BUTTON FASTENING
A method for fastening a button to a panel of fabric includes the steps of looping a thread having at least a thermo-fusible element between the button and the fabric panel to create at least two runs of thread between the panel and the button; gathering thread from the runs into mutual contact and applying heat to the shank to melt the thermo-fusible element of the runs of thread.
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The present invention relates to the fastening of buttons, usually, though not necessarily, to one or more panels of fabric. One particular use of buttons is on relatively heavy-duty jackets or coats, where the fabric is relatively thick. To accommodate the fabric thickness when fastened, the fastening of the button to a fabric panel is made in such a manner that the button is supported on a shank of thread, created by a loose looping of threads to attach the button to the fabric followed by the winding of further thread around the looping threads, known as whipping.
Referring now to
Embodiments of the present invention provide alternative manner of create a fastening for a button having an elongate shank. A first embodiment of the present invention provides a method for fastening a button to a panel of fabric comprising the steps of looping a thread having at least a thermo-fusible element between the button and the fabric panel to create at least two runs of thread between the panel and the button; gathering thread from the runs into mutual contact and applying heat to the shank to melt the thermo-fusible element of the runs of thread.
Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
Referring now to
Referring now to
Traditionally, the looping of the thread 46 is performed so that the ‘stand off’ distance D between the fabric 44 and the button 40 along the axis A (which extends largely parallel with the thread runs 50) is selected to be sufficiently large to create a shank 48 of sufficient length accommodate whatever thickness of fabric with which, in use, the button 40 is intended to engage. In the illustrated embodiment the looping of the thread is desirably of a sufficient length that the subsequent reduction in the stand off distance D as a result of twisting of the button 40 can be accounted for, meaning that the initial stand off distance D (i.e. the stand off distance prior to twisting) is likely to be slightly larger than the distance ultimately desired.
Referring now to
Once the melting process has been completed, the shank is removed from between the tines, whereupon the melted thread rapidly resets to create a relatively stiff button shank without whipping.
Although a preferred embodiment provides that the thread of the runs is held into mutual contact during the melting process by twisting, this is not essential. For example, the thread may be held into contact by the action of a suitably configured heating fork. Further, a preferred embodiment uses thread which includes thermo-fusible and non-thermo-fusible elements; this is not essential and a thread which is fully thermo-fusible may, if desired, equally be employed.
Claims
1. A method for fastening a button to a panel of fabric comprising the steps of looping a thread having at least a thermo-fusible element between the button and the fabric panel to create at least two runs of thread between the panel and the button thereby to define a shank, gathering thread from the runs into mutual contact and applying heat to the shank to melt the thermo-fusible element of the runs of thread.
2. A method according to claim 2 wherein thread of the runs is gathered into mutual contact by twisting the button about an axis extending between the button and the fabric.
3. A method according to claim 1 wherein the thermo-fusible thread includes an element which is not thermo-fusible and an element which is thermo-fusible.
4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the button has a plurality of apertures and the number of runs of thread between the button and the fabric panel is equal to the number of apertures in the button.
5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the thread is heated to a temperature which is sufficiently high to melt the thermo-fusible element but insufficiently high to damage fabric in the panel or the button.
6. A method according to claim 5 wherein the thread is heated using a heating device having a temperature of between 120 and 180 Celsius.
7. A garment having button attached to a fabric panel by a plurality of thread runs, wherein the thread runs are held in mutual contact to provide a shank as a result of thermal deformation of the thread.
8. A garment according to claim 7 wherein the thread runs are twisted around each other.
9. A garment according to claim 7 wherein the number of thread runs is equal to the number of apertures in the button.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 21, 2012
Publication Date: Aug 14, 2014
Applicant: COATS PLC (Uxbridge, Middlesex)
Inventors: David Goodwin (Nottingham), Ian Butcher (Wakefield)
Application Number: 14/128,659
International Classification: A41H 37/10 (20060101); A41D 1/00 (20060101); A41H 37/00 (20060101);