IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR MAKING BUTTON HOLE LININGS a
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alfred Julius Boult of the firm of W. P. Thompson
& Boult, Agents for Foreign Patent Solicitors, of 323 High Holborn in the
County of Middlesex, Engineer for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
MACHINES FOR MAKING BUTTON HOLE LININGS a Communication from
Christian Dancel a person residing in the City County and State of New
York, in the United States of America
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alfred Julius Boult at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th February 1883.
"
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of the firm of W. P. Thompson & Boult Agents for
Foreign Patent Solicitors of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINES FOR MAKING BUTTON HOLE LININGS
communicated to me from abroad by Christian Dancel, residing in the City,
County and State of New York in the United States of America
Figure 1 is a perspective view of my machine, Figure 2 is a side view partly
in elevation and partly in section. Figure 3 is a front view. Figure 4 is a
detached view of the revolving die carrier and a portion of its actuating mechanism
taken from the rear Figure 4 is a detached view of a part of the mechanism for
locking the revolving die carrier in position Figure 5 is a front view of the cam
and its connecting levers for rotating the revolving die carrier upon its pivot the
position of the carrier relative to the cam and levers being indicated in dotted lines.
Figure 6 is a perspective view detached and enlarged of the dies and a portion of
the devices connected therewith. Figure 7 is a vertical longitudinal section of
Figure 6 still further enlarged Figure 7a is a front view of one of the dies which
is rigidly attached to the revolving die carrier. Figure 8 is a detached view
enlarged of the needles and the head to which they are attached. Figure 9 which
represents the rock shaft which thrusts the needles towards the permanently
attached die. Figures 10 is a front view enlarged of two of the cams employed
for operating the crimpers and part of the mechanism connected therewith.
Figure 11 is a clamping plate detached. Figure 12 shows the cam and lever which

page_text: operates to thrust the needle forward. Figure 13 is the cam link and sliding plate
which thrusts the reciprocating die towards the die which is permanently attached
to the revolving die carrier, Figure 14 is a perspective view of one of the levers
shown in figure 5. Figure 15 is a detached view showing the strippers in side
elevation. Figure 16 is an elevation of the support for the strippers and certain
cam or wedging faces looking in the direction indicated by arrow 2 Figure 15
Figure 17 is a perspective view, detached and enlarged of the strippers and their
support.
A is the bed plate, rectangular in form, and by preference cast partially
hollow or concave on the under side as indicated in Figure 2 to save weight of
metal. It is supported upon legs A' A' and has a rectangular slot A' with an
angular offset in it to receive the upper portion of a revolving die carrier and a
lever to be hereinafter described
B is the main shaft mounted in the upper end of a standard A³ which rises from
bed plate and has a rotary motion imparted to it by gears B¹ B', pulley B³ and
belt B which, as shown in Figures 1 and 5 runs upon a loose pulley B' when the
machine is in operation. The belt is shifted from the loose pulley to the driving
pulley and vice versa by means of a bell crank lever Be B' treadle B8 link B° and
a retracting spring B. C is a revolving die carrier provided with a series of
slots Carranged on a circle concentric with a horizontal pivot a which projects
rearwardly from a pendant or hanger A' to a second pendant a¹ the pivot passing
through a bub C attached to the rear vertical face of the die carrier. This carrier
is hollow and has a circular opening in its front wall surrounding the pivot to
permit the introduction of a gas pipe D see Figure 2 through which gas is
introduced to heat the die carrier and dies to be hereinafter described
d is a stop cock in the gas pipe. This die carrier is provided upon its rear side
with a series of outwardly projecting abutments Cs, the front faces of each abutment
constituting a die having a circular recess c and a more shallow key holed shaped
recess c¹ see figure 7*
In front of each abutment C³ is a dove tailed slot C in which slides the hori-
zontal dove tailed part E of a movable die, the front face E' of which is beveled at
its upper edge. Each reciprocating die is provided with a circular recess E' and a
cap E³ secured over the mouth of the recess by set screws see Figure 7; F is a
piston head fitting closely the recess e² and having three needles e e e¹ projecting
inwardly therefrom see Figure 8 the movable part E¹ of the die being perforated
to receive these needles. F is a mandrel mounted loosely in the piston head F
and the die and carrying a firmly fixed collar f-fl is a coiled spring interposed
between collar f and piston head F-F is a lever pivoted in a slot in the upper
part of the die at e³ the lower forked end of said lever straddling mandrel F¹ and
engaging with collar f when actuated as hereinafter explained. F is a rock shaft
mounted in the reciprocating die and provided with an arm f³ which engages with
piston head F and thrusts the needle and mandrel towards abutment C for a
purpose which will be specified. F is an arm secured to rock shaft Fs outside the
die see Figure 6.-f³ is a sliding bar slotted upon one side to receive the lower end
of arm FG is a cam mounted on driving shaft B and vibrating a lever G¹ see
Figure 2 which is connected at its lower end to one end of sliding bar g³ the
opposite end of which engages with sliding bar ƒ³-g³ is a set screw passing
through a slot in sliding bar g' to hold it in place and permit it to be moved
endwise. g' is a spiral spring connected at one end to the frame work and at the
other end to lever G¹-g is a link connecting lever G' with a registering mechanism
which may be of any usual or approved construction.
I will now describe the mechanism by which the die carrier is rotated.
H, Figures 1, 2, 5, is a cam mounted on driving shaft B and actuating a bell
crank lever H¹ H² see Figures 3 and 5. H' is a link connecting the bell crank lever
with a vibrating lever I I' mounted on a pivot a by means of a sleeve I².
Lever I I' is provided at one end with a switch i pivoted centrally and having
its upper end held in contact with a rib i¹ by means of a spring operating on

page_text: The end I
arm i which is connected with the pivot of the switch see Figure 14.
of this lever carries a spring pawl I the free end of which enters alternately the
slot C¹ and rotates the die carrier as will be readily understood by an examination
of Figure 5 in which the position of the die carrier is indicated in dotted lines with
the lever I shown in full lines behind the die carrier. J is a latch sliding in
suitable ways upon the frame of the machine see Figures 4, 4ª one end of the
latch entering alternately the slots C' in the die carrier for the purpose of locking
said carrier except at the instant that it is being rotated by the pawl I. By an
examination of Figures 4, 4, 14, it will be readily understood that when the end I'
of the lever I I¹ is moving upward, the switch i will engage with pin ; projecting
from latch J and withdraw said latch from the slot C¹ and permit the rotation of
the wheel and that when the end 11 of the lever is moving downward the pin j
will traverse the throat upon the opposite side of the switch without moving the
latch. is a spring which thrusts the latch into the slot J¹ and is a plate and
supporting frame in which the latch slides
K is a cam grooved wheel mounted on shaft B the cam grooves upon the opposite
faces of the wheel being in reversed positions so as to operate the levers L in
opposite directions simultaneously. These levers are pivoted to the main frame
their lower ends engaging with the forked upper ends of segment levers L the
toothed portions of which engage with and oscillate crimpers m m having circular
ribs or flanges m¹ which are mounted in suitable seat grooves in a vertically
reciprocating carrier NN2 and in a semi-circular face plate N' which is secured to
the lower end of the sliding carrier. These crimpers are notched upon their lower
working edges at m³ m³ to permit the points of the needles ee and e¹ to puncture
the leather for a purpose which will be explained and to receive the mandrel F¹.
A vertically reciprocating motion is imparted to the carrier N by means of a cam
grooved wheel O, Figures 1, 2, 10 the groove of which is traversed by a friction
roller or stud n. The carrier is made in two sections bolted together and adjusted
relatively to each other by means of a bolt n¹ which engages with locks projecting
from both sections of the carrier. The reciprocating carrier slides in a suitable
way or track formed for it in the frame work
As shown in Figure 10 the inner ends of the lower or working edges of the
crimpers are so formed as to force the leather around the mandrel F¹ for the
purpose of forming an eye in the button hole. c'c² are guide plates, one end of
which is attached to the reciprocating die E E' and the other to the abutment C³ to
insure a proper placing of the blank, P P¹ is a lever pivoted to the main frame
and connected by a link Qwith a sliding plate R which reciprocates vertically
in a standard R bolted to the lower side of the bed plate
R¹ Rr is a link having its lower end connected to the sliding plate R its upper
end being supported in an arm of the main frame the part R' having a screw
threaded socket which receives the threaded shank r of the part R¹.
A can R³ on shaft B thrusts the reciprocating plate and link downward at
each revolution of the shaft, R is a pivoted tie bar connecting the upper end of
the link with the main frame and supporting it against the lateral thrust of
cam R³.
p is a set screw passing through the upper end of lever P P¹ and
engaging with the reciprocating die E E. At each revolution of the cam R³ the
reciprocating die is thrust forcibly towards its opposing abutment C³, A returning
spring Figure 2 serving to withdraw the end P of the lever from contact with
the reciprocating die. S is a pin projecting from the outer face of the recipro-
cating die and provided by preference with an antifriction roller. 8 is an inclined
face or wedging face arranged in the path of the pins S as the die carrier is
rotated in such position that as each pin traverses the incline, it operates to thrust
the die outward that is its opposing abutment. tt are strippers attached to the
frame in such position that as the die carrier revolves, the abutments and dies pass
upon opposite sides of the teeth of the strippers which are so arranged that one
tooth shall be in close proximity to the face of the abutment and the other to the
face of the reciprocating die as they pass, the reciprocating die being held away

page_text: from contact with its opposing abutment a continuation 8 of the inclined face 8.
vis an inclined face formed upon the opposite side of the metal upon which the
inclined face S is formed in such position as to engage with the upper end of
lever F and thus withdraw the mandrel F¹ from the position shown in Figure 7.
V Figures 1, 2, 3 is an angular supporting plate having attached thereto the
inclined or wedging faces sv and the strippers tt. By preference the strippers are
made separate and attached to projecting ribs t' cast in one piece with the support,
but in practice I usually cast the wedging faces in one and the same piece with the
support.
U is a stop secured to the upper face of the bed plate its upper end projecting
above the path traversed by the dies E with its inner edge arranged at a short
distance from the circular path traversed by studs S as the dies revolve with the
die carrier. uu are returning springs their free ends engaging with the reciprocating
dies E to thrust said dies towards the abutments or stationary dies C³.
My machine may be operated as follows:-
Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Figures 2 and 3, a blank
consisting of a rectangular piece of leather of suitable size is placed between the
guide plates c when the rotation of the main shaft and its attached cams in a
direction indicated by arrow 1 Figure 3 first forces the reciprocating carrier N and
crimpers m downward folding the blank centrally and forcing it into the crevice
between the reciprocating die and the abutment.
As the blank is thus forced into
the crevice the spring u bracing against the movable die and resisting the outward
movement of the die, the leather is crimped, the extent of the crimping depending
upon the thickness of the leather it being apparent that when the stud S strikes
the stop U the friction of the leather against the adjacent faces of the die and
the abutment will if the leather be of sufficient thickness necessitate the employ-
ment of considerable force to push the blank into the crevice. After the crimpers
have been forced downward by the action of cam O, cam K acting through
levers L L and segment levers L' L' oscillating the crimpers causing their
working faces to approach each other and crimp the folded blank around the
mandrel F. The crimpers have been forced down into such position that when
oscillating the notches m³ force the leather around the mandrel. Cam G by
means of lever G¹ and sliding bar G2 actuates the rock shaft F3 so as to push
the needles e e e¹ into the folded button hole lining and retain it in position while
the continued revolution of cams K O withdraws the crimpers into the position
shown in Figures 2 and 3, immediately after which cam R³ thrusts down the
plate R and acting through link Q and lever P P¹ force the reciprocating die E
towards the abutment C³ and thus press the folded edge of the button hole lining
into the circular and key shaped recess c c¹ thus forming a bead upon the folded
edge of the leather
The sliding plate is now raised by spring r² when a continued rotation of the
shaft B and cam H acting through bell crank lever H¹ H³, link H³ lever
I I' and pawl I first withdraw the latch J from one of the slots in the die
carrier and then rotate it, (the die carrier) sufficiently to bring another reciprocating
die and abutment immediately under the crimpers. It will, of course be understood
that the die carrier, the abutment and stationary dies and the reciprocating
dies are kept hot by means of gas jets, gas being introduced through pipe D. This
operation of the machine is repeated and when the dies are passing the inclines
8 the engagement of the stud S and lever F' with said inclines move the
