Abstract: A shoe stretching last includes a tiptoe portion and a heel portion. A body is connected to the heel portion and a stem is connected to the tiptoe portion and is slidably mounted within the body. A locking plate and a pushing plate are slidably mounted on the stem within the body. A first spring normally biases the locking plate into an inclined condition to prevent sliding movement of the stem toward a position of minimum length of the last. A second spring normally biases the pushing plate to an orthogonal position relative to the stem. A control lever is pivotally mounted on the body for engagement with the pushing plate to move the pushing plate to an inclined position whereupon it grips the stem to lengthen the last. The pivotal movement may be repeated to incrementally increase the length of the last. Upon pivotal movement of the lever in the opposite direction, the lever engages the locking plate to unlock the locking plate from the stem to allow the last to move to the minimum length position.

Abstract: A last for use in the manufacture of shoes has a main body portion and a separate heel part which is slidably mounted on the body portion and can be completely removed therefrom within a shoe to facilitate the removal of this shoe from the body portion of the last. Likewise the positioning of an upper or shoe on the last may be effected by inserting the separated heel part in the upper or shoe, arranging this about the body portion and sliding the heel part onto the body portion. The heel part and body portion may be formed one with a rib and the other with a groove, the rib and groove being formed with inter engaging portions. A latch is provided for locking the heel part in its operative position on the body portion and a post on which the last may be mounted may include means for releasing the latch to enable the heel part to be slid off the body portion.

Abstract: Process and apparatus for connecting the sole of a shoe with its shaft, the sole and the shaft consisting at least partially of thermoplastic synthetic resin, wherein the shaft is placed over a mold corresponding in shape to the shape of the sole, an edge of the shaft protruding over the mold and the shaft being expanded in longitudinal direction of the mold, and wherein subsequently the protruding edge of the shaft is bent over the mold and the sole is pressed against the mold and welded with the bent edge by means of radio frequency.