IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF COVERED BUTTONS
Year: 1840

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME,. I, JOSEPH
PARKES, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Button Manufacturer,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date at
Westminster, the Thirtieth day of December, in the fourth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the
said Joseph Parkes, Her especial license, full power, sole privilege and
authority, that I, the said Joseph Parkes, my exors, admors, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Joseph Parkes, my exors, admors, or assigns, should
at any time agree with and no others, from time to time and at all times
during the term of years therein expressed, should and lawfully might
make, use, exercise, and vend, within England, Wales, and the Town of
Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE
OF COVERED BUTTONS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso
that I, the said Joseph Parkes, shall cause a particular description of the
nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said in part
recited Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto
had, will more fully and at large appear.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Joseph Parkes, do hereby declare that the nature of my Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described and
ascertained in and by the following statement thereof, reference being had to
the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked thereon
(that is to say)-
My Invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of covered
buttons made by dies and pressure, by the application of horn as a covering
material. And in order that my Invention may be most fully understood and
readily carried into effect, I will proceed to describe the Drawing hereunto
annexed, first remarking that the process resorted to by me for performing
my Invention is very similar to that pursued in manufacturing Florentine
buttons, with such modifications as are rendered necessary for adapting such
process to the peculiar nature of horn, which, according to my Invention, is the
covering material employed for the front or face of each button.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING.
Figure 1 shews the section of a lower die, and also the upper die or punch,
partly in section, which I employ for shaping the core of button board, and
applying a metal surface on one side thereof. Figure 2 is a section of
another lower die in section, and also a punch or upper die, partly in section,
by means of which the button board is further shaped, and a metal plate
or surface is applied on the other side of the button board, and the button
board with the plates on either side are properly shaped to the form desired,
as will be hereafter described. a, Figure 8, shews a plan of a disc of iron plate
with four projecting points, which I form by suitable dies in a fly-press, as is
well understood, and then I turn the points down and sink the disc a into the
shape shewn in Figure 4, and I apply two such sunk dises to the internal
core of the button board of each button. b, Figure 5, shews a plan and edge
view of a circular disc of button board suitable for forming the internal core of
a button, the dies, Figures 1 and 2, being placed in suitable presses, as is
well understood in using similar dies in manufacturing Florentine or other
covered buttons. One of the sunk discs a is placed in the under die A, with the
points upwards, having a dise of button board placed on the points, as is shewn
at Figure 6. The die or punch B is then caused to descend and press the
button board b into the shape shewn at Figure 7. The button board b, so
formed by the dies A, B, is to have a disc a applied on the other side, as shewn
at Figure 8; the disc a to be next fixed to the button board, is next put into
the die C, Figure 2, the disc a, which has already been fixed, being upwards.

page_text: The die D is now to be pressed down, which will produce the button board with.
the discs a, a, on either side into the shape shewn at Figure 9; and it will be
seen that one of the discs will, by the shape of the die D, be sunk concave,
whilst the other disc a, on the other side, will be formed convex, or according to.
the figure of the face of the intended button. The core of button board,
Figure 9, is now ready for being inserted into the fabric, which is to become
the flexible shank of the button, and which flexible shank is formed by
sinking a portion of fabric in suitable dies, as is well understood when making
similar shanks for Florentine or other covered buttons; and the shank being so
sunk, the button board or core, Figure 9, is to be placed thereon, with the:
concave surface towards the protruding shank, and the edges of the fabric are
then to be pressed over the core as is well understood, which will produce the
partly formed button, Figure 10, which is an edge view, and consists of the.
shank containing the core, which is next inserted into the metal shell c,
Figure 11, and these parts being placed in the die E, Figure 11*, and the
die F being caused to press the parts together, the partly manufactured
button, Figure 12 (which shows a plan and edge view), will be produced, con-
sisting of the shank containing the core covered on the front surface with the
metal shell c, which by the die F has its edges bent down on the fabric of.
the flexible shank. The button thus far formed is now in a condition to be
covered with a thin plate of horn, which is performed in the following manner:
d, Figure 18, shows a disc of horn cut out by suitable dies, the circum-
ference being scolloped in order that in folding over the form or shape or
mould, Figure 12, the horn may not be puckered. e, Figure 14, shews a
collet such as I use for affixing the covering of horn to the button, the collet
being similar to that used in what is called Sander's Plan of making Florentine
and other covered buttons. I would remark, that I employ the horn in the
state of what is called "lantern leaf," which is well know, but I prefer
the leaves or sheets of horn to be thinner than when employed for lantern's,
and I dye such sheets or leaves of horn (by the well-known process of dyeing
horn) before covering buttons therewith.
Having now described the preparatory processes which I consider best
for forming the shape or mould of the button to be covered with horn, I will.
now proceed to explain how the covering process is to be performed:
Figure 15 represents the section of a lower covering die, and also a proper
punch (partly in section) for pressing the parts into the lower die, these dies
being in a suitable press, as is well understood. The lower die is to be kept
heated to such an extent that the workman can just bear his hand to rest.
for a very short time on the upper surface of the die; and I prefer to accomplish

