CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS,, AND IN THE MEANS OF ATTACHING THEM TO GARMENTS, WHICH SAID ISSO APPLICABLE FOR
Year: 1858

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nehemiah Brough, Machinist, of Birmingham, in
.the County of Warwick, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
BUTTONS,, AND IN THE MEANS OF ATTACHING THEM TO GARMENTS, WHICH SAID
Sealed the 1st March 1859, and dated the 2nd November 1858.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Nehemiah Brough at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
2nd November 1858..
I, NEHEMIAH BROUGH, Machinist, of Birmingham, in the County of War-
wick, do hereby declare the nature of my said Invention for " CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BUTTONS, AND IN THE MEANS OF ATTACHING THEM TO GARMENTS, WHICH SAID
MEANS IS ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES," to be as follows (that is to say):-
My improvement in relation to buttons consist in the mode of forming the
shank, by which means I am enabled to attach them without sewing, and
which improvement is applicable to all buttous having a metal back, whether
the same be finished with a plain or ornamental metal front, or covered with
a woven fabric, or of pearl, or other such like material, or of iron, to be finished
by the ordinary process of japanning. And my improvements consist in
forming the shank tubular, whether raised from a flat disc or cut from sheet
metal, in the form of four wings, in the manner in which the blanks for
cussion caps are cut out, and which shank when forined very much resembles
a finished percussion cap, with the exception I prefer making the shank
per-

page_text: longer in proportion and smaller in diameter, and around the base or front
end of the shank I form a projecting flange, by which flange the shank is
united to the body of the button by the shank being passed through a hole
concentric with the metal back before the back is fastened to the front of such
button, by this means I am enabled to have the shank of any desired length
according to the material it has to pass through. I am well aware that an
attempt heretofore has been made to apply buttons to garments by having a
hole through the centre of the button, through which a common eyelet has
been passed, and closed either at the back or front, and also a shank similar
to an eyelet has been formed from the centre of buttons and applied to gar-
ments by being passed through and closed over a metal collar at the back,
neither of which plans have answered on account of the stiffness and rigidity
in the connection, which is entirely avoided by my improvement, as it is not
essential that my improved shank shall tightly fit the hole in the back of the
button through which it passes, as by its fitting loose in this part 1 obtain all
the qualities of a flexible shank which is so highly desirable, nor is it essential
that a metal shell or other front should be used, for by thickening and im-
proving the quality and appearance of what under other circumstances would
be called a back, it may be used without any other addition.
And the manner in which I apply this description of buttons to garments is
by puncturing the fabric or fabrics with a stilletto, which puncture instead of
diminishing increases the strength of the material through which it has been
made, as the weft and warp in that part are more closely pressed together
around the shank which passes through this puncture. Over the shank of
the button on the inside a common eyelet ring or eyelet may be passed, and
the shank closed over in the ordinary way in which metal eyelets are applied.
Bnt instead of using the ordinary tools or press for this purpose, I prefer
using an apparatus so fitted that a thin steel arm, forked at the end, shall be
made to advance and retire, and which forked arm is brought forward at the
time desired, to hold and press down the back ring or collar before the closing
tool descends to spread the inner end of the shank over it; I prefer using this
forked arm when lever pressure is used, but if the closing power be obtained
from a screw as from an ordinary fly press or a cam, so that the closing tool
descends in a perpendicular direction, then I prefer surrounding the nose of
the closing tool with a sliding collar, which collar may be held by a slot and
pin,and by the application of an helical spring, the collar is forced down about
half an inch beyond the nose of the tool, and according to the strength of
the spring, so the extending collar presses on the metal ring that surrounds
the shank of the button, the strength of which spring (by the power of the

page_text: screw or cam) when exerted is overcome, and the centre tool descends
through the collar spreading over the shank, thereby securing the button
to the garment, and' which means are also applicable for applying eyelets
or other such like articles. .
.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Nehemiah Brough in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 2nd May 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NEHEMIAH
BROUGH, Machinist, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Second day of November, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, in the twenty-second
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Nehemiah Brough, Her special license that I, the said
Nehemiah Brough, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Nehemiah Brough, my executors, administrators, or 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
"CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS, AND IN THE MEANS OF ATTACHING THEM TO
GARMENTS, WHICH SAID MEANS ARE ALSO APPLICABLE FOR OTHER PURPOSES," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Nehemiah Brough, 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 Nehemiah Brough, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the follow-
ing statement (that is to say):-
My improvements in buttons consist more especially in their construction,
in order that they may be attached to garments without sewing, and while
buttons have been made.having that object as their basis of novelty, never-

