Oct. 26, 1965 J. SOLANKA METHOD AND MEANS FOR SEWING AND SHANKING BUTTONS Filed Feb. 25, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 J 34 32 2s 34 3o, 46 48 4o Q? V//////////A 22 llhd. I. Val 24 28 _ 42/ "71% / ' ///////1 5o INVENTOR dos eph So/cmka BY ATTORNEY
Oct. 26, 1965 J. SOLANKA METHOD AND MEANS FOR SEWING AND SHANKING BUTTONS Filed Feb. 25, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Joseph So/anko BY ATTORNEY
United States Patent 0 3,Z l 3,8 l 6 Patented Oct. 26, 1965 1 METHOD AND MEANS FOR SEWING AND SHANKING BUTTONS Joseph Solanka, Baltimore, Md., assignor to The London town Manufacturing Company, Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Maryland Filed Feb. 25, 1963, Ser. No. 260,648 7 Claims. (Cl. 112-265) This invention relates to a method and means for shank ing buttons and is a continuation-in-part of my earlier application Serial No. 119,916?led June 27, 1961, and now abandoned. As conducive to a better understanding of the instant invention the following background material is set forth. 15 In the garment industry it is conventional, in sewing a button or the like on a piece of fabric or a garment, to space the button therefrom and after the sewing has been completed to wrap a thread around the connection between the button and the fabric to provide a shank. 20 This shank strengthens the attachment and facilitates buttoning and unbuttoning the garment. The convention al shanking procedure is relatively time consuming and expensive and many methods and means have been sug gested heretofore in an effort to improve thereon. It has 25 been suggested, for example, to provide a spacer or a washer-type element to be positioned between the fabric and the button and having openings corresponding to the conventional apertures in the button. Such means have either been uncommercial because of undue expense in 30 manufacture and in handling or because the relatively loose?t of the aforementioned element around the thread securing the button to the fabric has caused relative move ment between these parts and friction on the thread, re sulting in excessive wear thereof and frequent loss of 35 buttons from the garment. Others have suggested sewing directly through a penetrable spacer element but this has caused great dulling of the sewing needles and excessive expense in handling. It is therefore a primary object of the instant inven tion to provide an improved method and means for per forming the shanking operation. Another object of this invention is the provision of a shanking method which eliminates the necessity of a sepa rate shanking machine and which results in a substan tial saving of thread during the manufacture of a garment. It is a further object of the instant invention to provide a method for shanking buttons which is relatively quick and easy to accomplish and requires little skill on the 50 part of the operator. A still further object of this invention is the provision of a shanking method which results in an improved?nal product wherein the button is spaced from the fabric by a resilient band means tightly surrounding the thread 55 connecting the button to the fabric. Another object of this invention is to provide a shank ing method resulting in a product of high uniformity and good aesthetic appearance. Yet another object of the instant invention is the pro 60 vision of an improved means for shanking buttons, which means is reliable and e?icient in operation and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture and utilize. Another object of this invention is to provide a shank ing means comprising a holder having an opening there through for the passage of the threads connecting the 65 2 button to the garment and a supporting means extending around the opening to retain a resilient band means dur ing the sewing operation, wherein the holder is frangible so that it may be easily broken and removed, leaving the resilient band means in relatively tight engagement with the button threads. A still further object of this invention is to provide a shanking means of the type described wherein the sup porting means is comprised of a substantially continuous?ange means adapted to retain a small rubber band or the like therearound during the sewing operation. Yet another object of this invention is the provision of an improved shanking means wherein a plurality of pins are disposed in spaced relationship about an opening therein to support and retain a resilient band means thereon during the sewing operation. Other and further objects reside in the combination of elements, arrangement of parts and features of construc tion. Still other objects will in part be obvious and in part be pointed out as the description of the invention proceeds and as shown in the accompanying drawings wherein: FIGURE '1 is a perspective view of one form of a holder in accordance with the instant inventionshowing a resilient band means retained thereon, with parts broken away for illustrative clarity; FIGURE 2 is a transverse cross sectional view through the holder of FIGURE 1; FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view thereof; FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of another