US1336777A

US1336777A - Threading-machine

Info

Publication number: US1336777A
Application number: US87215A
Authority: US
Inventors: William E Elliott
Original assignee: American Button & Fastener Com
Current assignee: American Button & Fastener Co; American Button & Fastener Com
Priority date: 1916-03-28
Filing date: 1916-03-28
Publication date: 1920-04-13
Anticipated expiration: 1937-04-13

Description

W. E. ELLIOTT.

THREADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 28. 191s.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l.

VII?

VII/4 lll/l W. E. ELLIOTT.

THREADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION HLED MAR.28,1916.

1,836,777, Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@, 54 6/ 6463 HMS/Wr 59 MM f1/@ W. E. ELLIOTT.

THREADING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.28, 19m.

Y 1,336,777. Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

l w. E. ELLIOTT. THREADING MACHINE.

APPLRCATION FILED MAR. 28, i916. 13

4 sHEETs-sHEEr 4.

UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEioE.

WILLIAM E. ELLIOTT, 0F GRAND RAIT'IDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNGR T0 AMERICAN BUTTON & FASTENER COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

THREADING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

Application led March 28, 1916. Serial No. 87,215.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM E. ELLIOTT, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Threading-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a threading machine and is illustrated as embodied in a machine for threading attaching' fasteners through the eyes of shoe buttons.

Machines of this class are provided with receptacles for a plurality of buttons and a plurality of fasteners and are designed to remove a button and a fastener from these receptacles and bring them together into proper relation for delivery to a magazine tube or to an attaching machine or the like..

The object of the invention is to provide an improved machine of this class.

lWherever threading machines have employed a hopper in which a large mass of buttons were indiscriminately placed and have then removed the buttons to a. raceway more or less difiiculty has been experienced. In accordance with features of this invention any such diiiiculty is avoided by an arrangement operating to remove the but-l tons successively from a flexible strip to which they have been temporarily attached. rThis strip is delivered to a stripping mechanism located adjacent the raceway and the buttons are `removed fromY the strip and delivered to the raceway in exactly the positien which they are to occupy in the raceway.

Other features of the invention reside in a novel Y raceway which is particularly adapted for carrying the novei button upon which Letters Patent of the United States iio. 1,2%,7 were granted upon my application on Nev. 28, i916, and w iich is especiaA y designed to effect complete control of the buttons at all stages in their progress along the raceway and to minimize retarding friction. y .The improved raceway which I shall herein describe, however, is equally well adapted for use with other types of buttons which are now on the market.

Still another feature of the invention relates to the provision of improved mechanism for taking one button at a time and transferring it to a predetermined position where it may receive an attaching element through the eye of the button. In the use of the illustrated arrangement, a button is received and resiliently grasped while it is being transferred along a guideway to the position in which it will receive a fastening member in the eye of the button.

A further feature of the invention relates to a novel and improved means for controlling a staple as it is threaded through the eye of a button and for ejecting it into a magazine tube. To this end, means is provided for engaging a staple as it is dropped through the eye of a button so as to prevent it from turning into the passageway and clogging the same and so as to insure its accurate passage through the eye of the button.

Other features of the invention consist in a novel magazine tube for receiving the combined buttons ant staples and permitting the free movement thereof under the force of gravity. Combined with this magazine tube is a novel joint or connection by means of which it may be quickly and accurately placed in alinement with the discharge tube of the setting machine. This arrangement enables the ready attachment and detachment of the magazine tube so that a large number of these tubes may be rapidly filled fith combined buttons and staples in the operation of the machine.

Still other features of the invention will become apparent after a consideration of the following specification taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which- Figure l is a side elevation, with parts shown in section on the line l, l of Fig. 5 and with the cover of the button container removed, of a machine built in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 are front and side views respectively of one type of stripping mechaism which may be used to separate the buttons from the mount on which they are placed.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4, 4i o'f Fig. 8 vertically through the staple raceway'and discharve tube, disclosing the device for yieldingljy holding a staple in proper position with reference to the discharge tube.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the machine with the cover of the staple hopper removed and various parts broken away.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the button transfer mechanism showing it in the position that it takes immediately after it has received a button and has carried it partially toward the point where it is to receive a staple.

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 6.

v Fig. 8 is a front view of the machine with the elements which go to make up the button transfer mechanism removed therefrom and is equivalent to a section on the

line

8, 8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 6 showing the button carrying members separated to receive a button and with portions removed to better disclose the structure.

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary front elevation of the lower part of the discharge tube and the upper part of the magazine tube showing the joint used to connect them in alinement.

F iOf. A11 is a section taken on the line ii-ii of Fig. 10.

Figs. 12 and 13 are perspective and side views respectively of the staple controlling element of the machine.

Figs. 14 and 15, 16 and 17, 2O and 21 are respectively, front and side views of various elements used in the construction of the button transfer mechanism.

Figs. 18 and l19 respectively, are front and side elevations of the ejecting member of the machine.

Fig. 22 is a section taken on the line 2222 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 23 is a perspective view of a magazine tube to be filled with the combined but tons and staples.