page_text: theless they have been so constructed as to be found objectionable in many
respects; for instance, buttons have been so made to admit of their being
fastened to garments, with common metal eyelets, identical in every respect to
the eyelets used for the metallic holes, for stay and other lace holes, but they
have been found objectionable, as the shank of the eyelet has not been long
enough to go sufficiently far through the cloth or cloths to be secured, or to
leave sufficient metal to spread over on the collet usually placed over the
shank of the eyelet on the inside. And when sufficient depth is obtained,
the circumference of the shank of the eyelet is usually so much increased as
to be objectionable and inapplicable for such purposes. And, again, buttons
have been made under a patent granted to Charles Rowley, somewhat
in the form of an eyelet, by increasing the front rim or disc as it were, so as
to make it assume the form and appearance of a metallic button with a hole
through its centre, the shanks being raised from such disc for the purpose of
going through the cloth, to be secured by a collet or ring at the back, and the
shank thrown over in the same way in which the ordinary eyelets are applied.
This, like the former plan, was found also highly objectionable, not only from
the extra cost of production, but a rigidity in the attachment was produced
entirely in opposition to the object sought for by manufacturers and users of
buttons, for freedom and flexibility has long been considered an important
quality in buttons when in use, and to attain which, combined with strength,
and not interfering with the design or pattern or material of which such
buttons are or may be made, and yet to attach them to garments by a
mechanical operation instead of the use of needle and thread, has been the
object (although hitherto unattained) of much study and attention, and to
effect this by simple and efficient means has been the object and purpose of
my Invention, and which I have obtained in the highest degree by forming
the shank of my improved button from a disc of metal raised (by suitable
tools well understood by the manufacturers of such like small articles) into
somewhat of the form of the metal portion of a percussion cap, but a little
deeper and smaller in its circumference. This is done, partly by raising with
proper tools in a fly press, and pushing or drawing them through a hole
formed or made through a steel plate, such hole being of a conical form at the
top, tapering down to the size required. Tubes thus formed are afterwards
slightly reduced in their circumference, and the head part spread out so as to
produce a projecting head, this part being worked up in a button; the
projecting part of the head being loosely held or confined between the front
and back shell,constitutes the principles of my Invention, for, from the shank
fitting freely in the back shell, through which it is passed, allows the button

page_text: to freely move around the shank, as on an axis; and the head of the shank
being small, there is also a lateral looseness in the connection, which is so
.desirable, and this quality is not at all affected or interfered with by the
process of sewing such buttons to garments, but, on the contrary, the shank
becomes fixed to the cloth by the collet, and closing over at the back, so that
the button in any stress or wear, moving freely on the shank, there is no
tendency for the shank to wear or pull through the cloth to which it is
attached. Nor am I compelled to form my buttons of shells, or two parts, for
I can retain the advantages herein-before stated by using oneshell only, which
being properly formed, and of sufficient thickness for a button, it may be
secured to garments by having a concentric hole pierced through it for
receiving the shank before described. The broad head of the shank will,in
this case, form the centre of the front of the button, and have somewhat an
ornamental appearance, nor do I purpose confining myself to metal for
forming such discs, as pearl, bone, wood, ivory, or other material may be used,
and strengthened, if required, by having the centre hole, through which the
hollow tubular shank passes, bushed, which may be done readily by a small
suitably constructed eyelet, such eyelets being pushed through the hole, and
closed on the back, the internal capacity of such eyelet holes being of the
same size as, the hollow shank intended to pass through it. Nor am I con-
fined to the general description of buttous before referred to, as my improve-
ments are also applicable to buttons known as "covered buttons," such
buttons being made in the ordinary way, the cloth that covers the front
being secured by the back shell, but instead of using flexible shanks, in the
ordinary way of shanking such buttons, hollow tubular shanks herein-
before described may be substituted by the head of such shank being held
between the front and back shells.
And having thus given a general description of this part of my Invention,
I will describe the portion of the Drawings hereunto annexed that refer to it.
Fig. 1, A, represents a side view of my hollow tubular shank, made in the
way before described, and which may be varied in size, according to the use
for which they may be applied, are required. B is a metal collet or washer
for going over the shank on the inside of the garment, around the hole of
which the metal of the shank is spread, in the manner in which metal oye-
lets are united or applied to garments or other purposes. C, in Fig. 2,
is a section of the front and back shells of a metal button, showing the
position of the shank A'; and D, a side view of the button, as exhibited at C,
with the collet referred to at B, Figure 1, (and in this Figure, marked B¹,)
placed over the shank in a position for closing in. Fig. 3 represents a back

