Improvements in Button Hole Sewing Machines.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 19th Dec., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 11th Sept., 1889-Accepted, 12th Oct.,
1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Button Hole Sewing Machines.
I, ALEXANDER ANDERSON, Manager of the Singer Manufacturing Company's
Works, Kilbowie Dumbartonshire, do hereby declare the nature of this Invention, (as
communicated to me from abroad by the Singer Manufacturing Company of New
York in the United States of America, Sewing Machine Manufacturers) to be as
follows:-
The objects of my Invention are, primarily, to provide means for automatically
completing the working of button-holes in fabrics and leather by finishing the same
with barring stitches by the machine, and thereby obviate the necessity of barring the
button-holes by hand, as heretofore required; and, secondarily, to provide a clamp by
which the material, having the button-hole, will be held in a proper manner while the
button hole is being worked.
The work plate of the button-hole sewing machine is provided with the usual guiding
slot and clamp base plate supporting spring and roller and the usual guide button.
The clamp base plate is provided with a slot which is bounded on its marginal edges
by a recessed way forming a lip which engages the under-cut guide button. The feed
wheel revolves below the work plate and is provided with feeding grooves of any form
as heretofore employed. A presser bridge-post is secured to the clamp base plate and
serves in this case as a pivot on which the clamping arms or jaws are vibrated, as will
be hereinafter described. The clamp guide pin is vertically movable in a pin post and
is prossed down through the slot in the work plate into the groove of the feed wheel.
The purpose and mode of operation of this guide pin is so well known that no
particular description is required.
A clamp-vibrating arm provided with a sleeve and having a clamping arm
head hinged to its rear end, is pivoted by its sleeve to the bridge post, the said
arm being provided with an orifice of size and form which will freely admit the pin
post and allow said arm to vibrate without touching said pin post to a distance of
about one-eighth of an inch. This clamp vibrating arm is also provided with a recess
or perforation the purpose of which will be hereinafter described. A steadying pin
or key which is movable in a vertical direction in relation to the vibrating arm is
attached, preferably, to the clamp guide pin so as to be adapted to be lifted with the
same. The lower end of this steadying key enters a recess or hole made in the
vibrating arm and has its sides supported in a vertical groove made in the side of
the pin post. When this key is in engagement with the arm the latter will be held
from vibrating and when out of engagement with said arm the latter will be permitted
to vibrate freely from the bridge post or other proper pivot. A lower clamping piece
is secured to the arm preferably from its lower side, and has its forward ends pro-
vided with clamping arms the lower sides of which rest on the clamp base plate.
Made in the upper sides of these clamping arms are recesses or slots having bevelled
sides. The purpose of these recesses or slots will be hereinafter fully described.
The upper clamping arms are rigidly secured to the clamping arm head hinged to
the clamp vibrating arm. Clamping or presser feet are jointed to the forward ends
of said clamping arms from their lower sides in any proper manner. The presser feet
are preferably provided with downwardly extending projections or portions having a
length and width a little less than that of the recesses or slots in the lower clamping
armis, said projections being arranged, over the said recesses or slots. These
projections denominate spreaders. When the material to be operated upon is placed
between the clamping arms and presser feet these spreaders will operate, when said
feet are pressed down, to press down the material laying over the slots or recesses into
the same to a short distance and draw apart the edges of the button hole cut in the

page_text: fabric a short distance. These spreaders also co-operate with the slots to hold the
material from shifting or the feet from sliding in either direction, and thus obviate the
necessity of grooving the lower sides of the feet as heretofore. They also obviate
the necessity of employing special mechanism for spreading the button-hole cut after
the material has been clamped, as heretofore required.
A spring is arranged across the clamp vibrating arm and extended each way beneath
the clamping arms. This spring operates to raise the arms when relieved of pressure
and obviates the use of special mechanism, to be operated for raising said arms and
releasing the material from between the clamping device.
