IMPROVEMENTS IN MA- CHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES.
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Herbert Haywood, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Button Maker, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MA-
CHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES.
Sealed the 19th September 1860, and dated the 24th March 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Herbert Haywood at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
24th March 1860.
I, HERBERT HAYWOOD, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Button
Maker, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES,"
to be as follows, that is to say:
The machine consists of a bed plate and carriages supporting a revolving
drum or cylinder, upon which drum are fixed, in lines parallel with its axis,
rows of clutches or chocks, to receive the pearl shells or rough blanks of other
material of which the buttons are to be made. A second pair of carriers
supports a slide bed, upon which is arranged a frame carrying a number of
spindles equal to the number of clutches or chocks in each row upon the drum.
These spindles are fitted with cutting tools of tubular form, the cutting edge
being serrated, and the tube increasing in diameter from the cutting edge, so
that each blank as it is cut from the shell passes through the cutter, and drops

page_text: out. This spindle frame, with its cutters, being mounted, as before stated,
upon a slide bed, is advanced towards the drum carrying the shell, and as each
spindle revolves on its own axis by motion communicated in any suitable
manner, the cutters operate upon the shells, and produce a number of button
blanks. As each row of blanks is cut out, a partial revolution of the drum or
cylinder presents a fresh portion of each shell to the edge of the cutting tools,
and the drum being capable also of horizontal movement as well as rotary,
every portion of the material is cut up, save such part as must necessarily be
wasted in cutting circular blanks. The blanks thus cut out, if small, often
require splitting, which may be effected by mounting the blanks in a grooved
frame, and splitting them with a chisel, or by running a band or ribbon saw
The blanks have then to be
through a number of blanks at one time.
bottomed, for which operation they are to be removed to a second drum or
cylinder similar to that already described, but provided with smaller chocks or
clutches to hold each one blank; these chocks are furnished with springs,
which open the chock, and discharge the blank. The tools are mounted upon
a second set of spindles similar to the first, each revolving separately. The
bottoming cutters are formed each of six separate pieces of steel, of triangular
section, fitted together and forming slight toothed cutters, which produce a
smooth surface. The next operation is facing the blanks, and this is done by
reversing the blanks, and refixing them in a similar apparatus, and employing
cutters similarly mounted in a frame of spindles to work the faces of the
blanks, and whilst fixed for this operation, the cylinder, with all the blanks, is
removed bodily to another set of spindles carrying drills, by which the holes
are formed; the drum is then removed to the polishing spindles, which are
similar to those carrying the cutters, but furnished with brushes instead of
cutting tools, and the button thus polished is complete. Instead of the drums
or cylinders named herein, I can employ slides, if necessary, but as these slides
will only carry a single row of clutches, it is evident that the revolving drum,
though a more expensive contrivance, will turn out much more work. By
means of this improved machinery, I am enabled to make a very great
number of buttons at one and the same time. I have described my improve-
ments in their application to the making of buttons; the same apparatus will
answer equally well in turning out blanks or articles similar to buttons.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Herbert Haywood in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
22nd September 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HERBERT
HAYWOOD, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Button Maker, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-fourth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Herbert Haywood, Her special license that I, the said Herbert Haywood, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Herbert
Haywood, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree
with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel
Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS AND OTHER SIMILAR ARTICLES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Herbert Haywood, by an instru-
ment in writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and
ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent
Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the
said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Herbert Haywood, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the
letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
The machine for the manufacture of buttons according to these improve-
ments consists of a bed plate and carriages supporting a revolving drum or
cylinder, upon which drum are fixed, in lines parallel with its axis, rows of
clutches or chocks, to receive the pearl shells or rough blanks of the material
of which the buttons are to be made. A second pair of carriers support a
slide bed, upon which is arranged a frame carrying a number of spindles equal
to the number of clutches or chocks in each row upon the drum; these
spindles are fitted with cutting tools of tubular form, the cutting edge being
serrated, and the tube increasing in diameter from the cutting edge. Each

