Improvements in Automatic Button-setting Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 25th Feb., 1890-Accepted, 19th July, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Automatic Button-setting Machines.
A communication from THE AMERICAN BUTTON FASTENER COMPANY, of New Britain,
State of Connecticut, United States of America.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., 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 Improvements in Automatic Button Setting Machines, and
the main objects of the improvements are to improve the efficiency of the carrier by
grasping the button in a chuck and to provide a knock-out to clear the machine after
each button has been set, and to prevent the operator from moving the driver back-
wardly before it has completed its stroke.
In the accompanying drawings ;-
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the machine, the door of the case being opened so as
to show the enclosed driving mechanism.
Figure 2 is a front elevation.
Figure 3 is a central vertical section of the hopper, partly in side elevation.
Figure 4 is a detached side elevation of the lower end of the button chute, the
scale for figure 4 and all of the following figures being twice that of figs. 1, 2,
and 3.
Figure 5 is a horizontal section of the same on line x-x of fig. 4.
Figure 6 is a front view of a portion of the frame, the carrier and button holding
spring, with the parts at the end of their upward or backward stroke.
Figure 7 is a horizontal section of a portion of the frame on line y-y of fig 6, and
a plan view of the carrier and button holding spring with the parts at the opposite end
of their stroke.
Figure 8 is a front view of a portion of the frame and carrier with the button
holding spring removed, the parts being in the same position as in fig. 6.
Figure 9 is a like view of the same with the parts at the opposite end of their
stroke.
Figure 10 is a like view with the operating cam of the carrier at the middle portion
of its backward stroke and the chuck jaws at the end of their backward stroke, the
jaws being held open by said cam.
Figure 11 is a detached front view of the chuck jaws and their head.
Figure 12 is a sectional view of the same on line x-x of figure 11.
Figure 13 is a sectional view of the lower portion of the machine on the line t-t of
fig. 14.
Figure 14 is a sectional view (partly in elevation) of the same on line w-w of
fig. 13.
Figure 15 is a detached front view of the knock-out fingers.
Figure 16 is a detached plan view of the crank shaft and connected parts.
Figure 17 is a transverse section thereof on the line u-u of fig. 16 with the parts
in their normal position.
Figure 18 is a like view of the same with the parts at the opposite end of their
stroke, and
Figure 19 is a transverse section on the line v-v of fig. 16 looking towards the
left, the parts being in the same position as in fig. 18.
The machine is designed for attaching buttons by means of metallic fasteners and as
shown is particularly adapted for use with fasteners known as the "Kempshall Button
Fastener." It is evident however that the particular form of fastener necessitates a
special construction only in that portion of the machine through which the fasteners

page_text: pass. The particular style or kind of fastener is therefore immaterial to that portion
of the mechanism that brings the buttons into position to be attached.
The machine is designed to be mounted upon some suitable standard or bench in
connection with a foot treadle or other operating mechanism for imparting an upward
and downward movement to the driving rod A, said rod being connected to the crank
arm 15 of the crank shaft 16 so that an oscillating motion may be imparted to said
shaft.
At the upper end of the machine there is a hopper or receptacle B for buttons,
leading from which hopper is the button chute composed of two side guides 17 and 18
with a space between through which the eye of the button passes and a rear guide 19
for engaging the summit of the button head and preventing the eye from working out
of the space between the side guides. The lower end of this rear guide is provided
with a stop spring 20 see figs. 1, 4, and 5 to stop and hold the lowermost button
within the chute at a short distance above the lower end thereof as shown by the
position of the button 21 in figs. 4 and 5.
A hopper shaft 22, fig. 1, is mounted concentrically with the button receptacle B
and carries a stirring device 26. The hopper and stirring device, aside from the
manner of driving the latter, are of ordinary construction, and not essential to this
invention. In so far as the main features of the machine is concerned the button
may be supplied to the chute by any ordinary mechanism or even by hand if desired.
