Usm Corporation

Brian J Murphy

Frank Hartshorn

Richard E Storer

Malcolm Salway-Waller

Ivor J Le Vesconte

Leslie A Withers

A shoe support comprises toe support means (34) and heel support means (30), the toe support means being mounted for adjusting movement relative to the heel support means in directions extending lengthwise, widthwise and heightwise of the bottom of a shoe supported by the shoe support. The heel support means (30) comprises a last pin (32') mounted for limited rocking movement abut an axis (412) extending lengthwise of the shoe bottom, the last pin being supported on a support member (420) which is angularly displaceable on a support rod (28), the arrangement being such that the rocking axis (412) of the last pin (32') can be adjusted angularly on the support rod, thus to locate said axis (412) substantially in the heel-to-toe plane of the shoe, as determined by the position of the toe support means (34). In this way, the shoe is supported in a more stable manner for operations to be performed thereon, e.g. a heel seat lasting operation.

Shoe support

In tack seat lasting machines, operator skill is often required because of irregularities in last manufacture, especially in drilling the last pin hole. Thus, automatic presentation is difficult. In accordance with the invention the last pin (32') is mounted for limited rocking movement about an axis extending lengthwise of the shoe bottom, and shoe centralizing means (424) engages edges of the shoe, at opposite sides of the last pin, to ensure alignment with a longitudinal center line of the machine. The centralized shoe is then clamped by a holddown (406), the centralizing means released, and the shoe heel end clamped by a heel band (520) which, by equalized pressure being applied to both 'legs' thereof, holds, the shoe in position as presented.

Machine for lasting heel seat portions of shoes

In tack seat lasting machines, variation of the tack (nail) pattern is achieved by varying the wiper inwiping movement, itself dependent upon their lengthwise movement. Such variation also alters the 'back tack' position (i.e. relationship between the heel band backseam region and corresponding region of the wipers). In accordance with the invention, the nail pattern is varied by an operator-set reference potentiometer (198) by matching with its signal that of a linear potentiometer (190) which controls operation of wiper-operating motor (72, 74). The back tack position is controlled by a motor (105) according to an operator setting of a reference potentiometer (208). The combined signal from the reference potentiometers (198, 208) is compared with a control signal of a linear potentiometer (202) associated with the heel band, the motor (105) being operated until the compared signals match. Thus any variation of the nail pattern, by re-setting potentiometer (198), also causes motor (105) to operate to adjust the heel band position accordingly, thus maintaining the back tack position as set by the potentiometer (208).

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Leicester, United Kingdom

Brian J Murphy