Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
TOE AND BALL LASTER AND TIIE LIKE
The present invention relates to machines particularly
well adapted -to last the toe and ball region of a footwear
upper assembly.
While the present invention has applicability to foot-
wear more generally, it is explained mostly in the context of
shoe upper assemblies. Furthermore, while the machine dis-
closed herein is discussed in greatest detail with respect
to lasting of the toe and ball region of a footwear upper
- assembly, its use is broader in scope.
Presently used toe and ball lasters are disclosed in
United States Letters Patent 4,517,697 (Vornberger). Other
schemes have been presented for lasting the toe and ball
region of a shoe upper assembly using microprocessor tech-
nology. The present invention, however, employs air cylinders,
single-speedsteeper electric motors and associated mechanical structures
to guide adhesive extruding, single output nozzles while those
nozzles move along and apply adhesive in and about the periphery
of the insole of a shoe upper assembly. The upper assembly in-
cludes a last, an insole disposed at the last bottom and an
upper draped about the last. Typically the last is disposed
bottom down and the adhesive is distributed as two ribbons be-
ginning at the toe of the shoe upper assembly and proceeding
on the insole near its periphery, at each side thereof, to the
ball region thereof. Conseptually the ribbon of adhesive could
be placed onto the outwardly extending margin or at the confluence
of the outwardly extending margin and the insole. Irrespective of
that issue, it is a principal object of the present invention to
provide mostly a mechanically-based system -- as distinguished
from the essentially electrically-based and microprocessor-control-
led systeMs now being proposed -- to guide adhesive nozzle which
deposit adhesive in the lasting of the toe and ball region of
a shoe upper assembly.
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Another object is to provide a system that uses
cams and a yuide template to direct the adhesive nozzles along
acceptable paths between the toe and ball (or other) region of
the shoe upper assembly at or near the periphery of the
insole.
Still another object is to provid~ a machine that
can be serviced in countries not technologically advanced,
often using local facilities.
A still further object is to provide a machine that
is significantly non- environmentally affected.
These and still further objects are addressed
hereinafter.
The foregoing objects are attained, generally, in
apparatus to apply adhesive to the toe and ball ~or other)
region of the insole of a footwear upper assembly that
includes a last, an upper draped about the last and an insole
at the last bottom, which apparatus includes a pair of
adhesive nozzles to apply the adhesive onto the outer surface
of the insole along a path near the edge at outside of the
insole (or to another part of the upper assembly near the ~dge
at outside of the insole); a pair of nozzle arms, each nozzle
arm of the pair being connected to one of the pair of adhesive
nozzles and adapted to move the associated nozzle secured
thereto a mechanical structure operable properly to guide the
nozzles along respective paths adjacent the edge at each side
of the insole to deposit a ribbon of adhesive onto the outer
surface of the insole from the toe (or other) region of the
upper assembly to the ball (or other) region of the upper
assembly, the mechanical structure including~four nozzle-guide
segments that together and in combination are configured to
form a nozzle-guide template having an outline that, together
with other mechanical structures, matches the outline of the
edge of the insole between the toe tor other region) and ball
(or other) region of the smallest upper assembly of the style
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to be lasted, the nozzle-guide template having a guide surface
and being shiftable to accommodate right footwear upper
assemblies and left footwear upper assemblies of the style to
be lasted, two of the nozzle-guide segments being pivotally
connected to permit angular adjustment at the toe region
thereof of one toe segment relative to the other to match the
outline of the insole for footwear sizes larger than the
smallest footwear upper assembly as well as for different
insole shapes; a template follower connected to each nozzle
arm, one template follower being positioned to ride along the
guide surface at each side of the nozzle-guide template; and a
drive mechanism operable to move the template follower from
the toe (or other) region of the nozzle-guide template to the
ball (or other) region thereof. The two segments at the toe
region are pivotally connected to permit angular adjustment at
the toe region and each is pivotally connected to one of the
other segments at its ball end (or in such a way as) to provide a
segment template whose shape can be changed to accommodate
various types of footwear.
The invention is hereinafter described with
reference to the accompanying drawing in which:
Fig. 1 isan isometric view showing portions of a
machine that includes apparatus to apply an adhesive (cement)
to the toe and ball region of a shoe (or other footwear) upper
assembly;
Fig. 2A is an isometric view of a portion of the
machine in Fig. 1 showing a mechanical system to guide
adhesive-applying nozzles in the machine of Fig. l;
Fig. 2B is a plan view bottom up of two shoe upper
assemblies to show the outline of the shoe upper assemblies
of differing shoe size;
Fig. 3 is an isometric view, like the view in Fig.
