US2249034A - Seam-reducing machine - Google Patents

Description

July 15, 1941 J.- R. OLIVER SEAM'REDUCING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 22, 1940 July l5, 1941. J. R. OLIVER SEAM-REDUCING MACHINE Filed March 22. 1940 f lfll ----LL/ ffii! IIIUVJnIII/MIVIH July 15,' 1941.

J. R. OLIVER 2,249,034

SEAM-REDUCING MACHINE Filed March 22. 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 J R OLIVER SEAM-REDUCING MACHINE Filed' March 22, 1940 miga July 15, 1941.

zal/Z522? Patented July 15, 1941 U :Nl TED FS TATES @ATE FfFlfCE "SEM-,REDUCING li/IAGHINE AJohnR..:(Hiveneverly, Mass., assgnor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Borough of Flemington, N. J., .a corporation'of New Jersey Application March 22, 1940, Serial No. 325,452

(Cl. Gil-7) 21 Claims.

This invention relates to'machines'ffor reducing the seams of articles of leather such'ars, vfor example, the back seamsof yshoe parts, and is illustrated as Vembodied in a machinefor carrying out the method disclosed inLetters Patent of the United States 2,181,243-granted November 28, 1,939, on thev application of MacDonald. Anv object of the present'invention -is'the provision Yci? an improvedmachineior carryingout the method disclosed inthis patent.

In the illustrated embodiment ofthe-invention, 'the seam is-reduced-by-passing it under aJ hot iron which is heated `to a degreesuicient to-sear and char the leather thus causing it tobecomesl-ightly plastic, the leatherbeingmoldedby the-application of pressure to 'spread and flatten the seam. The seam becomes shrunken and 'comlpacted so 4that the-surface of thetreated edges lissubstantially bone hard. In accordance with "oneAfeature'of-theinvention, the `searing iron is formedwith series of'ridges arranged in herringboneformation, thepoints'of the ridges faoing the Aentrance end of the iron, thus causing kvthe-edges of theseam ridge to loe-spread outwardly-from one-another. YThe ridges are spaced progressively -nearer the work` supportfrom the entrance end of the iron to the exit endthereof so that the flattening of the seam ridge'takes place progressively asthe work is fedlthereunden 'Aiurther object ofvmy invention is -to secure positive andequal feedingl of-a workpiece Ymade up'of two pieces of material joinedv by aseam so that-the-seam -mayvbe yacted upon by a seam `reducing 'means and so vthat the materialY will always be fed lproperly thereby regardlessV of variaticns'inthickness of 'thework pieces or dif- `ferences between adjacent pieces. `Thisl object is Yattained in accordance .with` a -furtherieature Aof my invention Aby Vmeans `of a lower Afeed roll forsnpportingtthe materialQand afpair of` spaced driven-upper feed .rolls .arranged Vto engage the wor-lr atlopposite 'sides of V`a seam lin .the material. These -upper -feed rolls are yieldingly `mounted for fmovement toward `and\.away-from the lower feed-roll in accordance with the ythicknessofithe morkfand are also capableofryielding'movement 'relative/to one another.

lIn accordance `with a -ifurther feature of 'the '-insention, provision is made for directing the seam-of the material to thefsearing iron. TheV lsearing `iron :is located jbetween `the -upper feed vrolls, and aeg-age is also located "between-these ffeedrclls and is arranged 'to-engagetheopposite Ysides of the seam ridgeto-directthe-seam'to the wherein z iron. The gage and iron `are valso preferably mounted for yielding movement. Y

