| 1. | Machine for stitching various items, in particular for joining an open upper to a shaped element, connected to a shoe sole, the machine being of the type including: an arm (5) , whose one end is carried by the frame (200) of said machine (100), with possibility of oscillation on a prefixed axis (A) , while the other end supports a rotating ringlike body (6) , which is coaxial with said axis (A) and whose upper part forms a grid (7) ; a crochet device (12) , situated on said ringlike body together with the bobbin of thread (9), and set into rotation with respect to said axis by first means, connected to said arm; second means (13), connected to said arm, acting on said ringlike body (6), to keep said grid (7) motionless independently from the position assumed by said arm (5) , and a working head (1), supported by said frame (200), above said grid, and including: a needle carrying shaft (14), whose lower part has a needle (15) with relative thread (15A) , which is moved axially for cooperation with said rotating crochet device (12), in order to form stitching points (43) ; a feeding foot (16) , situated beside said shaft, moving axially in step relation with the shaft movement, the needle carrying shaft feeding foot assembly (C) being made to oscillate in a operation plane, which is perpendicular to said grid (7), performing strokes having an extension equal to a selected step, so as to feed, during the forward stroke (Wl) , the two stitched edges (Bl, B2); a leather pressure foot (76) , situated downstream of the assembly (C), with respect to said forward stroke (Wl), and moving axially between two extreme positions, in step relation with the assembly oscillation, respectively for pressing said edges against said grid (7) and for disengaging from said edges; characterized in that said feeding foot (16) forms a fork (R) having prongs (Rl, R2) for delimiting a seat (17) , parallel to the grid (7) situated below, for receiving the outer edge (Bl) of said two edges, with the inner edge (B2) of the latter two edges being introduced between the outer prong (Rl) of said fork (R) and said grid (7), which results in curling, caused by said outer prong (Rl) , of the portion of the outer edge (Bl) situated between the leather pressure foot (76) and the outer prong (Rl) , with said assembly (C) at the end of its return stroke (W2) . |
| 2. | Machine, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the head of said outer prong (Rl) turned toward the leather pressing foot has a bulge (20) perpendicular to said operation plane for increasing the width of said curling. |
| 3. | Machine, as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the outer prong (Rl) has a recess (18), which is passed through by said needle (15) and which starts from the head turned toward the leather pressure foot (76) and extends parallel to said operation plane, to define the stitching points, obtained by the cooperation of said needle with said crochet device. |
| 4. | Machine, as claimed in claim 3, characterized in that the inner prong (R2) has a recess (19), which is passed through by said needle and which starts from the head turned toward the leather pressure foot (76) parallel to said operation plane and above the recess (18) of the outer prong (Rl) . |
| 5. | Machine, as claimed in claim 3, in which said needle bar (14) can translate alternately in a lying plane, perpendicular to said operation plane, so as to bring the needle (15) to two extreme positions (Fl, F2) , in zones corresponding to first and second stitching lines (Ll, L2) , with said crochet device having hook means, which catch the loop formed by the thread (15A) carried by the needle (15) in both extreme positions (Fl, F2) imposed to the latter, with said needle passing through a "U"shaped slot (77) , made in said grid, with the wings (77A, 77B) of the slot receiving the needle placed correspondingly in said extreme positions (Fl, F2) ; with said machine characterized in that the extension of the recess (18) of the outer prong (Rl) in said lying plane is such as to define said extreme positions (Fl, F2) of the needle (15) in this plane. |
| 6. | Machine, as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that it includes at least two needles, carried symmetrically eccentric by said shaft and placed in said lying plane, with said hook means catching, in a rapid succession, relative loops defined correspondingly by the relative threads carried by respective needles, with the latter being situated respectively in said extreme positions. |
| 7. | Machine, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it includes an abutment element (11), moving between two positions, respectively a rest position (Zl) not interfering with the stitched edges (Bl, B2), and a working position , in which said abutment element is introduced between said edges, immediately upstream of said assembly (C) with reference to said forward stroke of the latter, and in that it includes a curling foot (21), acting, after being operated by relative operating means, on said outer edge (Bl), which lies on said abutment (11), in step relation with the return stroke (W2) of said assembly (C), to make said outer edge slide on the abutment situated below, in order to obtain a prefixed curling (Jl) between two subsequent stitching points. |
