Improvements in and relating to Button-hole Sewing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: COMPLETE DI VITIATION
[Communicated from abroad by ARTHUR SIBLEY, of Chelsea, Massachusetts, and
ARTHUR AMORY, of Boston, Massachusetts, both in the United States of
.America.]
Improvements in and relating to Button-hole Sewing Machines.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
45, Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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 :-
The invention relates to a button-hole stitching and barring machine having
stitching mechanism comprising an upper reciprocating eye-pointed needle and a
looper, a lower reciprocating eye-pointed needle and a looper, which needles and
loopers are mounted to have a progressive or step-by-step rotary movement
imparted to them during the stitching of the eye of the button-hole and hold
reversed positions during the stitching of the sides of the button-hole, that is, at the
beginning of the stitching of one side they occupy a suitable position for the
stitching of that side, then turn to stitch the eye, and then remain in their turned
position during the stitching of the other side of the button-hole and the stitching
of the bar, when they are automatically returned upon the stopping of the machine
to their original position, or in the position which they should occupy to begin the
stitching of the side of another button-hole.
The upper needle is the one which sews through the material and is eccentrically
held upon its reciprocating bar. The lower needle is centrally placed in its bar
and except during the stitching of the bar is passed through the button-hole slit
and eye, two threads being used in the formation of the stitch. There is used in
connection with the stitching mechanism, work clamps and work presenting
mechanism. The clamps operate to hold the work during the cutting of the
button-hole slit and eye and the stitching of the sides and eye and the formation
of the bar, although they do not strain the material prior to the operation of
the button-hole cutter and during the stitching of the bar. The clamps are
mounted upon a feeding apparatus or device which has a movement towards the
stitching mechanism during the stitching of one side of the button-hole slit, then
a slower movement while the stitching devices are travelling about the eye
which is gradually stopped and reversed, and then a backward movement upon the
end of the stitching of the eye to its original position, and then there is imparted
to it another movement which causes the clamps to release the strain upon the
material and the material to be given a slight lateral movement in relation to the
stitching devices to permit them to sew a barring stitch of the same length as that
used in stitching the sides and eye in the material at the end of the button-hole
slit, both needles then passing through the material.
The invention further relates to a button-hole cutting or slitting device mounted
upon the same frame with that of the stitching mechanism but independently
operated by separate belt or power and having distinct starting and stopping
mechanism; also to the combination of said button-hole cutting or slitting devices
with the starting mechanism of the button-hole stitching devices and with said
devices.
The invention further relates to the means and manner of operating the work
clamps, to the construction and operation of the loopers, to mechanism for
transferring the clamps and material from the stitching to the eye and slit-cutting
mechanism and returning it from said mechanism to the stitching mechanism, to
the barring mechanism, to a method of barring button-holes, and to various details
of construction and organization all of which will be hereinafter described.

page_text: In the accompanying drawings
--
Fig. 1 is a view in right side elevation of my improved machine.
Fig. 1 is a view to represent especially some of the connections between the
main or power shaft and the stitching devices.
Figs. 18 and 1° are detail views to represent the manner of communicating motion
from the main shaft to an intermediate shaft connected with the lower cam shaft
or shaft which carries the cam for moving the clamp plates and clamps in relation
to the sewing mechanism.
Fig. 2 is a view in left side clevation of my improved machine.
Fig. 2 is a vertical central section from front to rear of the machine still
further illustrating the connections between the main shaft and the stitching
devices.
Fig. 3 is a view in horizontal section upon the horizontal dotted line xx of
Figure 1 and in plan of the parts below said line.
Fig. 4 is a view in horizontal section upon the horizontal dotted line y y of
Figure 1 and in plan of the parts below said line.
Fig. 5 is a view in vertical section upon the vertical dotted line of Figure 1.
Fig. 6 is a view in vertical section upon the vertical dotted line ww of Figure 1.
Fig. 7 is a detail view enlarged in side elevation from the left side of the machine
representing the connection between the button-hole cutting starting mechanism
and the material-clamping mechanism.
