IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS FOR DRESS FASTENINGS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Cutler, Button Manufacturer, of Bir-
mingham, in the County of Warwick, and James Newman, also of
Birmingham, aforesaid, Jeweller, for the Invention of "IMPROVE-
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Cutler and
James Newman at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents,
with their Petition, on the 17th July 1874.
*
We, GEORGE CUTLER, Button Manufacturer, of Birmingham, in the
County of Warwick, and JAMES NEWMAN, also of Birmingham, afore-
said, Jeweller, do hereby declare the nature of our said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS FOR DRESS FASTENINGS," to be as follows (that
is to say):
1
Our improvements may be described under two heads, first, the
description of buttons known as linen buttons, from their being mainly
covered with a woven fabric for underclothing; and, secondly, metal
buttons, generally known as trouser buttons; but in neither case is their
use arbitary.

page_text: In giving effect to our improvements in linen buttons, our object is,
first, to restrict the appearance of metal as much as possible; and
secondly, to provide means, whereby in sewing such buttons to garments
the thread shall not be liable to undue friction, or cutting edges, or
exposed to abrasion from washing and its attendant operations; and
these improvements we effect by use of a front and back shell, in some
instances with a small concentric metal centre, with two deflected
metal pierce holes with a raised bar between them, by which means the
thread will ride on the raised bar, the needle passing through the
deflected pierce holes, which said deflected pierce holes, like eyelets,
their shanks may pass through the back shell and back fabric and be
closed over, or this form of bar and ringed holes may be formed on the
back shell, the raised bar and ringed holes filling up a concentric
opening in the front covered shell. But in some instances we may
prefer forming two eyelet holes in the back shell, which may be
covered (by preference) on the back, the said covering being protected
by the eyelets being closed over the fabric, and over the central front
part of the back shell we place a length (by preference), tape, having
a thread weff, for the sake of strength, and either perforations or eyelet
holes worked in the fabric in the process of weaving or passed between
mechanical stilletos for piercing or forming. the same of such a distance.
that in the finished button the said holes shall come opposite the metal
eyelet holes of the button back in connection with it.
In this case we
prefer forming the front shell with an oval concentric hole, the fabric
covering the front being gathered through the front perforation and
protected between the front shells; and altho' we have described the
front as being pierced with an oval hole, nevertheless it may be round,
if so preferred; and instead of the bar first described as forming a
metal centre, the said bar may also be covered with the fabric and
retained in position by suitable piercings of the front shell, or the
reverse, if preferred.
:
For covered buttons required for strong wear, we make a combination
of two, three, and four holes cut and pierced from metal of suitable
thickness, that by annealing and subsequent pressure between suitable
tools, the said combined holes may be rounded on their front edges and
flanged on their back; for fixing them in the back or front shell, as
preferred. By this means strong ring-holed metal-centred covered,
buttons may be economically produced, and this same "double, treble,

page_text: and quadruple metal ring centre we purpose applying to metal shells
for the description of buttons named under the second head of our
improvements, the said concentrated ring centres being fixed in a
suitable shell or shells to complete what would be: technically termed
a trouser button. Nevertheless the metal shell proper of the button
may be flanged on its outer edge for engaging or fixing an ornamental
annular front, say of glass, bone, ivory, metal, or any other suitable
material, and of any ornamental character for other descriptions of
button.
The raised bar described under our first improvements apply with
good effect. to trouser buttons, viz., the forming of trouser buttons from
one disc of metal, which may be raised and thrown over on the edge
for strength, with a raised concentric bar and two deflected pierce
holes, the deflected portion of which is spread and closed over on the
back, so as to produce clean ring holes, and as a consequence, without
any cutting edges, so desirable in this description of buttons, which are
used for strong wear; and in a modified form we purpose giving effect.
to our Invention with two parts last described, which will give thickness;
and perhaps importance to the button...
In some cases, instead of raising a bar in connection with deflected`
pierce holes, the pierce holes may be raised from the back shell and
closed on the front over a corresponding clipt and pierced union collar,
and the said collar may be formed of wire and the raised pierce holes
being closed over holds the parts firmly together, forming a nice bar'
between them for the thread to ride on. I
-
In some cases we form this description of button of a front and back
shell, the front being concentrically pierced, leaving a bar tapering,
towards the middle, and lying between the raised piercings of the back,
shell, and partially over which the said raised parts are closed down;
but instead of leaving a concentric bar in the front shell, as last
described, a double wire loop may be placed between the shells, meeting
and corresponding with the part of the back shell between the pierce
holes, the said pierce holes being raised and closed over a ring hole-
on the back side; not that it is necessary that the front shell should
have a circular concentric pierce hole, as an oval hole would be just as.
efficient.

