AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR SECURING BUTTONS UPON LEATHER OR OTHER MATERIAL
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to. William Robert Lake of the firm of Haseltine, Lake,
"
& Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for an Invention of
"AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR SECURING
BUTTONS UPON LEATHER OR OTHER MATERIAL A communication to him
from abroad by Joseph Mathison of Lynn, Massachusetts, United States of
America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Robert Lake at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th November 1882.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake, and Co, Patent
Agents Southampton Buildings London "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF, AND
MACHINE OR APPARATUS FOR, SECURING BUTTONS UPON LEATHER OR OTHER
"
MATERIAL [A communication to him from abroad by Joseph Mathison of Lynn,
Massachusetts, United States of America.]
This invention comprises an improved machine adapted to secure a series of
buttons to a boot or shoe or other article by a continuous thread or cord, in such
manner that each button will be independently attached, and if the cord should
break or be severed between the buttons the attachment will not be affected.
The said invention also comprises an improved method of attaching buttons which
method consists essentially in drawing a primary loop of thread through the
material to which the button is to be attached and also through the eye of the
button, then drawing a secondary loop through the material and through the
primary loop outside of the eye of the button, tightening the primary loop, and
finally passing the secondary loop over the button and tightening the said loop,
thereby interlocking both loops and forming a square knot, one loop or bight of
which passes through, and the other around, the eye of the button.
In carrying the said Invention into practice I provide a suitable supporting
frame having a narrow elongated work-supporting arm, preferably horizontal, and
of such size as to enable the upper of a boot or shoe to be drawn upon it and allow
the said upper a free movement laterally of the arm. The said arm is hollow and
contains a vibratory thread-carrier and suitable tension-devices. Above the thread
TD 1021
$

page_text: carrier is a needle-plate forming a part of the upper surface of the arm and
provided with a slot extending longitudinally of the arm to permit the needle,
hereinafter described, to pass downwardly through the needle-plate, and move
longitudinally of the arm to feed the material while depressed. A neck or arm,
supporting the needle, presser, and cast-off bars, is located over the work-supporting
arm. The needle-bar and cast-off bar are directly supported in a carrier which is
provided with ribs adapted to reciprocate horizontally in suitable guides or ways
in the said neck. The said carrier is provided with a substantially horizontal arm,
to the outer end of which is pivotted a lever, the said lever being pivotted to
the said neck and provided with a roller at its lower end which bears upon the
periphery of a disc on the driving shaft, which disc has two projecting pieces
forming cams. The said lever is held in yielding contact with the periphery of
the said disc and its cams by a spring, and is oscillated by the said cams and
spring, thereby reciprocating the said carrier horizontally, the latter being moved
inwardly from the outer end of the neck by each cam and outwardly by the
spring. One of the said pieces or cams is. shorter and has less outward
projection than the other cam and therefore gives the said carrier an inward
movement which is of less extent and shorter duration than that imparted by
the latter cam.
The movements imparted respectively by the said cams to the
carrier produce what are hereinafter termed primary and secondary lateral or feed
movements of the needle while the latter is in the material. The needle-bar is
provided with a stud or pin which projects through a vertical slot in the carrier
and enters an orifice in a slide which is fitted in a slot in an oscillating lever.
This lever is pivotted to the aforesaid neck and is oscillated vertically by means of
a cam groove in a disc on the driving shaft and a connecting rod having a stud
or roller entering the said cam groove. The said connecting rod has a slot through
which the driving'shaft passes. The needle bar is thus reciprocated vertically, the
slide in the said lever enabling the said bar to be reciprocated vertically while at
any point to which it is moved laterally.
The cast off bar is provided with two projections between which is a stud
attached to the needle-bar, the said stud having a considerable independent
movement between the said projections so that as the needle-bar rises and falls the
stud moves the cast-off bar to a limited extent in the same direction, the movements
thus imparted causing the cast-off to be operated in the usual manner in casting off
the primary loop as hereinafter described, but as it is necessary to give the cast-off
an independent downward movement while the needle is depressed and moving
laterally during the secondary feed movement above referred to, I provide at the
top of the aforesaid neck a bell-crank lever pivotted to an arm on the neck and so
located that when the needle-bar is making its secondary or lower feed movement,
the upper end of the said bar will strike a projection on one arm of a small lever
and turn the said lever on its pivot, thereby pressing its other arm which also has
a projection downwardly on a pin or stud on the cast-off bar, and depressing the
latter just before the needle-bar rises at the completion of the upward or feed
movement.
