Button attachment awl

Abstract

Embodiments of a button attachment awl are disclosed which may be used to attach a button to a garment without using a needle and thread. The awl has a pointed forward end and a rearward slanting notch rearward of the point. A connector with outward flaring fingers fits into the notch. The point of the awl and the connector fingers are pushed through a button hole and the cloth. The fingers distort sufficiently to fit through the button hole and the cloth and then flare outward to prevent the connector from being pulled back through the holes.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a device for attaching buttons and more specifically to a button attachment awl which uses a plastic connector rather than thread to attach a button.

2. Background Information

For hundreds of years people have been dealing with problems relating reattaching buttons which come off of a garment. The traditional method of attaching a button is to use a needle and thread. A typical button has either two or four holes. Ordinarily, the thread is tied to the cloth. The needle it passed through one of the holes in the button back through a second hole in the button and back through the cloth. This process is repeated a dozen or so times until a coil of may turns of thread is formed binding the button to the cloth. If the button has more than two holes, the process is repeated for each pair of button holes. This process is difficult for untrained people and time consuming for nearly everyone.

A number of automatic button attachment devices have been invented over the years which attempt to make fastening a button onto a garment much easier than the traditional needle and thread method. An early patent for a button fastener was issued to Platt (U.S. Pat. No. 388,443; August 1888). The Platt device disclosed a deformable rivet which was pushed through a hole in the cloth and then had a hollow button forced onto the rivet which caused the rivet to flatten out such that it would not come off of the button. A much more recent patent to Modrey (U.S. Pat. No. 3,754,304; Aug. 28, 1973) discloses a hollow tube with a flexible needle affixed to one end. The needle includes, for example, a set of saw teeth along one edge. The needle could be passed through a garment and one hole of a button and then passed down through the second hole of the button and back through the cloth. The end of the needle was pushed through the hollow tube and was held in place by the saw teeth.

The button attachment awl of the instant invention is believed to solve, in a new and unique fashion, many problems relating to attaching a button onto a garment. The awl has a point at its forward end and a rearward angled notch rearward of the point. A plastic fastener fits into the notch and may be forced through the button and the cloth using the awl.

The ideal button attachment awl should be capable of being used to affix a button to a garment without the need for a needle and thread.

The ideal button attachment awl must also fast and easy to use.

The ideal button attachment awl should be capable of affixing a button to a garment sturdily.

The ideal button attachment awl should also be inexpensive and rugged.

These and other features of the invention will become apparent when taken in consideration with the following detailed description and the drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The button attachment awl of the instant invention includes an awl portion and a connector portion. The awl has a point at its forward end and a handle at its rearward end. There is a notch just rearward of the point. The notch angles rearward such that the portion of the notch closest to the outer surface of the awl is forward of the portion of the notch toward the inner portion of the awl.

The connector is made of a sturdy, somewhat flexible plastic. The connector is symmetric with prongs on either end of a link. Each of the prongs includes a pair of fingers which protrude generally outward from the link. The link is made of a pair of strips such that it is open in its center.

The awl is introduced between the strips into the center of the connector. One of the prongs is pressed into the notch on the awl such that most of the connector is angled rearward along the awl and the two forward fingers protrude outward from the notch. The point of the awl is pushed through a hole in a button and through the cloth to which the button is to be attached. The forward prong with its two fingers is also forced through the button and the cloth. The awl is then pulled back out of the cloth and the button, but the two finger press against the side of the cloth away from the button and prevent the connector from being pulled through the cloth and the button.

The awl is then started through another hole in the button and the remaining prong is pressed into the notch. This prong is forced through the second button hole and the awl is removed. The fingers on the second prong prevent the prong from being pulled back through the cloth and the button hole. Thus the button is affixed to the cloth with the two prongs on the inside of the cloth and the center portion of the link on the outside of the button.

The button attachment awl of the instant invention is described above as being used to affixed a button with two button holes to a piece of cloth, but the device could be used with a four hole button by using two connectors. In addition, the device could be used to fasten a variety of other materials together.

One of the major objects of the present invention is to provide a button attachment awl capable of being used to affix a button to a garment without the need for a needle and thread.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a method for attaching buttons which is fast and easy to use.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a device capable of affixing a button to a garment sturdily.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a device which is inexpensive and rugged.

