US2323809A - Apparatus for centering shoe soles and the like - Google Patents

Description

July 6, 1943. L H. FUNK 2,323,809

APPARATUS FOR CENTERI'NG SHOE SOLES AND THE LIKE Filed March 2, 1942 vacute when the soles are of varying sizes.

Patented July 6, 1943 ICE APPARATUS FOR CENTERING SHOE SOLES AND THE LIKE John H. Flink, Watertown, Mass., assigner to The B. F.' Goodrich Company, New York, N. Y., a

corporation of New York Application March 2, 1942, Serial No. 432,973

10 Claims. (Cl. 1.2-40) This invention relates to apparatus for posi- -tioning or locating articles with reference to a given area of a supporting platform, as for centering articles preparatory to a die-stamping operation orthe like, and is especially adapted for locating in succession a number of articles varying either in size or in shape or in both size and shape. The invention is designed particularly for centering shoe soles of varying sizes and congurations preparatory to stamping them with a die.

In my copending application, Serial No. 426,- 737, led January 14, 1942, I have described how a middle sole for a so-called platform type sandal or slipper may be given increased ileXibility by stamping the ball and toe portion of the sole with a die of a particular design in order to rearrange the surface fibers, or similar materials of construction, in a particular and predetermined manner. In quantity production operations it is difcult to center successive middle soles accurately on the support member prior to stamping them with the die, and this difficulty is particularly Accordingly, I have invented an apparatus for centering the middle soles, no matter what their size and configuration, preparatory to stamping them with the die so that the die will strike every sole in the same relative region. 'Ihis apparatus may also be used with other objects for locating them in the same position relative to a given area of a supporting member, preferably preparatory to acting upon them by an outside agency.

The apparatus of this invention, as exemplied by a preferred embodiment, comprises a pai-i1 of locating members movably supported by a surface member for movement toward and away fromv each other, means for normally holding said locating members in close relation to each other,

and a third locating member movable with relation to said supporting surface member and adapted to be positioned in respect to said supporting surface member by an article inserted between the first locating members, and means controlled by movement of said pair of locating members for determining the position of said third locating member when the article is inserted between the said pair of locating members. This apparatus is so constructed and arranged that an article inserted between the pair of locating members is stopped by the third locating member, whose position is determined by the position of the pair of locating members, so that each successive article inserted is always in the same relative position with respect to a given area of the surface member. Through the use of this apparatus, it is possible for an outside instrument such as a die acting on the inserted articles to contact successive articles in the same relative region.

As stated hereinabove the apparatus of'this invention is particularly useful for positioning middle soles of shoes preparatory to stamping such soles with a die. This embodiment will be described herein in considerable detail with reference to the accompanying drawing, of which Fig. 1 is a plan View of the apparatus in a preferred form with portions broken away for clarity of illustration;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top view of a iinished middle sole which has been inserted in the apparatus of this invention and has been acted upon by a grooving die.

In the illustrated embodiment of this invention, the apparatus consists of a rectangular base member III and a similarly shaped rectangular top member II held in spaced relationship with the base member I6 by means of a spacer member I2 placed between them at the rear of the apparatus. In and on the top member II are three interacting positioning members comprising two studs I3, I3 extending through slots I4, I4 in the top member, and a back stop bar I5 resting 0n the top member II arranged so that it can slide on the top member II. One of the studs I3 is mounted on an arm 33 of a substantially right-angled bell crank I6 and the other stud I3 is mounted on an arm I'I of another similarly shaped bell crank I8. These bell cranks IB, I8 are pivotally mounted by means of fulcrum pins I9, I9 at opposite corners of the base member Ill at the front of the apparatus. The arms 20, 2l of the bell cranks I, I8 which do not contain the studs are arranged in superposed relationship on the edge of the base member at the front of the apparatus. For equalizing movement of the two bell cranks, the lower arm 2i is provided with a pin 22 extending upward through an oval slot 23 in the top bell crank arm 2li, this pin and slot arrangement being located in line with the center of the apparatus. At the end of each of the superposed arms 2i), 2l of the bell cranks I6, I8 are connecting bars 24, 24 pivotally fastened by means of bolts 25, 25 and Cotter pins 26, 26. These bars 2d, 2li extend along each side of the base member I9 substantially parallel to the sides of the base member and toward the rear of the apparatus. The back stop bar I5, which comprises the third locating member, is pivotally fastened across the ends of these connecting lbars 24, 24 by means of bolts 21 and cotter pins 28. In order that the studs I3, I3 comprising the pair of locating members will be held in close contact with the shoe sole 29 inserted between them, there is provided a spring 30 connecting the arms 33, I'I' of the two bell cranks I6, I8.

