IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Charles Huskinson, of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS."
Sealed the 12th January 1864, and dated the 18th September 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Charles Huskin-
son at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 18th September 1868.
I, HENRY CHARLES HUSKINSON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
buttons made by covering or partially covering discs or shells of metal or
other suitable material by means of dies and pressure with linen or other
textile fabric, the shells, rings, or other hard materials constituting the body
of the button, being formed with eyelets or openings through which the needle
passes when sewing on or securing buttons. And the first part of my Invention
relates more particularly to the class of buttons described in the Specification
of a Patent granted to Edwin Green and James Newman, dated February

page_text: 13th, 1862, No. 392, and consists in giving improved forms to the eyelets or
openings for sewing or passing the needle through when attaching such
buttons to the fabrics or articles to which they are applied.
Hitherto in the manufacture of buttons of this description the "eyelets"
employed in combination therewith have been of circular form, and this part
of my Invention consists in employing "eyelets" of different forms other
than circular, whether one or more "eyelets" of novel form are employed in
the construction of of a button of this character. The forms of the "eyelets"
which I employ in carrying out this part of my Invention may be oval or
oblong, square, diamond, angular, triangular, or other outline differing from a
circle. The "bars" or parts of the button forming the "bars" of buttons
constructed with "eyelets" of novel forms, such as previously described, are by
preference, particularly when constructing buttons without cloth backs
accord to this part of my Invention, of such shape as to produce needle
holes openings for sewing through of circular or other suitable outline,
whereby the thread is prevented from slipping or moving to-and-fro as is the
case with such buttons formed as heretofore with circular "eyelets" and
straight bars. I also make the backs of sewn-through buttons covered or
partially covered with linen or other fabric of curved form so as to cause
them to project slightly from the surface to which they are applied.
The second part of my Invention consists in employing certain descriptions
of woven fabrics for the manufacture of covered or partially covered buttons
of every description. The fabrics I propose to employ for this purpose are
such as were fully described in the Specification of a Patent granted to
William Tongue, dated December 31st, 1861, No. 8260, manufactured from
various kinds of fibrous materials therein fully described; and this part of my
Invention consists in the application of such fabrics to the manufacture of
covered or partially covered buttons without having regard to the character of,
or the mechanical means employed for manufacturing such buttons.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed:
by the said Henry Charles Huskinson in the Great Seal Patent Office.
on the 17th March 1864..
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
CHARLES HUSKINSON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, send
greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing, date the Eighteenth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-seventh year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Henry Charles Huskinson, Her special licence that I, the said
Henry Charles Huskinson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Henry Charles Huskinson, 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, usc, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS," upon the: condition
(amongst others) that I, the said Henry Charles Huskinson, niy executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or; their;: or one
of their hands and seals, 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 t 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 Henry Charles Huskinson, 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
following statement thereof, that is to say:
:
This Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
buttons made by covering or partially covering discs or sheils of metal or
other suitable material by means of dies and pressure with linen or other
textile fabric, the shells, rings, or other hard materials constituting the body
of the button being formed with eyelets or openings through which the needle
passes when sewing on or securing buttons. And the first part of my Invention
relates more particularly to the class of buttons described in the Specification
of a Patent granted to Edwin Green and James Newman, dated February 18th,
1862, No. 392, and consists in giving improved forms to the eyelets or
openings for sewing, or passing the needle through when attaching such.
buttons to the fabrics or articles to which they are applied.
Hitherto in the manufacture of buttons of this' description the "eyelets ”.
employed in combination therewith have been of circular form, and this part
of my Invention consists in employing "eyelets" of different forms other than
circular, whether one or more "eyelets" of novel form are employed in the.

page_text: construction of a button of this character. The forms of the "eyelets" which
I employ in carrying, out this part of my Invention may be oval or. oblong,
square, diamond, angular, triangular, or other outline differing from a circle.
The "bars or parts of the button forming the "bars" of buttons constructed
with "eyelets". of novel forms, such as previously described, particularly when
constructing buttons without cloth backs according to this part of my
Invention, are by preference of such shape as to produce needle holes or
openings for sewing through of circular or other suitable outline, whereby the
thread is. prevented from slipping or moving. to-and-fro as is the case with
such buttons formed as heretofore with circular "eyelets" and straight bars.
I also make the backs of sewn-through buttons covered or partially covered
with linen or other fabric of curved form so as to cause them to project
slightly from the surface to which they are applied..
The second part of my Invention consists in employing certain descriptions.
of woven fabrics for the manufacture of covered or partially covered buttons.
of every description. The fabrics I propose to employ for this purpose are.
such as were fully described in the Specification of a Patent granted to
William Tongue, .dated December 31st, 1861, No..3260, manufactured from
various kinds of fibrous materials therein fully described; and this part of my
Invention consists in the application of such fabrics to the manufacture of
covered or partially. covered buttons, without having regard to the character
of, or the mechanical means employed for manufacturing such buttons.
And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood and readily
carried into practice, I will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto
annexed.

page_text: turned in between the two shells, and secured by means of dies and pressure,
as is well understood in manufacturing buttons of this description. The back
shell or disc may, if desired for economy or otherwise, be left uncovered. In-
place of forming the oval eyelet out of the front shell, as shown at Figure 2;
I prefer to form the eyelet separately, and then insert it through an opening in
the front shell, the front covering fabric being placed between them, as shown
in section at Figure 2*, the edges of the eyelet being afterwards turned over
or closed on the inside of the shell by which the fabric is secured to the front
shell. a is the front shell; a'; the loose or separate eyelet ; and a³, the covering
fabric secured between them by closing the eyelet. Buttons of this character,
showing an oval eyelet at the back thereof to produce a button alike in
appearance on both sides, as shown at Figure 4, may be produced by employ-
ing a back shell or disc 6* with a linen or other cover attached thereto by
means of an oval eyelet similar to the front shell previously described, and
making it up into a button with a front shell a, Figure 2, and a disc of metar
prepared with needle holes, as previously described, enclosed between them, the
two edges of the front and back covers being secured by the edges of the front
and back shells being turned one over the other in suitable dies or tools, as is
well understood. In place of forming buttons of this character with a metal
bar or needle holes, as previously described, they may be made with front
and back shells or discs, having oval eyelets attached thereto, and have a
piece of canvas, linen, or other suitable fabric or woven material inserted
between in making them up, as shown at Figure 5, which serves as a means
of attaching such buttons to fabrics or garments in place of the bars or needle
holes, before described. The form of the eyelet on the back' shell or disc may
be of round or other shape in making up buttons with an oval or other shaped
eyelet in front, according to my Iuvention, and straight or other shaped bars or
wire of various forms to form needle holes may be employed, together with
rings of zinc or other metal or material may be introduced in making up such
buttons. Buttons of this character, in place of being made as above described,
with oval eyelets in front, may have eyelets of different form or outline applied
thereto, such as square, diamond, triangular, &c., but as it is difficult to make
eyelets of angular outline in the ordinary manner of producing round or oval
eyelets for buttons, I will proceed to describe the method I prefer to adopt
(although the same may be varied) in making eyelets, which, when applied
to buttons, are of square, diamond, or other angular shape on the face thereof.
For this purpose, in order to make an eyelet of diamond shape on the face, I
take a metal blank of the form shown at Figure 6, and sink a hollow of the

page_text: form shown at Figure 7. The bottom of the sunk part is then cut or punched
out, thus forming an eyelet such as shown at Figure 8, which can then be
attached or secured to the front shell and covering fabric to form the cover of
a button by turning over the back tubular part of the eyelet in the ordinary
manner to produce buttons, such as previously described, with oval and other
shaped eyelets, and although the metal may split in turning over the back,
the face of the eyelet will remain uninjured. In like manner, other forms of
eyelets may be produced and employed in the manufacture of buttons, according
to my Invention. Figure 9 shows an eyelet of oblong square form applied to
a covered button.
The manufacture of buttons similar in character and construction to those
previously, described being well understood, I have not thought it necessary to
describe minutely all the operations employed in the manufacture of such
buttons; and detailed descriptions of buttons made with eyeletted openings
are given in the Specification of E. Green and J. Newman's Patent, before
referred to, and also in the Specification of the Patent granted to Edwin
Green and Joel Cadbury, dated 27th May, 1861, No. 1825; and I would'
remark that it is not new to employ oval eyelets in the manufacture of certain
parts of buttons of this description, as the same were described in the Patent
granted to E. Green and J. Newman, before referred to, for the purpose of
forming the needle holes to such buttons, but such oval eyelets were not
employed for the same purpose as when employed, as herein described, and
forming part of my improvements in the manufacture of covered or partially
covered buttons. I would also remark, that it is not new to apply oval
ornaments to the front of a button of this character as an oval needle hole
plate is shown and described in the Specification of the Patent granted to
E. Green and J. Cadbury, before referred to, but such oval plate differs
materially from the oval and other shaped eyelets constituting an important
part of my improvements in the manufacture of covered or partially covered
buttons.
In carrying out the second part of my Invention, I would remark, that as
the manufacture of various descriptions of woven fabrics from certain kinds of.
fibrous materials is fully described in the Specification of W. Tongue's Patent,
before referred to, it will not be necessary for me to repeat the same here,
merely observing that I employ such of the fabrics of the description therein
given as are suitable for the manufacture of covered or partially covered
buttons on account of the superior lustre and strength of the fibrous materials
employed in the manufacture of such fabrics, silk and alpaca being thereby in

page_text: a great measure superseded in the manufacture of covered or partially covered
buttons, according to this part of my Invention.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Charles Huskinson, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Seventh day of March, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
HENRY CHA³. HUSKINSON. (L.S.)