Method of and apparatus for feeding tacks to shoe lasting machines

Abstract

Apparatus for feeding tacks to a heel lasting machine has one or more slideways which deliver series of successive tacks from discrete receptacles to selected axially parallel flutes in the peripheral surface of a rotor in such a way that the shanks of the tacks enter the flutes and the heads of the tacks overlie the upper side of the rotor. The peripheral surface of the rotor is surrounded by the internal surface of a stationary housing which has a set of pockets for reception of entire tacks from the rotor. The transfer of tacks from the rotor into the pockets of the housing is effected pneumatically, and the conveying of tacks from the pockets into the lasting machine takes place by gravity and/or pneumatically. The apparatus has a discrete stop for the discharge end of each slideway; such stop or stops can be actuated to bias the head of the adjacent tack against the upper side of the respective slideway and to thus interrupt the delivery of tacks from the respective receptacle to the rotor. The rotor is indexible by a stepping motor which receives signals from a control circuit in accordance with a selected program.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.