| 8. | Machine, as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that said abutment element is formed by the terminal part (11) of a pipe (38) , connected to a glue feeding source (40) , operated in step relation with the assembly movement, to apply the glue between the opposite surfaces of the stitched edges for obtaining a hermetic sealing of said edges. |
| 9. | Machine, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that it includes a pipe with one open end (11) moving between two positions, respectively a rest position, in which the pipe does not interfere with the stitched edges (Bl, B2) , and a working position (Zl), in which the pipe is introduced between said edges, immediately upstream of said assembly (C) with reference to said forward stroke of the latter, and with the other end being connected to a glue feeding source (40) , operated in step relation with the movement of said assembly (C) , to apply the glue between the opposite surfaces of the stitched edges, thus causing a hermetic sealing of said edges. |
| 10. | Machine, as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that the operation means of the curling foot (21) include: a square (22), in which the end of the upper arm is hinged to an arm (24) pivoted to the working head (1) by a hinge pin (25) , an actuator, articulated on one end to said hinge pin and on the other end to the upper arm of said square (22); a connecting rod (27), articulated to the end of the upper arm of said square; means, acting on said connecting rod, to drive said arm (24) into oscillation on the hinge pin (25) , to perform a curling stroke (Yl) and a return stroke (Y2) , imposed in step relation respectively with the return stroke (W2) and forward stroke (Wl) of said assembly (C) . |
| 11. | Machine for stitching various items, in particular for joining an open upper to a shaped element, connected to a shoe sole, the machine being of the type including: an arm (5) with one end carried by a frame (200) of said machine (100), with possibility to oscillate on a selected axis (A) , while another end of the arm supports a rotating ringlike body (6) arranged coaxial with said axis (A) and with an upper part forming a grid (7) ; a crochet device (12), situated on said ringlike body together with a bobbin of thread (9) , and set into rotation with respect to said axis by first means, connected to said arm; second means (13) , connected to said arm, acting on said ringlike body (6), to keep said grid (7) motionless independently from the position assumed by said arm (5) , and a working head (1), supported by said frame (200), above said grid, and including: a needle carrying shaft (14), whose lower part has a needle (15) with a related thread (15A), which is moved axially to cooperate with said rotating crochet device (12) , in order to form stitching points (43) ; a feeding foot (16), situated beside said shaft, moving axially in step relation with the shaft movement, the (C) needle carrying shaft feeding foot assembly being driven into oscillation in a operation plane, which is perpendicular to said grid (7), performing strokes with an extension equal to a predetermined step, so as to feed, during the forward stroke (Wl) , the two stitched edges (Bl, B2) ; a leather pressure foot (76) , situated downstream of the assembly (C) , with respect to said forward stroke (Wl) , and moving axially between two extreme positions, in step relation with the assembly oscillation, respectively for pressing said edges against said grid (7) and for disengaging from said edges; characterized in that it includes an abutment element (11), moving between two positions, respectively a rest position (Zl), in which the element does not interfere with the stitched edges (Bl, B2), and a working position , in which the element is introduced between said edges, immediately upstream of said assembly (C) with reference to said forward stroke of the latter, and in that it includes a curling foot (21) acting, after being operated by relative operating means, on said outer edge (Bl), which lies on said abutment (11) , in step relation with the return stroke (W2) of said assembly (C), to make said outer edge slide on the abutment situated below, in order to obtain a predetermined curling (Jl) between two subsequent stitching points. |
| 12. | Machine, as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that said abutment element is formed by the terminal part (11) of a pipe (38), connected to a glue feeding source (40) , operated in step relation with the assembly movement, to apply the glue between the opposite surfaces of the stitched edges, thus causing a hermetic sealing of said edges. |
