Abstract: A lathe arrangement to turn down or grind worn tread surfaces of railroad wheels to a prescribed profile, the lathe arrangement including a wheel securing apparatus. The wheel securing apparatus comprises a plurality of driver arms pivotally supported on a rotatable face plate. Means are provided to move the driver arms radially so that they may engage the front face of the rim of any diameter railroad wheel. The means to move the driver arms includes a movable mechanical linkage connected to each driver arm to permit their synchronous radial movement.

Abstract: De-fleshing apparatus comprises two fleshing machines arranged face-to-face, with a transfer conveyor between the machines. The conveyor is reversibly driven, and is arranged so that by movement in one direction a hide is transported from a first of the two machines to the second machine, half the hide having been de-fleshed in the first machine, and by movement in the opposite direction the hide is transported from the second machine as the other half of the hide is de-fleshed in the second movement. Each machine comprises a feed roller arranged to assist in drawing the hide through the machine while a cutter operates to de-flesh the hide, and the conveyor comprises an endless band which is mounted on the two feed rollers and driven thereby along its length in each direction.

Abstract: A calender roll is arranged to automatically have the pressure relieved between a pair of pressure rolls when a splice is detected in a moving web. The splice in the web is detected a known distance upstream of the pressure rolls. A counter, related to web travel distance, is activated to cause the temporary relief in the pressure between the rolls as the splice travels therebetween, preventing any damage that would otherwise occur to the moving web and avoiding any production slowdown.

Abstract: An apparatus for lasting footwear, including a rotatable roll that is articulated on a spherical joint to permit the roll to adapt to and last any curvature it encounters on the insole of any shoe assembly it is operating upon.

Abstract: The apparatus of this invention is for use in a grinding machine and consists of a mechanism constructed for rotatably mounting the wheelhead support structure of the grinding wheel for movement about an axis eccentric from the axis of the grinding wheel. A lever fixed to the wheelhead structure transmits motion from a lead screw to pivot the wheelhead about its axis, thereby moving the wheel in a manner to provide infeed for the grinding machine. The drive motor for the grinding wheel is separately mounted for coupled movement therewith.

Abstract: An extruder having a screw rotatable in a chamber provided with an annularly perforated end wall through which plastic material is extruded, the end of the screw being provided with a collar urged against the central portion of the wall to exclude the material therebetween.

Abstract: A through feed mixer for mixing and plasticizing a variety of materials has a pair of coaxially disposed rotors in a mixing chamber. The rotors are without helical twist but each have a mixing section which is derived from a regular n-sided polygon comprising n similar peripheral portions, n preferably being 3. Each rotor may have a gradual taper to its body portions. The mixer also includes a feeding device adapted to supply material to be mixed to an inlet portion of the mixing chamber under substantially constant pressure, and an outlet end portion transferring mixer material to an extrusion device.

Abstract: This invention relates to machines for softening leather, commonly referred to as staking machines, of the type in which leather to be staked is passed between opposed interengageable processing elements the distance between which is periodically increased and decreased by relative movement of the processing elements. The leather is staked by the action of the processing elements as they approach their minimum distance apart. The construction of the machine is such that the processing elements both execute a periodic motion around closed paths e.g. circular paths. The movements of the two processing elements around their closed paths are mechanically synchronized. Thus, the leather is processed and is simultaneously transported by the movement of the processing elements.

Abstract: A machine for processing flat, flexible articles, such as leather, to soften them. The machine utilizes a pair of opposed undulating surfaced processing members having an advance and return movement superimposed on an up and down movement. The opposed processing members are disposed on each side of the article to be processed, and soften the article, as well as move the article along between the processing members.

Abstract: A machine for the continuous processing of hides and skins comprising a first and a second processing unit mounted on a frame. The first unit includes rollers, a hide gripping arrangement, and means for driving same; the second unit being similarly equipped; the second unit being capable of processing that portion of the hide not processed by the first unit. The second unit grips the hide before processing by the first unit is commenced.

