AN IMPROVEMENT IN THE MAKING AND CONSTRUCTING OF BUTTONS
Year: 1831

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, BENJAMIN
AINGWORTH, of the Parish of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
Button Maker, send greeting.
WHEREAS I did, by Petition, humbly represent unto His most Excellent
Majesty King William the Fourth that I had invented "AN IMPROVEMENT
IN THE MAKING AND CONSTRUCTING OF BUTTONS," and His said Majesty, being
willing to encourage all useful Inventions, was graciously pleased to issue
.His Letters Patent, bearing date at His Palace at Westminster, the Thirtieth
day of August, in the second year of His reign, whereby His said Majesty
did, for Himself, His heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Benjamin Aingworth, my exors, admors, and assigns, His special licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Benjamin Aingworth, my
exors; adñors, and assigns, and every of them, by myself and themselves, or
by my or their deputy and deputies, servants or agents, or such others as I,
the said Benjamin Aingworth, my exors, admors, or assigns, should at any
time agree with (and no others), from time to time and at all times during the
term of fourteen years from the date of the said Letters Patent, should and
lawfully might make; use; exercise, and vend my said Invention within that
part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland called England,
His said Majesty's Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed,
and also in all His said Majesty's Colonies and Plantations abroad; in which
said Letters Patent there is contained a proviso that I, the said Benjamin
Aingworth, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, by an instrument

page_text: in writing under my hand and seal, and cause the same to be enrolled in His
Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar months after the
date of the said Letters Patent, as in and by the same (reference being
thereunto had) will more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Benjamin Aingworth, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are described and
ascertained in manner following (that is to say):-
My Invention of an Improvement in the Making and Constructing of
Buttons consists in affixing (by a particular mode (herein-after described) to
that side of the button which is to go against the garment whereon the
button is to be worn (and which side is usually called the back of the button)
a strong covering composed of threads of silk, flax, or worsted, or other suitable
material, woven into a tissue of cloth, which covering I call a woven back, and
which woven back, when sewn (by a needle and thread) to the garment, will
serve, in lieu of a shank, to fasten a button thereto. And whereas buttons with
woven cloth fastened to them at their backs to serve as substitutes for shanks
are extensively manufactured by Mr. Benjamin Sanders, at Bromsgrove, in
Worcestershire, according to a Patent granted to him by His late Majesty,
and bearing date the Thirteenth day of October, One thousand eight hundred
and twenty-five, and which buttons are known in trade by the name of
flexible shank buttons, it is necessary that I should point out the circumstance
which constitutes the novelty and utility of my improvement, and wherein the
same differs from the previous Invention of Mr. Sanders, and also from
certain buttons which have been made in imitation thereof by Mr. Aston of
Birmingham.
Section A, in Sheet I. of the Drawings hereunto annexed, contains a repre-
sentation of the kind of button manufactured by Mr. Sanders, the Figures therein
being copied from the Drawings annexed to the Specification which was inrolled
in consequence of his said Patent (viz³), Figure 39 is a view of the said button,
and Figure 40 a view of the back of the said button edgeways, both these
Figures representing the button as it appears in its finished state. At the
back of the button, Figure 39 and 40, is a circular ring of metal, called a
collet, which extends around the centre of the back of the button in order to
fasten the several parts thereof together; and the woven cloth which forms the
flexible shank is puffed up into a prominent tuft which rises up through the
central hole of that ring or collet of metal. It is the said central prominent
tuft of woven cloth which is sewn (by a needle and thread) to the garment
whereon the button is to be worn.

page_text: Section B, in Sheet I. of the Drawings hereunto annexed, represents a
back view and an edge view of a button manufactured by Mr. Aston, as
aforesaid. It has a metal collet at the back around the centre, presenting
nearly the same external appearance as the collet in Mr. Sanders' button in
Section A, except that the collet at the back of Mr. Aston's button is broader
and larger, so as to extend nearer toward the outer circumference of the
button.
Buttons made according to my said improvement are represented at 1 and
2 of the small Figures in Sheet I. There is no metal collet at the back, but
the woven back extends over all the central part of the back of the button,
and reaches towards the circumference thereof. When the button is affixed
to the garment by sewing the middle part of the woven back to the garment
(with a needle and thread), the whole button will lay close to the garment,
so as to have a neat appearance. And when the garment is buttoned the back
of the button, which then comes in contact with the front sides of the button
hole, being clothed with a smooth and soft woven surface, will not have so
much tendency to wear the sides of the button hole, as the convex surface of
metal which is presented to the sides of the button hole by the metal collets at
the backs of the flexible shank buttons manufactured as aforesaid by
Mr. Sanders and by Mr. Aston, and which buttons are represented in
Section A and Section B of the Drawing, Sheet I. The woven back for
a button made according to my improvement may be cut out in a circular
piece 4, rather larger than the intended button, from a piece of suitable
strongly-woven tissue or cloth. Note, the circular piece 4 is of itself nearly
the same as the corresponding piece (see Figure 36, Section A) which is to
form the flexible shank in Mr. Sanders' and Mr. Aston's buttons; - but,
instead of the external collet of metal (see Figures 13 and 14, Section A, or
the collet shewn in Section B) which they use to fasten the said piece of
woven cloth in its place at the back of the button, I employ a circular plate or
blank of metal 5, which I call the internal metal back, and which is less than
the button, and it does not require any hole through it, but it may, if
required, have a small depression sunk in the centre. The internal metal
back 5, when in its place, occupies the interior of the finished button 1, 2,
behind the woven back 4, and forms a part of the kernel of the button, which
kernel gives firmness and stability thereto. Note, one or more circular pieces.
of paper 3, of nearly the same size as the metal back 5 (and which pieces of
paper may be perforated with a central hole, if required), must be interposed
between the metal back and the woven back 4, in order to give some promi-
nence to the woven back; and note, if the paper 3 is perforated with a

page_text: central hole; the woven back may have a depression at the centre. The
circumference of the woven back 4 is turned over the circular edge of the
internal metal back 5 all around the same, so as to wrap up and inclose the
internal metal back 5, together with the papers 3, within the woven back 4
in such a manner that the said woven back cannot be separated from the
button without carrying away the internal metal. back 5. with it, or else tearing
the material of which the woven back 4 is composed. The woven back 4 iš
fastered in its place at the back of the button by an attachment which is
made all around the outer circumference of the back of the button, which
back is composed, as aforesaid, of the woven back 4, with the internal metál
back 5 and the papers 3 wrapped up within it. The said fastening or attach-
ment is made by the aforesaid outer circumference being overlapped by the
raised edge of a metal shell 6, which shell may be covered on the face or
front with any suitable material, according to the appearance that the face of
the button is required to exhibit. The covering will most commonly be a
woven tissue of stuff or cloth of woollen or worsted or silk, but leather may
be used for covering the face or front of the shell 6, and one or more pieces
of paper 8 may be interposed between the shell 6 and the covering. The
shell 6, together with the internal metal back 5 and the papers 3 and 8 (if
such are used), constitutes the kernel, which gives stability and form to the
button. The metal shell 6 is very similar in form to the shells which are
commonly used for what are called shell buttons, and is very similar to the
shells used by Mr. Aston in flexible shank buttons, see Section B.; vizt, the
edge of a circular plate of thin metal is raised up all round to form a hollow
dish or shell 6 for the reception of the woven back 4 when the internal
back 5 and the papers 3 are wrapped up within it. Note, the only difference
between the metal shell 6 and that used by Mr. Aston is, that the metal shell
6 is gathered in at the top edge to a smaller size than the flat bottom of the
shell, so as to form a conical or bevil rim to the dish. A circular piece 7, of the
material wherewith the front face of the bottom is to be covered, is cut out
larger than the button, and extended over the front face of the metal shell 6
as an outside covering thereto, and a circular piece of paper 8 may be inter-
posed between the covering 7 and. the metal shell 6. The circumference of
the covering 7, and of the paper 8 (if any is used), is to be turned over the
circumference of the metal shell 6 all around, so as to wrap up and enclose
the whole of the front face, and also. the raised edge of the shell, within the
covering 7, which covering will overlap so far beyond that raised edge as to
extend into the hollow of the 'shell 6. The back of the button is composed
as aforesaid, of the woven back.4 with the internal metal back 5 and the

