US2321610A - Welt feeding device - Google Patents

Description

June 15, 1943 A. RMORRILL. 2,321,610

WELT FEEDING DEVICE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jam 6, 1941 fyi 46 o y O 26/ Z Z5 S o 5Y 'Mg/WWW# Jane 15, 1943.1 A, R. MORRILL 2,321,610

` WELT FEEDING- DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 6, 1941 lll/111111111111114" June 15, 1943. A. R. MoRRlLL WELT FEEDING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 6, 1941 Patented June 15, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WELT FEEDING DEVICE Alfred R. Morrill, Beverly, Mass.,y assigner to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation f New Jersey Application January d, 1941, Serial No. 373,206

11 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in devices for feeding Welt or similar Strip material to welt attaching and Work feeding devices of a shce machineadapted-for securing together a welt and the associated partvor parts of the shoe.

The invention is herein disclosed in a preferred form as part of an integral unit comprised by a welt tempering device such as that illustrated in the Ashworth Patent No. 1,981,940, dated November 27, 1934, which unit isA applicable to any shoe machine adapted for Welt attaching or Welt sewing.

Further in accordance with the present disclosure, the invention is illustrated as embodied in an inseam Welt sewing machine for sewing a Goodyear welt shoe having substantially the construction and arrangement illustrated in applicants prior Patent No. 2,041,945, dated May 26, 1936, of which the stitch forming and Work feeding devices are arranged for imparting a continuous feeding movement tc the Work.

In the operation of shoe machine'sof the general type having mechanisms for'securing together the Welt and the associated part or parts' of a shoe and for feeding the' Work, and more particularly in the operation of Welt shoe sevving machines, it has been found-that the introduction of any appreciable resistance to the advancing of the Welt by the stitch forming and Work feedingdevices ofthe machine, has a tendency to interfere with the proper feeding of the Work, and also to place an objectionable strain on the work feeding devices, causing excessive Wear and consequent loss of efficiency of the mas chine. Excessive resistance of this sort may be caused by the use of Welt processing attachments on the machine, of which the Welt tempering device herein illustrated, is anexample, such devices having'atendency to increase to an objectionable extent the resistance'encountered to the advance of the Welt by the stitch forming and Work feeding devices.

It is recognized that there are welt feeding devices in theprior art having as'their object to assistv in the advancing of the Welt, and thereby to improve the quality' of the work. Welt feeding devices of the type referred to, ordinarily comprise a vibrating finger which operates to draw off welt from the supply against an anchorage provided by the shoe operating devices softhat welt will be supplied in the quantities needed. Welt feeding devicesV of this type; however, have the disadvantage that a heavy strain is-'neverthelessplaced upon theshoe operating devices by the action o f the finger at so'mepoint in each successive stitch forming and vvork feeding cycle. vAs applied to machines in Which the stitch formi-'ng and Work feeding devices are arranged for the continuous feed ofthe Work, Welt feeding devices which depend-upon thev action of a vibrating finger havethe specific disadvantage that the pull'of the Weltfmust be absorbed by parts which arein continuous motion to feed the work causing considerable `strains and Wear upon such-parts together with their actuating linkages and cams'.

Itis a principal object of the'invention to provide for use in' a shoe machine' having devices for` securing together the Welt and associated parts of the shoe; and for feeding the Work, a novel and improved Welt feeding device which is Well adapted for supplying welt to the securing mechanism at a rate' which is automatically adjustabley in accordance WithV the rate of feed of the Work, and without imposing objectionable pulling strains orshoc'ks'upoii the securing and Workfeedin'g' devices-of the machine.

It is a' further object of the invention to provide a'- Welt feeding device which may be provided as part ofaseparate unitwith a Welt'temperin'g device for use in veltv shoe machines which will operate automatically to feed Welt to the shoe operatingv mechanism as needed and Without the necessity of introducing elaborate mechanisms for coordinating the operation of the welt feed-mechanism' with' the operation of thestitch'forming and Work feeding devices of the machine. Y v

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to providea Welt feeding mechanism which is `automatically responsive to a'lighttensioning strain imposed u'ponthe Welt bythe shoe operating' devices to feed welt to` the machine as needed; Y

`With th'e'se and other objectsinl view as may hereinafter appear',a principal feature of the inventioncon'sists'in' theprovision of awelti feedingr device including a' positively actuated driving element' which isarrang'edfor feeding the Weltat arate inexcess-'of the-ratefatwhich the work* is advanced by theu securing mechanism,

and in combinationtherewith,` means responable tensioning?` strains which would otherwise be -caused by the Vpuh-of"-theivelt :upon the securing mechanism.

Another feature of the invention consists in the provision of a welt feeding device which comprises a rotating driving element arranged for frictional engagement with the welt to feed the same to the securing mechanism in combination with a device responsive to variations of the tensioning strain on the welt to cause the welt to be frictionally engaged and advanced by the driving element.