The lower feed rollis mounted at the outer end of an arm which extends laterally from and above the base of the machine. `This lower Yfeed roll is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axisl which is'substantiallyperpendicular tothe longitudinal axis ofthe arm sothatJ-themachine "may operate uponthe back' seam ofeclosed uppers,

such as those used in womensQpumpsgwhichmay ,be kfed'over thelower feedjroll without interfer- -ence from thefframe of the machine.` 'Ihegupper feed rolls, the guide, and the-searing iron YAwhich are allnormally maintained adjacentf to-the lower feed roll are mounted'onafheadlmovablever- -tically upward to vpermit these A'members-tobe moved simultaneously away from the lower jfeed roll'sothat a plurality of closeclfuppersjthe-seams Eof which havebeen reduced and whichhave-ac- `rected downwardly.V This viron is larr-anged'tobe moved upwardly bythe operator upon movement of a suitable controllersuch as a 'treadle, butto prevent theiron, whenidle, from vapproaching @too ,near the torch, thetorch is rst moved upwardly a considerable distance before the iron starts to move upward,.whereuponthe two mem- ,bersy movelas aunit. Y This,n'iovernentv of the iron permits removal of the iron from the workat ,any ytime duringthepassage of the-Work through ,themachine VIf the operatordesiresgto interrupt itherfeed of the work` at any time, vthe vfeed rolls lmaybe moved vupwardly afterthe liron has .been

moved upwardly, -by further ',depress'ionof .the

treadle -If the treadle is stillfurther-depressed, theguidefwhich engages thefoppositefsi'des-.of the seam -ridge is moved upwardly thus facilitating removal of the woikpiecefrom the-lowerfeed wheel before the `work` `:has 'passed-*entirely through the machine, iffdesired.

These and 'other features oftheinventionwill nowbe described .in thefollowing dtaile'didelscription and 'illustrated 1in 'the #drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a machine in which the present invention is embodied;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, on a larger scale, of the operating head of the machine, certain parts being shown in section;

Fig. 3 is a detail view partly in section illustrating the relative operating positions of the iron, the torch, and one of the upper feed wheels;

Fig. 4 is a plan View of the operating head of the machine;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line V-V of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line VI--VI of Fig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the machine;

Fig. 8 is a vertical section on the line VIII- VIII of Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is a detail view partly in section of the guide and its mounting;

Fig. 10 is a vertical section illustrating the mounting for the iron;

Fig. 11 is a front view on a large scale of the searing iron;

Fig. 12 is a perspective View of the iron il-4 lustrating the arrangement of the ridges in the bottom thereof;

Fig. 13 is a detail view, partly in vertical section along the seam, on a larger scale, of the iron, the guide for directing the work thereto, and the lower feed Wheel, illustrating a piece of work being operated upon;

Figs. 14, 15, and 16 are vertical sections through the searing iron and the lower feed roll, illustrating the progressive reducing action of the iron upon the seam ridge; and

Fig. 17 is a view of a piece of work after the seam ridge has been reduced by the illustrated machine.

The machine is illustrated as being provided with a casing I6 supported o-n a base l2 (Fig. l), the casing having a lower arm I4 extending laterally therefrom and an upper overhanging arm l VI6.

A shaft I8 mounted Within the casing I6 carries a pulley 20 at its outer end which may be connected by a belt 22 to a suitable driving means. The shaft 8 carries a worm 23 which engages a worm gear 24 mounted on the inner end of a shaft 26 journaled inthe casing I0 and extending through the arm I4, the outer end of the shaft being journaled in the outer end of the arm. A bevel gear 28 is mounted on the outer end of the shaft 26 and engages a bevel gear 30 mounted on a shaft 32 which carries a lower feed roll 34 (Fig. 7). The shaft 32 is journaled at one end in a support 36 fastened to the outer end of the arm |4 by screws 38, this support being rounded to conform to the shape of the feed roll 34. The outer end of the arm I4 includes a rounded lateral extension 39 as shown in Fig. 1 to form a continua-tion of the support 36. A similar support 40 (Fig. 7) fastened to the outer end of rthe arm I4 at the opposite side of the roll 34 supports the other end of the shaft 32 and forms a housing for the gear 28. The supports 36 and 40 cooperate with the roll 34 to support a work piece such as a shoe upper which is to be fed by the roll 34 toward the inner end of the arm I4, during which time the back seam is to be reduced by mechanism to be described.