page_text: papers 3 enclosed and wrapped up within the woven back 4, in order to give
form and stability thereto. The compound back thus formed is inserted into
the hollow of the shell 6 in such manner that the overlapping edge of the
woven back 4, when the same turns over around the edge or circumference
of the internal metal back 5, as well as the overlapping edge of the front
covering 7, where the same reaches over the raised edge of the shell 6, and
extends into the hollow thereof), will be included and concealed within the
interior thickness of the button; and, in order to fasten all the aforesaid parts
of the button firmly together in their respective places, the raised edge of the
metal shell 6 (which raised edge is overlapped, as aforesaid, within the front
covering 7) is pressed down.or turned inwards over the edge of the internal
metal back 5 (which edge is enveloped within the woven back 4), so as to
overlap and confine the back in its proper place by an attachment all around
its circumference, and the same overlapping confines the woven back 4, as
well as the front covering 7, from separating from the button. Note, instead
of the aforesaid raised edge of the shell 6 being formed out of one continuous
piece of metal with the flat surface of that shell, I rather prefer to use a flat cir-
cular blank of metal plate 9, together with a narrow ring 10, in lieu of the shell
6. The ring 10 is formed on a bevil the same in size and shape as the raised
edge of the metal shell 6; viz, it resembles a portion of the base of a hollow
cone. The bevil ring 10 is applied upon the circumference of the flat plate 9,
so that the bevil ring 13 and flat plate 9, when put together, will have the
same form of a hollow dish as the shell 6, which is formed out of one piece of
metal by wrapping up the said blank 9 and ring 10 both together within the
front covering 7. The said blank and the ring are retained together, and the
edge of the covering 7 overlaps beyond the edge of the ring 10 into the
hollow thereof, in the same manner as it would overlap into the hollow of
the shell 6. The fastening together of the back and front of the button
is the same as herein-before described, whether it is made of the blank 9
and bevil ring 10 or with the shell 6. Note, the pressure whereby the
front and back parts of the button are joined together should be made to indent
the centre of the woven back 4, as well as of the papers 3, which are placed
behind it, by forcing the same into the indentation at the centre of the metal
back 5; or, if the said papers 3 are perforated at the centre, the perforation will
facilitate the said indentation. The said pressure should leave a permanent
-indentation at the centre of the woven back of the finished button 1, in order
to serve as a guide for the insertion of the needle when the back of the button
is to be sewn to the garment. The distinctive character of buttons made
according to my said improvement is, that the woven back which serves as a

page_text: substitute for a shank is extended and supported and affixed in its place at the
back of the button by means of an internal metal back, which is applied
within or behind that woven back, so as to be wrapped up within the said
woven back, and thereby entirely concealed within the thickness of the
button; and by virtue of my said Improvement I avoid the use of any external
metal collet or ring for the purpose of fastening the woven back in its place,
whereas in the buttons heretofore manufactured, under the name of flexible
shank buttons, by Mr. Sanders and by Mr. Aston as aforesaid, it has been
necessary to apply a collet or ring of metal, which is fastened externally over
the outward part of the cloth at the back of the button, in order to retain and
fasten that cloth from separating from the button.
And, respecting the tools or implements whereby buttons may be made
with woven backs, as represented at 1 and 2, according to my said im-
provement, as herein-before set forth, the principal implements are hollow
cylindrical moulds, of a size suited to that of the intended button, into
which moulds the several circular pieces of woven cloth and paper and
metal which are to be formed into a button of the kind herein-before
described, and represented at 1 and 2, are introduced or charged, and
by ramming the said pieces down into the moulds the circumferences of
the pieces of woven cloth and paper are turned up all around the circum-
ference of the circular pieces of metal. One part of the mould, which I
call the under mould, is thus charged with those pieces of materials which
are to form the front of the said button. The other part of the mould, which
I call the upper mould, is charged with those pieces of materials which are to
form the back of the said button. By putting the upper and under moulds
together after each one has been so charged with its proper share of the
materials, and by pressing up a moveable sliding plug which is fitted into the
under mould, the several pieces of materials which are to constitute the front
of the button are raised up. out of the cavity of the under mould into the
cavity of the upper mould, and are brought in contact with those pieces of
materials which are to constitute the back of the button, and then, by pressing
downwards upon a sliding plug which is fitted into the upper mould, the
materials for the back of the button are inserted into the hollow within the
materials for the front thereof, so as to combine all the parts of the
button together in the relative positions herein-before described, but with-
out finally fastening those parts together.
The moulds are then sepa-
rated, and by touching the sliding plug of the upper mould the imperfect
button is pushed out therefrom, and is afterwards transferred to another pair
of moulds wherein the button is submitted to a strong pressure which, by

