US2254445A - Reinforced plastic button - Google Patents

Description

SePtf 2, 1941 F. G. PURINTON 2,254,445

REINFORCED PLASTIC BUTTON Filed Oct. 17, 1940 Patented Sept. 2, 1941 UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE REINFORCED PLASTIC BUTTON Forrest G. Purinton, Waterbury, Conn., assigner to The Patent Button Company, Waterbury, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application October 17, 1940, Serial No. 361.647

4 Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in buttons, and more particularly to a molded plastic button which is strongly reinforced against breakage.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a molded plastic button which is very economical to manufacture, as, among other things, it is not necessary to provide any vise or anchor for holding or deforming the prong of the tack fastener.

A further object of the invention is to provide a molded plastic button preferably formed with metal insignia molded directly within the face of the button so that the insignia will be visible and, at the sametime, will be of a permanent and lasting nature.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a plastic button in which a metal plate is embedded, the said plate having raised letters or insignia stamped therein, so that the plate Will be entirely hidden within the plastic button head but the outer surfaces of the letters will be visible, with the plastic material forming the background.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a well-reinforced plastiobutton having metal insignia molded within the face of the button to thus provide an economical way of making permanent the insignia visible on the face of the button.

As is well knownto those skilled in the art, molded plastic buttons and other similar articles are usually molded in multiple cavity molds, and where several hundred cavities are used the expense of cutting the insignia or trade-mark in every one of the cavities would be very high. However, by employing a' stamped plate or a molded plate, as will shortly be described, it is only necessary to cut one name die, from which any number of plates may be stamped for use in the multiple die cavities. Then, when it is desirable to employ a different insignia or trademark, it is only necessary to make the one new name die, from which the new plates may be formed.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a plastic button having a plate with raised metal letters embedded within the button, so

that the top of the insignia or letters will bel iiush with the outer face of the button to thereby provide a pleasing appearance.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a shell forming a part of the button in which the pre-molded button head with its rolled or curled about the edge of the metal plate and plastic portion of the button, thus making an attractive frame for the letters or other insignia and providing a good edge for the button. This makes it unnecessary to grind oil the parting fm or rough edge on the button which is inherent in the molding operation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a button having a head and hub of Bakelite iitted within a metal shell, thus providing a rm metal surrounding for the Bakelite, so that even should the hub fracture during the attaching operation, the button head will still be tightly held in place and a good fastening obtained.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a plastic button having a plate with raised letters embedded within the button, which plate, rather than being of metal, might be made of Bakelite or Plaskon of a contrasting color than the plastic forming the body of the button. The top of the insignia or letters will be flush with the outer face of the button, and being of a contrasting color from' the background or body of the button will provide a pleasing novel appearance and will thus provide a contrasted insignia. If a plate of Bakelite or Plaskon is used, it will be similar to the metal plate but, of course, the insignia will be molded into the plate rather than stamped in with a metal die. f

Still another object of the invention is to provide a molded plastic button having an insignia insignia is placed, while the rim of the shell is plate embedded within the button and to mold the button with a central straight bore to receive a fiuted shank fastener, thus doing away with the necessity of any vise, anchor, or anvil, which greatly simplifies the molding operation of the button. f

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

Referring now to the drawing showing a preferred embodiment. i

Fig. 1 is an enlarged top plan view of the completed button;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1'; y,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the metal insignia plate as die-cast or stamped from sheet metal;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the plastic button head after the molding operation:

Fig. 6 is a similar sectional view of the metal button back or shell before assembly; and

Fig. 'I shows diagrammatically the insignia plate and plastic in a positive type mold cavity.

Referring now more speciilcally to the several views, and for the moment to Fig. 4, there is shown a plate I of stamped sheet metal with the raised insignia or letters 2, and for the sake of illustration, I have shown the letters P B Co.

'I'his so-called name plate I is of dome shape corresponding to the finished face of-'the button and is preferably provided with a horizontallyAIV extending peripheral rim l, which gives support for this marginal area when molded in the Bake,- lite button. Of course, the upper surface of this rim is vgenerally left in an uncoated condition, as shown in Fig. 2, but, if desired, the plastic may entirely cover the rim. Furthermore, the peripheral rim might be dispensed with and the name plate dome-shaped throughout its entire cross section. However, in most instances, it will be desirable to provide the peripheral rim 3 shown. l

Also, the plate is prick-punched, as at l, to permit the Bakelite, as will be hereinafter mentioned, to readily flow through these openings to illl up the spaces above the plate and adjacent letters and, at the same time, form an anchor with the body of the Bakelite.

