A Machine for Punching and Eyeleting Labels and other articles.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 1st Nov., 1892--Accepted, 28th Jan., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Machine for Punching and Eyeleting Labels and other articles.
I, Alfred CHARLES VICE, of 7 Peter Gate, in the Town and County of the
Town of Nottingham, Printer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
:-
This invention relates to a machine for punching an eyelet hole and inserting the
eyelet and clinching the same, at one stroke or operation of the machine, and is
applicable for eyeleting labels, boots, shoes, stays and other articles, in the place of
two separate machines, i.e. the label punching and the eyeleting machine, at present
in use.
For the purpose of this invention I construct a machine in which eyelet clinching
devices are arranged above and below a movable punching device. The upper
eyelet clincher is fixed to, or forms part of, a slotted bar, cam bar, or frame, to which
an up and down or reciprocating motion is imparted by means of a treadle or other
suitable mechanism. The lower eyelet clincher is hinged, pivotted, or attached to
the framework of the machine in such a manner that it may be moved up to the
level of table to which is clamped the article to be eyeleted by means of a spring
or otherwise. The punching device is caused to recede out of the way of the eyelet
clinchers, after the punching operation has been performed, by means of studs or
pins carried by the punching device and which take into the slot or race in the
slotted bar or frame hereinbefore mentioned. A device is attached to the frame of
the machine for feeding the eyelets to the clincher, and may consist of a revolving
box slotted to allow the eyelets to pass through a guide tube or tramway to the
upper clincher. The label or article to be operated on is fed into a spring-clamp
on the table, and the treadle is then actuated to draw down the slotted bar or frame.
This bar in its descent, by means of the slot therein, acts first on the pin attached
to the upper portion of the punch, thus punching the hole in the label or article.
Descending farther it removes the punch out of the way and, at the same time, the
lower clincher is allowed to rise up and is held firmly in position by a block forced
under it by means of a wedge on the slotted bar. The upper clincher, in passin,
the lower end of the guide tube or tramway, takes with it an eyelet and passes
through the punched hole, presses it firmly on the lower clincher, and clinches it
to the label or other article. The parts are returned to their original positions by
springs, or by other suitable means.
ERNEST DE PASS,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 6, Victoria Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Machine for Punching and Eyeleting Labels and other articles.
ALFRED CHARLES VICE 7 Peter Gate Nottingham Printer do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to a machine for punching a hole and eyeleting the same at
one stroke of the machine without moving the article operated upon, the machine
being designed for punching and eyeleting labels and other articles required by
027

page_text: printers and stationers but a stronger machine on the same principles may be used
for other purposes such as are required in the manufacture of boots, shoes, stays
and other articles.
At the present time it is the custom in the printing and stationery trades to
punch a hole in the article at one machine, and insert and clench the eyelet by
another machine but with my combined machine I am enabled to perform both
operations at one stroke of the same machine and thus save the time now spent by
having to handle the articles twice.
A combined machine constructed according to my invention has the eyelet
clenching spindles arranged above and below the punch and die which are carried
by a slide fitted to move at right angles to the direction in which the eyelet
clenching spindles move. The upper eyelet clenching spindle is attached by an
arm to the actuating slide of the machine and is fitted to slide in a block which is
itself capable of moving vertically in guides upon the standard. The lower eyelet
clenching spindle is arranged in the same central line as the upper spindle and is
guided by a hole in the standard.
I give motion to the various moving parts by means of a sliding bar guided by
the standard and actuated by a treadle when worked by foot, or it may be worked
by power through a crank and shaft which should be so fitted that the motion of
the shaft may be stopped and started as required. When a treadle is used I return
the bar to its starting position by means of a spring.
The punch is fitted to slide in a bar capable of moving at right angles to the
actuating slide and it is withdrawn from the hole punched and held up for the
insertion of another article by means of a spring. When in a position for punching
the punch is under the block which forms a guide for the upper eyelet clenching
spindle, and this block is actuated by levers from a cam carried by the actuating
slide the cam being so arranged that no motion is given to the punch as the
actuating slide ascends. The punch slide together with the punch is drawn back
clear of the eyelet clenching spindles after the hole has been punched by means of
a cam groove on the actuating slide.
Directly the punch slide has been drawn back the upper eyelet clenching spindle
proceeds to take an eyelet from the shoot, and at the same time the lower cyclet
clenching spindle is lifted through the hole punched by means of a lever actuated
by a cam on the actuating slide. The continued movement of the upper clenching
spindle causes it to meet the lower one at the level of the table, insert the eyelet
into the punched hole, and then clench the same, after which the parts are returned
to their former positions ready for another cycle of operations.
