Improvements in Buttons, Studs, and the like.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd June, 1891-Accepted, 19th Sept., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Buttons, Studs, and the like.
I, FRANK E. WILLIAMS, residing at 21 Charles Street, New York, in the
County and State of New York, United States of America, Gentleman, 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 :-
My invention relates to improvements in buttons, studs and analogous articles,
and consists of the construction and arrangement of the parts as will be more fully
hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims."
The object of the invention is to provide a shoe adapted to be easily and readily
arranged to enter a button or stud-hole and adjusted to prevent withdrawal after
insertion, the parts being simple and effective in their construction and operation.
In the accompanying drawings, wherein like letters of reference are used to
designate corresponding parts in the several views:
Fig. 1 represents a side elevation of a button or stud embodying my
and showing the shoe arranged at an incline to the shank.
-
invention,
Fig. 2 represents a vertical sectional view taken centrally through the button.
Fig. 3 represents a perspective view of the parts of the button dissembled.
Fig. 4 represents a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a locking or catch attachment.
Fig. 5 represents a perspective view on an enlarged scale, of a button or stud
embodying the same sliding principle of the shoe, but having one side of the foot
connected by a hinge.
Fig. 6 represents a top plan view on an enlarged scale of the device shown in
Fig. 5.
Fig. 7 shows detail perspective view of the device shown in Fig. 5 with the parts
of the shoe disconnected.
Fig. 8 shows a sectional view of a further modified form of device as represented
by Fig. 5.
Fig. 9 shows a detail view of a lining plate of a button or stud having a hollow
portion in connection therewith to form a part of the shank.
Fig. 10 represents a similar view of the foot and a part of the shank.
Fig. 11 represents a view similar to Fig. 10 embodying a slight modification.
Fig. 12 represents a vertical section of the two parts united as shown by Figs. 9,
10 and 11..
In the drawings
A, Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4, designates the head of the button or stud which may be
of any form and design as desired, and has secured, thereto a shank B having its
lower end B¹ formed into a foot bent at an angle to the main portion of the said
shank, being curved in an arc of a circle and slightly inclined. The shank con-
verges toward said foot B' and said foot again widens so as to form shoulders B
whereby the shoe is retained intact with said shank. Above said shoulders B³ the
shank is cut away or reduced as at B3 in order to provide a flush fitting of the edge
of the shoe, when operated with the shank and thereby avoid projection of said shoe,
which might interfere with the ready insertion or withdrawal of said shoe into and
from the button or stud-hole.
The shoe C is constructed with a back-plate C¹ and a top concavo-convex cap C³,
the said parts inclosing a plate, C³ having a convex side formed with a channel or
groove C, the bottom of the latter being parallel with the convex side of said
plate C³. The cap C is formed with a slot C extending from the centre to the
periphery thereof for movement of the shoe.
In assembling the parts, the foot B' of the shank B is set in the channel or groove Ċ₁

page_text: of the plate C3 and the cap C³ mounted thereover so that the slot C thereof is in
line with said channel or groove. The edge of said cap is then swaged down over
the edge of plate C³. The plate C¹ is then placed against the opposite side of
plate and its edge swaged over the swaged edge of cap C² thereby firmly holding
the parts intact. The slot Cs in said cap C2 is of less width than the foot B' of
shank B, to thereby hold said bent end in positive engagement with said shoc and
the shoulders B reduce the shank to correspond to the width of the said slot to
allow movement of one part upon the other.
To insert the shoe in a button or stud-hole, it is moved on the foot B' until it
assumes an angle of inclination to the shank and the reduced or cut away portion B³
of said shank fits over the periphery of the shoe and thereby provides an unbroken
alignment of the side of the shank and adjacent edge of the shoe.
After the shoe is inserted it is pushed back until in central position over the
shank when the button or stud will be firmly locked against displacement from the
button or stud-hole.
It will be observed that a pivotal action is wholly dispensed with, and owing to
the side walls of the channel or groove C of plate C³, a twisting or lateral move-
ment of the shoe is prevented, the wear and tear being thereby received by
said plate.
Further, the unyielding convex surface of the plate C³ materially relieves the
latter of the strain by equally bracing it in all directions.
The double swaging herein before set forth prevents loosening and displacement
of the parts of the shoe especially when the same is moved to an angle of
inclination on the shank, as in this position the strain is brought to bear on the
edge of said shoe and without said reinforcement the tendency would be to loosen
the parts.
The converging form of the shank provides an increased securing base for
attachment to the button or stud-head and an attachment of reinforced strength
is provided. It will be further noticed that by the construction set forth I am
enabled to use a very short shank and bring the shoe closer to the button-head
thereby making said head and shoe closely fit against the parts to which they are
applied and avoid loose engagement.
The button or stud thus far described may be used with beneficial and positive
results without the addition of any form of lock or catch for holding the shoe in
either of its adjusted positions but it may be desirable in some instances to supply
a lock or catch, and to provide for this in Fig. 4 I have shown the cap C2 formed
with indentations c at about the centre thereof, which engage the shoulder B² of
the foot B' of the shank when the said shoe is centrally located. The end of said
foot. B is cut away or reduced to form a groove or shoulder c to engage said
indentations c, when the shoe is at an angle of inclination to the shank. By this
means the shoe is locked against accidental disengagement.
In Figs. 5, 6, and 7, the foot B¹ is wider than the shank B to which it is secured,
but in this instance the said shank is not cut away to provide a close fitting with
the edge of the shoe, nor are shoulders B2 employed.
In this form of the device the shoe C comprises the back-plate C, the cap-
plate C² with a curved slot therein and a plate C³ which has a smooth unbroken
bearing surface upon which the foot B' is adapted to operate. As shown in Fig. 8,
said plate C3 is shown formed with a groove C which in this instance receives a
spring D of suitable construction having a struck-up portion at or near the centre
thereof to engage with the front and back edges of the foot B' to lock said foot
against accidental movement when the shoe is operated to be inserted in a button-
hole or stud-hole or after it has been therein inserted.
The foot B in this instance is fulcrumed or hinged adjacent to the periphery of
the shoe as at a, and is of such extent and shape as to readily and practically adapt
itself to the bearing face in the shoe on which it moves, the said plate being shown
either with a convex or a straight or plane surface.
The parts are assembled as in the first described form and as the shoe C is

