Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Covered Eyelets and similar Articles, and to Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 5th Dec., 1896
גטע
[Communicated from abroad by THE FLORENCE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, a
Corporation organized under the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, of 200 Pine
Street, City of Northampton, County of Hampshire and State of Massachusetts,
United States of America, Manufacturers.]
Improvements relating to the Manufacture of Covered Eyelets and
similar Articles, and to Apparatus therefor.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:-
In some cases, eyelets such as those which are used on boots and shoes have the ends
thereof which are exposed when in use covered with plastic material, which latter is
moulded thereon and constitutes a head or finish therefor. The invention hereinafter
described relates chiefly to the manufacture of such oyelets, but, as will be obvious
from what follows herein, it is more or less applicable in the manufacture of other
articles which are composed in whole or in part of moulded plastic material.
Said invention consists in certain improved mechanism for working plastic material
in the production of articles such as aforesaid, and in the new and improved method
or process of making moulded articles, all as hereinafter is fully indicated in the
following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, and afterwards is
more particularly pointed out and distinctly defined in the claims at the close of this
specification..
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a view mainly in side elevation, but partly broken away to show the
internal structure of certain devices which are employed by me in the punching out
of portions of plastic material from a sheet, the punch-carrying plate and punches being
in their lowest position. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the said devices, but with the break
made at a different place, and showing the punch-plate and punches raised into their
highest position, with a sheet of plastic material inserted beneath the lower ends
of the punches.
Fig. 3 is a view like unto Fig. 2, but with the break extended somewhat, showing
the parts in the position in which they are represented in Fig, 1, and representing the
completion of the punching operation.
Fig. 4 is a view showing in transverse section the die-plate, removed from the
punching apparatus of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, and having applied thereto the heater-plate
which is described hereinafter. Fig. 5 is a view in similar section of the two die-
plates which are employed for applying the coverings of plastic material to the ends of
the eyelets, this view representing the said plates as brought partially together.
Fig. 6 shows, one above the other, an eyelet and the flat ring or washer of plastic
material which is to be applied thereto to form its covering.
Fig. 7 shows in transverse section an eyelet having applied thereto and moulded
into shape thereon the head or covering which is described hereinafter.
Having reference to Fig. 7, 1 designates an eyelet, which, as usual, is of cylindrical
form and has one end thereof enlarged. 2 is a head or covering of plastic material
which is moulded upon the said enlarged end of the eyelet.
Heretofore in the moulding of small articles in general, and also in the moulding

page_text: ag
of heads or coverings upon eyelets as in Fig. 7, it has been customary first to
form the plastic material into sheets, and then to place either the said sheets, or
strips cut therefrom, between the halves of the moulds which are employed, such
halves having previously been heated on a steam table, or the sheet or strips
themselves having first been heated on a steam-table, and the said moulds being
furnished with sharp cutting edges around the peripheries of the cavities which
determine the shape of the articles produced, or of the heads aforesaid, so
to cut out the articles, or the rings of which such heads are formed, from the
sheet or strip. There are various objections to proceeding in this manner. One
objection is the extreme heating of the moulds. Another is that the dies or moulds
heretofore used have required to be located sufficiently far apart in the plates in
which they are formed to provide room for waste material between the adjacent
dies or moulds, and hence, as will be apparent, a considerable proportion of the
sheet or strip employed becomes scrap material and is not utilized in the pro-
duction of the desired articles. This scrap material is injured and lessened in
value by the heating to which the entire sheet or strip is subjected. As is
well-known to all users of plastic material such as celluloid, every time the same
is heated it loses plasticity and becomes hard, so that in subsequently re-working
and forming it into sheets fresh and costly material must be added in order to
bring it into proper condition for use. The forcing of the cutting edges of the
moulds through the sheets or strips of material, or, in other words, the severing
of the portions of the sheet or strip therefrom by the moulds, consumes considerable
power. Articles produced by the moulds just described, when taken from the moulds
are marked by a projecting portion or flash, which indicates the meeting line of
the dies or moulds, and requires to be removed by subsequent treatment or finishing
operations. In the usual method of moulding it is necessary to heat the moulds
themselves quite hot, inasmuch as the material has to flow, as it is termed, quite
considerably in order to take the shape of the moulds, and must, for this reason,
be made soft in order that it may flow with sufficient freedom and avoid the
formation of a thick flash. The moulds which are required to be employed in the
foregoing method, in consequence of being provided with cutting edges aforesaid,
Dust necessarily be hardened to enable them to keep their shape. Such moulds
are very difficult and expensive to make, inasmuch as the steel is liable to spring
out of shape while being heated, and if it does so the dies or moulds will not come
together as perfectly as they must in order to do the work properly. The edges
of the dies or moulds, moreover, frequently are jammed and injured by the over-
flow which takes place trom the shaped cavity in which the moulding is performed,
this overflow getting between the edges of the moulds and being jammed by the
heavy pressure into the steel.