The several features of the invention consist also in the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described andclaimed, which together with the advantages to be obtained thereby will be readily understood by one skilled in the art from the following dcscription taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a view in right side elevation of a Goodyear inseam sewing machine having embodied therein applicants improved welt feeding device; Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevation of the stitch forming and work feeding devices of the machine; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view in side elevation of applicants welt wetting and welt feeding mechanism shown generally in Fig. l; Fig. 4 is a view looking from the left, of substantially the parts shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view illustrating particularly the driving element of the welt feeding device and a portion of the exible shaft for driving the same; Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view in front elevation illustrating particularly the driving connections for the iiexible shaft of the welt feeding device located in the base of the machine; and Fig. 7 is a View in right side elevation taken on the section line 1-1 of Fig. 6.

The Goodyear inseam sewing machine illustrated in the drawings as disclosing in a preferred form the several features of the invention, comprises a column support l in which is mounted an electric driving motor l2 and an operating head I4 in which is housed the sewing mechanism of the machine. The drive is taken from the motor I2 and armature ,shaft I6 through reduction gears housed in a gear box I8 to a coupling I9 and a vertically arranged drive shaft 20 extending upwardly through the column of the machine.

The stitch forming and work feeding devices of the machine include a curved hook needle 22 arranged to enter the work from the channel side, an awl 24, a channel guide 26, a welt guide 28 and a back rest 30. These devices are constructed and arranged for imparting a continuous feeding movement to the work, the needle and awl for this purpose being supported for reciprocatory movement in the line of feed on a slide 32, and the channel guide being similarly mounted for reciprocatory movement upon a slide 34 Reciprocatory movement is imparted to the slide 32 by means of a pair of levers, one of which is designated at 35 supported to turn on a pivot 33. One of said levers 36 is provided with a rearward extension which is cam actuated for imparting reciprocatory :movements to the slide 32. The slide 34 carrying the channel guide 26 is similarly arranged for reciprocatory movement in the line of feed, such movement being imparted through cam actuated connections including an actuating lever 40 connected at its forward end to the slide 34 and mounted to turn on a pivot pin 42 on the machine frame. The back and forth movements of the slide. 34Vcarrying the channel guide 26are timed with relation to the back and forth movements of the asai 1o slide 32 carrying the needle and awl so as to produce a continuous and uniform feeding movement to the work. Inasmuch as the stitch forming, work feeding and driving and stopping mechanisms of the machine are substantially similar to those fully set forth in applicants prior patent above referred to, and form specifically no part of the present invention, further illustration of the same has been omitted.

In the present machine, the welt is drawn from any convenient source of supply as, for example, a coil of welting on the iioor adjacent the machine, and passes through a welt tempering device which may be simiiar to that illustrated in the Ashworth patent above referred to, over a pulley 46, and thence through the welt guide 23 to the point of operatic-n of the machine.

As best shown in Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawing the welt tempering device comprises a receptacle 4B for the tempering medium, adjustably supported on the machine table 50. The tempering medium, preferably water, is supplied to the receptacle 48 from a reserve tank 52, the construction and arrangement of the receptacle and tank being such as to maintain the level of the tempering medium in the receptacle adjustably at a predetermined depth. Welt drawn from the supply passes over a guide roller 54 carried on a pivot 56, thence through a guide 58 which determines the extent of immersion of the welt in the tempering medium, and thence over a driving roller 69 forming part of applicants improved welt feeding device hereinafter more fully to be described.

The guide 58 and roller 54, as in the Ashworth patent above referred to, are mounted on a frame 62 slidably supported for vertical adjustment on a square post E4. The frame 62 with the roller 54 and guide 58 are arranged to be moved downwardly to immerse the welt in the tempering medium upon starting the machine, and to be raised to a position in which the welt is out of the tempering medium upon stopping the machine, through connections which include a vertically arranged link 66 connected at its upper end to the frame 62 and at its lower end to a forwardly extending arm 68 secure-d to a rock shaft 10 supporting the starting treadle 'l2 of the machine.

