465,730. Boot-making machines. BRITISH UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CO., Ltd., RICKS, F., MAWBEY, L. Nov. 11, 1935, Nos. 31095/35 and 13736/36. [Class 17 (i)] Sole-laying.-Relates to machines of the kind described in Specifications 408,953 and 431,392, and consists in the provision of means for automatically removing the gauges from the work during the pressing operation, means for adjusting the work-engaging portions of the side gauges lengthwise of the shoe relatively to their actuating mechanism, and alternative gauging means for different forms of work and means permitting either to be moved to inoperative position. The end wall 16 of the pad box is vertically slidable, as described in the prior Specifications, being urged upwardly by springs 17 abutting against a bracket 19 to a limit determined by an adjusting nut 22 engaging a screwed stem 21 secured in the end wall. The wall carries a pair of studs 27 on which are pivoted arms 29 carrying a cross-bar 33, the movements of the arms 29 about the pivots 27 being limited by adjustable stop screws 37. To the cross-bar 33 is pivoted a casting 39 also supported by a roll 41 forward of the bar and carried by a stem 43 adjustable vertically by a screw 45. The casting carries vertical pivot pins 51 for arms 53, geared together and urged in a direction to close inwardly fingers carried by the arms by a spring 60. The fingers are opened by a lever 67 actuating a bar having a flat end co-operating with a rod 64 on one of the arms 53, the lever 67 being actuated as described in the prior Specifications. The casting 39 is bored to receive a rod 271 on which is pivoted a bracket 73 carrying a rod 75, similar members on the other side of the casting carrying a rod 83. A frame 87 is secured to the ends of the rod 83 and slidable along the rod 75, this frame carrying the fork member 25 forming the heel end gauge for the shoe. A spring 91 urges the frame toward the toe end of the pad. A stop pin may be inserted into one of a number of holes 103 in the rod 75 to limit retraction of the frame, or for maintaining the frame in inoperative position. Each of the pair of plates 93 comprising the heel end fork is adjustable about a clamping bolt 97 carried by slide members engaging guides parallel to the sides of the frame and adjustable by pins 101 engaging holes in the frame and one of two holes 99 in each slide member, so that the fork can be adjusted longitudinally of the shoe. To adjust the fork 25 widthwise of the shoe relatively to the arms 53, a rod 76 is right-and-left threaded to engage nuts 74, 78, to move the frame 87 widthwise of the pad-box. The soleengaging fingers 23 are formed on flat bars each slotted at its right-hand end to engage a pin 109, and notched at 115, 117 to engage a groove in a lug 111 carried by extensions of the arm 53. A leaf spring 113 holds the parts in adjusted position, that shown for use, or with the lug engaged with the left-hand notch to hold the fingers in retracted position. An alternative gauging member comprises a depending pin 121 adapted to engage a central hole at the heel seat portion of a sole. This pin is carried by a resilient tongue 127 secured to an arm 126 carried by a bifurcated bracket 125 slidable along a rod 123 and maintained in operative position by a spring 137 engaging an arm provided with a roll tracking along a rod 143. By lifting the pin and tongue, by means of a handle 129 these parts may be moved to their righthand and inoperative position. A latch 135 may be turned to abut against one of the arms 53 to hold the fingers 23 open when the pin 121 is in use. When the shoe and sole have been correctly positioned, and the operator swings the shoe-engaging abutments over the shoe, as described in the prior Specifications, a pin 147 moves a link 151 pivoted to a locking lever 153 pivoted at 155 and moving an arm 157 carrying a roll 159 which, as it rises, engages a block 161 to clamp a slide 169 having a V-shaped upper edge against a complementary groove in a block 175 carried by the bracket 19. The slide 169 moves with the casting 39 so that the pin 147 locks this casting in position and locks the heel end locating devices against movement widthwise of the shoe. To prevent the fingers 23 marking the upper as the shoe descends between them the bell-crank levers 183 mounted on the turret and described in the prior Specifications as controlling the gauging fingers, and having a roll 185 overlying a treadle-operated lever 187, are each normally supported by a latch 189 pivoted to the turret and urged to operative position by a spring 195. The treadle rod 203 is connected to a block 205 carrying a pawl 207 co-operating with the latch. The lower end of the pawl is bevelled to co-operate with a fixed pin 213. Descent of the treadle releases the latch and allows the bell-crank lever to descend upon the lever 187. This is drawn downwardly when the block 205 contacts with a pin 217 on a downwardly extending rod 215, with the result that the fingers 7, 23 are allowed to engage the sole edge. These fingers are withdrawn as the hydraulic mechanism described in the prior Specifications forces the shoe down on to the pad, a pipe 219 connected with the hydraulic system leading pressure fluid to a plunger 223 swinging a member 227 co-operating with a face 235 on the lever 183 to move the fingers away from the work and to reposition the latch mechanism to maintain the fingers in withdrawn position throughout the rotation of the turret. To allow rapid change of pad the U-shaped plates 237, 239 between which is the masking plate 241, as described in the prior Specifications, are pivotally mounted on a shaft 243 and are normally retained in position to hold the pad in its box by clamping fingers 247, pivoted at 245 to the box and held in operative position by nuts 257 engaging bifurcated ears on the fingers. At the heel end a thin metal frame 259 is retained by similar clamping fingers 263. Specifications 339,739, [Class 17 (i)], and 366,122 also are referred to.