A pair of upper feed rolls 42 and 44 (Fig. 7) having serrated edges are arranged to engage a work piece at opposite sides of a seam therein. These rolls are individually yieldingly mounted to accommodate work pieces of ydifferent thicknesses and variations of thickness in -a single work piece and these upper feed rolls are positively driven at equal speeds so that the Work piece will be fed in a straight line by these feed rolls and the feed roll 34. The feed rolls 42 and 44 are mounted on shafts 46 and 48 respectively which are in turn mounted in the lower end of arms and 52. These arms are pivoted on a shaft 54 secured in the lower end of a head 56 of the machine, which head is mounted for vertical movement in the outer end of the arm- I6 (Fig. 5).

Gears 58 and 60 (Fig. 7) journaled on the shaft 54, engage gears 62 and 64 mounted on the shafts 46 and 48 respectively. Gears 65 and 68 mounted on a shaft 16 journaled in the head 56 of the machine mesh with the gears 58 and respectively. The shaft I0 receives power through bevel gears 'I2 and I4 from a vertical shaft 'I6 journaled in the head 56 and having a spline connection at its upper end with a gear 78. The gear 'I8 is driven by a gear 80 mounted on the upper end of a downwardly and rearwardly inclined shaft 82 (Figs. l and 2) journaled in the outer end of the overhanging arm I6. The shaft 82 has a squared recess at its lower end (Fig. 1) which coacts with a correspondingly shaped recess in the upper end of a shaft 84, the lower end of which is journaled in the casing I0. The shafts 82 and 84 are maintained in driving engagement by a sleeve 86 pinned to the shaft 82, this sleeve permitting the shafts to move away from one another suiciently to accommodate vupward movement of the head 56 in the arm I6. 'I'he shaft 84 is connected to the driving shaft |8 by a worm gear 88 carried at the lower end of the shaft 84 and meshing with the worm 23.

Power is supplied to the feed rolls 42 and 44 by the gearing described above. Since there are separate sets of gearing between the shaft 'I0 (Fig. 7) and the individual feed rolls, and since these feed rolls are mounted for rocking movement about the axis-of the shaft 54 carrying the gears 53 and 60, it will be seen that either of the upper feed rolls 42 and 44 may moveupwardly relative to the other to accommodate variations in thickness of the work pieces or differences between the adjacent pieces.

The feed rolls 42 and 44 are normally urged downwardly toward the feed roll 34 under spring pressure. For this purpose the arms 50 and 52 which support the feed wheels have rearwardly extending portions 90 (Fig. 2) through which pass rods 92 which are supported for vertical movement in the head 56 and carry nuts 94 at the upper ends thereof. The lower ends of the rods 92 carry hemispherical members 95 which engage correspondingly shaped recesses in the extensions 90 of the arms 50 and 52, the lower sides of the members 96 being engaged by yieldable fingers 91 fixed to the arms. The rods 92 are urged upwardly to move the feed rolls 42 and 44 downwardly by springs 98 acting between the nuts 94 and a plate |00 fastened by screws |0| and |02 (Fig. 4) to the top of the head 56. This plate has a rearward extension which overlies the forward end of the overhanging arm I6 to limit -downward movement of the head 56 relative to the arm. A guard |65 also secured to the head 56 by a screw |01 encloses the bevel gears I8 and 80. Downward movements of the upper feed rolls are limited by screws |04 threaded into the under side of the head 56 and locked inl adjusted positions by nuts |06. It will thus be seen that the springs 98 act through the rods 92 and the rearward extensions of the arms 50 and 52 to urge the .upper 'feed-rolls toward `lthe4lower feed roll, while l.per'mitting lindividual upward movements fof these .rolls to accommodate i/'arying thicknesses o'f material passing Vithereonder.

