Improvements in Button Sewing Machines.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 18th June, 1895-Accepted, 31st Aug., 1895
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Button Sewing Machines.
I, FRANK AUGUSTUS WING, a citizen of the United States, residing at
120 Ring Street Providence, in the County of Providence and State of Rhode
Island, United States of America Electrician, 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 improvements in button sewing machines for sewing
buttons to clothing or to other articles and it has for its object to provide means
to adjust the button clamping and holding device to various sizes of buttons, to
provide a gauge automatically set by the adjustment of the holder to the button so
as to bring the centre of all buttons held thereby in the same place; to provide
means to intermittently reciprocate the button and holder for sewing buttons
having two eyes only, then to shift and again intermittently reciprocate the button
bolder when sewing buttons having four eyes; to provide simply means to change
the machine for sewing two-eyed buttons from one adapted to sew four-eyed buttons,
or vice versa; to provide means of adjustments on the reciprocating and shifting
mechanism to allow for variations in the distance between the eyes on different
buttons; to provide means to ensure the automatic setting of the shifting mechanism
by the raising of the holder to receive the button, to provide improved starting,
stopping and locking mechanisms and means to automatically release the tension on
the upper thread by the stopping of the machine.
The invention consists in the use of a button clamping or holding device
composed of two pivoted jaws adapted to be moved parallel to the face of the bed
plate of the machine to adjust them to various sizes of buttons in combination with
a device for spreading them equally and also with a gauge for the button so that
the centre of all buttons placed between said jaws will occupy the same place, no
matter how the buttons may vary in size. It further consists in the employment of
means whereby the button is automatically and intermittently reciprocated so as to
form stitches through a two-eyed button, then to automatically shift the button and
similarly reciprocate it to form stitches through the remaining two eyes when a
button with four eyes is to be sewed; also in means for adjusting the amount of
reciprocation of the button as well as the amount it is shifted so as to compensate
for the variation in the distances between the eyes of different sized and shaped
buttons. It also consists in means for starting the machine and furthermore in
means for automatically stopping and locking the machine after it has formed a
predetermined number of stitches and attached the button to the clothing or other
article: also in mechanism for automatically releasing the tension on the upper
thread when the machine has finished sewing on a button. The invention further
consists in minor details of construction as will be fully set forth hereinafter.
Referring to the accompanying drawings which illustrate my invention and form
an essential part of this Specification:-
Fig. 1 represents a front elevation of my improved machine showing a portion of
the top of the stand upon which it is mounted.
Fig. 2 represents a bottom view of the machine, removed from its supporting
stand.
Fig. 3 represents a vertical, longitudinal section on the line A-B. shown on
Fig. 2.
Fig. 4 represents a vertical longitudinal section on the line C-D shown on
Fio 2

page_text: Fig. 5 represents a vertical cross section on the line E-F shown on Fig. 2.
Fig. 6 represents a vertical cross section on the line G-H shown on Fig. 2.
Fig. 7 represents a side elevation of the machine as seen from X in Fig. 1.
Fig. 8 represents a vertical cross section on the line I-J shown in Figs. 1
and 2.
Fig. 9 represents a face view of the clutch on the main driving shaft for imparting
motion to the machine from the driving pulley.
Fig. 10 represents a longitudinal section on the line K.-L. in Fig. 9.
Fig. 11 represents a detailed view of a portion of the locking mechanism for the
machine.
Figs. 12 and 13 represent detailed vertical sections respectively on the lines M-N
and OP shown in Fig. 2, showing button-holding device and a portion of the
mechanism which carries it and by which it is operated.
Fig. 14 represents a detailed view of the mechanism for automatically releasing
the tension on the upper thread when the machine has finished sewing on a
button.
Fig. 15 represents a detail bottom view of the button holding and gauging
device.
Fig. 16 represents a perspective view of the button holding device and a portion
of the mechanism which carries it and by which it is operated.
Fig. 17 represents a rear view of the same.
Fig. 18 represents a part of a bottom view of the machine on an enlarged scale
from that shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 19 represents a bottom view of the remaining part of the machine not
shown in the preceding figure, and showing the same on a correspondingly enlarged
scale.
Fig. 20 represents a partial bottom view of the machine removed from its
supporting stand and showing a modified form of the mechanisms which cause the
movements of the button holder in sewing on the button.
Fig. 21 represents a longitudinal section on the broken line Q-R shown in
Fig. 20.
Similar letters refer to similar parts on the different drawings.
