THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



cement" that the workmen would use soft soap as a sticker 

 rather than return to it. In the handling of fabrics, drying, 

 brushing, singeing, and often cravcnetting, the greatest care is 

 taken and the latest methods employed. 



The beginning of tennis shoe making, next to the laboratory 

 compounds, is the last making. Under expert designers maple 

 lasts arc evolved and turned out by thousands on automatic 

 last lathes. Then pattern cutters design the patterns. For hand 

 work they are of thin sheet metal or heavy cardboard ; for dies 

 they are of metal. 



Aside from the regular equipment of rubber washers, vacuum 

 dryers and mixers, are special soling calenders with engraved 

 rolls for running the soles. There arc also tubing machines for 

 forcing heel stock and presses for forming and semi-vulcaniz- 

 ing heels. 



MAKING THE UPPERS. 



The manufacturer begins with cutting the fabric for the tups 

 or uppers. This is accomplished by means of cutting dies of 

 suitable shape for the various cloth parts. The fabric having bcni 

 carefully arranged in the form of a slab about an inch thick, is 



The Oper.vtiox of Lasting. 



drawn progressively through the power-cutting-press over a 

 wooden cutting-block. The operator adjusts the proper die and 

 by pressure on the foot-treadle of the machine stamps out with 

 great rapidity and accuracy pieces of the required size and form. 



The lower edges of the vamp or upper and its lining are united 

 to the rubber sole in the finished shoe by rubber cement. There- 

 fore these parts go to the cementers who apply the cement n - 

 quired. The work is regulated by the use of metal forms or pai- 

 terns to locate properly the cement coating. This operation is ;i 

 particular one from the standpoint of neatness as any spots of 

 misapplied ceincnt will show on the finished product as disfiguring 

 indelible marks. 



The cemented vamps and linings together with the other cloth 

 pieces such as ton.gues, etc., are delivered to the stitching room, 

 where, with power sewing-machines, women operators skilfully 

 assemble and sew the parts together in the form of uppers, pre- 

 paratory to the operation of lasting. The tongues are bound 

 with tape and inserted, and by special machines the eyelets and 

 lacing studs are applied. The complete upper is then laced up 

 on a lacing mach'ne and is ready for delivery to the assembly 

 room. 



LEATHER AND RUBBER PARTS. 



The leather inner sole is died out by cutting dies in a light 

 power press, known as a clicking machine, operating with a ([uick 

 M,,w controlled hy a fn< t treadle. 



Cementi> 



MD Drying Cement on C( 



Bei.t>. 



The thin strip of rubber uniting the sole and upper all around 

 the edge of the shoe, is called foxing. The rubber stock from 

 which it is made comes to the cutting room in the form of a long 

 sheet wound with a cotton liner en a roll, the cutter separates the 

 iner from the rubber sheet and draws it over the cutting-block 

 where, by means of a hand-die and raw-hide mallet, he cuts the 

 lo.xing in curved forms and places it in cloth-leaved books for 

 the maker's use. 



DETAILS OF MAKING. 

 LASTING. 



In the asscmbh cf pails the first operation is that of lasting the 

 laced vamp tulith (\er ihe shoe la.<^t and attaching it over the 



.\tt.\ching the Foxing. 



edges of the inner sole by the adhesion of its cetnented edges. 

 The sole at this stage of the process consists of two pieces, the 

 inner part of leather cemented to a rubber and fiber combination 

 stififening piece. 



