IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS
Year: 1848

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
Rowley, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Button Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, bearing date at Westminster, the Twenty-eighth day of
August, One thousand eight hundred and forty-eight, in the twelfth year of
Iler reign, did, for Ierself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Charles Rowley, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, Her especial
licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Charles
Rowley, my exors, adñiors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Charles
Rowley, my exors, adñiors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and
no others, from time to time and at all times during the term of years
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend,
within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention
of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS;" in which said Letters
Patent is contained a proviso that I, the said Charles Rowley, should cause
a particular description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument in writing under my
hand and seal, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery

page_text: within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being there-
unto had, will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Charles Rowley, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had
to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is to say:-
My Invention consists,―
First, of improvements in dies or tools used in the manufacture of perforated
metal buttons.
Secondly, my Invention consists of improvements in the manufacture of
pearl buttons, and also buttons made of ivory, vegetable ivory, bone, or wood.
Thirdly, my Invention consists of improvements in the manufacture of what
are called leek buttons.
Fourthly, my Invention consists of improvements in the manufacture of
what are called sewn-through buttons.
Fifthly, my Invention consists of improvements in the manufacture of
buttons covered with velvet.
Sixthly, my Invention consists of improvements in tools or dies used for
making covered buttons.
Seventhly, my Invention consists of a mode of manufacturing metal buttons
for brace and strap buttons. And,
Eighthly, my Invention consists of improvements in machinery for cutting
out fabrics for the manufacture of buttons.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the means pursued by me.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING A.
Figure 1 shows a plan, Figure 2 an end view, and Figure 3 a side view, of
the bed or lower die for making perforated buttons according to the first part
of my Invention. Figure 4 shows an under side view of the upper dic or tool
to be used with the other die before referred to. Figure 5 is a side view
thereof partly in section. Figure 6 is an end view in position over Figure 2;
and Figure 7 shows a section of the bed or under die in position under
Figure 5; the other Figures show some details marked with the same letters
of reference. The object of this part of the Invention is to combine dies in a
suitable manner for performing in succession the various processes required;

page_text: the metal being moved forward, cut off, and guaged between the succeeding
processes. a is the cutting-out die, and 6 the bed die working therewith, so
tbat each time the set of upper dies descend, a circular disc will be cut out
from the metal. c is the upper and d the lower die or tool for counter-
sinking or marking the places punctured. The apparatus shown is for making
four-hole buttons, but this may be varied. e is the upper and f the lower tool
or die for puncturing or punching the holes. 9 is the upper cutter which,
acting with the edge h of the lower die, cuts off the piece of metal; so that
when the strip of metal is pushed forward as the upper dies go up, the cut end
will come against the guage plate i, and ensure that all parts work correctly in
succession on the metal. The metal j is pushed forward each time the upper
dies or tools go up, so that the fresh surfaces thereof will first be punctured,
then countersunk or marked, and then cut out and the projecting metal cut off.
The Figures thus far described only shew one set of dies combined, so as to
cut out and make two or more buttons at each descent of the upper tools or
dies; and the Drawing marked B show three sets of dies similarly combined,.
the parts being marked with the same figures and letters of reference.
I will now describe the second part of my Invention. In the manufacture
of pearl buttons, and also buttons made of ivory, vegetable ivory, bone or
wood, whether with or without shanks, it has been usual to depend for the
most part on the circular figure for shape and ornament; and iny present
improvements in the manufacture of this description of buttons consists of
applying the lapidary's art in ornamenting and giving a more regular and
varied character to such descriptions of buttons, by which each button will be
formed with numerous angular surfaces, in like manner to' what glass buttons
have been and are made; by this means a new manufacture of the above
descriptions of buttons will be produced. In carrying out this part of my
Invention, the blanks' or discs of pearl, ivory, vegetable ivory, bone, or wood
are cut out in the ordinary manner; and, if to be perforated, I prefer that that
operation should be first performed, and that the back surface of each button
should be completed before handing the same over to the lapidary (but this is.
not absolutely necessary), who proceeds to form the front surface into.
numerous angular surfaces, in like manner to what has heretoforo been done
in respect to glass buttons; and he is to polish such angular surfaces when cut
to the desired pattern.
I will now describe the third part of my Invention, which relates to the manu-
facture of leek buttons. It is well known that such descriptions of buttons
are made by covering blanks or shapes by hand, using silk twist or other

page_text: material for such purpose. Now, according to this part of my Invention, I
employ metal shells, such as are sometimes used in making the fronts of covered
buttons by dies and pressure, there being a hole in the centre of each such shell
for the passage of a needle in working over the front thereof; and I cause
front shells to be covered with silk twist or other material in the manner
of manufacturing leek buttons, not however drawing the silk or material
very tight at the back. I then place such front shell so covered into dies,
and cause a back shell with a flexible shank (in like manner to making a
covered button where a woven fabric is employed to the front) to be pressed.
into the front shell so previously covered in the manner of a leek button,
and then such button is to be flattened and finished in the manner of a
covered button made by dies and pressure, which is well understood. I
would remark in respect to this part of my Invention that I am aware that
leek buttons have been before used in making flexible shanks to covered
buttons, in which case the leck buttons came at the back and not in the front,
as in this part of my Invention.
I will now describe the fourth part of my Invention, which relates to
improvements in the manufacture of sewn-through buttons, and consists of
employing a centre of bone or ivory, or of vegetable ivory, or of pearl, or of
horn, or of wood, together with a metal disc and woven covering. In
carrying out this part of my Invention I make discs of metal having their
centres cut out, and cause them to be drawn through tools so as to raise
their edges, and I cause the shell so produced to be employed together
with discs of bone or ivory, or of vegetable ivory, or of pearl, or of horn,
or of wood, or of china or porcelain, perforated with one or more holes for
the passage of the needle. In combining these shells and perforated backs [
cause the shells to be introduced into covering tools with discs of woven
fabric, the edges of which are to be caused to lap over the edges of the
front metal shells, and then the perforated buttons or backs are to be
introduced and the edges of the front metal shell closed down or flattened
so as to enclose the perforated buttons or backs of bone, or ivory, or of
vegetable ivory, or of any of the materials above-named; by which means a
new manufacture of sewn-through buttons will be produced, having in
front the same appearance as those heretofore made, whilst at the back they
will be composed of bone or ivory, or of vegetable ivory, or of pearl, or of horn,
or of wood, or of china or porcclain.
I will now describe the fifth part of my Invention, which relates to the
manufacture of buttons covered with velvet, and consists of ornamenting

page_text: such descriptions of, buttons by embossing or marking them on the face.
For this purpose having made buttons covered with velvet, I cause them
to be introduced into dies similar to flattening or finishing dies, in which I
place a disc of perforated sheet metal, such perforations being according to
any device, by which means where the perforations are there will be
no pressure brought on to the pile of the velvet when pressing buttons
in dies so circumstanced, but where the metal of the disc is not removed
by perforation, such metal coming against the pile will flatten it on to the
face of the button and thus ornament such face; and in order to set the
pattern I keep the bed die heated with gas or other convenient means.
I will now describe the sixth part of my Invention, which consists of
improvements in the dies used for making covered buttons.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING C.
Figure 1 shews a plan of the bed die; Figure 2 a side elevation; Figure 3
a section.
Figure 4 shews a plan of what I call the collar for filling. Figure 5 shews
a side view, and Figure 6 a section thereof.
Figure 7 shews a plan showing the part of the dies which, together with
the upper part of the collar, covers the front shell. Figure 8 is a side view,
and Figure 9 a section.
Figure 10 shews an under side view of the upper die or punch, Figure 11 a
side elevation, and Figure 12. a section thereof.
Figures 13 and 14 shew two views of the dies combined, that at Figure 13
shewing the parts of the dies in the positions before bringing the parts of the
button together, and Figure 14 shews the parts of the dies in the positions
they would take when having a finished button between them.
a is the beil die, the nature of which is clearly shewn in the Drawings, and
in making a button a bak metal shell would be placed thereon, then over it a
disc of shank cloth, when, the punch or upper die d descending, the centre
portion would be caused to pass through the back shell, and thus form a tuft.
A portion of button board is then introduced. The punch d would then
ascend, and the collar e would be placed in position, and it will be supported
by the spring f. A disc of fabric for covering the front shell of a button is
then placed on the die g, and a front covering shell placed thereon and pushed
into the die, so that the edge or circumference of the covering material will be
raised up all round the circumference of the shell; the die g is then turned
down on to the collar e, as shewn in Figure 13, when the punch & will again
be caused to descend, which will first force down the sliding piece g¹ of the