The presser-bar is provided with an elongated presser-foot composed of two arms
connected by a block or enlargement to which the presser bar is attached and
separated by a slot extending longitudinally of the work-supporting arm and
coinciding with a slot in the needle-plate. The sides of one of these slots are
formed to support the head of the button in an upright position with its edge or
shank projecting downwardly into the said slot so that when the secondary loop is
pulled in as hereinafter described, it will necessarily enclose the shank of the
button.
The work-holding arms or branches are curved upwardly at their rear ends and
the curved portions are separated from each other by a much wider space than the
said slot, so that the attached button can pass freely back from the presser foot
either in the direction of the length of the work supporting-arm or diagonally.
This arrangement enables a boot upper to which the buttons are attached in a

page_text: curved row, to be freely fed along without obstruction of the attached buttons by
the presser foot, the said buttons moving diagonally back from the presser-foot.
The presser bar is raised to permit the work to be fed by the lateral movements of
the needle by a bell-crank lever pivotted to the aforesaid neck and connected by a
rod to a lever which is pivotted to the said neck and has a roller bearing on the
periphery of a disc on the driving shaft, the said disc having a cam groove in its
side. The said dise has two cam projections which act alternately on the said
roller and swing the said lever in the direction required to raise the presser bar.
A spring on the outside of the aforesaid neck bearing on a stud projecting from the
presser bar, presses downwardly on the said bar and the presser foot, and forces the
latter down upon the work when one of the cams ceases to act on the said lever.
A hand lever is pivotted to the outer surface of the said neck to enable the operator
to raise the presser foot independently. The presser foot is provided at its upper
end with an enlargement having ears in which is journalled a rod or arbor having
between the said ears an enlargement or collar rigidly secured to the said rod or
arbor.
Arms are pivotted to the said collar and adapted to swing on their pivots toward
and from each other. These arms which I term loop-spreaders are provided at
their swinging ends with hooks and on their front sides with spring-fingers, the
said hooks and fingers co-operating in grasping a loop of thread as hereinafter
described. An arm is mounted on the said rod or arbor so as to turn independently
thereon, and is provided with a curved wedge adapted to be inserted between the
spreaders and separate the same. The said collar is cut away or slotted centrally
to receive the said arm and the slot terminates at one side of the said arm in a
shoulder adapted to bear against a corresponding shoulder formed on the arm.
The said rod or arbor is provided with an arm connected by means of an adjustable
trunnion with an adjustable socketted ear on a rod which extends backwardly and
is pivotted to a lever, the latter being pivotted to the frame and provided with a
roller entering a cam-groove in a disc on the driving shaft. The said rod or arbor.
is oscillated by means of the said cam-groove and intermediate devices, the cam-
groove being formed so as to give the rod the following movements viz;-the
spreaders being directly under the collar to which they are pivotted, and being.
held apart from each other by the aforesaid wedge, the spreaders are next moved
forward leaving the wedge which is held in position by a spring which holds a
leather buffer on an arın against the bottom of an enlargement of the presser-bar.
Each spreader is provided with a spring which is secured at one end, to a block
and at the other end to the spreader and presses the spreader inwardly so that as
the spreaders pass forward beyond the wedge and upward they close inwardly.
Before the spreaders complete their forward movement a shoulder on the said
collar comes in contact with a shoulder on the wedge arm and causes the wedge to
move forward with the spreaders, the latter remaining closed, however, in advance
of the wedge; when the wedge is thus moved forward a spring dog or pawl, pivotted
to an extension of the enlargement of the presser-foot, engages automatically with a
tooth on the rear portion of the wedge and locks the wedge in position, so that it is
ready to separate the spreaders on their return or downward movement. The
spreaders having entered a loop of thread are next moved backwardly and down-
wardly, and during the said movement are separated by the wedge. When the
spreaders have nearly completed their downward movement an arm attached to
the said collar strikes a lateral projection on the said dog or pawl and disengages
the same from the tooth of the wedge, the latter under the influence of a spring
resuming its original position.
