US2264416A - Last positioning and holding means - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 2, 1941. L. E. TOPHAM LAST POSITIONING AND HOLDING MEANS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 1, 1939 'iined's M W" 2, 1941- E. TOPHAM LAST POSITIONING AND HOLDING MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I l I I l I I 1941- L. E. TOPHAM 2,264,41

LAST POSITIONING AND HOLDING MEANS Filed Feb. 1, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Wiiness Patented Dec. 2, 1941 UNITED STATES F F YI'CJE .UnitedzShoeiMachiner Corporation, Borough of =Flemington, -N.- J a .-corporation of rNew Jersey Application February 1, 1939; Serial No. 254,058

The present invention relates to machines,used in the manufacture of shoes, which are provided with instmmentalities for operating on the ,shoe parts while supported uponalast, andmoregparticularly to the last positioning andsupporting means of such machines.

An object of the invention is to provide simple and eflicient means by which anyone of a pmrality of shoe. supporting lasts of 'difierent sizes may be readily located accurately in a shoe making machine with a given portion of the last. in predetermined positional relation to the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and efficient. means by which thefabove mentioned result may be accomplished without engaging the shoe upper or other parts of the shoe. supported on the last.

Another object of the invention is to provide a shoe machine comprising a shoe supporting jack and mechanism for moving -.the jack to transfer the point of operation along themargin of a shoe supported on the jack with improved means for supporting a last on the jack-and for efiecting a relative adjustmentof' the, jack and the jack moving mechanism for lasts of different sizes.

Other objects of the invention are to provide novel and eificient last holding .and positioning means, particularly adapted for use with. hinge lasts or other lasts having similar V-shaped notches accessible through the ankle. opening of a shoe on the last.

With thev above objects .in View, .a feature of the present invention contemplates the provision in a shoe machine of a last support adapted to extend through the ankle opening of ashoe on the last into engagement witha positioning surface on the last, and means whereby anadjustment of the supportin the machine predetermined, by the location of the, positioning surface on the last may bemade to bring thela'stand the machine into a predetermined positional relation, regardless of th size of the last. Ashereindisclosed, the last supportis a wedgeeshaped .memher, the surfaces of which engage the V-.shaped notch of a hinged last and locate the lastaccurately with respect to the support while .holding it firmly in place.

In shoe machines to which the present invention relates, some portion. of the last, as for instance the toe, is located in thesame position in the machine, regardless of the size of 'the last. Ash'ereindisclosed, the means above referred to whereby an adjustment of thesu'pportiin the machine may be effected is arranged to secure this result. To this enda second memberisprovided arranged to extend through the ankleopening of the shoe on the last and engage a 'surfaceon the last at a distance 'fro'mithe v-' shaped opening varying with the size of the last. This member and the wedged-shaped. support are'relatively movable to .permit engagement with lasts 'of different sizes, and this relative movement is utilized, to locate the last in the desired position. In the illustrated construction, a last pin toengage the pin'holeof'the last is utilized as the-last engaging member to cooperate with the-wedge-shaped support in determiningthe position of the last in the machine.

Last supportingand locating :devices embodyingthe present invention are adapted. for use with aseries of lasts havingpositioning surfaces formed on the lasts in, predetermined relation to certain characteristics; of the last, and a feature of the present invention contemplates the provision of a series of lasts having positioning surfaces-formed in this-mannerand arranged so as tobe engaged by a, last positioning and supporting memberextending, throughthe ankle opening of the last. In the present instancethej v shaped notch is utilized in-positioning and. supporti'ngthe lastand, accordingly, a surface of the notch in each last is formed in,pre.determined relation to certain dimensions or elements of the last, the dimension and elements chosen in the present instancebeing the length of the last. as measured on a line parallelto the turning axis of the last from the tip of the toe of the last to theheel end of the heel seat of thelast, and the longitudinal axisabout which the last was rotated'in' the last turning lathe. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, a surface of the 'v-ashaped' notch in each last is locatedqat the same angle to the turning .axis of the last and at adistance. fromthe toe end of theilast having apredetermined relation to the length of the 'lastmeasured as above indicated. Conveniently, this positioning surface of the V- shaped notch is located in each last vatrright angles to the turning axis of the lastv and .at a distance from the toe end of the last equal to a little less than seven-elevenths of the length of the last.

