[0001] This invention concerns an automatic machine with multiple interchangeable heads
for footwear mass production including a fixed frame to which are fastened on one
or more levels, moving devices having a reciprocating motion, on which are fastened
stopper plugs and interchangeable operative members, each of them being conceived
for carrying out a precise function within a specific processing phase of footwear,
preparation, these processing phases including, in particular, pulling out nails holding
insoles to lasts, rough shaping, tuft removal, preroughing edges of uppers held to
insoles, rubbing, roughing and cementing prior to sole application.
[0002] It is well known that, at present state of the art, many of the sequential operations
required in the shoe manufacturing cycle are done manually, or with a series of different
machines, each of them conceived for carrying out only one predetermined operation.
[0003] It is also known that the sequence relative to pulling out nails holding insoles
to lasts during the operations for cementing edges to uppers at present is performed
manually with an evident waste of time and labor. A further drawback, seen in the
full footwear manufacturing cycle, is that many of the operations following the above
mentioned nail pull-out, even if performed automatically on special machinery, require
the constant attendance of operators for loading, positioning, controlling and then
unloading and transferring the processed item.
[0004] The presence of said operators and the time required for performing all the above
mentioned operations have a negative influence both on manufacturing costs and on
assembly line productivity.
[0005] The scope of present invention is the elimination of the above mentioned drawbacks.
[0006] The invention, as defined by the claims, solves these problems by utilizing an automatic
machine with multiple interchangeable heads for the mass production of footwear. By
the use of a machine of this type, the following results are obtained: the machine
is composed by a single base frame with moving devices having a reciprocating motion
to which are fastened, depending on requirements and/or on its sequential position
in the manufacturing cycle, stopper plugs and specific operative components; every
machine can support several operating stations, placed on one or more levels and/or
on- one or more positions set side by side, each stations being equipped with equal
or different stopper plugs and operative components, each depending on its position
on the assembly line; the machine can be coupled to assembly lines, with stops in
correspondence of workstations and/or with timed automatic feed.
[0007] The advantages obtained throught this invention consist mainly in making every machine
operation completely automatic regardless of its type and cycle sequence, so that
they do not require any type of manual operator intervention; the automation of the
sequential operations contemplates that the items in process be kept on the same mobile
supports used for transfer from one work station to the other; stopper plugs and operative
components are laid out according to the type and sequence of operations and can be
substituted and changed as required by the manufacturing process; the machine structure,
comprehensive of a base frame equipped with universal type mobile devices and a series
of stopper plugs and operative components or fixtures conceived for performing different
operations, allows its rational exploitation and a tangible equipment installation
cost reduction as well as of the costs of the footwear thus produced.
[0008] The invention will be outlined in greater detail further below, referring to the
attached drawings, where:
- Figure 1, is a schematic view of the machine equipped with means fo pulling out
nails,
- Figure 2, is a schematic plan view of the head for pulling put nails,
- Figure 3, is a schematic view of the machine set up with means preset for rough
shaping, tuft removal and pre-roughing operations,
- Figure 4, is a schematic view of the machine equipped with means preset for rubbing
or levelling operations,
- Figure 5; is a schematic plan view of the additional back heel wrapping stopper
plug to be used in rubbing or levelling operations,
- Figure 6, is a schematic plan view of the motor driven carriage for the support
of roughing or levelling rollers,
- Figure 7, is a schematic front view of a roughing roller,
- Figure 8, is a schematic view of the machine set up with means preset for the application
of cement,
- Figure 9, is a partial schematic front view of a cement spreader roller.
[0009] The figures represent an interchangeable multiple heads automatic machine, for the
mass production of footwear, that can be set up and matched to any footwear manufacturing
assembly line (1), on whose tracks (2) the conveyor carriages (3) are moving, with
suspended supporting frames (4), preferably of the type shown, described and claimed
in the Italian industrial invention patent application No. 20771A/83, filed on April
22, 1983, in the name of Giuseppe Anzani and in the utility model patent application
N° 21557B/86 filed on April 16, 1986, in the name of Lanfranco Anzani and Onorio Anzani.
