IMPROVEMENTS IN AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LABELS AND IN EYELETS THEREFOR, APPLICABLE WHOLLY OR IN PART FOR USE IN THE INSERTION OF EYELETS IN ARTICLES OTHER THAN LABELS."
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Randall Harris and James Gould Cooper, both of
Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LABELS AND
IN EYELETS THEREFOR, APPLICABLE WHOLLY OR IN PART FOR USE IN THE
INSERTION OF EYELETS IN ARTICLES OTHER THAN LABELS."
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Randall Harris
and James Gould Cooper at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 9th October 1880.
WILLIAM RANDALL HARRIS and JAMES GOULD COOPER, both of Manchester, in
the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LABELS AND IN EYELETS THEREFOR, APPLICABLE WHOLLY
OR IN PART FOR USE IN THE INSERTION OF EYELETS IN ARTICLES OTHER THAN
LABELS."
Our Invention relates principally to the labels, which are each folded at one end
and have metal eyelets fixed in the folded ends. We supply the labels to a
machine which folds the end of each label, and inserts and fixes the eyelet. In the
apparatus constructed in accordance with our Invention, the end of the label is
Each of the two
placed in position between upper and lower eyeleting dies.
corners enters a split folder or enters a space between the two parts of a folder.
A third folder
Each folder is arranged to turn-over so as to fold down the corner.
receives and folds down the folded head of the label. Metal eyelets are supplied by
means of a vibrating feeder which is provided with a channel, down which the
eyelets slide. The lower die is bored to receive a sliding stump, which is forced
upwards by means of a spring. The said die is pushed upwards, and the said
stump receives an eyelet from the end of the aforesaid channel. The upper die is
brought down, and the eyelet is fixed in the folds. To enable us to dispense with
a preparatory punching of the material, we in some cases use the descriptions of
eyelets and dies hereinafter indicated. A presser descends to hold the folded label
during the fixing of the eyelet. The various movements are imparted to the folders,
In an
dies, and presser by means of cams and springs or equivalent appliances.
apparatus which we have constructed each folder is attached to a rocking shaft,

page_text: which can be slid forwards into action by means of a cam acting upon a lever
connected with the shaft, the shaft sliding in its bearings or being mounted on a
sliding carriage. A rack gears with a spur pinion on the rocking shaft, and is
acted upon by means of a cam to turn the shaft in one direction, a spring effecting
the reverse movement. The shaft when turning in one direction imparts the
folding down motion to the folder. The two corner folders have their axes of
movement diagonally arranged with reference to the axis of the head folder. The
dies and presser are acted upon by means of cams and springs which cause them
to rise and descend at the required times. The apparatus may be actuated by power
so that it is only necessary to supply the unfolded labels to the machine. We may
employ rollers to receive each label and to pass fowards and return the label, in
which case such rollers may exert a finishing pressure upon the folded end of the
label. We may employ a reciprocating feeder or use any suitable means for
supplying the labels to the machine. The folders are or may be each in the form
of a split bar, or of two bars or plates slightly separated. One corner folder is
arranged to act a little in advance of the other corner folder. The eyelet we some-
times use is left hard, and is not flanched out at the larger end so much as the
ordinary eyelet, and the smaller end is left as much as possible with a sharp cutting
edge. The lower die is grooved to shape the flanch of the eyelet in the operation
of clenching, and the aforesaid sliding stump is pressed upwards by means of a
strong spring. When the material is pressed upon, the eyelet acts as a punch, and
the material is punched and the eyelet inserted and attached or fixed by one
operation. When using a material which resists the punching effect of the eyelet
we perforate the material. We employ a perforating die which is moved below
the upper clenching die, which descends and punches the material and then rises
slightly. The perforating die then moves out of the way to allow the lower
clenching die to rise. Parts of the apparatus may be used in the construction of
machines for inserting eyelets in boots, stays, or other articles. We may use the
special eyelets for other purposes than the fixing in labels in cases wherein it
would be advisable to dispense with the preparatory punching of the material.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said William Randall Harris and James Gould Cooper in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 9th April 1881.
WILLIAM RANDALL HARRIS and JAMES GOULD COOPER, both of Manchester,
in County of Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND IN APPARATUS TO BE USED
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF LABELS AND IN EYELETS THEREFOR, APPLICABLE WHOLLY
OR IN PART FOR USE IN THE INSERTION OF EYELETS IN ARTICLES OTHER THAN
LABELS."
