Improvements in Fasteners for Gloves and other Articles.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 14th June, 1898-Accepted, 16th July, 1898
[Communicated from abroad by WILLIAM STREETER RICHARDSON, of Boston, in
the County of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, United States of America.]
Improvements in Fasteners for Gloves and other Articles.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement: -
The invention is an improvement upon the socket member of the type of
fastener known as the ball and socket fastener, and having a yielding socket
entrance upon one surface of the article to which it is attached, surrounded by
a finishing flange and a fastening flange upon the opposite surface of said article
and a ball holding cavity between, and its object is to provide in a socket mem-
ber of this class integral means whereby it may be fastened to the glove or other
article without the use of any additional parts or separate fastenings, so that
upon providing the glove or other article with a hole and inserting the socket
piece within the hole the socket member is adapted to be immediately completed
and attached by pressing the ends of the socket piece together and thereby con-
verting it into a set socket member having its yielding socket entrance upon
one surface, a flange and closed top upon the other surface and a ball holding
cavity in the material, or between the socket entrance and the top.
The invention thus comprises first the peculiar socket piece so constructed as
to be transformed in the act of setting into the socket member and second the
socket member.
The socket piece has a preformed sectional finishing flange surrounding a
yielding socket entrance which may be substantially in line with it or slightly
below it, and a section practically cylindrical composed of separate sides or arms
which are integral with the sections of the finishing flange, extend from their inner
edge at the socket entrance at practically a right angle to the flange and are
connected at their ends opposite the flange by an integral connection which closes
the end and practically forms the top of the socket piece. The portion of the
socket piece above the flange is of a nature and size to form in the act of setting
the socket piece a fastening flange upon the surface of the glove or other article
opposite that against which the preformed sectional flange bears, and which
fastening flange consists of outwardly folded portions of the sides of the cylin-
drical section, which sides then extend from the connecting top radially to form
a portion of the top of the socket member, are then turned inward upon them-
selves to form the flange, the ball holding cavity of the socket member and to
complete the socket entrance. I thus provide what may be termed a self-setting
socket piece which is transformed into a socket member and at the same time
attached to the article with or upon which it is used by any kind of pressure
applied to its end, the socket piece being of such a nature that the application

page_text: of such pressure will immediately cause the upper fastening flange to be formed
from its sides, the socket entrance to be completed by changing the inclination
of the sides at the socket entrance from a right to an acute angle, and a conical
cavity within the socket entrance established for the reception of the ball mem-
ber of the fastener.
The invention further comprises the association of a socket member of this
construction with a support or backing consisting of an outer ring or washer
arranged to extend the bearing of the folded sides of the socket member and
located between the folded sides and the surface of the material against which
the folded sides which otherwise bear. The invention also relates to means for
providing the folded sides with auxiliary re-inforcements which may be yielding
and which may be provided by yielding sections of the flange of the cap as will
hereinafter appear.
The socket piece is also of a length to provide when formed into a socket
member a cavity of sufficient diameter and depth to receive and hold within
the material and between the socket entrance and the closed end of the socket
member the part of the ball above its crease, or that section which is embraced
by the edge of the socket member forming the socket entrance. The ball
holding cavity is also substantially conical in shape, that is, the sides of the
socket member extend outward from the socket entrance to or near the edge of
the flange, and the top of the socket member comprises what was the closed end
of the socket piece and the portions of the folded sides which extend to the outer
edge of the flange.
The socket piece may also be set with an independent button-head or cap, and
when so combined the extensions or enlargements developed in the act of setting
are caused to extend upon a flange of the cap or button-head and thereby fasten
it to the socket piece and to the material.
In the accompanying drawings:
Figure 1 is a view in plan of a form of blank from which I prefer to make
the socket piece.
Figure 2 is a view in elevation, and
Figure 3 a view in vertical section upon the dotted line 3-3 of Figure 2 of
the socket piece.
Figure 4 represents in section said socket piece as set or secured to the material
and combined with a button-head or cap.
Figure 5 is a view in plan of a socket piece in its set condition but not com-
bined with the material.
Figure 6 is a view in section of the socket piece, set, combined with the
material and with a washer upon the outer surface of said material, the said washer
serving as a flange, as an ornamental portion of the socket member and also co-
operating with the yielding parts of the socket piece as hereinafter specified.
Figure 7 is a view in plan of the socket piece inverted, representing especially
the finished flange thereof.