The stitch forming mechanisn; used in the machine forms no part of my invention,
as my improvements may to equal advantage be applied to many of the various
and well known sewing machines now in common use simply by the use of
mechanical skill alone. I prefer however to use the stitch forming mechanism of
the machine known as the "Wheeler & Wilson No. 12" or "D 12," and I have
shown such on the drawings.
A description of my improved machine in its preferred form as illustrated on
the drawings by Figs. 1 to 19 both inclusive is as follows:
a represents the bed-plate, a' the shuttle driving shaft, a the shuttle, the
bracket arm, the main driving shaft, the needle bar, 63 the take-up, and * the
slack thread controller as usual, of the "Wheeler & Wilson" machine above
mentioned. When in use the machine is adapted to be mounted upon a stand c in
the usual manner.
Upon the main driving shaft is loosely mounted the driving pulley 6 which has
a longitudinal movement on said shaft and is provided with a grooved hub for the
reception of a ring 6 having trunnions on two opposite sides, which ring fits
loosely within said groove. A bell crank lever c¹ fulcrumed at c³ to the stand c or
to any other stationary part of the machine, is attached at one end to a suitable
treadle (not shown on the drawings) by means of a chain or rod and has its
opposite or free end resting against the lower end of the lever et fulcrumed at c
to the frame of the machine, the latter lever being forked in its upper end and
pivoted to the trunnions on the ring 66, thus it will be seen that a downward pull
on the chain c³ will cause the driving pulley to move longitudinally on the driving
shaft outward from the frame of the machine. It is not essential that the
mechanism for operating the longitudinally movable driving pulley should be

page_text: exactly as that shown on the drawing, as other and well known equivalent devices
might be used to equal advantage. A lug, 6' shown in Figs. 9 and 10, projecting
from the outer face of the driving pulley, comes in contact with an arm 68, rigidly
attached to and projecting from the main driving shaft when said pulley is moved
outward as above described and as the pulley is kept in a continuous motion in the
direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 9, it causes a similar movement to be imparted
to the main driving shaft which starts the machine. The rotary motion of the
driving shaft imparts a corresponding motion to the shuttle driving shaft al through
the connecting rods a³ and the double cranks on the shuttle driving shaft and main
driving shaft.
The mechanism for clamping and holding the button while it is being sewed to
the material is carried out as follows:-Two jaws d d are pivoted at dd to the
under side of the plate e and are provided on their inner ends with the pins d² d',
which move within cam-shaped slots f¹f formed in the cam disk f. The pins d² d²
are held against the outer surface of the cam slots with a yielding pressure by
means of the spring d³ which is attached to the forward ends of the jaws as shown
in Fig. 15. The forward ends of the clamping jaws are so grooved as to form
lips which rest upon the top of the button held thereby and prevent the
button from being drawn upward from the jaws when the needle is withdrawn from
the eye of the button. The cam disk f is pivoted at f to the plate e and is
provided with the slot f³ within which a pin gl on the nut g slides. The nut is
mounted upon a screw-threaded spindle which is adapted to be turned in the
bearings ele on the plate e by means of the thumb-nut as shown in Fig. 15 or by
other and well known mechanical equivalents. Thus it will be seen that if the
thumb-nut is turned it will cause the nut g to move upon the spindle / and by its
connection to the cam disk fwill cause said disk to turn upon its fulcrum and
spread or contract the jaws dd by means of the cam slots ff and pins d² d²,
according to the direction in which the thumb-nut is turned. This allows of the
adjustment of the jaws to hold various sizes of buttons and dispenses with the
necessity of using different clamps for different sizes, as is the case when stationary
jaws are used. The cam slots f₁ f¹ are preferably made wider than the diameter
of the pins d² d², so as to allow the jaws to expand slightly against the influence of
the spring
d when the button is inserted between them in order to have the jaws
press against the button to hold it firmly. This yielding of the jaws allows of a
slight variation in the diameter of the button used without the necessity of adjusting
the cam disk.
The cam disk fis also provided with a cam slot within which a pin ¹ on the
gauge-bar i moves when the cam disk is turned on its fulcrum. The cam slot f
is so formed that any movement of the cam disk on its fulcrum will move the gauge
bar backward or forward a distance equal to the distance that each of the jaws d d
are expanded or contracted by the same movement of the cam disk. This automatic
adjusting of the gauge-bar so gauges the buttons that their centres will occupy the
same place in the holder no matter how they may vary in size.
