1, 035, 326. Inserting lengths of string. BRITISH UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CO. Ltd. April 2, 1963 [April 3, 1962; June 14, 1962]; No. 12934/63. Addition to 1,007,000. Heading D1G. In a machine, which is a modification of the apparatus described in the parent Specification a pair of shoes are clamped by respective means 30, 32 to a pedestal 22. A curved needle 18, carrying a string S, swings downwards to pass through the shoes and retracts slightly to throw a loop which is gripped by a clamp 34. The needle then retracts completely, and a pin 128 carried by a wheel 20 engages the string to draw a measured length through the needle eye. A second clamp 36 then grips the string between the shoes and the needle, and scissors sever the string between clamp 36 and the needle. The clamps 34, 36 more successively in respective closed paths around an eyeletting spindle 40 in opposed lights which are secured together by an eyelet clinched on spindle 40. A cycle of operations is performed upon actuation of a treadle 218, during the single revolution of a cam shaft 16 initiated thereby. The machine differs from the machine of the parent Specification only in the features described hereafter and which are intended to prevent damage to stiff shoes, and also to prevent slipping of stiff string, such as nylon, from the clamps. Clamp 30 comprises of jaw 70 pivoted at 72 to an arm 74 rigid within a bar 76 connected by an arm 78 with a sleeve 80 journalled on a shaft 82. A spring 84, connected to bar 76, biases jaw 70 inwardly. Clamp 32 comprises a jaw 86 pivoted at 88 to an arm 90 rigid with a bar 92 connected by an arm 94 to a sleeve 96 journalled on sleeve 80. A spring 100, connected to bar 92, biases jaw 86 inwardly. A treadle 38 is connected by a link 62 to one end of a lever 46, the other end of which is connected by a linkage to the eyeletting spindle 40, and which is also connected to one end of a bar 54. The other end of the latter carries a pin 106 disposed in a slot 108 formed in the vertical arm of a T-shaped member 104, the horizontal arm of which is disposed beneath the bars 76, 92. Actuation of treadle 38 thereby serves initially to lower spindle 40, and then to raise the member 104, whereby the bars 76, 92 are pivoted about shaft 82 to open the jaws 70, 86. The needle 18 is carried by an arm 116 which is journalled on shaft 82 and is rigid with a gear 118 meshing with a driving sector 120. A needle guide 122, which is journalled on shaft 82 and is biased towards the needle point by a spring 124, has secured to its forward face by a screw 322 on L-shaped leaf spring 320 through which the needle passes and which resists removal of the thread from the needle eye during the retraction stroke. The jaws 70, 86, which are apertured for the passage of the needle, about the arms of a U-shaped guide member 300, Fig. 17, (not shown). The arms have respective needle-passing apertures 302, 306 formed with narrow, flared needle-guiding lands 304, 308, and opening into string passing slots 310. A block 330 is pivoted to member 300 and is biased into engagement with an abutment thereon by a spring 334. During the retraction stroke, block 330 frictionally engages the leading end of the string to prevent unthreading of the needle. The needle is formed with a shallow inner groove 182, Fig. 16, (not shown), and a deeper outer groove 184, and has a pyramidal-shaped point. Clamp 34 has pivoted jaws 150, 152, Fig. 10 (not shown). A pin 160 pronjects from jaw 152 into a recess 158 in jaw 150, and the latter has a depending pin 192, tension on the string tending to tighten the latter about said pins. A spring rod 178 depending from jaw 152 has a curved lower portion 180 adapted to press the string into the inner groove 182 of the needle. Wheel 20, carrying the thread-drawing pin 128 is rigid with a pinion 132 meshing with a sector 134 on one end of a lever 2 the other end of which is connected by a link 258 to a pivot pin 268 adjustably fixable in a slot 261 formed in one arm of a lever 260, the other end of which carries a follower roller 264 co-operating with a cam 130 on shaft 16.