The extent lto 'which the upper freed frlolls sm'ay move .toward theflower .feedmoll imay be -varied byy adjusting lthe'sc'rews 164. .-fshapeto'f the head 55 is best 'illustrated in Fig.-5 Lvl-herein .it will be seen that it is .providedwithfa 'vertically extending dovetailed portion freceive'd uby f-a groove in the outer end of the arm "i126 :formed by 'the recess ||2 `and Ytgt-.gib TF4 tior permitting vertical movement Vof the ffhe'ad lrelative tto *the arm. The headf'isillustratedf'inEig. 2,-asfbeing in its lowermost.positionwvithth'eirear end .oflthe plate |09 in 'engagemezitwith'the' toip'fof thearm IG. In vorder to movethef'headf upwardlyiand with it the various v.partis #carried 'thereby, fthe machine isA providedwith "ana'rmlll (Figs. i1, f4, and '7) mountedon a shaft f-zajournal'edin -the arm |6, this `shaft also carrying 'a gear sector |22. The gear 'sector .engages-a nrgear |24 `(Figs. 2 land T7) mounted on `a shaft :|25 `which also carries a crank 126 the uter'fendof which is pivotally--connected 'to 1a link "|30 .joined 'to .the head f56 by a screw |32. The `ciank A526 `andlinli 30 form a `toggle i connection which A'is :straightcned upon ycounterclo'ckvvise 'movemen't of the gear sector |22 and the consequent .iclockwise movementof Ythe crank I|26. .Thi-sfstraightening;

of the toggle `-causes f-upward movement "of the upperfend of the link lillfthus A'causing .upward movement of the :head L56 `relative to the `arm |55 -to -lift the feed rolls #Zand-'44 `and l:the asso- Vcia-ted members to fbedescribed, upwardly -from the feed roll .-34 a 'considerable distance; thuszp'ermitting a plurality vlof .Vamps 'which have iaccumulated'on the arm I4 fto-lbe removed .simultaneously. The armlfI-Bfby means-of whichfthe operator raises the head 56, is 'normally fmaintained inthe .position `illustrated-in lthe different yviews-with the-.head-Ein its lowermostlposition, by a spring t|34 connected'atone end fbysapin L36 Afastened 'to .the arm --|\|=6, theother -end Iof the spring being'connected storaepin |40 (Fig. di) extending outward-lyiromthef arm 4B,

vIn order toguidethe `wor-kwithvtheseamridge centrally disposed with respect to the upper feed rolls, -a guide #|42 is located therebetween #and the seamofY the =worl= A piece passes. This slotfha-s walls that `converge in the ydirection offfeedfof the work. as indicated in Fig. 9 to facilitate entrance of -the seam .thereinwhilecloselyrembracing the seam .ridge at the exit end `of the guide -to position the work vaccur-ately'lasitfap- -proachesa seam reducing iron .to bedescribed.

-rnitted lby the nutsJ-SO.

In .order-toreduce the .seam ridgefoffthe lwork, a searing iron |60 is .fpositioneddire'ctly beyond the guide l|42 in thedirectionbifeed,this ri'ron oi'fthe guide. .As indicated in Figs. l11 to ,1'6 the iron-iszprovid'ed onfits undersurface ywith :a `pluralitytofiridges |262 arrangedin herringbone iform'ation, the .pointsofwhi'ch are directed ltoward lthe entrance end of vtheiironlto 'spread thematerial ateach 'side of the seam.' outwardly. The iron isalso 'pro-vided with anentrance 'lgroove |64 fand the'ridges adjacentto 4this end of the iron 'are :spaced Vfurther from :the feed roll 534 fthan the ridges at the other end thereof to .cause --a progressive :spreading and .flattening v'of the .seam ridge las it passes thereunder.