I also provide a button reservoir and an inclined raceway leading therefrom.
The said raceway is curved inwardly at its lower end and is given a quarter twist
so as to present the eyes of the buttons sidewise to the needle. The raceway is
formed to permit the buttons to be drawn from its end. The lower end of the
raceway is provided with a yielding spring which projects partly across the race-
way and bears against the lower button therein and constitutes a yielding stop,

page_text: holding each botton in succession until the said button is withdrawn from the
raceway. The raceway is supported with the reservoir on a post composed of two
sections. The lower end of one section to which the reservoir and raceway are
directly attached is journalled on the other section which is adapted to slide
horizontally in guides on the frame.
The said raceway is therefore adapted to oscillate laterally of the work supporting
arm and to reciprocate longitudinally thereof. The pivotted section is provided
with an arm having a screw on its outer end bearing against the side of the afore-
said neck. This neck is provided with an inclined or diagonal surface over which
the said screw passes when the raceway is moved longitudinally. A spring
extending from a stud on the said pivotted section to a stud on the other section
draws the raceway inwardly towards the said neck; when the raceway is moving
backwardly from the outer end of the work-supporting arm its screw in passing
over the said diagonal surface is forced outwardly thereby swinging the raceway
outwardly. The swinging and longitudinal movements of the raceway cause the
delivering or lower end of the raceway to move diagonally from the position it
occupies when presenting a button to the needle, to the position it occupies after the
button has been withdrawn from the raceway. The sectional post is reciprocated
in its guides by means of a lever pivotted to the frame engaged at its lower end
by a roller entering a cam groove in a disc on the driving shaft and at its upper
end with a block pivotted to the second section, the upper end of the lever being
bifurcated to embrace the said block.
The thread carrier which operates in the usual manner is supported in a vertical
rock-shaft having an arm which is connected by a rod with a lever pivotted to the
frame and has a roller engaged with a cam groove in a disc on the driving shaft,
the said devices oscillating the carrier and causing it to alternately hold the thread
away from, and press it against, the hook side of the needle. Springs are provided
to hold the loop upon the hooks of the spreaders during their receding and separating
movements. A bent arm is pivotted to an extension of the upper part of tho
presser foot and is held by a spring against an adjustable stud on the rod. One
end of the said arm projects in front of the spreaders and is raised and lowered by
the action of the said rod and spring.
I do not limit myself to the employment of the said arm, however, as it is only
intended as an auxiliary device to guard against the accidental loosening of the
loop.
I do not limit myself to the particular devices described for forming the knot
which attaches the buttons, as the said devices may be variously modified without
departing from the nature of the said invention.
The cams which impart the primary and secondary feed movements to the needle,
are made adjustable as to their projection from the periphery of the disc to which
they are attached, so that the length of the said feed-movements, or either of them-
can be varied as may be desired. To this end each of the said cams is attached to
the disc by screws the heads of which are countersunk in the outer surfaces of the
cams, and screws, whose heads are provided with flanges countersunk in the inner
surfaces of the said cams. The first screws hold the cams to the disc and the latter
screws regulate the approach of the cams to their seats on the disc, the cams being
movable toward; and from, the disc.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Robert Lake in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 28th May
1883.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co, Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, "AN IMPROVED METHOD OF AND MACHINE OR
" A com-
APPARATUS FOR SECURING BUTTONS UPON LEATHER OR OTHER MATERIAL
munication to me from abroad by Joseph Mathison, of Lynn, Massachusetts, United
States of America,
This invention comprises an improved machine adapted to secure a series of
buttons to a boot or shoe or other article by a continuous thread or cord, in such
manner that each button will be independently attached and if the cord should
break or be severed between the buttons the attachment will not be affected. The
said invention also comprises an improved method of attaching buttons, which
method consists essentially in drawing a primary loop of thread through the
material to which the button is to be attached and also through the eye of the
button, then drawing a secondary loop through the material and through the primary
loop outside of the eye of the button, tightening the primary loop, and finally,
passing the secondary loop over the button and tightening the said loop, thereby
interlocking both loops and forming a square knot, one loop or bight of which
passes through, and the other around, the eye of the button.
