PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Littleton Aston, of the Firm of John Aston, & Co.,
Button Manufacturers, and Arthur Hames, Foreman to the aforesaid Firm,
both of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, for the Invention of
PROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
«
IM-
Sealed the 5th August 1879, and dated the 30th April 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Littleton Aston and
Arthur Hames at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th
April 1879.
GEORGE LITTLETON ASTON, of the Firm of John Aston & Co., Button Manu-
facturers, and ARTHUR HAMES, Foreman to the aforesaid Firm, both of Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS,
WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
Our Invention has reference to improvements in the manufacture of buttons,
which improvements are also applicable to other similar purposes, and has reference
in particular to covered buttons, which we make in the following manner:-
We have a revolving tablo with any convenient number of dies around its edge,
in which part of the material is placed, and the buttons are made. Above this
table we have a feeder or feeders, which would generally be round, supplied with
recesses, into which portions of the materials for making the buttons are placed.
Motion is imparted to this feeder or feeders from the main shaft by an eccentric,
lever, pall, and ratchet wheel, and suitable gear transmits motion from this feeder
or feeders to the lower table in any desired proportions of speed according to the
work under hand at the time; and for some classes of work the material may be
placed directly in the lower table. Abovo works a vertical slide, which is driven by a
connecting rod from a crank upon the end of the main shaft; this slide being
provided with a plunger or plungers for pressing the material through the feeder
or feeders into the table, and also with a pluuger or plungers for finishing the
Prica 871

page_text: buttons as the table revolves, corresponding plungers being worked under the table
from eccentrics or cams on the main shaft to meet the top plunger or plungers, thus
producing pressure on both sides of the button, which is finished by a succession
of motions. The table and feeder or feeders are provided at their outer edge with
a number of grooves which correspond with the number of dies or recesses used on
the table, into which a catch works from an eccentric on the main shaft, locking
the table and feeder or feeders in a set position during the movements of the
plungers. So that by these and similar means we are able to produce compound
buttons and other similar articles by machinery instead of by hand, thus cheapening
their cost.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said George Littleton Aston and Arthur Hames in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 29th October 1879.
GEORGE LITTLETON ASTON, of the Firm of John Aston & Co., Button Manu-
facturers, and ARTHUR HAMES, both of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS, WHICH IMPROVEMENTS ARE
ALSO APPLICABLE TO OTHER SIMILAR PURPOSES."
Wo will explain our Invention by referring to the modifications as shown on the
three Sheets of Drawings accompanying this Specification.
Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the machine; Fig. 2 is a side elevation; Fig. 3 is a
plan; Fig. 4, a sectional elevation on line L, M; Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation on
line N, O; Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation on line P, Q; and Fig. 7 is a sectional
plan on line R, S.
We construct a machine having a revolving table A fitted with any convenient
number of dies a, a, a, in which part of the material is placed for making the buttons.
Above the table A we have a revolving feeder B supplied with the holes b, into
which other portions of the materials for making the buttons are placed. Motion
is imparted to this feeder B from the main shaft C by the eccentric D through the
lever c and rocking spindle d to the lever e carried at the opposite end, which gives
a reciprocating motion to the draw bar E. This draw bar E carries the pall f
working into the ratchet wheel F, which is hung upon the spindle G carrying the
feeding table B. The spindle G transmits its motion to the table A in the ratio of
two to one through the toothed wheels H and J. The vertical slide K works above
these tables carrying suitable tools g, h, and l, and is reciprocated by the con-
necting rod T from the end of the main shaft. The plunger g presses the material
or part of the material for making the button through the feeding table B into the
receiving die or mould, which is then directly under the plunger g; the table is
then moved round one notch in the direction of the arrow on plan, Fig. 3, when
the spring tool h cones down and brings the material into a more or less finished
form, when the table is again moved round and the button finished under the die l.
Pressure is imparted to both sides of the button when under the tools h and from
the under side by the rods p and q worked through the levers and s and rocking
shafts & and u from the eccentrics and w, thus finishing the button by a succession
of motions, which may be more or less in number, according to the nature and
quality of the button or other similar article at the time in hand.
Fig. 8 is a plan of the bed with the table A removed, showing a circular fillet
ending with the inclines j and k; U is a cross section of the bed. Now as the
table A continues to move the finished button is carried over the inclined plane j,
and as each of the twenty or other number of dies are fitted with a loose piston i,
shown on the full sized section, Fig. 10, the button is lifted out of the die. We can
take the buttons from the top of the dies either by hand or by the machine; if by
the latter we fix a bracket V to the slide T which carries the split tube m, picking
off the buttons and delivering them through the pipe n. The elasticity of the
tube m for gripping the button is assisted by an elastic band O stretched over the
lower end of the tube.
The two tables A and B are secured in their respective positions while the
buttons are being made by the locking draw bar x, a, actuated by the cross shaft Y
from the face eccentric or projection disc plate y taking into the notched discs W
and X; the number of notches correspond with the number of dies or holes in the
feeders, and thus both the tables are locked in a set position during the movements
of the plungers in making the buttons.
Fig. 9 is the nut for holding the dies in place, as shown at 3, Fig. 3, of which
any convenient number may be used.

page_text: Another modification of our machine for producing buttons and other similar
articles is shown by Fig. 12, side elevation, and Fig. 13, plan. In this case we use
the circular table in conjunction with a horizontal slide Z for feeding the dies, the
plunger 1 and finishing tool 2 being brought alternately over the dies by the
slide worked from an eccentric. The vertical slide in this case makes two strokes
to one movement of the table.
In this modification also the buttons may either be picked off by hand or by the
arrangement as before described, only it would be attached to the top or the under
part of the slide.
In some classes of buttons we may place the material direct into the dies or
recesses in the lower table A, and in other cases we might use a second feeeding
table. The ratio of speeds may also be varied of the tables to each other and of
the vertical slide to the tables.
So that by these and similar means we are enabled to produce compound buttons
much more rapidly than formerly. But we would have it clearly understood that we
do not confine ourselves to the precise details of these plans, as many modifications
may be made without substantial departure therefrom; and we would havo it
further understood that we do claim as our Invention,―
1st. Making buttons by machinery where two circular tables are used, one above
the other.
2nd. Making buttons by a machine in which two circular tables are used with
one, two, or more under plungers and 7, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7,
8, and 9.
3rd. The button machine with a circular table and horizontal slide, and as shown
by Figures 12 and 13.
4th. Making buttons by machinery, as shown in the Drawings and modifications
of the same.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Littleton Aston, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty eighth day of October, One thousand eight
hundred and seventy nine.
Witnessed by
GEORGE BARKER,
Patent Agent,
77, Colmore Row,
Birmingham.
GEORGE LITTLETON ASTON. (L.S.)