IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU- FACTURE OF VEGETABLE IVORY BUTTONS
Year: 1884

page_text: I EDWARD BERMAN of 17 Silver Street in the City of London, Button Merchant
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF VEGETABLE IVORY BUTTONS, to be as follows:-
This invention relates to the manufacture of Vegetable Ivory Buttons the face of
which is ornamented with a device permitting a metallic reflector placed inside the
button to shine through,
An effect somewhat similar has hitherto been obtained by impressing pieces of
thin foil into the face of Vegetable Ivory, Horn, or Tortoise-shell Buttons while in
a soft state, or by gluing such pieces into cavities previously sunk into the face of
the buttons; both are very liable to drop out to the detriment of the appearance
of the article.
To avoid this defect and produce a pleasing effect hitherto unknown in the
manufacture of Vegetable Ivory Buttons, I propose to manufacture buttons as
follows
I take vegetable ivory and form therefrom a disc of the size and thickness of
the button desired. After turning or cutting the same to the particular pattern
intended I pierce a number of holes through the same, say for example one central
hole and a surrounding ring of any number of holes either regularly or irregularly
placed. The back of this disc I hollow out slightly and turn into same a rebated
recess for the reception of the shank, Into this rebated recess I drop a thin disc
of polished metal of any approved colour which will be presented to view through
the holes in the face of the button.
I complete the button by backing it either with a metallic or a vegetable Ivory
shank.
If the shank is of metal I give it a slight convexity outwards, and by applying
pressure thereto when placed in the recess, I expand its diameter to fix it in position
in the rebate.
*If the shank be of vegetable Ivory or any equivalent material I insert it in the
recess while the upper part of the button is in a soft expanded state. This material
as it hardens will take a firm hold of the inserted shank and retain the disc of
lustrous metal within the button..
Buttons thus formed will present a pleasing effect and will not be liable to injury
from ordinary usage, the ornamental metal reflector being effectually protected by
being safely enclosed within the button.

page_text: I EDWARD BERMAN of 17 Silver Street,. in the City of London Button Merchant
do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANU-
FACTURE OF VEGETABLE IVORY BUTTONS," and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement
This invention relates to the manufacture of vegetable ivory. buttons the face of
which is ornamented with a device permitting of a metallic reflector or other
lustrous surface contained inside the button, to shine through.
An effect somewhat similar has hitherto been obtained by impressing pieces of
thin foil into the face of vegetable ivory horn, or tortoise-shell buttons while in a
soft state, or by glueing such pieces into cavities previously sunk into the face of
the buttons. Both are very liable to drop out, to the detriment of the appearance
of the article.
To avoid this defect and to produce a pleasing effect hitherto unknown in the
manufacture of Vegetable Ivory' Buttons, I propose to manufacture buttons as
follows:-
I take vegetable ivory and form therefrom a disc of the size and thickness of
the button desired. After turning or cutting the same to the particular pattern
intended I pierce it with a number of holes say for example a central hole and a
surrounding ring of any number of holes.. The back of this disc I hollow out
slightly and form therein a recess with an undercut edge for the reception of the.
shank. Into this recess I drop a thin disc of polished metal of any approved
colour which will be presented to view through the holes in the face of the button.
I complete the button by backing it either with a metallic, a vegetable ivory, a
bone, or other suitable shank.
-In-the-accompanying-drawing-
Figs: 1 show in front view and cross section a button, made according to my
Invention.
a is the disc which forms the face of the button; b is the back or shank of the
button, and c is a disc, having metallic lustre, inserted in the recess of the disc a
and secured in place by the shank or back piece. The disc.a is shown as pierced
with a ring of boles for bringing into view the enclosed lustrous disc.
Figs 2 show in back view and section the recessed disc a and
Figs: 3 show the shank in face and edge views.
I have said that the shank may be made either of metal or of vegetable ivory
bone or other similar substance. When made of metal I give it a slight convexity
outwards and and by applying pressure thereto when placed in the recess I expand
its diameter to fix it in position in the recess or it can be fixed without pressure-
by inserting it in the recess while the vegetable ivory is in a softened and expanded
state.
If the shank be of vegetable, ivory or equivalent material I insert it in a dried
or hard state in the recess while the part a of the button is in a softened expanded
state. This softened material as it diies shrinks and hardens and thus takes a firm
hold of the inserted shank and retains the disc of lustrous metal within the button

page_text: as shewn in the sectional view at Fig: 1. Care must be taken that the inserted
shank is of the exact size to fit the recess. If it were too small the softened
recessed disc in drying would not get a firm hold of it and the shank might drop
out, while if too large the shank would burst the undercut edge of the recess.
This manufacture of buttons enables me to introduce a variety of colours. Thus
for example the face may take a bright green colour and the metallic lustre showing
through the openings in the face may be that of gold or that of a mirrow. Or
the face may have a pink or a blue tint or darker colours may be substituted
therefor the lustrous disc having a colour that will either harmonize or contrast
therewith.
An obvious modification of this manufacture is illustrated at Figs 4. 5 and G.
Figs: 4 show a face view and section of a button where the face a is inserted in
the recessed shank b the disc c finished with a metallic lustre, being placed at the
back of the disc a before insertion in the shank.
The disc a in this example is pierced with a central hole and a concentric ring of
holes for presenting to view the enclosed disc c.
Figs: 5 show the recessed shank which like the disc in the first example is made
of vegetable ivory and undercut and is softened to receive and lock in place the
inserted disc a.
Figs: 6 show detached the disc « in front and sectional views.
This modification admits of the introduction of three colours the shank piece b
forming a frame or setting for the illuminated face a. The mode of combining the
parts together is the reverse of that above described, the hard disc being inserted
in the softened expanded shank and the latter shrunk round the disc or face piece.
Figs: 7 show in front and sectional views the button illustrated at Figs: 1 the
inserted, disc c being bere omitted. In substitution for this lustrous disc I tint the
shank with a bright or a dark colour and give the inner face lustre by polishing.
This will produce a pleasing effect especially if the face of the button has a pale
tint, and the shank receives a lustrous jet finish.
Buttons manufactured as described with reference to the drawing will admit of
the production of harmonious or contrasting effects and will not be liable to injury
from ordinary usage, the ornamental reflecting surface being effectually protected
by enclosure within the shell of the button.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
Manufacturing hollow vegetable ivory buttons as above described in which a
coloured or lustrous surface contained within the shell of the button is presented
to view through the pierced face of the button.