CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS FOR FASTENING AND ORNAMENTING ARTICLES OF DRESS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Edwin Green, of the Firm of Green and Cadbury,
Button Manufacturers, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
and James Newman, Jeweller, also of Birmingham, aforesaid, for the
Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS FOR FASTENING AND
ORNAMENTING ARTICLES OF DRESS."
Sealed the 7th August 1862, and dated the 13th February 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Edwin Green and James
Newman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with their
Petition, on the 13th February 1862.
We, EDWIN GREEN,, of the Firm of Green and Cadbury, Button Manu-
facturers, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, and JAMES NEWMAN,
Jeweller,, also of Birmingham, aforesaid, do hereby declare the nature of
our said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS FOR FASTENING
AND ORNAMENTING ARTICLES OF DRESS," to be as follows, that is to say:-
Our improvements relate, first, to the description of linen buttons that are
generally made in such a way that no metal is visible in the finished button;
the. body of such buttons being made by preference of a soft ductile metal, and
pierced and ring-holed, or eyeletted, as may be preferred, for the needle to
pass through in sewing or securing such buttons to garments; and our
improvement in such buttons consists in raising or embossing circular or other
forms, so as to indicate where the perforations are in the metal plate forming
the body of the button, and thereby indicating where the needle must be
passed through so as to secure such buttons. This embossment may be also
extended, so as to impart a kind of design to the front of such buttons; and

page_text: although we have mentioned that our improvements are applicable to buttons
that are covered wholly on the exterior with woven fabric, nevertheless the
entire covering of such buttons is not essential to our improvements, as the
back, edge, or rim may be of metal.
Secondly, our improvements relate to a metal button having two eyelets
placed or formed in the shell, so as to form a bar for the thread to ride on in
securing such buttons; but this of itself is not new, as the same is secured to
Edwin Green and Joel Cadbury, on the 27th of May 1861, No. 1325; but
our improvement consists in the shape of the holes so formed, which may be
either oval or semicircular, so that the two being placed in suitable proximity
a parallel bar or nearly so will be formed; and the holes so formed may be
applied in the front, with the back plain or covered as required, or applied in
the back, and plain or covered in the front, or the metal forming the body of
the button may be treated as before described, namely, with the oval or semi-
circular holes formed in it, so as to form the centre bar, and the button be
finished with a woven fabric on front and back, or front only.
Thirdly, our improvements relate to the application of metal ornaments in
the front of covered buttons, such ornaments being so pierced in or near the
centre as to form a bar for the thread to ride on in securing such buttons ;
and buttons so treated we purpose placing between dies that the ornament
may be pressed in, and other portions of the front of the button raised, if
desired; or the metal portion of the body of the button may be slightly sunk
in the centre, so as to form a raised rim, within which two oval, circular, or
other shaped pierce holes may be raised or pierced out and treated, so that
the edges may be rounded, or turned down, or thrown over, so as to prevent
the metal cutting the thread in the process of sewing; and the raised rim we
also purpose throwing over outwardly, so as to lay down and protect the
fabric; or this same effect may be produced by a separate centre portion, in
which case the centre may be gilded, silvered, or otherwise.
Fourthly, our improvements relate to the description of sewn-through
buttons, having a concentric eyeletted or ringed hole in the metal portion or
body of such buttons, which buttons we purpose finishing by suitable dies and
pressure, so as to show on the back and front of the finished button a raised
ring, which will assist in indicating where the needle must be passed through
in the process of sewing on, and is but a further application of the improve-
ments named under the second head. Although we have described the pre-
ceding buttons as being covered with linen, nevertheless such buttons so con-
structed may be covered with other material, so as to render them applicable
for ornamenting as well as fastening articles of dress.

page_text: And, lastly, our improvements relate to a button partly made of glass,
china, or other suitable material, and partly of metal; the front of such
buttons being formed with a small concentric hole in its centre just sufficient
for the needle and thread to pass through in securing such buttons, and in
forming a bar at the back for the thread to rest on.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Edwin Green and James Newman, in the Great Seal' Patent
Office on the 13th August 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, wc, EDWIN
GREEN, of the Firm of Green and Cadbury, Button Manufacturers, of
Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, and JAMES NEWMAN, Jeweller, also
of Birmingham, aforesaid, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto us, the
said Edwin Green and James Newman, our executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as we, the said Edwin Green and James Newman, our
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 "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS FOR
FASTENING AND ORNAMENTING ARTICLES OP DRESS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that we, the said Edwin Green and James Newman, by an instrument
in writing under our hands and seals, 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 we, the said Edwin Green and James Newman,
do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention, and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement (that is to say) :-
-
Our improvements relate, first, to the description of linen buttons that are
generally made in such a way that no metal is visible in the finished button,

