-
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 7th June, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 5th Mar, 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 6th Apr, 1889
I, GEORGE DOWNING, of 8 Quality Court, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention to be s
follows
-
The object of my Invention is to effect improvements in machinery for the manu-
facture of buttons
This base
My Invention consists of a horizontal base plate, having flanges, lugs, or other
provisions, for securing the same to a work bench or analogous article
plate is fitted with a vertical rectangular frame, the upper horizontal bar of which is
bored and screw threaded to receive a double-threaded screw, the upper end of the
screw being fitted with a fly-wheel or fly-arms, for turning the same by hand
The base plate is a stout plate of iron, the front and central parts of which are
recessed In this recess I place a disc of lead, sufficiently stout to prevent its bending
under pressure Upon this disc I place the cloth, and above this a cylindrical punch,
having a circular cutting edge By means of the screw this punch is caused to
descend upon and cut the cloth to the exact size required for covering the button
After having cut the piece of cloth, I place the matrix holder in the machine, which
matrix holder corresponds with the size and configuration of the button to be manu-
factured The upper part of the matrix has a shallow bore of the diameter of the
piece of cloth, and in which it is placed The next bore is deeper and is of the same
diameter as the finished button, and below this there is a smaller bore, provided for
removing the button, when finished
In the central bore of this matrix holder I place a block, forming the matrix for
shaping the button, having a dished recess, or other form, as required
The cut piece of cloth being placed as above described, 1 place the mould of the
batton in the centre These are then sunk into the central bore, upon the matrix
I

page_text: then take the back of the button and insert it in the matrix holder, with the aid of a
separate tube, which is introduced into the matrix holder The tube is turned round
about a quarter of a circle, so as to assist the cloth to fold upon the mould of the
A punch is then brought down upon the materials, which pierces the holes
in the button The button is then finished by the pressure of the screw upon the
punch
button
To remove the button the screw is raised and the finished button is pushed out by
any suitable means, such as a small piece of wood
In order to increase the rapidity of manufacture, and to allow of more persons
being employed at one machine, a plug of wood or other material may be fitted to the
cutting punch, whereby the ejection of the finished button is facilitated
For making cloth buttons of various thicknesses, I enlarge or reduce the depth of
the moulds, the diameter being reduced by means of tubes inserted in the matrix
holder

page_text: I GEORGE DOWNING of 8 Quality Court, Chancery Lane, in the County of
Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of my said invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement
-
The object of my invention is to effect improvements in machinery for the manu-
facture of cloth and other buttons
A vertical
My invention consists of a horizontal base plate, having flanges, lugs, or other
provisions, for securing the same to a work bench or analogous article
frame is fixed to the base plate, the upper horizontal bar being bored and screw-
threaded or fitted with a suitable bush or nut to receive a screw (preferably double or
treble threaded) The upper end of this screw is fitted with a wheel or fly-arms for
turning the screw by hand
The base plate is provided with a suitable recess, for the insertion of the dies,
matrixes, and other articles hereinafter mentioned
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascertained
reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts
Fig 1 is an elevation of the machine
Fig 2 is a section on the line za of Fig 1
Fig 3 is a vertical section of a mould
Fig 4 18 one of the reducing tubes, for regulating the diameters of the buttons
Fig 5 shows two of the concave dies for imparting the required convexity to the
buttons
Fig 6 shows one form of cylindrical stamp
Fig 7 is an elevation (partly in section) of one of the cutting dies (K) and the
plug I to suit dies (K) of various diameters
B is the base plate to which the frame A is fitted C is a mould, bored to three
diameters a b and c D is a movable die, fitting the cylinder 6 as shown by dotted
lines in Fig 1 E is a tube fitted to slide in the cylinder 6 and having its lower edge
bevelled as shown by dotted lines in Fig 1 at d This tube is used to turn the
material over the back of the button F is a stamp sliding in the tube E
A cloth covered button is manufactured in the following manner
In the recess in
the plate B, 1 place a leaden plate, of sufficient substance to prevent its bending under
pressure Upon this plate I lay the cloth or other material forming the cover of the
button
A cutting die K, and plug I, are placed upon the cloth and the screw G is then
caused to descend upon the plug 1 whereby the cloth is cut to the required size
b
After cutting out the disc of cloth a mould C, corresponding with the size of the
button, is placed in the recess, and in the cylinder 6 a concave die (D) is placed In
the spice a I lay the cloth disc, and centrally upon the cloth disc I place the button

page_text: blank These are then pressed down into the cylinder 6 upon the die D by means of
a wooden ram A button back of corresponding size is then inserted in 6 with its
points placed downwards The tube E is next inserted in the cylinder b
While the
tube E is being pressed down it is turned round upon its centre about 90°, thus
causing the material to be folded over the blank by the edge d of the cylinder E
The stamp F is then introduced and pressed down, so as to cause the teeth of the
button back to enter the cloth The remaining operation is then completed by means
of the screw G
To remove the button the screw is turned back, next the stamp F and cylinder E.
are removed
Then by means of a wooden ram inserted in the opening c the finished
button is removed
In order to increase the speed of manufacture and to employ several persons at the
same time with one machine, the wooden ram h may be screwed to the plug I as
shown in Fig 7
This ram likewise serves for the insertion of the button backs, being made of a
suitable length to raise the button to the surface of the mould C without raising the
die D out of the cylinder b
In order to manufacture buttons with material of different thicknesses, I sometimes
vary the sizes of the moulds, and reduce their diameters by inserting in the cylinder b
a small tube of any suitable thickness as shown in Fig 4
SO
Fig 6 shows a stamp F¹ surmounted by a flanged disc f¹ enclosed in a tube E,
arranged that the concave portion of the stamp which receives the button back is
level with the bevelled edge of the tube E This form and arrangement of stamp
may be used with ordinary tools The flange fexerts a pressure upon the tube E at
the same time that the stamp F¹ forms the button
My invention is arranged for the employment of a number of operatives at the
same time, some inserting the button backs, others preparing the cloth discs in the
movable mould, pressing them down, and inserting the tube and stamp and other
operations
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim 19
The general construction, arrangement and combination of the several and
respective parts, together forming my invention of an improved machine for manu-
facturing buttons substantially as herein before described and illustrated by the
drawings
4033