Improvements in Presses or Apparatus for Attaching Buttons having Tubular Shanks to Articles of Dress, and Fabrics, and Leather, and other like Materials, and for Expanding Eyelets or Hollow Shanks for various purposes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Mar., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 24th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 24th Jan., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Presses or Apparatus for Attaching Buttons having
Tubular Shanks to Articles of Dress, and Fabrics, and Leather,
and other like Materials, and for Expanding Eyelets or Hollow
Shanks for various purposes.
I HENRY DOWLER of the firm of Frederick Dowler and Sons of Wainwright Street
Works Aston near Birmingham in the County of Warwick Manufacturers do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In attaching buttons and other articles having tubular shanks or stems by the
process of eyeletting or rivetting a press is usually employed having a detached
piercer commonly called a stiletto the use of which is attended with inconvenience
and occupies much time.
The object of my invention is to dispense with the said detachable stiletto and to
simplify and expedite the attaching of buttons and other eyeletted articles.
I will describe my improvements as adapted to an oycletting press but my said
improvements may also be employed in connection with hand pliers of the kind
commonly employed for cycletting.
In place of the ordinary nipple fixed on the bed of the press which said nipple
effects the expanding or rivetting I employ a fixed lengthened nipple tapering
upwards to a sharp point capable of piercing cloth or other moderately dense
fabric or material pressed upon it. The lower part of the said nipple is properly
shaped to clinch the hollow stem.or shank of the button or article operated upon.
press
The movable or upper tool carried by the movable arm or plunger of the
bored with a hole of sufficient diameter to permit of the descent of the tool (when the
said tool descends in a curvilinear path) without risk of its touching the pointed
nipple on the bed of the press.
is
I will explain the action of my invention in connection with the attaching of a button
to a fabric by the eyeletting process.
A perforated button back plate is passed over the pointed nipple onto the base of
the said nipple that part of the said fabric where the button is to be attached is
pressed upon the point of the nipple and is thereby pierced the point of the nipple
protruding through the fabric. The button is next passed over the point of the
nipple projecting through the fabric; the hollow upper or movable tool is then brought
down and the button and fabric are thereby forced to the base of the pointed nipple
and the end of the hollow stem of the button expanded or riveted according as the
lower part of the nipple is shaped for expanding or riveting.
Any tendency in the stem of the button to stick to the nipple and resist removal
may be counteracted by a tube or sleeve sliding on the nipple and pressed upwards by
a strong spring. This sleeve being pressed upwards by its spring after the pressure
of the upper tool has been removed raises the button and fabric.
T
1311 JM 1800
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Presses or Apparatus for Attaching Buttons having
Tubular Shanks to Articles of Dress, and Fabrics, and Leather,
and other like Materials, and for Expanding Eyelets or Hollow
Shanks for various purposes.
I HENRY DOWLER of the firm of Frederick Dowler and Sons of Wainwright Street
Works, Aston near Birmingham in the County of Warwick, Manufacturers do hereby
declare the nature of my invention and the manner in which the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
In attaching buttons and other articles having tubular shanks or steins by the.
process of eyeletting or rivetting a press is usually employed having a detached
piercer commonly called a stiletto, the use of which is attended with inconvenience
and occupies much time.
The object of my invention is to dispense with the said detachable stiletto and to
simplify and expedite the attaching of buttons and other eyeletted articles.
I will describe my improvements as adapted to an eyeletting press but my said
improvements may also be employed in connection with band pliers of the kind
commonly employed for cycletting.
In place of the ordinary nipple fixed on the bed of the press which said nipple
effects the expanding or riveting Lemploy-a-fixed-lengthened nipple-tapering upwards
to a sharp point capable of piercing cloth or other moderately dense fabric or material
pressed upon it. The lower part of the said nipple is properly shaped to clinch the
hollow stem or shank of the button or article operated upon.
is
The movable or upper tool carried by the movable arm or plunger of the press
bored with a hole of sufficient diameter to permit of the descent of the tool (when the
said tool descends in a carvilinear path) without risk of its touching the pointed nipple
on the bed of the press.
I will explain tho action of my invention in connection with the attaching of a
button to a fabric by the eyeletting process.
