AN IMPROVED BUTTON FASTENER OR FASTENERS
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John George Butler, of Ealing, in the County of
Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED BUTTON FASTENER OR
FASTENERS."
Sealed the 27th July 1875, and dated the 4th May 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John George Butler
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 4th May 1875.
I, JOHN GEORGE BUTLER, of Ealing, in the County of Middlesex, do
hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN IMPROVED BUTTON
FASTENER OR FASTENERS," to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to improvements in fasteners for securing
buttons with metal shanks to articles of dress, and to show cards and
such like purposes, and it has for its object to so construct the fastener
that the button is held as securely as by the ordinary split ring fastener,
but is more readily attached and detached, whilst the improved fasteners
of this Invention are free from the defects of the ordinary bent wire

page_text: fastener, which is insecure and otherwise objectionable when used for
fastening buttons on garments.
My Invention comprises two arrangements of fastener, both con-
structed of metal wire in the following manner:-The wire is bent at
the middle so as to form two limbs of the fastener, as in the common
bent wire fastener, and at about mid-length between the middle and the
ends the two limbs are curved together until they meet or nearly so,
thus forming one loop of a figure 8, the limbs being again curved
outwards and then inwards until they meet at the extremities, which
butt together, thus forming the second loop of the figure. When the
curved extremities of the links are forced into the eye of the button
shank the two limbs will yield, thereby causing the one loop of the
fastener to collapse and pass through the shank, after which the limbs
will spring outwards again, and the shank will be retained between the
two loops of the fastener.
As the shank embraces both limbs of the fastener the latter when
applied to a garment will lie flat and snug against the back of the
fabric.
Another construction of fastener consists in forming a loop at the
middle of its length, the wire being bent more than a complete turn, so
as to act in the manner of a split ring, and having its extremities pro-
jecting in opposite directions on either side of the loop.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John George Butler in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 3rd November 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
GEORGE BUTLER, of Ealing, in the County of Middlesex, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of May, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-
eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John George Butler, Her special
licence that I, the said John George Butler, my executors, admini..

page_text: strators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said John George Butler,
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,
5 exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "AN
IMPROVED BUTTON FASTENER OR FASTENERS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said John George Butler, my executors or admini-
strators, 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 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 John George Butler, 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:-
My Invention of improvements in button fasteners consists in so
bending and shaping a piece of metal wire that it may readily be
passed through the shank of a button, and effectually secure.it to the
garment.
The shape and configuration of this fastener and the mode of attaching
it to the button will be casily understood by reference to the Drawings
hereunto annexed,—
Figure 1 being a view of an ordinary button with projecting shank,
requiring to be attached to a garment.
Figure 2 is a straight piece of wire of brass or other suitable metal,
ready for bending to the required shape.
Figure 3 is the fastener completed, ready for passing through the
shank of the button.
Figure 4 shews the fastener in position, the shank of the button
having been passed through the garment; the fastener is put into the
shank at the back, and holds the button firmly in position.

page_text: The shape of the fastener is such that it cannot possibly work loose,
and by fitting flat against the garment makes a neater finish than any
other fastener in use.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my
said Invention, and how the same may be put into practical operation,
I would have it understood that what I claim and desire to secure by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the construction and use
of a metal wire button fastener of the shape and for the purpose herein-
before described and illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said John George Butler, have here-
unto set my hand and scal, this Second day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand cight hundred and seventy-
five.
Witness,
CHARLES BARLOW,
Patent Agent,
23, Southampton Buildings,
London, W.C.
J. G. BUTLER. (L.S.)