Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 19th May, 1891-Accepted, 4th July, 1891
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming part of this
Specification, and in which
Figure 1, represents a side view of the button complete enlarged.
Figure 2, vertical section of the same.
Figure 3, vertical central section showing the button as applied.
Figure 4, central section of the collet for upsetting the end of the fastener.
Figure 5, modification.
This invention relates to an improvement in that class of buttons which are provided
with a shank projecting from the back, and so as to form a firm bearing on the
surface of the material to which the button is to be attached, and leave a space
between the back of the button and the said material, the object of the invention
being to provide such a button with a fastening device within the said shank as a
permanent part of the button itself, but projecting through the shank, so that while
the shank takes its firm bearing upon the surface around the hole through which the
said fastening passes, the fastening device will project through the hole in the
material to which the button is to be secured, and so that the fastening of the button
being secured upon the reverse side, will clamp the material upon the extended
bearing surface of the shank, and in the construction of such a button as hereinafter
described, the invention consists.
A, represents the back of the button, which is made of metal, and preferably
concavo-convex in shape, so as to present the convex surface outward; B, represents
the shank which is of the usual eyelet shape, made from metal and so as to present an
annular projecting flange a, around its base end, and so as to form a bearing for the
shank upon the surface to which the button is attached; the shank B, is permanently
and rigidly attached to the back of the button, or made a part thereof, the back
having a central opening through it into the shank. As here represented the
attachment between the back and the shank is made by constructing the shank with
an internal flange b at its other end somewhat larger in diameter than the diameter
of the hole through the back, and the metal around the hole of the back turned into
that end of the shank and closed upon the flange b, as seen in Fig. 2, and so as to
firmly unite the back and shank; but this is a common construction for uniting the
back and shank, and for which other known means of connection or construction may
be employed.
The flanged or flaring end of the shank gives a broad bearing for the button upon
the surface of the material to which it is to be applied, and the shank is of a length
corresponding to the space required between the button and the surface to which
the button is to be applied. The fastening device consists of a tube C, of an
external diameter corresponding to the diameter of the hole through the back, but
of considerably less diameter than the diameter of the flange or base of the shank ;
this tubular fastener is constructed with a flange d, around one end, and so that it
may be set through the back from the front, and so as to bring the flange d, to a
bearing upon the inside of the back. The length of the tube C, is as much greater
than the length of the shank as is required to permit the tube to pass through a hole

page_text: in the material to which the button is to be attached, and give sufficient length for
the upsetting of the said tube upon the reverse side. Preferably the upsetting end
of the fastener C, is contracted in diameter, as at e. The face D of the button is
made from metal, closed upon the edge of the back, or the back upon the face, as
the case may be, and so as to firmly unite the two. In the construction shown, the
center of the face is depressed toward the back, so as to take a bearing upon the
flanged end of the fastener, and so as to hold the fastener in place, but the button
may be filled, in a common and well known manner, between the back and the front,
so as to avoid the necessity of the depression in the face, it only being necessary that
there shall be some support to rigidly hold the tubular fastener as a permanent part
of the button.
In applying the button, a hole is first made through the material E, corresponding
to the tubular fastener C, and so that the button placed upon one side, as seen in
Fig. 3, the fastener will extend through this opening in the material, and the
flange of the shank B, will come to a bearing upon the material surrounding
the hole.
Upon the reverse side the fastener is upset, so as to clamp the material between
the Hange of the shank and such upsetting of the fastener; this upsetting is best
produced by means of a collet F, this collet is constructed as seen in Fig. 4, and
consists of a cap G, of sheet-metal, and a back H, also of sheet-metal, the two closed
together at their edges, after the usual manner of closing the front and back of a
button; the back H, is constructed with a central hole I, corresponding to the end
of the tubular fastener C, and the cap G, is constructed with a central depression J
toward the said hole in the back H, as clearly shown in Fig. 4. This depression J,
forms a conical projection toward the hole, the center of which is substantially the
center of the hole I, and so as to form a deflecting surface between the front and
back of the collet. This collet is preferably of a diameter substantially corresponding
to that of the diameter of the flange a, of the shank B, of the button.
In applying the button it is set upon the material, as before described, with the
fastening tube C, projecting through the hole in the material, then the collet is set
upon the projecting end of the fastener C, so as to bring the end of the fastener into
the hole I, of the collet, the conical projection J, standing within the end of the
tube; then pressure is applied to force the collet onto the tube, in doing which the
end of the tube is expanded by the conical projection of the collet, and the end of
the tube forced between the back and front of the collet. The collet as thus
constructed is composed of two pieces only, is very simple in its construction, and
securely holds the button.
The material to which the button is applied is thus clamped firmly between the
flange of the shank and the collet on the back, and so that a bearing is had to such
an extent around the hole through the material that the strain of the button
is taken outside the hole, and so that there is little or no liability of the fastener
so working upon the hole as to make it possible to accidentally detach the
button.
Instead of a collet such as described, a collet K, may be applied, as seen in Fig. 5,
having a hole through it corresponding to the end of the tubular fastener, and upon
which that end will be upset, as clearly seen in Fig. 5, and substantially the same
result accomplished.
In some cases the tubular fastener may be upset directly upon the material without
the interposition of a collet, and substantially the same as an eyelet is upset, the
material being so firm as to make such an upsetting practicable, but a collet of some
character is desirable.
By this construction of button, a broad bearing surface is provided, and the
button contains within itself means for fastening, while the flange around the shank
surrounding as it does the hole through which the fastener passes, serves to support
the material to which the button is applied, and give it a firmness to prevent the easy
withdrawal of the fastener.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by
my foreign correspondent I declare that what I claim is :-
A button composed of the metal back A, united to one end of a tubular shank B,
the other end of said shank expanded to form an annular projecting flange a, the
back constructed with a central opening into said shank, combined with a tubular
fastener C, extending through the opening in the back and through the said shank,
the fastener permanently secured to the button, and of a length to project beyond
the flanged end of the shank, substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 19th day of May 1891.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.