IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTON MAKING MACHINES
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Dec., 1887
Specification Accepted, 20th Jan., 1888
I, JOHN CONRAD SCHOTT, of Providence, in the County of Providence, State of
Rhode Island, United States of America, Jeweler, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTON MAKING MACHINES," and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming
part of this specification:-
:-
This invention relates to a machine for making what are known in the trade as cloth
buttons, which are generally composed of a front and a back part, which latter consists
in a centrally perforated saucer shaped plate or collet, into the concavity of which are
pressed a cloth disk and paper tufts or wads, so that the cloth is pushed through the
central perforation of the collet and projects therefrom as a nub, by means of which
it may be sewn to a garment. The front of the button comprises a metallic front
plate to which the back part is attached by the inturned rim of the front plate, which
is covered by a piece of cloth when the parts are united. The back parts come ready
made and of different sizes, likewise the front plates, so that in making the buttons
the cloth for the front or face may be of any desired kind or pattern, so as to match
or harmonize with the color or the pattern of the material of the garment with which
they are to be used.
In the machines heretofore in use, the parts of the die into which the button parts
were pressed for uniting them are stationary or not capable of expanding, so that
when cloths of different thicknesses are used for the button fronts, the cloths are
subjected to great stress and become stretched and torn because of the lack of
compensation for the different thicknesses of cloths, by the rigid and non yielding
parts of the machine.
One object of my invention is to provide a die or the equivalent thereof, which is
in part expansible, so as to compensate for the different thicknesses of cloths and to
relieve the cloths from the otherwise damaging strain.
Another object of my invention is to improve the supporting and operating means
of the reciprocating plunger, which drives the punch, so as to facilitate the operation
of the machine and to render the same more perfect in its action.
To the above purposes ny invention, briefly stated, consists in an expansible ring
or form into which the button parts are forced to be united, such ring or form, by

page_text: virtue of its expansive or yielding quality, compensating for the different thicknesses
of cloths to prevent stretching or laceration thereof; and further the invention
consists in a peculiarly constructed swinging yoke for supporting the reciprocating
plunger, and in the parts for operating such plunger, all as hereinafter fully described
and claimed.
In order that my invention may be fully understood, I have illustrated in the
accompanying drawings and will proceed to describe the best form thereof so far
devised by me, with the knowledge that such form may be modified without making
a substantial departure from the spirit of my invention.
In the accompanying drawings;
Figure 1 is a front view of my improved machine with the operating cam-lever
in raised position, and broken off."
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same with the punch omitted and with the
supporting yoke swung aside into open position.
Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 in Figure 1.
Figure is a detached view of the operating cam-lever.
Figure is an enlarged vertical sectional view of a part of the bed-plate having
the die-bed, the cutter-board with a thickness of cloth thereon, the cylindrical cutter
resting on the cloth and the plunger, shown in part, for forcing the cutter through
the cloth.
Figures 6 and 7 are vertical sectional views of parts of the machine, shown in
raised and lowered positions respectively, with the parts of a cloth button set therein,
as hereinafter described.
Figure 8 is a perspective view of the expansible form or ring shown detached.
In the said drawings like numbers of reference designate corresponding parts
throughout.
Referring to the drawings, the number 7 designates a base-plate at the center of
which is formed the die-bed 8 which together with the annular collar 9 composes the
die in which the parts of the button are forced into union. Within the die-collar is
placed loosely a form or ring 10 of spring metal which is vertically divided at one
point of its circumference as at 11. The outer diameter of the form or ring 10 is
less than the inner diameter of the die-collar, and the ring is secured within the
collar, against displacement, by means of the pin 12 which passes through the
hole 35 formed in the ring at about opposite the split 11, and is fixed in the die-collar.
The upper edge of the ring or form 10 is slightly beveled and normally the resiliency
of the metal ring tends to keep the same contracted, the ring being readily expanded
or opened out so as to fit snugly within the collar, by forcing a body into the ring.
This expansible ring or form constitutes the chief feature of my invention.
The detached punch 13 has a concave face 36 and is provided with a surround-
ing sleeve 14 sliding thereon and which is guided and held thereon by means
of the longitudinal slot 15 in the sleeve and the stud 16 on the punch. The
punch and its sleeve are adapted to slide within the expansible ring, as shown in
Figures 3, 5 and 6.
In the operation of the machine the punch is driven downward by the vertically
reciprocating plunger 17 which is loosely mounted in the swinging yoke piece 18 and
this yoke and the plunger and operating means therefor comprise the other features
of my invention. The yoke is formed with a central opening 37 and pivoted on the
vertical pin 38 fixed on the head of the post 19 cast upon the base-plate. The free
end of the yoke is formed with a handle 20 and may be moved in and out of the
recess 21 formed in the head of the other correspondingly arranged post 22, so that
when the yoke is in locked or closed position, as shown in Figure 1, the plunger is in
axial alignment with the die.
The lower part of the yoke is formed with a tubular frame or sleeve 23, in which
the plunger, which is formed with a flat top and bottom is reciprocated. The plunger
is normally held up, at the highest limit of its reciprocation, by means of the coiled
spring 24 passing therearound, with its lower end abutting against the upper edge of
the sleeve 23, and its upper end taking against the pin 25 fixed through the plunger.

