IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Wirth, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent
Solicitors, at Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany, for the In-
vention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS." A communication from Georg
Philipp Neiff, Johann Michael Ketz, Johann Friedrich Christian, and Moritz
Dunkelsbühler, trading under the Firm of Georg Neiff and Co., of Nürnberg,
in the Empire of Germany.
.
Sealed the 31st January 1879, and dated the 24th August 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Wirth at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 24th August 1878.
"
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at
Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany.
*IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS."
[A communication from Georg Philipp Neiff, Johann Michael Ketz, Johann
Friedrich Christian, and Moritz Dunkelsbühler, trading under the Firm of Georg
Neiff & Co., of Nürnberg, in the Empire of Germany.]
This Invention relates to improvements in buttons.
Buttons constructed according to the said Invention consist of two parts, namely,
a head and a shank, which are so made as to be easily put together and taken
apart again. A spring of india-rubber or any other suitable material serves to
hold the two parts together when placed in proper position.
In carrying the said Invention into practice the head piece is provided with a
slot in the centre passing through the head and a cross slot, which latter does not
pass quite through the head.
The shank consists of a foot plate with an upright stem and a cross piece. An
india-rubber spring is placed around the said stem.
When the button is to be attached the said cross piece is passed through the
aforesaid slot which passes right through the head until it comes quite out of the
head on the other side and the spring is compressed. It is then given a quarter

page_text: turn, when the said cross piece will be drawn down into the other slot, namely,
the one which does not pass out quite through the head.
When the button is to be detached the operation is reversed.
In place of a cross piece as above described a single projection may be used on
the stem, or a cross head may be provided with two downwardly projecting pin
ends. In this case, however, the head has to be provided with two suitable holes
to receive the same.
With buttons which require to have an even surface I modify the construction
as follows, that is to say: -To the lower side of the button head a plate is attached
either by rivets or in any other suitable manner; the said plate is provided on its
inner side with a projection surrounding a hole which passes through its centre;
this projection is provided with two slots on either side into which the head piece
of the shank fits after passing through the said projection; this button is also
provided with a spring.
It will be understood that any other material can be used in place of india-rubber
for the spring, and that the button head can be made to fit into the shank in place
of the shank fitting into the button head.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Frank Wirth in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 22nd February
1879.
FRANK WIRTH, of the Firm of Wirth and Company, Patent Solicitors, at
Frankfort-on-the-Main, in the Empire of Germany. "IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS."
A communication from Georg Philipp Neiff, Johann Michael Ketz, Johann
Friedrich Christian, and Moritz Dunkelsbühler, trading under the Firm of Georg
Neiff and Co., of Nürnberg, in the Empire of Germany.
This Invention relates to improvements in buttons.
Buttons constructed according to the said Invention consist of two parts, namely,
a head and a shank, which are so made as to be easily put together and taken apart
again. A spring of india-rubber or other suitable material serves to hold the two
parts together when placed in their proper position.
When clOSCU.
Figure 3 is a plan of the head piece of the said button.
Figure 4 is a side elevation of the shank of the said button, the spring being
removed.
Figure 5 is a similar view of the said shank with the spring in place.
Figures 6 to 13 represent modifications of the said Invention, and are herein-
after described.
A is the head piece of the said button provided with a slot a¹ in its centre and
passing entirely through the same, and also provided with a cross slot a which is
formed only partially through the said head.
The shank of my improved button consists of the foot plate B, the upright stem
b, and the cross head or piece b', as shewn in Figure 4.
C represents the india-rubber spring which is placed around the said stem b, as
shewn in Figure 5.
When the button is to be attached the cross head b' is passed through the slot
or opening a' and above the head, thereby compressing the spring C. The said
cross head is then given a quarter turn when it will be drawn down into the slot
a, only partially cut through the head as above described.
When the button is to be detached the above described operation is reversed.
In place of a cross head b' as represented in Figure 4, a single projection may be
formed on the stem, as shewn in Figure 6, or the cross head may be provided
with two downwardly projecting ends, as shewn in Figure 8; in this case, however,
the head A must be provided with two suitable holes a*, a*, as shewn in Figure 7,
to receive the said downwardly projecting ends.
Figures 9 to 13 represent the adaptation of this Invention to buttons which
require to have an even surface.
Figure 9 is a plan of a plain headed button.
Figure 10 is an under side view of the same.
In carrying this part of the said Invention into practice a plate B* is attached to
the under side of the head A either by rivets b*, *, or in any other suitable
manner. This plate B is shewn in plan and side elevation in Figures 11 and 12,
and is provided on its under side with a projection C surrounding a hole formed
through its centre; this projection C is provided with two slots or cuts c, c,
(Figures 11 and 12), one on either side; and into these slots the head piece F of the
shank E, Figure 13, fits after passing through the said projection C*; this button
is also provided with a spring as shewn at D.

page_text: It will be understood that any other material can be used in place of india-
rubber for the spring, and that the button head can be made to fit into the shank
in place of the shank into the button head.
Having thus fully described the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I wish it understood that I claim the improvements in buttons, as and
for the purposes above set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Frank Wirth, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Fifteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-nine.
En T
TTTT