AU663156B2 - Press tool - Google Patents

Description

663156

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 CC CC

C

cZXDKIFT.

5 EUE:' SPEEC-IE ]FIE C=AT 3CX CI C C C C CCt C C

'CCC

CC C C C

APPLICANT:

NUMBER:

FILING DATE: PATRICK AUSTRALIA PTY. LTD.

Invention Title: PRESS TOOL The invention is described in the following statement:- WP51/JMSPEC/PATRICK.SPC/25 February 1993/D5 TITLE: Press Tool FILE OF THE INVENTION: This invention relates to a press tool for making buttons of the type having a unitary metal body, in particular to buttons wherein a brooch pin is attached to the back of a shell and a print sheet is attached to the front of the shell.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION: In the button-making and closure making industries, there is a need to encase a metal button or closure with plastics material such as material bearing some decG-ation or message. Thus the plastics material is stretched over the button or closure and crimped around its edge.

In this specification and in the claims the expression "button" will be used to mean a button for use as an item of wear, for example, on lapels, which button comprises principally a metal shell, which is covered with a print sheet having a pattern and/or a 0u. message on that side of the button facing away from the wearer, and a means of attachment such as pin means on that side of the button facing towards the wearer. The print sheet is conveniently a laminate of plastics material.

oo There are a number of patent specifications which relate to the manufacture of buttons. In one example only, Australian patent application no. 13510/92 (formerly PCT/GB92/00383) to Hallam and Joshi, a die assembly is disclosed for the manufacture of buttons etc. However, this assembly makes use of a sliding bottom die for the t removal of the manufactured article and is directed towards buttons etc. having backing plates. This feature making use of a backing plate is common in apparatus and assemblies for making buttons etc known to us.

C

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION: Accordingly this invention provides a press tool for making buttons from shells and print sheets, each shell having a base with a side wall and a flange extending out from the side w'all, a press tool comprises a spring loaded double action punch and die combination wherein the punch comprises an external punch means surrounding an internal punch means and wherein the die is provided with bevel shaping means adapted to receive a shell overlaid with a print sheet located in or on the shaping means, the external punch means and th 4 h knockout

I!

being adapted to engage the top side of the print sheet, thereby aligning the shell in the die and conforming the print sheet to its surface, and as the external punch means continues down the edge of the print sheet is forced down the side wall of the shell, and the internal punch means being adapted to force the half formed assembly of shell and print sheet, -2further downwards, crimping the edge of the print sheet between the upturned flange and the side wall of the blank.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS: These drawings illustrate one embodiment of the invention, in which: Figure 1 is a general sketch from the front and above of a power press set up with an eight station dial feed plate to hold a series of bottom dies and a punch or top die according to the invention; Figure 2 is a cross-section through a punch and die combination according to the invention; Figure 3 is a view from one side and below of the component parts of an assembly comprising a shell together with a superimposed print sheet; I t Figure 4 is a cross-section through part of the punch and die combination of Figure •2 showing the assembly of Figure 3 in position ready to be pressed; 0 o ti Figure 5 is a cross-section through part of the combination of Figure 4 showing the assembly partially formed into a button; and Figure 6 is a cross-section through part of the combination of Figures 4 and Sshowing a button fully formed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION: In one preferred embodiment, the internal punch means and the external punch means are movable longitudinally with respect to each other.

Preferably the internal punch means is provided with a separating means for finished articles, such as a knockout.

The external punch means is connected movably to the internal punch means by joining means such as spring means, whereby both punch means may be brought into alignment p during formation of a button.

The shaping means associated with the die is conveniently a hollow let into the upper region of the die which is shaped to assist turning and/or crimping of the lower flange of n the shell when the punch is applied.

U -3- %r 0 .1 Preferably the lower surfaces of the internal punch means and separating means from a continuous concave surface to correspond generally with the upper surface of the shell and, ultimately, the button.

Turning now to the accompanying drawings, in Figure 1 numeral 1 indicates a power press generally and numeral 2 a press tool consisting of a punch and die according to the invention. A dial feed plate with eight indexed stations 3 supports an array of eight bottom dies 4.

With reference to Figure 2, a generally cylindrical punch assembly 5 co-operates with a generally cylindrical die 6. Punch assembly 5 comprises an internal punch means 7 surrounded in its lower region by an external punch means 8. A knockout 9 is provided penetrating through internal punch means 7.

Internal punch means 7 is provided with an upper shoulder 10 into which are let two **vertical (as viewed in use) holes 11 and 12. Threaded bolts 13 and 14 penetrate holes 11 0aaand 12 respectively and thread into upper region 8A of external punch means 8. Bolt heads 13A and 14A respectively limit the travel upwards and downwards of external punch means 8 by engagement with internal shoulders 11 A and 12A respectively inside a holes 11 and 12 respectively.

