Toe and side and heel lasting machine and method of lasting

Abstract

A machine for lasting the toe and side and heel of an upper to an insole mounted to a last includes a toe and ball wiper assembly and a heel and shank wiper assembly in combination with a pincer assembly mechanism for stretching the upper tightly about the last and a toe clamping mechanism for clamping the stretched upper against the last. Following stretching and clamping, the toe wipers are actuated to press the upper margins against the insole bottom against the counter force of an overhead toe hold-down acting against the top of the upper. A brake mechanism fixes the overhead hold-down to maintain the toe wiping plane in a constant position. The heel wiper assembly is elevated within the machine to locate the heel wiper plane at a proper height relative to the insole bottom, the proper height being determined with a sensor mounted for movement with the heel wiper assembly. A heel clamping pad assembly connected to the heel wiper assembly then clamps the heel prior to stretching of the upper. After toe wiping, the heel and shank portions are then progressively wiped before the assemblies are retracted to remove the fully lasted footwear. The heel wiper plane may be adjusted by rotating the heel wiper about a rotational axis passing through the toe wiper plane beneath the insole bottom. A method of toe and side and heel lasting with the aforementioned machine is also disclosed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.