Shoe upper conforming machine

A shoe upper conforming machine for use in lasting side portions of shoes comprising:

• a last support for supporting a shoe last on which a shoe upper and an insole are positioned;
• clamping means, comprising two pad members disposed one at each side of the last support and arranged to engage a shoe upper at opposite sides thereof and to clamp it against its last supported by the last support;
• drive means for moving said pad members towards the last support to engage and clamp an upper as aforesaid;
• and
• a pair of side lasting assemblies arranged so as to act on opposite side portions of the upper clamped as aforesaid to wipe marginal portions of said upper over and press them against corresponding marginal portions of the insole, wherein the pad members are arranged to engage the upper as aforesaid each at a position spaced from the feather line of the shoe under the action of the drive means, the pad members being mounted in such a manner that continued operation of the drive means after the engagement of the pad members with the upper is effective to urge the pad members heightwise of the last towards said feather line, so that any excess material in the upper is urged towards the lasting margin thereof and the upper is thus caused to lie snugly about its last prior to the operation of the side lasting assemblies.