IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS
Year: 1864

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Charles Huskinson, of . Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS."
Sealed the 22nd July 1864, and dated the 26th January 1864.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Charles Huskinson
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
26th January 1864.
I, HENRY CHARLES HUSKINSON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
do hereby declare the nature of the Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS," to be as follows:-
My Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
covered, uncovered, and partially covered buttons by means of dies and
pressure, and the first part of my Invention relates to the manufacture of
covered or partially covered buttons formed with eyelet holes. Heretofore
the edges of eyelets employed in the manufacture of linen and other covered
or partially covered buttons have been simply turned over or outwards, so as to
secure them to the material to which they are attached, and the upper edge
or surface of such eyelets projects slightly above the surface of the linen,
cloth, or other material when made up into buttons, and in order to obviate
this objection I cause the outer edges of the eyelets (either before or after
being attached or secured to the fabric or material forming part of the button)

page_text: to be flattened by dies and pressure, or by other suitable means, by which a
superior finish is given to eyeletted buttons so manufactured, and by thus
flattening the eyelets the iron when ironing articles to which they are attached
will pass smoothly over them without obstruction thereto, and this part of my
Invention is applicable to eyelets of round, oval, square, diamond, or other
shapes employed in the manufacture of buttons.
The second part of my Invention consists in forming the eyeletted openings
(of buttons having eyelets of any form employed in combination therewith)
with bevilled or conical surfaces in place of ordinary eyelets of bell-mouthed
or of curved form, as heretofore. A new and improved finish is thus given to
buttons formed with eyeletted openings.
In covered or partially covered buttons formed with two round or oval eyelets
for sewing through or attaching the button to the fabric, the thread which passes
over the surface or bar between the two eyelets, when sewn on, projects above
the surface of such buttons, being unsightly and exposed to wear. Now,
according to the third part of my improvements, in order to obviate this
objection, I depress the intermediate surface (by means of suitable dies and
pressure) between the two eyelets on the face of the button, so as to form a
groove or channel for the thread to lay within when the button is sewn on; or
in place of depressing the surface or bar between the two eyelets I cut out a
portion of the surface, thus forming an opening between the two eyelets, and
introduce a suitable bar below the same. This bar may be varied in form or
consist of part of the back shell or disc of the button, and may be-fluted or
corrugated in order to give additional strength thereto, or the fabric forming
the back of the button may be employed in place of the bar for attaching or
sewing the button on to a garment, or double eyelets having a space or
opening between them may be formed separately, and employed in buttons
of this description to obtain a similar result to that previously described.
The fourth part of my Invention relates to the manufacture of metal
buttons formed with two metal shells, the front shell having by preference an
oval opening therein, but openings of other form may be employed, and the
back shell having a round opening, but the shapes of the openings in the two
shells may be considerably varied in form, and if desired the openings in each
shell may be alike, so as to produce buttons having a similar appearance or
nearly so on each side. Between these two shells we introduce a disc bar, or
stamped ring hole formed with eyeletted or raised ring holes, or holes formed
with projecting rounded edges to produce a ring-holed bar to the button so
formed. The metal plate or disc introduced between the two shells to form
the bar or needle holes I prefer to form by raising the rings by stamping or