I do not wish to confine myself to the particular mechanism shown and described
for automatically operating the gauge-bar in connection with the button holding
jaws, nor to the exact mechanism for operating said jaws, as the same may be
varied at will within the scope of mechanical skill without departing from the spirit
of this part of my invention, which consists, broadly, in the use of two adjustable
button clamping or holding jaws expanded and contracted equally when adjusted,
and a gauge automatically adjusted with said jaws so as to bring the centres of
all buttons held thereby in the same place. By the use of the gauge as above
described, the liability of breaking the needle caused by not having the eye of
the button come in its proper place under the needle when being sewed, is done
away with.
The plate e to which is attached the button clamping or holding device, is
fulcrumed at j' to the bracket j. This bracket has bearings j2j, on the shaft 1
upon which it is longitudinally movable in a line at right angles to the centre

page_text: line of the shuttle driving shaft. The shaft is mounted in the block or
carriage and is held rigidly by means of the set screw 12 as shown in Fig. 7.
The block or carriage is rigidly mounted upon the shaft m which is longi-
tudinally movable within the bearings as a projecting from the under side of the
bed plate. The shaft m and its connections are prevented from rocking within the
bearings as a by means of the bracket j bearing against the under side of the bed
plate.
A spring interposed between the bracket and the block or carriage / tends to
force the bracket and its attached button holding device forward until the screw j³
which passes through a screw threaded perforation in the rear bearing j² on the
bracket comes in contact with the block as shown in Fig. 7. The set screw may
be adjusted so as to allow the spring 13 to force the bracket forward more or less as
desired, for a purpose as hereinafter set forth.
A lever jis pivoted at jo to the bracket j as shown in Fig. 12 to the lower end
of which lever is pivoted the pawl, the free end thereof being held against the
surface on the under side of the block or carriage by means of the spring 1.
The surface is provided with a ledge as shown against which the end of the
pawl rests when the bracket is forced backward a given distance against the
influence of the spring in order to lock the bracket in its rear position.
The distance necessary to move the bracket backward in order to have the end of
the pawl lock the same is adjusted by means of the screw which passes through
a screw threaded perforation in the end of the lever and presses against the
bracket, forcing the end of the pawl forward on the surface and it is also
adjusted by means of the screw " which passes through a perforation in the end of
the lever and is screwed into a screw-threaded recess in the bracket drawing the
end of the pawl backward on the surface 1. The screws and jo firmly hold the
lever j in its adjusted position. Thus it will be seen that the forward movement
required to lock the bracket may be adjusted by means of the screws and j³.
A lever pivoted at 18 to the block or carriage is provided with the upward
projection or tooth which rests against the front of the bearing 2 on the bracket j
being connected at its rear end by means of the chain or rod 10 to a suitable
treadle not shown on the drawings.
A rod e³ is so pivoted to the rear part of the lever as to be easily disconnected
therefrom and has its upper end projecting through a perforation in the rear of the
plate e where it is provided with a screw thread and the nut e and check-nut e³.
This nut and check nut are so adjusted upon the rod as to allow the lever to be
pulled downward and the rod to move through the perforation in the plate e a
certain distance without bringing the nut into contact with said plate. This
movement causes the bracket to move backward until the pawl jo has passed by the
ledge on the surface and insured the locking of the bracket in its rear position,
but if the lever is continued to be pulled downward it will cause the nut et to
come in contact with the upper surface of the plate e and to turn said plate with the
button holding jaws dd attached thereto, so as to raise said jaws up from
their normal position against the influence of the spring e² in order to place the
work upon the cloth-plate or to remove it therefrom, and also in order to place a
button within said jaws.
Upon the shuttle driving shaft is firmly mounted the bevelled pinion n which
meshes into the bevelled gear n' rigidly attached to the shaft 2. The number of
teeth on the gear being the necessary multiple of the number of teeth on the pinion
to cause the needle to produce the required number of stitches in each eye of the
button before the next eye to be sewed through is moved under the needle, as
will be fully described hereinafter: The shaft n is provided with bearings at a
which project from the under side of the bed-plate and in which the shaft
rotates.
A cam n³ is firmly mounted upon and rotated with the shaft n which cam
operates upon a bifurcated lever to intermittently oscillate said lever upon its
fulcrum n. An arm m¹ is rigidly attached to the longitudinally reciprocating

page_text: shaft m, which arm is provided with a perforation through which is inserted the
screw threaded bolt m² provided with nuts one on each side of said arm, to allow
of the adjustment of the bolt within the perforation within the arm. A connecting
rod m³ is pivotally connected at one end to the bolt m² and at the opposite end by
means of the bolt m* and slot m³ is adjustably connected to the lever n'. Thus it
will be seen that a rotary movement of the shuttle driving shaft will cause an
intermittently reciprocating movement of the shaft m within its bearings and
through the connection of said shaft with the button holding jaws will inter-
mittently reciprocate said jaws and button held thereby under the needle, so as to
form stitches through two of the eyes of the button.