Abstract: A radially directed pressure applying member is disposed between a nonrotative inner shaft and a rotative outer shell encircling the nonrotative inner shaft, which comprises a controlled deflection roll assembly. The pressure applying member includes a fluid filled toroidal shaped flexible membrane disposed on the outer end of a hydrostatic piston arranged radially within the nonrotative shaft. The toroidal shaped membrane acts as a bearing and a fluid cushion on the inner surface of the outer shell to uniformly support the shell and to avoid deflections caused by external loads or to deflect the shell in a predetermined way.

Abstract: External bending of an inner shaft improves the performance of hydrostatic bearings in a controlled deflection roll arrangement. A deflection sensing member within the deflection roll sends signals through a control circuit to a biasing arrangement near the ends of the shaft that applies a force into the inner shaft, causing it to bend and counter any deflection in the roll.

Abstract: A rotational moulding machine comprises six mould carriers mounted at 60.degree. intervals about a horizontal main axis of the machine on a turret which can be indexed about the main axis so as to bring each of the carriers in turn to loading/unloading, heating, and cooling stations of the machine. The machine comprises first and second driving wheels mounted for rotation about the main axis, and each mould carrier comprises first and second driven wheels rotatable to rotate a mould mounted on the carrier about first and second rotational axes. Each mould carrier is pivotally mounted on the turret, and the machine comprises clutch means whereby each carrier can be moved pivotally between a first position in which the two driven wheels of the carrier frictionally engage the two driving wheels for rotation thereby, and a second position in which the two driven wheels are out of engagement with the two driving wheels.

Abstract: At least one pressure applying member is disposed within a slot extending lengthwise along a stationary shaft about which is journaled an outer roll shell. Slidable spacer blocks also disposed in said slot locate each pressure applying member along the slot and permit each member to slide radially in the slot so as to accurately conform to the internal surface of the roll shell and permit an accurately controllable response by the pressure applying members to any deflection of the shaft.

Abstract: A combined heel seat lasting and side lasting machine comprising heel seat wipers and helically ribbed rotatable side lasting rolls, for automatically lasting the side and heel portions of shoe assemblies. Shoe assembly support means comprising a movable jack mounted in a carriage presents a previously toe lasted shoe assembly to the side lasting rolls and the heel seat lasting wipers in sequence.

Abstract: An extrusion apparatus for use with thermoplastic materials has a withdrawable rotor which is mounted on a piston motivated carriage, the carriage having anti-vibration mounting members to reduce loads on the rotor. A gaseous vent chamber is operable in conjunction with a reversible extruder screw and a waste mix ejection arrangement, to prevent undesirable contamination or incompletely mixed material from the extruded product.

Abstract: An air blast dust removal machine has a jet of air projected from at least one slot-like nozzle inclined at an obtuse angle towards an oncoming sheet material which is held to a moving permeable conveyor belt. The sheet material is held to the conveyor belt by at least one suction device desposed on the opposite side of the conveyor belt as the sheet material passes adjacent the jet of air. A second conveyor belt holds the sheet material from its top side by a suction device; and an obtusely projected jet of air blasts dust from the bottom side of the sheet material.

Abstract: Electrical components having generally parallel leads extending in one direction from one side of their bodies, respectively, are successively transferred to a conveyor means movable through sequential processing stations to prepare the leads for circuit board connection or sequencing preparatory to such connection. Spaced lead grippers on the conveyor means control lead portions adjacent to the bodies of the components. The stations sucessively act to determine the standoff length of the leads from the bodies of the components, reform remaining portions of the leads in coaxial relation while maintaining the standoff length, check for omission of a reformed component from proper position in the series and, upon release from the grippers, tape the coaxial portions of the leads of adjacent components in parallel, side-by-side relation. Preferably, the means for checking reformed component presence also controls turning of a reel for storing the repackaged components.

Abstract: A shoe sensing mechanism for setting a machine according to the size of a shoe and whether the shoe to be worked on is left or right.

Abstract: A machine for lasting a shoe wherein specially contoured resilient side wipers coact with extensible heel seat wipers to last the sides and heel end simultaneously. Each side wiper is complementarily shaped to the respective contours of the shoe bottom and featherline. An arrangement of pincers pull the upper margin over a precemented insole, then the contoured side wipers floatingly locate and inwardly force the upper margin to the insole, and the extensible heel wipers last the upper margin of the heel, providing a continuity of wiping from the heel to the breastline of the shoe.