[0001] This invention is concerned with machines for lasting heel seat portions of shoes,
comprising a shoe support for supporting, bottom uppermost, a shoe comprising an upper
positioned on a last and an insole on the last bottom, a wiper assembly comprising
a central wiping member, carried by a support therefor, and two wiper plates, each
carried by a wiper carrier, said member being fixed against rotation, while said carriers
are mounted for pivotal movement, each about an axis which lies within the confines
of the central wiping member, the member and plates presenting a substantially continuous
leading edge portion whereby lasting marginal portions of the upper of a shoe supported
by the shoe support can be wiped over and pressed against corresponding marginal portions
of the insole of such shoe, and fastener-inserting means, associated with the wiper
assembly, whereby fasteners can be driven, through a series of apertures formed in
the wiping member and wiper plates, adjacent the leading edge portion presented thereby,
for securing said wiped-over. lasting marginal portions of the upper to the corresponding
marginal portions of the insole, at least one such aperture being disposed in the
central wiping member, and the fasteners driven through said aperture(s) being the
most heelwardly disposed of the fasteners inserted by the fastener-inserting means,
wherein advancing means is provided whereby the support for the central wiping member
and the wiper carriers can be advanced towards the shoe support in a direction extending
generally lengthwise of the bottom of a shoe supported by the shoe support, cam means
also being provided whereby pivotal movement of the wiper carriers can be effected
in response to operation of the advancing means, the position to which the central
wiping member is advanced as aforesaid determining the location of insertion of the
most heelwardly disposed fastener(s), while the amount of pivotal movement of the
wiper carriers, and thus of the wiper plates, determines the overall pattern in which
the fasteners are inserted.
[0002] One such machine is described in our co-pending U.K. Patent Application No. 8020133
(Publication No. 2052950). In this machine, the advancing means is operatively connected
to the support for the central wiping member, while the wiper carriers are operatively
connected to said support by means of linkage arrangements which, in combination with
the cam means, are effective to cause advancing movement only, or advancing and pivotal
movement, of the wiper carriers, according to the construction of the cam means, during
the operation of the advancing means. It will thus be appreciated that, in the operation
of this machine, the pivotal movement of the wiper carriers can only take place while
advancing movement of the support for the central wiping member, and thus of the member
itself, is taking place.
[0003] Thus, in the operation of this machine, where it is desired for example to vary the
location in which the two most heelwardly disposed fasteners are to be inserted, the
overall pattern in which all the fasteners are inserted is also varied, since such
further advancing movement of the central wiping member also affects the amount of
pivotal movement of the wiper carriers, and thus of the wiper plates. Conversely,
furthermore, if it is desired to vary the overall pattern, then necessarily the location
in which the two most heelwardly disposed fasteners are inserted must also be varied,
or, in order to prevent such variation of the location, the position of the heel band
(which determines the position of the shoe in relation to the wiper assembly) must
be correspondingly adjusted.
[0004] Whereas in general some degree of tolerance in the aforementioned location is acceptable,
in other cases the location of the two most heelwardly disposed fasteners may be considered
of significance. On the other hand, the readily adjustable position of the overall
pattern of fasteners, which clearly is readily achieved in the operation of the aforementioned
machine, is considered to be also desirable.
[0005] It is the object of the present invention to provide an improved machine for lasting
heel seat portions of shoes, wherein variation of the overall pattern of fasteners
to be inserted does not affect the location of the most heelwardly disposed fasteners.
[0006] In accordance with the invention, it is provided that, in a machine of the type set
out in the first paragraph of this specification, the advancing means is operatively
connected to the wiper carriers, and each wiper carrier is connected to the support
for the central wiping member, for relative sliding movement therebetween, by an arcuate
groove-and-projection connection, the centre of curvature of which coincides with
the axis of said wiper carriers, and that the construction and arrangement of the
cam means is such that during a first part of the operation of the advancing means
the wiper carriers are advanced towards the shoe support, while in a subsequent part
each carrier merely pivots about its axis.
