GB2095095A - Button covering press - Google Patents

Abstract

A button press has a reciprocating carrier 10 carrying lower dies 8, 9 so that either of these can be placed below an upper die 7. The lower dies are alternately loaded and brought below the upper die and the latter is actuated automatically as the lower dies are brought into line with it, for crimping together button backs and button caps. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Button covering press This invention relates to presses for attaching button backs to button caps, with or without covering material.

Buttons are commonly made by pressing button caps on to button backs. If the button is to be covered, as is usual, the covering material is placed round the button cap before pressing, so that the edges of the material are trapped and held between the inter-fitting edge regions of the button cap and back.

According to the present invention, a button covering press has a first die mounted at an operating position, and further dies mounted so as to be moveable alternatively into the operating position, die-actuating means and automatic control means controlling the actuating means and arranged to effect engagement of a firstmentioned die and a said further die when a said further die is at the operating position.

Preferably, the first-mentioned die is retractable and is advanced and retracted towards the selected further die by the actuating means.

The further dies may for example be mounted on a reciprocating, preferably swivelling carrier, or on a rotary carrier.

Preferably, there are two further dies, of which a first provides for initial association of a button cap and covering material and transfer of these to the first-mentioned die, and the second receives the button back for fastening to the button cap and covering.

A button covering press embodying the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which: . .

Figure is a side view of.the press, partly cut away, and Figure 2 is a plan view in section on the line Il-Il in Figure 1.

The illustrated button covering press consists of two upright C-frames 1, 2, with a hydraulic or pneumatic cylinder 3 mounted on the upper arms of the frames and a bed plate 4 on the lower arms of the frames.

The cylinder 3 has a downwardly extending piston rod on the end of which a downwardly facing upper die 7.

A quadrant-shaped swivel plate 10 is mounted on the bed plate 4 and can pivot about a vertical pivot 1 The swivel plate carries two lower dies 8, 9. The dies 7, 8 and 9 make up a standard 3-piece button covering die set. The dies 8, 9 are so mounted that by swivelling of a plate 10 either die can be brought below the upper die 7. End positions of the swivel plate, in which the dies 8, 9 respectively are below the die 7 are defined by blocks 1 6 and 1 5. The dies 8, 9 can move vertically and are spring-biased upwards.

An air outlet hole 1 7 is provided in the bed plate so as to be directly below the die 9, when the swivel plate 10 is against the block 16, with the die 8 below the die 7. The hole 1 7 communicates with the die 9 by way of a hole 20 in the swivel plate.

For swivelling the plate 10, a lever 13 is attached to a post 1 4 on the plate and extends over the pivot 11. A tension spring 1 9 is stretched between a pin 12 on the swivel plate and a pin 5 on the bed plate 4, these pins being on opposite sides of the pivot 11 so as to form an over-centre mechanism whereby the spring will hold the bed plate against either one of the blocks 1 5, 1 6.

A lower part of the press has a case 1 8 which provides a worktop with openings giving access to the dies 8, 9 and allowing the lever 1 3 to protrude.

At the rear of the bed plate is a post 21 on which a tube 6 can slide and pivot. The tube is urged upwards and anti-clockwise (in Figure 2) by a torsion and compression spring 22 mounted between and secured at opposite ends to the bed plate and the tube 6. At the upper end of the tube 6 is a horizontal bar 23 carrying or constituting a stop. At the bottom of the tube 6 is fastened a feeler 24 which rests against the side of the swivel plate 10.

The stop blocks 15, 1 6 have respective microswitches or other sensors which respond when the swivel plate reaches the respective stop block.

The illustrated press operates as follows.

With the swivel plate initially in its left-hand position (the anti-clockwise position illustrated in Figure 2) the die 8 is loaded with a button cap and covering material. The swivel plate is then swivelled to the right or clockwise in Figure 2, to bring it below the die 7. This movement is effected by an operator using the lever 13, but as the pin 1 2 passes the centre line formed by the pin 5 and the pivot 1 the spring 1 9 pulls the swivel plate towards the stop block 1 6. When the swivel plate meets the stop block 1 6 the sensor associated with the latter releases a short blast of air through the hole 1 7 and the die 9, blowing the previously made button held in the die.The signal given by the sensor also actuates the cylinder 3 which lowers the die on to the die 8, pauses, and then raises the die 7.

As the swivel plate approaches the stop block 1 6 its trailing edge moves past the feeler 24 and the tube 6 pivots under the action of the spring 22 so that when the die 8 is below the die 7, the stop on the upper bar 23 interacts with the die 7, preventing the slidable outer lower portion of the die from rising, so that the die forms a receptacle for the cap and cover.

The die 7 picks up the cap and cover from the die 8. The operator loads the now empty die 9 with a button back, and moves the swivel plate back to the left (anti-clockwise) to the stop block 1 5, with the assistance of the spring 1 9 over the second half of the swivelling movement. The sensor associated with the stop block 1 5 then provides a signal causing the cylinder 3 to lower the die 7 carrying the button cap and cover, pause, and return. The swivelling of the swivel plate moves the top on the bar 23 clear of the die 7. The dies 7 and 9 crimp the edge of the button cap around the edge of the button back, trapping the edge of the cover material between the cap and back.

The operator loads a fresh button cap and cover material into the die 8, and the above-described sequence of operations is repeated.

It will be seen that the operator only has to initiate the movement of the swivel plate, and load the button components into the dies 8, 9. All other operations are carried out automatically, providing for faster production and less operator fatigue than known production methods. Because the press is self-contained except for supplies for the air holes 1 7 and the cylinder 3, it can be put on any convenient working surface, and in particular it requires no stand or foot-operating mechanism.

Given an adequate source pressure, the cylinder 3 can provide constant closing pressures and hence consistent button quality.

The lever 13 and spring 19 can be replaced by a powdered drive mechanism, for example a small air cylinder The latter can be operated by the operator or automatically on a regular sequence.

The button components, instead of being loaded manually, can be fed automatically for example from feed hoppers into the dies, providing a fully automatic press.

Claims (9)

1. A button press for securing together button caps and button backs, comprising a first die mounted at an operating position, a plurality of further dies mounted so as to be movable alternatively into the operating position, dieactuating means for effecting engagement of the first die and a said further die disposed at the operating position for fastening together a button back and button cap respectively disposed in the dies, and automatic control means arranged to control the actuating means for effecting engagement of the first die and a further die automatically when the further die is at the operating position.

2. A button press as claimed in claim 1 in which the actuating means are arranged to advance and retract the first die relative to the further die.

3. A button press as claimed in claim 2 in which the further dies are mounted to move transversely relative to the direction of advance and retraction of the first die.

4. A button press as claimed in any preceding claim in which the further dies are mounted on a common movable carrier.

5. A button press as claimed in claim 4 in which means are provided for locating the die carrier in predetermined positions corresponding to location of a selected further die at the operating position, and the control means are responsive automatically to location of the carrier at such a position.

6. A button press as claimed in any preceding claim having two said further dies, of which a first provides for initial association of a button cap and covering material and transfer of these to the firstmentioned die, and the second receives the button back for fastening to the button cap and covering.

7. A button press as claimed'in claim 6 in which the first die has a first condition adapted to receive a button cap and covering material, and a second condition for crimping the button back and button cap between the first die and the second further die and for releasing the crimped button, means being provided for automatically shifting the first die between its said conditions in dependence on location of the respective further dies at the operating position.

8. A button press as claimed in any preceding claim including an air nozzle arranged to be aligned with one of the further dies when another of the further dies is at the operating position, for ejecting from the said one of the further dies a completed button by means of anair blast from the nozzle.

9. A button press substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.