In the case of apparatus for centering shoe soles, the bell cranks and linkage arms are proportioned and arranged so that the distance moved by the back stop bar I 5 varies with respect to the distance moved by the two studs I3, I3 in the same ratio as the ratio which the length of the sole bears to its width.

In using the apparatus of this invention for centeringT middle soles of shoes, the apparatus is positioned on the platform of a conventional 'die-press. A sole 29 is inserted between the movable studs I3, I3 and pushed back until progress is stopped by the back stop bar I 5. The

grooving die 32 of the die-press is then lowered to press the design in the sole, the die is raised, the sole withdrawn, and a new sole is then inserted. This series of operations is continued until every sole is marked and because of the construction oi the apparatus herein described each sole is marked in the same relative region no matter what the variation in the size or the shape of the individual soles.

The spring 36 connecting the arms 33, II of the bell cranks I6, I8 holds the studs I3, I3 in close proximity to each other. When a shoe sole, .or other object, is inserted between the studs I3, I3 these studs are forced apart. The bell cranks I6, I8 move on the fulcrum pins I9, I9 causing the arms Z, El of the bell cranks to move back. This backward movement of the arms 2o, 2I also moves the back stop bar back by acting on the bar through the connecting bars 2li, 2li. The arms 20, 2l are kept in alignment and their movement equalized by means of the pin 22 and slot 23 arrangement in the arms 20, ZI. Because the back stop bar l5 works in conjunction with the studs I3, I3 the greater the distance between the studs I3, I3 the farther the bar I5 will be moved back thereby providing greater space for larger objects and, conversely, smaller space for smaller objects. As the linkage means between the studs and the back stop bar are rigid mechanical members the space dened by the studs and the back stop bar is always proportional mathematically to the distance between the two studs I3, I3. Thus it is apparent that this invention can be used for locating any article, no matter what its size, in the same relative position with respect to the supporting member.

Fig. 3 shows a shoe sole that has been inserted in the apparatus of this invention and acted upon by a die member (Fig. 2) to form grooves Sil. Due to the centering action of the apparatus described in this application the grooves 3ft will always be produced in the same relative region of the shoe sole 29 no matter how much the individual soles may vary in size.

The invention has been described in considerable detail as applied to centering middle soles for platform type sandals preparatory to acting thereon by a grooving die but it will be appreciated that the principles herein described may be used in other apparatus of like nature for locating other articles with respect to a supporting member. Also numerous variations and modifications may be made in details of the specific apparatus hereinabove described without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for locating individual shoe sole members of a series of variedly sized, shaped, or sized and shaped shoe sole members with reference to a supporting member, said apparatus comprising at least one movable locating member for laterally locating the shoe sole member and a second movable locating member for longitudinally locating the shoe sole member, one of said locating members being movable by a boundary surface of the shoe sole member and the other of said locating members being movable by movement of the rst locating member, said movable members locating the individual shoe sole members in the same relative position with respect to a given area of the supporting member.

2. Apparatus for locating individual shoe sole members of a series of variedly sized, shaped, or sized and shaped shoe sole members with reference to a supporting member, said apparatus comprising at least one movable locating member movable by a boundary surface of the shoe sole member being located for laterally locating the shoe sole member, and a second movable member movable by the movement of the rst movable member for longitudinally locating the shoe sole member, said movable members locating the individual shoe sole members in the same relative position with respect to a given area of the supporting member.

