AN IMPROVED SPRING BUTTON LINK OR FASTENER
Year: 1875

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Besançon, of Boulevard de Strasbourg,
No. 23, at Paris, Gilder, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED SPRING
BUTTON LINK OR FASTENER."
Scaled the 26th November 1875, and dated the 27th May 1875.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Besançon at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 27th May 1875.
I, CHARLES BESANÇON, of Boulevard de Strasbourg, No. 23, at Paris,
Gilder, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for " AN
IMPROVED SPRING BUTTON LINK OR FASTENER," to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is a spring button link or fastener capable
of numerous applications in clothing for fastening such articles as sleeves,
cuffs, habit shirts, and others.
My improved button consists of three parts, the head, the shank, and
a socket provided with a spiral spring surrounding the latter.
The head of the button, made of horn, ivory, metal, cameo, or other
material, has its lower face hollowed out so as to receive a metal plate,

page_text: through which a central slit and two holes at right angles to the slit
have been made. The shank is composed of a plate of metal with a rod
rivetted to its centre, and the top of the rod is T shaped. The size of
the cross top of the rod corresponds to the slit in the metal plate at the
bottom of the button head, and when the shank is to be connected with
the latter the T cross top of the rod is inserted through the slit and
turned a quarter round, so as to bring the projections of the T into the
two holes already mentioned.
The socket fits over the shank rod; at its bottom it is hollowed out so
as to receive a spiral spring, which resting at one end upon the socket
and at the other upon the metal plate of the shank tends to keep the
shank rod firm in the holes of the metal plate beneath the head.
When using the button the socket is first passed through the button
hole; the shank rod is then passed through the socket into the slit of
the button head held to meet it on the other side. The pressure of the
hand compresses the spring, and while the latter is under pressure the
shank of the button head is turned a quarter round so as to bring the
points of cross head of the shank into the holes, wherein on the pressure
being removed from the spring it will be firmly held, and the button so
fastened.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Charles Besançon in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 26th November 1875.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
BESANÇON, of Boulevard de Strasbourg, No. 23, at Paris, Gilder, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of May, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-five, in the thirty-eighth
year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and
grant unto me, the said Charles Besançon, Her special license that I,
the said Charles Besançon, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said Charles Besançon, 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,

page_text: 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 "AN IMPROVED SPRING BUTTON LINK
OR FASTENER," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
Charles Besançon, 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 Charles Besançon, do hereby declare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that is to say :-
The object of my Invention is a spring button link or fastener capable.
of numerous applications in clothing for fastening such articles as sleeves,
cuffs, habit shirts, and other articles of dress.
My improved button consists of three parts, the head, the shank, and
a socket provided with a spiral spring surrounding the latter.
Its construction will be well understood on reference to the accom-
panying Drawings, in which,-
Figure 1 is a lateral view of the button put together, and showing the
face of the socket.
Figure 2 is a vertical section through the button.
Figure 3 is a lateral view, but with the socket in profile; and Figure 4
is a similar view, but in section.
The head a of the button seen in section and from below at Figures 5
and 6, made of horn, ivory, metal, cameo, or other meterial, has its
lower face hollowed out so as to receive a metal plate 6, through which
O a central slit c and two holes d, d, at right angles to the slit have been
made.
The shank shown separately in elevation and in plan at Figures 7 and
8 is composed of a plate of metal e soldered to a metal cap f. The metal
plate e is pierced with two lateral holes, and a rod g is rivetted to its
5 centre, and the top ŉ of the rod is T shaped. The size of the cross top.

page_text: of the rod corresponds to the slit c in the metal plate 6 at the bottom of
the button head, and when the shank is to be connected with the latter
the T cross top h of the rod is inserted through the slit c, and turned a
quarter round, so as to bring the projections of the T into the two holes
already mentioned.
The socket 7, shown separately in section and plan at Figures 9 and
10, fits over the shank rod g; at its bottom it is hollowed out so as to
receive a spiral spring i, which resting at one end upon the socket, and
at the other upon the metal plate of the shank tends to keep the shank
rod firm in the holes of the metal plate beneath the head. The socket
is provided at the bottom with two points, which fit into the two lateral
holes of the plate c.
When using the button the socket is first passed through the button
hole;
the shank rod is then passed through the socket into the slit of
the button head held to meet it on the other side. The pressure of the
hand compresses the spring, and while the latter is under pressure the
shank of the button head is turned a quarter round so as to bring the
points of cross head of the shank into the holes, wherein on pressure
being removed from the spring it will be firmly held, and the button so
fastened is maintained securely by the pressure of the spring.
And having now described the nature of my said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim, the
improved spring button link or fastener constructed and arranged as
herein before described and shown in the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Besançon, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of October One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-five.
Witness,
CHARLES ARMENGAUD,
Civil Engineer,
B. de Strasbourg, 23,
Paris.
CHARLES BESANÇON. (L.S.)