In the accompanying drawings.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a machine constructed according to
this invention.
Figures 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are similar views illustrating different portions of the
mechanism during the operation.
Figures 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 represent the position of the button and the loops
securing it at different stages of the operation.
Figure 13 is a side view of the loop-spreaders before they separate to spread and
lower the loop.
Figure 14 is a front view of the same.
Figure 15 is a front view of the spreaders depressed and separated.
Figure 15 is a rear view of the same.
Figure 16 is a section on the line x, x Figure 15.
Figure 16a is a side view of the loop-spreaders in the position shown in figures 15
and 16.
Figure 17 is a perspective view of the wedge which separates the spreaders.
Figure 18 is a side elevation of the entire machine.
Figure 19 is a section on the line 2, 2, Figure 18.
Figure 20 is an elevation of the opposite side of the machine.
Figure 20 is a rear view of a portion of the machine showing the lower portion
of the raceway supporting standard and its guide.
Figure 21 is a section on the line y, y, Figure 20.
Figure 22 is an underside view.
Figure 23 is a section on the line a¹, a³, Figure 22.
Figure 24 is a section on the line y', y', Figure 22.
Figures 24 24b 24° 24d and 24° are detail views.
Figure 25 is a section on the line z¹, &¹ Figure 22.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.
In carrying the said invention into practice I provide a suitable supporting
frame A, baving a narrow elongated work-supporting arm B preferably horizontal,

page_text: and of such size as to enable the upper of a boot or shoe to be drawn upon it and
allow the said upper a free movement laterally of the arm. The said arm B is
hollow and contains a vibratory thread carrier C and suitable tension devices.
Above the thread carrier is a needle plate D forming a part of the upper surface of
the arm and provided with a slot 8 extending longitudinally of the arm to permit
the needle hereinafter described to pass downwardly through the needle plate, and
move longitudinally of the arm to feed the material while depressed. E indicates
the neck or arm supporting the needle presser, and cast off bars, and located over
the work-supporting arm B. The needle bar F, and cast off bar G are directly
supported in a carrier H, which is provided with ribs I', I', adapted to reciprocato
horizontally in suitable guides or ways I, I, (see Figures 24 and 240) in the neck E.
The carrier H is provided with a substantially horizontal arm V, to the outer end
of which is pivotted a lever W, the said lever being pivotted at a to the said neck E,
and provided with a roller b at its lower end which bears upon the periphery of a
disc c on the driving shaft R, which disc has two projecting cams e, f, The
lever W is held in yielding contact with the periphery of the disc c and its cams
by a spring g and is oscillated by the said cams and spring, thereby reciprocating
the carrier H horizontally, the latter being moved inwardly from the outer end of
the neck E by each cam and outwardly by the spring. The cam f is shorter and
has less outward projection than the came and therefore gives the carrier H an
inward movement which is of less extent and shorter duration than that imparted
by the cam 6. The movements imparted respectively by the said cams f and e to
the carrier H produce what are hereinafter termed primary and secondary lateral
or feed movements of the needle while the latter is in the material. The needle
bar F is provided with a stud or pin O which projects through a vertical slot P in
the carrier H and enters an orifice N in a slide M, which is fitted in a slot L in an
oscillating lever J. This lever is pivotted at K to the aforesaid neck and is
oscillated vertically by means of a cam groove P' in a disc Q on the driving shaft R
and a connecting rod S. having a stud or roller T entering the said cam groove.
The connecting rod S has a slot U through which the driving shaft R passes. The
needle bar F is thus reciprocated vertically the slide M in the said lever J enabling
the said bar to be reciprocated vertically while at any point to which it is moved
laterally.
