Automatic shoe edge processing machine

Shoe edge processing machine comprising a shoe gripping device (26,27,126,127) for gripping a shoe in a direction parallel to an axis (31,131) virtually perpendicular to a shoe bottom, means (16) for processing the shoe and means (12,22,49,122) for producing relative movement between the shoe and the means (16) for processing the shoe for causing the means(16) for processing a shoe to travel an edge of a shoe held in the shoe gripping device (26,27,126,127), the shoe gripping device comprising a pair of gripping members(26,27,126,127) powered for relative movement towards each other to clamp the shoe between them with a first member (26,126) of the pair being designed to rest on the bottom of the shoe and the other member of the pair being designed to rest on a leading end of an instep of a form on which the shoe to be processed is mounted, the shoe gripping device also comprising a pair of facing jaws (42,43,142,143) powered to be mutually movable towards each other in a direction transverse to the direction of movement of the pair of gripping members (26,27,126,127) to grip the shoe in a longitudinal direction on command and position the shoe for gripping by the pair of gripping members (26,27,126,127).