Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 1st Sept., 1887
Complete Left, 31st May, 1888
Complete Accepted, 6th July, 1888
We, FRANK HOWARD BENNETT of Netherton Road St. Margarets Twickenham in
the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer and JAMES DOWLING of 35 Jewin Street
in the City of London, Mechanical Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to button hole sewing machines such especially as those for
which a patent was granted to us No. 10238 in the year 1886.
The fabric is held down by a clip upon a slide which receives a to and fro movement
beneath the needle in a direction at right angles to the length of the button hole.
This first slide is carried upon a second slide which a slowly moving cam traverses
lengthwise and by a lever and slot the extent of this movement can be adjusted to
the length of the buttom hole it is desired to produce. The invention more
particularly relates to the method of imparting movement to the first mentioned
slide upon which the work is carried.
The movements required are as follows:-at one time the slide with the work upon
it has to be moved to and fro beneath the needle to produce the transverse stitches
along one side of the button hole and simultaneously the second slide imparts
longitudinal movement to the first slide and to the work. When the end of the
button hole is reached, it has to be "barred" as it is termed that is to say transverse
stitches of greater length have to be made extending across the button hole and these
stitches have to be centrally placed in relation to it.
Whilst barring therefore the traverse of the slide which carries the work has to be
lengthened so that the stitches may now extend across from side to side of the
button hole. When the barring is completed the other side of the button hole has to
be worked and for this purpose the first slide again requires to be moved to and fro
over the shorter distance required for the side stitches but now its position cannot be
the same as before but the slide must be shifted sideways the distance requisite to
separate the work on one side of the button hole from that on the other. When the
second side of the button hole has been worked and the other end barred, the sewing
is finished and the slit only has to be cut to complete the button hole.

page_text: The requisite movements are imparted to the slide which carries the work in the
following manner :-this slide has on its underside two transverse jaws and between
these a die is able to slide. The die is mounted on a vertical pin fixed upon a short
lever which can vibrate in an horizontal plane. About the same centre or axis
another longer lever is able to move in like manner and a cam operates upon it at its
further end and causes it to play to and fro with a constant motion.
A longitudinal bolt carried in guides on the longer lever passes between lugs or
projections on the shorter lever and also through a slotted link which is pivotted to
the frame at its lower end. This link is made adjustable. This link at its upper end
embraces the free end of the upper lever.
The bolt is peculiarly shaped and whilst the button hole is being worked it receives
a slow endwise movement from a cam provided for this purpose. When the needle
is stitching at the side of the button hole the bolt completely fills the spaces between
the lugs or projections of the shorter lover and the two levers are consequently bolted
together so that they are compelled to move together as one piece and however
rapidly the machine may be driven the slide carrying the work cannot move
otherwise than as it is controlled by the cam operating in connection with the levers.
When the end of the button hole is reached the bolt has been moved by its cam to
such a position that it no longer fills the spaces between the lugs or projections of the
upper lever, a smaller part of the bolt having now come between the lugs or
projections. But on the other hand an enlargement upon the bolt fills the slot in the
link which as before mentioned is pivotted to the frame and embraces the free end of
the upper lever. The link therefore now moves as the collar or shoulder on the bolt
which fills the space between the fork of the link dictates. The number of effective
oscillations of the link is governed by the length of the collar or shoulder on the
bolt. This link therefore now moves as the bolt dictates and the bolt is carried by
the lower lever which receives its movement direct from the cam. It is the link
which now actuates the upper lever and it imparts to it a longer movement than
before because the connection between the lever and link is further from the fulcrum
of the latter than the point where the bolt is in contact with the link and imparts its
motion. The long stitches for barring the end of the button hole are now produced.
During the barring of the button hole the slide which governs the length of the
hole is at rest and the bar stitches are made over and over in the same place until a
further movement of the bolt restores the former state of affairs excepting only that
another part of the bolt of different form is now in position to lock the two levers
together and in consequence the place of the upper lever on the lower is changed
from what it previously was; the other side of the button hole is now sewn.
In all the movements it will be seen that the slide which carries the work is
positively driven and it is absolutely under the control of the cam so that whatever
the speed at which the machine is driven the proper length and position of the
stitches is uniformly maintained.
Dated this 1st day of September 1887.
CARPMAEL & Co.,
Agents for the Applicants.