The iron is mounted in a slide |66 the lower end of which, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 13, is provided wi'th apai'r `of vertical grooves forreceiving `upstanding `legs .|68 and |10 of the iron. ScreWs .|12 .and H4 vsecure the iron rigidly in .lplaceiin .the slide |66 andlper-mit vertical adjustment of the iron with're'spect to the slide. The lower end 'of the :slide 'is Aapertured to receive a torch 'H6 flocate'd above the iron '160 for'heatlin-'gthe same. The slide 4Hit-'is mounted ina vertical dovetailgroove yllllinthehead 5B (Fig. 5), one .wall of .this groove being lfo-rmeo'l'byan ad- :iu-stable :gib 1|'80 Vsecured in place by screws |82 fand '|83 (Figs. 2 .and `5).. .A recess 2|84 (Figs. .2.an'd 10) Aisrformedi'nthe upper end of the 'slide fand forms a #seat "for a spring |86 the upper'fend "of which is? received Vby a :recess |8'8 formed in the-.plate TIUU "at the top of `the v.head 56. This spring urges the'ir'on downwardlyf'toward the 'lower c'feed roll 34, 'this downward movement being adjustably limited by a screw |l`9|l ithreaded "into 'the top of the Aslide and' the head of which bears again's't the upper surface of uthe plate |100. .'Ilhe'iltorh |16fis"c0nnected bva tube '|92 (Fig. T8) to a .mixing Ychamber 2|f94 secured to a slide f9.6 mounted for veiltical movement inaslideway |98 (Fig. 5).. The-)mixing chamberis secured to th'e.slide:by'a-fsupportiZUil l'Eig. 8) which isad- .-justabljvcon'nected thereto-byla screw'2`)2 -pass- `l.ing .through :an "oversized hole 'in the `lower "end of .the support 2.200 Aand 'threadedly `received b y thelslide |96; The 'upper end '-'o'f the support 200 iis fork'edas indicated 'in AFig.Zandembraces a pinnen extending into :the snee-lee. iUpon 100sening fthe screw 202 fthe "supporlt 2.00 fmay Vloev rocked aboutthe'faxisof'the pin "2 0'4 by reason of the oversized hole -.through which the screw 1262 i.p'a'sses, thus permitting lateral ad'justmentof the torch |15frelativeftotheiiron vvI 6|] .Y 'l

- fableiuel which will giveasuicientlyfhotiiame to fraise 'the "temperature of the r"iron to the'desired vvalueo'i'iesuitable fuel being a mixture of 4'oX-ygenland acetylene.V The mixing chamber |94 #has a .pair o'f f'inlets 2||l land 212 Vto which are connected :.iieXible tubes l2 M 'Sand 12 |6 respectively (Figs. and 7) 'which'are inV turn connected Ito vvalves f2|8 "and 22|) (Fig. il) which control the ow1of'g`ase's 1through 'these tubes. VThese rvalves 'may beprovidedfwith indicia which cooperate "Withpointers 222to indicate the relative amounts -`of f'gases being supplied through the? tubes tothe torch.

Provision `is `matie :for raising theva'rious 'work engaging members carried T-by the head 'frela- `tively thereto. *For `:this Tp'virpose `a 'treadle rrod .-240 (Fig. ;-1) is arranged to xrloe-connected toa Atreadle and biased by Ameans i (not shown) .to-lthe position illustrated. The :upper fend fo'f the ftreadle trod is `pivoted to the-outer I endfofan varm f242, `the other endoflwliichiis lfast to one-end of a shaft 244 journaled 1in the `housing ifi). `An

being inalignment with theffgroove in-.thebottom 75 far'mf is carried byithetherferid ofthe shaft 244 and is pivoted to a link 248 which is in turn pivotally connected by a pin 249 to one arm 250 of a bell crank lever pivoted at 252 to an upwardly and rearwardly projecting arm 254 of the plate secured to the top of the head 56. The other arm 255 of the bell crank lever is connected by a pin 284 to a link 256 the lower end of which is pivoted at 258 to the upper end of the torch slide |96. By depressing the treadle rod 240, clockwise movement is imparted to the bell crank lever which raises the torch slide |95 within the head 56 to move the torch away from the iron |60.

