IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF BUTTONS OR STUDS
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Keats, of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Boot
Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF BUTTONS OR STUDS."
Sealed the 9th March 1875, and dated the 17th September 1874.

page_text: necks. The middle disc will constitute the head of the stud or button,
and the end discs two flanges which will embrace the fabric to which
the button is to be applied. Out of the end discs I stamp a continuation
of the necks, taking care to retain the continuity of the metal, and I
thus convert the end discs into crescent-shaped flanges. From the
metal thus obtained from the end discs or flanges I form the shank, and
bring the flanges (one below the other) directly under the head of the
button or stud. To insert this stud in leather or cloth an eyelet hole is
punched in the fabric, the lower flange is then passed through the hole
by entering the same after the manner of a screw thread, and then by
means of pressure the flanges are caused to bite the fabric tightly
between them.
In manufacturing this button or stud I modify the tools now in use
for equivalent purposes, so as to bring the flanges into different planes,
but as respects the stamping out of the blank and the rounding of the
head the mechanism, with the exception of the shape of the punch and
die, will be substantially the same as that now in use.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Keats in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th March 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
KEATS, of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Boot Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Seventeenth day of September, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Keats, Her special licence that
I, the said John Keats, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said John Keats, 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 and Ireland, the Channel Islands, änd

page_text: form the stem of the stud or button. This blank I submit to cutting
dies similar to those shewn in side and plan views, and end elevation at
Figures 2, for the purpose of cutting parallel slits in the discs b, c, as
indicated by the dotted lines, Fig. 1, and turning up those discs at right
angles or nearly so with the disc a, as shewn in plan, edge, and end
views at Figures 3.
By reference to Figures 2 it will be seen that the upper and movable
die A has in its descent upon the blank, which is supported upon a fixed
die or bed B, made the cuts in the discs indicated at Fig. 1, and turned
them over to an angle of about forty-five degrees. By the further descent
of this die A. the discs will be forced into a nearly vertical position. The
blank thus far formed will now be ready for the next operation, the
object of which is to dish the disc a so as to bring it to a suitable shape
for a stud or button head, and at the same time to channel or convert
to a half-round the greater portion of the so-called necks which are to
constitute the stem of the button. This operation is effected in dies
similar to those shewn at Fig. 4, and the result of the pressure of these
dies upon the blank is shewn at Fig. 5. At this stage of the manufacture
it may be convenient to stamp any desired device upon the article. For
this purpose the blank is placed between gripping dies (see Fig. 6) with
the disc upwards, that is, to have the device impressed upon it. These
gripping dies will be so arranged as to sustain the pressure of a stamp
or die C, which being brought down on the lower flange of the stud will
impress its device thereon.
The next operation is to bend over the necks and bring them parallel
to each other. This may be readily performed by a device similar to
that shewn at Fig. 7, where D is a narrow plunger brought down upon
the blank, which is laid with its rounded head downwards over a hole
made in a fixed die E. By forcing down the plunger D the stamped
metal will be doubled up, as shewn in the Figure.
To fold over these necks and to bring them together so as to form the
stem of the stud it is requisite to subject them to lateral pressure. To
this end they are submitted to the action of a pair of jaws F, F, Fig. 8.
which will bring the discs or flanges one under the other, and the half-
round necks into contact, thus forming a round stem. The completion
of this stem and giving the head a proper set upon its stem is con-

page_text: veniently eшected by the combined action of
and a hollowed plunger H, Fig. 9.
6PP8
It only now remains to bend down one of the points of the lower
flange out of the plane of the other point, and thus to give that flange
somewhat the character of the thread of a screw, and the manufacture
of the stud is then complete, as shewn at Figures 10.
In order to insert this improved construction of button in leather or
other stiff material an eyelet hole is punched in the fabric, say, of the
diameter of the stem, the lower flange is then passed through this hole
by entering the same after the manner of a screw thread, and giving the
button a whole turn. By the application of pressure the flanges are
caused to bite the fabric tightly between them.
When applying the button to cloth or other woven fabric it will not
be found necessary to punch a hole therein, as the fabric will yield to
the lateral pressure of the inserted flange.
A modification of the Invention is shewn at Figures 11, where instead
of a metal head the button is provided with a head of glass or other
material that will admit of being moulded on to the stem. In this case
in forming the metal blank I omit the middle disc a of Fig. 1, and form
the blank as shewn at Fig. 12. This blank I operate upon by dies and
punches after the manner above described, the same being however
modified so as to produce the stem with its double flange, as shewn at
Figures 11.
The head of the stem may be looped, as shewn, or otherwise enlarged,
to take a good hold of the material that is to form the head.
If the head is to be of glass it may be moulded upon the stem or
attached thereto in any well-known and approved manner of combining
glass with metal.
When making the head of horn or clay the stem will be inserted in
the die in which the plastic material is brought to shape, and thus an
intimate union of the stem and head will be secured.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of " Improvements
in the Manufacture of Buttons or Studs," and explained the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that under the

page_text: above in part recited Letters Patent I claim, the manufacture from sheet
metal of double flanged buttons or stems for the same, in the manner
and for the purpose above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Keats, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the Fifteenth day of March, in the year of 5
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five: