GB995756A - The mulling of shoe uppers - Google Patents

Abstract

995,756. Boots &c. LOTUS Ltd. June 25, 1963 [April 26, 1962; Dec. 20, 1962 (2); April 3, 1963], No. 15873/62. Heading A3B. Shoe uppers are mulled by placing the uppers in an hermetically sealable chamber, sealing the chamber, evacuating the atmosphere from the sealed chamber, introducing a humidifying atmosphere into the evacuated chamber for a predetermined time and finally removing the mulled uppers, the processes of sealing, evacuating and mumidifying being effected automatically according to a predetermined timed cycle. As described the machine has two sealable chambers 201, 202 which are closed by lids 201a, 202a. Each lid 201a has a sealing ring (not shown) and is movable along rods 25 by piston and cylinders 23. Each lid 201a also carries a rail 201b having hooks 201c upon which the uppers are placed. Each of the chambers is connected to a source of vacuum 35 by conduits 36 having valves 37 and each is connected to a boiler 26 by a pipe 28 having two branches 28a, 28b which each have a valve 29a, 29b for controlling the admission of steam and a pressure release valve 29c, 29d. The water in the boiler 26 is maintained at a constant level by a float controled feed line (not shown) and is maintained at a temperature slightly below the boiling point of water at normal atmospheric pressure by a thermostatically controlled heater (not shown) so that when the pressure in the boiler is reduced the water will boil. The chambers 201, 202 are mounted in a housing 22 which has an inlet duct 30 having a radiator 31 through which water is circulated at a constant temperature and an extraction fan 33 so that air is circulated through the housing 22 to maintain the temperature of the chambers above the maximum dew point temperature. In operation the operator places the uppers on the hooks 201c and presses the buttons 40 to start the cycle of the machine in which the lid closes to seal the chamber, valve 37 opens to evacuate the chamber, valve 29a opens, thus reducing the pressure in the boiler 26 and causing the water to boil and drawing the steam into the chamber. After a predetermined time valve 29a closes, pressure release valve 29c opens and the lid 201a opens. The two chambers may be operated alternately or together. In a modification the temperature of the chambers may be maintained above the maximum dew point temperature by water jackets (not shown). In both embodiments the rail 201b carrying the uppers may be removable from the lid so that the uppers may be loaded on the hooks 201c prior to the rail being placed in the chamber and the humidifying atmosphere may be an atomised spray of water.