US1191807A - Feeding mechanism for button-attaching machines. - Google Patents

Description

H. 1. MACDONALD.

FEEDING .MECHANISM FOR BUTTON ATTACHING MACHINES. APPucATloN FILED 1111.2, 1915.

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FEEDING MECHANISM FOR BUTTON ATTACHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED '1AN. 2, |915.

Patented July 18, 1916.

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ATTORNEYA WITNESSES H. J. MACDQNALD. FEEDING MECHANISM FOR BUTTON ATTACHING MACHINES.

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UNITED STATES rnTENT oFnrcE.

HARRY J. MACDONALD, or cHIcAGd-imimois FEEDTNG MEcHANrsM ron BUTTon-TTAoiiiivG ivrAeiiivEs.

Specication of Letters Patent. "Ptnijed lily 1.8, 1916.

origina apiiiica'iibn filed Aprile, 11914,'sera1`Nois29gaio- `iiidfiea aaa airs' appietin lfiled January a,

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Beit known that I, HRRY JJMA'CDONLD, a citizen of the United States, and residing at Chicago,l Cook county, Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Feeding Mechanism` for Button- Attacliiiig Machines, of which the following, taken in connection with the drawings, is a description. l Y' This invention relates to improvementsin feeding mechanism for button attaching inachines of the typeused for securing hollow shank buttons such as shoe buttons or'the like to a'riy kind of hat material.

Thisis'a 'division'of my application led in the United States Patent Oiiee on April 3, 19,14, said application bearing Serial No; 829,270. l

The principal object of my invention is to provide a mechanism wherebybuttons of different Sizes may be used, ksuchfor instance as a large size adapted for iise on inens shoes, and a small size suitable for childrei'is shoes, so arranged that eachfbutton receptacle may be adjusted to feed the biittons desired into a chute leading to the attaching mechanism.

Additional objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and from the' drawingsin which,

Figure 1 is aside elevation ofthe feeding mechanism mountedl upon a button attaching machine; Fig. 2 is an elevation ofthe button containing receptacles of diifereiit sizes; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View through the center of one of the hoppers or receptacles; lis' an enlarged detail'of the discharge groove from one of the hoppers and its connection with they feeding chute; Fig. 5 is a top plan view ofthe button feeding chiite; Fig. 6 is a transverse'sectional ,view taken yon 'line 6-6 of Fig.I 2, looking inthe Idirection of the arrows; 7 is a sectional detail of the universal joint coiinecting thefreceptacle operating mechanism `with the driving'mechanism; Fig. 8

isa bottom `plan view of a r'evoluble plate inf the hopper; aiid'Fig.` 9 is a sectional'view throilgh said'plate. v

Referring to the drawings, A Vrepr'e'serits a suitable table Vor support uponwwh'ich the operative mechanism is mounted.

vA is a downwardly inclined fra'rhe Y to which is secured the Yfeeding and attaching meehaism of myfmaehine.-

1915; seriaiiio. 22.

'l isffa vvertical'shaft which preferably eX- tends tothe Vfloor,and isv connected with a foot ftreadle, or any other' suitable motive power, not here shown. Seciired to the shaft isa V'sproeket 'chain Bfwhich connects with the operative parts of the button attaching iiiechlais'm rwhich is 't'hesiihject of my c0- pendingv application. y j i VC2 is a shaft which connects` with the biltton attaching mechanism and extends downwardly through the fr'ame A and Vhas moiintedthereon a coiled spring'Ca, against the vtension of which the attaching mechamsmiiso'perated.

v D is an anvil which is secured to the front of 'thai-frame A', 'and against ywhich the staple forniiii'gthe,button fastener is pressed tof'secure it 'fin'- place'.

VSupported above the bedplate A2 in a downwardly inclined position isy the button feed chiite E. This chuteV isvsecu'red in place bythe b racketE rising froml the bed plate A2, and entends from the button receptacles tof'the staple mechanism.

E2 is a rocker arm fulcrumed at E3 to the bracketrattached tothe bed plate A2. One end ofgthisV rocker arm is provided with a rectangular slot e iiito which projects the pin c by means of which the rocker arm is moved to deliver the button from the feed chiite E, that is to' be operated upon.

