IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTON-HOLE MECHANISM FOR SEWING-MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, DANIEL MILLS, of 47 Vauxhall Road, Birmingham, in the County of
Warwick, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTON-HOLE MECHANISM FOR SEWING-MACHINES" and in
what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to button-hole mechanism wherein the cloth or other
material is held between a pair of clamps to which a lateral reciprocating motion
and an intermittent feed motion are imparted, so that the needle may stitch the
sides and the end bars of the button-holes.
In the accompanying drawing.
Figure 1 is a side elevation shewing my improved button-hole mechanism made
in the form of an attachment to an ordinary sewing-machine and arranged to be
operated by the reciprocating needle-bar thereof.
Figure 2 is a plan or top view of the said attachment.
Figure 3 is an inverted plan of parts of the same.
Figure 4 is a plan or top view of the said attachment with some of the parts
removed.
Figure 5 is a plan or top view shewing parts of the improved mechanism.
Figure 6 is a plan, partly in section on the line x, x, Figure 1.
Figure 7 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line y, y, Figure 2.
Figures 8 and 9 are views hereinafter described illustrating the operation of a
part of the mechanism.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
A is the base-plate of the said attachment, which is preferably provided on its
underside with a dovetailed guide-piece a corresponding in size with the ordinary
shuttle-race-plate or throat-plate of a sewing-machine, so that, on withdrawing the
said shuttle-race-plate or throat-plate, the attachment may be inserted in its place
on the bed of the machine, as indicated in Figure 1, in which a portion of the bed
and of the head and needle-bar of the sewing-machine are shewn by dotted lines.
A is the top plate which is secured to the base-plate A by bolts a¹ provided with
suitable collars to retain the said plates in their proper relative positions.
All the operative parts of the attachment receive motion from the reciprocating
needle-bar, which has a pin or stud on its lower end adapted to enter an open
•

page_text: slot B in the end of the long arm of a bell-crank-lever B. This lover is mounted
on a fulcrum pin b fixed in a vertical standard A³ rigidly attached to, or formed
integrally with, the base-plute A. The short arm of the bell-crank-lever B has two
projections B, B³ arranged to act alternately on the end of a horizontal lever O,
the extremity of which enters, and is free to slide in, a slot A' in the standard A³,
and which is free to vibrate ou a pin or stud c fixed in the base-plate A. This
lever C, by the means hereinafter described, in turn imparts an intermittent
vibratory motion to a lever D pivotted on the stud or projection D* on the
underside of the top plato A. From the lever D the necessary vibratory or
oscillatory motion is imparted to the plate S (with, its slide S carrying the cloth-
clamp K) to form the button-holo-stitch; and by means of the said lever D an
intermittent rotary motion is imparted to the cam L, for giving the necessary
longitudinal feed motion to the slide S₁; and an intermittent rotary motion is also
imparted by means of the levor D to what I terin the "pattern wheels" or
"pattern cains "I, 1, which serve to limit and regulate the amplitude of vibration
of the plate S in the formation of the sides and the bars or onds of the button-hole
as hereinafter set forth.
I will now proceed to describe first, the incans for effecting, through the vibratory
motion of the lever C, the intermittent vibratory motion of the lever D; secondly,
the devices for operating the vibrating or oscillating plate S through the medium
of the lever D; thirdly, the means for converting the intermittent vibratory motion
of the lever D into a rotary motion of the cam Land the pattern wheels or cams
I, I'; fourthly, the devices for determining or regulating the amplitude of vibration
or oscillation of the plate S; and fifthly, the devices for imparting the longitudinal
feed motion to the slide S¹
In the lever C is fixed a pin or stud c¹ which is preferably provided with an
anti-friction roller; this pin or stud or its roller is arranged to act on a tappet F
which is free to move on a pivot pin fixed in the lever D, its motion being
limited by the piu d'. This pivotted tappet has a taper projection or point f¹ and
two arms f, f; and on the lever C are two fingers or projections o², c³, one or
both of which are, if desired, made elastic or yielding.
i
Assuming these parts to be in the relative positions shewn in Figure 8 and the
lever C to be moving in the direction of the arrow 1, the pin or stud c' on the said
lever will come into contact with the inclined plané or side f¹, f³ of the tappet F,
and the lever D will accordingly be moved in the direction of the arrow 2.
On the movement of the lever C in the direction of the arrow 3, Figure 0, the
arm ƒª of the tappet, being in the path of the finger or projection c³, will be struck
by the latter, so that the said tappet will be moved into the position shewn in
Figure 9.
Therefore, when the lever C is again moved in the direction of the arrows 1
and 4, the pin or stud c will come in contact with the inclined plane or aide ƒª‚ ƒª
of the tappet, and the lever D will be moved in the direction of the arrow 5.
This movement will bring the arm of the tappet into the path of the finger or
projection.co, and, on the subsequent movement of the lover Ċ in the direction of
the arrow 3, the position of the tappet F will be again reversed and so on. Thus,
during the successive movements of the lever C in one direction, the lever D is at
rest and the tappet F is reversed, but by the successive movements of the lever C
in the other direction, the lever D is moved alternately first in one direction and
then in the other direction.