page_text: the body of such bottons being made, by preference, of a soft ductile metal,
and pierced and ring-holed or eyeletted, as may be preferred, for the needle to
pass through in sewing or securing such buttons to garments; and our
improvement in making or finishing such buttons consists in raising or
embossing circular or other forms on the front of such bottons, so as to
indicate where the perforations are in the metal forming the body of the
button, and thereby indicating where the needle must be passed through in
securing such bottons. And this embossing process may also be extended so
as to impart any appropriate design to the front of such buttons, and although
we have mentioned that our improvements are applicable to buttons that are
covered wholly on the exterior with woven fabric, nevertheless the entire
covering of such buttons is not essential to our improvements, as the back
edge or rim may be of metal.
Secondly, our improvements relate to a button having two eyelets placed or
formed in the shell, so as to form a bar for the thread to ride on in securing
such bottons; but this of itself is not new, as the same is secured to Edwin
Green and Joel Cadbury on the 27th of May 1861, No. 1325, but our
improvement consists in the shape of the holes so formed, which may be either
oval or semicircular, so that the two being placed in suitable proximity a
parallel bar, or nearly so, will be formed. And the holes so formed may be
applied in the front with the back plain or covered, as required, or applied in
the back, and plain or covered in the front, or the metal forming the body of
the button may be treated, as before described, namely, with the oval or semi-
circular holes formed in it, so as to form the centre bar, and the button be
finished with a woven fabric on front and back, or front only.
Thirdly, our improvements relate to the application of metal ornaments in
the front of covered buttons, such ornaments being so pierced in or near the
centre, as to form a bar for the thread to ride on in securing such buttons.
And buttons so treated we purpose placing between dies that the front orna-
ment may be pressed in, and other portions of the front of the button raised,
if desired; or the metal portions of the body of the button may be slightly
sunk in the centre, so as to form a raised rim, within which two oval, circular,
or other shaped pierced holes may be raised or pierced out and treated, so that
the edges may be rounded or turned down or thrown over, so as to prevent the
metal cutting the thread in the process of sewing, and the raised rim we also
purpose throwing over outwardly, so as to lay down and protect the fabric; or
this same effect may be produced by a separate centre portion, in which case
the centre may be gilded, silvered, or otherwise.
Fourthly, our improvements relate to the description of sewn-through

page_text: buttons, having a concentric eyeletted or ringed hole in the metal portion or
body of such bottons, which buttons we purpose finishing by suitable dies
and pressure, so as to shew on the back or front, or both back and front of
the finished button a raised ring, which will assist in indicating where the
needle must be passed through in the process of sewing on, and is but a
further application of the improvements named under the second head, the
back and edge being covered in a superior manner by means of a deflected
rim formed in the metal shell or back. Although we have described the
preceding buttons as being covered with linen, nevertheless such buttons
so constructed may be covered with other material, so as to render them
applicable for ornamenting as well as fastening articles of dress.
And, lastly, our improvements relate to a button partly made of glass,
china, or other suitable material, and partly of metal, the front of such
buttons being formed with a small concentric hole in its centre, just sufficient
for the needle and thread to pass through in securing such buttons, and in.
forming a bar at the back for the thread to rest on.
But in order that we should be well understood as to the nature and
character of our Invention, we will proceed to describe the Drawings hereunto
annexed, reference being made to the figures and letters marked thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
A and B, Fig. 1, represents the front and back of a button as wholly
covered with linen or such like material; the front shell, by preference, we
purpose making of a soft ductile metal for the purpose herein-after stated,
using a harder kind for the back, so as to impart rigidity and strength to the
button; and we also, by preference, use a suitable packing, such as a disc of
paper between the front and back shell in making up the same, which we do
not think it necessary to describe here, as the several processes and tools used
in the production of the above and other buttons, herein-after to be described,
are of the ordinary kind, and well known and familiar to every skilled work-.
man the button trade. The front shell, which is represented detached at C,
is first raised and pierced, and next treated as at D, which represents the
raised parts thrown over, so as to form two eyeletted or ringed holes, the part
between the two eyeletted holes forming a bar for the thread to ride on in
attaching such buttons; and as these eyeletted holes are entirely obscured by
the outer covering, the object of our improvement in this description of button.
becomes a once apparent, for it is to impress by suitable tools, either in the
making up or putting together the parts composing the button, or by an addi--
tional process to emboss or impress on the front or back, or both back and

