CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FASTENINGS FOR TROWSER STRAPS AND IN FASTENINGS FOR WEARING APPAREL GENERALLY
Year: 1843

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
GOLLOP BEATER, of Saint Clement's Place, Worcester, in the County of
Worcester, Tailor, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Twentieth day of July, in the seventh year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
James Gollop Beater, Her especial licence, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said James Gollop Beater, my exors, admors, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said James Gallop Beater, my exors,
admors, or assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from
time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FASTENINGS FOR TROWSER STRAPS AND IN FASTENINGS
FOR WEARING APPAREL GENERALLY;" in which said Letters Patent is contained
a proviso that I, the said James Gollop Beater, shall cause a particular
description of the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of
Chancery within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the above in part recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being
thereunto had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
James Gollop Beater, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters
marked thereon (that is to say):-
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following description thereof, reference
being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters
marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My Invention consists of,—
Firstly, an improved shank for buttons.
Secondly, of an improvement in that description of button commonly called
a four-hole or trowser button.
Thirdly, of an improved button constructed wholly of wire.
Fourthly, of certain improved fastenings applicable more particularly to
trowsers' straps.
Fifthly, of an improved fastening for dress applicable in those cases where
the hook and eye are now commonly used.
Sixthly, of improved fastenings applicable in particular as fastenings for
gloves.
Seventhly, of an improved fastening to be used in place of a buckle.
Eighthly, of an improved fastening applicable to the fastening of braces.
And lastly, of an improved dress pin.
Figure 1 represents my improved button shank for covered and metal
buttons, and (Figure 2) represents in section a button to which my improved
shank is attached. This shank consists of a piece of wire of any suitable
metal bent in the middle of its length into a semicircular or looped from, as
seen in Figure 1. The method of constructing a button to which my improved
shank is attached is as follows:-I pass the narrow part of an eyelet (Figure 3)
through the piece of cloth intended to cover the back of the button, and after-
wards introduce the narrow part of the said cyelet into the shell constituting
the back of the said button, a disc of metal or washer (Figure 4) having
been previously introduced into the said shell for the purpose of strengthening
the said button. The whole is now placed upon a die and a punch is brought
down upon the eyelet so as to spread it out and fasten the whole together.
The partially-formed button in this stage of the manufacture is represented
in Figure 5. The shell (Fig. 5) is then placed upon a peg die for the purpose
of having such an opening formed in the eyelet a (see Figure 6) as will allow
the loop or shank (Figure 1) to pass through, and also for the purpose of
forming a groove or depression 6, Figure 6, in the said eyelet for allowing of
the better passage and guidance of the needle in sewing the said button to
a garuient. This is effected in the following manner-The peg die c,

page_text: passes.
Figure 7, on which the button (in that stage of its manufacture last described)
is placed, has an opening or cavity in its centre corresponding to the hole to be
made in the eyelet. A punch d, Figure 7, being brought down upon the
eyelet cuts therein the opening a, Figure 6, through which the loop or shank
Before bringing the punch d down so as to cut the opening as just
described, a collar or die e is placed upon the said punch; the face of the
collar or die (shewn separately in Figure 8) is furnished with the projection f
which (when the punch and collar are brought down) presses upon the eyelet
and form the depression or groove b, Figure 6. The opening a and the
groove are thus formed at one operation. The shank or loop, Figure 1, is
now introduced into the shell, Figure 5, (the loop 9 passing through the
opening in the eyelet, and the button is completed by the introduction and
closing in of the face.
Figure 9 represents one of my improved buttons. This button consists
entirely of wire. In constructing this button 1 take a piece of wire of any
convenient metal or alloy, and of a length depending upon the size of the
intended button. I then bend this piece of wire into the form represented in the
Drawing, that is to say, the form of the numeral or figure 8. Although I
deem the form represented in Figure 9 the most convenient for my improved
button made of wire, yet I sometimes make it of other forms. In attaching
this button to any garment the said button is laid on the garment in such a
position that a line in the direction of its greatest length shall be at right angles
to a line in the direction of the length of the button hole.
It
Figure 10 represents my improved four-hole or trowsers button.
consists of two discs or shells, one constituting the front and the other the
back of the button. Each of these discs is shaped as shown in the section
Fig. 11, and is perforated in the centre. i is a piece of wire bent into the
form represented in Figure 12. This bent wire is introduced into the shell
constituting the back of the button, see Figure 18, and the said back being
placed within the shell constituting the front of the button, the edge of the
latter is turned over the edge of the former, and the button is thus completed.
By an examination of the plan of the button represented in Figure 10,
it will be observed that those parts of the bent wire exposed at the
opening in the centre of the button have a form nearly resembling four
radii to the centre of the said button. Although I prefer to give that form
to the wire represented in Figure 12, I sometimes bend it so as to present
three radial portions at the opening in the middle of the button, and I
sometimes also bend it so as to present more than four radii at the said
opening. Many such variations may be made in the form of the wire i, without