page_text: We, FRANK HOWARD BENNETT. of Netherton Road, St. Margarets, Twickenham,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, and JAMES DOWLING, of 35 Jewin
Street, in the City of London, Mechanical Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to button hole sewing machines such especially as those for
which a patent was granted to us No. 10238 in the year 1886.
The fabric is held down by a clip upon a slide which receives a to and fro move-
ment beneath the needle in a direction at right angles to the length of the button hole.
This first slide is carried upon a second slide which a slowly moving cam traverses
lengthwise and by a lever and slot the extent of this movement can be adjusted to the
length of the button hole it is desired to produce. The invention more particularly
relates to the method of imparting movement to the first mentioned slide upon which
the work is carried.
The movements required are as follows:-at one time the slide with the work upon
it has to be moved to and fro beneath the needle to produce the transverse stitches
along one side of the button hole and simultaneously the second slide imparts
longitudinal movement to the first slide and to the work. When the end of the
button hole is reached, it has to be "barred "as it is termed that is to say transverse
stitches of greater length have to be made extending across the button hole and these
stitches have to be centrally placed in relation to it.
Whilst barring therefore the traverse of the slide which carries the work has to
be lengthened so that the stitches may now extend across from side to side of the
button hole. When the barring is completed the other side of the button hole has to
be worked and for this purpose the first slide again requires to be moved to and fro
over the shorter distance required for the side stitches but now its position cannot be
the same as before but the slide must be shifted sideways the distance requisite to
separate the work on one side of the button hole from that on the other. When the
second side of the button hole has been worked and the other end barred, the sewing
is finished and the slit only has to be cut to complete the button hole.
The requisite movements are imparted to the slide which carries the work in the
following manner :-this slide has on its underside two transverse jaws and between
these a die is able to slide. The die is mounted on a vertical pin fixed upon a short
lever which can vibrate in an horizontal plane. About the same centre or axis another
longer lever is able to move in like manner and a cam operates upon it at its further
end and causes it to play to and fro with a constant motion.
A longitudinal bolt carried in guides on the longer lever passes between lugs or
projections on the shorter lever and also through a slotted link which is pivotted to
the frame at its lower end. This link at its upper end embraces the free end of the
upper lever.
The bolt is peculiarly shaped and whilst the button hole is being worked it receives
a slow end wise movement from a cam provided for this purpose. When the needle is
stitching at the side of the button hole the bolt completely fills the spaces between the
lugs or projections of the shorter lever and the two levers are consequently bolted
together so that they are compelled to move together as one piece and however rapidly
the machine may be driven the slide carrying the work cannot move otherwise than as
it is controlled by the cam operating in connection with the lovers.

page_text: When the end of the button hole is reached the bolt has been moved by its can to
such a position that it no longer fills the spaces between the lugs or projections of the
upper lever, a smaller part of the bolt having now come between the lugs or projections.
But on the other hand an enlargement upon the bolt fills the slot in the link which as
before mentioned is pivotted to the frame and embraces the free end of the upper lever.
This link therefore now moves as the bolt dictates and the bolt is carried by the lower
lever which receives its movement direct from the cam. The link in turn actuates the
upper lever and it imparts to it a longer movement than before because the connection
between the lever and link is further from the fulcrum of the latter than the point
whore the bolt is in contact with the link and imparts its motion. The long stitches
for barring the end of the button hole are now produced. During the barring of the
button hole the slide which governs the length of the hole is at rest and the bar
stitches are made over and over in the same place until a further movement of the
bolt restores the former state of affairs excepting only that another part of the bolt of
different form is now in position to lock the two levers together and in consequence
the place of the upper lever on the lower is changed from what it previously was; the
other side of the button hole is now sewn.
In all the movements it will be seen that the slide which carries the work is
positively driven and it is absolutely under the control of the cam so that whatever
the speed at which the machine is driven the proper length and position of the stitches
is uniformly maintained.
In order that our said invention may be fully understood and readily carried into
effect we will proceed to describe the drawings hereunto annexed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1 is a plan of a button hole sewing machine to which our improvements
are applied.
Figure 2 is a section on the line 2, 2, in Figure 1, and
Figure 3 is a section on the line 3, 3, in Figure 2.
The remaining figures shew some of the parts separately.
:
a is the main axis, it has cams upon it by which a needle and shuttle are actuated
in the usual manner. b is the needle slide and the needle is carried at its lower end.
c is the table which supports the work. The needle as usual passes down through a
perforation in the table and when below the table the shuttle passes through the loop
of the needle thread and so the stitch is made. d is a slide which travels to and fro
longitudinally the length of the button hole. The slide d receives motion from a
came on the axis e in the following manner; d' is a stud passing through a slot in the
slide d and capable of being clamped by a thumb nut in any position along the slot.
