Improvements in Buttons or Studs.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd July, 1895--Accepted, 7th Sept., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Buttons or Studs.
1, ALFREDO LEBLANC of Stamford in the County of Fairfield, State o
Connecticut, United States of America, Mechanical Engineer, 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 :—
The
present improvement relates generally to buttons, studs and similar devices
used for temporarily or disconnectingly securing two parts together, especially
parts of wearing apparel or like articles.
The invention consists, in a button, stud or like structure, of a head adapted to
engage an eye, loop, button-hole piece, or similar connecting part, and a base piece or
plate acting in conjunction, with said head to hold such eye or loop, said head and
base being flexibly attached to each other so that they tend to draw together and
clasp the loop or other part held between them and which surrounds the shank of
the head.
In the drawings,
Fig. 1 represents, in central cross-section one embodiment of my invention in the
form of a button, the parts of the same being shown in normal position or
disconnected from a loop or button.
Fig. 2 is a like view with the parts in open position or as when the same are
engaging an eye, loop or button-hole piece.
Figs. 3 and 4 show modifications of the same.
Referring to these views in detail, A represents the head of the button and
B the shank or stem of the same.. This head may be of any suitable shape, so long
as it is larger than its supporting stem or shank and is so constructed that it can
readily be passed through and caused to engage a loop, button-hole or like
connecting and disconnecting piece. Preferably, this head will be substantially of
the form shown, and in order to ensure the head securely holding the engaging
loop, it may be recessed as at C or otherwise shaped and adapted to the desired
engagement with the connecting piece. The material and method of constructing
this head and shank, as well as the other parts of the button or stud are not a
necessary part of the invention. The material may be of any suitable kind and
the method of construction any that it may be desired to adopt. Usually, however,
these parts are struck up from thin sheet metal, and I have illustrated the structure
embodying the invention as made of such metal, but I do not in this regard' limit
myself to any particular form or method of construction.
D represents the inflexible part of the base, or base plate, of the button, and which
part acts in conjunction with and oppositely to the under face of the head to engages a
loop, button-hole or similar piece. E is a socket constructed in base D and in
which the head of the button normally rests as shown in Fig. 1 when in the closėd
position. The socket also serves to assist in holding the part engaged by the stem
of the button and between the head and base thereof. Also, this socket serves to
receive the head and leave it when disconnected from an engaging piece nearly
flush with the face of the base, or at least not projecting therefrom so as to
undesirably catch or engage with any other parts, as of the clothing of the wearer
or any part that it is not desired should be caught by this head.
F is a spring disk which is held by the overturned edges G of the base: D.. This
Lice Si

page_text: disk or plate is of thinner metal than the base D, which is practically rigid, being
of any elastic material that will serve as a spring. To the center of this disk is
fixedly attached the stem B of the head, and the plate is so bent or shaped that by
its spring tension the head is drawn toward the base. Holes H may be made
through the base whereby the button can be sewn, riveted or otherwise secured to
one part of the garment, or to any other article.
Assuming the button to be fastened to an article such, for example, as a garment
or part thereof, and assuming also that another article or another part of a
garment is provided with a loop, button-hole, clasp or other connecting part, and
that it is desired to secure these two articles together, the wearer will press against
the spring disk and cause the head of the button to separate from the base thereof
as seen in Fig. 2, whereupon, the loop can be passed over the head and around
the stem thereof, and then the disk will be relieved and under its tension it will
draw the head tightly down from the loop.
It is to be noted that the head of the button serves, as in the usual way, as a
device for engaging the loop, as also it serves together with the base of the
button as a device for clamping, pinching or locking the loop, so that in case of
the loop hanging loose or not being strained there would be no danger of it
disengaging from the head.
It
In Fig. 3, the invention is shown in a structure of a stud-like form. Here the
rigid base K carries the sleeve L, through which passes the stem of the head fixed
to the spring disk M, substantially as in the case of Fig. 1. In this form, however,
the head of the button rests upon the sleeve L, which is of a length less than the
least thickness of material that it is expected the stud will ordinarily engage.
will be seen that when this stud is in engagement with two or more loops or button-
holes, the head thereof will press under the tension of the spring disk upon the loop
or button-hole parts and thereby closely confine the same. This action is highly
desirable in stud structures of all kinds, particularly because the stud is tightly
held against the loop or button-hole parts and does not project therefrom;
at the same time, the stud is adaptable to various thicknesses of material without
lessening its efficacy as a convenient, strong and certain engaging and disengaging
instrument.
In Fig. 4 the head and stem are shown as fixed to the inflexible part of the base,
and the spring disk e, acts as a clamping part with the head.
Various other forms of this improvement are possible, and I do not limit myself
to any particular form, the essential feature being that by pressing against the
base part of the button, the head thereof may be caused to project from the base
a greater or less distance according to requirement, and that the material engaged
by the head and the base will be pinched or clamped between the same by the
action of the spring device which normally tends to draw the head and base
together.
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. In combination in a button, stud or similar device, a head and stem adapted
to engage and clamp a loop, button-hole structure or similar part, a base carrying
said head and composed of a base part D and of a spring part F, one of said parts
being attached to the stem of said head and the other being arranged to act with
the head as a clamp, whereby, as the spring part of the base is pressed upon,
the head is projected from its opposite clamping part, for the purposes set forth.
2. In combination in a stud, button or like device, a head A and stem B, a
base D movably connected to the stem and a spring fixed to the stem and to
the base and acting normally to draw the same together, substantially as
set forth.
3. In combination in a button or stud, the head and stem A, B, a base D
containing a socket E for receiving the head, and a spring F'fixed to the stem and

page_text: to the base and normally acting to hold the head in the socket or agamuse
under spring action, substantially as set forth.
Dated thin 93rd day of July 1895.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.