IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC FASTENINGS FOR BUTTONS
Year: 1884

page_text: I GEORGE DAVIS of Kentish New Town Acocks Green near Birmingham in the
County of Warwick Manufacturer's Manager, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC FASTENINGS FOR BUTTONS"
to be as follows:-
«
My Invention relates to Metallic fastenings for attaching Buttons to Leather
goods or to garments or other articles made of woven fabrics or other materials,
and has for its object the construction of such fastenings in a manner to afford
greater facility and security in use and economy in their manufacture.
A Button shank made in accordance with my invention may be said to consist
of three portions viz: the part for insertion in the button, secondly, the stem of
the shank, and thirdly the knob or other shaped enlargement for securing the stop
plate or washer used for securing the button to the material to which it is attached.
It is to the two latter portions and to the washer to be used in connection there-
with for the purpose mentioned that my invention applies, and the nature of the
same I now proceed to discribe.
In one form of my Invention the shank may be made of wire of brass steel or
other metal bent and doubled into the shape required and the wire may be of any
section but I prefer half round so that when a piece of the same is bent close the
doubled part is cylindrical or nearly so. I take a piece of wire of a length suitable
to the shank required and bend it at about the middle of its length, first forming a
small knob-shaped eye or loop of convenient size for holding the washer. From
the said eye or loop the two sides assume a parallel direction a little apart to form
the stem proper, and are opened and spread at the top to attach to the button by
any of the usual methods such as by cementing or rivetting. At a suitable point
of the stem however, the two wires are sharply indented inwards, or notched so as
almost to touch each other, the indentations forming a sort of neck for leading the
washer into position in fixing. When the stem is secured to the button, the wires
forming the sides not quite touching at the neck, are capable of springing in a
little to actually touch if required while the washer is affixed.
The washer made in accordance with my invention, and for use in combination
with the said stem consists of a small round or other shaped plate of brass or metal
slightly hollowed or concave, and about the middle of the same I make a hole of
the same shape as the section through the stem, i.e. a little longer one way than the

page_text: other, and also in a narrow opening or slot on one side of the said hole and at
right angles to its longest diameter and opening into same, forming together a sort
of tee shaped punching. The long side slot is sufficient to pass the eye or loop
part of the stem above mentioned.
To secure a button with fastenings made as above in accordance with my
invention, the shank is passed as usual through an opening in the leather cloth
or other fabric to which it is to be attached. The washer is then passed over the
eye or loop as far as the neck in the stem and twisted or turned round a quarter
of a revolution until the central part of the hole comes opposite the notches and
slips over the neck by slightly springing in the sides of the stem. Then by turning
again, the central hole embraces the stem and the washer is laid against the eye
or loop and is thus secured in a manner more conveniently and more safely than
hitherto.
Instead of forming the hole in the washer as above described the side slot or
opening for passing the eye or loop may be of a triangular shape, one angle opening
into the central part as before mentioned and the opposite base being made wide
enough to pass the said eye or loop. When passing the stem into the central hole
in this way a little side pressure will cause the inclined sides to gradually com-
press the stem and enable the washer to pass into position without the slightest
difficulty.
Without departing from the nature of this Invention the mode of forming the
shank may be revereed and the eye or loop be made to form the enlargement for
securing the button, and the ends of the wire forming the shank made into a knob
or stop for the washer, either split, or seemed so as to be solid, the stem being still
open to allow of the springing action before described.
As this fastening would afford sufficient security in many cases without the
springing action of the stem, the shank may be, if preferred, made out of one piece
of metal, and instead of the eye or loop the end of the wire or piece of brass or
other metal from which the stem is made is pressed or spread out into a knob
or sub-tance of similar shape, and the sides notched at the proper point. The
top of shank is spread out into any desired shape for securing to the button. The
stem may otherwise be formed of metal cast in moulds into the necessary shape for
the purposes above described.
The wire shanks as above described and the washers for the same, can be easily
and economically manufactured by tools or machinery the nature of which will be
readily understood by those acquainted with the manufacture of metallic articles
for similar purposes.

page_text: I, GEORGE DAVIS, of Kentish New Town, Acocks Green, near Birmingham in
the County of Warwick, Manufacturer's Manager, do hereby declare the nature of
my invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN METALLIC FASTENINGS FOR BUTTONS
" and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement and accompanying sheet of
drawings:-
-
My invention relates to metallic fastenings for attaching buttons to leather goods
or to garments or other articles made of woven fabrics or other materials, and has
for its object the construction of such fastenings in a manner to afford greater
facility and security in use and economy in their manufacture.
On the accompanying sheet of drawings the same letters of reference indicate
similar parts in the several Figures.
Figure 1 is a sectional view of a button with a looped shank and a washer
forming a button fastener according to my invention; Figure 2 is a plan of the
washer for the same the button shank being in cross-section; Figure 3 is a plan of
the said washer, the shank being removed.
Figure 4 is a sectional view of a button with another form of shank and a
washer forming a button fastener according to my invention; Figure 5 is a plan of
the washer for the same the button shank being in cross-section and Figure 6 is a
plan of the washer for the same the shank being removed.
Figure 7 is a view of a button with a solid shank and a washer forming a button
fastener according to my invention; Figure 7* is a side view of the said shank
the washer being removed; Figure 8 is a plan of the washer for the same the
button shank being in cross-section and Figure 9 is a plan of the washer for the
same the shank being removed.
A button shank made in accordance with my invention may be said to consist
of three portions, viz; the part B¹ for insertion in the button A, secondly, the stem
B2 of the shank, and thirdly the knob or other shaped enlargement B³ for securing
the stop plate or washer C used for securing the button to the material to which
it is attached. It is to the two latter portions B³, B and to the washer C to be used
in connection therewith for the purpose mentioned that my invention applies.
I will first describe my invention with reference more particularly to Figures 1
to 3, both inclusive.
In the form of my invention represented by Figures 1 to 3, both inclusive, the
shank may be made of wire of brass, steel or other metal bent and doubled into
the shape required and the wire may be of any section but I prefer half round, see
Figure 2, so that when a piece of the same is bent close the doubled part is
cylinderical or nearly so. I take a piece of wire of a length suitable to the shank
required and bend it at about the middle of its length, first forming a small knob-
shaped eye or loop B³ of convenient size for holding the washer C. From the said
eye or loop B³ the two sides B2 assume a parallel direction a little apart to form
the stem proper, and are opened and spread at the top B' to attach to the button
A by any of the usual methods, such as for the button shewn, by cementing or,
for a metal button, by rivetting. At a suitable point of the stein B2 however, the