Fig. 24 is a front elevation of an operating springY forming one element of the button transfer mechanism; and

Figs. 25 and 26 are plan and side elevations respectively of a plate covering the staple carrying way.

ALike reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

In the construction of the mechanism a vertical support 1 is used which has brackets 2 extending to the rear and serving to support-a staple hopper 3 and a button container 4, the hopper and container being located alongside of each other. 1n front of the support 1 'projects a bracket 5 on which is mounted a block 6, this block serving as' a mount for the movable parts of the'button transfer mechanism. Leading to the block at an upper corner thereof is a raceway 7 here shown as constructed from an elongated bar and provided with a central longitudinal slot 8 cut in its upper side of a size to loosely receive eyes 9 ofthe but- Lacey?? tons which are carried by the way. At each side of the slot the way 7 (see Fig. 22) is provided with relatively widely separated upstanding ribs 10, spaced apart sufliciently to underlie the base of the head 11 of a button near its periphery and having reduced upper edges so that each contacts with a button along substantially a single line to allow said button to slide thereon with a minimum of friction while the neck 12 formed on the underside of the button is received between the ribs 10 and held above that part of the way which is located between the ribs so that Vthe button in moving along the way rides entirely upon the ribs 10. By separating these ribs so that they underlie the base of the button near its periphery, the length of contacting surface and hence the friction is reduced. This structure of carrying way and as will later appear of the discharge and magazine tubes constitutes an important feature ofV my invention for the reason that with the ways previously used, the neck 12 bearing thereagainst at each side, of the slot for the eye tends to cause the buttons to bind so as to preclude their free sliding movement and increases the tendency to tip and jam. This novel form of button is covered by Elliott Patent No. 1,206,755, above mentioned. In order to keep the buttons from accidental displacement a cover 13 is Yused having downwardly extending longitudinal ribs 13a disposed closely adjacent the upper surface of the head and preferably arranged directly above the ribs 10 to prevent tilting of the buttons. Lateral movement of the button, which would result in allowing the neck and eye of the button to contact with the sides of the grooves in which they are received, is prevented by side bars 13b each provided with a central inwardly extending rib 13C, as shown in Fig. 22, these bars 13b and the cover 13 being secured in place in any suitablev manner.

The buttons are mounted by temporarily attaching them to a long and narrow strip of paper 14, and preferably the eye of a button is inserted through the paper, thus forcing tongues 15 backwardly (see Fig. 1) while the tongues 16 will lie between the Vlegs of the eye and serve to yieldingly lock,

the button to the strip. This construction is the subject matter of my former application for Letters Patent of the United States, Ser. No. 72,651, filed the 17th day of January, 1916.

To disassociate the buttons from the mounting strip, said strip with attached buttons is fed to a stripping mechanism including a shaft 17 on which lis mounted a roller 18 having a central Groove 19 as best shown in Fig. 2. The shaft 17 may be continued and formed into a crank 2O for the operation of the roller. This shaft is mounted on any suitable support adjacent the upper end of the way 7 while pivotally mounted upon the support 1 is a spring pressed bracket 21 at its upper end divided to form spaced apart arms 22 each carrying a vertically positioned link 23, each link having mounted adjacent its upper end a short roller 24 that bears against the roller 18. Between the lower ends of the links 23 a roller 25 is carried which also bears against the roller 18. t will be evident that when the strip 14 is brought over roller 18 its outer edges are fed between this roller and the two rollers 24, the eyes of the buttons passing freely through the reduced portion 19 of roller 18. The raceway 7 is provided with a relatively thin projecting portion which extends partly over the abruptly curved roller 18 and thus tends to underlie the bases of the approaching buttons as the mounting strip is bent away from them by being guided over the roller 18. rlhe advancing strip, drawn under the end of the raceway, pushes each button into the guiding grooves of the way in just the position which it is desired that they shall occupy. As the advancing button becomes supported upon the raceway, the flexible mount 14 is stripped off the buttons by the roller 25 and discarded.

rChe staples 26 are carried down an inclined guide 27 formed substantially as a rectangular bar with the proper formation at its upper side to receive a wire staple, bar 27 being located substantially parallel to the button carrying way 7. Staples are elevated from the hopper 3 by means of a vertically reciprocated member 76, operating in a well understoodmanner to pick staples out of the mass and deliver them to the raceway 27. The staples slide by gravity down the way and underneath the cover plate 28 until stopped by a staple controlling lever 29 pivotally mounted as best shown in Fig. 8 on the front face of the block 6 and operated by the spring 30 so that the narrowed and beveled end 31 normally is seated against the upper edge of the bar 27.