Figure 8 is a view in elevation of a modified form of socket piece.
Figure 9 is a view in section illustrating a socket piece in its simplest form
set upon the material.
Figure 10 is a view in vertical section of a socket piece and a separate cap or
button-head having a yielding flange which is combined with the socket piece
to reinforce its yielding sides and supplement their resiliency.
Figure 11 is a view in plan of the set socket and cap shown in Figure 4.
Figure 12 is a view in plan of the set socket piece and washer shown in
Figure 6.
Figure 13 is a view in plan of the set socket piece shown in Figure 9.
Figure 14 is a view in section representing the cap having the yielding flange
section as set with the socket piece.
Figure 15 is a view in plan inverted of the cap of Figures 10 and 14 to show
the way in which the flange is made yielding.

page_text: setting.
Figure 17 is a view in section of a socket piece having a top or end more rounded
than that represented in Figures 2 and 3.
Figure 18 is a view representing the cap having its flange extended by means
of a collet.
Figure 19 represents a slight modification in the form of blank shown in
Figure 1, and
Figure 20 is a view of the socket piece formed from the blank of Figure 19.
Figure 21 is a view in plan of a blank for forming the socket piece the arms
of which are not enlarged at their outer ends, and
Figure 22 is a view in plan of the flange end of a socket piece formed from
said blank.
Figure 23 is a view in plan of the cap represented as forming a part of the
socket member shown in Figure 4, and
Figure 24 is a view in section of said cap.
The socket piece A comprises a number of sections a which form its sides and
which are connected at one end by a connecting section or part a¹, and which
provide at their other end the yielding socket entrance a² and the lateral exten-
sions a³, the side edges of which extension preferably abut or nearly abut and
preferably form a predetermined continuous and finished flange.
I prefer that the sides a be slightly belled outward as represented in Figure 2,
or that they have equivalent means for determining a line or place at which
upon the application of pressure to both ends of the piece, they shall fold out-
wardly.
I prefer to form the socket piece from a blank of suitable material having the
shape in plan represented in Figure 1. This blank I have lettered B and it is
represented as having four arms extending radially and at equal distances one
from the other. They are also represented as of the same width to their enlarged
ends, each of which ends preferably having the inclined sides b and the rounded
outer edge 6. The blank is submitted to forming or shaping processes by which
it is reduced or brought to the shape represented in Figure 2; that is, the central
section of the blank forms the end a¹ of the socket piece, the radiating arms
form the sides a which are preferably curved in cross section and which may
have their edges abut throughout their length as represented in Figures 8 and 20,
or may have them abut only at the socket entrance and in the flange, and may
otherwise be separated from each other as represented at a, Figures 2 and 3,
which cause the sides to bulge outwardly slightly. At any desired point in the
flange between the socket entrance and its outer edge a is the downwardly ex-
tending bead or projection a. This is preferably arranged immediately about
the socket entrance and not only forms a more or less ornamental finish to the
flange, but also provides means, co-operating with a die; by which the sides of
the socket piece at the socket entrance are prevented from opening or spreading
outwardly during the setting of the socket piece, which of course maintains the
bore of the socket entrance constant during the said setting operation, as will
hereinafter be explained.
The predetermined flange a³ is so called because it exists in the socket piece
in exactly the same manner that it exists in the socket member when it is
attached to a glove or other article.
To set the socket piece the material is first provided with a hole of suitable
size at the spot where the socket member is to be attached to it, and the socket
piece is then mounted in a die which is shaped or has means for determining
the extent to which the socket piece shall be shortened and extended, and also
with means for preserving or maintaining during the setting operation the
diameter of the socket entrance, the shape of the predetermined flange and to
prevent the spreading or opening of the entrance and flange. Another die is
employed to exert pressure against the end of the socket piece opposite the

page_text: flange. The material is then placed with its hole in line with the socket piece
or about the socket piece, and one die moved towards the other, whereby end
pressure is applied to the socket piece and the part of the socket piece above its
predetermined flange and upon the side of the material opposite it is transformed
from its cylindrical or partly formed shape represented in Figures 2, 3, 8, 10,
and 20 to its finished or complete shape, the sides a being by the action of the
die bent or folded outwardly, completing the cap or end of the fastener, forming
a fastening flange upon the side of the material opposite the finished flange and
establishing an enlargement within or beyond the socket entrance of sufficient
size to receive the ball member of the fastener and an accentuated socket entrance
having a rounded edge with arms extending preferably at an acute angle from
the edge back to form the flange.
