Year: 1886

page_text: I CARL AUGUST. PFENNING of Barmen Rittershausen Rhenish Prussia in the
Empire of Germany Manufacturer 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 and accompanying drawings:-
My said Invention relates to apparatus employed in the manufacture of buttons
composed of a foundation covered with cloth and having a cup-formed back similar
for example to the buttons described in the specification of Letters Patent N° 3809
of the year 1884 granted to Friedrich Louis Niedermeyer.
The present invention relates more particularly to improvements upon the
apparatus described in the said former specification and Letters Patent. In manu-
facturing buttons by the said former apparatus it was necessary that the cup-shaped
back should be equal or nearly equal in diameter to the complete button owing to
the requirement that the strained cloth covering should be securely held at the
margin while the parts composing the Button were being clenched or secured
together. The apparatus comprising the present invention is intended to obviate
the necessity for such a large cup-shaped back and to permit a back to be used
which shall be considerably less than the diameter of the button. In my improved
apparatus I provide a hinged or movable part which is formed with a lip or margin
which causes the cloth covering, to be nipped and held while the parts are being
clenched together. When the parts composing the button have been secured
together the hinged or movable portion of the apparatus in which the said holding
lip is formed can be turned up or moved aside or be lifted away so as to permit of
the removal of the button and the introduction of fresh parts. My invention also
relates to an improved arrangement of similar apparatus for expediting the
manufacture of buttons in large quantities.
And in order that my said invention may be properly, understood I will now
proceed more particularly to describe and ascertain the same reference being had to
the annexed two sheets of drawings and to the letters and figures marked thereon.
Fig. 1 Sheet 1 of the said drawings is a side elevation while Fig. 2 is a partial
section of the apparatus showing the upper hinged portion or cover k. thrown back
and the foundation and cloth covering h of a button about to be thrust into the
hollow sleeve c. Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 with the hinged portion k. closed

page_text: While Fig. 4 is a partial section showing the button in the act of being clenched
together. Figs. 5 and 6 are plan views of Figs. 1 and 2 respectively. As shown by
these figures the apparatus consists of a sole plate a in the centre of which is a
stud b. which fits a hollow sleeve c. Projecting from the stud b. is a pin d. which
fits a slot ff that portion of the slot marked f. being perpendicular while the
portion marked f¹ is slanting as shown. A cover . is hinged at i. to the upper
part of the sleeve c. so that it can at times be thrown back as in Fig. 2. or retained
in a closed position by means of a pin or bolt m as shown in the other Figs. The
said cover carries a pressing screw s. suitably formed at its lower end to press upon
and turn over and clench the hollow portion of the button with which it comes in
contact as shown at Fig. 4. This lower part of the screw is steadied and guided
by a disc e. which fits the bored or recessed lower part of the cover. At the foot
of the said recessed lower part of the cover is an inclined shoulder or lip g. the
function of which is the important part of my invention and which function I will
hereinafter describe when detailing, the operation of my apparatus. The upper
part of the bore c¹ of the hollow sleeve c. is formed with an inclined recess or
countersink as shown and the lower part of the cover k. is turned to correspond so
as to make an exact fit between the cover k. and the top of the sleeve c. In making
a button by means of my apparatus I lay a disc of cloth h. which is to form the
covering, within the recess at the top of the hollow sleeve c. as shown at Fig. 2.
I then place the foundation o. on the top of the said disc and by means of a
punch t. I push or force the cloth h and foundation o. down the bore c¹ of the
sleeve c. until they rest upon the flat top of the stud b. By being thus forced down
the sleeve the cloth h. is strained tightly over the face of the foundation and its
upper margin tends to lie inward toward the centre of the sleeve. Over this upper
margin I then lay the cupped back . which it will be observed is considerably less
in diameter than the complete button. The cover kc. is then shut down and secured
by the bolt m.. The parts as now arranged have assumed the appearance indicated
in Fig. 3 of the drawings. At this point in the operation I turn the sleeve c. on
the stud b. until the pin d. comes opposite to the portion f. of the inclined slot
which it enters. When the pin thus occupies the inclined slot the sleeve in being
turned is drawn down by the screw like action of the slot f¹ bringing the inclined
shoulder or lip g. against the circumference of the button and nipping and holding
the cloth between the said shoulder g. and the foundation as shown at Fig. 4 of the
drawings. The cloth covering his thus held firmly strained over the foundation
while the screw 8. is rotated so as to descend upon and turn over and clench the
central hollow sleeve upon the cupped back i. as clearly shown in Fig. 4. The
button being now completed the screw 8. is raised, the pin m withdrawn and the
cover k. thrown back so as to permit of the removal of the finished button and
the substitution of fresh parts when the sleeve has been again raised to the position
shown in Fig. 2. It will be evident that instead of hinging the cover k. as described
it might be made to lift off or be caused to slide or turn on a pivot so as to uncover
the top of the sleeve c. as described. The Figs. on sheet 2. of the drawings
illustrate an apparatus I employ when it is desired to carry out the manufacture in
a more expeditious and systematic manner. In this example a slide is substituted
for the cover k. the said slide moving to and fro in a plate c. The plate c. has at
one end a boss in which slides a stud or ram b. the said ram being operated by a
finger . on a shaft which is rocked by a lever and rod v. which may be actuated
by a treadle or other suitable means. At the other end of the plate c. is an
orifice p. The slide k¹ carries at one end a recessed continuation c¹ of the bore of
the boss c. and at the other end the said slide carries the pressing screw 8. and also
the recessed chamber with guiding disc e. and inclined lip or shoulder g. The parts
to compose the button are introduced through the opening c¹ and are thrust down
upon the flat top of the ram b. by a punch as already described. The slide kis
then moved in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 7) until the screw 8. is brought over
the ram b. whereupon the rod v. is moved downward and the ram b. thrust up
until the button is pressed against the shoulder g. The screw 8. is then operated so

page_text: as to clench the parts together and the slide k¹ may then be returned to its original
position taking with it the button which drops through the hole p. and orifice w.
in the table which supports the mechanism. Although I have referred to the
clenching portion of the apparatus as being a screw s. it will be evident that in
almost all modifications of the apparatus the requisite pressure could be applied by
an agency other than that of a screw as for example by means of a blow or by
fluid pressure or by the action of a cam or other means.
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. In apparatus of the indicated description the employment of a hinged,
removable or sliding upper part or cover k. in combination with a hollow sleeve c.
the said cover k. being formed with a lip or shoulder g. for the purpose and con-
structed and acting substantially in the manner herein before described and shown.
2. The apparatus described and illustrated with reference to Sheet 2. of the
drawings consisting of a sole plate c. and slide k¹ the said slide containing at one
part an orifice for the introduction of the parts composing a button and formed or.
provided at another part with a lip or shoulder g. and pressing screw or spindle s.
all arranged and operating substantially in the manner for the purposes and by the
means herein before described and indicated.