The'iron |60 is arranged to be raised upon downward movement of the treadle rod 240, but not until the torch |16 has been moved upwardly a predetermined distance. For this purpose, a lost motion connection is provided between the arm 255 of the bell crank lever and the iron slide |55. (Figs. l, 2, and pivoted at its upper end to an intermediate portion of the arm 255 of the bell crank lever, the lower end of the link 250 being provided with a slot 262 embracing a screw 264 projecting from the iron slide |66. As the arm 255 of the bell crank lever moves upwardly about the pivot 252, raising the torch |16, the link 250 is moved upwardly therewith and after the torch has been raised a sufficient distance the lower end of the slot 262 engages the screw 264 so that further upward movement of the arm 255 causes the iron to be lifted away from the lower feed roll 34.

Upon further downward movement of the treadle rod 240, the upper feed rolls 42 and 44 are arranged to be lifted. A pair of levers 210 and 212 (Fig. 4) are fulcrumed on a pin 214 mounted in the upper end of an arm 216 (Fig. 2) extending upwardly from the plate |00. The right ends of these levers are positioned over the upper ends of the rods 92, the upper ends of these rods being provided with rounded heads 218. Fingers 280 (Fig. 2) are secured by screws 282 to the underside of the levers 210 and 212 and engage the underside of the heads 218 so that the rods 92 move with the levers. The opposite ends of the levers 210 and 212 are positioned in the path of movement of the pin 284 which forms the connection between the bell crank lever arm 255 and the link 256, the pin having a portion 286 (Fig. 4) extending outwardly beyond the link 256. Upon upward movement of the arm 255 of the bell crank lever, after the iron has been lifted away from the lower feed roll 34, the extension 286 of the pin 284 engages the left ends of the levers 210 and 212 to rock these levers in a clockwise direction, thus forcing the rods 92 down against the action of the springs 98. This movement of the rods 92 causes the arms and 52 supporting the feed rolls 42 and 44 to move clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 1, thus lifting the feed rolls away from the work.

During the raising of the torch, iron and feed rolls, the guide |42 has remained in its operative position. After the feed rolls start to move up by reason of the downward movement of the treadle rod 240, the guide |42 will be raised. This is accomplished by means of the engagement of a lug 290, secured by a screw 29| to the slide |46 (Fig. 2), with the bottom of a recess 292 formed in the side of the torch slide |96. This recess is made sufliciently long that the bottom thereof will not engage the lug 290 until the iron and feed rolls have been lifted.

In order to convey fumes resulting from the This connection comprises a link 26|)v searing of the material by the iron and charred bits of material removed thereby, away from the machine, the head 56 is provided with a vertically extending groove 300 (Fig. 5) which extends to the bottom thereof. The upper end of the groove 300 communicates with a passageway 302 extending through the overhanging arm I6 and being connected at the rearward end thereof with a pipe 304 (Fig. 1) which may be connected yto a source of suction.

In operation, the parts of the machine will be in the positions illustrated in the drawings with the upper feed rolls 42 and 44, the guide |42, and the iron |60 adjacent to the lower feed roll 34. Assuming the back seama of a closed upper U is to be reduced the upper is presented inside out to the machine with the heel portion supported on the feed roll 34 and the supports v36 and 40, and with the seam ridge entering the slot in the guide |42. This slot guides the seam ridge and centers it with respect to the iron |60 to which the seam passes, the feeding action being effectedby the cooperative action of the upper and lower vfeed rolls. During its passage under the iron, the ridges |62 which are arranged in herringbone formation spread the same ridge and progressively fiatten it as indicated in Figs. 14 to 17, due to the fact that the ridges in the lower surface of the iron are progressively nearer the adjacent surface of the feed roll 34. The iron is heated by the torch |16 to a sufficiently high temperature to cause the leather to be charred and rendered slightly plastic, this action causing the seam to become shrunken and compacted and rendering the surface of the treated edges substantially bone hard. In addition to spreading and flattening the seam ridge, the ridges |62 also act to remove charred portions of the material, the finished reduced seam S having the general appearance shown in Fig. 1'1.