The invention has been devised with the aim in view of obviating the fore-
going objections. The special ends sought to be secured are in part to avoid
having to heat the material which is not utilized in the formation of the article,
to dispense with making cutting edges on the moulds themselves, to dispense with
the extreme heating of the moulds themselves, to effect an economy in the use of the
plastic material, and to provide in a novel and improved manner for introducing the
plastic material into the moulds or dies, and for applying it to the eyelets.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the best means which have yet been
devised for carrying the invention into effect. In said drawings are shown only
such parts as are essential to an understanding of the nature and working of the
said invention.
At 3, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, is shown part of the fixed frame-work of a punching
machine, and at 4 is one of the die-plates or mould-plates which are employed in
the moulding operation. This die-plate is applied removably to the said frame-
work 3, it being held from moving upwardly by lips or projections 5 on the said
frame-work, beneath which lips or projections the edges of the said die-plate 4 are
passed in the operation of applying the plate to the frame-work. This plate has
fitted thereto a series of dies 41; each of which is formed with a circular recess or

page_text: depression 42 corresponding in conformation with the head or covering 2 which
is to be moulded upon each eyelet. For the purpose of moulding the inner portions
of the said head or covering 2, more particularly the portion thereof which is
within the throat of the eyelet, the portion of each die which is at the center of.
the circular recess or depression is raised and continued in the form of a pin 6.
When the die-plate in question is applied to the frame-work 3, the pins 6 extend
upwardly above the plate.
12, 13, 14 and 15 are plates pertaining to the punching-head of a punching
machine, the said plates being connected together and being operated from suitable
actuating mechanism, 16 being intended to represent the lower end of
post which
is in connection with the actuating devices. After the application of the die-plate 4
to the frame-work 3, the descent of the assemblage of plates 12, 13, etc., causes the
plate 12 to rest upon the upper surface of the die-plate 4 as indicated in Figs. 1,
2 and 3, the proper position of the said plate being secured by any suitable
means. The said plate 12 constitutes the lower punching-plate and is formed with
a series of holes 121 therethrough, which holes are arranged so as to be concentric
with the pins 6 after the plate 12 has been brought down against die-plate 4 as
aforesaid. Plates 12 and 13 are united firmly to each other, they being separated
sufficiently by spacing pieces 18, 18, or the like means, to leave between them an
opening or space 19, which is sufficient to permit of the introduction of a sheet 20
of the plastic material which is to be moulded. The plate 13 is formed with a
series of holes 131 which register with the holes 121 of plate 12 and it constitutes
a guidé-plate for the punches 21, which latter are secured to the punch-carrying
plate 14; as shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and 3, and pass through the said holes 131
in the guide-plate 13. The punch-carrying plate 14 is connected firmly with the
top-plate 15, the two being separated from each other by spacing devices 22. The
pair of plates 14 and 15 is connected with the pair of plates 12 and 13 by
devices which permit in the upward movement of the parts, the pair 12 and 13
to be arrested by the stops 40 40, which are applied to a fixed part of the frame-
work, while the upward movement of the pair 14 and 15 continues for a short
distance, and, afterward, in the descent of the parts, the said connecting devices
permit the pair 14 and 15, together with the punches carried by the plate 14, to
continue their descent for a short period of time after the pair 12 and 13 have
become stationary in consequence of the plate 12 coming in contact with the top
surface of the die-plate 4. This relative movement, as will be obvious, enables in
the ascent of the parts the lower ends of the punches 21 to be raised above the
space 19 for the admission of the sheet 20 of plastic material, and, in the descent
of the parts enables the punch-plate 12 first to be applied to the die-plate 4 with
the openings therein registering properly with the shaped cavities or depressions
aforesaid, and then permits the punches 21 to be carried downward through the
said punch-plate 12 and through the sheet of plastic material resting thereon in
the space 19. In the said operation, the punches carry the portions of material