[0007] It will thus be appreciated that, by so interconnecting the wiper carriers and the
support for the central wiping member, the latter is caused to advance as long as
the movement of the wiper carriers has a forward component, but once the movement
of the wiper carriers becomes merely pivotal, further advancing movement of the support
for the central wiping member ceases, such movement of the wiper carriers being of
course achieved by the cam means. Thus, it will be appreciated that the central wiping
member can be brought in each cycle of operation of the machine to a predetermined
location in relation to the shoe support, and this is in no way affected by the setting
of the overall pattern of fasteners to be inserted, which pattern depends upon the
amount of pivotal movement of each wiper carrier about its axis.
[0008] The support for the central wiping member and the wiper carriers may, in the first
part of the operation of the advancing means, be moved merely bodily linearly, but
preferably in said first part the wiper carriers effect some pivotal movement during
their advancing movement. To this end, conveniently the cam means comprises for each
wiper carrier, two cam face portions with which cam follower rolls co-operate, each
face portion comprising a first part, which is generally inclined to the direction
of movement of the support for the central wiping member towards the shoe support,
and a second part which is arcuate and the centre of curvature of which coincides
with the axis of the wiper carrier. More especially, preferably the first part of
the cam face portion is rectilinear. Conveniently, furthermore, each cam face portion
is provided by a slot in a cam plate which is fixedly mounted in a machine, while
the cam follower rolls are carried on the wiper carriers.
[0009] Conveniently, the arcuate groove-and-projection connection between the wiper carriers
and the support for the central wiping member is provided by a groove formed within
each wiper carrier for receiving a projection formed integral with said support. Furthermore,
preferably the wiper carriers each have a groove formed therein for receiving a projection
carried by the support for the central wiping member.
[0010] It will be appreciated that from time to time, it will be desirable to alter the
setting of the location of insertion of the most heelwardly disposed fastener(s),
and to this end, in known manner the machine preferably comprises a heel band whereby
the heel seat of the shoe to be operated upon can be held located in relation to the
wiper assembly, means being provided for adjusting the position of the heel band lengthwise
of the shoe bottom.
[0011] In addition, it is also desirable to be able to adjust the overall pattern of fasteners
to be inserted in. using the machine. To this end, the advancing means may be mechanically
operated, mechanical means being provided for limiting the stroke thereof, but preferably,
and conveniently, the advancing means is fluid pressure operated, and adjustable stop
means is provided whereby the amount of movement of the wiper assembly under the action
of said advancing means can be adjusted. By using the adjustable stop means, therefore,
to limit the stroke of the fluid pressure operated advancing means, the amount of
pivotal movement of the wiper assembly is curtailed according to the overall pattern
required. Of course, it is envisaged that there will always be a minimum amount of
movement of the wiper assembly under the action of the fluid pressure operated advancing
means so as to ensure that the support for the central wiping member is sufficiently
advanced to bring said member to its desired position.
[0012] There now follows a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying
drawings, of one machine in accordance with the invention, which machine has been
selected for description merely by way of nonlimiting example.
[0013] In the accompanying drawings:-
Figure 1 is a perspective view of the machine in accordance with the invention, and
Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view, with parts broken away, showing details of a
wiper assembly and associated parts of said machine.
[0014] The machine in accordance with the invention, which is generally similar, except
as hereinafter described, to the machine described in the aforementioned U.K. Patent
Application No. 8020133, comprises a main frame 10, a shoe support 12 pivotally mounted
on the main frame, and supporting a last pin 14 on which a shoe can be supported,
bottom uppermost. The shoe support also comprises a toe support arrangement generally
designated 16, including a toe pad 18. In addition, the machine comprises a conventional
holddown 8 and also a heel band 20 which is supported in the machine frame 10. For
pivoting the shoe support 12 between a loading position (as shown in Figure 1) and
an operating position in which the heel part of a shoe is pressed into the heel band
20 and urged upwards against the holddown 8, fluid pressure operated means is provided,
a cylinder 15 of which is shown in Figure 1.
