IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTON-HOLE STITCH SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: 1, GEORGE BROWNING, of the Cottage, Dalmuir, in the County of Dumbarton,
North Britain, Mechanician, do hereby declare the nature of the said invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTON-HOLE STITCH SEWING MACHINES to be as follows:
This Invention, which relates to Improvements in Sewing Machines is specially
adapted for the sewing of bar-ended Button-holes, and to that class of Sewing
Machines wherein a horizontal driving shaft is used.-The improvements consist
in placing a driving pinion at the rearward end of the horizontal shaft.-This
pinion gears with a toothed wheel in which there are twice the number of teeth that
there are in the pinion. This wheel is formed with a long hub and is carried upon
a stud in the casing which encloses the gearing at the rear end of the Machine.-
A lever is mounted on the casing whoso upper end is provided with a bowl which
runs in the cam groove cut in the hub of the aforesaid wheel.-The lower part of
this lever has a spring attached to it, the lower part of the spring being engaged
with a bar to which the zig-zag movement of the lever is imparted. The oscillating
movement of this bar is rendered variable by means of a variable feed-wheel
operating upon stops in a piece pivoted to the upper side of the said bar.-The
feed-wheel is so formed that each half of its opposite edges acts upon one of the
stops at one time respectively, thereby regulating the stitches so that the inner
ends of both rows are always on the same centre line, and between these parts of
the opposite edges a space is left to allow of the formation of the bar stitches at
the ends of the Button-hole.-The bite or limit of the outer throw of the stitch
of the said Button holes, is regulated by a pair of adjustable stops carried upon the
bed of the Machine acting within a notch on the zig-zag motion bar.-The aforesaid
feed-wheel is driven by a wiper cam on the face of the aforesaid toothed wheel
which actuates a dog-feed on one face of the anid feed-wheel.-On the opposite
face of the said feed-wheel a groove cam is cut which, as it rotates operates a lever
pivoted at its upper end.--This lever is provided at its lower end with an universal
joint which connects it with a lever pivoted to the bed of the Machine which lever
regulates the length of the Button-hole.-The clamp in which the work is held,
consists of a plate which is free to slide within the guides to which the zig-zag
motion is imparted, and the metal for some distance at each side of the slot

page_text: through which the needle passes is hollowed out, so as to form bevilled edges.-
The work is held between these edges and a pair of bevil edged jaws and is
thereby stretched tight.-These jaws are operated by means of a cam lever whose
underside is so constructed that it, whilst pressing down the jaws, enables thick or
thin work to be placed therein.-The apparatus is further provided with a stop
which arrests the action of the feed-wheel lever at the end of each Button-hole,
but allows the barring to proceed at the will of the operator.
Dated this tenth day of November 1884

page_text: I, GEORGE BROWNING of the Cottage Dalmuir, in the County of Dumbarton,
North Britain, Mechanician do hereby declare the nature of my said invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTON-HOLE STITCH 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, which relates to improvements in sewing machines is specially
adapted for the sewing of bar-ended button-holes, and to that class of sewing
machines wherein a horizontal driving shaft is used. The improvements consist in
placing a driving pinion at the rearward end of the horizontal shaft. This pinion
gears with a toothed wheel in which there are twice the number of teeth that there
are in the pinion. This wheel is formed with a long hub and is carried upon a
stud in the casing which encloses the gearing at the rear end of the machine.
