IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING BUTTONS TO BOOTS, SHOES AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1885

page_text: I, CHARLES AUBREY DAY of 321 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents; do hereby declare, the nature of the said
invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING BUTTONS TO BOOTS,
SHOES AND OTHER ARTICLES (a communication to me from abroad by Edward
Odell Ely of the Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States of America) and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
This invention relating to Apparatus for Attaching Buttons to Boots, Shoes, and
other Articles, has for its object the production of a simple and efficient apparatus
for such purpose, whereby buttons having eyes may be quickly and firmly attached
to a boot, shoe, or other article.
In the machine herein described, the fastening employed to attach the .button, is
a staple of peculiar construction, which is placed in the eye of the button, and the
staple is then placed in a chute along down which the said staple, with the button
suspended from it, is fed into a staple-carrier on guide, which presents the staple with
its point against the material, and then the driver operates to drive the staple into
the material and against an anvil by which the points of the staple are turned up
into the underside of the material, as will be shown and described.
This invention consists essentially in the combination with a race-way, to receive
and guide the staples, and a movable staple-carrier or guide, located at the end of
the said race way, to receive the connected staple and button, a driver working
within the said carrier, and an anvil to support the material and receive against it
and clinch the points of the staples into the underside of the material, as will be
described.
The invention also consists in other details of construction, whereby the devices
referred to are made operative, and whereby the staples and their attached buttons
are permitted to pass seperately into the carrier, from which they are driven by
the driver.

page_text: Fig. 1 in side elevation, partially broken out, represents a machine embodying
the improvements to be herein claimed, the guide or carrier being in an intermediate
position or partially moved downward toward the anvil in the horn or support.
Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof.
1
Fig. Im side elevation, paruully broken out, represents a
embodying
the improvements to be herein claimed, the guide or carrier being in an intermediate
position or partially moved downward toward the anvil in the horn or support.
Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof.
Fig. 3 is a section at the right of the dotted line to,
Fig 4 represents the driver removed.
Fig. 5 the guide or carrier for the staple and its attached button.
Fig. 6 a section of fig. 5 in different lines.
Fig. 7 a section of the staple race-way with staple therein and a button
suspended.
Fig. 8 represents a staple and a button with staple attached.
Fig. 9 represents one of my improved staples clinched and holding a button in
place on a piece of leather.
Fig. 10 represents the die alone, and
Fig. 11 a cross section on the line³ fig. 6.
The frame work of the machine consists essentially of a base A to be attached to
a table, a horn or support A¹ to enter a shoe, and the post A2 and bracket A³.
The horn or support; at its upper end, is provided with an anvil block a
connected therewith by a screw a¹, and slotted for the reception of a die a² having
suitable concavities; see Fig 2 and 10, of such shape as to direct the point of the
legs of the staple b toward each other, causing them to be inturned and clinched, as
represented in Fig. 9.
This construction of die and die block enables the clinching cavities to be made
narrower than heretofore and enables the practical production of straight or vertical
side walls for the clinching cavities, such walls materially aiding in directing the
ends of the staple in a straight line, as they are bent towards each other, thus
placing the clinched ends in line one with the other.
The bracket A3 has attached to it by screws B, B, the staple race-way B¹ which
is composed as herein shown of an oblong metal tube, shaped to present side walls,
the said tube being slotted at its bottom for the passage of the shank or eye 2 of
the button b, the side walls serving to support the opposite legs of the staples s,
which latter, at their crowns, receive and sustain the buttons, the latter being in a
state of suspension and being supported only by the staples, as the buttons move
towards the staple-guide or carrier d to be described.
The side walls of the staple chute act to guide the legs of the staples as the
latter descend therein, toward the staple-carrier and guide d, the said side walls
directing the points of the said staples into the flaring mouth 3 of the said carrier,
as in Fig. 6.
The separate mechanism herein shown, by which the staples and their attached
' buttons are controlled so as to pass singly to the carrier d consists essentially of two
spring held trigger levers 22, 23 pivoted respectively at 24, 25 on blocks 26, 27
adjustably attached to the staple chute, each of the trigger levers being acted upon
by a spring as in fig. 1, where the said levers are shown in their normal positions
with their toes entered into the chute through slots made in its top side, and
wherein it will be seen that the toe of the lever 22 within the race acts to detain
the button, one or more, above it in the chute, there being a single staple and
'button in the space between the toe of the lever 22 and the toe of the lever 23.
In fig. 1, the staple next to be driven and its attached button is shown in the
carrier d, and as the driver descends, the screw 28 strikes one arm of the lever 23
and raises its toe from the chute, to let the staple and button held by it, slide down
to the end of-the chute next the carrier.
As the arin D3 supporting the carrier and driver descended from their highest
position to the position Fig. 1, the projection 30 struck the upper end of the
lever 22 and turned the said lever somewhat about its fulcrum, but the button
above the point of the toe did not escape, for the button held by the lever 23
prevented that, but as the arm D² rises after releasing the staple and button held
by the lever 23, the projection 30 again strikes and turns the lever 22 and at such

