• Born: 21 Dec 1851, Attleboro MA
• Marriage (1): Mary C. Pierce in 1871 in Attleboro MA

  General notes:

Jeweler

  Events in his life were:

• He appeared on the 1880 census taken at Attleboro MA, listed as a jeweler.

• He was issued patent number 281,093 on 10 Jul 1883
  
  EDWIN S. MASON, OF ATTLEBOBOUGH FALLS, MASSACHUSETTS.
  
  SLEEVE-BUTTON.
  
  SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 281,093, dated July 10, 1883.
  Application filed May 21, 1883.
  
  To all whom it may concern:
  Be it known that I, Edwin S. Mason, of Attleborongh Falls, in the county of Bristol and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Sleeve-But-tons, of which the following specification, in connection with the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same, is a description.
  This invention consists in a sleeve-button adapted to be used as a button of the ordinary class, in which the head and back are at right angles to the post when the button is in use, and is also adapted to be converted into what is known as a "link-button" by extending or elongating the means which connect the head and back and turning the latter members into positions substantially parallel with the means which connect them, as will hereinafter appear.
  Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 represents a side view of a button embodying the invention, with the head, back, and post in the relative positions they bear to each other in a button of the ordinary class. Fig. 2 shows a side view of the same with the back turned parallel with the post to facilitate insertion. Fig. 3 represents a vertical section of the button with the parts in the relative position shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows a side view of the button with the means which connect the head and back extended or elongated to form a link-button. Pigs. 5, 6, and 7 show, respectively, a side view, a longitudinal section, and a rear view of the button as it appears when in link form and in use. Pigs. 8 and 9 show modifications of the invention.
  A is the button-head. B is the back, and C is the post. The back B is pivoted to the post C, so that it can be turned parallel with the latter to facilitate the application of the button, and a spring, D, is preferably employed, which is located in the back B, and is adapted to hold the back at right angles to the post, and also substantially parallel therewith, as in many well-known buttons. As shown in Figs. 3, 4, 6, and 7, the button-head is furnished with a tubular stem, E, to receive the post 0, and such stem is provided with a notch, e, on one side, to allow a spring-controlled locking-device, F, to enter the stem laterally and engage an annular groove, c, on the post C, and thereby lock the button - head to the post, (when the button is to be used as one of the ordinary class,) the construction in this respect being similar to well-known buttons of the separable variety. The head being locked to the post by the device F, as already described, the button is applied to the cuff by turning the back B into the position shown in Fig. 2, inserting the same through the buttonholes, and then returning it to the position shown in Fig. 1, and when the button is to be removed the back B is turned into the position shown in Fig. 2, when the button can be readily detached from the cuff.
  In order to enable the button to be used as a link-button, it is necessary that it be so constructed that the head A can be turned substantially parallel with the post 0, and so that the distance between the head and back (when they are at right angles to the post) can be increased-that is, that the means for connecting the head and back shall be capable of being extended or elongated. The button may be constructed in a variety of ways which will allow these results to be accomplished. The means (shown in Pigs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7) employed for allowing the distance between the head and back of the button to be increased consist of a toggle, G, the bar g of which is arranged to slide in slots e' e' in the stem E, an eye, H, mounted to slide in the post 0, and a link, J, connecting such toggle and eye and adapted to be housed within the post. When the button is in use as one of the ordinary class, the toggle.G, eye H, and link J occupy positions substantially as shown in Fig. 3, being housed within the post 0 and stem E, the post being at such time locked to the head A by the device F.
  When the button is to be converted into one of the link class, the locking device F is pressed to release the post, and the post is carried away from the head A as far as possible, which will bring the bar g of the toggle G into engagement with the ends of the slots e'e' in the stem E, and bring the plate h on the eye H into engagement with a stop-shoulder, c', on the interior of the post C, as shown in Fig. 4, thereby increasing the distance between the head A and back B, the former of which may now be turned on the toggle-bar g to the position shownin Figs. 5, 6, and 7, and the back be turned on the post, as shown in said figures, thereby bringing all the parts into the positions they assume when the link-button is in use. To attach the button, when in this form, to the cuff, it is only necessary to pass the back B and post 0 through one of the button-holes and the back through the remaining button-hole in a well-understood way.
  To convert the button from a link form to one of the ordinary class, the head and back are brought into positions at right angles to the post C. The post is inserted into the stem B and pressed into the button-head, thereby housing the toggle G, eye H, and link J, and causing the device F to lock the post to the button-head, as shown in Fig. 3.
  In Fig. 8 a modification of the means for connecting the button-head and the back is shown, the same consisting of the post C, eye H', and staple or eye J', which latter is secured to the button-head within the stem E. This arrangement dispenses with the toggle G shown in the first construction. When converted into a button of the ordinary class, the eye H' and staple or eye J' will be housed within the post, and the post can be locked to the button-head by the device F, or in any preferred manner.
  In Fig. 9 another modification is shown, the means employed to connect the head and back being a folding post composed of the hinged parts F F' F'z, the former of which is pivoted to the back B and the latter to the button-head. With this construction no device is needed for locking in a contracted or folded condition the means for connecting the head and back, as the same will be held in such a condition by engagement with the walls of the button-holes in the cuff when the button is in use. To convert this button into a link form it is only necessary to elongate the post and tilt the head and back thereon, as shown by dotted lines. If it is desired to employ positive means for holding the hinged post F F' p1 in a folded condition, a button-head may be employed having a stem, E, locking device F, and toggle G-, the part F' of the post being connected to the toggle G, and such post provided near its upper end with an encircling groove, adapted to be engaged by the locking device F when the post is pressed into the stem E.
  What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'97
  1. A sleeve-button having a head, a back, and means, substantially as described, which connect the head and back, are pivoted to both, and are capable of extension and contraction, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
  2. A sleeve-button having a head, a back, means, substantially as described, which connect the head and back, are pivoted to both, and are capable of extension and contraction, and a locking device for holding the parts relatively to each other, the whole being adapted to form an ordinary or a link button, substantially as set forth.
  3. A sleeve-button having a head, a back, a spring in said back, means, substantially as described, which connect the head and back, are pivoted to both, and are capable of extension and contraction, and a locking device for holding the parts relatively to each other, substantially as and for the purposes specified.
  4. The combination of a button-head provided with a stem, E, and locking device F, a back, B, an extensible post pivoted to the back, and suitable means, as described, for connecting said post to the button-head, substantially as set forth.
  
  5. The combination of the head A, having a sleeve, E, and locking device F, the back B, post C, pivoted to the back, the eye H, link J, and toggle G, substantially as described and shown.
  
  Edwin S. Mason
  
  Witnesses:
  Edward H. Walter
  Edson Salisbury Jones

Edwin married Mary C. Pierce in 1871 in Attleboro MA. (Mary C. Pierce was born in Aug 1848.)