Improved Metallic Fastener for Attaching 'Buttons to Shoes, and Machine for Applying such Fasteners.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Nov., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 12th Aug.. 1895-Accepted, 21st Sept., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Metallic Fastener for Attaching 'Buttons to Shoes, and
Machine for Applying such Fasteners.
I, CHARLES ARTHUR ALLISON, of 52 Chancery Lane, London, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention (which
has been communicated to me from abroad 'by Ira J. Saunders, of Union City,
Michigan, United States of America, Gentleman) to be as follows:-
My improved metallic fastener for attaching buttons to shoes is of staple-like
form, and is formed from a strip of flattened wire. At its neck, the staple is
indented for adding strength by corrugation; and its effect is to facilitate the
insertion of the fastener into the button eye in machines used to apply the buttons
by the fasteners, to shoes. To facilitate the manipulation of said fastener by
such machines the fastener is made of substantially the same width of metal,
throughout.
The machine for applying the 'fasteners in attaching buttons to shoes therewith,
comprises a two part hopper for buttons and fasteners respectively, which hoppers
each contain levers adapted to take up buttons ad fasteners, respectively, and
direct them to separate guiding channels, 'in an upright channel-bar, having an up
and down motion imparted thereto. Means are used to ensure buttons entering
their channel right side up, and for discharging all others. The channel-bar is
provided with feeding levers that advance the buttons and fasteners, one by one, to
a point of junction of the two channels. At that point the fasteners are united to
the eyes of the buttons, to each button a fastener, and when such union is effected,
they are momentarily held until struck by a hammer in the machine having a die-
shaped face conformed to the 'head and shoulders of the 'fastener driving the prongs
of the fasteners into the stock or shoe, as the latter is held on a block termed the
anvil, when the same blow clinches the ends of the prongs, and secures the 'button
by the fastener to the shoe. The operations of the said machine are effected by
if worked
levers receiving their motion from a suitable treadle, or by proper cams,
by power.
Dated this 13th day of November 1894.
ALLISON BRUS,,
Agents, for the Applicant.
Improved Metallic Fastener for Attaching Buttons to Shoes, and
Machine for Applying such Fasteners.
I, CHARLES ARTHUR ALLISON, of 52 Chancery Lane, London, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature, of this invention (which
has been communicated to me from abroad by Ira J. Saunders, of Union City,
Michigan, United States of America, Gentleman), and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:—
This invention relates to improved metallic fasteners for attaching buttons to
shoes and other materials, and an improved machine for applying such fasteners.

page_text: The improved button fasteners are of staple like form and made from a strip of
flattened wire or sheet metal as hereafter more particularly described.
The improved machine is for fastening automatically shank eyed buttons to boots
and shoes and other materials by these and like metallic fasteners.
The machine is illustrated and shown in the accompanying drawings from
Figures 1 to 13 inclusive; and the metallic fasteners in Figures 14 to 18
inclusive.
In this machine the buttons and metallic fasteners are placed in a hopper
containing mechanism which, in operation lifts out a button and a fastener from
the hopper, delivers them to guiding channels, these channels directing them to
each other to be united, whereupon they are acted on by attaching mechanism
which attaches the button by its fastener, to the shoe, as the latter is supported on
a block or anvil.
Figure 1, is a front elevation of the machine.
Figs. 2, 3 and 4, show the attaching mechanism in different positions.
Fig. 5 is a vertical section taken through the fastener channel at right angles to
Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken through the button channel and the hopper.
Fig. 7 shows the hopper as seen from above.
Fig. 8 is a vertical cross-section of the hopper.
Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12 are different views of parts of the attaching mechanism.
Fig. 13 shows a button as attached to the stock or shoe with a metallic fastener
by the machine; all of which are hereinafter more fully described.
