US2635311A

US2635311A - Button fastener

Info

Publication number: US2635311A
Application number: US190848A
Authority: US
Inventors: Frances H Schaffer
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1950-10-18
Filing date: 1950-10-18
Publication date: 1953-04-21
Anticipated expiration: 1970-04-21

Description

April 21, 1953 F. H. SCHAF'FE

R

2, 3

BUTTON FASTENER Filed Oct. 18, 1950 Patented Apr. 21, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to button fasteners and more particularly to a safe pin structure for removably securing buttons and the like to wearing apparel.

Many buttons in use on wearing apparel such as ladies coats, dresses and like garments are ornamental and expensive but are of such material that they are frequently damaged or broken when the garment is cleaned or laundered. Also, some buttons are damaged when heated as when the garment is ironed or pressed. Such buttons must be removed before the cleaning and replaced after the finishing or pressing operation. This increases the cost of processing the garments and also the buttons are frequently lost resulting in dfiiculty of replacement and dissatisfied customers.

The objects of the present invent on are to provide a safe pin structure of suitable contour for removably pinning buttons of the shank type or cloth back buttons to wear ng apparel whereby the pin lies flat against the under side of the material; to provide a button fastener having a bowed p n of suitable contour and adapted to be forced through the cloth of the garment and then through the eye of a button shank or cloth back of a button, and finally again through the cloth and having its free end held in fastened condition to prevent displacement of the button and protect the wearer from injury from the pin point; to provide a button fastener-with a body section and a relatively rotatable pin section mounted thereon with suitable stops engaged by the pin sect on to effect resilient engagement of the free end of the pin section with the body section when in button fastening position; and to provide a button fastener which is economical to manufacture and quickly and easily applied to wearing apparel for removably securing buttons thereto without uns ghtly bulges in the material and in such a manner that the wearer is protected from injury by the pin.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a button fastener embodying the features of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a disassembled perspective view of the button fastener.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the button fastener.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the button fastener being applied to a button for securing same to a piece of cloth.

Fig. 5 is an edge view of a button and fastener applied to a piece of cloth, the fastener lying substantially flat against the under side of the cloth.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modified form wherein the body portion is formed of sheet material.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a further modified form in open condition.

Fig. 8 is a plan View of the form shown in Fig. '7.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

I designates a button fastener having a body section 2 and a p n section 3 rotatably connected by a hinge member 4. The body section preferably consists of a length of spring wire 5, arcuate in shape and having an eye 6 formed at one end thereof. A keeper 1, preferably formed of sheet metal, is secured to the other end of the wire 5 and curved toward the eye 6 and terminating in an inwardly opening channel portion 8 for receiving the point 9 of the pin section 3, as later described. The pin section consists of a length of spring wire it, having one pointed end 9 and an eye I I on the other end, the eye H corresponding in size to the eye 6 on the body section of the fastener. The pin section is preferably arcuate in shape and the mid portion has a U-shaped loop l2 arranged at right angles or substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the arcuate portion of the pin section. This arrangement provides a curved portion on a curved pin which curve on a curve facilitates the application of the pin in securing a shank type button to cloth. The hinge member 4 mounts the eyes 6 and l for limited relative rotation whereby when the pointed end of the pin section is swung toward the keeper 1 the relative rotation of the respective eyes is stopped while the pointed end 9 is spaced from the keeper 1 and further movement of the pin section to effect engagement of the pointed end in the keeper is by bending of the pin section and the resiliency in the spring wire tends to hold the pointed end engaged in the channel portion 8 of the keeper 1.

The particular hinge member 4 preferably is formed of sheet metal and consists of disk-like portions 13 and It, each of which has inwardly pressed trunnions l5 of suitable diameter to closely engage the opening in the eye portions ii and i l for rotatably mounting said eye portions on said trunnions. erably has substantially the same length as the thickness of the wire forming the eyes 6 and II, whereby said eyes lie one on the other between Each of the trunnions pref- 3 the disk portions I3 and M. The disk portions are connected by an arcuate wall 88 arranged between the body section 2 and pin section 3, as illustrated in Fig. 3. A flange or lug H is provided on one of the disk portions and spaced from the end 18 of the wall it whereby the wire 5 extends therebetween and is substantially engaged thereby. The lug l! is spaced from the opposite end is of the wall as whereby the pin section 3 may be rotated relative to the body section as illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 3,

to provide a wide opening of the fastener. How-- ever, the end [9 of the wall It is so positioned that when the pin section is moved toward the closed position the wire It will engage the end I9 while the pointed end 9 is still spaced from the keeper 7, requiring the wire to be bent in order to engage the pointed end 9 in the channel portion 8 of the keeper and the bending of the wire will create sufi'icient force between the pointed end 9 and the keeper to retain same in engaged position.

