IMPROVEMENTS IN PLATES FOR ATTACHING BUTTONS TO GARMENTS AND OTHER ARTICLES, IN BUTTON SHANKS, AND IN BUTTONS
Year: 1860

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John William Scott, of the City of Worcester, Button
Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN PLATES FOR
ATTACHING BUTTONS TO GARMENTS AND OTHER ARTICLES, IN BUTTON SHANKS,
AND IN BUTTONS."
Sealed the 20th July 1860, and dated the 21st January 1860.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John William Scott at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
21st January 1860.
I, JOHN WILLIAM SCOTT, of the City of Worcester, Button Manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
PLATES FOR ATTACHING BUTTONS TO GARMENTS AND OTHER ARTICLES, IN BUTTON
SHANKS, AND IN BUTTONS," to be as follows:-
The first part of my Invention consists of a metal disc or plate with a slot cut
sufficiently wide and long to admit a button shank, as herein-after described.
The piece of metal which would be cut out in making an oblong aperture is
separated from the plate on three sides only and turned back to form a tongue.
The plate is indented crosswise of the slot, about the middle of the plate, so
as to form sockets for the arms or cross bars of the shank to rest in. The
shank consists of a doubled wire, either half round or otherwise, pressed into a
shape, or of a solid pin or stem with a head either round, oblong, or other-
wise, or of a wire having the doubled middle inserted in the button and the two
ends turned up to form a hinge, by which to hold on to the sides of the plate

page_text: in the indented sockets provided. To make the attachment, I take a button
and pass the shank through the slot in the metal plate, I turn the plate half
round when the projecting arms will rest in the sockets indented in the plate,
I then press down the tongue in the plate which secures the shank in its place
and yet allows the button to play, as the arms will move in the sockets. The
tongue may be formed by a piece of metal projecting from the side of the disc
or plate, and may be turned over inwards to secure the shank in the sockets.
Again, I take a button, say, for example, one of Finch's patent solid leather
buttons, fitted with a cord or metal or leather shank, and after passing such
shank through the material I pass it through the slot in the disc, I then slip a
metal bar through it, the ends of which when drawn back will lodge in the
indented sockets formed for their reception, I then press down the tongue and
the bar is secured in its place, and the attachment is complete. Again, two
or more tongues may be used meeting in the middle and thrown back right
and left, or the tongue may open at the side.
My Invention further consists in constructing buttons with a hollow metal
back, and in cutting a tongue from the side towards the centre through the
aperture made in forming the tongue, I insert the head of a stud or pin having
a button or plate at its other end to form a shank and slip it down the aper-
ture to the centre of the back plate, I then press down the tongue and the
shank is secured in its proper place, forming a ball-and-socket movement; or
instead of a tongue I form simply a cut and open the sides for the introduction.
of the shank, the head of which I slide down to the centre of the hollow back,
and then press the sides together.
This Invention is applicable also to plates made in the shape and for the
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said John William Scott in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st July 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
WILLIAM SCOTT, of the City of Worcester, Button Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-first day of January, in the year of our Lord's
One thousand eight hundred and sixty, in the twenty-third year of Her

page_text: reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said John William Scott, Her special licence that I, the said John William
Scott, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others, as I,
the said John William Scott 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 PLATES FOR ATTACHING BUTTONS TO GARMENTS AND OTHER
ARTICLES, IN BUTTON SHANKS, AND IN BUTTONS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John William Scott; my executors or administrators,
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 William Scott, 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 following
statement thereof, reference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
that is to say:-
The first part of my Invention consists of a metal disc or plate with a slot
cut sufficiently wide and long to admit a button shank, as hereafter described.
The piece of metal which would be cut out in making an oblong aperture is
separated from the plate on three sides only, as shown in Figure 1 of the
Drawings hereunto annexed, and is turned back to form a tongue, as shown in
Figure 2. The plate is indented crosswise of the slot about the middle of the
plate, as in Figure 3, so as to form sockets for the arms or cross bars of the
shank to rest in. The shank consists of a double wire either half round or
otherwise pressed into a shape, as in Figure 4, or of a solid pin or stem with a
head either round, oblong, or otherwise, as in Figure 5, or of a wire having
the doubled middle inserted in the button and the two ends turned up to form
a hinge, by which to hold on to the sides of the plate in the indented sockets
provided, as in Figure 6. To make the attachment I take a button and pass
the shank through the slot in the metal plate, I turn the plate half round when
the projecting arms will rest in the sockets indented in the plate; I then press
down the tongue in the plate which secures the shank in its place and yet
allows the button to play, as the arms will move in the sockets. The com-
pleted button formed in this manner is shewn in Figure 7. The tongue may

page_text: be formed by a piece of metal projecting! from the side of the disc or plate, as-
shewn in Figure 8, and may be turned over, inwards to secure the shank in the
sockets. Again, I take a button, say, for example, one of Finch's patent solid
leather buttons fitted with a cord or metal or leather shank, and after passing
such shank through the material I pass it through the slot in the disc. I then
slip a metal bar through it, the ends of which when drawn back will lodge in
the indented sockets formed for their reception; I then press down the tongue
and the bar is secured in its place, and the attachment is complete. This
arrangement is shewn in Figure 9. Again, two or more tongues may be used
(two being shown in Figure 10), meeting in the middle and thrown back right
and left, or the tongue may open at the side.
My Invention further consists in constructing buttons with a hollow metal
back, and in cutting a tongue from the side towards the centre; through the
aperture made in forming the tongue I insert the head of a stud or pin having
a button or plate at its other end to form a shank, and slip it down the aper-
ture to the centre of the back plate; I then press down the tongue and the
shank is secured in its proper place forming a ball-and-socket movement. This
method of connecting the shank to the button is shewn in Figures 11 and 12.
Or instead of a tongue I form simply a cut, and open the sides for the introduc-
tion of the shank, the head of which I slide down to the centre of the hollow
back and then press the sides together.
This Invention is applicable also to plates made in the shape and for the
purpose of buttons being single metal, as ordinary brace and. other like
buttons.
'
And having now described the nature of the said Invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim the manufacture
of plates for attaching buttons to garments and other articles, of button shanks;
and of buttons, as herein-before described and illustrated in the Drawings
hereunto annexed: -
In witness whereof, I, the said John William Scott, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Nineteenth day of July, One thousand eight
hundred and sixty.