A slot 32 formed substantially as onequarter of a circle to receive and act as a guideway for the eyes 9 of the buttons and having a widened outer portion 33 to receive the necks 12 of said buttons is cut in block 6 to communicate with the end of the way 7, as shown in Fig. 8. Covering the lever 29 and the end of the bar 27 is a plate 34 (shown in Fig. 9) the front face of which is in the same plane with that portion ofthe block 6 shown to the left in Figs. 8 and 9, this plate having a part removed at 35 to continue that portion 33 of the slot which is to receive the necks 12 of the buttons. The slot 32, at a point where it has passed through an arc of substantially 90 and becomes approximately horizontal,

merges at an abrupt angle into a vertical slot 36 constituting an outlet passage formed in the downward extension 37 of the block 6 and continued in the discharge tube 38. This discharge tube does not carry buttons alone as does the way 7 but before the button is passed to the discharge tube it will have a staple combined therewith as will be later described, and, accordingly, (see Fie'. 11)` the discharge tube is formed with a comparatively wide passage 39 sufficiently wide to receive a staple 26 and permit its free movement therein, it being evident that the button and the staple are separated by interposed portions of the tube 38. Furthermore the discharge tube is also provided with spaced apart ribs 40 on which the head 11 of the buttons may ride, these ribs serving the same function as do the ribs 10 of the ways 7.

The transfer mechanism for controlling the passage of buttons from the raceway 7, constructed and arranged to resiliently grasp one button at a time and move it along the guideway 32 into position to be threaded with a fastener is shown in Figs. 6, 7 and 9 and its parts are shown in Figs. 14 to 17, 20, 21 and 24.

Two resiliently related irregular shaped

members

41 and 42 are pivotally mounted in front of the plate Member 41 has extending to one side of its pivotal mount a cam linger 43 while its opposite end is formed with curved fingers 44, the edges of which are concentric with the pivotal axis of said member 41, these fingers 44 riding directly over the

curved slots

32 and 33. In addition the member 41 is formed with a projecting portion 45 on which is mounted a pin 46 and the lower-most finger 44 is formed as a jaw 47 to grasp the head 11 of a button as shown in Fig. 7. rlie member also has curved concentric lingers 48 which lie directly in front of the fingers 44 of the member 41 and integrally formed with the member 42 are spaced apart

projections

49 and 50, the slot therebetween receiving the pin 46. A spring

ha ing arms

51 and 52 is mounted on the front face of the member 42, arm 51 engaging against the pin 46 while arm 52 bears against a pin 54 extending from and secured to the projection 49, the normal tendency of the spring being to force the pin 46 into contact with the part 50. A thin metal spring member 55 covers the fingers 48 of the member 42 and at its lower end extends beyond, and is formed into a button receiving cap 56, it being designed to form a pocket within which the head of a button shall be received and resiliently held by the lower ends of the

fingers

44 and 48 and the spring 56, in a manner best disclosed in Fig 7.

A plate 57 of irregular formation is positioned over the

members

41 and 42, it at one edge having'a Spacing lug 58 formed integral therewith and adjacent its upper edge an ear 59 which carries a rearwardly projecting stop 60. This plate is held in place by the shouldered screw 61 which also passes through

members

41 and 42 and serves as a post on which they turn. A spring is wound around the forwardly projecting end of the screw 61 and has diverging

legs

62 and 63, the former of which engages with the pin 46 while the latter is engaged against a forwardly projecting pin 64 passed through the plate 57 and further serving to hold it rigidly in position. Norvmally the arm 62 occupies a position with reference to arm 63 like that shown in Fig. 24, the tendency of the spring being to rotate the

members

41 and 42 to lowermost position.

The vertical support 1 has a vertical opening bored therethrough in which is mounted a post 65 normally impelled to an upper position by the coiled spring 66. Post 65 in upper position extends a distance above the support 1 and at its upper end carries a horizontal forwardly projecting arm 67 held firmly against the upper end of the post by a nut 68 threaded on to the end of rod 69 which passes lengthwise through post 65. The forward end of the arm 67 reaches to a point directly above and slightly to one side of the button transfer mechanism just described. Nlounted on the forward end of the arm is an operating plunger 70 provided with a forward extension 71, and an ejecting bar 72 at its lower end having a corner removed to form a finger 7 3 as indicated in Figs. 8 and 18. The member 72 is longer than the member 70 and is so positioned that on the downward movement of the post 65 it comes directly in front of the staple carrying bar 27 while the member 70 with its forward extension 71 is located so that when the downward movement of the post '65 is nearly completed it engages first with the cam finger 43 of the member 41 and then with the staple controlling lever 29. A link 74 is mounted at the rear of the arm 67 and at its lower end connects with a lever 75 pivotally mounted on the bracket 5 and reaching back to engage with the movable member 76 in the staple hopper, the operation being such that when a reciprocation of post 65 takes place the member 76 ele-' vates a plurality of staples into position such that some of them may be properly positioned upon the staple carrying bar 27. This, however, is not any particular or essential feature of the invention.