page_text: two wires are sharply indented inwards, or notched so as almost to touch each
other, the indentations forming a sort of neck B for leading the washer C into
position in fixing. When the stem is secured to the button, the wires forming the
sides not quite touching at the neck as shewn, are capable of springing in a little
to actually touch if required while the washer C is affixed.
The washer C made in accordance with my invention, and for use in combination
with the said stem consists of a small round or other shaped plate C of brass or
metal slightly hollowed or concave, as shewn, and about the middle of the same I
make a hole c¹ of the same shape as the section through the stem B², i.e. a little
longer one way than the other, or if desired the hole c¹ may be circular or of any
convenient shape smaller than the eye or loop B³. In one side of the hole c¹ and
preferably in the longest side, I form a narrow opening or slot opening into a
larger hole c³ forming together a sort of tee shaped punching. The long side slot or
hole c is sufficient to pass the eye or loop part B³ of the stem B2 above mentioned.
To secure a button with fastenings made as above in accordance with my
invention, the shank is passed as usual through an opening in the leather cloth or
other fabric to which it is to be attached. The washer C is then passed over the
eye or loop B³ as far as the neck B in the stem and may be twisted or turned
round a quarter of a revolution or pushed sideways until the small central part c
of the hole c' comes opposite the notches and slips over the neck B* by slightly
springing in the sides of the stem. Then by turning again the central hole
embraces the stem B and the washer C is laid against the eye or loop B³ and is
thus secured in a manner more conveniently and more safely than hitherto.
Instead of forming the hole in the washer as above described the side slot or
opening for passing the eye or loop may be of a triangular shape, one angle opening
into the central part as before mentioned and the opposite base being made wide.
enough to pass the said eye or loop, or the hole c³ may be of any other convenient
shape. When passing the stem into the central hole in this way a little side
pressure will cause the inclined sides to gradually compress the stem and enable
the washer to pass into position without the slightest difficulty.
Without departing from the nature of this invention the mode of forming the
shank may be reversed, as shewn in Figures 4, 5 & 6, and the eye or loop be made
to form the enlargement B' for securing the button A, and the ends B3 of the wire
forming the shank made into a knob or stop B³ for the washer C either split or
secured so as to be solid, the stem B2 being still open to allow of the springing
action before described.
As this fastening would afford sufficient security in many cases without the
springing action of the stem, the shank may be, if preferred, made out of one piece
of metal, as shewn in Figures 7 to 9 both inclusive, and instead of the eye or loop
the end of the wire or piece of brass or other metal from which the stem is made is
pressed or spread out into a knob BS or substance of similar shape, and the sides
notched at the proper point B. The top of shank B is spread out into any desired
shape for securing to the button A. The stem may otherwise be formed of metal
cast in moulds into the necessary shape for the purposes above described.
The wire shanks as above described and the washers for the same can be easily
and economically manufactured by tools or machinery the nature of which will be
readily understood by those acquainted with the manufacture of metallic articles
for similar purposes.
I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise details herein
described and illustrated as modifications may be inade without departing from the
nature of my Invention.
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
1. The Improvements in metallic fasteners for buttons as hereinbefore described,
that is to say, a recessed and headed or enlarged button shank in combination with
a washer having a central or approximately central hole of about the same size as

page_text: the shank in cross-section, such hole having a side opening of the same width as
the shank at its recessed part, and communicating thereby with a hole large enough
to admit the head or enlarged part of the shank all arranged to operate as herein-
before described.
2. The Improvements in metallic fasteners for buttons as hereinbefore described
with reference to Figures 1 to 3, both inclusive, that is to say, the looped shaped
shank B having an enlarged end B³ and recessed parts B and the washer C having
the combined openings cc² call the parts being constructed and arranged to
operate as herein before described and illustrated.
3. The Improvents in metallic fasteners for buttons as hereinbefore described
with reference to Figures 4, 5 & 6, that is to say, the split or divided shank B³
having enlarged or turned up ends B³ and recessed parts B and the washer C
having the combined openings c¹ c² call the parts being constructed and arranged
to operate as hereinbefore described and illustrated.
4. The Improvements in metallic fasteners for buttons as herein before described
with reference to Figures 7 to 9, both inclusive, that is to say, the solid shank B°
having an enlarged end B³ and recessed parts B and the washer C having the
combined openings cl cc all the parts being constructed and arranged to operate
as herein before described and illustrated.
CHARLES BOSWORTH KETLEY,
128, Colmore Row, Birmingham,
Agent for the Applicant.