After the seam ridge has been reduced, the upper U moves on to the lower varm |4 (Fig. l) and another upper may be passed through the machine. The uppers collect on the arm I4 as indicated in Fig. 1 wherein is illustrated two uppers which have been passed through the machine. 'Ihe arm I4 has capacity for collecting a large number of uppers and in order to permit simultaneous removal thereof, the head 56 and all the operating parts carried thereby may be raised a considerable distance by moving the arm |5 downwardly thus effecting a straightening of the toggle composed of the crank arm |26 and link |30.

Should the iron become too hot or should it be desired to raise the iron away from the work, the torch is rst lifted away from the iron by depressing the treadle rod 240. Thus, at the will of the operator the iron may be rendered ineffective at any time and the torch will always be spaced sufficiently therefrom to prevent overheating of the iron. Should the operator desire to interrupt the feeding movement of the work, the treadle rod 240 is further depressed which raises the upper feed rolls 42 and 44 out of engagement with the work, and if rthe operator desires to remove the work piece before it has passed through the machine, further depression ent of the United States is:

1. In a seam-reducing machine, a lower driven feed roll for supporting a piece of work, a pair of spaced, upper, driven feed'rolls coacting with said first rollfor engaging theV other side'ofthe work on opposite` sidesof a seam therein, and seam-reducing means between Vsaid upper lfeedrolls. 'i Y 2. In a seam-reducingmachine, a lower driven feed roll for supporting a piece of work, a pair of upper driven feed rolls coacting with said firstV roll for engaging the other side of the work on opposite sides of a seam therein, means mounting said upper' feed' rolls for yielding movement, and seam-reducing means located between said upper vfeed rolls. 1 Y .I

3. In a seam-reducing machine, a lower driven feedroll on which aworkpiecegmay besupported, a pair of spaced upper driven Vfeed rolls coacting with said first roll for engaging the upper side of the work on opposite sides of a seam therein, means mounting said feed rolls for independent yielding movement, and seam-reducing means associated therewith.

4. In a back-seam-reducing machine, a supporting arm, a lower driven feed roll mounted at the end of said arm and arranged to rotate about a horizontal axis substantially at right angles to the aXi-s of said arm, a pair of upper driven feed rolls arranged to engage a work piece supported on said lower feed roll at opposite sides of a. seam therein, and seam-reducing means associated with said upper feed rolls.

5. In a seam-reducing machine, a lower driven feed roll, a pair of upper driven feed rolls arranged to engage a work piece supported on said lower feed roll at opposite sides of a seam therein, means for moving said upper feed rolls away from said lower feed roll, and seam-reducing means arranged to act on the seam of the work piece.

6. In a seam-reducing machine, a lower driven feed roll, a pair of upper driven feed rolls ar- Y ranged to engage a work piece supported on the lower feed roll at opposite sides of a seam therein, seam reducing means located between said upper feed rolls, and guide means engaging said seam and directing it to said seam-reducing means.

7. In a seam-reducing machine, coacting feed rolls arranged to grip opposite sides of a work piece therebetween, seam-reducing means associated with said feed rolls for reducing a seam in the work piece during feeding movement thereof, and guide means engaging opposite sides of said seam and arranged to direct -the work te said feed rolls with the seam properly disposed with respect to said seam-reducing means.

8. Ina seam-reducing machine, a lower driven feed roll, a pair of upper feed rolls arranged to engage a work piece supported on the lower feed roll at opposite sides of a seam therein, a yieldingly mounted searing tool between said upper feed rolls, and guide means arranged to engage the seam and direct it to said searing tool.

