347,130. Boot-making machines. BRITISH UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CO., Ltd., WOODCOCK, R. B., and RIVINGTON, A. A., Union Works, Belgrave Road, Leicester. Jan. 22, 1930, No. 2176. [Class 17 (i).] Relates to machines for compressing shoebottom parts within a totally confined space and having automatically operating mechanism for feeding the parts in turn to a compressing station. The compressing means includes a toggle mechanism operated by a crank shaft positively driven from both sides of its crank. The feeding mechanism comprises a unitary device operating to grip simultaneously both a compressed and an uncompressed part to remove the first from and convey the second to the compressing station. The machine is generally constructed similarly to that described in Specification 22839/02, [Class 17, Boots &c.], the side, top, and bottom dies being formed to suit halfsole blanks. The crank 30 operating the toggle links for raising the bottom die is driven by gear wheels 34, 36 on each side of the crank to lessen the strain on the machine. The feed mechanism comprises a slide 50 reciprocated as necessary by cam-operated links 44 pivoted to brackets 52 secured to the slide. To each bracket is pivoted at 53 a lever 54 the forward end of which is urged outwardly by a spring plunger 56, links 60 securing this end of each lever to a member 62 pivoted at 64 and formed with a step co-operating with a pawl 90 pivoted at 91, urged to operative position by a spring 92 and provided with a tail 94 co-operating with a latch 93. The rear ends of the levers 54 carry arms 66 pivoted at 68 and provided with gripping blocks 70 for engagement with the work. The levers are biased by springs 72 so that their forward ends tend to swing outwardly to allow ample room for a sole placed by the operator between the blocks. To limit this movement, the levers 54 carry thumbscrews 76 adjustable along transverse slots in the levers the lower ends of the screws engaging arms pivoted at 68 and each formed with a slot determining the limits of swing of the arms 66. A pointer 79 co-operating with graduations 81 facilitates adjustment of each thumbscrew 76. A gauge 82 adjustable by a screw 84 engages the rear edge of the sole when this is positioned by the operator. In operation, a new workpiece 102 is placed in the position shown. As the slide 50 moves inwardly the latch 93 trips the member 62 and the levers 54 swing inwardly until the blocks 70 engage the compressed and the new workpiece. The slide moves inwardly until adjustable stops 89 contact with arms on the levers 54 and open these. The compressed half sole 100 drops down a shoot and the new workpiece drops on to the lower die at the compressing station. The feed slide is then returned with the arms open, the latch 93 being pushed aside and snapping in front of the tail 94. The under die is lifted to eject soles after compression by frictional mechanism of the kind described in Specification 11454/11, [Class 17 (i), Boots and shoes, Apparatus for making &c.]. To facilitate removal of the feed carriage when the moulds have to be changed for dealing with a different size of sole, the pivotal connections 87 between the links 44 and the brackets 52 are easily removable, being held by light springs engaging notches in the pins. To ensure that the feed carriage shall not be replaced in the machine with the feed arms closed, lugs 95 are provided on the levers 54 which prevent access to the pins unless the arms are open. The feed mechanism may be used for high heels for women's shoes. According to the Provisional Specification, the gripping blocks 70 may be substituted by vertical, acute-angled edges.