IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR EMBROIDERING AND STITCHING BUTTON HOLES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Robert Lake, of the Firm of Haseltine,
Lake, & Co., Patent Agents, Southampton Buildings, London, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES CHIEFLY DESIGNED
FOR EMBROIDERING AND STITCHING BUTTON HOLES." -A communication
from abroad by C. W. M. Smith, of San Francisco, California,
United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said William Robert Lake
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 21st April 1871, pursuant to the 9th Section
of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
ROBERT LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake, & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, London, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWING MACHINES CHIEFLY DESIGNED FOR EMBROIDERING AND STITCHING BUTTON
HOLES," and have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my exe-
cutors, administrators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the

page_text: same, and have made solemn Declaration that it has been communicated
to me from abroad by C. W. M. Smith, of San Francisco, California,
United States of America.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Robert Lake, do hereby
declare that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and
seal, fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement, reference being had to the accompanying Drawings, forming
a part of this Specification :---
My present Invention relates to that class of sewing machines which
are provided with a frame for holding the cloth, the same to be moved
by proper mechanism in different directions while the needle is out of
the cloth for the purpose of embroidering or stitching button holes.
The said Invention consists mainly in certain details of construction
by which the cloth is moved from side to side so as to form the proper
stitch, and at the same time the mechanism advanced toward the head
or upper end of the button hole, at which point the side movement
is gradually changed into an end movement, and this again into a side
movement after the cloth has passed around and commenced its return
movement to finish the other side of the button hole as will hereafter
more fully annear

page_text: adapted to the so-called "Florence" sewing machine, and I have
employed the lug and socket ordinarily used for the purpose of attaching
the common cloth plate on that machine. B is the central opening to
receive the bridge of the machine. The upper part of the bed plate is
recessed near its circumference to receive the cam plate C, and also at
the centre to allow the cloth holder to work at the desired distance from
the bridge of the machine. The cam plate is a ring in which two
grooves a, a¹, are formed, and the general outline of the inner groove is
eccentric to the outer and inner circumference of the cam plate, and by
this groove the cloth holder is moved forward and back to form the
length of the button hole. The outer groove a is also made with wavy
or corrugated sides throughout its whole circumference except for a
short distance at one point b where the corrugations are gradually
diminished to a plain curve from each direction for a purpose to be
hereafter described. The inner groove is a plain curve throughout its
circumference except at one point b³, where it is formed into corrugations
similar to those in the greater part of the outer groove, their object being
also hereafter described. The inner edge of the cam plate is smooth
and moves freely against the shoulder or flange c of the recess in the
bed plate, and the outer edge is provided with ratchet teeth d around
the whole circumference, which are engaged by the pawl e, and the
cam plate is thus revolved. A cap or top plate D is secured to the bed
plate A and keeps the cam plate in place.
The operating arm or lever E is so mounted as to oscillate about a pin
or stud at F, the opposite end being moved by a stud f from the needle
bar, the stud entering and working in a slot in the arm E, as shewn at
Figure 3. A toe or cam G is secured to the arm E, and this acts on a
double cam H, H', to make it oscillate about the pin I on which it is
mounted. The lower end H' of this cam strikes a jointed arm J, K, to
move it forward at each stroke. A piece of hardened steel L is secured
to the arm J at the point where the cam strikes it, so as to lessen the
wear. The end of the arm K is formed into a pawl g, and a projecting
piece is bolted to this end so as to form another pawl e (Figure 1) to one
side of or above g. The two pawls engage one in the teeth d of the cam
plate to revolve it, and the other in a small ratchet wheel h, as shewn at
Figure 2. A suitable spring M is secured and attached to the arm K, so
that the pawls will be retracted and the arm J will closely follow the
cam H³ when it moves back, as shewn at Figure 2. The ratchet wheel /