page_text: blank as it is cut from the shell passes through the cutters, and drops out;
this spindle frame, with its cutters, being mounted as before stated upon a
slide, is advanced towards the drum carrying the shell, and each spindle
revolves on its own axis by motion communicated in any suitable manner;
the cutters operate upon the shells and produce a number of buttons and
blanks. As each row of blanks is cut out, a partial revolution of the drum or
cylinder presents a fresh portion of the shell to the edge of the cutting tools,
and the drum being capable also of horizontal movement as well as rotary,
every portion of the material is cut up, save such part as must be necessarily
wasted in cutting circular blanks. The blanks thus cut out, if small, often
require splitting, which may be effected by mounting the blanks in a grooved
frame, and splitting them with a chisel, or by running a band or ribbon saw
through a number of blanks at one time; the blanks have then to be
bottomed, for which operation they are to be removed to a second drum or
cylinder similar to that already described, but provided with smaller chocks;
these chocks are furnished with springs, which open the chock and discharge
the blanks. The tools are mounted upon a second set of spindles similar to
the first, each revolving separately. The bottoming cutters are formed each
of six separate pieces of steel, of triangular section, fitted together, and
forming slight toothed cutters, which produce a smooth surface. The next
operation is facing the blanks, and this is done by removing the blanks and
refixing them in a similar apparatus, and employing cutters similarly mounted
in a frame of spindles to work the faces of the blanks; and whilst fixed for
this operation the cylinder, with all the blanks, is removed bodily to another
set of spindles carrying drills, by which the holes are formed; the drum is
then removed to the polishing spindles, which are similar to those carrying the
cutters, but furnished with brushes instead of cutting tools, and the button
thus polished is complete. Instead of the drums or cylinders named herein,
I can employ slides, but as these slides will only carry a single row of clutches,
it is evident that the revolving drum, though a more expensive contrivance,
will turn out much more work by means of this improved machinery. I am
enabled to make a very great number of buttons at one and the same time.
I have described my improvements in their application to the making of
buttons; the same apparatus will answer equally well in turning out blanks or
articles similar to buttons.
I will now proceed to the description of the machine constructed to employ
slides instead of the drum or cylinder, as represented in the accompanying
Drawings, as I find the slides better suited for my purpose.

page_text: DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, Sheet A, is a plan of the machine, the upper part of which,
namely, the spindles with their gearing and framing, is removed from one half,
to shew the holders of the blank for the tools to operate upon; Figure 2,
Sheet B, represents a front elevation; Sheet D shews the details of the several
tools and cutters; Figures 3 & 4, Sheet C, two side elevations. The same
letters refer to like parts in all the Drawings.
(A, A,) is the framing of the machine; (B) is the main driving shaft and
pulley, upon which are hung four other driving shafts (C, C, C, C³,) running
loosely until brought into connection by the clutches (D, D', D2, D3,) thus
gearing the wheels (a, a, a,) into the bevil wheels (b, 61, 6",) upon the
upright spindles (c, c1, c2,) the wheels in the fourth division (a) being plain
buff wheels covered with leather; these upright spindles correspond in number
in each division of the machine to the number of tools employed. The ends
of the upright spindles (c, c¹, c, c³,) pass through the wheels (b, 61, 6,) and the
plain wheels (63) sliding in a keyed bed. The four spindle frames (E, E¹,
E2, E3,) move vertically between the standards of the frame, and are furnished
with wrought-iron wedges (d, d,) to regulate and adjust the position, as well
as to allow for wear of the spindle frame. The vertical motion of the spindle
frames (E, E, E,) is communicated by the eccentrics or cams (F, F1, F2,)
driven by the back shaft (G), thrown into and out of gear by the clutches
(H, H, H,) and for the fourth division of the machine the vertical motion of
the spindle frame (E3) is communicated by the eccentric or cam (F³), driven by
a back shaft (G³), for as the spindles in this division have to ascend and descend
four times (if four holes be desired in the blank) to one ascent and descent of
the other spindle frames, (E, E, E³,) the shaft (G³) revolves four times as
fast as the shaft (G). Each spindle is provided with a chock for holding the
necessary tools, in the first division cutters to cut out the blank from the
material, in the second and third division slightly toothed cutters to produce a
smooth surface on the bottom and top faces of the blanks, and in the fourth
division drills to drill the requisite number of holes to complete the button or
other similar article. The raw material from which the blanks for the buttons
or other articles are to be produced is placed on the slide rest (K), motion to
which is given from the back shaft by a cam (L) actuating the lever (M), and
working the toothed pinion (O) by a rod, paul, and ratchett (P), which motion
causes the slide rest (K) at every revolution of the cam, and consequently at
every ascent of the spindle frame (E) in this division to move sideways, by
reason of the partial revolution of another toothed pinion (N) gearing into the