*.t is also especially desirable to have further' prick-punches, as at 5, that is, wherever there is an island or a surrounded portion in the letter or letters. By providing these prick-punches in the islands, the conilned Bakelite is well anchored with the body and thus prevented from ever becoming loosened or lost from its pol.

sition.

It will be understood that the .words or letters stamped in the plate will be according to the requirements of the purchaser and the letters shown are merely illustrative. Regardless of what letters are used, it is desirable and necessary that the perforations 4 and l be formed in. the various parts of the plate for the abovementioned reasons.

It will also be understood that these plates may be made of dii'l'erent kinds of metal and may be plated or enameled, if desired, for omamentation.

Also, as heretofore mentioned, if desired.

rather than having a stamped metal pl-ate, a`

lettera-'after which they may be polished by ball-rolling or may even be given a tumbled coat of clear. lacquer in order to make the buttons bright and attractive in appearance.

InV Fig. 'l I haveshown how these plates with their insignia stamped thereon will be placed Ain a positive type die cavity i. the bottom of the cavity/,conforming to the arcuate cross section ofthe plate I.

clearly the outline' of the A disk of the preferably high ilow Bakelite will then be dropped on the inner surface of the circulate plate I by what is known as the tray method. Where there are two or three hundred mold cavities to be filled, a tray (not shown) may be used, in which are placed the plurality of disks. The tray is then placed over the mold and the disks dropped into the respective mold cavities on top of the previously-deposited plates.

In Fig. 7, there is fragmentarily shown a part of a mold wherein 1 is the top die, lis the cyl- Inder wall, and 9 is the bottom die and elector pin. In the top die, there may be seen the core pin I 0. which forms the bore II in the plastic I2, which plastic, of course, forms the greater part of the button head. It will be understood that I have not shown the plastic I2 in itsdisk form but rather the plastic which has been molded from the disk. It will also be understood that when the core pin is forced down on the disk, it will break up the same into pieces, and as the plastic is molded, it will help force the plastic through the prick-punched openings 4 and I and thus fill the spaces between the letters of the insignia as well as the islands in the letters.

'I'he plate will now be well embedded in the plastic button head, while the outer surface of the letters will be flush with the body, as may be seen in Figs. 1, 2, and 5. The button head now consists of the plastic body I2, the integral hub I3, theA bore or chamber I I (formed by the heretofore-mentioned core pin I0) and the embedded plate I.

Just below the top surface of theA button may be seen (Fig. 2) the plate Ir with lts raised letters 2, the outer surfaces of which are flush with the button vhead or possibly a thousandth or two thousandths of an inch below the surface.

It will be noticed that the plate I may center itself when dropped within its die cavity, and after so centered, will conveniently hold a disk of Bakelite or other plastic material, which, as it melts, will be pushed hard against the inside of4 the plate. Likewise, the' letters of the plate will be forced down hard against the bottom wall of the die cavity, the plastic being then forced through the openings in the plate and filling the spaces between the letters and in the islands of the letters but leaving the tops of the letters showing through the surface of the finished molded button.

It will further be understood that bright metal letters with a black background show up much more distinctly than would the same letters when merely formed by molding them in the Bakelite. because there is a high contrast between the metal letters and the black background. Of course, sunken molded letters may be filled with contrasting colored enamel, but this is not nearly as permanent or economical as using a stamped metal plate which is firmly embedded within the After these button heads are molded with the plates embedded therein, they are each preferably placed within a shell, such as shown in Fig. 6. This shell is similar to the metal button shells used in making metal buttons and consists of what might be termed a body I5; the integral hub I6, which may be perforate on its bottom, as at I1; and the upwardly extending flange I8.

After the premolded button head is placed within the shell, the flange IB is curled, as at I9, about the peripheral edge of the plastic button head.

When this ange I8 is curled, it will be seen that it contacts with the peripheral rim 3 of the plate, thus providing an even rigid surface to be clamped between the bottom of the shell and the edge of the rolled or curled flange.

