US1070163A - Lower raceway for button-fastening machines. - Google Patents

Description

E. D. MORGAN.

LOWER. RACEWAY FOR BUTTON FASTENING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 22, 1912.

1,070,1 63, Patented Aug. 12, 1913.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFTQE.

EDW'ARD D. MORGAN, OF WALTHAM, IMASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HEATON- PENINSULAR BUTTON FASTENER COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A

CORPORATION 0F MAINE.

LOWER BACEVV'AY FOR BUTTON-FASTENING MACHINES.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD D. MORGAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waltham, county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Lower Raceways for Button-Fastening Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

In button fastening machines, especially those in which wire is used for the button fastening, there is usually provided an upper race way and a lower race way for the buttons, the buttons passing first through the upper race way and thence into the lower race way, from which they are delivered to the button fastening mecha nism. This lower race way is usually provided with a grooved way for the eye of the button and with a cover which extends over the heads of the buttons with just suflicient clearance above the heads of the buttons for the greater part of the travel to not interfere with the passage of the button, but set down close enough to prevent the buttons from jumping out of the race way. The said race way is pivoted at its up end, its lower end being held by a tension spring so that it will bear against the lowermost button with a slight pressure which will yield to the downward pull upon the button by the feeding of the wire. As ordinarily constructed, there is no adjustment of the cover to adapt it to buttons having different thicknesses of heads, and it is customary whenever a change is made in the size of the buttons being used to substitute another cover which is so constructed as to stand at a greater or less elevation above the race way according to the change in size of the buttons. The object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable cover and means for adjusting the same to adapt it to buttons of different sizes, so that the same cover may be used with buttons of different sizes.

The invention will be fully understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying draw ings, and the novel features thereof will be pointed out and clearly defined in the claims at the close of this specification.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 22, 1912.

Patented Aug. 12,1913.

Serial No. 705,224.

In the drawings,Figure 1 is a side elevation of the lower race way of a button fastening machine embodying the invention and showing broken away a portion only of the body of the machine sufficient to illustrate the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan of the parts shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the device shown in Fig. 1 showing the cover adjusted for buttons of larger size than those in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side elevation showing a modified form of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings-1 represents the lower race way provided with side flanges 2-2, as usual, for securing it to the frame of the machine and having the face 3 of the lower portion of the lower race way of a little steeper descent than the face i of the upper portion of the lower race way. The race way is provided with the usual groove to receive the eyes of the buttons 5. The heads only of the buttons are shown in the drawings, as it will be readily understood how the eyes of the buttons travel in the groove, while the heads rest upon the top or face of the race way.

A cover 6 which extends over the race way has open sides, as usual, and is provided at its rear end with a pair of ears 7 which straddle the race way. Each of said ears is pivoted to a lever S by a pivot screw 9, so that the said cover may be turned up on its pivot. The lower end of the cover is also provided with a pair of downward extending ears 10 which straddle the race way. A spring 11 normally holds the lower end of said cover against being lifted except under upward pressure. Any suitable form of spring may be used, the spring shown being secured to the race way at one end by a headed pin 12, the other end of the spring being bent to engage with the top of the cover. A pin 13 prevents the spring from turning on the pin 12 when the forward part of the spring is pushed up by a lifting pres sure on the lower end of the cover, so that when the cover is lifted the said spring will be given tension to restore the cover to its normal position when the lifting pressure is removed.

The lower ends of the side ears 10 rest upon wedge plates 14 which are secured to the side flai'iges 2 of the race way. These wedge plates are each provided with an eX- tension 1i" formed with an elongated slot 15, through which extends a clamping screw 16 which secures the wedge plate to the side flange. By slackening up the clamping screws 16 the wedge plates may be adjusted so as to change the elevation of the lower part of the cover with regard to the race way.

The lovers 8 are secured to opposite sides of the race way by screws 18 which pass through elongated slots 19-19 in the levers, the inner ends of said screws engaging with tapped out holes in the sides of the race way. By setting up the screws 'lS-1S so that the heads bind against the sides or the levers the said levers willv be clamped against movement. By loosening said screws 1S18 the levers 8 may be IHOVGd longitudinally as limited by said elongated slots thereby carrying the cover longitudinally either forward or back, and also said levers may be turned up or down on said screws as pivots so as to elevate or depress the rear ends of said levers, thereby rais..1g or lowering the rear end of the cover within a limited. extent, so that said cover may be adjusted both longitudinally and in elevation by means of said levers, and then by setting up the clamp screws 18 again the said levers will be clamped in their adjusted positions, thus retaining the cover in its adjusted position. It the cover is to be set for a larger size button than tor which it has previously been adjusted, the cover should be elevated. On account of the change in shape it should also be moved forward. 13y moving it forward it will increase the height of the space between the more sloping forward portion 3 ot the rate "ay and the cover. When the cover is adjusted by means of the levers, as just described, the wedge plate should also be adjusted so as to correspondingly vary the elevation of the lower end of the cover. It the spring 11 be disengaged from the cover of the race way the cover is free to be turned entirely back on its pivot it it is desired for any reason to gain free access to the race way for clearing it out or any other purpose.

In the modified form of construction shown in Fig. 4t the adjusting levers are somewhat different in construction from the lovers 8 already described. levers 81 shown in the modified form are each formed wit-h a circular head 20 which The adjusting turns in a curved bearing 21 in cars 71 of the cover 6, the construction otherwise be ing substantially the same as the device shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. In this form of construction the adjustment may be readily made both in elevation and forward and back, as already described.

The invention is adapted for use on race ways employed with both power and hand machines.

What I claim is:

1. In combination with a button raceway, a raceway cover, levers having pivot and elongated slot connection with said race ay and a separate pivot connection with said cover, so arranged that said levers may be turned to swing said cover outwardly from the raceway and longitudinally with relation to the raceway.

2. A button race way for a button fastening machine, having a race way cover, levers to which said cover is pivoted, means whereby said levers may be varied. in position with relation to the race way, thereby varying the position of the cover with relation to the race way, means for clamping said levers in their adjusted position, and wedges whereby the elevation of the forward part of the cover with relation to the race way may be varied.

8. A button raceway having a cover, an adjustable pivot connection between the raceway and the rear part of the cover, and. adjustable wedge mechanism whereby the distance of the forward part of the cover from the raceway may be varied.

t. In combination with a raceway, a aceway cover, levers having pivot connection with said raceway and the rear part oi? said cover, arranged so that the elevation of the rear end of the cover with relation to the raceway may be varied and adjusted, and independent means for adjusting the elevation of the lower end of the cover with rcla tion to the raceway, said lower end of the cover being rigid with the said pivoted up- EDWARD I). MORGAN.

Witnesses WILLIAM A. COPELAND, Anion H. MORRISON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. (1.

Images