Shoe machine

A shoe machine for use in lasting side portions of shoe uppers comprising:

• a support for a shoe last on which an upper, the side portions of which are to be lasted, and an insole are positioned;
• and
• a pair of side lasting assemblies arranged so as to act on opposite side portions of an upper positioned on a last supported by said support, wherein each side lasting assembly comprises clamping means;
• said clamping means comprising at least one clamp member, movable towards the last support to cause a side portion of the upper to be held against the last, on which it is positioned and which is supported by the last support, at a locality spaced from the feather line thereof;
• lasting element means, comprising a plurality of lasting elements arranged side-by-side and movable inwardly towards the last support so as to cause lasting marginal portions of the side portion of the upper to be wiped over corresponding marginal portions of the insole and be pressed thereagainst, and lasting band means comprising at least one upper-engaging band portion of flexible sheet material arranged to be interposed between the shoe upper on the one hand and the lasting elements and the clamp member(s) on the other, wherein each upper-engaging band portion is held by said clamp member(s) in the operation of the machine, against the upper positioned on its last under pressure which does not prevent movement of the upper-engaging band portion(s) relative to the clamp member(s) but which is sufficient to cause such movement of said band-engaging portion(s) to apply a drafting force to the portion of the upper engaged thereby, and inward movement of the lasting elements towards the last support as aforesaid is effective to cause movement of said band-engaging portion(s) to take place relative to the clamp member(s) whereby, in the operation of the machine, a drafting force is applied to the upper by said band engaging portion(s) heightwise of the last in the direction of the feather line of the shoe.