Abstract: A machine for applying a configuration of reinforcement/stiffening or decorative material in powder form to a receiving surface, for subsequent fusing, cooling and pressing to a substrate such as a shoe upper. The machine comprises a deposition station, a heating station and a press station. A tensioned receiving belt receives the configuration of powder through a cut-out in the bottom of a swept screen frame. The receiving belt is supported from beneath during the deposition activity to control the thickness of the powder deposit. The receiving belt is shuttled in a displaceable frame in a series of steps to the successive stations for melting the powder and subsequent cooling and adhesion of the melted powder to the substrate such as an unreinforced shoe upper.

Abstract: Pressure-sensitive adhesives which are mixed immediately prior to application, or need drying equipment tend to be expensive in use while those applied as hot melts tend to have poor heat resistance. According to the invention an adhesive composition curable by atmospheric moisture is provided, the composition comprising a prepolymer component with isocyanate functionality between 2.0 and 3.0 together with one or more polyetherurethane prepolymers having NCO groups available for reaction with water for chain extension, the cured adhesive composition having a glass transition temperature below 20.degree. C.

Abstract: A machine for depositing powder in a selected configuration, fusing the configured powder into a laminate and adhering the fused laminate to a shoe substrate to reinforce the substrate. The machine has a shoe substrate support including a base and a pad assembly. The base includes a guide plate, guides secured to the guide plate, and detents secured to the guide plate and the pad assembly includes a backing plate having portions to be guided by the guides, stops for a butting against the guides when the backing plate is displaced to its desired location on the guide plate, dimples for cooperating with the detents when the backing plate is located on the backing plate to releasably maintain the backing plate at that location, and a handle. A pad is secured to the backing plate for supporting a shoe substrate and data is secured to its top surface for locating a specific shoe part on the pad.

Abstract: A blind screw anchor, made of one piece of metal, has a shank, constituted by sleeve portions connected together by uniformly spaced links. A head flange is integrally connected to an adjacent sleeve portion at one end of the shank by a bridge piece bent at right angles to bring the head flange against the shank at that end. A tail cap piece is similarly connected to the sleeve portion at the other end of the shank and bent into abutting engagement therewith.The anchor, made of one piece of sheet metal, is economical to manufacture in a multistage strip forming press. It is especially useful for securing articles to hollow partition walls.

Abstract: An optical sensor system senses encodings on workpiece holders being processed within an automatic sewing machine. The optical sensor system can reliably sense the encodings on the workpiece holders over a wide range of spaced distances dictated by workpiece holder configurations encountered within automatic sewing machine systems.

Abstract: An adhesive composition comprising an aqueous dispersion of film forming resin, filler and tackifying substances. The dispersion uses wood rosin and esterified rosin as tackifying substances and also includes diethylene glycol monobutyl ether. The compositions are specially formulated to avoid use of the more volatile organic solvents which are undesirable for flammability or health reasons. The compositions are particularly suitable for use as nonflammable floor laying adhesives by methods in which porous flooring material is laid onto the wet adhesive layer or non-porous flooring material is laid onto the "semi-dry" adhesive layer.

Abstract: In a lasting machine shoes are supported with one end aligned with end lasting instrumentalities arranged to operate at that one end, and with the other end thus offset to the longitudinal center line of the instrumentalities (and thus of the machine). The support for the other end of the shoe includes a sensing arrangement mounted to slide transversely of the shoe. The sliding movement serves to distinguish left and right shoes and also to sense the amount of the offset. In addition the length of the shoe is measured from its initial lengthwise clamping. The various measurements are made electronically, e.g. using linear potentiometers. The signals are supplied to a control device (microprocessor) by which control signals are supplied to motors, e.g. stepping motors, for controlling tools, e.g. adhesive applying nozzles, to guide the latter along the sides of the shoe.

Abstract: In a pulling over and lasting machine in addition to a toe pincer there are provided two sets of side pincers, each set being mounted on a support pivotal about an axis extending heightwise of the shoe bottom and passing through or adjacent the toe pincer. Each pincer is adjustably mounted on its support but in addition each set is movable bodily, through its support, about its axis. In one embodiment the supports are movable only in opposite directions, i.e. towards and away from one another, thus to accommodate to shoes of different widths. In a second embodiment, on the other hand, in addition these supports are also movable in the same direction, thus to cause the pincers to be accommodated to left and right shoes.

Abstract: A machine for applying a configuration of reinforcement/stiffening or decorative material in powder form to a receiving surface, for subsequent fusing, cooling and pressing to a substrate such as a shoe upper. The machine comprises a deposition station, a heating station and a press station. A tensioned receiving belt receives the configuration of powder through a cut-out in the bottom of a swept screen frame. The receiving belt is supported from beneath during the deposition activity to control the thickness of the powder deposit. The receiving belt is shuttled in a displaceable frame in a series of steps to the successive stations for melting the powder and subsequent cooling and adhesion of the melted powder to the substrate such as an unreinforced shoe upper.

Abstract: A nose piece for properly positioning a member in a tool having a pair of symmetrical opposed nose piece members each of which have a longitudinal groove forming an opening therebetween. The nose piece members have opposed faces, one of which lies on the center line of the members and the other of which is angularly disposed to the center line to form a caming shoulder therebetween about which the members pivot to open and close the opening.