page_text: g
is formed with two deep teeth i in succession followed by onc. shallow
one j, so that when the pawl enters the deep teeth the corresponding
pawl for the cam plate will enter the teeth d, and thus move the cam
forward one tooth each time. But when the pawl y engages the shallow
tooth of the ratchet wheel the other pawl will be raised too high
above the teeth d to move the cam plate, which consequently remains
stationary. By this device the cloth holder will be moved so that two
stitches will be made on the inside and one on the outside of the button
hole. The cloth holder N is formed as shewn in Figure 4 with a
clamp o hinged to it at 7 so that it can be shut down to hold the cloth
firmly in place. Two grooves are made in the bed plate A, and in onc
of them moves a slide or plate P which is operated by a short pin or
stud m which projects from its end and enters the outer cam groove a in
the plate C. A disk Q is riveted to the slide as shown. R is a lever
arranged to oscillate about a point of support at R', and it has a pin
connecting it with a slot in the disk Q, so that it receives motion from
the slide P. The pitman S has a latch n, and this is operated by a
spring, as shown at Figures 5 and 6. The latch fits into notches in
the lever R, and when the end of the button hole is reached the lever is
moved from one notch to the other, the catch n holding it in place. This
movement doubles the throw, and permits the needle and thread to pass
clear across the opening to the other side. The pitman also connects the
lever with the cloth holder by a pin or stud which enters a slot at onc
side, and by this means the groove a in the cam plate gives a side motion
to the cloth to form the peculiar stitch while moving up the side of the
button hole. When the head of the button hole is reached it will be
nccessary to gradually change the motion so as to form the stitch
correctly around this head. And for this purpose a second slide T is
constructed moving in a slot nearly at right angles with the slide P.
This slide is connected by a stud or pin Z with the inner cam groove a¹.
A. disk is secured to the slide T, and a lever arm U is pivoted at t so as
to extend across the disk to which it is pinned, and thus receives motion
from the slide. The end of the arm U is connected by a link V with the
cloth holder, and as the eccentric groove. a³ moves the slide forward or
back the necessary travel will be given to the cloth holder to form the
button hole. The slide and cloth holder have only this regular motion
until the head is reached. At this point the wavy outline or corrugation
of the groove a commences to decrease till the curve becomes plain as
at 6, while the groove a¹ begins to assume a wavy appearance as at 6', so
r

page_text: that as the movement of the cam plate carries the cloth around at the
lead the side movement will constantly decrease, while the end move-
ment will increase in proportion till the stitch begins to form down the
other side, when the motions are again reversed until the side movement
entirely prevails again. The upper end of the cloth holder is provided
with a slot to which a box is fitted; this box moves freely on a stud u
made fast to the bed plate, so that the cloth holder can take a longi-
tudinal sliding motion or a transverse vibrating motion. The lower part
of the cloth holder is bent down to reach the level of the recess in the
centre of the bed plate, as shown at Figure 3, and has an clongated
slot y of the shape of an enlarged button hole, and the upper surface is
made concave so as to come to a knife edge all around, thus bringing the
work close to the bridge. w, w, are two arms oscillating on the stud u
secured to the bed plate. The outer ends of these arms are brought
together at the edge of the opening for the button hole, and are kept
constantly in contact with it by a spring u. When the upward motion of
the cloth holder takes place the ends of the arms w push the cord formed
by the coils around the upper thread to the inside of the button hole,
thus giving it the same appearance as that of a button hole made by
hand. The upper part of the clamp corresponding with the eyclet or
enlarged part of the button hole has a cam-shaped aperture 5, which
serves to guide the arms w, w, when the head of the button hole is being
formed. A scale w¹ may be formed on the plates so as to determine the
•

