US1444878A - Machine for making molded compressed articles - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 18, 1923 c. HUNT. MACHINE FOR MAKING MOLDED COMPRESSED ARTICLES.

FILED APR. 7. 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1L Feb. 13, 1923.

0. HUNT.

MACHINE FOR MAKING MOLDED.COMPRESSED ARTICLES.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FILED APR=7,1919.

Feb. 13, 1923.

c. HUNT. MACHINE FOR MAKING MOLDED COMPRESSED ARTlCLES.

FILED APR. '7, 1919i 3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

2:51. II II II I II II 'I ll II- Patented Feb, l3, 1923.

warren "rte Parent are.

CHESTER HUNT, OF LYNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T0 UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MACHINE FOR MAKING MOLDED COMPRESSED ARTICLES.

Application filed April 7,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHESTER HUNT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lynn, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain Improvements in Machines tor Making Molded Compressed Articles, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

This invention relates to the manufacture of articles such as boot or shoe heels directly from material broadly termed pulp herein, by which term I mean leather-board or any equivalent plastic material capable of being molded to' form heels or other useful articles it is well known that in view of the advancing cost of leather, it has become common to make heels largely of leather-board to provide a machine which will produce the body portions of heels, or even complete heels in some cases, rapidly, economically, automatically, and with no waste of stock whatever. To this end an important feature of the invention consists in the provision of a mold into which pulp is intermittently transferred, one portion of the mold being movable and actuated to compress the pulp and an opposite portion being movable to permit the escape of-a mold ed artic1e,'means being provided to hold the last-mentioned portion in operative position during the compressing operation.

In the illustrated machine, a pulp supply tank is provided and pulp therefrom passes through one or more pipes to a chamber in which a horizontally sliding pusher separates sufiicientdiulp for the heel part or heel ,p

places it under preliminary to be made an 1919. Serial No. 287,973.

pressure to express therefrom a large proportionof the water which then escapes is fed into a mold of the shape of the heel to be produced. A screw and toggle operated device then acts upon a portion of the mold which is constructed to form a plunger to cause said plunger to descend and compress the mass of pulp, molding it into the form of a heel. Portions of themold, such as the plunger and the bottom thereof, are perforated'to permit the further escape of moisture, and the heel is held under pressure in the mold for such length of time as Is requisite. The bottom of y the mold is movable, preferablylike a hinged trap door, and is supported by a slide which, when the plunger pressure ceases, is withdrawn, permitting the heel to fall, or be ejected, through the bottom of the mold, to be led away. In the particular embodiment of the invention shown, the molding mechanism is in triplicate, receiving pulp from one supply tank, so that three heels are formed simultaneously.

Important features of the invention con-' sist in providing for a preliminary elimination of water from the pulp onits way to the mold or molds to reduce the time of the molding operation and the length of motion required for the plunger or plungers; in providing for a slow compressing movement and rapid return of the plunger or plungers; in roviding for the ready escape of moisture i i'om the/mold or molds without permitting escape of the fibrous material; and in providing means whereby, when the molding operation has ceased and the molds are opened, aslight further motion is imparted to the plungers to eject the articles. Y

The aboveand other features of the in vention will now be described and then pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings i Fig. 1 is a. front elevation ofa machine embodying my improvements, said figure being partlybroken out or 1n section;

Fig.2 is a plan view of the machine, some arts being removed and other parts shown in section;

Figs. 3, 4, 5 and 6 are detail sectional elevations representing different stages of the molding operations; I

Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views of the upper and lower movable members, respec tively, of the mold; and

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a shoe heel which has been formed by means of mold members of the type shown in Figs. 7 and 8.

A suitable machine frame-work is indicated at 12, said frame-work supporting a supply tank or reservoir 13, only the lower portion of such tank being shown in Fig.1.

Leading downwardly from the tank 13 on opposite sides of the machine, as indicatedby comparing Fi s. 1 and '2 are two conduits 14 both of which communicate at their lower ends with: a transverse receiving chamber 15. x

The particular machine illustrated in the drawings is designed for simultaneously molding three heels and I have therefore provided three throats 16 leading horizontally from the, transverse chamber 15 to three molding devices indicated by dotted lines, in Fig. 2. I In each of the throats 16 is mounted a'reciprocating feeder or pusher 17, the three pushers being connected at their rear ends to operate simultaneously as.- hereinafter explained. 1

Each of the three molds, the vertical walls of which are indicated at. 18 in Figs.

