Improvements in Buttons and Fastenings therefor.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Nov., 1890-Accepted, 10th Jan., 1891
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
[Communicated from abroad by THE SCOVILL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, of
Waterbury, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America.]
Improvements in Buttons and Fastenings therefor.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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, reference being made to
the accompanying drawings forming part of this Specification, and in which:-
Figure 1, represents a vertical section showing the button and fastening as set
together.
Figure 2, vertical section of the same representing the fastening as introduced and
about to be set.
Figure 3, sectional view of the anvil detached.
Figure 4, under face of the anvil detached.
Figure 5, the fastener detached.
Figure 6, modification in the construction of the button.
This invention relates to an improvement in that class of fasteners for buttons in
which the fastening device is of a two-pronged or staple shape, the prongs adapted to
pass through the fabric from the reverse side into the interior of the button upon an
anvil, and deflected by the anvil between the front and back so as to interlock the
button with the fastener and secure the button in place.
The prongs of the fastener are usually pointed so as to readily pass through the
fabric, and these point ends striking the anvil, are deflected to the right and left,
turning the points toward the back.
It is necessary to make the prongs of the fastener of sufficient length for the
thickest material to which it may be desired to attach the button, that is, so that with
such thick material there will be a sufficient projection of the prongs into the button
to permit the points of the fastener to be deflected and turned within the button, so as
to secure the fastener, consequently as the material is less in thickness, there is a
greater length of the prongs within the button; these prongs are best made from
wire, and must be of sufficient strength to withstand the force required to deflect and
turn the points. The deflecting of the points of the prongs by the anvil, turns them
towards the back, and so that the points strike the back, and it being of thin metal, or
of considerably less strength than the prongs, it frequently occurs that the points of
the prongs punch through the back, the force applied being sufficient to produce this
result, such protrusion of the points through the back is obviously objectionable.
The object of this invention is to prevent the possibility of the points being thus
forced through the back and it consists in the construction of the anvil surface within
the button as hereinafter described and more particularly recited in the claim.
A, represents the back of the button, B, the front closed upon the back, in the
usual manner. In the illustration the button is represented as constructed with a
shank C, so as to raise the button from the material to which it is to be attached,
also in the usual manner, the shank and back of the button being centrally open to
the interior. Within the button between the back and front the anvil D), is arranged;
this anvil is of circular shape and presents at its centre a convex surface a, toward the
opening into the button, and so that as the prongs strike this convex surface, they will
be deflected outward.
The outer portion of the anvil surrounding this central convex portion, is turned
rearward, and so as to present a short concave curve b, toward the back, this curved

page_text: portion being concentric with the convex portion, and in such relation to the convex
portion that as the points strike the said convex portion of the anvil they are deflected
outward onto this concave rim of the anvil, and this concave shape gives to the points
of the fastener a continuous curve so long as it is in motion, thereby coiling the point
ends of the fastener, as represented at d, Fig. 1, the points coiling within the said
rearward curved portion of the anvil and the back.
The fastener is of the usual two-pronged character, as seen in Fig. 5, the prongs
made from wire. In order that the prongs may readily coil within the space provided
for them, and as described, the prongs which are made from wire are flattened upon
their inner and outside, and so as to produce flat surfaces on both sides in the plane of
the axis of coiling, that is, the planes of the flat surfaces are at right angles to the
plane in which the prongs stand, so that as the points strike the anvil, and are turned
into the concave portion, the flat portions readily roll or coil, as described, and because
of such flat surfaces, are not liable to be thrown out of the plane of coiling. Again,
the metal of the points being thus flattened several convolutions may be produced
within the button, as shown, without requiring any increased space within the
button.
The coiling of the ends of the fastener between the back and anvil, so turns the
ends of the fastener that they are presented obliquely to the back, and consequently
cannot pierce the back, and further the coiling of the points between the anvil and
the back, fills the space between the anvil and back, and so as to insure a firm bearing
within the button between it and its fastener.
To locate the anvil within the button and secure it in place, the front is constructed
with an inward central convex projection e, corresponding to the central back of the
anvil, and so that while the outer edge of the anvil will bear upon the back, this
inward projection of the front will rest in the concave back of the anvil and prevent
the sliding of the anvil, so that it is positively held in its central position, and may
therefore be of considerably less diameter than the body of the button, and thus
facilitate the turning of the edges of the anvil directly toward the back.
The anvil may be made as a part of the front, as seen in Fig. 6, the central portion
of the front presenting the same convex surface a, as before described upon the anvil,
and with the reversely or backwardly curved surface surrounding said convex surface
to produce the coiling effect upon the points.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed as coumunicated to me by my
foreign correspondents I declare that what I claim is
First. A button having an opening through its back, a concentric anvil within the
button, the said anvil presenting a central convex surface a, to said opening and con-
structed with a reverse concave curve extending from said convex surface, and
turning rearward on to the back, combined with a fastener consisting of wire prongs
adapted to enter through the opening in the said back of the button, and strike onto
the said concave surface of the anvil, the said prongs made from wire flattened upon
their outer and inner sides, the said flattening extending to the point ends, sub-
stantially as described, said flattened prongs being adapted to coil upon said concave
surface under the deflection produced by forcing said prongs onto the said concave
surface.
Second. A button composed of the front A and back B, the back centrally open for
the introduction of the fastener, combined with an anvil D, set between said back and
front, the said anvil of concavo-convex shape in central portion, the convex surface
toward the opening into the back, and constructed with a surrounding reversely
curved surface b, the front of the button constructed with a central depression e corre-
sponding to the concave surface of the back of the anvil and so as to rest therein,
substantially as described.
Third. The herein described button-fastener, consisting of wire prongs adapted to
enter and strike a concave shaped anvil within the button, the said prongs made from
wire and flattened upon their outer and inner sides, the said flattening extending to

page_text: the point ends, substantially as described, said flattened prongs being adapted to coil
within the button under the deflection produced by the anvil.
Dated this 4th day of November 1890.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.