Improvements in Button Making Machines.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 31st Dec., 1886.
Specification Accepted, 1st Feb., 1887.
Improvements in Button Making Machines.
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 stateinent, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming
part of this specification:
:-
As well
This invention relates to a machine for making cloth or analogous buttons.
known this class of buttons consists of a front and a back portion. The back portion
is composed of a dished annular metal band or collet, into the concavity of which is
pressed a cloth disk and paper wads, so that the center of the cloth disk is forced out
through the central opening of the collet or band and protrudes sufficiently to act as a
shank for the completed button, and by which it may be sewed to a garment. The
front portion of the button is composed of a metallic front plate and a disk of cloth
for covering the face or outside of the front plate. The back portions are found as
completed articles of stock in trade and are of different sizes, in accordance with the
different sizes of buttons used. The front plates also come ready made.
One object of my invention is to provide a machine for uniting the ready made
back-portions with the front portions, and making the finished button.
Another object of my invention is to provide the machine with a removable cutter,
for cutting out the cloth disks for the bution front.
Another object of my invention is to make a compact hand machine, which may be
cheaply and strongly made.
To the above purposes my invention consists of certain combinations, set forth in
the claims at the end of the specification, and comprising principally the following
mechanical devices: A pivoted fulcrum-post a hand-lever pivoted to the fulcrum-
post; a swinging plunger pivoted to the hand-lever; a guide secured to the fulcrum-
post; a punch adjustably secured to the plunger and provided with a shoulder and a
sliding sleeve a die comprising a fixed die-bed and a removable die-collar; a
removable cylindrical cutter; a handle fixed to the bed-plate; an auxiliary-lever
pivoted to the hand-lever and a fixed standard provided with a shoulder.

page_text: In order that my invention may be fully understood, I have illustrated in the
accompanying drawings, and will proceed to describe the best form of the machine,
so far devised by me, and which may be variously modified.
In the accompanying drawings illustrating my invention
5-
Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved button making machine.
Figure 2 represents a vertical sectional view, of the machine, taken on line 2-2
in Fig. 1.
Figure 3 represents an enlarged sectional view, corresponding to the view of
Fig. 2, of a portion of the machine, with the die-collar removed and the cutter and
cutter-board placed in relative positions, and with a piece of cloth placed upon the
board.
Figure 4 represents an enlarged sectional view, similar to the section of Fig. 3, of
a portion of the machine, and with the button-back carried by the punch which is
shown as entering the die, in the bottom of which die is placed the cloth-disk and the
front-plate.
Figure represents a sectional view similar to that of Fig. 4, and shows the
plunger as having descended and driven the button-back against the front portion and
united the two portions to complete the finished button.
Figure 6 represents a diminished vertical sectional view, of a portion of the
machine, and shows another form of die-collar, which is used with the die-bed, for a
smaller sized button, than shown in the other views.
In the said drawings like numbers of reference designate corresponding parts
throughout.
Referring to the drawings, number 10 is the bed-plate which is chambered on the
under side, and which may be of any suitable form. Upon the inner face of the bed-
plate 10 is formed the die-bed 11 surrounded by the annular recess 38. The die-
collar 12 is a short tubular body, with the rim 13 upon the upper edge and the
beveled face 14 sloping from the rim toward the axis of the collar. The dic-collar is
adapted to fit about the die-bed and to form a die, which coacts with a punch as
hereinafter described.
The pair of ears 15, one of which only is shown, project uprightly from the bed-
plate and are slightly spaced and between them is fixed the pivot pin 16, to which the
foot of the fulcrum post 17 is hinged. The upper end of the fulcrum-post 17 is
forked and across the fork is set a pin 18, which passes loosely through an eye in the
end of the hand-lever 19), which may be freely swung in a vertical plane.
Near the pivoted end of the hand-lever 19 is formed a longitudinal slot 20, through
which passes and works the pin 21, which is secured across the bifurcated upper end
of the plunger 22. The body of the plunger 22 is cylindrical and the lower end is
formed with the axial socket 23 into the side of which is let a set screw 24, which
works in a screw-threaded perforation 25, in the plunger.
The punch 26 has a cylindrical stock, which takes in the socket 23, of the plunger,
and acts with the set screw 24, to hold the punch in position. The head of the
punch 26 is cylindrical and is formed with a peculiarly shaped hollow 27, upon the
lower end, as clearly indicated in the sectional views. The head of the punch is
provided with a flange 28 extending around it and the tubular sleeve 29 slides over
the head, as shown, and abuts against the flange with its upper end. The lower edge
of the sleeve 29 is beveled inwardly and the side of the sleeve is formed with a slot 30,
which slides over a stud 31, fixed to one side of the plunger. The lower beveled edge
of the sleeve 29 comes flush with the hollow face of the punch, when the sleeve is slid
to the upper limit, as shown in Figures 2, 3, 5 and 6, and when the sleeve is at the
lowest limit the sleeve projects a considerable distance below the punch, as shown
in Fig. 4.