Applicants improved welt feeding device cornprises specifically the driving roller Gil which is arranged to be continuously driven at a rate which will cause it to feed welt at a rate somewhat faster than it is drawn through the stitch forming and work feeding devices of the machine. The welt engaging peripheral surface of the driving roller 60 is provided with a friction surface in order to obtain a driving frictional contact between the roller and the engaged surface of the welt. In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, this frictional contact is produced by a knurling or roughening of the peripheral surface. It is contemplatedwithin the scope of the invention that the roller may be surfaced with some suitable friction producing material such as soft rubber or with toothed elements adapted for securing a positive engaging contact between the roller and Welt. As best shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, the roller 60 is supported to turn on a pivot 'l0 formed on a bracket 12 which is rigidly supported in an adjusted position upon the receptacle 48. To this end the bracket 12 is provided with a downwardly extending post 74 which is fitted intoA a. bore formed in a lug 16 at the lend of the receptacle 48, and,

is held rigidly in position by a clamping screw T8. The mechanism for continuously driving the roller l) comprises a flexible drive shaft 80 which is secured at one end by means of a set screw 82 to the roller 6b. The flexible shaft 8G together with its cover 84 enters the bracket 'i2 through a bore provided for this purpose extending axially of the pivot 75l. The cover 84 is clamped in position by means of a set screw 86 screwthreaded in the bracket l2. The flexible shaft 80 is connected at its lower end to be driven from the driving shaft of the machine through a small friction motor unit which comprises a housing 88 supported to turn on a horizontal pivot 90 on the machine base. The housing 8.?. supports a vertically arranged drive shaft 92 which at its upper end carries a w-heelM having a friction tire 95 for engagement with the coupling I9 for the vertically arranged drive shaft 2l] of the machine. Adjacent its lower end the drive shaft 92 has formed thereon a worm 98 which meshes with a worm gear It on a horizontal shaft H32. The exible drive shaft 86 is fitted into an axial bore in the shaft I2, and is secured thereto by means of a set screw Iill. In order to hold the cover 86 against slippage, the flexible shaft 8E? together with its cover 84 is arranged to pass through a bore formed in a cap |96 screw-threaded to a portion of the casing 88, the cover 84 being held in position by a set screw it@ screw-threaded in the Cap. rk-compression spring Il@ seated in a recess II2 in the lower end of the casing 88 for engagement against an abutting portion of the machine frame, serves to support the wheel $4 and friction tire @t in continuous driving engagement with the coupling I9 associated with the vertical drive shaft 20 of the machine.

In accordance with the invention, applicant provides mechanism which is responsive to variations in the tension on the welt extending to the stitch forming and work feeding devices oi the machine, to cause the driving roller 6B to be engaged with and to advance the welt in amounts which will be adequate to prevent the building up of objectionable tensioning strains due to the pull of the stitch forming and work feeding devices upon the Welt. As best shown in Figs. 3 and l of the drawings, this mechanism comprises a rocker member or frame H2 supported intermediate its length on a pivot pin II4 carried by, an extension of the bracket l2. At its lower end the rocker member Il2 carries a pressure roller I I6 for engaing the welt against the driving roller El). At its upper end the rocker member H2 carries a roller IIS which is arranged to engage with and to form a bend in the welt extending from the driving roller-6*) to the idler `pulley 45. With this construction and arrangement of the, rocker member II2 and the rollers H6 and IIB, it will readily be seen that the pull upon the Welt exerted by the stitch forming and work feeding devices will tend to straighten the Welt passing around the roller I I8 and to rock the member H2 to cause the roller IIS to force the Welt against the continuously rotating driving roller with increased pressure. As the welt is now drawn from the supply and through the welt tempering device by the driving rollery 60, the welt extending from the roller Si) to the stitch forming and Work feeding devices is again slackened, causing the pressure `of the roller II6 upon the Welt to be lightened, and thus effectively disconnecting the feed.

With the construction and arrangement of the CJD welt feeding device above described and herein illustrated, it has been demonstrated that a pull of approximately 1A; to 1/2 lb. exerted on the welt by the securing mechanism will effect a frictional driving engagement between the welt and the frictionsurface of the feed roller lill sufficient to exert a pull of 5 to 6 lbs. to draw the welt from the supply and through the welt tempering de- Vice.

It will be understood that the present invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific form ofA the welt feeding device illustrated, and that alternative constructions may be employed Within the scope of the invention and appended claims, which constructions may well employ other means for establishing a driving relationship of the welt feeding device with the welt, and in which positive rather than frictional welt engaging means may be employed.

It may be pointed out that applicants rocker arm II2 and associated parts are constructed and arranged to perform two separate functions. These parts operate first as a detector device which detects and is responsive to variations in the pull exerted by the sewing mechanism on the welt, and secondly, as an operating unit capable of initiating and discontinuing the actual feeding of the Welt.

Applicants improved welt feeding device has the particular advantage that it is readily applicable to any welt shoe machine having securing mechanism for securing together associated parts of a shoe including the welt, and for feeding the work irrespective of the form or manner of operation of such mechanism, and without any necessity for accurately timing or otherwise connecting the Welt feeding device with the operating mechanisms of the machine to which it is applied. Applicants welt feeding device is therefore particularly adapted for application as an attachment forming part of a separate welt processing unit as, for example, the illustrated welt tempering device.

