US2740142A - Machines for operating on shoes - Google Patents

Description

April 3, 1956 5. J. FINN ET AL 2,740,142

MACHINES FOR OPERATING 0N SHOES Filed March 28, 1952 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 fmzemars Sidney J. Film Wcz/Ze/"L.Benedz'cf Hans FSafzaefel Jl? John Wfiursh B ez'r April 1956 s. J. FINN ETAL 2,740,142

MACHINES FOR OPERATING 0N SHOES Filed March 28, 1952 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 fnvemors Sidney JF'mn T Valzer L. Benedz'cf fzcms FSc/zaefer, Jr: John Wfiursh By thi/"A 6g April 1956 s. J. FINN ETAL 2,740,142

MACHINES FOR OPERATING 0N SHOES Filed March 28, 1952 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Inventors Sidney J. Finn T Valzer L. Benedict Hans FSchaefer; Jr John WHurs/z April 3, 1956 $1. FINN ETAL 2,740,142

MACHINES FOR OPERATING ON SHOES Filed March 28, 1952 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 JQg? 6 412- 40 2/ /2 4% 4J6 455 464K154 Q i V I 1' 4067 4)? ya," I: 246 m If 2: /66 Z55 Z95 W 5% i I 90 -59;

Sidney J. F'z'rm T Vblzer L.Benedicz Ha r25 FSc/zae fer, J1? John W Harsh y orneg April 1956 s. J. FINN ETAL 2,740,142

MACHINES FOR OPERATING 0N SHOES Filed March 28, 1952 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 1% fnvenfars Sidney J. F'z'nn WczZze/"LBeneaz'cz Hans FSa/zaefexyJr: John W ursh April 3, 1956 s. J. FlNN ETAL 2,740,142

MACHINES FOR OPERATING 0N SHOES Filed March 28, 1952 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 74 675 ROTATION 65 Inventors Sidney J Finn Wa/terL.Benedict Ha ns F'Sahaefe; Jr." John W [furs/z By 2 ez'rA orney 8 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed March 28, 1952 NNQ mn m w %N% wwm mmw mm gm JL 4 @R mmm w a QR .R aw H B Ueied W W Q 2,740,142 MACHINES FOR OPERATING N s noEs Application March 28, 1952, Serial No. 27?,4184 85 Claims. (Cl. 12 17.2)

This invention relates to machines for operating on shoes and more particularly to a novel machine of the type having a jack for supporting and feeding a shoe, so as to transfer a point of operation around a marginal portion of the shoe, while automatically maintaining the shoe in a predetermined position, relatively to an operating device, as the point of operation is thus transferred around the shoe. Although herein illustrated, by way of an example, as embodied in a machine for progressively sewing the lasting margin of the upper of a shoe and a welt to a rib on the insole of the shoe, it will be understood that the machine of this invention is of broader utility and, therefore, adapted for use generally in machines for performing other operations along the marginal portions of shoes. p

In certain prior machines of the aforementioned type, it has been proposed to locate the shoe by engagement with portions of the operating device and to control certain swinging and tipping movements of the jack, which are made to position the shoe relatively to the operating device, by means of so-called pattern cams, while the feeding movements are imparted to the jack by means of a so-called feed cam as, for example, is illutsrated in United States Letters Patent No. 1,616,714, issued February 8, 1927, in the names of Laurence E. Topham and Alfred R. Morrill. While arrangements of this type operate in a satisfactory manner, they do involve the use of complicated, and hence costly mechanical constructions and require a number of different sets of shoefliositioning, or pattern cams, in order to accommodate shoes that vary in style, or when changing over from rights to lefts. Moreover, while a considerable range of sizes may be handled in machines of this type, this is accomplished only by the use of complicated feed mechanisms and at the expense of some loss of accuracy in the positioning of the shoe, relatively to the operating device. Although attempts have hitherto been made with a view to overcoming these difliculties, as, for example, by the use of mechanism which eliminates the need for certain of the so-called pattern cams, as proposed, for example, in United States Letters Patent No. 2,005,104, issued June 18, 1935, in the name of Alfred R. Morrill, theremaining pattern and feed cams restrict the flexibility and accuracy of the machine and the necessity of guiding the shoe by engagement with portions of the operating device is still present.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention, to provide a novel and improved machine of the type here under consideration by means of which the aforementioned objections and diificulties are wholly overcome. To this end, and in accordance with a feature of the invention, the herein illustrated rnachine is provided with a poweroperated jack for supporting and feeding a shoe, to transfer the point of operation of an operating device around a marginal portion of the shoe, which is automatically controlled so as to locate the shoe and to maintain itin a predetermined operating po'sition,relatively to the operating device by mechanism including members for engaging contour surfaces on, or carried by,- the shoeitself. More particularly, and in accordance with other features of the invention, the several movements of the jack, which are required to locate the shoe and to' maintain it in a predetermined operating position, relatively to the operating device, as the point of operation of the device is transferred around a marginal portion of the shoe; are produced by means 'of a plurality of motors which are under the direct control of means actuated ,by shoe-engaging feelers. Preferably,- and in the herein illustrated machine, the several aforementioned movements of the shoesupporting jack are effected by means of fluid-pressureoperated motors, while. the means for controlling these motors comprises so-calle fluid jet relays which are actuated directly by the slide-engaging feelers. Inasmuch as contour surfaces on, or carried by the shoe being oper ated on, are utilized for controlling all of these positioning movements of the jack, this arrangement is universally adaptable to variations in style and size, as well as between rights and lefts.

With reference to an operating device, six different movements are required to position a shoe relativelyto the device, to feed the shoe so as to transfer the point of operation along the marginal portion 'of the shoe and to maintain a predetermined operative relation between the shoe and the operatingdevice, during the feeding of the shoe.

rectangular axes or coordinates, while the other three movements occur as rotations, respectively, about these coordinates as axes. For convenience in identification, these coordinates may be designated in a conventional way as x'-x, yy and z "z; while the rotation of the shoe about these coordinates may be referred to respectively as xr, yr and 21-. Thus the shoe may be positioned, relatively to the operating device, by rectilinear movements along; or parallel to, two of these coordinates, and the feeding of the shoe may be effected by rectilinear movernent along, or parallel to, the third coordinate. However, in order to maintain a predetermined operative relation between the shoe "and the operating device, as the shoe is fedalong, the shoe mus't'also be rotated about each of these coordinates, or axes. Accordingly, the j'ack of the herein illustrated machine is so constructed as to provide for the aforementioned six movements which "may, for convenience, be denominated respectively as transverse or in and out (x-' 'x), longitudinal or feeding '(y -y), heightwise or up and down ('z-z), rotational ('zr )',1ongitudinal or pitch tipping (air) and lateral or roll tipping (yr) movements. In order that each of these movements may occur without displacing the shoe along, or above, other of these coordinates, the herein illustrated jack is so constructed that these "coordinates intersect substantially at the workin'g po'int 'of the device and remain in this position during all movements of the jack. To this end, the several slides and/or bearings along, or "about which the several motions take place, are supported by each other in a definite superimposed relation so that the transverse, longitudinal, and heightwise slides, or bearings, the supported on the rotational hearing, or slide, which in turn is mounted on the longitudinal tipping and lateral tipping slides, or bearings. v

For effecting the aforementioned movements of the jack, six fiuid-pressure operated motors are provided and these motors are controlled by means of so-called fluid jet relays which, in turn, are actuated by feelers that are arranged to engage contour surfaces on the shoe itself. These feelers are adapted to respond to any departure of the shoe from its correct position, at-any instant, and to effect the movement, or movements, of the jack which are necessary to return the shoe to its eorrectposition.

For example, any departure of .the shoe from a correct Patented Apr. 3, 1956- Three of these movements may be considered. as taking place, respectively, along, or parallel to, threeheightwise position is detected by an appropriate feeler which, through the action of its associated fluid jet relay, immediately initiates movement of the jack, by the upand-down or elevation motor, in a direction to return the shoe to the desired position. Such movement, in turn, is sensed. by the feeler which, through its fluid jet relay, brings the motor to a stop when the shoe reaches the desired position. Similar actions occur with respect to all of the other movements of the jack which are required for positioning the shoe and for maintaining it in a predetermined operative relation to the device.

As suggested above, the transverse and longitudinal slides, or bearings, of the jack are supported on the rotational bearing, or slide. Assuming that the point of operation is to be transferred along the marginal edge of the bottom of a shoe on the jack, from the heelbreast line on one side of the shoe to the heel-breast line on the opposite side of the shoe, it will be apparent that the jack will have to be rotated in a horizontal plane and through an angle of approximately 180 in order to maintain the marginal edge of the shoe bottom in the desired relation to the operating device, i. e., with a line tangent to the edge of the shoe bottom at the instant point of operation parallel to the direction inwhich the shoe must be fed along, relatively to the operating device, and perpendicular to the direction in which the shoe must be moved, toward or away from the operating device, to position the Working point transversely, with respect to the operating device. Accordingly, the feeding of the shoe and also its transverse movements toward or away from the operating device must he etfected by combinations of movements of the jack along its transverse and longitudinal hearings, or slides, and only at certain points along the marginal edge of the shoe bottom will the feeding and/ or lateral movements of the jack correspond, or be parallel to, the movement of the jack along these slides or bearings. On the other hand, however, the movements of the shoe-engaging feeler, which, by controlling the operation of the fluid-pressure-operated motors, efiect the feeding and lateral correcting movements of the jack, do take place in directions corresponding respectively, to the direction of feed of the shoe and to the direction of lateral or transverse movement of the shoe, toward or away from the device.