page_text: such heating of the die by means of a flame of gas below the die; and it'
will be seen that there are holes f, f, through the die, through which the heat
of the flame may pass, and g is an opening to allow of atmospheric air.
flowing under the lower die. The disc of horn d is placed in the lower
die G. The shape or mould, Figure 12, is then placed on the horn, and the
punch or die H is caused to descend and to press the parts into the die G;.
the punch or die H is then raised out of the die G, in order to allow of the
introduction of the parts shown at Figure 16 and Figure 16*, which consist of
the tube I and the punch or die J. The lower edge of the tube I is made
bell-mouthed, so as to cause the scolloped edges to be pressed on to the back
of the button, and the die or punch J is to cause the collet to be forced.
through the horn into the button, and in using these parts the collet is placed
into the tube I, and the tube I with its punch inserted into the die G, as is
shewn at Figure 17, which Figure represents the die G and the punch or:
die H in the condition just above described, after having forced the parts into
the die G, and this Figure also shows the tube I with a collet d, and the punch.
or die J placed in the tube I, and all things are in a condition to receive the
punch H; but in order to prevent the pressure coming on the punch or die J
before the horn has been folded down by the tube I, the hollow block K is
placed over the die or punch J, consequently, when the die or punch H is
caused to descend, it will force down the tube I and cause it to gather the
edges of the horn and press them on to the back of the shape or mould of the
button, when the die or punch H will be again raised, and the block K.
removed, which will leave all things in the state shewn by Figure 18; and then
again bringing down of the die H, will cause the die or punch J to descend
and force the collet into the button, the punch or die J being retained in the
tube I by means of the pin z passing through a slit formed in the punch or
die J, as is shewn in the Drawing, which allows of the punch or die J
rising and falling in the tube I, but prevents it coming out of that tube. The
button thus far formed is now in a condition to be completed in the finishing
dies, Figure 19, the lower dies being kept heated in a similar manner to the
die G, and there are holes f, f, for the passage of the heated air from below,
and also a passage g for the entrance of atmospheric air below the die. The
dies being fixed in a suitable press, the button to be finished is inserted into.
the die L with the shank upwards, and the punch or die M is caused to
descend and press the button into shape. I would remark, that the surface of
the die L may be plain or ornamented, by engraving or otherwise, according.
to the effect desired to be produced on the front or horn covering of the
button; but such engraving or otherwise ornamenting the dies for buttons

page_text: forming no part of my Invention, and being well understood, it will not be
necessary to describe the same in this Specification. It will, however, be proper.
to remark, that when the front of the button is to be plain, the disc of horn;
is to be polished before being used for covering, but when to be used to cover a.
button, and finished by an engraved or ornamental die, the polishing is not
necessary, and when using engraved or ornamental dies for producing an.
ornamented surface to the horn, the button will be required to remain longer.
in, the die to obtain a good impression, as is the case in making horn.
buttons.
=
"
In the above description I have confined myself to the making of convex
buttons; but it will be evident that the front of covered buttons, according to:
my Invention, may be made flat by forming the dies which shape the front.
surface of the button of a flat in place of a concave figure.
If it be desired to have metal shanks to buttons covered with horn, the same
may be done by having shanks and collets similar to those formerly employed in
making Florentine buttons under Sander's Patent, but I prefer to use flexible
shanks; and it will be found, that owing to the use of the discs a in forming
the shape or mould of the button, the button board employed will not be caused
to protrude into the flexible shank by the pressure to which the parts are
subjected in the process of making a button.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention, I would remark that I.
do not claim the means of making the mould or shape, shewn at Figure 12,
nor the dies employed, when separately considered, very similar dies and means
having been before used in the manufacture of other covered buttons; nor do
I confine myself thereto, so long as the peculiar character and essence of my
Invention be retained, that of manufacturing covered buttons made by dies and
pressure, by the application of horn as the covering material. And I am aware
that what are called horn buttons have been made by forming the button wholly
of horn, and, when in a heated state, of pressing a metal shank into the back
thereof; and some attempts have been made for making horn buttons with
flexible shanks by using what are called "button blanks" of horn, and by
forming a groove at the back, by turning or otherwise, in the substance of the
horn; and it was proposed to insert a cup of metal, having a flexible shank
protruding through it, and a portion of pasteboard and a piece of metal placed
in such cup, and the edges of such cup being inserted into the groove so formed
in the substance of horn, the edges of the horn were pressed, in order to shape
the horn button and to fill up the groove before mentioned, and to enclose the
edges of the cup of metal with a view to hold the parts together; and such
mode of forming horn buttons was included in the Specification of a Patent

page_text: granted to Thomas Wells Ingram, Horn Button Manufacturer, of Birmingham,
in One thousand eight hundred and thirty-seven, in such case the holding of
the shank depending on the strength of the horn holding the cup of metal at the
circumference. Such process of making horn buttons has not been successful."
I mention these matters in order to say that I do not claim the making of
buttons where horn is used, whether with metal or flexible shanks, where the
body or substance of the button is of horn, or of the materials used as a
substitute for horn, my Invention relating, as above described, to the applying
thin sheet horn as a covering material of buttons.
It only remains to be remarked, that the button, being made according to
my Invention, is to be finished by placing it in a lathe to be "edged," as is
practised in finishing horn buttons. And I would have it understood, that
what I claim is, the mode herein described of manufacturing covered buttons
by the application of horn as a covering material, as above described.
In witness whereof, I, the said Joseph Parkes, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord'