EP0050429A2

EP0050429A2 - Machine for lasting side portions of shoe uppers

Info

Publication number: EP0050429A2
Application number: EP81304527A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jean Pierre Berger; James Robert Flanders; Alan Sanderson
Original assignee: British United Shoe Machinery Ltd; USM Corp
Current assignee: Noxet UK Ltd
Priority date: 1980-10-16
Filing date: 1981-09-30
Publication date: 1982-04-28
Also published as: EP0050429B2; EP0050429A3; WO1982001302A1; ES506898A0; CS761581A2; CS253563B2; ES8301096A1; EP0050429B1; DE3169563D1

Abstract

A side lasting machine has a last support (10), on which a last can be supported, bottom uppermost, and two side lasting assemblies (16), arranged one at each side of the last support. Each assembly (16) comprises a plurality of lasting fingers (46), a plurality of clamp pads (72), disposed each beneath a pair of the fingers (46) and mounted for limited pivotal movement about a vertical axis (136), and a plurality of lasting bands (128), depending one from each finger (46) and interposed between the pads (72) and shoe upper. In operation, as the fingers (46) move inwardly, the bands (128), held against the upper with sufficient pressure to allow slip between the bands (128) and pads (72), are drawn upwardly and the upper is thus updrafted, before being secured to the insole. In the rest condition, the fingers (46) are disposed above the level of the insole. As they move inwardly they also move downwardly on to the shoe, thus avoiding any need to set their heightwise position for different shoe styles.