page_text: die g, by which the front shell will be forced out of the die g into the bell-
mouthed entrance of the collar e, by which the edge of the covering fabric will
be bent inwards, and then the punch d will force down the die g, together
with the collar e, by which the back shell will be forced into the front shell,
and the further descent of the parts will cause the button to be flattened
and finished.
I will now describe the seventh part of my Invention, which consists of a
new manufacture of sewn-through metal buttons for braces and other purposes.
In carrying out this part of my Invention I cause metal shells to be made
with a single hole in the centre of each, such shells having their edges turned.
up as when for the front shells of covered buttons. I then introduce a piece
of wire or other form of metal across the hole of each shell, the length of such
pieces of wire or metal being equal to about the diameter of the interior of the
shell; I then cause the turned-up edge of the shell to be bent inwards so as
to close the same, by which the piece of wire or other form of metal across the
centre will be held in position. The shell is then to be finished by being
placed in suitable flattening or finishing dies, by which the whole will be
pressed into shape as if it had been one piece of metal, the turned-over edge of
the shell forming an enlarged or thickened rim, whilst the introduced piece of
wire or other form of metal will form a shank or centre to hold the stitches
when being sewn to a garment.
I will now describe the eighth part of my Invention, which consists of
apparatus or machinery for cutting cloth into circular pieces or discs in
order to their use as parts of buttons, whether as covers to the front, as
in the ordinary covered button, or the back, as in a cloth or silk back
button, or parts of the interior of buttons, as the discs of canvas forming
the shanks of the flexible shank button, and that in the manner berein-
after described, by which an economy in the cost of labor, and in tho
quantity of the material used, is obtained.
The particulars of this part of my Invention, and of the manner of working
the same, are fully set out in the Drawings D, and will be clearly understood
by the following description thereof. The cutting out of these discs has
hitherto been generally performed by hand; but William Church, of Birming-
ham, by part of a machine specified in Letters Patent, dated the Twenty-sixth
day of March, one thousand eight hundred and twenty-nine, granted to him
of that date, proposed to effect the same object by the said part of a machine
so specified; but a considerable waste of material occurs by either of the
methods, as, in the case of cutting the discs out by hand the operators cannot
cut out the discs with sufficient precision to leave no greater scrap or refuse

page_text: cloth between the discs than is necessary, and occasionally. by going too
near cut the discs into each other, and intersect their circumference so as to
render them waste; nor can they cut out the discs precisely in the order most
favorable to economy in material. And in the case of the said William
Church's patented apparatus above spoken of, the said Patentee did not.
propose to cut out the discs in the most economical arrangement as regards
material, but contented himself with cutting them out in straight rows. across
the cloth, with the centres of the discs at right angles to each other; and the
tools described in the said Patent, as to be used for cutting the cloth, are of an
expensive description and difficult to keep in order, and neither they nor the
apparatus therewith have come into use. By this part of my Invention, the
cutting of the discs is so arranged that the discs themselves shall be cut out
with their circumferences. touching, but not intersecting each other; and that
the centre of any one disc shall bear at or about an angle of sixty degrees
from the centre of the nearest discs in either of the adjoining continuous rows,
as shewn by angle lines drawn from the centres of the said nearest discs in
the said adjoining rows to the centre of the disc in question, and perpendicu-
larly down the centre of these rows respectively, of which I have shewn a
part example in Figure 2, Drawings D, being the plan of cloth after spoken
of, by drawing angle lines from the centre of the disc, No. 14, through the
centre of No. 40, which is continued in the Drawing to the centre of No. 42,
and perpendicularly down the centre of the outside row; in which disc No.
14 stands to the centre of No. 41, which angle lines shew at or about that
angle. The straight continuous rows of discs may be cut across the cloth;
but I prefer that arrangement by which these rows run down the cloth, as in
that case there are no broken discs down the sides; and I have accordingly
described that arrangement herein.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS D.
Figure 1 is a front view of the machine.
Figure 2 is the plan of the cloth herein spoken of, and shews the situation
of the first fifty-four discs to be cut therein, and the order in which they are to
be cut, shewing the first seven as cut out. The line drawn from disc No. 52,
shews the angle at which the cloth is crossed by the continuous rows.
Figure 3 is an end view of the machine taken from the left hand of
Figure 1, Drawings D, with the end of the shaft a, a, and the fast and
loose pulleys b, c, bearing of the shaft, and cam y removed so as to shew
fully the inner cam x. Parts of the framing below the table are also removed
to shew part of the pinion p edgeways, part of the shaft thereof, and tho