The staples are normally retained upon the bar 27 by the controlling and separating lever 29. When this is lifted by the eX- tension 71, it allows the row of staples to slide against the side of the ejecting bar 72 and when released, its beveled edge 31 is Lesen?? interposed between the end staple and the remainder of the series of staples. Directly below the staple bar 27 is a pivoted finger 77 (see Figs. 4 and 8) pressed forwardly by a spring 78, and provided with a curved forward edge as shown in Fig. 4. This edge is located directly opposite the entrance of the guideway 32 and hence opposite the point where the side of the staple passage 39 is necessarily broken. A pocket is formed between the side of this passage and the finger. 77 for the reception of that leg of the staple released from the staple carrying bar which is opposite the passage 32 and the button eye 9. n

The operation of the mechanism so far as described may now be set forth. The rod 69 is Vreciprocated in any suitable manner, for instance, if desired, a foot pedal is used to draw the rod down spring 66 returning it when the foot pressure is removed; and it will also be apparent that this operation may be performed by any suitable power driven cam or other equivalent mechanism. As the post 65 moves downwardly the ejecting member 72 passes in front of .and closely adjacent the end of the staple bar 27 serving to hold on the bar the staple released when the forward extension 71 strikes against the staple controlling lever 29 and frees a staple. Before the lever 29 is reached by the part 71 said part will have engaged with the cam finger 43, both

members

41 and 42 being rotated in a clockwise direction until the member 42 engages against stop 60 whereupon it will stop but member 41 will continue the rotation a short distance, pin

46 thereupon passing from the part 50 to engage with the lpart 49, thus separating the resiliently related button grasping parts. The downward movement of the post 65 is stopped when the under member 41 has been moved sufficiently to carry the pin 46 to the part 49. Vhen this occurs the parts will be positioned such that the lowermost button on the way 7 may drop into place in the pocket formed between the jaw 47 and the resilient cap 56. Upon release of the rod 69 and the return of the post to normal position, the first effect is the return of member 41 under the infiuence of spring arm 62 to its normal position with reference to member 42, jaw 47 thereupon engaging against a side of the head 11 of a button clamping it firmly between this aw and the cap 56. The pin 46 thereupon assumes a rigid relation to the part 42 either by engagement against the part 50 or by reason of its abutment against the interposed button and both

members

41 and 42 return together swing ing the button through an arc of 90 degrees until stopped by stop 6a, the eye being guided by the way 32 but the head being wholly retained in the transfer mechanism. This positions the eye of the button in proper horizontal relation so that it may receive the leg oi' a staple released by themember 72 just before it reaches its upper position as shown in Fig. 8. lVhen the staple drops one leg passes through the eye of the button while the opposite leg is located between the spring pressed linger 77 (see Figs. 4 and 8) and the adjacent side of the staple passageway 39, thus avoiding any tendency to tilt. The staple is retained in this position, as shown in Fig. Il, until, upon the repetition of the operation the end 7 3 of the member 72 i'irst reaches the staple which was threaded in a button presented by the transfer mechanism and forces it into the discharge tube, linger 77 moving to the rear as the ejecting member passes in front of it. The combined button and staple thereupon ride down the discharge tube and into Athe magazine tube which is to be lilled with combined buttons and staples.

lThe operation may be repeated indefinitely. It will be apparent in this connection that as soon as the staple controlling lever 29 isreleased by the upward movement of the part 7l, it returns to place and by reason of the beveled end 3l it passes between the series of staples sliding down the bar 27 and the one staple that has been permitted to slide forward against the rear face of the member 7 2 with the operation of the lever so that with each cycle of the machine one staple and only one is permitted to fall while one button and only one is carried into position such that the leg of a staple may fall therethrough. It will also be apparent that this transfer mechanism for taking a button from a quantity of buttons and carrying it to a position where it is held for a time, may be also used to position the buttons for the eyes thereof to receive other attaching means than staples, the mechanism in this particular not being limited in use in any respect to the one single use in connection with attaching staples that has been outlined.o

It is designed that the magazine tube to be lilled with the combined buttons and staples shall be located in alinement with and as a continuation of the discharge tube 38. To provide an easy and effective connection so that such tubes will properly aline I have used a block 79 of the formation shown in the Figs. l1 and 23 which has a slot cut in one face, an end of the magazine tube 8O iilling only a part of the slot. The magazine tube is of practically identical formation with that shown and described in connection with the discharge tube 38, it including a central slot 8l for the reception of the eyes of the button, a wide transverse slot 82 for the passage of the staples and outer ribs 83 against which the head 11 of the button may ride, there being space prof.

vided between these ribs for the passage of the necks l2 on such buttons. The block 79 is held in a cooperating recess in a support 84 by means of the set screw 85. In practice the lower end of the discharge tube 38 extends into the recess in the support 84: to an extent such that when the block 79 enters it from below, the lower end of the discharge tube enters the upper vacant portion of the slet in the block 79 and automatically alines itself with the magazine tube. The magazine tubes when filled with combined buttons and staples are used in many other machines, either in the attachment of buttons direct to shoes, in the mounting of combined buttons and staples on paper strips, or in many other ways.

I claim:

l. In a machine of the character described, a helder adapted to receive a plurality of buttons mounted one after another in a row on a narrow strip of' material, a button carrying member adjacent said holder, and means positioned at one end of the member through which the strip is passed to demount buttons from said strip and deliver them to said member, substantially as described.

42. "jIn a machine of the character described, a holder for holding a plurality of articles mounted in a row on a narrow elongated strip of material, an article carrying member located adjacent the holder, a mechanism positioned at one end ot said member unto which said strip may be "ted, and means included in said mechanism to demount said articles from the strip and deliver them to the member 'and simultaneously pass said strip away from the niember.

3. In a machine of the character ded scribed, a holder for package et articles mounted in a row on a nar ow elongated trip of material, an article carrying tube located adjacent said holder, and coacting rollers mounted adjacent one end ol the tube between which the strip may be fed to remove the articles from the strip and deliver them to the tube and simultaneously carry the strip away from the tube.

