Improvements in Buttons and Button Fasteners.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd Mar., 1896-Accepted, 25th Apr., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
Improvements in Buttons and Button Fasteners.
A communication from OLIVER WILLIAM KETCHUM, a Manufacturer, residing at
the corner of Fayette and Holiday Streets, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A., and
EDWARD ALEXANDER GRIFFITH, a Merchant, doing business at 8 Hanover
Street, Baltimore, aforesaid.
1, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT, of 323 High Holborn, London, in the County of
Middlesex, Chartered Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the improvements
in buttons and button fasteners, communicated to me by Oliver William Ketchum, a
Manufacturer, residing at the corner of Fayette and Holiday Streets, Baltimore,
Maryland, in the United States of America, and Edward Alexander Griffith, a
Merchant, doing business at 8 Hanover Street, Baltimore, aforesaid, and in what
manner the same are to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in the following statement :-
This invention consists in the peculiar construction of the button with button
fastener hereinafter more particularly described and then definitely claimed. -
In the accompanying drawings-
Figure 1 is an enlarged plan view of the under side of the button used in
connection with this fastener.
Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the upper side of the same.
Fig. 3 is a similar view of the lower side of the same.
Fig. 4 is a cross section through a-b in Fig. 1.
Fig. 5 is a cross-section through c-d in Fig. 1.
Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective detail of the fastener with its head unfinished.
Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective detail of the finished fastener.
Fig. 8 is an enlarged perspective of the button in a different position from that
in the other figures.
In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the
different figures.
A is the button provided with a downwardly extending hollow shank B, the
lower end of which is crossed by a rounded bridge C. Set in the upper end of
the hollow shank is a hemispherical or curved cap D, the top of which lies
preferably at or below the general surface of the button. This cap D preferably
has a rib E, extending across it, as shown, making two elongated cavities in
said cap.
It will be noticed on reference to Fig. 1 that the line of direction of the rib E is
oblique to the line of direction of the bridge C, so that when the prongs of the
fastener F, hereinafter more particularly described, are inserted on each side of
the bridge C, a much greater certainty is given that they will pass on the proper
side of the rib E, without requiring the close observation on the part of the user
that would be necessitated if the lines of direction of the said rib E and bridge C
were at right angles to one another.
Figs. 6 and 7 illustrate the fastener which is formed of sheet metal with prongs G,
turned up at opposite sides of its circumference. It will be noticed that these
prongs are so arranged that the right hand edge of one and the left hand edge of
the other touch a straight line drawn through the centre of the head, as indicated
in Fig. 6. Although this is a preferable arrangement of the prongs, yet it is not
absolutely essential to the operation of the fastener.
When the fastener has been formed, as indicated, a thin covering of sheet
metal H is applied to the head thereof as indicated in Fig. 7, and effectually

page_text: covers all sharp and ragged edges, giving a neat finish to the head of the
fastener.
For buttons intended for fine work, a further covering of linen or cloth may he
applied to the head of the fastener.
In Figs. 4 and 5 is shown the manner of connecting a button to a piece of fabric.
The prongs G of the fastener Fare passed through the cloth I and into the shank B
of the button, so that one prong passes on one side of the bridge C and rib E, and
the other prong on the other side of the same parts.
It will be seen here that the object of so arranging the prongs G, as indicated
in Fig. 6, is that they may readily pass on opposite sides of the rib E, while the
fact that they are on opposite sides of the head permits then to pass on opposite
sides of the bridge C, the oblique position of the bridge and rib giving a wide space
into which the points of the plungers may be inserted.
The button and fastener are then firmly compressed together by any suitable
means, when the curved shape of the cap D'causes the prongs G to be bent over to
embrace the bridge C, as shown in Fig. 5, the rib E keeping them separated so
that their points pass one another without interference.
I has been already mentioned that the bridge C is rounded; this allows the
prongs to slip off it without being bent or twisted if they happen to strike the
bridge in the operation of attaching the button.
Fig. 8 shows that the bridge or bar C is bowed outwards from the button. This
will be found useful in running the button into the machine used for setting the
cap into the hollow shank. The guide in the machine is provided with a groove to
receive the bridge and said bridge is thus always held in the same position when
the cap is being inserted, and the rib on the cap and the bar always occupy the
same relative positions.
In some cases the rib on the cap may be omitted as it is not absolutely necessary,
.but its use will be found much preferable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what I claim is:
1. In a button, the combination of a hollow shank B, a bridge C, cap D and a
rib E formed therein and set diagonally to said bridge, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
2. The combination with a button having a hollow shank B, a bridge C, cap D
and a rib E formed therein and set at an angle to said bridge, of a fastener having
prongs projecting therefrom adapted to enter said hollow shank and arranged when
the button and fastener are pressed together to engage with said rib E and be bent
over to clasp said bridge, substantially as described.
3. A button provided with an interior die or cap and an attaching bar or portion,
said cap having separated elongated cavities extending at an angle to the attaching
bar or portion of the button, substantially as set forth.
4. A button having, in combination, a cap provided with a setting die, and a
hollow shank having an attaching bridge, said die having separated elongated
cavities at an angle to the bridge, substantially as set forth.
5. A button having a hollow shank with a bridge at the bottom thereof, a
concave cap set in its top and a fastener having prongs adapted to enter said hollow
shank and to clinch over said bridge by contact with the cup, substantially na
described.
G. A button having a hollow shank and a bridge projecting at the bottom of said
shank to act as a guide, substantially as described.
Dated this 3rd day of March 1896.
BOULT & WADE
Agents for the Applicant.