The cast off bar G is provided with two projections h, h, between which is a
studi attached to the needlo bar, the said stud having a considerable independent
movement between the said projections h, h, so that as the needle bar rises and
falls the stud i moves the cast off bar to a limited extent in the same directions,
the movements thus imparted causing the cast off to be operated in the usual
manner in casting off the primary loop as hereinafter described, but, as it is
necessary to give the cast off an independent downward movement while the
needle is depressed and moving laterally during the secondary feed movement
above referred to; I provide at the top of the aforesaid neck E a bell crank-lever a³
pivotted to an arm on the neck and so located that when the needle bar is making
its secondary or lower feed movement the upper end of the said bar will strike a
projection a³ on one arm of the lever a³ as shown in Figure 24ª and turn the said
lever on the pivot, thereby pressing its other arm, which also has a projection a³,
downwardly on a pin or stud as on the cast off bar and depressing the latter as
shown in Figure 24b just before, the needle bar rises at the completion of the
outward or feed movement.
The presser bar jis provided with an elongated presser foot k composed of two
arms 2, 3 connected by a block or enlargement u³ to which the presser bar is attached
and separated by a slot extending longitudinally of the work-supporting arm and
coinciding with the slot in the needle plate D. as shewn in Figure 19. The
sides of the slot are formed to support the head of the button of the kind
shown in an upright position with its edge or shank projecting downwardly into
the said slot so that when the secondary loop is pulled in as hereinafter described,
it will necessarily enclose the shank of the button.

page_text: The work-holding arms or branches 2, 3 are curved upwardly at their rear
ends and the curved portions are separated from each other by a much wider
space than the said slot so that the attached button can pass freely back from
the presser foot either in the direction of the length of the work supporting arm or
diagonally. This arrangement enables a shoe upper to which the buttons are
attached in a curved row to be freely fed along without obstruction of the attached
buttons by the presser foot the said buttons moving diagonally back from the
presser foot. The presser bar is raised to permit the work to be fed by the laternal
movements of the needle by a bell-crank lever m pivotted at n to the neck E and
connected by a rod o to a lever p which is pivotted at a and has a roller bearing
on the periphery of the disc Q on the driving shaft R (the said disc having the
cam groove P in its side). The disc Q has two cam projections t, t; which act
alternately on the said roller and swing the lever p in the direction required to
raise the presser bar j. A spring u on the outside of the neck E bearing on a stud v
projecting from the presser bar, presses downwardly on the said bar and the
presser foot, and forces the latter down upon the work when one of the cams t
ceases to act on the lever p. A hand lever u is pivotted to the outer surface of
the neck E to enable the operator to raise the presser foot independently. The
presser foot is provided at its upper end with an enlargement u³ having ears a¹, a',
in which is journalled a rod or arbor b¹ having between the said cars a¹, a', an
enlargement or collar c¹ rigidly secured to the said rod or arbor. (Figure 15).
2'
d' d' indicate arms pivotted at e'e' to the collar c' and adapted to swing on
their pivots toward and from each other. These arms, which I term loop-spreaders,
are provided at their swinging ends with hooks f', f¹, and on their front sides
with spring fingers g', g', the said hooks and fingers co-operating in grasping a loop
of thread, as hereinafter described. indicates an arm mounted on the rod or
arbor 61 80
as to turn independently thercon and is provided with a curved
wedge adapted to be inserted between the spreaders d¹ and separate the same
as shown in Figures 1, 3, 15 and 16. The said collar c¹ is cut away or slotted
centrally to receive the arm h¹ and the slot terminates at one side of the said arm
in a shoulder k adapted to bear against a corresponding shoulder j' formed on the
arm. The said rod b¹ is provided with an arm connected by means of an
adjustable trunnion m' with an adjustable socketted ear n' on a rod o' which
extends backwardly and is pivotted to a lever p', the latter being pivotted at q¹
to the frame A, and provided with a roller r entering a cam groove 8¹ in a disc t¹
on the driving shaft. The said rod or arbor b¹ is oscillated by means of the cam
groove & and the intermediate devices, the cam groove being formed so as to give
the rod the following movements, that is to say ;-
The spreaders being directly under the collar to which they are pivotted as
shown in Figures 1, 3, 15 and 16 and being held apart froin each other by the
wedge the spreaders are next moved forward, leaving the wedge which is held
in the position shown by a spring u' which holds a leather buffer v' on the armı h¹
against the bottom of the enlargement u³ of the presser bar. Each spreader is
provided with a spring a² which is secured at one end to a block c¹ and at the
other end to the spreader as shown in Figure 15*, and presses the spreader
inwardly, so that as the spreaders pass forward beyond the wedge and upward,
they close inwardly as shown in Figures 4, 13 and 14. Before the spreaders
complete their forward movement the shoulder k' on the collar c¹ comes in contact
with the shoulder on the wedge arm h¹ and causes the wedge to move forward
with the spreaders, the latter remaining closed however in advance of the wedge.