which are punched out from the sheet 20 down into the openings in the plate 12
as indicated in Fig. 3. The punches 21 are hollow, and the inner edges at the
lower ends thereof are made with cutting edges which co-act with the upper ends
of the pins 6, so that as the punches 21 descend and act to sever disks or other
shaped portions of material from the sheet 20, the pins 6 also operate to punch
out the centers of the said disks or pieces, forming thereby rings or washers such
as that which is shown at 27 in Fig. 6. The central portions that are punched
out from the disks in question pass upwardly through the central openings 23 of
the punches, finally escaping into the space 24 between. the plates 14 and 15, from
which space they may be removed when necessary. A convenient means of
connecting the upper pair of plates 14 and 15 with the lower pair of plates 12
and 13, so as to permit the desired movement of the one pair relatively to the
other as aforesaid, is shown in Fig. 1, in which screws 25, 25, pass freely through
holes that are made in the plate 14, their threaded stems entering threaded holes 26
that are formed in the plate 13. The movement of the parts relatively to each

page_text: other is terminated by the engagement of the heads of the screws 25, 25, with the
plate 14 after the parts have been separated to the desired extent.
By the descent of the punches, the rings or washers 27 which are produced in
the manner described are carried down upon the pins 6 and are left thereon in
the position indicated in Fig. 3. The raising of the punching devices lifts the
plate 12 and leaves the die-plate 4 free to be removed from the frame-work 3.
After such removal the said die-plate 4 is placed upon a suitable steam-table or
other support to be heated.
I now apply to the said die-plate a heater-plate 28, which, during the performance
of the foregoing operations, has been resting upon a steam-heated table or other
device, and thereby has been brought to the proper temperature. This heater-plate
is perforated, as indicated in Fig. 4, to fit upon the projecting ends of the pins 6.
The said plate carries the rings or washers 27 downward on the pins 6 as indicated
in Fig. 4, and through resting its weight thereon softens the same, thereby pre-
paring them for the moulding operation which follows. 29, 29, Fig. 4 are handles
or bails which may be provided, if desired, to facilitate the handling of the plate 28.
The plate 28 having been left upon the pins 6 for a sufficient length of time to
effect proper softening of the rings or washers 27, it then is removed, and the
die-plate has applied to it the plate 30, in the manner indicated in Fig. 5.
The said plate 30 constitutes the other die-plate or mould-plate, it co-operating with
the die-plato 4 in forming the heads or coverings 2 of Fig. 7. Prior to applying
the die-plate 30 to the said plate 4, the former has introduced into the holes 31, 31,
which are formed therein, the eyelets 1, 1, to which the heads or coverings 2 are
to be applied. The die-plates 4 and 30 now are forced closely together, thereby
compressing the softened rings or washers 27 onto the enlarged ends of the
eyelets 1, and causing the said rings or washers to be moulded into the final shape
of the heads 2.
The characteristics of the foregoing features of the said invention are as follows:
The material of which the heads 2 are formed is shaped to the exact size which is
required for the production of the said heads by the punching devices prior to the
placing together of the dies or moulds which give shape to the heads, thereby
obviating all cutting of the stock between the edges of the dies or moulds. Less
power than heretofore is required for effecting the compressing or moulding operation.
The sheet of stock from which the rings or washers are cut or punched can be more
completely utilized than with prior methods of production, aud, inasmuch as the scrap
is not heated to soften the same, it is not injured and lessened in value. The pins 6
serve to center the rings or washers 27 with exactness in the shaped cavities or
depressions that are formed in the die-plate or mould-plate 4; and, in consequence of
causing the rings or washers 27 to remain upon the said pins 6 after they have been
punched from the sheet of stock, in the manner above described, I avoid the further
handling of the said rings or washers which would otherwise be required for placing
the said rings or washers in the dies or moulds. The dies or moulds which I employ
do not need to be hardened as heretofore. Inasmuch as there is no overflow of the
material from within the same, there consequently is no danger of their becoming
jammed and injured on their edges, the pressure being altogether inside the moulds.
