This invention pertains to artist supplies, and more particularly to supplies used for fine art painting.
Artist canvas is well known and has been in widespread use for many years. Typically, a piece of artist canvas is stretched over and fastened to a working frame. The canvas is then ready to receive any of a variety of color patterns applied to it by the artist.
A problem with prior working frames and artist canvas was the lack of support for the center area of the canvas. Even if the artist canvas was stretched tightly across the working frame, the center area tended to deflect under the force of a brush as the paint was applied. Besides being a nuisance, the deflected canvas had a deleterious effect on the accuracy of the placement of the paint, and the artist had to compensate for the deflection as he applied paint to the canvas.
A further limitation concerning prior paintings was that they usually required a second frame to hold them for display. The cost of a display frame plus the labor involved in the framing process often approached or even exceeded the value of the painting itself. The limitations associated with framing paintings for display was especially acute when the paintings were small, such as a few inches square. The display frames for such small paintings tended to dominate the paintings.
To avoid the difficulties associated with display frames, prior paintings were sometimes left on the original working frames for display. That method of displaying paintings was less attractive than desireable.
The Lar Lu company distributes buttons under the trademark LarLuLine that are capable of being written on with crayons or felt markers. The prior Lar Lu buttons are of one-piece construction, as that term is used in the button art. One-piece buttons have only a domed shell and a graphic laid over the shell. The graphic is captured between a flange of the shell that is bent over at 180 degrees to overlie the graphic margin and the margin of the shell adjacent the flange. In the prior Lar Lu buttons, the graphic is a piece of oilcloth or the like. The Lar Lu buttons are not designed to receive artist's paint, nor do they possess the quality of buttons with two-piece construction.
Thus, a need exists for improvements in media for fine art paintings.
In accordance with the present invention, a two-piece button provides a new medium for fine art painting without expectation of replacing any current media such as plastic film, paper, masonite, or metal. This is accomplished by incorporating blank artist canvas into round or rectangular buttons. The present invention further contemplates incorporating pre-painted artist canvas, as well as artist canvas that is pre-printed by computer reproduction, into round and rectangular buttons.
An exemplary machine for assembling round canvas buttons is shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,944, the specification and drawings of which are incorporated herein by reference. To assemble a round canvas button with a formed back using the universal assembly machine of the U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,944 patent, a handle is initially pivoted to a ready position. In that position, a ram spring biases a ram away from a die table. A round shell with an annular margin is placed dome upward on a pedestal of a pickup die. A circular piece of artist canvas is placed above the shell in a pickup die outer frame. The die table is indexed to place the pickup die under the ram. Doing so causes an actuator to shift the ram to a pickup mode such that ram pins are not aligned with corresponding holes in the ram.
The handle is pivoted in a pickup stroke. Doing so advances the ram downwardly toward the pickup die. The ram, acting through the ram pins, forces the pickup die outer frame downwardly against a spring force. Simultaneously, the ram bends the artist canvas to conform to the shape of the shell. At the end of the pickup stroke, the artist canvas is fully formed over the shell. There is a skirt of the artist canvas overhanging the free edge of the shell margin. Reverse pivoting of the handle back to the ready position enables the ram to retract, with the shell and artist canvas held by friction in the ram.
A formed back with a frusto-conical margin is placed on a pedestal of a crimp die. The die table is then indexed to position the crimp die under the ram. Rotating the die table causes the actuator to switch the ram to a crimp mode such that the ram pins become aligned with the corresponding ram holes. Pivoting the handle advances the ram in a crimp stroke. The artist canvas and shell advance toward the formed back. Advancing the ram first causes the artist canvas skirt to bend over the free edge of the shell margin and to tuck between the shell margin and the periphery of the back. Continued pivoting of the handle bends the shell margin into a frusto-conical wall and tightly tucks the artist canvas between shell frusto-conical wall and the back periphery. Upon reverse pivoting of the handle, the ram retracts to expose the assembled round canvas button.
The present invention further includes round canvas buttons having flat backs. The same machine components and operations may be used as described previously with but one exception. Because of the difference in height between the formed back with the frusto-conical margin and a flat back, a different crimp die pedestal is required. Alternately, the same crimp die pedestal can be used with an adapter that compensates for the different heights of the formed and flat backs. Whether or not the adapter is used, the skirt of the artist canvas of the completed button is tightly tucked between the flat back periphery and the shell frusto-conical wall.