Description

This invention is concerned with a machine for use in lasting side portions of shoe uppers. The term "shoe" where used herein is used generically as indicating articles of outer footwear generally, including such articles in the course of manufacture.
Machines for lasting side portions of shoe uppers are known comprising a support for a shoe last on which an upper, the side portions of which are to be lasted, and an insole are positioned, and two side lasting assemblies arranged so as to act on opposite side portions of an upper positioned on a last supported by said support, wherein each side lasting assembly comprises clamping means, comprising at least one clamp member, movable towards the last support to cause a side portion of the upper to be held against the last, on which it is positioned and which is supported by the last support, at a locality spaced from the feather line thereof, lasting element means, comprising a plurality of lasting elements arranged side-by-side and movable inwardly towards the last support so as to cause lasting marginal portions of the side portion of the upper to be wiped over corresponding marginal portions of the insole and be pressed thereagainst, and lasting band means comprising at least one upper-engaging band portion of flexible sheet material arranged to be interposed between the shoe upper on the one hand and the lasting elements and the clamp member(s) on the other.
In U.K. Patent Specification No.1559171 is described a side lasting machine in which each side lasting assembly comprises a single lasting band which is supported at its upper and lower edges, the arrangement being such that, as the lasting band is moved inwardly towards the last support, a portion thereof intermediate its upper and lower edges first engages the upper in the waist region, continued movement thereafter causing the upper to be deformed in the direction of both the top line and the feather line. The inward movement of each assembly, furthermore, is limited by a presser pad between which and the upper the lasting band is interposed, which pad also assists in holding the upper in position against the last during the lasting operation. When the inward movement of each lasting band is arrested, the lasting marginal portions of the upper, which are already partially folded over the feather line by the action of the inward movement of the lasting band, is merely rolled over and pressed against corresponding marginal portions of the insole by presser feet, which serve also to support one edge of the lasting band.
It will thus be appreciated that, in the operation of this machine, no significant drafting of the upper, in the waist portion thereof, takes place but rather the upper is deformed to the shape of the last by the progressive application of pressure thereto from an intermediate point outwardly towards the top line and feather line. Furthermore, the action of the presser feet is merely to roll the lasting marginal portion of the upper over the insole edge without any inward wiping action being applied thereto.
In U.S. Patent Specification No.1722499 is described a machine having side lasting assemblies, each of which comprises a plurality of lasting devices, each device in turn comprising a lasting element in the form of a wiping finger, a strap of flexible material one end of which is secured to the wiping finger, and the other end also being secured to a portion of the assembly, and a clamp pad between which and the upper the strap is interposed. In the operation of this machine, each device operates independently of the others, the arrangement being such that each assembly is moved bodily towards the shoe and the presser pads are brought into pressing engagement with the band against the upper, thus to clamp the upper against the last at a locality closely adjacent the feather line. Thereafter, the pressure applied by the pads is increased as the wipers move inwardly to wipe lasting marginal portions of the upper against corresponding marginal portions of the insole and press them thereagainst. Thereafter, the wiping fingers are cammed down from an out-of-the-way position to lay the lasting marginal portions of the upper over corresponding marginal portions of the insole and press them thereagainst.
A further modification of this machine is described in U.S. Patent Specification No.1843232. In this machine, the straps are secured to the clamp members at one end and are resiliently connected at the other to the wiping fingers, the arrangement being such that the wiping fingers effect an in-wiping action effectively on the strap rather than on the upper, the resilient connection yielding during such in-wiping movement so that the wiping fingers move relative to their associated straps. The overall effect of this arrangement is that the lasting marginal portions of the upper are again merely laid over corresponding marginal portions of the insole and pressed thereagainst.
In U.K. Patent Specification No.1079611 are described two lasting machines, in a first of which two side lasting assemblies are provided, each comprising a plurality of lasting bands which are pressed against the upper by clamp members in the form of fingers, the bands being capable of limited movement heightwise of the last thus to provide an updraft on the upper prior to lasting marginal portions thereof being folded over the insole edge and pressed against corresponding marginal portions of the insole. In this machine, however, no separate lasting elements are provided, the bands serving the function of both updrafting and overlaying members. Again, in U.K. Patent Specification No.1339835, a machine is described having two side lasting assemblies, each comprising a plurality of lasting elements and a plurality of bands, but in this case no clamping pads are provided, the upper merely being engaged by the bands which are drawn over the insole edge, together with lasting marginal portions of the upper, during the in-wiping movement of the lasting elements.
In the side lasting of shoes, problems arise where the inside of the last, at the waist region, is significantly inclined or rounded, so that it is difficult to ensure that the material of the upper, which is relatively bulky, is properly bedded down to the last before the lasting marginal portions of the upper are secured to corresponding marginal portions of the insole. Thus, it is not always sufficient merely to rely on the in-wiping action of wiping fingers to ensure that the upper is properly bedded to the last, nor it is necessarily sufficient merely to press the upper against the last without any drafting force being first applied. On the other hand, the use of wiping fingers or similar lasting elements is advantageous in ensuring a sharp feather edge on the finished shoe and also an adequate bedding down of the lasting marginal portions on to corresponding marginal portions of the insole, so that the mere application of an updrafting force does not in itself necessary provide a good result in the finished shoe. Furthermore, it is desirable that clamp pads be provided so that a controlled drafting force can be applied to the upper, thus ensuring that any displacement of the upper does not lead to its being badly positioned on the last prior to the waist lasting operation.
