IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS AND IN FASTENINGS FOR THE SAME
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Mac Millan, of the City of London,
in the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of “IMPROVEMENTS IN
BUTTONS AND IN FASTENINGS FOR THE SAME."
"
BUTTONS AND IN FASTENINGS FOR THE SAME.
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Mac Millan.
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 27th November 1874.
I, ALEXANDER MAC MILLAN, of the City of London, in the County
of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS AND IN FASTENINGS FOR THE SAME," to be as
follows, that is to say :-
This Invention relates to improvements in that class of buttons which
are secured to garments and other articles by separate fastenings, and
for which no sewing or eyelet holes are required, such improved buttons
and fastenings being applicable for garments, gloves, boots and shoes,
gaiters, and other articles where buttons are required.
The improved buttons may be made of metal, wood, bone, ivory, or
other materials of which buttons are usually made. When such buttons
are made in one piece and of metal such as trousers' buttons, I can form

page_text: them by means of dies and punches as follows:-The disc of metal from
which the button is to be made is placed in the first die, and the corre-
sponding stamp or punch being forced down a hemispherical sink is
formed in the centre of the disc or button with a corresponding boss or
projection on the under side thereof, the disc is then placed in the
second die, the punch of which forms a hole in the centre of the disc
and forms the said hemispherical sink into a cylindrical sink, which is of
larger diameter than the central hole, thus forming an internal shoulder,
the partly formed button is then placed in the third die, the stamp of
which completes the button by rounding the sink and forming the boss
on the under side into a cylindrically shaped neck of the required size.
The same object may be obtained by other known processes.
The fastening for this button consists of a cylindrical metal tube
closed at the upper end, the lower end being formed with a flange,
washer, or collet. To fix a button thus formed a hole is pierced in the
garment or other article at the place where the button is to be fixed, the
herein-before described tube is passed through this hole, the button is
placed on this tube which fits the central hole in the button, and
projects a short distance into the sink in the centre thereof. The upper
end of the tube or fastener is then (by means of any suitable tool) upset
or rivetted over the said internal shoulder so as to fix the tube to the
button which is thus secured to the garment, the flange at the lower
end of the tube or fastener preventing it being drawn through the
fabric.
"
In that class of buttons usually formed in two parts, videlicet, the top
of a curvilinear form and the bottom or under side flat I make the under
side of a dome shape and I form a central hole therein, and from this
hole I form two slits, the piece of metal between the slits forming a
tongue, the free end of which forms a part of the circumference of the
central hole, this tongue allows the passage through the said hole of a
ball (of larger diameter than the hole) at the end of a small stud or rod;
when the ball has passed through the tongue springs back and prevents
the withdrawal of the ball; to fix this button the free end of the rod is
passed through the hole in the fabric, and a small washer is placed on
the lower end thereof (which projects from the under side of the fabric),
and the end may be rivetted over the washer or the reverse.
Flat buttons with a central sink as herein-before described may also
be fixed by means of a piece of wire bent upon itself so as to form a loop.

page_text: or ring, the two ends being then brought together are passed through the
hole in the fabric and through the central hole of the button, and
flattened over into the sink, a rod if required being passed through the
said loop under the fabric, or I may employ a headed rod and a split
washer.
For Florentines and fancy buttons the back of the button is formed
with a countersink in the centre with a hole through each side of the
countersink; the fastener for this button is made with a flange at the
back; the end of the fastener which is passed through the fabric is
formed with an eye which rests in the countersink in the button. To
attach this button a pin is passed through the holes in the button and
eye of the fastener, thus allowing the button to oscillate and to be easily
buttoned.
These buttons may also be formed with a tubular neck which is split
through, the back of the shell of the button being also split almost to
the edge, the split being opened the head of a stud is inserted and will
rest on a shoulder formed in the inside of the button, the split is then
closed and the button will be secured. The button may also be made
with a nipple shaped back with a perforation in the centro and a cut
across nearly to the edge, the fastening for this button has a head and
when passed through the fabric one side of the said shell is pressed down
on the fastener and the button is then secured. This button can be
secured by pressure or as required and is also applicable to shirt studs or
solitaires, I can also form a fastener for fancy buttons having the front
part sufficiently small to pass through a small hole in the button; the
flange end of the fastener is larger than the centre of same.
To fasten the button it must be pushed on the said fastener and be
pressed until the end of the fastener is turned over against the inner side

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Twenty-seventh day of November, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, in
the thirty-eighth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and
successors, give and grant unto me, the said Alexander Mac Millan, Her
special licence that I, the said Alexander Mac Millan, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander
Mac Millan, 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 Invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTONS AND IN FASTENINGS FOR THE SAME," upon the
condition (amongst others) that I, the said Alexander Mac Millan, my
executors or administrators, 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Mac Millan, do hereby
declare the nature of my 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 Drawing
hereto annexed and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to
say:―
This Invention relates to improvements in buttons which are secured
to garments and other articles by separate fastenings, and for which no
sewing or eyelet holes are required, and also in portable buttons which
hitherto have required eyelet holes, such buttons and fastenings being
applicable for garments, gloves, boots and shoes, and other articles
where buttons are required.
The improved buttons may be made of metal, wood, bone, ivory, or
other materials of which buttons are usually made.
To make my Invention better understood I will proceed to describe
the same, and the manner of carrying it into effect by reference to the
accompanying Drawing. When such buttons are made in one piece and

page_text: of metal such as trousers' buttons, I preferably form them by means of a
set of dies and stamps shewn in Figures 1, 2, and 3. The disc of metal
from which the button is to be made is placed in the first die A,
Figure 1, and the corresponding stamp or punch B is forced down and
forms a hemispherical sink in the centre of the disc or button a, with a
corresponding boss or projection on the under side thereof, the disc a is
then placed in the second die C, Figure 2, the punch D of which forms
a hole in the centre of the disc a and forms the said hemispherical sink
into a cylindrically shaped sink, which is of larger diameter than the
said central hole, thus forming an internal shoulder, the partly formed
button a is then placed in the third die E, Figure 3, the stamp F of
which completes the button by rounding the sink, and the boss on the
under sido is formed into a cylindrically shaped neck of the required
size.
Figure 4 is a section of this improved button; Figure 5 is a plan and
a section of the fastener for this button, such fastener consisting of a
cylindrical metal tube closed at its upper end, the lower end being
formed with a flange, washer, or collet c. To fix the improved button a
perforation is made in the garment or other article at the place where
the button is to be fixed, the tube of the fastener is passed through
this perforation, the button a is placed on this tube which fits the
central hole in the button, and projects a short distance into the sink d
in the centre of the top of the button. The upper end of the tube or
fastener 6 is then (by means of any suitable tool) upset or rivetted over
the said internal shoulder so as to fix the tube b to the button a, which
is thus securely fixed to the garment with greater facility than hitherto,
the flange c at the lower end of the tube b preventing it being drawn
through the fabric as shown in Figure 6, which is a section shewing the
button attached to a piece of cloth or other fabric e.
buttons may also be formed of two pieces.
Such trousers'
In that class of buttons, vidilicit, those usually formed in two parts,
the top of a curvilinear form and the bottom or under side flat, I make
the under side of a dome shape, as shown at Figure 7, which is a section
of one of these buttons constructed with my improvements. In the
centre of the piece f forming the under side of the button shewn in plan
at Figure 8 I form a hole g, and from this hole I form two slits the
piece of metal between the slits forming a tongue h, the free end of
which forms a part of the circumference of the said central hole The
g.

page_text: h
fastener for this button is shewn in Figure 10 and consists of a small
stud or rod i with a ball (of larger diameter than the hole g) at the end
thereof. The tongue allows the passage through the said hole of the
ball, and when the ball has passed through the tongue / springs back
and prevents the withdrawal of the ball, as shewn in Figure 10. To fix
this button the end of the rod i is passed through the perforation in the
fabric, and a small washer k, Figure 11, is placed on the lower end of
the rod e, and the projecting end is rivetted over the washer as shewn in
Figure 9, which is a section of the button applied to a piece of fabric j.
Instead of being separate the washer / may be formed on the rod e, in
which case the ball is passed through the fabric and then through the
hole in the button.
Figures 12 and 13, front elevation and a section respectively of a flat
button with a central sink having a fastener formed of a piece of half
round wire bent upon itself and having an eye or loop at the bottom, the
two ends of the wire being brought together are passed through the
perforation in the fabric and through the central hole in the button m,
the said ends are then flattened over into the sink n or the fastening
may be used in the reverse direction, as shown in Figures 19 and 20.
Figure 14 is a section of a similar button fixed to a piece of fabric by
a headed rod p, Figure 15, and a split washer q, Figure 16. To fix this
button the washer q is placed on the rod 2 which is passed through the
fabric, the button o is then passed over the rod p2 which is flattened or
rivetted over in the sink in the button; Figure 17 shows a button with
a fastening formed of a rod s, Figure 18, having two bars u, u, at the
lower end, the upper end of this fastening is passed through the hole in
the button and rivetted over; Figure 21, section and a plan of a button
and fastener similar to those shewn in Figures 12 and 13, but with the
addition of a rod v, Figure 22, which is passed through the eye or loop
of the fastener, the ends of the rod being flattened to prevent the rod
.coming out.
Figures 23, 24, 25, and 26, sections and plans of a button and fastener
similar to those shown in Figure 21, except that the flattened rod v is
replaced by a piece of bent wire w. One of these picces of wire is shewn
detached in Figure 27.
Figure 28 shews an elevation and a plan of the under side of a button
with the head or top formed of glass or other suitable material and
having a fastener similar to those shewn in Figures 21 to 27.