The crank-shaft 16 has at its rear end a crank-arm 23 to which one end of a
pitman 25 is attached while the other end of said pitman is attached to the double
crank or cross arm 24, loosely mounted on the hopper shaft 22. The ond of the
shaft 22 is provided with a rigid crank 27 having a spring pressed pin 28 that engages
a hole in the cross arm 24 so that by disengaging said pin the hopper shaft 22 may
be revolved by hand independently of the other parts, to revolve the stirring device,
while by engaging said pin with said cross-arm the hopper shaft will be operated
through said cross-arm, pitman 25 and connected mechanism. The other end of the
cross-arm 24 has a pitman 29 attached thereto which is connected with and operates
the crank 30 of the oscillating carrier shaft 31. Said carrier shaft has suitable
bearings in the frame of the machine at a point in rear of and near the lower end of
the chute. At its front end there is an operating cam 32 rigidly mounted on said
shaft, and loosely mounted on said shaft just back of said cam is the head 35
carrying the chuck jaws 34 and 35. The jaw 34 slides radially in the head 33 and is
pressed upon by the spring 36, see figs. 11 and 12 to hold it in its normal position,
while the jaw 35 is preferably hung on a hinge or pivot as at 37, fig. 12, so as to
swing outwardly and is forced inwardly by a torsion spring 38 coiled about its pivot
in the ordinary manner of mounting such springs. Said jaw is also provided with a
projecting and rounded inner face 39 for engagement with the edge of the cam 32,
and said cam is provided with a notch or recess 40 for receiving said inner face of said
jaw. The front of the cam 32 is also provided with a supplemental cam 41, for
engaging and pressing the spring 42 forward as shown in fig. 7, the other end of said
spring being secured to the frame of the machine. The movement of the chuck
carrying head 33 is limited in one direction by the stop 43, as best shown in fig. 9,
and in the other direction by the stop 44 as shown in fig. 10. Thus it will be seen
that the chuck jaws are moved to and from each other for opening and closing them
and also that being mounted on the head 33 that is carried by the oscillating shaft 31
they are moved bodily in an oscillating path.
Within the case at the lower part of the frame there is an arm 45, on the shaft 16,
connected by a pitman 46, to the driver 47. A guide 48 is connected with said driver
so as to have a sliding motion relatively thereto, and its upper end has a passage
way for the passage of the fasteners and the upper end of the driver and knock-
out fingers. The downward movement of said guide is limited by the shoulder 49.
coming in contact with a stationary part 50 of the frame, and its upward movement
is limited by contact with the die or anvil 57 that is formed or set in the lower end
of the piece on which the side guide 18 of the button chute is formed. A
magazine 51, of a well known construction, as for instance such as is shown in

page_text: I
United States patents Nos. 310,541, 311,033, and 353,818, to Francis H. Richards,
contains the fasteners 52 and presents them one by one to the upper end of the.
driver. The lower end of the guide 48 contains a plunger 53 and its spring 54, and
the lower end of the driver has a projection 55 for acting upon the lower end of said
plunger. The driver, the guide, and their operating mechanism are all old and not
of this invention and therefore a further description is considered unnecessary.
however combine with said parts a device bereinafter described for preventing a
premature return stroke and the spring knock-out fingers 56, 56. These fingers are
formed of one piece of spring steel, the base of which is secured to a stationary part
of the frame with the fingers extending up through the top part of the guide and
about flush with or slightly projecting above the top end thereof. The space between
the fingers is wide enough to receive the shank of the guide but is of little less width
than the length of the head of the fastener as shown in fig. 13. In figure 14 the
knock-out fingers are shown in side elevation and not sectioned, thereby showing
that their upper ends project into the path of the fasteners and driver.
Thus it will be seen that the upper part of the machine contains a button feeding
and holding mechanism, and the lower part contains a button fastener driving
mechanism, the machine being designed for setting buttons by the aid of metallic
fasteners.
In machines for setting buttons it is important when the machine is started that it
shall be carried far enough in its movement to complete the operation of setting a
button before it is allowed to make its return movement, but the operators through
inadvertence or other causes often times let the machine make its return stroke
prematurely and thereby gets more than one fastener in front of the driver at one
time so as to interfere with the proper operation of the machine. Other machines
that have a reciprocating movement imparted by a rock-shaft or what I have termed
an oscillating crank shaft are liable to the same action.
The arm 45 of the crank shaft 16 moves the button fastener driving mechanism
and the crank arm 23 of said shaft moves the button feeding and holding
mechanism.
The crank arms are of course rigidly secured to the crank shaft and secured to
the side of the hub of the crank arm 15 there is a ratchet 60 which therefore necessarily
moves with the crank shaft. Upon a part of the stationary frame 61 there is pivoted
a pawl or dog 62 that is forced towards the ratchet by means of the spring 63. By
the side of the ratchet 60 there is a cam 64 loosely mounted on a stationary sleeve or
boss 65, fig. 19, which is formed on or secured to a part of the frame 61. The crank
shaft passes through said sleeve and is concentric therewith. The cam is mounted on
said sleeve instead of being loosely mounted directly on the shaft, in order to avoid
frictional contact of shaft and cam which would have a tendency to move said cam
with said shaft. This cam 64 is provided with shoulders 66 and 67. In one side of
the ratchet there is a pin or projection 68 for engaging said shoulders. The pawl not
only engages the teeth of the ratchet but it is provided with a portion on its inner
face for engaging the edge of the cam.