page_text: The plunger is forcibly driven down, against the resistance of the spring, by the action
of the cain-lever 26 which is formed with a cam projection 27 which engages the top
of the plunger, the lever being pivoted in the vertical plane on the horizontal pin 28,
in the notch 29 formed in the upper part of the yoke.
In Figure 1 show a cylindrical cutter 30, the lower edge of which is a knife
edge. This is designed for cutting out circular pieces of cloth for the button fronts,
by placing a cutter-hoard 31 upon the base-plate over the die-bed and then placing
the cloth 32 on the board and the cutter on the cloth as shown. By forcing the
plunger down on the cutter, the same is driven through the cloth and cuts therefrom
the circular piece of a certain diameter for a certain sized button.
The
The operations of the machine, in making a button are as follows: The yoke is
swung open into the position shown in Figure 2, so as to give free access to the die-
bed about which is placed the die-collar containing the expansible form or ring 10,
within which is pushed by the finger a cloth disk 33 which has been previously cut
out in the proper size, as hereinbefore explained, and upon this cloth is placed con-
centrically the ready made front plate 34 with its upset rim projecting upwardly.
yoke is then moved into closed position and the operating lever and plunger being
raised, the punch which has placed in its concave face the ready made back part 39
of the button, together with its sleeve is set vertically in the expansible ring or form 10
so that the descent of the plunger will drive the punch-sleeve which slides on the
punch, against the upturned edge of the cloth disk 33, and this is folded in while the
punch sliding through the sleeve, comes down with force upon the button and presses
the upset edge of the front plate over upon the collet of the back, with the cloth of
the button front caught therebetween, and thus unites the parts and forms the button,
in a manner well known.
By virtue of my improved expansible form or ring cloths of different thicknesses
may be used in the machine without the possibility of stretching or tearing the same,
since the yielding quality of the form will compensate for the varying thicknesses of
the cloths.
It is to be observed that the expansible form or ring could be used alone with the
punch and would perform the same function as when used with the die-collar, which
merely limits the expansion thereof.
The various parts of the machine are to be made out of suitable metal. The base-
plate with the die-bed and posts may be formed in a single casting, likewise the
yoke 18 may be cast in one piece.
Having thus described my invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent :-
Claim 1. In a button making machine, the combination with the punch or device
for pressing the parts of the button into union, of an expansible form for receiving
the button or parts thereof and acting to expand or yield under the pressure of the
punch, whereby the stress on the cloth may be relieved, substantially as and for the
purpose herein described.
2. In a button making machine, the combination with the punch and the die, of
the vertically split expansion form or ring disposed within the die and acting to
expand to relieve the stress on the cloth of the button, substantially as and for the
purpose herein described.
3. In a button making machine, the combination with a swinging yoke of a
spring-pressed plunger reciprocating in the yoke, and a pivoted cam-lever for engaging
the head of the plunger for depressing the same, substantially as described.
4. The combination with the base-plate and the two posts mounted thereon, one of
which is formed with a recessed head, of the swinging yoke pivoted by one end to
the head of one of said posts and locking with its free end in the recess of the other
post, the yoke formed with a depending sleeve and a spring-pressed plunger recipro
cating in the sleeve, a lever pivoted to the yoke and formed with a cam projection
for engaging the head of the plunger, substantially as and for the purpose herein
described.

page_text: 5. In a button making machine, the combination with the punch of the spring
form or ring 10 vertically split at 11, and acting to expand under action of the punch,
substantially as described.
6. The combination with the punch and the die-bed 8, of the die-collar 9, the
vertically split ring or form 10, and the pin 12 for loosely holding the ring in the
collar, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
7. The combination with the base-plate 7, the post 19, and the post 22 formed with
recess 21, of the swinging yoke 18 pivoted by pin 38 to post 19 and formed with the
depending sleeve 23, the spring pressed plunger 17 reciprocating in sleeve 23 and the
lever 26 formed with the cam 27 having the hinge pin 28, substantially as and for the
purpose herein described.
8. The combination with the base-plate 7 formed with the die-bed 8, the post 19,
and the post 22 formed with the recess 21, of the die-collar 9 and the expansion'
ring 10 formed with split 11, and secured within the collar, the punch 13 provided
with the sliding sleeve 14, the yoke 18. pivoted on pin 38 to post 19 and formed
with the depending sleeve 23, the plunger 17 reciprocating in the sleeve 23
and provided with pin 25 and the spring 24, the lever 26 provided with cam 27 and
pivoted on pin 28, substantially as described.
9. The combination with the punch and the die-bed 8, of the die-collar 9, the
expansible ring or form 10 formed with the vertical split 11 and adapted to lie within
the said ring or form, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
Providano RI ILS A Novambar 19th 1887
Signed in presence of―
JOSEPH A. MILLER, Jr.,
Solicitor of Patents,
Providence, R.I., U.S.A.
JOHN CONRAD SCHOTT.
Haseltine, Lake & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.