It will thus be seen that the socket member is formed and finished in the act
of setting, and will then have upon one surface of the material the flange e com-
posed of a number of arms, and an integral cap or cover C consisting of the
connecting section a¹ and the upper or outer parts of said arms. It will also
have the yielding sides which are integral with the arms forming the flange,
and which form the rounded socket entrance c². This is the socket member
in its lowest or simplest terms. While a piece of the shape represented in
Figure 8, that is of the same diameter throughout may be set to the shape repre-
sented in Figure 9 by end pressure, it is preferable because of the greater pres-
sure which it requires for setting a socket piece of this shape to previously shape
the socket piece so that a less end pressure will answer.
This result is obtained as above explained, by causing the sides to be bulged
or extended outward at any desired point between the socket entrance and the
connecting end of the piece and on the application of end pressure the fold will
begin to develope upon the line of the greatest diameter of the piece. Any other
means may be employed, however, which will weaken the sides along a pre-
determined line, whereby upon the application of end pressure the outward bend
or fold is caused to be developed from such line.
The die which receives and holds the socket piece preferably has a centre pin
of the size of the socket entrance of the undeveloped socket piece and of the
depth of the cavity of the formed socket, and a surrounding recess or cavity of
a shape to receive the bead a, or, where the flange is flat throughout its extent,
the outer edge of the flange. The socket piece is in some instances combined
with a button shell or cap. Such shell or cap is represented in Figures 423
and 24. It has a top d of any desired size and configuration, and preferably
continuous, and a flange d upon its under side which may extend inward to
any desired extent, and which surrounds an opening to the cavity enclosed
by the flange and the top. The cap is secured to the socket piece and to the
material in the act of setting the socket piece, the cap being placed upon the
end a¹ of the socket piece after it has been placed between the dies, and upon
the application of end pressure to the cap and socket piece, development of the
socket piece to the socket form causes the sections which are extended outwardly
to lap upon the inner surface of the flange of the cap or shell and to thereby
lock or fasten the cap or shell to itself, and also to the material, the upper sur-
face a of the socket piece bearing against the top or outer surface of the cap.
The parts thus secured together and to the material are represented in Figures
and 14. The flange of the cap and the inclined sides of the socket piece are
thus brought into contact and the flange may to some extent support or reinforce
the said sides.
In Figure 6 I have represented the socket piece as combined with a washer c
placed upon the outer surface of the material, and the socket piece in the act
of setting is extended over the same and its sides may be brought into contact
with the inner edge thereof. This causes the washer to, in effect, be a part of
the upper or outer flange of the socket piece, and it also enables the washer to
support and reinforce the arms and to form a determining line from which the

page_text: yielding sides of the socket piece shall extend. The washer also affords a means
for increasing or varying to some extent the ornamental appearance or finish
of the exposed end of the socket piece.
The opening in the washer may be large enough, in some instances, not to
restrict the yielding action of the sides of the set socket piece. In some instances,
a cap or shell for covering the exposed end of the socket piece may be used,
which shall have its flange provided with formative and resilient properties,
in order that it may be closed against or upon the sides of the socket piece in
the act of setting and may afterwards bear against said sides resiliently. The
cap or shell having a flange of this character is represented in Figures 10, 14
and 15, and the flange is provided with these formative and resilient properties
by being slit in a number of places from its edge surrounding the cavity to the
edge of the cap top. In order that these yielding sections of the flange may
adjust themselves radially to the sides of the socket piece as the piece is being
set, I prefer that the edge of the flange, being the part which first bears upon
the material, he flat or rounded as represented in Figures 10, 15 and 16 at f,
and upon setting the socket piece not only will the sides of the socket piece be
laterally developed to extend outward upon the inner surface of the split flange
of the cap, but the sections of the split flange will be closed upon the extended
sides of the socket piece (see Figure 14). The flange being thus conformable
and shaped, will bear uniformly against all sides of the socket piece, and being
yielding will yieldingly support or reinforce the arms of the socket piece against
the outward pressure. The lower edge of the flange or that part about the
opening should be sufficiently removed from the under surface of the cap top
as to bring the line of the fold of the sides of the socket piece, in the act of
setting, above the flange or between it and the cap top.