page_text: view of the button before described, here marked E, with the collet B'removed
from the shank; and F is a front view of the same. And it must be
apparent to any one conversant with the general manufacture of buttons,
(reading this description) that buttons so made are capable of an endless
variety of patterns or designs, or the front shell may be chased, enamelled,
or be made of divers parts or settings, according to the style or particular
purpose or garment for which they may be required, or be made of divers
parts or settings according to the style or particular purpose or garment
for which they may be required; or the front may be covered with a
fabric, or pierced out so as to form a metallic ring, the centre being
'formed with a rigid shell covered with fabric. Fig. 4 represents a front
and sectional view of a button composed simply of a front disc, with a
hole pierced or formed through its centre, through which the shank is
passed as here shown; but instead of forming the disc or button of metal,
pearl, ivory, bone, horn, wood, glass, or other material may be used, turned,
moulded, or otherwise formed, with a hole in the centre for the shank to
pass through, and which hole may or may not be protected or strengthened
with the metal ring or bush, as before referred to.
Having thus described the general features of novelty in the construction
of buttons for the objects and purposes herein-before named, I will now
describe the second part of my Invention, which relates to the apparatus
applicable for applying the buttons before described to garments, and as the
description will be greatly assisted by the Drawings hereunto annexed, I will
at once refer to Fig. 5, which represents a side view of an apparatus very
much in form to the description of presses or apparatus that has been used
heretofore for this purpose when such presses have been constructed with one
action only, namely, the raising or falling of the centre tool. In applying
eyelets to garments it has been usually the plan to cut out a small hole to
receive the eyclet, but which mode I consider very objectionable,as it divides
the warp and weft of the fabric where it is so cut; and to avoid this effect I
attach to my apparatus a stiletto for puncturing the fabric or fabrics, through
which I purpose passing the shank of the button for the attachment, thus
instead of weakening, I create a strength at this part by pushing aside the
warp and weft so as to increase the threads that surround the shank. Gis
the back of the apparatus, formed of cast iron, in connection with the stand H,
on which lugs are formed, marked I, I, through which screws are intended
to pass, to secure it to a bench or stand. The bolster is here shown in
section, marked J, into which a die is placed corresponding with the front of
the button or buttons intended to be applied, and which die or bed is also

page_text: shown in section, marked K, and may be changed as occasion requires.
Lying on the top of the die or bed is a section of the same description of
button exhibited at C, D, E, and F in Figures 2 and 3, the coloured lines
L, L, representing the fabric also in section, through which the shank of the
button has been passed by the fabric or fabrics being first punctured by the
stiletto at M, regulated by the guage or guide N, which is secured by the
screw O, and regulated by a vertical slot, as exhibited at P, Fig. 7, which is
a detached front view of this part, a sunken groove being formed at the back
for receiving the projection marked Q, Q, to prevent its having any lateral
motion. The front part of the guide or regulator, exhibited at Figure 7,
may be extended, and divided on its front edge with a scale, so as to measure
the distance the punctures may be required one from the other for receiving
the buttons. The bolt, partly shown in dotted lines, works vertically through
a nicely fitted hole for that purpose. The head, shown in dotted lines,
marked R, is held up against the cam formed on the handle S (shown in
dotted lines) by a helical spring, likewise represented in dotted lines. The
nose or lower extremity of the bolt is turned and formed for the purpose of
entering the shank of the button, and spreading it over on the collet; and
this brings me to an important feature of improvement in my apparatus. It
is not only important in securing buttons to garments made on my improved
principle, but also in the application of eyelets, that the back collet, washer,
or ring should be pressed down around the shank of the button or eyelet
before the operation of spreading the shank of the button or eyelet over on
such washer is commenced; this is essential not only for pressing the collet
down on the fabric of the garment, but also to leave that part of the button
shank or eyelet that is intended to be thrown over perfectly free, so that
when the tool descends that portion of the shank or eyelet being unconfined
by the collet, will readily expand, and be turned down around it, ensuring in
every instance a perfect application or combination of the parts. To effect
this I apply a false nose, marked T, which slides vertically on the lower end
of the bolt R. This part is connected by side levers, one of which is only
shown in this Figure, marked U, and which side rods are again connected to
levers, united together by a pin-screw, marked V, and which pin-screw forins
the axis of the roller W. These levers, one only of which can here be shown,
works on the axis X, and between the lower side of that part of the press
through which the bolt works and the false nose T, an helical spring is
applied, the bolt working through it. The object of this spring is, that as
he handle (partly broken away for convenience of space) is pulled down, the
spring, acting upon the part T. causes it to descend until its lower part comes

page_text: in contact with the collet, presses it down tight on the fabric, by which time
the extreme part of the cam is working around on the bolt R, causing it to
descend to spread over the shank at the same time the collet is held down.
The backward stroke of the handle frees the bolt, which rises through the
false nose T, until the back lever, which is fitted with an adjusting weight,
in its descent presses on the lever Y, which lifts the false nose T from the
garment, in order that the operation may be again repeated in securing
another button or eyelet, as required. The weight Z may always be regulated
so as to be sufficient to control the lever Y, by which the nose T is lifted.
Fig. 6 represents a detached view of the bolt R, and a sectional view of the
false nose T. Where economy and simplicity is an object, an apparatus such
as I have exhibited in a side view (drawn to a small scale) at Fig. 8, may be
used. A¹¹ is a stand, to which the jaw B¹¹ is attached, and to this jaw' a
spring may be secured, as at C', for holding the lever or handle of the lower
jaw D'in positon. The axis on which the jaw C¹ moves is allowed to project,
and sharpened so as to form the stiletto for piercing the fabric, as before
described, and which combined axis and stiletto I have exhibited detached
at Fig. 9. At the front end of the jaw B" a cap E¹ is fixed, and which cap
holds an helical spring, the use of which is to operate on a four-pronged fork
disc, which surrounds the closing-in tool, and which tool is also secured tc
the jaw B¹; the use of this fork is to press down the collet around the
shank before the lower jaw rises, the button or eyelet, lying on the die or
cavity formed for it, is brought up for the operation of the closing-in tool.
A detached view of the tork I have exhibited in a side view at Fig. 10, as
made or formed from sheet iron or metal, but which may be made in any
other convenient way.
And having thus given a general description of my improvements, and
the manner in which the same may be carried into effect, I wish it under-
stood that I do not claim the manufacture of buttons in such a way that
they may be fastened to garments without sewing, as that has been done in
various ways; bnt what I claim as my Invention, and wish protected by
these my in part recited Lotters Patent, is,-
Firstly, the general construction of buttons, as herein-before described
and exhibited, without reference to the mode or character of finish applied
to such buttons, or to the material or kind of metal of which part or parts
may be composed; such buttons being intended to be fastened to garments
without sewing.
Secondly, I claim as my Invention the apparatus herein described and
exhibited at Figures 5. and 8, or their equivalents, with their attendant parts

page_text: of compound motion, stiletto, and measurer or regulator, whether such
apparatus be used for the application of my improved button, or for eyelets,
or other such like purposes, to which such compound action and other parts
are or may be desirable, without confining myself to the shape or proportion
of the several parts as exhibited.
In witness whereof, I, the said Nehemiah Brough, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-ninth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
Witness,
JAMES S. COCKINGS,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.
NEHEMIAH BROUGH. (L.S.)