Improvements in Button-hole Sewing Machines.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Jan., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Oct., 1888
Complete Specification Accepted, 2nd Nov., 1888
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Button-hole Sewing Machines.
I, WILLIAM NORRIS of 3 Barron's Place, Waterloo Road Southwark, in the
county of Surrey, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This Invention relates to improvements in button-hole sewing machines and more
particularly to improvements in a machine described in the Specification of a Patent'
granted to me and dated 13th September 1887 No. 12405.
<<
The improvements consist in certain alterations in the mechanism for giving the
cross stitch" and "barring" motion to the table carrying the work during the
operation of making. .a button-hole: whereby the construction and working of
the machine is simplified, greater accuracy is ensured, and the working parts are
more easily replaced when worn or damaged. The width of the button hole may
also be varied to suit different classes of work.
To this end the main driving shaft of the machine is furnished with a pinion
which gears into a toothed cam wheel secured to a shaft, carried in bearings on the
frame. This wheel is formed with an edge cam on one side, the larger diameter of
which corresponds to the diameter of a disc or boss formed on the same side of the
toothed wheel and situate between the cam and the teeth of the wheel.
The table, to which the work is secured by a presser foot in the usual manner, is
mounted on a carriage which is capable of a compound movement: viz., a traversing
motion for feeding the work under the needle, and a reciprocating motion for
giving the width of the button-hole. The former movement is effected by a right
and left handed screw feed cam carried by an intermediate shaft, and a lever similar
to those described in the specification above mentioned.
Mounted loosely on one end of the carriage, and lying transversely thereof, is a
three stepped roller which is capable of movement in the direction of its axis. This
roller is caused to bear on the cam formed on the toothed cam wheel by a spring,
one end of which is attached to the frame of the machine, the other end being made
fast to the carriage. The depth of the steps on this roller indicate the width of the

page_text: button-hole to be made, and the middle step always determines the position of
the centre of the button-hole, so that if a wider button-hole is required to be made,
it is only necessary to substitute for the roller in use one having deeper steps, but if
for a narrower button-hole, the steps on the roller will not be so deep.
For sewing one side of the button hole, the cam will be caused to act on the
middle step of the roller, thus pushing the work-plate forward against the spring,
and the last step or smallest diameter of said roller will (on the cam ceasing to act
on the middle step of the roller) by the action of the spring be caused to bear on
the disc or boss of the toothed cam wheel. But when the end of the button-hole is
reached, the roller will have been shifted (as will be presently explained) so that the
cam will act on the first step or largest diameter of the roller, the throw being con-
trolled by the last step of the roller striking the periphery of the disc or boss on the
toothed wheel, thus causing the table to move a distance equal to the full width of
the button-hole, and form the "bar"
This movement will continue until the "bar" of the button-hole is completed,
when the step roller will again be shifted to cause its first step to bear on the cam,
thus shifting the table carrying the work the necessary distance for forming the
opposite side of the button-hole. On the cam ceasing to act, the middle step of the
roller, will, by the contraction of the spring strike the periphery of the disc on
the toothed wheel, and so on for each stitch until the opposite side of the button hole
is completed.
The step roller is shifted for the above operations by a forked lever engaging at
one end in a groove turned in the end of the step roller, and at the other end the
lever is pivotted to the frame of the machine somewhat above the level of the axis
of the feed cam shaft. A pin on this lever is caused to bear on the end of the screw
feed cam by a spring which is attached at one end to the frame of the machine and
at the other to the lever,
The end of the screw feed cam is cut away to form three separate faces at different
levels, the pin in the forked lever bearing against the lowest face for forming one side
of the button-hole, on the middle face (which is intermediate between the other two
faces on cach side of the centre of the screw cam) for forming the "bar," and on
the higher face for the opposite side of the button-hole. The middle faces are so
spaced as to only allow of the pin in the forked lever resting upon them (during the
rotation of the screw feed cam) a sufficient time for forming the "bar" of the
button-hole, when the pin in the forked lever will either rise to the higher face for
shifting the step roller into a position for forming one side of the button-hole, or
fall to the lowest face for forming the opposite side of the button-hole.
