IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS, AND IN THE METHOD OF ATTACHING BUTTONS AND ORNAMENTS TO GARMENTS AND OTHER ARTICLES
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Tomlinson Bousfield, of Loughborough Park,
Brixton, in the County of Surrey, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
BUTTONS, AND IN THE METHOD OF ATTACHING BUTTONS AND ORNAMENTS TO
GARMENTS AND OTHER ARTICLES."-A communication from abroad by
Frederic Ingersoll Palmer, residing at Springfield, Massachusetts, United
States of America.
Sealed the 20th March 1866, and dated the 8th December 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Tomlinson Bousfield
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
8th December 1865.
I, GEORGE TOMLINSON BOUSFIELD, of Loughborough Park, Brixton, in the
County of Surrey, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention. for
* IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS, AND IN THE METHOD OF ATTACHING BUTTONS AND
ORNAMENTS TO GARMENTS AND OTHER ARTICLES," to be as follows:-
The Invention consists in improvements in buttons, and in the method of
attaching buttons and ornaments to garments and other articles, This is
accomplished by forming the back or "collet" of the button or ornament in
such a manner that a detached stud may be forced through an opening in the
back or "collet," which then springs over a shoulder, or into notches on the
end of the stud, and secures the button or ornament in place.
In order that the Invention may be fully understood, I have in the Drawings
hereunto annexed shown a button constructed as above described.

page_text: Figure 1 is a section through the button, showing the manner of attaching
it to a garment; Figure 2 is a plan of the back or "collet" of the button;
Figure 3 is a perspective view of the same; Figure 4 is a view of the stud by
which the button is attached to a garment; Figure 5 is a plan of the inner
side of the "collet" or back of the button with the stud in place; Figure 6
represents a stud of a different construction, to allow of the button being
detached if desired.
In the Drawings a is the shell or front of the button, to which is attached
the back or "collet" b, in which are punched openings c, the portions
between which are bent up, as seen in Figures 1 and 3, forming springs d.
A is a stud of the form seen in Figures 1 and 4, the shank f of which is
turned down so as to leave a shoulder g, from which it slopes to a point h,
which facilitates its entrance into the opening i, Figure 2, between the
springs d. Any required, number of springs may be cut in the "collet" or
back of the button. A hole being made in the garment or article B to which
the button is to be attached by means of any sharp pointed instrument, the
point h of the shank f of the stud A is forced through; or in some cases if
preferred the point h of the shank may be forced through the material without
first making a hole; the button is then placed with the opening i on the
point of the stud, and pressure applied so as to force the springs d over the
shoulder g, the springs closing down around the shank, as seen in Figure 1,
holding the button firmly to the garment, the large head ; of the stud pre-
venting it from being pulled through the cloth or other material. It will be
seen that the form of the springs d is such (being bent near the centre) that
any strain brought on to the button will tend to draw the springs tightly
together under the shoulder g, and thus hold the parts more firmly in place,
and that when the button is once secured to the cloth or other material it
cannot be detached if turned or bent over in any direction. When it is
desired to make the button removeable, instead of forming a shoulder on the
full circumference of the stud, as above described, the shank may be made
plain, as seen in Figure 6, with notches k, into which the springs in the
"collet" or back will enter when the stud is forced into place, the number of
notches corresponding to the number of springs in the "cullet," and when so
constructed by turning the button on the shank so as to bring the full portion
of the shank opposite to the openings between the springs the button can be
instantly removed, the springs being in correspondence with the plain surface
of the shank of the stud. I have in the Drawings only shown the Invention
as applied to buttons, but other ornaments may be attached in a similar
manner to various articles or things by using a stud of the proper length, and

