IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS
Year: 1884

page_text: I EDWIN FRANK LULHAM of 19 New Oxford Street in the county of Middlesex,
Dealer in Fancy Goods do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to metal buttons of the kind known as shell buttons,
whether covered or not, and it has for its object to provide an improved means of
readily attaching the buttons to garments without sewing.
This essential means of attachment constitute an integral portion of the button
itself, and consists of three or more pointed tangs punched out of the metal of the
back but remaining united by their root ends to the central portion thereof and
turned backwards until they stand about parallel to one another, and to the axis of
the button.
These pointed tangs, which may be readily driven through the fabric of the
garment, are secured thereto by their points being passed through and turned down
or clenched over a perforated disc, or washer, or simply a ring at the back of the
garment.
The tangs are formed by punching radial slits in the blank, at the same time
that the latter is stamped up to a convex form, by means of suitable dies and
punches which also bend the tangs in the desired direction,

page_text: I EDWIN FRANK LULHAM of 19 New Oxford Street in the County of Middlesex
Dealer in Fancy Goods do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS" and in what manner the same is to be performed,
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:—
My Invention has for its object to provide an improved means of readily
attaching buttons to garments without sewing.
The means of attachment consists of pointed tangs punched out of sheet metal
and adapted to be readily driven through the fabric of the garment to which they
are secured by their points being passed through and turned down or clinched over
a ring or perforated disc at the back of the fabric.
These tangs may be formed in one with the button as in the case of a shell
button in which case they would be punched out of the centre of the back of the
button to the central portion of which they would remain attached by their root
ends, the tangs being formed by punching radial V shaped slits in the blank for the
back at the same time that the said blank is stamped up to a convex form by means
of suitable dies and punches which also bend the tangs in the desired direction.
The tangs may however be made separate from the button in which case they
would also be punched out of sheet metal and remain attached by their root ends
to a central portion being adapted in number and position to be passed through
holes in the button the central portion lying in the concavity of the button and
covering the holes.
"
In the accompanying drawings. I have represented examples of my improved
buttons, the various figures being drawn to an enlarged scale.
154
Figure 1 is an elevation and figure 2 a back view of my improved shell button
previous to insertion in the garment. Figure 3 shows a section of the button and
fastening as secured to a garment the section being taken in line 1-1 figure 2.
Figure 4 shows face and edge views of the ring at back of the fabric over which
the, points of the tangs are bent or clenched. Figure 5 shows a perforated disc
which may be used in lieu thereof. Figure 6 shows a face view of an ordinary
trouser button. Figure 7 shows a section of the same attached to the garinent.
Figure 8 shows a plan and elevation of the attachment therefor and figure 9 shows
the same in the flat, as punched out before the tangs are bent back.
J 1
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in all the figures.
-
a are the tangs which in figures 1, 2, 3 are punched out of the metal back b' of
the button at the same time that the latter is struck up to the convex or, cupped
form shown. These tangs are approximately V shaped or pointed so as to readily
pierce the fabric and they are preferably three or four in number equidistantly
arranged radially around the centre portion of the back b to which they remain
attached by their broader, or root ends. Before the button is attached to the
garment these tangs are bent backwards until they stand about parallel to one
another and to the axis of the button their points being directed backwards as
shown.
c figures 3 and 4 is the ring or c¹ figure 5 is the perforated disc applied at the
back of the fabric and through which the points of the tangs are passed and over
which they are bent down or clenched as shown in figure 3.
The back of the button is inade of soft brass or other metal or alloy having
sufficient tenacity. In figures 7, 8 and 9 a are the tangs punched out or united to a
central portion or disc a', the whole being punched out of sheet metal in the form
shown in figure 9, the tangs being afterwards bent up as before described. These
1

page_text: tangs are adapted in number and position to pass through the holes of an ordinary
solid button represented in figures 6 and 7 and are secured by clenching over a
ring c or disc c¹ as before described.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:-
1st The combination with a button of metal tangs or projections substantially of
the forn described adapted to be passed through the fabric and be bent over so as
to form an attachment for the button substantially as described and shown in the
drawings.
2nd A. self fastening button having backwardly directed pointed tangs punched
out of the button back and forming an integral part thereof substantially as herein
described and shown for the purpose specified.
3rd The combination with a button having backwardly directed pointed tangs of
a ring or perforated disc applied at the back of the fabric over which the tangs are
clenched substantially as shown and described.