page_text: pressing down the raised edge of the metal shell 6 (or else the edge of the
bevil ring 10) when that is used in lieu of 6), clenches and fastens all the parts
of the button firmly together, and gives the proper form and stability to the
button. Sections of the said under and upper moulds, when separated, are
represented in Figures D and E, and a section of both, when put together,
in Figure F. The moulds are made of cast steel turned truly circular in a
lathe, and hardened. The under mould, Figure D, is that wherein the
materials for forming the front of a button are to be charged or brought
together and moulded into the required shape in preparation for joining them
to the other materials which are to form the back of the button. In the
centre of the under mould D is a cylindrical hole a, of the same diameter as
the intended button, and a moveable plug 6 of cast steel is fitted truly therein,
so as to slide freely up and down, the extent of its motion being limited by a
cross pin c, which is put through the mould from side to side, and which
pin passes through an oblong slit in the sliding plug b. When the sliding
plug b is pressed down as low as the cross pin c will permit it to descend, the
lower end of the plug 6 protrudes below the bottom of the mould, as shewn in
Figure D, and the upper end of the plug b leaves a cylindrical cavity a above
it in the mould for the reception of the stuff covering 7, together with the
metal shell 6 (or else the metal blank 9 and ring 10, in lieu of the shell 6),
which pieces are to constitute the front of the intended button, as before
stated. When the mould is to be charged with those materials it is placed
over a hole in the work bench X, which will allow the end of the sliding
plug 6 to protrude beneath the under side of the mould, as is shewn in
Figures D and E; and in order that the said pieces of material may be intro-
duced into the cavity a of the mould exactly concentrically therewith, a
rebated grove d is excavated around the top part of the mould of a true size
to receive the circular piece of front covering 7 which is lodged therein, and
then a circular ring, Figure G, which I call a centering ring, is placed over
the piece of covering 7 in the circular rebate d, the centering ring G having
a circular rim at the under side to fit into the rebate d. And note, if a cir-
cular piece of paper 8 is required to be interposed as a lining behind the
covering 7, then a rebated groove e must be excavated at the under side of tho
centering ring G of a true size to receive the said piece of paper 8, which paper
is rather less than the piece of covering. 7. The piece of paper 8 is lodged in
its rebate e at the under side of the centering ring G, and it must fit therein
so that it will not fall out by its own weight when the centering ring G is
turned over and dropped into its rebated grove d at the top of the mould.
By thus placing the centering ring G in its rebate d the paper 8 is brought in
contact with the covering 7, and exactly concentric therewith, and. both 7 and 8

page_text: will be concentric with the hollow a of the mould, over the mouth of which both
7 and 8 are placed. The interior of the centering ring G is of a proper size to
receive the outside of the metal shell 6 (or else of the blank 9 and the bevil
ring 10 which may be used together in lieu of the shell 6, as before explained).
The centering ring G being in its place over the mould and the shell 6 (or
else the blank 9 and the bevil ring 10 in lieu of 6) being dropped into the
centering ring G, they will come in contact with the paper 8, or if that paper is
omitted, the metal will come in contact with the covering 7 and be concentric
therewith and with the hollow a of the mould which is beneath. The several
pieces of material (viz¹) the covering 7 and paper 8 and metal 6 (or else 9 and
10 in lieu of 6) being thus lodged one above another over the mouth of the
mould, they are all forced down together to the bottom of the cylindrical cavity a
of the mould by a cylindrical charger or punch, Figure H, which is pushed
down through the centering ring G by pressure of the hand. The end of the
charger or punch H is formed with a slight rebate or groove round it to fit to
the inside of the raised edge of the shell 6 (or of the bevil ring 10 if it is used
in lieu of 6) and the flat end of the charger or punch H entering into the hollow
of the shell (or of the bevil ring 10) applied to the flat bottom of the shell 6
(or to the flat metal blank 9) in order to avoid crushing down the said raised
edge of the shell 6 (or of the bevil ring 10) by the force wherewith the charger
or punch His pushed down. The said action of forcing down the charger or
punch H into the under mould D causes the circumference of the covering 7
(and of the paper 8, if such a paper is used) to turn up all round the raised
edge of the shell 6 (or of the bevil ring 10), so that the said circumference
will stand up all round against the cylindrical inside a of the mould in the
space which is left in the mould around the cylindrical charger or punch H
when the same is forced down into the mould. The charger or punch H is
then withdrawn and the centering ring G removed, leaving all the circular
pieces aforesaid at the bottom of the mould; and the position that they occupy
therein is explained by Figure M, which is a section of them drawn twice
their real size. The charging of the under mould D with those circular
pieces of materials which are to constitute the front of the button is now
completed.
Figure E is a section of the upper mould wherein the materials for the back
of the button are to be charged and moulded into the required shape for
preparing them to be joined to the materials for the front of the button which
have been charged, as aforesaid, into the under mould. The upper mould E is
represented in an inverted position in Figure E; it has a moveable sliding
plug fitted. into a cylindrical cavity, m which is perforated through the centre
of the mould in a similar manner to the sliding plug 6 of the inner mould,

page_text: except that the sliding plug f is of a smaller size than the intended button,!
being only so much larger than the internal metallic back 5 as to allow for the
thickness of the woven back 4 all round the circular edge of the metallic
back 5. The motion of the sliding plug fis limited by a cross pin g, and the
end of the sliding plug f is suitably formed to give the indentation which is
required at the centre of the woven back 4. The upper mould is hollowed
out at h, h, to an exact counterpart in form and size to the exterior i, i, of the
under mould, and when the upper mould is applied upon the under mould, as
is represented in Figure F, the two moulds fit exactly together, and form, as it
were, one piece. A prominent interior rim k, k, within the upper mould fills
the circular rebated which is excavated around the mouth of the under mould,
and the cylindrical cavity a in the interior of the under mould is carried a little
way up into the upper mould at n exactly of the same size as the intended
button, being a continuation of the cylindrical cavity a into which the sliding.
plug 6 of the under mould is fitted. The interior cavity of the upper mould
then diminishes in size from n with a hollow doomed form at 1, 1, which brings
it to the size of the cylindrical cavity m into which the sliding plug f of the.
upper mould is fitted. In order to charge the materials for forming the back
of the button into the interior cylindrical cavity m of the upper mould E, it is.
placed in an inverted position over a hole in the work bench X, as is shewn in
Figure E, and a centering ring, Figure K, is to be applied over the mouth of
the mould, a circular rebate O is excavated at the under side of the centering.
ring K of a proper size to receive the circular piece 4 which is to form the.
woven back, and which piece must fit into the rebate O so that it will not fall
out by its own weight when the centering ring K is turned over and dropped.
over the upper mould E. in order to convey the said woven back 4 over the
mouth of the mould and concentric therewith. The interior of the centering
ring K is the exact size of the metal back 5, one or more of the circular
pieces of paper 3 are dropped into the interior of the centering ring K upon the
woven back 4, and then the metal back 5 is dropped in after them. The
several pieces of materials for the back of the button being thus laid over
the mouth of the mould and truly concentric with the interior thereof, the
charger or punch, Figure L, is inserted through the centering ring K into
which it fits, and being pressed down by hand it carries down the metal back 5
and the papers 3 and the woven back 4 all together into the cylindrical cavity
m within the mould wherein the sliding plug f is fitted, that plug retreating
before the pressure as far as the cross pin g will permit it to go, the action
of thus ramming down the materials causing the circumference of the woven
back 4 to turn up all around the circumference of the metal back 5 and of