page_text: In the button shewn in elevation in Figure 29 a rod x, Figure 33, is
passed through the eye of the fastener y, the rod being kept in its place
by the two tubes *, *.
The flat button shewn in section and elevation at Figures 30 and 31
has a fastener similar to that shewn in Figure 29.
Figure 32 shews the same button applied to a piece of fabric; Figure
33 is a detached view of the fastener.
Figure 34 is a section, and Figure 35 a plan of the under side of a
Florentine button, the back a¹ of which is formed with a countersink in
the centre so as to form a cylindrical neck b¹ on the under side of the
button, and a hole is formed through each side of this neck; the fastener
for this button shewn detached in Figure 36 is made with a flange c¹ at
the bottom and an eye d' at the top, this eye rests in the countersink of
the button as seen in Figure 34. To attach this button a pin e¹ is
passed through the said holes in the cylindrical neck b¹ and through the
eye d' of the fastener, thus allowing the button to oscillate and to be
casily buttoned. Instead of the neck b¹ two projecting catches may be
employed resting in a groove in the back of the button.
Figure 37 is a section of a similar button but having the tubular
neck split through, the back of the shell of the button being also split
almost to the edge as shewn in Figure 38; Figure 39 is an elevation
of the fastener for this button, which has a head at the top instead of
the eye shewn in Figure 36. The split in the back of the button being
opened the head f¹ of the fastener is inserted, and will rest as seen in
Figuro 37 on the shoulder in the inside of the button, the split is then
closed and the button will be secured. The button may also be made
with a nipple shaped back g¹ as shewn in section at Figure 40 and plan
Figure 41 with a perforation g² in the centre and a cut across nearly to
the edge, the fastener for this button Figure 42 is similar to that shewn
in Figure 39, the split or cut being slightly opened, the head of the
fastener is inserted, the back of the shell will then spring back and the
button will be secured. This button may also be secured by simple
pressure and is applicable to shirt studs or solitaires.
I can also employ the fastener shewn in Figure 5 (or a similarly
shaped solid fastener), the top or front part being sufficiently small to
pass through a small hole in the back of the button. To fasten the
button it must be pushed on the said fastener and be pressed until the

page_text: upper end of the fastener is turned over (by the under side of the top of
the button) against.the inner side of the back of the button.
Having thus described my said Invention and the best means with
which I am acquainted for carrying the same into effect, what I claim
is,―
First. The forming trousers' buttons with an internal shoulder and a
cylindrically shaped neck underneath, and their employment in com-
bination with a tubular fastener whereby I obtain greater facility and
more security in the fixing of such buttons, as herein-before described.
E
·
Secondly. The improvements in fancy buttons and fasteners for the 1
same, as herein-before described and represented in Figures 7, 8, 9, 10,
and 11, and Figures 34 to 42 of the accompanying Drawing.
Thirdly. The improved fasteners for buttons, herein-before described
and represented in Figures 12 to 26 of the accompanying Drawing.
Fourthly. The improved fasteners for buttons, as herein-before 1
described and represented in Figures 28 to 33 of the accompanying.
Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Mac Millan, have hereto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of May, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy- 2
five.
Witness,
W. A. GILBEE,
4, South St.,
Finsbury,
E.C.
ALEXANDER MAO MILLAN. (L.S.)