Improvements in Staples or Fasteners for Attaching Buttons or the like to Boots or other Articles, and in Apparatus for "Setting" or Securing the same on such Articles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 20th July, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 6th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 2nd June, 1899
Date of Application, 20th July, 1898
Complete Specification Left, 6th Apr., 1899-Accepted, 2nd June, 1899
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Staples or Fasteners for Attaching Buttons or the
like to Boots or other Articles, and in Apparatus for "Setting" or
Securing the same on such Articles.
I, ADOLPH RIEKMANN, of No. 4, Huggin Lane, Queen Victoria Street, in the City
of London, Merchant, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
"
This invention relates to an improvement in staples or fasteners for use in
attaching buttons, or the like to boots, shoes, leggings or other articles and in
means or apparatus employed in "setting or securing the same to such articles.
In machines employed for this purpose as at present constructed there is con-
siderable liability of the fasteners getting out of their proper position and jam-
ming in the channel in which they are caused to travel to the "setting" means
and when such jamming takes place, much inconvenience arises because either the
machine must be very carefully taken apart by unscrewing and the jammed
fastener extracted, or if force is employed in all probability the machine becomes
broken.
According to my present invention I provide means for readily remedying such
an accident as the jamming of a staple, or fastening in a button or like setting
machine and I so modify the form of the staples or fasteners as to facilitate the
better operation of the machine.
The improved staples or fasteners I make of a flattened form near the arch, or
top part as they lie in the inclined channel leading to the setting parts, as will be
described, so as to facilitate their traverse through the said channel of the holder.
In the improved machine the holder for the buttons or the like, each threaded
onto the arch, or top. of the staple or fastener which is destined to become its
means of attachment to a boot or other article, is made so as to be readily attach-
able and detachable, to and from the "setting" parts and supposing for illus-
tration the setting parts to be arranged to be carried and operated by mechanism
in the form of a pair of pliers, although this form of the mechanism is only one of
a number of ways in which the parts can be operated.
The one arm of the tool which I will call the upper arm carries a hollow
chamber or cylinder and at its upper end has a loop or its equivalent, and to this
In the
cylinder is attached one member of the setting devices-detachably.
cylinder freely reciprocates a plunger within certain limits and it has a constant
tendency to protrude from the cylinder by reason of a spring operating between
it and the roof of such cylinder. The outer end of this plunger is preferably
squared and from side to side thereof is bored and in this bore hole is fastened
a pin or axis for the holder to rest against and to be secured to, with the aid of
a screwed milled nut.
This milled or like nut engages a thread on the said pin at its one end whilst
its other end may be simply formed as a knob or enlargement. If desired two
screwed nuts can be used.
The other arm of the tool carries the other member of the setting devices and

page_text: in operation presses it to the plunger, driving the plunger into the cylinder and
the setting devices cause the staple to fix itself into the material, locking the
button to it as is well understood.
The improved staple holder has a T shaped slideway, but with an open slit in
the cross of the tee over the leg and with slightly projecting ridges rising in the
cross groove adjacent to the leg groove. In this slide way the widened feet of the
staples occupy the ends of the cross arms, the flattened sides thereof ride on the
said ridges and the shank of the buttons in the leg whilst the necks of the buttons
protrude from the open slit.
«
3',
The front of the cross groove is formed as a removable plate on each side of the
open slit, secured to the main part by screws. A guard at the lower end may be
provided arching over the row of buttons as they ride down to the setting parts.
Towards the bottom of the holder the fasteners meet a spring plate by the
operation of which by the mechanism they are one by one released into an open
part and when set in material they pass away. The holder is held in fixed
position relatively to the "setting" mechanism by means of an upwardly inclined
arm of square or other convenient cross section which is passed into the loop
already referred to on the cylinder, in conjunction with a pair of hooks or claws
which embrace the said pin on the plunger end, the plunger end lying between
the claws and upon the milled screw being tightened up the holder becomes fixed
in position. If a staple or fastener does become jammed the milled screw nut can
be loosened the holder disconnected and the misplaced staple readily removed.
Dated 100
T 1
1000
Improvements in Staples or Fasteners for Attaching Buttons or the
like to Boots or other Articles, and in Apparatus for "
"
Setting or
Securing the same on such Articles.
I, ADOLPH RIEKMANN, of No. 4, Huggin Lane, Queen Victoria Street, in the City
of London, Merchant, 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;-
-
This invention relates to an improvement in staples or fasteners for use in
attaching buttons, or the like to boots, shoes, leggings or other articles and in
means or apparatus employed in "setting" or securing the same to such articles.
