IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Iliffe, of Birmingham, in the County of
of Warwick, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS."
Sealed the 29th September 1859, and dated the 9th July 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Iliffe at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 9th
July 1859.
I, CHARLES ILIFFE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manu-
facturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists, firstly, in making an annular groove or depression in
the metal shell of such sewn-through buttons as are composed of a disc of
linen or other covering material and a single metallic shell. By the said
groove or depression the closed edge of the shell is made to hold the edge of
the covering material more securely, and the shell is at the same time made
more rigid.
My Invention consists, secondly, in applying the kind of metal shell last
described to silk, Florentine, or similar buttons, covered at the back with cloth
or other covering material. In buttons of this kind I sometimes make the

page_text: back of the shell convex and pierced or unpierced, so that the needle, in
attaching the button, may pass through the convex back similar to the manner
in which it is passed in sewing on buttons having flexible shanks.
My Invention consists, thirdly, in filling up such sewn-through buttons as
are made with a single metallic shell with cloth or other soft material, through :
which a needle will readily pass, which said buttons may be covered with a
linen covering at back, or be left uncovered at back.
My Invention consists, fourthly, in making silk, Florentine, or other similar
buttons of a single metal ring, by which the material constituting the face of
the button is held, the said ring being closed upon the edge of the said
material. A piece of suitable material is also secured at the back of the
button for sewing on the said button. The said material at the back is
secured by the ring at the same time as the material forming the front.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Charles Iliffe in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 6th
January 1860.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, CHARLES
ILIFFE, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturer, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Ninth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-third year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Charles Iliffe, Her special licence that I, the said Charles
Iliffe, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Charles Iliffe, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after 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 Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
THE MANUFACTURE OF BUTTONS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I,
the said Charles Iliffe, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should parti-
cularly 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

page_text: the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Charles Iliffe, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :-
My Invention consists, firstly, in making an annular groove or depression
in the metal shell of such sewn-through buttons as are composed of a disc or
discs of linen or other covering material and a single metallic shell. By the
said groove or depression the closed edge of the shell is made to hold the edge
or edges of the covering material more securely, and the shell is at the same
time made more rigid, and greater strength thereby obtained in the button.
This part of my Invention is illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the
accompanying Drawing.
Figure 1 represents in edge view at a, plan of inner side at b, and section
at c, a metal shell constructed according to this part of my Invention, the said
shell being used in manufacturing sewn-through buttons. The annular groove
or depression in the said shell is marked d in the said Figure 1 as well as in
Figures 2, 3, and 4. Figure 2 represents in section a sewn-through button,
covered at its front only with a fabric, the said button being made up of one
of the shells, Figure 1, and a disc of linen or other fabric. Figure 3 represents
a plan of the back of the same; and Figure 4 represents in section a button
constructed according to my Invention, the front and back of which are covered
with a fabric. The disc of linen covering the front of the button, Figure 2, is
marked e, which said linen is held between the closed-in edge f of the metal
shell d' and the top of the annular groove or depression d of the said shell.
When both sides of the button are covered with a fabric, as represented in
Figure 4, the edge of the fabric h, covering the back of the button, is secured
by the closed-in edge f of the shell at the same time that the edge of the
fabric e, covering the front of the button, is secured.
My Invention consists, secondly, in applying the metal shell, last described
and represented in Figure 1, in place of the back plain shell ordinarily
employed in silk, Florentine, or similar buttons, covered at back with cloth or
other covering material. As the making up or construction of a silk,
Florentine, or similar button with a back shell of the form of Figure 1 does
not differ from the making up or construction of a silk, Florentine, or similar
button with an ordinary metal shell, I do not think it necessary further to
describe or to represent a button made up of a back shell according to my