page_text: section of the bottom of the tube a**, shewn in section in this Drawing, the
purpose of which is to give a passage to the discs when cut out.
The cam y,
which is shown in its place in the front view, with the slot hole for the screw
in the shaft a, a, is here, for greater plainness, shewn fitted on to that shaft in
the separate Figure marked Figure 3 x. The part of the cams w, t, u,
and, with that part of the bearing of the shaft a, a, at the other end
thereof, visible in this view, are not shewn in order to make the Drawing
more intelligible. The end of the roller f is also removed and the cloth
shewn wound on the roller, and passing through the drawing rolls k, l,
under the punch n, and throwing the selvage and waste cloth over the bed
or dic 2. The situation or size of the cam is shown by a dotted circle
in this view.
Figure 4 is another end view, but taken at the right hand. In this end view
the following parts are also removed: part of the end frame, so as to shew part
of the other edge of the pinion p, the inside bearing of the shaft thereof, as
well as the bottom of the tube a**. Part of the lever is also removed as
well as the screw a*, and the spring *, the cams z, u, and v, and that part of
the shaft a, a, on which the same are fixed with its bearing, in order more
plainly to shew and describe the action of the cam W. Part of the frame on
which the lever is made to vibrate is also removed to shew the fastening of
the rack o, o, to the sliding frame c, c. The part of the cam y, and the
bearing and pulleys beyond the same, visible in this view, are not shewn in
order to make the Drawing more intelligible. The large ratchet c* and
and pall d are only shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4 with the same view.
The cams u and v, which are shewn in their place in the front view with the
slot hole for the screw in the shaft a, a, are here, for greater plainness, shewn
fitted on that shaft in the separato Figures marked Figure 4 x, Figure 5 x.
Figure 5 is a plan or horizontal view of that part of the works upon the
table of the machine which havo been imperfectly represented in the other
views, the remainder being left out. The power by which the machinery is to
be driven must be applied to the horizontal shaft a, a, which may be by hand
or by a rigger and band from a steam engine or other first mover applied
to the pulley b, and in the direction of the arrow shewn thereon in the
front view. On the top of the two rails d, d, is placed the sliding frame c, e,
on which the roller carrying the cloth is suspended on pivots bearing in the
standards 9, 9, on the frame, and the cloth is kept stretched by a slipping band
and weight acting on the groove h at the one end of the roller f, but which
band and weight have not been shewn, being in common use in machinery.
On the other side of the frame e, c, two drawing rollers k, l, are placed,

page_text: between which the material is passed over the metal plate m under the
punch n, which metal plate is shewn in the end view, Figure 4, and in section
in the end view, Figure 3. The screw by pressing on the spring and pins
underneath gives pressure to the bearings of the roller k and causes it to
hold the cloth.
I have considered it sufficient to shew the machine for one size of disc only,
and that size is for a cloth or disc 45 lines in diameter. The cloth in the
plan, Figure 2, which is shewn as being cut, measures twenty-eight inches
across. I shall now show the way in which the parts and progress of the
machine are arranged in cutting this size. The machine contains a rack o, o,
and the pinion p. The rack is cut so as to take in an entire revolution of the
pinion p.
The ends of the rack are shewn in the front view, and the
middle part is seen dotted through the rail d. The pinion p is made of such
a size that an entire revolution of the same shall carry the rack o, o, a
greater distance than the width of any cloth intended to be cut in the ma-
chine, and is shewn edgeways in the end views, and in dotted lines under
the double ratchet wheel 7 in the front view. That ratchet wheel being
moved gives a corresponding motion to the pinion p, being on the same shaft,
and the pinion p taking into the rack o, o, fixed as aforesaid on the frame e, e,
advances that frame or traverses it back again. The diameter of the double
ratchet wheel q between the bottom of the teeth is the same as the diameter
of the pinion p within the pitch line of its teeth, and by making them of
equal size in that respect the following advantage is gained, videlicet, when
the distance to which the sliding frame e, e, between each stroke of the punch
n is ascertained, it is only necessary to divide the circumference of the outer
and inner ratchets on the said double ratchet wheel into teeth or half teeth
(as may be required) of the same size. The motion of one of the palls 'r
and s, which I have made equal in their length, being then applied to the
ratchet, every stroke to and fro of the pall arm t moves the rack o, o, and the
sliding frame e, e, the distance represented by the length of the tooth or teeth
acted on. The way I proceed to ascertain the distance to which the frame is
to be moved is this, and I will take the distance required for cutting the
size of disc before spoken of, videlicet, 45 lines. I then lay that distance
down as a base line, as is shewn by the line drawn from the centre of the
disc No. 14, marked on the plan of the cloth, Figure 2, to the centre of
disc No. 41, which line forms one side of the triangle there shewn. I then
raise a line from the centre of No. 14, at an angle of sixty degrees from the
said base line, and a perpendicular line from the centre of No. 41, and
prolong these lines till the triangle is formed, as shewn in the said Figure;

