AN IMPROVEED MANNER OF AND APPARATUS FOR SETTING EYELETS, RIVETS, OR STUDS IN LEATHER AND OTHER MATERIALS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake,
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for the Invention of
"AN IMPROVEED MANNER OF AND APPARATUS FOR SETTING EYELETS, RIVETS,
OR STUDS IN LEATHER AND OTHER MATERIALS." A communication from
abroad by George Draper, of Milford, Massachusetts, United States of America,
Manufacturer
Sealed the 3rd June 1879, and dated the 9th April 1879.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th April 1879.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London. "AN IMPROVED MANNER OF AND APPARATUS
FOR SETTING EYELETS, RIVETS, OR STUDS IN LEATHER AND OTHER MATERIALS."
A communication from abroad by George Draper, of Milford, Massachusetts,
United States of America, Manufacturer.
The first part of this Invention relates to the setting of eyelets, tubular rivets,
and tubular shanked shoe lace studs in shoes, corsets, or other articles, and has for
its object greater security of attachment and the removal of all sharp or ragged
corners, which, coming in contact with articles of wearing apparel or the person of
the wearer, chafe and injure the same.
In setting common eyelets as heretofore practised, the clenched end is almost
invariably torn asunder at one or more points, presenting when set sharp ragged
corners or edges along the lines of division, which are very injurious to the articles
with which they come in contact while in use.
Other eyelets have been made and used to a limited extent' in which the
unflanged ends were mechanically split into several divisions during the process of
manufacture, and then the eyelets were set in the same manner and by the same
tools as the common eyelets.
These eyelets though not presenting such ragged corners as eyelets that are split
accidentally, when set, do present sharp angular corners or edges, which coming in
contact with the stocking or other articles of wearing apparel injuriously chafe or
tear the same.
To obviate these objections is one of the purposes of the present Invention, and
it consists, first, in the method of setting eyelets, tubular rivets, and shoe lace studs
by splitting the unflanged end of the eyelet or tubular shank of the rivet or stud
into a series of divisions, turning the said divisions over on the material and

page_text: embossing all of the said divisions or sections by pressing their edges or corners
inward upon the material as hereinafter described. I thus combine with a shoe,
corset, or other useful article an eyelet tubular rivet or tubular shanked shoe-
stud set therein and firmly secured thereto.
The second part of this Invention relates to tools or implements employed to
set the eyelets, rivets, or studs, and it consists in forming in the end or shoulder
of the clenching die or anvil a series of radial grooves, having curved bottoms of
uniform width and inclined sides, the inclined side of one groove meeting the
inclined side of the next groove at an acute angle so as to form a cutting knife
edge, each of which edges serves to split the end of the eyelet tube as the setting
tools are brought together to clench the eyelet.
It further consists in forming in the upper end of the punch or male die a con-
cave recess of a diameter somewhat less than the diameter of the said punch, that
portion of the end of the latter outside of the said concave recess being so bevelled
as to form an annular surface slightly conical or inclined downward and outward,
to first come in contact with the leather and be pressed into it as the punch is
moved upward, and thus keep the punch from being sprung to one side and thrown
out of line with the female die.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lace-shoe illustrating this Invention.
Figure 2 is an inside view of a portion of the shoe quarter showing two eyelets
and two shoe studs drawn to enlarged scale.
Figure 3 is a section through one of the eyelets on the line x, x, and
Figure 4 is a transverse section through one of the divisions of the flanged end
on the line y, y, Figure 2.
Figure 5 represents the clenched end of three eyelets set in the old manner.
Figure 6 is a transverse section through one of the sections of the same drawn
to an enlarged scale.
Figure 7 is a side elevation of the male and female dies adapted to punch the
hole in the material, insert the eyelet, and clench the same
Figure 8 is a central vertical section of the same drawn to an enlarged scale.
Figure 9 is a plan of the female clenching die.
Figure 10 is a side elevation of a pair of dies adapted to set an eyelet in a hole
previously punched.
Figure 11 is a central vertical section of the same drawn to an enlarged scale.
Figure 12 is a plan of an anvil for setting tubular rivets or shoe-studs drawn to
an enlarged scale."
Figure 13 is a central vertical section of the same, and
Figure 14 is an elevation of the same partly in section on the line z, z, Figure 12.
In Figure 1 A, A', represent the upper portions of the shoe-quarter along the outer
edges of which are set eyelets B, B, lacing-books or studs C, C, and tubular rivets
D, D, each illustrating one part of this Invention, the exterior elevation of the
eyelets and studs being seen in A, and the inner or clenched end in A¹.
The tubular rivet D shown in Figure 1 serves for strengthening the attachment
of the strap E to the shoe, and is used quite extensively in the manufacture of
coarse shoes or brogans to strengthen the seam which connects the counters to the
vamp and in various other articles of manufacture in common use.
In carrying this Invention into practice the holes may be punched in the
material and the eyelets set at one operation by using the tools shewn in Figures 7,
8, and 9, and eyelets which have previously had their unflanged ends swaged
slightly outward. The common eyelet may be used without previous preparation
or change in its form by the aid of the setting tools or dies shown in Figures 10
and 11, or the tubular rivets, or the shoe-studs having tubular shanks may be set
by the use of the anvil shown in Figures 12, 13, and 14, in connection with a plain