The metal curled edge, as shown, also forms a frame for the letters and thus presents a, finished and pleasing appearance to the button. y

It may be necessary to subject the plastic buttons to a tumbling operation to remove the n, but this is all that will be necessary, thus doing away with the usual expensive operation of grinding off the fins in a special machine and then tumbling and polishing to smooth the edge and round it over.

It will be noticed that this back shell tightly flts about the Bakelite hub and, in fact, when assembling, the plastic portion of the button will be forced into the shell so that the metal surrounding the plastic button head will be under tension.

Then, if, when using the tack fasteners, about to be mentioned, the plastic hub should fracture, stili the parts will be tightly held in place, and a goed fastening obtained.

It will be noticed that the button head is not provided with a vise or anchor to engage the tack fastener. This not only saves the cost of a vise or anchor but it also reduces cost in the molding operation, as it eliminates the cost of dropping and centering a vise or anchor in each of the die cavities.

It will also be seen that by eliminating a die or anchor, it greatly simplifies the molding operation, as provision would have to be made to center the vise on top of the Bakelite and means would have to be provided for holding the vise in a central position during the molding operation.

As shown in the several figures, I utilize a spirally-uted tack fastener, as seen in Fig. 2.

which consists of the tack having the head 20.. and the shank 2| which is provided with the flutes 22. This tack may be coated, if desired, and is of slightly greater diameter than the diameter of the bore I4. This form of fastening is shown in the application filed by me, William A. Zwiebel, and Harold N. Verzier on January 3, 1939, bearing Serial Number 249,138, for Tack buttons.

In Fig. 2, I have shown the fastener as having From the foregoing, it will be seen that I have provided a relatively strong molded plastic button, which is reinforced throughout its head and body portion by a plate, with an extending rim, and a metal shell to thus prevent any cracking of the button during the attaching operation.

Also, it is not necessary to provide any small in turn, can be placed in the multiple die cav' ities to be embedded in their respective buttons.

It will be understood that although I prefer to use a' metal plate with the insignia thereon, a plate of different colored plastic with insignia #thereon may be molded in the same manner within the button to give an embedded effect to the insignia.

The peripheral edge of the button also being round forms a pleasing frame for the insignia and does away with the grinding off of the rough edge, which would be necessary if this frame were not provided.

The insignia, of course, is of a lasting nature, and when the plate is highly polished the silvery appearance of the letters (or contrasted color) will show up well in the black background.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A reinforced plastic button including a body shell open at its top, a plastic insert filling said body shell and the top surface of said plastic insert forming the face of the button, a plate with raised insignia thereon embedded within the plastic insert and the insignia visible on the face of the button, the peripheral edge portion of said plate being gripped by the body shell and acting as a tie between the body shell and the A', plastic insert to hold the said plastic insert tightly within its shell, the bottom of the body shell being perforate, and the plastic insert provided With a registering chamber to receive a fastening member.

2. A tack button including a metal body shell having a hub, a molded plastic body, a perforated plate having raised insignia ,thereon and the said plate being embedded slightly below the top surface of Ythe plastic body with the top surface of the insignia lying substantially flush with the top surface of the plastic body, the said plate being slightly greater in circumference than the top surface of the plastic body to thereby provide a horizontally extending peripheral rim, and the upper edge of the body shell being curled on and contacting with said peripheral rim to thereby hold the plastic body tightly within the body shell.

. 3. A tack button including a metal body shell having a hub, a molded plastic insert tightly fitted within the shell, a perforated plate having raised insignia thereon and the said plate being embedded slightly below the top surface of the plastic insert so that the top surface of the insignia lies substantially ush with the top surface of the plastic insert, the said plate being slightly greater in circumference than the face of the plastic insert to thereby provide a horizontally extending marginal rim, the upper edge of the body shell crimped on said peripheral rim embedded slightly below the top surface of the 10 plastic insert so that the top surface of the insignia lies substantially flush with the top sux'- face of the said plastic insert. the upper edge of the body shell crimped about the peripheral edge portion of said plastic insert and said plate to thereby tightly hold the plastic insert within its body shell and form a circumferential delining metal edge for said plastic insert. and the lower portion of said plastic insert provided with a chamber to receive a fastening member.

FORREST G. PURINTON.

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