Another important feature of the present invention is a round canvas button with a single planar flange. The round canvas button with the planar flange is composed of an artist canvas, a shell, and a flat back. The manufacturing process for the round canvas button with a planar flange begins with the manufacture of a round canvas button with a flat back. After the crimp stroke, the flat back canvas button is transferred to the pickup die. The die table is again indexed to position the pickup die under the ram. The ram is advanced in a third press stroke in which a ram plug contacts the outer edge of the flat back canvas button and forces the shell frusto-conical wall against the pickup die pedestal. The result is that the shell frusto-conical wall bends inwardly over and against the flat back and to form a flange that lies in a single flat plane.
According to another aspect of the invention, the canvas button is rectangular in shape. The rectangular canvas button is comprised of a rectangular shell, flat back, and piece of artist canvas. The rectangular canvas button may be manufactured according to the teachings of my co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/342,064 filed Jan. 14, 2003. The machine described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/342,064 manufactures rectangular canvas buttons in a two-stroke operation. The shell of the rectangular canvas button has coplanar flanges. The general construction and operation of the machine of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/342,064 is generally similar to the machine of the U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,944 patent. However, the third press stroke of the machine of the U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,944 patent is eliminated; only two strokes are required when using the machine of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/342,064.
The machine of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/342,064 is also capable of manufacturing round canvas buttons with flat backs and planar flanges in a two-stroke operation. Thus, the round canvas button with the flat back and planar flange may be manufactured by either the machine of the U.S. Pat. No. 6,038,944 patent or the machine of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/342,064.
The method and apparatus of the invention, using artist canvas, thus provides a new medium on which an artist can paint, as well as a means of displaying artist canvas that is pre-painted or pre-printed. The canvas button has a sturdy surface that supports the entire artist canvas, and buttons are no longer limited to use with reproduction graphics.
Other advantages, benefits, and features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the detailed description of the invention.
Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention, which may be embodied in other specific structure. The scope of the invention is defined in the claims appended hereto.
Round Canvas Button
Referring first to
The shell 7 is preferably made of thin gauge sheet steel. It has a center region in the form of a dome 6 and a free edge 13. There is a margin 5 adjacent the free edge 13. For the round shell 7, the margin 5 is in the shape of an annular wall 8. The dome 6 is a convex presentation surface that can vary in height from some maximum to zero, in which case the center region would be flat. Although the shell is shown and will be described as being round, oval shells are also within the scope of the present invention.
A circular piece of artist canvas 3 is overlaid on the shell dome 6 and surrounds the shell wall 8. The artist canvas 3 may be sized or primed for use with any artist medium. A suitable artist canvas is marketed under the trademark Fredrix. The artist canvas has a skirt portion 11 that overhangs the free edge 13 of the shell wall 8.
The formed back 9, which is also usually made of steel, has a center region 10 surrounded by a margin 21. For the formed back 9, the margin 21 includes an inner frusto-conical wall 12. The inner frusto-conical wall 12 joins at a smooth junction 14 to an outer reverse frusto-conical wall 15. The outer frusto-conical wall 15 defines a periphery 16 of the margin 21. The periphery 16 may be approximately in the same plane as the center region 10. The formed back center region is close to and parallel to the shell dome 6.
As will be explained in detail shortly, the artist canvas 3, shell 7, and formed back 9 are assembled into the completed round canvas button 1 by tucking the skirt 11 of the artist canvas around the free edge 13 of the shell wall 8. The skirt is laid over the periphery 16 of the formed back margin 21. Then the shell wall is crimped against the outer frusto-conical wall 15 of the formed back. The shell wall becomes frusto-conical in shape, as is indicated at reference numeral 8A in
Also looking at
Assembly Machine
Turning to
The universal assembly machine 33 is comprised of a box framework 34 that includes an elongated base 35. Upstanding from the base 35 is a center column 37 and a similar end column 39. Spanning the center column and the end column 39 is a crown 41.
Pivotally connected to the crown 41 is a handle 45. In the illustrated construction, the handle 45 has a pair of plates 47 that straddle the crown and are pivotally connected to it by a pin 49. The plates 47 terminate in a hand grip 51. The plates have respective cam surfaces 53 opposite the grip 51. As shown in
A ram 59 is supported and guided by the crown 41 for reciprocating along a vertical axis 61. The ram 59 includes a carrier 63 and a ram die 64. The carrier 63 is biased toward the crown by a spring 69 acting between the head 71 of a screw 65 and a recess in the crown. There are a pair of holes 68 in the carrier diametrically opposite the axis 61. A pair of rollers 66 extend oppositely from the sides 62 of the carrier. When the handle 45 is in the ready position of
The ram die 64 is comprised of a cylindrical plug 73 and a ram frame 85. A working face 75 of the plug 73 is concave so as to define a cavity 77 having a tapered annular surface 81. As illustrated, the tapered annular surface 81 is flat. However, to better suit some canvas buttons 1 or 18, a scalloped or curved surface can be used instead of a flat surface. There is an external shoulder 83 on the plug.