page_text: ·SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said George Cutler and James Newman in the Great
Seal Patent Office on the 16th January 1875.
TF.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, we, GEORGE:
CUTLER, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Button Manu-
facturer, and JAMES NEWMAN, of Birmingham, aforesaid, Jeweller, send
greeting.
▸
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of July, in the year'
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto us, the said George Cutler and James Newman,
Her special license, that we, the said George Cutler and James Newman,
our executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as we, the said
George Cutler 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 hereafter 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 BUTTONS FOR DRESS
FASTENINGS," upon the condition (amongst others) that we, the said
George Cutler and James Newman, our executors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under our, 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 same Letters
Patent.
NOW KNOW YẸ, that we, the said George Cutler and James New-
man, 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) :-
3.
Our improvements may be described under two heads, first, the
description of buttons known as linen buttons, from their being mainly
covered with a woven fabric for underclothing; and secondly, metal

page_text: buttons, generally known as trouser buttons; but in neither case is
their use arbitary.
In giving effect to our improvements, our object is, first, to restrict
the appearance of metal as much as possible; and secondly, to provide
means, whereby in sewing such buttons to garments, the thread shall
not be liable to undue friction, or cutting edges, or exposed to abrasion
from washing and its attendant operations; and these improvements wo
effect by use of a front and back shell, in some instances with a small
concentric metal centre with two deflected pierce holes with a raised
bar between them, by which means the thread will ride on the raised
bar, the needle passing through the deflected pierce holes, like eyelets,
their shanks may pass through the back shell and back fabric, and be
closed over, or this form of bar and ringed holes may be formed on the
back shell, the raised bar and ringed holes filling up a concentric
opening in the front covered shell. But in some instances we may prefer
forming two eyelet holes in the back shell, which may be covered (by
preference) on the back, the said covering being protected by the
eyelets being closed over the fabric, and over the central front part of
the back shell we place a length (by preference) of tape having a thread
weff for the sake of strength, and either perforations or eyelet holes
worked in the fabric in the process of weaving, or passed between
mechanical stilletos for piercing or forming the same of such a distance
that in the finished button the said holes shall come opposite the metal
eyelet holes of the button back in connection with it. In this case we
prefer forming the front shell with an oval concentric hole, the fabric
covering the front being gathered through the front perforation and
protected between the front shells; and although we have described the
front as being pierced with an oval hole, nevertheless it may be round,
if so preferred; and instead of the bar first described as forming a metal
centre, the said bar may also be covered with the fabric and retained in
position by suitable piercings of the front shell, or the reverse, as
preferred.
For covered buttons required for strong wear, we make a combination
of two, three, or four holes, cut and pierced from metal of suitable
thickness that by annealing and subsequent pressure between suitable
tools, the said combined holes may be rounded on their front edges and