The application of the heater-plate 28 in the manner above described softens the
plastic material of which the rings or washers are composed very much quicker, and
makes such material much more plastic than is the case when a sheet of plastic
material is simply laid upon a heated die. In the latter case, the contact between the
sheet of material and the heated die is less perfect than it is between the rings or
washers and the heated plate resting thereon. When the heater-plate 28 is used as
just described the weight of the plate itself secures greater efficiency.
As noted above, the pin 6 passes into the barrel of the eyelet which is in process of
having a head or covering 2 moulded thereon, and determines the extent of the flow
of the plastic material into the throat of the eyelet, as well as the form of the portion
of the head or covering which enters such throat. To do this properly, the base
portion of the said pin must fit approximately against the inner surface of the eyelet.

page_text: I prefer, in lieu of forming the central holes in the washers of the same diameter as
the base portions of the pins, to make the said holes in the washers slightly less
in diameter than the base portions of the pins. In order to accomplish this the
tip of the pin is formed slightly smaller in diameter than the base portion.
Through experience I have ascertained that the best results cannot be ascertained
when the hole in the washer is of the same diameter as the base of the pin. In
such case, it frequently happens that the interior portion of the moulded covering
or head of the finished eyelet is imperfect and exposes the metal. This is due to
the failure of the plastic material to flow into the throat of the eyelet around the
pin. The amount of material in each washer should be just sufficient to fill
the circular recess 42 in the die 41, and the throat of the oyelet for a short
distance, after the two die-plates or mould-plates 4 and 30 have been compressed
together, it being understood that at this time the hole 31 in the plate 30 has.
inserted in the same the body of an eyelet and also that the flange of the said eyelet
enters the recess 42. It is desirable to avoid the pressing out of any material
over the edge of the die 41 beyond the outer boundary of the recess 42, for,
while such material would be cut off on the closing of the die-plates or mould-plates
together there would be produced a flash of the stock around the outer edge of
the head or covering of the eyelet. There also would occur in this case the loss
of a small portion of stock, which loss it is desirable to avoid. This pressing out
of the stock will occur not only when an excess of material is contained in the
washer, but also, even when the washer contains precisely the right amount of
material, when the material composing such washer is disposed or located improperly
in the circular recess 42 before the performance of the moulding operation; that
is, when an unduly great proportion thereof becomes located in the portions of
the said recess which are the more remote from the center, measured radially.
The material which is used in the production of the heads or coverings 2 is not
perfectly plastic, and, even when heated, requires some time for its flow. On the
other hand, the beginning and end of the compression in the moulding of a head
occur almost simultaneously, so that the plastic material has but a minimum
amount of time in which to flow into all of the interior spaces of the moulds..
When the die-plates or mould-plates are brought together and are subjected to
compression it will follow, in case an undue proportion of plastic material is located
in the outer portion of recess 42, and because of the tendency of the plastic
material to pass most readily in the direction of least resistance that, instead of
the desired portion thereof passing into the closely contracted space between the
base of the pin and the interior of the throat of the eyelet, such space will
remain partly unfilled and a corresponding quantity of material will flow outward
as excess beyond the outer edge of the recess, and be cut off on the complete
closing of the dies together. Thus waste will follow, a flash will be formed, and a
metallic surface in the throat of the eyelet will be partially or completely exposed,
all of which are undesirable occurrences.
With the object in view of obviating the foregoing disadvantages and difficulties,.
I proceed as follows; In punching the washers I form the central hole of each washer
somewhat smaller in diameter than the base of the pin 6. Obviously, this will give an
increased amount of material contained in the washer, when compared with one having
a hole of the full diameter of the base of the pin 6, it being assumed that both washers
are of the same thickness. Also, prior to the moulding I upset the said washer
somewhat, so as to render it somewhat dished, or in appearance like a truncated cone,
and I expand the central hole so as to enable the washer to pass down into place at
the base of the pin 6. The shape and position of the washer when in place at the base-
of pin 6 are substantially as represented in Figs. 4 and 5 of the drawings. While the
upsetting or dishing of the washers, and the expanding of the central holes thereof
may be effected by the use of various forms of mechanical contrivances, I arrange, by
preference, to perform the upsetting or dishing of the washers, and the expanding
thereof, simultaneously with the placing of the washers upon the bases of the pins 6 in
proper position for the moulding, with the object in view of reducing the number of

page_text: the operations which are necessary to be performed, and the frequency with which
the washers are handled. To this end, I form the upper end or lip of the pin 6 of
reduced diameter relatively to the base thereof. If the washer is punched first
it is formed with a hole to fit the diameter of the tip of the pin, and then is placed
upon the said tip. If the said tip acts to punch the central hole, in that case the
washer will remain thereon after the punching. The washers being on the tips of
the pins, the application of the heater-plate as herein before described forces the washers
onto the base portions of the pins, and the increased diameter of such base portions
effects the desired expanding of the holes of the washers. In order to secure the
desired upsetting or dishing of the washers, the lower portions of the holes 281, 281,
in the heater-plate are flared or counter-sunk as at 289, 289, in Fig. 4. The applica-
tion of the heater-plate serves to soften the washer and drive it down upon the pin 6.