When the wedge is thus moved forward a spring dog or pawl b², pivotted to an
extension of the enlargement of the presser foot, engages automatically with a
tooth c² on the rear portion of the wedge, as shewn in Figure 13 and locks the
wedge in the position shown, so that it is ready to separate the spreaders on their
return or downward movement. The spreaders having entered a loop of thread
as hereinafter described are next moved backwardly, and downwardly and during
the said movement are separated by the wedge, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 15

page_text: and 16. When the spreaders have nearly completed their downward movement
an arm attached to the collar c' strikes a lateral projection on the dog b³ as
shown in Figure 16 and disengages the same from the tooth of the wedge, the
latter under the influence of the spring u¹ resuming its original position, shown in
Figures 15 and 16:f2 indicates the button reservoir and g' the inclined raceway
leading therefrom. The said raceway is curved inwardly at its lower end, is given
a quarter twist so as to present the eyes of the buttons sidewise to the needle, as
shown in Figure 1 and is formed to permit the buttons to be drawn from its end.
The lower end of the raceway is provided with a yielding spring w which projects
partly across the raceway and bears against the lower button therein and con-
stitutes a yielding stop holding each button in succession until the said button
is withdrawn from the raceway. The raceway is supported with the reservoir
on a post composed of two sections h² and . The lower end of the section h² to
which the reservoir and raceway are directly attached is journalled on the section i
which is adapted to slide horizontally in guides on the frame A. The said
raceway is therefore adapted to oscillate laterally of the work-supporting arm, to
reciprocate longitudinally thereof. The pivotted section h is provided with an
arm having a screw k² on its outer end bearing against the side of the neck E.
This neck is provided with an incline or diagonal surface lover which the screw k³
passes when the raceway is moved longitudinally. A spring m³ extending from
a stud on the section h² to a stud on the section draws the raceway inwardly
towards the neck E. When the raceway is moving backwardly from the outer
end of the work-supporting arm its screw 2 in passing over the said diagonal
surface is forced outwardly thereby swinging the raceway outwardly. The
swinging and longitudinal movements of the raceway cause the delivering or lower
end of the raceway to move diagonally from the position it occupies when
presenting a button to the needle, as shown in Figure 1, to the position it
occupies after the button has been withdrawn from the raceway, as shown in
Figures 4 and 5. The sectional post his reciprocated in its guides by means
of a lever o pivotted at p to the frame A, engaged at its lower end by a roller
entering a cam groove in a disc 82 on the driving shaft and at its upper end with
a block 2 pivotted to the section ¿² the upper end of the lever being bifurcated to
embrace the block t'.
The thread carrier which operates in the usual manner is supported in a vertical
rock shaft u having an arm v3 which is connected by a rod w² with a lever x
which is pivotted at y³ to the frame A, and has a roller engaged with a cam
groove z in the disc, c on the driving shaft, the said devices oscillating the carrier
and causing it to alternately hold the thread away from and press it against the
hook side of the needle.
The operation of the machine is as follows, that is to say;-The button raceway
being in position as shown in Figure 1 the eye of the lower button is held under
the needle. The needle descends through the eye of the button, the material and
the needle plate, and then makes its shorter or primary feed movement, while down
at the same time the thread guide swings around to press the thread against the
hook side of the needle, which is then raised and draws a primary loop C¹ through
the eye of the button as shown in Figure 3. Then the needle is moved back to
its first position, passes down through the first loop as seen in Figure 4, outside the
eye of the button through the material and the needle plate. While the hook of
the needle is perforating the material the raceway is moved backwardly, and the
loop C' is then caused to pull the last button past the yielding spring w and out of
the raceway as shown in Figure 4. The needle then makes its longer or secondary
feed movement, and the thread guide again moves to press the thread against the
hook of the needle. While the needle is making its secondary feed movement the
cast off is moved down to the material by the arm a³ and casts off the loop C¹.
