Plastic article or earthenware shaping or treating: apparatus – Preform severing means – Serially arranged with preform reshaping means
Reexamination Certificate
1998-11-20
2001-01-30
Mackey, James P. (Department: 1722)
Plastic article or earthenware shaping or treating: apparatus
Preform severing means
Serially arranged with preform reshaping means
C425S397000, C425SDIG004
Reexamination Certificate
active
06179602
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the manufacture of shoes and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to an apparatus and method for delivering an adhesive sheet into a mold.
2. Description of the Related Art
A current method of producing a shoe involves forming a sole by filling a mold with a liquefied polyurethane, closing the mold to apply pressure to the liquefied polyurethane, permitting the liquefied polyurethane to solidify, opening the mold, and removing the completed polyurethane sole. After the formation of the sole, a full wrap “vamp/moccasin” style upper portion of a shoe, called an “upper”, is attached to the sole to form a completed shoe. The attachment of the upper involves spreading a glue onto the top of the sole as well as to the bottom of the upper. After the spreading of the glue, the upper is mounted onto the sole and both are placed in a clamp. Once the glue has dried, the upper and sole are removed from the clamp to complete the method.
Although the above method effectively produces a shoe, it suffers the disadvantage of requiring the use of a glue that includes volatile organic compounds. Volatile organic compounds are regulated substances requiring special handling as well as health and safety measures, such as special ventilation and fans, to protect the health of the employees. Consequently, the use of volatile organic compounds complicates the shoe formation process thereby increasing costs.
Accordingly, an apparatus implementing a method that reduces the amount of volatile organic compounds utilized during a shoe formation process will improve shoe manufacture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, an apparatus for delivering an adhesive sheet into a mold includes a support assembly, a knife support assembly operatively linked with the support assembly, and a control system assembly operatively linked with the support assembly and with the knife support assembly. As such, when an adhesive sheet is delivered to a mold by the apparatus, the control system assembly allows for the selective operation of the support assembly and the knife support assembly.
The support assembly includes a frame, a side clamp and a center clamp both operatively linked with the frame, a table top secured with the frame for supporting the adhesive sheet placed thereon, and an array of slats to prevent the adhesive sheet from bunching together where each slat includes two ends with each end secured to the frame. Accordingly, the adhesive sheet travels across the support assembly between the slats and the tabletop. The adhesive sheet is then clamped by the side clamp for cutting by the knife support assembly. The side clamp moves the cut adhesive sheet from the support assembly and positions the sheet in the mold. The center clamp maintains the remaining adhesive sheet in a position relative to the support assembly ensuring that the side clamp optimally clamps the adhesive sheet upon returning to the support assembly. Moreover, during operation, the control system assembly alternately engages either the side clamp or the center clamp relative to the adhesive sheet.
The side clamp includes two plate assemblies, each positioned apart from another along the lengthwise edge of the support assembly. Each plate assembly, in turn, includes a top plate and a bottom plate. The top plate and bottom plate come together and press against one another to thus clamp the adhesive sheet. The side clamp further includes a side clamp actuator that is coupled with the support assembly and operatively linked with the control system assembly.
A side clamp rib brace, fixed to the lower surface of each bottom plate of the side clamp, couples the two plate assemblies thereby forming one integral unit defining the side clamp. Additionally, the side clamp rib brace, disposed on the side clamp actuator, positions the cut adhesive sheet held by the side clamp onto the mold assembly as the side clamp moves from the support assembly via the side clamp actuator.
The center clamp includes at least one plate assembly, each positioned apart from another along the widthwise edge of the support assembly. Each plate assembly, in turn, includes a top plate and a bottom plate. The top plate and bottom plate come together and press against one another to thus clamp the adhesive sheet.
The knife support assembly includes a knife, a knife actuator in cooperative engagement with the support assembly, and a knife support platform coupled with the support assembly for supporting the knife actuator mounted thereon. The knife actuator includes an actuator arm having a knife fixed thereon thereby permitting the knife to cut the adhesive sheet. Furthermore, the tabletop of the support assembly provides a guide slot for receiving the blade of the knife therein to ensure that the adhesive sheet is cut as the knife travels across the support assembly.
The apparatus may further include an adhesive sheet assembly, in cooperative engagement with the support assembly, for feeding a continuous supply of adhesive sheet to the support assembly. The adhesive sheet assembly includes a feeder support frame including at least two sidewalls for supporting a supply of adhesive sheet therebetween. The adhesive sheet assembly includes a feeder roller positioned between the sidewalls and operatively engaged with the adhesive sheet for supplying loose adhesive sheet required by the side clamp. The adhesive sheet assembly includes a feeder motor mounted on the feeder support frame and operatively linked with the control system assembly for driving the feeder roller.
In accordance with the present invention, a method for delivering an adhesive sheet to at least one mold positioned on a mold tray includes providing an apparatus, as disclosed above, in cooperative engagement with the mold tray. The mold tray is advanced to a position adjacent to the apparatus so that the mold, while in an opened position, may optimally receive a cut adhesive sheet from the apparatus. A side clamp is engaged to clamp the adhesive sheet and a knife of the knife support assembly is extended along the support assembly to cut the adhesive sheet clamped by the side clamp. The knife is retracted to its position within the knife support assembly. The side clamp is extended toward the open mold. The center clamp is engaged to clamp the adhesive sheet located on the support assembly. The side clamp is disengaged adjacent to the open mold to deliver the cut adhesive sheet to the mold. The side clamp is retracted to its position within the support assembly and the center clamp is disengaged. The mold is closed for facilitating the integration of the cut adhesive sheet within the mold.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for reducing the amount of volatile organic compounds utilized during a shoe formation process.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for delivering an adhesive sheet into a mold for improving shoe manufacture.
Still other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become evident to those skilled in the art in light of the following.
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Luk Emmanuel S.
Mackey James P.
Makay Christopher L.
Watertown Soles, Inc.
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