The rotation of the feed cam is effected in the usual manner.
The above Improvements have been described as applying to an automatic button
hole sewing machine, but it is evident they may be applied to machines in which the
work is shifted into the required positions for forming the sides and "bars" of button
holes by hand without departing from the essential points of the Invention.
Dated this and dan of Tanv1000
'

page_text: I, WILLIAM NORRIS of 3 Barron's Place Waterloo Road Southwark in the County
of Surrey, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
This Invention relates to improvements in button-hole sewing machines, and more
particularly to improvements in a machine described in the Specification of a Patent
granted to me, and dated 13th September 1887 No. 12405.
$8
The Improvements consist in certain alterations in the mechanism for giving the
cross stitch and "barring" motion to the table carrying the work during the
operation of making a button-hole, whereby the construction and working of the
machine is simplified, greater accuracy is ensured and the working parts are more
easily replaced when worn or damaged.
The width of the button-hole may also be varied to suit different classes of work.
In sheet I of the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation partly in section of
a button-hole sewing machine constructed according to this invention.
Fig. 2 a plan view of the same and Fig. 3 a vertical section on the line at
of Fig. 1.
A is the main driving shaft fitted with a pinion A¹ gearing into a toothed cam
wheel B mounted loosely on a stud pin C, carried by the frame D of the machine.
The wheel B is formed with an edge cam b, the larger diameter of which corresponds
with the diameter of a disc or boss ¹, situate between the cam 6 and the teeth of
the wheel B.
The table E to which the work is secured by a cramp in the usual manner, is
mounted on a carriage E' which slides in guides in the frame D. A compound move-
ment is communicated to the table E ciz. a traversing motion for feeding the work
under the needle, and a reciprocating motion for giving the width of the button-hole.
The former movement is effected by the rotation of a right and left handed screw
cam F, fixed to an intermediate shaft F and a lever F as described in the specifi-
cation above referred to.
A feed wheel F³ is mounted on one end of the shaft F: the tail of the wheel F3
overlies and is actuated by a cam g on the driving pulley G.
The reciprocating motion is communicated to the table E in the following manner.
Mounted loosely on a pin in one end of the carriage E' is a roller e having three
steps 1, 2, 3. This roller is caused to bear on the cam 6 by a spring E², one end of
which is attached to the frame of the machine, the other end being made fast to the
carriage E. The depth of the steps on the roller e indicates the width of the button-
hole, and the step 2 always determines the position of the centre of the button-hole :
so that if a wider button-hole is required, it will be only necessary to substitute for
the roller in use, one having deeper steps, and for a narrower button-hole a roller
having shallower steps.
For sewing one side of the botton-hole the cam bin its rotation will act on the step 2
of the roller e (see Fig. 4.) thus pushing the work plate forward against the spring E³,

page_text: and the step 3 of the roller e will, (on the cam ceasing to act on the step 2 of the
roller e) by the action of the spring E be caused to bear on the disc or boss of the
wheel B, thus drawing back the table E a distance equal to the depth of the step 2. This
movement will continue until the end of the button-hole is reached: when the roller e
will be shifted endwise (as will be presently explained) into the position shown at
Fig. 5, where the cam will act on the step 1 of the roller e, the throw being controlled
by the step 3 striking the disc or boss of the wheel B, thus causing the table E to
move backwards & forwards a distance equal to the depth of the steps 1 and 2, or
twice the distance before travelled, and so form the "bar" of the button-hole.
The roller e will now again be shifted end wise into the position shown in figs. 1, 2
and 3 where the step 1 of the roller e bears on the cam 6: the backward movement
of the table E being controlled by the step 2. of the roller e striking the disc of the
wheel B and so on for each stitch until the opposite side of the botton-hole is
completed.