page_text: pressing in suitable dies, the metal within such rings being afterwards cut or
pierced out, as is well understood, or the metal plate may be formed of one or
two pieces of metal; when a thin disc or plate of metal is used to form the
bar or needle holes I stamp or form the eyelets, and turn them down in the
usual way, or they may be formed by passing the projecting eyelet through
another piece of metal or disc, and the ends of the eyelets turned over in the
usual way, the ring holes may be formed out of the back of the button singly,
or a single disc may be put in between two shells with the ring holes formed
as above stated, as well as the ring holes being formed of two discs, and placed
between two shells. The front shell may be formed according to this part of
my improvements, with two ring-holed openings, having the central part
removed, a bar or plate, by preference (similar to that last described) being
introduced between the front and back shell, which latter is formed with a
round ring holed opening therein on the external surface.
The fifth part of my improvements consists in forming metal buttons with
ring-holed needle holes in combination with a front shell having a round, oval,
or other shaped opening or openings therein. The back shell of metal buttons
made according to this part of my Invention has two or more rings (according
to the number of needle holes required) stamped or pressed up on its outer
surface, the holes within such rings being afterwards pierced out in suitable
tools, 'as is well understood. A disc or plate of metal forming the inner part
of the back shell has corresponding rings stamped or pressed up, the holes
being pierced out to correspond with the back shell previously described.
The inner disc and back shell are pressed up so as to fit accurately with their
flat inner surfaces together, the ringed projections being outwards. Having
thus prepared the back shell and inner disc they are placed in suitable tools
with a front shell, the edge of which is turned over the back shell, as is well
understood, so as to combine and secure the parts together. The front shell in
this arrangement of parts may have a round or other shaped opening therein.
In place of forming the back shell and inner disc or plate as previously
described a similar result may be obtained by eyeletting these two parts
together the one into the other, that is to say, forming the needle holes with
projecting tubular surfaces on one of the parts to pass through corresponding
holes or openings in the other part, the edges of the tubular parts being
turned over, as is well understood in forming eyelet holes. The two parts thus
united are then combined with a front shell, as previously described, or the
back shell may be formed with eyeletted needle holes, and then be male.up
into a finished button in combination with a front shell, as previously described
under this part of my improvements without a disc between the two shells.

page_text: The sixth of my improvements consists in manufacturing covered or
partially covered buttons with shells and parts similar to or corresponding
with those described under the fifth part of my improvements, eyelets being
employed in combination therewith for securing the edges of the fabric used in
making up such buttons.
The seventh part of my improvements in the manufacture of buttons
consists in forming metal buttons in a very simple and inexpensive manner by
inserting a centre bit into the body of a metal disc, in order to produce
For the purpose of
suitable needle holes, consisting of a rounded bar.
carrying out this part of my Invention I stamp or otherwise form the body of
button out of sheet iron or other metal with an opening and bar across the
centre thereof. The centre part of this body or disc is cupped or depressed
suitably for receiving a centre piece, which I prefer to form of thin stamped
inetal, having needle openings formed therein by cutting and pressing down
the metal so as to leave a hollow or grooved bar (having wings) across the
opening in the disc or piece of metal. The wings or depressed parts forming
the bar of this metal disc are then caused to embrace the bar in the body of
the button, and are then closed over it, by which the centre piece or bit is
secured to the body of the button, and smooth or rounded needle openings are
formed on each side of the bar of the button so formed. In place of forming
buttons of this character with a bar across a central opening, as previously
described, I make a similar button by-forming the body with two or more
holes near the centre, an eyeletted centre bit being inserted therein, and
secured thereto by turning over the edges of the eyelet holes, as is well
understood.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Henry Charles Huskinson in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 26th July 1864.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, HENRY
CHARLES HUSKINSON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-sixth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four, in the twenty-seventh
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Henry Charles Huskinson, Her special licence that I,

page_text: the said Henry Charles Huskinson, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said Henry Charles Huskinson, 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 THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Henry Charles Huskinson, my
executors or administrators, 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 Henry Charles Huskinson, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same iş
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-'
:
My Invention has for its object improvements in the manufacture of
covered; uncovered, and partially covered buttons, by means of dies and
pressure, and the first part of my Invention relates to the manufacture of
covered or partially covered buttons formed with eyelet holes. Heretofore the
edges of eyelets employed in the manufacture of linen and other covered or
partially covered buttons have been simply turned over or outwards so as to
secure them to the material to which they are attached, and the upper edge
or surface of such eyelets projects slightly above the surface of the linen cloth
or other material when made up into buttons, and in order to obviate this
objection I cause the outer edges of the eyelets (either before or after
being attached or secured to the fabric or material forming part of the
button,) to be flattened by dies and pressure or by other suitable means
by which a superior finish is given to eyeletted buttons so manufactured,
and by thus flattening the eyelets, the iron when ironing articles to
which they are attached will pass smoothly over them without obstruction
thereto.
In carrying out this part of my Invention, I prefer to flatten the edges
of the eyelets after they have been attached to the fabric, and turned over
in the ordinary manner prior to being made up into buttons. For this
purpose the fabric, with the eyelet attached as above described, is placed
between suitable flattening tools or dies, and by means of pressure the edges