4c. In a machine of the character described, a bar having a slot lengthwise thereof in its upper side, a rib projecting upwardly at each side of the slot, a cover over the bar spaced a distance therefrom, and mechanism located at ene end of the bar into which a narrow elongated strip of material carrying a row of buttons may be fed, said mechanism including means to remove the buttons from the strip and deliver them to the bar under the cover therefor.

5. In a machine of the character described, a bar having a slot lengthwise thereof in its upper side, a rib extending lengthwise of the bar at each side of the slot, a cover over the bar spaced a distance therefrom, and cooperating rollers mounted adjacent one end of the bar between which a strip of material having a row of buttons mounted thereon may be fed, said roll-I ers disengaging the buttons from the strip and delivering them to the bar under the cover.

6. In combination, a button raceway, a package comprising a mount to which a plurality of buttons have been temporarily attached by passing the eyes of the buttons through said mount, a grooved roller adjacent the upper end of the raceway, and means' for holding said mount in contact with said roller, said roller and raceway being constructed and arranged so that upon rotation of the roller` the buttons will be removed from the mount and introduced into the raceway.

7. In combination, a button raceway, a package comprising a iiexible mount to which a plurality ofbuttons arranged in a series have been temporarily attached by passing the eyes of the buttons through the mount, a ribbed roller rotatably mounted adjacent the upper end of and partially underlying said raceway, said roller being provided with a circumferential groove adapted to receive the eyes of the buttons, and a coperating stripping roller constructed and arranged so that the flexible mount may be passed between said coperating rollers and the buttons removed from the mount and introduced into the raceway.

8. In combination, a button raceway, and a stripper mechanism for removing buttons from a flexible mount to which they have been temporarily attached by passing the eyes of the buttons through the mount, comprising a circumferentially grooved roller mounted adjacent and partially underlying the upper end of the raceway, a pivotally mounted bracket having its forked 'free end resiliently pressed toward said roller, pivotally mounted plates supported by the forked ends of said bracket, a-cylindrical roller mounted between similar ends of two of said plates and coperating rollers mounted upon the other ends of said plates whereby said bracket urges said cylindrical roller and said last-mentioned rollers into contact with the periphery of the grooved roller to thereby hold the flexible mount in contact with the grooved roller so that buttons will be removed from a mount passed between said rollers and introduced in the raceway.

9. In combination, a package comprising a mount to which a plurality of buttons arranged in a series have been temporarily attached, a button raceway, a stripper mechanism arranged adjacent one end of said raceway for removing buttons from the mount for introduction into the raceway, and mechanism associated with the other end'of the raceway Jfor removing the buttons one at a time and threading each button with a previously formed attaching member.

10. In combination, a package comprising a mount to which a plurality of buttons arranged in a series have been temporarily attached, a button raceway, a stripper mechanism arranged adjacent one end of said raceway for removing buttons 'from the mount for introduction into the raceway, and transferring mechanism associated with the other end of the raceway for removing the buttons one at a time `and bringing them into the desired relation with an attaching member. Y Y

l1. In combination, a button raceway, a staple raceway, means for controlling the contents of the staple raceway, means for receiving and resiliently grasping the end `button from the button raceway and transferring it to a position to receive one leg of a staple released from the staple raceway, and means for ejecting the combined staple and button into a suitable magazine.

12. In combination, a button raceway and a staple raceway, a guideway connecting the end ofthe button raceway with the staple raceway at a point adjacent its end,

and a pivoted transferring' device for receiving and resiliently grasping the end button from the button raceway and moving it along said guidewayY to a point adjacent the end of the staple raceway where it may receive one leg of a staple released Jfrom said raceway and pass into a magazine.

13. In combin( tion, a button raceway and a staple raceway, a curved guideway connecting the end of the button raceway with an outlet adjacent the end of the staple raceway and a pivoted member comprised of resiliently related parts adapted to transfer a button through said guideway to a point adjacent theY outlet, and means for separating said resiliently related parts to receive the end button in the button raceway and then to resiliently grasp the same during its transfer' to said point adjacent the outlet vwhere it may receive one leg of a staple released from the staple raceway.

14. In combination, staple supplying mechanism, a button raceway, an inclined open guideway communicating therewith and shaped to accommodate only a portion of a button, and pivoted means constructed and arranged to control the passage of buttons from the raceway into the guideway, to carry one button at a time along the guideway, and to hold it firmly therein throughout its passage along the guideway.

15. In a machine for combining shoe buttons and staples, a button raceway, an outlet member provided with an outlet passage arranged to receive the combined shoe button and staple, a guideway connecting the said button raceway and said outlet passage, and a transferring device provided with a socket for the reception of the head of a button and arranged to transfer said button along the guideway to a point adjacent the outlet passage, the socket of the transferring device adjacent the outlet passage being constructed from resilient material adapted to yield to allow the removal of the button after a staple has been threaded through its eye.