,3 to 6 inclusive, is provided with-a hinged bottom member 19 against which a meas-- ured quantity of pulp which has been. fed to the mold chamber by a. pusher is pressed b" a top molding member or plunger 20.

he mold members 19 and 20 are formed respectively with small holes 21 and 22 for theescape of moisture, the face of each of said two mold members having athin wire I gauze sheet 23 secured to it, the gauze being fine enough to allow only water to escape through holes on the molding members.

The pushers or feeders 17,are mounted to reciprocatein guides 24, the rear ends of said pushers being suitably connected by a transverse member having at the front and rear of the machine a pin 26-extending through a slot 25 formed in the guide 24. The front and rear pins 26 extend through slots 27 formed in slides 28, there being one of said slides at the front and also one at the rear of the machine. Each slide 28 is fitted to guideways 29 (Fig. 1) and is tates inside of the loop 39.

shaft 37 having two disks 36, one of which with its intermediate operating mechanism isshown in Fig. 1. Each disk 36 carries a sector-38 which rotates along side of and behind a cam-shaped loop 39 formed in the lever 30. In other words, the lever 30 is not continuous from end to end but between its ends is open in the form of the loop 39.-

Carried by the disk 36 is a pin 40 which ro- The lever is formed or provided with a block 41 adapted, when the shaft 37 rotates in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, tobe engaged and actuated by the sector 38 so as to'swing the lever 30 toward the right in said figure. When this occurs the pushers are advanced comparatively slowly and transfer a suit-, able quantity of pulp to the molds, the lateral extension'o'f the loop 39'-in the lever permitting the pin 40 of the disk 36 to pass. without obstruction. That is, the lever pin 40 will then be in the apex of the open ing in the loop when said lever has been swung to the right. After the sector 38 has passe the block 41 of the lever, the said lever is returned to normal position,

swings so as to be in a position where the drawing back the pushers or feeders, by

head 44 of a binding screw is indicated in Fig. 1, said screw passing into the member which connects the three ushers so that by means of the said binding screw and the pin-and-slotconnection 26 and 27, thepushers 17 may be adjusted longitudinally relatively to the said slides 28.

The mechanism for operating the shaft 33 comprises a worm wheel 46 carried by said shaft and driven by a worm '47 on shaft 48 having a. belt pulley 49.

Referring now to Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive in connection with Fig. 1, each upper mold member 20 has. a stem 50 and a flange 51 which provides a wall or abutment against which the pulp is squeezed preliminarily when the'pusher 17 moves from the Fig. 4 position to the Fig. 5 position.

The stem 50 is connected at 52 to a-transverse bar 53, which latter carries the three upper mold members. The bar 53 is provided with upper extensions which are partly shown in section in Fig. 1, said extensions having vertical slots 54 through each of which a pin 55 passes,'said pin being carried by downwardly extending portions 56 of a block 57, the ends of which are guided in vertical frame brace members-58.

Pivotally connected in recessed portions 59 of the block 57 are the lowerends of four toggle links 60.. Only two of said links are indicated in Fig. 2 because said figure at p 'is mounted at its ends in suitable bearings in the frame work. Inasmuch as, in the operation of the machine, an excessive strain might be transmitted through the toggle links to the screw 62 I provide the blocks 61 with anti-friction rolls 63 .which ride.

against a portion of the frame formed ,as a smooth bearing track 64..

At one end the screw 62 is provided with a small gear 65 meshing with a large gear loose on shaft 33, said large gear having its hub formed or provided with a clutch face 67. At the other end of the screw is a small gear 68 meshing with an intermediate gear 69 which in turn meshes with a, small gear 70 loose on shaft 33 and having its hub formed or provided with a clutch face 71.

Shiftable longitudinally on the shaft 33 is a sleeve 72, said sleeve being splined or otherwise connected, as by a slot and pin, to the shaft so that said sleeve will be driven by said shaft but be capable of a slight longitudinal movement thereon. One end of the sleeve is provided witlr a clutch memannular groove 75 receiving the rolls ber 73 and the other end with a clutch member 74. The sleevea-lso is formed or fitted with an enlargement in which is an 76 (Fig. 2) of the forked arm of a lever 77 (Fig. 1)., pivoted at 78 and having a roll 80 engaging a cam 81 carried by a shafts83, a suitable spring 82 being employed to recam 81 acts.