The step roller e is shifted endwise for the above operations by an arm H pivotted
at one end to the frame of the machine, the other end engaging in a groove turned in
the roller e. A pin on the arm H is caused to bear on the end of the screw-cam F
by a spring which is attached at one end to the arm H and at the other end to the
frame of the machine.
h
*. 3*,
The end of the screw feed cam F is cut away to form three separate faces 1×, 2*,
at different levels (see Figs. 6): the pin on the arm H bearing against the lowest
face 3 as in Figs. 2 & 3 for forming one side of the button-hole, on the middle
face 2 (see Fig. 5) (which is intermediate between the faces 1x, 3*, on each side of the
centre of the screw cam F) for forming the "bars" of the button-hole, and on the
highest face 1x (see Fig. 4) for forming the opposite side of the button-hole.
Thus it will be seen, the screw feed cam F in its rotation will rock the arm H and
so shift the roller e endwise on its pin, into the required positions, as shown in the
drawings.
The step roller e is preferably made of hardened steel, the depth of the steps being
made to suit any width of button-hole.
The movement of this roller is so regulated as to ensure the greatest accuracy in the
work, and it is easily replaced when worn or changed if required.
The above improvements have been described as applying to what is known as an
automatic button-hole sewing machine. I will now describe a similar arrangement as
.applied to a button-hole sewing machine in which the work is shifted by hand into the
required positions for forming the sides and "bars" of button-holes.
Figs. 7, 8 and 9 Sheet II of the accompanying drawings show in side elevation,
plan view and cross section respectively, as much of a button-hole sewing machine as
will serve to illustrate the application of the invention thereto.
In
In these Figs. A is the driving shaft, A¹ a pinion, B the toothed cam wheel.
*this case the cam bis formed on one side of the wheel B, and is shown in face view
at Fig. 10.
•
:
S
The step roller e is mounted loosely so as to be capable of sliding on a pin carried
by a lever arm I secured.near one end of a rock shaft I. Near the opposite end of this
shaft is fixed a second lever arm 12 its upper end bearing against the slide carrying
the table E.
.
As the cam acts on the steps of the roller e the lever arm I will through the shaft I¹
cause the table E and with it the work which is clamped to it in the usual manner
to move a distance sideways equal to the depth of one step of the roller e: the table
being returned to its position by a spring E attached at one end to the slide of the
table E and at the other end to a nut K' in which a feed screw K works.
This movement is controlled as in the first described arrangement by one or other
of the steps on the roller e striking a plain surface formed on the wheel B. The
action of the roller being precisely similar to that described in the first arrangement.
The roller e is shifted into the necessary positions by means of a forked lever H;
the upper arm of which engages in the screw F.
This screw is provided with a handle F¹ by means of which it is turned to one side

page_text: or the other for shifting the roller e into the positions for one side or the other of the
button-hole or is set midway in order to form the "bar."
:
On one side of the wheel B is formed a boss carrying on either side a tappet B¹.
These tappets will engage with one or other of a pair of star wheels B3 B* carried by
a sleeve, which slides on the end of the feed screw K but is prevented from turning
thereon by a feather.
On shifting the forked lever H one or other of the star wheels B3 B4 will lie in the
path of the tappets B³, and the feed screw will be partially rotated in one direction or
the other. This movement being communicated to the table E through the nut K¹ the
work will be fed in the required direction at will.
When the lever H is shifted so as to cause the star wheels B3 B4 to clear the
tappets B, the feed will be stopped, and the step roller e will have been moved into
the required position for forming the "bar" of the button-hole, as shown at Fig. 7.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. In a button-hole sewing machine the use of a toothed cam wheel as B, acting on
a step roller as in the manner and for the purpose above set forth, with reference to
sheet I of the drawings.
2. The means above described for shifting the step roller e into the required
positions for the various stages of the work, as set forth, with reference to sheet I
of the drawings.
3. In a button-hole sewing machine, the means above described for imparting a
varying reciprocating movement to the table carrying the work, as and for the purpose
above set forth, with reference to sheet II of the drawings.
Dated this 2nd day of October 1888.
WILLM. NORRIS.