IMPROVEMENTS IN DECORATING BUTTONS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Henry Johnson, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
DECORATING BUTTONS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES." A communication from
abroad by Charles G. Dobbs, of New York, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Henry Johnson at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 9th February 1881.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DECORATING BUTTONS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES."
A communication from abroad by Charles G. Dobbs, of New York, United States
of America.
This Invention has for its primary object obtaining in an economical yet effective
manner, the effect of steel points, or diamonds, or stones of other color, set in the
face of a button. It is in this connection that I will describe the Invention, although
it will be manifest that the same method of decoration may be applied, not only to
buttons, but to other objects. The Invention may be briefly stated to consist in
drilling or otherwise forming in the face of the article, say, for example, a button,
holes, preferably cylindrical, and then introducing into these holes, powdered or
finely divided tinsel or other glittering material, the particles being caused to
adhere to the bottom and also the sides, to some extent, of the hole by some
adhesive substance. The powdered tinsel, which is thus sunk in the hole, produces
the effect of a steel point, or diamond, or other stone, depending upon the color of
tinsel employed, and being below the face of the button is thoroughly protected.
In case of a rubber or other composition button, the holes may be formed in the
button at any time during the process of its manufacture, by moulding or otherwise,
and the tinsel may be either introduced into the holes during the making of the
button, or after the same has been completed, provided there be retained the
feature essential to the production of the effect which is the object of the Invention,
viz, holes in the face of the button or other article, and finely divided or
powdered tinsel or other glittering material, sunk in these holes below the face of
the article.
The Invention is equally applicable to metal buttons.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said John Henry Johnson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th August 1881.
JOHN HENRY JOHNSON, of 47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Gentleman. "IMPROVEMENTS IN DECORATING BUTTONS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES."
A communication from abroad by Charles G. Dobbs, of New York, in the United
States of America.
The said Invention has for its primary object obtaining in an economical yet
effective manner the effect of steel points, or diamonds, or stones of other color, set
in the face of a button. It is in this connection that I will describe the Invention,
although it will be obvious that the same method of decoration may be applied, not
only to buttons, but to other objects.
The Invention may be briefly stated to consist in drilling or otherwise forming
in the face of the article, say, for example, a button, holes, preferably cylindrical,
and then introducing into these holes powdered or finely divided tinsel or other
glittering material, the particles being caused to adhere to the bottom and also the
sides, to some extent, of the hole by some adhesive substance. The powdered
tinsel which is thus sunk in the hole produces the effect of a steel point, or diamond,
or other stone, depending upon the color of tinsel employed, and being below the
face of the button is thoroughly protected.
And in order that the said Invention may be fully understood, I shall now
proceed more particularly to describe the same, and for that purpose shall refer to
the several Figures on the annexed Sheet of Drawings, the same letters of reference
indicating corresponding parts in both the Figures.
Figure 1, of the accompanying Drawings, represents a perspective view of a pearl
or shell button made in accordance with the said Invention, and Figure 2 is a
transverse section of the same.
I drill small holes a in the button, and I then sink in the holes powdered or
finely divided tinsel or other glittering material b, which is held in its sunken
position in the hole by means of a suitable adhesive substance previously applied
to the button.
In case of a rubber or other composition button, the holes may be formed in the
button at any time during the process of its manufacture, by moulding or otherwise,
and the tinsel may be either introduced into the holes during the making of the
button, or after the same has been completed, provided there be retained the feature
essential to the production of the effect which is the object of the Invention, viz.,
holes in the face of the button or other article, and finely-divided or powdered
tinsel or other glittering material sunk in these holes below the face of the article.
The Invention is equally applicable to metal buttons.
Having now described and particularly ascertained the nature of the said
Invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be used or carried into
effect, I would observe in conclusion that I am aware that it has before been
proposed to make a button with indentations in its face, which may be colored or
stained if desired, and therefore to this I lay no claim, but what I consider to
be novel and original, and therefore claim as the Invention secured to me by the
hereinbefore in part recited Letters Patent is,―
First. The improvement in the art of decorating buttons and similar articles,
which consists in forming holes (of suitable shape in cross section) in the button or
other article, and sinking therein powdered or finely divided tinsel or glittering
material, substantially as hereinbefore described.

page_text: Second. As a new article of manufacture, a button or other article with powdered
or finely divided tinsel or glittering material contained in boles sunk in the face of
the article so as to be below the surface of the same, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Henry Johnson, have to this my
Specification set my hand and seal, this Sixth day of August, One thousand
eight hundred and eighty one.
J. HENRY JOHNSON. (L.S.)