Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Sept.. 1887
Complete Left, 11th June, 1888
Complete Accepted, 13th July, 1888
The object of my invention is to construct improved machines for manufacturing
buttons.
In carrying out my invention, I fit a three-throw crank shaft, at or near the top
of a vertical frame, in suitable bearings. One end of the crank shaft is fitted with
a driving pulley.
Each of the three cranks is fitted with a connecting rod, and the cranks are set
so that the middle crank is at 180° or thereabouts to the two outer cranks.
The lower end of the middle connecting rod is forked and fitted to a cross-head,
working in vertical guides. The central portion of the cross-head, between the fork
of the connecting rod, carries a vertical bar, which is keyed thereto. The lower end
of this bar is fitted with a die. The vertical bar works in a sleeve, the lower end of
which is fitted with a cutter or stamp for cutting or stamping out the plate which
forms the button; the die on the central bar is used to perforate, stamp, and otherwise
manipulate the plate intended to form the button.
The sleeve is fitted with a cross-head, below the first mentioned cross-head, and
also working in guides. The two connecting rods fitted to the outer cranks and to the
lower cross-head, attached to the sleeve, cause the sleeve to move in an opposite
direction, or nearly so, to that of the central die bar.
One end of the crank shaft is fitted with a wheel, upon a portion of the periphery
of which teeth are formed. These teeth alternately engage two pinions, one in front
and one behind, whereby each of the pinions is caused alternately to rotate and rest.
One of these pinions is fitted with a connecting rod which acts as a pawl to a ratchet
wheel, the driving of which feeds the metal plate to the dies.

page_text: The metallic plate, from which the buttons are punched, is carried between rollers,
one of which is fitted with the aforesaid feed ratchet.
A roller is fitted in the lower part of the frame, in which the matrix is fitted. This
roller is partially and intermittently rotated by means of a connecting rod attached
to one of the pinions. The roller carries a cam which rises and falls to and from a
spring bolt, raising the bolt at the proper moment, and thereby pushing out the
finished button. The feed mechanism then causes the metal plate to travel forward a
distance equal to the piece punched or cut out.

page_text: I ANDREAS GRUHL, of Lobau Saxony, in the Empire of Germany, do hereby
declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of my invention is to effect improvements in machinery for manufacturing
buttons.
And in order that my said invention may be particularly described and ascertained,
reference is hereby made to the accompanying drawings, in which similar letters of
reference indicate corresponding parts.
Fig. 1 is a side elevation of my invention.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the stamping apparatus.
Fig. 3 is a plan view of the cylinder.
Fig. 4 is an elevation of the right hand end of Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is an elevation of the left hand end of the same Figure.
Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged sections of the cylinder and cam.
a a are the two side frames of the apparatus, united by the tie bars bb. c is an
axle having three cranks cc and c². The cranks c¹ c coincide with each
other, and the crank c² is at 180 degrees or thereabouts from c¹ c. d is a driving
pulley keyed to the axle c which is driven by belting; but other methods of driving
may be used.
e is a connecting rod having a T end working in links ff bolted to a
cross-head
hh are
J.
a set of vertical bars secured to the cross-head y, as
shewn.
The lower ends of these bars are formed as suitable dies for stamping the buttons
according to the pattern required.
ii are a pair of connecting rods, the lower ends of which are forked to the
links the latter being secured to the cross-head 7. The crosshead works in
guides .
mm are a set of annular punches having cutting edges at their lower ends..
These punches are bolied to the cross-head as shewn; the stamps / working
within the punchies m.
The punches m and the rods n pass through, and are guided by the fixed plate o.
p is an axle which is prevented from revolving by the set screw r. s is a stationary
cam keyed to the axle p. t is a cylinder keyed to the axle p¹.
The construction of the cams and the cylinder t will be understood from the enlarged
sectional views, Figs. 6 and 7.
u u are the inatrixes which are fixed in position by the set screws u¹. v is a small
wheel fitted to one end of the driving axle e having a portion of the periphery
furnished with teeth, gearing into the pinion w. This pinion is fitted with an
adjustable crank c¹. The crank is fitted with a connecting rod 1 connecting w¹

page_text: with the crank 2, fitted to the axle p'. One quarter of a revolution of the axle c
produces a complete revolution of the pinion w during which time the cylinder t is
moved from the position shewn in Fig. 6 to that shewn in Fig. 7 and back again to
the position shewn in Fig. 6.
2'
The pinion wis keyed to and drives the shaft and thereby actuates the adjustable
crank. This crank by means of the connecting rod (acting as a pawl) drives the
ratchet wheel 4 which operates as an intermittent feed motion. The wheel 5 drives
the wheel 6 fast on a feed axle, this wheel 6 drives the loose wheel 7 and the wheel 8,
fast on another feed axle. 9. 10. 11 and 12 are the four feed roller axles, 18 and 14
being two of the feed rollers (shown broken off).
yy represents the line taken by the sheet metal, as it is fed to the machine.
The operation is as follows:-The feed being intermittent; while the feed is at
rest, the cranks c c¹ by the revolution of the shaft drive down the cross head . This
causes the rods n n to enter the holes in the cylinder and secure its steadiness while
the punches m cut out the metal from the thin plate. The continued revolution of
the shaft raises the cross head with the punches m and the crank c² then drives down
the cross head g and the dies h. Each button is thus driven upon the matrixes u and
completely formed. On the rising of the punches and dies clear of the cylinder t,
the latter is operated by the mechanism -w-w-1 and 2, as herein before
described.
The centre of each matrix is fitted with a small piston 15 having a pin 16 and
spring 17. The partial rotation of the cylinder t as aforesaid causes the pision 15
and pin 16 to eject the button 18 from the matrix, as shewn in Fig. 7. On the return
of the cylinder to its initial position the spring 17 draws back the piston and pin, and
the operation is repeated.
The machine may be constructed for making one, two, or any other number of
buttons at one operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The manufacture and use of button making machines, operating by means of
dies 7, and annular punches m driven by cranks cc in combination with the cylinder t
having partial rotary motion intermittently imparted thereto, substantially as herein-
before described, and shewn on the drawings.
2. In button making machines of the description aforesaid, the application and use
of the fixed cams in combination with the intermittently rotating cylinder t, fixed with
matrixes u u having pistons 15 carrying pins 16 actuated by the fixed cams for the
purpose of expelling the stamped buttons, the spring 17 causing the pistons and pins
to recede when returning to the initial position, substantially as hereinbefore described
and shown on the drawings.
3. The general construction, combination and arrangement of the several and
respective parts together forming my invention of an improved button making
machine, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown on the drawings.
Dated June 11th 1888.
GEORGE DOWNING,
Agent for Applicant.