Improvements in Buttons.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application. 13th Mar., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 7th Dec., 1894-Accepted, 12th Jan., 1895
Improvements in Buttons.
I, Dr. Med. JOSEPH BASSFREUND, residing at Hildesheim, in the Province of
Hannover, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire, Physician do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention refers to buttons in which the head, i.e. that part, which is put
through the button-hole or -holes, consists of two elastic bows arranged either side
by side or one within the other, and in which the said two parts that constitute the
head may be turned each by 90°, so that they then lie parallel to the collar, ruffle
or other piece of linen to be fastened, and extend into opposite directions; and my
improvements in buttons of this kind relate to the said elastic bows as well
as to the shank holding them, as will be made more clear by the following
paragraph.
In those buttons of the sort in question known up to now, there is a constant
reduction of the horizontal sections of the bows as well as of the shank, when the
consecutive sections are taken in the order from the head to the foot of the button.
The button-hole or holes, now, of the piece of linen to be fastened, and also that or
those of the shirt, chemise, etc. receiving the said piece of linen, must as a matter of
course be as long as to let pass the broadest part of the bows or the outer bow
respectively, and there is thus caused the possibility, that the small or short
button-shank may move lengthwise in the far longer button-hole, so that friction
arises between the two parts in question, and the button-hole is injured or torn
thereby.
It is especially the purpose of my invention to prevent the arising of friction
between button-hole and button-shank, and I attained the desired result by giving
the shank congruent horizontal sections throughout the whole of its height and by
giving, further, the elastic bows such dimensions, that the greatest horizontal
section of the same does not exceed the horizontal section of the shank.
Another important feature of my invention consists in employing elastic bows
also for the foot of the button, and in doing so I keep the same rules with regard
to the dimension of the bows, as has above been explained.
In order to make my invention more clear, I refer to the accompanying
drawing, in which similar letters denote similar parts throughout the different views,
and in which :-
Figs. 1-4 show the first mode of execution of my improved button;
Figs. 5-8 show another mode of execution,
Figs. 9 & 10 show the third mode of execution,
Figs. 11-13 show the fourth mode of execution,
Figs. 14-16 show the fifth mode of execution,
Fig. 17 shows a single button revealing the principle of my invention. All
buttons are drawn on a larger scale.
Referring to Figs. 1-4 a is the shank of the button, which at both its long
sides is provided with the outer bows 6 and the inner bows c c', which are
held by the projections a¹; the length of the shank, as well as its breadth is
exactly the like throughout the whole height of the shank, as distinctly to be
seen from Figs. 1 & 2, and also the greatest breadth of the outer bows does
not project beyond the shank, so that the drawbacks above mentioned are entirely
prevented from coming into existence.

page_text: Instead of using a flat shank, as in Figs. 1-4, I may employ also a cylindrical
one, as shown at a' in Figs. 11-16. I have shown in these figures two modes of
execution; Fig. 11 showing the elastic bows arranged one within the other, and
Fig. 14 showing them arranged side by side.
Instead of bows proper, especially of flat bows proper, I may use moveable links
of such configuration, that the two links above the shank, as well as the two
below it, correspond in their common circumference to the circumference of the
cylindrical shank a³, as shown at d in Figs. 5, 6, 9 and 10. The whole button
then resembles a cylinder with rounded off ends,, as the outer curvature of the
moveable links exactly corresponds to the curvature of the cylindrical shank.
Concerning the first mode of execution, Figs. 1-4, there is a special advantage
in those buttons, in that they may be carried in the purse or waist-pocket, so
as to afford a person to carry one or two of such buttons with him in order to
have a substitute in case a fastened button should get lost.
All the advantages above mentioned may be had, as a matter of course, also
in a single button, and I have shown such a button in Fig. 17 for the sake of
completeness of the drawing.
I, Dr. Med. JOSEPH BASSFREUND, residing at Hildesheim, in the Province of
Hanover, Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire, Physician do hereby declare the
nature of this invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention refers to buttons in which the head, i.e. that part, which is put
through the button-hole or -holes, consists of two elastic bows arranged either side
by side or one within the other, and in which the said two parts that constitute the
head may be turned each by 90°, so that they then lie parallel to the collar, ruffle
or other piece of linen to be fastened, and extend into opposite directions; and my
improvements in buttons of this kind relate to the said elastic bows as well as
to the shank holding them, as will be made more clear by the following
paragraph.
In those buttons of the sort in question known up to now, there is a constant
reduction of the horizontal sections of the bows as well as of the shank, when the
consecutive sections are taken in the order from the head to the foot of the button.
The button-hole or holes, now, of the piece of linen to be fastened, and also that or
those of the shirt, chemise, etc., receiving the said piece of linen, must as a matter of
course be as long as to let pass the broadest part of the bows or the outer bow
respectively, and there is thus caused the possibility, that the small or short
button-shank may move lengthwise in the far longer button-hole, so that friction
arises between the two parts in question, and the button-hole is injured or torn
thereby.
It is especially the purpose of my invention to prevent the arising of friction
between button-hole and button-shank, and 1 attained the desired result by giving
the shank congruent horizontal sections throughout the whole of its height, and by
giving, further, the elastic bows such dimensions, that the greatest horizontal
section of the same does not exceed the horizontal section of the shank.