page_text: time, the space between the levers 22 and 23 not being occupied by a button, the
button held by the lever 22 is permitted to pass from the control of the said
lever 22 and drop against the lever 23 and be retained by it until the arm D³ again
descends. But one button eye can pass the lever 22 and that only when the
lever 28 is not holding a button.
The lower end of the chute or raceway is inclined or beveled to come close to or
meet the upper corners 8 of the guide or carrier d, when the latter is in its most
elevated position, the slot at the lower end of the chute or raceway at such time
being made to intersect or coincide with the slot d³ left at the rear side of the said
guide or carrier, so that the shank 2 of the button passes readily and unerringly
into the said slot and into the guide or carrier.
As the shank 2 of the button leaves the slot in the raceway and enters the slot
in the guide or carrier, the legs of the staple are carried past or across the upper
corners 8 of the guide or carrier, and are projected into the inclined space 3 of the
said guide or carrier, as in fig. 6, and striking against the inclined surface made in
the shank d' of the guide or carrier, the points of the staple are directed downward
into the said guide or carrier.
The side walls 12 of the guide or carrier see fig 12 are beveled or inclined to
approach each other from top to bottom, in order that the legs of the staple resting
against the said inclined walls shall be prevented from descending therein by gravity
alone, and also so that when acted upon by the driver e, the said staples will be
slightly closed, such closing taking place both while the staple is being moved
through the guide and carrier and while it is being forced through the material,
said inclined walls absolutely preventing the spreading of the staple.
The spindle D is provided with a pin h which rests upon the upper end of the
spiral spring D¹ supported at its lower end by the base A, and consequently the
spindle with its arm D2 is normally held elevated, but the said spindle and arm
and the driver e attached to it by screws or rivets 34 may be depressed when it is
desired to drive a staple and attach a button to a boot, shoe or other article.
Preferably, the spindle will be operated by a treadle and strap or link, not shown,
connected with the eye D' at the lower end of the spindle. The driver at its
lower end is forked, as shown best in fig. 4, the inner edges of the fork being
beveled, as at 14, to act upon the head of the staple and insure the preservation of
its V-shaped head, and above the said inclines, the said driver is notched as at 15
for the reception of the shank 2 of the button.
The upper end of the shank d¹ of the carrier d is provided with a rod or
extension 35 which is passed through a spiral spring 18, then through a bearing 30
connected with the arm D³, and thereafter, the said rod or extension has applied to
it a second spring 37 and a nut 20 and a check nut.
The nut 20 is so adjusted that as the arm D² rises under the action of the
spring D', the said arm, by the bearing 36 through the spring 37, will lift the
shank d of the carrier just high enough to place the upper corners 8 of the said
carrier & next the delivery end of the staple chute or race-way, in which position
the guide or carrier is left while it receives from the said race way a staple and
connected button, and in such position the lower end of the driver is maintained
above the inclined part 10 of the shank d¹.
After the shoe or other article which is to have a button attached to it, is placed
on the horn or support, the operator will depress the spindle D, and as the latter
descends, the bearing 36 acting on the spring 18 will depress the shank & and
carrier d until the lower and of the said guide or carrier d meets the material of
the boot, shoe or other article, when the spring 18 bearing upon the shoulder 16 of
the shank d will yield during the further descent of the arm D2, but will hold the
lower end of the guide or carrier & closely against the material, the carrier thus
adapting itself to the thickness of the material.
Just after the lower end of the guide or carrier meets the upper side of the
material, the driver, in its descent, meets the upper end of the staple and during
its further descent, the said driver acts to drive the staple into and through the