To attach a shank type button 29 to the cloth 2! of a garment, the shank 22 of the button is held in engagement with the cloth whereby the cloth substantially engages around the shank 22. The fastener is then opened and the pointed; end inserted through the cloth and through the aperture 23 of the shank and then back through the cloth, as illustrated in Fig. 4. The ar uate shape or curve on a curve of the pin section 3 permits the pin section to be easily moved through the cloth and; shank aperture with a screw or twisting movement until the U-shaped loop 12 is located in the aperture of the shank. The pin section is then hinged relative to the body section to move the wire It into engagement with the end IQ of the wall, It and said section is further moved bending the wire l8 until the pointed end a is engaged in the channel portion s of the keeper 1.

'The loop !2 is rotatable in the aperture 23 of the shank 22 whereby the entire button fastener I is moved to lie flat against the under side of the cloth 2| as illustrated in Fig. 5, eliminating any unsightly bulge in the cloth.

To remove the button, the button fastener is swung away from the cloth and pressure applied to the body and pin sections, bending same sufficiently to disengage the pointed end fl from the keeper '4' for opening the fastener. When the fastener is opened the pin section may be easily withdrawn from the button shank and cloth.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 6, the button fastener consists of a body member 25 formed of sheet metal or the like, having flanges on opposite sides turned upwardly and inwardly to form

keepers

21 and 28 adapted to be engaged by

end portions

29 and 39 of a spring wire 31. The intermediate portion of the wire is formed in a coil 32 adapted to be rotatably mounted on a trunnion which extends upwardly from the body member 2:6 adjacent one end thereof, said trunnion being provided with a flange or the like 34 for retaining the coil on the trunnion. The keeper 2? has greater spacing from the trunnion 33 than the keeper 28 and the portion of the wire 3! intermediate the trunnion 33 and the keeper 2? is arcuate or curved and provided with an upwardly extending U-shaped loop portion 35 to form the curve on a curve of the pin section, the end 29 of said wire portion being pointed as at 36 to facilitate insertion of the wire into a garment and through an aperture of a button or the like.

In using a button fastener such as disclosed in Fig. 6, the portion 29 of the wire is pressed toward the side of the body member having the keeper 28 thereon to release the wire portion 29 from the keeper 21. The entire wire member is then rotatable about the trunnion 33 to open the pin fastener as illustrated by the dotted lines in Fig. 6, the end 39 of the wire preferably being shorter than the distance between the trunnion and. the keeper 2'! whereby the end 39 may be swung past said keeper. The pointed end of the wire is inserted through cloth of a garment and aperture in the shank of a button in the same manner as described relative to the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1. The wire is then rotated to effect engagement of the end 30 with the keeper 28 and then the end 2?; is pressed toward the endtt to effect engagement of the pointed end of the wire with the keeper 2i. The normal spacing between the

ends

29 and 3!) of the wire is greater than the spacing between the

keepers

21 and 28 whereby the resiliency of the wire will retain the ends thereof in engagement with the keepers when the button fastener is in closed po sition.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 7 and 8 the button. fastener consists of a body member 3"! formed of sheet metal or. the like preferably having a central portion 28 terminating in angularly arranged legs 39 and 58. A flange t! extends from the outer side edge of the leg 38 and is bent upwardly and over said leg in spaced relation thereto. The leg and flange are each provided with depressed portions 12 which form trunnions extending into an eye =33 of a wire member at whereby said. wire member pivots about the trunnions. The wire is suitably curved whereby when the button fastener is in closed position said wire will overlie the body member 31, said wire terminating in a pointed end 55 which in closed position is adjacent the end of the leg 48. A flange extends upwardly from the outer side of the leg as and is bent inwardly to extend through a garment and aperture of a button or the like.