In some cases the arms of the blank B may not be enlarged at their outer ends
and when such a blank is used, the preformed flange of the socket piece would
not be continuous. (See Figures 21 and 22)..
In Figure 17 I have shown a socket piece with a top or section connecting the
side arms, quite rounded, and instead of relatively flat, as represented in Figures 2
and 3, and for some reason it may be preferable to make the socket piece with
such a rounded top as by its use I conceive that less pressure will be required for
starting the folding action of the sides in the act of setting the piece. In
Figure 18 the cap is represented as having a relatively narrow integral flange
which however is extended and made wide by means of the separate collet G
upon which the flange of the cap laps. The cap with the collet is combined
with the socket piece in the same manner that the cap with the wide continuous
flange is combined with it.
In Figure 19 I have shown a form of blank varying slightly from the form
of blank represented in Figure 1, in that the arms have sides provided with
opposing inclines, and a blank of this character will produce a socket piece like
that represented in Figure 20. This socket piece will have a bulging side like
that of Figures 2 and 3, but varies from them in that the edges of the sides bear
against each other throughout the length of the socket piece before it is set.
The advantages of the invention arise from the relative simplicity and cheap-
ness of the socket piece combined with its peculiar shape and properties, whereby
there is resident in it predetermined flange which finishes the inner or one
surface of the material to which it is applied, and a complete cap, flange and
spring sides which finish the other side of the material to which it is applied,
and without the use or intervention of any other part, the socket piece being
complete in and of itself and being set or formed to provide a fastening flange
and a cap or cover and a finished socket entrance in the act of setting it or
attaching it to the material upon which it is used. Another advantage arises
from the fact that it may be used for attaching an independent or separate cap
or button head in one piece so that the complete socket has but the two parts,
the independent cap and the socket piece having upon one side of the material

page_text: the finished flange and socket entrance and upon the other side a fastening flange
which is formed by shortening the socket piece and extending its diameter and
which flange is combined with the single piece, cap or button shell in the act
of setting it.
It will be observed that the socket piece also provides a structure whereby the
extent or degree of the resiliency of the socket entrance and the width of the
upper fastening flange may be varied. This result is obtained by using a socket
piece having a relatively long, hollow tubular extension developing in setting
with material of a given thickness a wider flange and a socket entrance of greater
resiliency than a socket piece in which the tubular extension is shorter, metal
of the same thickness and character of course being used in both pieces. There-
fore to vary the width of flange the height of the tubular section above the pre-
formed flange is shortened or lengthened according to the result which it is
wished to obtain, and to vary the resiliency of the socket entrance, the same
variation is taken into account. This provision for variation in flange and
resiliency is very desirable and effective for certain classes of work, for instance,
thin, weak fabrics, as a rule, require a wider flange and greater resiliency of
socket entrance than thicker and stronger fabrics. The greater resiliency is
obtained because the length of the arms forming the socket entrance and yielding
sides is increased and the fulcrum of these arms removed from the point or line
of resistance.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is:-
1. As an improved article of manufacture, a socket piece from which a com-
plete socket member of a ball and socket fastener is formed in the act of securing
said piece to the glove or other article on or with which the member is used,
having a preformed separable flange surrounding a yielding socket entrance,
a top section, separate, foldable, resilient sides substantially parallel with each
other, integral with the top section and preformed flange, which sides are adapted
in the act of setting the piece to be separated in relation to each other, folded
outwardly to form a fastening flange, provide a ball holding cavity within the
material between the flanges, complete the socket entrance and impart resiliency
thereto.
2. A socket piece from which a complete socket member of a ball and socket
fastener is formed in the act of securing said piece to the glove or other article
on or with which said member is used, having a preformed separable flange sur-
rounding a yielding socket entrance, the side edges of which flange abut when
in their normal relation to each other, a top section, separable foldable, resilient
sides substantially parallel with each other integral with the top section and
preformed flange, as and for the purposes set forth.
3. A socket piece from which a complete socket member of a ball and socket
fastener is formed in the act of securing said socket piece to the glove or other
article on or with which the member is used, having a preformed separable
flange surrounding a yielding socket entrance, a top section, separate, foldable,
resilient sides integral with the top and preformed flange, and shaped to slightly
bulge outward, as and for the purposes set forth.