page_text: material, and the points of the staple into the cavities of and against the anvil die,
the latter causing the legs of the staple to be clinched as before described and as
shown in fig. 9.
The extent of the descent of the spindle and arm D2 may be regulated in any
suitable manner, as for instance, by a screw bolt m, and so by adjusting the said
screw, the distance at which the crown of the staple is left above the material may
be regulated.
I have herein shown a staple of peculiar shape and adaptability for the purpose
of a button fastener, the said staple being of the shape shown in. fig. 8 and having
preliminary bends at 8s in each leg, each leg being beveled at its outer side,
as at 8³.
In accordance with my invention the button is supported only by the staple,
and only the staple has a guide or race-way, and also in accordance, with my
invention, the staple and button are attached before the staple is driven into the
material. I am aware that machines have been contrived in which buttons placed
in a chute were delivered therefrom singly to have their shanks entered by tacks
delivered from a second independant chute, the tack being driven through the
material and thereafter through the eye of the button.
In fig. 9 it will be seen that the loop or eye of the staple or fastener is above
the material, and is quite large as compared with the eye in the shank of the
button.
If the legs of the staple were only beveled at the points and had not the
preliminary bends the legs would be liable to bend or cripple unequally, and the
points would not be liable each to turn inwardly for equal distance.
The movement of the legs of the staple toward each other, derived from the
inclined walls of the guide or carrier as the staple is being driven through it and
into the material and while the points are being curled inwardly, insures the closer
and more uniform approach of the clinched points together and to the central line
of the staple.
The driver does not, as heretofore in button setting machines, completely drive
the fastener, but on the contrary the staple or fastener is but partially driven, the
aim being simply to drive the staple or fastener only far enough through the
material to enable its beveled ends to be clinched up into the material and leave
space between the material and crown of the staple in which the shank of the
button is free to move.
To avoid confusion in the drawing, but three buttons are shewn in figure 1.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner it is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is
First. In a button setting machine, a race way to guide the staples with their
connected buttons and a clinching die, and a movable guide or carrier adapted to
receive the staple with its connected button from the said race-way, combined with
a driver to drive the staple through the guide or carrier into the material and
clinch its prongs, substantially as described.
Second. In a button setting machine, the guide or carrier having inclined inner
walls for the reception of the staple and slotted at d³ for the. reception of the
shank of the button, substantially as described.
Third In a button setting machine, the guide or carrier slotted at d³, and having
its shank recessed at 3, combined with the race-way to conduct the staple into the
guide or carrier and direct the legs of the staple downward, substantially as
described.
Fourth. The race-way for the staples and their connected buttons, and the guide
or carrier located at its end, and the support A¹ and anvil block and die, combined
with the driver and with means, substantially as described, to press or force the
guide or carrier against the material, preparatory to driving the staple from the
guide or carrier, as set forth.
Fifth. In a button setting- machine, the support A', the spindle, its arm, and
the driver combined-with means to regulate the extent of the descent of the driver
:

page_text: to thus leave more or less of the staple undriven or projecting above the material,
as set forth.
Sixth. The support A', the anvil block, and clinching die, the guide or carrier
located at and extended below the end of the race-way, and the staple raceway to
discharge the staples into the said guide or carrier, combined with the driver having
beveled faces 14, and slotted at 15 to act upon the V-shaped head of the staple
and leave the shank of the button free, substantially as described.
Seventh. In a button setting machine, the race way to support the attached
staples and buttons, the separator mechanism and the guide or carrier open at one
side above its end, to receive the points of the staple, and slotted vertically for the
reception of the eye of the button, combined with the driver and a clinching die,
to operate, substantially as described.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.