page_text: and the distance from the point of intersection to the centre of disc No. 41 is
the distance to which the frame must be moved at each full stroke, and will
be found to be eighty lines, or two inches, the proportion the full stroke
bears to the size of dise being as nearly as may be 82 to 47. There is
always a half stroke in passing from one range of discs as cut across to
the succeeding range, as in passing from No. 13 to No. 14 and from No. 27
to No. 28, and in this particular width of cloth shewn as being cut into the
size of disc before mentioned, these two half strokes occur in the advance
of the sliding frame, all the strokes in the traverse back being full strokes.
The reason of this is that the number of continuous rows along the cloth
which can be cut across it in this instance is twenty-seven, which is an
odd number, and it will be seen that the first range of discs to be cut,
commencing at disc No. 1, and ending at No. 13, begins and ends in
the second row from the outside on each side, while the second range
of discs, commencing at No. 14 and ending at No. 27, goes to the outside
on both sides, making thirteen full strokes in the second range and twelve
in the first, with a half stroke in passing from the blank disc not numbered
to No. 1, and the other half stroke in passing from No. 13 to 14, both of
which occur in the advance of the carriage from the point at which it starts,
which gives twelve full and two half strokes to the outer ratchet 7, and
thirteen full ones to the inner one. The number of continuous rows along
the cloth which can be cut across any given width of cloth in any size,
can easily be found by adding the length of as many strokes or half strokes
as may be necessary to the width of the punch n, or one disc at starting,
and allowing two rows for each full stroke and one for cach half stroke,
which will give the number of rows that can be cut across.
Having constructed the double ratchet wheel to give twelve full strokes and
two half ones to the outer ratchet, and thirteen full ones to the inner ratchet,
as shewn in the wheel 2, in Figure 1, I shall now proceed to shew the
progress of the operations of the machine:-When the cloth has been
placed in the machine and advanced through the drawing rollers k, l,
the shaft a, a, with its cams, u, v, w, x, y, and the palls r, s, must be
thrown into the position shewn in the Drawings, and the screw a* shewn
on the plan, Figure 5, must be screwed up to stop the lever 6* at such a part
of its stroke that the backward stroke of the pall arm t shall not amount
to the distance of one and a half teeth on the ratchet, and yet shall be of
sufficient length to give the throw of a full tooth properly. The sliding
frame e, c, must then be slid along towards the cam w, till the side of the
cutting punch comes up to the limit of the selvadge on the opposite