-Carried by the shaft 83 is a worm wheel 84 driven by a worm 85 carried by a. shaft mounted in frame bearings 86 said shaft having a pinion 87 engaging a gear 88 carv ried by the shaft 33.

Before describing the mechanism further it is to be understood that the plungers, or

members which carry the upper mold members, are designed to move slowly down-- ward and to return quickly. This is effected by the mechanism and connections just described, it being understood that the gearing operates in such direction and is so timed'that when the cam 81 isacting upon the roll 80 of lever 7 7 the sleeve 72 is shifted to the leftfrom the position shown in Fig. 1 so that the clutch members 67, 73. will be inter-engaged,- and the clutch members 71, 74 will be sepa-" rated. At such time the. large gear 66, through the small gear 65, rotatesthe'screw shaft in a direction to separate the blocks 61 and s0 raise the upper mold members bymeans of the toggle links 60, then when the cam 81 has passed the roll. 80 of lever 7 7 the sleeve 72 returns to the p'osltion shown in Fig. 1 and then the screw shaft 62 is rotated in the opposite direction at a much slower speed,due to the gears 68, 69.

and 70, to bring. the blocks 61 toward each other at a slow enough speed to insure proper operation of the mold members.

When the downward movement of the upper members of the mold has ceased and the molding operation has been completed, the

.lower members of the molds are designed to open or swing down (Fig. 6). To this end the bottom mold members 19 are pivoted at 89 to fixed brackets 90 (Fig. 1). At

several wedges are connected to the two slides 91 by a transverse pin 94. Each slide 91 has, near the right in Fig. 1, a pin 95 which engages aslot in an arm 96 of a rockshaft 97,

such. rockshaft having another arm 98 carrying a roll engaging a cam groove99 in a disk secured to shaft 83 whereby, as the shaft 83 rotates, the slides 91 are reciprocated to cause the wedges 93 to alternately move under the mold members 29 to close them up against the bottom of the molds,

as shown in Fig. 3, or to retreat and release the mold members l9'as shown in Fig". 6.

At the front and rear of the machine is an elbow lever 100 pivotally supported at 101 and having its upper arm formed with a slot 102 engaged by a pin 103 projecting from the transverse bar 53. The lower arm of lever 100 is in the path of a pin or roll 104ccarried by the slide 91.

The object of this construction is to part what might be termed a knocking action to the upper mold members after the lower mold members have been swung down, so as to eject the molded articles. It is for this reason that the lostmotion. connection is provided. as hereinbefore described, consisting of the slots 54 and the pins 55. As seen in Fig. 1. the pin,55 occupies the bottom of the slot 5 1, it being assumed that the upper die members are-about to be pressed down. When the molding operation has been completed and the wedges 93 are about to be withdrawn from below the mold members 19, the cam groove 99 actuates the elbow lever 100 so as to draw the slides'9l backward and of course the pins 104 are then moving backward also. At the same'time that the slides 91 are moving backward the elbow levers 100 are'being swung so that their lower ends aremoving to the right in Fig.1 and a space still continues between the lower ends of-said elbow levers and the pins 104. After the toggle links have acted to carry down the upper mold members to exert the final pressure on the articles, the rockshaft 97 continues to be actuated by the chm groove 99 so as to withdraw the slideg 91 a little further or to a suliicient extent to cause the pins 104 to contact with the lower arms of the elbow levers 100 and actuate said elbow levers so that the upper arms thereof act through the pin and slot connections 102, 103 to pull the transverse bar 53 down sufliciently to cause the plunger members 20 to eject the molded articles through the lower openings resulting from the downward swinging of the members 19. Any mechanical equivalent of the slots 54 in the upper part of transverse bar 53 and the pins 55 carried by the toggle block 57 maybe employed for providing a lost motion connection to enable this article ejecting operation to be performed.

It is desirable that as much liquid as possible shall be squeezed out from the pulp on its way to the molds. To this end I perforate the floor of the throats 16,- as indi-- cated at 106, and provide a funnel 107 to direct liquid so forced out into any suitable receptacle.

