Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd. May, 1887
Specification Accepted, 3rd June, 1887.
I, DANIEL MILLS, of 47 Vauxhall Road Birmingham, in the County of Warwick,
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:-
My invention relates to button-hole feed mechanism for sewing-machines, and
comprises various improvements in the apparatus described in the specification
of former Letters Patent granted to me and dated 23rd September A.D. 1884,
No. 12,716.
The main objects of my present invention are to simplify the construction of the
mechanism, and to reduce the number of parts thereof without detracting from its
efficiency for stitching the sides and barring the ends of button-holes.
In the accompanying drawing
Figure 1 is a plan, partly in horizontal section, and
Figure 2 a side elevation of my improved button-hole mechanism, constructed, like
the mechanism described in my said former specification, in the form of a sewing-
machine attachment.
Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal central section of the said mechanism.
Figure 4 is a plan of part of the said mechanism, the cover-plate hereinafter
described being removed.
Figure 5 is a plan, partly in horizontal section on the line x, x, Figure 3, the
operating levers and the casing hereinafter described being removed.
Figure 6 is a plan, partly in horizontal section on the line x, x, Figure 3.
Figure 7 is a plan, partly in horizontal section on the line x, x, Figure 3.
Figure 8 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line y, y, Figure 1, the operating
lever hereinafter described being shewn in dotted lines.
Figure 9 is a similar view with the said lever shewn in full lines, showing the
operating parts in another position.
Figure 10 is a vertical section on the line z, z, Figure 6, and
Figure 11 is an inverted plan or underside view of the outer end of the
Healunent

page_text: A is the base-plate of the attachment, which has on its underside dovetail ribs or
guide-pieces a whereby it may be fitted in a groove in the throat-plate of a sewing-
machine bed. In Figure 2, a portion of the sewing-machine head and needle-bar are
shewn in dotted lines.
All the operative parts of the button-hole mechanism receive motion from the said
needle-bar, a pin on the said bar engaging with the notched or forked end of the
long arm of the operating lever B, which lever is pivotted at 6 to an upright A³ on
the base-plate A, substantially as described in my said former specification.
In my present mechanism, as in that described in the said former specification, there
is pivotted to the base-plate a plate S, which is intermittently vibrated or oscillated (to
an extent determined in this case, by a single pattern cam or former as hereinafter
described) for the formation of the sides and barred ends of the button-holes. On this
vibrating or oscillating plate (which I, in some instances, term the primary slide) is
mounted the secondary slide S¹, which carries the cloth clamp K, and to which
intermittent feed motion is imparted by the usual heart-shaped cain L.
I will now proceed to describe in detail the devices which I employ, according to
my present invention, for imparting the desired vibratory or oscillating motion to the
said plate S, for limiting and determining the extent of movement of the said plate,
and for intermittently rotating the cams.
The lever B has a short arın b¹ for transmitting motion to the oscillating plate, and
another short arm & for transmitting motion to the cams which control the feed
movement of the slide and also the extent of movement of the vibrating or oscillating
plate.
The arm b¹ of the lever B extends between jaws or projections C₁ on a slide-bar (),
between which jaws or projections the said arm has some play or lost motion. The
slide-bar C is guided on the base-plate between the upright A' on the one side
and the pivot-pin s of the oscillating plate S and a rib r on the base-plate on the
other side.
The said slide-bar C has a lateral yoke or arms c with a central V-shaped pro-
jection c¹ at one end, and two shoulders or projections c³, c³ at the other end, as
shewn more clearly in Figure 7. Within the space between these projections works
a tappet F carried by the lever D and free to turn on a pivot (fixed in the said
lever D) to an extent limited by a stop-pin d' also fixed in the said lever. This
pivotted tappet has a tapering point f¹, and two arms f, 3, as shown more clearly in
Figure 7. The lever D is pivotted at d to the base-plate A, and, at its end opposite
the tappet F, is connected by a frictional device to the oscillating plate S, which is
pivotted at s to the said base-plate.
The frictional connection between the lever D and the oscillating plate is illustrated
more clearly in Figure 10, and comprises a pin d fixed in the lever D, passing
through a slot S³ in the plate S and screw-threaded at its upper end for the reception
of an adjusting nut v. This nut bears on a spring w, which in turn bears on a washer
or disc w¹ resting on the said plate. By thus making a direct connection between
the lever D and the primary slide or oscillating plate, and providing the simple
frictional connection above described with its pressure-adjusting nut always accessible,
the mechanism is much simplified.
The operation of these devices will be more readily understood on reference to
Figures 6 and 7. As represented in Figure 6, the parts are about in their central
position, and the slide-bar C is supposed to be moving, under the action of the arm bl
of the lever B, in the direction indicated by the arrow 1 in this figure, so that the
V-shaped projection c¹, acting on the tappet F, is moving the lever D in the direction
indicated by the arrow 2 in the said figure, and motion is thus transmitted to the
plate or slide S. When the slide-bar Chas reached the end of its stroke or movement,
the parts will be in the positions shewn by full lines in Figure 7. In the movement
of the slide-bar C in the reverse direction as indicated by the arrow 3 in Figure 7, the
projection c³ will strike the arm f of the tappet F and turn the latter on its pivot f,
so that, when the slide-bar C makes its return movement in the direction indicated by
the arrow 1 in Figure 6, the V-shaped projection e¹ will, as indicated by the dotted