A perforated button back plate is passed over the pointed nipple onto the base
of the said nipple; that part of the said fabric where the button is to be attached
is pressed upon the point of the nipple and is thereby pierced, the point of the
nipple protruding through the fabric. The button is next passed over the point
of the nipple projecting through the fabric; the hollow upper or movable tool
is then brought down and the button and fabric are thereby forced to the base
of the pointed nipple and the end of the hollow stem of the button expanded
or riveted according as the lower part of the nipple is shaped for expanding or
rivetting.
Any tendency in the stem of the button to stick to the nipple and resist removal
may be counteracted by a tube or slcove sliding on the nipple and pressed upwards
by a strong spring. This sleeve being pressed upwards by its spring after the pressure
of the upper tool has been removed raises the button and fabric.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying drawing the
manner in which my invention is to be performed.
Figure represents in side olevation partly in section a hand worked oycletting
press for attaching tubular shanked buttons to articles of dress and fabrics or other
like materials, the said press containing my improvements.
Figure 2 represents in section the lengthened pointed nipple and a portion of the
bed of the press drawn to a larger scale, the said Figure 2 also exhibiting the positions
which the tubular shanked button, the layers of fabric to which the button is to be
attached and the perforated back plate occupy before the descent of the movable or
upper tool of the press and
Figure 3 represents the said parts after the movable or upper tool of the press has

page_text: descended and expanded or eyelettel the end of the button shank within the tubular
back plate and attached the button to the fabric;
Figure 4 represents partly in elevation and partly in section (and also a plan of
underside) the button Figure 3 without the fabric ;
Figure 4 represents a tubular shanked button with a different kind of back
plate;
Figures 5 and 6 represent a modified pointed nipple constructed according to my
invention and
Figure 7 represents my invention applied to hand pliers.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of the
drawing.
I will first describe the press Figure 1 and afterwards describe the eyeletting process
as illustrated with respect to Figures 2 and 3.
a is the fixed long nipple constructed according to my invention secured in the
bed of the press by screwing its stem a² into a screwed hole in the said bed as seen
in Figures 2 and 3. It will be seen that the long fixed nipple a tapers upwards from
the base to a sharp point capable of piercing cloth or other like material pressed upon
it. The tool at the base of the nipple a has the figure represented for receiving the
back shell and for clinching or expanding the hollow shank of the button operated
upon. Instead of making the long fixed pointed nipple a and the tool at its base in ono
piece with the screwed stem by which it is fixed to the bed of the press the nipple and
its holder may be made in two pieces as represented in Figures 5 and 6; that is, the
nipplo and its base are made from the rod a² and the said rod is passed into
the hollow or tubular holder a³ and the latter carrying the nipple is fixed in the
bed of the press by screwing it therein as represented in Figure 5, the expanded
end of the nipple rod seating itself firmly in the seat in the bed as represented in
Figure 5.
d is the movable or upper tool carried by the movable arm or plunger c turning on
the centre and worked by the hand lever e jointed to it at its back. The tail end or
short arm of the hand lever e is jointed to the lever f turning on the centre g and
pressed upwards by the coiled spring h. By means of the coiled spring acting
through the lever hand levere and movable arm or plunger c the return motion of
the upper tool d is effected. The upper tool d is bored with a hole ² of a sufficient
diameter to permit of the descent of the tool in its curvilinear path without risk of its
touching the pointed nipple a on the bed of the press.
In attaching a tubular shanked button to an article of dress or fabric or other like
material I proceed as follows and as illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.
I pass over the long pointed nipple a and place on the base of the nipple the
perforated or tubular back plate i of the button as represented in Figure 2 and the
layers of fabric & where the button is to be attached are pressed upon the point of
the nipple a so as to pierce the said fabric which is then depressed onto the top of the
perforated back plate i so that the point of the nipple protrudes through the fabric as
represented.
The button having a tubular shank 1 (made in two pieces) on its underside is next
passed over the point of the nipple a projecting through the fabric as represented
in Figure 2. The button is now ready for the expanding or eyeletting operation.