page_text: Invention. In making buttons of the last-described kind, that is to say, silk,
Florentine, or similar covered buttons, I sometimes make on the back shell a
convexity at that part of the shell where the button is to be sewn on the
garment, the said convexity being either pierced or unpierced. When the
said convexity is pierced, the needle, in attaching the button, passes through
the back of the button similar to the manner in which it is passed in sewing
on buttons baving flexible shanks.
When I construct the back of the button with an unpierced convexity, I
make it in the manner represented in Figures 5 and 6 of the Drawing,
Figure 5 representing a side view of a button constructed according to this
part of my Invention, and Figure 6 a section of the same. The metal back
is marked k, and the central convexity is marked. In attaching the button
to the garment, the needle is passed through the cloth or fabric at the
convexity, which serves as a guide for the needle. I prefer to make the
convexity at the back of the button unpierced, as represented in Figures 5
and 6.
My Invention consists, thirdly, in filling up such sewn-through buttons as
are made with a single metallic shell with cloth or other soft material, through
which a needle will readily pass, which said buttons may be covered with a
linen covering at the back as well as at front, or be left uncovered at the s
back.
Figure 7 represents an edge view of a sewn-through button constructed
according to this part of my Invention, and Figure 8 represents a section of
the same.
The cloth or other soft material with which the button is filled is
marked m in Figure 8. The parts of the button, Figures 7 and 8, are put
together in the ordinary way.
My Invention consists, lastly, in making the body of silk, Florentine, and
other similar buttons of a single metal ring, by which ring the material con-
stituting the face of the button, as well as that constituting the back of the
button are held. The material at the back of the button is employed for S
sewing on the said button. Figure 9 of the Drawing represents an edge view
at n, plan of under side at o, and section at p, of a metal ring to be used in
carrying this part of my Invention into effect. The inner and outer edges of
the said ring, Figure 9, are raised parallel to one another so as to constitute
between the said edges and bottom of the ring an annular trough, as repre-
sented, in which trough the material constituting the front and that consti-
tuting the back of the button are held by the closed in edges of the said ring,
as represented in Figure 10, which said Figure 10 represents in section a

page_text: finished button made according to this part of my Invention. A plan of the
under side of the button, Figure 10, is represented in Figure 11. The
space between the fabrics 9 and r of the button is filled with paper,
felt, or other similar materials, and the centre of the fabric r, forming the
back of the button, is made with a boss or shank t, through which the
needle passes in securing a button on a garment. The fabrics 9 and r, at the
front and back of the button respectively, are secured to the ring u by the
same operation. The button, Figures 9 and 10, is made up in the ordinary
manner.
As the tools or machinery by which the parts of the buttons herein-before
described and represented in the Drawing are put together are of the kind
commonly employed in manufacturing buttons, I do not think it necessary to
describe or represent the same.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner of
carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be understood that I claim as my
Invention,―
Firstly, making an annular groove or depression in the metallic shell of
such sewn-through buttons as are composed of a disc or discs of linen or other
covering material and a single metallic shell, the said groove or depression
giving great rigidity, and thereby increased strength to the said shell, as herein-
before described and illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4 of the accompanying
Drawing.
Secondly, applying a metal shell, having an annular groove or depression
therein, as herein-before described and represented in Figure 1 of the
accompanying Drawing, in place of the ordinary plain back shell to silk,
Florentine, and other similar buttons covered at back with cloth or other
covering material.
Thirdly, making the back shell of silk, Florentine, or similar buttons
covered at back with cloth or other covering material with a convexity at that
part where the button is to be attached to the garment, the said convexity
being either pierced or unpierced, as herein-before described and illustrated in
Figures 5 and 6 of the accompanying Drawing.
Fourthly, filling up such sewn-through buttons as are made of a single
metallic shell with cloth or other soft material through which a needle will
readily pass, as herein-before described and illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 of
the accompanying Drawing.
Lastly, making the body of silk, Florentine, or other similar buttons of a
single trough-like ring of metal, the material constituting the face, and that

page_text: constituting the back of the button being held by closing in the edges of the
said ring, the material at the back of the button being provided with a boss or
shank through which the needle is passed in sewing on the button, as herein-
before described and illustrated in Figures 9, 10, and 11 of the accompanying
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Charles Iliffe, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Fifth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
CHARLES ILIFFE. (L.B.)