614,577. Channelling boot insoles. BRITISH UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CO., Ltd., and MAWBEY, L. July 13, 1946, No. 21003. [Class 31(i)] A machine for channelling boot insoles of the kind described in Specifications 13052/08, [Class 31], and 522,212 is constructed with improved means for operating the slashing cutters 15, 17 which act upon the turned-up lips which are cut by the channelling knives 1, 5, and with means for throwing-off the action of the cutters 15, 17 if the pressure device 19 fails to engage an insole, the throw-off device also being capable of hand operation. The channelling knives are operated to feed the work and to effect the cutting by operation of a crank 141 as in Specification 13052/08, [Class 31], and the extent of the feeding movement is controlled by a controlling arm 95. The cutters 15, 17 are connected to a rod 23 which is vertically adjustable relatively to a holder 27, Fig. 2, connected to a link 35 operated by a lever 41 controlled by a cam 49. The lever 41 tends to move counterclockwise by the action of a strong spring, but can only do so when released from the action of latch mechanism 65, 69. This release is effected by one of two cam members 57, 59, Fig. 4, which normally rotate with a cam shaft 53, driven to make one revolution for each twelve revolutions of the cam 49. The cams 57, 59, are fitted respectively with three cam snugs 63 and two snugs 61, or with any sub-multiple of twelve snugs. The snugs act upon a lever 79 which releases the latch mechanism 65, 69, to permit descent of the lever 41 when permitted by cam 49, and consequent operation of the cutters 15, 17. To control which cam 57, 59, is operative the lever 79 is fitted with a dovetail guide 83, in which a slide 85, fitted with a cam-contact 87, can slide so as to bring the contact 87 opposite one or other of the sets of cam snugs 61, 63. This adjustment is effected automatically by the action of the treadle rod 121 (which controls the extent of each intermittent feed by the cutters). The slide 85 is connected to a bell-crank lever 99, Figs. 2 and 4, the arm 103 of which is controlled by a spring 105 on a lever arm 107 which can maintain the lever 99 in the position shown in Fig. 4 with the slide 85 maintained in a position towards the left, or by moving the lever 107 counterclockwise so that the spring acts upon the other side of the pivot 101 of the bell-crank 99, the slide 85 is moved to the right so as to change the rate of operation of the knives 15, 17. The movement of lever 107 is effected by a link 125 which is operated from a block 145 on a bar 139 which slides in a guideway in the operating crank 141 and is actuated by the controlling arm 95. By the aid of a register mark the bar can be set so as to cause the link 125 to be operated to change the cam mechanism when the feed of the work is reduced to a predetermined extent. When the speed is increased above this rate the cam mechanism is restored. The cams 57, 59, are freely mounted on the shaft 53, and are connected to a disc 157 also freely mounted. Normally the disc is driven by one of a series of square lugs 153, Fig. 6, on a disc 151, secured to the shaft 53. A pawl 167 pivoted to disc 157 is normally pressed by a plunger 173 so as to be engaged by a lug 153. The action of the cutters 17, 15, may be cut out by bringing the end of a lever arm 175, into engagement with the pawl 167 and forcing it out of engagement with a driving lug. The shaft 178 of lever 175 may be actuated from the presser gauge 19, which if an insole is not present descends far enough to permit a spring-pressed bell-crank 193, 199, to operate by a link 201 a lever arm 203 on the shaft 178. The shaft 178 may also be actuated by a hand lever 207, or by lever-and-link mechanism 215, 217, 223, 225, operated by a thumb piece 229.