US374626A - Island - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

G. W. PRENTIGE.

BUTTON 0B, STUD. No. 374,626. Q Patented Dec. 13, 1887.

A n ,c /v/M/f/DM' 157 UNITED rSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. PRENTICE,`OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE vISLAND.

- BUTTON 0R s-Tun.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374,626, dated December 13, 1887.

Application filed October 2Q, 1887. Serial No. 253.050. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE W. PRENTICE, a citizen of theUnited States, residing at Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lacing Studs or Buttons; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the ac companying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, `which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to lacing studs or but` tons adapted to be rigidly affixed to shoes,&c. and serving, in conjunction with a cord, as a means for securing shoes to the wearer. Usually, heretofore fasteners of this class have been formed wholly of metal, the same being subsequently colored by japanning or other suitable process. An objection to the use of such metallic fasteners or lacing-studs is that the coloring or enamel is soon worn off in use, thereby exposing a bright metallic surface, which, obviously, is undesirable.

The object of my improvement is to produce a lacing-stud having a metallic shank with attaching-prongs and a front or top portion of leather or other suitable compressible and somewhat porous material adapted to absorb coloring-matter.

To this end it consists of a metallic tabular shank portion, having the part'thereof which bears against the fabric in use expanded transversely, so as to increase the area of contact, and terminating in a series of attaching-prongs arranged about the circumference of said expanded portion or table and at right angles therewith. The neck or shank proper is made concave circumferentially to readily receive a cord, and is furnished with a series of prongs at its upper end which pass into or through a blank of leather, leatherette, papier-mache, or other suitable material or substance.

In the annexed sheet of drawings, illustrating my improved lacing'stud, Figure l represents a perspective view of the same complete ready for attachment and use. Fig. Il is a similar View showing the lacing-stud secured to a fabric. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view thereof taken through the center. Fig. 3' is a perspective View of the metallic portion of the lacing-stud detached. Fig. 4 is a central sectional view thereof. Fig. 5 isa plan view; and Fig. 6 is asectional viewsimilar to Fig. 4, but showing the shank provided with two attaching-prongs only.

Referring again to the drawings, a indicates the metallic portion of the lacing-stud, the same consisting of the concavetubular neck or shank a', having points or prongs extending from its upper side. The lower side of the neck a is extended laterally to formthe base or tablet, from which in turn project the downwardly extending attaching prongs n, as clearly shown in Figs. 3, 4,' &.c., the said metallic portion a being formed from a single" piece of metal. 1 A mannerI of making the same is as follows: A seamless tube of the proper size is cut offV to the desired length. The two ends of the piece are then submitted t0 a suitable cutting or milling machine which cuts away a portion of the metal, thereby producing a series of penetrating spurs or prongs, z' and n. The lower series of spurs, n, together with the contiguous metal of the tubular portion, are then swaged or expanded to form a retaining base or table, t, the tubular shank at the same time (or before or after, as desired) being shaped by a suitable tool to the concave form a'. The number of prongs may be two or more.

b indicates the head portion of the laeingstud, the same being cut from leather, paper, or other material adapted to be compressed and shaped. By reason of the employment of such material I am enabled to mold or shape the blanks b into a variety of forms and designs. The blanks, moreover, are susceptible of being thoroughly and permanentlylcolored, owing to the slightly-porous nature of the material which absorbs the coloring-matter. It is obvious that metal cannot be practically worked or substituted for leather; neither can it be colored so as to withstand wear or use as compared with leather. y

I n securing the parts together the blanks b are retained in a suitable holder and the prongs are forced into them. If necessary or desirable, the ends of the prongs may be bent and clinched into the surface of the blanks, as shown in Fig. 2, 86e. After the parts a and b are secured together the head portion b may be fnallysubmitted to a machine which gives to it the finished shape A, the lacing stud or button now being ready for use.

Fig. 'l'l- Shows the n'ished article attached to a fabric, f, the prongs n passing through said fabric, and clinched thereunder. At the same time the table t forms a comparatively-A broad surface or area on the opposite side of the fabric, thereby adapting the stud A to Withstand greater strains when the lacingcord is connected with it when in use.

In another application ofeven date with this I have shown and claimed an improved manner of making the shanks from` a metallic blank.

The completed article A maybe conveniently used as a but-ton in connection with a button-hole for securing garments, &c., the tubular neck portion readily fitting the usual eye or enlarged end of the button-hole.

I claim as my invention- 1. The .lacing stud or button hereinbefore described, consisting of a metallic tubular shank portion provided with a series of upper and lower prongs, as i and a, and a head por tion, b, of leather or other suitable absorbent material, secured to the metallic shank by said upper series of prongs.

2. The lacing stud or button hereinbefore described, having a metallic tubular shank secured to a leather head portion,and having the lower portion of said shank provided with attaehi iig-prongs bent to form an enlarged base or table, as t, substantially as set forth.

3. rlhe `lacing stud or button A, hereinbefore described, consisting of the metallic tubular shank a, having a concave neck, a', a table portion, t, and attaching-prongs n, extending therefrom, and a head'or top, b, of leather or other suitable absorbent material, secured to ythe upper portion of said shank, substantially GEORGE W. PRENTICE,

.Wi tnesses:

F. A. SMITH, Jr., CHARLES GREENE.

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