Figs. 14, 16, and 17 show the parts in their normal position. The crank arm 15 is
first moved upwardly to drive the crank shaft and ratchet in the direction indicated
by the dart in fig. 17. The cam 64 remains stationary until the pin 68 engages the
shoulder 66, after which the cam moves with the ratchet and its edge soon engages
an inner face of the pawl and forces said pawl out of engagement with the ratchet as
shown in figs. 18 and 19. This disengagement of the pawl takes place when the
crank arm has substantially, that is almost completed-its stroke and prior to that time
the motion of the crank arm cannot be reversed. The point in the movement of the
crank shaft where the disengagement of the pawl and ratchet taken place can of course be
located whereever it may be desired by changing the location of the shoulders of the
cam with reference to the projecting edge of said cam.
After the cam engages the pawl to lift it out of the ratchet teeth, the movement of
the crank arm 15 and shaft 16 may be reversed and the cam will remain stationary
to hold the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet to permit said reversal until at

page_text: the end of the return stroke the cam is withdrawn from under the pawl by means of
the pin 68 engaging the shoulder 67 and moving the cam with the crank shaft into
their normal position.
In operating this machine the chute is first filled with buttons and the magazine
with fasteners. The buttons may be placed in the hopper promiscuously and in order
to work them into the chute without operating the other parts of the machine, the
spring pin 28 may be withdrawn from the cross arm 24 to unlock the crank 27, after
which said crank and crank shaft may be turned to operate the stirring device for
filling the chute. Were it not for the spring pin, crank &c., the stirring device could
be operated only by moving the crank shaft 16 and the parts which said shaft drives
and several movements thereof might sometimes be required before a button would
fall down in the chute and be presented to the carrier, while the fasteners would be
forced up and clenched and thereby wasted. By means of spring pin, crank &c., the
button chute may be filled preparatory to starting without working the rest of
the machine. This is especially important when it is desired to make frequent
changes in the size or style of buttons to be set, as for instance in retail stores.
The button chute having been filled, the lowermost button therein will rest upon
the stop spring 20 as shown in figs. 4 and 5 and it is grasped by the chuck
jaws 34 and 35 on their return movement in a manner hereinafter described and the
carrier shaft 31 stops with the parts in the position illustrated in figs. 6 and 8. The
foot treadle or other operating devices move the crank shaft 16 to force the crank
arm 25 upwardly and thereby, through the pitmen 25 and 29 and their connections,
move the hopper shaft and stirring device and also the carrier shaft 31. The nose or
point of the cam 32 presses against the confronting engaging faces of the chuck
jaws 34 and 35 and thereby bodily carries said jaws and the button within them from
the position shown in figs. 6 and 8 into the position shown in figs. 1 and 2 and presents
the eye of the button to the under side of the die or anvil 57. The stop spring 20
yields to release the button as the chuck jaws advance and springs back again to stop
the next button in proper position within the chute the same as before. The summit
or back of the button head is now pressed upon by the button holding spring so as to
hold the head of the button against the back of the die. The chuck head 33 is now
arrested by the stop 43 so that it can move no farther but the carrier shaft 31 and
cam 32 still moves on to force the pointed end of the cam between the chuck jaws to
open them for releasing the button therefroin as shown in fig. 9, while the supplemental
cam 41 is forced under the free end of the button holding spring 42 as shown in fig. 7
to hold the button in place after it is released from the jaws.
On the first part of the stroke of the arm 45 of the shaft 16, the driver 41 moves
upwardly while the guide 48 is stationary until the projection 55 engages the
lower end of the spring pressed plunger 53 and carries the front one of the fasteners 52
up into the top part of the guide 48. Said guide then, under the action of the pro-
jection 55 and plunger 53, is moved upwardly with the driver until the top of the
guide strikes the work lying between it and the die 57. The spring fingers are held
down by being attached to the frame and their ends are merely sprung forward as the
fastener and upper end of the driver is pushed by them. The prong of the fastener is
forced up through the work and eye of the button and clenched against the die in the
ordinary manner. The movement of the shaft 16 is now reversed, the driver and
guide descend together until the latter is stopped by the shoulder 49 and stationary
part of the frame 50, while the driver moves on for the remainder of its stroke. As
the driver and guide descends the upper ends of the spring knock-out fingers engage the
under side of the head of the fastener and each end of said head and thereby force
the work from the guide as said guide reaches its lowermost position, provided
there is any tendency of the work to adhere thereto or to clear the guide in case of
any obstruction.
As the carrier shaft 31 and cam 32 make their return stroke upon the reversal of
the crank shaft 16, the open chuck jaws, by engaging the cam with all the force of
the springs that close the jaws and by the inner faco 39 of the jaw 35 and recess 40
of the cam, are carried bodily back to a position in the rear of the lowermost button

page_text: in the chute when the further return movement of said jaws and head 33 is arrested
by the stop 44 see fig. 10 so that on the continued movement of the cam it is withdrawn
from the jaws and their springs close them upon the lowermost button in the chuto
when they are ready to be carried forward upon the next forward movement of the
cani as before described.
I am aware of the United States patent No. 249,255, November 8th, 1881, and I
hereby disclaim what is therein shown and described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondents I declare that what I claim is ;-
1. In a button setting machine, the combination of the pitmen 25 and 29,
shafts 16, 31, the receptacle B, crank shaft 22, the stirring device 26 mounted on said
crank shaft within the receptacle, the crank 27, the cross arm 24 loosely mounted on
the shaft 22 and connected with said pitmen, and a locking mechanism as for instance
the spring pin 28, for connecting and disconnecting said cross arm and crank shaft,
substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
2. In a button setting machine, the combination of a button chute, the spring stop
for arresting the lowermost button in a given position in said chute, a carrier having
chuck jaws located relatively to the position of said button within said chute as to
bring said button when thus arrested within the path of said jaws and mechanism
substantially as described for opening and closing said jaws and also for moving them
bo lily to and from the position for the button that is arrested by said stop, substantially
as described and for the purpose specified.
3. In a button setting machine, the combination of the carrier shaft 31, mechanism
for oscillating said shaft, the head 33 loosely mounted on said shaft, suitable stops for
limiting the movement of said head, chuck jaws mounted in said head and fitted to
open and close, and the operating cam 32, substantially as described and for the purpose
specified.
4. In a button setting machine, the combination of a button chute, an anvil or
die 57, the carrier shaft 31, mechanism for oscillating said shaft, the head 33 loosely
mounted on said shaft, suitable stops for limiting the movement of said head, chuck
jaws mounted on said head, the operating cam 32, the button holding spring 42 and
supplemental cam 41 for acting upon one end of said spring, substantially as described
and for the purpose specified.
5. In a button setting machine, the combination of the carrier shaft 31, mechanism
for oscillating said shaft, the head loosely mounted on said shaft, suitable stops for
limiting the movement of said head, the chuck jaw 34 sliding radially in said head,
the jaw 35 pivoted in said head, the springs for forcing said jaws toward each
other, and the operating cam 32, substantially as described and for the purpose
specified.
6. In a button setting machine, the combination of the carrier shaft 31, mechanism
for oscillating said shaft, the head 33 loosely mounted on said shaft, suitable stops for
limiting the movement of said head, spring pressed chuck jaws 34 and 35 mounted on
said head, one of which jaws is provided with a projecting and rounded inner
face as at 39 and the operating cam having the recess or notch 40 for
engagement of said inner face 39, substantially as described and for the purpose
specified.
7. In a button setting machine, the combination of a button chute, the spring
stop for arresting the lowermost button in a given position in said chute, an anvil or
die 57, the button holding spring 42, a carrier having chuck jaws, a supplemental
cam for acting on said button holding spring and mechanism for opening and closing
said jaws and moving them bodily to and from said button chute and die, substantially
as described and for the purpose specified.
8. In a button setting machine, the combination of the driver, guide, and operating
mechanism with the spring knock-out fingers, substantially as described and for the
purpose specified.

page_text: 9. The combination of a button feeding and holding mechanism and button fastener
driving mechanism, with the actuating oscillating crank shaft, and a ratchet, pawl and
cam for preventing a reverse motion of said shaft until after it has passed a given
point, substantially as described and for the purpose specified.
10. The combination of the oscillating crank shaft 16, the ratchet 60 having pin or
projection 68, the dog or pawl 62, and the cam 64 loosely mounted on its axis and
having shoulders for engagement with said projection, substantially as described and
for the purpose specified.
Dated the orth don of 1800
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.