Improvements in the Construction of Spring Fasteners for Gloves, Boots, Shoes, and other articles.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Aug., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 18th May, 1892-Accepted, 18th June, 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Spring Fasteners for Gloves,
Boots, Shoes, and other articles.
I, JOHN EVANS LEWIS of 62, Market Street, Manchester, Draper do hereby
declare the nature of my said invention to be as follows:-
These improvements refer more particularly to what are known as spring
fasteners for gloves characterised by a socket and spherical headed stud or button
and have for their object the simplification of parts and a saving of time and
labour in attaching the fastener to the glove.
In carrying out my invention I stamp or otherwise form out of sheet metal a pair
of hollow studs or caps each being closed at one extremity but open and flanged
at the other extremity.
One of these caps or studs is slightly smaller than the other and is designed to
fit into the larger one and hold itself therein in a manner hereinafter more fully
described.
In addition to these two studs or caps I employ a thin sheet metal disc with a
hole formed in its centre and its edges turned over so as to embrace the flanged
extremity of the inner stud and attach itself thereto. The hole in this disc is
slightly oval and has a small recess formed in its edge and is provided with a series
of spring projections opposite such recess.
In order now to effect the fastening of these parts (which form the socket
portion of my improved fastening) to the glove or other article to which they have
to be applied the smaller stud is inserted through the material and the larger stud
placed over the projecting shank. The inner stud is next forced into the outer
one and on being driven home binds itself against the iuner walls of the outer stud
and so firmly fasten itself therein.
The counter-part of my improved fastening also consists of two hollow caps or
studs, fitting one inside the other but the outer one is formed as a bulb or spherical
enlargement from its flange outwards.
These two studs or caps are fastened to the material in the same way as the studs
forming the socket portion of my improved fastening; the inner stud in this
case however on being forced into the outer one partaking of the same spherical
formation.
It will now be apparent that as the socket portion of my improved fastening is
pressed into the bulb or spherical enlargement the spring projections hereinbefore
mentioned will give way but immediately such bulb is well within the socket and
the neck of the same has been reached the spring projections will rebound and
drive the bulb into the "recess " hereinbefore mentioned and so effect the desired
fastening.
It will be clearly seen that the neck of the bulb in fitting into the recess in the
edge of the hole will relieve the spring projections of all strain and effectually
prevent the fastening coming asunder when subjected to any degree of pressure
laterally.
Instead of employing a single disc in my improved socket I sometimes employ
two discs, one to enclose the other but the inner one alone being formed with the
spring projections.
This supplementary disc serves to strengthen the socket and also serves to form
the attachment with the flanged extremity of the inner stud.
This improved fastener although only described as applied to gloves is equally

page_text: applicable to boots, shoes, purses and other like articles requiring to be similarly
fastened.
Deted him 17th day of
A noust 1901
JOHN G. WILSON,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Spring Fasteners for Gloves,
Boots, Shoes, and other articles.
I, JOHN EVANS LEWIS of 62 Market Street, Manchester, Draper, do hereby
declare the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My invention refers to what are known as spring fasteners for gloves and consists
of an improved construction of this class of fastener specially characterised by its
fewness of parts and its ready adaptation to the glove.
66
"
My improved fastener consists of what I will hereinafter call a "part" and a
counter-part after the manner of other fasteners, the " counter-part" being
inserted in the "part" in effecting the fastening of the glove.
In constructing the "part" 1 stamp or otherwise form out of sheet metal a
pair of hollow studs or caps each being closed at one extremity but open and
flanged at the opposite extremity. One of these studs is slightly smaller than
the other and is designed to fit into the larger one. In addition to the two studs
I employ a thin metal disc with a hole or opening formed in its centre and its
edges turned over so as to embrace and attach the disc to the flanged extremity of
the inner stúd. The opening in the disc is slightly oval and has a small recess or
neck formed in it and the edges of the hole are turned up forming a set of spring
projections.
In order now to effect the fastening of these parts to the glove the smaller stud
is inserted through a hole formed in the material and the larger stud placed over
the projecting shank. The parts are then placed beneath an ordinary tool and
pressure being applied the inner stud is forced into the outer one binding itself
against the inner walls of the outer stud and so attaches the parts to the glove.
The "counter-part" of my improved fastener like the "part" consists of two
caps or studs fitting one inside the other but the outer one is formed as a bulb or
with a spherical enlargement from its flange outwards. The method of attachment
is almost the same as that of attaching the "part," the inner stud however in this
case being so formed into the outer one that it partakes of the same spherical
formation.
66
It will now be apparent that on pressing the "part" onto the spherical head
of the counter-part" the spring projections of the disc will be pushed at one
side until such head is well within the " part' "when such projections will
rebound and drive the head into the neck or recess of the opening in the disc
and so lock it in position and effect the desired fastening. The unfastening of
the glove is effected by an upward pull of the "part" by the finger and thumb.
It will be observed that the neck or recess in the disc of the "part" must always
be placed in the direction of the pull of the "counter-part."
And in order that this my said invention may be more readily understood
and carried into practical effect I have hereunto annexed a sheet of drawings
illustrative of my improved fastening and will now proceed to describe the same
with the assistance of the various figures and letters of reference marked thereon.
Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of the "
part" and
Fig. 2 is a similar view of the "counter-part" of my improved fastener.
Fig. 3 illustrates the position of the parts of the fastener when the glove is
fastened.