[0015] The machine in accordance with the invention also comprises a wiper assembly comprising
a base plate 96 supported, at opposite sides thereof, towards the rear thereof by
bearing blocks 170 and towards the front thereof by brackets 172, each bracket 172
being supported by a piston-and-cylinder arrangement generally designated 174, said
arrangements being supported by the frame 10. Mounted on the base plate 96, and secured
thereto through spacers 71, is a support casting 70, between which and the base plate
96 is accommodated, for sliding movement lengthwise of the bottom of a shoe supported
by the shoe support 12, a plate 75 which is connected by links 85 to two wiper carriers
88, each wiper carrier supporting a wiper plate 90. For moving the plate 75, and thus
the wiper plates 90, a piston-and-cylinder arrangement 72 is supported on the underside
of the base plate 96, and a piston rod 74 thereof is connected to a block 77 secured
to the underside of the plate 75 and projecting downwardly through a slot 79 formed
therefor in the base plate 96.
[0016] The wiper carriers 88 are each provided with two cam follower rolls 94 which are
accommodated in grooves 92 formed in the support casting 77. The axis of the rear
roll 94 of each set is coincident with the axis on which the link 85 is secured to
the wiper carrier 88.
[0017] Each groove 92, though continuous, is constituted by two sections arranged one after
the other along its length, and each section comprises a first, rearward, part, which
is essentially rectilinear and is inclined to the lengthwise direction of the shoe
bottom, e.g. at an angle of approximately 45° to the longitudinal centre line of the
machine, and a second, forward, part, which is arcuate, the centre of curvature thereof
coinciding with a pivot axis of the wiper carriers 88, and thus of the plates 90.
The effect of the first parts of each section, as the plate 75 is urged forwardly
in the machine, is to cause the wiper carriers 88, and thus the wiper plates 90 supported
thereby, to be advanced and to pivot inwardly towards a shoe held by the shoe support
12 in its operative position, while the second part of each section is effective to
cause pivotal movement only of the wiper plates 90.
[0018] In addition to the wiper plates 90, the wiper assembly also comprises a central wiping
member 76 which forms with the wiper plates 90 a continuous wiping surface, and further
within the confines of which lies the pivot axis about which the wiper carriers 88
pivot as aforesaid. In the machine in accordance with the invention, the wiper carriers
88 pivot about a common axis arranged centrally of the central wiping member 76, which
is in the form of a so-called "button".
[0019] The central wiping member 76 is mounted on a support in the form of a block 81, on
which also is carried an arcuate plate member 78, the centre of curvature of which
coincides with the common axis of the wiper carriers 88. The member 78 is accommodated
in corresponding grooves 83 formed in the upper surface of each wiper carrier 88.
The member 78 and grooves 83 thus constitute a groove-and-projection connection between
the wiper carriers and the support for the central wiping member.
[0020] In the operation of the machine, it will be appreciated, where there is a forward
component of movement of the wiper carriers, this will be transmitted through the
groove-and-projection connection to the central wiping member, which is thus also
advanced with the wiper carriers, while purely pivotal movement of the wiper carriers
about their common axis will result in no corresponding movement of the central wiping
member. Thus, when the wiper assembly is advanced under the action of the piston-and-cylinder
arrangement 72, as the cam follower rolls 94 move along the first part of each section
of the cam grooves 92, the central wiping member 76 will also be advanced, while as
said rolls move along the second part of each groove section, the central wiping member
will remain stationary. In this way, the central wiping member is always brought to
the same position in relation to the operative position of the shoe support 12, when
the wiper assembly is advanced, regardless of the position to which the wiper plates
90 are ultimately moved.
[0021] As in the machine disclosed in the aforementioned specification, the central wiping
member and the wiper plates 90 are provided with apertures 120 (only those in the
central wiping member being show in Fig. 2), the central wiping member having two
such apertures arranged symmetrically in relation to the common axis of the wiper
carriers, through which apertures nails can be driven for securing a wiped over lasting
margin of the upper to the corresponding marginal portion of the insole of a shoe
being operated upon. The nails inserted through the apertures formed in the central
wiping member 76 are referred to as the "back tacks", and the position to which the
wiping member is moved as aforesaid is referred to as the "back tack position".
