268,032. British United Shoe Machinery Co., Ltd., and Bennion, L. H. Dec. 24,1925. Stiffeners, machines for.-Apparatus for moulding counters comprises (1) a manual blank presenter, provided with gauges to assist in locating the blank in the presenter and to co-operate with a part of the moulding machine, so that the blank may be correctly inserted between the moulds and held in correct position until fully gripped between them; and (2) additional automatic mechanism for a " Stewart " counter-moulding machine for stopping the machine after moulding is complete and then removing the moulded counter, so that, after presenting a blank to the machine and starting the same, the operator can at once proceed to load the presenter with a fresh blank. The presenter comprises a base plate 77, Fig. 1, on which are mounted a pair of fixed jaws 78, 79 co-operating with movable jaws 80, 81 on pivoted handles 82, 83, the bases of these jaws forming stops 84, 85 for the end of the wing of the blank. A T-piece 91 engages the heel end of the blank, and carries adjustable stops 92 for co-operating with a part of the machine when the blank is presented. Further adjustable stops 88, 89, co-operating with the machine, are secured to the fixed jaws. In use, the blank is bent into a curve placed between the jaws in correct position. The operator then presents the blank to the moulds by gripping the handles 82, 83 with one hand and a knob 90 with the other, the latter knob enabling the operator to maintain the members 88, 89, 92, 93 against co-operating parts of the machine as the moulds close on the stiffener. The machine comprises a inside mould 161, Figs. 3 and 4, a pair of floating outer moulds 171, 173, and a reciprocating flange former 185. A pedal 107, normally, operates a lever 111 controlling a clutch connecting a pulley 105 with a pinion 121 gearing with a spur wheel 123 on the main shaft 125. On this shaft is an eccentric 129 frictionally engaging blocks 131, 133 pressed together by a strong spring 141, these parts being mounted in a frame pivoted to a block 147 urged upwardly by a spring 149. The block 147 engages a guideway in the end of a lever 145 pivoted at 143 and supporting a table 153 carrying the inside mould 161. The flange former 185 is reciprocated by a link 187 operated by a lever linked to a crank pin 195 on the spur wheel 123. The inside mould 161 is removably carried by a bifurcated bracket 201, Fig. 6, on the table 153, the bifurcations being bored to receive pivot pins 207 normally retained in position by poppets 219, but retracted, when it is desired to remove the mould, by lugs 211. The rear side of the mould has an arm 222, Fig. 4, carrying a pivot through which passes a rod 225 secured to the strap of an eccentric 227 on a shaft 229, a spring 231 providing yield between the eccentric strap and the arm 222. The shaft 229 actuates the mechanism for automatically removing the moulded counter, and is caused to perform one rotation after the main shaft stops. When the pulley 105 is declutched, the spring' 149 and a weight 127 at the rim of the wheel 123 carry the sliding block 147 upwardly, swinging the lever 145 to lower the inside mould 161 and raise an arm 257 pivoted to a rod 255 on which is a stop 253 normally engaging one arm of a bell-crank lever, the other arm of which normally engages a nose 247 on a disc secured to the shaft 229. Keyed to this shaft is one member of a friction clutch, the other member of which is constantly driven. Rise of the rod 255 releases the nose 247 and allows one rotation of the shaft 229, the bell-crank lever being automatically reset by the nose 247, in its rotation, striking the rod 255, which is connected to the bell-crank lever by a spring 259. The shaft 229 also carries a bevel wheel 261, Fig. 5, driving a shaft on which is a rotary picker 267. In operation, the eccentric 227 tilts the mould 161 forwardly, whereupon the picker removes the counter from the mould and throws it into a shoot. To prevent the machine being stated until the shaft 229 has completed its rotation and returned the mould 161 to normal position, the shaft 229 carries. a disc formed with a recess which normally engages a roll 309 on a bell-crank lever 311. During the rotation of the shaft, this lever, bv a link and second lever 317, maintains the clutch-operating rod 109 inoperative. This rod passes through a slot in the lever 111, and operates the lever through a catch 273 on the rod, which is inoperative when the rod is pushed forwardly by the lever 317. To stop the machine automatically after two rotations of the main shaft, producing two reciprocations of the moulds and flange former, the rod 109 is provided with a latch 275 engaging a cam wheel 281. The main shaft drives ratchet gearing on the shaft of the cam wheel so that the rod is thrust forward to release the catch 273 and declutch the machine after each two revolutions of the main shaft.