As'has beenstated, in the illustrated embodi ment of the invention, a last pin entering the pin 'holeof the last. cooperates withfthe wedgeshaped member to locate the last in the machine. To provide a relativemovement of the last pin and. wedge-shaped member to, properly locate in the machine lasts of different sizes, the pin holes in the lasts are formed at distances from the positioning surface of the V-shaped notch varying with the size of the lasts. Conveniently this is accomplished by boring the pin hole always at the same uniform distance from the heel end of the heel seat of the last regardless of the size of the last.

In embodying the present invention in a shoe machine provided with a shoe supporting jack and. mechanism for moving the jack to transfer 2 the point of operation along the margin of a shoe supported on the jack, the wedge-shaped member has been fixed on the jack, and connections actuated by the movement of the last pin towards and from the wedge-shaped support. have been provided for effecting a relative adjustment of the jack and its actuating mechanism.

In addition to the features of invention above referred to, a novel feature of the construction hereinafter described is a means for mounting the last pin so as to permit it to align itself with the pin hole in any one of a series of lasts regardless of variations in the position, angular or otherwise, of the pin hole with relation to the positioning surface or surfaces of the V-shaped notch. Also in connection with the wedgeshaped. support to enter the V-shaped notch of a last, a novel means has been provided for clamping the last firmly on the support.

Features of the present invention also consist in certain novel constructions and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed, the advantages of which will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of so much of an automatic shoe making machine as is necessary to show the connection of the present invention therewith; Fig. 2 is a detail View showing in side elevation the shoe supporting jack of the machine with the last positioning and supporting devices mounted thereon; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the parts illustrated in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the wedge shaped member which enters the V-shaped notch of the last and also showing, above thewedge-shaped member, the plate and pivot pin constituting the hinge connection between the heel and forepart portions of a hinged last; and Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view of the wedge-shaped member with a last thereon, together with the devices for holding the last firmly on said member.

The machine, portions of which are illustrated in Fig. 1, is an automatic shoe making machine, such for instance, as the automatic inseam sewing machine disclosed in the patent to Topham and Morrill No. 1,616,714 dated February 8, 1927. In automatic machines of this type, the shoe being operated upon is supported in a jack, indicated at 6, which is moved during the operation on the shoe to transfer the point of operation of the devices operating on the shoe, for instance, the needle of the illustrated machine, indicated at 8, along the margin of the shoe. To move the jack and control its position at all times during the operation, mechanisms actuated from a pattern cam shaft are provided. This pattern cam shaft, together with the mechanism actuated thereby for moving the jack to transfer the point of operation along the margin of the shoe, are illustrated in Fig. 1, the other mechanisms being omitted to simplify the illustration and description and being the same in all essential particulars as the mechanisms fully illustrated and described in the patent above referred. to. The

pattern cam shaft is indicated in Fig. 1 at H), and the cam for moving the jack to transfer the point of operation along the margin of the shoe, or feed cam, is indicated at l2. The connections between the cam l2 and the jack 6 are the same as in the machine of the patent, and comprise a cam lever 14, a lever I6 pivoted at one end on the machine frame and connected at the other end to the cam lever [4 by a link [8, a swinging link or radius arm 20, a link H connecting the lever IS with the forward end of the arm 20, an adjustable pivotally mounted support 24 on which the radius arm 20 is mounted at its rear end, a feed arm 26, a link 23 connecting the link 22 with the feed arm and a link 30 connecting theforward end of the feed arm 26 with the toe end of the jack 6. The connections between the cam and the jack are adjustable via? for the size of shoe being operated upon in the same manner as in the machine of the patent, a link or bar 32 connected to the support 24 being mounted to slide in a block 34 pivoted on the machine frame, and locking dogs 36 on a cross head 38, actuated by a'rod 40, being provided for locking the rod 32 against movement when the machine is started into operation. The adjustment of these connections is accomplished by a movement of the jack to starting position by the operator prior to throwing the machine into operation, at which time the dogs 36 are out of locking engagement with the bar 32, so that a movement of the support 24 is permitted to change the position of the pivot of the radius arm 20, movement being imparted to the support 24 through the link 30, feed arm 25, links 28 and 22, and radius arm 20, as the jack is moved.

