Improvements in or relating to shoe upper conforming machines

1,079,611. Lasting machines. BRITISH UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CO. Ltd. May 1, 1964 [May 4, 1963], No. 17707/63. Heading A3B. A shoe upper conforming machine includes a plurality of flexible non-elastic bands arranged heightwise and at opposite sides of the shoe in the waist region and which engage the sides of the shoe and which wrap around marginal portions of the upper to lay the upper against the shoe bottom. Two embodiments are described. In the first embodiment (Figs. 1, 2, 3) which is a waist lasting machine the bands 112 are mounted in carriers 106, one at each side of the shoe. Each carrier 106 has a plurality of plates 110 with pulleys 122 around which the bands 112 pass, a rib on each band guiding the band over the pulleys and the ends of the bands are attached to springs 118 on the plates 110. The lower ends of the bands are attached to springs 120 mounted on a bracket 121 carried by levers 150 pivoted to the machine frame 102 at 143. The plates 110 on one carrier are offset from the plates on the other carrier and the bands are reduced in thickness at their top ends so that the plates 110 may interleave. Fingers 124 mounted on each carrier 106 press the bands 112 against the upper in the region of the featherline of the shoe. Each carrier 106 can be moved towards the shoe and can be swung about the featherline of the shoe to press the marginal portions of the upper against the shoe bottom. Each carrier 106 is pivoted at 108 to a link 140 pivoted to the machine frame at 142. To move the left hand bands towards the shoe a piston rod 162 of cylinder D moves an arm 164 of a three armed lever and links 170, 172, both pivoted to a second arm 168 of the lever, move the link 140 (which carries the carrier 106) and the lever 150 (which carries the lower end of the bands) respectively towards the shoe. A link 176 connected to the third arm 174 operates similar linkages on the right hand side of the machine. To tilt the right hand carrier (to the position shown in dotted lines Fig. 1) a pison rod 188 of a cylinder E moves an arm 190 of a three armed lever, one arm 192 of which is pivoted to a link 147 which is pivoted at its upper end to the carrier 106 and which swings the carrier about the pivot 108. A link 176 operates similar linkages on the left hand side of the machine. The shoe is mounted on a support 206 carried by a jack 100. The jack 100 consists of a frame 208 which is pivoted at 216 to a cylinder A which is movable heightwise on a fixed piston ro