[0022] The fastener-inserting means of the machine in accordance with the invention is conventional,
and comprises a plurality of drivers 122 accommodated in housings 124 therefor carried
by the wiper carriers 88 and the central wiping member 76. For actuating the drivers
122, a single fluid pressure operated hammer plate 126 is provided (see Fig. 1) nail
separator means generally designated 128 also being provided on the machine frame
10 for feeding nails, one at a time, via tubes 130, to the driver housings 124.
[0023] If it is desired to vary the position at which the back takcs are inserted into the
shoe, since the central wiping member 76 is always brought to the same position, in
the machine now being described, it is necessary to adjust the operating position
of the shoe support 12 in relation to said member. To this end, the fore-and-aft position
of the heel band 20 relative to the wiper assembly is arranged to be variable. Such
variation of the fore-and-aft position is conveniently achieved in the manner set
out in the aforementioned specification, and to this end a knob 102 is provided mounted
on a rotary shaft 104 which acts through a plurality of sprockets and a chain (not
shown) for varying the position of a block (not shown) on which the heel band 20 is
supported. Alternatively, such variation may be achieved using any suitable conventional
motor and control therefor.
[0024] For varying the overall pattern of the nails inserted by the fastener-inserting means,
the stroke of the piston-and-cylinder arrangement 72 can be controlled, thereby controlling
also the amount of "pivotal only" movement of the wiper plates 90 about their common
axis, after the central wiping member 76 has been brought to its back tack position.
To this end, the plate 75 has an extension 145 carrying a bracket 147, which serves
as an actuator for a valve 149 mounted on a side portion of the machine frame 10 for
sliding adjustment lengthwise of the shoe bottom. For effecting sliding movement of
the valve 149, a bracket 151 is connected to the housing thereof, said bracket carrying
a threaded member 153 which receives a rearward end of a shaft 155, a forward end
of which is captive in a further bracket 157, secured to the side portion of the machine
frame 10, and carries a knob 159. Thus, by rotation of the knob and thus of the shaft
155, the position of the valve 149 can be adjusted. The valve 149 and associated parts
herebefore described constitute adjustable stop means of the machine. Thus, by varying
the position of the valve 149, the stroke of the piston-and-cylinder arrangement 72
is adjustable controlled, and this is effective to vary the amount of movement of
the wiper plates 90 under the influence of the second part of each section of the
cam grooves 92, so that the pivotal movement of the wiper plates 90 can be set according
to the overall pattern desired for the insertion of the fasteners.
[0025] The bracket 147 is also utilised to actuate a further valve 161, also mounted on
the side portion of the main frame 10, which further valve controls the amount of
rearward movement of the wiper assembly. The valve 161 is fixed to the machine frame.
[0026] In the operation of the machine, the operator first ensures that the setting of the
fore-and-aft position of the heel band 20 and the position of the valve 149 are appropriate
for the shoe to be operated upon, in terms of the back tack position and the overall
pattern of the fasteners. He then places a shoe, bottom up, on the last pin 14 and
initiates a cycle of operation of the machine, whereupon the shoe support 12 is moved
to its operative position, with the back seam region of the shoe urged against the
corresponding region of the heel band 20, and the shoe is urged heightwise into engagement
with the holddown 8. The heel band 20 is then closed onto the shoe, by mechanism described
in the aforementioned patent specification. The piston-and-cylinder arrangement 72
is then energised, causing the wiper assembly to move forwardly, the wiper plates
90 advancing and pivoting inwardly while the central wiping member 76 is advanced
only, until the rolls 94 reach the second part of the sections of the cam grooves
92, further "pivotal only" movement of the wiper plates 90 then taking place to a
limit determined by the valve 149. With the wiper assembly in this position, bedding
pressure is applied by the wiper assembly to the shoe bottom, by actuation of the
piston-and-cylinder arrangements 174, causing the base plate 96 to pivot about the
axis of the bearing blocks 170. As is conventional in tack seat lasting machines,
the wiper plates are heated by means of cartridge heaters 177. With bedding pressure
applied, the fastener-inserting means is then actuated, and fasteners are driven,
through.the apertures in the leading edge portions of the wiper plates and in the
central wiping member, thus to secure the wiped over and pressed lasting marginal
portions of the upper to corresponding marginal portions of the insole of the shoe
being operated upon. The wiper assembly is then retracted, to a limit determined by
valve 161, and the shoe support 12 is returned to its initial position.