The needle then rises and as it does so draws up a secondary loop D¹ through the
first loop as shown in Figure 5. The operation of drawing the secondary loop
entirely up tightens the primary loop as shown in Figures 6 and 9. The needle

page_text: then drops enough to free the hook from the cast off so as to release the loop from.
the hook of the said needle. The spreaders swing toward the needle at the same
time and the hooks of the spreaders which are now close together enter the loop
as soon as the loop is released from the hook of the needle. The forward swinging
movement of the spreaders after the hooks enter the loop is sufficient to deflect or
bend the loop away from the needle. The spreaders then commence to recede
from the needle and at the same time are separated at their hooked ends, thus
spreading the loop into a triangular form and carrying it over the head of the
button as shown in Figures 1 and 10. Springs gl serve to hold the loop upon the
hooks of the spreader during their receding and separating movements. While the
loop D¹ is being opened and carried over the head of the button, the needle is
moved to its original position and at the same time the raceway returns to its
original position, so as to present its lower button to the needle. The needle then
descends through the eye of the lower button in the raceway, engages with the
thread which is again presented to it by the thread carrier, and draws up another
primary loop through the eye of said lower button. The operation of drawing up
the last named loop draws in the secondary loop previously drawn over the
preceding button, drawing the said loop inwardly and interlocking it with the
primary loop of the said button, thus forming the square knot which secures the
button to the material as shown in Figure 11. The above described steps are
taken in the attachment of each button. 3 indicates a bent arm which is pivotted
to an extension of the upper part of the presser foot and is held by a spring d³
against an adjustable stud e³ on the rod o'. One end of the said arm c projects in
front of the spreaders, and is raised and lowered by the action of the rod o' and
spring d³. The arm is brought down upon the secondary loop while the said
loop is in the position shown in Figure 1 and prevents the loop from rising and
failing to be drawn under the button when it is tightened by the operation of.
drawing up the succeeding primary loop as above described, in case the springs g¹g¹
release the loop before it is tightened, or if from any cause the loop has a tendency
to rise above the button it is intended to aid in securing.
I do not limit myself to the employment of the arm however as it is only
intended as an auxiliary device to guard against the accidental loosening of the
loop, nor do I limit myself to the particular devices shewn for forming the knot
which attaches the buttons, as the said devices may be variously modified without
departing from the nature of the said invention.
The cams ef which impart the primary and secondary feed movements to the
needle, are made adjustable as to their projection from the periphery of the disc o
to which they are attached so that the length of the said feed movements or either
of them can be varied as may be desired. To this end each of the said cams is
attached to the disc c by screws 88, the heads of which are countersunk in the
outer surfaces of the cams, and screws 85 85 whose heads are provided with flanges
countersunk in the inner surfaces of the said cams, as shown in Figure 24. The
screws 8 hold the cams to the disc and the screws 85 regulate the approach of the
cams to their seats in the disc, the cams being movable toward and from the said
disc.
Having thus fully described the said invention as communicated to me by my
foreign Correspondent and the manner of performing the same I wish it understood
that I claim in a machine for attaching buttons to leather or other material
First. The combination of button feeding mechanism and mechanism for drawing
a primary loop of thread through the material and the eye of a button, then
drawing a secondary loop through the material and through the primary loop
outside of the eye of the button, then throwing the secondary loop over the head
of the button and finally forming the said loops into a square knot as set forth.
Second. The combination of loop-forming mechanism, button-feeding mechanism
whereby a button is presented to the needle of the loop forming mechanism,
means for imparting to the said needle the primary and secondary feed movements
described, whereby the primary and secondary loops are drawn respectively through

page_text: and outside of the eye of the button and then the material with the partially
attached button is advanced, and devices for spreading and depressing the secondary
loop, after the material is advanced to cause the said loop to enclose the button and
hold it until tightened by the subsequent action of the loop-forming mechanism, as
set forth.
Third. The combination of button-feeding mechanism, a longitudinally slotted
presser foot, loop-forming mechanism, means for imparting to the needle and cast-
off of the loop-forming mechanism the primary and secondary lateral movements
described, means, substantially as described, for vertically reciprocating the cast off
at different points in its lateral movement, and loop-spreading devices, all arranged
and operating substantially as described.