In using a button fastener such as disclosed in Figs. '7 and 8, the wire portion is rotated on the trunnions and moved through the narrow spacing between the flange and embossed portion 41, which serve as a keeper, said wire then being swung to positions substantially as shown in Fig. '7. The pointed end of the wire is then inserted. through cloth of a garment and aperture in the shank of a button in the same manner as described relative to the form of the invention shown in Fig. l. The wire is then rotated to effect engagement of the end 55 with the keeper formed by the fiange it and embossed portion i? to effect closing of the button fastener. In this position due to the upwardly extending U-shaped loop portion 53 in the wire extending through the cloth and button aperture, the body portion of the fastener will lie closely against the under neath side of. the cloth and in relatively flat condition.

It is believed that I have provided a button fastener that is economical to manufacture and easily applied to secure a button on a garment and moved whereby the fastener will lie flat against the under side of the garment to eliminate any bulges therein.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A pin for attaching a button having a shank with a transverse aperture to the cloth of a garment comprising, a body member, a flange adjacent one end of the body member and cooperating therewith to form a keeper, an arcuateshaped wire having an eye on one end, said arouate-shaped wire defining a plane parallel to the body member, means adjacent the end of the body member opposite to the keeper rotatably mounting the eye of the Wire on said body member for swinging movement about an axis perpendicular to the plane of the arcuate-shaped wire, a pointed end on the other end of the wire, a U-shaped loop in the arcuate-shaped wire intermediate its ends and directed away from the body member substantially perpendicular to the plane defined by the curvature of said arcuate shaped wire, said pointed wire being adapted for insertion through cloth, through a transverse aperture of a button shank and then through the cloth until the U-shaped loop engages within the aperture of the button, and the wire and body member lie flat against the under side of the cloth, and means on the body member adjacent the keeper flange whereby the pointed end of said wire is releasably and resiliently engaged therebetween.

2. A pin for attaching a button having a transversely apertured shank to the cloth of a garment, said pin including a body member, a flange adjacent one end of the body member and cooperating therewith to form a keeper, a bar having a portion diverging from the other end of the body member and a portion curving toward the keeper and having a pointed end, said bar being movable toward the keeper for engaging the pointed end with the keeper, said portions of the bar being substantially in a plane with the body member and interconnected by an open side loop portion projecting laterally from said plane with the curved portion joining with the loop in a connecting curve, thereby forming continuous consecutive curves from the point to the mid portion of the loop whereby the point will enter the cloth at one side of the shank and pass through said aperture and the cloth at the other side of the shank with the pin at right angles to the cloth and turned to be flat against the cloth as the consecutive curves pass through said aperture to bring the loop portion into engagement with the aperture, and means on the body member cooperating with the keeper flange for accommodating the pointed end in releasable and resilient engagement therebetween.

3. A pin for attaching a button having a shank with a transverse aperture to the cloth of a garment comprising, a body member having a keeper flange adjacent one end thereof, a length of wire having a point at one end for insertion through the cloth and through the aperture of the button shank and back through the cloth, a U-shaped loop in the wire intermediate its ends with the ends of the U-shaped loop curved and merging into the adjacent portions of the wire, said U- shaped loop being directed away from the body member substantially perpendicularly to :a plane defined by the wire and body member, said wire curving from the U-shaped loop toward the keeper flange to provide consecutive curves in the wire for insertion thereof with a turning and forward movement in the cloth and button shank aperture and back through the cloth whereby when the U-shaped loop is engaged with the shank the Wire and body member lie flat against the cloth, means hingedly connecting the other ends of the wire and body member for movement in a plane substantially perpendicular to the U-shaped loop, and means on the body member adjacent the keeper flange whereby said pointed end of the wire is releasably and resiliently engaged therebetween.

FRANCES H. SCHAFFER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 342,182 Chew May 18, 1886 893,237 Gifiord July 14, 1908 915,901 Swartz Mar. 23, 1909 2,499,086 Birnkrant et a1. Feb. 28, 1950