2A and partly sectioned, but showing furtlher related machine
parts; and
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Fig. 4 is an isometric view of the machine showing
some parts not shown in other figures.
Turning now to Fig. 1, there is shown at 101
portions of a machine to apply adhesive or cement to the toe
and ball region of the insole labeled 102 in Fig. 2B of a
shoe (or other footwear) upper assembly 103 that includes a
last 104 in Fig. 2A, an upper 105 draped about the last and
the insole 102 disposed at the bottom of the last 104. (It
will be appreciated on the basis of thisjdisclosure that the
present invention can be applied to depositing adhesives to
other parts of the footwear upper assembly, but toe and ball
lasting are discussed mostly herein.) ~ccording to the
present teaching, and it is a most important aspect of the
present invention, a mechanical structure is provided to guide
the nozzles labeled 5 and 5A in Fig. 2;B between the toe region
marked 1 (where the nozzles 5 and 5A are positioned in Fig.
2B) and the ball region of the upper assembIy 103 to apply an
adhesive as a ribbon -- preferably onto the outer surface of
the insole 102 near the periphery thereof on both sides of the
insole -- from the toe region of the shoe upper assembly 103
to and including the ball region thereof.
The actual apparatus that applies the ribbon of
adhesive onto the insole 102 is generally shown at 107 in Fig.
3 which includes most of the interacting structures used to
perform the various functions in accordacne with the present
teaching. The function of the apparatus 107 is to apply an
adhesive ribbon 109 and an adhesive ribbon lO9A in Fig. 2B
from the nozzles 5 and 5A, respectively, in Fig. 2A onto the
insole 102 of the upper assemblies 103A and 103B in Fig. 2B.
In Fig. 2B there are two upper assemblies 103, 103A and 103B,
the former representing the smallest assembly of one shoe type
and the latter representing the largest qf the same shoe
the upper assemblies 103A and 103B include insoles 102A and
102B,respectively. The nozzles 5 and 5A are guided according~
to the present teaching by a mechanical guidance system that
directs them along
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respective paths to apply the ribbon of adhesive at lO9C and
lO9D (i.e., on the left side of the insole 102 and the right
side of the insole 102, respectively, in Fig. 2B) at the toe
region 1 of either assembly 103A or 103B; but toward the heel
region the adhesive ribbon follows different paths (i.e., the
paths labeled lO9G and lO9H for the smaller size upper
assembly 103A and the paths 109E and lO9F for the larger size
upper assembly 103B). It is to provide a mostly mechanical
guidance system for the nozzles 5 and 5Ajto de2osit the
ribbons 109 and lO9A for the sizes 103A and 103B, and all
sizes in between, that the present invention is directed. The
end of the ribbon for the smallest size is approximately at
108 in Fig. 2B and for the largest size is approximately at
108A.
It will be appreciated that the mechanism 107 is
me~~
part of a machine, for example, like that in the~Vornberger
patent, the adhesive extruding portions of the Vornberger
patent being replaced by the nozzles 5 and 5~ herein and
related apparatus. Thus the insole rest designated 3 in Fig.
2A is similar to the insole rest shown in the Vornberger
patent. The structure marked 106 in Fig. 1 is similar to or
identical to structures in the Vornberger patent, and the
structural members shown at 110 and 111 in Fig. 1 are
attaching structures to a machine, for example, like that
shown in the Vornberger patent. It is assumed that no further
detailed explanation of the structure 106 is needed here. The
remainder of this specification is directed mostly to the
mechanism 107 which is a mostly mechanical structure whose
function it is to direct the path of the adhesive nozzles 5
and 5A at or near the edges of the insole 102 (that is, in the
region of the edge at each side of the insole 102 between the
toe part thereof and the ball part thereof), whereby ribbons
of molten adhesive are applied onto thelinsole 102, the margins
of the upper 105 being thereafter wiped onto the insole in a
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known manner. (Conceptually, the adhesive can be applied onto
the margin of the upper assembly, but preferably it i5 applied
onto the outer surface of the insole 102, near the edge or
periphery of the insole.)