page_text: departing from the nature of my Invention. In attaching this button to a
garment the thread is sewn first in the direction indicated by the line k,
Figure 10, and afterwards in a direction at right angles to that line.
Figure 14 represents one of my improved fastenings for trowser straps.
7 is a piece of sheet metal of a form nearly triangular, and furnished with
loops or openings m, by which it is attached, by sewing or otherwise, to the
bottom of a pair of trowsers. This triangular plate is bent into the form
represented in Figure 15. A piece of sheet metal n, is cut into the form
represented in Figure 16, and is attached by rivetting or otherwise to the
trowser strap. In order to attach the strap, to which the piece n is affixed,
to the trowsers, the end of the strap and piece n are brought near the narrowest
part of the triangular piece and inclined so as to allow of the narrow part of
the triangular piece entering the part marked o of the pieco n; the strap
and piece n are then brought down until the further progress of the same is
prevented by the arms of the piece n resting on the part p of the piece l, as
seen in the Drawing; when in this position the strap is securely fastened. In
order to unfasten the trowser strap it is inclined and raised so as to disengage
the piece n from the triangular piece 7 at the narrowest part of the same.
Figures 17 and 17 A represent another of my improved fastenings appli-
cable to trowser straps. 9 represents the strap, to which a piece of wire 2, bent
in the form shewn in Figure 18, is attached; a wire s, bent in the form repre-
sented in Figure 19, is attached to the bottom of the trowsers. In attaching
the strap to the trowsers the arms of the wires are brought opposite to the
part t of the wire r, the former wires being inclined to the wire r. The
narrow part of the wire s, indicated by a dotted line, is then forced upwards
between the part u of the wire r, Figure 18, the narrow part of the said wire
being expanded and the narrow part of the wire s contracted by the passage
of the latter into the former; when the wires has arrived at the position shewn
in Figure 17, it is securely attached to the wire of the strap, the elasticity of
the wire causing the parts to expand, and preventing the wire s disengaging
itself from the wire 7. In unfastening the trowser strap the wire s must be
inclined, when by pressure the said wire can readily be disengaged from the
wire r.
Figure 20 represents another of my improved fastenings, applicable to
trowser straps. a is a triangular piece of metal, to be attached by rivetting or
otherwise to the trowser strap; b is a projection on the piece of metal a, one
edge of which is inclined, as seen in the Drawing, Figure 21. c is a steel
spring or tongue, one end of which is rivetted to the lower end of the piece of
metal a; the other broad end of this tongue or spring presses on the triangular