By attaching the connecting rod m³ adjustably to the bifurcated lever n* I am
able to adjust the amount of reciprocation imparted to the shaft m by the action of
the cam n³ and consequently to adjust the amount of the reciprocating movement
of the button holding device, which is connected to said shaft. Thus the button
holding device is made adjustable to compensate for the variations in the distance
between the eyes of the various buttons to be sewed on the machine.
The adjustment of the connection between the connecting rod m³ and the arm m
attached to the shaft m, adjusts the button holding device in a line with the line of
the reciprocating movement of said device, and thus I am able to adjust the button
holding device so that the needle will occupy a position directly above the centre
of the button held in said device when the bifurcated lever is in the centre of its
oscillating movement.
One stitch only is formed by a rotation of the shuttle-driving shaft, and the
button holding jaws are intermittently reciprocated forward and back once by a
complete rotation of the shaft n². Now if the gear n¹ contains twice the number of
teeth that are on the pinion n and the cam n is properly formed, a stitch will be
made in one of the eyes of the button, the button then moves while the needle is in
its upper position in order to present the other eye to the needle, a stitch will be
formed through this second eye and the button moved back to its former position,
but should the number of teeth on the gear be increased to four times the number
of teeth that are on the pinion, and the cam n³ properly shaped, it would cause two
stitches to be made in one eye of the button, the button then moved and two
stitches be made in the second eye and the button moved to its original position.
By forming two stitches in each eye of the button, between the reciprocating
movement of the same as above described, each stitch made across the body of the
button will be fastened off or locked and thus prevent the button from unsewing
should one of the stitches be broken. The cam n³ is so formed as to move the
button holding jaws during the time that the needle is above and out of the work.
I do not wish to limit myself to the exact connecting mechanism as shown
between the shafts n and m to produce an intermittingly reciprocating movement
of the latter shaft as the same may be varied within the scope of mechanical skill
without departing from the spirit of this part of my invention.
In order to automatically stop the machine after it has performed the work of
sewing on a button, and has made the desired number of stitches, I mount a shaft o
in bearings as a³ on the under side of the bed-plate, which shaft is moved longi-
tudinally within said bearings against the influence of a spring o' by means of the
lever pressing against the end of said shaft when said lever is operated to start
the machine, as before described.
When the shaft o is pressed inward by the lever as above described it is caught
and held in that position by means of a pawl or latch o² which is pressed into a
notch o on the shaft as shown in Fig. 3, by means of a spring o. This pawl or
latch is rigidly attached to a shaft of mounted in bearings as a on the under side
of the bed-plate, which shaft is kept from longitudinal movement in its bearings by
means of a collar of and a second pawl o' both firmly attached to said shaft. The
pawl o' is provided with an inclined tooth of which is made adjustable thereon by
means of a slot o' and set-screw o¹º.
A pawl p mounted upon an eccentric p¹ on the shuttle driving shaft acts upon a

page_text: ratchet wheel p² adapted to rotate in a bearing a on the bed-plate. This pawl
held against the teeth of the ratchet-wheel with a yielding pressure by means of a
spring p and it moves the ratchet-wheel one or more teeth as required for every
stitch formed by the machine. A detent po prevents the ratchet-wheel from
revolving while the pawl is drawn backwards on the ratchet-wheel. The ratchet-
wheel p is provided with side lugs or projections pt pt pt which come into contact
with the inclined tooth o8 on the pawl o' and cause it to raise said pawl when the
machine has formed a sufficient number of stitches to sew the button to the
material. The raising of the pawl rocks the shaft o' to which it is attached, which
in turu raises the pawl or latch o² from the notch o³ and liberates the shaft,
allowing it to be pressed outward by means of the spring o'. . . This outward
movement of the shaft causes the lever et against which it rests, to turn on its
fulcrum and to withdraw the projection on the face of the driving pulley from
contact with the arm 8 on the driving shaft, and stops the conveyance of any
further motion to the machine from the driving pulley. The momentum of the
moving parts however causes the shuttle driving shaft to continue its motion until
an arm q firmly attached thereto rides upon the incline and enters the notch ²
on the arm r
which is firmly mounted on the shaft o and is brought into the path
of the arm q, revolving with the shuttle driving shaft by the outward movement of
the shaft o. This causes the machine to be locked with the needle at its upper
position, preventing the shaft from rotating sufficiently to carry the needle down-
ward into the work. The blow of the arm q against the armis cushioned by
means of the spring which presses against the arm and therefore prevents
undue strain on the machine.
