15,555. Hallam, H., Hall, T. P., Roberts, W. T. B., and British United Shoe Machinery Co. July 22. Punching and perforating machines.-Relates particularly to the punching-machine for ornamenting toe caps &c. described in Specification No. 22,884, A.D. 1904, and consists iu the provision of a positively-acting device for controlling the punch, and in the provision of improved means for controlling and adjusting the strip-feed. The machine referred to comprises a punch-bar 8 which is actuated by a cam 6 on the main shaft 4, while a second cam operates a lever 18 to impart lateral movement to a punch-bar carrier 14 to effect the feed. The punch-bar carries a roller 27 which is held in engagement with the cam 6 by a spring. In the present machine a holder A<3>, to which a head A<1> carrying the punch or punches A is removably secured, is mounted to swivel on a projection 8<a> from the punch-bar. After the punches have penetrated the work, they are raised a sufficient distance to free them from the flexible strip 72, but not sufficiently to free them from the work. During the movement, and if the punches have not been displaced axially during the feed, a slot A<4> in a projection A' from the holder A<3> will be engaged by a stud B, Fig. 2, on the carrier 14. If, however, the punches have been displaced, the projection B will engage a cam surface A<6> on the projection A<5>, and this causes the punches to be turned back to their normal position. The limits of swivelling movement of the holder A<3> are preferably arranged to be determined by the engagement of the stud B with the cam-surface A<6>. In an alternative construction, a pin-and-slot connexion between the lower end of the punch-bar and the holder A<3> determines the limits of this swivelling movement; in this construction also, the positions of the stud B and slot A<4> are reversed. The holder A<3> is locked against swivelling until the punches are close to the work by a spring-pressed plunger C, Fig. 1, the downward movement of which is limited by the engagement of a pin C' with a recess C<2> in the plunger. The mechanism for feeding the strip 72 comprises a lever D provided with a projection D<1> which underlies the strip, and a spring-pressed pivoted pawl D<2> which engages the upper surface of the strip. The lever D is connected by a link E to the carrier 14. A pin D<5> and slot D<6> provides means for adjusting the amount of feed of the strip, and this slot is preferably arranged so that the adjustment does not alter the position occupied by the pawl D<2> at the beginning of its stroke.