9. In a seam-reducing machine, a lower feed roll, a pair of upper feed rolls arranged to engage a work piece supported on said lower feed roll at opposite sides of a seam therein, a yield- Yingly mounted searing tool between ysaid upper engage a work piece suppor-tedonl the lower feed roll adjacent to a seam therein, a searing ltool ad-v jacent to said upper feed roll for reducing the seam of the work-piece, a guideengaging the seam` and arranged to direct the work piece to y the searing tool, meanszfor raising in a predeterduced thereby, and a guide for directing the material with the seampassing centrally beneath said searing tool.

12. In a seam-reducing machine, means for feeding a work piece having a seam therein to be reduced, a searing tool arranged to engage the seam ridge, said searing tool having a ridgereceiving entrance groove, and a guide arranged to engage opposite sides of the seam ridge for directing the seam ridge to said entrance groove.

13. In a seam-reducing machine, a work support, means for feeding material having a seam ridge to be reduced, a searing tool arranged to engage the seam ridge, said tool having a ridgereceiving entrance groove andk seam-engaging ridges beyond said grooves in the direction of feeding movement, 'and a guide for directing the seam ridge to said entrance groove.

14. In a seam-reducing machine, means for feeding a work piece having a seam ridge to be reduced, a searing tool having an entrancegroove for the seam ridge, and seam-engaging ridges beyond said groove in the direction of feeding movement, said ridges being arranged substantially in herring-bone formation with the ridges diverging in the direction of feeding movement.

15. In a seam-reducing machine, means for feeding a work piece having av seam ridge to be reduced, a searing tool having an entrance groove for the seam ridge, and seam-engaging ridges beyond ,said groove in the direction of feeding movement, said ridges being arranged substantially in herringbone formation with the ridges diverging in the direction4 of feeding movement, said ridges approaching closer to the body of the material at the exit end of the searing tool than adjacent to the entrance groove.

16. In a seam-reducing machine, a work support, means for feeding a work piece having a seam ridge therein over said work support, a searing tool arranged to engage said seam ridge for reducing the same, said searing tool having work engaging ridges arranged substantially in herringbone formation.

17. In a seam-reducing machine, a work support, means for feeding a work piece having a seam ridge therein over said work support, asearing tool arranged to engage said seam ridge forv ringbone formation, said Yridges being arranged progressively nearer the work support from the entrance end thereof to the exit end thereof. i

18. In a seam-reducing machine, a work support, means for feeding a work piece having a seam ridge therein over said work support, a

searing tool arranged to engage said seam ridge for reducing the same, said searing tool having worh engaging ridges arranged substantially in herrmgbone formation, and a guide engaging opposite sides of said seam ridge and arranged to direct the same to the center of said searing tool.

19. In a seam-reducing machine, means for supporting a work piece having a seam therein, an iron located above the supporting means for engagement with the seam, a torch mounted above the iron for directing a ame thereon, and operator controlled means arranged upon initial movement thereof to raise the torch away from the iron, and upon further4 movement thereof to raise the iron away from the work piece.

20. In a seam-reducing machine, a lower feed roll for supporting a work piece, an upper feed roll cooperating therewith to feed the work, a searing iron adjacent to the upper feed roll and arranged to engage a seam ridge in said work piece, a torch mounted above the iron and arranged to direct a name downwardly thereon, a

guide adjacent to said feed roll and arranged to direct the seam to said iron, and means for progressively raising the torch, the iron, the feed roll and the guide in the order named.

21. In a seam-reducing machine, a lower feed roll for supporting ra Work piece, an upper feed roll cooperating therewith to feed the work, a searing iron adjacent to the upper feed roll and arranged to engage a seam ridge in said work piece, a torch mounted above the iron and arranged to direct a ame downwardly thereon, a guide adjacent to said feed roll and arranged to direct the seam to said iron, means for progressively raising the torch, the iron, the feed roll and the guide in the order named, and additional means for simultaneously raising said torch, iron, feed roll and guide.

J OHN R. OLIVER.

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