To automatically release the pawl from contact with the ledge 14 and to allow
the button clamping jaws to be moved forward by the influence of the spring 1³ in
order to form stitches through the remaining two eyes of the button, after stitches
have been formed in two of the eyes, 1 provide the ratchet-wheel p² with the side
projections p p p which are adapted to come into contact with an inclined tooth s²
adjustably mounted upon the pawls by means of the set-screws and the slot s
and to raise the end of said pawl which is rigidly attached to the rock-shafts,
mounted in bearings on the under side of the bed plate. To the rock-shaft s is
firmly attached the finger s which moves downward as the shaft is moved by the
upward movement of the pawl s' and presses against the upper side of the pawlj
forcing it from the ledge and allowing the spring to move the button holding
jaws forward.
The tension disks t t are mounted on a hollow tubular stud t¹ projecting from the
face plate of the machine and are pressed together by means of the spring tas
usual. These disks exert the desired amount of tension on the upper thread which
passes between them to properly set the stitches. The stud is screw threaded
and provided with a nut which is adjustable on the stud to regulate the pressure
between the disks as usual. A washer t is placed upon the stud between the
spring and the outer teusion disk, said washer being provided with a bar which
plays within a slot extending longitudinally from the outer end of the stud. The
forward end of a rod u adapted to move longitudinally within bearings 69 on the
bracket arm enters the tubular stud. The opposite end of said rod is provided
with an arm u which comes in contact with the upper end of the lever c¹ or a
screw thereon when said lever operates the driving pulley in stopping the machine
and presses said rod forward against the influence of a spring u² on said rod
causing the forward end of the rod to press against the bar of the washer and
thereby removes the pressure of the spring 2 from the tension disk t. This releases
the tension from the upper thread and allows it to be drawn forward when the
work is removed from the machine after sewing on a button.
If it is desired to adjust the machine so as to sew buttons having two eyes only,
the rod and chain are disconnected from the lever and said rod and
chain are then connected together (or said chain may be connected directly with
the plate e) so that a downward pull on the chain will turn the plate upon its

page_text: fulcrum and raise the jaws d d from the cloth plate to place the work upon the
cloth-plate or to insert the button in the clamping or holding jaws, but will not
shift the button holding device backward as is necessary when the machine is used
to sew buttons having four eyes. This chauging of the machine from one to sew
four-eyed buttons to one to sew two-eyed buttons or vice versa is accomplished
very quickly and simply so that articles having both two and four-eyed buttons
to be sewed thereon may be finished by one handling, instead of first sewing on
one set of buttons to all articles and then re-handling them to sew on the second
set, as is the case with machines now in common use.
The operation of the machine is as follows:
After adjusting the holding jaws to the size of button used, they are raised
from the bed-plate as described, the material to which the button is to be attached
is then placed in position on the cloth-plate, and a button inserted in the jaws.
The holding jaws are then allowed to descend upon the material, holding the
button in the position it is to occupy on the material when attached, with the
needle directly over one of the front eyes of the button. The machine is then
ready to be started, and the operator starts it by moving the driving pulley on
the driving shaft at the same time setting the starting mechanism as above
described. The machine then forms stitches in the two front eyes of the button
by the reciprocation of the holding device between each rise and fall of the needle-
bar and continues to do so until one of the projections p on the ratchet wheel
trips the pawl je and allows the button holding device to move forward so as to
bring the two rear eyes into position. The holding device is again intermittently
reciprocated under the needle bar and stitches are formed in the rear eyes of the
button until one of the projections p₁ on the ratchet-wheel raises the latch o² from
the notch o³ and allows the shaft o to stop and lock the machine, as above
described. The button holding device is then raised and the material with the
button attached is removed, the thread being drawn forward freely on account of the
tension being automatically released when the machine is stopped. When the button
holding device is raised to remove the work it is shifted backwards and locked by
means of the pawl jo.
In Figs. 20 and 21 is shown a modified form of the mechanism which causes the
reciprocations and also the mechanism which causes the shifting of the button
holding device in order to form stitches in the eyes of a four eyed button as above
described. In this modified form the cam n³ is formed with a groove within which
a pin or roll n on the lever n projects and an intermittent oscillation of the
lever n upon its fulcrum n is caused by the action of the cam upon the pin or
roll. The remaining parts of the mechanism to cause the reciprocation of the
button under the needle are the same or substantially so as those shown in the
other figures of the drawings. It will be seen that the same effect is produced
upon the button holding device by means of the cam n³ shown in Figs. 20 and 21
as is produced by the cam n³ shown on the other views of the drawings.
