Ax IMPROVED FASTENING FOR BUTTONS AND AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FIXING THE SAME
Year: 1875

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Joseph Feldman at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th
January 1875.
I, JOSEPH FELDMAN, of Steward Street, Brushfield Street, in the
County of Middlesex, Boot and Shoe Manufacturer, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention for "Ax IMPROVED FASTENING FOR BUTTONS
AND AN IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR FIXING THE SAME,” to be as follows, that is
to say:-
This Invention consists in an improved metallic fastening for
attaching buttons to boots, shoes, and other articles, and in an improved
apparatus or tool for applying and fixing the same, whereby the buttons
are attached without sewing and in a more simple and expeditions
manner and more firmly than hitherto.
For the sake of illustration I will describe my improved fastening and
tool as applicable to buttons having shanks, such for example as those
buttons usually employed for boots.

page_text: The improved fastener consists of three vertical prongs (onc slightly
longer than the other two) pointed at their lower ends, and placed at
about equal distances apart in a triangular position, and connected
together at the top by two arms or cross pieces, the whole being formed
out of one piece of metal by means of dies and stamps. One of the cross
picces is formed with a semicircular projection or loop for passing
through and holding the shank of the button as hercin-after described.
The improved tool or apparatus for applying and attaching the said
fastening and button consists of a pair of pliers or pincers with jaws of
peculiar construction, and having a third or supplementary jaw and lever
or handle for operating a punch for clinching the prongs of the fastening
over the under side of the leather, cloth, or other fabric to which tho
button is to be applied. The outer end of the upper jaw of the pincers
or pliers is formed with a semicircular sink, open at one side, and having
a rectangular shaped slot cut through the bottom thereof. The lower
jaw of the pincers or pliers is formed with a circular hole in which works
a punch kept in its normal position by a suitably placed spring. Threo
notches are formed at the upper edge of the said hole, corresponding to
and in which rest the points of the prongs of the fastener while being
applied. The third or supplementary jaw and lever work on a centro in
a projection on the lever or handle of the upper jaw of the pincers or
pliers, so as to force the said punch upwards to clinch the prongs of the
fastener. The sink in the upper jaw of the pliers is provided with a
spring for holding the button while it is being attached.
---
To apply and fix the improved fastener so as to attach a button the
shank of the button is passed over one of the prongs of the fastener into
the hercin-before described loop at the top thereof, and the button is
placed in the sink of the upper jaw of the improved tool, the shank of
the button passing through the rectangular slot, so that the arms or
cross pieces of the prongs shall bear against the under side of the upper
jaw of the pliers or pincers; the leather, cloth, or other fabric to which
the button is to be applied is then placed between the jaws of the pliers
or pincers, which being pressed towards one another will cause the ends
of the prongs to pierce and pass through the leather, cloth, or other
fabric, and enter the said notches in the lower jaw of the pincers or
pliers; the pressure being continued the prongs will bo partly turned
over under the leather, cloth, or other fabric; the third or supplementary

page_text: jaw is now operated, and will press upwards the herein-before described
punch against the prongs and firmly clinch them, thereby fixing the
fastener and button.
The improved fastener and tool are applicable with slight modifications
› for other buttons, such for example as trousers' buttons.