page_text: front, the position and form of the eyeletted holes formed in the shell of the
button before referred to, so that in attaching such buttons to garments it
shall be at once seen where the needle must be passed through in securing it,
and this constitutes the improvement named under the first head in our Pro-
visional Specification, not that we limit ourselves to the mode of constructing
the button, or to the number of eyeletted holes formed in the shell, and embossed
in the front, as E and F are constructed essentially as A and B, but possessing
four eyeletted covered and embossed holes for the purpose of increasing the
means of attachment, nor is it essential to our improvement that no metal
shall be seen in the finished button, as will appear by referring to Fig. 2.
G represents the front, and H the reverse or back of the same, both shells
being perforated, so as to leave a bar in the centre to support the thread
necessary in the attachment of the button, in which case we prefer the front
to be of soft metal and simply a disc; and instead of piercing the semicircular
formed portions in the centre, we prefer bending them down, so as to clip the
corresponding bar or part of the back shell, or as an equivalent, the bar of
the back shell may be so formed and treated. Either way may be adopted
with advantage for destroying the keen edge of the metal forming the bar, in
order that the thread used in the attachment should not be cut or worn
through in using; and in making this button we have exhibited the back as
being raised and turned over on the front, so as to exhibit a metal rim, and
in this Figure we not only shew by the process of embossing, before described,
but have extended the process, so as to impart the appearance of a star
radiating around the centre.
I and J, Fig. 3, represent the front and back of a button, having two eyelets
placed in or formed of the front or back shell of such buttons, the front and edge
being covered with a suitable woven fabric, such as linen when used for body
clothes, or silk when required for ladies' dresses, the button to be made
generally, as described, in the two-holed button referred to in the Specification
of Edwin Green and Joel Cadbury, No. 1325, 1861, the only novelty in this
case being simply the oval form of the holes, but which may also be straighter
on the sides towards each other, so as to form a more parallel bar for the
thread to ride on in attaching this description of button. And we will further
observe, that although J is described as being the back it may be used as the
front, and the thread and needle may be passed through and back through the
same hole, that when secured to the garment the thread by which this is
effected becomes invisible in front, or the eyelets may appear on this side, and
different colour or material for the front of the button and the edge may be
of another.

page_text: K, Fig. 4, represents the front of a button, here supposed to be covered
with velvet, but which may be covered with any suitable material, and made
generally in the ordinary way of constructing other covered buttons; but we
will describe this as a button suitable for ornamenting the fronts of ladies'
dresses, not that we purpose confining ourselves to the use of such buttons for
that purpose only, as buttons for waistcoats and other uses may be advan-
tageously made and ornamented on the principle here shown, and which we
will proceed to describe. L is a metal ornament, which may be pierced,
raised, burnished, or chased, and finished by japanning, bronzing, gilding,
silvering, or otherwise, as desired, and of any other suitable device. The
circles a, a, a, a, a, a, are pierce holes, and the front of the metal shell of the
button is raised into corresponding tits or projections, so that by applying
the metal ornament L in the position shown at K, the projections are intended
to be flattened down so as to fill up and spread over the perforations, thereby
uniting the parts together, and in which consists our improvements in this
description of button; and as ladies' buttons are required to lay flat, we
purpose they should be attached by the thread or silk used for the purpose,
passing through the button, and riding on the radial bars c, c, c. But this
button also may be varied, as before stated, in its construction, as will be
seen by referring to Fig. 5. N and O represent the front and back of a
button in a finished state, and P and Q the metal shells or base forming the
button; P is the back represented in a section at R and Q; the front shell also
represented in section, bent into form at S. The sunken part d is finished
with, by preference, two oval eyeletted holes to form the bar for attaching
such buttons, while the rim e, e, is intended, after passing through the circular
opening in the front shell, and the fabric that covers the front to be spread
outward, so as to unite the parts, and protect the edge of the covering material
in connection with it, not that it is essential that the holes forming the bar
and concentric rim should be formed of the back shell, as it may be formed
equally advantageously from the front, or be formed separately, and applied
through the one or both, and be exposed on the back, or covered, as here
intended to be shown at O, or a button constructed with a separate centre we
have exhibited in front, back, and sectional views at N₁, O', and Q, N', is the
front. The outer rim of the button is protected around its inner or concentric
edge by the eyeletted ring i, i, and the part marked k may be covered with
the same, or any different coloured fabric held in the centre by the metal
forming the eyeletted holes being thrown over, and on the outer edge by its
being compressed between the surfaces of the back and front shells, which
shells are represented in section at O¹. The projection i forms the rim shown