The ram frame 85 is slideable and rotatable over the outer diameter of the plug 73. The ram frame 85 has an internal diameter 86 and an internal shoulder that normally rests on the plug external shoulder 83 under the force of gravity. A pair of pins 87 are pressed into the ram frame at the same radial distance from the axis 61 as the holes 68 in the carrier 63. A pair of fingers 89 and 91 jut outwardly from the ram frame. The fingers 89 and 91 are preferably parallel to each other and are on opposite sides of a transverse axis 96 through the vertical centerline 61. The lower end of the ram frame has an end surface 93 with a tapered pilot 95.
Rotatably supported on the framework base 35 is a die table 97. The die table 97 is indexable through 180 degrees about the center column 37. A vertical shifter post 103 is joined to the die table. The shifter post is long enough to reach the fingers 89 and 91.
Mounted to opposite ends of the die table 97 are a pickup die 109 and a crimp die 111. The pickup die 109 comprises a cylindrical pedestal 113 having an external shoulder 115 and a top surface 117. An outer frame 119 with an inner diameter 120 is slideable over the pedestal 113. Springs 121 bias an internal shoulder of the outer frame 119 against the pedestal external shoulder 115. The outer frame has a recess 123 in the upper surface 125 thereof.
The crimp die 111 has a pedestal 127 with an external shoulder 129, an outer diameter 130, and an upper surface 131 with a recess 133. A crimp die outer frame 135 is biased by springs 137 such that an internal shoulder 138 abuts the pedestal external shoulder 129. An upper surface 139 of the outer frame 135 has a recess 141 and a bevel 143. The bevel 143 is shown as being flat. However, like the tapered surface 81 in the ram plug 73, the bevel 143 can be scalloped or curved to suit the particular canvas button 1 or 18 to be assembled.
Operation
The operation of the universal assembly machine 33 to manufacture a canvas button 1 begins by placing a shell 7 dome side up on the pedestal 113 of the pickup die 109. See
The handle 45 is pivoted clockwise with respect to
When the handle is pivoted back to the ready position of
A formed back 9 is placed in the crimp die 111 with the junction 14 resting on the pedestal 127. See
The handle 45 is pivoted clockwise (with respect to
Final advancement of the ram plug 73 forces the free edge 13 of the shell wall 8, which is covered by the artist canvas 3, against the bevel 143 of the crimp die outer frame 135 and bends the shell wall to create the frusto-conical wall 8A. The artist canvas skirt 11 is tightly tucked between the shell wall 8A and the frusto-conical wall 15 of the back 9.
The handle 45 is then reversed, thereby retracting the ram 59 by means of the spring 69. The completed canvas button 1, with its characteristic frusto-conical wall 8A and tightly tucked skirt 11, is removed from the crimp die 111. The universal assembly machine 33 is then ready to manufacture another canvas button 1.
The round canvas button 18 of
Round Canvas Button With Flat Back
Turning to
The universal assembly machine 33 is also capable of manufacturing the round canvas buttons 161 with the flat backs 157. The flat back is placed against the shell 7′ in a manner that tucks a skirt 11′ of the artist canvas 3′ between the back periphery 159 and the wail 8A′ of the shell 7′. The shell wall 8A′ is bent around the flat back periphery 159 to form the characteristic frusto-conical wall 8A′ and tucked skirt 11′ on the completed flat back canvas button 161. The center region 160 of the flat back 157 is close to and generally parallel to the shell dome 6′.
