A BUTTON FASTENER to be as follows:
Year: 1884

page_text: I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the county of Middlesex,
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for "A BUTTON
FASTENER to be as follows:-
"
The object of the invention is to provide a cheap and effective metallic.
button-fastener; and it consists essentially of a pronged clip shaped substantially
as shown and arranged in connection with a projecting bridge formed in the
button.
The clip or fastner is composed of two pointed prongs projecting from and at
right angles to a flat head. These prongs are on opposite sides of the head and are
so set that when bent over the head they will pass each other. When the two
prongs are used it is important that they should be so set on the head as to allow
of their passing each other for when fitted into the button the bridge is located
between the prongs which when bent past each other clasp around the said bridge
and form a rounded finish, the point of one prong being forced past the other prong
and caused to project downwardly through the hole in the button on the side of
the bridge opposite to that through which it first projects.
It is not necessary in this specification to describe any particular instrument for
bending the prongs around the bridge in the button as it will be understood that a
suitable punch could easily be designed for that purpose and it may also be
mentioned here that although two prongs will form a superior fastening the effect
of the invention might in a measure be attained by the employment of a single
prong it being still necessary however to use it in connection with a button having
a bridge or its equivalent so that the prong in projecting through it may be clasped
around the said bridge.

page_text: "
I ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the county of Middlesex,
Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention for "A BUTTON FASTENER
A communication from O. W. Ketchum, Toronto, Canada and in what manner the
Bame is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :—
The object of the invention is. to provide a cheap and effective metallic
"button-fastener" and it consists essentially of a pronged clip shaped sub-
stantially as shown and arranged in connection with a projecting bridge formed
in the button.
The clip or fustener is composed of two pointed prongs projecting from and at
right angles to a flat head. These prongs are on opposite sides of the head and are
so set that when bent over the head they will pass each other When the two
prongs are used it, is important that they should be so set on the head as to allow
of their passing each other, for when fitted into the button the bridge is located
between the prongs which when bent pass each other, clasp around the said bridge
and form a rounded finish, the point of one prong being forced past the other prong
and caused to project downwardly through the hole in the button on the side of
the bridge opposite to that through which it first projects.
It is not necessary in this Specification to describe any particular instrument for
bending the prongs around the bridge in the button, as it will be understood that
a suitable punch could easily be designed for that purpose and it may also be
mentioned here that although two prongs will form a superior fastening the effect
of the invention might in a measure be attained by the employment of a single
prong, it being still necessary however to use it in connection with a button having
a bridge, or its equivalent so that the prong in projecting through it may be
clasped around the said bridge.
Figure 1 is a view of a piece of cloth with three buttons placed upon it; one-
button shewing the prongs of the fastener projecting through it, the next button
showing the prongs clasped round the bridge of the button; and the third button
shows a cap fitted into the recess of the button to cover the prongs when clasped.
Figure 2 is a detail of the pronged clip having a flat oblong head.
Figure 3 is a detail of the pronged clip without a flat oblong head.
Figure 4 is a detail of the pronged clip provided with a detachable head.
Figures 5 and 6 are details of the button.
On reference to the drawing it will be seen that the clip or fastener is composed
of two pointed prongs A These prongs may project as shown in Figure 2 nt right
angles to a flat oblong head B or the fat oblong head B may be dispensed with as
shown in the other figures-Tho essential feature of the clip is that the prongs
should be so set in relation to each other that the right hand edge of one prong
and the left hand edge of the other will be tangent to a plane passed between the
prongs at right angles to their line of junction with the head or that portion of the
clip which occupies the position of the head, for when fitted into the button as
shown in the drawing the bridge a is located between the prongs, which when bent
past each other clasp around the said bridge and form a rounded finish; the point
of one prong being forced past the other prong and caused to project downwardly
through the hole in the button by the side of the bridge, a, opposite to that
through which it projects and finding a resting point on the 'under side of the
button It will be seen on reference to the drawing that the bridge a has a

page_text: rounded face, so that in the event of the prongs striking the bridge they will slip
off into one of the holes on the side of the bridge, which holes are adapted to
receive both one prong of the clip and the point of the other prong the former
being inserted from the under side and the latter from the top of the hole. This
construction is important as it allows of a larger and consequently a stronger clip
being used and allows the prongs to pass each other with their adjacent sides
touching and supporting each other.
It is not necessary in this specification to describe any particular instrument for
driving the clip through the cloth and bending the prongs round the bridge a in
the button C as it will be understood that a suitable punch could easily be designed
for that purpose.
.
In order to make the finish complete a cap D is generally applied to cover the
prongs, and form a handsome finish.
Clips have been employed for binding together sheets of paper: I therefore do
not claim broadly a pronged fastener, nor do I claim broadly a button having a
bridged hole in its centre. Nor do I confine myself, as before stated, to a pronged
clip having a flat oblong hend, as the clip may be formed as shown in Figure 3 or a
detachable head, as shown in Figure 4 may be used.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention 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
First A clip or fastener having the prongs A so set in relation to each other
that the right-hand edge of one prong and the left-hand edge of the other will be
tangent to a plane passed between the prongs at right angles to the line of junction
with the head, or that portion of the clip which occupies the position of the head,
in combination with a button C provided with a bridge a substantially as and for
the purpose specified.
Second-As an improved article of manufacture, a metal button-fastener
consisting of an oblong head B having straight parallel sides, two prongs A pro-
jecting at right angles from the sides of the head, and arranged in relation to
each other and a plane passed between the prongs at right angles to their line of
junction with the head, that the right-hand edge of one prong and left hand edge
of the other will be tangent to said plane, substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
Third-The combination, with a two-holed button, each hole of which is
adapted to receive one prong of a clip and the point of the other prong, with a
bridge between the two holes, of a clip made from metal having a flat head B with
straight parallel sides, two prongs A projecting diagonally from the sides of the
head, the right-hand edge of one prong being substantially in line with the left-
hand edge of the other prong, when hent at right angles to the head B whereby
when fitted into said two-holed button the prongs will pass each other, with their
sides touching and supporting each other, and each enter the hole from which the
other emerged, thus leaving a rounded finish on one side and a smooth surface on
the other, the head B forming a stay to prevent the button being forced off,
substantially as described.
Fourth A button shaped substantially as shown in Figure 5 and 6.
Fifth A button shaped substantially as shown in Figures 5 and 6 in com-
bination with the cap D substantially as and for the purpose specified.