IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Edwards, of 29, Basinghall Street, in the City
of London, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF BUTTONS."
Sealed the 14th July 1868, and dated the 17th January 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Edwards at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 17th
January 1868.
I, JOHN EDWARDS, of 29, Basinghall Street, in the City of London, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
PACTURE OF BUTTONS," to be as follows:-
1st. My Invention relates to the making of shank buttons. I take a suitably
formed mould of wood or any other suitable material, and close the mould
into a metal shell, the shank being made to retire into the body of the button
when pressed; I sometimes place a suitably formed spring across the top of
the mould to draw the shank into the body of the button, the bottom of this
mould can be covered with metal. I also take an ordinary top and bottom
shell, in this bottom shell I make one, two, or more holes, through these holes
a suitably formed shank is passed, to this shank I attach a suitably formed
spring to draw the shank into the body of the button; sometimes I form two
eyelets in the button shell and pass the shank through, the shank fitting into
and working backward and forward in the eyelets.
2nd. My Invention relates to the making of brace buttons. I make a frout

page_text: shell of suitable form, also a back shell with a hollow neck or shank; these
shells are closed together, a piece of woven fabric being placed between to sew
the button on with, the back shell has teeth round it to hold the woven fabric.
I also take a top and bottom shell without a neck, these shells are made to
overlap in the centre to hold the woven fabric, which is placed between to sew
the button on with; sometimes I make teeth round the hole in the centre to
hold the woven fabric.
I
3rd. My Invention relates to the making of what I term belt buttons.
take an ordinary shank button, and attach to it a hook, this hook is so placed,
that in sewing the button on the hook is passed through the garment, and is
sewn to the same, forming a hook for the belt to rest on.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John Edwards in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th July 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
EDWARDS, of 29, Basinghall Street, in the City of London, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said John Edwards, Her special licence that I, the said John
Edwards, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said John Edwards, 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 Edwards, my executors or adminis-
trators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their
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 I, the said John Edwards, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be

page_text: performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement and accompanying Drawings, that is to say:-
My Invention relates to the making of shank buttons. I take a suitably
formed mould of wood or any other suitable material, shewn in Fig. 1; but I
do not confine myself to this form, as a mould can be formed in many ways.
I then form a shank as shewn in Fig. 2; this shank is then passed into the
mould and the mould is then closed into a metal shell, the shank will then
retire when pressed into the body of the button and cannot be broken off in
packing. Sometimes I cover the bottom of this mould with metal; I also
take an ordinary top and bottom metal shell, in the bottom shell I make one
or two holes, as shewn in Figs. 5 and 6, through these holes I pass a shank
formed as in Fig. 3, the ends are then turned back as in Fig. 4. Around
this shank I place a spring of any suitable form or material; this spring can
be formed in many ways, but I prefer to use either a spiral spring, as in
Fig. 4, or a piece of elastic tube, as shewn in Fig. 7; this tube acts as a
spring; this spring causes the button to sit close to the garment when the
button is not in use. When I make the buttons with one hole, as in Fig. 5,
I turn the end of the shank before putting it into the button, the shank then
works backwards and forwards in this hole, and will retire into the button
when pressed.
Also my Invention relates to the making of belt buttons. I take a button
and attach to it a hook, as shewn in Fig. 8, the hook is passed through the
cloth and sewn to it, the belt then comes between the back of the button and
the hook, the belt is thus prevented from pressing the button on one side.
The other part of my Invention I find is not new, and I do not claim it.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Edwards, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
JOHN EDWARDS. (L.S.)