It is thus the object of the present invention to provide a machine for lasting side portions of shoes, wherein the upper is properly conformed to the last, regardless of the shape of the latter in the waist region, by the application of a controlled drafting force, and also in the operation of which lasting marginal portions of the upper are wiped over corresponding marginal portions of the insole and pressed thereagainst using conventional lasting elements.
This object is resolved in accordance with the invention, in a shoe upper conforming machine as set out in the second paragraph of this specification, in that the or each upper-engaging band portion is held by the clamp member(s), in the operation of the machine, against the upper positioned on its last under a pressure which does not prevent movement of the upper-engaging band portion(s) relative to the clamp member(s) but which is sufficient to cause such movement of said portion(s) to apply a drafting force to the portion of the upper engaged thereby, and in that the or each band portion of each side lasting assembly is connected at one end to the lasting elements of said assembly, inward movement of the lasting elements towards the last support as aforesaid thus being effective to cause movement of said band portion(s) to take place relative to the clamp member(s) whereby, in the operation of the machine, a drafting force is applied to the upper by said portion(s) heightwise of the last in the direction of the feather line of the shoe.
It will thus be appreciated that, using a machine in accordance with the invention, the lasting elements are utilised to apply a controlled drafting force to the upper through the upper-engaging band portion(s), the control being specifically achieved by the action of the clamp member(s) acting on the band portion(s).
Desirably, the upper-engaging surface of the or each upper-engaging band portion is such as to cause the upper to be frictionally engaged thereby, thus to apply a drafting force to the upper as aforesaid and at least one of the opposite surface of the or each band portion and the surface of the or each clamp member engaging such opposite surface is a low-friction surface. Thus, for example, the aforementioned surface of the or each clamp member may be of polytetrafluoroethylene. Conveniently, furthermore, the or each upper-engaging band portion may be made of a laminated sheet material having a first layer which comprises the upper-engaging surface and which provides sufficient friction to apply a drafting force to the upper engaged thereby, and a second layer which comprises a low-friction surface which is engaged by the clamping member(s).
In order further to ensure that the drafting force applied by the band portion(s) is controlled, desirably the sheet material from which the or each portion is made has a modulus not less than 850 p.s.i. at 100% elongation (as per the ASTM test procedure).
The holding pressure applied by the clamp member(s) to the upper-engaging band portion(s) is preferably of the order of 1.4 kgf/sq. cm. (20 lbs/sq. in.). Furthermore, preferably the or each clamp member is mounted for pivotal movement about an axis extending heightwise of the last. Where the clamping means comprises a plurality of clamp members, desirably the position of each such axis in relation to its clamp member, and also the cross-sectional shape, viewed along said axis, of each clamp member, are such as to enable the clamp members to pivot without adjacent members binding on one another.
For effecting movement of the clamp member(s) towards the last support as aforesaid, preferably fluid pressure operated means is provided. In addition, preferably locking means, e.g. a bar lock arrangement associated with the or each clamp member, is also provided for locking the clamp member(s) in position after having been moved towards the last support to hold the upper-engaging band portion(s) as aforesaid.
The machine in accordance with the invention is preferably constructed and arranged in such a manner that operation of the fluid pressure operated means is also effective to cause inward movement of the lasting elements to take place, further fluid pressure operated means also being provided for effecting further inward movement of the lasting elements, when the or each clamp member is holding the upper-engaging band portion(s) against the upper as aforesaid. Conveniently, such further inward movement of the lasting elements is through a predetermined distance. Furthermore, conveniently in the operation of the machine, after lasting marginal portions of the upper have been wiped over corresponding marginal portions of the insole as aforesaid under the action of the lasting element means, said locking means is operated to cause the clamp member (s) of-each side lasting assembly to be released, viz. when bedding pressure is applied through the lasting elements to such marginal portions.
In conventional machines which utilise lasting elements in the form of wiping fingers, it is usual to set each lasting element heightwise of the last support, so that, in effecting an in-wiping action on the shoe bottom, each such element engages the shoe just below the feather line and rides up over said line, in. this way achieving a desired in-wiping drafting force. This feature can be dispensed with in the machine in accordance with the invention, and to this end preferably each lasting element is movable not only inwardly towards the last support as aforesaid, but also heightwise thereof between a first condition, in which a pressure-applying surface thereof is spaced from the shoe bottom, and a second condition, in which,.in the operation of the machine, said element is in pressing engagement with the shoe bottom, the arrangement being such that, as each element is moved inwardly towards the last support as aforesaid, it is also moved from its first to its second condition, whereby the or each band portion is caused to be drawn around the feather edge of the shoe bottom, thus effecting a drafting force on the upper prior to the lasting marginal portion of the upper engaged thereby being pressed against corresponding marginal portions of the insole.
In accordance with the invention various arrangements of band portions and lasting elements may be contemplated. Thus, a single band portion may be used in combination with a plurality of lasting elements. Alternatively, the lasting band means of each side lasting assembly may comprise a plurality of band portions, one associated with each lasting element, and in such case, furthermore, the lasting elements may be mounted in pairs and each pair have one clamp member associated therewith, each clamp member thus being arranged to hold two band portions in pressing engagement with the upper as aforesaid. Again with such an arrangement of lasting elements and clamp members, each pair of lasting elements may have one band portion associated therewith.
There now follows a detailed description, to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, of one machine in accordance with the invention, this machine having been selected for description merely by way of exemplification of the invention and not by way of limitation thereof.
In the accompanying drawings:-