Fourth. The presser foot composed of two connected arms separated by a longi-
tudinal slot, the sides of which are adapted to support a button and having an
enlarged rear opening to permit the passage of an attached button, as set forth.
Fifth. The combination, with the button-feeding and loop-forming mechanism, of
the loop-spreaders and mechanism for inserting the said spreaders into the
secondary loop and depressing and separating them to depress and spread the said
loop, as set forth.
Sixth. The combination of the rod b¹ having an enlargement or collar, mechanism
for oscillating the same, the spreaders pivotted to the said collar and pressed
inwardly by springs, the wedge ¹ journalled on the said rod and drawn backwardly
by a spring u, the shoulders j, k, arranged as described whereby the spreaders are
moved forward and in advance of the wedge and the latter is subsequently moved
with the spreaders, a dog b³ to lock the wedge, and an arm d to disengage the dog
from the wedge when the spreaders move backwardly, as set forth.
Seventh-The combination, with the loop-spreaders, of the auxiliary loop-holding
arm and mechanism for raising and lowering the same, as set forth.
Eighth. The raceway pivotted to a longitudinally movable support, combined
with means for oscillating the raceway and moving it longitudinally, as set forth.
Ninth The combination of the raceway, the section supporting the raceway,
the longitudinally movable section 2 having a pivotal connection with the section h³,
mechanism substantially as described for reciprocating the section 2, and the parts
supported thereby, and the fixed incline 18, the arm or device on the section h
bearing against the said incline, and the spring m³ whereby the raceway is oscillated
when moved longitudinally, as set forth.
Tenth. The combination, with the needle and cast-off bars of the carrier H
guiding the said bars and horizontally movable in fixed guides, means for giving
the said carrier first a short and then a longer reciprocating movement, and
mechanism substantially as described for reciprocating the needle-bar vertically,
devices on the needle and cast-off bars causing the operation of the latter by the
vertical movements of the needle bar, and an independent device operated by the
longer lateral movement of the needle-bar to depress the cast-off bar, as set forth.
Eleventh The combination of the carrier H reciprocated horizontally as described,
the needle and cast-off bars guided and moved laterally by the carrier, the oscillating
lever J having a slot L, a slide M in the said slot engaged with a stud on the
needle-bar, the projections h, h, on the cast-off bar, and the interposed stud on the
needle-bar whereby the cast-off is operated during the vertical movements of the
needle-bar, and the lever a³ pivotted to a fixed support and operated by the longer
lateral movement of the needle-bar to depress the cast-off, as set forth.
Twelfth The raceway formed to permit the removal of the buttons from its
lower end and adapted to be moved longitudinally and laterally as described,
in combination with the spring w projecting partly across the end of the raceway
and. adapted to hold the lower button in the raceway with a yielding pressure, as
set forth.
Thirteenth The combination, with the loop-forming mechanism, of the movable
raceway adapted to present the eye of the last button it contains to the needle and
to hold the button while a loop is being drawn through the eye thereof by the

page_text: needle, and mechanism for moving the raceway backwardly while the said loop is
held by the needle, thereby withdrawing the button from the raceway, as set forth.
Fourteenth The combination, with the loop-forming and feeding mechanism, of
the narrow elongated work-supporting arm adapted to permit the free lateral and
longitudinal movement of a boot or shoe upper, the presser foot having a slot
adapted to support a button while it is being attached, and an enlarged rear
opening to permit the passage of the attached buttons, as set forth.
Fifteenth The combination, with the laterally movable needle, of the cams e, f,
and intermediate devices for moving the needle laterally, the said cams being
adjustable so as to regulate the feed movements of the needle, as set forth.
Sixteenth-The improved method herein described of securing buttons to material,
the said method consisting in drawing a primary loop of thread through the
material and through the eye of the button, then drawing a secondary loop through
the material and through the primary loop outside of the eye of the button, then
tightening the primary loop and finally passing the secondary loop over the button
and tightening the said loop thereby forming a square knot, as set forth.
In witness whereof I the said William Robert Lake have hereunto set my
hand and seal this twenty sixth day of May in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.