Lower surface 15A of internal punch means 7 is located above and adjacent to upper @0surface 15B of external punch means 8. Vertical (as viewed in use) holes 16A and 17A a penetrate through lower surface 15A in line with internal holes 16B and 17B penetrating through upper surface 5B. Compressible springs 16C and 17C are located in holes 16A/16B and 17A/17B respectively. These compressible springs are provided to hold 0 the external punch means sufficiently rigid to perform the first forming action; see later in relation to The lower region of external punch -means 8 takes the form of a narrower diameter skirt 18 which tu-rminates in a downwardly protruding rim 19 having an outwardly chamifered edge 19A.

Knockout 9 is normally forced downwards by compressible spring 9A within longitudinally extending hole 9B located in internal punch means 7, this hole having a lower, wider diameter portion 9C to accommodatc~ knockout 9, when this knockout ist withdrawn.

a -4- Die 6 is provided with an inlet 29 having an inwardly facing, angled shoulder 30 about midway up the wall of the inlet. Angled shoulder 30 corresponds to outwardly chamnfered edge 19A of downwardly protruding rim 19. Bolt holes 6A and 6B are provided in the bottom region of die 6. An air inlet hole for removal of the finished product by air blast is also provided in this region but is not shown.

Turning to Figure 3 an assembly 31 comprises a shell 32 together with a print sheet 32A, the shell having a curved top and a downwardly (as viewed in use during manufacture) protruding side wall 33 ending in an outwardly extending flange 32. A brooch pin is shown as attached to the lower surface 36 of shell 32.

Turning now to Figure 4, like numerals indicate like parts. It will be noted that knockout 9 has a downwardly facing concave surface 37. This surface has the same radius of curvature as downwardly facing concentric concave surface 38 of internal punch means 7. Concave surface 37 may be inset slightly from concentric concave surface 38 to leave room for air expelled during forming of the finished buttons, as described below.

Alternatively or in addition a bleed hole for air may be provided through knockout 9.

The assembly 31 shown in Figure 3 is located in inlet 29 with flange 34 of shell 32 resting against angled shoulder 30, about midway up that shoulder.

Turning. to Figure 5, internal punch means 7, external punch means 8 and knockout 9 are shown as compressing &-,;wnwards on assembly 31. the external edge portion of print sheet 31A is shown as pushed downwards into an inlet formed between side wall 33 and flange 34 of shell 32, the flange being somewhat upwardly turned.

Turning now to Figure 6, as the downward pressure of the press stroke continues the internal punch means is shown completing the crimping process. Thus the external portion of print sheet 3 1lA is shown as crimped between now internally directed side wall 33 and flange 34 of shell 32. Hence, print sheet 31A is now integral with reformed shell q 32 to form a button ready for use when ejected from die 6 by a blast of compressed air, at the next station of the dial feed plate, as the press continues to stroke automatically, thereby makting and ejecting one complete button at each stroke of the press. The ejection tubl- which directs the button into a carton is not shown.

Claims (4)

1. A press tool for making buttons from shells and print sheets, each shell having a base with a side wall and a flange extending out from the side wall, a press tool comprises a spring loaded double action punch and die combination wherein the punch comprises an external punch means surrounding an internal punch means and wherein the die is provided with bevel shaping means adapted to receive a shell overlaid with a print sheet located in or on the shaping means, the external punch means and the knockout being adapted to engage the top side of the print sheet, thereby aligning the shell in the die and conform-dig the print sheet to its surface, and as the external punch means continues down the edge of the print sheet is forced down the side wall of the shell, and the internal punch means being adapted to force the half formed assembly of shell and print sheet, further downwards, crimping the edge of the print sheet between the upturned flange and the side wall of the blank. 00 *0.

2. A press tool as claimed in claim 1, wherein the internal punch means and the

7. external punch means are movable longitudinally with respect to each other. 3. A press tool as claimed in claim I or claim 2, wherein the in ternal punch means is provided with a spring loaded knockout, firstly to assist the shell to align perfectly central within the bottom die and secondly to ensure that the finished product stays in the bottom die prior to ejection by air blast at the next station of the dial feed plate. 4. A press tool as claimed in any of claims i to 3m, wherein the external punch means is connected movably to the internal punch means by joining means including spring means, whereby both puzich means may be brought into alignment during formation of a button. A press tool as claimed in any one of claims I to 4, wherein the shaping means associated with the die is conveniently a hollow let into the upper region of the die which is shaped to assist turning atnd/or crimping of the edge of the shell when the punch is applied. 6. A press tool as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 5, wherein the lower surfaces of the internal punch means and separating means for a continuous concave surface to correspond generally with the upper surface of the shell and, ultimately, the button. 7. A press tool as claimed in claim 1, substantially as described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this seventh day of July, 11995 By his Patent Attorneys JAMES MURRAY CO

9. fl's a. S p. S '.4 .5 S a 1a *9 J S 3 a *5 5 a 9. 060 -7- ABSTRACT A button for wear, for example, on a lapel, may be made using a punch and die combination to conform a print sheet (31A) to a shell (32) and crimp the edge of the print sheet to the shell by means of a side wall and flange (34) of the shell, one complete button being produced at each stroke of the press. Pu S 9 9. 9 9 9 9. I 9 9 a J r 99 SR .1 9 0,*S 9. a 94.. /9% -8-