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the machine in accordance with the invention; and
Figure 2 is a view in front elevation, showing details of a left-hand side lasting assembly of said machine.

The machine in accordance with the invention now to be described is a combined heel seat and side lasting machine comprising a last support 10 on which a last can be supported, bottom uppermost, with an insole I located on the bottom thereof and a shoe upper U positioned thereon. The machine further comprises heel seat wiping instrumentalities 12 and a heel band 14, and also two side lasting assemblies generally designated 16, arranged forwardly of the heel seat lasting instrumentalities, one at either side of the last support 10. The side lasting assemblies are mirror-opposites of one another and the left hand assembly will be now described with reference to Figure 2.
The side lasting assembly 16 comprises a sub-frame 18 carried on a forwardly extending plate 20 mounted on a main machine frame 22 by pin-and-slot connections whereby the side lasting assembly 16 can pivot bodily about an axis extending transversely of the machine through a leading edge of the heel seat wipers 12 when in their advanced condition. For pivoting the sub-frame, a handle 30 is provided on the front thereof.
Forming part of the sub-frame 18 is a block 32 which accommodates four push-rods 34 for sliding movement in a direction transversely of the bottom of a last carried by the last support 10, said rods being arranged side-by-side in the block 32. Fixedly supported at the end, near the last support 10, of each push-rod 34 is a block 36 carrying a pivot pin 38 which extends fore-and-aft of the machine and on which two levers 40 are supported for pivotal movement. Each lever 40 supports a further pivot pin 42, extending transversely of the machine, and carrying an arm 44 on which a lasting element 46 is supported by a pivot pin 48, the axis of which extends fore-and-aft of the machine. Each side lasting assembly 16 thus comprises eight such lasting elements. A spring 50 urges the lasting element downwardly about the pin 48 (anti-clockwise, viewing Figure 2). The lasting element 46 has a flat pressure-applying surface 52, while the end of said element facing the last support 10 is rounded at its top and bottom.
It will be appreciated that each block 36 carries a pair of lasting elements 44, each element being independently pivotable therein about its own pin 42. Furthermore, it is to be noted that, when the pressure-applying surface 52 is horizontal, the axis of the pin 42 lies in the plane of said surface.
For urging each lever 40 about its pin 38, furthermore, four piston-and-cylinder arrangements 66 are provided, each acting on two associated levers 40 and each being carried by a bracket 68 carried on a mounting 70 secured to a rearward end of its associated push-rod 34. In each pair of levers 40 one is shorter than the other and there is provided, pivotally connected to the shorter lever and connected by a pin-and-slot connection to the longer lever, a link 92 itself connected by a pin-and-slot connection to a piston rod 90 of its associated piston-and-cylinder arrangement 66. In this manner, the levers 40 can be pivoted about the pin 38 independently of one another using a single piston-and-cylinder arrangement. The amount of movement in a clockwise direction of each lever is determined by a stop pin 94 carried by the bracket 68.
Mounted in the block 32, one beneath each of the push-rods 34, are four further push-rods 80. At the end, nearer the last support 10, of each push-rod 80 is secured a plate 78 to which is in turn secured a C-shaped bracket 74 between the arms of which is secured a pivot pin 136, on which is freely pivotable a clamp pad 72, each pad thus being associated with a pair of lasting elements 46. The clamp pad 72 is of a polyurethane material having a Shore A hardness of 70. The position of the pin 136 and the cross-sectional shape, viewed in plan, of each pad 72 is such that pivoting movement of each pad can take place, independently of the other pads, without adjacent pads binding on one another.
Also mounted adjacent said end of each push-rod 80 is a block 96 which is connected to a piston rod 82 of a piston-and-cylinder arrangement 84, there being four such arrangements 84 each pivotally mounted on the sub-frame 18. Furthermore, each block 96 is arranged to be in engagement, in the rest condition of the machine, with a face of a depending portion of its associated block 36. Thus, when each piston-and-cylinder arrangement 84 is operated, the push-rod 80 associated therewith is moved inwardly to move the clamp pad 72 inwardly towards the last support and, by engagement of the block 96 with the block 36, the pair of wiping elements 46 associated with said pad is moved inwardly also.
At the end of the inward movement of each clamp pad 72, locking means is actuated to lock the push-rod 80 in position, said locking means comprising an apertured plate 98 through a restricted aperture 100 of which passes the push-rod 80 (and through a larger aperture 102 of which passes the push-rod 34). Each plate 98 is pivoted at 104 on a lug of the block 32 and is urged by a spring 106 into a locking position in which the aperture 100 binds on the push-rod 80 in the manner of a bar lock. For releasing the lock, a bar 108 is mounted for pivotal movement on lugs of the block 32, said bar carrying four adjustable stop screws 110 each of which can engage with one of the plates 98. For pivoting the bar 108 a piston-and-cylinder arrangement 11.2 is mounted on the block 32 and acts through a link 114 connecting the piston rod 116 thereof with said bar.
Carried on a depending portion of each block 96 is a bracket 118 supporting a piston-and-cylinder arrangement 56 a piston rod 58 of which is pivotally connected to a lever 60 pivoted, intermediate it length, on a rearward end of its associated push-rod 80, and connected by a pin-and-slot connection at its other end to the mounting 70 on the rearward end of its associated push-rod 34, for purposes to be hereinafter described.