To the lever D is pivotted on the pin or stud fa plate D' which is held with
greater or less pressure 'in frictional contact with the lever D by the spring D'.
The force exerted by this spring can be regulated by the screw d which is inserted
in the stud or projection D* on the underside of the top plate A. The said spring
encircles the boss or annular projection D on the plate D, which boss or projection
fits upon the said stud or projection D and extends through a segmental alot d✶ in
the plate D¹. This plate has also a longitudinal slot in which a swivel block t
carried by the arm T on the plate S is fitted so as to be free to slide to and fro

page_text: therein. The arm T is made with a projection T carrying a block T which
enters, and is free to slide in, a slot S* in the said plate, so that the said arm can
be adjusted longitudinally thereon by means of a set screw for the purpose
hereinafter explained.
The plate is pivotted to the base-plate A at a so as to be free to vibrato or
oscillate thereon. The slide S, to which any, usual form of clamp may be attached
(such as is indicated, for example, in Figure 1), is fitted between V-shaped guides
at S' in the outer end of the plate S, so that the said slide, while partaking of the
vibratory movement imparted to, the said plate, can be moved longitudinally
thereon, through the mediuin of suitable devices as hereinafter described.
A bridge-piece or cross-piece. is secured by a screw to the base-plate A to
retain the plato S in position and prevent the lifting thereof during the ascent of
the needle and the drawing up of the stitch.
The devices for imparting intermittent rotary motion to the feed-cam and
pattern wheels are as follow, that is to say, there is fixed in the top plate A¹
a pin or stud on which a ratchet whicel H is free to turn. A spring pawl h
engages with this ratchet-wheel and is carried by a vibrating pawl-carrier g having
the pin or stud G as its axis or fulcrum, and arranged to be vibrated by the lever D
by the means hereinafter described. A pawl on the top plate A' also engages
with the ratchet-wheel H to prevent back motion. The pawl-carrier g is formed
of two parts or jaws g, g, between which projects the pin f, which is fixed in tho
lever D and extends through a slot d in the top plate A', and whereby vibratory
motion is imparted to the pawl-carrier g by the said lover. The jaw g is mado
adjustable to regulate the amount of play of the pin f between the said jaws and
thus vary the extent of movement imparted to the ratchet-wheel H at each
alternate movement of the lever D. For this purpose I provide an adjusting
screw which is passed through a lug g' on the jaw gand is screwed into a lug g
on the jaw g. A spiral spring.g is placed upon the said adjusting scrow between
the jaws g', g, and tends to hold the same apart; a lock-nut having a handle, g' is
provided for firmly securing the screw g in any desired position. ³ is a stop for
limiting the movainent of the pawl-carrier in one direction.
A spur-wheel is secured to, or formed integrally with, the ratchet-wheel E,
and gears with a spur-wheel H on the spindle E. On this spindle are also
mounted the two pattern wheels or cama I, I and the heart-shaped, cam L. These
three cams are all so connected with the spur-wheel that they will rotate
therewith.
កូន
Each of the pattern wheels or cams I, I' is, in the mechanism shown in the
drawing, provided with two diametrically opposite recesses and with intermediate
parts having surfaces concentric with the spindle E, but the curve of the
part of each pattern wheel being of shorter radius than that of the part i¹ thereof.
The recesses or notches in one of the said wheels are in line with those in the
other wheel, but the parts i, i on the said wheels are arranged alternately, that is
to say, the part of one wheel coincides with the part of the other whoel, or
nearly so, as shown in Figure 4. The ends of two bent levers J bear against the
peripheries of the two wheels I, 1. These levers are mounted on the bolts a¹ and
their other ends extend towards each other so as to form a pair of straight faced.
jaws. A swivel block carried by the adjustable arm T projects between these
jaws, the anid jaws, therefore, act as stops to limit the amplitude of vibration of the
plate S. The friction plate D¹ forms the yielding connection between the lever D
and the plate S, which is rendered necessary by this limiting action of the jaws j
The said friction plate, as soon as it has moved with the lever D to the requisite
extent, being restrained from further movement therewith in the same direction by
the swivel block t which is also carried by the adjustable arm T.
j
The extent of this motion will depend upon the position of the two pattern-wheels
or came I, relatively to the ends of the levers J bearing against them, at any
particular moment. For instance, when the pattern wheels I, I are in such
position that these ends of the levers occupy the notches or recesses 2; the jaws P

page_text: will be separated to their full extent and the plate S will have its greatest
amplitude of vibration; and, as the feed motion is so timed that, when the parts
are in these positions, the slide S¹ is at one end of its movement, the barring of
one end of the button-hole can be effected by the machine. And, when the
pattern wheels are rotated so that the ends; of the levers J bear on the parts 2¹, i²,
the part will force the jaw j' of the corresponding lever inwards and thus limit
the movement of the plate S as required to enable the machine to form the stitches
down or up one side of the button-hole. The ends ; of the levers J then come into
the notches or recesses i opposite to those which they previously occupied, and the
barring of the other end of the button-hole can be accomplished. As the pattern
wheels continue their movement, the relative positions of the jaws will be
changed so that the movement of the plate S will be limited thereby as required to
enable the machine to form the stitches up or down the opposite side of the
button-hole.