page_text: the papers 3 so as to stand up around the inside of the cylindrical cavity m
of the mould in the space which is left in that cavity around the charger or
punch L. The charger or punch L is then withdrawn and the centering
ring K removed, leaving all the circular pieces aforesaid at the bottom of the
mould. The position they occupy therein is explained by Figure N which is
a section of them drawn twice the real size. The charging of the upper
mould with those circular pieces which are to constitute the back of the
button is now completed. The two moulds being charged separately in the
manner above described, each one with its own share of the materials for
making a button, the moulds are taken up from the bench X on which they
rested whilst they were charged, and the two moulds are put together by turning
the upper mould E over and placing it on the top of the under mould D in the
manner shewn in the section Figure T, and when that is done the lower end
of the sliding plug 6 is pushed upwards by the finger, whilst the two moulds
are firmly grasped together in the fingers, by that means the materials for the
front of the button which are contained in the cavity a of the under mould
are raised up out therefrom and transferred into the cavity at n, 1, 1, within the
upper mould, whereby they are brought nearly in contact with the materials
for the back of the button which are contained in the cavity m of the upper
mould. The pair of moulds are then submitted to pressure in a press shewn
in Sheet II. into which they are placed with the lower end of the sliding plug b
resting upon the solid bottom of the press. The press when brought into
action on the pair of moulds first exerts a moderate pressure upon the top
surface of the upper mould E before it causes any pressure on the top of the
sliding plug of the upper mould. The effect of that first pressure is to com-
plete the action which was commenced by raising the sliding plug 6 with the
finger, as aforesaid, that is to say, the circumference of the front covering 7
(and of the paper 8, if any such is used) which stood up in a cylindrical form
like a lining to the interior cylindrical cavity a of the under mould (see
Figure M) is forcibly pressed by the dome-shaped contraction I, I, of the cavity
of the upper mould, and thereby the circumference of the front covering 7
(and paper 8 if any such is used) is turned over the bevil edge of the shell 6
(or else the edge of the bevil ring 10 if used in lieu of 6) in the manner repre-
sented by the section Figure O, the materials for the back of the button
remaining all the while within the cylindrical cavity m of the upper mould,
and nearly but not quite in contact with the materials for the front of the
button. The press, after having exerted the said moderate pressure upon
the upper mould E and produced the effect above described, then causes a
forcible pressure upon the top of the sliding plugf of the upper mould, and

page_text: thereby the materials for the back of the button are forcibly driven down upon
the materials for the front thereof so as to turn the overlapping edges of the
front covering 7 and those of the woven back 4 both together into the hollow
within the shell 6, or of the bevil ring 10 which may be used in lieu of 6) in
the manner represented by the section Figure P. The materials for the
whole button being thus put together in their relative positions, the moulds
are removed from the press and separated, the newly-formed button will remain
in the upper mould until it is pushed out therefrom by applying the finger to
the sliding plug f, and it is then put between a pair of finishing dies, Figure Q,
and again submitted to pressure in the same press, Sheet II. The finishing
dies, Figure Q, are made of steel and hardened, they are fitted one to the other
in a very similar manner to the moulds, Figure F, before described. The
lower die S, S, has a sliding plug T fitted into it, and over that plug is a cavity
which will give the required form to the back of the button. The corre-
sponding part of the upper die V, V, is adapted to give form to the face of
the button. The pressure which the button receives between the finishing
dies presses down the raised edge of the shell 6 (or of the bevil ring 10 which
may be used in lieu thereof) so as to clench and fasten all the parts of the
button firmly together in the manner shewn by section Figure R, and
the button is flattened down to its intended thickness. The button should
remain under pressure between the finishing dies whilst the two moulds are
charging with fresh materials by a repetition of the process herein-before
described, and until the press is wanted for pressing the moulds another time.
The sliding plug T in the lower die is for the purpose of throwing the bottom
out of the lower die when it is to be removed therefrom. The press for
pressing the moulds and pressing the finishing dies is represented in Sheet II..
The base is a strong plate A, A, of cast iron which is fastened down upon the
work bench, and two standards B, B, are erected upon it to support two
pivots C, C, at the ends of a short axis P from which a lever handle H projects
out, being made in one piece with the axis P and its pivotts C, C. The
part P of the axis is an excentric curve to act upon a clapper F which is
moveable about a centre pin f at the further end of the base plate A, A, of
the press, and which clapper is borne upwards by a spring L which is fixed
upon the base plate A, A, and acts upwards beneath the clapper F.
When
the handle is turned upwards (as shewn in the Figures, the excentricity of
the curve P allows the clapper F to ride up so high so as to admit the pair
of moulds, Figures D and E, Sheet I. (or the pair of finishing dies, Figure Q,
Sheet I.), to be placed beneath it on the base plate A, A, of the press; but
when the lever handle H is turned down, the excentric curve P. presses down
the clapper F. Upon the top of the sliding plug of the upper mould G is a