A in said drawings indicates the body of the machine, surmounted by a strong
hopper B. The hopper is divided into two compartments b, c, Figs. 7 and 8, for
containing the buttons and the fasteners, respectively in mass. The bottom of
each compartment is inclined downward toward the rear, Fig. 6. Means are used
for taking buttons from out the mass, as they lie in the hopper, and conducting
them to the machine; and like means for taking the fasteners from the mass in the
hopper, and directing them into the machine. Such means bere consists of
levers C, D, pivoted at e in a part of the hopper at the front side thereof, Figs. 5
and 6; and adapted to be vibrated in corresponding vertical planes, Figs. 5, 6
and 8. They are arranged adjacent to each other in slots adapted to receive them,
formed in and through the bottom of each compartment, see Fig. 8, and so occupy
said slots as to keep the bottom of the hopper closed at all times and in all
positions of such levers. They are operated from a drive lever G which is pivoted
in the body of the machine frame, at the rear, Fig. 6. This lever has an extension
piece g, reaching up and passing between the two take-levers C, D. It carries
two studs g¹, g, in opposite sides, which enter and engage the respective take-
levers by a cam sloth formed in each, Figs. 5, 6 and 8, thus operating both take-
levers at once and by the same motion of the drive-lever.
When the take-levers are in their lowest position, see dotted lines in Figs. 5 and 6,
they incline downward toward the rear, of the machine, corresponding to the shape
of the hopper bottom. These levers, in operation, are pushed up through the mass
of articles (buttons or fasteners) in the hopper, taking some of the articles with
them. In their highest position they are sharply inclined in the opposite direction,
toward the front, see Figs. 5 and 6, causing the said articles to slide down thereon
by gravitation to the front of the machine, there entering guiding channels E, F,
one for the buttons and the other for the fasteners.
I provide means operating to adjust all the buttons uniformly to one position,
heads up, as they slide down the inclined take-levers; and also means for throwing
off and rejecting all such as do not so adjust or right themselves; whereby those
which do not become properly righted are precluded from passing into the machine.
With these objects the button take-lever C, bas a groove a in its upper side, see
Figs. 7 and 8, in which groove the buttons are taken up when the free end of this
lever is elevated. There the groove is wide and gradually narrows to the
dimensions of the flatwise thickness of the button eyes. There is also a stationary

page_text: guard staple T erected on this lever near the narrow end of the groove, the bow
of which is just large enough to permit the button head to pass through.
When the take-lever C is elevated, passing up through the mass of buttons,
Fig. 8, it takes up a number with it; and all which so lodge on the lever that the
shank eye is within the wide part of the groove a have their shank-eyes gradually
drawn to the center, as the buttons slide down the inclined lever, Fig. 6, causing
the heads of the buttons to come uppermost. At the same time the gradual
narrowing of the groove toward the pivoted end of the lever, Fig 9, so turns the
buttons by their shank-eyes that they finally adjust themselves with the plane of
the button eye parallel with the sides of the narrow groove, and in this attitude
will pass through the guard T, and thence into the guiding channel E. which is
practically a continuation of the groove in the take-lever, see Figs. 1 and 6.
when the buttons taken up so lodge on the take-lever that the shank-eye is
outside of the groove a, they cannot be acted on for aljustment by said groove;
and as they slide down the inclined take-lever, on approaching the narrow part of
the groove a they come in contact with the guard or staple T, and are thrown off
or drop, falling back into the hopper, whereby the unadjusted buttons are prevented
from entering and clogging the machine. Such rejection is facilitated and insured
by chamfering off the upper edge of the lever at the narrowest part of the groove,
see cross-section in Fig. 8.
But
The adjusted buttons, on passing into the channel E, continue to be guided by
their eyes or shanks, and are held in the channel by a front plate H, Figs. 5, 6,
7, &c.
The take-lever D is shaped to present a single edge d on top, see Figs. 7 and 8,
and as it rises through the mass of fastenings in the hopper, they lodge thereon
astride, and slide down the lever when inclined as seen in Fig. 5.
The fulcrum ends of the take-levers are directly above and on a level with the
receiving ends of the guiding chanuels; and the fasteners, without changing their
position, slip off the end of their lever and drop, feet foremost, into their channel F,
see Fig. 5. Thereafter they are guided and controlled in their channel by the
outer surfaces of their prongs, Figs. 1 and 6.
