US2176545A - Flexible button - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 17, 1939. F. G. PURINTON FLEXIBLE BUTTON Filed June 10, 1937 Patented Oct. 17, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLEXIBLE BUTTON Application June 10, 1937, Serial No.147,582

8 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in tack buttons, and more particularly to a tack button of the flexible type.

As is well known to those skilled in the art, a flexible type button is one wherein the button head may tilt or rock with relation to its fastening means, so that it may be more easily inserted in the buttonhole or removed therefrom.

As is also well known to those skilled in the art, tack buttons of both the rigid and flexible type are generally attached to a garment in an attaching machine, that is, the button heads are placed in one hopper and the tacks in another and these two parts fed to the table of the machine, where the tack is forced up through the garment into the button head and the prong of the tack curled or deformed to thus hold the button to the garment.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an entirely different form of button, that is, wherein the tack is carried in the button head and the prong of the tack will be deformed not within the button head, as is the usual case, but on the outside of a washer where it may be easily inspected.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a flexible type button wherein the usual vise or anchor and anvil are unnecessary.

In buttons of the tack type, the cap is generally of a relatively thin material and often provided with a trade-mark or insignia thereon and means has to be provided for curling the tack within the button head and preventing it from piercing the said cap.

Still another object of the invention, therefore, is to provide a button comprising the back or body, an eyelet, a tack within the body and protruding through the eyelet, and finally a washer through which the prong of the tack'is Y forced and headed to thus securely hold the button back or botton head to the material to which it is attached.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a flexible type button including the body, in which is placed the barrel of an eyelet and through which barrel there is positioned the prong of a tack, the head of the tack being situated within the button back and enclosed by the cap of the button head.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a button head carrying its own fastening means, to wit, the tack, which, in turn, extends into an eyelet, the prong of the tack being in a plane Within the flange of the eyelet, so that the 1 buttons, when packaged. and. shipped or when put in a button attaching machine, cannot be scratched by the prongs of any of the other tacks within the button heads.

Still another object of the invention is to produce a button that may be manufactured at a relatively low'cost, due to the fact that there are less number of parts to be manufactured and assembled.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a button, wherein the upsetting or deforming of the point of the tack is done directly out in the open where it can be inspected and the adequacy of the attaching readily determined.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a flexible type button carrying its own tack, so that the feeding of the tacks into the attaching machine is dispensed with, it being only necessary to feed the button heads and a small washer through which the point of the tack will be protruded and deformed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a button of the flexible type, wherein the button head may rock and tilt with respect to its eyelet, which eyelet will be rigidly secured to the cloth or garment by the tack, which, in turn, is carried by the button head. 'andwill protrude through the washer at the rear of the cloth.

With these and other objects in view,the invention consists in certain new and novel features and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter more fully explained and pointed out in the claims.

Referring now to the drawing showing a preferred embodiment of my invention,

Fig. 1 is an enlarged sectional View of the improved flexible type tack button showing the tack in its normal position before the button is attached; I

Fig. 2 is a similar view but showing the prong of the tack as having been forced through the garment and deformed on the outside of the washer;

Fig. 3 is a detail view of the eyelet forming part of the button back;

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the washer.

Referring now more particularly to the several views, and for the moment to Fig. 1, there is shown my improved button consisting of the body or shell I, which extends downwardly, as at 2, to form the hub. There may also be seen the bottom wall 3 of the hub, which is perforated centrally, as at 4, the walls about the perforation extending slightly upwardly, as at 5. The shell I is flanged outwardly, as at 6, and over the shell is the cap 7 with its downwardly extending flange 1 which is rimmed about the aforementioned flange 6 to thus hold the cap tightly in place.

The cap 1, however, is not positioned until after the tack 8 is placed within the body, as will be shortly mentioned.

Extending within the opening 4 there may be seen, in Fig. 1, the upper end of the barrel 9, which is a part of the eyelet II). This eyelet flares outwardly, as at H, and is provided with the peripheral flange l2, as may be seen in Fig. 3. The outside diameter of the upper end of the barrel 9 is approximately the same diameter as the diameter of the opening 4 in the hub of the button, so that this eyelet, under pressure, may have its barrel jammed or fitted within the said opening 4, as may be readily seen in Fig. 1. After the eyelet is positioned and before the cap 7 is rimmed in place, a tack 8 has its prong fitted within the barrel 9 of the eyelet I0. It will also be noticed that the bore of the barrel 9 is slightly tapered, corresponding to the taper of the prong 8 of the tack 8, said tack 8 having the head 8 positioned against the under surface of the cap 1. By having the tack 8 enclosed within the'button head, it is unnecessary to cap the tack head, as is always done in the ordinary style of tack buttons, and this feature cheapens the cost of producing these tacks. 7

It is also'to be noted that the outer end of the prong 8 is in a plane within'the flange 12 of the eyelet Ill, so that when these button heads are packaged for distribution or when placed in 'the hoppersof button attaching machines, there is no possibility of the points of the tacks marring or scratching adjacent buttons.

