Abstract: A composite band for use in a footwear-forming machine. The composite band includes an elongated pad formed to have a bight portion and a pair of legs extending outwardly from the bight portion. A flexible elongated metal is secured at the outer surface of the elongated pad. The composite band is subjected to flexing forces whereby, in the footwear forming process, it is repeatedly bent to conform to the shape of the footwear and then relaxed to an unflexed condition. The metal strip contains three (or more) spaced loops, one at each leg and one at the bight portion, to prevent undue stress during flexure. The loops serve also to permit inwardly-directed forces to be applied to the composite band.

Abstract: A toe lasting machine (10) for operating on a shoe assembly (66) formed of a last (68) having an upper (70) draped thereon and an insole (72) secured to its bottom by wiping the margin (74) of the toe portion of the upper against the insole while the heel portion of the shoe assembly is engaged by a heel clamp pad (29) that is moved in a rearward direction against the heel portion of the shoe assembly. The heel clamp pad (29) is so connected to a slide (42) that is yieldably urged upwardly as to have unitary heightwise movement with the slide (42). The slide (42) and the heel clamp pad (29) are mounted for forward-rearward swinging adjustment about a prone axis that is transverse to the rearward direction.

Abstract: A sewing machine having a needle and a presser foot that are reciprocated in synchronism and an arrangement for changing the zone of reciprocation of the presser foot during the reciprocations of the needle and the presser foot.

Abstract: For use with a sewing machine (10) that sews a predetermined pattern of stitches on workpieces (22) of successive workpiece assemblies formed of workpiece mounts (24) having the workpieces (22) detachably secured thereto while the workpiece assemblies are being moved in a path corresponding to the predetermined pattern past a work station that includes the needle (16) of the sewing machine, a workpiece handling means that enables the workpiece to be presented to the work station and removed from the station successively and alternately from the opposite sides of the work station.

Abstract: A mechanism for so transporting an insole (118) rearwardly between a pair of molds (122,124) that regardless of the length of the insole the ball portion of the insole is in registry with the ball portions of the molds. This is accomplished by a mechanism that moves gauges (36,54) at different speeds against opposite ends of the insole to locate the insole on a support (52,58) and then transports the insole on the support a prescribed distance rearwardly between the molds. This invention provides the improvement of an adjusting arrangement for adjusting the ratios of the speeds at which the gauges are moved against the opposite ends of the insole.

Abstract: An insole rest (14) that supports a shoe assembly (64) formed of a last (66) having an upper (70) draped thereon and an insole (68) located on its bottom. A first motor (36) is so connected to the insole rest as to effect heightwise movement of the insole rest and a second motor (38) is so connected to the insole rest as to effect swinging movement of the insole rest.

Abstract: An arrangement for molding a flat insole (412) and adhesively attaching the molded insole to the bottom of a last (414) comprising an upper mold (62) and a lower mold (14) having complementary molding surfaces that are initially spaced from each other so that the flat insole is transported between the molding surfaces and are then closed upon the insole to mold the flat insole to the shape of the molding surfaces. The upper mold is then raised while the molded insole is retained on the upper mold molding surface after which the insole is released from the upper mold molding surface and descends onto the bottom of the last. The molded insole is then pressed onto the last bottom by an applicator (378) and is attached to the last bottom by an adhesive patch (421) on the last bottom that was previously applied to the last bottom by the applicator.

Abstract: A machine for applying cement in the corner between the unwiped portion of the margin of a shoe upper mounted on a last and the corresponding portion of the periphery of an insole located on the last bottom by a pair of nozzles that each has a laterally projecting tip wherein the toe portion of the upper margin has been wiped against and secured to the insole and segments of the upper margin at the boundaries between the wiped and unwiped margin portions overhang the insole. The nozzles are caused to apply cement in the corner while moving from the heel end extremity of the corner to locations beneath the margin segments, after which the nozzle tips are moved inwardly of the segments and are then moved away from the insole. The nozzles are placed at the heel end extremity of the corner by being moved downwardly against the insole while the tips face the heel and extremity of the insole and are then moved heelwardly to positions wherein the nozzles are proximate to the heel end of the upper margin.

Abstract: A machine for applying a patch of adhesive onto the bottom of a last (94) comprising an adhesive applying member (89) movable downwardly into engagement with the last bottom and a shifting mechanism (34, 92) operative to so shift the adhesive applying mechanism during its downward movement as to cause the adhesive applying mechanism to engage the last bottom close to the toe end of the last.

Abstract: A machine, operable on a shoe assembly formed of a last having an insole located on its bottom and an upper mounted thereon with the toe portion of the upper margin being wiped against and secured to the insole and with an unwiped portion of the upper margin extending heelwardly of the wiped margin portion projecting away from the insole and with segments of the upper margin at the boundaries between the wiped and unwiped margin portions overhanging the insole, for applying cement in the corner between the unwiped margin portion and the corresponding portion of the insole periphery. The cement is applied by a pair of nozzles that each have laterally projecting tips. The nozzles are caused to move in cement applying strokes from the heel end extremity of the shoe assembly to the margin segments while the nozzle tips are retained in the corners with the nozzle tips at the ends of the cement applying strokes each being beneath a margin segment.