page_text: side of the cloth, which has been calculated to be left on each side. The
double ratchet wheel 9 must then be slid on to its shaft 6**, and so placed
and secured that the pall r, which will be at the extremity of its forward
stroke will impinge on the top of the outer ratchet q, on the part indicated
by the point of an arrow shewn in the front view, and a distance of half a
tooth from the point of the first tooth to be acted on. Motion being then
communicated to the shaft a, a, in the direction before mentioned, the
rotation thereof will cause the following movement to take place :-The
cam u which has been placed under the lever c* will raise that lever and
force the pall d* forward, which acting on the ratchet wheel e* advances
the cloth one range, or the width of one of the discs to be cut, the adjusting
screw having been fixed so that the pall d will take in as many teeth
of the ratchet wheel ex as may be necessary to advance the cloth in its
forward stroke the necessary distance through the drawing rollers k and 1,
and no more. In Fig. 4 I have not shewn the teeth of the ratchet
wheel ex, as the divisions according to the scale, which is two inches to
the foot, are too minute for accurate definement; the other cam v, which
acts simultaneously with the cam u, and which has been placed so as to act
upon the crank lever g* and communicate a downward motion to the jointed
rod h* through the frame i*, i*, and thereby cause the pall to fall upon the
outer ratchet 9 and withdraw the palls from the inner ratchet, does not act at
starting, as the palls and levers have been put in the necessary position before
starting. The crank lever g* is maintained in its place against the frame i*, i*,
by the action of the small spring c**, shewn in the end view, Figure 4, as fixed
on the arm * projecting from the sliding frame e, c. In this portion of the
revolution of the shaft a, a, the lever *, being pressed by the spring k*
against the retiring face of a cam Z, withdraws the pall arm t and
palls and s to the extremity of the backward stroke, the lever b* will then,
by the farther action of the cams, through the intervention of the pall arın t,
cause the pall r to take into the outer ratchet q behind the first tooth and
push the ratchet round, and move the sliding frame e, e, forward the distance
of half a tooth, which so places the cloth upon the bed or die q* that the
punch n, by its blow, will cut out the disc No. 1, marked on the plan of the
cloth, Figure 2. The punch n and connecting rods 1*, which stood in the
position shewn in the end views, Figures 3 and 4, at starting, have during the
revolution been acted upon by the cam w depressing the lever m*, which,
turning on its centre n*, pulls the connecting rods 1* till the punch n is raised
by the lever o* to the top of its stroke, and the spring p* is compressed or
bent to give the necessary blow to the punch n, and the cloth, having been
·

page_text: moved into its place, as above described, the recess in the face of the cam w
in its revolution releases the lever m* and permits the spring p* to recover
itself, and, through the connecting rods l*, act on the lever o*, and cause the
punch
cloth
to descend with a blow sufficient to cut the disc No. 1 out of the
means of the bed or die q*, shown in Figure 4, and in section in
Figure 3, when the punch is immediately raised by the action of the cam w.
I have now given a full description of the motions and actions communicated
by one revolution of the shaft a, a. The sliding frame e, e, having, as
above mentioned, been advanced the distance of half a tooth or stroke, the
cams u and v are not in a situation to act till the return of the sliding frame,
and the next twelve revolutions of the shaft a, a, moves the sliding frame e, e,
over the distance of the remaining twelve full teeth or strokes of the outer
ratchet, cutting out the discs of cloth marked Nos. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10,
11, 12, and 13, on the plan of the cloth, which discs fall through the tube a**
before mentioned. I have shewn the frame e, e, and machine in the front view
and plan of cloth as having advanced and cut out the disc marked No. 7. The
cam y, which has been placed in a situation to act at this stage on the lever *,
which lever is fixed on the shaft d**, as is the lever c*, in the beginning of
the next revolution of the shaft a, a, again causes the pall d* to push round the
ratchet wheel ex, and so advance the cloth through the drawing rollers k and
the width of the next range. The action of the pall r then advances the sliding
frame c, c, the remaining half tooth on the outer ratchet q, by which means
the disc No. 14 is cut out. The cam which has been placed in a position to
act at this stage on the crank lever s*, carried on the arm marked y*, pro-
jecting from the frame e, e, then acts on that lever, and depressing the frame
*, *, raises the jointed rod h*, and throws the pall r, then in its backward
stroke, up and out of the outer ratchet q, and causes the other palls to take
into the inner ratchet g at the next or forward stroke, and so traverse the
sliding frame c, c, backward the distance of a full tooth in the other direction,
when disc No. 15 is cut. The situation of the first tooth on this inner
ratchet is such that if the palls were applied to the circumference of the
same immediately after the pall r is withdrawn from action, and at the
extremity of its forward stroke, it would impinge on the circumference of the
same at the di-tance of one full tooth or stroke's length from the first tooth to
be acted on. In traversing back from No. 14 to 15 the sliding frame e, e, has
carried the lever * over the cam y, but passed it at that part of the revolution
when the cam from its position in the revolution could not act upon it. The
frame i*, *, is furnished with a projecting arm t* which, in the action of
shifting the palls an! s, is thrown from one side of the apex of the spring *
7