The eyelets are contained by a circular box which is larger at the front than at
the back and it is provided with suitably shaped openings for the eyelets to pass
through. The taper of the inside of the box is at such an angle that when an
eyelet falls upon the same it rolls round until the centre line of the eyelet is
horizontal or nearly so, by which means the eyelets are assisted in falling into the
right position for passing out of the box through the openings in the same.
Inside the eyelet box I use a flat twisted spring agitator so that if the same meets
with any obstruction it bends round the same and thus prevents damage being done
to the eyelets. This agitator is mounted upon a short shaft which projects through
the box and is turned to and fro by the actuating slide. After the eyelets leave
the box they fall down a short guide to the shoot which is hinged to the guide and
so arranged in conjunction with a suitable cam that the lower end of it is brought
into the correct position for the eyelet clenching spindle to take an eyelet from the
same, after which the shoot is swung back clear of the eyelet clenching spindle.
The lower end of the upper eyelet clenching spindle is fitted with a sliding spring
pin as in the present eyeleting machines, the said pin being pushed into the spindle
when it meets the lower spindle and returned when the upper spindle ascends by
means of a suitable stop.
In a second design of my improved machine arranged to work with a shorter
stroke of the actuating slide I give motion to the block working the punch by

page_text: means of a bell crank lever which is pivoted near the top of the standard and
actuated by a swing cam on the actuating slide, the cam being arranged so that it
does not move the lever when the actuating slide ascends. The punch is also
lifted out of the article punched by means of the punching block, which is grooved
at the bottom to clip the top of the punch and when the latter is withdrawn clear
of the eyelet clenching spindle it is supported by a fixed guide. The punch
slide in this machine is withdrawn by means of a lever instead of a slotted cam,
the lever being operated in one direction by the actuating slide and returned by a
spring or vice versa. The remaining parts of the machine are substantially the
same as those already described with reference to the first design.
In both machines there is a table upon which the article is held while being
punched and eyeleted, the said table being either in the form of a spring clip with
adjustable stops, or the upper part may be hinged and raised and lowered as
required by any convenient moving part of the machine through suitable
mechanism.
In order however that my invention may be thoroughly understood I have
attached hereto two sheets of drawing showing on Sheet 1. a machine according
to my first design, and on Sheet 2. a machine according to my second design, but
it should be understood that several of the details shown on Sheet 1 may be
applied to the machine shown on Sheet 2 and vice versa.
Fig. 1. is a side elevation of my machine according to the first design, the eyelet
shoot and guide, and the table being omitted.
Fig. 2. a back elevation showing the eyelet box, shoot, and guide, and the
mechanism for actuating the agitator.
Fig. 3. a front elevation of Fig. 2.
Fig. 4. a cross section of Fig. 1 taken at about the top of the standard.
Fig. 5. a section of my improved design for an eyelet box.
Fig. 6. a plan of a portion of the eyelet box showing the openings for the eyelets
to pass through.
Fig. 7. a side elevation of a machine according to my second design.
Fig. 8. a front elevation of Fig. 7.
Fig. 9. a plan of the end of the eyelet shoot as used in both machines.
Fig. 10. a plan of the punch and fixed guide for supporting the same when clear
of the punch block.
Fig. 11. án elevation of Fig. 10.
Fig. 12. an elevation of a spring table suitable for both machines.
Fig. 13. a plan of Fig. 12.
Fig. 14. a section of the eyelet clenching spindle showing the spring pin in the
same.
The moving parts in the machine shown in Figs. 1 to 4 receive their motion from
the actuating slide which consists of two bars a and a', the former being fitted to
slide between guides a' on the standard and is held in the same by plates a². The
plate a is rigidly connected to the plate a and motion is communicated to the two
by a link a³ from a treadle when the machine is worked by the foot or from a
crank if power is applied.
The plates a and a¹ are connected together at the top with a bar a between
them, this bar being continued towards the front of the machine and arranged to
carry the upper eyelet clenching spindle which is guided in the punch block c
this latter being fitted to slide in guides on the standard and actuated by levers c¹
on the shaft c². On the side of the machine shown in Fig. 1 the lever c¹ has
another arm 2x which is fitted at the end with a pin c³ and acted upon by a cam c
fastened upon the plate a¹ and having a cam slot of the shape shown, inside which
is a central tongue e pivoted at e and held in the position shown by a spring.
The punch d is carried and guided by a bar d' fitted to slide horizontally between
guides a on the standard and held within the same by a plate a'. The outer end
of the bar d' is slotted to form an opening for inserting the article under the

page_text: punch d and is fitted with a plate d² which acts as a doffer and prevents the article
punched being lifted with the punch. The die d³ is fitted into the lower jaw of
the bar d' and there is a suitable opening for allowing the punch bits to escape.
