IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to George Augustus Huddart, of Brynkir, in the
County of Carnarvon, Gentleman, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN BUTTONS."
Sealed the 27th May 1863, and dated the 8th December 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said George Augustus
Huddart at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 8th December 1862.
I, GEORGE AUGUSTUS HUDDART, of Brynkir, in the County of Carnarvon,
Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN BUTTONS," to be as follows:-
The object of this Invention is to 'facilitate or render permanent the
fastening on to garments of pearl and other like solid headed buttons, and
also cloth or covered buttons. In forming the shank of pearl or similar solid
headed buttons, in which the head is secured to the shank by expanding its
extremity under pressure when inserted in a recess formed in the centre of
the pearl to receive it, I provide a flange or shoulder near its outer extremity,
beyond which flange the stem of the shank will project sufficiently far to form
a rivet head, the end, if hollowed or dish-shaped, facilitating the formation of
the rivet head. When it is required to attach the button to a garment, it
will only be necessary to pierce the fabric that it may receive the end of the
shank, and to place over the shank a pierced disc or ring, and by pressure to
spread the end of the shank, and thereby convert it. into a rivet head: The
attachment will then be complete.

page_text: In applying the Invention to cloth buttons, the shank formed as above
also be provided with a similar means
Thus the button in this case when
described at its outer extremity must
for attaching it to the button head.
applied to a garment will present a kind of rivet head at both ends of the
shank. The shank, provided with a flange at its extremity, may be made
hollow and tapped to receive a clamping screw.
The fabric, in this case, will
be held between the flange and screw head.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said George Augustus Huddart in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 8th June 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, GEORGE
AUGUSTUS HUDDART, of Brynkir, in the County of Carnarvon, Gentleman,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said George Augustus Huddart, Her special license that I, the said George
Augustus Huddart, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said George Augustus Huddart, 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, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said George Augustus Huddart, 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 Augustus Huddart, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say):-
The object of this Invention is to effect the permanent attachment to

page_text: garments of pearl, bone, ivory, and other like buttons (not having metal.
heads) and also of cloth or linen buttons, in a manner similar to that now
commonly employed in securing metal buttons to the wrists of gloves and
gauntlets (that is, by clamping the fabric between two metal surfaces) instead
of, as heretofore, sewing such buttons by their shanks or by their heads to the
garments to which it is desired to apply them.
I will first describe my Invention as applied to the manufacture and use
of the class of solid headed buttons above designated, and, secondly, to that
of linen, or what are sometimes called flexible cloth buttons.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 shews in sectional view on an
enlarged scale the parts for forming a pearl button according to this Invention,
the several parts being in their proper relative positions for ensuring, by the
simple application of pressure, the connection of the parts together, and at the
same time the attachment of the button thus formed to the fabric to which it
is intended to be secured. Fig. 2 shews in section the completed button after
the application of the pressure as attached to the fabric.
The button may be described as consisting of a head a, formed in this case
of a solid disc of pearl slightly rounded on its face, and countersunk at
the centre of its back to receive one end of a short solid cylinder of soft
brass or other suitable metal b, which forms the shank. This cylinder is
bollowed slightly at its extremities to allow of their readily spreading under
the pressure of a pair of nippers. At about the middle of its length the
cylinder b is provided with a flange c, and fitting loosely on the outer end of
the cylinder bis a metal washer d, which is dropped on to the cylinder after
it has been passed through the cloth or other fabric e to which the button is
to be attached.
In attaching the button to a garment the fabric composing the garment is
first pierced at the desired spot of attachment to admit of the outer end of the
cylinder 6 being pushed through the fabric, and when this is effected the
washer is applied as shewn. Pressure is then put on the parts of the button
in the direction of the axis of the shank, and the ends of the shank being
thereby spread will take the form of rivet heads, whereby the pearl bead will
be secured to its shank, and the fabric e held firmly between the flange c and
washer d, the latter. being now fixed in position as shewn at Fig. 2.
As a modification of the above-described improvement, I may secure the
pearl-headed button, with its flanged shank, to fabrics by means of a screw
clamp, as shewn in section at Fig. 3, the shank 6 being tapped to receive the
clamping screw f.
Figs. 4 and 5 shew the manner in which I propose to effect the attachment

page_text: of linen or flexible cloth buttons to garments, the Invention being the applica-
tion thereto of a metal shank, which will permit of their being secured in
position by means of pressure instead of by sewing. Fig. 4 shews in section
the parts constituting the button placed in position for attachment to a
garment, and Fig. 5 shews the attachment effected and the parts constituting
the button firmly united together.
The cloth button g, having been made in the usual way, is pierced at the
centre to receive a stem h made of soft brass or other suitable material. One
end of this stem is passed through a hole in the fabric i to which it is to be
attached, the other projecting through the cloth of the button. Over each end
of the stem is passed a metal washer, and pressure being applied to the ends
of the stem its extremities will receive a lateral expansion, and, while retaining
the washers in position, will cause them to clip the button and fabric and hold
them firmly together.
Having now set forth the nature of my Invention of improvements in
buttons, and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, I wish
it to be understood that under the above in part recited Letters Patent, I
claim constructing solid-headed buttons of the class above designated, and
also linen or flexible cloth buttons in such manner that by the application of
pressure thereto, as above described, the completion of their manufacture and
their attachment to a garment or fabric will be simultaneously effected.
In witness whereof, I, the said George Augustus Huddart, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, the Sixth day of June in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
GEO. A. HUDDART. (L.S.)