A presser cam or cam lever is pivoted in the usual manner on the bridge post and
over the bridge resting on the upper clamping arms as heretofore employed for forcing
said arms down to cause the clamping feet and their projections or spreaders to clamp
the material down on the lower arms and hold the sides of the button-holes apart.
If preferred notches made in the lower arms from their outer side edges may be
substituted for the slots or recesses but the latter are preferred as the arms will be
stronger.
From the foregoing it will be apparent that the work clamps or work-bolding
device comprises the lower clamping arms and the upper clamping arms with their
feet the work being held between the said feet and the lower arms.
It is well known that in button-hole machines the needle bar is reciprocated hori-
zontally while it is being operated with a vertical reciprocating motion, so as to cause
the needle to be moved laterally, and alternately away from and towards the head of
the machine when descending to pierce the material in working the button hole. A
description of this operation is therefore unnecessary.
In some machines this horizontal movement of the needle bar is effected by
mechanism which will move a needle-bar carrier, in which the needle bar reciprocates
vertically, alternately outward from the head of the machine and back in a horizontal
direction.
I will proceed to describe my Invention in connection with a button hole sewing
machine having a horizontally reciprocating needle bar carrier to illustrate my inven-
tion in its essential and material parts.
A dog or lever is connected with the needle bar carrier by a pivot pin so as to
adapt it to be moved or oscillated thereon. This pivot pin may be attached directly
to the carrier but I prefer a construction in which the said pivot pin is attached to
an adjustable plate having slots and secured to the carrier by screws passing through
the said slots into the carrier.
The dog is engaged with the vibrating arm by its lower end entering the recess or
orifice in the said arm. It will be readily understood that when the dog is engaged
with the vibrating arm the movement of the carrier in one direction will, through said
dog, move the vibrating arm in the same direction, and a reverse movement of the
said carrier will correspondingly move said arm; and it will be understood that when
the vibrating arm is moved alternately in opposite directions the clamping arms will
also be moved alternately in opposite directions.
When the carrier is moved out from the head of the machine in one direction the
needle bar will be carried outward to descend and pass through-the slit or opening
of the button hole cut in the fabric or leather, when the clamping arms and feet are
not vibrated; but when said arms or feet are vibrated by means of the dog through
the vibrating arm the movement of said clamping devices in the opposite direction
will carry the fabric to a distance equal to the throw of the needle in the direction of
movement of the carrier and this simultaneous movement of the needle and the
fabric in opposite directions will cause the needle to pierce the fabric at a point past
the line of the button hole cut to a distance equal to the depth of the stitches at the
side of the button hole, and produce a barring stitch across the end of the button hole.
When the needle is again lifted the carrier will move back in the opposite direction
and carry the dog with it and vibrate the clamping arms and feet in a corresponding
direction so that when the needle again descends it will be thrust down through the
fabric at the opposite side of the button hole cut and make another barring stitch

page_text: across the end of the button hole; and these operations will be repeated until the
preferred number of barring or finishing stitches have been made.
An arm extending from the adjustable plate is provided at its rear end with a guide
having a holding slot or recess within which the dog will be received and held when
it is in engagement with the vibrating arm of the clamp. This arm with its holding
device reinforces or steadies the dog when operated by the carrier to operate the
vibrating arm and its attached clamping arms and feet.
A trip lever is pivoted to a projection at the lower end of the guide, the said lever
being normally retained in one position by a spring which presses against the lower
arm of the said lever. The dog is provided with a projection which when the said
dog is lifted into an upper position rests on the top of the trip lever and thus holds
the said dog up, but when the tripping lever is engaged by some part moving with
the clamp and is thrown into a lower position the said lever will be clear of the said
projections, and the spring pressing on the top of the dog, will force the said dog
quickly downward so that its lower end will enter the slot in the vibrating arm to
cause the pivoted jaws of the clamp to be vibrated.
It is to be understood that the engagement of the dog with the vibrating arm will
not be effected until the feed of the machine. is stopped or is about within one stitch of
being stopped.