Fig. 8 is a detail view enlarged principally in plan to further illustrate the
clamping mechanism and the relation between it and the starting mechanism of the
button-hole cutting devices.
Fig. 9 is a detail view enlarged in section and elevation, and
Fig. 10 in plan of the clamps, clamp plate, etc. and their connection with a draw
cam upon the shaft of the button-hole cutting mechanism.
Fig. 11 represents in detail the button-hole cutting mechanism and the cam for
operating it.
Fig. 12 is a view in detail principally in elevation of mechanism for releasing the
clamp at the end of the stitching of the button-hole bar.
Fig. 13 is a detail view in plan of a portion of the clamp-releasing mechanism
shown in Figure 12.
Fig. 14 is a view in plan principally of the clamp and clamp plate mechanism
after the button-hole has been cut but before the operation of stitching, showing
the clamps separated or spread from each other so that the material on each side of
the button-hole cut is pulled apart to open the cut to afford room for the passage
of the lower needle.
Figs. 15 and 16 represent in plan various positions of the clamping plate to
which reference will hereinafter be made.
Fig. 17 is a detail view principally in side elevation of the devices for starting the
stitching mechanism.
Fig. 18 is a view in plan of the same.
Fig. 19 is a view in plan of the latch and connection for holding the rotary
mechanism for rotating the needles and loopers after its operation and until released
at the stopping of the machine to permit the needles and loopers to be returned to
their original position.
Fig. 20 is a view of a portion of the stopping mechanism of the stitching devices.
Figs. 21 21 and 22 are views in cross section and elevation showing mechanism
for moving the clamp plate, etc. in the operation of barring.
Fig. 23 represents in plan the position of the clamp plates in barring.
Fig. 24 is a view in perspective of the clamp-releasing mechanism.
Fig. 25 represents in elevation the mechanism for turning the needle supports
and needles to enable them to sew about the eye of the button-hole.
Fig. 25 is a view enlarged of a portion of the mechanism for rotating the needles
and loopers.
Fig. 26 is a view in plan of this mechanism.

page_text: Fig. 27 is a view enlarged principally of the mechanism for operating the upper looper.
Figs. 274, 27, 27°, 27, 27", 27 are detail views of portions of the looper-operating
mechanism to which reference is hereinafter made.
Fig. 28 is a view principally in vertical section of said mechanism.
Fig. 29 is a view in horizontal section upon the dotted line of Figure 27 and
plan of parts below said line.
Fig. 30 represents the various positions of the upper looper in relation to the
upper and lower needles to show its course or movement in taking the loop, spreading
it, and returning.
Fig. 31 represents the positions which the needles bear to each other in relation
to the button-hole before the beginning of the barring operation, and
Fig. 32 the position which the button-hole and material bear to them during the
barring of the button-hole.
Fig. 33 is a view enlarged of the under looper mechanism in the same relative
position and view as the view of the upper looper shown in Figure 27.
Fig. 34 is a side view of the same.
Fig. 35 is a top view of the mechanism shown in Figure 34.
Fig. 36 is a view of the same with the parts in their normal position.
Fig. 37 is a view in rear elevation showing particularly the independent power
shaft and its .cams.
Figures 38, 39, 40, 41 and 42 are views of the stop motion devices of the stitching
mechanism.
Before giving a specific description of the various parts of the machine, I will
first describe it in a general way in order that the special function of its various
parts may be better understood."
The first operation of the machine is to form the button-hole cut in the material.
This is accomplished by mechanism which is independent of the stitching mechanism,
that is, it is not operated by the stitching mechanism or by the starting device of
the stitching mechanism, but by an independent device independently started, and
this mechanism as embodied in the machine comprises a bed or anvil upon which
the material is cut by the cutter, the cutter operated by a cam on the shaft of the
cutting mechanism, the work plate having a slide movement imparted to it whereby
the material is moved from the stitching position to a position between the anvil
and cutter, and a connection between the starting lever of the cutting mechanism
and the clamps, whereby they are caused to clamp the material to the clamp plate
before they are separated to open the cut, and after the cutting of the hole the
clamps are automatically spread to open the cut by a spreader operated by the
cutting mechanism and before the stopping of the cutting mechanism and the
clamp and material are also automatically moved from the cutter to a position
in operative relation to the stitching mechanism, so that at the first operation
of the machine, the material having been placed upon the clamp plate, the
clamp plate is moved into position beneath the cutting knife, the clamps closed
upon it, the knife operated, and the button-hole cut formed and spread and
the clamp plate and material returned to their original position which is the
stitching position. This is immediately followed by the action of the stitching
mechanism, which may or may not depend upon that of the cutting mechanism.