The apparatus 107 in Fig. 3 includes the pair of
adhesive nozzles 5 and 5A to apply adhesive onto the footwear
upper assembly 103 -- preferably onto the outer surface of the
insole -- near the edge (or periphery) of the insole 102 in
Fig. 2B. A pair of nozzle arms 17 and 17A support and carry
adhesive-extruding assemblies 42 and 42A one nozzle arm of
the pair of nozzle arms 17 and 17A is secured to each nozzle
of the pair of nozzles 5 and 5A and is adapted to move the
nozzle secured thereto. The arm 17 is secured to and moves the
nozzle 5 and the arm 17A is secured to and moves the nozzle
5A. The mechanical structure 107 is operable to properly guide
the nozzles 5 and 5A along the respective paths 109 and lO9A
adjacent each edge of the insole 102 to deposit a ribbon of
adhesive onto the upper assembly 103 from the toe of the upper
assembly to the ball region of the upper assembly. A brief
discussion of Fig. 4 is made at this juncture.
The structures shown in Fig. 4 are the right arm
17A with the further parts of the assembly 42A associated
therewith. In Fig. 4 the corresponding parts associated with
the arm 17 are shown in parentheses, e.g., the air cylinder
39, the nozzles and so forth. In Fig. 4 the label 40A ~40) is
for a shut-off needle valve the label 43A (43) is for a feed
tube of adhesive; the label 44A (44? is for an electrical
conduit to a heater in the assembly 42A (42); the label 41A;
(41~ is for an air cylinder to activate the needle valve 40A
(40); and the label 37 is for a pivot shaft, later discussed.
The needle valve 40A (40) is moved up and down in Fig. 4
respectively to stop adhesive flow from the nozzle 5A (5) and
to start flow therefrom.
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In the shoemaking process, one approach is that of
lasting the toe region of the shoe upper assembly first;
then the ball and hell region are lasted. Typically the
adhesive is applied onto the insole, which is disposed
bottom down in a machine like that shown in the Yornberger
patent, and the margin of the upper asse;mbly is then wiped
onto the insole. That is done according to the present
teaching except that both the toe region and the ball region
of the insole have adhesive applied thereto by two single-
output nozzles and are wiped. The point made here is that,conceptually, the adhesive could be applied to the margin of
the upper assembly, rather than the insole, and the wiping
could be effected, but application of adhesive as a ribbon
on the insole is pre~erred, and either location comes within
the characterization that adhesive is applied in the region
of the periphery of the insole.
The single-output nozzles 5 and SA begin the
adhesive applying cycle at 1 in Fig. 3, which is the
position of the nozzles 5 and 5A shown in Fig. 2B, the
nozzles 5 and 5A first having been raised vertically by the
cylinders 39 and 39A, respectively, in Fig. 4. A stepper
motor 28 in Fig. 1 positions the nozzles 5 and 5A to track
along the cement paths 109 and lO9A in Figs.2A and 2B to
deposit the adhesive as a continuous riblbon at 109 and lO9A.
The arms 17 and 17A, and hence the nozzles 5 and 5A, are
allowed to move in a universal manner by pivoting on parts
35 and 35A, respectively, in Fig. 1, that also pivot on a
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shaft 37. The arms 17 and 17A are respectively attached to
cam rolls (or rollers) 8 and 8A in Fig. 2A which are held
against a contour template 2, formed of four segments 6, 7
and 6A, 7A, by a spring 48 in Fig. 3. It will be noted
that the segments 6, 7, 6A and 7A each represents
essentially one ninety degree quadrant of the template 2
which, when the segments are together, is, or can be, almost
circular in plan view. However, the toe-end segments 6 and
6~ are individually pivotal at 2"' at the toe region
thereof; the segments 6 and 7 are pivotal at 2'; and the
segments 6A and 7A are pivotal at 2". To summarize, for
any shoe style,two sets of template segments 6-7 and 6A-7A
(four segments, two segment units or sets) is established.
for any shoe size or a style, each segment set 6-7 and 6A-7A
pivots at the region 2"' to some angle determined by the
shoe size of the particular sytle. Further, as is noted
below, the segments 6 and 7, as a unit, and the segments 6A
and 7A, as a unit, can move in the direction of the arrows A
and B and A' and B', respectively, to accommodate various
shoe sizes and shapes. A signal from the programmable
controller 112, in Fig. 3 causes the motor 29 to start
motion of the segments 6 and 7 in the directions of the
arrows A to B in Fig. 2A and the segments 6A and 7A in the
directions of the arrows A'to B'.
With reference now to Figs. 2A and 2B, the
function of the contoured template or nozzle-guide assembly
2 is to guide the followers8 and8A alongappropriate paths
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so that the nozzles 5 and 5~ will apply appropriate ribbons
of adhesive 109 and 109A, as now explained. The template
segments 6, 7, 6A and 7A are replaceable to accommodate
various shoe styles. The shape of any particular template
2, and hence the segments 6, 7, 6A and 7A, is determined by
the smallest size of the shoe style. For that smallest
size, the template segments 6, 7, 6A ~nd 7A may all be
touching one another, that is, closed together in Fig. 2A;
but typically they will be pivotally separated from one
another, as shown in Fig. 2A, to accommodate for left or
right shoes and exact sizes. Thus, the template segments
introduce flexibility.
