Last for shoe shafts which has a generally T-shaped groove and a spring-biased generally T-shaped profile band therein

In a last for supporting a shoe shaft and which is cooperable with lateral mold parts and a bottom stamp for molding a sole onto a shoe shaft mounted on the last, the last having a groove therearound that extends inwardly from a side surface thereof, and a profile band of flexible material which is movably positioned in the groove and which can contact a shoe shaft mounted on the last opposite where sealing edges of the lateral mold parts will contact the shoe shaft, said last including spring means for biasing said profile band towards said side surface thereof and against a shoe shaft mounted on the last, the improvement wherein (a) said groove is formed by a linear inlet portion which communicates with the side surface of said last and a guide portion which is formed by two oppositely-extending legs that are oriented perpendicularly to said linear inlet portion, thereby providing said groove with a generally T-shaped cross section, said linear inlet portion being horizontally oriented when said last is vertically oriented and said legs of said guide portion providing opposite stopping surfaces which extend perpendicularly to said linear inlet portion, and (b) wherein said profile band includes a linear stem part and a foot part which is formed by two oppositely-extending legs that extend perpendicularly to said linear stem part, thereby providing said profile band with a generally T-shaped cross section, said stem part of said profile band being positioned in said inlet portion of said groove and said foot part of said profile band being positioned in said guide portion of said groove, said profile band being dimensioned to be movable without lateral play within said groove toward and away from said side surface of said last, said legs of said profile band being movable between opposite stopping surfaces of said legs of said guide surface of said groove.