Improvements in or relating to the Manufacture of a Button, Badge, Key Chain, Key Ring Holder or the like

The invention relates to a die assembly for making a button, badge, key chain, key ring holder or the like and to a method of making said article.

Laminated display buttons comprising a metallic backing plate (sometimes called backs), a metallic top (sometimes called shells), an illustrated _, paper sheet and a protective, reflective, acetate covering have long been produced for use in political campaigns, advertising, sponsorship of various kinds, promotion of events and as souvenirs. Few attempts have been made in the past to use a button with some modifications or attachments as a key chain, and most of these designs are expensive. Use ^" of buttons which can be made from photographs or any other printed matter would be ideally suited for key chains or key rings.

One key chain or key ring of interest consists of a specially made plastic or metal back/backing plate which goes in to a badge/button making machine during a second operation. This special back/backing plate is a single piece which does not require any gluing, riveting.

sliding, slipping, etc. on to another piece in order to derive a key chain or key ring. After the article is made it can be used as a key chain immediately.

An apparatus as used now is capable of making buttons of round, square, oblong or heart shape but no satisfactory key chain or key ring can be made in the apparatus. A conventional apparatus used in the manufacture of buttons consists of a press having three dies fitted on it to make a button or other similar article. One of the dies, referred to as a top die, is disposed in an axially movable mechanism of the press used. The other two dies are respectively disposed at the extreme ends of a reciprocating mechanism, such as slide or rotating plate pivoted at a point. There is also an apparatus available, having two dies only (one top die and one bottom die) to make buttons. With reference to the sliding type of button making machine ^" there are two dies fitted at both ends of the sliding mechanism which may be called die A and die B. These two dies are aligned with the axially moving top die at both ends of the sliding mechanism.

In a first operation, the top die of the press is lowered into die A and a dome shaped metal shell, printed paper and acetate covering disc are pushed into the top die. In a second operation, when the slide is moved to

the other extreme position, die B, which holds the metallic back (either pre-pinned or with a glued magnet) is aligned with the top die which has the shell and paper and acetate disc in its cavity. In the second die operation the metallic shell with the paper and its acetate cover is forced down over a chamfer edge and the button is crimped over the metallic back to complete the process of manufacturing a button.

The present invention is especially concerned with the construction of die B which can receive a conventional metal back used for button making and also a key chain back either of plastic or metal. The back can be fitted with a metallic chain and ring to save time and also to avoid spoilage in inserting a chain and/or ring in the back. The second operation of the die delivers a complete key tag/key chain which is ready for sale without any further operation. This can bring substantial savings in the production of key chains or key rings. The invention is the result of such an endeavour to make such an improvement which eliminates the subsequent operation of fixing a button or the like to another moulded back.

The invention enables the use of a picture or a printed paper to make a key chain or key rings, which can be an exclusive item. The backing plate for use with

the inventive apparatus and method comprises a plastic or metallic part with an integral back which is used for manufacturing a button or the like. The invention enables use of die B in a die assembly to make a button or the like of either standard round, square or oblong shape and also a key chain or key ring. Over the years different shapes of buttons have been made such as round, square, rectangular, oval and heart shaped but a conventional apparatus to make a round button of e.g. 1 3/4" size would make a button of that particular size and shape only.

The invention allows one to make, for instance, a badge having a round shaped top/shell and a backing plate of a round shape on one side and either rectangular or teardrop shape on the other side. Modifications for aesthetic purposes, such as removing sharp edges, changes in shape and size, change of colour, may be made to suit the requirements of the customer. Presently all buttons that are made have a dome or flat shaped shell and backing plate of the same shape and size.

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a die assembly for making a button, badge, key ring holder or the like, the manufactured article comprising a backing plate and a front plate crimped over the backing plate, the die assembly including a die

having a central opening to receive and contain the backing plate and front plate superimposed on the backing plate, and a side opening to allow any integral extending portion of the backing plate to project through the said side opening and allow either the whole backing plate or only a central portion thereof to be wholly contained within a pressing and crimping zone of the die assembly. The pressing and crimping zone may be a circular zone. The said side opening may be elongate and preferably such elongate opening extends as a circumferential slot.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a method for producing a button, badge, key ring holder or the like by inserting a backing plate and a front plate in superposition within the pressing and crimping zone of the die defined by the first aspect of the invention, and pressing and crimping the two plates so that the front plate becomes crimped over the backing plate.

By way of example a preferred form of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a section of a conventional die employable for making a button or badge,

Figure 2 is a section of die similar to that shown in Figure 1 but modified by the present

invention so as to be suitable for making a button or badge or key ring holder as required, Figure 3 is a sectional and plan view respectively of one part of the die of Figure 2, Figure 4 is a sectional and plan view respectively of another part of the die of Figure 2, Figure 5 is a sectional and plan view respectively of a further part of the die of Figure 2, and Figure 6 is a sectional and plan view respectively of a backing plate as shown in Figure 2. Figure 1 shows a die conventionally used for making a button or badge which comprises a backing plate 3 and a front plate (not shown) crimped over the backing plate 3. The rest of the die assembly is conventional and not shown. The drawing shows an outer die member 1 having a chamfer 2 on which the front plate, usually bearing an ornamental design or the like, is crimped onto the backing plate 3. A central opening of the die member is denoted by 8. It is seen that the backing plate 3 is wholly contained within the opening 8. The die also comprises a central plug 4, coiled springs 5 and a central bore 6 between the springs 5, and a bottom disc 7 holding springs 5.

Figure 2 is similar to Figure 1 but is modified so as to be suitable for making a button or badge of the kind described with reference to Figure 1 or a key ring holder of the kind shown clearly in Figure 6. The outer die member 1 of Figure 1 has been modified to result in an outer die member 11 similar to member 1 but including a side opening 15 therein. A backing plate 13 with a triangular shaped integral extending portion 14 may now be inserted in the central opening 8 by first pressing the extending portion 14 into the side opening 15 until the backing plate 13 seats inside the central opening as the backing plate 3 does in Figure 1. The pressing and crimping operation can proceed with the extending portion 14 outside the central opening 8, and with a central portion 17 of the backing plate 13 within the central opening 8. A hole 16 is provided in extending portion 14 for holding a key ring.

It will be appreciated that the extending portion 14 which is an integral part of the backing plate 13 remains outside the pressing and crimping zone of the die and therefore the one and the same die can be used for backing plates 13 having different shapes and sizes of extending portions 14, and also the same die can be used for backing plates 13 which have no extending portions 14, that is backing plates 3 as shown in Figure 1. It

may be appropriate in certain instances when the die is to be used for backing plates 13 which have no extending portions, that a removable disc or other member should remain in the said central opening 8 to partially or wholly block the side opening 15.

The die illustrated by Figures 2 to 5 is thus of universal application.