Improvements in or relating to machines suitable for operating on shoe soles

966,701. Roughing, skiving and splitting shoe soles. BRITISH UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CO. Ltd. Nov. 11, 1960 [Nov. 13, 1959], No. 38501/59. Addition to 919,343. Heading B4B. In a machine as desclosed in the parent Specification for operating on shoe soles, means are provided for automatically changing the speed of relative movement, in a direction lengthwise of a sole in the matrix, between the matrix and the cutter when different parts of a sole in the matrix are operated upon. Preferably, the means are arranged to move the matrix first at a relatively high speed until the heel end of the sole nearly reaches the cutter, then at a considerably lower speed while the heel end is operated upon, then at a higher speed while the waist and part of the forepart are being operated upon and finally at the considerably lower speed while the toe end is being operated upon. An electric motor 34, Fig. 1, drives a pump 36 which draws oil from a sump S, Fig. 21, and supplies it to a piston and cylinder arrangement 38, 40 for driving a carrier 8 for the matrix forwardly and rearwardly and to a piston and cylinder arrangement 84, 86 for moving a cutter support 18 downwardly and upwardly. The speed of the carrier is controlled automatically by means of a choke valve 42 included in an hydraulic circuit which also includes a four-way valve 44 and a sequence valve 48. The supply of oil to the cylinder 86 is controlled by a valve 90. Movable with the carrier are adjustable cams 52, 124, Fig. 4, and an adjustable stop 136, Fig. 1, which are provided with surfaces 54, 128, 130, 132 and 134 engageable with a cam roller 56 carried by one arm 58 of a lever 60 the other arm 62 of which is connected to the upper ends of rods 64, 106, the lower ends of which are operatively connected to the valves 42, 90. The hydraulic mechanism is arranged to move the cutter towards the matrix before a sole therein is operated upon and to raise the cutter after the sole has been operated upon and before the carrier is returned to its starting position. The hydraulic mechanism also includes means for raising the cutter to a position in which the cutter teeth may be removed or sharpened and means are also provided whereby the cutter cannot be raised until rotation of the cutter has been stopped. Means are provided for removing cuttings. Means for pressing the sole into the matrix while being operated upon by the cutter may, alternatively, comprise a row of spring-influenced pivotally-mounted fingers 270, F