Heretofore the stoppage of the feed movement of the clamp was required to be
effected by the operator, after stopping the machine, when he would pull the clamp
guide pin up out of feed grove in the feed wheel. In this Invention I provide auto-
matic means for effecting the required stoppage of the feeding movement of the
clamp at the time when the working of the button hole has been about completed, or
is within one stitch of being completed.
Fixed in the feed groove of the feed wheel, so as to fill up the same to the plane of
the upper side surface of that wheel, is an inclined projection or riser.
In the usual operation of working an eyed button hole on a machine the work clamp
is first given a straight feeding movement to work one side of the button hole then a
semi-circular feeding movement to work the eye of the button and then a second
straight feeding movement to work the other side of the button hole. When the last
side of the button hole is within one stitch of being finished, the inclined projection
or riser in the feed groove of the feed wheel will be carried to the lower end of the
clamp guide pin and in the further forward movement of the feed wheel and its feed
groove, to a distance for moving the clamp to the distance of the length of one stitch,
this riser will be carried fully beneath the lower end of the guide pin and lift tho
same to the plane of the upper side surface of the feed wheel and fully out from
engagement with the feed groove by the time the last working stitch has been taken.
In tho lifting of this guide pin by the riser the steadying key will be lifted out of
engagement with a notch in the vibrating arm so as to permit said arm to be vibrated
and effect a vibration of the clamping arms and feet holding the material.
When the last button hole working stitch is being made the clamp plate will be
moved to the distance of the length of a single stitch in one direction and this move-
ment will carry some piece or portion of the clamp (such as the presser cam) against
the lower end of the tripping lever and throw the upper end of this lever out from
under the supporting projection of the lifted dog when a spring will operate to
quickly throw the dog down to enter the recess in the vibrating arm.
This engage-
ment of the dog with said arm will be effected just at the time the needle is descending
to carry the thread down to complete the last working stitch.
When the needle has been fully raised the needle bar carrier and the dog moving
therewith will be moved fully outward so that the material held by the clamp will be
made to move in one direction to a distance equal to the distance the carrier moves
the needle outwards; and when the needle descends it will be thrust through the
material at a point outward past the button hole slit and make a barring stitch across
the end of the button hole equal to the distance of the depth of the working of the
button hole at the opposite side of the cut. When the needle is again raised it will
he carried back by the carrier at the same time the dog is operating to move the

page_text: clamped material outward, when the needle will again descend and be thrust down
through the material at a point opposite and inward past the slit to a distance equal
to the depth of the working of the sides of the button hole, and produce a second
barring stitch.
Thus it will be understood that the horizontal vibrating movements of the outer
end of the work clamp are in opposition to the horizontal or in and out movement of
the needle bar so that the barring stitches will be twice as long as the ordinary over
edge stitches and will therefore extend from one side to the other of the said
stitches.
It should be understood that the inclined projection or riser is to be placed in the
feed groove of the feed wheel at such a point as will be required to correspond with
the length of the button hole to be worked. When the length of the button hole is
greater, this riser will be placed further along on the throw of the feed groove, and
when the length of the button hole is to be less this riser is to be set correspondingly
nearer the turning portion of this feed groove.
This riser may be made to be adjustable in the feed groove, or it may be per-
manently fixed when this invention is to be employed on special work to work a given
length of button hole.
When the bar stitches have been made the operator will, with one finger, raise the
dog by lifting upon a finger piece and carry it up so that a catch or projection will
rest upon the upper end of the trip lover. The operator will then, with the clamp
guide pin swing the clamp around in position for working another button hole and
then throw the presser cain over to release the clamping arms and remove the material
from between the clamp.
It is to be understood that I do not intend to confine myself to the use of a dog
attached to the carrier for operating the vibrating arm of the clamping device, as in
some cases this dog can be connected with some other moving parts of the sewing
machine to impart a vibratory movement to the clamping pieces and the fabric between
them for automatically reciprocating the clamping arms, or clamps proper, for forming
the barring or finishing stitches.