It is necessary, in machines of the type illustrated in Fig. 1, that the toe of the shoe, regardless of size, be located in the same position in the machine with relation to the mechanisms for actuating and controlling the jack. Heretofore this result has been accomplished by an adjustment of the shoe on the jack to bring the toe of the shoe against a toe rest having a fixed position on the jack. In embodying the several features of the present invention in a machine of the type illustrated in Fig. 1, a wedge-shaped last positioning and supporting member is mounted on the jack, and is constructed and arranged to extend through the ankle opening of a shoe on a last and engage a V-shaped notch in the last. This member is indicated at 42 and is rigidly secured or formed integrally with the jack frame. The illustrated last which the member 42 is adapted to position and support is a hinged last of well-known construction, except as to features hereinafter described, the opening between the heel and forepart portions of which is in the form of a V-shaped notch having surfaces adapted to be engaged by the front and rear surfaces of the wedge-shaped member 42. The wedge-shaped member accurately fits the V-shaped notch of the last, and thus the last is accurately and firmly supported on the jack without the use of a toe rest or any other devices engaging the shoe upper or other parts of the shoe on the last.

Since the V-shaped notches of lasts of different sizes are located at different distances from the ends of the last, it is necessary, if the toe ends of all lasts are to occupy the same position with relation to the jack actuating mechanism, to provide for a relative adjustment of the support 42 and the actuating mechanism. In the illustrated construction, this relative adjustment "300i the jack moving mechanism. The-last pin is indicated at 44 and is rigidly secured to, or formed integrally with, the forwardend'of- 'a link 16 which is movably supported by links 48 and 50 pivotally connected respectively to-the forward and rear 'ends'of the link 4.6. Thelower end of the link 443 is pivotally mounted in the jack frame adjacent and to-the rear of the lastsupport, and'the lower end of the linkW'is pivoted on an arm 52 fast on a rock shaft E l-mounted in thereanportionof the 'jack'framathe arrangement being such that abodily movement of the last pin 4 ispermitted towards and from the'last support l! without changing the angular relation of the pin'andsupport longitudinally of the last.

Ball and socket joints are provided at both ends of the link and atthe upper end of the link 59 and thus a rocking movement of thelink 46 is permitted to allow the last pin to align itself with the pin hole in the last, regardless of "variations the angular position of the hole transversely of the last.

The socket connecting thetoe end of the jack with the link 30 ofthe jack moving vmechanism is 'indicated atfifi. This socket, instead of having a fixed relation to the jack, as in prior constructions, is formed upon the frontend of -a bar fiii'mounted on the jack so as to be capable of a longitudinal adjustment thereon and thus a relative adjustment of the jack and its actuating mechanism, and consequently a'relative adjustment of the'wedge-shaped support and the jack actuating mechanism,'may be effected'by a relative movement of the jack and the bar 58. The bar '58 is supported on the jack bya pin 60 at the front end of the jack, carrying a roll which engages a curved longitudinal slot 62 in the bar, and by an arm '64 fast on the shaft 54 to the lower end of which arm the rear end of the bar 53 is pivotally connected. With'the construction illustrated and above described, a movement of the last pin 44 to bring it into alignment with the pin hole of a last being placed up'on the wedge-shaped support 42 will move the bar 58 on the jack, or in case the socket 56-is held from movement by reason of its connection with the jack actuating mechanism, will move the jack with relation to the bar, so as to bring the socket-56 and the toe end of the last which has been placed on the jack into substantially Vertical alignment.

