Improvements in Buttons.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Oct., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 30th June, 1890-Accepted, 2nd Aug., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Buttons.
I AINSLIE ENSOR of No. 63 Wills Street Lozells Aston near Birmingham in the
County of Warwick Commercial Clerk and Traveller do hereby declare the nature of
this Invention to be as follows:-
My invention relates to such buttons as are attached to garments or other articles
without sewing and consists in the improvements hereinafter described whereby the
attaching of the button to the garment or article is effected rapidly easily and securely.
My invention is particularly applicable to metallic buttons of the kind called trouser
buttons but is also applicable to other kinds of buttons as hereinafter explained.
I will describe my improvements as applied to a metallic trouser button.
I make the metallic trouser button of a disc of metal slightly concave in front. I
pierce four holes at the middle of the disc and make a slit from each hole to that
opposite to it the said slits crossing each other at the centre of the disc. By this
means the metal at the middle of the button is divided into four arms or branches
having pointed lozenge shaped ends. These four arms are bent at right angles thereby
formning four pointed arms at that side of the disc which forms the back of the button
situated around a central hole.
In attaching the button to a garment or other article the button is placed face
downwards on a table or support and that part of the cloth or other material to which
the button is to be attached is placed upon the four pointed arms.
The cloth is pressed
upon the said pointed arms which penetrate it and the cloth is further pressed till it is
in contact with the back of the button. The four arms are then pressed inwards or
towards each other and downwards and made to grip the cloth tightly. This may be
effected by two tools one being a tubular tool which presses the cloth upon the pointed
arms and the other a tool having a circular concave face the marginal part of the face
of this tool being more concave than the central part which is flat or nearly flat. By
pressing or striking the said tool on the arms they are first turned inwards and
afterwards pressed closely down. The said tools may be conveniently worked and the
attaching of the buttons be effected in a press.
In applying my invention to buttons other than trouser buttons I employ a metallic
disc perforated in the manner described but preferably flat instead of concave.
The said disc constitutes the back of the button to which back a metallic or non-
metallic front of any desired kind may be attached.
Although I prefer to employ four pointed arms at the middle of the button yet I do
not limit myself thereto as three or other number of the said arms may be employed
with the same or nearly the same effect.
Dated this 8th day of October 1889.
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Buttons.
I AINSLIE ENSOR of No. 63 Wills Street, Lozells, Aston near Birmingham in the
County of Warwick, Commercial Clerk and Traveller do hereby declare the nature of
my invention and the manner in which the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
--
My invention relates to such buttons as are attached to garments or other articles
without sewing and consists in the improvements herein after described, whereby the
attaching of the button to the garment or article is effected rapidly easily and securely.

page_text: My invention is particularly applicable to metallic buttons of the kind called trouser
buttons but is also applicable to other kinds of buttons as hereinafter explained.
I will describe my improvements as applied to a metallic trouser button.
I make the metallic button of a disc of metal pierced with four holes in the middle,
a slit being made from each hole to that opposite to it the said slits crossing each other
at the centre of the disc. By this means the metal at the middle of the button is
divided into four arms or branches having pointed lozenge shaped ends. These four
arms are bent at right angles thereby forming four pointed arms at that side of the
disc which forms the back of the button situated around a central hole.
In attaching the button to a garment or other article the button is placed face
downwards on a table or support and that part of the cloth or other material to which
the button is to be attached is placed upon the four pointed arms. The cloth is pressed
upon the said pointed arms which penetrate it and the cloth is further pressed till it is
in contact with the back of the button. The four arms are then pressed inwards or
towards each other and downwards and made to grip the cloth tightly. This may be
effected by two tools one. being a tubular tool which presses the cloth upon the pointed
arms and the other a tool having a circular concave face the marginal part of the face
of this tool being more concave than the central part which is flat or nearly flat. By
pressing or striking the said tool on the arms they are first turned inwards and
afterwards pressed closely down. The said tools may be conveniently worked and
the attaching of the buttons be effected in a press.