3. Apparatus for locating individual articles of a series of variedly sized, shaped, or sized and shaped articles, such as shoe soles, with reference to a supporting member, said apparatus comprising a pair of movable locating members movable by boundary surfaces of the individual article being located, a third movable locating member, and means controlled by movement of said pair of movable locating members for determining the position of said third movable locating member, said three movable locating members locating the individual articles in the same relative position with respect to a given area of the supporting member.

4. Apparatus for locating individual articles of a series of variedly sized, shaped, or sized and shaped articles, such as shoe soles, with reference to a supporting member, said apparatus comprising a pair of locating members movably supported by the supporting member for movement toward and away from each other, a third locating member movably supported by the supporting member for movement transverse to the direction of movement of the pair of locating members, and means controlled by movement of said pair of locating members for determining the position of said third locating member, said three movable locating members locating the individual articles in the same relative position with respect t0 a given area of the supporting member.

5. Apparatus for locating individual articles of a series of variedly sized, shaped, or sized and shaped articles, such as shoe soles, with reference to a supporting member, said apparatus comprising a pair of movable locating members supported by the supporting member for movement toward and away from each other, means for normally holding said pair of locating members in close relation to each other, a third movable locating member supported by the supporting member for movement transverse to the direction of movement of the pair of locating members, and means controlled by movement of said pair of locating members for determining the position of said third locating member, said three movable locating members locating the individual articles in the same relative position with respect to a given area of the supporting member.

6. Apparatus for centering a succession of shoe soles or the like with reference to a device acting thereon, said apparatus comprising a surface for supporting a shoe sole in position to be acted on by the device and a plurality of movable locating members associated with the said surface for properly positioning a shoe sole placed thereon, at least one of said locating members being movable by engagementJ With an edge portion of the sole and a second one of said locating members adapted to engage a different edge portion of the sole being movable in response to movement of the rst said member, the apparatus being so constructed and arranged that the ratio of the movement of one of said locating members to the other said locating member is the same as the ratio of planar dimensions of the sole taken along diierent lines passing through the points of engagement with the respective locating members.

'7. Apparatus for centering a succession of shoe soles or the like with reference to a device acting thereon, said apparatus comprising a surface for supporting a shoe sole in position to be acted I,

on by the device and a plurality of movable locating members associated with the said surface for properly positioning a shoe sole inserted between said members on said surface, said plurality of locating members including two spacedapart members adaptedY to engage opposite side portions of the sole and to be moved by engagement with such side portions of the sole and a third locating member adapted to engage an end-portion of the sole to limit insertion oi the sole, and means operatively coupling the end engaging locating member With at least one of the side engaging locating members for moving the said members with respect to each other in the same relation as the relation of the width of the shoe sole to its length.

8. Apparatus for locating individual articles of a series of variedly sized, shaped, or sized and shaped articles, such as shoe sole members, with reference to a supporting member, said apparatus comprising at least three movable locating members, and means controlled by movement of one of the locating members for determining the position of the other locating members, said movable locating members locating the individual articles in the same relative position with respect to a given area of the supporting member.

9. Apparatus for locating individual articles of a series of variedly sized, shaped, or sized and shaped articles, such as shoe sole members, with reference to a supporting member, said apparatus comprising at least three movable locating members interconnected for movement in unison so that movement of one locating member determines the position of the others, said movable locating members locating the individual articles in the same relative position with respect to a given area of the supporting member.

10. Apparatus for centering a succession of shoe sole members with reference to a device acting thereon, said apparatus comprising a supporting surface for receiving a sole member, a pair of bell cranks pivotally mounted for movement generally parallel to the said surface and so that one arm of each bell crank engages a different side boundary portion of the sole member inserted therebetween, the other arms of the bell cranks being arranged in overlapping relation and loosely pivoted together in a zone centrally located With respect to the sole centering arms, yielding means normally urging the sole centering arms together, a third member adapted to engage an end boundary portion of the shoe sole member, and linkage means connecting the said third member With the overlapped arms of the bell crank so that all three sole engaging means move in unison in response to insertion of a sole therebetween.

JOHN H, FLINK.

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