Shoe upper conforming machine

A shoe upper conforming machine for use in lasting side portions of shoe uppers comprising a last support on which a last, with a shoe upper thereon and an insole secured to the bottom thereof, can be supported, side lasting instrumentalities, comprising two rotary lasting rollers, arranged one at either one of the last support and each comprising a wiping surface disposed helically thereon in such a manner that, as the roller rotates, said wiping surface effects an inwiping action on lasting marginal portions of a shoe upper engaged thereby, and means for effecting relative movement, in a direction extending lengthwise of the shoe bottom, between the last support and the side lasting instrumentalities whereby, in the operation of the machine, the rollers are caused to operate progressively along the side portions of the shoe in a direction from the ball region of the shoe bottom to the heel breast line thereof, wherein the speed at which relative movement is effected between the last support and the side lasting instrumentalities as aforesaid is increased from a pre-set "slow" speed to a pre-set "fast" speed after the rollers have been caused to operate in the region of the joint of the shoe bottom.

A piston-and-cylinder arrangement of the hydraulic checking type, the piston of which incorporates a one-way valve and has a piston rod connected thereto, and the cylinder of which has two exhaust lines for the passage of hydraulic fluid from the cylinder as the piston is moved along said cylinder in a direction such as to cause the one-way valve of the piston to be closed, the hydraulic fluid when exhausted passing to an opposite end of the cylinder, and the arrangement also comprising a variable capacity reservoir chamber connected to said opposite end of the cylinder for maintaining the latter full of fluid during the movement of the piston, and one of said lines also incorporating a selector valve having a first condition, in which hydraulic fluid can flow therethrough and through the exhaust line in which it is incorporated, and a second condition, in which such flow is prevented, wherein such exhaust line incorporates a flow control valve, adjustment of which varies the rate at which exhausting hydraulic fluid can flow therethrough.