Dated this Eighteenth day of December 1888.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Button Hole Sewing Machines.
I, ALEXANDER ANDERSON, Manager the Singer Manufacturing Company's
Works, Kilbowie, Dumbartonshire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed (as communicated to mo) to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
The objects of my Invention are primarily to provide means for automatically
completing the working of button-holes in fabrics and leather by finishing the same
with barring-stitches by the machine, and thereby obviate the necessity of barring
the button-holes by hand, as heretofore required, and, secondarily, to provide a clamp
by which the material having the button-hole will be held in a proper manner whilo
the button-hole is being worked. I attain these objects by the means illustrated in
the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which :-
Figure 1 illustrates the base-plate of a machine, the feed-wheel, clamp base-plate,
and its guide-pin and post all being in plan view. Figure 2 is a sectional elevation
of the same. Figure 3 is a plan view of the clamp base-plate and parts fixed to
the same and the vibrating arm which carries the lower clamping arms. Figure 4
is a sectional elevation of the same and of the feed-wheel. Figure 5 is a plan view
of the complete button-hole clamp, with the head of the machine shown in dotted
lines. Figure 6 is a side elevation of the same and the head of the machine and the
mechanism which connects the clamp with a moving part of the machine for operating

page_text: the clamping devices. Figure 7 is an end elevation of the button-hole clamp.
Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view taken at line 1 in fig. 5. Figure 9 is a plan
view, on an enlarged scale, of the presser feet of the clamp. Figure 10 is a cross-
sectional view of the presser feet and lower clamping arms at line 2 in fig. 5.
Figure 11 is a plan view of my invention in connection with the head of the
button-hole sewing machine. Figure 12 is a view of the same from the rear side
of the machine. Figure 13 is a plan view illustrating the operation of the pivoted
clamping arms or jaws when the bar stitching is being done. Figure 14 is a front
view, also illustrating the operation of my invention. Figure 15 illustrates a button-
hole automatically barred on my machine.
A is the work-plate of a button-hole sewing-machine, provided with the usual
guiding-slot a, and clamp base-plate supporting spring a¹ and roller a³, and having
the usual guide-button a³.
B is the clamp base-plate, provided with a slot b, which is bounded on its marginal
edges by a recessed way, forming a lip b¹ which engages the undercut guide-
button a³.
C is the feed wheel, revolving below plate A, and provided with feeding grooves
c, of any form, as heretofore employed.
D is the presser bridge-post secured to clamp base-plate B, and serving in this
case as a pivot on which the clamping arms or jaws are vibrated, as will be hercin-
after described.
E is the clamp guide-pin, vertically movable in the pin-post E¹, and pressed down
through the slot a in the work-plate into the groove c of the feed wheel C. The
purpose and mode of operation of this guide-pin are so well known that no particular
description is required.
F, Figs 3 and 4, is a clamp vibrating arm provided with a sleeve, F¹, and having
a clamping arm head, G, hinged to its rear end. This arm F is pivoted by its
sleeve F to the bridge-post D, the said arm being provided with an orifice f, of
size and form which will freely admit the pin-post E and allow said arm to vibrate
without touching said pin-post to a distance of about one-eighth of an inch. This
arın F is also provided with a recess or perforation F2, the purpose of which will be
hereinafter described.
H is a steadying pin or key, which is movable in a vertical direction in relation
to arm F, and is attached, preferably, to the clamp guide-pin E, so as to be adapted
to be lifted with the same. The lower end of this steadying-key enters a recess or
hole h, made in arm F, and has its sides supported in a vertical groove made in the
side of the pin post E¹. When this key is in engagement with arm F, the latter
will be held from vibrating, and when out of engagement with said arm the latter
will be permitted to vibrate freely from the bridge post D or other proper pivot.
I is the lower clamping-piece, which is secured to arm F, preferably from its lower
side, and has its forward ends provided with clamping-arms I, I, the lower sides
of which rest on clamp base-plate B. Made in the upper sides of these clamping-
arms I¹ are recesses or slots i, having beveled sides. (See Fig. 10.) The purpose
of these recesses or slots will be horeinafter fully described.