In the drawing the stitching mechanism is represented as started by a cam upon
the shaft of the cutting mechanism, and upon such starting of the stitching
mechanism the clamp plate is given a forward movement in relation to the stitching
devices upon one line, then a transferring movement during the stitching of the
eye of the button-hole and then a reverse movement upon the same line as the first
to the end of the other side of the button-hole, when it is stopped and the clamps
moved laterally a trifle and brought together to release the strain upon the fabric
and permit a barring stitch of the same length as that used for stitching the sides
to be sewn across the end of the slit. The stitching mechanism of the machine is
represented as embodied in two straight eye-pointed needles, one reciprocating
from above the work clamp plate and the other from below, and looping devices

page_text: having a peculiar construction and operation, which with the needles are adapted
to be turned about the eye of the button-hole in stitching it, and then making a
half revolution.
The clamp plate A is made in two parts a a¹; each part is pivoted at its front
etid a (see Figures 10, 14, 15 and 16) to a slide plate a³. The slide plate carries
the clamp plates and also the clamps B B', and is in turn supported or carried by
the slide bed plate a, the said plate as being pivoted at a to a slide block or
plate & carried by the slide bed plate a* (see Figures 9 and 10).
The clamp plates after they have been spread are held apart by the friction of
the cams 6, 6, upon the clamp arms 6º, 610, the clamps B, B', are moved downward
forcibly by the cams 67, 68, upon the material and clamp plates before they are
separated, the clamp plates then being separated cause the arms 6, 610 to be moved
laterally in relation to the cams b', 68, but without removing the cams from them,
and as the cams still continue to press upon these arms during the entire stitching
of the button-hole and the barring it follows that the clamp plates are held
separated or open by their friction.
The bed plate a is given its movements of feed and rest forward and back upon
the bed as of the machine by means of the cylinder cam a' upon the shaft a" (see
Fig. 4), the bed plate at having an extension provided with a cam pin a² (see
The shaft as is
Figs. 9 and 10) which enters the cam groove of the cylinder cam.
rotated by a worm wheel a' (see Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 6) and a worm al⁰ upon the
shaft al (see Fig. 6), and movements of rotation and rest are provided this
shaft a by means of the connections between it and the power or driving shaft A'.
The rear end of the plate a³ is moved upon the bed plate a transversely the line
of movement of the said plate by a cam a" (see Fig. 4) upon the shaft a³, and a
connection between the plate and the cam. The plate a³ is arranged to slide upon
the slide bed plato a. This movement is imparted in one direction, that is, in a
direction to bring the material between the anvil C and the cutter by means of
a cam c (see Figs. 9 and 10) upon the power shaft C operating the button-hole
cutting mechanism, and a bar c¹ connected at its end c² (see Figs. 9, 10 and 37) by
means of a pine with the plate a³, the plate having a slot c in which the pin
extends (see Fig. 10). This form of connection between the plate and the draw
bar c¹ permits the inner end of the plate to be moved laterally in relation to the
end of the draw bar. The draw bar has its rear end c' extending upwardly into
the path of the cam c, the cam being cut away excepting that portion which
operates to strike or move the draw bar to permit this section of the bar to be
brought into operative relation with it (see Fig. 9). It will be understood that the
shaft C' makes but one complete revolution, consequently when started it causes
the cam c to come in contact with the end of the draw bar c¹ and causes it to draw
the plate a upon the bed plate a sufficiently to move the material to be cut
between the anvil and button-hole cutter, but after the cam is operated to so move
the plate and material, it is shaped to hold the plate and material in such position
by continued contact of its surface with the end of the draw bar until the button-
hole cutter has operated to cut the material, when the cam leaves the end of the
draw bar and permits the springs c, which connect the plate a³ with the plate a*
(see Figures 9 and 10), to draw or move back to its original position the said
plate a³ and the draw bar attached to it. The anvil C is stationary. The cutter C¹
is supported at the forward end of the lever c (see Figs. 1, 2, 9, 11). This lever
is pivoted at c and has a backward extension c (see Fig. 2) which ends over the
shaft C' in position to be operated by the cam co thereon (see Figs. 11 and 37).