In order that such movements of these feelers may effeet the desired feeding and transverse correcting movements of the shoe, by combined movements of the jack on its longitudinal and transverse bearings, the following arrangement is provided, in accordance with a feature of the invention. The movements of the jack along its longitudinal bearing and along its transverse hearing are controlled by a combined fluid jet relay having a single jet nozzle, which is mounted for universal movement in a plane parallel to two of the rectilinear coordinates mentioned above (x--x, y-y), and a jet receiver having four openings arranged in equi-angular relation. Two oppositely disposed of these four openings are connected, respectively, to the opposite ends of a fluid-pressureoperated motor adapted to efiect movement of the jack along its longitudinal slide, or hearing, while the other two oppositely disposed openings are connected respectively, to the opposite ends of a fluid-pressure-operated motor adapted to effect movement of the jack along its transverse slides, or bearings. This jet receiver is mounted for rotation and is operatively connected to the jack in such a way that, as the jack is rotated around its rotary slide, or hearing (zr) the first-mentioned pair of oppositely disposed openings are always in alinement with the direction of movement of the jack along its longitudinal slide, or hearing, while the last-mentioned pair of openings are always in alinement with the direction of movement of the jack along its transverse slides, or bearings.

With this arrangement, a displacement of the jet nozzle of this fluid jet relay in any direction will result in movement of the jack in exactly the opposite direction.

4. The feeler for controlling the transverse (in-out) position of the shoe relatively to the operating device, to displace the jet nozzle in a direction parallel to the x-x coordinate, mentioned above, while the mechanism for effecting the feeding of the shoe, to be referred to below, is arranged to displace this same jet nozzle in a direction parallel to the y-y coordinate. Therefore, re-

gardless of the angular (2r) disposition of the jack, the

desired transverse correcting (x-x) andfeeding (y-y) movements will be imparted to the jack as a result of a combination of movements of the jack along its transverse and vertical line or longitudinal slides or hearings, in response to corresponding displacements of the jet nozzle.

Preferably, and as herein illustrated, the feeler which controls the transverse in-out positioning movements of the jack is so arranged that its contacting point is coincident with, and displaceable in a direction along, the x-x coordinate of movement of the jack, while the operating point of the feeler which controls the rotational (Zr) movements of the jack is ofiset somewhat from the first-mentioned feeler in a direction parallel to the direction of feed of the shoe. As will be apparent, a correcting movement of tire shoe, toward or away from the operating device, effected by displacement of the inout feeler, would tend to produce a corresponding displacement of the rotation feeler which would result in an undesired rotational movement of the shoe. In order to overcome this difliculty and assure that the rotation feeler will effect only the desired rotational movements of the shoe, regardless of displacement of the in-out feeler, the following arrangement is provided, in accordance with a further feature of the invention. The rotational feeler is pivoted on an arm which has a fixed pivot point and is connected directly to the in-out feeler. Thus the rotational feeler is mounted for movement toward and away from the shoe, with the in-out feeler, without displacement of the jet nozzle of its associated jet relay, and responds only to displacements relatively to the inout feeler which result froma change in the curvature of the contour surface.

In the herein illustrated machine, the feeding movements of the jack are provided by a combination of the movements of the jack along its transverse and longitudinal slides, or hearings, and these movements are effected as a result of displacement of the jet nozzle of the combined fluid jet relay, referred to above, in a direction parallel to the yy coordinate. The arrange ment of this combined jet relay is such that the linear rate of feeding movement of the jack is proportional to the extent of displacement cordauce with another feature of the invention, means are provided for matching the rate of feed of the shoe by the jack to the normal rate of feed of the shoe by the operating device. More particularly, the invention is illustrated as embodied in a machine for progressively sewing the upper and welt of a lasted shoe to a rib on the insole of the shoe. Thus this machine has an in seaming head of conventional construction which is provided with an awl for piercing the welt, upper and insole rib, a needle for entering the hole thus formed, and the usual stitch-forming devices, cooperating with the needle to form a seam for progressively securing the welt and upper to the insole rib. As is common in inseaming heads of this type, the awl and needle are adapted, while penetrating the welt, upper and insole rib, to impart a substantially continuous feeding movement to the jack. However, the inseaming head may have other types of shoe-engaging means for imparting a feeding movement to the shoe such, for example, as are disclosed in the patent to Topham et al. No. l-,6l6,7l4, referred to above. It is, therefore, necessary that the rate of feeding movement of the jack be matched to the rate of feeding movement imparted to the shoe by the awl and needle, or other shoe-engaging means. For

is adapted.

of its nozzle and, in acamaze the herein illustrated niachinefisprovided with mechanism, associated "with the c'a'in shaft er the inseaming head and op'eratively connected to the jet nozzle of the 'combinedlluid jet relay, which is adapted the rate of feed of the shoe by feeding'rate of the awl and neeby displacement of the jet nozzle in accordance vary the feeding rate of the jack until it exactlym'atches the normal feeding rate of the inseaming head. More particularly, the rate of feed of the welt, as it travels along during the inseaming'operation, is used as a measure of the rate of feed of the jack and this a is varied, by displacement of the aforementioned jet exactly matched to the rate of the feed head.

In automatic machines of the type herein under consideration, it is essential, if full advantage of the time and labor-saving possibilities are to be realized, that the loading and unloading of shoes be readily accomplished with a minimum amount of operator skill and effort. It is, therefore, another object of this invention, to provide a novel and improved apparatus for handling shoes which greatly facilitates the loading and unloading of the jack of the herein illustrated machine. For this purpose, the jack of the machine is adapted to receive and hold any one of a plurality of shoe holders on which the shoes to be inseamed can be mounted by the operator, during the automatic operating cycle of the machine. In order that the automatic operation performed by the machine, herein illustrated as inseam ing, may certainly be commenced and terminated at appropriate locations along the marginal portion of every shoe, the jack is arranged to receive and hold each successive shoe holder in the same relative position, when placed thereon by an operator, and supplementary means are provided for locating each successive shoe on its holder in a predetermined position.

In order to facilitate the loading of shoes mounted on shoe holders onto the jack, and their subsequent removal therefrom after inseaming, and to relieve the operator of the responsibility for starting and stopping the operation of the jack and of the operating device, the herein illustrated machine is, in accordance with still further features of the invention, provided with auxiliary, or secondary controlling mechanisms. More particularly, these controlling mechanisms include electrically operated valves for controllling various movements of the jack and an electrical system for controlling the operation of these valves. Thus, the arrangement is such that, after a shoe holder and shoe have been loaded onto the jack, this controlling mechanism is effective, in response to the closing of a starting switch by the operator, first of the inseaming initiate the automatic feeding and positioning movements of the jack and to start the action of the operating device, and finally to terminate the automatic feeding and positioning movements of the jack and the action of the operating device and to cause the jack to return to its loading position. In addition, this secondary controlling mechanism includes certain safety devices adapted to terminate the automatic operating cycle of the jack and operating device immediately in; response to faulty action of. either the jack or the operating device, or at the will of the operator.

7 means of -a belt 58,- Fig; 1.

and other objects and feait ures o f the invention wil, appe'eir'in the, following detailed description of a preferred embodimentthereofillustrated in the accompanying drawings and will be pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, 7

Fig. lis a perspective view of the 'front of a machine embodying the features of this invention; 7 H

Fig. 2 is a view 'in front elevation of a loading station which is associated with the machine shown in Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a view in end elevation of a portion of the loading station shown 'in Fig. 2; I

i Fig. 4 is a view in vertical section substantially on line IV-IV of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows, of a portion of a shoefholder which is shown mounted onth'e loadingstation in Fig. 2;,

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the shoe holder with certain parts broken away and others shown in section;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a portion of the machine shown in Fig. l with certain parts broken away and others shown in section; I v

Fig. 7 is a view in front elevation ofafeed-controlling mechanism forming a part of the machine illustrated in Fig. 8 is a detail view of a portion of the machine with certain partsin verticalsection;

Fig. 9 is a perspective exploded view, atan enlarged scale, of certain elements of that portion of the machine which is shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a schematic perspective view of a tion of the machine illustrated in Fig. 1; i

Fig. 11 is a plan view of shoe-e'ngaging feelers forming part of the controlling mechanism of the machine; I

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the operating and controlling elements of the machine together with a portion of a shoe being operated upon;

Fig. 13 is a hydraulic diagram; and

Fig. 14 is an electrical diagram.

Referring to these drawings, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 10 thereof, the machine illustrated therein is adapted major porposition, relatively to 7 Thus, the machine is provided with an inseammg head of known construction which is indicated generally by an awl 42, I finger 46, a welt guide 48 and a thread take-up, not shown. I These several operating instrumentalities are associated with a' head casting 50, Figs. 1 and 6, and are operated by means of a driving and stopping mechanism, contained within this head casting and including a main ca'in shaft 52 partiallyillustrated in Fig. 6, and a control clutch, not shown.

I Mounted on the top of: the head casting 50 is a thread supply container 60 from which see the thread '1 is directed downwardly into the head casting, Where it is engaged with the thread take-up mechanism, not shown, and thence to the looper 44 and other operating instrumentalities. Because of the manner in which the shoe being inseamed is automatically fed along and positioned, with respect to the operating instrurnentalities of the inseaming head, by means of the jack and the control mechanism to be described below, in the inseaming head herein illustrated the usual back rest {see element of the machine illustrated in the firstrnentioned Morrill patent, referred to above) has been omitted, while the function of the channel guide (element 18 of Morrill) is performed by another element of the herein illustrated machine in a manner which will appear below. In all other respects, however, the inseaming head operates to sew the upper U of a shoe S and a welt W to the rib R of the insole I of the shoe in exactly the same manner as is explained in the first-mentioned patent to Merrill to which reference may be had for details not here described. In addition to the operating instrumentalities mentioned above, the inseaming head herein illustrated is provided with a thread-gripping member 70, a welt knife 72, a thread knife 74 and a weltadvancing finger 76, see Fig. 12. These elements correspond, respectively, with the elements 736, 864, 866 and 884 of the machine disclosed in the secondmentioned Morrill patent and operate in the manner explained in that patent when the inseaming head is caused to go through its so-called back-up cycle.

The shoe-supporting and feeding jack 22 is illustrated in Fig. 1 and is also shown, more or less schematically, in Fig. 10 of the drawings. This jack comprises an upper work-supporting member 100 which, as will be explained below, is adapted to receive a shoe holder, indicated generally by the reference character 102. This work-supporting member is carried on the upper end of a piston 104, which is slidable in a cylinder 106. This cylinder extends upwardly from a cross slide 108 which is supported for reciprocating movement on a second cross slide 110 and this second slide is supported for reciprocating movement on a table 112. This table is rotatably mounted in a bearing 114-, carried by an arcuate slide 116 which is supported for movement in guideways 118 formed in the upper part of a second arcuate slide 120. The arcuate slide 120, in turn, is mounted for arcuate movement in guideways 122, formed in a base member 124 which is secured to the base portion 24 of the frame construction. The cross slides 108 and 110 are constrained for reciprocating movement at right angles to each other, while the arcuate movements of the slides 116 and 120. are confined to planes perpendicular to each other. The centers of curvature of the two sets of guideways 118 and 122 min cide at, or substantially at, the so-called point of operation of the operating instrumentalities of the inseaming head. The axis of rotation of the table 112 passes through this point of operation and thus includes the centers of curvature of the guideways 118, 122. Accordingly, the construction of this jack is such that, by various combinations of movements of the several slides, a shoe S mounted on a shoe holder 102, received in the supporting member 100, can be fed along, to cause the point of operation of the inseaming head to be transferred around a marginal portion of the shoe while the shoe is maintained in a predetermined operating position, relatively to the operating instrumentalities. As has already been suggested above, for thus feeding the shoe and maintaining it in a predetermined operating position, six movements thereof are required, namely, rectilinear movements parallel to three rectangular coordinates xx, y-y and zz, and rotary movements about these axes, i. e., xr, yr and zr, see Figs. 10 and 12. For convenience, these six movements will be referred to below, respectively, as transverse, feeding, vertical, pitch, roll and rotation.

Referring to Fig.12, the shoe S is positioned laterally,

with respect to the operating instrumentalities of the inseaming head, by transverse movements in directions parallel to the coordinate x-x, it is located in a heightwise direction by vertical movements in directions parallel to the coordinate z-z, the bottom of the shoe, at the instant point of operation, is leveled longitudinally, and laterally, respectively, by rotation about the coordinate x-x (pitch) and about the axis yy (roll), and a line tangent to the marginal point of the shoe, at the operating point, is maintained in a position substantially perpendicular to the line of action of the awl 42 and needle 40, by rotation about the coordinate zz, while the feeding of the shoe to transfer the point of operation along the marginal portion of the shoe, i. e., insole rib R, is effected by movement of the shoe in a direction parallel to the coordinate y-y. As will be apparent, these several movements correspond to those which would be imparted to the shoe by an operator for feeding the shoe while maintaining it in a proper position, relatively to an operating device, such for example as an inseaming head.

The several positioning movements of the shoe, referred to above, are effected as a result of individual and/or combined movements of the several component parts of the jack which are produced by power-operated means and controlled by shoe-engaging feelers. Referring particularly to Fig. 10, the vertical movements are imparted to the shoe by means of the piston 104 in response to fluid under pressure, admitted to, or exhausted from, the opposite ends of the cylinder 106 through a pair of conduits 140, 142, see also Fig. 13. The transverse move ments and the longitudinal, or feeding, movements are imparted to the shoe as a result of reciprocation of one or the other, or both of the cross slides 108, 110. For thus reciprocating the cross slide 108 there is connected to it a double piston arrangement 144 which operates in a double cylinder construction 146, and connected to the opposite ends of the double cylinder 146 are a pair of conduits 148, 150. Similarly, reciprocating movements are imparted to the cross slide by means of a double piston 152 which operates in a double cylinder 154. This double piston is connected to the slide 110 by means of rack teeth 156, pinions 158, 160 and rack teeth 162, which are cut on this slide, Fig. 10. Connected to the opposite ends of the double cylinder 154 are a pair of conduits 164, 166. Rotation of the table 112 is effected by means of a rotary fluid-pressure motor 168 which drives a pinion 169 meshing with a gear 170, associated with this table. Leading from the opposite sides of the motor 168 are a pair of conduits 172, 174. Arcuate movement of the slide 116 is effected by means of a double piston 176 which is received in a double cylinder 178 and connected to the slide by means of rack teeth 180, pinions 182, 184 and rack teeth 186 on this slide. Leading from the opposite ends of the cylinder 178 are a pair of conduits 1'88, 190. Similarly, arcuate movement is imparted to the slide by means of a double piston 192 which is received in a double cylinder 194 and operatively connected to this 196, pinions 198, 200 and rack teeth 202 on this slide. Leading from the opposite ends of the cylinder 194 are a pair of conduits 204, 206.

The flow of pressure fluid to, and exhaust from, the several pairs of conduits 140, 142; 148, 164, 166; 172, 174;,188, and 204, 206 for effecting vertical movement of the piston 104, reciprocating movements of the cross slides 108, 110, the rotation of the table 112, and the reciprocating movements of the arcuate slides 116, 120 are controlled, respectively, by six fluid jet relays of the type disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,672,150, issued March 16, 1954, in the names of Walter L. Benedict and Sidney J. Finn. As is explained in more detail in the mentioned Benedict et al. patent, jet relays of this type include a movable jet nozzle for controlling the flow of pressure fluid from a suitable source to, and

slide 'by means of rack teeth exhaust from, a pair of openings in a jet receiver, the arrangement being such that extremely small displacements of the jet nozzle, from a centered position relatively to the two openings, results in relatively large pressure diiferences in discharge conduits connected to the two openings so that an extremely sensitive and accurate control of the operation of a fluid-pressure motor, to which the discharge conduits are connected, is provided.

The jet relay which controls the operation of the piston 104 is indicated generally by the reference character 210, and comprises a movable jet nozzle 212, and a jet receiver 214 having a pair of openings which are connected respectively to the conduits 140, 142, see Fig. 10. For displacing the jet nozzle 212 from a centered position with respect to the openings in the jet receiver 214, thereby to control the vertical reciprocating movements of the piston 104, this nozzle is connected to one arm 216 of a double-acting feeler 218 by means of a link 220, Figs. and 11. This feeler has an operating end which, during the operation of the machine, is adapted to engage the bottom of the insole I of the shoe S and the inside face of the insole rib R, see Figs. 11 and 12, and is supported on a horizontal shaft 222 by means of a universal joint, including a vertically disposed shaft 224, in such a manner that its operating end is free to move in two directions, one generally parallel to the coordinate zz and the other generally parallel to coordinate x-x. As illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 11, the feeler 218 is constantly biased in directions toward engagement with the bottom of the shoe and with the inside surface of the insole rib by means of coil springs 224, 226. Movement of this feeler in a direction parallel to the coordinate z.z, i. e., in a heightwise direction, will rock the arm 216 about the axis of the shaft 222 and shift the link 220 in a direction substantially parallel to its length, thereby displacing the jet nozzle 212 of the relay 210. As is explained in the Benedict et al. patent, this jet nozzle is normally held in a centered position, relatively to the openings in the jet receiver 214, and when in this position, the pressure of the fluid in the conduits 140, 142 is equalized and the piston 104 is held stationary. Hence, vertical displacement of the feeler 218 will shift the nozzle from centered position and result in a corresponding vertical movement of the piston 104. The arrangement is such that, when this feeler is moved upwardly, the piston 104 will be moved downwardly and vice versa. It will, therefore, be apparent that the piston 104, jet relay 210, link 220, and feeler 218 will function as a closed loop servo mechanism which will effect vertical movements of the shoe S so as to maintain the point of operation, adjacent to the location where this feeler engages the bottom of the insole I, in a predetermined heightwise position, relatively to the operating instrumentalities of the inseaming head, as the thereof is provided with two sets of openings 242, 242 and 244, 244, see Fig. 9, and is mounted for rotation in a bearing block 246, Fig. 8. The openings 242, 242 are disposed along a horizontal axis zza while the openings 244, 244 are disposed along horizontal axes yy at right angles thereto. The jet receiver is formed as a block 248 which is provided with two pair of annular groovesv 250, 250 and 252,

252 These pairs of grooves are connected,

. 10 respectively, to the openings 242, 242 and 244', 244 by pairs of axial passages 254, 254 and 256, 256, and also to the conduits 148, 150 and1-64, 166, see Figs, 8 and 9. The block 248 has an integrally formed shaft portion 258 and secured to this shaft portion is a worm wheel 260. This worm wheel is in mesh with a worm 262, Fig. 8, which is connected to one end of a flexible shaft 264. Secured to the other end of this flexible shaft is a pinion 266 which is in mesh with the gear 170 on the table 12. The ratios of the gears 266, 170 and worm and wheel 260, 262 are such that the jet receiver 240 is revolved in unison with the table 112 and hence remain in a predetermined orientation relatively to the two cross slides 108, 110 which are carried by this table. Referring to Figs. 9, 10' and 11, the orientation of the jet receiver 240 is such that, as the table 112 is rotated, the line a-a, along which the openings 242, 242 are disposed, Fig. 9, always remains parallel to the direction of movement of the cross slide 108, while the line bb, along which the openings 244, 244 are disposed, always remains parallel to the direction of move ment of the cross slide 110.

