IM- PROVEMENTS IN COLLAR STUDS, SOLITAIRES, SLEEVE LINKS, AND OTHER LIKE' DRESS FASTENINGS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Charles Alldridge, of Birmingham, in
the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN COLLAR STUDS, SOLITAIRES, SLEEVE LINKS, AND OTHER LIKE'
DRESS FASTENINGS."
Sealed the 19th December 1873, and dated the 30th June 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Charles
Alldridge at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 30th June 1873.
I, WILLIAM CHARLES ALLDRIDGE, of Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said In-
vention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN COLLAR STUDS, SOLITAIRES, SLEEVE LINKS, AND
OTHER LIKE DRESS FASTENINGS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described
in collar studs, solitaires, sleeve links, and other like dress fastenings;
by which improvements the two parts of the fastening are connected

page_text: together by a jointed or flexible junction which permits the parts to
move to accommodate the motion of the part of the person on which
the fastening is situated, and thereby to avoid the unpleasant pressure
produced during motion by the parts of the said fastenings as ordinarily
constructed.
I will describe my Invention in connection with a collar stud.
A collar stud as ordinarily made consists of two discs, one of smaller
diameter than the other; the said discs being connected together at
their centres by a rigid stem. In use the larger of these discs presses
upon the throat, and on the motion of the head frequently occasions
unpleasant pressure in consequence of its inability to take the in-
clination which by the motion of the head the part on which it presses
has taken.
Instead of connecting the two discs of the fastening together by
a rigid stem I make a rigid stem at the back of the smaller or front
disc, and on the end of this stem I make a nearly spherical termination.
To the centre of the larger disc I fix a short tubular piece concave at
bottom. The two parts of the fastening are connected together by
inserting the sphere on the stem of the one into the tubular part
of the other, and turning over or closing the edge of the latter loosely
upon the former by the spinning or burnishing process. In this way
the two discs are so connected that when in use the front stud and
the stem which passes through the collar of the shirt, and the separate
collar preserve their position unaffected by the motion of the head,
while the back stud which rests upon the neck is capable of inclining
itself to the stem, and thus following the motion of the neck.
In order to give still greater flexibility each of the discs may carry
a tubular piece, and a small rod having nearly spherical ends may be
placed between the two discs, the tubular pieces of the discs being
loosely closed upon the ends of the small rod.
The application of my Invention to solitaires, sleeve links, and other
like dress fastenings, differs in no essential respect from its application
to a collar stud.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Charles Alldridge in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 23rd December 1873.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
CHARLES ALLDRIDGE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Manufacturer, send greeting.
:
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Thirtieth day of June, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Charles Alldridge, Her special
license that I, the said William Charles Alldridge, my executors, ad-
ministrators and assigns, or such others as I, the said William Charles
Alldridge, 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 COLLAR STUDS, SOLITAIRES, SLEEVE LINKS, AND OTHER LIKE
DRESS FASTENINGS," upon the condition (amongst others), that I, the
said William Charles Alldridge, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and
scals, 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 William Charles Alldridge, 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 :—
My Invention consists of the improvements herein-after described
in collar studs, solitaires, sleeve links, and other like dress fastenings;
by which improvements the two parts of the fastening are connected
together by a joint or flexible junction which permits the parts to
move to accommodate the motion of the part of the person on which

page_text: ·
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the fastening is situated, and thereby to avoid the unpleasant pressure
produced during motion by the parts of the said fastenings as ordinarily
constructed.
I will describe my Invention in connection with a collar stud.
A collar stud as ordinarily made consists of two discs, one of smaller
diameter than the other, the said discs being connected together at
their centres by a rigid stem. In use the larger of these discs presses
upon the throat, and on the motion of the head frequently occasions
unpleasant pressure in consequence of its inability to take the in-
clination which by the motion of the head the part on which it presses
has taken.
Instead of connecting the two discs of the fastening together by
a rigid stem I make a rigid stem at the back of the smaller or front
disc, and on the end of the stem I make a nearly spherical termination.
To the centre of the larger disc I fix a short tubular piece concave at
bottom. The two parts of the fastening are connected together by
inserting the sphere on the stem of one into the tubular part of the
other, and turning over or closing the edge of the latter loosely upon
the former by the spinning or burnishing process. In this way the
two discs are so connected that when in use the front stud and the
stem which passes through the collar of the shirt, and the separate
_collar preserve their position unaffected by the motion of the head,
while the back stud which rests upon the neck is capable of inclining
itself to the stem, and thus following the motion of the neck.
In order to give still greater flexibility each of the discs may carry
a tubular piece, and a small rod having nearly spherical ends may be
placed between the two discs, the tubular pieces of the discs being
loosely closed upon the ends of the small rod.
The application of my Invention to solitaires, sleeve links, and other
-like dress fastenings, differs in no essential respect from its application
to a collar stud.
Having explained the nature of my Invention, I will proceed to
describe, with reference to the accompanying Drawing, the manner in
which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents in elevation and plan, drawn of the full size, a
collar stud having a joint or flexible junction according to my In-