4. A socket piece from which a complete socket member. of a ball and socket
fastener is formed in the act of setting said piece to the glove or other article
on or with which the member is used, having a preformed separable flange sur-
rounding a yielding socket entrance, a top section, separate, foldable, resilient sides
integral with the top section and preformed flange, and an outwardly rounded
bead or corrugation in the flange about the socket entrance, all as and for the
purposes set forth.
5. A socket member of a ball and socket fastener made from one piece of metal
and having a top, separate arms or sections extending from said top outwardly

page_text: and then back upon themselves, providing a sectional fastening flange upon
one surface of the glove or other article to which the member is secured, the
said arms or sections extending through a hole in the said glove or other article
at the lower edge of which hole they assemble and form a yielding socket.
entrance, and from which socket entrance they extend radially and make a
fastening flange upon the surface of the material opposite that upon which the
said sectional folded flange bears, and which co-operates with the sectional folded
flange in the fastening of the socket member.
6. A socket member of a ball and socket fastener having a preformed separable
flange surrounding a yielding socket entrance upon one surface of the glove or
cther article to which the socket member is secured, a top section and folded,
resilient arms extending from said top section outwardly and inwardly and through
a hole in said glove, the said arms being integral with the top section and pre-
formed flange and forming a fastening flange upon the surface of said glove
opposite that against which the preformed flange bears, yielding sides and
ball holding cavity.
a
7. The combination of a socket member of a ball and socket fastener made
from one piece of metal and having a top, separate arms or sections providing a
sectional flange upon one surface of the glove and a yielding socket entrance
and a finishing flange upon the other surfaces of the glove, and a support or
backing upon which said first-named sectional fastening flange bears, and
having a hole through which the said arms extend, and which washer is of a
size not to restrict or impede the yielding action of said arms.
8. A socket piece having sectional sides, a socket entrance, a predetermined
sectional flange surrounding the socket entrance and means such as a rib or
shoulder in or upon said flange adapted to co-operate with a holding or setting
die having an opposing rib or shoulder to maintain the predetermined shape
of the flange and the bore of the socket during the setting of the socket piece.
9. The combination of a cap having an inwardly extending flange upon its
under side forming a cavity, and a socket member having a top and resilient
folded sides within said cavity, and which folded sides lap upon the inner surface
of the flange and sections of which sides extend from said flange towards each
other and provide a ball receiving space or cavity.
10. The combination in a socket member of a fastener of a cap having a flange
extending inwardly from its outer edge, with a socket member formed from a
socket piece having a preformed separable flange surrounding a yielding socket
entrance, a top section, separate, foldable resilient sides integral with the top
section and preformed flange, and which cap section is combined with said
socket piece in the act of attaching it to a glove or other article by outwardly
extended folds of the said resilient sides within the cavity of the cap and upon
the surface of the glove opposite that against which the preformed flange bears.
11. The combination, in a fastener, consisting of a socket member comprising
the angular arms extending outwardly from a connecting portion and returning
upon themselves to form an upper flange and a socket entrance, each arm being
farther extended outwardly at its extremity to form a finishing flange, between
which and said upper flange the material is to be held, and a cap having yielding
reinforcing arms located immediately below said upper flange and held in con-
tact with the yielding arms of the socket member and adapted to lie on the
opposite side of said material from said finishing flange, as and for the purposes
set forth.
12. A socket member comprising a set socket piece having when set, yielding
sides, an upper and a lower flange, said upper flange being formed by the upset
sections of said yielding sides and said lower flange by extensions thereof com-
bined with a cap adapted to enclose said upper flange and yielding sections upon
said cap which reinforce said yielding sides, as and for the purposes set forth.
13. In a socket member of a ball and socket fastener, a cap having a divergent
Hange, combined with a socket member having a top section and separate resilient

page_text: sides folded down or extended laterally against said divergent flange within said
cap, said folded sides when thus extended laterally within said cap serving to
retain the latter in place, and said divergent flange when pressed against the
material being flattened against the said folded sides and serving to form an
extended fastening flange upon the upper side of said material.
14. In a fastener, the combination of a cap having a cavity provided with a
conical wall surrounding the entrance thereto, and a closed top which is above
said entrance, with a socket member, in one piece, comprising a closed end or
top section which is enclosed within the cavity of the cap and bears against said
top part of the cap, and separate arms which extend outwardly from the said
top section to bear against the inner surface of said conical wall and then in-
ward towards each other to form a conical cavity.
75
1000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.