The top of the punch d is made with a head which is flattened on the front side so
that the punch bar d' requires a less motion to carry the punch clear of the
block c.
The punch is lifted after punching by a spring d' which is slotted to
embrace a groove in the punch, the slot and groove being so shaped that it is
impossible for the punch to turn in its bearing. At a convenient position in the
bar d² there is a fixed pin d³ which projects on both sides of the bar d' and enters
cam slots de in the bars a and a¹ from which the bar d' derives its horizontal
motion.
The lower eyelet clenching spindle e is fitted to slide in a bearing a and is
actuated by a cam surface e¹ on the bar a', the cam acting upon the spindle through
a cranked lever e3 which is pivoted at e³ and fitted with a cam truck e and spring e,
the spindle e being slotted to allow the necessary movement of the joint pin
connecting it with the lever e².
The eyelet box f the shape of which is best seen in Fig. 5 is carried by a bracket f'
from the standard, and is fitted with a front cover ƒ which may if desired be made
of glass so that the stock of eyelets in the box may be seen, or the cover may be
partially of glass, but in either case the inside of the box particularly the lower
half of the same should be very smooth in order to prevent the eyelets striking
upon any projection and thus becoming damaged. Inside the box f is an agitator
which I find to fulfil its requirements if made from a piece of narrow spring steel
hardened and tempered and with the lower portion bent at right angles to the upper
portion. For actuating this agitator I mount it upon a shaft which projects
through the back of the box and is fitted with a lever f. This is connected by a
link to another lever f' on a shaft 8 which carries a third lever f, at the lower
end of which is a pin f10 working within a cam slot in the plate a.
The eyelets fall from the eyelet box through openings f12 shaped to allow an
eyelet to easily fall through into a guide 9 which is carried by the eyelet box and
fitted a removable cover and an opening 13 for the eyelets to fall out of the same
into a box when the shoot h is full. The shoot is pivoted to the guide y and is of
the section shown in Fig. 9 Sheet 2, the lower end being fitted with a spring h¹ for
holding the eyelets in the shoot until the lowest eyelet is taken hold of by the
upper eyelet clenching spindle. Fixed upon the front of the spindle b is a cam h²
against which a truck h³ on the shoot is pressed by a suitable spring, the cam h² being
so shaped that the shoot passes under the eyelet clenching spindle b ready for the
spindle to take an eyelet from the same.
In the machine shown on Sheet 2 the various moving parts receive their move-
ments from an actuating slide consisting as before of two plates o and o¹ which
are fastened together and actuated in the same way as the slide in the first
machine. The upper clenching spindle p carried by a bar o² and guided by the
block which in this machine is actuated for punching by levers, one
which
has an arm fitted with a cam truck upon it. This truck is acted upon by a
cam pivoted at and held up to a stop by a spring . When the slide is
pulled down the cam * forces out the lever and punches the hole, but when
the slide ascends, the spring 8 holds the cam truck up to the edge of the slide o
and the more abrupt portion of the cam meeting the truck, causes the cam to
turn on its pivot until clear of the truck when the spring r raises the cam into
its proper position for actuating the punch at the next stroke of the actuating
slide. The punch Figs. 7. 8. 10 and 11 is made with an enlarged head s¹ which
is shaped to fit a corresponding groove in the punch block r, and when the punch
is withdrawn from the article punched, and from the block r it is supported by
a fixed guide s². By these means the punch is forced through the article and
withdrawn from the same by positive means instead of withdrawing the same by a
spring as in the first design. For withdrawing the punch slide I use a lever st

page_text: pivoted at sand slotted to embrace a pin s in the slide. The lever is also
fitted with a cam trucks which is acted upon to withdraw the slide by a cam s³
on the slide o, and the slide s³ is returned by a spring s. Or the slide s³
may be
held forward by a spring and withdrawu by a cam.
The shoot t of the construction already described is pivoted to the guide u and is
fitted with a cam t properly shaped for allowing the shoot to swing under the
eyelet clenching spindle, the cam truck p' for holding back the shoot being carried
by the spindle p. There is also shown a lever ta pivoted upon the shoot t and used
for holding the shoot out of action when required.
The eyelet box is mounted in bearings on the bracket 3 so that it can be turned
for emptying the same, and it is held in its proper position by a spring to. The
guide u is in this arrangement carried by an arm on the bracket t³ instead of by the
eyelet box. The spring agitator t is carried by a spindle t' which is fitted with a
levert and struck by the top of the spindle every time the same reaches the top
of its stroke, there being a sleeve p² and spring p³ on the top of the spindle to act
as a buffer.