The machine in accordance with the invention al -so comprises lasting band means comprising a plurality of bands 128, one associated with each lasting element 46. The bands are connected by clamp plates 130 to upper surfaces of the arms 44 by which the lasting elements 46 associated with the bands are carried, and each band extends over the inwardly facing end face of its associated lasting element 46. The bands also extend, in pairs, side-by-side over the inwardly facing face of the clamp pad 72 associated therewith. The lower end of each band is connected by springs 132 to a bracket 134 mounted on the lower end of the plate 78. The springs 132 merely serve to control the lower end of the bands but do not affect the function of the bands, to be hereinafter described.
In the operation of the machine, when in a rest condition the lasting elements, under the action of their associated cylinders 66, are in a first, raised, condition in which they are spaced above the plane of the last bottom; in addition, the lasting elements and the clamp pads 72, are in a retracted position (see Figure 2). When a shoe to be operated upon has been placed on the last support 10, piston-and-cylinder arrangements 84 are actuated to cause the clamp pads, and thus the lasting elements 46 therewith, to be moved inwardly towards the last support until the clamp pads, independently of one another, are pressing their associated bands 128 into contact with the shoe upper. As the clamp pads are moved into pressing engagement with the bands as aforesaid, they are free to pivot, independently of one another, each about the axis of its pin 136, so that the surface of each pad, through which surface pressure is applied as aforesaid, engages,over substantially the whole of its width, its associated bands. The pressure applied by the pads is in the order of 1.4 kgf/sq. cm. (20 lbs./sq. in.). In this position, piston-and-cylinder arrangement 112 is de-actuated and the bar lock is applied, the clamp pads now being locked in said position. At this stage, the lasting elements 46 are still in their first, raised, condition. Thereafter, piston-and-cylinder arrangements 56 are actuated whereupon, through their associated levers 60, the pivots of which on the push-rods 80 are now stationary, the push-rods 34, and thus the lasting elements 46,are moved inwardly relative to the clamp pads, and at the same time piston-and-cylinder arrangements 66 are actuated to cause the lasting elements 46 to be moved downwardly to a second, operative, condition in which the pressure-applying surface 52 of each element 46 can engage the shoe through its associated band 128. The inward movement of the elements 46 under the action of the cylinder 56 is limited by engagement of the forward face of the block 36 with the plate 78; the distance through which the elements 46 can move inwardly relative to the pads 72, is of the order of 50 mm.
The effect of the inward and downward movement of the lasting elements 46 is to cause the bands 128 associated therewith to be drawn relative to the pads 72 heightwise of the last and about the feather line region thereof. To this end, the pressure applied by the pads is sufficient to hold the bands in pressing engagement with the upper while allowing such slippage to take place, and further the surface of each band engaging the upper is such that it can apply a frictional drafting force to the upper while the surface of the pad 72 is coated with a low-friction coating, e.g. polytetrafluoroethylene, so that the band can readily slip relative thereto.
Also during the inward and downward movement of the lasting elements 46, because of the action of the springs 50 in urging the elements anti-clockwise (viewing Figure 2) about the pins 48, the pressure-applying surface 52 of each element is brought into early engagement, along its length, with the feather edge of the shoe bottom, through its associated lasting band, and after such engagement is progressively caused to pivot in a clockwise direction (viewing Figure 2) about its pin 48 until it reaches its second condition in which it overlays the lasting marginal portion of the upper and serves to press them against corresponding marginal portions of the insole. This progressive action of each lasting element 46 has an "ironing" effect on the marginal portions of the upper.
It will be appreciated that the material of the lasting bands 128 should not be significantly stretchy for this function, while being relatively flexible so as to conform to the shape of the shoe being operated upon. It has been found that a suitable material is a polyurethane having a Shore A hardness in the range 70 to 90 and a modulus not less than 850 p.s.i. at 100% elongation (as per the ASTM test procedure). Furthermore, each band has a thickness in the range 1.5 to 3.0 mm. (1/16 to 1/8 ins.).
When all the lasting elements 46 have reached their second condition, and are in pressing engagement with the shoe bottom, a bedding pressure can be applied thereby to the wiped-over lasting marginal portions of the upper, and to this end the fluid pressure control circuit of the machine is arranged so that the piston-and-cylinder arrangements 66 can be supplied with pressure fluid at two different pressures. Furthermore, when bedding pressure is applied, the piston-and-cylinder arrangement 112 of each assembly is again actuated, thereby releasing the bar lock arrangement against the action of the springs 106, whereupon the action of the piston-and-cylinder arrangements 56 is effective to cause the levers 60 to pivot about their pin-and-slot connection with the mountings 70 to cause a small withdrawal movement of the push-rods 80 away from the last support, and thus of the clamp members 72, thereby discontinuing their pressing of the bands against the upper. In this way, the bands 128 and clamp members 72 do not interfere with the application of bedding pressure to the shoe bottom.
The machine in accordance with the invention may also comprise selector means (not shown) whereby any one pair of lasting elements 46 can be rendered inoperative.