page_text: moved, the foot B' travels on the plate C³ turning in the arc of a circle whose
centre is the hinge a.
When the spring D is employed, a positive locking of the shoe in either one of
its two positions is obtained, but it has been found that the friction on the foot
produced by the cap-plate C² and plate C³ is sufficient for many purposes to hold
the shoe in its adjustment.
In Figs. 9, 10 11, and 12, the head A has the lining plate E thereof, formed
with a socket E which constitutes part of the shank, and in this instance the
foot B' is bent as at B² to form the remaining part of said shank which is fitted
in said socket C. The said bent portion B of the foot is cut away to form a
depression or an opening B therein, see Figs. 10 and 11, and when said portion B' is
fitted in said socket E the latter is compressed into said depression or opening B
to thereby securely connect said parts. The said socket E and bent portion B* of
the foot may be of any desired form and the formation of said parts may be reversed
if desired, that is, the socket may be formed with the foot, and the remaining part
similar to B may be constructed with the lining plate.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same, is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. A button or stud having a shank with a curved foot at an angle thereto
combined with a shoe inclosing a plate with a channel or groove formed with a
convex bottom, substantially as described.
2. A button or stud having a shank with a foot bent at an angle thereto, said
foot being formed with a lower concave side, and a shoe having a convex surface
against which the concave side of said foot has movable bearings said parts being
combined substantially as described.
3. A. button or stud having a shank with a foot curved and bent at an angle
thereto, combined with a sliding shoe having an inclosed plate formed with a
channel or groove and engaged by said foot of the shank, said channel or groove
being of the same width as the said foot of shank and said foot being wider than
the shank at the angle of bending, substantially as described.
4. A button or stud having a shank with a foot bent at an angle thereto,
combined with a shoe with a plate formed with a channel or groove to receive said
foot of the shank, a slotted cap having its edge swaged down over the edge of said
plate, and a back-plate having its edge swaged over the swaged edge of said cap,
substantially as described.
5. A button or stud having a flat wedge-shaped shank with its converged end at
the bottom from which extends a curved foot at an angle thereto and wider than
the converged end of said shank, combined with a shoe having a convex bearing
surface for said foot, substantially as described.
6. A button or stud having a shank with a curved foot bent at an angle to the
body of the shank, combined with a shoe having an inclosed plate with a convex
side and a channel or groove formed with a convex bottom, a convex slotted cap
and a back-plate whereby the shoe may be adjusted at an angle to said shank,
substantially as described.
7. A button or stud having a shank with a curved foot at an angle and formed
with a cut away or reduced portion combined with a shoe inclosing a plate with
a convex channel or groove, said cut away or reduced portion being adapted to
engage with the edge of the shoe to provide a flush alignment, substantially as
described.
8. A button or stud having a shank with a curved foot bent at an angle to the
body of the shank and provided with shoulders B2 and a reduced or cut away
portion, combined with a shoe having an inclosed plate with a convex channel
or groove, a slotted cap with indentations c, and a back-plate, substantially as
described.
9. A button or stud having a shank with a foot at an angle thereto, and a shoe

page_text: to which said foot is connected by a single pivot located at one side thereof near
the periphery of the shoe to permit a swinging movement of said shoe; substantially
as described.
10. A button or stud having a shank with a foot at an angle thereto and a shoe
having a plate therein on which said foot is pivoted at one side near the periphery
of the shoe to have a swinging movement and a slotted cap-plate, substantially as
described.
11. A button or stud having a shank with a foot at an angle thereto and a shoe
to which said foot is connected by a pivot and having a slotted cap-plate and
another plate bearing against the foot to sustain the shoe in its adjusted positions,
substantially as described.
12. A. button or stud with an angular foot pivoted to a shoe and having a part
of the post or shank depending therefrom, and the shoe having another part of the
post or shank extending upward therefrom, one of said parts of the post or shank
being solid and cut away, and the other part tubular and fitted over and compressed
into the cut away portion of said solid part substantially as described.
Dated this 2nd June 1801.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.