In operation the follower 8 in Fig. 2A initially
moves or rolls counterclockwise (see arrow 115) along the
outer surface of the template segment 6 and the follower 8A
moves or rolls clockwise (see arrow 115A) along the outer
surface of the template segment 6A, at an intermedtate point
the follower 8rolls onto and along the outer surface of the
template segment 7 and the follower 8A rolls onto and along
the outer surface of the template segment 7A. At the
juncture, typically, the
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followers will have completed the necessary travel on the
smallest shoe size and to have applied adhesive ribbons 109
and lO9A to the line 108 in Fig. 2B, that is from the toe
region to the ball region of the smallest shoe size of a given
type. When applying adhesive ribbons onto the insole 102 of shoe
sizes larger than the smallest shoe size of a type, the template
segments 6-7 and 6A-7A are caused to move in the direction of
the arrows A or B or A' or B', respectively, or any direction
in between, as noted elsewhere herein. iThe template segments 6
and 7 move as a unit in the direction of the arrows A or B or
any direction in between; the template segments 6A and 7A
simultaneously move as a unit in the direction of the arrows
A' or B' or any dirction in between. Simultaneously, the
followers 8 and 8A, in Fig. 2A, are being moved along the
outer perimeter surface of the corresponding segments or
segment units 6-7 and 6A-7A to move the nozzles 5 and 5A,
respectively, along the correct paths for adhesive deposit
which ends at the appropriate line 108 or 108A or any line in
between. The labels 2' and 2'', as above indicated, represent
pivots (or regins of pivot) between template segments 6 and 7
and 6A and 7A about which the associated template segments
pivot to accommodate right shoe assemblies and left shoe assem-
blies; the degree of pivot may also be related to shoe sizes or
types. There is alsothe pivot region at 2 "', as above noted,
to an angle C for the segments 6A and 7A and C' for the segments
6 and 7 to provide an adjustment because of size. It will be
appreciated in this e~planation that it is the size or style of
the insole being processed or lasted that determines all move-
ment of the nozzles 5 and 5A and hence the nozzle-guide assembly 2.
The mechanisms to move the segments 6, 6A, 7 and 7A
and the followers 8 and 8A are now discussed, mostly with
reference to Figs. 1 and 3, beginning wilth the followers. The
followers 8 and 8A are attached to the arms 17 and 17A~
respectively, which are driven by the stepper motor 28 which is
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turned on and off by the programmable controller 112 which also
controls the start of the adhesive extrusion and star-t of
nozzle travel and control from beginning to end. When the motor
28 is energized, it rotates the ballscrew marked 28A and hence
moves a ballnut 28B to the right and left in Fig. l; it pivots
an arm 35B counterclockwise about a shaft 37 to which are keyed
sleeves 35 and 35A. The cement arms 17 and 17A are pinned
to the sleeves 35 and 35A and hence pivot together with the
sleeves; the pinning also permits the arms 17 and 17A to
pivot about an axis orthogonal to the axis of the shaft 37 by
forces originating with the followers 8 and.8A as the
followers move along the template. The adhesive extrusion is
stopped by signals from sensors 20 and 20A in combination with
flags 21 and 21A; the same signals alos start the nozzles 5 and 5A
down. It will be understood that the connecting structure
for the arms 17 and 17A is a universal joint about which the
arms pivot in a motion whose configuration is determined by
the template 2.
Movement of the template segments 6-7 and 6A-7A
along the directions A.... is similar to that discussed above
with respect to the followers 8 and 8A in that stepper motor
29 rotates a ball screw 29A and hence moves a ball nut 29B to
the risht and left in Fig. 1, pivoting an arm 36B, again about
the shaft 37 through a sleeve 36 to which are attached arms 18
and 18A in Fig. 3. The arms 18 and 18A are also universally
attached to pivot about the shaft 37. The segments are attached
to the arms 18 and 18A and it is the arms 18 and 18A that provide
movement along the directions A or B or A' or Bl, the exact
direction of movement being determined in a manner now explained.