| 13. | Machine, as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that said feeding foot (16) forms a fork (R), whose prongs (Rl, R2) delimit a seat (17) , parallel to the grid (7), situated below, and receiving the outer edge (Bl) of said two edges, with the inner edge (B2) of the these latter edges being introduced between the outer prong (Rl) of said fork (R) and said grid (7), which results in curling (J), caused by said outer prong (Rl), of the portion of the outer edge (Bl) situated between the outer prong (Rl) and the leather pressure foot (76) , with said assembly (C) at the end of its return stroke (W2) . |
| 14. | Machine, as claimed in claim 13, characterized in that the head of said outer prong (Rl) turned toward the leather pressing foot has a bulge (20) perpendicular to said operation plane for increasing the width of said curling. |
| 15. | Machine, as claimed in claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the outer prong (Rl) has a recess (18), which is passed through by said needle (15) and which starts from the head turned toward the leather pressure foot (76) and extends parallel to said operation plane, to define the stitching points, obtained by the cooperation of said needle with said crochet device. |
| 16. | Machine, as claimed in claim 15, characterized in that the inner prong (R2) has a recess (19) passed through by said needle and starting from the head turned toward the leather pressure foot (76) parallel to said operation plane and above the recess (18) of the outer prong (Rl) . |
| 17. | Machine, as claimed in claim 15, in which said needle bar (14) can translate alternately in a lying plane, perpendicular to said operation plane, so as to bring the needle (15) to two extreme positions (Fl, F2), in zones corresponding to first and second stitching lines (Ll, L2), with said crochet device having hook means, which catch the loop formed by the thread (15A) carried by the needle (15) in both extreme positions (Fl, F2) imposed to the latter, with said needle passing through a "U"shaped slot (77), made in said grid, with the wings (77A, 77B) of the slot receiving the needle placed correspondingly in said extreme positions (Fl, F2); with said machine characterized in that the extension of the recess (18) of the outer prong (Rl) in said lying plane is such as to define said extreme positions (Fl, F2) of the needle (15) in this plane. |
| 18. | Machine, as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that the operation means of the curling foot (21) include: a square (22), in which the end of the upper arm is hinged to an arm (24) pivoted to the working head (1) by a hinge pin (25) , an actuator, articulated on one end to said hinge pin and on the other end to the upper arm of said square (22); a connecting rod (27), articulated to the end of the upper arm of said square; means, acting on said connecting rod, to make said arm (24) oscillate on the hinge pin (25), to perform a curling stroke (Yl) and a return stroke (Y2), imposed in step relation respectively with the return stroke (W2) and forward stroke (Wl) of said assembly (C) . |
| 19. | Machine, as claimed in claim 11, characterized in that it includes a pipe with one open end (11) moving between two positions, respectively a rest position, in which the pipe does not interfere with the stitched edges, and a working position (Zl), in which the pipe is introduced between said edges (Bl, B2) , immediately upstream of said assembly (C) with reference to said forward stroke (Wl) of the latter, and with another end connected to a glue feeding source (40), operated in step relation with the movement of said assembly (C) , to apply glue between opposite surfaces of the stitched edges (Bl, B2) for obtaining a hermetic sealing of said edges. |
| 20. | Machine, as claimed in claim 17, characterized in that it includes at least two needles, carried symmetrically eccentric by said shaft and placed in said lying plane, with said hook means catching, in rapid succession, relative loops defined correspondingly by the relative threads carried by respective needles, with the latter being situated respectively in said extreme positions . |
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART
Different known machines are used for joining, by stitching, various items, in particular items for shoes.
For example, the following documents, in the name of the Applicant, can be considered: US 4.848.252, EP 0.323.411, WO96/17989, WO96/20306, WO96/20307, WO99/53126.
The machines, which are described and illustrated in the above documents, perform specific and particular types of stitching for selected shoe models.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The main object of the present invention is to propose a machine for stitching various items, in particular for joining an open upper to a shaped element, which is connected to a shoe sole, which machine should be extremely versatile, that is it can perform different types of stitching.
Another object of the present invention, within the main one, is to propose a machine, which can perform different types of curling on the outer edge of the two stitched edges.
A further object of the present invention is to propose a machine, which can seal the stitched edges, independently from the curling being or not present.