These and other features of the invention will become apparent when taken in consideration with the following detailed description and the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of the awl of the button attachment awl of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the connector of the instant invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the connector of the instant invention;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the awl of the instant invention with the connector in position removably affixed to the awl;

FIG. 5 is a top view of the awl of the instant invention with the connector in position while being inserted into a button;

FIG. 6 is a top view of the connector of the instant invention with one end of the connector in place within a button; and

FIG. 7 is a side view of a second embodiment of the button attachment awl of the instant invention.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 through 7 two embodiments of the button attachment awl of the instant invention is shown. The device is shown and described below as being used to affix a button with two holes to a piece of cloth, but the device could be used to affix button with more than two holes or to affix other materials together.

Referring now to FIG. 1, a side view of a side view of the button attachment awl of the instant invention is shown. The awl 2 has a point 4 at its forward end and a handle 6 at its rearward end. There is a notch 8 in the awl 2 just rearward of the point 4. The notch 8 angles inward and rearward such that the portion of said notch 8 at the outer surface of said awl 2 is forward of the portion of said notch 8 toward the interior of said awl 2.

Referring now to FIG. 2, a top view of the connector of the instant invention is shown. The connector 10 comprises a pair of prongs 12 connected by a link 14. Each of the prongs 12 includes a pair of fingers 16 which protrude outward from the centerline of the link 14. Said link 14 is made up of a pair of strips 18 such that the center of said link 14 is open.

Referring now to FIG. 3 a side view of the connector of the instant invention is shown. This view shows that said connector 10 is flat and has a generally circular cross section.

Referring now to FIG. 4 a side view of the awl of the instant invention with the connector in position removably affixed to the awl is shown. The point 4 of said awl 2 is inserted between the two strips 18 of said connector 10 and the middle portion of one of said prongs 12 is pressed down into said notch 8.

Referring now to FIG. 5 a top view of the awl of the instant invention with the connector in position while being inserted into a button is shown. This view shows a button 20 with a button hole 22 and a piece of cloth 24 to which the button 20 is to be attached. One of said prongs 12 has been inserted into said notch 8 and said point 4 has been pushed through the button hole 22 and the cloth 24. As the operator continues to push said awl 2 through said button hole 22 said fingers 16 distort toward said awl 2 until these forward fingers 16 have passed completely through said button hole 22 and said cloth 24. Said fingers 16 then release and resume their position extended outward from said link 14. Said awl 2 is then pulled from said button 20 and said prong 12.

Referring now to FIG. 6 top view of the connector of the instant invention with one end of the connector in place within a button is shown. This view shows the configuration of said cloth 24, said button 20, and said connector 10 once one of said prongs 12 has been inserted through said button hole 22 and said awl 2 removed as described above. One of said prongs 12 is on one side of said cloth 24 and said button 20 and the other of said prongs 12 is on the other side of said button 20. Because said fingers 16 have extended after having been pushed through said button hole 22, said fingers 16 may not easily be pulled back through said button hole 22. The process is repeated using said awl 2 and said prong 12 which was not pushed through said cloth 24. Said point 4 is pushed through the other button hole (not shown) and said prong 12 engaged in said notch 8. Said prong 12 is pushed through said cloth 24 and the other button hole until said fingers 16 are on the other side of said cloth 24 where they also release. Thus said button 20 is affixed to said cloth 24 with both of said prongs 12 on one side of said cloth 24 and the middle portion of said link 14 outside the surface of said button 20 away from said cloth 24.

Still referring to FIG. 6, said connector 10 stretches slightly. This slight amount of stretch makes it easier to push said prongs 12 through both of said button holes 22. Once the pressure of said awl 2 is removed from said connector 10, the stretch is also “removed.” This allows said fingers 16 to press firmly against the back of said cloth 24 and secure said button 20 in place. As may be easily understood, the button attachment awl of the instant invention could be used to attach a button 20 having a single button hole 22 rather than two button holes. Said link 14 could be shortened sufficiently that said fingers 16 on the side of said button 20 opposite said cloth 24 engaged the surface of said button 20 to hold said button 20 in place against said cloth 24.

