MACHINE FOR PROVIDING A LAYER OF STIFFENING MATERIAL ON A SELECTED AREA OF A SHOE UPPER COMPONENT

In a machine for applying a plurality of blobs of molten thermoplastics material to a heel end portion of a closed shoe upper and for thereafter pressing the heel end portion, while the material remains flowable, to cause the blobs to be spread to form a continuous layer which, when cooled, provides a stiffener for the heel end portion, an applicator (16), mounted on an extruder (45), is brought into an operative position and extrusion is initiated, during which the applicator is caused to pivot about a transverse axis (76), that the blobs are applied in elongated form. For lined shoes, lining spreading means (92), also pivotally mounted on the extruder (45), comprises a first element (39) folding back the lining to expose the upper to the applicator, and a second element (38) which, during pivotal movement together with the applicator, spreads the lining progressively against the now coated upper. For accommodating shoes of different sizes, the applicator (16) has a main portion (40) and two sets of wing portions (41, 42) each pivotable to an out-of-the way position. Each portion (40, 41, 42) has a plurality of orifices (17); in the out-of-the-way position, these are automatically disconnected.