The last supporting and locating devices herein illustrated and described are particularly adapted for use in connection with lasts having the positioning surfaces of the V-shaped notches and the last pin holes formed in predetermined relation to certain characteristics of the last whereby an accurate predetermined positioning of the shoe in the machine is effected, regardless of the size of'the shoe, by simply placing the lasted shoe on the jack with the wedge-shaped support entering the 'Vshaped notch and with the last pin entering the pin hole of thelast. In Fig. 2 of the drawings, two lasts of'different sizes are illustrated-as representative'of'a series of lasts one being shown infull lines and the other in dot-and-dash lines. The lasts illustrated are the same in style, differing from eachother only in size. In these lasts, the dimensions vary' from a center, which maybe called the grading center, located at the intersection of longitudinal and transverse axes common to all the lasts,-one of-these axes being the longitudinal turning axis of the'last and the other being thetransve'rse axis extending substantially parallel to the-bottom of the toe portion of the last coinci'dent with theax-is -of thehinge'pivot. It'wi'll be obvious that if-these axes 'are'always broughtinto the same relation with the Wedge-shaped support, thelasts will'b'e located-in the same angular relation-tothe supportin 'all directions. To secure this result, the surfaces of the heel and forepart forming-the V-shaped notch have the same position in all of the lasts'withrelationto these axes, being arranged at the same predetermined angle with relation to the longitudinal turning axis of the last "and converging towards the same point Ewith relation to the transverse axis. In the illustrated construction, the positioning surfaceon the forepart of the last-is at rightangles to the longitudinalxaxis. Also the surfa'oesof the "v shapednotcnextend always at the same angle with relation to each other so "that the wedge-shaped support '42. fits accurately into" the notch of each'last. 'By providing a series'of' lasts having thefeatures so far described, any'last of the'series will be accurately positioned on the jack by merely :placing the last on the wedgeshaped support. These features also make possible the automatic relative adjustment hereinbefore described of the jack, and its'actuating mechanism,to bring the toe ofalllasts, regardless of size, into the same position with relation to the jack "actuating mechanism. Ashas' been described, the axis of the hingepivot in all lasts passes through the grading center of 'the "last. This axis is, therefore, always located ata distancefifrom the toe end of the last proportional to the length of the last. "Also, as hasbeen described, the surfaces of the V-shaped notchhave the same position inall of the lasts with relation 'to this axis. "The positioning surfaces of the V-shaped notch'are, therefore, always-at a predetermined distance from the toe end of the last, the surface on the forepart, for instance, being 'atthe same distance fromt'he toe-e'nd'of the last as the "axis of the hinge pivot'p'l'us a small constant. In the construction illustrated, the axis of the hinge pivot is located ata distance from the toe end of the last equal to sevenelevenths of the length of the last, as measured on a line parallel'to the turning axis of the last from the tip of the toe of the last-to the heel end of the-heel seat of the last. With thepositioning surfaces -'of"the V-shaped notch arranged in this manner, a movement ofthelast pin towards or from-the supportfl varying with'the size of the las'twill produce-the-desired relative adjustmentbf the jack and the socket- '56 of the jack moving mechanism. In order "that this movement may vary in a' predetermined Y manner with thesize of the last, the pin holes in thelasts are all drilled at the sa'meuniform distance from the heel endof theheel seat of the last.

In the illustrated machine the jack is pivotally mounted at its lower end upon a supporting frame'fifi, and as the jack is actuatedto transfer the point of operation along the margin of the shoe, the jack moves aboutthispivot. Accordingly, in the illustrated construction the connections between the last pin 44 and the socket 56 of the jackmoving mechanism are-proportioned and arranged to effect a relative "adjustment of the jack and socket sufficient to locate the toe of'alllas'tson a radial line "extending from the pivot of the jack through the socket. The locations of these radial lines with relation to the jack, for lasts of different sizes are indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 2 extending downwardly from the toe ends of the lasts through the socket 56.