In the modified form of the mechanism which causes the button holding device
to shift after a given number of stitches have been made in two eyes of the button,
the ratchet wheel p2 having the lugs or projection p³ ³ is mounted upon the bed
plate of the machine in such a position that the pawlp which in this case is pivoted
to the lever n' will act upon the teeth of the ratchet wheel at each complete
movement of said lever and intermittently rotate the wheel causing the lugs or
projections thereon to engage the inclined tooth s on the pawl s' and thereby to
force the outer or free end of the pawl downward the opposite end of the pawl
being pivoted to the bed-plate of the machine or to an ear thereon. The pawl s
rests or bears directly upon the upper side of the pawl which holds the bracket j
backward against the influence of the spring 13 and it will be seen that when the
pawl s is forced downward against the influence of the spring by the lugs or
projections on the ratchet wheel the pawl will be moved from the contact with
the ledge allowing the bracket to be forced forward by means of the spring 1³

page_text: and the button holding device to be shifted backwards substantially as hereinbefore
described in the description of the other views of the drawings.
I do not wish to confine myself to the exact mechanism shown and described to
cause the reciprocations and shifting of the button holder as any equivalent and
well known mechanisms might be used in place of those shown without departing
from the spirit of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is
1st. The combination with the stitch forming mechanism of a sewing machine,
of a button clamping and holding device connected thereto, right line actuating
means whereby an intermittently reciprocating movement in a straight line under
the needle is given to form stitches in two eyes of a four-eyed button, operating
means for imparting a movement at a right angle to said former movement whereby
the button clamping and holding device is shifted to again permit an intermittently
reciprocating movement under the needle in a straight line parallel to the line of
its former reciprocation to form stitches in the two remaining eyes of the button,
substantially as described.
2nd. In combination with the stitch forming mechanism of a sewing machine, a
button holding device, a bracket to which said device is pivoted, a block or carriage
a spring to automatically force said bracket in one direction, a lever to force it in
the other direction, a pawl to lock said bracket against the influence of said spring
and mechanism for releasing said pawl to allow said spring to operate said bracket,
for the purpose set forth.
3rd. In combination with the stitch forming mechanism of a sewing machine, a
button holding device, a forward and backward movable bracket supporting said
device, a spring to force said bracket in one direction, a lever to operate it in the
other direction, and a pawl to lock it in the latter direction, and mechanism for
adjusting said pawl to adjust the amount of the movement of said bracket against
said spring in order to lock it, for the purpose set forth.
4th. In combination with a stitch forming mechanism of a sewing machine, a
spring pressed button holding device, a bracket to which said device is pivoted, a
block or carriage journalled to the bed plate of the machine and on which said
bracket is movable forward and backward, a spring to force said bracket forward,
a pawl to lock said bracket backward, and a lever and connections whereby said
bracket is first moved backward sufficient to lock it by said pawl and then said
button holding device is turned on its pivot to raise said device from the bed-plate,
for the purpose set forth.
5th. An up and down movable needle bar, a button holding device, a bracket to
which said device is pivoted, a block or carriage on which the bracket is movable
toward or from the needle bar, and a spring to force the bracket towards the
needle bar, combined with an adjustment to limit the forward movement of the
bracket, for the purpose set forth.
6th. An up and down movable needle bar, combined with a button holding
device, a bracket to which the device is pivoted, a block or carriage on which the
bracket is movable towards or from the needle bar, mechanism for intermittently
reciprocating the block or carriage at right angles to the forward and backward
movement of the bracket, a spring to move the bracket towards the needle-bar, a
lever to move it from the needle bar, a pawl to lock the bracket backward against
the influence of the spring, and mechanism to automatically release and allow the
bracket to move forward, for the purpose set forth.
7th. In a button sewing machine, the combination with a button holding device,
a block or carriage capable of reciprocation, and connections between the button
holding device and block or carriage whereby the button holding device moves
with the block or carriage, of the shaft 2, the cam ³ mounted upon and driven by

page_text: said shaft, the bifurcated lever n fulcrumed to the frame of the machine embracing
said cam and intermittently rocked upon its fulcrum thereby and connecting
rod m³ attached at one end to the bifurcated lever and at the other end adjustably
connected to the block or carriage whereby the block or carriage and its connected
button holding device are intermittently reciprocated and the button holding device
is adjustable in relation to the needle-bar of the sewing machine, for the purpose
set forth.