page_text: '
vention; Figure 2 represents the same in elevation, vertical section,
plan, and horizontal section, drawn double the full size; Figures 3
and 4 illustrate the manner in which the back stud or disc can, when
pressure is put upon it, incline itself to the stem of the collar stud.
a is the front stud or disc, and 6 is the back stud or disc, and c
is the stem by which the two studs or discs a, b, are connected together.
The stem c is connected rigidly to the back of the smaller or front
stud or disc a, but the said stem is connected to the larger or back
stud or disc by a joint or flexible connection; this joint or flexible
connection consists of a nearly spherical termination or head d on the
stem c which fits loosely in a short cylindrical or spherical piece or
cup e fixed to the centre of the back stud or disc b, as represented.
The spherical piece e is connected to the stem c by inserting the end
or head of the stem in the said spherical piece, and turning over
or closing its edge by a spinning process into the neck of the stem.
The manner in which the spherical end or head d of the stem is
connected to the spherical piece e is illustrated in Figure 5, where
the parts are represented detached and in position for closing the
spherical piece upon the neck of the stem. When the back stud b
is connected to the stem c in the manner represented, the said stud b,
which in use bears against the neck of the person, is capable of
inclining itself to the stem c, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, or
of taking any desired inclination between the two extreme inclinations
illustrated in the said Figures 3 and 4, and thus follow the motion
of the neck, the stem c and front stud a being unaffected by the
motion of the back stud 6%; great comfort in use thereby results, and
the unpleasant pressure produced during motion of the head and neck
by the parts of the studs when the said studs are constructed in the
ordinary way is avoided.
Figure 6 represents, in elevation, vertical section, and horizontal
section, a collar stud constructed according to my Invention, in which
each stud or disc is connected to its stem by a joint or flexible con-
nection so as to make cach stud, when pressure is put upon it, capable
of inclining itself to the stem independently of the other. In this
arrangement the stem c has nearly spherical heads or ends d, f, which
work loosely in the nearly spherical or cup-like pieces e, g, fixed
respectively to the middle of the front and back studs a, b.
-

page_text: Instead of making a spherical piece or cup on the back of the stud,
and a spherical end or head on the stem, a hollow cylindrical piece
may be fixed on the stud, and a disc-like head on the stem work
loosely therein. This arrangement of my Invention is illustrated in
elevation and section in Figure 7, where h is the hollow cylindrical
piece on the back of the larger stud 6, and i is the disc-like head
on one end of the stem c.
In putting together the parts of this flexible connection the stem c
is first passed through the hole in the cylindrical piece h, and the head i
made to occupy the said piece h. The said piece h is then connected
to the back of the larger stud b, and the end of the stem c to the back
of the smaller or front stud a, as illustrated in the Drawing. The
stem c and head i have considerable play in the cylindrical piece h,
so that the back stud b, when pressure is put upon it, may incline itself
to the said stem, as herein-before described.
Instead of connecting the disc-like head of the stem to the back
stud b by causing it to work in a separate cylindrical piece, as last
described, the said disc-like head of the stem may work with the same
effect in the hollow stud itself. This arrangement of my Invention
is illustrated in section in Figure 8, one view showing the back stud
b, 62, in its normal position, and the other view showing the said back
stud inclined to the stem. In this arrangement the back stud is made
of two shells marked respectively 6 and 6º, the back shell 62 having
a hole in its middle through which the stem c works loosely, and
the disc-like head of the stem is situated in the hollow of the stud b, 62,
and has considerable play therein, so that when pressure is put on the
back stud b, 62, it inclines itself to the stem in the manner herein-
before described and shown in the Drawing. The stem c is connected
to the stud before the shells of which the stud is composed are secured
together, that is to say, the stem c is first passed through the hole in
the back shell 6º, its disc-like head i resting in the said back shell,
the front shell 6 is then connected to the back shell 63 in the ordinary
way. The front stud a is finally connected to the plain end of the
stem c, and the collar stud assumes the form represented in Figure 8.
Figure 9 represents the back shell 6³, front shell 6, and the stem c, i,
disconnected.
1

page_text: to Figures 7 and 8 may be applied to the front stud as well as to the
back stud.
The arrangements of my Invention herein-before described and illus-
trated, with the exception of that represented in Figures 8 and 9, may
be applied to solid studs as well as to hollow studs; the said studs being
either made of metal or of some non-metallic material.
I apply my Invention to solitaires, sleeve links, and other like dress
fastenings, substantially in the manner described and illustrated in
the accompanying Drawing, with respect to its application to collar
studs.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner
in which the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that
I do not limit myself to the precise details herein described and illus-
trated, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature
of my Invention; but I claim as my Invention, the improvements
in collar studs, solitaires, sleeve links, and other like dress fastenings,
herein-before described and illustrated in the accompanying Drawing,
that is to say, connecting the stem of the collar stud or other like
dress fastening to one or to both of the studs or discs, or to the front
or front and back parts of the fastening by a joint or flexible junction
for the purpose described; the parts forming the said joint or flexible
junction being constructed and combined substantially as described and
illustrated.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Charles Alldridge, have
hereunto set my hand and scal, this Nineteenth day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
WILLIAM CHARLES ALLDRIDGE. (L.S.)