JJ are the upper clamping-arms, which are rigidly secured to head G, hinged to
arm F.
KK are clamping or presser feet, which are jointed to the forward ends of
arms J, J, from their lower sides in any proper manner. The feet K are preferably
provided with downwardly-extending projections or portions k, having a length and
width a little less than that of the recesses or slots in the lower clamping-arms, I,
said projections being arranged over the the said recesses or slots. These projections
I denominate "spreaders." When the material to be operated upon is placed between
arms 1 and feet K, these spreaders will operate when said feet are pressed down,
to press down the material lying over the slots or recesses i into the same to a
short distance and draw apart the edges of the button hole cut z in the fabric Za
short distance. These spreaders also co-operate with the slots i to hold the material
from shifting or the feet from sliding in either direction, and thus obviate the

page_text: necessity of grooving the lower sides of the feet, as heretofore. They also obviate
the necessity of employing special mechanism for spreading the button-hole cut after
the material has been clamped, as heretofore required...
L is a spring arranged across arm F and extended each way beneath the clamping
arms J J. This spring operates to raise arms J when relieved of pressure and
obviates the use of special mechanism to be operated for raising said arms and
releasing the material from between the clamping device.
N is a presser-cam or cam-lever, pivoted in the usual manner on the bridge-
post D and over the bridge N₁, resting on the upper clamping-arms J, J, as hereto
fore-employed, for forcing said arms down to cause the clamping-feet and their
projections or spreaders & to clamp the material down on the arms I', I' and hold tho
sides of the button-holes apart.
In figs. 7 and 14; Z represents a piece of fabric or leather arranged between
feet K K and arms 1 1¹, and z is a button-hole cut made in this material. The
clamping-feet K K are shown to be pressed down, with their projections or spreaders k, k
pressing the portion of the material beneath them to a short distance down into
slots or recesses i, i in arms I' I¹, so as to draw the side margins of the material
cut, z, a little apart and sufficiently to allow the needle to freely pass down through
the cut without touching the sides thereof.
If preferred, notches inade in the arms I' I' from their outer side edges may be
substituted for the slots or recesses ii; but the latter are preferred, as the arms will
be stronger.
From the foregoing it will be apparent that the work-clamp or work-holding device
comprises the lower clamping arms I, I, and the upper clamping arms J, J, with
their feet K K the work being held between the said feet and the lower arms, I. I.
It is well known that in button-hole machines the needle-bar is reciprocated hori-
zontally while it is being operated with a vertical reciprocating motion, so as to
cause the needle to be moved laterally and alternately away from and toward the
head of the machine when descending to pierce the material in working the button
hole. A description of this operation is therefore unnecessary. In some machines
this horizontal movement of the needle-bar is effected by mechanism which will move
a needle-bar carrier, in which the needle-bar reciprocates vertically alternately
outward from the head of the machine and back in a horizontal direction.
و"
I have preferred to illustrate my Invention in connection with a Singer
machine, though it is applicable for use with other machines by modifying parts
which connect the button-hole clamp with the moving parts of the machine which
operate to move the needle-bar carrier or equivalent device with a reciprocating
motion for carrying the needle bar and needle alternately from and toward the head
of the machine and over the plate button. I will therefore proceed to describe my
invention in connection with a button-hole sewing-machine having a horizontally-
reciprocating needle-bar carrier to illustrate my invention in its essential and material
parts.
O is the horizontal reciprocating needle-bar carrier.
O is the needle-bar.
P is the head of the machine in which the carrier moves alternately in the direc-
tions indicated by the arrows 1 and 3 in figs. 13 and 14.
Qis a dog or lever connected with the carrier O by a pivot pin, q, so as to adapt
it to be moved from the position shewn in full lines to that indicated by dotted lines
in fig. 6 and the reverse. This pivot pin q may be attached directly to the carrier O;
but I prefer the construction illustrated in the drawings, in which the said pivot-
pin is shown as being attached to an adjustable plate Q1, having slots q and
secured to the carrier by screws passing through the said slots into the
carrier O.
The dog is shown in full lines as being engaged with the vibrating arm F
by its lower arm entering the recess or orifice F in said arm. (See fig. 6.) It
will be readily understood that when the dog is engaged with the vibrating arm F
the movement of the carrier O in the direction indicated by arrow 1, fig. 13, will

page_text: through said dog move arm F in the direction denoted by arrow 2, and a reverse
movement of the said carrier, as in the direction of arrow 3, will move said arm in
the direction of arrow 4, and it will be understood that when arm F is moved
alternately in the directions of arrows 2 and 4 the clamping-arms I and J will be
moved alternately in opposite directions, as indicated by arrows 5 and 6.
When the carrier O is moved out from head P in the direction denoted by
arrow 1, the needle-bar O¹ will be carried outward to descend and pass through the
slit or opening of the button-hole cut in the fabric or leather Z when the clamping
arms and feet are not vibrated; but when said arms or feet are vibrated by means
of dog Q, through arm F, the movement of said clamping devices in the direction
of arrow 5, fig. 13, will carry the fabric Z to a distance equal to the throw of the
needle in the direction of arrow 1, and this simultaneous movement of the needle
and the fabric in opposite directions will cause the needle to pierce the fabric at a
point past the line of the button-hole cut to a distance equal to the depth of the
stitches at the side of the button-hole and produce a barring-stitch across the end
of the button-hole. When the needle is again lifted, the carrier will move back in
the direction of arrow 3 and carry dog with it and vibrate the clamping arms and
feet in direction of arrow 6, so that when the needle again descends it will be thrust
down through the fabric at the opposite side of the button-hole cut and make
another barring-stitch across the end of the button-hole and these operations will
be repeated until the preferred number of barring or finishing stitches have been
made.
S is an arm extending from the adjustable plate Q1, and provided at its rear end
with a guide s, having a holding slot or recess within which the dog Q will be received
and held when it is in engagement with the arm F of the clamp. This arm S, with
its holding device 8, reinforces or steadies the dog when operated by the carrier to
vibrate arm F and its attached clamping arms I and feet K.
R is a trip lever which is pivoted to a projection at the lower end of the guides,
the said lever being normally retained in the position denoted by dotted lines fig. 6,
by the spring
r which presses against the lower arm of the said lever. The dog Q
is provided with a projection q, which, when the said dog is lifted to the position
indicated by dotted lines fig. 6, rests on the top of the trip lever R, and thus holds
the said dog up; but when the tripping lever is engaged by some part moving with
the clamp and is thrown into the position shown by full lines fig. 6, the said lever will
be clear of the said projection, and the spring T, pressing on the top of the dog Q,
will force the said dog quickly downward, so that its lower end will enter the slot F*
in the arm F to cause the pivoted jaws of the clamp to be vibrated.
It is to be understood that the engagement of the dog Q with the vibrating
arm will not be effected until the feed of the machine is stopped, or is about within
one stitch of being stopped.
Heretofore the stoppage of the feed movement of the clamp was required to be
effected by the operator after stopping the machine, when he would pull the clamp
guide-pin E up out of feed groove c in feed wheel C. In this invention I provide
automatic means for effecting the required stoppage of the feeding movement of the
clamp at the time when the working of the button-hole has been about completed, or
is within one stitch of being completed.
Fixed in feed-groove c of the feed-wheel, so as to fill up the same to the plane of
the upper side surface of that wheel, is the inclined projection or riser c', figure 12.