In machines employed for this purpose as at present constructed there is con-
siderable liability of the fasteners getting out of their proper position and jam-
ming in the channel in which they are caused to travel to the "setting" means
and when such jamming takes place much inconvenience arises because either the
machine must be very carefully taken apart by unscrewing and the jammed
fastener extracted, or if force is employed in all probability the machine becomes
broken.
According to my present invention I provide means for readily remedying such
an accident as the jamming of a staple, or fastening in a button or like setting
machine and I so modify the form of the staples or fasteners as to facilitate the
better operation of the machine.
The improved staples or fasteners I make of a flattened form near the arch or
top part as they lie in the inclined channel leading to the setting parts, as will be
described, so as to facilitate their traverse through the said channel of the holder.

page_text: In the improved machine the holder for the buttons or the like, each threaded
onto the arch, or top, of the staple or fastener which is destined to become its
means of attachment to a boot or other article, is made so as to be readily attach-
able and detachable, to and from the "setting" parts and supposing for illus-
tration the setting parts to be arranged to be carried and operated by mechanism
in the form of a pair of pliers, although this form of the mechanism is only one of
a number of ways in which the parts can be operated.
The one arm of the tool which I will call the upper arm carries a hollow
chamber or cylinder and at its upper end has a loop or its equivalent, and to this
cylinder is attached one member of the setting devices, detachably. In the
cylinder freely reciprocates a plunger within certain limits and it has a constant
tendency to protrude from the cylinder by reason of a spring operating between
it and the roof of such cylinder. The outer end of this plunger is preferably
squared and from side to side thereof is bored and in this bore hole is fastened
a pin or axis for the holder to rest against and to be secured to, with the aid of
a screwed milled nut.
This milled or like nut engages a thread on the said pin, at its one end whilst
its other end may be simply formed as a knob or enlargement. If desired two
screwed nuts can be used.
The other arm of the tool carries the other member of the setting devices and
in operation presses it to the plunger, driving the plunger into the cylinder and
the setting devices cause the staple to fix itself into the material, locking the
button to it as is well understood.
The improved staple holder has a T shaped slide way, but with an open slit in
the cross of the tee over the leg and with slightly projecting ridges rising in the
cross groove adjacent to the leg groove. In this slide way the widened fect of the
staples occupy the ends of the cross arms, the flattened sides thereof ride on the
said ridges and the shank of the buttons in the leg whilst the necks of the buttons
protrude from the open slit.
"
The front of the cross groove is formed as a removeable plate on each side of the
open slit, secured to the main part by screws. A guard at the lower end may be
provided arching over the row of buttons as they ride down to the setting parts.
Towards the bottom of the holder the fasteners meet a spring plate by the
operation of which by the mechanism they are one by one released into an open
part and when set
in material they pass away. The holder is held in fixed
position relatively to the "setting" mechanism by means of an upwardly inclined
arm of square or other convenient cross section which is passed into the loop
already referred to on the cylinder, in conjunction with a pair of hooks or claws
which embrace the said pin on the plunger end, the plunger end lying between
the claws and upon the milled screw being tightened up the holder becomes fixed
in position.
If a staple or fastener does become jammed the milled screw nut can be loosened,
the holder disconnected and the misplaced staple readily removed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 shows a foot operated machine of this
description, and Figure 2 a similar hand-operated machine, partly in section.
Figure 3 is a front elevation of the machine shown in Figure 2, viewed in the
direction of the arrow; Figure 4 is a section through the guide-groove; Figure 5
is a side elevation of the machine-head without the guide groove; Figure 6 is
a front view of the head; and Figure 7 shows details of the improved staple or
fastener employed in connection with this machine on an enlarged scale.
The guide groove consists of a casing A which in regard to its section is formed
in accordance with Figure 4, and which possesses a somewhat deep grove in the
centre and on either side thereof a groove which is not so deep, as at a and be
respectively. On to the upper surface of this casting there are screwed two steel
plates B, which are separated from each other by a slot.
The guide groove,

page_text: which extends along a slightly curved line and bifurcates at its lower end is fitted
with two hooks C passing over and engaging with a transverse rod D on the
piston E and capable of being secured in position by means of a nut e screwed on
to the said rod. Between the two hooks C the casting is notched or recessed while
the two plates B with their two front surfaces immediately join the hooks, so that
there remains a free space between the piston and the plates B, through which the
cramp issuing from the guide groove, is pressed against the matrix or die. The
piston E which is flattened in front and provided with a channel 7 in the centre,
is enclosed within the hollow machine-head F from which it is forced outwards by
a spring G in such a manner that it takes up its position by means of its pro-
jection or extension d against a stop or notch provided in the interior of the
machine head. The head F which forms the end of an arm of the machine frame,
is provided with a projection H in the perforation whereof the guiding pin f.
screwed to the groove A, is adapted to move freely in the vertical direction, and
further there is secured to the head F, preferably by screws, the driver I which in
this form of machine, serves as a stop for the piston E. The latter consists of a
steel plate, and at its lower end which extends into the forked portion of the guide
groove A is formed so as to correspond to the shape of the staples or fasteners as
illustrated in Figure 6. This driver, secured on to the inner front surface of the
head F slides upon the flattened front of the piston E whenever the latter is forced
inwards into the head F in opposition to the resisting spring action, by a matrix L.
which in the well known manner bends the staple or fastener ends towards each
other.
Into this guide-groove staples or fasteners K (Figure 7) are inserted in such a
manner that the round arms of the fastener lie in the grooves bc while the flattened
transverse portion of each fastener comes to rest upon the ribs intervening between
the groove a and the grooves bc. The eye, or loop, of each of the buttons, strung
each in the usual manner upon the fastener-after the insertion of the button into
the groove A, slides with its lower part in the groove a; while the two arms of
such eye move in the slot between the two steel plates B. Preferably a spring is
provided in the lower part of the guide groove whereby the buttons are prevented
from unintentionally slipping out, while their release at the proper time may be
effected by any suitable device.
After the guide-groove has been filled with buttons and after the insertion of
the pin finto the guideway H, such guide groove is by means of the hooks C,
hooked onto the rod D, and locked in position by means of the nut e. The article
to which the button is to be fastened is now placed upon the matrix L, and the
latter is pressed against the piston E closely adjoining the front surfaces of the
hooks C, whereby such piston is forced into the machine head F, The lowermost
fastener has by this time entered the space between the steel plates B and
piston E and, as the piston is pressed inwards, is grasped by the driver I. As
the piston E is further forced back, the cramp is retained by the driver, to which
the matrix is steadily brought nearer. While the eve of the button slides in the
groove the arms of the fastener become bent in the well known manner until
eventually it is firmly pressed against the piece (or "blank") being operated upon
Presently when the pressure exercised by the matrix relaxes, the spring G comes
into operation and restores the piston E to its original position (Figures 1 and 2).
The machine may, as stated, be constructed for either foot or hand operation.
In the former case (Figure 1) the matrix L will be adapted to slide in the lower
arm, rigidly connected with the upper arm of the frame, in such a manner that
it may, by means of a set of levers, he pressed upwards i.e. against the piston.
The return of the matrix to its initial position will preferably be effected by a
spring. In the second case (Figure 2) the matrix L is rigidly secured to one jaw
of a tong shaped device Z while the machine head is connected to the other jaw.
It will be seen that owing to the close fitting arrangement of the fasteners
moving in the guide groove, any misplacement or "edging" of such fasteners is
avoided as is also practically any risk of the fasteners snapping (or cracking)

page_text: owing to the massive construction of the lower part of the said guide-groove.
Should however these provisions notwithstanding, any one fastener happen to take
up a wrong position in front of the driver it will be an easy matter to remove
the guide groove bodily, together with the fastener in question, and to replace it
by another freshly filled guide-groove.
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:-
1
1. A machine for fastening buttons to shoes and the like, the main feature of
which is that the staples or fasteners to which has been imparted a shape which
enables them to be guided in an uniform manner, and whereon the buttons are
strung are conducted in a guide groove, attached to, but readily detachable from,
the piston (E) adapted to slide within the machine head (F) in front of a driver (I)
secured to the said machine-head by which driven,-after the article under opera-
tion has been perforated-the said cramps are bent in the well known manner
through the medium of the matrix or die L (exercising its pressure against the
piston.
2) A machine constructed in accordance with the first claim wherein the guide
groove consisting of a casting (A) provided with three longitudinal grooves or
channels (abc) for the reception of the cramp-arms and button eyes and of two
plates B, overlapping the grooves at a distance therefrom corresponding to the
thickness of the cramps, and separated from each other by a central slot, is, by
means of hooks (C) integral therewith, and immediately adjoining the front surface
of the piston E, hooked on to the transverse rod (D) of such piston.
3. The improved construction of staples or fasteners for use in connection with
the machine referred to in the 1st and 2nd Claims, which are flattened down
between their arms and are thereby prevented from turning out of their proper
position by sliding down with their flattening portion along the ribs rising
between the longitudinal channels of the guide groove.
4. The improved construction and arrangement of the parts of the described
apparatus for setting or securing staples or fasteners for attaching buttons, or the
like, to boots, or other articles, so as to prevent derangement of said fastenings in
the slide and consequent jamming of the parts, and to facilitate the removal or
readjustment of such parts as set forth.
WM. BROOKES & SON,
55 and 56, Chancery Lane, London, Agents for the Applicant.