1. A machine for lasting heel seat portions of shoes, comprising -
a shoe support for supporting, bottom uppermost, a shoe comprising an upper positioned
on a last and an insole on the last bottom,
a wiper assembly, comprising a central wiping member, carried by a support therefor,
and two wiper plates, each carried by a wiper carrier, said member being fixed against
rotation, while said carriers are mounted for pivotal movement, each about an axis
which lies within the confines of the central wiping member, the member and plates
presenting a substantially continuous leading edge portion whereby lasting marginal
portions of the upper of a shoe supported by the shoe support can be wiped over and
pressed against corresponding marginal portions of the insole of such shoe, and
fastener-inserting means, associated with the wiper assembly, whereby fasteners can
be driven, through a series of apertures formed in the wiping member and wiper plates,
adjacent the leading edge portion presented thereby, for securing said wiped-over
lasting marginal portions of the upper to the corresponding marginal portions of the
insole, at least one aperture being disposed in the central wiping member, and the
fasteners driven through said aperture(s)being the most heelwardly disposed of the
fasteners inserted by the fastener-inserting'means,
wherein advancing means is provided whereby the support for the central wiping member
and the wiper carriers can be advanced towards the shoe support in a direction extending
generally lengthwise of the bottom of a shoe supported by the shoe support, cam means
also being provided whereby pivotal movement of the wiper carriers can be affected
in response to operation of the advancing means, the position to which the central
wiping member is advanced as aforesaid determining the location of insertion of the
most heelwardly disposed fastener(s), while the amount of pivotal movement of the
wiper carriers, and thus of the wiper plates, determines the overall pattern in which
the fasteners are inserted,
characterised in that the advancing means (72) is operatively connected to the wiper
carriers (88), and each wiper carrier (88) is connected to the support (81) for the
central wiping member (76), for relative sliding movement therebetween, by an arcuate
groove-and-projection connection (78, 83), the centre of curvature of which coincides
with the axis of said wiper carriers (88),
and in that the construction and arrangement of the cam means (92) is such that during
a first part of the operation of the advancing means (72) the wiper carriers (88)
are advanced towards the shoe support (12), while in a subsequent part each carrier
(88) merely pivots about its axis.
2. A machine according to Claim 1 wherein the cam means comprises, for each wiper
carrier, two cam portions with which cam follower rolls co-operate, characterised
in that each portion (92) comprises a first part, which is generally inclined to said
direction extending generally lengthwise of the shoe bottom and a second part, which
is arcuate and the centre of curvature of which coincides with the axis of the wiper
carrier (88).
3. A machine according to Claim 2 characterised in that the first part of each cam
portion (92) is rectilinear.
4. A machine according to either one of Claims 2 and 3 characterised in that each
cam portion (92) is provided by a slot (92) in a cam plate (77) fixedly mounted in
the machine, and the cam follower rolls (94) are carried on the wiper carriers (88).
5. A machine according to any one of the preceding Claims characterised in that each
wiper carrier (88) has a groove (83) formed therein for receiving a projection (78)
carried by the support (81) for the central wiping member (76).
6. A machine according to Claim 5 characterised in that the wiper carriers (88) are
pivotal about a common axis, and the support (81) for the central wiping member (76)
is provided with a single projection (78) received in the grooves (83) of the two
wiper carriers (88), the centre of curvature of the projection (78) being aligned
with the common axis of the wiper carriers (88).
7. A machine according to any one of the preceding Claims characterised in that a
heel band (20) is provided whereby the heel seat of a shoe to be operated upon can
be located in relation to the wiper assembly (70, 96), means (102, 104) also being
provided for adjusting the position of said heel band (20) lengthwise of the shoe
bottom.
8. A machine according to any one of the preceding'Claims characterised in that the
advancing means (72) is fluid pressure operated and in that adjustable stop means
(149) is provided whereby the amount of movement of the wiper assembly (70, 96) can
be adjusted.