Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Mar., 1886.
Complete Left, 24th Dec., 1886.
Complete Accepted, 25th Jan., 1887.
I JOHN MCDONNELL of Avisawella in the Island of Ceylon of Her Majesty's Public
Works Department do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
A great evil is experienced in the ordinary fasteners that secure separate and
removable buttons in their desired places in that whenever the button is to be separated
from the garment or other article the fastener has first to be disconnected from the
eye made
button and then the shank of the button can be drawn through and out of the
therefor in the article. The consequence that these fasteners are frequently broken
and are continually being lost or mislaid. Now the object of this my invention is to
obviate and remove the aforesaid evil and to provide a fastener that shall be very
simple and therefore cheap in construction and very strong and therefore not liable to
be broken and that shall always be and remain attached to or connected with the
button and therefore cannot be separately lost or mislaid and this my fastener is so
formed and constructed that the button to which the same is attached or connected can
very easily and quickly be secured in position in or on the garment or other article and
as easily and quickly be separated and removed therefrom while as it is almost
impossible that this fastener can be disconnected from the button by accident or
misadventure when the button is so secured in position there will be very little or no
danger of the button dropping out of or falling away from the garment or other
article.
To carry out this object and to make this my button fastener I take a piece of
brass wire or other somewhat similar or suitable material and I bend the same into a
form somewhat like an horseshoe or it may be like the two sides of an obtuse isosceles
triangle the ends being again bent inwards and doubled back parallel or thereabouts
with the other and outer parts and terminating close under or inside of the top or apex
of this figure.
These ends are so bent inwards as aforesaid as to create springs of the
same or to turn the same into springs the ends of which springs bear against one
another, under the top or apex and these ends thereof may either overlap each other a
certain desired distance which is preferable for most purposes or the said ends may be
formed in the shape of small knobs or eyes which may either simply abut against each
other or may interlock or the said. ends may be fitted in other usual or convenient
mannel.

page_text: The shank of the button is inserted between these spring ends of the fastener in the
usual manner so that one of the said springs ends will enter the said shank and the
button is so passed along the fastener to one of the ends thereof or to the place where
the said spring end is bent inwards and doubled back as aforesaid. The two parts of
this fastener so parallel with each other or thereabouts as aforesaid are preferably so
close together that the shank of the button can only somewhat stiffly or hardly or with
a small expenditure of force so pass along the fastener as aforesaid whereby the said
shank of the button will assist in keeping the ends of the springs in due contact and
the said button will remain in and at that part of the said fastener where it is placed
until it is forcibly removed therefrom.
The other end of the fastener that is to say that end thereof where the button is not
is then passed through the eye made in the garment or other article for the said button
until the shank of the said button enters the said eye when the said fastener is
preferably moved until the said shank of the button is situated at the top or apex of
the said fastener and the said button is very safely secured in position.
To separate the button from the garment or other article this operation hereinbefore
described is reversed but it is obvious that the button need never be disconnected from
the fastener as is desired.
When however the shank of the button is sufficiently large to allow of the same
I can pass the said shank over one of the ends of the fastener and along the same to
the top or apex thereof and then pass the said shank in between the spring ends of the
said fastener.
This my fastener can be so made that the shank of the button can pass from the top
or apex thereof to either end at pleasure or on one side of the said fastener the two
parts thereof can be so close together that the said shank cannot pass along this side
but can only pass from the said top or apex to the other end.
I JOHN MCDONNELL of Avisawella in the Island of Ceylon of Her Majesty's
Public Works Department 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 :-
A great evil is experienced in the ordinary fasteners that secure separate and
removable buttons.in their desired places in that whenever the button is to be separated
from the garment or other article the fastener has first to be disconnected from the
button and then the shank of the button can be drawn through and out of the eye
made therefor in the garment or other article. The natural consequence is that these
fasteners are frequently broken and are continually being lost or mislaid.
Now the object of this my invention is to obviate and remedy this aforesaid evil
and to provide a button fastener that shall be very simple and therefore cheap in
construction and very strong and therefore not liable to be broken and that shall or
may always be and remain attached to or connected with the button and therefore