A lever is mounted on the casing whose upper end is provided with a bowl which
runs in the cam groove cut in the hub of the aforesaid wheel. The lower part of
this lever, bas a spring attached to it, the lower part of the spring being engaged
with a bar to which the zig-zag movement of the lever is imparted. The oscillating
movement of this bar is rendered variable by means of a variable feed-wheel
operating upon stops in a piece pivoted to the upper side of the said bar. The
feed-wheel is so formed that each half of its opposite edges acts upon one of the
stops at one time respectively, thereby regulating the stitch so that the inner ends
of both rows are always on the same centre line, and between these parts of the
opposite edges a space is left to allow of the formation of the bar stitches at the
ends of the button-hole. The bite or limit of the outer throw of the stitch of
the said Button-holes, is regulated by a pair of adjustable stops carried upon the
bed of the machine acting within a notch on the zig-zag motion bar. The aforesaid
feed-wheel is driven by a wiper cam on the face of the aforesaid toothed wheel
which actuates a dog-feed on one face of the said feed-wheel. On the opposite
face of the said feed-wheel a groove cam is cut which, as it rotates, operates a
lever pivoted at its upper end. This lever is provided at its lower end with an
universal joint which connects it with a lever pivoted to the bed of the machine
which lever regulates the length of the button-hole. The clamp in which the work
is held, consists of a plate which is free to slide within the guides to which the
zig-zag motion is imparted, and the metal for some distance at each side of the slot
through which the needle passes is hollowed out, so as to form bevilled edges.
The work is held between these edges and a pair of bevil edged jaws and is thereby
stretched tight. These jaws are operated by means of a cam lever whose underside
is so constructed that it, whilst pressing down the jaws, enables thick or thin work
to be placed therein. The apparatus is further provided with a stop which arrests
the action of the feed-wheel lever at the end of each button-hole, but allows the
barring to proceed at the will of the operator.
In order that my said Invention may be properly understood and readily carried
into effect I will now proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed,

page_text: Figure 1, is a rear view of a portion of a button-hole stitch sewing-machine to
which certain of my improvements are attached.
Figures 2 and 3 are views of the same in directions respectively at right angles
and opposite to the same, that is to say, the former is a back elevation and the
latter an elevation looking from the needle end of the machine.
Figures 4, 5, and 6 are views of detached portions of the same all hereinafter
more particularly described.
Figure 7, is a plan of the bed plate of a button-hole stitch sewing machine as
constructed with my present improvements.
Figures 8 and 9 are views of detached portions of the same.
Figures 10 and 11 are respectively a side elevation and a part transverse section
of the cloth clamp.
In carrying out my present in provements upon a button-hole stitch sewing-
machine in which a horizontal driving shaft is used, I secure upon the rearward
end of such driving shaft a, the driving pinion b. This pinion b, gears with the
toothed wheel c, in which there are twice the number of teeth that there are in
the pinion b. The toothed wheel c, as shewn more particularly at Figure 6, is
formed with the long hub d, and is carried upon the stud e. This stud e, as shown
at Figure 3 is screwed into the casing f, which encloses the gearing at the rear end
of the machine. The lever g, is pivoted upon a short stud h, which is screwed
into the lug i, formed on the casing f, and the upper end of the said lever is
provided with the bowl j, (Figures 2 and 3) which runs in the cam groove k, which
is cut in the elongated hub d, of the aforesaid toothed wheel c. The lower part
of the lever g, has the spring 1, attached to it, the lower part of the said spring
being engaged by means of the two studs m, (Figure 7) with the bar n, to
which they are affixed, and to which bar n, the zig-zag movement as imparted
by the cam groove k, to the lever g, is thereby imparted. The bar n, is secured
at its forward end to the sliding plate o, and is guided at its rearward end
in the casing f, as shewn more particularly at Figure 1. The oscillating
movement of the bar n, is rendered variable by means of the variable feed-
wheel p, which operates upon the stops 9, (Figures 1, 7 and 8), which are formed
upon the piece r, pivoted at 8, to the upper side of the said barn. The feed
wheel p, is so formed, that each half of its opposite edges t, and u, acts upon one
of the stops g, at one time respectively thereby regulating the stitches so that the
inner ends of both rows are always on the saine centre line, and between these
parts of the opposite edges t, and u, a space' v, is left to allow of the formation of
the bar stitches at the ends of the button-hole. The bite or limit of the outer
throw of the stitch of the said button-holes, is regulated by a pair of adjustable
stops w, carried upon the bed plate x, of the machine, and acting upon the
extremities of the notch y, formed in the edge of the zig-zag motion bar n. The
adjustable stops which are represented in plan at Figure 7 and in side elevation at
Figure 9, are pivoted at s, upon the plate a', and are capable of being turned upon
their pivots, and secured in any desired position so arrived at, by the screws b¹.