The jet nozzle 236 flexible et pipe 270 which, in

244, by means of two sets of leaf springs 272, 274, Fig. 6, and when the nozzle is in this centered position its discharge orifice 276, which are also arranged, in the manner explained in the Benedict et a1; patent, in such a manner that the jet nozzle to a second link 280, also connected to this nozzle. will be apparent from Fig. 6 that the arm 230 is so disposed angularly,

direction of movement of the link 232, and also of the jet nozzle 236, in response to displacement of the feeler 218 in a horizontal direction parallel to the coordinate x-x. Accordingly, horizontal displacement of the feeler 218 will now cause 11 0 parallel to the coordinate x-x and the connections between the openings244, ends of the cylinder 154 are such that displacement of the feeler in one direction will effect movement of this cross slide in the opposite direction. As will be ap parent, for all other orientations of the table 112 and of the cross slides 108, carried thereby, a displacement of. thefeeler 218, in. a, horizontal direction parallel to, the coordinate x.-x, will result. ina' movement of a shoe mounted on the supporting member 100 of the jack in the opposite direction, as a result of a combination of movements of the cross slides 108, 110. Thus, the feeler 218, link 232, jet nozzle 236, jet receiver 240, and the pistons and cylinders 144, 146 and 152, 154 associated with the cross slides 108, 110 provide a closed loop servo mechanism which will effect transverse movement of a shoe S in a direction parallel to the coordinate x--x, to maintain the point of operation adjacent to the location in which the feeler 218 engages the inside of the insole rib R, in a predetermined position laterally of the bottom of the shoe, relatively to the operating instrumentalities of the inseaming head, as the shoe is fed along to transfer the point of operation along the marginal portion of the shoe bottom.

Referring again to the jet nozzle 236, as was explained above, this nozzle is constrained by the leaf springs 272 and 274 for movement in one or two paths at right angles to each other, one of which path is parallel to the direction of movement of the link 232, while the other is parallel to the direction of movement of a second link 280. It has also been pointed out that movements of this jet nozzle along the first of these two paths, as a result of displacement of the feeler 218 in a horizontal plane and substantially parallel to the coordinate x-x, effects transverse movement of the shoe S, relatively to the inseaming head, by individual or combined movements of the cross slides 108, 110. It, therefore, should be apparent from the geometry of the setup, that displacement of the jet nozzle 236 along the second path, by movement of the link 280, will result in movement of the shoe in a direction parallel to the coordinate yy, i. e., a feeding of the shoe to transfer the point of operation of the inseaming instrumentalities along the marginal portion of the bottom of the shoe. Thus, as will appear below, the operation of the jack to feed the shoe is controlled by mechanism which acts through the link 280 is displace the jet nozzle 236 along the last-mentioned path and in a direction at right angles to the direction in which this nozzle is displaced by movement of the feeler parallel to the x-x coordinate.

As the shoe is fed along by the jack, it is moved transversely and vertically by the two closed loop servo mechanisms which are controlled by the feeler 218 and thus the point of operation, adjacent to this feeler, is maintained in the proper heightwise and lateral positions, transversely of the inseaming head. In addition to these transverse and heightwise positioning movements of the shoe, which take place parallel to the x-x and z-z coordinates, it is necessary that the shoe be rotated about the coordinate z-z, in order to maintain the tangent to the marginal portion of the shoe, at the instant point of operation, substantially parallel to the y-y coordinate, and normal to the line of action of the: operating instrumentalities, and also that the shoe be rotated about one or both of the coordinates xx and yy so that the bottom of the shoe, adjacent to the point of operation, is maintained in a position substantially parallel to the line of action of the operating instrumentalities, i. e., is leveled. The first of these movements will be referred to as rotation, while the other two motions are identi fied, respectively, as pitch (rotation about the x-x coordinate) and roll (rotation about the yy coordinate).

The rotation movements of the shoe are controlled by the conjoint action of the feeler 218, previously mentioned, and another feeler 300, Figs. 10, 11 and 12. As is shown in Fig. 11, the feeler 300 has an operating end which is adapted to bear against the bottom of the insole I of the shoe S and against the inside surface of the insole rib R. This feeler has two arms 302 and 304 and is mounted for pivotal movement, in a plane generally perpendicular to the x--x coordinate, on a shaft 306, and for pivotal movement also in a plane substantially perpendicular to the z--z coordinate, on a universal joint'including a pin 308. Supported on the arm 304 of this feeler, by means of a flexure point comprising a thin strip of metal 310, is a bell-crank lever 312 one arm 314 of which is connected, by means of a link 316, to the arm 230 of the feeler 218. With this arrangement, if the operating end of the feeler 300 is displaced in either direction, in a plane parallel to the x-x and y-y coordinates and relatively to the feeler 218, the link 316 and the bell-crank lever 312 will pivot about the point of connection of the link 316 to the arm 230 and the other arm 318 of the bell-crank lever 312 will be displaced in the opposite direction as the operating end of the feeler. However, if the operating ends of both of the feelers 218 and 300 are displaced equally, in. either direction in a plane parallel to the x-x and y-y coordinates, the end of the arm 318 of the bell-crank lever 312 will remain stationary as the swinging movement of the arm 304 is equalized by an equal and opposite swinging movement of the bell-crank lever 312,

about the flexible joint, imported to it by the link 316.

Thus, if the shoe S assumes a position in which the tangent to the marginal portion at the point of operation, i. e., a line drawn between the points of contact of the feelers 218, 300 with the inside of the insole rib R, is not parallel to the y-y coordinate, the end of the arm 318 of the bell-crank lever 312 will be displaced from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 11. Connected to the outer end of the arm 318 of the bell-crank lever 312 is one end of a link 320 the other end of which is connected to the movable jet nozzle 322 of a jet relay indicated generally by the reference character 324, see Fig. 10. This jet relay is similar to those previously mentioned and has a jet receiver 326 provided with two openings which are connected, respectively, to the two conduits 172, 174 leading to the opposite ends of the rotary fiuid pressure motor 168. As has been previously explained, this motor is adapted to rotate the table 112 and the arrangement is such that, when the feeler 300 is displaced in either direction, relatively to the feeler 218, as a result of the shoe S assuming a position in which a line between the points of contact of the feelers 218, 300 with the insole rib R is not parallel to the coordinate y-y, the motor 168 will be caused to rotate the table 112 and the shoe 8 which is supported thereon in the opposite direction until the shoe assumes the desired position with the line of contact of these feelers with the rib substantially parallel to the yy coordinate. The feeler 300 is constantly biased in a direction toward the rib R by means of a spring 332, diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 11. Hence, as the jack is operated to effect feeding of the shoe, to transfer the point of operation along the marginal portion of the shoe, the feeler 300 will constantly engage the inside surface of the insole rib R and, as a result of displacement relatively to the feeler 218 in a plane parallel to the x-x, y-y coordinates, effect rotation of the table 112 and also of the shoe S in a proper direction to maintain the tangent to the marginal portion of the shoe at the instant point of operation, substantially parallel to the yy coordinate.

The arm 302 of the feeler 300 is connected, by means of a link 340, to the movable jet pipe 342 of a jet relay indicated generally by the reference character 344. This jet relay is similar to the others previously described and has a jet receiver 346 which is provided with a pair of openings connected, respectively, to the two conduits 188, which lead to the opposite ends of the cylinder 178. A spring 352, diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 11, is adapted to swing the arm 302, by rotation about the axis of the shaft 306, in a direction to move the feeler 300 downwardly and into engagement with the bottom surface of the insole I of the shoe S. The arrangement is such that, when the jet pipe 342 is displaced from its centered position, as a result of movement of the feeler 300 in either direction about the shaft 306 as an axis, the shoe S will be rocked in a direction to return the jet pipe to its centered position, in response to arcuate movement of the slide 116 by the piston 176. Also mounted for pivotal movement on the shaft 306 is a third feeler 368 having an operating end and an arm 362. This arm is connected, by means of a link 364, to the movable jet pipe 366 of a jet relay, indicated generally by the reference character 368. This jet relay is similar to those already described and has a jet receiver 370 provided with a pair of openings connected, respectively, to the two conduits 204, 2% which lead to the opposite ends of the cylinder 194. A spring 376, diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 11, is adapted to swing the arm 362, by rotation about the axis of the shaft 306, in a direction to move the feeler 360 downwardly and into engagement with the bottom surface of the insole I of the shoe S. The arrangement is such that, when the jet pipe 366 is displaced from its centered position, as a result of swinging movement of the feeler 360 in either direction, the shoe S will be rocked in a direction to return the jet nozzle to its centered position, in response to arcuate movement of the slide 129 by the piston 192.

