PULLING AND LASTING MACHINES

A machine for pulling and lasting a shoe upper has a plate for applying cement to an insole of the shoe having a knurled surface for applying the cement to forepart side portions of the insole and channels for applying the cement to toe portions of the insole. The machine also has wipers for pressing marginal portions of the upper forepart against the insole portions to which the plate has applied cement, including asymmetrically curved heelward portions of the insole forepart. Grippers adjacent the heelward portions of the insole forepart grip adjacent marginal portions of the upper and move downwardly and twistingly of a last over which the upper is positioned to tension the upper about the last. A control responsive to a left or right shoe orientation of the machine then causes only one of the grippers at the inside of the right or left shoe to additionally move inwardly and then upwardly relative to the last to further position and tension the upper.