The stud at its lower end carries a small roller and this is received into a corresponding
slot in a leverf which has its fulcrum at fand at f³ carries a small roller entering
the groove in the cam e¹. The axis e is driven at a slow speed from the axis a as
follows at a there is a cam upon the axis a and this with the aid of a spring
imparts a to and fro movement to a bent lever g. This lever is movable around the
axis e and carries loosely two dogs gl. These in the forward motion of the lever
(which is adjustable by a screw h) embrace the flange e of a dise fixed on the axis e
and so they turn the axis. During the return movement of the lever however the dogs
being only held up by springs yield slightly and release the flange e² and slide back
along its surface. The axis e is prevented from turning backwards by a dog i
embracing the flange e³ on the disc. This dog is held down to the frame of the
machine by a coiled spring; it yields to admit of the forward movement but when
there is any tendency to backward movement the dog resists it and it is pressed
thereby more strongly against the frame. The axis e makes one complete rotation
whilst the button hole is worked. ex is a hand wheel on the axis e; it is used in
setting the machine in position before commencing work. k is a transverse slide
carried by the longitudinal slide d; on this slide k the work is clamped. k¹ is the
upper jaw of the work clamp, it is pivoted to the lever k*. The work is placed

page_text: between the jaw k¹ and the face of the slide k which forms the lower jaw. A turn
button binds the two jaws together and nips the cloth. The jaws are perforated with
holes somewhat larger than the largest button hole it is intended to work. The
button hole is worked on the part of the fabric exposed through the hole in the upper
jaw. The nipping surfaces are so inclined that the fabric held between them rests
flat upon the table c. The slide receives the necessary movements to form the
stitches as follows:- and m are two levers both movable around the same fixed stud
or centre n. The lever carries a small die or roller ¹ and this is received between
parallel jaws on the slide k so that the lever in its movement always carries the
slide k with it. The lever (except when barring the ends of the button hole) is
bolted to the lever m and moves with it; the lever m receiving a regular movement
from the cam n' on the axis n which is driven from the axis a at half the speed by
spur wheels as shown. When the levers and m are bolted together the cam n¹
imparts to the slide k a movement equal to the length of the stitch when working the
side of the button hole. o is the bolt which locks the two levers together, it can slide
in guides m¹ m¹ on the lever m and when in position for locking it fills the interval
between the lugs or projections 12 on the lever l. The bolt o has an arm o¹ and this
projects down from the bolt through the hole m* in the lever m and into an elongated
hole in the lever p. The lever p has its fulcrum at p₁ and its other end carries a
roller running in the groove of the cam et on the axis e. By these means the bolt is
caused to make a movement to and fro. Whilst one side of the button hole is being
worked the bolt stands with the surfaces o² o2 upon it between the lugs 11. When
the end of the button hole is reached the bolt is moved along until the part o³ is
between the lugs ; at this time the cam el ceases to impart longitudinal motion to
the slide d. Directly the surfaces o³ are clear of the lugs the enlargement o' on the
bolt enters a slot in the link q. The hoad 13 of the lever is also lodged in the same
slot so that the lever and the link always move together but the link is inoperative
except when the enlargement of is in the slot of the link and this coincides with the
time when the levers l'and m are not directly connected by the bolt o. The "barring"
at the end of the button hole is now worked, and this being done the travel of the
bolt takes the enlargement of clear of the link and brings the surfaces of between the
lugs. Then the other side of the button hole is worked and when it is completed
the bolt returns bringing the enlargement of again into the link and the part of of the
bolt again opposite to the lugs 12.
The number of stitches in the "barring" can be varied by making the enlarge-
ment of broader or narrower but the part o³ of the bolt must be adjusted to corre-
spond, its width always being equal to that of the part o' plus that of the surface in the
link q against which of operates.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we claim is :-
:-
1. In button hole sewing machines, the mechanism substantially as described for
imparting a positive to and fro movement to the work holder and thereby controlling
the length and position of the stitches whilst working the sides and "barring" the
ends of button holes.
2. In button hole sewing machines the combination of parts consisting of the levers
I and m, the bolt o, and the link 2 all so operated and applied as to control the length
and position of the stitches whilst working button holes.
FRANK HOWARD BENNETT.
JAMES DOWLING.