In the usual operation of working an eyed button-hole on a machine the work-
clamp is first given a straight feeding movement to work one side of the button-hole,
then a semicircular feeding movement to work the eye of the button-hole, and then
a second straight feeding movement to work the other side of the button-hole. When
the last side of the button hole is within one stitch of being finished, the inclined
projection or riser el in the feed groove c of the feed-wheel C will be carried to the
lower end of the clamp guide-pin E, and in the further forward movement of the
feed-wheel and its feed-groove to a distance for moving the clamp to a distance of
the length of one stitch this riser c¹ will be carried fully beneath the lower end of the

page_text: guide-pin E and lift the same to the plane of the upper side surface of the feed-wheel
and fully out from engagement with the feed-groove c by the time the last working
stitch has been taken. In the lifting of this guide-pin E by riser c¹ the steadying-key H
will be lifted out of engagement with notch in arm F, so as to permit said arm to
be vibrated and effect a vibration of the clamping arms I and feet K, holding the
material. When the last button-hole-working stitch is being made the clamp-plate
will be moved to the distance of the length of a single stitch in the direction of
arrow 7, fig. 6, and this movement will carry some piece or portion of the clamp
(such as presser cam N) against the lower end of tripping-lever R and throw the
upper end of this lever out from the supporting projection q* of the lifted dog Q,
when spring T will operate to quickly throw the dog down to enter the recess I in
arm F. This engagement of the dog with said arm will be effected just at the time
the needle n is descending to carry the thread down to complete the last working
stitch.
Figures 13 and 14 illustrate the motions of the operating parts for making the
barring stitches. In fig. 14 the needle n is shown as being lifted to clear the
material Z and raised in direction of arrow 8, while at the same time the carrier O
is being moved in direction of arrow 1, and the needle is being carried in a corre-
sponding direction outward from full lines to that of dotted lines n. When the needle
has been fully raised, the needle-bar carrier O and the dog Q moving therewith will
be moved fully outward, so that the material Z held by the clamp will be made to
move in direction of arrow 5, figs. 13 and 14, to a distance equal to the distanco the
carrier moves the needle outward, and when the needle descends in the line shown by
dotted lines n¹ in fig. 14 it will be thrust through the material Z at a point outward
past the button-hole slitz and make a barring-stitch across the end of the button-hole
equal to the distance of the depth of the working of the button-hole at the opposite
side of cut z. When the needle is again raised, it will be carried back from the
position indicated by dotted lines n¹ to that of full lines by carrier O at the same
time the dog is operating to move the clamped material outward and in direction
of arrow 6 in figs. 13 and 14, when the needle will again descend and be thrust
down through the material at a point opposite and inward past the slitz to a distance
equal to the depth of the working of the sides of the button hole and produce a
second barring-stitch. Thus it will be understood that the horizontal vibrating movo-
ments of the outer end of the work-clamp are in opposition to the horizontal or in-and-
out movement of the needle bar, so that the barring-stitches X will be twice as long
as the ordinary overedge stitches a³, and will therefore extend from one side to the
other of the said stitches, as shown in fig. 15.
It should be understood that the inclined projection or riser c¹ is to be placed in
the feed-groove c of the feed-wheel at such a point as will be required to correspond
with the length of the button hole to be worked. When the length of the button-hole
is greater, this riser will be placed farther along on the throw of the feed-groove,
and when the length of the button-hole is to be less this riser is to be set corre-
spondingly nearer the turning portion of this feed groove.
When the bar-stitches have been made, the operator will, with one finger, raise
dog by lifting upon finger-piece q³ and carry it up so that catch or projection q
will rest upon the upper end of trip-lever R. The operator will then, with clamp
guide-pin E swing the clamp around in position for working another button-hole,
and then throw presser-cam Ñ over to release arms J J and remove the material from
between the clamp.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me,
I declare that what I claim is :-
:-
1. In a button hole sewing-machine the combination, with the clamp base-plate
and the upper and lower clamping-jaws having a vertical pivotal connection with
the said base plate and being thus adapted to be vibrated horizontally, of the spring
pressed clamp guide pin E, the work plate A having the guiding slot a, through

page_text: which said pin extends, a steadying or locking key H engaging the clamping arms
or a part connected therewith, and being also engaged by the vertically movable
guide pin E, a feed wheel having a groove into which said pin extends, an incline or
riser, as c', for automatically lifting said pin and locking key, and means for vibrating
said clamping jaws beneath the needle when they are freed by the lifting of said
locking key, as set forth.