page_text: to the other side of the apex passing over the same, the action of which spring
serves to complete the throw of the frame i*, *, and maintains the palls:
rands in action when passing over the teeth of the ratchet q; the inner
ratchet is cut with twelve more full teeth, which, being traversed; the discs
Nos. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, are cut out as before,
when the machine is in the same place and position as it was in at starting,
with the exception that the pall s is not withdrawn from its action on the inner
ratchet 9, and the pall brought into action, which change will take place by
the action of the cam v, as before described, simultaneously with the action of
the cam u, which advances the cloth for the next range in the beginning of the
first revolution of the shaft a, a, when the machine will advance and cut
another range, and so on till the cloth is cut up,, or it is desired to stop
it. The cross lever o*, by which the bolt of the punch n is actuated at every
stroke, drives a pall vx, which, taking into a ratchet wheel w*, containing
twelve teeth, forces it forward one tooth at each stroke, or twelve teeth for:
every dozen of discs cut out. Now I have connected this ratchet wheel with
a train of wheels working an indicator, as is common in gas meters, and:
shewing tens, bundreds, and thousands of dozens, in order that I may have in-
formation as to and a check upon the quantity of discs cut. I have not encum-
bered the Drawing with the figure of the indicator, as such an apparatus is:
common and well known. As it will happen that an even number of rows
will sometimes be required to be cut across the cloth, I may here state, that.in
the case of an even number of rows cach range begins on the second row from
the side of the cloth on the one side and end at the outside or the other.
In this case it is necessary therefore to have the arrangement of the cans for
reversing the motion of the sliding frame e, e, and advance the cloth forward
through the drawing rollers k, l, the same at the end of each, traverse of
the frame e, c. For this purpose I prefer the arrangement for reversing tho
palls r, s, and advancing the cloth simultaneously, as described at starting,"
which must be repeated at the end of each traverse, when the cams x and y
will be arranged so as to come into action at the end of the advance from the
starting point, which I make the same in every instance. The first revolution
will therefore, under that arrangement, move the frame e, e, from No. 13, as it-
were, and cut a disc in a similar position to No. 15, which is the motion from
the outside at finishing each range that is required, when the continuous rows
along the cloth are in even numbers across. In this case the pall &, when the
pall r is withdrawn from action, should, if at the extremity of its forward stoke,
impinge on the circumference of the inner ratchet 7 one half tooth only

page_text: distant from the first tooth to be acted on, and not one whole tooth, as in the
case of odd numbers of rows. The action of the outer ratchet will remain as
2
before, with this exception, that it will not conclude with a half tooth as in the
case of odd numbers of rows. I need not speak of the number of teeth to
be cut on these or any other ratchets, for that will depend on the numbers of
strokes that can be taken after beginning each range, as above described,
for each of which strokes a corresponding tooth must be cut in the proper
ratchet.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I would have it understood that what
I claim is,
First, the combining a series of tools or dies for making perforated buttons,
as herein explained.
Secondly, I claim the making of pearl buttons, each with numerous angular
surfaces, by applying the lapidary's art in such manufacture.
Thirdly, I claim the making of leek buttons by applying metal shells and
flexible shanks, as herein described.
Fourthly, I claim the mode of manufacturing sewn-through buttons
by applying, in combination with metal sheels and woven fabric, per-
forated buttons of bone or ivory, vegetable ivory, pearl, horn, wood, china, or
porcelain.
Fifthly, I claim the application of perforated discs of metal in dies as
a means of ornamenting the surfaces of covered buttons, as herein described.
Sixthly, I claim the mode of constructing dies or tools, and filling, covering,
and finishing buttons therewith, as herein described.
Seventhly, I claim the mode of making sewn-through metal buttons by
using a single shell, as herein explained. And,
Eighthly, I claim the cutting cloth into circular discs for covers or parts for
buttons by means of the ordinary cloth cutting tools before spoken of, or other
suitable tool impelled in connection with a frame or carriage on which the
cloth is placed, and so moved and guided as to cause the dises to be cut out
close to each other, but without intersecting, and with their centres at the
angle of or about sixty degrees, in relation to the centres of those nearest
them in either of the adjoining continuous rows, as before mentioned.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Rowley, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.
CHARLES (L.) ROWLEY.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-eighth day of February,
in the year of our Lord 1849, the aforesaid Charles Rowley came before
our said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Speci-
fication aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in
form above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped
according to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Enrolled the Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and forty-nine.