The channels for the buttons and fasteners respectively are preferably formed in
a vertical bar Q, fitted to slide in suitable ways on the front of the hopper. The
vertical position of the channels enables the buttons and fasteners therein to
descend by the force of gravity. Other means may be used to aid their descent
and in this instance an up and down, jolting motion is imparted to the channel-bar,
for which purpose such bar has a lug e projecting therefrom in the path of the
lever G. At every motion of that lever it takes under said projection, recipro-
cating, or lifting and dropping said bar. The action of the take-levers in the
hopper is such, that the channels E, F, are always kept supplied with a line of
buttons and fasteners, sufficient for the continuous operation of the machine.
Projecting into the fastener channel, is a lever L, having two fingers l, m, on the
upper one, l, of which the line of fasteners in the channel rests, and by which they
are supported. This lever, herein termed a feed-lever, has a fulcrum slot n, at its
mid length which is entered by a fulcrum pin made fast in the frame of the
machine and on which said lever hangs. The channel-bar has a brackets made
fast on the back near the lower end, which bracket carries an operative pin v that
enters the rear end of the feed lever, see Fig. 12, and at every movement of the
channel bar, said feed lever is vibrated by said pin v, causing such lever to incline
alternately in opposite directions, upward and downward, indicated by dotted lines
in Fig. 12.
The space between the upper and lower fingers l, in, of the feed-lever is just
equal to the length of a metallic fastener. The lower one of the line of fasteners
hangs suspended by its bow or loop on the upper finger 1, when the lever is in the
position indicated by full lines in Fig. 5.
In the upward motion of the feed-lever, its inclination is such, that the upper

page_text: finger becomes withdrawn from the fastener suspended thereon, whereupon that
fastener drops to, and hangs on the lower finger m, and the fasteners in the
channel following and resting on the shoulders of the said lowest one of the line,
see Fig. 12.
In the lowest position of the feed-lever, Fig. 5, its inclination is such, that the
lower finger m becomes withdrawn from the lowest one of the line of fasteners,
allowing it to escape and fall, see Fig. 6. Before this happens, however, the upper
finger has come forward, passing under the loop of the fastener next above, and
assumes the support of the line of fasteners above it, and so prevents the escape of
any but the lowest one, as aforesaid, which, being let off the lower finger is thus
fed down to be united with a button when presented therefor, see Fig. 6.
The fastener channel F is vertical and straight, throughout, but the button
channel E, is curved at the lower end toward, and terminates at, the fastener
channel forming a junction therewith, so that the fasteners and buttons are directed
toward each other. Such curved part of the button channel serves to turn the
button to a nearly horizontal position, Figs. I and 9, for receiving a fastener
therein as it comes from the channel F preparatory for the operation of the attaching
mechanism which attaches the button, by the fastener, to the shoe. The foregoing
constitute the various means for taking the buttons and fasteners from the mass, and
delivering them in orderly procession preparatory to the operation of attaching the
buttons to the shoe.
Various attaching mechanism may be employed in connection with the taking
and delivering apparatus.
In the machine I am describing, the attaching mechanism comprises a driver
having a die faced hammer K, a holder bar as R, discharger as M, and a check-
spring O. The driver for couvenience, is here made in form of a lever but may
take other forms. Such driver is the lever G hereinbefore referred to. The drive
lever is pivoted in the body of the machine frame at j, and carries the hammer K
for striking the fasteners. This hammer has a die-shaped face presenting two lobes
leaving a free space between for the head or loop of the fastener and the eye-shank
of the button. The feet of these lobes are adapted to strike the fastener on the
shoulders only, and directly over its prongs. The fulcrum of the drive-lever is so
located, that when in its lowest position the hammer K projects into the fastener
channel, and the movement of the hammer there, is approximately vertical, in line
with the path of the fasteners, but when raised up the motion of the drive-lever in
a curved line draws back the hammer out of the range or path of the line of
fasteners, leaving their way unobstructed.
