AN IMPROVED MODE OF MAKING BUTTONS TO BE USED FOR WEARING APPAREL, OR FOR ANYTHING ELSE WHICH MAY BE FASTENED BY BUTTONS, BY FIXING TWO SHANKS OR OTHER FASTENING ON ONE BUTTON ON THE UNDER SURFACE THEREOF,
Year: 1800

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOSEPH
BARNETT, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Merchant, send
greeting.
WHEREAS His most Excellent Majesty King George the Third did, by
His Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the First day of February, in the fortieth year of His reign,
give and grant unto me, the said Joseph Barnett, His especial licence that I,
the said Joseph Barnett, during the term of years therein mentioned, should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales,
and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "AN IMPROVED MODE OF
MAKING BUTTONS TO BE USED FOR WEARING APPAREL, OR FOR ANYTHING ELSE WHICH
MAY BE FASTENED BY BUTTONS, BY FIXING TWO SHANKS OR OTHER FASTENING ON ONE
BUTTON ON THE UNDER SURFACE THEREOF, ONE ON EACH SIDE OPPOSITE EACH OTHER,
INSTEAD OF ONE ONLY IN THE CENTRE AS NOW USED, WHEREBY THE BUTTON MAY BE
RENDERED PAR MORE LIGHT AND ELEGANT, AND MAY BE MADE IN A MUCH GREATER
VARIETY OF FORLIS OR PATTERNS, AND WILL SIT CLOSER ON THE CLOTH, AND NOT STRETCH
IT OUT OF PLACE 60 MUCH AS WHEN THE SHANK OR FASTENING IS FIXED IN THE
CENTRE;" in which said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso obliging
me, the said Joseph Barnett, by an instrument in writing under my hand and
seal, to particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my said Invention,

page_text: and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be enrolled in His
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within one calendar month after the
date of the said recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same Letters Patent
(relation being thereunto had) may more fully and at large appear.
.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Joseph Barnett, do hereby declare that my said Invention is described as
follows:-
I make my shanks or fastenings to my buttons by any of the methods now
used, or which may be used for making shanks or fastenings to buttons, and
of any metal or other substance as now used, or which may be fit and proper
for such purpose, and of such sizes, forms, or shapes as may be suitable and
best adapted to the size, form, pattern; and quality of the buttons for which
they are respectively designed, and which shanks or fastenings may be smaller
and lighter than if one only were used; two of which said shanks or fastenings
1 fix or make on the under surface of the button, one on each side, as near to
or as far from the edge as may appear best adapted to the size, pattern, or
shape of the button, and in a line opposite one another, instead of putting
one shank or fastening in the centre, as buttons are now made with; these two
shanks or fastenings may be fixed, put, or made on, in, or to the button in or
by any way or method that single shanks or fastenings are or may be fixed or
made on, in, or to buttons. By means of these two shanks or fastenings the
centre part of the button may be left or made open of any size or form as the
button will admit of, and in which opening the cheif merit and utility of my
Invention of using more than one shank or fastening consists, and which it is
particularly meant to apply to; but such double shanks or fastenings may also
be used with many advantages to buttons not open in the centre. The buttons
made with two shanks or fastenings, as above described, and whether open in
the centre or not, may be made of any metals or other substances, and by
any of the methods as buttons with single shanks or fastenings are or may be
made, and either plain or ornamental, and of any size, form, or shape as fancy
may direct. And such buttons so made with two shanks or fastenings must
be fixed on the cloth or other substance on or to which it is intended to be
fixed, so that the shanks or fastenings may be in a direct line with the button
hole, and the same may be sewed or otherwise fastened on in any way in which
buttons are usually or may be fastened on cloth or other substances. But the
way I most approve for fixing them on is by a small ring run through the
eye or opening of the shank or other fastening, after it is put through the
cloth, and the ring then sewed to the cloth, as by this mode the button will
work easier and keep in its place better.

page_text: in the margin are intended to describe a button with two
he centre, and of which the following is an explanation, viz. :-
No 1 is a Drawing representing the under surface of a
button, open in the centre, with two shanks or fastenings. A
s the open part. B, B, describe the places where the shanks
or fastenings are to be fixed or made.
No. 2 is a Drawing of the upper surface of the same button
as it will appear when buttoned to the cloth. C, C, shew the
button hole, as seen at one side, and in the middle of the
button.