embodiment of a holder in accordance with the instant inventive con cept, with parts of a resilient band means broken away for illustrative clarity; FIGURE 5 is a side elevational view of the embodi ment of FIGURE 4, partly in section; FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of still another embodi ment of a holder in accordance with the instant inventive concept; FIGURE 7 is an exploded view, partly in section, of the elements used in the method of the instant invention; FIGURE 8 is a side view, partly in section, showing the relationship of the elements after the button has been sewn through the fabric of a garment and secured to a stay button; FIGURE 9 is a side view, partly in section, showing another step in the shanking procedure wherein the fabric secured to the button is withdrawn through the opening in the holder a su?icient distance to allow the holder to be grasped on opposite sides for breaking away; FIGURE 10 is a side view, partly in section, showing the breaking of the frangible holder and its removal from the resilient band means, leaving the latter element in relatively tight engagement with the button threads; FIGURE 11 is a side view of the relationship of the elements in the?nal article; FIGURE 12 is a view taken substantially on line 12 12 of FIGURE 7; FIGURE 13 is a view taken substantially on line 13 13 of FIGURE 8; and FIGURE 14 is a view taken substantially on line 14 14 of FIGURE 11. Like reference characters refer to like parts through out the several views of the drawings. Referring now to the drawings, particularly FIGURES 1 to 3, one form of the shanking means or holder of
3 the instant invention is indicated generally by the refer ence numeral 20 and will be seen to have a substantially circular base portion 22 with an opening 24 de?ned therein and an upstanding supporting means 2d disposed about the opening 24. A substantially V-shaped notch 28 is diametrically de?ned in the base portion 22 on op posite sides of the opening 24 and a continuation 30 of the notch 28 separates the supporting means 26 into two substantially semi-circular?ange means 32. The notch 28 and its extensions 3% provide a weakened line 10 to render the holder 20 readily frangible for a purpose to be described further in detail hereinafter. A resilient band means 34, for example a small rubber band or the like, is readily secured in stretched relation ship over the free end of the supporting means 26 sur rounding the opening 24. Another embodiment 40 of a holder according to the instant inventive concept is shown in FIGURES 4 and 5 as having a circular base portion 42 with a central open ing 44 therethrough. In this modi?ed form, the sup porting means is comprised of a plurality of pins 46 or the like secured in spaced relationship about the periphery of the opening 4-4 to retain a resilient band means 48 thereon in a manner similar to the holder 20. A V shaped notch 50 or other such weakening line is de?ned in the base portion 42 to facilitate rupture of the holder 40 to release the resilient band means 48 in a manner to be described further hereinafter. Another embodiment of a holder in accordance with this invention is shown generally at 60 in FIGURE 6 and comprises a substantially square base portion 62 having a circular opening 64 de?ned therethrough and a plu rality of pins 66 or the like disposed in spaced relation around the opening 64 to retain a resilient band means 68 thereon. A notch 70 renders the holder 60 frangible in the same manner as the holders 20 and 4-0 described hereinbefore. It is to be understood that the holder of the instant invention may be formed of any relatively rigid but readily frangible material such as plastic or the like and that the particular size or shape of the base portion, opening or supporting means is not critical to the instant inventive concept. The use of the shanking means or holder, preferred embodiments of which have been shown and described hereinbefore, will now be set forth with particular refer ence to the embodiment of FIGURES 1 to 3 and to the improved method of shanking as shown in FIGURES 7 to 14. A portion of a garment or a piece of fabric to which a button 80 is to be secured is designated by the refer ence numeral 82. A stay button, used in the manufacture of more expensive garments, is shown at 84 and may be utilized in the method of the instant invention if de sired. The holder 20, with the resilient band means 34 supported thereon in stretched relationship, is placed over the fabric 82 in a position where the button 80 is to be sewn and shanked. The button 80 is then supported on the holder 20 and the sewing operation is performed, pass ing threads 86 in the conventional manner through the apertures (not shown) in the button 80 and in the stay button 84, if the latter element is utilized. It is to be understood that the holder 20 may be placed with the bottom of the base portion 22 on the fabric 82 and the button 8t) supported on the free end of the supporting means 26 as shown in the drawings, or the holder 20 may be inverted so that the free end of the supporting means 26 is in contact with the fabric 82 while the button 80 is supported on the bottom of the base