Improvements in Button Setting Pliers.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 12th May, 1894-Accepted, 16th June, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Button Setting Pliers.
I GUSTAV RASCHE of Evingsen near Altena, Westfalia, Germany, Manu-
facturer do bereby 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 :--
My invention relates to improvements in button setting pliers or tongs for
forming the eye of the pin, that passes into the ear of a button in order to fasten
the same to a shoe or other article. The object of the invention is to hold the pin
fast automatically, while the eye is being formed and to hold also the button in its
proper position for the pin to pass through the ear, so that the hands are free, the
one to hold the instrument, the other to hold the object to which the button shall
be fastened.
Each of the jaws is accordingly provided with the suitable holding device and is
so shaped that the object in view will be readily attained.
In the accompanying drawing I show the new button setting plier in various
views and in detail figures.
Figure 1 shows the instrument in side view ;
Figure 2 is a top view of Figure 1 ;
Figure 3 is a view seen from the face, from the left side of Fig. 1.
Figures 4, 5, 6 and 7 are detailed views of the jaw holding the button;
Figure 8 is a section of the jaws with the pin and button held therein;
Figure 9 is a top view of the pin-holding jaw;
Figure 10 shows the jaws closed, in dotted lines, and the pin bent to an eye,
fixing the button to the stuff.
To the inner side of the jaw A of the shank A¹ I fix a lever B, which is so held
thereon, that it can rock on a pin C, (by which it is joined to the jaw A), but not as
usual in a circular direction round the axis of the pin, but in a direction vertically
to it; a guide pin D prevents the side movement of the lever B. The outer end of
the lever is of angle shape and the side B of the same enters into a groove F cut
into the head E of the jaw A. The end of the side B is bent at right angle, so
that it reaches a little over the face of the head of the jaw A. Into this face of
the head is bored a recess G slightly dovetailed, so that a pin H put with its head
or disc into the recess G is held therein and prevented from falling out.
Now in order to give a firm and secure hold to the pin whilst the jaws are being
closed, the lever B is made to act upon the pin by the following device:
The other handle K of the tongs is provided near the joint pin L with a wedge
shaped projection M, which, when the jaws are closed, passes underneath the one
arm of the lever B and raises it at this side, thus causing the other arm B¹ to be
pressed into the groove F and against the disc of the fastening pin, and pressing it
into the dovetailed edge of the recess G as will be easily understood from a glance
at Figure 9.
Thus the pin is held secure and save in the head of the jaw.
The other jaw N is provided with means for holding the button in such a
manner that its ear lies in the position ready for the pin to pass through before it
is bent to form the eye securing the button to the boot or other object.
For this purpose the end of the jaw is bent out of the straight line as at O and
this part is provided with a step P, into which is cut a thin groove Q for the ear
of the button to be put in. Into this step and the face of the jaw below is also cut
at right angle to the groove Q the circular groove Q¹ serving as a guide for forming
the eye of the pin when the jaws are closed.

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To the other side of the jaw N is fitted a spring R ending in a spoon shaped
cavity S just opposite the groove Q so that the head of the button can be laid into
this hollow part whilst its ear enters into the groove; the spring pressing, it firmly
into its place (Figures 3, 5 and 7).
From the foregoing description and by means of the drawing it will be easily
understood, that the button as well as the fastening pin are held savely in their
respective jaws; the workman therefore can hold in one hand the stuff to which a
button is to be fastened and with the other hand he takes the legs of the tongs,
nipping the stuff between the jaws and by closing the same the pin is forced
through the leather or other stuff, and its way being exactly prescribed, it passes
through the ear of the button, and is shaped by the other jaw to form an eye, by
which the button is fixed to the boot as shown by Figures 8 and 10.
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. In a button setting plier the combination of the one jaw A with a lever B,
which by the action of a wedge shaped projection M on the other jaw N is caused
to be pressed against the disk of the fastening pin forcing said disk into the
dovetailing of the edge of the recess for taking up the pin in the face of the jaw
and holding the pin fast.
2. In a button setting plier the combination of the jaw N with a spring R ending
in a spoon shaped cavity S for taking up the head of the button; the end of the jaw
being bent out of the straight line and having a step P and a groove Qin the
latter, into which the ear of the button is stuck so as to hold the button in proper
position for the pin to pass through when the jaws are closed, the whole as set
forth and illustrated.
3. A button setting plier consisting of two jaws, the one being provided with a
lever acted upon by a wedge shaped piece of the other jaw for holding the fastening
pin in a recess in the face of the first jaw; the other jaw having its end bent
sideways and being provided with a groove in a step at the said end and with a
spring ending in a hollow cavity for taking up the button to be fastened, as described
and shown and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 10th day of May 1804
GUSTAV RASCHE,
Per Karl J. Mayer,
.Agent.