[0010] The machine is composed essentially of a fixed supporting frame (5) to which are
secured front (6) and back (7) pistons controlling the stopper plugs and back (8)
pistons controlling the operative components.
[0011] Taking into account that each suspended supporting frame (4) of the conveyor carriages
(3) can be equipped with one more cross members (9) and that on each cross member
can be set one or more couples of brackets (10) for supporting footwear (11) during
the manufacturing process, also that machine object of this patent can be set up with
many groups of pistons (6), (7) and (8), lined up on each cross member (9) and for
each couple of brackets (10).
[0012] With reference to figure 1, each time a conveyor carriage (3) comes to a stop, lined
up with a workstation, a small piston (90) causes an arm (91) to rotate. Said arm
(91) is provided with v-notches (92) that contact and block tha guide wheels (93),
installed in the lower end of the suspended supporting frames (4), against a lower
fixed guide rail (94).
[0013] When the carriages (3) are blocked and centered in the wanted position, the front
pistons (6) through arms (12) and (13), solidly assembled together and rotating around
a pivoting point (14), control the front plugs (15), which have a substantially conical
front recess (16) suited to contain and hold fast the tip of the shoe (11). The rear
pistons (7) are equipped instead with a rear plug (17) that wraps around the heel
of the shoe (11).
[0014] The action developed contemporaneously by stopper plugs (15) and (17) allows shoes
(11) to be blocked in the exact position, where, kept alined by brackets (10), on
which they are held also during transfer operations, they can remain perfectly still
and in alinement during the manufacturing operation, that in this specific case, consists
in pulling out the nails (18) used to keep insoles (19) fastened to the lasts (20),
during upper (21) cementing operations.
[0015] Each piston (8) pivots at (22) on the machine fixed supporting frame (5) being connected
at the front end to a transverse piston (24), whose duty is to raise and lower said
piston (8) during transfer and/or working operations of the heads (25).
[0016] Through timed devices, each piston (8) is lifted up and its piston rod (26) is brought
forward, until heads (25) are near the tip of the shoe (11), and in any event past
the first nail (18).
[0017] Subsequently, movable pliers (27) is opened, while fixed pliers (28) is brought in
contact with the bottom surface (29) of the shoe (11); piston rod (26) starts its
return stroke until fixed pliers (28) meets on its path the head of the first nail
(18) and engages it while the movable pliers (27) closes on it while transverse piston
(24) lifts piston (8), until nail (18) is pulled out completely.
[0018] Following this, movable pliers (27) opens again, first nail (18) is allowed to drop
down, fixed pliers is lowered again against the bottom surface (29) and piston rod
(26) continues its return stroke until it meets the following nail (18).
[0019] The above mentioned devices are programmed to perform as many extraction cycles as
there are nails implanted in the bottom (29) of the shoes (11); as said nails are
not in alinement with each other, each piston (8) is equipped with a side control
arm (30), suitably shaped and guided by rollers (31) pivoted on the fixed frame (5).
[0020] While piston rod (26) and piston (8) are in motion, control lever (30) is moved along,
being guided at the same time by rollers (31), so shape makes it swing side way making
the first head (25) rotating that its around its pivot (33), in one direction or in
the opposite direction as shown by arrows (32). A second lever (34), pivoted at its
two ends on centers (35) and (35'), makes the second head (25) swing in a direction
opposite to the first, and for the same distance.
[0021] As shown in fig. 2, every piston (8) controls two heads (25), coupled together as
specified above and their action is developed simultaneously on one pair of shoes
(11); aligned on adjacent couples of brackets (10) placed at the same level.
[0022] Control lever (30) is so shaped that the heads (25) swing in a way corresponding
to the misalignment of the nails (18), in respect of an immaginary straight axis,
parallel to the motion of the piston rod (26).
[0023] Figure 3 shows the machine equipped instead with clamping devices and operative elements
suited for rough turning and tuft removal.
