IMPROVEMENTS IN NECKTIE FASTENING DEVICES
Year: 1880

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Leon Michaux at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 4th October 1880.
LEON MICHAUX, of Paris, No. 51, Boulevart de Strasbourg, Manufacturer.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN NECKTIE FASTENING DEVICES."
The object of these improvements is to furnish a particular system of necktie
fastenings consisting in several distinct arrangements, which together constituto
the fundamental idea of the Invention, applicable to all kinds of cravats and of
collars. It will always be possible to modify my system of necktie according to
the various changes of fashion without changing the character or feature of my
Invention, providing that in all cases a fixed or movable button exists on the front
of the shirt collar. It is on this button that the cravat is applied with the greatest
facility by means of the abovementioned system, and once in place it cannot in
any way be accidentally detached.
I have represented in the 13 Figures of the accompanying Drawing my system
of fastening applied in three different appropriate manners to cravats in actual use,
and worn with upright and with turn down collars.
Fig. 1 represents my system as applied to ties worn on turn down collars.
Fig. 2 is a section through A, B, Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a section through C, D, Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 shows the tie and the mode of applying my system of fastening.
Fig. 5 shows a tie for upright collars provided with a modification of my
system.
Fig. 10 is a plan of this latter.
Fig. 11 is a section through A, B, Fig. 10.
Fio 12 is a section through C. D Fio 10

page_text: In this Specification the necktie fastening is always supposed to be applied to a
cravat worn by a person, therefore the expressions vertical, horizontal, above,
below, upper, lower, &c., are always to be considered as applied to that position of
the fastening. As shown, my necktie fastening is made of one single piece, and
the Invention consists in the form imparted to it by certain bends and indentations.
The said fastening is made ordinarily of a metallic plate, which may, however, be
replaced by hardened rubber, horn, celluloid, or other appropriate material. The
outline of this new fastening agent may be varied according to the nature and the
form of the cravats or collars. 1 indicates in all the Figures the body of the plate;
2 is a vertical slot, of a sufficient width for the insertion of the stem of a movable
button, or else the sewn attachment of a fixed button, without allowing the head of
the button or stud to pass through the slot. In order to further facilitate the
attachment of the fastening on the button, the lower part of the latter forms the
frame of the opening; 3 is bent in two places so as to follow the shape of the
outline shewn in Figs. 2, 8, & 11, which means that to this part of the plate there
is given in the first place a rectangular bend, of which the lower part is horizontal,
and in the second place a second bend inverted, the lower part of which is
vertical.
At about the middle of the length on each vertical edge of the slot 2 there is sunk
in the material a small hemispherical indentation 4 protruding on that face of the
fastening which is turned towards the cravat.
When it is desired to fix the cravat on the stud by means of my fastening the
button is passed in the slot 3, and then its stem is slid along the slot 2, so that the
fastening rides on the stem of the stud. The projecting parts 4, 4, which are then
above the head of the stud prevent this latter from sliding, whilst it is held
between the upper edge of the slot and the protuberances formed by the indentations.
I further make mention, as forming part of the general arrangement, a slight
elevation or rise in the line A, B, in the middle of the fastening.
The fastening or fixing agent, constructed as above stated, has many material
advantages which are not to be found in the arrangements in actual use; a cravat
provided with this agent may be attached very rapidly and solidly by a simple
downward sliding motion. All fumbling efforts to find the place where the stud is
to be fixed are completely avoided, thanks to the appropriate form of the aperture 3,
and by this means the cravat can be set on or by the first motion, made sufficiently
far back for the head of the shirt button to present itself in front of the plane of
the principal part of the plate containing the slot 2. The protuberances 4 prevent,
conjointly with the stuff of the cravat acting by an elastic effort, any accidental
displacement or disengagement, because when the cravat slides upward the head
of the shirt button would be pushed forward by those protuberances, or the plate
would be pushed backward; it would follow that the stuff of the cravat would at
this place be pushed or further distanced from the plate. The stuff, in consequence
of its elasticity, opposes the tendency with sufficient force, because the effort made
when the cravat tends to disengage itself accidentally is relatively weak.
The form represented in Figs. 1, 2, & 3, which is provided with two wings; the
form represented in Figs. 7, 8, & 9, which is simply square, and the form indicated
in Figs. 10, 11, & 12, which is provided with different slots, are only drawn to
show the application of the same Invention to different sorts of cravats respectively
given in Figs. 4, 6 & 5.
Fig. 13 represents separately the hook 6 employed for the form shown in
Figs. 10, 11, & 12, and which is intended to engage in the slot 5. This is employed
for the kind of cravat shewn in Fig. 5.
These forms of fastenings may be varied according to the requirements of fashion
without departing from the nature of my Invention.