16. In a machine of the character described, an inclined member down which shoe buttons may slide, a block at the lower end of and below said member, said block having a curved slot for the passage of the eyes of the buttons, two irregularly shaped members pivotally mounted on the face of the block one over the other, curved fingers on said members normally lying over the slot in a block, a pin on the inner member projecting through an opening in the outer member, said opening having greater width than the diameter of the pin, a pin on the outer member, spring means mounted on the outer member and interposed between said pins, means to engage with the innerV member to rotate it Yto a point where it uncovers the lower end of the button carrying member, said outer member moving with the inner member, a stop engaging with the outer member, a button receiving cap on the outer member in which a button is received when said lower end of the button carrying member is uncovered, and spring means to move the said members and the button carried thereby to a position at the lower end of the curved slot when released from said rotating means.

17. In a machine of the character described, a block having a curved slot in its face, in length substantially a quadrant of a circle, means carrying shoe buttons to the upper end of the block in alinement with the upper end of the slot, two irregularly shaped members pivotally mounted on the block one over the other and having curved fingers covering the slot when in normal lower position, a button receiving cap at the lower end of the outer member, means to rotate said members to an upper position to receive a button from the button carrying means, the eye of the button entering the slot in the block, and means for returning the members to normal position, whereby the button carried thereby is located with its eye in substantially horizontal position.

18. In a machine of the character described, a block having a curved slot in its face, means carrying shoe buttons to the upper end ofthe slot, mechanism movably mounted on the face of the block normally covering the slot, a button receiving cap on said mechanism movable over the slot and adapted to receive a shoe button on movement of the mechanism to upper position, means to move said mechanism to said upper position, and means to return said mechanism to normal position after it has received a button.

19. In a machine of the character described, a bar havin0` a sloii lengthwise thereof in its upper side, a rib extending lengthwise of the bar at each side of the slot and a cover over the bar spaced a distance therefrom and having spaced apart ribs on the under side lying lengthwise of the cover, substantially as described.

20. A button raceway provided with relatively widely separated longitudinal ribs having reduced upper edges adapted to underlie the base of a button head near its periphery and support it for movement along the raceway and with a groove between said ribs to receive and guide the eye \f the button as it moves' along the raceway and a groove between said ribs and said. iirst named groove of different cross section from said first named groove and adapted to receive a projection from the base of the button.

2l. A button raeeway provided with longitudinal ribs adapted to support the base of a button at relatively widely separated points and with a groove between said ribs adapted to receive freely any projection upon the base of the button, such as the eye, and a cover for said raceway provided with longitudinal ribs arranged closely adjacent the upper surface of the button whereby the button is supported with a minimum amount of friction upon the lower ribs and is prevented from tilting by the ribs upon the cover.

22. In combination, a way for the passage of shoe buttons comprising a bar having a slot cut lengthwise thereof and in its upper side and a rib projecting upwardly from the bar at each side of, spaced from, and located parallel to the slot, a transfer mechanism positioned at the delivery end of the way and provided with a pocket for the reception of the head of a single button, a guideway associated with said transfer mechanism, and means to operate said mechanism to take one shoe button at a time from the way and carry it along said guideway through an arc of substantially ninety degrees and hold it in position to receive an attaching means.

23. A button raceway adapted to support the base of a button, said raceway having a groove arranged to receive any projection, such as the eye of the button, upon its base, and side members for said raceway provided with longitudinal ribs arranged to lie closely adjacent the peripheral edges of the button to thereby tend to prevent the partarated points and with a groove between said ribs arranged to freely receive any projection upon the base of the button, such as the eye, and a cover for said raceway provided with longitudinal ribs arranged substantially above said first-mentioned ribs and closely adjacent the upper surface of the button whereby a button will slide down the raceway guided by four parallel ribs.

25. A button raceway provided with longitudinal ribs adapted to support the base ofv a button and with a groove between said ribs adapted to receive any projection upon the base of the button such as the eye, a cover for said raceway provided with vspaced longitudinal ribs arranged to lie closely adjacent the upper side of said buttons, and side members for said raceway also provided with longitudinal ribs arranged closely adjacent the periphery of the button at about its maximum diameter.

26. In a machine of the character described, bar having a slot lengthwise Vthereof in its upper side, a rib extending lengthwise of the bar at each side of and paralleling the slot, a cover over the bar spaced a distance therefrom, spaced apart ribs, on the under side of the cover paralleling the ribs on the bar, and side members located between the bar and cover one at each side, each having a rib extending inwardly toward the space between the bar and cover, substantially as described.

27. In a machine of the character described, a bar having a central longitudinal slot lengthwise thereof and in its upper side,

a narrow rib at each side of the slot projecting upwardly from and paralleling the slot and spaced therefrom, 'said ribs being provided with rounded upper edges over which the under sides of shoe buttons are adapted to slide, the space between the ribs being of substantially uniform width in cross-section, and a cover above and spaced from the bar, whereby shoe buttons each having an eye and head may be received between the bar and cover, the under side of the head resting on the ribs and the eye entering the slot, substantially as described.

