IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING BUTTONS AND FASTENERS TO GLOVES AND PARTS OF GARMENTS
Year: 1842

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
FALCONER, of Clapham Common, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her.
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at West-
minster, the Thirteenth day of April, in the fifth year of Her reign, did, for
Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said William
Falconer, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and authority, that I,
the said William Falconer, my exors, adiñiors, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said William Falconer, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times during the term
of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR ATTACHING BUTTONS AND
FASTENERS TO GLOVES AND PARTS OF GARMENTS;" in which said Letters Patent is
contained a proviso, that I, the said William Falconer, shall cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of
Chancery, within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: and ascertained in and by the ionlowing statement unercor, reference being
had to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon (that is to say):-
:-
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 represents part of a globe having the first part of my Invention
applied thereto. Figure 2 shows the clamping apparatus and button in edge
view and plan, separately, on a larger scale, in order that the construction may
be more clearly shown. Figure 3 shews a plan and edge viow of a similar
apparatus, but composed of an elastic plate in place of two plates hinged
together, as is shown in Figures 1 and 2; the hinge joint in Figures 1 and 2
consists of two studs affixed in one plate which pass through holes in the other,
the studs have heads formed thereon to prevent their coming out, thus a slight
play or movement can take place. a is a button which has a female screw
formed in the stem or shank; b is a screw fixed to one of the plates or jaws
of the clamping apparatus c, c, and passes freely through a hole made in the
other plate or jaw c. The inner surfaces or edges of the jaws or plates chavo
teeth or roughings, as is shown, in order that they may hold the part of a
glove or other material when pressed together, by the button being screwed on
to the screw b. Figure 1 shews the clamping apparatus applied to a glove,
and it will be evident that the apparatus will hold on any part of the glove,
although only shewn as applied at the edge, hence the button may be attached
to such a part of a glove as to cause it to button tightly round the wrist of the
wearer.
I will now describe the second part of my Invention. Figure 4 shows part
of a glove with a button attached thereto, according the second part of my
Invention. d is a button, tho shank or stern. of which is hollow, and has a
female screw formed therein, and at the end of the stem or shank of tho
button is formed or affixed an enlargement or disc e, the under surface of the
edge of which is roughed, as is shewn at Figure 5, which shows different views
of the button, and also the means of fixing it separately on a larger scale than
in Figure 4, by which the nature of the parts will readily be understood; fis
a screw, having a disc or enlargement 9 affixed or formed thereto, by means of
which the button may be attached to a glove or to a part of a garment, and
will be securely held by the teeth or other roughings or projecting points of

page_text: the surfaces of the discs e and g; those shewn are so inclined that they may
readily be turned round when fastening the button to a glove or to part of
a garment (which is held between the discs e and g), and the surfaces e, g, will
be prevented turning back when so attached, by the teeth, opposing the discs,
being moved back, unless more force is employed, than under ordinary circum-
stances will be offered to the button when in use. Figure 6 shews a slight
variation of the button shewn at Figures 4 and 5, the female screw being
formed only in the disc e, and the hollow stem is sufficiently large to receive
the head of the screw, which will not pass through the holo in the disc; conse-
quently, when the disc e is affixed to the stem or shank of the button the
disc g and the button will not come apart; it is therefore necessary to have a
slit or button hole to pass the disc g through, in order to affix the button to a
glove or part of a garment; and in order to affix the button there are notches
cut in the disc g at h, to receive a key for turning the disc, till the part of a
glove or of a garment is tightly held between the discs e and g, or any con-
venient means may be resorted to for turning the disc g. Figure 7 shews a
covered button made according to this part of my Invention. The back of
the covered button has the hollow stem or shank affixed thereto, and the
shank has a disc e formed or fixed thereon, there being projecting points
formed on the disc e, as is shewn; and the disc g affixed on the male screw fis
dished, and its edges are cut into inclined teeth, as is shewn. By this arrange-
ment, the teeth on the disc e, aided by the dishing and cutting of the disc g,
will cause the parts of a garment when between them to be held securely, and
the screw f will not readily be unscrewed.
It should be stated, that the discs e, g, of the button, Figure 7, may
be roughed, in a similar manner to those previously described, or may
otherwise have projecting points to penetrate the material to which the
button is to be affixed. I would remark, that I am aware that it has
before been proposed to fasten buttons by having hollow stems or shanks
with a screw and disc, which it was proposed to affix to the part of a
garment by sewing the disc of the male screw, that disc having holes for
the passage of needle and thread; I do not, therefore, claim the same; and
the difference between such means of affixing a button and those herein
described will be readily seen and understood, for the hollow stem affixed to
the button in such former case had not any disc or enlargement of its surface,
nor any roughed surfaces or projections formed or affixed thereto, nor was the
disc which was proposed to be affixed to the male screw roughed. It will be
seen that it is important to the well holding of the button to the part of a
garment or a glove, particularly when the stem is not enlarged by a disc or

page_text: surface e, that the stem or shank which is formed on or affixed to a button
should be roughed or have projections formed thereon to penetrate the mate-
rial to which the button is to be affixed. And although it is desirable
to enlarge the stem at its end by a disc e, that is not absolutely necessary,
as the stem itself may have tho roughings, points, or projections formed
thereon, the disc g being made of a size suitable for such stem; and, further,
the having a disc or enlargement e of the stem, when combined with the
use of a male screw having a corresponding disc or surface 9 formed or
aflixed thereon, will offer a good holding without the addition of roughing
or projecting surfaces to prevent the button turning in respect to the screw, or
the screw in respect to the button; it is not therefore absolutely necessary to
have the roughings or projections when an enlarged surface or disc c is formed
on or affixed to the button.
I will now describe the third part of my Invention, which relates to a means
of applying buttons to the legs of trowsers for receiving straps; and the im-
provement consists of a plate k, Figure 8, to which a button or hook is
affixed, the under edge of the plate being roughed in order to prevent its
movement when once placed in the hem of the leg of a pair of trowsers,
there being a slit or button hole formed on the inner part of the bem, and
sufficiently large to allow the button to pass with the plate through it, in order
that one end of the plate may be forced through the hole or slit, and then,
when the whole plate has been entered, the half thereof is brought back to
the other side of the button hole or slit, and then the button is caused to pro-
trude out, and the plate to which it is affixed will be retained from movement
by the button, and by the points or projections. These fastenings will be
found very useful for washing trowsers. Figure 9 shews the inside of the lower
part of the leg of a pair of trowsers, with one of those apparatus applied; and
it will be evident that the plate on either side will cause the leg of a pair of
trowsers with a single button to be retained spread out, even better than if a
wide strap with two or more button holes were applied to as many buttons
affixed to the trowsers; and it should be stated that the plate k is curved
slightly to correspond with tho figure of the lower part of the leg of the
trowsers.
The fourth part of my Invention has for its object the application of a
similar plate with a button affixed thereto; but in place of having the plate
removed from time to time, as is desirable, in washing trowers, the plate k is
affixed by sewing to the trowsers. Figure 10 shews this part of my Inven
tion separately. Figure 11 shews the apparatus fixed, by sewing, to part of
the leg of a pair of trowsers. Figure 12 shews an edge view of the apparatus

page_text: Figures 8 and 9, and strap applied thereto; and Figure 13 shews the strap
separately; or an ordinary strap with button holes may be used in place of the
strap Figure 13. The strap, Figure 13 is equally applicable for the apparatus,
Figures 9, 10, & 11. The plate k, Fig. 10 & 11, is affixed by riviting to.
a piece of leather or other strong material k', which is affixed by sewing to the
trowsers; or the plate k, being perforated with several holes, may be attached,
by sewing directly to the trowsers; and in place of having button holes formed
in the straps, I apply plates 7, 7, by riviting as is shewn in Figure 13, the sides
of the gap of the plate at m on the strap giving way sufficiently, allow the
buttons on the plates & to enter between such plates and the strap, the shanks -
or stems of the button being in the gaps m of the plates l.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I would have it understood that I do not confine myself
to the precise details, provided the peculiar character of either part of the
Invention be retained; but what I claim is,-
First, the mode of attaching buttons or fasteners to gloves and to parts of
garments, by means of the button (a) pressing together two clamping surfaces
c, c, as above described in respect to Figures 1, 2, and 3.
Secondly, I claim the mode of attaching buttons to gloves and parts of
garments by forming roughings, points, or projections to the stems or shanks,
or to discs or enlargments formed on or affixed at the ends of the stems or
shanks of the buttons, there being discs affixed to the male screws which enter
into the stems or shanks of the buttons, such discs being suitably prepared for
holding the material to which they are affixed between the two surfaces e, g,
of each button, as described in respect to Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7; and I also
claim the combining of two discs e and 9 for affixing a button to a garment,
when one disc e is formed on or affixed to the shank of a button and the
other disc g is formed on or affixed to the male screw.
Thirdly, I claim the mode of attaching buttons or fastenings by means of
plates &, as described in respect to Figures 8 and 9.
And, fourthly, I claim the mode of attaching buttons or fastenings by means
of the plates k, and with or without the strap, as described in respect to
Figures 10, 11, 12, and 18.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Falconer, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twelfth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and forty-two.
WILLIAM (L.8.) FALCONER.

page_text: AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twelfth day of October, in
the year of our Lord 1842, the aforesaid William Falconer came before our
said Lady the Queen in Her Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in, form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according to
the tenor of the Statuto made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Thirteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and forty-two.