page_text: lines in Figure 7, strike the opposite side of the tapering point of the tappet from
that previously operated on, and thus turn the lever D in the direction indicated by
the arrow 4 in Figure 7. In this manner the reciprocating movement of the slide-
bar is converted into an intermittently vibrating movement of the lever D and of the
primary slide S.
I will now describe the devices for imparting intermittent rotary motion to the cams
upon the centre post or pivot E, that is to say, the heart-shaped cam L, for giving the
feed movement to the secondary slide S, and the pattern-cam or former I for
controlling the extent of movement of the primary slide S.
These cams are firmly united, or are formed in one piece, and are provided at the
top with a worm-wheel H2 geared with a worm H₁ on a shaft G. This shaft is
mounted in bearings in the wall of a casing A* secured to the base-plate and in a
lug a¹ on the underside of the cover plate A¹, as shewn more clearly in Figures 3
and 4. To the outer end of the shaft G is secured a ratchet-wheel H with which
engages a spring pawl h on a pawl-carrier g fitted to turn on the shaft G (Figures 8
and 9). A suitable locking pawl h¹ is provided for preventing backward movement
of the ratchet-wheel. The pawl-carrier g is connected by a link g¹ to an arm B¹
mounted on the pivot-pin b and operated by the arm 62 of the lever B, which arm
projects and works between two stops q, q'. The stop 9 is adjustable, so that the
extent of lost motion of the arm 62 and consequently the feed movement may be
varied.
By the devices above described, the vibrating movement of the lever B is converted,
as will be readily understood, into an intermittent rotary motion of the cams on the
post or spindle Ĕ.
To prevent accidental backward movement of the arm B¹, I combine therewith a
friction device Q preferably consisting of a pin fixed in the arm B₁ and passing
through a slot in the upright A², a spring and an adjusting nut, substantially like
the frictional connection between the lever D and the primary slide or oscillating
plate S.
I dispense with the second pattern-cam.described in my said former specification,
and construct a single pattern-cam or former I to act on both the stop-levers J, Ji
for limiting the vibration of the primary slide S. In the drawing, these levers J, J¹
are shewn as of a somewhat different shape from those shewn in the drawing accom-
panying my said former specification, but no change is made in their mode of
operation or effect, except as regards their control by means of a single pattern-cam.
In order, moreover, to simplify the construction of the parts and the adjustment of
the stop T on the plate or slide S, I so arrange the levers J, J¹ that they project to
one side, instead of being central as heretofore.
I am thus enabled to connect the said levers with the plate or slide S by simply
cutting an angular slot t in the said plate mounting the stop T in the slot and securing
it adjustably by means of a set-screw t¹.
By loosening this set-screw and moving the stop T to another position in its slot,
the depth of bight of the stitches can be readily varied as desired.
The larger face i of the pattern-cam or former is of such a radius that, when either
lever J, Jr bears on the said face, the inner face of the arm or jaw j of that lever will
be parallel with a line radiating from the centre of the fulcrum of the primary
slide S and passing through the centre of the spindle E, so that, in forming the sides
of the button-hole, the inner lines thereof will always be at the proper distance
apart.
The devices through which the heart-shaped cam L transmits the feed motion to
the secondary slide S¹ carrying the cloth-clamp, are substantially the same in con-
struction and operation as those described and shewn in my said former specification,
the only difference being that, in this case, I have shown the lever N as connected to
the slide S by a link n, (Figures 1 and 3) instead of by a pin and slot. This lever N
has, as before, an adjustable connection with the elbow lever M which is held up to
the cam L by the radius bar 01 through the curved connecting link o, substantially as
described in the said former specification.

page_text: To prevent the raising of the outer end of the oscillating plate or slide off the
base-plate by the pull of the sewing-machine needle, I screw into the underside of the
slide, near its outer end, set-screws p, p, Figure 11, which pass through curved
slots A³ in the base-plate, and whose heads bear against the underside of the said
plate, or enter recesses therein.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :—
First. The combination, with the vibrating or oscillating plate or primary slide, of
a lever having a direct frictional connection with the said plate or slide, a tappet
carried by and pivotted to the said lever, and a reciprocating slide-bar having
projections to act on the said tappet, substantially as, and for the purposes, set
forth.
Second. The combination, with the vibrating or oscillating plate or primary slide,
of a fixed or adjustable stop on the said plate or slide, a pair of levers to act on the
said stop, and a single rotating pattern-cam or former for controlling the said levers,
all substantially as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Third. The combination, with the vibrating or oscillating plate or primary slide
and the secondary slide, of cams for controlling the said slides, and a worm-wheel
and worm arranged to be operated by means of a pawl and ratchet-wheel, substantially
as, and for the purposes, set forth.
Fourth. The combination, with the said slides and controlling cams, of an arm B¹
for operating the said cams connected by means of a frictional device, or otherwise,
with the upright A', and a lever B so connected with the said arm that it has
a variable or adjustable lost motion, all substantially as, and for the purposes, set
forth.
Fifth. The improved button-hole attachment for a sewing-machine consisting of the
parts constructed and combined substantially as described with reference to the
accompanying drawing and operating as, 'and for the purposes, above specified.
0
1 1
C
1007
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.