Improvements in Button Attaching and Detaching Implements.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 30th Nov., 1897-Accepted, 1st Jan.,
1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
Improvements in Button Attaching and Detaching Implements.
(A communication by THE MCKENNEY BUTTON FASTENING COMPANY, of 698,
Woodward Avenue, Detroit in the County of Wayne, and State of Michigan,
United States of America).
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON. F.C.S., M.I.M.E., of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, Lord Street, Liverpool, & 6, Bank Street, Manchester, both
in the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham in the County of
Warwick, & 322 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performned, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in a button
attaching and detaching implement of superior construction and utility, the same
being especially adapted for use in applying buttons to shoes, and for removing the
buttons therefrom, although it is not limited solely thereto.
One aim of the invention is to combine in a single implement simple and efficient
means for attaching the buttons to the shoes or other articles by means of a metallic
fastening, and also to provide said implement with simple and easily operated
means for cutting the fastening to release the button when desired, as when it is
required to change the location of a button without damaging the artiole.
The invention consists of the construction, combination and arrangement here-
inafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in
which-
Figure 1 is a view in side elevation showing the implement in inoperative posi-
tion, the cutters or knives being covered.
Figure 2 is a front view of the same.
Figure 3 is a partial inverted plan view of the lower arm A' with its attach-
ments.
Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing a part of the implement in
operative position, the cutters or knives being uncovered ready for use.
Figure 5 is a front view of the implement, showing the parts in operative
position.
Figure G is a detail view of the spring to automatically lift the die spindle.
Figure 7 is a view in cross section on the line, 7-7 Figure 4.
Figure 8 is a detail view in vertical section of the button holding device.
Figure 9 is a vertical section through the die showing a portion of the die
spindle and button holding device.
The invention is carried out as follows:-
A and B represent two jaws, each provided with operating handles and having
a jointed connection the one with the other, as indicated at b. The jaw A is
forned with two arms A' and A³, the two arms being essentially G-shaped. The

page_text: jaw B, is bifurcated toward its forward end to embrace the arm A. The arm A
is provided with a die spindle C, having a reciprocatory engagement therewithin,
tho forward extremity of said arm being constructed with an orifice to receive said
spindle. A yoke C" connects the upper end of the spindle with the outer extremity
of the two forks of the jaw B, and whereby the movement of said jaw will actuate
said spindle in a well known manner.
1) is a retracting spring to retract the die spindle, which may be arranged in
any suitable manner. C is a die preferably having a detachable engagement with
the dio spindle. The arm A is formed with a seat, as at a to receive the head of a
pronged fastening, indicated at a', Figure 2. Said arm is also provided with
clamping spring arms A3 and A' to engage over the head of the fastening to hold
the fastening upon its seat.
The arm A is also provided with fastener spring guard arms a³, ³. These
guard arms and clamping arms are engaged at their rear ends to the arm A, as
indicated at a, by screws or analogous devices. These guard arms a³, a³ project
upward as indicated to protect the points of the prongs of the fastening and pre-
vent their catching, as indicated in Figure 2.
E denotes a button holding device, which is made attachable to the die spindle
and removable therefrom, the same being preferably constructed of sheet metal
bent at its uper end into tubular form and sleeved upon the lower end of the dic
spindle, the tubular portion of the button holder being open at one side, as at e,
to give to the device a spring tension upon the die spindle. Below the tubular
portion of the holder, the device is cut away to form two spring arms Et E' having
their lower extremities turned inward to form supporting flanges for the eye e¹ of
a button E, the arms EE clamping the eye of the button and holding it firmly
in place. A portion of the lower edges of the arms Eis turned up to form a
stope to limit the insertion of the eye of the button in the holder.