Referring now to FIG. 7 a side view of a second embodiment of the button attachment awl of the instant invention is shown. In this embodiment two of said awls 2 are affixed to a fixture 30 such that they are as far apart as two button holes 32 in a button 34 with said notches 8 opening outward. A single connector 10 is affixed to said awls 2 such that each of said prongs 12 are inserted into the notches 8 on the two awls 2. Said awls 2 are pushed through the two button holes 32 at the same time which forces the two of said prongs 12 through the two button holes 32. The two of said awls 2 are then removed and the button 34 is affixed to the cloth 36 in a single operation.

In the preferred embodiments said awl 2 is made from steel, but other materials including plastic could be used provided the material was sufficiently strong and rigid. Said connector 10 is made from an elastomer known as Kraton made by Kraton Polymers U.S., LLC of Houston, Tex. The elastomer must be sufficiently flexible to allow said fingers 16 to be forced through said button hole 22 yet be rigid enough to prevent the inserted fingers 16 from pulling back through said button hole 22. Other materials having strength and flexibility similar to the Kraton elastomer could be used. The instant invention could also be used for stitching in medical or surgical applications and said connector 10 made from a material which would eventually dissolve.

While preferred embodiments of this invention have been shown and described above, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in these embodiments without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. A button attachment awl for attaching two objects together such as attaching a button to a garment, comprising:

(1) an awl having a point at its forward end and a handle at its rearward end, the awl having a notch rearward of the point and the notch angling rearward toward the handle and inward toward the interior of said awl; and

(2) a connector made of a material which stretches, the connector having a link in the middle and a pair of fingers at either end, the fingers extending outward from the link and said connector capable of being inserted into said notch in said awl such that one of the pairs of fingers at one end of said link extend outward from said notch and said point of said awl being capable of being pushed through the two objects and said notch and the pair of fingers in said notch also are pushed through the two objects, said pair of fingers flexing back toward said link as they pass through the two objects and extending outward after passing through the two objects; and said awl capable of being pulled back out of the two objects and said connector being pulled from said notch such that said link has stretched sufficiently to accommodate the width of the two objects and there is a pair of said fingers on either side of the two objects and said extended fingers engage the surfaces on either side of the two objects and the material of said connector contracts sufficiently to hold the two objects firmly together.

2. The button attachment awl of claim I in which there are two of said links and, when one end of said connector has been inserted into said notch, there is a link on either side of said awl.

3. The button attachment awl of claim I in which the handle ends of two of said awls are affixed to a fixture with said notches opening outward from each other and both ends of said connector may be inserted into the two notches and both ends of said connector pushed through the two objects at the same time.

4. The button attachment awl of claim 3 in which there are two of said links and, when one end of said connector has been inserted into said notch, there is a link on either side of said awl.

5. A button attachment awl for attaching two objects together such as attaching a button to a garment, comprising:

(1) an awl having a point at its forward end and a handle at its rearward end, the awl having a notch rearward of the point and the notch angling rearward toward the handle and inward toward the interior of said awl; and

(2) a connector made of a material which stretches, the connector having a link in the middle and a pair of fingers at either end, the fingers extending outward from the link and said connector capable of being inserted into said notch in said awl such that one of the pairs of fingers at one end of said link extend outward from said notch and said point of said awl being capable of being pushed through the two objects and said notch and the pair of fingers in said notch also are pushed through the two objects, said pair of fingers flexing back toward said link as they pass through the two objects and extending outward after passing through the two objects; and said awl capable of being pulled back out of the two objects and said connector being pulled from said notch such that there is a pair of said fingers on either side of the two objects and the other end of said connector may be inserted into said notch in saw awl and said point of said awl may be inserted through the two objects at another location and the second pair of fingers pushed through the two objects and said awl removed from the two object such that said connector is again pulled from said notch and said connector having stretched sufficiently to allow both pairs of said fingers to extend outward and engage the outer surface of one of the materials and the central portion of said link engages the outer surface of the other object and the material of said connector contracts sufficiently to hold the two objects firmly together.

6. The button attachment awl of claim 5 in which there are two of said links and, when one end of said connector has been inserted into said notch, there is a link on either side of said awl.