A still further object of the present invention is to propose a machine, which can perform a stitching, which follows two parallel lines, using one or two needles.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to propose a machine, which can satisfy the previous objects, independently from the shoe size and type.
The above mentioned objects are obtained in accordance with the contents of the claims.
The above mentioned objects are obtained in accordance with the contents of the claims, by a machine for stitching various items, in particular for joining an open upper to a shaped element, connected to a shoe sole, the machine being of the type including: an arm, whose one end is carried by the frame of said machine, with possibility to oscillate on a prefixed axis, while the other end supports a rotating ring-like body, which is co-axial with said axis and whose upper part forms a grid; a crochet device, situated on said ring-like body together with the bobbin of thread, and set into rotation with respect to said axis by first means, connected to said arm; second means, connected to said arm, acting on said ring-like body, to keep said grid motionless independently from the position assumed by said arm, and a working head, supported by said frame, above said grid, and including: a needle carrying shaft, whose lower part has a needle with a related thread, which is moved axially for co-operation with said rotating crochet device, in order to form stitching points; a feeding foot, situated beside said shaft, moving axially in step relation with the shaft movement, the needle carrying shaft - feeding foot assembly being made oscillate in a operation plane, which is perpendicular to said grid, performing strokes with extension equal to a prefixed
step, so as to feed, during the forward stroke, the two stitched edges; a leather pressure foot, situated downstream of the assembly, with respect to said forward stroke, and moving axially between two extreme positions, in step relation with the assembly oscillation, respectively for pressing said edges against said grid and for disengaging from said edges; characterized in that said feeding foot forms a fork having prongs for delimiting a seat, parallel to the grid, situated below, for receiving the outer edge of said two edges, with the inner edge of these two latter edges being introduced between the outer prong of said fork and said grid, which results in curling, caused by said outer prong, of the portion of the outer edge situated between the leather pressure foot and the outer prong, with said assembly at the end of its return stroke.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES
The characteristic features of the invention are pointed out in the following with particular reference to the enclosed figures, in which:
Figure 1 is a lateral, schematic view of the proposed machine;
Figure 2 is a schematic view of an upper of open type, and of a sole, to which a shaped element is connected, aimed at being joined to the upper by stitching;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of some elements of the machine,
-A-
Figures 4 and 5 are schematic, section views, lateral and front, respectively, of the machine operating head;
Figures 6, 7 are partial, front, schematic views of the machine in as many embodiments of stitching;
Figure 8 is a perspective view of another embodiment of stitching;
Figure 9 is a partial, front, schematic view of the machine in another embodiment of stitching; - Figure 10 is a perspective view of a shoe obtained by the proposed machine;
Figure 11 is a perspective view of some elements related to a variant of the machine;
Figure 12 is a perspective view of a shoe, which has a stitching obtained by the variant of Figure 11;
Figure 12A is an enlarged view of the particular K of Figure 12;
Figure 12B is a view, in the same scale as Figure 12A, of another type of stitching, which can be obtained with the variant of Figure 11.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
With regards to the above Figures, the reference numeral 100 indicates the proposed machine, which has a frame 200, whose upper part supports an operating head 1 and the side part supports an arm 5.
The arm, which can oscillate with respect to a horizontal axis A, supports, at its free end, a ring-like body 6, with possibility of rotation.
The body 6 is coaxial with the axis A and its upper part forms a grid 7.
The inside of the body houses a hook device 12, known as crochet, coaxial with the above axis, and a bobbin 8, which supplies a thread 9 to the crochet 12.
The crochet is operated to rotate on the axis A, by first known means, not shown as they are known (see EP 0323411) .
Second means 13, indicated generically, because known (see again EP 0323411) , keep the grid 7 firm, that is horizontal, independently from the position assumed by, the arm 5.
The head 1 includes a vertical, needle-bearing shaft 14, whose lower part bears a needle 15 (having a related thread 15A), situated above the grid 7.
