Manufacturer
Year: 1887

page_text: [Communicated from abroad by THE SINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, of New
York, in the United States of America, Sewing Machine Manufacturers.]
I, JOHN KING MACDONALD, Manager of the Singer Manufacturing Company, of
Kilbowie, Dumbartonshire 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 more particularly to that class of button-hole sewing machines
in which the work-clamp is given a straight forward feeding movement to work one
side of a button-hole, a semi-circular feeding movement for the purpose of working
the eye of the button-hole and then a second straight feeding movement to work the
other side of the button-hole; the object of this invention being to provide machines,
of the class referred to, with mechanism whereby, when a button-hole has been
otherwise completed, a bar or stay may be automatically formed across the end of the
said hole, and also, when the said bar or stay has been formed, the machine may be
automatically stopped.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a plan view of a button-hole sewing
machine with my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is an inverted plan view of the
same. Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation showing all of the parts of my improvements
but with most of the ordinary operative parts of the machine removed. Fig. 4 is a
broken plan view of the machine with the plate removed to show the feed spirals and
middle feed gear. Fig. 5 is a detailed view showing the form of the brake lever and.
heel L, for stopping the machine. Fig. 6 is a detailed edgewise view of the lever h³

page_text: and arm. Fig. 7 is an enlarged detailed perspective view of the preferred means
for connecting the bar h with the lever E'. Fig. 8 illustrates a button-hole finished
or barred by the machine.
The stitch forming mechanism, the mechanism for operating the needle bar a
vertically, and the clamp 6 for holding the goods in while a button-hole is to be
worked are, or may be, the same as in many button-hole sewing machines now in use
and need not be particularly described here, and the mechanism for giving the needle
"out" and "in" movement horizontally, consisting of the sliding bar d,
slotted lever d¹, pivotted stud e and cam f, is also the same as in many well known
machines and its special construction and action need not be here more minutely
described.
bar a an
The plate A, instead of being held stationary on the bed B of the machine, is
adapted to have a side or edgewise movement to carry the clamp & and the goods
held therein back and forth under the needle at right angles to the general direction
of the feed.
This side reciprocation of the plate A alternates with the "out" and "in" motion
of the needle bar a and this lengthens the "laps" or overlay of the stitch; and the
reciprocations of the plate A, take place only at the end or finish of the button hole so
that the "overlay" stitches bar the button hole. The bed B is cut away at g, to form
a clearance for the side movement of the plate A, as shown clearly in Fig. 1. The
motion for reciprocating the plate A is derived from the cam C on the upright
shaft D. This cam acts when the machine is in operation and constantly reciprocates
end wise the rod E held beneath the bed of the machine.
The movement of the rod E reciprocates on its pivot e the levers E¹ with the
end of which (Fig. 2) the connecting mechanism H, (which is attached to the
plate A below the bed B) is adapted to be engaged at the proper time, so that
the movement of the lever E¹ will draw the plate A one way. The plate A, is by
preference moved back by a spring F acting between the stud f¹ on the under side
of the bed B and the pin on the bar h of the said connecting mechanism H. The
said connecting mechanism H is caused to engage with, and to be disengaged from
the lever E, by devices connected with the back feed spiral G and lever ³ (shown in
Fig. 2 and in dotted lines in Fig. 1) which devices are caused to operate at the proper
time by the feed pin c¹ of the clamp b as hereinbefore described.
The above mentioned bar h (Fig. 2) forms the main part of the said connecting
mechanism H.
The plate A, is attached at one end to this bar by screws passing through the
plate and through slots m², m², in the bed B (Fig. 4) and entering screw openings
made in said bar or in screw openings made in the blocks h³, h', (Figures 2, and 4)
which latter are screwed to the sides of the bar h by screws h³, h².
Pivotted to the inner end of the bar h is the short plate 3 (Fig. 2). This is
connected by the rod * (Fig. 2) to one end of the lever the inner end of which is
constantly drawn towards the bar h by the spring he attached to the pin f and to the
said lever so that this spring acts through the lever and rod to naturally hold
the small pivotal plate swung away from the end of the lever E¹. Upon the same
pivot that holds the small pivotal plate h³ is pivotted above the plate h the connecting
plate or latch which is adapted to engage with the notched end of the lever E
and this latch ' swings independently of plate h³ so that it may accomodate itself to
the arc described by the end of the lever E when reciprocated, thus avoiding binding
of the parts and unnecessary friction.
The latch also facilitates the connection with the lever E', as it is constantly
pressed forward against a stop e' on the plate h³ by a small spring so that it will
yield to pressure of the lever E¹ and permit the latter to pass the latch in its backward
movement.
The stop is to cause the latch ' to be held always in proper position, and cause
it to be forced away from the end of the lever E', when the lever is operated to
move the small plate h³ outward away from the lever E³.

page_text: From the above it will be understood that the lever controls the devices that
connect the plate A, with the power for reciprocating it, and this lever h as above
mentioned is operated by the feed or rather the feed and spring * so that the
connection of the plate A, with, and its disconnection from its operative power will
be effected automatically and always at the proper time or at the finish of the
button-hole.
The lever his operated as follows:-
It is fulcrumed on the pin or screw j and has formed upon or connected to its upper
surface about midway of its length by the screw the upwardly projecting angle
arm j (Figs. 4 and 6) which reaches up through an opening (Fig. 2.) in the bed B,
so as to stand near the periphery of the back feed spiral G as shown clearly in Fig. 4.
The upper end of the arm is formed or provided with a side projection or lug so
that a projection or plate F, on the edge of the feed spiral G, will strike it as the
spiral revolves and press the upper end of the arm forward, which movement will
draw the lever h forward toward the centre of the machine causing the latch h² to
connect with the lever E¹.
Opposite to the lug ³ the arm is provided with the shoulder jo and the bed B, is
cut back as shown at 17, Fig. 4, so that when the flange i on the plate F, strikes the
lug j³ and forces the arm forward as just mentioned the shoulder when it reaches
the cut away place will permit the arm to be shifted away from the flange i, the
shoulder entering the opening j.
In this manner the forward end of the plate F, will be permitted to pass the lug³
and the outer edge of the plate will hold the shoulder in the opening so there can
be no backward movement of the arm until the feed pin c¹ is removed from the feed
spiral G and in this manner the arm does not interfere with the slow forward
movement of the feed spiral G at the time the barring stitches are being formed.
When the feed pin c is removed from the spiral G the plate F is free to move
inward so that the spring he will act to draw the lever and arm back to their
original position, disconnecting the latch ' from the lever E¹.
The projection or flange which impinges against the lug is in this instance a
part, or the outer edge, of a sliding plate F, fitted in the cut-away place, in the
upper surface of the spiral G.
The entire edge of this plate F, that constitutes the projection or flange i is of
considerable length which governs the length of time that the latch is held in
connection with the lever E¹. The inner edge of the plate F, is the arc of a true
circle and the plate is formed with the curved finger that laps along the outer edge
of the groove g, of the spiral G the upper surface of the said spiral being cut away
at for that purpose.
The outer edge of the finger is straight to fit the straight edge of the cut away
place, and the plate F, is slotted, as shown at 1 to fit over studs or stop pins / to
limit its sliding out and in radial movements. The inward movement of the plate F
is to permit the projection or flange i from coming in contact with the arm while
the machine is stitching the button hole, and this movement is caused by the small
arm or spring attached to the inner surface of the arm j³, which spring bears upon
the outer edge of the plate F, to push it inward before it reaches the lug ³ so that
the plate will pass said lug at every revolution of the feed spiral G until the hole is to
be barred, at which time the plate will be moved outward by the feed pin c¹
notwithstanding the pressure of the spring (see Fig. 4).
28
The outward movement of the plate F is caused by the feed pin c¹ striking the inner
curved edge of the plate or coming between the edge and the curved edge g' of the.
feed spiral, and is for the purpose of causing the projection or flange to strike the
armor projection thereof for connecting the mechanism H, with the lever E¹ to
reciprocate the plate A as just described.
The groove in the feed spiral G is spiral throughout except at g¹ opposite to
the curved edge of the plate F. At this point g¹ the groove is formed on a
true circle concentric with the said curved edge of the plate F.
-J.

page_text: In this manner while the plate F, is in contact with the feed pin c¹ and while the
edge i is in contact with the arm and the plate A, is being reciprocated the clamp b
and the goods held therein will remain at rest on the plate A, so that the barring
stitches will be collected or piled one upon the other, forming a perfect barring
without distributing the stitches along the goods at the end of the button-hole, as
would be the case if the feed were permitted to continue at the time the barring
stitches were being put in.
The plate A, (see fig. 1) is not held fast by the plate screws a¹, a', but the openings
in the plate through which they pass are of sufficient size to accomodate the stitch
or edgewise reciprocation as will be understood from the dotted lines in Fig. 1.
The front feed spiral G₁ and middle gear Gare the same and operated the same as
in many well-known button-hole machines, and need no description here.