The softening enables the washer to change its form without cracking or breaking.
As the washer passes downward, the resistance that is offered to the descent of the
portions of the washer which are nearest the center thereof, by the increased diameter
of the portion of the pin 6 which is below the tip thereof, operates to upset or force
such portions of the washer upwardly relatively to the remaining portions of the
washer, so as that the washer is caused to take and fit the shape of the counter-
sink 289. When now the die-plate 30 carrying an eyelet in its hole is brought
down against the die-plate 4, the central portion of the upset or dished washer will
pass into the throat of the eyelet and project somewhat into the said throat, as will be
understood. This locates the portion of the said washer which is to cover the interior
surface of the eyelet at exactly the place where it is needed, so that at the time of the
compression it becomes unnecessary to depend upon the flow of the material inwardly
from the recess 42 into the throat of the eyelet. Thus, the use of an upset or dished
washer locates the plastic material precisely where it is needed for filling the cavities
of the moulds, reduces to a minimum the extent to which the softened material has to
flow in order to fill the moulds properly and secures without waste a result, which
could be accomplished only imperfectly by the use of a thicker flat washer, and in the
latter case with the accompaniment of considerable waste.
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. The combination with the mould-plate having a series of moulds or dies, and
also having a series of pins at the centers of the said moulds or dies, of a series of
hollow punches which co-act with the said pins whereby to form a series of washers
and simultaneously therewith assemble them in connection with the said moulds or
dies in readiness for the moulding operation, and a second mould-plate to co-operate
with the mould-plate first mentioned in effecting the moulding after the washers have
been assembled upon the pins, as described.
2. The combination with the mould-plate 7 having a series of moulds or dies, and
also having a series of pins 6 at the centers of the said moulds or dies, of the heater-
plate 28 having holes therein to receive the projecting ends of the said pins, whereby
to soften the washers of plastic material on said pins prior to effecting the moulding
operation, and the mould-plate 30 to co-operate with the mould-plate 7 in effecting
the moulding after the washers have been softened by the application of the heater-
plate, as described.
3. The combination with a mould-plate constructed to receive the plastic material
which is to be moulded, of a removable heater-plate for application to the said mould-
plate, and a second mould-plate whereby to effect the moulding after the removal of
the said heater-plate, as described.
4. The improved method of producing covered eyelets which consists in first forming
a washer of the covering material with the hole therethrough smaller than the hole
through the eyelet that is to be covered, then upsetting or dishing the said washer to
give it the shape of a truncated cone, and expanding the central hole thereof, then
applying the eyelet and washer to each other with the truncated end of the cone

page_text: within the throat of the eyelet, and then subjecting the two to compression to
mould the covering upon the end and within the throat of the eyelet, substantially
as described.
5. The mould for making covered eyelets having the circular recess to form the
outer portion of the moulded head or covering, and also having the pin formed with
a tip of reduced diameter relatively to the base-portion thereof, which latter fits
within the throat of the eyelet, and assists in the moulding operation, substantially
as described.
6. The mould for making covered eyelets having the circular recess to form the
outer portion of the moulded head or covering and also having the pin formed with
a tip of reduced diameter relatively to the base portion thereof, which latter fits within
the throat of the eyelet and assists in the moulding operation, combined with the
heater-plate perforated to fit upon the pin, and also having the lower portion of the
perforation therethrough flared or countersunk substantially as described.
Dated this 6th day of October 1896.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.