I have not shown any raised insignia on the cap, but it will be understood that fanciful designs, trade-marks, or words are generally impressed on these button caps.

To complete the button, there is shown in Fig. 4 the washer IS with its rim l4 and upwardly extending hub IS, the hub being perforated, as at IS. The outer rim l4 may extend slightly upwardly, as at IT, to assist in pinching the cloth l8 with respect to the flange l2 of the eyelet Ill.

After the barrel of the eyelet has been placed in the'button body and the tack also positioned as shown in Fig. 1, the cap I will be rimmed in place and the button is now ready for shipment. In' the attaching operation, the heretofore-mentioned washer I3 will be used.

In Fig. 2, the button is shown as having been attached, and, as mentioned before, this is done in a button attaching machine (not shown) provided with a plunger of about the same diameter as the cap of the button. The pressure of attaching will be carried through the cap to the head a of the tack, then through the tack to its point, which is headed over with a heading pin from below to cause the point to be deformed, as at [9, within the hub of the washer l3.

It will also be noticed in Figure 2 that the button head I is now lowered on the barrel of the eyelet and the prong 8 of the tack has flared the upper end of the barrel 9 within the opening 4, so that it will be impossible for the barrel of the eyelet to pull through the opening 4. Further, it will be seen that the eyelet, tack, and washer form a rigid unit with respect to the cloth I8, but the button head I may rock or tilt with respect to the barrel 9 of the eyelet NJ, thus providing the flexibility desired.

Again, it will be seen that by providing a washer with a depressed hub, the deformed prong of the tack will be up within the hub rather than protrude beyond the inner surface of the cloth, thus preventing the deformed prong from coming in contact with anything.

After the prong of the tack is once forced through the material I8 and deformed, there is no possibility of the button becoming loosened from the garment.

As heretofore mentioned, the button has many advantages over the other forms of buttons, among them being the simplicity and the less number of parts. Also, a tack that is not capped may be utilized, and, finally, the deformed end of the tack may be readily inspected to see that the attaching operation has been properly performed.

It will be understood that I do not wish in any way to be limited to the specific type of washer 0r eyelet shown, and the foregoing description is to be considered as a disclosure onlyof preferred types.

Having'thus described my invention, what I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: p

1. A flexible type button including a button back, an eyelet slidably mounted within said button back, a tack carried'in the button back and having its prong normally extending downwardly within the eyelet and terminating short of the lowermost plane of the eyelet, a cap over the button back and adjacent the'head of the tack, and said tack adapted to be forced beyond the lowermost plane of the eyelet and have its prong deformed when the button is attached.

2. A flexible type button including a button back, an eyelet having a barrel slidably mounted within said button back, a tack having its prong extending downwardly through the barrel of said eyelet and normally terminating short of the lowermost plane of the eyelet, said tack adapted to be forced more deeply in its attaching operation into said barrel to thereby spread the open end of the barrel to thus lock the eyelet with respect to the button'back, and the end of the tack also adapted to be deformed during the button attaching operation.

3. A flexible type button including a button back. an eyelet having a barrel expanded within the button back, a tack carried by the button back the prong of which extends down through said eyelet and normally terminating short of the lowermost plane of the eyelet, a washer adapted to extend within the eyelet, and the point of the prong of the tack adapted to be deformed on the outer surface of said washer.

4. A flexible type button" including a button back, an eyelet having a barrel slidably mounted within said button back, a tack carried in the button back, the prong of the tack extending through said eyelet and normally terminating short of the lowermost plane of the eyelet, a cap about the button back and adjacent the head of the tack, a perforated washer adapted to extend within the eyelet, the prong of the tack adapted to pass through the perforation in said washer and be deformed in an attaching operation.

5. The combination of a button back, an eyelet, a tack mounted in the button back and extending through said eyelet and terminating short of the bottom'edge of the eyelet, a washer adapted to extend partly within the eyelet, and the prong of the tack adapted to extend through said washer and be deformed against said washer in a button attaching operation.

.6. A flexible type. button comprising an eyelet having a barrel, a button head rockably mounted on the barrel of said eyelet, fastening means movably mounted in the eyelet and terminating within the eyelet, and a separate perforated plate cooperating within the eyelet through which the point of the fastener is adapted to extend and be deformed in an attaching operation.

'7. A flexible button including an eyelet having an outwardly tapering barrel, a button back into which said barrel extends, means within the button back and extending through said eyelet and terminating within the eyelet for spreading the upper end of said barrel and. for attaching the button to a garment.

8. A flexible button including an eyelet having a barrel, a button back, said eyelet loosely fitting within said button back, fastening means for the button carried in said eyelet and extending wholly within the eyelet, and said fastening means adapted to spread the barrel and secure the button to a garment.

FORREST G. PURINTON.

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