The shaft is moved axially (in directions Nl, N2) , so as to allow the needle 15, during its descent, to go beyond the grid 7, for co-operating, according to known systems, with the crochet, to form stitches. A feeding foot 16, situated beside the needle 15, moves axially (in directions Ml, M2) , in step relation with the axial operation of the needle 15.
The assembly C, formed by the shaft 14 (with the relative needle 15) and the feeding foot 16, is drive into oscillation, by means of known techniques, in an operation plane, perpendicular to the grid 7, to run a forward stroke (direction Wl) and a return stroke (direction W2) .
The feeding foot 16 forms a fork R with two prongs Rl, R2, outer and inner respectively, which delimit a seat
17, which is parallel to the grid 7, situated below, when the assembly C is at the end of the forward stroke Wl.
The head of the outer prong Rl, situated downstream of the forward stroke Wl, has a transversal bulge 20, from which a recess 18 begins.
The needle 15, extending parallel to the operation plane, passes through the recess 18.
The inner prong R2 has a recess 19, situated above the recess of the inner prong, likewise passed through by the needle.
The head 1 supports also a leather pressure foot 76, situated downstream of the assembly C, with respect to the forward stroke Wl.
The pressure foot 76 is made to move, e.g. by mechanical operation, according to known techniques, from a raised position (not shown in the Figures) to a lowered position X.
The head 1 includes also a curling foot 21, situated upstream of the assembly C, with respect to the forward direction of the latter.
The curling foot 21 is carried by a square 22, in which the end of the upper run is articulated, by a hinge 23, to an arm 24, which is pivoted to the head 1 by a hinge pin 25. The cylinder of a pneumatic jack 26, whose stem is fastened to the upper arm of the square 22, is articulated to the hinge pin 25.
A connecting rod 27, which is an integral part of means 28, not shown in detail, is articulated to the hinge 23, to make the arm 24 (and together with it, the square 22 and curling foot 21) oscillate on the pin 25.
The square 22 - curling foot 21assembly is set into rotation on the hinge 23 by the jack 26: in this way, a lowered and a raised position of the curling foot 21, with respect to the grid 7, are defined, respectively a working position H, and a rest position, the latter being not shown.
The means 28 operate the curling foot 21 (in lowered position H) to oscillate (with respect to the pin 25) , to perform respectively a curling stroke Yl and a return stroke Y2, in step relation respectively with the return stroke W2 and forward stroke Wl of the assembly C.
The head 1 carries, connected thereto, a glue source 40, from which a flexible pipe 38 begins.
The pipe 38 ends with a rigid portion 38A, articulated in 39 to the head 1.
The rigid portion ends with a kind of beak 11.
It is possible, by rotating the rigid portion on the hinge 39, to define a working position Zl of the beak 11, in which the latter is situated above the grid 7 and below the curling foot in the lowered position H, and a rest position (not shown) , in which the beak is moved away from the operation plane.
With regards to Figure 2, the reference numeral 4 indicates an upper, of the so-called open type, and the numeral 44 indicates a shaped element, connected to a related sole 3.
The sole can be fastened to the element 44 before or after the joining, by stitching, of the element to the upper, in order to obtain a shoe 2. Bl indicates the edge of the shaped element 44, which will form the outer edge of stitching 43, while B2
indicates the edge of the upper 4, which will form the stitching inner edge.
The above described machine, proposed by the present invention, allows different types of stitching to be obtained.
A first type can be deduced from what is shown in Figure 8, in which the leather pressure foot 76 is in the working, lowered position X, and the assembly C has completed the forward stroke Wl. The inner edge B2 is interposed between the grid 7 and the outer prong Rl (which presses regularly the edge by mechanical means, not shown) , while the outer edge Bl passes through the seat 17, thus between the prongs Rl, R2. Consequently, the outer edge Bl must overlap the outer prong Rl, which creates a curling J (or first curling) in the outer edge Bl.
The curling is maintained during the return stroke of the assembly C (direction W2) , because the outer edge Bl remains in the seat 17, defined between the prongs Rl, R2, and finally it is stabilized, when the needle 15 passes through the edges Bl, B2, in order to cooperate with the crochet 11 to form stitches, according to known techniques. The recess 18 has been designed to avoid hindrance to the stitch formation.