The lower ends of said arms E E are formed with upwardly extended wings e³
to form a bearing for the button head. Said arms are also constructed with rear-
wardly extending wings to provide a firm bearing for the button holder upon the
fastener guard and fastener holding arms and the head of the fastener when
the die is actuated to set the fastener. When the die is forced downward through
the arm As the button holding device E first strikes the guard arms aª a³ and forces
them downward toward the head of the fastening and then laterally apart entirely
out of the way of the prongs of the fastener, the button holder and die being forced
between the upper extremities of said guard arms. In this operation the die
engages the points of the fastener to set them, the holder arms Aª A being also
spread apart adjacent to the seat of the fastening and out of the way of the button
holder and the die. The fastener guards a² a³ have an oscillatory movement about
the fastening screws at a as well as a laterally yielding movement at their forward
ends.
A spring F is provided to retract tue guard arms as a when the die spindle has
been retracted. It is preferable that the die should be formed with an orifice indi-
cated at c, Figure 9, and that the button holding device be formed with indenta-
tious to project into the extremities of said orifice to assist in holding the button 4
holding device in place.
To detach a button, the jaws A B are provided with cutter blades G G which
may be secured to said jaws, respectively, in any suitable manner, as by means of a
screw g. The blades GG are each constructed with a spur at g' bearing against
the under edge of the adjacent jaws to communicate the strain upon the blades to 5
the juws.
H denotes a shield for said cutter blades having an oscillatory engagement with
one of the screws g, and made to reciprocate over the opposite cutter blade. When
it is desired to use the cutters, the shield is simply swung back out of place, and
when the cutters are not to be used it may be moved back over the cutters. The 5
implement is thus one of great simplicity as well as of great economy and use-
fulness.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondents, I declare that wlint I claim is:-
1. The pivotally connected jaws for setting a button fastening, said jaws pro-
vided with cutters for detaching a button, said cutters having in combination
therewith a shield, substantially as set forth.
2. The pivotally connected jaws, having in combination therewith a die spindle
reciprocatory through one of said jaws, and a removable and interchangeable button
holding device sleeved upon said die spindle, substantially as set forth.
3. The pivotally connected jaws, having in combination therewith a die spindle
reciprocatory through one of said jaws, and a button holding device sleeved upon
said die spindle, said device made tubular at its upper end and having a spring
tension upon the lower end of the die spindle, the lower extremity of the device
formed with spring arms to clamp the eye of a button, substantially as set forth.
4. The pivotally connected jaws, one of which is provided with a seat for a
pronged fastening, having in combination therewith clamping arms to engage a
fastener upon the seat, and additional guards to shield the prongs of the fastening,
said guards having a vertically and laterally movable engagement with one of
said jaws, substantially as set forth.
5. The pivotally connected jaws, having in combination therewith a die spindle
reciprocatory through one of said jaws, and a button holding device constructed
with a tubular portion at its upper end, sleeved upon the die spindle and with
depending spring arms to support and clamp the shank of a button, said arms
provided with a stop to centre the end of the shank of the button under the centre of
the dic, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 29th day of November 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Negative Plates for Secondary
Batteries.
I, PAUL JOSEPII RODOLPHE DUJARDIN, of 28, Rue Vavin, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Electrical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be as follows:-
My invention relates to the construction of the negative electrodes for secondary
batteries which make use of zinc as the active material of these anodes, and of an
acid solution of sulphate of zinc, as the electrolyte.
The zinc must be considerably amalgamated in order to prevent it being
attacked when the circuit is open. It is therefore important that the mercury
should be regularly distributed over the metal, and that it should not tend to
fall to the bottom of the vessel. I attain this object by dividing the negative
electrode into a large number of horizontal sections of small height, eparated one
from another, in such a manner that no flow of the mercury from one to another
can take place. These sections are so constructed that they retain by capillary
attraction a considerable quantity of mercury, principally in their cavities or inter-
stices, such as are formed by interwoven cables of fine wires, or by means of plates
finely perforated or barred, or pitted with depressions, and so forth, in such a
manner that they are capable of retaining a greater weight of mercury than the
weight of the metal employed in tho plate.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
Patent Agents for the Applicant, 322, High Holborn, London, W.C.