page_text: operating pin Z, and the motion will then be that necessary to form the
stitch, as will be hereafter described. The cloth is placed in the holder
and firmly secured by the clamp as before described, the button hole
having been previously cut, or the cloth may be left whole as described,
when the machine is set in motion.
It will here be observed that there will be two motions of the clothi
holder, one a regular feeding motion as above described, which is
imparted by the inner or eccentric groove a' while the other is the motion
for forming the stitch, most of which is communicated by the outer
corrugated groove a of the cam plate. This groove operates the pin m
on the slide P, and from this through the lever R and pitman S the
motion is conveyed to the cloth holder as previously described, so that
the slide or stitch movement is made; these movements take place
between the stitches, and it will be manifest that the cam plate and the
cloth holder will remain stationary while the stitch is being taken. The
peculiar stitch to be taken will govern the particular movement of the
cloth holder. For the present illustrations the button hole stitch is
shown and explained; but the device is applicable to other embroidery
stitches. The side movement is made at the proper time by means of
the ratchet wheel h. When the pawl g falls into the deep teeth i the
pawl e will be allowed to fall into a tooth d of the cam plate, and thus
rotate it, but when the pawl g falls into a shallow tooth j the pawl e
will not reach low enough to move the cam plate. It will therefore be
easily understood that by arranging the place and number of the shallow
teeth in the small ratchet wheel the cam plate can be made to remain
motionless at any one or several vibrations of the needle arm, and in
order according to the necessities of the stitch. The cloth holder
can take either a longitudinal or a transverse motion, and it is the
combination of these two movements which at every vibration of the
needle arm sets the cloth in the proper place underneath the needle, so
that when the cams have made one entire revolution, the perforations
in the material present together the shape of a button hole or of the
design as in the case of embroidering.
any
In making the stitch the cloth holder is so placed that the needle will
go down inside the button hole at the point or lowest end. The little
ratchet will be so placed that the pawl g rests in a deep tooth preceding
a shallow one. The first stitch taken will coil the under thread around
the upper one as shown at Fig. 12, and the pawly then falls into a

page_text: shallow tooth j, and the second stitch being in the same place coils
the under thread again around the upper one. At the third vibration
of the needle arm the pawl 9 again working into a deep tooth of the
ratchet will allow the pawl e to engage a tooth of the ratchet d, and
5 thus revolve the cam one tooth. This movement changes the position
of the cloth holder, and the next stitch will be taken on the outside edge
of the button hole, the under thread being coiled as before around the
upper one. The next vibration again presents the inside edge to the
needle but the lower thread has been drawn up by the tension of the
upper thread, so that I now have the first complete stitch composed of
the upper thread lying straight along the edge of the hole with three
coils of the under thread around it. This is continued till the button
hole is finished. The handle ¹ is for the purpose of moving the cam
plate independently of the vibration of the needle arm by means of the
pawl Y which engages the teeth d of the cam plate.
Having thus fully described the said Invention as communicated to
me by my foreign correspondent, I claim,-
First. The single cam plate C with the two grooves a and a³, and
ratchet & when constructed and operating substantially as and for the
purpose described.
Second. The ratchet wheel with its deep and shallow teeth i and j
substantially as and for the purpose described.
Third. In combination with the double grooved cam plate c and the
peculiar ratchet wheel h, the double pawls e and g with the operating
lever J, K, substantially as herein described.
Fourth. The operating mechanism consisting of the arm E with its
toe G, and the double cam H, H', together with the levers J, K, and
the retracting spring M or equivalent devices, substantially as herein
described.
Fifth. The slide P and disc Q with the lever R and the pitman S in
combination with the grooved cam plate C when connected with the
cloth plate and operating to produce a transverse vibrating motion,
substantially as herein described.
• Sixth. The slide T with its disk r, and the lever U and link V in
combination with the grooved cam plate C when connected with the

page_text: cloth plate to produce a longitudinal motion and the necessary throw
for the stitch, substantially as herein described.
Seventh. The arms w, w, with their spring a¹ when formed to rest on
the cloth and throw the cord formed to the inside edge of the button
hole substantially as described.
Eighth. The cam shape 5 of the aperture in the upper clamp for
guiding the ends of the arms w, w, in the proper place, substantially as
described.
Ninth. The pitman S in combination with the notches q and latch n,
substantially as described.
Tenth. The handle Z' in combination with pawl Y and ratchet teeth a
for the purpose described.
Eleventh. A mechanical device causing the needle of a sewing
machine to take successively two or more stitches at the same place in
the inside of a button hole operating substantially as and for the purpose
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Robert Lake, have herc-
unto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of April, in
the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
one.
WILLIAM ROBERT LAKE. (L.S.)