F is abut'tfonfeed arm'pivo'tally secured at one end tothe'rocker 'arm E?. This button feed arm `terminates at the free end thereof in a' presser foot e2 which engages the:button` vwhenf it reaches the lower end of the feed chiite. As will be observed the contour of the end side of the presser foot is concave to adaptl it more readily to engage the coiiveXfor sphericalshape of the top of the ordinary shoe button. A coiled spring 0 siirroundsthe shaft E3 upon which vthe arm E2 is 4rocked and eierts ardownward tension jbh'theeppr 'eed or saidar'm. secured c to the button feed 'arm FI and to the pin 0. apen the ro'keima yis a @sind spring exert; a dowiiw'ard`V teiisio'n uponthe ybutton feed am F.

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G is @flexible ease-1g'l supported apen the shaftG othe `frame A. This bearing is pli-treed with assert-t g in the upper and the rear of the supporting frame A and carried thereon is a revoluble table H. This table is secured against revolution by the screw H2 which engages the post H and supports the table. By this means the hopper is securely locked. Arranged upon the revoluble table H is a plurality of hoppers 7L, 7L', 71,2, of different sizes and adapted to contain different sized buttons. With the exception of the size these hoppers are e X actly alike, so that a description of one will suiice for all. The hoppers 7L, 7L', 7b2, are preferably cylindrical in form and extending from each one is a hopper base button outlet J adapted to engage the upper end of the button chute E when the hopper is turned to feeding position 'by revolving the table or hopper base H. Each of the hoppers is provided with a removable cover z', z", Inside of each of said hoppers is a plate or disk K5 provided with an opening 7u, 7c, 7a2, respectively, said opening graduating in size to allow different sized buttons to pass therethrough on the way to thebut` ton chute as they are to be used. The plate K5 is fixedly secured to an agitator shaft K extending through the center of each hopper from the bottom to the top thereof, Fig. 3.

702 is a small leaf spring secured to the under side of each plate K5, which projects into the path of the buttons as they fall into the grooves 7.34. The bottom L of each of the hoppers 7b, 7L, 7L2, is supported upon the shaft K and has `an upturned iange Z near the periphery thereof, Fig. 3.

Each of the plates L is provided with a plurality of radially extending sockets in each of which is seated a coiled spring n. An agitator block n beveled at the outer end thereof is seated in each of said sockets and bears against its corresponding spring n. These blocks extend slightly beyond the periphery of the plate L into the groove 7a4.

'Ihe groove 7;* in each of the button hoppers terminates coincidently with a corresponding groove a2 leading to the but-ton outlet J, thence to the chute E.

lVhen the machine is ready for operation the hoppers 71 k, 71,2, are iilled with buttons of different sizes, preferably of the kind illustrated in Fig. 4 having a spherical head N and loop shank N. Then after loosening the screw H2 which secures the hopper base to its support, the hopper containing the buttons to be used is turned to operative position so that its discharge chute is in line with the groove .e3 of the button chute E, and enough buttons are discharged in the chute to lill it as shown in Fig. 4. When it is desired to use buttons of a different size, or kind, in one of the other hoppers, the screw H2 is loosened, and the chute E is emptied of the buttons contained therein, the hopper base H is revolved to bring into position the receptacle containing the buttons to be used, the screw H2 is tightened and the buttons are fed into the chute as before.

To start the buttons feeding through the chute in advance of the operation of the machine, a revoluble crank O is provided which engages either of the agitator shafts K for the purpose of displacing the buttons in the hopper and causing them to drop through the opening 7a2 in the disk 765 onto the plate L', which as previously described, is of smaller diameter than the cylinder forming the hopper thereof, providing a groove between the peripheryof the plate L and the wall of the hopper on a flange Z at the bottom thereof.