To manufacture the round flat back button 161, the only modification required to the machine 33 is a different pedestal for the crimp die. Looking at
The process for manufacturing a round flat back canvas button 161 using the universal assembly machine 33 with the crimp die pedestal 165 is very similar to the process for manufacturing the round canvas button 1 using the crimp die pedestal 127. The process begins by loading a piece of artist canvas 3′ and shell 7′ in the pickup die 109 in the same manner as shown in
Looking at
Crimp Die Adapter
The versatility of the universal assembly machine 33 is further exemplified by the fact that the round canvas button 161 with the flat back 157 can be manufactured without substituting the crimp die pedestal 165 for the crimp die pedestal 127. With reference to
By using the adapters 173 or 180, the crimp die pedestal 127, which is used to make the round canvas button 1 as explained with reference to
Round Canvas Button With A Planar Flange
It is an important feature of the present invention that artist canvas is also incorporated into round canvas buttons 193 having a planar flange as shown in
In its initial condition prior to any transformation performed according to the present invention, the domed shell 189 has an appearance generally similar to the shell 7 of
The round canvas button 193 with planar flange 199B is manufactured by using a third press stroke on the machine 33. First, the shell dome 209 is covered with the artist canvas 185. The artist canvas 185 and shell 189 are loaded in the machine pickup die 109 as described previously in conjunction with
The third press stroke is used to complete the manufacture of a canvas button 193 with a planar flange 199B,
The handle 45 is pivoted in the third press stroke to advance the ram 59, carrier 63, plug 73, and ram frame 85 until the ram frame contacts the pickup die outer frame 119,
Rectangular Canvas Button With Coplanar Flanges
A rectangular canvas button 211 with coplanar shell flanges is shown in
The rectangular canvas button 211 with the coplanar shell flanges 227 may be manufactured using a two-stroke manual machine 231,
Pivotally connected to the crown 241 is a handle 243. In the illustrated construction, the handle 243 has a pair of plates 245 that terminate in a hand grip 247. The plates 245 have respective cam surfaces 249 opposite the grip 247. In
Ram
A ram 251 is supported and guided by the crown 241 for reciprocating along a vertical ram axis 253. The ram 251 includes a carrier 255 and a ram die 257. For the particular machine 231 illustrated, the carrier 255 is made with a guide bar 259 and a shifter cage 261. Ram springs 263 act on screws 265 and the crown to bias the ram upwardly against the crown 241.
There are a pair of steps 267 on the opposite ends of the guide bar 259 such that the guide bar has a foot section 269. Projecting oppositely from the carrier guide bar 259 are a pair of rollers 271. The rollers 271 are so located as to be contactable by the cam surfaces 249 of the handle 243 when the handle is pivoted away from the ready position.
The ram die 257 is composed of a plug 273, a frame 275, and a pair of support blocks 277. The ram plug 273 is immovably fastened to the foot section 269 of the guide bar 259. A working surface 279 of the plug has a rectangular peripheral lip 281 with a concave inner surface 283.
The ram frame 275 is free to slide on the plug 273 through a distance D in the directions of the ram axis 253. Sliding in the upward direction is limited by contact by the frame top surface 291 with the shifter cage 261. Sliding in the downward direction is limited by overhangs 287 of the support blocks 277. The ram frame has a bottom surface 289, an inner surface 292, and an outer surface 293. At least one, and preferably two, pins 295 are pressed in the frame top surface 291 and are parallel to the ram axis 253. The pins 295 have a protruding length that is slightly less than the sliding distance D of the ram frame on the plug.
The carrier shifter cage 261 is supported on the ran plug 273 and is free to rotate on it. For that purpose, the carrier shifter cage has a center opening 297 that fits loosely over the guide bar foot section 269. A pair of center lugs 299 in the shifter cage opening 297 loosely straddle the guide bar foot section. One end 301 of the shifter cage is close to the frame end column 239. The other end 303 of the shifter cage has a cutout 305 that straddles the frame center column 237. The shifter cage has holes 307 through it that are at the same distance from the ram axis 253 as the pins 295 in the ram frame 275.
Pickup Die And Crimp Die
Rotatably supported on the framework base 235 is a die table 309. Mounted to the opposite ends of the die table 309 are a pickup die 311 and a crimp die 313. The pickup die 311 comprises a pedestal 315 fastened to the die table. The crimp die pedestal 315 has a flat top surface 317 and an external shoulder 319. An outer frame 321 is slideable over the pedestal. Pickup die springs 323 bias the outer frame 321 such that an internal shoulder 325 normally contacts the pedestal outer external shoulder 319. The outer frame has a recess 327 in the top surface 318, and an internal wall 329.
The crimp die 313 is composed of a crimp die pedestal 331 having a top surface 333. Multiple fasteners hold the crimp die pedestal 331 to the die table 309. The crimp die pedestal has an external shoulder 335. A relief surface 337 is parallel to and spaced from the top surface 333. An outer frame 339 is slideable over the crimp die pedestal. Crimp die springs 341 bias the outer frame 339 such that an internal shoulder 343 thereof contacts the pedestal external shoulder 335. The crimp die outer frame has a top surface 345 with a recess 347. A bevel 349 is between the recess 347 and an inner surface 350. The bevel 349 may be flat, but I prefer a concave scalloped shape as is illustrated. The crimp die further has a number of spring cells 351. Each spring cell 351 has a very stiff spring 353 and a plunger 355.