Abstract: A machine for molding the quarter of a boot upper by causing a female mold (36) to press the quarter against a male mold (74). The male mold (74) is mounted bottom-up by a stem (76) connected by the front portion (72) of a beam (70) to the machine frame (14). The beam front portion (72) has a cavity (84) located above the rearmost end (82) of the male mold (74).

Abstract: A machine for applying adhesive to the toe portion of an insole mounted to the bottom of a last through the top of an applicator. The insole is located on an inclined plane and the applicator lies in the inclined plane and bears flushly against the insole when the applicator is applying the adhesive to the insole. The applicator is mounted for such movement that the applicator top lies in a horizontal plane when the applicator is not moving towards and away from the insole and is not bearing against the insole.

Abstract: A machine that molds an upper to the shape of a male mold by a female mold and that flanges the margin of the upper by a pair of wipers mounted to the female mold. The wipers have bases hinged to each other for swinging movement about a vertex and legs extending forwardly and divergently of the bases, the wiper bases being mounted to a back part of the female mold and the wiper legs being mounted to side parts of the female mold. The wiper bases are so constructed as to be movable forwardly of the back part and the wiper legs are so constructed as to be movable inwardly of the side parts pursuant to the forward movement of the wiper bases relative to the back part.

Abstract: A pulling over arrangement on a pulling over and lasting machine. The pulling over arrangement comprises a pincers that is operable to grip the margin of an upper and is movable downwardly under the yieldable force of an air operated motor. A locking mechanism is provided that locks the pincers against upward movement after the pincers have been moved downwardly and a release means is provided to release the locking mechanism.

Abstract: A toe pulling over and lasting machine operable on a shoe assembly formed of a last having an insole located on its bottom and an upper mounted thereon. The machine includes a support for supporting the shoe assembly bottom-down, a toe pincers operable to grip the toe end extremity of the upper margin, side pincers located on each side of and forwardly of the toe pincers operable to grip the upper margin heelwardly of the toe end extremity of the upper margin, and wipers operable to wipe the toe portion of the upper margin against the insole. Circuitry, actuated by a pedal operated control valve, causes the machine to go through its cycle. A three position selector valve is incorporated in the circuitry to determine positions, if any, the machine assumes when it comes to a halt during the machine cycle with a reactuation of the control valve causing the machine to resume the machine cycle after it comes to a halt.

Abstract: A method for stretching an upper mounted on a last about the vamp of the last while the last is supported bottom-down. The last has a throat between the tops of its toe and cone portions that is bridged by the upper with the upper being spaced from the throat above the throat. The upper margin is gripped toewardly of the throat by toe pincers and heelwardly of the throat by ball pincers. The ball pincers are then moved towards the toe pincers to cause the upper above the throat to buckle into the throat and bear against the throat after which the last is raised to effect the stretching of the upper about the vamp of the last.

Abstract: A mounting for a pincers assembly having a base at its bottom and an upwardly extending sleeve mounted to its top. The mounting, which enables the pincers assembly to have forward-rearward movement, includes a slide mounted below the base which is connected to a motor to effect forward-rearward movement of the base, a universal joint connecting the slide to the base, and a bearing mounted for universal movement through which the sleeve extends.

Abstract: A roughing machine having a support for supporting bottom-up a shoe assembly formed of a last having an insole located on its bottom and an upper mounted thereon with the margin of the upper secured to the bottom of the insole and a roughing tool located above the shoe assembly and yieldably urged downwardly against the shoe assembly so as to rough the upper margin during movement of the support to move the upper margin past the roughing tool. The shoe assembly bottom has its heel seat portion, its shank portion and its forepart portion lying in different planes. The support is so constructed as to be rockable in such a manner that the heel seat portion, the shank portion, and the forepart portion of the upper margin all lie in horizontal planes during their movement past the roughing tool.

Abstract: A mechanism, operable on a shoe assembly comprised of a last having an upper mounted thereon and an insole located on its bottom, for applying cement in a cement applying stroke along the corner formed by the upper margin and the insole periphery between an initial location at a boundary between the lasted toe portion of the shoe assembly and an unlasted side portion of the shoe assembly and a final location at the heel end extremity of the shoe assembly. The cement is applied by a nozzle that is movable rearwardly in the cement applying stroke and that is swingable about a heightwise axis during its rearward movement. The cement is applied from the nozzle into the corner through a passage that extends radially from the upright axis.

Abstract: A machine, operable on a shoe assembly formed of a last having an upper mounted thereon and an insole located on its bottom, that applies cement in the corners between the side and heel portions of the upper margin and the peripheries of the corresponding portions of the insole prior to wiping the side and heel portions of the upper margin against the insole and attaching the wiped margin portions to the insole by means of the cement.