US1140474A - Method and apparatus for attaching buttons to fabrics. - Google Patents

Description

F. A. MINER. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING BUTTONS T0 FABRICS. APPLICATION FLED DEC.2 1, 1914.

1,140,4=74. Patented May 25, 191 5.

3 SHEETSSHEET I.

lmvEnTom nanJmgkYQxnmn) F. A. MINER.

- METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING BUTTONS T0 FABRICS. I

' APPLICATION HLED 050.24. 1914.

. 1,140,474, Patented May 25, 1915.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

INVEHTOI? Wmwu F A. MINER. METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING BUTTONS T0 FABRICS.

APPLICATION FILED 050.24, 1914.

. 1,140,474. A v Patnted May 25,1915.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

-WITHE$$5 l I I lHvEnT'ore fromnsv 50 protruding through the slots as shown in Fig. 2.

ran snares Parana oration.

FRANK A. MINER, OF WINDSOR, ONTARIO, CANADA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-THIRBTO JOHN GREEN AN'D ONE-THIRD T0 R. J. BRACE, BOTH Q35 RONTIAC, MICHIGAN.

'METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING BUTTO NS TO FABRIC-S.

macaw.

To all whom it may con cern:

Be it known that l, FRANK A. MINER. a citizen of the United States, residing at Windsor, county of Essex, Province of Ontario, Canada, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Methods and Apparatus for Attaching Buttons to Fabrics, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to a method for fastening buttons to fabrics such as overalls, jackets, and the like, and also to apparatus for carrying out the method.

In the drawings,-Figure 1 is a side View of. the machine, some of the parts being broken away. Fig. 2 is a plan view. Fig. 3 is a detail in vertical section, of the ringforming mechanism. Fig. 4 is a detail of the same mechanism partly in vertical section and partly in elevation, the view being taken from a position 90 degrees to the right of the position from which the view was taken in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a side View of the devices for forming the ring, beingshown partly in vertical section. This View also shows the selector device which allows the feeding of one button at a time. Fig. 6 is a horizontal cross section of the mechanism for forming the ring. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the machine showing more par ticularly the mechanism for forming the wire ring. Fig. 8 is a rear elevation of the machine, part of the driving pulley being sectioned, and a part being broken away.

' The machine consists of mechanism for feeding one button at a time, mechanism for thrusting the button shank through the fabric, mechanism for forming the wire ring through the shank so as to hold the button, and mechanism for feeding the wire in measured quantities to the ring-forming mechanism. 1 shall, therefore, describe these various mechanisms in order.

The feeding mechanism may be a slotted, inclined trough a, the shanks 01" the buttons 'lhese buttons come down in a line by gravity and their shanks are always held Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 235, 11915.

Application filed December 24, 1914. Serial No. 878,846.

inthe same position by reason of the slots bemg too narrow to allow the shanks to slip through unless they are turned so that the directions of their greatest width are par allel with the slot. lhis line of buttons may be placed in the trough by hand or by automatic devices (not shown). There DB-r mg a number of automatic devices to accomplish this purpose, and the same being no essential part of my invention, 1 have not shown this. Devices of this character are already well known in connection with riveting machines and the like.

The buttons come down until they meet the selector 2) (Fig. 5). This comprises a pivoted rocking member having a hook at each end. Then the hook 0 is raised to let by the button which it restrains, the hook 5 at the opposite end restrains the next following button, and when the hook 0 rocks back to normal position, the hook cl is with drawn and allows the next following button to drop down against the hook 0. The third following button (now the second one in the trough) is restrained from getting past the hook cl which is now raised by the reason of its head engaging with the head of the farthest advanced button and holding the shank in such spaced relation as seen in Fig. 5. It is evident that the mechanism described has the result of selecting one button at a time and allowing it to be fed by gravity to the mechanism next to be described.

The mechanism for forcing the shank of the button through the fabric comprises a plunger e provided at its top with a recess adapted to receive the button as it slides down the trough. The plunger receives the button when in its lowermost position, as shown in the dotted lines of Fig. 1. Thereafter the rotation of the cam wheel f lifts the plunger to the position shown in Fig. 5. This is accomplished by the pin and roller g, which are constrained to travel in the vertical slot in (Fig. 7), and are caused to take this vertical movement by reason of the recesses being provided in both the die and the mandrel for the reception of the shank of the button (Fig. 6). The mandrel and die are held in spaced relation by the ejector is (Fig. 3). The ejector is a closed end cylinder slidable over the mandrel and provided with slots at its lower end which makes the lowerendo f the ejector in the form of prongs. Referri to Fig. l it will be scen'that the ends the prongs are shaped to guide the Wire slightly downward in'i-ts-ficourse so that the end otthe aforementioned circle and then a spiral.

The recesses in the die and mandrel so positions the button shank that this circular path goes directly through the 'eye of the" shank.

\Vhen the proper length of the spiral 1s attained, the cutter m (Fig. 6) is reciprocated' and severs the wire of the upper coil of the spiral. The cutter reciprocateshorizontally through the die 71 and the die holder and enters the recess shown in Fig. 6, cut in the mandrel. The wire is sheared between the edge of the recess and the cutter end.

