IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTON FASTENERS
Year: 1885

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
"
I FRANKLIN AUGUSTUS SMITH the Younger of Providence Rhode Island
United States of America at present residing at the Royal Hotel Blackfriars
in the City of London Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTON FASTENERS (A communication to me
from abroad by Edward D. Steele, of Waterbury, Connecticut, United States
of America, Manufacturer) and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My Invention has for its object to provide an improved and novel construction of
that class of metallic button fasteners which are composed of a base or table having
downwardly projecting prongs one of which is bent into a loop to receive the eye
shank of a button, and all the said prongs being adapted to be passed down
through a fabric and be clinched upon the under surface thereof to secure the
button thereto; and my invention consists essentially in forming the metallic
fastener from a blank composed of a head bar having a single prong at one side and
two or more prongs at the opposite, the cut edge of the head bar between the
prongs serving as a base to engage the upper surface of the material to which the
fastener is to be attached, the single prong being bent over and downward parallel
to the opposite prongs thus forming a loop for the reception of the shank eye of a
button, all as will be herein-after more fully described, and particularly pointed out
in the claims.
Referring to the Drawing,
Figure 1 represents the sheet metal blank from which my improved fastener is
formed.
Figure 2 is a perspective view of my improved fastener.
Figure 3 represents the same with a button as attached to fabric.
Figure 4 is a plan view of the blank of a four pronged fastener.
Figure 5 is a top plan view of same as bent to form.
Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in the several figures.
In carrying out my invention the improved button fastener consists of the
narrow head-bar d provided with a single prong a on one side and the prongs b. b.

page_text: on the opposite, the cut edge a¹ of the head bar & between the prongs b, forming a
narrow base to rest upon the surface of the fabric to which the fastener is attached.
The single prong a is bent near its junction with the head bar into a loop b¹, the
end of the prong projecting downward parallel to the opposite prongs and the side
surface of the head bar, the prongs and head bar being in the same plane and
unbent as shown in Figure 2, the blank being shown in Figure 1 of the Drawing.
The prongs may be sharpened to more readily penetrate fabric in attachment.
When the fastener is secured to fabric, as shown in Figure 3, the eye shank of a
button rests in the loop b¹, the prongs of the fastener being pressed through the
fabric and securely clinched on the under surface, the cut edge bearing a¹ of the
head bar engaging the fabric and rests on the upper surface thereof, a small narrow
strip of metal beside the loop being presented to view.
.
This form of fastener may be varied as illustrated in Figures 4 and 5 without
departing from the spirit of my Invention, as it is evident that the number of
prongs on the head bar opposite the single prong is not essential. In Figure 4
the head-bar is provided with three prongs on the lower side making two edge
bearings a¹. a. between said prongs, the said blank being formed into a fastener by
bending the single prong into a loop b¹ as previously described, a bend being
imparted laterally to the head bar as shown in Figure 5 in both fasteners it will be
observed the edgewise bearing is formed and the prongs are all located in the same
parallel plane and unbent save the loop portion of the single prong, the tension
strain on the fastener is equally distributed on all the prongs, while only a small
amount of metal is in view on the upper surface of the fabric, and that in such a
form as to be practically unobjectionable the device is easily and cheaply made,
rapidly applied, and furnishes a strong durable article admirably adapted for the
purpose contemplated.
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
1st A button fastener consisting of a head bar having a single prong on one side
and two or more prongs on the opposite in a parallel plane, the single prong being
bent parallel to the head bar near its junction to form a loop, the lower edge of
said head bar forming a bearing to rest upon the material to which the fastener is
attached, substantially as set forth.
2nd A metallic button fastener composed of a head bar bent laterally, and
provided with prongs on the lower edge, the space between said prongs, adapted to
engage the upper surface of fabric when secured thereto, the said head-bar further
provided with a single prong which is bent to form a loop for the reception of the
sbank eye of a button, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
3rd The fasteners described in the above specification, substantially as shown in
the drawing hereunto annexed.