The driver lever is operated by a suitable treadle (not shown) which communicates
with this lever as by the treadle-rod J.
The discharge is an oscillating, crescent-shaped cam M, made fast on an arbor ✗
which is journaled in the lower extremity of the channel-bar Q2 and moves up and
down therewith; and on the circular periphery of this can M, the entire line of
buttons in the straight part of the channel rests. This cam is so disposed as to
sweep across the bend in the button channel, closing it above the bend; and as it
moves up and down with the channel-bar, it is oscillated on its axis, by means of a
small pin that is fixed in a part w, of the frame of the machine, see Fig. 9, and
enters a slit i, cut in one side of a hub k made fast on the cam-arbor X, see Figs. 5, 6
and 9, also Figs. 10 and 11, which show the reverse side of the channel-bar. The
concave of the cam M is in depth just the width of a button, and as the lowest
button of the line enters said cam, it passes out from under the front plate H,
but is still held to the channel by a small disk y made fast on the cam-arbor X.
The holder-bar R is arranged to slide laterally in bearings in the channel bar
directly opposite the discharger cam. Its office is to hold the button momentarily
in co-operation with the cam M while the fastener drops therein. It is worked by
a suitable cam and spring, in this instance made in one piece, and consisting of a
bent wire N made fast at the upper end, and the lower end of which connects with

page_text: the holder-bar R, and the bent portion of which spring acting as a cam surface
against a stationary pin operates the holder at the proper time, as the channel bar
rises and falls.
:
Operation Assuming the machine to be in full operation, when the drive lever G
is carried down, as by the treadle-rod .J (and a treadle) the take-levers, the hammer K
and the channel-bar, all move down together. At the same time, the discharger
cam oscillates to the right allowing the lowest button of the line to enter from the
channel above, see Fig. 4. When the drive-lever with its hammer K and the take-
levers rise, the channel bar lifts, the discharger cam M, oscillates to the left, the
button therein is conveyed along the bend of the channel by the upper limb of the
crescent directly into the fastener channel, see Fig. 1, being now in a nearly
horizontal position, ready to receive metallic fastener therein from the fastener
channel, see Fig. 9. At the same time with the said conveying motion of the cam
toward the fastener channel the hold-bar is moving in the contrary direction,
ceasing to move as the cam stops moving, and grasping the button by its eye,
between them, see Figs. 1 and 2. While the motions described are taking place,
the channel-bar by its upward motion is in the act of lowering the fingers of the
feed-lever in readiness to supply a metallic fastener; and at the moment the
cam M and hold-bar R have taken firm hold of the batton eyc, the feed lever
drops a fastener which falls, thrusting one leg through the eye of the button, thus
uniting a fastener and button, see Figs. 2 and 5. On the next downward motion
of the drive-lever and channel-bar, the cam M and hold-bar R recede from each
other, thus releasing the button and its fastener; and by the further motion of the
cam M they are discharged. When the button and its fastener are so discharged
their fall is arrested by a check spring O, in front of the button, see Fig. 3, until
struck by the hammer K, in the act of attaching the button by its fastener, to the
shoe. As the hammer finishes its downward stroke, the fastener is driven through
the stock s or shoe-fly, and clinched on the supporting anvil U, see Figs. 4 and 12.
The improved metallic fasteners are staple-like in shape, the head thereof being
a short arch forming the bearing for the button-eye when in use; and at the neck,.
or foot of the arch, the bow has shoulders which receive the impact of the driver
by which the legs are forced into the shoe to be clinched on the other side.
The drawings (Figures 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18) hereto annexed show a fastener
made of a flat strip of metal embodying my invention, Fig. 14 is a front elevation:
Fig. 15 is a top view; Fig. 16 a side view, as of Fig. 14; Fig. 17; is a cross
section of the arch or head; and Fig. 18 is a cross section of the neck.
A indicates the arch or head; B the shoulders; C the neck, and D the legs.