page_text: igs. to to are plan and sectional views of the several parts shewn separately.
Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the disc alone.
Figs. 12, 13 and 14 are plan, perspective and sectional views respectively of a
modification.
Fig. 15 is a side elevation of a tool for effecting the attachment of the two
studs of the "counter-part" to the glove.
In accordance with my invention a is the outer stud of the part (see Figs. 1, 4
and 5) with the ornamental flange b, and c is the inner stud of smaller diameter
and designed to fit tightly in the outer stud.
d is the disc with its external edges turned over the flange of the inner stud and
with the hole or opening e and the spring projections f. f. To give greater
springiness to the two projections I form a slot at g (see Fig. 9). The opening in the
disc as will be observed in Fig. 9 is slightly oval with a neck or recess at into
which the shank of the "counter-part "takes when the glove is fastened.
The "part" is fastened to the glove by passing the shank of the inner stud
through the material and then placing stud a on to the protruding portion. By
then placing the outer stud upon a suitable die or matrix of an ordinary hand press
and bringing down the tool, thus exercising pressure thereon, the inner stud is
driven into the outer stud, the binding of the inner stud on the inner walls of
the outer stud being sufficient to hold the parts together and thus attach them to
the glove.
Fig. 2 illustrates the " counter-part" of my improved fastening, h being the
inner stud and i the outer stud both of which are stamped out of sheet metal. The
outer one i is formed with a bulge or spherical head as illustrated but the inner
stud previous to being forced into the outer one is made straight or with parallel
sides and slightly longer. Upon being introduced into the outer stud however
under pressure it loses its shape and takes that of the outer stud as illustrated
and thus attaches itself in position. In effecting the operation of attaching these
two parts to the glove I employ the arrangement shewn in Fig. 15 which consists of
the tool working vertically and the two spring rods k and let into the matrix
block m one of which is stationary whilst the one marked is moveable under the
action of the eccentric n. This apparatus is specially constructed to prevent the
head of the outer stud enlarging or getting flattened in driving in the inner stud.
The outer stud is placed on the top of the two spring rods k and l head downwards
which takes into the recess formed to receive it whilst the shank takes into the
slots or grooves.
The inner stud is then placed upon it with the glove material between and the
tool descends causing the two rods and to close by reason of the eccentric in and
link o connecting it with the tool. The two rods cease to move or come together
a moment before the tool presses the fastening and are tightly held by the eccentric
whilst the inner stud is being driven into position, thus serving to maintain the
formation of the head of the outer stud whatever internal pressure there may be.
It will now be obvious that the movement of the rods is arrested by the eccentric
having reached the end of its stroke and that the rods fly apart again of themselves
as the eccentric is reversed and the tool ascends.
In this manner the "part" and "counter-part" are put together and attached to
the glove.
In lieu of the disc shewn in Figs. 1 and 11 I may employ the disc shewn in
Figs. 12 13 and 14 which is formed with a series of spring projections q (preferably
three) and with radiating slots P.
This form of disc obviates the necessity of placing the disc in any particular
direction as in the case with the disc aforesaid. The top edges of the springs in
this modification may be slightly curved to prevent the head locking against them.
In the first modification the shank of the bulb or head in fitting into the
neck in the opening of the disc will relieve the spring projections of all strain
and will effectually prevent the fastening coming asunder under a lateral or
side pull.

page_text: This improved fastener although only described as applied to gloves is equally
applicable to boots, shoes, purses and other articles similarly fastened.
Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it to be understood
that I am well aware that fasteners with "counter-parts" similar to the one
aforesaid have been made and therefore I do not claim for it broadly but what I do
claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is :-
1st. The improved construction of spring fastener comprising a "part" in com-
bination with a "counter-part," the "part" consisting of two hollow studs a and c
and disc d (or its equivalent) and the "counter-part" consisting of two hollow
studs and i, both "part" and "counter-part" being attached to the glove or
other article in the manner hereinbefore set forth and mounted and operating
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated on the accompanying
drawing.
2nd. The improved or modified form of disc shewn in Figs. 12, 13 and 14
substantially as set forth.
Dated this 17th day of May 1892.
JOHN G. WILSON,
Agent for the Applicant.