Patent GB-1237421-A (GB)
Title: Heel and toe lasting apparatus
IPC: A43D21/02
Filed: 1968-07-17
Abstract: 1,237,421. Boots &c. COMPO INDUSTRIES Inc. and E. G. HENKEL [trading as EUGEN G. HENKEL]. 17 July, 1968 [22 July, 1967; 11 Oct, 1967], No. 34102/68. Heading A3B. A machine for lasting the toe and heel end of shoes comprises supports for the heel and toe of the last, heel end forming means and wipers operable successively to conform the back part of the upper to the heel end of the last and then wipe the lasting margin inwardly against the insole at the heel end, and toe pincers and wipers operable successively to pull the upper at the forepart taut about the last and wipe the lasting margin inwardly against the insole at the forepart.  The heel end forming means and wipers are mounted in a wiper head 12 (Fig. 4) which can move in directions longitudinally, transversely and heightwise of the last and can be rotated about longitudinal, transverse and vertical axes. A cradle 16 has trunnions which run in arcuate slots 44 in brackets 42 secured to the machine frame and can be moved by a handwheel on a shaft 64 which turns a shaft 72 on which is mounted a drum having a cable connected to the cradle 16. Turning the handwheel allows rough adjustment of the wiper head 12 about a transverse axis and the cradle is locked in position by a clamp 90. The cradle 16 carries a carriage 14 which is movable along longitudinal guides and which has a cylinder 96 fixed to its underside. A piston 100 and piston rods 98 are fixed to the cradle 16 so that by supplying pressure fluid to the appropriate end of the cylinder 96 the wiper head 12 can. be moved towards and away from the shoe. The carriage 14 supports a cross slide 18 which can be moved by two pistons and cylinders (not shown) so that the wiper head can be positioned for left or right shoes. The cross slide 18 supports a rocker plate 20 which can be rotated about a transverse pivot by a screw to make fine adjustment of the wiper head 12 about a transverse axis. The wiper head 12 is carried at the upper end of a vertical shaft which is movable in a conical bearing in the rocker plate 20. A pair of transverse piston and cylinders engage a lug depending from the wiper head to rotate the wiper head 12 about the shaft. The piston rods of a pair of vertical piston and cylinders engage the underside of the wiper head to raise or lower the head 12 and by supply of pressure fluid to the appropriate cylinder to cause the shaft to rock in its conical bearing so that the wiper head 12 is swung about a longitudinal axis. The wiper head 12 (Fig. 7) carries a heel support, a heel clamp 242, a heel pad 28 and wipers 10. The clamp 242 consists of a cross bar above the heel support and which can be moved downwardly to clamp the last against the support by a piston and cylinder 246 (Fig. 4). The heel pad 28 (Fig. 7) is carried by arms 212 which are pivoted to the wiper head 12 at 214 and which are normally held apart by springs 218. The heel pad 28 can be closed about the heel end of the shoe by the operation of piston and cylinders 230, the piston rods 230c of which carry rollers 234 which engage cams 238 on the arms 212 to swing the arms about their pivots 214. The wipers 10 are mounted on carriers 188 which have rollers 190 which ride in cam slots 192. The carriers 188 are moved forwardly by piston and cylinders 210 to operate the wipers 10. The toe lasting unit consists of a last support 300 (Fig. 8), a set of pincers around the support 300, and a wiper head 494 (Fig. 12). The toe pincer and side pincers are mounted on a plate 314 (Fig. 8) and the waist pincers are mounted on a plate 316. The plate 316 is fixed to a platform 318 and the plate 314 can be moved by piston and cylinders lengthwise of the last on the platform 318 to stretch the toe of the upper lengthwise. The platform 318 can be moved vertically by a ram 324 to stretch the upper over the last. The toe pincers 306 (Figs. 8, 11) consists of a fixed jaw 376 and a movable jaw 378 which is operated by piston and cylinder 366. The jaws 376, 378 are mounted on a carriage 360 which can be moved vertically by piston and cylinder 364 to adjust the tension in the upper. The mounting 334 for the pincers can be moved along an arcuate guide 336 by a screw 352 to adjust the angular position of the pincers. The side pincers and waist pincers (Figs. 8, 13) are adjustably mounted in slots 394, 396 in the plates 314, 316 by clamps 404. Each pincer can be raised or lowered independently by a piston and cylinder 398 to adjust the position of the upper on the last. Each pincer consists of a fixed jaw 430 and a movable jaw 440 closed by piston and cylinder 444, the pincer being mounted on a carriage 418 which can move towards the last against a spring 462 when the wipers are operated. The toe wipers 304 are mounted on carrier plates 480 having rollers 482 which engage cam slots 484 in the wiper head 494. The wipers 304 are operated by piston and cylinder 498. The machine operates as follows: after making the necessary adjustments the operator places a shoe in the machine and starts the machine. The heel wiper head 12 moves towards the shoe until a sensing member contacts the last causing the wiper head 12 to stop, the clamp 242 to clamp the shoe against the support and the heel pad to close about the shoe. The wipers 10 then operate to last the heel end of the shoe. The pincers then close on the upper, the platform 318 is lowered and the plate 314 is moved forwardly to tension the upper about the last. The operator may then adjust the position of the upper by lowering or raising each pincer individually. The toe wipers 304 are then operated to complete the toe lasting operation.