Improvements in or relating to the conforming of shoe uppers to the shapes of lasts

1,086,561. Boots &c. BRITISH UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CO. Ltd. April 10, 1964 [Jan. 12, 1963], No. 1496/63. Heading A3B. A toe lasting machine of the type described in Specification 1,010,149 has a toe band 16 which engages the upper before the wipers 12 perform their inwiping operatoin and before the grippers release the upper. The toe band 16 consists of a U-shaped strip of metal covered with a strip of polytetrafluoroethylene and is supported on the wiper box 14 of the machine by a slide 20 at its middle-portion and by links 30 at its ends. The links 30 are pivoted to blocks 34 on the ends of an equalizing lever 42 which is pivoted at 46 to a lever 48. The lever 48 is pivoted to the wiper box 14 at 51 and is moved by a piston rod 53 of a pneumatically operated piston and cylinder 56. On operation of the cylinder 56 the equalizing lever 48, links 30 and toe band 16 are moved towards the shoe and rolls 50 on the links 30 move in cam slots 54 to close the toe band about the shoe. Compression springs 44 allow the links 30 to yield relative to the equalizing lever 42 to avoid undue pressure of the toe band against the shoe upper. The mid-portion of the toe band is pressed against the shoe at each side by presser members 70 which are pivoted to slides 74 which are operated by piston and cylinders 78. The toe band may operate after the wipers have performed their down-wiping action or may operate before the wipers commence their downwiping action so as to augment the downwiping action of the wipers.