In order to stop the machine automatically when the staying or barring of the
button-hole is completed I attach to the machine the stop or brake mechanism next
to be described and arranged to be put in action by the reciprocating movement of
the plate A, the same being accomplished by means of the bar J, (Figs. 2 and 3)
spring J¹, placed thereon to constantly press the bar J to the left, the arm J' attached
to the under surface of the plate A, to reach down through the opening B', of the
bed B, and bent to act against the end of bar J, and the pawl J³, and spring J*
attached to outer end of the bar J, for operating the locking pawl or trigger K, shown
clearly in Fig. 3 and for the purposes below described.
L, is the brake wheel fixed upon the main driving shaft M, and N, is the band
wheel placed loosely upon the shaft M.
The wheel L, is grooved at its inner face as shown at m Figs. 3 and 5 in such a
manner as to form an eccentric m¹ and at the outer surface it is by preference
provided with a rubber or leather facing against which the flat inner face N¹, of
the wheel N, is adapted to be pressed by the lever P, for the purpose of clutching the
wheel N with the wheel L, and revolving the same and the shaft M for operating
the machine.
The lever P is a bent or curved lever, centrally fulcrumed on a pin at the outer end
of the arm P¹ formed upon or attached to the rear surface of the upper portion B³, of
the frame of the machine. Said lever P is attached to the hub n of the hand wheel N
by a claw p, the members of which enter a small circumferential groove n made in
this hub n as shown clearly in Fig. 3 so that the lever will not interfere with the free
revolution of the hand wheel, and by operating said lever P on its fulcrum the band
wheel N may be made to engage with or be disengaged from the wheel L for operating
or stopping the machine.
The lower end of the lever P, is held by a spring p³ in constant contact with a cam
or eccentric 9 (Figs. 2 and 3) on the transverse shaft Q held in suitable bearings q', q',
(Fig. 2) formed at the rear of the frame of the machine.
The transverse shaft Q has attached to it at one end the heavy torsional spring R,
(Fig. 2) which is applied to the shaft to normally hold it in position to carry the cam
or eccentric q to one side or off from the lower end of the lever P so that the spring p³
will elevate the lower end of said lever and cause its upper end to carry the
wheel N outward upon the shaft M, and thus disconnect the power from the machine,
leaving the machine free to be stopped while the power runs on.
At the time the band wheel N, is disengaged from or moved out of contact with
the wheel La brake or (in this instance) a double acting brake lever S, is applied to
the wheel L, for instantly stopping the motion of the machine.
The brake lever S, is applied by a cam or toes formed on the transverse shaft Q,
said toe being arranged to lift the vertical rod S¹, (to which the lever S is pivotted)
at the time the cam or eccentric q is moved off from the lower end of the lever P, by
the action of the spring R.
The vertical rod S₁ is constantly pressed downward by a spring S³ placed thereon
to act between the head &³ and the bearing in which the rod is held.
The end of the transverse shaft Q opposite to that to which the spring R is applied is.

page_text: provided with the lever Q¹ by which the shaft Q may be turned to the left (to the
position shown in full and dotted lines in Fig. 3) in which position another toes on
the shaft Q is held by the pawl or trigger K, above mentioned which holds the shaft Q
against the tension of the spring R.
In this position of the shaft the brake lever S is lowered out of contact with the
wheel L, and the wheel N is held in firm contact with the outer surface of said wheel L,
by the lever P, and cam or eccentric 9 so that the power applied to revolve the
wheel N, will revolve the main drive shaft M.
The pawl or trigger K is pivotted upon a stud t and is provided with three
notches t¹ at its lower end, with which the above mentioned pawl J attached to the
rod J is adapted to engage in succession when the plate A, is reciprocated in moving
the lower end of the trigger K, outward to cause its upper end to release the toe s¹ of
the transverse shaft Q so that the spring R may act to turn the shaft Q and
disengage the hand wheel N and wheel L and at the same time apply the brake to the
wheel L for stopping the machine as above described.
·
When the shaft Q is turned by the lever Q', when the machine is to be put in gear
for operating, the pawl J is held out of contact with the notches t¹ of the pawl K, by
means of a small plate t placed above the outer end of the pawl J³ so that it will not
interfere with the necessary backward movement of the lower end of the trigger K,
to cause the hook t* at the upper end of the trigger to pass freely over the toe st.
The plate t is fixed to the frame of the machine, and thus being stationary it serves
as a guard to keep the pawl J³, away from the notched pawl or trip K, except when
the rod J, is moved far enough to the right (Fig. 3) to permit the curved outer end
of the pawl J³, to be pushed upward above the said plate 2. Thus the inner notches
of the pawl or trip K, are not acted on by the operating pawl J³ until they are
successively forced outward by the said operating pawl.
