473,129. Boot - making machines. BRITISH UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CO., Ltd. (United Shoe Machinery Corporation) March 6, 1936, No. 6751. [Class 17 (i)] Lasting.-Relates to work-supporting devices of the kind described in Specification 473,197 wherein, a shoe on a jack is swung rearwardly from a work-positioning situation into operative position in contact with a heel band, and simultaneously raised to contact with a hold-down, and consists in fluid-operated means for thus swinging the jack and raising its post. Adjustable means retard the commencement of the upward movement, and limit the speed of the rearward movement, so that the shoe may reach its final lengthwise and heightwise positions simultaneously and rubbing on either abutment may be avoided.. The fluid operated mechanism is rendered ineffective when the automatic cycle of the machine, described in the prior Specification, commences. As described in the prior Specification, the jack is supported on a post 14 slidable in a tubular holder 16 mounted for limited swing transversely on aligned pins 18 carried by a casting swinging about a pivot 28 between work-positioning and operative positions. The jack is raised and also swung rearwardly by a lever 40 linked to a lever 68 linked to a vertical slide 62 connected by an arm 60 with a rod 58 co-operating with a piston 52 in a cylinder 50. Oil in a chamber 126 is pumped to a chamber 128 to return to the chamber 126, or to raise the piston, according to the position of valve members controlled by a treadle 200. This treadle is linked to a plunger 176 normally connected by a latch 186 with a member 174 resiliently connected by a spring 178 to a rod 170 having pin-and-socket connection with a dumb-bell piston 164 sliding in a sleeve 148 provided with ports 156, 158, 160 and sliding in a sleeve 150 having ports 152, 154 opening into the chamber 128 and the space below the piston 52 respectively. In the chamber 128 a pressure regulating valve comprises a slide having ports 236 and depressed by a spring 242, the ports communicating, when pressure of oil raises the slide, with ports 240 in the chamber 126. The spring 242 is threaded over a rod 244 loosely engaging a bore in a screw plug 246 and prevented from rattling by two half collars 248 tapered to engage a tapered recess in the plug. The rise of the sleeve 148 is limited by a rod 204 engaging one arm of a bell-crank lever, the other arm of which engages a stop 210. The stop is adjusted by a knob 212 connected with the stop by a telescopic link and universal joints. This adjustment determines the speed of movement of the jack to operative position. To prevent the jack rising prematurely, the lever 40 carries a roll 76 engaging a block 72 adjustable by a crank 80, the block preventing the jack commencing to rise until the roll leaves the block. An air check is adjustable to retard the rearward swing of the jack, this comprising a piston 92 connected to the bracket 30 described in the prior Specification, and sliding in a cylinder, escape of air being regulated by an adjustable valve. If, when the work is jacked, the operator desires to adjust same, the upward and rearward pressure on the jack may be relaxed by easing the pressure on the treadle, ports 226, 228 in the dumb-bell piston and an adjustable needle valve allowing the escape of some of the pressure fluid. When the automatic cycle of the machine is commenced, as described in the prior Specification, a link 264 descends and the end of a slot therein engages a pin 262 freeing the latch 186 and allowing the valve to return to its lower position. At the end of the machine's cycle, on release of the treadle and consequent descent of the plunger 62 a bellcrank lever 110 initiates the return of the jack to work-changing position, an arm of the lever engaging a plunger 122 which engages a plate 124 to move the jack until it is sufficiently inclined for gravity to complete the movement.