The upper eyelet clenching spindles of both machines are fitted with a split
spring pin Fig. 14 for taking the eyelet from the shoot, the said pin being forced
within the spindle a every time an eyelet is clenched, and for the purpose of
returning the pin the spindle is made hollow and fitted with a loose spindle which
in the machine shown in Figs. 1 and 3 is lettered 6' and is forced down by coming
into contact with a fixed plate 62. In the machine shown in Figs. 7 and 8 the
spindle c and pin b Fig. 14 are forced down by coming into contact with a fixed
stop p, the spindle p being slotted to allow the stop to reach the centre of the
same, or the spindle c Fig. 14 may project above the top of the spindle p Fig. 7
and be used for working the agitator which it would moved to a fixed stop after
which the stop would react upon the spindle c and force it down again.
The spring table shown in Figs. 12 and 13 is applicable to both machines and
consists of a lower plate w adjustably fixed to the standard and provided with an
upper spring plate w¹. The article is placed between the two plates and up to
stops placed in the holes w.
When working with these machines the eyelet box is partially filled with eyelets
and the shoot held clear of its actuating cam. A few strokes of the machine are
then made causing a few eyelets to pass into the shoot after which the shoot is
thrown into action. The article is then placed upon the table and motion is given
to the actuating slide which first causes the punch to make a hole in the article and
then draws back or allows the punch to be drawn back clear of the article. The
punch slide then recedes by which time the lower end of the upper eyelet clenching
spindle is about at the bottom of the punch block. The lower eyelet clenching
spindle is then lifted through the hole punched and the upper spindle in its further
descent takes an eyelet from the shoot which had moved in for that purpose. The
shoot is then moved out again after which the upper spindle carries down the
eyelet upon it, forces it through the hole punched and the eyelet is eventually
clenched between the two spindles. The parts then return to their former positions
ready for another cycle of operations.
Both machines are fitted with stops for preventing the actuating slide moving
too far in either direction and there may be other stops so fitted that the machines
may be used for punching or for eyeleting only.
I am fully aware there are machines at the present time which punch one hole
and eyelet another at the same stroke of the machine, but I lay no claim to any
machine of this description.
My improved eyelet box and agitator are however applicable to every description
of eyeleting machine with which I am acquainted and I therefore claim these parts
as applicable to all eyeleting machines, but all my other claims I restrict to
machines for punching a hole and eyeleting the same hole at one operation or stroke
of the machine and that without moving the article operated upon.

page_text: 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 is
1. A circular eyelet box with a cone like interior substantially as shown in Fig. 5
and so shaped for the purpose of assisting the eyelets to fall into a correct position
for passing through the openings in the box.
2. In conjunction with the eyelet box referred to in Claim 1 the application and
construction of the spring agitator f³ Fig. 5 substantially as, and for, the purpose
described in the accompanying Specification.
3. The general application of the eyelet box and agitator as mentioned in the
accompanying Specification.
4. The method of guiding the upper eyelet clenching spindle by means of a
movable block substantially as shown in the accompanying drawings and
Specification.
5. The use of the block con Sheet 1 and on Sheet 2 arranged to act as a guide
for the upper eyelet clenching spindle, and as a means for actuating the punch.
6. The method substantially as shown and described for supporting and actuating
the lower clenching spindle.
7. The general arrangement of the mechanism for actuating the block c Sheet 1
and Sheet 2 whereby no downward motion is imparted to the same by the
actuating slide on its upstroke.
8. The general arrangement of the slide carrying the punch and die, and the
mechanism for moving the same to and fro substantially as shown and described in
the accompanying drawings and Specification.
9. The method of withdrawing the punch by means of the block Figs. 7 and 8
and of supporting the punch when clear of the block.
10. The arrangement shown in Figs. 7 and 8 for carrying the eyelet box as and
for the purpose specified.
11. In a machine for punching a hole and eyeleting the same at one stroke of
the machine the combination of the eyelet clenching spindles with punching devices
arranged to move clear of the spindles, and in a direction at right angles to that of
the spindles.
12. The general arrangement and combination of the parts forming a combined
punching and eyeleting machine for punching a hole and eyeleting the same hole
at one stroke or cycle of movements of the machine without moving the article
operated upon substantially as shown in Figs. 1. 2. 3 and 4, and described in the
accompanying Specification.
13. The general arrangement and combination of the parts forming a combined
punching and eyeleting machine for punching a hole and eyeleting the same hole
at one stroke or cycle of movements of the machine without moving the article
operated upon substantially as shown in Figs. 7 and 8 and described in the
accompanying Specification.
Dated this 31st day of October 1892.