Actuator
The final major component of the machine 231 is an actuator 357. In the machine with the rectangular ram die 257, pickup die 311, and crimp die 313, the actuator 357 is comprised of a pair of fingers 359 and 361 on the shifter cage 261. The actuator further has a vertical shifter post 363 joined to the die table 309. The shifter post 363 is long enough to reach between the fingers 359 and 361 on the shifter cage 261 when the ram 251 is retracted against the frame crown 241.
Operation
The operation of the machine 231 to manufacture a rectangular flat back canvas button 211 begins by placing a shell 213 on the pickup die pedestal 315. See
The handle 243 is pivoted in the direction of arrow 365 in a pickup stroke. Doing so causes the cams 249 on the handle plates 245 to push against the ram rollers 271 and advance the ram 251. The carrier 255, plug 273, and ram frame 275 advance together until the frame bottom surface 289 contacts the artist canvas 225 in the pickup die 311. The handle continues to pivot, which causes further advancement of the carrier and the plug, but the springs 323 of the pickup die outer frame 321 resist further advancement of the ram frame. However, the carrier shifter cage 261 bears against the pins 295 in the ram frame, so the force from the handle is transferred to the pickup die outer frame. The force applied to the handle is sufficient to compress the pickup die springs and force the pickup die outer frame downwardly toward the die table 309. That action causes the ram frame bottom surface 289 and inner surface 292 to cooperate and progressively bend the artist canvas 225 over the pickup die pedestal 315. Simultaneously, the ram frame bottom surface and inner surface progressively bend the margins 219 of the shell 213 over the pickup die pedestal,
At the end of the pickup stroke, the handle 243 is pivoted in the reverse direction 369. The ram springs 263 urge the ram 251 upwardly against the frame crown 241. As the ram retracts, the bent artist canvas 225 and shell 213 remain by friction inside the ram frame inner surface 292.
A flat back 221 is placed on the crimp die pedestal 331. The die table 309 is then indexed in the direction of arrow 370,
The crimp stroke begins as shown in
Advancement of the ram plug 273 continues until the free edges 215 of the shell 213 approach the bevel 349 and become separated from it only by the artist canvas 225. With the plug 273 pushing on the shell and artist canvas, resistance to bending of the metal shell forces that crimp die outer frame 339 downwardly against the resistance of the springs 341. As a result, the shell and artist canvas approach the flat back 221. The artist canvas skirt 367 tucks between the shell margins 219 and the flat back periphery 223. The crimp die outer frame continues to move until the plungers 355 of the spring cells 351 abut the die table 309,
The combined force of the spring cell springs 353 and the crimp die springs 341 prevents further movement of the crimp die outer frame 339, so continued pivoting of the handle 243 and advancement of the ram plug 273 is not accompanied by any movement of the crimp die outer frame or the ram frame 275. Consequently, the ram plug 273 slides further inside the ram frame and further pushes the shell 213 and artist canvas 225 out of the ram frame. The force applied to the handle is sufficient, because of the scalloped bevel 349, to bend the shell margins 219 into angular flanges 371. The continuous surface between the bevel and the pedestal relief surface 337 guides the shell angular flanges 371 and artist canvas skirt 367 into a notch 373 under the flat back 221 as the ram plug approaches the crimp die pedestal 331. See
To complete the manufacture of the rectangular canvas button 211, a final force is applied to the machine handle 243,
Round Button Machine
Round canvas buttons 193 with the coplanar flange 199B are also manufacturable in a two-stroke process. Turning to
The ram 379 is composed of a carrier 385 with rollers 387 that are contactable by cams 249′ on the handle 243′. The carrier 385 has a pair of holes 307′. The ram 379 further comprises a cylindrical plug 389 fastened to the carrier 385. The plug 389 has a working surface 279′ with a circular lip 281′ having a concave surface 283′. The plug has an external shoulder 391.
Slideable and rotatable over the ram plug 389 is a ram frame 393. Sliding of the ram frame 393 in the downward direction is limited by an internal shoulder 395 that contacts the plug external shoulder 391. A pair of pins 295′ are pressed in the frame top surface. The pins 295′ are at the same distance from the ram axis 253′ as the holes 307′ in the carrier 385.
