AN IMPROVED FASTENING FOR ARTICLES OF WEARING APPAREL AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES, AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR BUTTONS
Year: 1855

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Eugene Hippolyte Rascol, of Catherine Street,
Strand, in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
FASTENING FOR ARTICLES OF WEARING APPAREL AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES, AS
A SUBSTITUTE FOR BUTTONS" A communication.
Sealed the 7th March 1856, and dated the 8th September 1855.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Eugene Hippolyte Rascol
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with bis Petition, on the
8th September 1855.
I, EUGENE HIPPOLYTE RASCOL, of Catherine Street, Strand, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "AN
IMPROVED FASTENING FOR ARTICLES OF WEARING APPAREL AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES,
AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR BUTTONS," to be as follows:-
The improved fastening for articles of wearing apparel and for other
purposes, communicated to me, is adapted as a substitute for buttons and
other like fastenings, and consists of a stud, somewhat similar to the ordinary
stud used for fastening wearing apparel, but has one head or end smaller than
the other, which is rounded and otherwise adapted for entering a metal eyelet
hole of the ordinary kind. Metal eyelets are placed in each of the two parts
that are to be fastened, which are placed together, and the stud pushed through
both. The rounded head of the stud has two cross saw cuts or slits otherwise
formed in it, which pass down the neck of stud, and descend as far as the
larger head.

page_text: The rounded and entering head is thus separated into four parts, which
may be compressed together to the extent of the saw or other cuts. The
eyelet holes in which the stud is to be received are smaller than the rounded
head of stud in its ordinary state, but which will collapse on being pressed
through the eyelets, by reason of the cross cuts or separations; the head
of stud expands again when through the eyelet, and gives security to the
fastening. These studs may be made of box or other wood, or of metal, or
other material having sufficient elasticity and otherwise suitable for the pur-
pose. Instead of an eyelet hole being used in each piece to be united,
the larger or lower head of stud may be otherwise permanently secured to the
article.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Eugene Hippolyte Rascol in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 8th March 1856.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, 1, EUGENE
HIPPOLYTE RASCOL, of Catherine Street, Strand, in the County of Middlesex,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-five, in the nineteenth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me,
the said Eugene Hippolyte Rascol, Her special licence that I, the said
Eugene Hippolyte Rascol, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Eugene Hippolyte Rascol, 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, 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 Inven-
tion for "AN IMPROVED FASTENING FOR ARTICLES OF WEARING APPAREL AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES, AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR BUTTONS," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said Eugene Hippolyte Rascol, my executors or adminis-
trators, 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.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Eugene Hippolyte Rascol, 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, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This improved fastening for articles of wearing apparel and for other like
purposes is adapted as a substitute for buttons and other like. fastenings, and
consists of a stud, somewhat similar to the ordinary stud, used for.. fastening
wearing apparel, but has one head or end smaller than the other, which is
rounded and otherwise adapted for entering a metal eyelet hole of the ordinary
kind. Metal eyelets are placed in each of the two parts that are to be fastened,
which are placed together and the stud pushed through both. The rounded
head of the stud has two cross saw cuts or slits otherwise formed in it, which
pass down the neck of the stud, and descend as far as the larger head. The
rounded and entering head is thus separated into four parts, which
may be
compressed together to the extent of the saw cuts or slits. The eyelet holes in
which the stud is to be received are smaller than the rounded head of the
stud in its ordinary state, but which will collapse on being pressed through
the eyelets, by reason of the cross cuts or separations; the head of the stud
expands again when through the eyelet, and gives security to the fastening.
These studs may be made of box or other wood, or of metal, or of other
material having sufficient elasticity and otherwise suitable for the purpose.
Instead of an eyelet hole being used in each piece to be united, the larger. or
lower head of the stud may be otherwise and permanently secured to the one
part of the article to be united.
Figure 1 of the annexed Sheet of Drawings represents the ends of two
straps or parts a, a, to be united; they are each furnished with eyelet holes b, b,
introduced and fixed in the material of the straps in the ordinary manner,
each having two eyelets adapted for taking up more or less of the length.
Instead of merely being connected by a single stud, the eyelets may be placed
in rows, as adapted for boots and shoes, and ladies' stays, and similar fasten-
ings. Fig. 2 represents a separate side view of the stud c, and Fig. 3 an end
view of the same; it may be formed of boxwood, lancewood, or other sufficiently
tough and elastic wood or other material by turning, and afterwards making
two saw cuts across, as shown in Fig. 3, the thickness of the wood head
being sufficient to permit the parts of the severed head to be collapsed or
brought together without splitting. The eyelet holes are made rather smaller
than the split head, but so as to permit the passage of such head when forced
through. When it is desired to connect the two straps, it is simply necessary

page_text: to press the split head through the eyelet holes of both parts to be connected
when placed together, as represented in plan and edge view at Figs. 4 and 5.
When disconnected, the stud c need be only removed from one part a by press-
ing back the split head, but which stud will at all other times keep the parts
firmly united. Fig. 6 is a side view, and Fig. 7 a plan, of a metal stud, the
upper and split part being of a hollow piece of copper, struck or raised up
from a flange at bottom, which is received into a shell of brass forming the
larger head. These studs may also present a similar appearance by using a
wood centre, as at Figs. 2 and 3, and electro-plating the whole or in part, and
covering the lower head with a brass shell, as before mentioned. Where the
materials to be united are of themselves sufficiently stiff, the metal eyelets need
not be introduced.
Having described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which it
may be performed, I desire it to be understood that I make no claim to the
use of eyelet holes for the purpose of the fastenings described as separately
considered; but that what I claim is, the use and application of the stud c,
formed and constructed as herein-before described, for fastening parts of dress
and other articles, in manner herein-before set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Eugene Hippolyte Rascol, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Eighth day of March, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-six.
Witness,
W. CLARK, Patent Agent,
53, Chancery Lane, London.
EUG. RASCOL. (L.S.)