Claims

1. Machine for lasting side portions of shoe uppers comprising a support for a shoe last on which an upper, the side portions of which are to be lasted, and an insole are positioned, and two side lasting assemblies arranged so as to act on opposite side portions of an upper positioned on a last supported by said support, wherein each side lasting assembly comprises clamping means, comprising at least one clamp member, movable towards the last support to cause a side portion of the upper to be held against the last, on which it is positioned and which is supported by the last support, at a locality spaced from the feather line thereof, lasting element means, comprising a plurality of lasting elements arranged side-by-side and movable inwardly towards the last support so as to cause lasting marginal portions of the side portion of the upper to be wiped over corresponding marginal portions'of the insole and be pressed thereagainst, and lasting band means comprising at least one upper-engaging band portion of flexible sheet material arranged to be interposed between the shoe upper on the one hand and the lasting elements and the clamp member(s) on the other, characterised in that the or each upper-engaging band portion (128) is held by the clamp member(s) (72), in the operation of the machine, against the upper positioned on its last under a pressure which does not prevent movement of the upper-engaging band portion(s) (128) relative to the clamp member(s) (72) but which is sufficient to cause such movement of said portion(s) (128) to apply a drafting force to the portion of the upper engaged thereby, and in that the or each band portion (128) of each side lasting assembly (16) is connected at one end to the lasting elements (46) of said assembly (16), inward movement of the lasting elements (46) towards the last support (10) as aforesaid thus being effective to cause movement of said band portion(s) (128) to take place relative to the clamp member(s) (72) whereby, in the operation of the machine, a drafting force is applied to the upper by said portion(s) (128) heightwise of the last in the direction of the feather line of the shoe.