The hook is made of considerable length so a relation will exist between the hook,
the length of the trigger and the distance of the side movement of the plate A so that
one, two or three movements of the plate A, will be required to move the hook t* off
from the toe s¹.
In this manner when the plate A causes the last barring stitch to be put in the
button hole, the trigger K will disengage the toe s¹ and cause the machine to stop just
at the proper time.
The brake lever S is bent to form two arms and s³, the former of which runs
in the groove m of the wheel L, while the latter is adapted to run iu contact with the
outer surface of the said wheel L.
When the shaft Q is turned to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 and held
by the trigger K, the rod S¹ will be lowered as above described and this will lower
the brake lever S so that the arms 81, s will not be in contact with the wheel L. But
when the shaft Q is released by the trigger K, and turned by the action of the spring R
the toes of the brake lever S, will be forced upward by the rod S₁ into contact
with the eccentric m' of the wheel L, which eccentric will press downward this
arms and bring the arm into firm contact with the outer surface of the wheel L,
and cause the machine to stop in less than one complete revolution of the wheel L,
after the application of the brake.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me, I declare
that what I claim is :-
1. The back feed spiral G provided with a flange arranged to be moved by the guide
pin of the cloth clamp, the plate A, connecting mechanism H, and the reciprocating
lever E¹ in combination with means, substantially as described, for operating the
connecting mechanism H, from the feed spiral flange for connecting the plate with,
and disconnecting it from the power to move it edgewise, substantially as described.
2. The combination with the plate A, and means for reciprocating it edgewise
at right angles to the line of feed, of the cloth clamp b, feed pin c³, and feed spiral G,

page_text: formed with the true curve g₁ for stopping the feed at the time the plate A is
reciprocated, substantially as described.
3. The feed spiral G formed with the true curve gl and provided with the sliding
plate F, in combination with the plate A, cloth clamp 6, feed pin c¹ and means,
substantially as described, for reciprocating the plate A edgewise at right angles to
the line of feed, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
4. The lever A provided with the arm, the flange attached to the feed spiral G,
the rod h, spring ho, connecting mechanism, H and spring F¹, in combination with
the reciprocating rod E, and lever E' all arranged to operate substantially as and
for the purposes set forth.
5. The plate A and means for reciprocating it edgewise at right angles to the
line of the feed for lengthening the overlay stitch at the finish of the button-hole
for barring the button-hole, in combination with automatic brake mechanism and
rods connecting the brake mechanism with the plate A, so that its edgewise
reciprocation will release the brake mechanism, substantially as and for the purposes
set forth.
6. The combination with the automatic brake mechanism applied to the machine
for stopping it at the completion of the barring of the button-hole, of the plate A,
the clamp b, feed pin c¹, feed spiral G, means for reciprocating the plate A edgewise
at right angles to the line of the feed, and means for connecting the plate A, to
the brake mechanism so that the side reciprocation of the plate A will release the brake
mechanism when the barring of the button hole is completed, substantially as and for
the purposes set forth.
7. The transverse shaft Q provided with the spring R, cam or eccentric 9, and
toes and s¹, the lever P, the band wheel N operated thereby, the vertical rod S¹,
the brake S, the wheel L and the pawl or trip K, hooked at one end and notched
at the other, in combination with the reciprocating plate A, the rods J and J' and
the pawl J³, all arranged to operate substantially as set forth.
8. The connecting mechanism H, the lever / connected therewith and provided
with the arm² extending up through the bed of the machine and having opposite
projections or shoulders 3, 1, and the bed plate B having the recess or opening,
combined with the reciprocating plate A, and the feed spiral or cam G, provided with
the sliding plate F, substantially as set forth.
9. The combination with the driving shaft, of the wheel L, attached thereto and
having the cam or eccentric m, the two armed brake lever S, and mechanism for a
throwing the said lever into action to stop the machine when the driving wheel is
unclutched, substantially as set forth.
10. In a button hole sewing machine, the combination with a supporting plate, as A,
loosely attached to the bed plate of the machine and provided with a guiding slot
having straight and curved portions, as shown, of a work clamp having an operating 4
pin, as c², a feed spiral or cam wheel, as G, for moving said pin and work clamp, and
mechanism, substantially as described, adapted to be thrown in operation by the said
pin, for reciprocating said plate when the last side of the button hole is completed,
substantially as set forth.
11. In a button hole sewing machine, the combination with a work clamp having 4
two straight movements and a semicircular rotary movement between the same, of a
movable plate by which the said work clamp is supported, mechanism for automatically
reciprocating said plate to bar the button hole after the latter has been worked, and
mechanism for automatically stopping the machine when the bar is completed,
substantially as set forth.