page_text: pinion (O), and upon the shaft of this pinion (N) is cut a male screw working
in a female screw under the slide rest (K), thus imparting the desired motion
sideways to the slide rest (K), regulated by the position of the box or slide (2)
upon the arm (M) to a sufficient distance to form another blank; a con-
tinuity of these movements will cut up the material in one direction only. The
cross motion will be obtained by the handle (R) being turned by the hand of
the operator working upon the slide rest (K) by the transverse screws (S, S³, S³)
advancing another portion of material to the cutters, at the same time the
operator turns into gear an intermediate pinion between the pinions (N) and (0),
causing the screw on the shaft of the pinion (N) to revolve in an opposite
direction, drawing up or reversing the longitudinal motion of the slide rest (K),
or any other suitable change motion may be employed for this operation;
these motions being repeated until the whole of the material is cut up.
Each
blank is then placed in a holder frame carrying as many holders as there are
spindles, and these frames are placed in the second division of the machine
whilst the spindles are on the ascent. The chocks in these spindles carry tools
for bottoming the blanks, see details of tools, Sheet D; as the spindles in
their frame (E¹) descend, a steady plate (T¹) descends a little in advance with
them, having bolts passing upward into the framing and at the top; each bolt
is provided with a coiled spring to regulate the pressure, and this steady
plate (T) closes over the blank holders (E), and thereby secures the blanks
while the tools in the chocks are doing their work. The blanks are then
reversed and fixed in another set of holders, and then placed in the third
division for the facing or turning of the other or front side, and here they are
operated upon in the same manner as that described for the second division.
On both of these divisions a V-piece (f) actuated by a spring catches the
holder plate as it is put in, and thus retains it in the proper position for being
operated upon; the same holders with the frame are then taken to the fourth
division for the drilling, and here the frame is placed in a sliding plate (U),
parallel motion to which is given from the back shaft (G³) by a lever (M²)
and rod (P¹) working a ratchett, and paul (W) turning the shaft (X), upon
which are two bevil wheels (X1, X2,) and driving other bevil wheels (X³, X4,)
on two vertical spindles (y, y',) these spindles having cranks forged on them,
and upon the top faces of these two cranks are moveable crank pins for
regulating the throw. For drilling four holes at every quarter revolution of
the crank shaft (2, 2), a fresh position of the blank is obtained for the drills
to operate upon. The steady plate in this division is 'made to follow the
motion of the holders by descending upon the pins (22, 23), these pins being
firmly fastened to the moving plate, and lateral motion being allowed for in

page_text: slots in the steady bolts. The machine is thrown into or out of gear by the
lever arms (z, 21, 22, 23,) shifting the clutches (D, D¹, D3, D³,) upon the main
shaft, and the clutches (H, H1, H2, H3,) upon the back shaft respectively at
the same time.
I have described and exhibited my improvements as comprised in one
machine embodying the necessary tools and appliances for performing several
operations; but I intend also, for larger works, to use separate machines for
each series of tools should such an arrangement prove more convenient. Each
machine may carry any desired number of spindles.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not
confine myself to the precise details or mechanical appliances exhibited, as
the same will admit of much variation without departing from the principle
of my Invention; but that which I claim and desire to have secured to me by
the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the general arrangement
and combination of the parts into a machine or machines for the manufacture
of buttons and other similar articles, substantially as herein more fully set
forth and specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said Herbert Haywood, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of September, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
HERBERT HAYWOOD.
(L.S.)