The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 13, 1988
Filed:
Nov. 21, 1986
Gregory A Williams, Litchfield, NH (US);
International Shoe Machine Corporation, Nashua, NH (US);
Abstract
For use in a system that includes first and second machines to perform operations on a footwear upper assembly, a transfer machine that includes an activator arm assembly, and a gripper assembly rotatably and pivotally connected to one end of the activator arm assembly. The gripper assembly includes a pair of fingers with a gripper jaw pivotally secured to each of the fingers. The pair of fingers are movable toward and away from each other respectively to grasp and release the footwear upper assembly. The pivotal attachment of the jaws permits the jaws to adjust to the irregular profile of the footwear upper assembly, a situation which is enhanced by the geometry of the gripper jaws which permits contact between the jaws at regions spaced longitudinally along the footwear upper assembly and by choosing a jaw material that is soft enough to deform, and hence provide larger contact area between the upper assembly and the jaws.