The cause of the reciprocation of the cutter end will be morefully set out hereinafter.

The wire is ejected from the die and mandrel by the reciprocation ofthe ejector la. The ejector is held in its extreme upper position by the coil spring which is seated within its hollow interior and bears against the top of the mandrel (Fig. 3). The set screw n which protrudes between two of the depending prongs of the ejector holds the mandrel. in place. This pin also serves to guide the ejector in a true vertical line.

feed roll and thereby the upper feed roll, a

measured number of degrees each time. The

upper feed roll 1) is journaled on the pivoted arm w. This pivoted arm w is yieldingly pressed down by the spiral spring a: engagmg between the end of the fixed pin y and the a m It is desirable to have this pressure upon the upper feed roll to provide the proper friction to prevent slipping of the wire. ire hasa very small surface to grip and hence the friction must be high. The measured actuation of the lever u will be more fully explained hereinafter.

The various movements are btained as follows: .2 designates the driving pulley which is continuously rotated during the operation of the machine. 1 is a link connecting with a pedal (not shown). By pulling .this link which is guided by brackets 2, 2, .the spring pressed pawl 3, which engages with the endof the arm i,

causes -the one end of the arm .to be depressed, thcreby raising the other endof the arm. Now refer to li'ig. 2. The key 5 is thereupon forced into a recess 6 of the collar 7 that is attached to the driving pulley 2. This operatively connects the driving pinion 8 with the continuously rotating pulley a. The pinion 8 meshes with the large gear 9 which has attached thereto a cam 10. The arm 4 has fastened thereto at substantially right angles what might be termed a heavy tail 11 which tends to keep the beveled end of the arm in normal engagement with thesliding key to keep the pinion 8 and the collar 7 out of connection. This tail'll rides .on the cam surface of the cam 10. When the end of the arm l is depressed by the operation of'the pedal, so'as to raise the beveled end otthe arm from the key, the pinion and pulley collar The ejector is depressed to eject the finished are immediately connected, and this starts 'The mechanism for feeding the wire and pushing it through the die and mandrel comprises an upper and lower grooved feed roll p and g respectively (Figs' 1 and 2). Each grooved feed roll is provided with a gear portiqn, and the two gear portions inter-mesh te give the two feed rolls a positive connection. The lower feed rollg is the driving roll and it is driven by means of a pawl 1' engaging with the ratchet teeth a which are apart of the lower feed roll. The pawl 1' is carried upon the oscillating arm at. which is journaledcn the same shaft that journals the lower feed roll. This oscillating arm t is. connected with the pivoted lever u by means of the l nk 1). Hence, by giving measured oscillation to the rotation of the pinion and through the pinion the gear 9. The tail 11 is then caused to ride up thehigher surface. of the cam so that although the pressure'on the pedal is removed, the beveled end of the arm 4 is keptout of engagemertwith the pin until the lower surface of the cam is again reached. Thereupon the arm 4 is dropped down between the collar and pinion, and when the key. again comes around, the beveled end of the arm l will cause the key to be retracted'from the collar and thereby stop the running of the machine. The gear wheel 9 has now just completed one revolution.

through the shaft to the large cam f on the end of the shaft. Next to the large cam f is located a small cam 1 t, which will be termed the cutter-actuating cam. By operating the rock lever 15 this cam forces the cutter m inward to cut the wire. This movement is made against the expansive forces of the spring 16. Consequently when the high part of the cam '14 ceases to wipe the end of the rock lever 15, the cutter immediately is retracted by the spring 16. On the inside of the shaft journal 18 is located another small cam 17, W rich at the proper time with its high portion wipes the end of the vertical rod 19, thereby lifting this. This rod 19 is held to the surface of the cam by gravity. provided with a cross bar 21, one end of which engages under the rock arm 0, the other end Of \\l1l0l1 engages in the slotted end of the selector 2). Consequently when this vertical rod is lifted, the ejector is de pressed to eject the completed ring, and the plunger 0 having been previously depressed by the low part of the cam race of the cam f coming opposite the slot h and the roller,

the operation of the selectorallows another button to drop into the recess in the lower plunger 6, and the apparatus is ready for repeating the operation. The machine operator must now shift the fabric to the position where another button isdesired, or of courseit might be possible to devise automatic means for this purpose.

Attached to the pivoted lever u is a roller 22, which runs on the face of What will be termed the feed operating cam This cam is properly timed by its position on the shaft 12 so that after the raising of the shank of the button between the dies and the mandrel, it forces the lever it forward, thereby measurably rotating the lower feed roll 9. The pullspring 2 L keeps the roller yieldingly against the face of the cam 23 and returns the lever u w ion the low parts of the cam come adjacent to the roller 22. The retraction. of the rock lever 10 may be adjusted by the adjusting screw 25. By preventing the pivoted lever from being completely retracted so that the roller will bear against the lovrest part of the cam the length of the spiral may be shortened for thelength of wire feed is shortened.