28. In a machine of the character de scribed, an outlet member comprised of a bar having an inverted T-shaped slot cut lengthwise therein and a rib at each side of, spaced from, and parallel to the slot over the upper edges of which the underside of shoe buttons are adapted to slide, a magazine tube having similar formation as the outlet member, a block secured at one end 'of the magazine tube,`said block being provided with an opening to receive the end of the outlet member and position it in alinement with the magazine tube, and means to detachably secure said outlet member and magazine tube together in alinement, substantially as described.

29. In a machine of the character described, an ejecting bar, an outlet member having a passage through which combined buttons and staples are ejected, a staple carrying bar back of the ej ecting bar, means to hold the staples on the bar, a post mounted for reciprocatory movements to which the ejecting bar is secured, means to transfer shoe buttons one at a time with each reciprocation of the post from a quantity of buttons and hold each button in a position such that its eye can receive one leg of an attaching staple, and means on the post engaging with the staple retaining means to release the staples when the ejecting member has been carried into the outlet member, substantially as described.

30. In combination, a button raceway, a staple raceway, aplunger, a member provided with an outlet passage, a pivoted spring-controlled transferring device for receiving a button from the button raceway and bringing it to a pointA adjacent the outlet where it may receive one legV of a staple released from the staple raceway7 and means upon said plunger for controlling the passage of staples from the staple raceway and for operating said pivoted transferring device.

3l. In combination, a staple raceway, means for controlling the passage of staples down said raceway, means for supplying buttons with their eyes in position to receive one leg of a staple released from the raceway, an ejector mounted for movement past the end of the staple raceway arranged to eject a combined staple and button, and means associated with said ejector for operating said staple controlling means to release the end staple for movement against the side of said -ejector whereby the removal of the ejector will allow this staple to drop olf the raceway and enter the eye of a properly positioned button.

^ 32. In a machine for combining shoe buttons and staples, a member provided with an outlet passage for the combined buttons and staples, a guideway for the eye of a button leading into said outlet passage in angular relation thereto, a button supply, means for removing a button from the supply and resiliently grasping it for transfer along said guideway into a position adjacent the outlet passage for the reception of one leg of a staple, and means for removing the button from the grasp of said transferring Ineans. l v

llO

33. A magazine tube for receiving combined buttons and staples comprised of an elongated tube having an inverted vT-shaped.

slot cut lengthwise therein, a port-ion of said slot bei-ng extended beyond the cross slot of the T and arranged to engage that portion of a `button eye most remote from the button andto prevent lateral deflection thereof, anda rib projecting from the bar at each side of the slot, spaced from, and lying parallel thereto Wherebystaples may be retained :in thewiderportion of the T-shaped slot, the eyes of buttons through which the staples pass-entering the narrower portionof-said slot, and the heads of the buttons riding on said ribs7 substantially as described.

34. A button tube adaptedl to support a buttonbyits base and provided with a deep groove formed to receive the eye of the button when arranged with its maximum dimension lengthwise of the raceway and to guide and prevent lateral deflection of that portionof'the eye most remote from the button, al shallow groove merging with said deepgrooveadapted to freely receive'a boss on the base of the button, and a slot intersecting said deep'groove adapted to receive staplel fasteners which have been threaded through the eyes of the buttons.

35. In combination, means for transferring shoe buttons onev at a time from a quantityr of buttons and holding each buttonin a position such that its eye can receive one leg of an attaching staple, means to release astaple for such connection with eaclrbutton, an outlet member comprised of a bar having an inverted T-shaped slot cut lengthwisetherein, and a rib at each side of and parallel to the slot,vmeans to eject each combined button and staple through the outlet member, a magazine tube having similar formation as the outlet member, a block. securedy at one end of the magazine tube, said block being provided with an opening to receive the end of the outlet member and position it in alinement with the magazine tube, and means to detachably secure said outlet member and magazine tube together in alinement, substantially as doscribed.k

36. In combination, a member adapted to hold a plurality of shoe buttons one back of another, a block at the forward and lower end of said member, transfer mechanism movably mounted on the block and normally covering the end of said member, a staple carrying bar over which staples pass mounted a distance from the button carrying member, a spring operated lever engaging at one end with the upper side of ythe bar. at its forward end, an operating device mounted to move across the face of the block and engage with the transfer mechanism to move 1t to move the end of the button holding member and permit one button to come from said member to said transrcr mechanism, means on the transfer mechanism to receive and hold a button, means movable with the operating device to engage the staple holding'lever and move it away from the staple bar7 an outlet member, and a member also movable with saidoperating device immediately in front of the staple holding bar and into the-outletme1nber- 37. ln combination, a way adapted to hold a plurality of shoe buttons one back of the other, transfer mechanism movably mounted at they forward end of the way, spring means normally holding said transfer mech-` anism in lower position and covering the end of the way, a staple carrier located a distance to one side of the buttonv carrying way, a spring actuated lever engaging at one end with the upper side of the staple carrier at its forward end normally holding-'the staples on the way, a vertical rod mounted forA reciprocation, an operating device secured to the rod and movable on downward movement of the rod into engagement with the transfer mechanism to carry it to a position uncovering the end of the button holding member, means on the transfer mechanism to receive and hold a button, said button being' carried on return of the rod to upper position to a point below the staple carrier, an ejecting bar attached to and movable 'with the reciprocating rod moving in front of the end of the staple carrier on downward movement of said rod, means engaging with the staple holding lever after the ejecting bar has passed in front of the staple carrier to move it to release one staple permitting it to move against the ejecting bar and drop after the ejecting bar is elevated, and an outlet member into which the ejecting bar passes on its downward movement.