portion 22.. The button 80 is then pulled upwardly as shown in FIGURE 9, if necessary, in the direction of the arrow 88 to facilitate grasping opposite edges of the holder 20 by the?ngers 90 of the operator. This will pull a por 20 25 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 4 tion of the fabric 82 upwardly through the opening 24 in the base portion 22 of the holder 20 so that the holder 20 may be broken along the notched weakening line 28, 30 as seen in FIGURE 10. The broken portions of the holder 20 will then be removed, allowing the resilient band means 34 to slip off the supporting means 26 and remain in place in a relatively tight engagement with the threads 86 as shown particularly in FIGURES 10 and 14. It will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved method and means for shanking buttons which satis?es all of the objectives of the instant invention and others, including many advantages of great practical util ity and commercial importance. Since many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and since many modi?cations may be made of the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be inter preted merely as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. I claim: 1. A holder for applying a. resilient band means to shank buttons, said holder comprising a rigid, frangible element having a base portion, an opening de?ned through said base portion, and supporting means comprising a plurality on pins disposed in spaced relationship around said opening extending from said base portion to retain said resilient band means, said holder adapted to be broken to remove the same and to leave said resilient band means in shanking position. 2. In an improved means for shanking a button on a garment, a holder including a base portion having an opening de?ned therethrough, a substantially continuous?ange means disposed around said opening and projecting from said base portion, said?ange means being adapted to receive an endless resilient band extending thereabout, a portion of said holder being adapted to suppoit a but ton thereon when an opposed portion of said holder is held in engagement with the garment to which said button is to be af?xed by threads sewn through said gar ment, said opening, and said button, said holder being provided with a weakened section on each side of said opening along which said holder may be broken so that the broken parts of said holder may be removed from about said threads leaving said endless resillient band in shanking relationship to said threads. 3. In an improved means for shanking a button on a garment, a holder including a base portion having an opening de?ned therethrough, a plurality of pins disposed in spaced relation around said opening and projecting from said base portion, said pins being adapted to re ceive an endless resilient band extending thereabout, a portion of said holder being adapted to support a button thereon when an opposed portion of said holder is held in engagement with the garment to which said button is to be af?xed by threads sewn through said garment, said opening, and said button, said holder being provided with a weakened section on each side of said opening along which said holder may be broken,so that the broken parts of said holder may be removed from about said threads leaving said endless resilient band in shanking relation ship to said threads. 4. A method of sewing and shanking buttons compris ing placing a holder supporting thereon a resilient band means in a position on a fabric where a button is to be sewn and shanked, supporting said button on said holder, sewing said button to said fabric with threads, breaking away said holder from said resilient band means and leaving said resilient band means surrounding said threads to shank the same. 5. A method in accordance with claim 4 wherein said resilient band means is normally dimensioned to sur round said threads relatively tightly and wherein said resilient band means is supported on said holder is a stretched relationship about an opening in said holder to facilitate said sewing operation.
5 6. A method in accordance With claim 4 wherein said fabric is a garment and wherein a stay button is provided on an opposite side of said garment from said button and said button and said stay button are sewn to said garment by said threads. 7. A holder for applying a resilient band means to shank buttons, said holder comprising a rigid frangible element having a base portion, an opening de?ned through said base portion, and supporting means comprising a substantially continuous?ange means extending around 10 said opening to retain said resilient band means, said base portion including means de?ning a weakening line thereon, and said last-mentioned means extendig to separate said?ange means into two sections, said holder and said?ange 6 means being adapted to be broken along said weakening line to remove said holder and to leave said band in shank ing position. References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 423,327 3/90 Keeler 269 1 1,316,012 2,513,633 9/19 Barron. 7/50 Folsom. 2,585,113 2/52 Gredell 64 28 ROBERT C. RIORDON, Primary Examiner. FRANK SUSKO, Examiner.