reciprocating die from the abutment and at the same time withdraw the mandrel F¹
thus permitting the button hole lining to be removed from between the die and
the abutment by means of the strippers which, as has been explained are so
arranged that the lowest one will separate the button hole lining from the
abutment and the upper one will separate it from the die, unless it, (the button
hole) has previously escaped from between those parts, Subjecting the leather
to the action of the heated die and abutment during the time occupied in passing

page_text: from the crimpers to the strippers insures that the leather shall be properly sev
before being discharged from the machine
The operator can by turning the part W of the locking lever W w into a vertical
position thrust the part w against the lower end of the lever G¹ and thus arrest
the action of the registering mechanisin in case the machine from any cause fails
to properly crimp the leather into a button hole lining, or if he neglects to place
a blank under the crimpers before they are thrust into the crevice between the die
and the abutment. The crimpers force the ends of the blank slightly pass each
other, so that the needle e' punches the leather of one of the overlapping surfaces
slightly into the other one, thus securing their ends slightly to each other and
preventing them from springing apart as they might otherwise do after being
removed from the machine.
What I claim is
1 In a machine for making button hole linings, a die carrier and dies which
move in an arc of a circle in combination with vibrating crimpers substantially as
set forth.
2nd In a machine for making button hole linings, a die carrier and dies which
move in an arc of a circle in combination with vibrating crimpers and mechanism
substantially as described which locks the dies in position while the crimpers are
acting upon the leather substantially as described.
3rd In a machine for making button hole linings, a die carrier and dies which
move in an arc of a circle in combination with vibrating crimpers and mechanism
substantially as described which moves the dies under and past the crimpers
substantially as described
4th In a machine for making button hole linings, a die carrier and dies which
move in an arc of a circle, in combination with vibrating crimpers mechanism
which moves the dies past the crimpers and means substantially as described for
retaining the ends of the button hole lining in position while the crimpers are
being withdrawn substantially as set forth
5th In a machine for making button hole linings, a die carrier and dies which
move in an arc of a circle in combination with vibrating crimpers and reciprocating
needles adapted to retain the ends of the button hole lining in position while the
crimpers are being withdrawn substantially as set forth
6th In a machine for making button hole linings, a die carrier and dies which
move in an arc of a circle in combination with vibrating crimpers and a
reciprocating mandrel around which the material is pressed by the crimpers
substantially as set forth-7th In a machine for making button hole linings, a
die carrier and dies which move in an arc of a circle in combination with vibrating
crimpers and mechanism substantially as described for forcing the movable die
towards the abutment or stationary die.
8th In a machine for making button hole linings, a die carrier and dies which
move in an arc of a circle in combination with strippers adapted to enter the
crevice between the dies substantially as set forth.
9th In a machine for making button hole linings, a die carrier and dies which
move in an arc of a circle in combination with mechanism substantially as described
adapted to separate the dies to permit the escape of the button hole lining sub-
stantially as set forth.
10th In a machine for making button hole linings, a die carrier and dies which
move in an arc of a circle in combination with vibrating crimpers and springs
adapted to press the reciprocating die towards the stationary dies substantially as
described.
11th In a machine for making button hole linings a die carrier and dies which
move in an arc of a circle in combination with vibrating crimpers and a stop
adapted to support the movable die against the thrust produced by forcing the
leather into the crevice between said movable die and the stationary die er
abutment substantially as set forth.

page_text: 12th The combination with the movable die E of the mandrel F¹, lever F*
the returning spring and inclined face v substantially as set forth.
13th The combination with the movable die of the stud S and inclined face 8
substantially as set forth.
14th The combination with the recessed movable die of the piston head F the
needles, the rock shaft the sliding bar g³ cam G and lever G₁ substantially as
set forth.
In witness whereof I the said Alfred Julius Boult have hereunto set my hand
and seal this twenty seventh day of February in the year of our Lord,
One thousand Eight hundred and Eighty three.
ALFRED J. BOULT. (L.S.)