page_text: for the descriptions of buttons named under the second head of our
improvements, the said concentrated ring centres being fixed in a
suitable shell or shells, to complete what we have technically termed a
trouser button. Nevertheless, the metal shell proper of the button
may be flanged on its outer edge for engaging or fixing an ornamental
annular front, say of glass, bone, metal, ivory, or any other suitablo
material, and of any ornamental character for other descriptions of
buttons.
The raised bar described under our first improvements apply with
good effect to trouser buttons, viz., the forming of trouser buttons from
one disc of metal, which may be raised and thrown over on the edge
for strength, with a raised concentric bar and two deflected pierce holes,.
the deflected portion of which is spread and closed over on the back
so as to produce ring holes, and as a consequence, without any cutting
edges, so desirable in this description of button, which are used and
required for strong wear; and in a modified form we purpose giving
effect to our Invention, with two parts, as last described, which will
give thickness to the button.
In some cases instead of raising a bar in connection with deflected
pierce holes the said pierce holes may be raised from the back shell and
closed on the front over a corresponding clipt and pierced collar; or the
said collar may be formed of wire, and the raised pierce holes being
closed over holds the parts firmly together, forming a bar between them
for the thread to ride on.
In some cases we form this description of button of a front and back
shell, the front being concentrically pierced, leaving a bar tapering
towards the middle, and lying between the raised piercings of the back
shell, and partially over which the said raised parts are closed down;
but instead of leaving a concentric bar in the front shell, as last
described, a double wire loop may be placed between the shells, meeting
and corresponding with the part of the back shell between the pierce
holes, the said pierce holes being raised and closed over a ring hole on
the back side, not that it is necessary that the front shell should have a
circular concentric pierce hole, as an oval hole would be just as efficient.

page_text: But in order that the several improvements and modifications in the
manufacture of the various buttons herein referred to should be more
definitely particularised, we will further describe them, aided by the
Drawings hereunto annexed, reference being made to the figures and
letters marked thereon.
and D, Fig. 1, represent the front and back view of one of our
improved linen buttons constructed or made by the ordinary appliances
used in the manufacture of shell buttons, and as those appliances are
well known and understood by artisans accustomed to the manufacture
of buttons, we will not further refer to the said appliances. In the
production of this button we use a front and back shell represented at C
and D with an intermediate one marked E, the front having a raised
rim around its outer edge, and the back having a raised bar formed by
two latteral segments, which not only contract the middle portion of
the bar, but cause it to dip centrally from the plane of the front, so as
to form a hollow in its middle portion for the thread to ride on in the
process of sewing such buttons to garments. In addition to this bar
we have two latteral eyeleted holes, the raised shank of the hole being
taken down from the inside of the shell and turned over on the
back, as shown in the finished. back of the button at B, or raised
from the back and turned over on the front, if so preferred. And in
like manner the concentric opening of the front shell C has a rim or
flange raised around it, that when the disc of fabric covering the front
(being also pierced with a corresponding hole) is placed in position, the
said flange of the front shell is thrown down around it, so as to protect
its raw edge, as likewise shown at A, the finished front of the button.
Within this concentric ring the raised bar, as at a, a, of the back
shell D, is covered over with a woven fabric, which obscures the eyeleted
holes b, b, the said fabric being held down over the bar by the pierced
middle shell E. The light curved parts marked c, c, which take the
form of the bar a, a, are shown at A. The middle shell pressing the
fabric covering the inside of the back shell D'allows the covered bar to."
come through the pierce hole e, e, producing a desirable bar for the
thread to ride on, so that in the finished button the concentric ring of
the front shell and the light curved parts c, c; of the middle shell is all
the metal that appears on the front of the button, the back of the button.
.