page_text: Another important feature of my invention consists in employing elastic bows
also for the foot of the button, and in doing so I keep the same rules with regard
to the dimension of the bows, as has above been explained.
In order to make my invention more clear, I refer to the drawing sent in with
Provisional Application, in which similar letters denote similar parts throughout the
different views, and in which :
Figs. 1-4 show the first mode of execution of my improvel button;
Figs. 5-8 show another mode of execution,
Figs. 9 & 10 show the third mode of execution,
Figs. 11-13 show the fourth mode of execution,
Figs. 14-16 show the fifth mode of execution,
Fig. 17 shows a single button revealing the principle of my invention. All
buttons are drawn on a larger scale.
Referring to Figs. 1-4, a is the shank of the button, which at both its long
sides is provided with the outer bows and the inner bows cc', which are
held by the projections a¹; the length of the shank, as well as its breadth is
exactly the like throughout the whole height of the shank, as distinctly to be
seen from Figs. 1 & 2, and also the greatest breadth of the outer bows does
not project beyond the shank, so that the drawbacks above mentioned are entirely
prevented from coming into existence.
Instead of using a flat shank, as in Figs. 1-4, I may employ also a cylindrical
one, as shown at a in Figs. 11-16. I have shown in these figures two modes of
execution; Fig. 11 showing the elastic bows arranged one within the other, and
Fig. 14 showing them arranged side by side.
Instead of bows proper, especially of flat bows proper, I may use movable links
of such configuration, that the two links above the shank, as well as the two
below it, correspond in their common circumference to the circumference of the
cylindrical shank a², as shown at d in Figs. 5, 6, 9 and 10. The whole button
then resembles a cylinder with rounded off ends, as the outer curvature of the
movable links exactly corresponds to the curvature of the cylindrical shank.
Concerning the first mode of execution, Figs. 1-4, there is a special advantage
in those buttons, in that they may be carried in the, purse or waist-pocket, so
as to afford a person to carry one or two of such buttons with him in order to
have a substitute in case a fastened button should get lost.
All the advantages above mentioned may be had, as a matter of course, also in
a single button, and I have shown such a button in Fig. 17 for the sake of
complicateness of the drawing.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. In a button with moveable links, the combination with said links, of a shank
having congruent, horizontal sections throughout its entire height, for the purpose
as described.
2. In a button with moveable links, the combination with said links, of a shank
having congruent horizontal sections throughout its entire height, the horizontal
sections of said links not exceeding in their greatest dimension the section of the
shank, for the purpose as described.
3. In a button with moveable links, the combination with the shank having
congruent horizontal sections throughout its entire height, of movable links
arranged at both ends of the shanks, for the purpose as described.
4. In a button with moveable links, the combination with the shank having
congruent horizontal sections throughout its entire height, of moveable links
arranged at both ends of the shanks, the horizontal sections of said links not
exceeding in their greatest dimensions the section of the shank, for the purpose as
described.
5. In a button with moveable elastic bows, the combination with said bows, of a

page_text: shank having congruent horizontal sections throughout its entire height, for the
purpose as described.
6. In a button with moveable elastic bows, the combination with said bows, of a
shank having congruent horizontal sections throughout its entire height, the
horizontal sections of said bows not exceeding in their greatest dimension the
section of the shank, for the purpose as described.
7. In a button with moveable elastic bows, the combination with a shank having
congruent horizontal sections throughout its entire height, of moveable elastic bow's
arranged at both ends of the shank, for the purpose as described.
"
8. In a button with moveable elastic bows, the combination with a shank, having
congruent horizontal sections throughout its entire height, of moveable clastic bows
arranged at both ends of the shank, the horizontal sections of said bows not
exceeding in their greatest dimension the section of the shank, for the purpose as
described.
Dated this 6th day of December 1904
Dr. Med. JOSEPH BASSFREUND,
By Geo. H. Rayner,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.