2. In a clamp for button hole sewing machines, the combination with the bridge
post of the clamp and an arm pivoted to said post and carrying clamping feet and
and provided with a recess h, of the steadying key H carried by the clamp
guide pin, so that the latter is adapted to lift said key out of engagement with the
said recess in said pivoted arm substantially as set forth.
arms,
3. In a machine for working button holes, the combination with the work plate
provided with a guiding groove, a feed wheel provided with a feeding groove, and a
riser or incline of a button-hole clamp which is provided with a spring held guide pin
engaging with said guiding groove, substantially as set forth.
4. In a machine for working button holes, the combination with the work-plate
provided with a guiding groove, and a feed wheel provided with a groove and a
riser or incline, of the button hole clamp provided with a clamp guide pin engaging
with said guiding groove, clamping arms, a pivoted arm, as F to which the said
clamping arms are attached, a vertically and horizontally reciprocating needle bar, and
a steadying key operated by the guide pin for engagement with and disengagement
from the said arm F, substantially as set forth.
5. In a button hole sewing machine, the combination with a needle bar carrier
which operates to give the needle bar a horizontal reciprocating movement, of a
button hole clamp having pivoted clamping arms attached to the clanıp base plate
and serving to hold the material and to move the same back and forth when the
working of the button hole has been completed, a pivoted dog Q connected with the
said needle bar carrier and adapted to vibrate the said clamping arms, means for
holding the said dog out of engagement with said clamp, a tripping device, as lever R,
for releasing said dog, and a part, as cam N, moving with the clamp, for operating said
tripping device to throw the said dog into operation to vibrate the clamping-arms,
substantially as set forth.
6. In a button-hole sewing machine, the combination, with the needle-bar carrier,
of a dog connected therewith, a work clamp baving a pivoted arm, clamping arms
attached to said pivoted arm, a trip lever to hold said dog out of engagement with
said pivoted arm, and a part or projection as cam lever N, on the said work-clamp
arranged to engage and release said dog when the stitching of the last side of the
button bole is about completed substantially as set forth.
7. In a button hole sewing machine, a button hole clamp having pivotted clamping-
arms to be vibrated when the button hole has been worked combined with dog Q,
the spring T, the trip lever R, the arm S, having the guides to which the
said lever is pivoted, the plate Q' and the needle-bar carrier O, substantially as set
forth.
8. In a button hole sewing machine, the combination with the needle bar carrier O
and dog of the adjustable plate Q', having arm S which is provided with a holding
guide adapted to receive the said dog and steady the same when being moved by
the said carrier, substantially as set forth.
9. In a button hole sewing machine, the combination of a button hole clamp
having vertically pivoted clamping arms, a device for holding said arms from vibrating
while the machine is working a button-hole, a device, as riser or incline c¹ carried
by the feed wheel, which will release said clamping arms from the engagement of the
holding device, so that the said arms will be free to vibrate, a dog to vibrate said
clamping arms, a horizontally reciprocating needle-bar, a moving part to which the
said dog is attached, and mechanism, as cam N, trip lever R and spring T, which will
effect an engagement of said dog with the vibrating portions of the clamp at the time
the working of the button-hole is completed, whereby the machine will be made to

page_text: finish the button-hole with barring stitches, in the manner set forth, substantially as
described.
10. In a clamp for button-hole sewing machines, the combination, with clamp
base-plate and the lower clamping-arms, 1, having the heveled or upwardly flaring
slots i, of the clamping-feet K, provided on their under sides with the tapered
projections or spreaders k, the upper clamping-arms, J, to the forward ends of which
the said feet K are jointed, the presser bridge N¹, cam N, and post D, substantially
as set forth.
Dated this Tenth day of September 1889.
CRUIKSHANK & FAIRWEATHER,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agents.