Device for applying liquids.

Application filed May 31,1904, Serial No. 210,377,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, William Wiggins, a citizen of the United States, residing in Brockton, county of Plymouth, and State of Massa5 chusetts, have invented an Improvement in Devices for Applying Liquids, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like letters on the drawing representing like parts, io The present invention relates to a device for applying a fluid or liquid, such as cement, to the surface of an article, such as the bottom of a shoe to which a sole is to be cemented, the surface of which is more or less rounded 15 or convex, the convexity differing in different parts, so that the surface is not regular.

The applying device embodying the invention is in the form of a roll; and the object of the invention is to construct the roll so that 2o the surface thereof will conform to the surface of the article to which the cement is to be applied regardless of the shape thereof. Taking, for example, the bottom of a shoe, the surface thereof is much less convex in the 25 main portion than in the shank and is also irregular in shape, and in order that an even amount of cement may be applied throughout it is necessary that the surface of the roll should be of such a nature as to conform to 3° different shapes according to the shape of the surface with which it is in contact. It is further desirable that the roll when in normal condition should be substantially cylindrical, so that the cement will be taken up thereby 35 in a film of substantially uniform thickness, controlled, for example, by a scraper-blade set at any desired distance from the surface of the roll.

To these ends the roll embodying the pres4° ent invention is provided with a flexible surface or carrying portion for the liquid, which portion is stretched over a suitable core, being supported only along the edges? the core having a concave surface to permit the car45 rying portion to yield. As herein shown, the carrying portion is secured by supporting members, which consist of extensible annular bands, such as endless rings of coiled or spiral springs which rest upon inclined shoulders formed on the core, the flexible carrying por- 5° tion being stretched over the said springs in the form of a flattened tube, so that when pressure is brought to bear upon said flexible portion the springs will roll up the inclined surface, allowing the flexible portion to yield. 5 5 As soon, however, as the pressure is released the springs by contracting will return to their normal position, again stretching the flexible carrying portion, so that the surface of the roll in its normal condition is substantially 60 cylindrical.

The drawing is a longitudinal section of an applying-roll embodying the invention.

The supporting-core a or body of the roll is shown as a casting mounted on a spindle 65 /, so that the said roll can be rotatably mounted in any suitable way and partially immersed in the fluid or liquid which is to be distributed—such, for example, as liquid cement to be applied to shoe-bottoms, for which 70 purpose the article embodying the invention is mainly adapted. The said core is secured on the spindle by a set-screw / and has a concave surface /, so as to permit the yielding cover or carrying portion b to move or yield 75 inwardly, the said cover being stretched across the core, as shown, so as normally to form a substantially cylindrical outer surface for the roll. The said cover is made of any suitable flexible material—such, for example, as can- 80 vas or other fabric which is capable of taking up the cement for distribution—and is shown as provided with yielding means for maintaining it stretched when no pressure is applied to the surface. As herein shown, the 85 said yielding means comprise extensible annular members c—such, for example, as endless spiral springs which normally rest against inclined shoulders /, formed at or near the ends of the core a, it being obvious 90 that if the said spiral springs are drawn inward toward the middle of the core they will be stretched and on contracting will tend to move back along the shoulders /, where the diameter is less. 95

The cover b is in the form of a flattened tube extending around the annular members c, so that the said tube is stretched across

780,768 from end to end of the core, but is capable of yielding inwardly, as indicated in dotted lines, the annular members rolling up the shoulders a⁵, so that the outer portion of the 5 tube can be pressed toward the core. As herein shown, the canvas of which the distributing-surface is made is drawn around the annular members and the ends stitched together on the inside, as indicated at V. i o While, therefore, the carrying or distributing surface of the roll is normally substantially cylindrical and capable of being supplied with a uniform film of cement, the said surface is capable of yielding and conforming to a surface 15 of any degree of convexity, the manner in which the said surface yields being illustrated in dotted lines, where the members c are shown as pulled up along the inclined shoulders a⁶against the tendency of said members to con20 tract and move toward the point of smallest diameter. In order to prevent any liability of the slipping ,of the annular members e from the core at the ends in case the pressure upon the distributing portion is un25 equally applied, the core is provided with additional shoulders /, inclined upward from the normal seating position of the annular members, the said seating position being between the shoulders al and al, as shown.