page_text: piece a, near the projection ; a part of the tongue or spring c projects
beyonds the projection on the triangular piece of metal a, and is bent back
so as to facilitate the introduction of the other part of the fastening herein-
after described between it and the said projection b.
Figure 22 A represents a semicircular piece of metal f attached by the neck d
to a band or strip e; this band or strip e is attached by sewing or otherwise to the
bottom of the trowsers. The action of this improved fastening is as follows:-The
semicircular piece f is introduced between the spring or tongue c and projec-
tion b, and pressed forward; when the straight edge of the semicircular piece flas
passed the edge of the projection b, the said semicircular piece is pressed into
contact with the triangular plate a (the neck d of the semicircular piece f
falling into a corresponding depression in the projection 6); the semicircular
piece fattached to the trowsers, and the triangular piece a attached to the
strap, are now securely fastened together, and no force exerted in the direction
of the length of the strap (short of that necessary to break the fastening)
will suffice to detach them, such force only pressing together the edges of the
semicircular piece f and the projection b, both situated in a plane at right
angles to the line in the direction of which the force is exerted. In order to
unfasten the strap the semicircular piece f must be inclined to the triangular
piece a in such manner that the curved side of the said semicircular picco
rests on the surface of the triangular piece a as a fulcrum, and the straight
edge rises above the projection b. The said semicircular piece may then be
detached from the strap.
Fig. 22 represents another of my improved fastenings for a trowser strap.
It consists of a hook g, of the form shown in the Drawing, attached to the
trowsers; a loop h, formed on the end of the strap, is pressed on the said
hook so as to connect the trowsers and strap. The peculiarity of the said
fastening consists in the form of the hook g, as shown in the Drawing.
Figure 23 represents another of my improved fastenings, applicable to the
fastening of gloves. a is a piece of ribbon, the ends of which are fastened to
the sides of the glove. A square piece of sheet metal is attached by sewing
or otherwise to one side of the glove, and the ribbon a passes through an
opening in the said piece of metal b. Two pins or tongues, seen in dotted
lines, project over the opening c in the said piece of metal. When the glove is
placed on the hand the ribbon a is drawn with the other hand through the
opening c, and when the said ribbon is drawn sufficiently tight it is pressed flat
on the piece of metal b, and the tongues or pins entering the ribbon prevent
its return. In order to unfasten the glove the finger is introduced under the
ribbon, and the said ribbon assuming the form shewn by dotted lines, is

page_text: released from the pins or tongues. This fastening may also be applied to the
fastening of shoes and various other articles of dress. In using this fastening
for shoes I modify it, as seen at Fig. 24, that is to say, I form two sets of
tongues or pins inclined in opposite directions. The piece b is fastened on the
instep of the shoe, and the ends of the ribbon to the ties of the said shoe.
Figure 25 represents another of my improved fastenings for trowser straps.
It consists of a hook, of the form shewn in the Drawing, attached to the
trowsers. A loop formed on the end of the strap is passed on the said hook,
so as to connect the trowsers and strap. The peculiarity in the said fastening
consists in the form of the hook, as shewn in the Drawing.
Figure 26 represents an improved fastening to be used in place of the
common hook and eye, or as a fastening for trowser straps. a is a hook
formed of a piece of wire bent into a form nearly resembling that of the letter T.
This hook is attached to one of the two parts of the dress to be fastened
together, and a loop of cotton or thread b, Figure 27, is attached to
the other side; or instead of the said loop a slit or hole, resembling
a button hole, is formed in the dress itself. In using this fastening, the
hook must be inclined so as to allow of the introduction of the cross
piece a, Figure 26, into the loop or hole b, Figure 27; it is then allowed
to lie flat on the dress, and when in that position, the said hook cannot be
detached from the said loop or hole. In order to unfasten this improved
fastening, it is only necessary to incline the hook a, Figure 26, when it may
readily be removed from its loop or hole. When I use a loop with this
improved hook, I sometimes place a small bar or wire c, Figure 27, between
the sides of the said loop, in order to prevent the same being drawn
together.
Figure 28 represents another of my improved fastenings applicable to gloves.
d, e, are two semicircular pieces of metal, one of which is to be attached to
each side of the glove. The forms of these pieces are clearly seen in the
Drawing, Figure 28. In using this fastening, the neck of the piece e is intro-
duced into the opening of the piece d, the said piece e being inclined in the
direction of the line g; the piece e is then brought into the same plane as that
in which the piece d is situated. The two pieces d and e are now fastened
together, the edge of the tongue of the piece e bearing against the projection h
of the piece d. In order to unfasten this fastening, it is only necessary to
incline the piece e in the position shewn by the line 9, when it may be
removed from the piece d.
Figures 29 and 30 represent another of my improved fastenings, applicable
as a fastening for straps or belts in place of a buckle. i is a rectangular