The last illustrated in the drawings, except for the location of the positioning surfaces of the V-shaped notch and the location of the pin hole, is of well-known construction. The hinge connection between the heel and forepart comprises the hinge plate 68 extending longitudinally of the last across the V-shaped notch. To receive this plate, a slot Til is formed in the wedgeshaped supporting member 42, and a device cooperating with the plate is mounted in the wedge-shaped member to hold the last firmly in place. This device is indicated at 12 and comprises a bar, the upper end of which extends with the wedge-shaped member into the V- shaped notch and is provided with a shoulder in the form of a hook 14 arranged to engage a cooperating shoulder formed by a hole 16 in the plate 68. The lower end of the bar 12 surrounds an eccentric on a shaft 18 with which it is held frictionally in engagement by a clamping screw 80. tion of the wedge-shaped member 42 and is provided with an operating handle 82. The construction is such that a rotation of the shaft 18 in a clockwise direction from the position indicated in Fig. swings the bar 12 out of engagement with the hinge plate 68, due to the frictional engagement of the lower end of the bar with the eccentric, and then moves it upwardly, after which a rotation of the shaft in a counter-clockwise direction swings the bar 12 into engagement with the plate 68 of a last placed on the support 12 and then moves it downwardly in a direction normal to the bottom of the last to force the last onto the support. When the bar 12 is in its lowest position, the eccentric on the shaft 18 is on dead center and consequently the bar is securely locked against any return movement.

The method of making a series of lasts of different sizes herein disclosed forms the subjectmatter of a divisional application filed March 3, 1941, Serial No. 381,493.

The nature and scope of the invention having been indicated, and a particular embodiment of the invention having been specifically described, what is claimed is:

1. In a machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, the combination of a last support to engage a last through the ankle opening of a shoe thereon, said support having last positioning surfaces to engage and accurately fit cooperating surfaces on any one of a plurality of lasts and locate the last in a definite fixed predetermined position with relation to the support, and means cooperating with said support and with another surface on the last for making an adjustment of the support with the last thus located thereon predetermined by the location of said cooperating surfaces on the last to effect a predetermined positional relation between each The shaft 78 is journaled in the lower pormined position with relation to the support, and means cooperating with said support and with another surface on the last for making an adjustment of the support to effect a predetermined positional relation between each last and the machine.

3. In a machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, the combination of a wedge-shaped last positioning and supporting member arranged to extend through an ankle opening of a shoe on a last and to engage and accurately fit a V-shaped notch in any one of a plurality of lasts and locate the last in a definite fixed predetermined position with relation to the support, and means cooperating with said support and with another surface on the last for making an adjustment of the support predetermined by the location of the V-shaped notch in the last to effect a predetermined positional relation between each last and the machine.

4. In a machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, the combination of a last support to engage a last through the ankle opening of a shoe thereon, said support having a last positioning surface to engage a cooperating surface on any one of a plurality of lasts, and a member arranged to extend through the ankle opening of the shoe and to engage another surface of the last, said support and member being movable with relation to each other to accommodate different lasts, and means for utilizing said relative movement to effect a predetermined positional relation between each last and the machine.

5. In a machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, the combination of a last support to engage a last through the ankle opening of a shoe thereon, said support having a last positioning surface to engage a cooperating surface on any one of a plurality of lasts, a member arranged to extend through the ankle opening of the shoe and to engage another surface of the last located at a distance from the positioning surface varying with the size of the last, said support and member being relatively movable to accommodate different sizes of lasts, and means for utilizing said relative movement to bring each last into a predetermined position in the machine.

6. In a machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, the combination of a last support to engage a last through the ankle opening of a shoe thereon, said support having a last positioning surface to engage a cooperating surface on any one of a plurality of lasts, a member arranged to extend through the ankle opening of the shoe and to engage another surface of the last located at a distance from the positioning surface varying with the size of the last, said support and member being relatively movable to accommodate diiferent sizes of lasts, and means for utilizing said relative movement to effect a predetermined positional relation between each last and the machine.