By increasing or diminishing the depth of the notches i, or by making the wheels
or cams I, I¹without the said notches, the length of the stitches at the ends or bars
of the button-hole can be varied if desired. When the notches are used, however,
as in the mechanism shewn in the drawing, the stitches will be longer at the
ends or bars than at the other parts of the button-hole.
By increasing or diminishing the radii of the curved surfaces of the parts 2, 2ª,
the depth of bight or length of the stitches forming the sides of the button-hole can
be varied, if desired. In using the attachment, however, the variation in the depth
of bight of the stitches can be obtained by the adjustment of the arm T by means
of the set-screw t¹, as the jaws are always, inclined relatively to each other and
the space between them is, therefore, wider at their ends than near the wheels I, I¹;
this adjustment, moreover, moves the block t in the slot d' of the friction plate Di
towards or from the fulcrum of the lever D.
The curved surfaces i¹ of the wheels I, I are of such a radius that, when either
lever J bears on one of the said surfaces, the inner face of the jaw j¹ of the said
lever will be parallel, or, nearly parallel, with a line drawn through the centre of
the spindle E, the axis of the plate S and the needle-hole of the machine, so that,
in forming the sides of the button-bole, the inner lines thereof will always be at the
proper distance apart.
The construction of the feed mechanism for the slide S¹ will be more clearly
understood by referring to Figure 6. The heart-shaped feed-cam L has, as above
stated, an intermittent rotary motion together with the wheels I, I'.
This cam bears upon an anti-friction roller M on the short arm of a bell-
crank-lever M pivotted at m to the base-plate A, it also bears upon an anti-friction
roller O' on a radius bar O¹ pivotted at o to the base-plate A, the two levers O¹
and M being connected by a curved link O. These levers and the connecting link
constitute a kind of parallel motion, the employment of which is necessary to
ensure the proper movement of the lever M by the cam L. The long arm of the
lever M is connected, by a bolt m¹ with a slotted arm of a bell-crank-lever N
pivotted at c, the opposite arm of which bell-crank-lever has a pin or stud N¹
provided with a block N' which is fitted to slide to and fro in a slot s¹ in the slide S¹.
The bolt m¹ is fitted to slide in the slot N* in the lever N, and a block m* is
*pivotted to the said bolt and fitted to slide in the slot M* in the lever M. By
adjusting the said bolt and block in their slots, the extent of longitudinal movement
of the slide S' on the plate S and consequently the length of the button-hole, may
be varied as required. A nut m² is provided for securing the bolt m¹ in any
desired position.
The slots M*, N* in the levers M, N are parallel when the slide S¹ is at the outer
extremity of its stroke, the length of the button-hole can, therefore, only be varied
in one direction, that is to say, the adjustment of the bolt and its block in the said
slots will vary the length of the button-hole without altering the distance of the
said button-hole from the edge of the material. The necessity for shifting the
guide u when the length of button-hole is changed is thus obviated,
D

page_text: The intermittent rotation of the cam L will impart the necessary feed motion
to the slide S¹ in a manner which will be readily understood.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that I claim,
in button-hole mechanism for sewing-machines :-
First. The combination of the vibrating or oscillating plate, the lever D having
the tappet F, the vibrating lever C having the pin or stud c', and the fingers or
projections c³, c. (one or both of which are made yielding or elastic if desired), all
substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth..
Second. The combination, with the vibrating lever D having the pin or
projection f, of the ratchet feed-wheel H, the pawl h and the vibrating pawl-
carrier having the jaws g, g, one of which is adjustable, substantially as, and for
the purpose, set forth.
Third. The combination, with the vibrating or oscillating plate and the operating
lever D, of the friction plate D¹ (pivotted to the said lever and having a slot d² for
the reception of a projection on the said vibrating or oscillating plate), and the
pattern wheels for limiting the vibratory motion of the said vibrating or oscillating
plate, substantially as described and for the purposes specified.
Fourth. The combination, with the vibrating or oscillating plate, the operating
lever D and the friction plate D¹, of the adjustable arm T (carried by the said
vibrating plate and having a projection arranged to slide to and fro in a slot,in the
said friction plate), and means for limiting the movement of the said vibrating plate,
all substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fifth. The combination, with the vibrating or oscillating plate and the lever for
vibrating the same, of the two rotary pattern wheels and means for intermittently
rotating the same, the bent levers for operating in connection with the said wheels
and having arms forming a pair of jaws, between which extends a projection on the
said vibrating plate, or on an adjustable arm attached thereto, all substantially as,
and for the purpose, set forth.
Sixth. The combination, with the vibrating or oscillating plate and slide, of the
heart-shaped rotary cam, the lever M connected by the lever N with the said slide,
the radius rod O' and the connecting link O, substantially as, and for the purpose,
set forth.
Seventh. The improved button-hole stitching apparatus or mechanism consisting
of the parts constructed and combined substantially as shewn in the drawing, and
operating as set forth.
Dated thic 23rd day of Santambow 1001
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
For the Applicant.