38. In a mechanism for combining shoe buttonsl and attaching staples, a vertically positioned outlet member having a passage through which the combined buttons and staples are ejected, means to carry a button to and hold it adjacent the-upper end of the outlet member with its eyey in horizontal position, means to release a staple to fall with one leg entering the eye of the button and means to yieldingly engage the staple and hold it in vertical position as its leg enters the eye of the button and while it is being ejected into the outlet passage.

39. In a mechanism for combining shoe buttons and attaching staples, an ejecting bar forming an element of said mechanism, an outlet member having a passage through which the combined buttons and staples are ejected, and a spring operated finger projecting into said passage adjacent its upper end and the point where the staples and buttons are combined, 'said linger being spaced from an adjacent side of the passage a distance sufficient for the reception of the leg of a staple between the finger and said side of the passage whereby the staple is held against turning to engage with and bind against a side of the passage as it is ejected, substantially as described.

40. ln a machine for combining shoe buttons and staples, an outlet member provided with an outlet passage forA the combined shoe buttons and staples, a guidway leading into said outlet for guiding the eye of a shoe button into angular relation with the direction of said outlet passage, means arranged adjacent the union of said guideway and said outlet passage for yieldingly engaging a staple after one leg of it has entered the eye of a button, and an ejector arranged to engage the head of said staple at the side away from the eye of the button thereby to force the staple and button into the outlet passage and cause the button to be rotated into engagement with the head of the staple and in alinement with the outlet passage. i

41. ln a machine for combining shoe buttons and staples, a member provided with a passageway for staples, means for supplying staples one at a time to said passageway, there being a slot in the said member intersecting the passageway and extending generally in a direction parallel to the direction of the passageway but entering the same at an angle to said general direction, and movable means associated with the side of said passageway opposite the entrance of said slot constructed and arranged to receive and temporarily retain one leg of the staple and hence to prevent the tilting of the staple at the point where one side thereof is unsupported by the wall of the staple passage.

42. In combination, means for supporting and presenting a supply of buttons arranged in a predetermined relation in a series, and movable means arranged to resiliently grasp and remove one button at a time from the series and deliver' the same into position for association with an attaching member and arranged so that the position of the button at this point of association with the attaching member may be accurately determined, said movable means being also arranged to engage the neXt button of the series to be delivered and thereby to prevent movement of the remaining buttons while delivering the button which has been removed.

43. A button raceway adapted to receive and deliver a button having a head and a projecting neck, comprising relatively widely separated longitudinal ribs adapted to underlie and support the base of a button adjacent to its periphery and having a groove between said ribs comprising two parts respectively substantially compleieemv mental in cross section to the neck and the eye of the button, the last mentioned part of said groove arranged to guide and prevent lateral deflection of the eye throughout the length of the button-eye, said groove being constructed and arranged to afford substantial clearance between the groove and the said parts of the button to provide for free movement of the button along the raceway.

44. A button raceway adapted to receive and deliver a button having a head and a projecting neck, said raceway being shaped to underlie and support the base of a button head near its periphery and having a groove comprising a relatively deep and narrow button eye receiving portion constructed to guide and prevent lateral deection of the eye throughout the length of the button-eye, and a relatively shallow portion of distinctly different cross section merging with the narrow portion adj acent'the top of the raceway.

45. ln a machine of the character described, an outlet member projecting beyond the body of the machine, a clamping member provided with a recess surrounding said outlet member and in fixed relation thereto, and a magazine tube comprising a bar having an inverted T-shaped slot lengthwise thereof, and a rib at each side of, spaced from and parallel to the slot, said tube having a block at one end constructed and arranged to fit the recess in said clamping member thereby to aline the tube accurately 100 with relation to the outlet member.

46. In a machine of the character de scribed, a flexible support having a plurality of fasteners fixed thereon in a series, and means engaging the support for simul- 105 taneously advancing said support and separating the support and fasteners.

47. In a machine of the character described, a support having inserted therein a series of fasteners, and means for advanc- 110 ing the support, the direction of advance being changed to withdraw the fasteners from the support.

48. ln a machine of the character described, means for independently supporting 115 a plurality of fasteners in a definitely spaced spiral series, means for advancing the 'support, and a'raceway into coperation with which the support is advanced to successively separate the series of fasteners there- 120 from and effect their delivery by such advance.

49. ln a machine of the character described, a iiexible strip for independently supporting a plurality of fasteners in a 12.5 series, means for advancing the strip, a raceway coperating with the strip to separate said strip and fasteners, and mechanism associated with the raceway for removing the fasteners one at a time and threading each 139 i 5l. In a button-attaching machine, a holder strip for a plurality of buttons fixed thereon in a definitely spaced series, mechanism cooperating With the buttons to effect their attachment to the Work, and means arranged to demount the buttons 'from the holder strip for delivery to the attaching mechanism.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature. 20

VILLIAM E. ELLIOTT.