The arcuate movements of the slide 116 take place in a plane which is perpendicular to the x-x coordinate and the radius of curvature of this slide is such that its center is on the xx coordinate, while the arcuate movements of the slide 120 take place in a plane Which is perpendicular to the yy coordinate and the radius of curvature of this slide is such that its center is on the yy coordinate. As shown in Figs. 11 and 12, the point of contact of feeler 300 with the bottom of the insole I lies substantially on the yy coordinate, while the point of contact of the feeler 360 lies on the xx coordinate. Also, the feeler 218 engages the insole I at the point of intersection of these two coordinates, i. e., on the coordinate z-z. Accordingly, as the jack is operated to feed the shoe S to transfer the point of operation of the inseaming head along the marginal portion of the bottom e., is leveled, as a result movements of the shoe about the x-x coordinate (pitch) and y-y coordinate (roll) by the pistons 176 and 192 in response to displacement of the jet nozzles 342, 366 by the feelers 300 and 366.

As has been pointed out above, the longitudinal feeding movements of the shoe, to transfer the point of operation along the marginal portion of the bottom of the shoe, are effected by a combination mounted on a bearing stud 422 formed on the housing 410, and this idler gear is in mesh with a bevel gear 424 on the end of the cam shaft 52 of the inseaming head, see Fig. 6. The shaft 414 extends somewhat beyond the end of the bearing extension 412 and slidably supported on this extending portion of the shaft is a carrier member 426 in which there is journaled a shaft 428. Secured to this shaft, within the carrier which is hollow, is a Worm wheel 430 and fast on this shaft outside of the carrier is a roller 432. A leaf spring 434, secured at its opposite ends respectively to an arm 436, which extends forwardly from the lowerpart ofthe bearing extension 41 2',- and an arm 438, which is fastened to the carrier- 426,"

normally urges the carrier to the right, as viewed in Fig. 7, and into contact with. the end of the bearing extension 412. Pivotally mounted on the bearing extension, by

means of a pin. 44-0, is a bell-crank lever 442 on one arm of which there is journaled an idle roller 444. A coil spring 446, stretched between the other arm of thebellcrank lever 442 and a pin 443, on the arm 436, tends to swing the idle roller toward the roller 432 on the carrier at one end, a leaf spring 464. engaging the lever 400 and is so arranged as to exert a force on the link 408 tending to hold the carrier 426, to which one end of this link is adjustably secured, in the position in which it is shown in Fig. 7, i. e., in engagement with the end of the bearing extension 41-2. Associated with the arm 462 is an adjusting screw 466 which bears against the extension 460. By rotating this screw, the arm 462 may be swung in one direction or the other to vary the action of the leaf spring 464.

The welt W which is being sewed to the insole rib R of the insole I on the shoe As will be understood from the aforementioned Morrill patent, when the inseaming head is operating, the needle 40 and the awl 42 are adapted to impart a substantially continuous feeding movement to the shoe S and also to the welt W. As previously explained, the displacement of the jet nozzle 236 by the link 280 will cause the jack to impart a feeding movement to a shoe S mounted on the supporting member 100. Referring to Fig. 6, the arrangement is such that, when this jet nozzle is displaced by the link 280 in a direction extending downwardly and to the left, the shoe will be fed along, from left to right, in a direction parallel to the y-y coordinate, Fig. 11, and at a rate depending on the magnitude of the displacement of the nozzle. By suitable adjustment of the link 408 relatively to the carrier 426, the jet nozzle 236 is caused to occupy a centered position, relatively to the two sets of openings 242, 242 and 244, 244 in the receiver block 240, when the carrier 426 is in engagement with the bearing extension 412. Hence, just as soon as the inseaming head is set into operation, the shaft 414 will begin to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow on roll 432 in Fig. 7. Rotation of this shaft in this di-" rection will tend to rotate the roller 432 in a clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow. Inasmuch as the shoe S and welt W are at this time stationary, this roller is held against rotation and acts as a nut so that thecarrier 426 is shifted over to the left, Fig. 7, by the worm 416 acting as a screw. Such movement of the carrier immediately displaces the jet nozzle 236 from its centered position and the jack begins to feed the shoe and to draw along the welt W. As the welt is thus drawn along by the moving shoe, rotation of the roller 432, in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 7, is permitted, and, if the rate of feed of the shoe exceeds a predeter mined value, this roller will actually be driven by the Accordingly, the carrier 426 will justed toa position in which the rate be quickly ad'- of feed of the shoe is such that the moving welt tends to rotate the roller 432 at exactly the same number of revolutions per minute as the worm 416 tends to rotate the worm wheel 430. As will be apparent, by suitably selecting the gears 418, 420, 424, worm 416 and worm wheel 430 and the diameter of the roller 432, the rate of feed of the shoe by the jack can be exactly matched to the rate of feed which would otherwise be imparted to the shoe by the awl and needle of the inseaming head.

The fluid-pressure system, by means of which fluid under pressure, e. g., oil, is supplied to the several jet relays 210, 238, 324, 344 and 368, as well as to other fluid-pressure-operated mechanisms of the machine, is illustrated diagrammatically in Fig. 13. A motor-driven pump 500 draws the operating fluid from a sump, not shown, and delivers it into high- pressure feed lines 504 and 506. The line 504 leads directly to a sequence valve 508 and has a branch line 510 which is connected to a pilot valve 512. Leading from the sequence valve are five supply lines 514, 516, 518, 520 and 521 which lead, respectively, to the jet relays 210, 238, 324, 344 and 368. These five jet relays are provided, respectively, with discharge pipes 522, 524, 526, 528 and 530 which lead back to the sump. The pump, together with its drive motor and the sump, the sequence valve 508 and pilot valve 512 are mounted on the frame construction, in back of the wall 32, as are also various other control valves to be mentioned below. The five jet relays are contained within a pair of hollow housings, mounted on the outer ends of two hollow arms which are supported on the shelf of the frame construction. One of these housings, already identified by the reference character 406, is associated with an arm 532, while the other housing 534 is associated with a similar arm 536.

As will be seen in Fig. 1, the jet relays 210 and 238 are located in the housing 406, while the jet relays 344 and 368 are located in the housing 534. Also located in the last mentioned housing is the jet relay 324, which, however, is not visible in Fig. 1. The exhausting fluid from the several jet relays actually drains from the housings 406, 534 into the arms 532, 536 and thence back to the sump and the discharge lines 522, 524, 526, 528 and 530 have been used in Fig. 13 to illustrate this diagrammatically.

In order to stabilize the actions of the five closed loop servo mechanisms which, as has been explained above, function to position the shoe relatively to the operating instrumentalities of the inseaming head, and also the servo mechanism which effects feeding of the shoe, there is associated with each of the pairs of conduits leading to the six fluid-pressure-operated motors which elfect the six movements of the shoe, a stabilizing device similar to that disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,696,804, granted December 14, 1954, in the name of Delvin E. Kendall, J r. As is explained more particularly in the Kendall patent, each of these stabilizing devices comprises a bypass line, extending between the two conduits, in which there are interposed a flexible diaphragm and a restricted passageway. These six stabilizing devices are indicated generally by the reference characters 540, 542, 544, 546, 548 and 550, in Figs. 1 and 10, see also Fig. 6.

In addition to the jet relays 210, 238, 324, 344 and 368, which control the operation of the six fluid-pressure-operated motors associated with the jack, during the operation of the machine, the machine is also provided with a plurality of auxiliary valves and an electrical control system for operating the jack to effect presentation of a shoe thereon to the operating instrumentalities of the inseaming head, to initiate the inseaming operation and to bring it to a stop, and to withdraw the shoe from the operating instrumentalities to a convenient location for the removal of the inseamed shoe and the loading of another shoe. Thus, in addition to;thesequence valve 508 and its associated pilot valve 512,- which have already been mentioned, ,the fluid-pressure system also includes a longitudinal feed shut-off valve 560 and an auxiliary longitudinal feed valve 562 which are associated with the conduits 164, 166 leading from the jet relay 238 to the opposite ends of the cylinder 154; a jet reversing valve 564, which is associated with the conduits 148, 150, leading from the jet relay 238 to the opposite ends of the cylinders 146, and also with the conduits 140, 142 leading from the jet relay 210 to the opposite ends of the cylinder 106; an auxiliary transverse feed valve 566 and a rotation shut-off valve 568, which is associated with the supply line 518 which leads from the sequence valve to the jet relay 324, see Fig. 13.