The swinging plunger together with its attached punch is maintained in axial
alignment with the die, by means of the guide 32 which is fixed to the pivoted
fulcrum-post and consists of a short arm with an open ring fixed thereto, through
which the plunger may slide when the hand lever is raised or lowered, and thereby
prevent the plunger from having an extended lateral play.

page_text: In order to secure a convenient and efficient way of gaining the requisite hand-
power with which the punch may be driven into the die, when the machine is unstable,
I provide a rigid handle 33 which is cast on the bed-plate and is disposed in the same
vertical plane with the hand-lever. When the punch is made to approach the die, by
lowering the hand-lever, the operator grasps the free end of the hand-lever and the
handle 33, with one hand and forces them towards each other. This construction will
serve to give all the power ordinarily necessary, in using the machine. However, to
further increase the pressure with which the punch may be forced into the die, I have
arranged a fixed standard 34, which is mounted on the bed-plate and stands upright,
and is formed with a forked upper end, each prong of which is provided with a
shoulder or lip 35, which are engaged by the respective prongs of the lower forked
end of the auxiliary lever 36, which is pivoted upon the back of the hand-lever, by
means of the pin 37. It is evident that, when the hand-lever is lowered and the ends
of the auxiliary lever 36 engage the shoulder 35, the punch may be driven into the
die by forcing the hand and auxiliary levers together, and further when the handle is
grasped, as above described, and the auxiliary lever brought nearer the handle the
pressure will be much increased.
From the foregoing description of the machine the following description of its
operation will be readily understood. The punch is raised clear above the die so as to
allow the disk of cloth 40 to be placed over the top of the die and then the front-
plate 41, which consists of a metallic disk with an upset edge of smaller diameter
than the cloth, is placed upon the cloth disk with the upturned edge upward. The
front-plate and cloth disk are then together pushed down into the die, by a finger of
the operator, or otherwise, until these parts, which form the front portion of the
button, are in the positions shown in Fig. 4. The button-back composed of the
collet or annular hand 42, the cloth 43 and the wads 44, all previously secured
together, is placed within the hollow 27 of the punch and the hand-lever is forced
downwardly to drive the punch into the die. When the punch enters the die the
sleeve is in slight advance of the punch face and the button-back, and so the upturned
margin of the cloth-disk 40 is forced inwardly into the position of the broken lines
in Fig. 4. The plunger descending sends the lower edge of the sleeve against the
upset edge of the front-plate 41 and then the sleeve rests and the punch slides through
the sleeve until the flange 28; on the punch, forces the sleeve further down. In the
meantime the margin of the cloth-disk 40 has been folded inwardly under the button-
back, which is now in contact therewith. The punch then forces the button-back
against the front portion and the beveled edge of the sleeve turns the edge of the
front-plate 41 slightly over on itself, so as to bind the cloth 40 between said edge
and the metallic ring 42. By this means the front and back of the button are
securely united into a compact finished button, which may be removed from the die
by lifting the dic-collar from the die-bed.
It is to be observed that Figures 2, 3, 4 and 5 show the die-bed and the opening
of the die-collar, as of the same diameters. This may be supposed to represent the
largest size of die used, in order to make. the largest required button. When a smaller
size of button is required only the opening of the die-collar needs to be reduced. I
therefore have a set of die-collars each one with a different size of opening, in order to
make the different sizes of buttons. As shown in Fig. 6, when a die-collar is used with
a smaller opening, the dic-bed is partly covered over by the collar.
In Fig. 3 show a tubular cutter 39 designed to be used with my machine for
cutting the cloth disks for the button. These cutters are made of different sizes and
are formed with a sharpened lower end. The cutter 39 is adapted to fit snugly around
the punch and sleeve, and when placed in position for use, the die-collar is removed
and the cutter-board 47 is placed over the die-bed, as shown in Fig. 3. The piece of
cloth 45 is laid on the cutter-board and the hand-lever being forced down, the plunger
will drive the cutter through the piece of cloth and cut therefrom a cloth disk, for the
button-front.
My improved machine is a handy and portable one, and need not be secured to
anything in order to operate it.

page_text: The machine may be used with great advantage when it is desired to have the buttons
for garments, made of the same material as the garment. The cloth disks may be cut
from the same cloth as the garment and thereby made to match.
It is to he observed that in order to form a button with a convex front, instead of a
flat front as I have here shown, the face of the die-bed may be made concave as
indicated by the dotted lines 48, in the sectional view of Fig. 5.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is:-
Claim 1. The combination with a die, of a pivoted hand-lever, a swinging pivoted
plunger secured to said lever and provided with a punch for said die, substantially as
herein described.
2. The combination with a die, of a pivoted fulcrum-post, a hand-lever pivoted to
the fulcrum-post, a swinging plunger provided with a punch for said die and pivoted to
the lever, substantially as herein described.