Improvements in or relating to Negative Plates for Secondary
Batteries.
I, PAUL JOSEPH RODOLPHE DUJARDIN, of 28, Rue Vavin, Paris, in the Republic
of France, Electrical Engineer, 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 :—
The present application for Letters l'atent relates to certain improvements in
the construction of the negative plates for secondary batteries of the lead-zinc
type. It is well known that in this class of secondary batteries the presence of
mercury is indispensable in order to avoid the attack of the zinc when the circuit
is open, and in order to permit of the amalgamation of the layers of zinc during
the charge. In order to prevent the escape of the mercury at the end of the
נס..SD

page_text: discharge I divide the negative plate into sections or conductors of sinall height
arranged horizontally, upon which the electrolytic deposition of the zine takes
place during the charge, any passage of mercury from one section to the other
being prevented, so that there will not be any flow of this metal from the upper
conductors to the lower conductors. This arrangement can be carried out in
practice in various manners. I shall describo by way of example three patterns
of plates constructed according to my invention, but it is evident that I may
construct plates of other patterns without departing from the principle of my
invention.
Referring to the drawing accompanying this specification,
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of a first modification.
Figure 2 is a section of the line 2–2 2–2 of Figure 1.
Figure 2 shows a construction in which the wires are twisted into a cable.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of a second pattern of plato.
Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3.
Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 3.
Figure 6 is a part view in elevation of two kinds of plates having rectangular
and perforated surfaces.
Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of a third modification.
Figure 8 is a section on the line 8-8 of Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Figure 7.
In order that my invention may be thoroughly understood I will first discuss
certain theoretical considerations.
As may be proved by experiment, if a wire of zinc be amalgamated by immersion
in a bath of mercury this wire will retain by adhesion to its surface a measurable
quantity of mercury in the metallic state, which remains adherent to the surface
of the wire as long as this remains horizontal. But if the wire is flattened or is
of a sufficient diameter drops of mercury will accumulate at the lower part, and
will form in the course of a short time a larger drop, the weight of which is
sufficient to detach it from the wire. The quantity of mercury which remains
adherent to the metal varies considerably according to the molecular aggregation
of the zinc. For instance a drawn wire of zinc will retain only about a tenth of
its weight of mercury, either amalgamated or retained by adhesion. A metallic
wire or a ring of carbon coated with zinc by the electrolysis of a neutral bath of
sulphate of zinc will retain nearly one third of its weight. If on the otherhand
the deposit of the zinc has been obtained in an acidulated bath the mercury
absorbed or retained in the pores and cavities of the rough metal deposited exceeds
very much the weight of the zinc. Under these conditions the porous zinc serves
as a kind of sponge or capillary reservoir for the mercury with which it is
saturated.
Figures 1 and 2 represent one of the modifications which I may give to my
negative plates. The plate is constructed with a series of conductors A of small
dinmeter and of any desired shape, but usually in the form of fine wires twisted
into cables, (Fig. 2) the interstices of the said wires retaining by capillary
attraction a quantity of mercury sufficient to thoroughly amalgamate the zinc
deposited susceptible of being amalgamated, supported between two pieces BB
which are not susceptible of amalgamation. The conductors A A A may be of any
construction such as of zinc or of a metal of any kind covered with zine or of
any other substance, such as carbon for instance conted with zinc either directly
or with interposition of another metal. These latter methods of forming the
conductors adinit of the use of a very small quantity of zinc. The pieces BB are
perforated with holes bb for the passage of the conducters A. These conductors
are in electrical contact in a groove which is filled with mastic. The electrical
contact can be rendered certain either by reason of the continuity of the conductor
as shewn in the drawing, or by means of special conductors uniting the ends of
the separate horizontal conductors. In all cases the combination of the metallic-