page_text: while this is the case cannot be separately lost or mislaid and this my fastener is so
formed and constructed that the button to which the same is attached or connected can
very easily and quickly be secured in position in or on the garment or other article and
as easily and quickly be separated and removed therefrom while as it is almost
impossible that this fastener can be disconnected from the button by accident or
misadventure when the button is so secured in position there will be very little or no
danger of the button dropping out of or falling away from the garinent or other
article.
In order the more clearly to explain this my invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed I refer to the accompanying drawing in which I have shewn
three most suitable convenient efficient and useful forms of this my fastener.
I take a piece of brass or other wire A or other suitable material and I bend the
same as shewn into a form somewhat like an horseshoe or it may be like the two sides
of a rather obtuse isosceles triangle and the ends A¹ thereof are again bent inwards
as shewn at B and doubled back parallel or thereabouts with the other and outer parts
which ends A¹ terminate at D close under or inside of the top or apex of this figure.
The parts A are so bent inwards as aforesaid at B as to create springs of the same or
to turn the same into springs the ends D whereof bear against each other under the_
said top or apex. These ends D may either overlap each other a certain desired
distance as shewn in Figure 1 which is preferable for most purposes in which case the
said ends D may be rivetted or otherwise secured together if desired when the
fastener is connected to its button or the said ends D may simply abut against each
other as shewn at D¹ in Figure 3 in which case the said ends D'are preferably bevelled
off or knobs or rings or eyes may be formed on the said ends D as shewn at D¹¹ in
Figure 4 in which case the said knobs or rings or eyes D" may interlock or may only
abut against each other or these ends D may be formed and fitted in other usual or
convenient manner as may be desired.
The shank of the button is inserted between these spring ends D in the usual
manner so that one of the said ends D will enter the said shank and the button is so
passed along the part A¹ until the same enters or arrives at the place B where the wire
or material is bent inwards and doubled back as aforesaid. The two parts A and A¹ of
the fastener are preferably so close together that the shank of the button at some part
of its aforesaid passage can only somewhat stiffly or hardly or with a small expenditure
of force so pass along the fastener wherefor the button will remain in and at that part
of the said fastener where it is placed until it is forcibly removed therefrom.
The fastener can be so made that when the shank of the button is inserted as afore-
said between the spring ends D the said shank can be passed as aforesaid along the
part A¹ on either side at pleasure to the place B at either end of the said fastener as
shewn in Figures 1 and 3 or on one side of the said fastener as shewn in Figure 4 the
bend at B can if desired be made so small and the two parts A and A" can be so close
together that the said shank of the button cannot pass along this side to this end of the
fastener but can only pass along the other side to the other end thereof.
The
The other end of the fastener that is to say that end formed by the bend at B where
the button is not is then passed through the eye or aperture made in the garment or
other article for the said button and the whole of the said fastener is drawn there-
through until the shank of the said button enters the said eye or aperture.
fastener is then forcibly moved on or in the shank of the button so that the said shank
passes along either the part A' or as is generally preferable the part A until the said
shank arrives at the top or apex of this figure and the said button is very safely
secured in position by this fastener.
It is obviously desirable so to form the fastener that when once placed in position
the shank of the button shall not readily or too easily leave the top or apex of this
figure where it has been placed as aforesaid. When the shank of the button is at the
lower or inner top or apex of this figure or that is to say that formed by the ends I)
this movement is not very likely to occur but when the said shank is at the upper and
outer top or apex the same may occur and I therefore shew in the drawing three very
suitable methods of effecting this desirable object..

page_text: In Figure 1 very broad shoulders are given to the top or apex of this figure to
increase the security of the button in which shoulders are placed pieces E of solder or
other suitable material or in other convenient manner the recesses created by these
broad shoulders are so filled up or the parts A in these places are made so thick and
stout that the shank of the button can only just or with difficulty pass thereover.
In Figure 3 the shoulders of the top or apex of this figure are recessed or bowed on
each side as shewn at H.
•
In Figure 4 a central recess or bow is formed in the top or apex of this figure as
shewn at K.
To allow this fastener to lie flat against the garment or other article when the button
connected therewith is in position as also is obviously desirable that part of the wire or
material of which the said fastener is made on the which is the shank of the button
may be of a round or oval or other desired shape in cross section and two notches F
can very conveniently be formed therein as shewn in Figures 1 and 2 which notches F
will also assist in keeping the shank of the button in the desired position._
It is also generally desirable that the top or apex of this figure or the upper part of
the fastener shall be stronger and more rigid than need be the other parts thereof with
which object I can conveniently make the said upper part broader and thicker than the
said other parts as is especially shewn in Figure 2.
To separate the button from the garment or other article the operation or succession
of movements hereinbefore described is reversed but it is obvious that the button need
never be disconnected from the fastener as is desired.
I have thus described and I have shewn in the accompanying drawing most
convenient forms of this my fastener and very suitable methods and details of
constructing and fitting the same and the several parts thereof but I would have it
clearly understood that I do in no wise limit myself thereto for the button fastener
and all the several parts thereof may be made of such shapes and forms within the
limits of shape and form hereinbefore stated and such methods and details of
constructing and fitting the same may be observed and followed as may be desirable or
expedient in each particular case.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is
The button fastener substantially as hereinbefore described and shewn in the
accompanying drawing.