Improvements in the Formation of Button Holes and the like.
Year: 1888

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Formation of Button Holes and the like.
I, MARK JOHN LANSDELL, of Hastings, in the County of Sussex, Architect, 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:
This Invention relates to improvements in or applicable to the formation of the
holes or openings for buttons and other like means of fastening or connecting
garments or parts thereof together, and is especially applicable to the formation of the
stud, link, or button holes of shirts, shirt-fronts, collars, cuffs, wristbands and other
articles of attire which in the usual process of being "dressed". and rendered fit for
re-use after being soiled, are treated with starch or like means of stiffening them, and
in which, process the parts of the fabric or material immediately surrounding and
forming the said holes are rendered as stiff as the parts of the garment or articles
which are required to be stiff, which necessitates the exercise of considerable force
and at times of much patience and ingenuity in passing the studs, links, or buttons
through the said holes, the frequent repetition of which speedily.results in the injury,
tearing, and rendering of the said surrounding parts unsightly and insecure as means
of retaining the said means of decoration or fastening.
The object of this invention is to remedy such defects by rendering the parts of the
garment or article immediately surrounding and forming the said holes of a relatively
flexible formation and less capable of being stiffened by the starch so as to permit of
the ready placing and withdrawal of the studs or said like means, and this result I
obtain, in accordance with the present Invention, by applying a piece or pieces of india-
rubber or of a fabric rendered elastic thereby or of any suitable elastic compound or
preparation thereof in sheet or any suitable form, to the said parts of the garment or
article immediately surrounding and forming the said holes in such a manner sub-
stantially as herein described as to co-act therewith in forming such holes.
On the accompanying drawings ;-
Fig. 1. represents a face view of a linen cuff illustrating different modifications of
the Invention.
Figs. 2. represent the different forms of elastic pieces represented in Fig. 1. as
applied to the cuff.

page_text: 3. Represents the cuff, collar, wristband or other article to which the Invention is
applied, and which may be made in any ordinary or desired manner. 4. represents
the elastic pieces which I apply to the parts of the garment or article immediately
surrounding and forming the button holes, for the purpose aforesaid, by causing the
same to take the place of a corresponding portion of the usual inner stiffening fabric
which for such purpose is cut away, and by securing the same between the usual
facings of the article, 3, by sewing as indicated by the dotted lines, 6, or by cementing
or otherwise in any suitable manner, the edges, 7, of the facing fabric being
previously turned inwards, thus leaving the rubber projecting therefrom into the
hole.
Or the said elastic pieces may be faced on one or both sides with, or enclosed within
fine fabric, or they inay consist of a woven fabric rendered elastic by contained
strands of india-rubber, and as thus formed may be applied in the manner aforesaid
to the said parts of the garment or article for the purpose aforesaid.
The elastic pieces, 6, may be made in one or more pieces of any suitable formation,
with a hole or slit of any suitable formation cut therein or formed thereby, vide
Figs. 2, and they may be so applied as to encircle the button hole of the garment as
in the modification illustrated in the upper part of Fig. 1; or so as only to partly
encircle it as in the modification illustrated in the centre part of Fig. 1. or on the
opposite sides thereof as in the modification illustrated in the bottom part of Fig. 1.
It is preferred that the stiffening fabric should be left and not cut away at the end or
part of the button hole where the pull or strain will come when the article is fastened
and in use, as indicated by the dotted lines, 5, in such top and bottom modifications,
so as to leave a, sufficiency of strength and stiffness at such part to prevent crumpling
If the rubber pieces are enclosed within or faced with fabric, the color thereof is
immaterial, but if they are exposed it is preferred that they should be used of the color
of the article to which they are applied.
I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the shapes or forms of
the rubber pieces shown on the accompanying drawings as the same may be made of
any desired form.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
In a.
garment or article of attire, in combination with the fabric or material of
which the article is made at the parts thereof immediately surrounding and forming
the button, stud, link, or analogous holes or openings therein, a piece or pieces of
india-rubber or analogous elastic material co-acting with such fabric or material in
forming such holes, as herein set forth.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.