page_text: Fig. 8, a section through A, B, Fig. 7, and
Fig. 9, a section through C, D, Fig. 7.
In this Specification the necktie fastening is always supposed to be aplied to a
cravat worn by a person, therefore the expressions vertical, horizontal, above,
below, upper, lower, &c., are always to be considered as applied to that position of
the fastening.
As shewn, my necktie fastening is made of one single piece, and the Invention
consists in the form imparted to it by certain bends and indentations. The said
fastening is made ordinarily of a metallic plate, which may, however, be replaced
by hardened rubber, horn, celluloid, or other appropriate material. The outline of
this new fastening agent may be varied according to the nature and the form of
the cravats or collars. 1 indicates in all the Figures the body of the plate; 2 is a
vertical slot of a sufficient width for the insertion of a stem of a inovable button, or
else the sewn attachment of a fixed button, without allowing the head of the
button or stud to pass through the slot. In order to further facilitate the attachment
of the fastening on the button, the lower part of the latter forms the frame of the
opening; 3 is bent in two places so as follow the shape of the outline shewn in
Fig. 2, 8, and 11, which means, that to this part of the plate there is given in the
first place a rectangular bend, of which the lower part is horizontal, and in the
second place a second bend inverted, the lower part of which is vertical.
At about the middle of the length, on each vertical edge of the slot 2, there is
sunk in the material a small hemispherical indentation 4 protruding on that face
of the fastening which is turned towards the cravat.
When it is desired to fix the cravat on the stud by means of my fastening the
button is passed in the slot 3, and then its stem is slid along the slot 2, so that the

page_text: fastening rides on the stem of the stud. The projecting parts 4, 4, which are then
above the head of the stud, prevent this latter from sliding, whilst it is held
between the upper edge of the slot and the protuberances formed by the
indentations.
I further make mention, as forming part of the general arrangement, a slight
elevation or rise on the line A, B, of the middle of the fastening.
The fastening or fixing agent, constructed as above stated, has many material
advantages which are not to be found in the arrangements in actual use; a cravat
provided with this agent may be attached very rapidly and solidly by a simple
downward sliding motion. All fumbling efforts to find the place where the stud is
to be fixed are completely avoided, thanks to the appropriate form of the aperture 3,
and by this means the cravat can be set on or by the first motion, made sufficiently
far back for the head of the shirt button to present itself in front of plane of the
principal part of the plate containing the slot 2. The protuberances 4 prevent,
conjointly with the stuff of the cravat acting by an elastic effort, any accidental
displacement or disengagement, because when the cravat slides upwards the head
of the shirt button would be pushed forward by these protuberances, or the plate
would be pushed backwards; it would follow that the stuff of the cravat at this
place would be pushed or further distanced from the plate. The stuff, in
conscquence of its elasticity, opposes. this tendency with sufficient force, because the
effort made when the cravat tends to disengage itself accidentally is relatively
weak.
The form represented in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, which is provided with two wings;
the form represented in Figs. 7, 8, and 9, which is simply square, and the form
indicated in Figs. 10, 11, and 12, which is provided with different slots, are only
drawn to show the application of the same Invention to different sorts of cravats,
respectively given in Figs. 4, 6, and 5.
Fig. 13 represents separately the hook 6 employed for the form shewn in Figs.
10, 11, and 12, and which is intended to engage in the slot 5.
This is employed
for the kind of cravat shewn in Fig. 5.
These forms of fastening may be varied according to the requirements of fashion
without departing from the nature of my Invention.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention, and
illustrated the same, so that others will be enabled to carry my improvements into
effect, I claim,―
A device for fixing neckties to a button, consisting of a single piece of sheet
metal or other suitable material, this plate being provided with a vertical slot
widened at its lower end, where it forms a hole that is larger than the head of the
shirt button, and having at the middle of its height on its vertical edges two
swellings projecting towards the fabric of the neck tie, the lower part of the plate
being twice bent and furthermore slightly curved in the centre of its width
according to a vertical line.
In witness whereof, I, the said Leon Michaux, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Eighteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand
aight hundred and eighty-one
Witnesses,
ADOLF OTTO,
CLEMENS PHILDIUS.
L. MICHAUX. (L.S.)