page_text: of the eyelets are compressed so as to present a flat or even surface upon the
fabric to which they are attached.
Figure 1 shows enlarged views of a covered button made with a flattened
eyelet a, according to this part, of my Invention, some of the parts being also
shown separately, and this part of my Invention is applicable to eyelets of
round, oval, square, diamond, or other shapes employed in the manufacture
of buttons.
The second part of my Invention consists in forming the eyeletted openings,
(of buttons having eyelets of any form employed in combination therewith)
with bevilled or conical surfaces in place of ordinary eyelets of bell mouthed
or of curved form as heretofore. A new and improved finish is thus given to
buttons formed with eyeletted openings.
The mode of carrying out this part of my Invention will be readily under-
stood on examining Figure 2 of the Drawing hereunto annexed, which shows
a magnified front view, and section of a button made with a bevilled or
conical eyelet in accordance with this part of my Invention. The bevilled or
conical eyelet is formed by first sinking a groove in the front shell or disc, as
shown separately in section at Figure 3. This groove is by preference of
circular form, although I do not confine myself thereto as other forms may be
employed if desired. The central piece of metal is then stamped out as
shown at Figure 4, a piece of fabric (having a central hole cut therein) to
form the cover of the intended button is then attached to the front shell by
inserting the inner edge or edges of the fabric into the groove by means of a
suitable tool or die as is well understood. The groove is then closed upon
the inner edge of the fabric by means of suitable tools or dies, (which impart
a bevilled or conical shape to the eyelet) in the manner well understood in
the manufacture of other eyeletted buttons. The front shell with the fabric
attached thereto, as previously described, is then made up into a button either
with a back shell, and an inner disc to form the needle holes as shown, or the
front shell, previously described, may be made up into a button in any other
suitable manner. In covered or partially covered buttons formed with two
round or oval eyelets for sewing through or attaching the button to the fabric,
the thread which passes over the surface or bar between the two eyelets when
sewn on projects above the surface of such buttons, being unsightly and
exposed to wear...
Now according to the third part of my improvements in order to obviate
this objection I'depress the intermediate surface (by means of suitable dies
and pressure) between the two eyelets on the face of the button, so as to form
groove or channel for the thread to lay within when the button is sewn on.

page_text: This groove or channel is formed between the two eyelets in the front shell
after the fabric is attached thereto, and prior to its being made up into a
button. In place of depressing the surface or bar between the two eyelets, ás
previously described, I obtain a similar result by cutting out a portion of the
surface, thus forming an opening between the two eyelets, and I introduce a
suitable bar below the same in making up the button. This bar may be
varied in form, or consist of part of the back shell or disc of the button, and
the disc forming. the bar may be fluted or corrugated in order to give
additional strength thereto, or the fabric forming the back of the button may
be employed in place of the bar for attaching or sewing the button on to a
garment; or double eyelets, having a space or opening between them, may be
formed separately and employed in manufacturing buttons of this description
to obtain a similar result to that previously described.
I would here remark that I make no claim to the manufacture of covered
or partially covered buttons formed with double eyelets, as buttons of this
character were described in the Specification of a Patent granted to Edwin
Green and Joel Cadbury, dated the 27th day of May, 1861, No. 1325, this
part of my Invention simply consisting in the formation of a channel or hollow
between such double eyelets for the thread to sink into when such buttons
are sewn on to a garment in place of such sewing on thread projecting above
the front surface, as heretofore. I have not thought it necessary to illustrate
this part of my Invention by Drawings as the same will be clearly under-
stood by persons acquainted with the manufacture of buttons of this character
aided by the previous description of this part of my improvements in the
manufacture of covered or partially covered buttons.
The fourth part of my Invention relates to the manufacture of metal buttons
formed with two metal shells, the front shell baving by preference an oval
opening therein, but openings of other forms may be employed, and the back
shell having a round opening; but the shapes of the openings in the two shells
may be considerably varied in form, and if desired the openings in each shell
may be alike, so as to produce buttons having a similar appearance, or nearly
-so, on each side. Between these two shells I introduce. a disc, bar, or
stamped ring-hole formed with eyeletted or raised ring holes, or holes formed
with projecting rounded edges to produce a ring-holed bar to the button so
5 formed.
Figures 5, 6, and 7 show enlarged front views of metal buttons, having
eyeletted ring-holed discs enclosed between the back and front shells to form
bars or needle holes thereto according to this part of my improvements, and
-the openings in the back shells of such buttons may if desired be, similar in

page_text: form to those in the front shells by which such buttons will have a similar
appearance front and back, or if preferred the back shells may have, round or
other shaped openings therein. The metal plate or disc introduced between
the two shells to form the bar or needle holes, I prefer to form by raising the
rings by stamping or pressing in suitable dies, the metal within such rings
being afterwards cut or pierced out as is well understood, or the metal disc or
plate may be formed of one or two pieces of metal. When a thin disc or
plate of nietal is used to form the bar.or needle holes according to this part
of my improvements, I stamp or form the eyelets, and turn them down in the
usual way, or they may be formed by passing the projecting eyelet through
another piece of metal or, disc, the ends of the eyelets being turned over in
the usual way. The mode of forming the ring-holed discs inserted between
the front and back shells to form bars or needle holes thereto, according to
this part of my Invention will be better understood on examining Figures 8,
9, 10 and 11, of the Drawing hereunto annexed. Figure 8 shows a section
of a disc of metal having the tubular parts 1, 1, sunk therein; Figure 9 shows
a section. of the same disc after the ends of the tubes 1, 1, have been pierced
out, and Figure 10 shows the section of the same disc after projecting rings 2, 2,
have been suuk around the tubular projections, such rings 2, 2, projecting
from the opposite side of the disc to the tubular projections 1, 1; Figure 11
shows the section of the same disc after the tubular projections 1, -1, have been
turned over or outwards in suitable dies, as is well understood. to form an
eycletted ring hole to that side of the disc, the sunk rings 2, 2, thus forming
round: projecting rings on the other side of such disc, by which means a single
disc will be formed with round projecting rings on each side around the
needle holes formed therein to prevent the cutting of the sewing-on thread
when made up into a button. Figure 12 shows a section of two single discs
placed together, each separate disc being formed with an eyeletted ring hole
on one side only, as shown by sections at Figures 13, 14, and 15, which show
the series of operations through which each separate, disc passes to form the
eyeletted ring holes on one side thereof; Figure 13. shows a ring-holed
eyeletted disc formed by eyeletting the two discs Figures 14* and 15* together.
The ring-holed needle holes may be formed out of the back shell of the
button singly in the manner previously described for forming the eyeletted
ring holes upon the enclosed needle hole discs, as shown at Figure 19, or a
single disc may be put in between two, shells with the ring holes formed as
above stated, as well as the ring holes being formed of two discs and placed
'between, two shells. The front shell may be formed, according to this part
.of.my.improvements, with two ring-holed openings, having the central part