The longitudinal feed shut-01f valve 560 has a plunger 600 which is urged to the position shown in Fig. 13 by means of a coil spring 602, thereby shutting off the conduits 164, 166 which lead to the opposite ends of the cylinder 154. Connected to this valve plunger is the armature 604 of a valve-operating solenoid 606, having a coil 608. When this solenoid is energized, the valve plunger 600 will be shifted over to the left, Fig. 13, thereby opening the conduits 164, 166. The auxiliary longitudinal feed valve 562 has a plunger 610 which is normally held in the centered position by means of a spring-operated centering plunger 612, which acts on a lever 614, and when this plunger is in this centered position, the flow of pressurefluid from the high-pressure feed line 506 into either one of the conduits 164, 166, is blocked. Connected to the opposite ends of this valve plunger, at one end through the lever 614, are the armatures 616, 618 of valve-operating solenoids 620, 622, having coils 624, 626. As will be apparent, when the solenoid 620 is energized, the valve plunger 610 will be shifted to the left, Fig. 13, thereby connecting the conduit 164 to the pressure supply line 506 and the conduit 166 to an exhaust port 623, while if the solenoid 622 is energized this valve plunger will be moved over to the right, thereby connecting the conduit 166 to the pressure supply line and the conduit 164 to an exhaust port 625.

The jet reversing valve 564 actually is a double-purpose valve and serves to control both the transverse, or in-andout, and the vertical, or up-and-down, movements of the jack. Thus this valve has two integrally formed valve plungers 630, 632 which are normally urged to the left, Fig. 13, by means of a coil spring 634. When this double valve plunger is in this position, the conduits 148, are connected to the cylinders 146, and the conduits 140, 142 are directly connected to the cylinder 106. However, when this valve plunger is moved to the right, against the resistance of spring 634, the conduits 148, 150 are shut off from the cylinders 146 and the connection between the conduits 140, 142 and the cylinder 106 are reversed. For thus shifting this double-acting plunger, there is connected to one of its ends the armature 636 of a solenoid 638, having a coil 640. The auxiliary transverse feed valve 566 has a plunger 650 which is normally held in a centered position by means of a spring-operated centering plunger 652, which acts on a lever 654, and when this plunger is in this centered position, the flow of pressure fluid from the high-pressure feed line 506 into either one of the conduits 148, 150 is blocked. Connected to the opposite ends of this valve plunger, at one end through the lever 654, are the armatures 656, 658 of valve-operating solenoids 660, 662, having coils 664, 666. As will be apparent, when the solenoid 660 is energized, the valve plunger 650 will be shifted over to the left, Fig. 13, thereby connecting the conduit 148 to the pressure supply line 506 and the conduit 150 to an exhaust port 663, while if the solenoid 662 is energized this valve plunger will be moved over to the right, thereby connecting the conduit 150 to the pressure supply line and the conduit 148 to an exhaust port 665. The rotation shut-oil valve 568 has a rotary plug 670 provided with an operating arm 672 and a port 674. Connected to the arm 672 is the armature 678 of a solenoid 680, having a coil 682. When this solenoid is energized, the plug 670 17 will be rotated to a position in which the flow of pressure fluid through the conduit 518 to the rotation jet relay 324 is blocked.

The sequence valve 508 has a hollow valve plunger 690 which is slidably mounted in a cylinder 692 and provided with five ports 694, 696, 698, 700 and 702. These ports are so arranged that, as the plunger 690 is moved to the right, from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 13, the five supply lines 514, 516, 518, 526i and 521 are successively connected to the high-pressure feed line 504 until, when this plunger reaches its limit of movement to the right, as determined by engagement with the end of the cylinder 692, all of these supply lines are connected to the high-pressure line 564. Movement of this valve plunger is effected by fluid under pressure from the line 510 under the control of the pilot valve 512. The pilot valve has a plunger 704 which is normally held in the position shown in Fig. 13 by means of a coil spring 706 and, when this valve plunger is in this position, the sequence valve plunger 690 is urged to the left and to the position in which it is shown, thereby shutting off the feed lines from the high-pressure supply line, by fluid under pressure admitted to the right-hand end of the cylinder 6% through a passageway 7458. For moving the pilot valve plunger 704 to the left, against the resistance of the spring 706, there is connected to one of its ends the armature 714) of a valve-operating solenoid 712, having a coil 714. When this solenoid is energized, the valve plunger 704 will be shifted over to the left thereby causing the sequence valve plunger 690 to be moved to the right by fluid under pressure admitted to the left-hand end of the cylinder 692 through a passageway 716.

As will be explained below, during a certain portion of the automatic operating cycle of the herein illustrated machine, it is necessary to limit the movement of the valve plunger 691' of the sequence valve 508 to the left in such a way that it stops in a position in which only the supply line 514 is connected to the high pressure line 564. For this purpose, the valve 690 has a piston rod 718 which extends out through the housing of the sequence valve 508 and is provided with an enlarged end portion 720. Slidably mounted in a guideway on the sequence valve housing is a stop bar 722 which, when the valve plunger 690 is in the position shown in Fig. 13, rests on the enlarged end portion 729 of the valve rod 718 and, as the valve plunger is moved to the right, this stop bar drops down onto the piston rod 718. Now, when the valve plunger 690 is moved to the left, this bar engages the shoulder formed between the enlarged end portion 720 and the valve rod 718 and brings the sequence valve plunger to a stop in a position in which only the plunger 696 to move to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 13, there is connected to this bar the armature 724 of a solenoid 726, having a coil 728.

For controlling the several solenoids which have been mentioned, to operate the several valves and other members actuated thereby, the electrical control system illustrated in Fig. 14 is provided. This electrical control system includes, in addition to the solenoids, numerous switches and electrical relays the operation of which will be explained below. Briefly described, however, this electrical control system includes two high-voltage supply lines 390, 8&2 which are connected, through a stepdown transformer S94 and power switch 89-6, to two lowvoltage lines 898, 810, and directly to two high-voltage lines 311, S12. Connected across the low-voltage lines are six parallel circuits indicated generally by reference characters 814, 816, 818, 820, 822 and 824. It will be more convenient to describe this electrical control system in detail in connection with the description of a complete operating cycle of the machine, which is to be presently set forth. However, before entering into this description, certain other aspects of the herein illus is loaded onto the supporting member 100, thereby to locate the breastline of the shoe S on the holder in a predetermined position relatively to the supporting member Nil. symmetrically disposed, with respect to the end faces on the member 100, and secured thereto are two stop plates 830, 832 which, at times, during an op-- erating cycle of the machine, are adapted to engage, and actuate, two limit stop arms 834, 836. These two limit stop arms are each pivotally mounted on the lower side of the shelf portion 30 of the machine frame and extend outwardly therefrom so that their outer ends are in the zone of movement of the supporting member and the stop plates 8%, $32 which are carried thereby. Asso ciated with the arm 834', is a right limit stop double pole switch 838, which is normally in the position shown in Fig. 14, while associated with the stop arm 836 is a left limit switch 840, which is normally closed, as shown in Fig. 14. These two switches are held in these positions by means of springs, not shown, associated with the limit stop arms 834, 836, and these springs are arranged to swing the outer ends of these arms toward each other, and toward the supporting member 100, to a limited extent as permitted by stops, not shown. As will appear below, the inseaming operation is initiated as a result of the displacement of the switch 838 from the closed position shown in Fig. 14 to its other closed posistop switch 840 by engagement of the same stop plate with the stop arm 836. During the insearning operation, the supporting member 1%, shoe holder 102 and shoe S thereon, are rotated through an angle of approximately so that the position of the shoe is substantially reversed from that shown in Fig. 1. The two stop arms are symmetrically disposed on each side of, and are spaced from the insearning instrumentalities in such a way that the insearnin operation which is started at the breastline on one side of the shoe terminates at the breastline on the opposite side of the shoe. As will presently appear, after the insearning operation has been concluded and certain operations of the inseaming head effected, the jack is moved inwardly and downwardly to a location in which the shoe S and the supe., from 834, 836

end of the largest size of shoe extends beyond the active stop plate, i. e., plate 830 in Fig. 1. Thus, there is no danger, regardless of the size of the shoe being inseamed, that the idle stop plate will ever come into engagement with the stop arm 336 during the insearning operation l9 along thefirst side of the shoe to beinseamed. When the toe end of the shoe is reached, the position of the shoe is reversed so that the active plate 834! is faced toward this stop arm. As will be apparent, inasmuch as the extent of the feeding movement of each shoe is determined by the feelers 218, 3%, 3% and the insole rib R, the herein illustrated machine automatically accommodates itself to shoes of different sizes. Thus, regardless of the size of the shoe, the inseaming operation will always start at the breastline on one side and end at the breastline on the opposite side.

Referring to Fig. 13, connected to the supply line 514 is a branch line 856 which leads to a cylinder 852 in which there is a piston 854. This piston and cylinder are associated with the supporting member 109 of the jack and, when fluid under pressure is admitted to the cylinder 852, the piston 85 operates a pair of locking plates 853, Fig. l, which clamp the shoe holder 1G2 firmly in place on the supporting member 1%. Located in line with the enlarged end 720 of the piston rod 718 of the sequence valve plunger 69% are two switches 860, 862, see Fig. 14, which are normally held open, by means of springs, not shown, when the sequence valve plunger is in the position shown in Fig. 13. Also located adjacent to the sequence valve is a third switch 864. likewise held open by a. spring, not shown, when the plunger 690 is in the position shown in Fig. 13. Upon movement of the sequence valve plunger to the right, these three switches are all closed, switches S613, ssz by the end 720 directly and switch 864 by means of a cam block secured to the end 720 of the sequence valve piston rod.

As will be understood by reference to the patent to Merrill, No. 1,971,575, mentioned above, the inseaming head 20 is controlled by a control rod (68) which is moved upwardly by means of a foot treadle, to engage a forward driving clutch for operating the machine in the normal way, see page 2, column 2 of the mentioned Morrill patent. This rod is also moved downwardly by the action of a spring, when the foot treadle is released, to engage a low-speed reverse drive mechanism which causes the inseaming machine to go through what is called its back up cycle and come to a stop with the needle 41 and awl 42 withdrawn from the work. It is during this back up cycle that the thread T is cut and held, by the thread knife 7 4 and thread-gripping member '7 and thread holder 46, the welt W cut by the welt knife 72, which is first advanced to cut the welt and then retracted, and the weltadvanced by the welt-advancing finger 76, in the manner explained more particularly in the patent to Morrill, No. 2,359,662, also referred to above. In the herein illustrated machine, the foot treadle is replaced by a clutch-operating solenoid 879, having an armature 872 which is operatively connected to the control rod, diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. l4, and a coil 874. This coil is arranged to be connected to the high voltage lines 811, 812 by means of a relay 876 having a switch part 878 and a coil 88% As will be seen from Fig. 14, the coil 880 of this relay is in the cross circuit 816 and is under the control of the switch 864.

It will be appreciated that the orientation of the cross slides 108 and llii will be substantially reversed during each automatic operating cycle of the machine. As will appear below, prior to and after the inseaming operation, the shoe is moved longitudinally, i. e., is traversed, and is moved transversely, by pistons 152 and 144, by pressure fluid admitted to cylinders 154 and 145, from the line 506 through the auxiliary longitudinal feed valve 562 and the auxiliary transverse feed valve 566, respectively. Inasmuch as these traversing and transverse movements of the shoe must take place in the same direction, despite the reversal in orientation of the cross slides 108, 110,'the valve-operating solenoids 620, 622 and 660, 662 are under the control, respectively, of a longitudinal feed selector switch 899 and a transverse feed selector switch H 892. These switches are double-poled, as shown in Fig.

868, adjustably energized.

. the axis y v until the 20 l4, andare alternately shifted, as the orientation of the: cross slides is reversed, by means of a cam 894 which is: secured to the shaft portion 2:38 of the rotary jet receiver.- 248, see Fig. 8.

With the exception of the action of certain safety devices, which will be explained below, a complete operat ing cycle of the machine will now shoe S on its holder 102 has been loaded onto the sup-- porting member 16% of the jack, the operator momentarily closes a starting switch 900, Fig. 14, which causes a relay 9%, having a coil 9134 and switch part 906, to-

close and hold, since the right limit arm $34 is free and the switch 838 is held in the position shown. The jack now moves to the right, i. e., traverses, under the control of the auxiliary longitudinal feed valve 562 whose plunger 619 is shifted in the proper direction, from its centered position, by one or the other of the solenoids 624 622, selected by the auxiliary feed selector switch 8% under the control of the earn 894. At this point in the automatic cycle, solenoid 606 is deenergized, inasmuch as the cross circuit 818 is open so that the plunger 600 of the feed shut-off valve 566 is in closed position. When the jack is moved to arm 834 is engaged by one or the other of the stop plates- 336, 832, say 836 for example, the contacts of the doublepole right limit switch 838 are reversed. This opens the cross circuit 824 and releases the relay %2 together with solenoid 620 or 622, thus allowing the valve plunger 610 of the auxiliary longitudinal feed valve to be returned to its centered and closing position. Also, a'relay 910, having a coil 912, in the cross circuit 822, and a switch member 914, is energized, through the left limit switch 849, which, of course, was closed by its spring when the left limitarm 836 was released as a result of the movement of the jack to the right. The energizing of the coil 912 of the relay 9') causes the switch member 914 to move down from the position in which it is shown to a position in which the coil 714 of the solenoid 712 is This solenoid now shifts the valve plunger 7G4 of the pilot valve 512 to the left thereby causing the sequence valve plunger 6% to be shifted to the right.

As the sequence valve plunger is I right, fluid under pressure from the high" pressure line 504 enters the jet relays in the following order: Elevation jet relay 21%, through line 514, jack moves upwardly until feeler 228 is elevated by the shoe S to center the jet nozzle 2Z2; longitudinal and transverse jet relay 238 through line 516, jack moves outwardly until the feelcr 218, which engages the insole rib R, centers the jet nozzle relatively to the openings 242, 242, of the jet receiver, Fig. 9, valve $61) still remaining closed so that no longitudinal feed occurs at this time; rotation jct relay 324 through line 518, shoe rotated about the axis zz until the feeler 304 which engages the insole rib R centers the jet nozzle 32.2; pitch jet relay 344 through line 520, shoe rotated about axis until the feeler Bill which also engages the shoe bottom, centers the jet nozzle 342; and roll jet relay 368 through line 521, shoe rotated about tom of the shoe centers the jet nozzle 366.

I As the sequence valve plunger completes its opening movement to the right, the switches see, 862 and 864 will be closed and the shoe S will have been properly positioned relatively to the operating instrumeutalities of the inseaming head. Also, the shoe holder 162 been clamped to the supporting member ltlll by the piston 854 as a result of the admission of fluid under pressure to the line 514 leading to the elevation iet 21%. The closing of the switch 556% bringsin the cross circuit 820 together with certain safety features which will be men tioned below, while the closing of the switch 862 brings in the cross circuit 818 and energizes the solenoid 696, thereby causing the longitudinal feed shut-off valve plunger The closing of the switch 864 brings in cross circuit 816 be described. After a. I

the right to an extent where the right limit shifted over to the feeier 36ft which engages the bot will have.

668 to be moved to the left to itsopen positionof the relay 876, thereby causing its switch member 878 to close and energize the coil 874 of the solenoid 87! This solenoid moves the control rod 68 of the inseaming head upwardly to engage the forward driving clutch and start the operation of the inseaming instrumentalities. Inasmuch as the longitudinal feed of the jack does not start until the feed shut-off valve 560 is opened, as a result of the closing of the switch 862, and since the operation of the inseaming head is initiated by the closing of the switch 864, an exact timing between the shoe feed and inseaming action can be obtained by adjustment of the cam 868 on the enlarged end 726 of the sequence valve piston rod.

As the inseaming operation proceeds, the jack moves to the left and, at the beginning of this movement of the jack, the right limit arm 834 is released thereby permitting the right limit switch 838 to return to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 14. However, the cross circuit 824 will now remain open inasmuch as the starting switch 930 will have been previously released by the operator. Accordingly, neither one of the auxiliary longitudinal feed solenoids 620, 622 will be energized. When the in seaming operation has proceeded to the breastline on the opposite side of the shoe from the starting point, the stop plate 830 will engage the left limit arm 836 and open the left limit switch 840. This releases the relay 910 and causes its switch member 914 to return to the position shown in Fig. 14. Cross circuits 820, 822 are now opened and the coil 714 of the pilot valve solenoid 712 is deenergized. Hence,

and energizes the coil 880 valve stop solenoid 726 is at this time deenergized, such return movement of the sequence valve is arrested by the stop bar 722 in a position in which all of the supply lines leading to the several jet relays are shut off except the line 514 which leads to the elevation jet relay 210. The return of the sequence valve plunger 690 also permits switches 360, 862 and 364 to open thereby cutting out the safety features associated with the cross circuit 820 and deenergizing the solenoid 606 and relay 876. The longitudinal feed shut-off valve 560 now closes and the switch 873 of the relay 8'76 opens, thereby deenergizin the solenoid 876. Thus the control rod or" the inseaming head is released for downward movement by its associated spring to bring the inseaming operation to a stop and to cause the inseaming head to go through it back up cycle.

As pointed out above, during this back up cycle, the thread T is cut and held by the members 46, 7t), 74, see Fig. 12, and the welt knife 72 is advanced to cut the welt W and then retracted, after which the welt is advanced by the welt-advancing point 76, in the manner explained more particularly in the patent to Morrill No. 2,359,662. As the welt knife 72 returns, it momentarily closes a switch 920 thereby energizing the coil 921 of a relay 922 having a switch member 924. This relay is adapted, when its coil is energized momentarily, to cause the switch 924 to close and, after a predetermined time interval, to open. The closing of this switch brings the solenoid 63S, switch 892, solenoids 660 or 662, and another solenoid 926, having an armature 928 and a coil 930, into the cross circuit 814. As the solenoid 638 is energized, the double plunger of the jet-reversing valve 564 is moved to the right, Fig. 13, while the energizing of solenoid 660, or 662, as selected by the switch 892 under the control of the cam 894, Fig. 8, causes the auxiliary transverse feed valve plunger 650 to be shifted from its centered position. Hence, the jack is moved inwardly, by the piston 144, and downwardly, by the piston 194-, these movements being directly opposite to those called for by the feeler 218, which is now released to the action of springs 224, 226, and by the jet relays 23S and 210. In this connection, it will be noted that the jet relay 238 is now shut off from the cylinder 146 by the valve plunger 630 of the jet-reversing valve so that the transverse movement of the jack is controlled by the auxiliary transverse feed valve 566, while the connections between the elevation jet 210 and the cylinder 106 are reversed by the valve plunger 632. Also, of course, the jet relay 238 is shut 01f from the cylinder 154 by the plunger 600 of the feed shut-off valve 560.