The connection between the rear end of the lever and the cam is represented as
established by a rounded steel piece c¹¹ at the end of a yielding or spring arm c¹³
screwed to the under surface of the lever (see Fig. 11), and a set screw c" which
screws through a screw hole in the end of the lever and bears upon the upper
surface of the part c". This permits compensation of the parts to wear and also an
adjustment to vary the throw of the cutter, the set screw serving to hold the
bearing section ¿¹¹ in any desired relation to the end of the lever. The spring o

page_text: attached to the frame and the back end of the lever ce serves to keep the end of
the lever in contact with the cam and to clevate the front end and cutter C₁ (see
Fig. 2). The shaft C' also carries a cam c" (see Figs. 9, 10, and 37). This cam
actuates a push bar ce, which has a wedge shaped front end c" and a rear upward
extension which extends into the path of the cam so that the rotation of the
cam causes the bar to be moved forward from the position to which it
is moved by the movement of the clamp plate to the button-hole cutter. The
function of this bar is to separate the two members a a' of the clamp plate and
the clamps B B' immediately after the operation of the cutter in cutting the
button-hole, to put a strain or tension upon the material about the cut, and to thus
open the hole for the passage of the lower needle, the wedge end c entering the
space (see Fig. 14) between the two plates at their rear end, and causing them
to be pushed from each other until they come into contact respectively with the
stops (see Figs. 10, 14, 15, and 16), which are fastened to the plate a³ and
extend into notches or recesses formed in the sections a a¹. When the shaft C is
connected with the power shaft A' driving the stitching mechanism, it carries the
cam (see Figs. 17 and 37), and this cam communicates motion through the bent
lever pivoted at c to the arm ce secured to a rock shaft c, the other end of
the shaft having a shipper arm and a lever or handle c" (see also Fig. 1). The
shipper arm extends upward, operates to disengage the driven member of the
clutch from the driving member when moved into position to bring its end
between the collar and the pin 33 (see Fig. 5) connected with the driven
member of the clutch to operate it, and upon the removal of this shipping lever
from between the pin and the collar the driven member of the clutch is thrown or
moved by a spring into contact with the driving member, and the stitching
mechanism is started. The came upon the shaft C³ serves to move the shipping
lever away from the pin so that the stitching mechanism is automatically started.
The handie is used for the same purpose so that if the cam and connection
with the shipping lever be not used, the stitching mechanism would be started by
hand by the movement of the lever . The stopping mechanism which will be
described later operates to move the shipper into the path of rotation of the pin,
and through it moves the driven member of the clutch from the driving member,
which is shown as a pulley. The shaft C' also has the driving pulley C³ which
forms one member of a clutch and the driven member c (see Figs. 3, 5, 18, 37).
The pulley C is free to rotate upon the shaft; the clutch member is fixed to the
shaft. A connection is established between the member of the clutch and
the pulley C by means of a lug or tooth upon the inner face of the pulley C³,
and a spring tooth or lug c on the outer face of the driven member. This
spring tooth or lug c is pushed outward from the surface of the driven member by
a spring to a position to be in line with the path of rotation of the tooth or
lug, and is kept or maintained from such contacting position by means of a
sliding finger (see Figures 3 and 18) attached to the slide bar c (see Figures 2,
3, 4, 7, and 18), and adapted to be moved between the clutch member cand
pulley C³ to be in line with the inclined or wedge surface of the spring or
engaging tooth to push and hold it out of operative relation with the lug or
tooth The shaft C³ must make one full revolution, therefore, to start the shaft,
the finger is withdrawn from the contact with the spring engaging tooth c, but
in order to prevent a second rotation of the shaft it must be immediately returned.