The invention having claimed is:

1. A welt feeding device for use in a shoe machine having mechanism for securing together parts of a shoe including a welt, and for feeding the work, which comprises a Welt feeding element, and means for actuating said element at a rate for feeding the welt which is in excess of the rate at which the work is advanced by the feeding mechanism, and means responsive to a light pull exerted on the Welt by the feeding mechanism to cause the welt feeding element to feed the welt, and by a slackening of that pull to discontinue the feeding of the welt.

2. A welt feeding device for use in a shoe machine having mechanism for securing together parts of a shoe including a welt, and for feeding the work, which comprises a welt feeding element, and means for actuating said element at a rate for advancing the Welt which is in excess of the rate at which the Work is advanced by the feeding mechanism, and means for rendering said element operative and inoperative to feed been described, what is n the welt including a detector device responsive to a light pull exerted on the welt by the feeding mechanism for rendering said feed element operative to feed the welt, and responsive to a slackening of said pull for rendering said feed element inoperative to feed the Welt.

3. A Welt feeding device for use in a shoe machine having mechanism for securing together parts of a shoe including a welt, and for feeding the Work, which comprises a welt feeding element, driving means for actuating said element to feed the welt at a rate in excess of the rate at which the work is advanced by the feeding mechanism, and means responsive to a light pull on the welt exerted by said feeding mechanism for establishing a driving engagement between the welt feeding element and the welt, and by a slackening of said pull to discontinue said driving engagement.

4. A welt feeding device for use in a shoe machine having mechanism for securing together parts of a shoe including a welt, and for feeding the work, which comprises arotating welt feeding element having a Welt engaging friction surface, means for driving said welt feeding element to feed the welt at a rate in excess of the rate at which the work is advanced by the feeding mechanism, and means responsive to a light pull exerted on the welt by the feeding mechanism to establish a frictional driving relation between the welt feeding element and the welt.

5. A welt feeding device for use in a shoe machine having mechanism for securing together parts of a shoe including a welt, and for feeding the work, which comprises a rotating welt feeding element arranged when rendered operative to act on the welt to feed the same to the securing mechanism, means for continuouslydriving said element, a rocker element, means responsive to a tensioning strain on the welt extending between the feeding element and securing mechanism to rock the rocker element, and means rendered operative by the rocking of the rocker element to establish a driving relation between the welt feeding element and the welt.

6. In a welt shoe sewing machine having sewing mechanism including stitch forming and work feeding devices, a welt feeding device which comprises a continuously rotating welt feeding element having a welt engaging friction surface, and means responsive to a pull on the welt by the sewing mechanism to establish a frictional driving relation between said Welt feeding element and the welt to feed the same to the sewing mechanism in the amounts needed.

7. In a welt shoe sewing machine having sewing mechanism including stitch forming and work feeding devices, a welt feeding device for feeding the welt to the sewing mechanism which comprises a rotating Welt feeding element having a welt engaging friction surface, means for driving the element to feed the welt at a rate in excess of the rate at which the work is advanced by the sewing mechanism, and means including a welt engaging member responsive to a pull exerted on the welt by the sewing mechanism to urge the welt into frictional driving relation with said welt feeding element.

8. In a welt shoe sewing machine having sewarranged to engage with and form a bend in the welt between the welt feeding element and the sewing mechanism, and a welt pressure element on the rocker arm rendered operative by a tensioning of the welt between the sewing mechanism and the welt feeding element to urge the welt into frictional driving relation with the welt feeding element.

9. In a shoe machine having mechanism for securing together parts of a shoe including a welt and for feeding the work, and an associated device for effecting a preliminary processing; operation upon the Welt, the combination of a welt feeding device comprising a Welt feeding element arranged when rendered operative to act on the Welt between the securing mechanism and Said associated device, driving means for said welt feeding element, and means responsive to a light pull exerted on the welt by the feeding mechanism for rendering said feeding element operative to feed the Welt.

10. In a shoe sewing machine having sewing mechanism including stitch forming and work feeding devices, a welt feeding device for feeding the welt to the sewing mechanism which comprises a continuously rotating feeding element having a welt engaging friction surface, a welt tempering device through which the welt is drawn by the welt feeding device, and means responsive to a pull on the welt by the sewing mechanism to urge the welt into frictional driving relation with said feeding element.

11. In an inseam shoe sewing machine having stitch forming devices including a needle and work feeding devices arranged for feeding the work including a channel guide, a welt feeding device for feeding the welt to said devices cornprising a rotating feeding element having a welt engaging friction surface, means for driving the element to feed the welt at a rate in excess of the rate at which the work is advanced by said devices, and means including. a welt engaging member responsive to a pull exerted on the welt by said work feeding devices to urge the welt into frictional driving relation with said feeding element,and by a Slackening of said pull to release the welt from said driving relation with the feeding element.

ALFRED R. MORRILL.

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