page_text: reciprocating plunger (not shown); the unflanged end of the tube of the eyelet,
rivet, or stud is split while in the act of setting the same; the several sections a, a,
thus formed are turned over radially on the material, as clearly shown in Figures 2
and 3, and the said sections are embossed by pressing their outer edges or corners
both along their ends and radial sides inward upon the material, and partially
embedding them therein, thereby removing all exterior sharp angular projecting
corners, and forming thereon rounded or bevelled corners as shown at b, b, in
Figures 2 and 4.
This may all be effected at one operation by the use of the tools shown in
Figures 7, 8, and 9, or the tube may be split and turned over on the material at
one operation and the embossing may be performed subsequently, or the tube may
be split prior to the setting, say, in the manufacture of the eyelet, rivet, or stud,
and the setting may be effected with the tools now in common use, and the
embossing may be performed by a separate operation, though it is preferable to use
the unsplit tube and perform all of the operations at one and the same time.
To effect this result in connection with tools adapted to punch the material, I
insert the eyelet and clinch the same at one operation; the working face of the
female die or clinching anvil F has formed therein a series of radial grooves c, c,
having curved bottoms of uniform widths throughout, and inclined sides so arranged
relatively to each other that the inclined side of one groove meets the inclined side
of a contiguous groove at an acute angle, thereby forming a knife-edge or cutter
d, d, between each two contiguous grooves, this knife-edge first comes in contact
with the end of the eyelet tube as it is forced up through the leather or other
material, and splits it into a series of divisions which are then turned over by the
curved bottoms of the grooves c, c, and the bevelled sides of the grooves by acting
in conjunction with the said curved bottoms, press the outer edge of the sections
a, a, of the clinched flange into the material so that the outer surface of the said
sections will be left convex.
The male punch or setting tool G has in its end the concave recess e, the greatest
diameter of which is somewhat less than the diameter of the punch; the surface of
the end of the punch which is outside of said recess is inclined downward and
outward from the margin of the said recess, so that when the punch comes in
contact with the leather to be punched it will present a narrow annular surface to
the leather, and by reason of its form will be imbedded therein before the corners
of the punch working in conjunction with the cutting edge f of the female die F
begin to cut the material; I thus prevent the springing of the punch to one side or
out of lino with the female die to the injury of the said female die, as is frequently
the case in punching heavy greasy cow-hide with a convex ended punch as hereto-
foro practised.
His a stationary clinching tool and I a movable plunger to work in connection
therewith and adapted to set eyelets in holes previously punched. These tools are
essentially the same as those employed in eyelet setting machines now in use,
except that the shoulder h of the tool H has in its face a series of radial grooves c, c,
and cutting edges d, d, formed and adapted to operate, substantially as set forth
with reference to Figure 9 and to the female die or clinching tool F.
The other details of construction of the tools H and I, shewn in Figure 10, and
enlarged to twice their natural size in Figure 11, form no part of this present
Invention and need no further description here.
The action of these tools in setting an eyelet or tubular rivet is to partially cut
the tube upon its inner periphery as it is forced down into or upon the unflanged
end thereof, thus defining the lines of separation and rendering the inner corners
of each of the sections along the said line of separation comparatively smooth, and
at the same time the action of the knives in cutting the tube tends to force the
metal of the tube directly outside of the knife-edge outward, so as to cause all
roughness of the separated edges to be turned outward or downward toward the
material at right angles or nearly so to the outer or under sides of the said sections
in such a manner that when the said sections are pressed forcibly upon the material

page_text: by the final pressure of the setting tools, the rough or ragged surfaces or corners
along the radial sides of said sections will be pressed into the material and thereby
add greatly to the security of the attachment of the clinched end of the eyelet or
rivet to the leather or other material.
In the process of turning over the sections on the material as they are gradually
separated by the movement of the setting tools towards each other, a slipping or
sliding action of the separated edges of said sections upon the side walls of the
radial grooves formed in said tools takes place; this sliding action tends to smooth
the inner corner of each edge of the said sections or the corners next to the grooved
setting tool, removing all sharpness therefrom and forming thereon a smooth
rounded or bevelled corner.
The result is that the sections are inore firmly attached to the leather or other
material, and will in consequence resist a greater strain than if set according to
either of the old methods, and the clenched end of the eyelet or rivet is thus
rendered less liable than heretofore to injure articles of clothing coming in contact
therewith.
This Invention may be usefully applied in the manufacture of shoes as shown
and described, also in the manufacture of corsets, harness, shawl-straps, and various
other articles without changing the manners of operation.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to me by my
foreign correspondents, and the manner of performing the same, I wish it under-
stood that I do not broadly claim an eyelet set in a shoe or other useful article
having its clinched end divided into a series of sections turned over radially on
the material in which it is set, as I am aware that eyelets have been so set before,.
neither do I claim broadly splitting the unflanged end of an eyelet tube while in
the act of setting or clinching the same, but I claim,―
First. The improved manner of setting, consisting in separating the clinching
end of the eyelet, rivet, or stud into sections, turning the said sections over upon
the material in which the said eyelet, rivet, or stud is inserted, and embossing each
of the said sections by pressing its outer peripheral end and radial edges inward,
and causing them to be imbedded in the material, as and for the purposes set
forth.
Second. The clinching tool F or H, having formed in its working face or shoulder
a series of radial grooves, each having a curved bottom of uniform width throughout,
and inclined sides and a series of cutting knife-edges, all arranged and adapted to
operate, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
Third. The combination with the female die or clinching tool, the male punch
or setting tool provided with the concave recess, and an inclined annular surface
surrounding the said recess, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Ninth day of April, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.
W. ROBT. LAKE. (L.S.)