The liquid which is pressed from the pulp in the mold will of course drop with the ar-- ticles when the latter are discharged from the molds. At this time, however, the articles have been so compressed that they will not quickly ,re-absorb any liquid and I may provide any suitable means for separating the articles from the water which means may comprise a reticulated belt driven horizontally below the molds so as to carry away the articles while permitting the liquid to fall through. n

Having now described my invention, I claim 1. A machine of the charactendescribed comprising a mold adapted to form shoe heels or heel parts, a source of. supply of pulp, a measuring conduit leading from the latter to said mold, said conduit having means for permitting'the escape of water therefrom, means for forcing pulp along the conduit, and means for exerting pressure on a portion of the mold to express liquid from the pulp.

2. A machine of the character described comprising a mold having a movable member, a measuring conduit for supplying pulp to the mold, said conduit having openings for the escape of water, a pusher in said conduit, and means for actuating the pusher and said movable member alternately.

3. In a machine of the character described, a mold having opposite movable portions, means for intermittently introducing pulp to the mold, means for preliminarily pressing the pulp before it enters the mold, means for actuating one of said portions to compress the pulp, and means for alternately opening and closing the otherof said portions. y

4. In a machine of the character described,

, Learners means for intermittently introducing pulp to the mold, means for removing water from the pulp on its way to the'mold, means for actuating one of the movable portions of the mold to compress the pulp, and means for alternately opening and closing the other of the movable portions.

5. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a mold, a pulp supply tank, a conduit from the tank to the mold, and means for positively compacting pulp in the conduit and transferring it from the conduit to the mold; I

6. A machine of the class described having. in combination, a mold, a pulp supply tank, a conduit from the tank to the mold,

and means for positively transferring the pulp from the conduit to the mold in a succession of measured. quantities under preliminary compacting pressure.

7. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a mold, a pulp supply tank, aconduit from the tank to the mold, a i

and means for measuringpulp inthe conduit and positively transferring the pulp from the conduit to the mold in asuccession of equal quantities under preliminary compacting pressure, means being provided to ing, in combination, a mold provided with a movable bottom and a lunger top, a sup-- ply tank and conduit or delivering ,pulp to the mold, a right and left hand screw, nut blocks on the screw, toggle links-connecting said blocks with the plunwr, a rigid trackway for said blocks to support the thrust of the plunger and toggle links, and means for actuating said screw.

10. A machine of the class described hav- I ing, in. combination, a mold provided with a movable bottom and a plunger top, a supply tank and conduit for delivering pulp to the mold, a right and left hand screw,

nut blocks on the screw, toggle links con-- necting said blocks with the plunger, and

means for rotating said screw faster in one direction than the other.

11 A machine of the class described having, in combination, a mold provided with a movable bottom and having fixed side walls, means for alternately holding said bottom in operative position and releasing it to permit it to open, a molding plunger movab'le toward and from said bottom, means for supplying pulp to the mold,

65 a mold having opposite movable portions, means for actuating the plunger to a pre- 95 .8. A machine of the class described havdetermined point while the mold bottom is in operative position, and means for actuating the plunger further after the mold bottom is released.

12. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a mold provided with a hinged bottom, means for supplying pulp to'the mold, a slide and means for actuating it to alternately close and release said hinged bottom. a plunger andmeans for reciprocating it relatively to said bottom, provision being made for lost motion between the plunger and its reciprocating means, and an independent plunger actuator to cause the plunger to eject the molded article after the hinged bottom opens.

13.111 a machine of the character described. amold, a pulp conduit communicating with the mold, a plunger movable past the delivery end of the conduit, means carried by said plunger to hold backthepulp in said conduit, and means for subjecting pulp in the conduit to pressure While the prevent passage of .pastthe delivery end of the conduit, a

pushcrin said conduit to feed pulp to the mold, means carried by the said plunger to close the delivery'end of the conduit and means for actuating said pusher while the plunger is in conduit-closing position, whereby the pulp in the conduit may be preliminarily compressed by the pusher.

15. In a machine of the lcharacter described, a plurality of molds. a passageway for pulp leading to each mold, a pusher in each passageway, a single member connected to the several pushers, and means for actuating said single members:

In testimony whereof'l have signed my name to thisspecification.

CHESTER HUNT.

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