valve V8a which is closed while the moulding head 38 is in its raised, inoperative, position, and (b) along a pilot line 470 to a valve V4b which is thereby moved into a condition in which it allows air under pressure to pass along a pilot line 472 to a valve V5a and along a pilot line 474 to valves V6a and V7b. Air is thus allowed to pass to cylinder P5 to effect locking of the treadle in position D, closure of valve Vic and opening of valves V1d, V6c. Closure of valve V1c and opening of valve V1d releases the clamping of the back seam gauge 68. Air also passes through valves V6a, V6c to a cylinder P6 to cause a hollow post 32 to be swung from the position shown in Fig. 2 into its operating position. Movement of post 32 releases pin 49 from crank lever 48 to allow the back seam gauge to fall into the position shown in Fig. 4, and also causes valve V5b to close and valve V7a to open. Closure of valve V5b prevents exhaustion of the cylinder P5 until the post is returned to its inoperative position. Opening of valve V7a allows air to enter cylinder P7 to cause the moulding head 38 to be lowered into operating position, the mould member 350 thus being pressed against the back seam of the upper U. Lowering of the head 38 causes the member 248 to close valve V6b and open valve V8a. Closure of valve V6b locks the cylinder arrangement P6 in the position to which it is moved and opening of valve V8a allows air to enter the cylinders P8 to cause the mould members 328 to exert pressure on the sides of the upper U. When moulding has been effected the lever 460 is moved into its "off" position and the sequence of operation reversed.