Quilt and cushion construction and button therefor

Claim 1

A button of the character described comprising a male member and a female member, the male member having a shank terminating in a tapered tip which forms an annular shoulder with the shank, said shoulder having a greater diameter than the adjacent part of the shank; the female member having an outside taper at its tip and having an axial passage formed therethrough from end to end with an inside shoulder spaced from one end of said member, such shoulder being complementary to the aforesaid shoulder on the male member whereby, when the two elements are brought together with the male member inserted within the female member the two shoulders will engage one another upon attempted separation of the elements to prevent such separation; the construction of the female member being such that it will expand under radial pressure to permit entry of the male member.

Claim 10

A method of applying buttons to a structure of the character described compriSing top and bottom covers and a compressible-expansible filler confined between said covers, each button comprising a male member having a head, a shank attached at one end to the head, and a tapered tip at its other end forming an outside shoulder spaced from such other end; each button also comprising a female member having a head, a shank attached at one end to the head, and a tapered tip at the other end, said shank having a passage extending therethrough from end to end and also through said head, said passage being formed with an inside shoulder spaced from the tip end of the shank and cooperable with the outside shoulder on the male member to prevent withdrawal of the male member when it is inserted in the female member; the tip end of said female member being resilient to permit insertion of the male member; said method comprising: providing a first holder for the male member and a second holder for the female member, said second holder including a needle; seating a female member on said second holder and impaling it on said needle with the tip of the needle projecting through the tapered tip of the female member; seating a male member on the first holder; moving the second holder toward one cover of said structure and forcing the female member through such cover and the filler and causing the needle to project through the other cover; then advancing the first holder toward the projecting tip of the needle and in axial alignment therewith, meanwhile withdrawing the needle from the female member; and continuing such advance and withdrawal until the male member is seated in the female member, the needle is withdrawn from the female member and the shoulders on the male and female members are free to engage.

Claim 11

A method of applying buttons to a structure of the character described compriSing top and bottom covers and a compressible-expansible filler confined between said covers, each button comprising a male member having a head, a shank attached at one end to the head, and a tapered tip at its other end forming an outside shoulder spaced from such other end; each button also comprising a female member having a head, a shank attached at one end to the head, and a tapered tip at the other end, said shank having a passage extending therethrough from end to end and also through said head, said passage being formed with an inside shoulder spaced from the tip end of the shank and cooperable with the outside shoulder on the male member to prevent withdrawal of the male member when it is inserted in the female member; the tip end of said female member being resilient to permit insertion of the male member; said method comprising: providing a first holder for the male member and a second holder for the female member, said second holder including a needle; seating a female member on said second holder and impaling it on said needle with the tip of the needle projecting through the tapered tip of the female member; seating a male member on the first holder; moving the second holder toward one cover of said structure and forcing the female member through such cover and the filler and causing the needle to project through the other cover; then advancing the first holder toward the projecting tip of the needle and in axial alignment therewith, meanwhile withdrawing the needle from the female member; and continuing such advance and withdrawal until the male member is seated in the female member, the needle is withdrawn from the female member and the shoulders on the male and female members are free to engage.