8th. In a button sewing machine, the combination with an intermittently
reciprocating button holder, a spring to press the holder in one direction at a right
angle to its line of reciprocation, mechanism for moving said holder at right angles
to the line of reciprocation and for locking it in its shifted position against the
influence of said spring of a ratchet wheel mechanism to operate said wheel side
projections on said wheel a finger mounted on a shaft and resting against the
locking device of the button holder and mechanism whereby said finger is operated
by the projections on the ratchet wheel to unlock the button holder and allow it
to be moved by the pressure exerted thereon, for the purpose set forth.
9th. In a button sewing machine, the combination with an intermittently
reciprocating button holder, a spring to press the holder in one direction at a right
angle to its line of reciprocation mechanism for moving said holder at right angles
to the line of reciprocation and for locking it in its shifted position against the
influence of said spring of a ratchet wheel mechanism to operate said wheel, side
projections on said wheel, a finger mounted on a shaft and resting against the
locking device of the button holder, a pawl mounted on the shaft with said finger
and a tooth adjustably mounted on said pawl adapted to come into contact with the
projections on the ratchet wheel and to operate said finger to unlock the button
holder and allow it to be moved by the pressure exerted thereon, for the purpose set
forth.
10th. In a button sewing machine, the combination with a driving shaft, a
driving pulley and a lever fulcrumed to the machine and operated to cause the
driving pulley to be moved to either impart motion to the driving shaft or to rotate
freely without imparting motion, of the spring pressed shaft o moved longitudinally
in its bearings against the influence of said spring pressure by said lever when
moving the driving pulley to start the machine, the rock shaft o³, the latch o² on
the rock shaft to lock the shaft o against the influence of the spring, the pawl o' on
the rock shaft, the ratchet wheel p² mechanism between the driving shaft and the
ratchet wheel to impart an intermittent rotation to the ratchet wheel from the driving
shaft lugs or projections pt on the ratchet wheel to engage said pawl to cause said
latch to release the shaft o and thereby to allow said shaft to be moved longi-
tudinally by the spring pressure to automatically stop the machine and the tooth o
adjustably attached to said pawl whereby the time of stopping the machine is
adjusted, as set forth.
11th. In a button sewing machine, the driving shaft, the spring pressed non-
rotatable longitudinally movable shaft o moved longitudinally against the influence
of the spring pressure when starting the machine, the rock shaft o, the locking
latch o² on the rock shaft to lock the shaft o as described, the pawl o' on the rock
shaft, the eccentric p' on the driving shaft, the pawl p mounted upon and operated
by the eccentric, the ratchet wheel p² intermittently rotated by the pawl, and the
projections p¹ to operate on the pawl to automatically release the shaft o to stop the
machine as described combined with the arm q rigidly mounted on the driving shaft
and the inclined and notched locking arm r rigidly mounted on the shaft o brought
into the plane of rotation of the army by the stopping of the machine to auto-
matically stop and lock the driving shaft in any desired and predetermined position,
for the purpose set forth.
12th. In a button sewing machine, the driving shaft, the spring pressed
non-rotatable longitudinally movable shaft o moved longitudinally against the
influence of the spring pressure when starting the machine, the rock shaft of, the
locking latch o² on the rock shaft to lock the shaft o as described, the pawl o² on ·
32

page_text: the rock shaft, the eccentric p¹ on the driving shaft, the pawl p mounted upon
and operated by the eccentric, the ratchet wheel p² intermittently rotated by
the pawl, and the projections * to operate on the pawl to automatically
release the shaft o to stop the machine as described, combined with the arm 9
rigidly mounted on the driving shaft and the inclined and notched locking arm
rigidly mounted on the shaft o brought into the plane of the rotation of the arm q by
the stopping of the machine to automatically stop and lock the driving shaft in any
desired and predetermined position, and the spring ³ pressing against the arm r to
provide a yielding cushion for said lever to prevent breakage, substantially as set
forth.
13th. In a button sewing machine, the driving shaft a', the eccentric p¹ firmly
mounted upon and rotated by the shaft, the pawl p mounted upon and operated
by the eccentric the ratchet wheel 12 intermittently rotated by the pawl, and lugs
or projections p' and p³ on the ratchet wheel combined with the pawl o acted
upon by the lugs or projections p, a lever fulcrumed to the machine, mechanism
whereby the operations of said lever cause the starting or stopping of the machine,
connecting mechanism between the pawl o' and the lever whereby said lever is
operated to automatically stop the machine by the projection pt acting upon the
pawl of the pawls acted upon by the lugs or projections p, a spring pressed
button holder, a locking device to lock the button holder against the spring
pressure, and connecting mechanism between the pawl s¹ and the locking device
whereby the button holder is automatically unlocked by the projections p³ acting
upon the pawl s' and the button holder moved by said spring pressure, for the
purpose set forth.