The machine 377 further comprises an actuator 397 that includes a shifter post 363′ upstanding from the die table 309′. The actuator 397 also includes a pair of fingers 398 and 400 that jut from the ram frame 393. Indexing the die table 309′ causes the shifter post 363′ to travel in an arc about the frame center column 237′ and contact one or other of the fingers 398 and 400.
Pickup Die And Crimp Die
A pickup die 402 of the machine 377 is comprised of a pickup die pedestal 399 fastened to the die table 309′. An outer frame 401 is slideable over the pickup die pedestal 399. Pickup die springs 403 bias the outer frame 401 against an external shoulder 405 on the pickup die pedestal. There is a recess 407 in the pickup die outer frame top surface 409.
A crimp die 411 has a crimp die pedestal 413 with a top surface 415, and an external shoulder 417. A crimp die outer frame 419 is biased by crimp die springs 421 such that an internal shoulder 423 contacts the crimp die pedestal external shoulder 417. The crimp die outer frame 419 has a recess 425 and a bevel 427. The crimp die outer frame further has a number of spring cells 351′, each with a stiff spring 353′ and a plunger 355′.
Operation
The operation of the machine 377 to manufacture round canvas buttons 193 is very similar to the operation of the machine 231 for manufacturing rectangular canvas buttons 211. A shell 189 is placed on the pickup die pedestal 399, and an artist canvas 185 is placed in the recess 407 of the pickup die outer frame 401. The die table 309′ is indexed to position the pickup die 402 under the ram 379. Indexing the die table 309′ causes the shifter post 363′ to contact the finger 400 and rotate the ram frame 393 on the plug 389. When that occurs, the pins 295′ become misaligned with the clearance holes 307′ in the carrier 385,
The handle 243′ is pivoted in a pickup stroke to advance the ram 379. The ram advances until the frame bottom surface 429 contacts the artist canvas 185 in the pickup die 402. The springs 403 of the pickup die outer frame 401 resist further advancement of the ram frame 393. However, the carrier 385 bears against the pins 295′ in the ram frame, so the force from the handle is transferred to the pickup die outer frame 401. The force applied to the handle is sufficient to compress the pickup die springs and force the pickup die outer frame downwardly toward the die table 309′. That action causes the ram frame bottom surface 429 and inner surface 431 to progressively bend the artist canvas 185 over the shell 189. A wrinkled skirt overhangs the shell free edge 189.
At the end of the pickup stroke, the handle 243′ is pivoted in the reverse direction. As the ram retracts, the artist canvas 185 and shell 189 remain by friction inside the ram frame inner surface 431.
A flat back 191 is placed on the crimp die pedestal 413. The die table 309′ is then indexed to position the crimp die 411 under the ram 379. See
The handle 243′ is pivoted in a crimp stroke to advance the ram 379, together with the artist canvas 185 and shell 189, until the bottom surface 429 of the ram frame 393 contacts the recess 425 in the crimp die outer frame 419. The operation of the machine 377 during the crimp stroke is substantially identical to the operation of the machine 231 that manufactures the rectangular canvas button 211 as was described previously in connection with
In summary, the results and advantages of artist canvas can now be more fully realized. The canvas buttons of the invention provide both a sturdy mounting for the artist canvas, as well as a convenient way to display unique and custom produced paintings. This desirable result comes from using the combined functions of the artist canvas, shells, and backs. A round canvas button may have a formed back or a flat back; the universal assembly machine 33 is equally capable of manufacturing both. The present invention further includes round and rectangular canvas buttons with coplanar flanges. The rectangular canvas button 211 with coplanar flanges 227 is manufacturable using only two strokes of the machine 231. The round canvas button 193 with the coplanar flange 199B may be manufactured either by using the two strokes of the machine 377 or by using the third-press stroke of the machine 33.
It will also be recognized that in addition to the superior performance of the canvas buttons, their constructions are such as to cost little, if any, more than traditional buttons. In fact, the versatility of the machines 33, 231, and 377 enable both the round and rectangular canvas buttons to be efficiently manufactured at high production rates.
Thus it is apparent that there has been provided, in accordance with the invention, two-piece round and rectangular canvas buttons that fully satisfy the aims and advantages set forth above. While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended to-embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the spirit and broad scope of the appended claims.
This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/414,330, filed 16 Apr. 2003.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 10414330 | Apr 2003 | US |
Child | 11258625 | Oct 2005 | US |