Sole press pad box

A pad box for applying pressure to the bottom of a shoe assembly comprising:

• a forepart tray adapted to carry a forepart pad;
• a first link pivotally connected to the rearward end of the forepart tray and being adapted to carry a plurality of vertically shiftable individual shank pads;
• a supporting lever disposed beneath the forepart tray and first link, the lever being pivoted between its ends and having a front pivot adapted to pivotally support the forepart tray and a rear pivot adapted to pivotally support the rearward portion of the first link;
• means for guiding the pivotal connection between the forepart tray and first link for movement in a generally heightwise direction;
• whereby the forepart tray and first link may assume an angle dependent on the particular configuration of a shoe assembly urged into the upper surface of the forepart pad and shank pads;
• means for supporting the heel region of a shoe assembly to provide support during a sole pressing operation, the heel supporting means being free of any linkage to the forepart tray and first link.

A machine for pressing a shoe sole into the bottom of a shoe assembly comprising:

• a pad box frame including side walls and means generally defining a bottom wall, the pad box being receptive to pad elements;
• the bottom wall including a plurality of articulated members including a forepart tray for supporting a forepart pad and a rearwardly extending link pivotally connected to the forepart tray;
• means for supporting each of the forepart trays and the rear end of the first link on rockable pivot whereby the vertical position of the pivotal connection may be varied, thereby varying the angle between the forepart tray and the first link;
• means for guiding the pivotal connection between the forepart tray and first link for movement in a generally heightwise direction;
• the first link being adapted to receive a plurality of individual, vertically-shiftable shank pads, the upper ends of which may define generally a surface of a contour engageable with a shank region of a shoe assembly;
• the pad box including heel supporting means adapted to provide support for pressing force applied to the heel portion of the shoe, the heel supporting means being constructed and arranged to permit a shoe assembly to advance, downwardly into engagement with shank pad elements on the first link, but without transmitting any force to the forepart tray or the first link;
• abuttment means for the shoe assembly;
• and
• means for reflecting relative movement of the shoe abuttments and pad box toward each other thereby to effect a pressing operation on a shoe assembly positioned in the pad box.

A method for pressing and attaching a sole to the bottom of a shoe assembly comprising:

• supporting the shoe assembly on resilient pads including a plurality of individual, vertically shiftable shank pads and a forepart pad;
• supporting the forepart and shank pads in a manner which will enable the upper surfaces of the pad to assume an angular configuration generally conforming to the angle defined between the forepart and shank region of the shoe assembly;
• providing a support for the more heelward regions of the shoe assembly;
• simultaneously pressing the shoe assembly to apply a sole attaching force to the shoe assembly;
• said step of supporting the heel region further comprising supporting the heel independently of the forepart and shank pads and in a manner which will not transmit any of the heelward pressing forces to the forepart or shank pads.