2. Machine according to Claim 1 characterised in that the upper-engaging surface of the or each upper-engaging band portion (128) is such as to cause the upper to be frictionally engaged thereby, thus to apply a drafting force to the upper as aforesaid, and further in that at least one of the opposite surface of the or each band portion (128) and the surface of the or each clamp member (72) engaging such opposite surface is a low-friction surface.

3. Machine according to Claim 2 characterised. in that the or each upper-engaging band portion (128) is made of a laminated sheet material having a first layer which comprises the upper-engaging surface and which provides sufficient friction to apply a drafting force to the upper engaged thereby, and a second layer which comprises a low-friction surface which is engaged by the clamp member(s) (72).

4. Machine according to any one of the preceding Claims characterised in that the holding pressure applied by the clamp member(s) (72) to the upper-engaging band portion(s) (128) is of the order of 1.4 kgf/sq. cm. (20 lbs./sq. in.).

5. Machine according to any one of the preceding Claims characterised in that the or each clamp member (72) is mounted for pivotal movement about an axis (136) extending heightwise of the last.

6. Machine according to Claim 5 characterised in that the clamping means comprises a plurality of clamp members and in that the position of each said axis (136) in relation to its clamp member (72), and also the cross-sectional shape, viewed along said axis (136), of each clamp member (72), are such as to enable the clamp members (72) to pivot without adjacent members (72) binding on one another.

7. Machine according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein fluid pressure operated means is provided for effecting movement of the clamp member(s) inwardly towards the last support as aforesaid, operation of said means also being effective to cause inward movement of the lasting elements therewith, and wherein locking means is provided for locking the clamp member(s) in such position, after having been moved to hold the band portion(s) as aforesaid, further fluid pressure operated means then being effective to cause further inward movement of the lasting elements whereby to cause lasting marginal portions of the upper to be wiped over and pressed against corresponding marginal portions of the insole, characterised in that said locking means (98, 100, 104, 106) is operated to cause the clamp member(s) (72) to be released, when bedding pressure is applied through the lasting elements (46) to the wiped-over lasting marginal portions of the upper.

8. Machine according to any one of the preceding Claims wherein each lasting element is also movable heightwise of the last support between a first condition, in which a pressure-applying surface thereof is spaced from the shoe bottom, and a second condition, in which, in the operation of the machine, said element is in pressing engagement with the shoe bottom, characterised in that, as each element (46) is moved towards the last support (10) as aforesaid, it is also moved from its first to its second condition, whereby the or each band portion (168) is caused to be drawn around the feather edge of the shoe bottom, thus effecting a drafting force on the upper prior to the lasting marginal portions of the upper engaged thereby being pressed against corresponding marginal portions of the insole.

9. Machine according to any one of the preceding Claims characterised in that the lasting band means (128) of each side lasting assembly (16) comprises a plurality of band portions (128), one associated with each lasting element (46).

10. Machine according to any one of Claims 1 to 8 characterised in that the lasting elements (46) of the lasting element means are arranged in pairs, each pair having associated therewith a clamp member (72), and one band portion of the lasting band means being associated with each pair of lasting elements (46).