A follower 14 in Fig. 3 is attached to the arm la and a
like follower 14A is attached to the arm 18A. The follower
14 follows along a guide bar 15 while, simultaneously, the
follower 14A follows along a guide bar 15/A. The guide bars 15
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and 15A are a~j6stable either parallel to one another to
provide motion A-A' or at an angle to one other to provide
motion B-s~ (or any ~ngle therebetween). A rack 16 and pinions
16A and 16B effect angular adjustment of the guide bars lS and
15A)adjustment being through a rotary adjustment shaft l2.
Air cylinders 10 and lOA shift segments 7 and 7A
about 2' and 2'', respectively, to accommodate left shoes or
right shoes, as above noted. Rotation of rods 11 and llA
effect pivoting at ~''' to the angles c-c' in Fig. 2A. A
spring 43 causes the cam rolls 14 and 14A to remain in contact
with the guide bars 15 and 15A. A spring 48 causes arms 17 and
17A and, hence, cam rolls 8 and 8A to keep in contact with the
segments 6, 6A, 7 and 7A. For square toe applications
cylinders 45 and 45A provide transverse forces on the
followers 8 and 8A to cause the followers to move along the
template.
Pivoting at 2 "' is effected by two circular guide
plates, e.g., a guide plate 47A which pivots the segments 6A
and 7A as a unit 6A-7A at 2 "' counterclockwise and clockwise
in Fig. 3. A like plate pivots the segments 6 and 7 as a unit
6-7 at 2''' clockwise and counterclockwise. It will be
appreciated that 2 " ' is a region of pivot -- not a pivot
point. The segmented units 6-7 and 6A-7A are not connected to
one another at the pivot region 2'" and can move away from
one another during the linear or translational movement
mentioned elsewehere herein.
It has been found for present purposes and on the
basis of the teachings herein that a segmented template 2 for
any shoe style can be formed by a combinat,ion of graphical and
triangulation methods known in the mechanilcal arts. Briefly,
the rotational axes of the rollers 8 and 8A are located in
the machine with respect to the adhesive paths 109 and lO9A
and relative positions between these machine parts and
locations determine the external contour of the segmented
0~1.0
template 2 and hence the path of travel of the rollers 8 and
8A along the external contour of the template 2. Variations in
the paths lO9 and lO9A of the adhesive ribbon can be accommodated
by positional changes of the segments 6, 6A, 7 and 7A of the
template 2 about the pivots 2', 2'' and 2''', plus changes in
the angles A to B and A' to B' and changes in seyment size.
Turning now to Fig. 1, a rod 13 connects to a
heel-lock assembly (not shown) whereby the shoe size is
established. If the rod 13 is all the way to the right in Fig.
1, a small shoe is indicated. The rod 13 is attached to a
sensor-cam mounting plate l9 that is journalled to the shaft
37; the plate 19 supports sensor cams 23 and 32 on which ride
a roller 46 and a roller 34, respectively. A sensor 24 piVots
about a shaft 30 under control of the roller 46 to establish
the stop point for the motion of the templates along the paths
whose directions are A or B or A' or B' or any angle
therebetween; start of that motion is determined by a sensor 27
in Fig. 1 in cooperation with a sensor flag 26 which moves
left and right with rotation of the rod 28A to which it is
attached. The sensor 24 similarly cooperates with a flag 25,
which is attached to the arm 31 which is attached to the sleeve
36 which, as above noted, is moved by the motor 29.
The motor 28 at all times gives maximum travel to
the arms 17 and 17A; that is, for the largest shoe size, but
the air cylinder 39 and 39A in Fig. 4 pulls the associated
nozzle downward and away from the inner sole at the
appropriate stop point 108 or 108A (or any point in between)
and simultaneously moves the needle 40A (40) upward to
terminate adhesive flow from the nozzle 5A (5). The signal for
such purpose comes from the sensors 20 and 20A in cooperation
with the flags 21 and 21A which are positioned by the sensor cam
32. A cam roll 34 is attached to an arm 33 which holds the flags
21 and 21A which are shiftable up or dow~ (see arrow 47) by air
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cylinders 22 and 22A to provide proper shut-off and pull-down
at a left or right ball break, much the same as the segments
were shifted for right and left shoes. This is needed because
the length of adhesive lD9 differs from the length of adhesive
109A; hence adhesive termination and pull-down differs from
one side to the other. While, as noted above, emphasis in this
specification is on application of adhesive at each side of a
footwear upper assembly between the toe region and ball region
thereof, it will be seen on the basis of the foregoing
teachings that the adhesive can be applied to other parts of
the footwear upper assembly.
Modifications of the invention herein disclosed
will occur to persons skilled in the art and all such
modifications are deemed to be within the scope of the
invention as defined by the appended claims.