The feed wheel p, is driven by the wiper cam c', which is formed' upon the face of
the toothed wheel c, and which actuates the dog-feed lever d', on one face of the
said feed wheel p. The dog-feed lever d¹, is provided with the adjusting screw e¹,
which regulates the extent of motion of the said lever. On the side of the feed
wheel p, opposito to that upon which the dog-feed lever d¹, works, the groove
cam f, is cut, in which the bowl g¹, works and as the feed wheel rotates, the
groove cam f¹, operates the lever ¹, which is pivoted at ¹, to the casing f. The
lever h¹, is provided at its lower end with an universal joint j¹, which connects it
to the lever ¹, (Figure 7) which is pivoted at ', to the bed a, of the machine,
which said lever k, regulates the length of the button-hole according to the position
of the fulcrum, this being arranged for inserting in either of the holes m³. The
lever k¹, is connected to the clamp plate n', by means of the link o¹. The clamp
in which the work is beld consists of the plate n', (Figures 7, 10 and 11) which is
free to slide within the guides p', to which the zig-zag motion is imparted, and the

page_text: metal for some distance at each side of the slot q', through which the needle passes
is bollowed out as at r¹, so as to form bevilled edges. The work is held between
these edges and the pair of bevil edged jaws 8¹, which, when pressed down, are
forced apart by the bevilled edges of the plate n¹, and thus stretches the fabric.
The jaws 8', are pivoted at t', upon the plate n', and they are operated by means of
the cam lever u, which is so constructed with the slit v', that, whilst pressing
down the said jaws s¹, it enables thick or thin work to be placed therein. The
apparatus is further provided with a stop w¹, which arrests the action of the feed
wheel lever d', at the end of each button-hole, but allows the barring to proceed
at the will of the operator. This stop w¹, is pivoted at x¹, to the casing f, and is
provided with the adjusting screw y', which is drawn down upon the face 2', of the
lever h, by the spring a". The rearward end of the stop lever w³, engages with
the top of the dog-feed-lever d', when the lever h³, has arrived at the position
indicated at Figuro 3, that is to say, after the sides and one end of the button-hole
have been completed. This is effected by the dog-feed tover d, being brought to
rest and thereby discontinuing the intermittent rotation of the feed-wheel p, and
consequently that of the motion of the longitudinal, feed of the button-hole, the
barring-off stitches being continued until the machine is stopped, these depending
for their motion upon the groove cam k. When it is desired to start the machine
upon a button-hole the lever w¹, is pressed down at its forward end and thus
liberates its rearward end from the dog-feed lever d, the lever w¹, being carried
upwards by means of the lever h¹, until the feed-wheel p, has completed a
revolution when the stop.lever w¹, again engages with the dog-feed lever d³.
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 what
I claim is
First. The improvements in button-hole stitch sewing machines consisting in
placing at the rearward end of the machine the spur gearing for actuating the
cam c', which, operating upon the lever d', actuates the feed wheel p, the said
gearing actuating the cam k, also the stop lever w', acting upon the lever d', the
whole operating in combination substantially as and for the purposes herein before
set forth with reference to the annexed drawings.
Second. The feed wheel p, constructed with the cam groove f¹, the edges t, and u,
also the spaces u, the whole arranged relatively with each other as shewn at
Figures 4 and 5 and for the purposes herein before set forth.
Third. The clamp as shown at Figures 7, 10 and 11 of the annexed drawings
wherein the inner lower edges of the upper jaws 8', are bevilled, and in the act of
clamping the cloth, hold the said cloth between the said bevilled edges and the
corresponding bevilled edges constituting the inner sides of the grooves r¹, of the
lower part of the clamp; also the construction of the elastic cam lever u¹, all
substantially as hereinbefore described.