page_text: snapping the ornament to which the springs are attached on to the stud; for
instance, plate trimmings, and other ornaments for harness, and the Invention.
may also be applied to jewellery of various kinds. A plain stamped button
made in one piece without a "collet" may be struck up so as to form springs
and openings similar to those in the "collet" of the above-described button.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Tomlinson Bousfield in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 7th June 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
TOMLINSON BOUSFIELD, of Loughborough Park, Brixton, in the County of
Surrey, send greeting.
WHEREAS Jer most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the 8th day of December, in the year of our Lord
1865, in the twenty-ninth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Iler heirs
and successors, give and grant unto me, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield,
Her special license that I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, my execu-
tors, administrators, and assigns, .or such others as I, the said George
Tomlinson Bousfield, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at
any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times
thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain
aud Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS, AND IN THE METHOD OF ATTACHING BUTTONS AND
ORNAMENTS TO GARMENTS AND OTHER ARTICLES," being a communication to me
from abroad by Frederic Ingersoll Palmer, a person resident at Springfield,
Massachusetts, United States of America, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, by an instrument. in
writing under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
..
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said. George Tomlinson Bousfield, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is.
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the

page_text: following statement, réference being had to the Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):
:―
'Fig. 1 is a section through my improved button, showing the manner of
attaching it to a garment; Fig. 2 is a plan of the back of "collet" of the
button; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the same; Fig. 4 is a view of the
stud by which the button is attached to a garment; Fig. 5 is a plan of the
inner side of the "collet" or back of the button with the stud in place;
Fig. 6 represents a stud of a different construction to allow of the button
being detached if desired.
My Invention consists in an improved button, and in an improved method
of attaching buttons and ornaments to garments and other articles without
sewing, riveting, or clinching, by which they may be securely attached in an
expeditious manner. This I accomplish by forming the back or "collet" of a
button or ornament in such a manner that a detached stud may be forced
through an opening in the back or "collet," which then springs over a
shoulder, or into notches on the end of the stud, and secures the button or
ornament in place.
To enable others skilled in the art to understand and use my Invention, I
will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried it out.
In the said Drawings a is the shell or front of the button, to which is
attached the back or "collet" b, in which are punched openings c, the
portions between which are bent up, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3, forming
springs d. A is a stud of the form seen in Figs. 1 and 4, the shank ƒ of
which is turned down, so as to leave a shoulder g, from which it slopes to a
point h, which facilitates its entrance into the opening i (Fig. 2) between the
springs Any required number of springs may be cut in the "collet" or
back of the button. A hole being made in the article B to which the button
is to be attached by means of any sharp pointed instrument, the point h of
the shank of the stud A is forced through; or in some cases if preferred
the point of the shank may be forced through the material without first
making a hole; the button is then placed with the opening i on the point h
of the stud, and pressure applied so as to force the springs d over the
shoulder g, the springs closing down around the shank, as seen in Fig. 1,
holding the button firmly to the garment, the large head j of the stud pre-
venting it from being pulled through the cloth or other material. It will be
seen that the form of the springs d is such (being bent near the centre) that
any strain brought on to the button will tend to draw the springs tightly
together under the shoulder g, and thus hold the parts more firmly in place,
and that when the button is once secured to the cloth or other material it

page_text: cannot be detached if turned or bent over in any direction. When it is
desired to make the button removable, instead of forming a shoulder on the
full circumference of the stud, as above described, the shank may be made
plane, as seen it Fig. 6, with notches k, into which the springs in the
"collet" or back will enter when the stud is forced into place, the number of
notches corresponding to the number of springs in the "collet ;" and when so
constructed, by turning the button on the shank so as to bring the full
portion of the shank opposite to the openings between the springs the button
can be instantly removed, the springs being in correspondence with the plane
surface of the stud. I have thus far described my Invention as applied
to buttons, and the method of attaching them to cloth and other material, but
other ornaments may be attached in a similar manner to various articles or
things by using a stud of the proper length, and snapping the ornament to
which the springs are attached on to the stud; for instance, plate trimmings
and other ornaments for harnesses, and my Invention may also be applied to
jewelry of various kinds. A plain stamped button made in one piece without
a "collet" may be struck up, so as to form springs and openings similar to
those in the "collet" of the above-described button.
Having now set forth the nature of this Invention, and explained the
manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under
the above recited Letters Patent I claim,―
A button or ornament with springs and openings for receiving and holding
a stud, substantially as described.
I also claim a stud constructed substantially as described when used in
combination with a button or ornament having springs and openings for
receiving and holding it.
I also claim the within described method of attaching buttons or ornaments
to garments or other articles, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Tomlinson Bousfield, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six.
ATA m DAH DITLA
GEC. T. BOUSFIELD. (...)