I will now proceed to describe with reference to the accompanying Drawing the
manner in which my invention is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in plan of upper side, plan of underside and side elevation a
trouser button made according to my invention to be attached to the garment or
article without sewing, the said button being made from a single metallic disc ;
Figure 2 represents in plan of upper side; Figure 3 in plan of underside and Figure 4
in cross section, the button represented in Figure 1 attached to the garment or article
without sewing. The button is represented drawn to a large scale.
In making the button Figure 1 I cut out at a press a disc of brass or other ductile
sheet metal and pierce four holes in its middle as represented in Figure 5.
I next make a slit from each piercing or hole to that opposite to it, the said slits
crossing each other at the centre of the disc as represented in Figure 6 so that the
middle of the button is divided into four arms or branches having pointed lozenge
shaped ends as shown in the said Figure 6. The pierced and slit disc Figure 6 is next
by the operation of shaping tools worked in a press formed into the button represented
in Figure 1, that is to say, the pierced and slit central part of the disc is pressed
inwards so as to form a central hole a in the button and the series of equidistant
pointed arms bb bent around the said central hole a. The button proper marked c is
thus composed of a ring of metal having on its underside and around its inner edge a
series of pointed arms or branches the said ring part e being cupped or made
slightly conical.
In attaching the button Figure 1 to a garment it is placed face
downwards on a table or support and the part of the cloth or material to which the
button is to be attached is pressed upon the pointed arms b, b, b of the button which
arms are thereby made to penetrate the cloth e until the latter is in contact or nearly
so with the back of the button c. The arms b, bare next pressed inwards or towards
one another and made to grip the cloth tightly; or a metallic ring d represented
separately in Figure 7 may be placed at the back of the clothe and the arms b, b closed
on the said ring as represented in Figures 3 and 4. A very firm gripping of the
cloth is ensured by the use of the ring d and the attachment of the button to the
garment made more secure. The bending and closing of the arms b, b of the button
on the back of the cloth or material or on the ring d may be effected by the use of the
two tools herein before described or other like tools.
Instead of making the button proper and the attaching arms or branches in one
piece as described and represented the button proper and the attaching arms or
branches may be made separately.
This modified button is represented attached to the cloth in Figure 8; the button

page_text: proper is represented separately in Figure 9 and the attaching arms or branches in
Figure 10; Figure 11 represents the blank from which the attaching arms or branches
Figure 10 are made.
The button proper Figure 9 is marked and consists of a ring having an annular
seat g around the contral hole a. The blank Figure 11 from which the attaching arms
or branches are made consists of a disc and four radial arms i, i at the edge of the
said disc. By the action of press tools the said arms i, i are shouldered at their
junction with the disc and bent inwards and towards one another to form the attaching
arins as seen in Figure 10, the disc being also slightly domed. The domed disc fits
on the seat on the button f as represented in Figure 8 and the arms i, i are closed
upon the cloth e or ring d at the back of the cloth in the manner before described and
represented in Figure 8. When this modified button is attached to the garment the
central opening in the button is closed.
In applying my invention to buttons other than trouser buttons I employ a metallic
disc and give it the form represented in Figure 1 or make it of two parts as represented
in Figure 8. The attaching part of the button so made constitutes the back of the
button to which back a metallic or non-metallic front of any desired kind may bo
attached.
Although I prefer to employ four pointed arms at the middle of the button or at
the back part of the button yet I do not limit myself thereto as three or other number
of the said arms may be employed with the same or nearly the same effect.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
tion and the manner in which the same is to be performed I declare that I claim
as my invention of "Improvements in buttons":—
First Making metallic buttons to be attached without sewing of a slightly cupped
metallic ring having on its underside and inner edge a series of pointed arms or
branches which are passed through the cloth or material and their pointed ends closed
upon and made to grip the said cloth or material or closed upon a ring placed on the
back of the cloth or material, the button and its attaching pointed arms or branches
being made from one piece of metal substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated in Figures 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6 and 7 of the accompanying Drawing.
Secondly The modified button hereinbefore described and illustrated in Figures 8.
9. 10 and 11 of the accompanying Drawing in which modified button the button proper
and the attaching parts are made separately and are seated together in the manner
described and illustrated.
Thirdly-The employment of the parts claimed in claims 1 and 2 as the backs of
buttons composed of front and back shells with or without the addition of ornamental
parts as hereinbefore described.