[0024] In this version, the functional operating principles of the major components, if
not otherwise mentioned, are understood to remain the same as those already described
for the first nail pulling machine. The front stopper plugs (15') are fitted with
an upper holding clamp (36) against which are set the shoes toe-ends held in position
by a small auxiliary plug (37) pushed by a piston (38).
[0025] In the rear part also the plugs (17') are equipped with an upper clamp (39) against
which the heels of the shoes (11) are held, through a lever (40) pivoting at (41)
and operated by a piston (42).
[0026] On piston rods (26) of rear pistons (8) are mounted motor driven heads (43), that
through rollers (44), drive an abrasive belt (45) held in tension by means of a tension
rod (46).
[0027] The action of the abrasive belt on the bottom parts (29) of the shoes (11) operates
a first rough turning of folded edges (47), of uppers and of front and rear tufts
(48).
[0028] Holding action on the shoe, held between upper clamps (36) and (39) is proportionate
to abrasive belt (45) action in such a way that its action is developed only on the
most central area of the bottom surface (29), without damaging the peripheral areas
but still exerting a preroughing action along all the edges.
[0029] Figures 4, 5 and 6 show the machine equipped with clamping devices and operative
elements suited for performing levelling operations on shoes bottom parts (29).
[0030] Unlike the preceding device, rear pistons (17") in addition to being coupled to lever
arms (40) driven by piston (42), are helped in their holding action by a couple of
pistons (49) and (50). Said pistons operate respectively the flexible brackets (51)
that envelope and adhere to the lower part of. the heels, and the pressure plates
(52) which draw the leather of uppers, turned on the seat of the last, toward the
center of the bottom surface (29).
[0031] To perform said drawing action, pressure plates (52) pushed by pistons (50) are held
in position by fixed guides (53) secured to the main frame (5).
[0032] On rods (26) of rear pistons (8) are mounted and fastened motor driven heads (54)
that, through pulleys (55) and belts (56), rotate metal rollers (57) on which are
machined, in relief, two counter rotating spirals (58) meeting in the center section.
[0033] Rollers (57) have an outer surface substantially concave toward the center.
[0034] Rollers (57) direction of rotation is such that the counter rotating spirals (58)
exert a pressure on the bottom parts (29) of the footwear (11) directed toward the
center which tends to draw, and levell the folded edges to make them adhere perfectly
to the insoles (19).
[0035] Pistons (49) are provided with a cone shaped end (59) which exert a closing action
on brackets (51) made out of flexible material.
[0036] Optionally, pressure plates (52)·with the relative control pistons (50) can be omitted
and the levelling action on the heels can be developed by the rollers (57).
[0037] By substituting rollers (57) with rollers (60), shaped similarly but structured in
a substantially different way, the machine can be utilized for roughing operations.
[0038] Rollers (60) to be utilized for this operation, also with a concave outer surface
sloping toward the center, are made out of soft materials, such as rubber, teflon,
plastic or other like material, while the two counter rotating spirals (61) are formed
by metal bristles.
[0039] The action of rollers (60) on the levelled surfaces of uppers folded edges assures
a perfect, regular and uniform roughing operation.
[0040] Figures 8 and 9 show the machine equipped with clamping devices and operative elements
suited for cementing the footwear bottom parts (23). In this case, as the whole surface
(29) of the shoe (11) has to be free to receive a uniform layer of cement, forward
stopper plugs (15") have to be levelled with the toe end of the shoe and the holding
action is performed by additional plugs (62) having their surfaces equipped with a
number of suction cups connected through suitable ducting (63) to a suction system
not shown. Plugs (67) are secured to arms (64), levered at pivot (65) and operated
by pistons (66).
[0041] Rear stopper plugs (17'") are equipped instead with a lower retainer plate (67) on
which lasts (20) are set, while the heel edges protrudes over the stopper plug itself.
[0042] On the rear piston rods (26) are mounted the heads (68) made up by cement reservoirs
(69) and a number of rollers (70) that, friction driven, pick up cement from the mentioned
reservoirs and transmit it by adhesion to cementing rolls (71) in contact with the
footwear (11) bottom surface (29).