As hitherto made, such fastener has developed a weakness in the neck, near its
junction with the shoulders, causing the neck to "kink," and the head to lop over,
thus endangering the integrity of the fastening.
To prevent this, I have the neck formed with corrugations, in cross-section as
indicated in Fig. 18. Such corrugation is preferably made by forming inden-
tations e, in the neck C, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 14, resulting in a
protuberance on the under side. This indentation not only corrugates the
fastener at its weakest point, and thereby imparts needed strength, but the resulting
protuberance improves the form of the neck in cross section and by preserving the
proper curvature of the neck, facilitates the threading of the fastener into the
button-eye, in the operation of attaching buttons to shoes by the machines used for
that purpose.
It is also of advantage, in handling the fasteners in such machines, to have the
fastener about the same dimensions, as to width, throughout; otherwise they are
liable to become entangled, and clog the machine.
I therefore leave the arch A of the same width, as the remainder, as indicated in
Fig. 16; but to conform the same approximately to the interior curve of the
button-eye, the arch is preferably rounded on the under side, as indicated in cross
section in Fig. 17.
Metallic fasteners made as above described have the advantages of increased

page_text: strength, and of adaptability for mechanical manipulation in button fastening
machines above any similar fastening now known.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is :-
-
1. The metallic button 'fastener hereinbefore described, formed from a flat strip
of metal of substantially uniform width throughout, the same having the neck
thereof corrugated in cross section, and having indentations e formed in the neck C
of the arch or head A substantially as and for the purposes as specified.
2. In the machine herein before described I claim the following operative parts,―
The combination with attaching mechanism, and means of operating the same, of
the hopper'having two compartments, 'for the buttons and fasteners respectively, a
reciprocating channel-bar arranged in ways on the 'front of the hopper, and
provided with two channels, respectively adapted to receive buttons and fasteners,
and direct them to each other and to the attaching mechanism, vibrating levers for
supplying said channel-bar with buttons and fasteners from the hopper, and means
of reciprocating the channel-bar.
3. The combination with attaching mechanism comprising a hammer and anvil,
of the two take-levers C, D, arranged adjacent to each other, the drive-lever G
connecting means between lever G, and the take-levers, and a treadle-rod or
pitman attached to the drive-lever whereby all the said parts are actuated in
unison.
4. The combination with the treadle-rod or pitman of the drive-lever G pivoted
thereto, and the two take levers operatively connected with the drive-lever.
5. The combination with the channel-bar, and the fastener channel therein, of
the vibrating feed-lever L, slotted at its midlength to receive a fulcrum-pin r, and
the channel-bar provided with a bracket, s, carrying an operative pin or stud
entering said feed-lever, whereby this 'lever is vibrated 'by the motion of the
channel-bar.
6. In combination, the vertical reciprocating channel-bar and means of operating
the same, such bar provided with separate channels for both buttons and fasteners
and forming a junction at their lower ends, means for delivering buttons one by
one, by gravity and presenting them in position for receiving the fasteners in the
eye thereof, and a feeder in the fastener channel serving to feed the fasteners one
by one to the buttons as presented the feeding and delivering devices being
operated by the motion of the channel-bar.
:
7. The combination with the reciprocating channel-bar having button and
fastener channels therein, and adapted to direct them to each other, of a cam M at
the junction of the two channels co-operating with a hold-bar R, to control the
button while receiving the fasteners, and a check-spring, as O, to check the fall of
the button when released by said cam and hold-bar, and retain the united button
and fastener until struck by the hammer K.
8. The combination with the movable channel-bar and means of operating the
same an arbor X journaled in the lower end of the channel-bar, which arbor carries
at the front or outer end, a crescent shaped cam M, and at the inner end a hub
having a slit in one side which is engaged by a stationary pin u whereby the cam M
is oscillated by the motion of the channel-bar.
9. The combination with the channel-bar and the hammer K, of the cam'M, and
holder-bar R for holding the button momentarily while receiving the fastener, and
a check-spring O which detains the united button and fastener until struck by the
hammer K, substantially as set forth.
Dol 1
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for the Applicant.