7. In a machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, the combination of a wedge-shaped last positioning and supporting member arranged to extend through the ankle opening of a shoe on a last and to engage and accurately fit a V- shaped notch in any one of a plurality of lasts and locate the last in a definite fixed predetermined position with relation to the support, and a last pin to enter the pin hole in the last movably mounted with relation to the wedge-shaped support to permit alignment with the pin hole regardless of variations in the position of the pin hole with relation to theV-shaped notch.

8. In a machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, the combination of a wedge-shaped last positioning and supporting member arranged to extend through the ankle opening of a shoe on a last and to engage and accurately fit a V-shaped notch in any one of a plurality of lasts and locate the last in a definite fixed predetermined position with relation to the support, and a last pin to enter the pin hole in the last, said support and last pin being relatively movable to accommodate different lasts, and means for utilizing said relative movement to effect a predetermined positional relation between each last and the machine.

9. In a machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising devices for performing an operation on a shoe, a shoe supporting jack and mechanism for moving the jack to transfer the point of operation along the margin of a shoe supported on the jack, the combination of a last supporting and positioning member on the jack extending through the ankle opening of the shoe, a last pin mounted on the jack movable towards and from the last support, and connections actuated by the movement of the last pin to adjust the jack with relation to the jack moving mechanism.

10. In a machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising devices for performing an operation on a shoe, a shoe supporting jack and mechanism for moving the jack to transfer the point of operation along the margin of a shoe supported on the jack, the combination of a last supporting and positioning member on the jack extending through the ankle opening of the shoe, a last pin mounted on the jack movable towards and from the last support, and connections actuated by the movement of the last pin to effect a relative adjustment of the jack and the jack moving mechanism.

11. In a machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising devices for performing an operation on a shoe, a shoe supporting jack and mechanism for moving the jack to transfer the point of operation along the margin of a shoe supported on the jack, including a link connected to the toe end of the jack, the combination of a last supporting and positioning member on the jack extending through the ankle opening of the shoe, a last pin mounted on the jack movable towards and from the last support, and connections actuated by the movement of the last pin to effect a relative adjustment of the jack and link to locate the toe of all shoes, regardless of size, in the same predetermined position with relation to the point of connection of the link with the jack.

12. A machine for use in the manufacture of shoes comprising devices for performing an operation on a shoe, a pivotally mounted shoe supporting jack and mechanism for moving the jack about its pivot to transfer the point of operation along the margin of a shoe supported on the jack including a link connected to the toe end of the jack, the combination of a last supporting and positioning member on the jack extending through the ankle opening of the shoe, a last pin mounted on the jack movable towards and from the last support, and connections actuated by the movement of the last pin to effect a relative adjustment of the jack and link to locate the toe of all shoes, regardless of size, on a radial line extending from the pivot of the jack through the point of connection of the link with the jack.

13. In a machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, last positioning and supporting means comprising a wedge-shaped member extending through the ankle opening of a shoe on the last and fitting into a V-shaped notch in the last, and means for forcing the last against the wedgeshaped member comprising a bar extending with said member into the V-shaped notch, and provided with a shouldered end arranged to engage a cooperating shoulder on the last, an eccentric on which the other end of the bar is frictionally mounted, and means for rotating the eccentric to swing the bar to bring said shoulders into engagement and thereafter impart a movement to the bar in a direction normal to the bottom of the last and lock the bar against return movement.

14. In a machine for use in the manufacture of shoes, last positioning and supporting means comprising a wedge-shaped member extending through the ankle opening of a shoe on the last and fitting into a V-shaped notch in the last,

r and means for forcing the last against the wedge-shaped member comprising an oscillatable and longitudinally movable bar extending with said member into the V-shaped notch and provided with a shouldered end arranged to engage a cooperating shoulder on the last, and means for oscillating the bar to bring said shoulders into engagement and for imparting a longitudinal movement to the bar in a direction normal to the bottom of the last.

LAURENCE E. TOPHAM,

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