Improvements in or relating to the manufacture of shoes

1,077,024. Boots &c. BRITISH UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CO. Ltd. March 25, 1964 [March 28, 1963], No. 12246/63. Heading A3B. A heel attaching machine has a shoe support 1 and a hold down carried by a ram 3, the hold down consisting of a carrier 7, an abutment 45 which engages the back of the heel and a pair of abutments (51) which engage the sides of the heel, all the abutments being movably mounted on the carrier and having power operated means to move the abutments relative to the carrier 7, the power operated means including pressure control valves to individually adjust the pressure exerted, by each abutment. The abutments are similar in construction and consist of a housing 25 containing a spring-returned piston 27, a block 39 carried by the piston rod 29 and an abutment 45 pivoted to the block 39, the angular position of the abutment being adjusted by a screw 47. The rear abutment 45 is pivoted to the carrier 7 at 21 and is adjusted in position by an expanding link 35. A scale 117 indicates the position of the abutment. The side abutments (51) are pivoted to the carrier 7 by rods 17 which can slide lengthwise in lugs 13, 15 and are held in position by a clamping screw 65, the position being indicated by a scale 119. The side abutments are adjusted widthwise of the shoe by a double threaded screw 75. The hold down may include a tread abutment (not shown) which may be fitted to a dovetail (85) on a block (83). The block (83) is carried by a slide (93) which is clamped in the desired heightwise position in the carrier 7 by a block 99 having rack teeth which engage teeth (97) on the slide (93). The angular position of the block (83) is adjusted by a screw 107. The pressure fluid circuit includes three pressure control valves (not shown) which control the pressure exerted by (a) the ram 3, (b) the back abutment 45 and (c) the side abutments (51). Each valve is a spring loaded ball-valve, the pressure exerted by the spring being adjusted by a cam disc and includes a cut-off device.