What I claim is:

1. The method of fastening buttons with eye-shanks to a fabric, comprising the thrusting of the eye of the button through the fabric and the forming of a ring through the eye of the button.

2. The method of fastening buttons with eye-shanks to a fabric, comprising the thrusting of the shank of the button through the fabric, and the forming of a split or spiral ring through the eye.

3. The method of fastening buttons hav- The upper end of the rod 19 1s.

ing eyeshanks upon a fabric, comprising the thrusting of the button shank through the fabric, and the pushing and guiding of a Wire throughnthe eye of the shank and through the eye of the button shank and properly guiding it to form a split ring or spiral, then cutting the wire to complete the split ring or spiral.

5. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of mechanism for feeding buttons having eye-shanks one at a time, mechanism for thrusting the shank of the button through a fabric, mechanism for forming a split ring or spiral through the eye of the shank, and mechanism for feeding the wire to such forming mechanism.

6. ln apparatus of the class describedpthe combination of mechanism for feeding buttons having eye-shanks, one at a time, mechanism for thrusting. the shank of the button through a fabric, and mechanism for form ing a split ring or spiral through the eye of the shank.

7. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of mechanism for thrusting the shank of a button having an eye-shank through a piece of fabric and mechanism for forming a split ring or spiral ring through the eye of the shank.

8. In apparatus of the class described, the

combination of mechanism for thrusting an eye-shank.of a button through a fabric, mechanism for guiding a traveling wire through the eye of the shank and into a spiral, and a cutter for cutting the split ring at a determined point of the spiral.

9. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of mechanism for thrusting an eye-shank of a button through a fabric,

means for guiding a traveling wire through the eye of the shank and into a spiral, a.

cutter for cutting off a split ring at a determined point in the spirahand means for ejecting the completed split ring from the guiding means. 7 i i 10. In apparatus of [the class described, the combination of meclianism for thrusting an eye-shank of a button through a fabric, and a die and mandrel into which the button shank is forced by the thrusting mechanism and Which. are adapted to guide a traveling wire through. the eye of the button shank and into a spiral.

11. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of mechanism for thrust-- ing the shank of a button through a fabric, a mandrel and die between which the button shank is forced by the thrusting mechanism and adapted to guide a traveling, wire into a spiral. through the eye of the shank, and

12. In apparatus of the class described,

means for thrusting the shank of an eye a.

shank button through a fabric, a die and mandrel between which the eye-shank is forced by the thrusting"mechanism and which are adapted to guide a moving wire into a spiral, and means for'cutting said spiral to form a completed split ring.

13. In apparatus of the class described,

the combination of means for thrusting the shank of an eye-shank button through a" fabric, a mandrel and die between which the shank is forced by the thrusting mechanism and which are adapted to guide a wire into a spiral and through the eye of the shank, a cutter reciprocating in the mandrel and the die to cut the spiral into a split ring, and means for ejecting the split-ring from the mandrel and die.

14. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of means for thrusting the shank of an eye-shank button through a fabric, a 'die, a mandrel therein, an ejector slidable between the die and mandrel, the said mandrel and die being arranged to guide a wire through the shank eyev and into a spiral, a cutter for cutting the spiral to form a split ring, a springffor yieldingly holding the ejector pressed away from the ring, and means for reciprocating the ejector to eject the completed split ring from the,

mandrel and die.

, 15. In apparatus of the class the combination of a button chute for eyeshank buttons, a plunger provided with a recess to receive the buttons, a selector for allowing only one button at a time to be receivedby the plunger, means for reciproeating the plunger to thrust the button shank through a fabric, and means for forming a split ring through the eye of the but ton shank on the farther side of the fabric. 16. In apparatus of the class'described,

the combination of a button chute for eyeshank buttons,

a selector to allow only one button at a described,

time to be ejected from the lower end fastened to said plunger, a slotted guide,

for vertically guidingthe plunger, a cam disk provided with a circular race in which said roller runs, said cam disk being adapted to raise the plunger to thrust the shank of the button through a fabric, and means for forming a split ring through the eye of the button shank on the farther side of the fabric.

17. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of means for thrusting the shank of an eye-shank button through a fabric, a die,v a mandrel within the die, an ejector slidable between the die and the mandrel, the said mandrel and die being arranged to guide a wire through the shank eye'and into a spirahend a cutter for cut. ting the spiral to form a split ring.

18. In apparatus of the class described, the combination of means for thrusting the shank of an eyeshank button through a fabric, a die, a mandrel Within the die, means for feeding and guiding a wire between the mandrel and the die to form a spiral, an ejector slidable between the die and the mandrel, the said ejector being provided with a downwardly sloping end to guide the coil of the spiral under the Wire incoming between the mandrel and the die, and a cutter for cutting the spiral to form a split ring.

19. Inapparatus of the class described, the combination of means for thrusting the shank of an eye-shank button through a fabric, means for feeding the wire, means for guiding said wire into a spiral through the eye of the shank, means for cutting the spiral for the purpose of forming a ring and means for adjusting the feed action alter the length of the spiral.

In testimony whereof, I sign this specification in the presence of two Witnesses.

FRANK A. MINER.

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