page_text: stuff spring fixed with a screw to the under side of the clapper F, and the end
of the spring G is forked to apply to the top of the upper mould without
bearing upon the top of the plug thereof, and the clapper F has a tooth X
projecting downwards through the opening of the fork in the end of the
spring G so as to act on the top of the sliding plug f of the upper mould
when the handle H is turned downwards. When the clapper F is depressed
by the excentric curve P it brings down the spring G and causes the forked
end thereof to bear on the upper mould with a moderate pressure, as before
described; before the clapper is depressed so low that its tooth X comes to bear
on the top of the sliding plug f of the upper mould. The pair of moulds,
Figure F, Sheet I., or the pair of dies Figure Q, Sheet I., are guided into their
proper places in the base plate A of the press by means of a plate of iron k
which is forked to admit the under mould D on the lower die S in the same
manner as the fork of a boot jack receives the heel of a boot. The plate k is
fitted into the space between the two standards B, B, of the press, and fastened
by a screw to the base plate A, A, so that it can be changed when required for
another similar plate to fit different-sized moulds or dies. Note, as to the
moulds, Figure F, Sheet I., for forming the button and the tools for charging
them, also the finishing dies Figure Q, Sheet I., for consolidating the button,
and also the press, Sheet II. for giving the requisite pressure to those moulds
and dies, as herein-before described, are not newly-invented implements, nor
does the construction thereof form any part of my present improvement in the
making and constructing of buttons. The said moulds, dies, and press are very
similar in their construction to the tools and implements used by Mr. Benjamin
Sanders in his manufactory of flexible shank buttons at Bromsgrove, and for
which tools and implements a Patent was granted to him by King George the
Third, dated the Fourth day of November, in the fifty-fourth year of His
reign (1813), I make no claim to improvement in the construction of the said
tools and implements, except inasmuch as the same are modified for the
purpose of making and constructing of buttons according to my improvement
in the manner herein-before described, and which buttons are represented at
1, 2, Sheet I., and have the distinctive character herein-before set forth.
Note, the moulds and finishing dies should be kept as warm as the hand
will conveniently endure during the making of the buttons in them, and
the warmth will cause the materials to press more closely together than if the
moulds and dies were cold. If the buttons have a gloss upon them when
they come out of the finishing dies, it can be removed by damping the faces
of the buttons by holding them over steam arising from hot water. As to the
materials whereof buttons are to be made according to my said improvement,
as herein-before set forth, the metal back 5 and the metal shell 6 (or else the

page_text: blank 9 and bevil ring 10) are cut out of sheet iron of the thickness commonly
called No. 34 guage for iron plate for the size of button represented in Sheet I.,
and for other buttons of other sizes from No. 30 guage No. 36 guage for iron
plate. The circular pieces are cut out by beds and punches, and if an inden-
tation at the centre of the metal plate is required, it may be stamped or raised
between top and bottom tools of the usual kind employed by button makers.
The metal shell Figure 6 is formed by the tools usually employed for raising
up the shells of buttons. In case the blank 9 and bevil ring 10 are used in
lieu of the shell 6, then to form the said bevil ring a blank is cut out of sheet
iron rather larger than the intended button, and out of the centre of that
blank a smaller blank is cut by a second operation with a bed and punch,
leaving a narrow ring which, when raised to a bevil by suitable top and bottom
tools, forms the bevil ring 10. The small blank which is so cut out of the ring
is of a proper size for the metal back 5. The circular pieces of cloth and
paper 7, 8, 3 and 4, are cut out by the well-known tools called beds and
punches.
In witness whereof, I, the said Benjamin Aingworth, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of February, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and thirty-two.
AND BE IT REMEMBERED, that on the Twenty-seventh day of February,
in the year of our Lord 1832, the aforesaid Benjamin Aingworth came before
our said Lord the King in His Chancery, and acknowledged the Specification
aforesaid, and all and every thing therein contained and specified, in form
above written. And also the Specification aforesaid was stamped according
to the tenor of the Statute made for that purpose.
Inrolled the Twenty-eighth day of February, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and thirty-two.