This is effected by means of the upper, or movable tool d which is brought down
(indicated in dotted lines in Figure 1) upon the button arranged as in Figure 2. By
the pressure of the upper or movable tool d the button and fabric are forced to the
base of the pointed nipple a and the end of the tubular shank 1 of the button expanded
within the tubular back shell i and the said tubular shank, fabric and back shell are
made to take the positions represented in Figure 3. The fabric is thereby gripped
tightly between the annular flange on the shank of the button and the back shell i to
which back shell the said shank has been eyeletted and the button is thereby firmly
attached to the garment or fabric.
Figure 7 represents in end elevation and Figure 8 in plan a press containing my

page_text: I
arrangement for proventing the stem of the button sticking to the nipple a and resisting
removal; Figure 9 represents an end elevation partly in section of a portion of the
same drawn to a larger scale. For the purpose described I use the strong plate
spring fixed at to the bed of the press. The free end of the said spring is provided
with a circular hole converting the said end into a sleeve or collar q so that it embraces
and slides upon the cylindrical base a² of the nipple a. The stem of the button and
fabric on being passed over the nipple rest upon the sleeve or collar end q² of the
springy and when the upper tool d of the press is brought down the spring q is put
into a state of tension. On removing the upper tool d after the eyeletting process the
collar end of the spring y presses upwards the button and fabric. as represented in
Figure 9. In this way any tendency in the stem of the-button to stick to the nipple
and resist removal is counteracted. The tension of the spring 7 may be adjusted by
the screw nuts at r and instead of supporting the spring on a separate base as
represented the bed of the press and the base supporting the spring may bo cast in
one piece.
Instead of using the plate spring 7, 72 a separate sleeve or collar surrounding and
sliding on the base a² of the nipple a inay be employed, the said separate sleeve or
collar being pressed upwards by a coiled or other spring; but I prefer to use the
arrangement of parts represcuted in the drawings.
I do not limit myself to the use of the spring or spring sleeve or collar described
and represented in combination with my improved press as the said press has been
found to answer well in practice without the said spring or spring sleeve or collar;
but the latter is an efficient adjunct of the press for the purpose described.
The long fixed pointed nipple a may be used with all kinds of back shells for
effecting the expansion eyeletting or rivetting of the hollow stem of the button-to-the
back shell; for example a back shell or washer of the kind represented in Figure 4*
in combination with a tubular shanked button may be used in place of the tubular back
shell represented in Figures 2, 3 and 4.
Figure 10 represents my improved pointed nipple applied to hand pliers. To the
lower arm m of the pliers the pointed nipple a is secured by screwing its rod into the
arm m and the upper arm n of the pliers is perforated near its end at p for passing
over the fixed nipple a. The action of the eyeletting tools of the pliers Figure 10 and
the modified nipple or lower tool represented in Figures 5 and 6 is the same as that
which I have described with respect to the oyeletting tools of the press Figures 1, 2
and 3 and I therefore do not consider a further description of the pliers Figure 10 and
the modified nipple Figures 5 and 6 necessary.
In expanding or attaching or eyeletting eyelets and hollow shanks to fabrics and
like materials for various purposes, either with or without washers or back plates, by
the use of the press or pliers containing my improvements I proceed substantially in
the manner hereinbefore described and illustrated with respect to the attaching of
tubular shanked buttons to articles of dress or fabrics.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my invention
and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I claim as my
invention of "Improvements in presses or apparatus for attaching buttons having
tubular shanks to articles of dress and fabrics and leather and other like materials and
for expanding eyelets or hollow shanks for various purposes
25
The use or combination in a press or hand pliers of the long fixed pointed nipple a
and its base and the movable or upper tool d d of the press or the arm n p of the pliers
the said nipple being suitable for piercing holes in the dress fabric or material to
which tubular shanked buttons eyelets or hollow shanks are to be attached and the
base of the said nipple being so constructed that on the descent of the upper tool of
the press or arm of the pliers the tubular shank of the button or other article or eyelet
is clinched expanded or eyeletted upon the material or back shell or washer the said
tools being constructed and used substantially as herein before described and illustrated
in the accompanying drawing; also the addition to or combination with the press of the

page_text: spring or spring sleeve or collar hereinbefore described and represented in the accom-
panying drawings for preventing the sticking of the tubular shanks or stems of the
buttons or the tubular or hollow shanks of other like articles to the nipple of the
press.
Dated the 22nd day of November 1800
HENRY DOWLER.