14th. In a sewing machine, the automatic stopping device consisting of a pulley
moved longitudinally on its shaft and operating mechanism substantially as
described to automatically move said pulley to stop the machine at the end of the
formation of a predetermined number of stitches, combined with the rod u attached
to and moved longitudinally in bearings on the frame by said pulley, the tension
disks tt, the spring 2 to cause a tension on the thread guided between said
disks the rod u pressing against the influence of said spring when the machine
is automatically stopped, and automatically releasing the tension
thread, and the spring u² surrounding the rod u between one of the bearings for
said rod and a collar on the rod to automatically move the rod longitudinally
in its bearings on the frame in order to allow the spring 2 to automatically
renew the tension on the thread when the machine is started, for the purpose
set forth.
on
the
15th. In a sewing machine, the combination with the driving pulley moved
longitudinally on the driving shaft to stop or start the machine of the rod u
moved longitudinally in bearings on the bracket arm of the machine by the
driving pulley when stopping the machine, the tension disks t t for the thread,
the spring 2 to cause a tension on the thread between the disks, the rod u pressing
against the spring or a washer under the spring to automatically release the tension
on the thread when the machine is stopped by the driving pulley and the spring u²
surrounding the rod u between one of the bearings for said rod, and a collar on
the same to automatically move the rod longitudinally in its bearings whereby the
tension on the thread is automatically renewed when the machine is started by the
longitudinal movement of the driving pulley on the driving shaft, for the purpose
set forth.
16th. In a button sewing machine, the supporting plate e, the jaws d pivoted
at d to the plate to clamp and hold the button between their forward ends,
and the pins d² projecting from the opposite ends of the jaws, combined with the
cam disk pivoted to the plate e, the cam slots f¹ in the cam disk to receive the
pins d, the adjusting screw upon the supporting plate and the nut g adjustable
upon said screw and engaging the cam disc to rotate the same thereby spreading or
contracting the space between the forward ends of the jaws for buttons of various
sizes, as set forth.

page_text: 17th. In a button sewing machine, the supporting plate e, the jaws d pivoted
at d to the plate to clamp and hold the button between their forward ends, the
pins d² projecting from the opposite ends of the jaws, the cam diskf pivoted to the
plate e, the cam slots f¹ in the disks to receive the pins d³, the adjusting screw h
upon the supporting plate and the nut g adjustable upon said screw and engaging
the cam disk to rotate the same thereby spreading the forward ends of the jaws
apart to
use larger buttons combined with the spring d³ acting upon the
forward ends of the jaws to contract the space between them holding the pins d
against the outer surfaces of the slot f¹ and allowing the jaws to yield slightly
to compensate for slight variations in the size of different buttons, as set forth.
18th. In a button sewing machine, a supporting plate two button holding jaws
pivoted to the plate adapted to receive the button between the outer ends of
the jaws and provided with projecting pins at their opposite ends, a gauge
provided with a projecting pin at its inner end mounted in bearings on the
supporting plate and movable in and out in its bearings combined with a cam
pivoted to the supporting plate having cam surfaces to engage the projecting
pins on the holding jaws to adjust said jaws to various sizes of buttons, said
cam also having a cam surface to engage the projecting pin on the gauge
to adjust the gauge to cause the centres of all buttons held in the jaws to
occupy the same position no matter how they may vary in size, for the purpose
set forth.
19th. In a button sewing machine, a stitch forming mechanism, an inter-
mittingly reciprocated carriage, a bracket carried by and reciprocated with said
carriage movable on the carriage at a right angle to the line of its reciprocation,
a plate pivoted to the bracket, button holding jaws mounted on the plate, a spring
to move the bracket automatically in one direction, a pawl to lock it in the
opposite direction against the influence of the spring, a lever pivoted to the
carriage to operate on the bracket to move said bracket and cause it to be
locked against the influence of the spring, and a rod between the bracket
operating lever and the plate for carrying the button holding jaws whereby
the operation of said lever will first cause the bracket to be moved and locked
against the influence of the spring and then cause the plate to turn upon
its pivot to raise the jaws in order to receive the button, for the purpose set
forth.
DL: 10st. In- of Tune 100K
HERBERT HADDAN & Co.,
18 Buckingham Street, Strand, London, W.C., Agents to Applicant.