50
12. In a button hole sewing machine the combination with the driving shaft and
the work clamp, of the reciprocating supporting plate A by which the latter is carried
and by which the barring of the buttonhole is effected, a clutch mechanism for applying
power to the said shaft, a brake mechanism for stopping said shaft when the power
is disconnected therefrom, and a tripping mechanism operated from said reciprocating 55
plate and adapted to disconnect said clutch mechanism and apply the brake to stop

page_text: the machine after a pre-determined number of reciprocations of said plate A,
substantially as set forth.
13. In a button hole sewing machine, the combination with a work clamp having
two straight feeding movements and a semi-circular rotary feeding movement between
the same, of an automatic mechanism for reciprocating said work clamp across the
line of the said straight feeding movements, to bar a button hole after it has been
worked, and mechanism for automatically stopping the machine when the bar is
completed, substantially as set forth.
14. The needle-bar a and means for reciprocating it vertically, and means for
giving it an in and out motion, in combination with the plate A, and means for
reciprocating it edgewise at right angles to the line of feed and alternately to the in
and out movement of the needle-bar, for increasing the length of the overlay stitches
formed by the in and out motion of the said needle-bar for barring the button-holes,
substantially as set forth.
15. The needle-bar and means for reciprocating it vertically and means for giving
it an in and out motion, the plate A, the feed spirals G, G', clamp 6 moved on the
plate A, by the feed spirals, in combination with means for reciprocating the plate A,
edgewise at right angles to the line of feed, for increasing the length of the overlay
stitches, and means for automatically stopping the feed movement of the clamp b
while the plate A, is being reciprocated, for causing the barring overlay stitches to be
piled one upon the other to perfectly bar the button-hole substantially as set forth.
16. The combination with a work clamp having two straight feeding movements
and a semi-circular feeding movement between the same, of an automatic mechanism
for reciprocating said work-clamp across the line of the said straight feeding
movements, to automatically bar a button-hole after it has been worked, substantially
as set forth.
17. The combination with a needle-bar having an in and out or horizontal
reciprocating movement, of a work-clamp having two straight feeding movements and
a semi-circular rotary feeding movement between the same, and automatic mechanism
for reciprocating said work-clamp horizontally in opposition to the horizontal or in
and out movements of the said needle-bar, substantially as set forth.
18. The needle-bar a and means for reciprocating it vertically and means for giving
it an in and out motion, in combination with the plate A, and automatic mechanism
connecting the plate A, with the cam on the shaft of the machine, for reciprocating
the plate A, edgewise at right angles to the line of the feed, for increasing the length
of the overlay stitches formed by the in and out motion of the needle bar a for barring
a button-hole, substantially as set forth.
19. In a button hole sewing machine the combination with the needle bar and its
operating mechanism, of a work clamp, and a movable supporting plate for the said
work-clamp provided with a guiding slot having straight and curved portions, as
shown, and being adapted to be reciprocated transversely to the longitudinal
movements of the said clamp when the end of the button hole is reached, for the
purpose of barring said hole substantially as set forth.
20. In a button-hole sewing machine, the combination with a work clamp having a
straight movement to permit one side of a button hole to be worked, a turning or
rotary movement to permit the eye of the button hole to be worked, of a movable
plate by which the said work clamp is supported, and mechanism for automatically
reciprocating said plate horizontally to bar the button-hole at the completion of
the working of the second side of the latter, substantially as set forth.
21. In a button hole sewing machine the feed spiral G formed with the true
curve gl for the purpose of arresting the motion of the work clamp while barring the
button hole, substantially as described.
22. In a button hole sewing machine the work plate A carrying the clamp and
fabric, operated so as to have a transverse reciprocation during the operation of
barring an eyed button hole and to remain stationary until the clamp reaches the
position in which the barring operation takes place, substantially as set forth.

page_text: 23. In a button-hole sewing machine mechanism for feeding the clamp forward
along the first side of an eyed button hole, then in a semicircular rotary direction
round the eye, then forward along the last side, in combination with mechanism for
arresting the forward motion of the clamp at the time the barring mechanism is
thrown into operation, substantially as set forth.
24. In a button hole sewing machine mechanism for feeding the clamp forward
along the first side of an eyed button hole then in a semicircular rotary direction
around the eye, then forward along the last side, mechanism for arresting the forward
motion of the clamp at the time the barring mechanism is thrown into operation, in
combination with mechanism for stopping the machine when the bar is completed,
substantially as set forth.