page_text: removed, a bar or plate or ring-boled disc (by preference similar to one of
those last described). being introduced between the front and back shell,
which latter is formed by preference with a round ring-holed opening therein
on the external surface.
Figure 16 shows several enlarged views of a metal button made in accord-
ance with this part of my improvements. The front shell 'a being formed with
two ring-holed openings, a portion of the metal being stamped out between
such openings for the thread to. sink into when the button is sewn on; the
shell a is made up into a button with a back shell b, formed with a 'round ring
hole, as shown, the ring-holed disc c being enclosed between the two shells a
and b, to forni a bar to the button, or the bar employed in combination with
the shell a may, if desired, be of any other suitable character; or it may bo
formed out of the back shell b.
The fifth part of my improvements consists in forming metal buttons with
ring-holed needle holes, such as herein-after described, in combination with a
front shell having a round, oval, or other shaped opening or openings therein.
The back shell of metal buttons made according to this part of my Invention
has two or more rings (according to the number of needle holes required)
stamped or pressed upon its outer surface, the holes with such rings being
afterwards pierced out by suitable tools, as is well understood. A disc or
plate of metal forming the inner part of the back shell has corresponding rings
stamped or pressed up, the holes being pierced out to correspond with the
back shell previously described. The inner disc and back shell are pressed up
so as to fit accurately with their flat inner surfaces together; the ringed pro-
jections being outwards. Having thus prepared the back shell and inner disc,
they are placed in suitable tools with a front 'shell, the edge of which is turned'
over the back shell, as is well understood, so as to combine and secure the
parts together. The front shell in this arrangement of parts may have a
round or other shaped opening therein.
Figure 17 shows enlarged views of a button made according to this part of
my improvements, with separate views of some of the parts, the nature of
which, aided by the previous description will be readily understood by 'persons
acquainted with the manufacture of buttons of this description. In place of
forming the back shell and inner disc or plate as previously described, a
similar result may be obtained by eyeletting these two parts together, the one
into the other, that is to say, forming the needle, holes with projecting tubular
surfaces on one of the parts to pass through corresponding holes or openings
in the other part, the edges of the tubular parts being turned over, as is well
understood in forming eyelet holes. The two parts thus united are then

page_text: combined with a front shell, as previously described. And Figure 18 shows
enlarged views in section of a button made according to this part of my
improvements, the nature of which, aided by the previous description, will be
readily understood on examining the Drawing. The back shell of buttons of
this character may be formed with eyeletted needle holes, and then be made
up into a finished button in combination with a front shell, as previously
described under this part of my improvements without a disc between the two
shells, as shown by Figure 19 of the Drawing.
•
The sixth part of my improvements consists in manufacturing covered or
partially covered buttons with shells and parts to form bars or needle holes
similar to or corresponding with those described under the fifth part of my
improvements, eyelets being employed in combination therewith for securing
the edges of the fabric used in making up such buttons; and I prefer to place
a washer or flat metal ring upon the eyelet when it is passed through the
fabric, and before closing or turning it over, by which the edge of the fabric
will be effectually secured; and at Figure 20 an enlarged view of a button is
shewn, made according to this part of my improvements.
The seventh part of my improvements in the manufacture of buttons consists
in forming metal buttons in a very simple and inexpensive manner by inserting
a centre bit into the body of a metal disc in order to produce suitable needle
holes, consisting in one arrangement of a rounded bar. For the purpose of
carrying out this part of my Invention, I stamp or otherwise form the body of
a button out of sheet iron or other metal with an opening and bar across the
centre thereof, as shown at Figure 21. The centre part of this body or disc
is cupped or depressed suitably for receiving the centre piece a, which I prefer
to form of thin stamped metal, having needle openings 6 formed therein by
cutting and pressing down the metal so as to leave a hollow or grooved bar
(having wings) across the opening in the disc or piece of metal. The wings
or depressed parts forming the bar of this metal disc are then caused to embrace
the bar in the body of the button, and are then closed over it, by which the
centre piece or bit is secured to the body of the button, and smooth or rounded-
needle openings are formed on each side of the bar of the button so formed:
In place of forming buttons of this cliaracter with a bar across a central
opening, as previously described, I make a similar button by forming the body
with two or more holes near the centre, an eyeletted centre bit being inserted
therein, and secured thereto by turning over the edges of the eyelet holes, as
is well understood, and which mode of making metal buttons with an eyeletted
centre bit will be clearly understood on examining Figure 22, which shows
enlarged views of a button made according to this part of my Invention.

page_text: I would remark that I am aware that it is not new to form a metal button
by eyeletting a front and back shell together, and this part of my Invention
simply consists in eyeletting a centre bit (made with ring holes on each side)
to the body of a metal button, by preference of iron, in the manner herein
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Henry Charles Huskinson, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-second day of July, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.
HENRY CHAS. HUSKINSON. (L.B.)