page_text: being wony
repeat of A, with the exception that in this example we have gathered
in the fabric covering the front to be held by the meeting of the shells
on the inside, thus obviating the necessity of the concentric annular
ring surrounding the bar as at A; and instead of the opening sur
rounding the bar being circular it may (if so preferred) be made oval,
the poles of the oval being either in the direction of the bar or at right
angles to it.
Fig. 2 represents a modification of Figure 1 requiring (as in the
former case) three metal shells in its construction. G and H are a front
and back view of the finished button, the last view showing a metal
back, as at B, Figure 1, but which we purpose (when desirable) to
wholly cover with woven fabric. The concentric circular opening of the
front and back shells of this button are represented with a raised rim for
spreading over to protect the fabric in the front, and rounding the con-
centric edge of the back shell, which back shell is shown detached at I.
The front metal shell we have exhibited on its reverse or interior side
at J, which represents a flange around its outer edge for clipping the
back shell, by which means the front fabric is gathered in and held in
position. But before putting the shells together we put between them
the intermediate or bar shell K, which bar we slightly hollow in its
lengthway, and into the hollow lay a small bit of cord or other suitable
material, as shown at L, and also in the front view of the finished
button at G. In making up the button we lay a suitable disc of front
fabric beneath the front shell J, we next place within the shell J the
cord. L, and over that the convex side of the bar shell K, and over that a
disc of strong woven fabric; and after gathering the outer edge of the
front fabric so as to bring it within the outer flange we apply the back
shell I, when the operation of concentrically closing the outer rim
produces the finished button, as shown at Grand H. But instead of
making the concentric opening circular we may adopt the same course
as described at F, Figure 1, and represented at M, Figure 3, which is the
front of a linen button, of which N is the back. In this example we
shape the back shell O, as shown in the section P. It has a raised
circular concentric back, from the plane of which two eyeleted holes are
formed by raising the metal forming the shanks of the cyclet towards
the front. The front shell is shown in the flat at Q and in a section
at R. The front shell we cover with a fabric gathered in around the

page_text: outer flange, and held in position by the back shell ready for the outer
flange to be closed in, as represented in the back view of the finished
button at N. The front fabric we prefer piercing with two holes, so
placed that they come opposite the raised shanks of the eyelet holes of
the back shell; a process readily done by persons accustomed to the
making of buttons (provided with tools for that purpose). The small
double pierced metal centre marked $ (and in the section marked T) is
placed on the front of the button in the corresponding oval deflection,
in the sinking of which the metal centre S will carry down the fabric
until the shanks f, f, of the back shell, as at P, pass through the pierce
holes of the metal so that they may be spread over for holding this oval
metal centre in position, as at M, and sufficiently depressed below the
plane of the front of the button that the thread used for securing to a
garment, the button thus constructed will not only ride on the smooth
edges of the eyelet holes, but be also protected from wear or abrasion by
the base or bottom part of the metal oval centre being taken down to
the depth of the deflected oval flange of the front shell, as shown in the
section at R. And this finished button may (if preferred) be fitted for.
receiving a circular metal centre instead of an oval one, as here shown.
Or the metal centre may be of the shape exhibited detached as at U, and
with the same part attached to a finished button, as at V, which forms a
deflected smooth bar for the thread to ride on, by which such buttons.
are secured to garments.
c
.
Fig. 4 represents another modification of our improvements in linen
buttons, which simply consists of a front and back shell, as shown at
W and X, the former with a deflected flange for engaging the back.
shell, and the concentric raised flange for securing the front fabric
around the said concentric hole, as shown by the section of the front,
shell at Y. The back shell X is simply a round disc with two deflected.
eyclet shanks, which are thrown over and spread around the respective.
edges of the sewing through holes, as shown in the back view at X, of
which Z is the section. In making up this button, we purpose using.
small pieces of thread or other suitable tape, the said small pieces being
perforated to correspond with the perforations or eyelet holes of the back
shell, that in the finished button the said piece of perforated tape shall
lie centrally and exact with the perforations of the back shell, in which
case the front of the finished button, as shown at A¹, will only exhibit
an annular ring of metal surrounding the concentric hole, through:

page_text: which the fabric of the tape will be seen, the said tape being held firmly
between the front and back shell, and when in use further secured by
the thread by which the button is secured.
Fig. 5 is a modification of this same description of button, the only
difference being that the back shell C₁ has a raised concentric
circular part, as at D¹, (which is a section of the back shell C¹) corre-
sponding with a concentric pierce hole in the front shell B¹, which front
shell has a deflected rim, whilst the back shell may have a raised one,
notwithstanding the button may be made with or without such raised
rim surrounding the back shell, if so prefered. The disc of fabric cover-
ing the front has a small pierce hole for permitting the centre portion to
be passed in and spread outward on the inside of the front shell, and by
placing a piece of perforated tape (as shown at F' and described in the
preceding Figure) over the raised perforated disc of the back shell, the
closing of the shells in the finishing of the button will cause the raised
tape covered disc to fill up the circular void in the front covered shell,
thus imparting to the face of the button so made an entire covering of
woven fabric. To the pierced holes through the back shell (which cor-
respond with the pierced or punctured holes through the tape), we
purpose to impart (by means of suitable tools to the back side of such
shells) the appearance of being rounded or eyeleted, a treatment such
buttons may receive if desired. The front and edge view of the finished
button is shown at G¹.
Fig. 6 represents a cheap strong two-hole trouser or metal button,
made with one shell turned over on the front or back edge for strength
and agreeable handling. We prefer raising the holes like eyelets from
the back towards the front, as exhibited at H³, and applying a figure of 8
either cut from suitable metal or made of wire, as shown detached at I!
and J. K¹ represents the front of a button with either I¹ or. J¹ so
applied, and the shanks of the eyelets spread over uniting them
together, which operation we prefer being effected by a fly press of
sufficient power to form and planish these parts into the desired
shape. L' simply represents the back of which K¹ is the front or
reversé side.
Fig. 7 exhibits our improved mode of making four-hole buttons
similar in construction to Figure 6, the button being formed of thin
sheet metal, with an outer flange or rim turned over for the sake of..

page_text: strength (ás at M'), 'having four pierce holes in regular form radiating
from the centre; and (as at Figure 6) we form from metal or wire the
additional centre holes, as at N¹ and O¹. By passing these metal centres
between shaping dies with sufficient pressure, or by stamping them, we
raise thin necks around the holes, and as a consequence form shoulders
at the base of these raised necks, which being applied as at P¹, and tho
raised necks being turned over on the back of the shell as at Q',
produces a strong ringed four-hole button. In some cases we produce
trouser buttons of a single shell by deflecting a concentric recess, and
by piercing the said recess with two holes, as at R', Fig. 8. Into the
sunken recess we place a circular centre of the same size, having a raised
bar and deflected eyelet holes, as at T', the said shanks passing through
the corresponding holes in the concentric recess are turned over on the
back, as at U', which secures the bar centre, and makes the perforations
or sewing-on holes smooth and round on the edges. A finished button
thus constructed is exhibited at V¹.
Fig. 9 illustrates our improved mode of making trouser buttons of
two shells, which we do by making the outside slightly convex, and
from the interior of the back shell, shown at W₁, we deflect the shanks
of two eyelet holes, which are thrown over and closed on the back, and
on the interior of this back shell we place a wire loop (here. shown at
g, g,) the curved ends of which coming together form a good bar for the
thread to ride on in attaching such buttons. X represents the concave
or inner side of the front shell, whilst Y' and Z¹ exhibit the front and
back of the finished button, the wire loop g, g, being planished (if
necessary) where, it intersects the deflected edge of the concentric hole
of the front shell; thus it will be held in position by the meeting
of the shells in the finished button.
S
Fig. 10 represents a button similarly constructed to Figure 9, with a
slight modification. "A" is the inside of the back shell, having two holes
pierced with cyclet shanks raised for throwing over on the inside, and Bu
is the back or concave side of the front shell, with two semicircular
eliptic pierce holes (as at h, h,) the metal between forming a bar for the
thread to ride on when secured to garments. The said metal on the
sides of the bar being raised and bent over as here shown C is the front
side, and D" the back or reverse side of the finished button, which finishi
simply comprehends putting the convex side of the back shell over the
:
T

page_text: thread to ride on for securing such buttons to garments as herein set
forth.
In witness whereof, we, the said George Cutler and James Newman,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fifteenth day of
January, in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and
seventy-five.
Witness,
.0
WILLIAM H. TAYLOR,
Clerk to J. S. Cockings,
Patent Agent,
Birmingham.
GEORGE CUTLER. (L.S.)
JAMES NEWMAN. (L.S.)
}