IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS
Year: 1852

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Frederick Chatwin, of Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS"
Sealed the 8th January 1853, and dated the 6th October 1852.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Frederick
Chatwin at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 6th October 1852.
I, JOHN FREDERICK CHATWIN, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS" to be as follows:-
This Invention consists, first, in making covered buttons by dies
and pressure of a barrel or cylindrical form, in such manner that the
ends of each are closed by separate ends or heads. Secondly, the In-
vention consists of employing discs of woven fabric, of linen, or other
fibrous materials, having a wire or wires woven therein, so that when
the discs are cut therefrom, and introduced in the making of buttons,
the wire will aid in giving strength to the sewing of the buttons on to
garments.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Frederick Chatwin in the Great Seal Patent
Office, on the 6th April 1853.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I,
JOHN FREDERICK CHATWIN, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-two, in the sixteenth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said John Frederick Chatwin, Her special licence
that I, the said John Frederick Chatwin, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, or such others as I, the said John Frederick Chatwin, my
executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with,
and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the
term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise,
and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said John Frederick Chatwin, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was
to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal
Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after
the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Frederick Chatwin, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement thereof (that is to say):
This Invention consists, first, in making covered buttons by dies
and pressure of a barrel or cylindrical form, in such manner that the
ends of each are closed by separate ends or heads. Secondly, my In-
vention consists of employing discs of woven fabric, of linen, or other
fibrous materials, having a wire or wires woven therein, so that when

page_text: the wire will aid in giving strength to the sewing of the buttons on to
garments. And in order that my said Invention may be most fully
understood and readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the
means pursued by me.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
The arrangement of dies and apparatus shown by the Drawing is
suitable for. making barrel-formed buttons, but cylindrical or more
cylindrical ones may be produced in like manner by varying the dies
accordingly. In each of the Figures of the Drawing the same letters
are used to indicate the same parts. Figure 1, shows a plan and
section of the bed die, and also a section of the upper punch or die.
Figure 2, shows a plan and edge view of a disc or blank of metal, such
as is used in making barrel shaped buttons. Figure 3, shows a plan
and edge view of a blank of covering fabric. The disc or blank of
metal is by these dies bent into the form shown at Figure 4, and it is
then to be covered by means of the tools or dies, Figure 5, which
Figure shows a section of the two dies used for this purpose, together
with the parts of a button within them, in the state they are just
before pressing the punch down. Figure 6, shows a section and
under side view of the upper parts of these dies or tools. Figure 7,
shows a plan and section of the lower parts of these dies or tools; and
Figure 8, shows: these tools, 'or, dies when the parts are all pressed
together. The bent metal blank a, with the covering fabric 6, is by
hand pressed into the upper tool c. The shank and button board. d,
(which are pressed into form by suitable dies, not shown; as they are
similar, but differing slightly in form from, those usually employed. in
preparing the paper and shank of other covered buttons,) is. placed into
the tools e, and the parts are brought together as shown at Figure 5,
when they are to be subjected to pressure and brought into the positions
shown at Figure 8, by which the button will be partly combined and
ready to receive its ends. Figure 9, shows a plan and section of a cir-
cular disc of metal raised to the proper form for one of the ends or
heads of the button, and in order to introduce two such ends with dises

page_text: of covering fabric into a button partly formed by the dies or tools. I
would remark that although I have described the ends or heads to be
of covered raised metal, other materials may be used, and in some cases,
such as where glass or ornamental ends or heads are desired, the
covering may be dispensed with. Figure 8, other tools or dies, such as
are shown together in section at Figure 10, are employed; Figure 11,
showing a section and under view of the upper parts of these dies or
tools; Figure 12, showing a section and plan of the lower parts of
these tools or dies, which are shown together at Figure 10. The ends
ff, with their covering fabric, are put into their respective tools' g, and
h; a partly formed button from Figure 8, is then introduced into the
lower tool or die g, when the upper tool or die is to be placed in position,
and pressure applied thereto to bring all parts together as shown at
Figure 10. The button is then to be finished in the dies or tools.
Figure 13 the Drawing shows the nature and form of each of the
various tools and dies used, and a workman will readily understand the
same by examining the various Figures shown by the Drawing. I
would remark that although I believe the arrangement and construction
of dies and tools shown to be the best for making the peculiar formed
buttons according to my Invention, 1 do not confine myself thereto, as
variations may be made therein.
I will now proceed to describe the second part of my Invention,
which has for its object improvements in the woven fabrics used for
making discs of sewn-through buttons. This part of my Invention will
be understood by reference to Figures 14, and 15, where two discs of
woven fabric, each suitable for being introduced in the making of a
sewn through covered button. The disc at Fig. 14, is cut from a
fabric, in the weaving of which wires are introduced at intervals, as
warp or weft; and the disc of fabric, Figure 15, is cut from a fabric
woven with wires introduced at intervals, both as warp and weft, by
which they cross each other, and their intersections form the centres of
the several discs cut therefrom. The fabrics may be of linen or other
fibrous material, and I prefer the wire to be covered with linen, cotton,
or other fibrous material, as is well understood, before being introduced
in a warp or used as weft. I have not thought it necessary to show the

page_text: tools for making sewn-through buttons, as their nature and mode of
action are well known.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the man-
ner of performing the same, I would have it understood that what I
claim is, first, the manufacture of cylindrical or barrel-formed buttons,
such as are herein described; and,
Secondly, I claim the application of discs of woven fabrics, having
each a wire or wires therein as warp or weft, or both, as herein
described, in the manufacture of sewn-through buttons.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Frederick Chatwin, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of April, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-
three.
Witness,
JNO. COOK,
JOHN FREDERICK CHATWIN. (L.S.)
12, Cursitor Street.