885,859. Shoe making machines. BRITISH UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CO. Ltd. April 10, 1958 [April 11, 1957; April 12, 1957], No. 11334/58. Class 17(1) A shoe manufacturing machine having a last support with means to engage a last positioning plate 30, 238 on the cone of the last 28 to adjust the angular position of the last and orient the heel-end thereof, and a back gauge, to position the last lengthwise of the machine, with a generally plane shoe-engaging surface which slopes so that its upper end lies nearer the toe than the lower end, has additional features as follows. (1) A tool which is movable in a predetermined path. (2) A holder, for a shoe part, e.g. a heel 22. (3) The support, with the last, is movable lengthwise of the last. (4) The support has a spindle which passes through the positioning plate into a thimble 32 in the last. In the heel attaching machine described the last is arranged on a jack 68 in the forward position, being oriented by engagement of the positioning plate on the last and the co-operating members on the jack, the jack swung to the operative position, the last and lower member of the jack moved rearwardly to engage the shoe with the back-gauge, and the clutch (not shown) then tripped so that the jack is lowered, forcing the heel seat 24 against the heel in its holder, and the nails then driven into the heel and seat. In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 4 the jack post 96 is pivoted to slide 80, which is adjustably secured in housing 76 by locking means 92 &c. operated by handle 90, and is movable to the raised, loading, position, or the lowered, attaching, position, determined by engagement of faces 101, 103 on the jack with slide 80, and there retained by spring plunger 97 engaging in notch 99. A slide 112 carrying the last-engaging spindle 114 and stud 148, which engages in a parallel-sided slot 34 in the last-positioning plate 30, is slidable in a guideway 102 of housing 100 and urged forwardly by spring 120. Housing 100 is pivoted to the jack at 98, and held upwardly against screw 104 by springs 106, and is adjustable widthwise by screws 138 (not shown). The back-gauge 130, with a work-engaging face which is generally plane or curved widthwise and engaged by a median portion only of the back seam line 150 of the shoe, is pivoted on pin 98 and its operative position determined by screw 132. Alternatively the jack may be stationary and the back-gauge fixed, the work being positioned by rearward movement of slide 112, and the holder 62 raised to press the heel against the seat. The replaceable heel holder 62 is movable by the nail-loader block so that the die 51 may be loaded, and the nails are driven through passages 64, 50 by drivers 56, Fig. 7 (not shown). In the construction shown in Fig. 11 the slide plate 348, which corresponds to plate 112 and carries spindle 350, has, at opposite sides, depending lugs 370, and the last is oriented by swinging about the spindle 350 until a planar side face 240 of the last-positioning plate 238 engages a lug 370. The slide plate is urged forwardly by spring 354 and is slidable in a housing 336 which is angularly adjustable on the jack post and secured in desired position by means of screw 333. A back-gauge 373, generally similar to gauge 130 of the first embodiment, is pivoted at 379 to a conventional second back gauge 374. Gauge 373, positioned by engagement with gauge 374 as in Fig. 11, is used with geometric lasts, but with arithmetric lasts gauge 373 is swung to inoperative position, and gauge 374 is engaged in the crease of the shoe, the shoe being oriented by eye with plates 238 and lugs 370 removed. Movement of jack 292 to loading position acts via lever 398, and chain 394 to raise the backgauge 374 on guides in its holder 386, clear of the nail-loader block. Holder 386 is initially adjustable lengthwise and widthwise of the machine. The heel holder includes an apertured plate 286 to locate the base lift 222. Specification 14719/11 is referred to.