The extent of downward movement of the jack is limited by the engagement of the piston 104 with the bottom of the cylinder 106 while the extent of inward movement of the jack is determined by a locking bar 929 which is adapted to engage a locking recess 932 formed in one of the piston rods associated with the pistons 144, see Fig. 13. This locking bar is connected to the armature 923 of the solenoid 926, by means of a lever 934, which solenoid is, as already noted, energized at the same time as the solenoids 638 and 660 or 662 The locking recess 932 is so disposed that when the locking bar 929 is urged into this recess, against the action of a coil spring 931 by the solenoid 926, the transverse inward movement of the jack will be arrested with the feelers 218, 300 and 369 substantially centered with respect to the two ends of the insolev rib R at the opposite sides of the shoe, adjacent to the breast line. At the end of the time delay, the relay 922 releases and opens the circuit 814 thereby deenergizing the solenoids 638, 660 or 662 and 922. As the double plunger of the jet-reversing valve 564 is returned by its spring 634, the armature 636 of the solenoid 638 momentarily closes a switch 946 which energizes the coil 724 of the solenoid 726. The sequence valve locking bar 722 is now elevated to permit the sequence valve 690 to close fully, thus completing the operating cycle.

Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, as has been explained above, the linear rate of feed of the shoe by the jack is exactly matched to the rate of feed of the awl 42 and needle 40 of the inseaming head by means of mechanism including the roller 432 against which the welt W is pressed by the roller 444. During the back-up cycle of the inseaming head, when the welt W is advanced by the welt-advancing point 76, see Fig. 12, the action of the roller 4 44 is suspended and this roller is moved bodily away from the roller 432 thereby entirely freeing the welt. For thus operating the roller 444, the setscrew 458 is, as already mentioned, in engagement with an axially movable plunger 459 which is associated with the cam shaft 52 of the see Fig. 6. When the cam shaft 52 is tion, and before this shaft is succeeding back-up cycle of the inseaming head, this plunger is moved axially in the cam shaft in a direction extending downwardly as viewed in Fig. 6, by means of mechanism not herein illustrated but which is described in United States Letters Patent No. 2,220,112, issued on November 5, 1940, in the name of Alfred R. Morrill. As a result of such movement of this plunger, the roller 444 will be drawn av ay from the roller 432 through the action of lever arms 45th, 456 and the link 454. When the inseaming head is again set into operation, this plunger hold it against the roller 432.

As suggested above, the automatic control system is provided 23 and 864 will be closed by the fully opened sequence valve plunger 690, see Fig. 13. The closing of any one of these three safety switches immediately energizes the coil 960 of the relay 062 and also the coil 602 of the solenoid 680. The switch part 064 of the relay 962 now opens the circuit to the relay 910 and also to the solenoid 712 and closes the circuit through solenoid 726. The opening of the circuit to the solenoid 712 and the closing of the circuit to the solenoid 726 causes the sequence valve plunger 690 to close fully thereby shutting off the supply of pressure fluid from all five of the jet relays 210, 231i, 324, 344 and 368 and bringing the jack to. a stop. In addition, the flow of pressure fluid to the jet relay 324 is shut ofi immediately by the valve plug 670 which is turned to its closed position by the armature of the solenoid 680. This armature is also connected to a lever 970 which carries a stop member 972, diagrammatically illustrated in Fig. 14, and when the solenoid 680 is energized, this stop is interposed between a fixed part 974 of the inseaming head 20 and a collar 976 secured to the control rod 68 of the inseaming head. The opening of the switch 864 results in the deenergizing of the solenoid 370 so that the control rodcan be moved downwardly by its associated spring to an extent which is limited by the stop 972 and is just sufiicient to bring the inseaming head to a stop without, however, causing it to go through its back-up cycle. Thus, the automatic operation of the inseaming head and the movements of the jack will be terminated as a result of the momentary closing of any one of the switches 950, 952 or 954.

In order to restart the inseaming head and movements of the jack after termination in the above manner, a reset switch 980, which is in parallel with the right limit switch 838, is provided, see Fig. 14. The closing of this reset switch has the same result as the movement of the switch 833 to the right by the traversing of the jack. However, before this reset switch is closed, it is necessary for the operator manually to open the valve 568 and, by doing this, he also withdraws the stop member 972 from its operative position.

The safety switch 950 is provided for the purpose of bringing the jack to a stop and terminating the operation of the inseaming head in response to breakage, or loss of tension of the thread T. Accordingly, this switch is associated with the thread tension mechanism, not shown, but which may be of the same general construction as that disclosed in the patent to Merrill No. 2,359,662, mentioned above. Thread-tensioning mechanism of this type may include a pivotally mounted arm (for examplesee the arm 770 of the Morrill machine) which is held in a predetermined angular position, against the action of a spring, by the tensioned thread. Upon breakage, or loss of tension of the thread, this arm will be moved to a different angular position by its associated spring and the switch 950 is so located as to be closed by this arm when it is so moved by its spring. The switch 952 is provided for the purpose of bringing the jacl; to a stop and terminating the operation of the inseaming head in response to the feeler 300 jumping the insole rib R. This feeler controls both the rotation of the jack about the vertical axis z-z and its rotation about the horizontal axis x-x (i. e., pitch). Inthe event that this feeler should, for any reason, jump over the insole rib, the jack will immediately start to rotate in a counterclockwise direction about the vertical axis z-z and this feeler will quickly drop to its lowermost position as it passes beyond the welt W. Accordingly, the switch 952 will be located closely adjacent to the upper end of the arm 302 which is associated with this feeler so that it is closed by this arm when the feeler 300 drops ito its lowermost position. The switch 954 is a manual stop switch which is located in a convenient position for the use of the operator who, by closing this switch momentarily, can immediately bring the movements of the jack to a stop and terminate the operation of the inseaming head.

As has been pointed out above, the shoe S being inseamed is mounted on the shoe holder 102 which is received in a supporting member 100 and located, relatively to the supporting member, by means of a stop carried by the shoe holder. It has already been explained that the stop on the shoe holder is adapted to engage one or the other of the two end faces on the supporting member so as to locate the breast line of the shoe in a predetermined position relatively to one of two stop plates 330, 832 associated with the supporting member. Referring particulraly to Figs. 2 and 3, the shoe holder 102 comprises a base 1000 which is formed, on its lower side with inclined guide surfaces 1002, 1002 which are adapted to fit into correspondingly shaped guiding surfaces on the upper end of the supporting member 100. Pivotally mounted, adjacent to one end of the base 1000, is a lever 1004, one arm of which is shaped to form a last pin 1006, and a compression spring 1008 is arranged to swing this lever in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 2 and to the extent permitted by a locking plunger 1010, see Fig. 4, which is siidably mounted in the base 1000. This locking plunger has a wedge surface 1012 which terminates in a notch 1014 and the lever 1004 is formed with a narrow rib 1016, adapted to fit into the recess in the locking plunger when the parts are in the positions shown in Fig. 4-. A coil spring 1018, interposed between one end of the locking plunger and a side plate 1020, tends to urge the plunger to the right, Fig. 4, when this plunger is released by withdrawal of the rib 1016 from the notch 1014, and, as this plunger is moved to the right, the

last pin 1006 will be rocked in a clockwise direction,

as viewed in Fig. 2.

The base 1000 of the shoe holder is cut away as indicated by the dotted line 1022 in Fig. 2 and, at the righthand end of the cut-away portion the base extends upwardly to form an abutment 1026 on the upper side of which there are two inclined dovetail guiding surfaces 1023, 1028, see Fig. 3. Slidably supported on these guiding surfaces is a block 1030, provided with a movable side piece 1032, and associated with this side piece is a clamp screw 1034 which is threaded into a nut 1036 and provided with an operating handle 1038. Mounted for vertical sliding movement in the block 1030 is a toe pad 1040 and associated with this pad is a locking nut 1042. Extending outwardly from the opposite sides of the block 1030 are a pair of flanges 1044, 1046 and pivotally mounted between these flanges are a pair of arms 1048, 1048 which carry, at their upper ends, shoe-centering pads 1050, 1050. At their lower ends, these arms are provided with rounded portions 1052, 1052 which are held in engagement with wedge surfaces 1054, 1054, see Fig. 5, formed on the ends of locking bars 1056, 1056, by means of compression springs 1058, 1058. These locking bars are slidably mounted in grooves 1060, 1060, cut in the base 1000, and are urged in one direction, i. e., to the right as viewed in Fig. 5, by means of coil springs 1062, 1062, interposed between the ends of bores in these bars and end plates 1064, 1064, secured to the base. Formed integrally with these locking bars are outwardly extending arms 1066 which have end portions 1068, 1068 of reduced size, and these end portions project beyond the opposite sides of the base 1000, see Fig.5. Fitted in a dovetail groove 1070, cut in the lower side of the base 1000, is a stop member 1072, Fig.

4, and formed along one side of this stop member are a series of ratchet teeth 1074, Fig. 5. Pivotally mounted on the base 1000 is a pawl 1076 having a pointed end 1078 which is normally urged into engagement with these teeth by means of a compression spring 1080. A portion 1082 of this pawl projects beyond the side of the base 1000 for engagement by the operator to release the

Images