[0043] Outer surface of cementing rollers (71) is covered by a plaited wire net (72) thus
creating a number of pits (73) in which cement is uniformly distributed before being
spread, just as uniformly, on the footwear (11) bottom parts (29).
[0044] All controls shown and described as used in the different embodiments and for various
specific purposes are preferably, accomplished with double acting pneumatic pistons,
not excluding the possibility that they may also be double acting hydraulic pistons
or of , any other type.
1) An automatic machine with multiple interchangeable heads for footwear mass production
characterized by including a fixed frame (5) to which are fastened on the front and
on the rear, and on one or more levels and/or side by side, moving devices having
a reciprocating motion (6), (7), (8), and to which are fastened stopper plugs (15),
(17) and operative elements (25), (43), (54), (68), all interchangeable, each one
of them conceived for carrying out a different function in an area concerning a specific
shoe manufacturing operation; such as: pulling out nails from lasts, rough shaping,
tuft removal, pre-roughing, rulling, roughing, levelling and cementing footwear (11)
bottom surface parts (29).
2) An automatic machine according to claim 1, characterizedby being attached to assembly
lines (1), on whose rails (2) the conveyor carriages (3) slide, these carriages being
equipped with a suspended supporting frame (4) to which are fastened a number of pairs
of brackets (10), set side by side and/or at different levels.
3) An automatic machine according to claims 1 and 2, characterized by having stopper
plugs (15), (15'), 15") which engage the toe end of the shoe (11), while stopper plugs
(17), (17'), (17"), (17"') engage whit the heel end of the same shoe, said stopper
plugs being aided, as required by the specific manufacturing operation, by additional
front plugs (37), (62) and/or additional rear plugs (51).
4) An automatic machine according to claims 1 to 3, characterized by the fact that
together with said rear stopper plugs (17"'), some wrapping brackets (51) made of
flexible materials and drawing ironing plates (52) are used.
5) An automatic machine according to claim 1 to 4, characterized by the fact that
said front and rear, main and/or additional plugs, are equipped with direct or indirect
controls, these being hydraulic or pneumatic double acting pistons.
6) An automatic machine according to claims 1 and 2, characterized by the fact that
mobile devices (8) supporting and controlling the operative elements (25), (43), (54),
(68) are double acting pneumatic or hydraulic pistons hinged in their rear end (22)
and equipped with transverse translating piston (24).
7) An automatic machine according to claims 1, 2, and 5 characterized by the fact
that the operative elements substantially are: nail pull out heads (25) with fixed
pliers (28) and movable pliers (27); motor driven heads (43) equipped with rollers
(44) for supporting and driving the abrasive belts (45); motor driven heads (54) with
pulleys (55) and belts (56) to rotate the metallic rollers (57) having a double counterrotating
spiral and an outer convex surface, or to rotate soft material rollers (60) having
metallic bristles set in double counter rotating spiral (61) laid on the outer convex
surface; heads (68) consisting of cement reservoirs (69) and a number of rollers (70)
friction driven and adhering to the spreader rollers (71), whose surfaces are covered
by plaited wire nets (72), forming a great number of pits (73).
8) An automatic machine according to the preceding claims, characterized by the fact
that all the sequential operations of a production cycle are timed and automatic.
9) An automatic machine according to claims 1, 2, 6 and 7 characterized by the fact
that the nail pull out heads (25) are mounted in couples on each piston rod (26) of
pistons (8), and that they have an oscillating motion in a plane parallel to that
of the piston itself; said oscillating motion being created by a side shaped lever
arm (30), constrained to slide between two rollers (31) engaged on the fixed frame
(5), of the machine, said oscillating motion corresponding to the displacement required
by heads (25) to remain lined up with the position occupied by the nails (18) on the
insoles (19) of a pair of shoes (11) mounted on two adjacent pairs of brackets (10)
set on a hanging supporting frame (4) of a conveyor carriage (3).
10) An automatic machine according to the preceding claims, characterized by being
composed by one or more shoes (11) blocking units and by operative elements alined
with each cross member (9) available on the hanging support frames (4) of the conveyor
carriages (3), and with each pair of support brackets (10).