3. The combination with a die, of a pivoted fulcrum post provided with a guide, a
hand-lever pivoted to the fulcrum-post, a plunger provided with a punch for the die
and pivoted to the hand-lever and working in the guide, substantially as hercin
described.
4. The combination with a die, of a pivoted hand-lever, a swinging plunger pivoted
to the hand-lever and provided with a punch for the die, an auxiliary lever pivoted to
said hand-lever, a fixed standard provided with a shoulder adapted to be engaged by
the auxiliary lever, substantially as herein described.
5. The combination with a bed-plate and a die, of a fulcrum post, a hand-lever pivoted to
said post, a plunger pivoted to the hand-lever and provided with a punch, a fixed handle
and a fixed standard secured to the bed-plate and the latter formed with a shoulder, an
auxiliary lever pivoted upon the hand-lever and adapted to engage the shoulder on the
standard, substantially as herein described.
6. The combination with a bed-plate and a die, of a fulcrum-post pivoted at the foot
to the bed-plate, a hand-lever pivoted to the fulcrum-post, a guide fixed to said post, a
plunger provided with a punch and pivoted to the hand-fever and working in the
guide, a handle secured to the bed-plate, substantially as and for the purpose herein
described.
7. The combination with a bed-plate, of a fulcrum-post, a hand-lever pivoted to said
post, a plunger pivoted to the hand-lever and provided with a punch, a die for said
punch consisting of a fixed die-bed and a removable die-collar, substantially as herein
described.
8. The combination with a bed-plate, of a fulcrum-post, a hand lever pivoted to said
post, a plunger pivoted to said hand-lever, a punch adjustably secured to the
plunger and a sleeve sliding on the punch, a die for said punch, substantially as herein
described.
9. The combination with the bed-plato, of a fulcrum-post, a hand-lever pivoted to
said post, a plunger pivoted to the hand-lever and provided with an adjustable punch
having a sliding sleeve, a die consisting of a fixed die-bed and a removable die-collar,
substantially as and for the purpose herein described.
10. The combination with a bed-plate, of a fulcrum-post pivoted to said plate and
provided with a guide, a hand-lever pivoted to said post, a plunger pivoted to the hand-
lever and formed with the central socket having a set screw letting therein, a punch
mounted in the said socket and provided with a flange and a guide-screw, a sleeve
sliding over said punch and formed with a longitudinal guide-slot for said guide-
screw, a die consisting of a fixed die-bed and a removable die-collar adapted to fit about
said bed, substantially as herein described.
11. The combination with a bed-plate, of a fulcrum-post provided with a guide, a
hand-lever pivoted to said post, a plunger pivoted to the hand-lever and provided with
a punch and working in said guide, a removable cylindrical cutter adapted to fit
about said punch, substantially as herein described.
12. The combination with a bed-plate and a die, of-a fulcrum-post-pivoted to the

page_text: bed-plate and provided with a guide, a hand-lever pivoted to said post and formed with
a slot, a plunger provided with a punch and having a pin working in the slot of the
hand-lever, substantially as herein described.
13. The combination with a bed-plate and a die, of a fulcrum-post pivoted to the
bed-plate and provided with a guide and having the upper end thereof forked, a hand-
lever formed with a slot and having a hinge-pin set across the fork of the post, a
plunger provided with a punch and having a pin working in the slot of the hand-
lever, a handle fixed to said bed-plate, substantially as herein described.
14. The combination with a bed-plate and a die, of a fulcrum-post pivoted to
said plate and provided with a guide, a hand-lever pivoted to said post and formed with
a slot, a plunger provided with a punch and having a pin working in the slot of the
hand-lever, an auxiliary lever formed with a forked end and pivoted to the hand-lever,
a fixed standard having a forked end to receive the hand-lever and provided with a
shoulder adapted to be engaged by said auxiliary lever, substantially as herein
described.
15. The combination with the bed-plate 10 formed with the die-bed 11, of the
die-collar 12, the pivoted fulcrum-post 17 provided with the guide 32, the pivoted hand-
lever 19 formed with slot 20, the plunger 22 having the pin 21 and provided with the
punch, the sleeve 29 sliding on the punch, the handle 33, all substantially as herein
described.
16. The combination of the bed-plate 10 formed with the die-bed 11, the die-collar 12,
the fulcrum-post 17 pivoted to the bed-plate and provided with guide 32, the hand-
lever 19 formed with slot 20 and pivoted to the post 17, the plunger 22 having pin 21,
the standard 34 provided with the shoulders 35, the auxiliary lever 36 pivoted to the
hand-lever, substantially as herein described.
17. The combination with the pivoted hand-lever 19 provided with the slot 20, of
the plunger 32 provided with pin 21 and formed with the socket 23, the set-screw 24,
the punch 26 provided with flange 28 and the hollow 27, the sleeve 29 provided with
the guide-slot 30, the guide-screw 31 fixed to the punch, substantially as herein
described.