Our Invention relates principally to the labels which are each folded at one end
and have metal cyclets fixed in the folded ends. We supply the labels to a machine
which folds the end of each label and inserts and fixes the eyelet. In the
apparatus constructed in accordance with our Invention, the end of the label is
placed in position between upper and lower eyeleting dies. Each of the two
corners enters a split folder or enters a space between the two parts of a folder.
Each folder is arranged to turn-over so as to fold down the corner. A third
folder receives and folds down the folded head of the label. Metal eyelets are
supplied by means of a vibrating feeder, which is provided with a channel down
which the eyelets slide. The lower die is bored to receive a sliding stump, which
is forced upwards by means of a spring. The said die is pushed upwards, and the
said stump receives an eyelet from the end of the aforesaid channel. The upper
die is brought down and the eyelet is fixed in the folds. To enable us to dispense
with a preparatory punching of the material, we in some cases use eyelets adapted
to act as punches, as herein before indicated. A presser descends to hold the folded
label during the fixing of the eyelet. The various movements are imparted to the
folders, dies, and presser by means of cams and springs, or equivalent appliances.
When using a material which resists the punching effect of the eyelet we perforate
the material. We employ a perforating die which is moved below the upper
clenching die, which descends and punches the material and then rises slightly.
The perforating die then moves out of the way to allow the lower clenching die to
rise. Parts of the apparatus may be used in the construction of machines for
inserting eyelets in boots, stays, or other articles.
And in order that our Invention may be well understood we have attached
hereunto a Sheet of Drawings, to which reference will be made hereinafter. In
the said Drawings, Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of the apparatus for folding
and eyeleting labels; Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line taken on a plane
at right angles to Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 a plan of the parts in the last named Figure,
all the said Figs. being drawn to a scale of about two and a quarter inches to the
foot. In the said Figs., a is a table which is secured to standards a¹ which are
connected by a cross rail a², the said parts forming the framing of the machine.
To the said table are secured two cheeks b, which sustains a plate b¹, upon which
the label to be folded is placed. The said cheeks can be fixed at variable distances
apart, and the plate b¹ be changed for wider or narrower plates according to the
variations in the proportions of the labels to be operated upon. Upon the table are
mounted two corner folders A, A, and a heading folder B. Each folder consists of
two thin blades which are formed on, or are attached to, the end of a spindle c,
which is mounted to slide and to revolve in a bracket d which is bolted to the
table. The end of a spindle c with the folder is drawn to a larger scale in Figs. 11
and 12. The sliding movement of the spindles c is produced by levers e, c¹, which
are mounted upon fulcra which are secured below the table to the framing. The
upper end of each lever is forked and enters between collars on the end of the
spindle. The lower ends of the levers are acted upon by cams f and f¹. The
cain is fixed upon a driving shaft g, which is mounted in suitable bearings and
is actuated by means of strap pullies g. The cams fare secured upon a second

page_text: shaft h, which is connected by spur gearing i with the said driving shaft. Spiral
springs are connected with the said levers and tend to move them in the directions
which will cause the spindles to slide inwards towards the label. The cams are
formed to permit this inward sliding movement at one time, and by acting upon
the levers to withdraw the spindles' outwardly at another time.
Upon each
spindle is fixed a spur pinion with which gears a rack which is fitted to slide
vertically in a bracket . The lower end of the bar upon which the rack teeth
are formed is continued downwards until it rests upon a cam l. Two of these
cams are fixed upon the shaft h, and a third upon the shaft g. At intervals the
cams raise the said racks, and thereby cause the spindles to make half
revolutions in their bearings. Springs, not appearing in the Drawings, keep the
lower ends of the rack bars in contact with the cams and draw down the racks to
give the return movement to the spindles. It will be seen that the spindles of the
folders A are arranged with their axes at angles of about forty five degrees with
the side of the plate 6'. The several cams are so adjusted as that the spindles in
one of the corner folders A shall advance a little before the corresponding spindle
in the other corner folder, and that during or prior to the advance of each spindle
the spur rack & shall be raised, whereby the spindle shall be caused to make half
a revolution as aforesaid, the cam permitting the rack to fall so as to turn back
the spindle so soon as the advance movement has been completed. When a label
is laid upon the plate b', and pushed forwards between the guiding cheeks b, one
of the corner folders advances, and one of the blades of the folder passes above
and the other blade below a corner of the label, as in Fig. 13. On reference to
Fig. 11 it will be seen that certain edges, which we will term the front edges
of the said blades, are about in line with the axis of the spindle c. Supposing
the corner of the label to lie between the two blades by reason of the advance
of the spindle c, as aforesaid, the cam 7 permits the rack to make a quick
downward movement, whereby the spindle c is caused to make a half turn
and the folder turning over turns down the corner of the label, as indicated by
Fig. 14. In the example, the right and left hand corners of the label are thus first
turned down, and as the folders retire the back folder B advances into the position
indicated in Figs. 3 and 15, so that the folded top of the label lies between the
blades of the folder, which immediately turns over, as in the case of the folders A,
and turns down the head of the label, as in Fig. 15. All these movements have
been effected during about half of an entire revolution of the driving shaft, and the
fixing of the eyelet in the folds of the label is accomplished during the remainder
of the revolution. To give time for the placing and withdrawal of the labels, the
Baid shaft is caused to make an entire revolution, and then to dwell until another
label has been placed in position. Upon the said shaft is fixed a wheel m, in which
is formed a single notch or tooth which engages with a spring dedent n, which is
suitably shaped to be acted upon by the foot. So long as the dedent holds the
wheel m, the parts of the apparatus remain at rest, the strap slipping upon the
pulley, but when the foot is pressed upon the detent the said wheel is released, and
is permitted to make a revolution. The parts which insert the eyelet are represented
partly in section about half the full size in Figs. 4 and 5. An upper die o is
attached to the lower end of a spindle p, which is fitted to slide up and down in a
bracket q. The said spindle passes through a frame, and spiral springs extend
between a pin or collar on the spindle, and the ends of an opening in the said
frame, as seen in Fig. 1. The said spindle is acted upon by a lever 8 which is
connected by a link with a lever 8¹, which is acted upon by a cam t which is fixed
upon the driving shaft. A lower die u is attached to the upper end of a sliding
spindle v, which is acted upon by a cam w, which is also fixed on the driving shaft.
These upper and lower dies are by preference formed in accordance with the
Specification of the Invention for which Letters Patent, Number 2971 of the
year 1880 have been granted to us. An intermediate block is interposed for a
short period between the said upper and lower dies. The said block æ is attached
to a sliding bar x', which is connected with the upper end of a lever y, the lower

page_text: end of which lever is acted upon by a cam Z which is fixed upon the driving shaft.
The folded end of the label rests upon the block, when the latter is interposed, as
in Fig. 4. The cam t now causes the lever 8 to push down the spindle p, and the
upper die acts as a punch in conjunction with the intermediate block x, and punches
a hole in the folds of the label. The spindle p then rises slightly, and the cam Z
by acting upon the lever y, quickly withdraws the block x. During the said
descent of the spindle p, the frame has been sustained by means of a swivel arm c³,
which is drawn by a spring into position to engage with a projection on the side of
the said frame. The arm c¹ is mounted upon the sliding bar ¹, and when the
latter withdraws the said arm goes with it, and in its movement is acted upon by
a fixed projection which causes the said arm to swivel, so as to withdraw its support
from the frame r, which then quickly descends, owing to the compression of the
lower spring by the descent of the spindle p. The lower end of the said frame
descends upon the folds of the label, and holds them down during the fixing of the
eyelet. The cam w then pushes upwards the spindle v, whereby the lower die is
brought close up to the lower side of the label. As the lower die rises it is
supplied with an eyelet. The eyelets are placed in a feeder C, which is separately
represented by Figs. 6 and 6*. The said feeder consists of a box which is provided
with a delivery spout d¹. The feeder is hinged upon an arm h¹, which is mounted
upon a fulcrum at ', and is acted upon by a cam m', which is so formed as that the
end of the spout d' is projected over the lower die previously to its rising as
aforesaid, and that immediately the said die has received an eyelet, a spring n¹ is
permitted to quickly withdraw the receptacle, so that the end of the spout is moved
out of the way of the rising die. A revolving stirring arm o' is fixed on a spindle
which is fitted to revolve in the centre of the box, and is driven by means of a cord
which connects a pulley p¹ on the lower end of the spindle, with a band wheel 7.1
on the driving shaft, and which passes over the carrier pullics t'. The end of the
arm o¹ is furnished with a downward projecting stirrer of caoutchouc or other
suitable material, which as the arm revolves carries the eyelets around, and by the
centrefugal action induces them to pass through slots u¹ which lead to the delivery
spout. The said spout is represented in full size section by Fig. 6*, and consists of
a lower plate upon which the eyelets slide, and of two plates which are fixed
with their edges a distance apart, suitable to permit the eyelet to slide between
such edges in single file, as indicated in Fig. 6. The eyelets are kept in the race
thus formed by means of a covering plate ³. The edge of the cam m¹ is corrugated,
so that as it revolves it imparts a quick vibrating movement to the receptacle.
This movement induces the eyelets to arrange themselves with their broader, ends
downwards, and to slide in this position through the grid openings ul, and down
the race towards the delivery end of the spout. On arriving at the delivery end
the outermost eyelet is prevented from falling out by means of a light spring w¹,
which yields when the feeder recedes, leaving the eyelet on the rising die.
said die is provided with a central spring-pin or stump, as in our aforesaid
former Invention, and as the die rises as aforesaid this stump enters the outermost
eyelet. The feeder C now withdraws, leaving the eyelet on the stump, which
is arranged to dwell slightly at this point in the operation. The lower die then
resumes its upward movement, and the eyelet is thereby passed into the hole
which has been punched in the label as aforesaid, and becomes clenched between
the two dies as in Fig. 5, and thereby fixed in the label. We prefer to use the
hard eyelets of the nature and formation set forth in our said former Specification,
especially in cases wherein the material of the label will permit of our dispensing
with the preparatory punching, as, for example, when making paper labels. In
such cases we can dispense altogether with the sliding intermediate block or die x,
the eyelet punching its own way through the label. Fig. 7 illustrates a modifica-
tion in the method of punching the hole. In this example the block x is provided
with a punch a², which is fixed to the end of a spring arm. When the die carrier
is slid forwards the die is brought below and the punch above the folded part of
the label, and when the upper die descends it presses upon the spring arm, and the
The

page_text: punch is forced through the label. This arrangement may be substituted for the
one included in Figs. 1 to 3. In the last named Figs. the parts are represented
in about the positions they would occupy at the time when the folders A have
folded down the corners and retired, the folder B being about to retire. It will be
seen that it is only necessary to place a label upon the plate b₁, to push it forwards,
and to touch the dedent n with the foot, when the driving shaft will revolve once,
and the label will be folded down and eyeleted. In the example illustrated the
labels are supposed to be inserted and withdrawn by hand, but we may employ
rollers to receive each label, and to pass forwards and return it, in which cases such
rollers may exert a finishing pressure upon the folded end of the label; or we may
employ a reciprocating feeder, or use any suitable means for supplying the labels to
the machine. We may arrange to dispense with the dedent n, and to permit the
driving shaft to revolve continuously at a suitable speed. Figs. 8, 9, and 10
illustrate arrangements for use in the fixing of eyelets in other articles than labels,
as, for example, in stays and boots. In theso arrangements the upper and lower
dies and the intermediate block x are used, and also the feeder C, but the folders
A and B, not being required, are left out. A modification indicated in Fig. 10
consists in the application of a travelling table y' to receive the work. The table
is caused to shift a distance equal to to the pitch of the eylet holes by means of a
pawl acting on a ratchet wheel, which is fixed on the end of a screw Z', which
actuates the table. A horizontal rack, formed on the table, and acted upon by a
pawl, may be substituted for the screw Z¹. In Fig. 8 the table y' is left out, as for
many purposes it would not be required.
Having now fully set forth and indicated the nature of our said Invention, and
the manner in which we carry the same into practical effect, we would have it to
be understood in conclusion that we claim,-
First. The combination of parts forming the apparatus, arranged and acting
substantially as and for the purposes set forth and indicated hereinbefore, and in
and by the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly. The folders A and B formed and arranged to advance, thereby passing
members above and below the label, and to turn over so as to fold down parts of
the label substantially as set forth and indicated.
Thirdly. The upper and lower dies actuated substantially as set forth and
indicated.
Fourthly. The use of an intermediate punching block or die interposed at
intervals between the said upper and lower dies for the purpose set forth.
Fifthly. The feeder C substantially as and for the purposes set forth and
indicated.
And, lastly. The method of limiting each movement of the driving shaft to one
revolution, substantially as set forth and indicated.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Randall Harris, for myself and on
behalf of the said James Gould Cooper, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Eighth day of April, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty-one
Signed, sealed, and delivered,
in the presence of
EDWARD K. DUTTON,
41, John Dalton St.,
Manchester.
(Agent for Patentees).
WM. K. HARKIS. (L.S.)