The width of the curling J is a function of the bulge 20 height.
Consequently, the particular shape of the feeding foot 16 allows, after having introduced the outer edge Bl between
the prongs Rl, R2, to obtain a stitching 43, in which the outer edge Bl is curled (wrinkled) .
The edges Bl, B2, joined by the just described, first type of stitching, can be sealed by introducing therebetween, upstream of the assembly C (with reference to the feeding direction Wl), the beak 11, which applies the glue between the opposite surfaces of the edges.
A second type of stitching can be obtained by using the feeding foot 16 in a traditional way, that is introducing the matching edges Bl, between the outer prong Rl and the grid 7 (see Figure 6) .
Also in this case, it is possible to apply the glue between the opposite surfaces of the edges Bl, B2, by the beak 11 in working position Zl (see Figure 7) . A third type of stitching is shown in Figure 9; in this figure the leather pressing foot is in the lowered position X.
Upstream of the assembly C, with reference to the forward stroke Wl, the beak 11 is introduced between the edges Bl, B2.
The curler 21, in the lowered working position H, is completing the curling stroke Yl (while the assembly C is completing the return stroke W2) , acting on the outer edge, so as to define a second curling Jl. The latter curling is possible to obtain due to the abutment action of the beak 11.
The width of the curling Jl is a function of the extension of the curling stroke Yl.
The beak 11, which is fed by the source 40, as it has been pointed out, introduces the glue between the opposite surfaces of the edges Bl, B2, that become joined
and sealed due to the above operation and stitches formation.
It is to be pointed out that the beak 11 has a double task, because it acts as abutment for the curler 21 action and as a glue applicator.
If a stitching 43 with only the second curling Jl, but without glue is to be obtained, it is sufficient not to feed the beak with the glue, and to use the beak as abutment element for the curler; in this way, a fourth type of stitching is obtained.
A fifth type of stitching 43 can be obtained by introducing the outer edge Bl between the prongs Rl, R2 and activating the curler 21, which cooperates with the beak 11, acting as abutment. The width of the so obtained curling is the sum of the first curling J and second curling Jl.
In the just described conditions, the application of the glue between the opposite surfaces of the edges Bl, B2 by the beak 11 allows to obtain a sixth type of stitching 43.
Figure 11 shows a variant of the machine proposed by the present invention.
The needle bar 14 is driven into oscillation between the two extreme positions Fl, F2, located in a lying plane, perpendicular to the operation plane, in zones corresponding to two stitching lines Ll, L2.
What above is allowed by the crosswise dimension (considered in the lying plane) of the recesses 18, 19 of the prongs Rl, R2, which permits to define the needle extreme positions Fl, F2.
Also the grid 7 must allow to obtain the above mentioned positions Fl, F2.
For this purpose, the grid 7 has a "U"-shaped slot 77, whose wings 77A, 77B, parallel to the operation plane, define the above mentioned two stitching lines Ll, L2; the so obtained stitching is shown in Figure 12B.
It is possible to use two needles, carried by the shaft 14 and situated on the lying plane, which change reciprocally in the extreme positions Fl, F2: the so obtained stitching is shown in Figure 12B.
It results from the above description that the proposed machine is extremely versatile and obtains the objects mentioned in the introductory note.
Actually, it is possible to curl (wrinkle) the outer edge Bl, due to the particular conformation of the feeding foot.
• Using the feeding foot as in the prior art, it is possible to curl the outer edge Bl by the curling foot.
Consequently, there are two ways of curling the outer edge.
In both cases it is possible, if required, to seal the edges by glue.
It is understood that it is possible to use contemporarily both ways for curling the outer edge, with possible sealing of the so joined edges.
A grid with a slot 77 allows to obtain the stitching shown in Figures 12A, 12B.
It is also possible to use the feeding foot as in the prior art, join the edges by sealing without curling the outer one.
It is understood that the what above has been described as a mere, not limiting example. Therefore, it is obvious that any practical-application variants applied thereto remain within the protective scope defined by the following claims.
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