page_text: in the top or front Figure marked i, and the deflected angle 7, 1, is a deflected
edge formed, as hereafter will be described, for holding and straining the edge
of the back covering in connection with the closing in of the shells, and the
securing thereby of the front covering.
Fig. 6 represents at T and U the front and back of a finished covered
button constructed essentially as described at Figure 1, the shells or metal
portion being finished with a concentric ringed or eyeletted hole, the form and
position of which is transmitted to the surface of the finished button by the
process of embossing, before referred to, the thread for attaching such buttons
being passed through and through the concentric eyeletted hole, and the front
and back covering, the latter being of a strong and suitable material, such as
here exhibited and shewn detached at Fig. 7, in a sufficient plain form to be
understood by the following description, which consists in introducing in the
fabric, according to the size of the button we require, strong threads or fine
wire in the warp and weft during the process of weaving such cloth, so that
when cut up into the necessary discs for forming the back or front of the
button for which it is intended to be used, where the warp and weft threads
or wire before referred to cross each other in the exact centre of the button,
they shall afford the necessary strength required for the thread by which the
button is attached to pass over and around, thereby rendering a metallic bar
or support in the shell unnecessary. In some cases we purpose impressing or
embossing this concentric ring only on the back, from which side the needlo
is intended to be first passed through, and the front thus treated we have
exhibited at V, or the concentric eyeletted hole may be left uncovered, and in
connection with which a bar may be formed in the same way as described
at d, e, Figure 5, or the bar may be formed on the back and inner shell; but
in case we adopt the former, we prefer treating the shell as exhibited in front
and sectional view at A' and B', wherein we have exhibited not only how a
nice round edge may be formed to a single shelled button, but that the back
may also be covered, and its edges gathered in and held securely as when
two shells are used, and this we effect by cutting and freeing the metal just
within its extreme edge; but instead of making this circular cut continuous,
we allow a suitable number of small uncut parts for the purpose of connecting
the inner with the outer rim. These connecting parts are marked h, h, h, h,
but more or less may be used as required, and the freed part is bent to an
angle of about forty-five degrees, more or less, so that its edge and the outer
edge of the metal when bent into form will assume the position exhibited
in the section B' at m and n, and it is between these parts that the front and
back fabric is intended to be held in the finished button, the form here repre-
T

page_text: sented being produced by the tools and a press in the process of covering and
finishing the button. The front cloth must, as a matter of course, have a
concentric hole cut out of the size of the projections p, p; and in the process
of finishing, these projections are spread outwards for protecting the edge of
the cloth, but when giving effect to this description of button by means of a
front and back shell, we prefer making them of the section shown at C¹ and
D. The projections r, r, are for forming the ringed holed or eyelet for pro-
tecting the front covering, which is brought around the angular edge, and
held in by the circular back, which has a bar markedt formed in its centre for
the thread to ride on in attaching the button, while the angular deflections
S, S, permit of the back covering being laid on, and tucked in over its angles,
and strained and held by the subsequent process of pressing or closing, and
by this means an exceedingly neat and strong button is produced, as repre-
sented in a front and back view at E¹ and F¹.
Fig. 8 represents in detail a button composed of glass, china, composition,
or precious stones for the front, and a metallic shell back. The front portion
is made with a concentric hole, small in front and large behind, as exhibited
in front and sectional view at W and X, that when the front and back are
put together, as exhibited in section at Y (into a finished button) the thread
by which it is intended to be attached shall first pass through the concentric
small hole, and ride on the bar marked g, which represents the back of the
finished button marked Z, while the front is represented at Z'.
Having now given a general description of our improvements, and sufficient
information to enable a skilled workman accustomed to the manufacture of
buttons to carry the same into effect, we wish it understood that we do not
purpose limiting ourselves to the size, proportion, or detail exhibited in the
Drawings, as the same (as before expressed) may be varied without affecting
the spirit of our Invention.
In witness whereof, we, the said Edwin Green and James Newman,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Twelfth day of August, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Witness,
JAMES S. COCKINGS, Patent Agent,
Birmingham.
EDWIN GREEN. (L.S.)
JAMES NEWMAN. (L.S.)