Abstract: An adhesive dispenser for metering very small quantities of viscious liquids (grease-like materials) or thick pastes (putty-like materials) and transferring the metered material as a hemispherical or conical dot to a substrate at a high rate of speed. This device can be used to place adhesives between the conductive lands of a printed circuit board to adhere "chip type" electronic components between the conductive lands of the board. The dispenser comprises an outer cylinder carried in a support housing for movement toward and away from the board, the outer cylinder carries an adhesive metering device which places a dot of adhesive on the board.

Abstract: Heat curable compositions, particularly solvent-based adhesive compositions suitable for use e.g. in flocking processes, are described and claimed. Known heat curable compositions require a relatively high temperature for cure. A one part non-toxic storage stable composition is provided which is cured by heat and comprises a polyurethane prepolymer formed from the reaction between a first NCO terminated prepolymer, an oxime blocking agent and a trifunctional primary amino compound used in a substantially stoichiometric amount to the amount of isocyanate groups of the first prepolymer available for reaction. The quantity of blocking agent is so chosen that statistically only one functional group of the triamine is reacted with the NCO groups of the first prepolymer available for reaction leaving two amine groups available for reaction with isocyanate groups of the prepolymer when they are unblocked by heating.

Abstract: A placement mechanism for vertically displacing a micro-electronic component to place the component on a printed circuit board. The mechanism has a spindle that is displaceable on a vertical axis and rotatable on the vertical axis to align the component leads with the lands of the circuit on the board. The spindle carries a placement rod in communication with a vacuum source to enable the component to be retrieved and placed on the board. The placement rod has a resilient interconnection with the spindle to allow for varying board heights and to buffer the impact of the placement of the component on the board.

Abstract: A cut-clinch head having a movable and a fixed knife assembly for cutting and forming lead wires of electrical components which extend down through openings in printed circuit boards. The movable knife and the fixed knife are easily removed from the head assembly for servicing. Further, the fixed knife is a tubular member that has a cutting edge formed out of the axis of the tube.

Abstract: A resilient clip is provided for retaining a projection formed on a panel into an opening in a support structure. The clip has a "V" or "U" shaped lead portion provided with locking legs for retaining the projection in the lead portion and a pair of centrally located legs having locking shoulders for retaining the clip in the opening. The free ends of the centrally located locking legs have portions removed therefrom such that they are capable of being moved one past the other, when the locking shoulders are moved toward one another during entry of the fastener into the opening.

Abstract: A method of forming an adhesive bond between substrates at least one of which comprises a surface of zinc is described and claimed. The method comprises applying to one or more of the substrates to be bonded an adhesive composition comprising polymerizable acrylic monomer, free radical initiator, thiourea accelerator compound and an organic dibasic acid compound which is a dibasic acid or dibasic acid anhydride, and bringing the substrates together to form an adhesive bond. Compositions described permit improved adhesion to zinc surfaces and preferably include methyl methacrylate or tetrahydrofurfuryl methacrylate, a hydroxymethacrylate and a dimethacrylate. Preferred dibasic acid compounds include succinic acid and maleic acid.

Abstract: A machine for applying resinous stiffening material to the heel pocket portion of a shoe upper, and for holding a liner portion thereattached, away from the upper heel and sides by a liner extender as the resinous material is being applied, and then wiping the liner against the resinous upper while liner extender is being withdrawn from between the layers of material.The liner extender is comprised of a loop member articulately upwardly and outwardly from a nozzle as it advances to the heel pocket articulately downwardly and backwardly toward the nozzle during completion of the application of resinous material between the flexible layers of the shoe upper.

Abstract: A process for sewing certain pieces of a shoe together is disclosed. The shoe pieces are registered and held with respect to each other during an automatic sewing operation. In accordance with the invention, a particular shoe piece is held down with respect to the other registered pieces during only a portion of the automatic sewing operation.

Abstract: A device for use in a hand held hot melt gun to prevent drool of melted composition from the outlet thereof when the gun is not in use is described and claimed. In one embodiment of the invention the device comprises a melt body 10 having a melt chamber 12, resilient means provided by a coil spring 26 and means 36 for heating the melt body. When in use a rod of composition urged by a feeding force in a direction towards the melt body 10 is melted in the melt chamber 12 and is dispensed in molten condition from the outlet 20. When the feeding force is released after use the spring exerts sufficient force in a reverse direction to the direction of the feeding force to move the rod outwardly of the melt body, which relieves the pressure within the melt body and thereby substantially prevents further composition from drooling from the outlet.

Abstract: A melt body (16) for a melt dispenser is disclosed which is particularly suitable for use in a hand held hot melt glue gun for use with rods of hot melt glue. The melt body including a melt chamber (17) provided with a series of fin elements (23) which define passageways terminating at an outlet (21). The fin elements increase in size progressively from an inlet (19) of the melt chamber to the outlet and ensure good transfer of heat to material to be melted. Edge surfaces of the fin elements provide surface portions of an opening adapted to receive the central portion of a rod as the rod is fed into the melt chamber. The shaping of the fin elements is such as to permit convenient manufacture by a die casting process. The spacing of the fin elements is selected so that melted material flows from the outlet when its viscosity has been reduced to an appropriate value to ensure good adhesive bonding.