Through the connection of the universal joint G between the hopper being operated and the operative mechanism of the machine, the agitation of the hopper causes the buttons to drop into the groove 04, from whence they are carried toward the discharge groove a2 by the motion transmitted to the plate L with each action of the opera tive mechanism. With each operation of the machine, attaching a button, the plate L, carrying with it the blocks a which project across the groove 764, moves with them the buttons in said groove to carry them toward the exit J. When the buttons reach the eXit from the hopper they drop by gravity into and down the button chute E, where they are delivered by the presser foot F to the operative mechanism as each button is required for attaching. When the button chute is filled, the agitator blocks fn. carry the buttons in the groove 7c4 against an obstruction n over which they are thrown to the opposite side when they can fall into the groove 7c4 and are carried to the point of eXit. As the buttons are used out of the chute more buttons are fed therein from the groove 704, so that the button chute is kept full of buttons and ready for operation at any time.

It will be observed that the blocks a are beveled on the outer end thereof in the direction the buttons are traveling. If the buttons are properly seated with the shanks thereof in the groove 7c, the pressure of the blocks against them will be sufficient to move them to the point of exit. If, however, any of the buttons are not properly seated in the groove or for any reason are not moving in the direction desired, the small leaf spring 7c3 secured to the bottom of the plate K5 meets said buttons just in advance of the exit and forces them back onto the plate. By the agitation caused with each operation of the machine, the buttons will find their way with the Shanks thereof downward into the groove 7c4L ready for exit.

I claim:

l. In a button feeding mechanism, the combination of a revoluble table, a plurality of receptacles mounted thereon and carried thereby, a guide-way extending from the bottom of each of said receptacles, a downwardly inclined button chute adapted to register with the guide-way of each receptacle as it is brought into feeding position, and a mechanism for directing the movement of the buttons from the receptacles to the button chute, substantially as described.

2. In a button feeding mechanism, the combination of a revoluble table, a plurality of button receptacles of different sizes mounted thereon, a guide-way extending from the bottom of each of said receptacles, a downwardly inclined button chute registering with the guide-way of each receptacle as it is turned to feeding position, an agitator shaft extending verticallyl through each of said receptacles, driving mechanism having connection with said agitator shaft, and means for regulating the advance of the buttons through the receptacle, substantially as described.

8. In a button feeding mechanism, the combination of a revoluble table, a plurality of button receptacles of different sizes mounted thereon, an agitator shaft extending vertically through each of said receptacles, a disk fixedly secured to the agitator shaft near the bottomv of each receptacle, each disk having an opening of the proper size to permit a single button to drop therethrough, and means for regulating the advance of the buttons through the receptacle, substantially as described.

4. In a button attaching machine, the combination of a supporting frame, a driving shaft, a revoluble table, a plurality of hoppers supported thereon, each of said hoppers having a circumferential groove in the bottom thereof extending to the discharge opening, a disk in each of said hoppers upon which the buttons are supported, said disk having an opening therethrough through which the buttons are fed into the aforesaid groove, and means connected with the driving mechanism for agitating the buttons in the hopper with each operation of the machine, substantially as described.

5. In a button attaching machine, the combination of a supporting frame, a drivdisk mounted upon the agitator shaft above the revoluble disk, said disk having an opening through which the buttons fall upon the revoluble disk, and means for directing said buttons to the exit opening, substantially as described.

6. In a button attaching machine, the combination of a supporting frame, a driving shaft, a revoluble shaft, a revoluble table, a plurality of hoppers supported thereon, an agitator shaft in each of said hoppers, a revoluble disk in the bottom of each hopper, said disk being of smaller diameter than the hopper whereby a circumferential groove is formed in the bottom of the hopper, a plurality of agitator blocks carried by said disk and projecting across the groove, a disk supporting the buttons to be used, said disk provided with an opening through which the buttons are dropped onto the revoluble disk, and mechanism connected with the aforesaid driving shaft for agitating said buttons and directing the same toward the point of delivery, substantially as described.

7 In a button attaching machine, the combination of a supporting frame, a driving shaft, a revoluble table, a plurality of hoppers supported thereon, an agitator shaft in each of said hoppers, a revoluble disk in the bottom of each hopper, said disk being of smaller diameter than the hopper whereby a circumferential groove is formed in the bottom of the hopper leading to the point of discharge, means for directing the buttons into said groove and carrying them to the point of exit, and means for retarding the progress of said buttons at predetermined intervals, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HARRY J. MACDONALD.

Witnesses:

ARTHUR B. RUSSELL, VIVIAN REESER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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