page_text: frame attached to one end of the strap or belt, and j is a metal plate (which
may be ornamented or left plain, as shewn in the Drawing); this plate turns
on a joint on one of the sides of the rectangular frame i. is a piece of metal
attached to the other end of the strap; the end of this piece is turned upwards,
as seen in Figure 30, and has a slot or opening of such size as will allow of
the introduction of the end of the plate therein. The action of this fastening
is as follows: In order to fasten the strap or belt to which this fastening is
attached, the end of the piece k must be passed through the rectangular
frame i, and the plate being raised, the end of the said plate j is then
introduced into the slot or opening in the piece k. The ends of the strap
or belt being now pulled completes the fastening. In order to unfasten
this fastening, the piece k must be inclined to the frame i, so as to admit of
the disengagement of the plate j from the slot or opening in k; the ends of
the strap or belt will thus be liberated. The method of lengthening or
shortening the strap or belt is as follows:-1, 1, 1, are three parallel bars
attached to the frame i; the strap or belt is affixed to the said frame i by
being passed over the first and third of these bars, and under the second, as
seen in Figure 30. The friction produced by causing the strap or belt
to be thus bent by the said bars suffices to effect its connection to the
frame i. A wire m, having a ring with which to take hold of it, is introduced
into the loop n, formed by the passage of the strap under the middle bar; by
taking hold of the frame i with one hand and the wire m with the other, and
pulling them assunder, the loop n may be lengthened by both ends of the strap
being drawn between the said bars. In order to lengthen the strap or belt, the
end o of the said strap or belt must be pulled, so as to tighten again the loop n,
when the strap will be lengthened by the quantity thus drawn through; and in
order to shorten the strap or belt, the contrary end of the same must be drawn
so as to tighten the loop n, and the strap or belt will be shortened by the
quantity thus drawn through in order to tighten the loop n in the bars 1, 1, 1.
Figure 31 represents in front view, and Figure 32 in end view, my
improved fastening applicable to braces. a is the brace the end of which is
doubled back, and attached to the frame b. c, c, are hooks attached to the
frame b. The brace passes through the frame b, as seen clearly in Figure 32,
and the hcoks c, c, enter holes d, d, formed at regular distances in the brace a.
A wire e, bent into a form somewhat resembling that of the letter T, is con-
nected with the brace ends a, a. The head or cross piece of this wire rests on
the loop or fold made by the doubling of the brace, as seen in the Drawing, a
slit being made in the middle of the lower end of the said brace for the intro-
duction and working of the said wire. In order to lengthen or shorten this

page_text: brace, the hooks c, c, are removed from the holes in which for the time being
they are situated, and introduced into other holes higher or lower than the
before-mentioned holes, as the case may be. By the raising or lowering of
the hooks c, c, and frame b, the fold y, in which the wire e rests, becomes
raised or lowered, and consequently raises or lowers the wire e resting
therein.
Figure 33 represents my improved dressing pin. It consists of a wire, one
end of which is pointed, and the other end bent so as to form a convenient
head.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner in
which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I claim as
my Invention,-
Firstly, the construction of a shank for metal and covered buttons, by
bending a loop in a piece of wire, the said loop of the said piece of wire being
made to project through the back of the button so as to form a shank; also
the introduction of a groove or depression in the eyelet used in connection
with the said shank, as herein-before described and represented in Figures 1,
2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 of the accompanying Drawings.
Secondly, the construction of a button of the description commonly called a
four-hole or trowsers button, by enclosing a bent wire between two discs or
shells, the said wire being bent so as to form, without crossing either itself or
the centre of the said button, radii to the centre of the said button, as herein-
before described and represented in Figures 10, 11, 12, and 13 of the
accompanying Drawings.
Thirdly, the construction of a button of bent wire, as herein-before described
and represented in Figure 9 of the accompanying Drawings.
Fourthly, the construction of the fastenings for trowser straps, herein-before
described and represented in Figures 14, 15, 16, 17, 17A, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22,
22A, and 25 of the accompanying Drawings.
Fifthly, the construction of the fastening for a strap or belt, herein-before
described and represented in Figures 29 and 30 of the accompanying Drawings.
Sixthly, the construction of the fastenings for gloves, herein-before described
and represented in Figures 23, 24, and 28.
Seventhly, the construction of the fastening for braces, herein-before
described and represented in Figures 31 and 32 of the accompanying
Drawings.
Eighthly, the construction of the fastening for a trowser strap, or in place of
the hook and eye, herein-before described and represented in Figs. 26 and 27
of the accompanying Drawings

page_text: And lastly, the construction of the head of a dressing pin, by bending the
unpointed end of the wire of which the said pin is made into the form herein-
before described and represented in Figure 33 of the accompanying Drawings,
or any other convenient form.
In witness whereof, J, the said James Gollop Beater, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of January, One thou-
sand eight hundred and forty-four.