To enable this to be done automatically the slide bar " is operated by a trip lever
or handle (see Figures 2, 7, 8, and 18). This trip handle or lever is fastened to
a short shaft at c", and is moved in opposition to the spring e, the spring acting to
throw it into its forward position. The lower end of the lever is in the form of
a finger or tooth having a straight or very nearly straight surface c" (see Fig. 7),
and a rounded surface or end c; it enters a recess in a latch e". This latch is
pivoted at to the slide bar 30, and has a downward movement thereon in
opposition to the spring c", which acts to hold it in a horizontal position, and with
its shoulder co in line with the end c¹³ of the lever. There is also attached to the

page_text: slide a spring c¹ (see Figs. 2 and 3), which acts to draw the slide towards the
back of the machine and the finger between the pulley C³ and the driven
member of the clutch. The shoulder of the latch 47 is somewhat in advance of
the centre of the lever 0, and upon the backward movement of the lever its lower
end is moved forward, engages the shoulder of the latch by its surface c", maintains
a contact therewith sufficient to move the slide in opposition to its spring c³ until
the finger has been drawn from contact with the spring tooth c of the clutch c³,
when the end of the lever becomes disengaged from the latch by reason of its
having pushed the same as far as its movement upon an arc of a circle will permit,
and rides off the shoulder above the same. This permits the spring to
immediately return the slide and finger c to their original or normal position,
and this is accomplished before the shaft C' makes a full or complete rotation, so
that as the spring tooth approaches the end of its first rotation the finger is in
position to bear against it and force or move it from contact with the tooth c.
The lever is returned to its original position by the spring c", the end c" riding
on its backward movement over the upper surface of the latch and depressing or
moving it downward sufficiently to permit it to be returned to the position shown in
Fig. 7. The lever 10 not only serves to start the shaft C and the mechanism it
operates, but the operating movement thereof also closes the clamps B B¹ upon the
fabric and clamp plate. This is represented as accomplished by means of a cam b
upon the inner end of the shaft c", and lever 6' pivoted at 6 (see Figs. 2, 7, and 8).
The front end 63 of this lever is moved into contact with the lever bupon a shaft b
carried by brackets attached to the slide or intermediate table a³. This shaft 68
has wiper camos 768 which upon the partial turning of the shaft are moved upon
the upper surface of the spring clamp holding arms 60 respectively (see Figs. 1,
2, 7, 8, 13, and 14). These clamp holding arms carry the clamps B B¹ at their
forward end and are pivoted at their rear ends 611 6, one to the section a of the
clamp plate and the other to the section a¹ of the clamp plate, so that they are
movable with the said sections towards and from each other (see Figs. 8 and 14).
The movement of the lever 10 to start the shaft C' causes the forward end 3 of
the lever to be moved downward upon the lever ; this turns the shaft and
causes the cams 67 68 to be moved upon the clamp arms / 610 and to move the
clamps B B¹ downward upon the material. This is before the two sections of the
clamp plate and clamp have been separated from each other to stretch the material
about the button-hole. The cams are held locked in this position, that is, in
position to hold the clamps B B' forcibly upon the fabric and clamp plate, by means
of a latch (see Figs. 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 12, and 13), which is pivoted at 6" to the
intermediate slide plate as to swing or move laterally (see Fig. 12), and which is
moved by a spring 6 to bring its upper end beneath the lever 6 attached to the
shaft 6 when said shaft has been turned sufficiently to cause the cams to depress
the clamps and to lift said lever 16 above the line of movement of the stop b¹³.
This latch serves to hold the clamps depressed upon the clamp plate during the
subsequent operation of the stitching mechanism and until automatically released
at the end of the stitching of the bar by a releasing device hereinafter described.
The light springs 617 618 attached to the bracket carrying the shaft b' (see Figs. 8,
10, and 13) bear against the lugs or ears to which the clamp arms 66 are
respectively pivoted and exert a slight pressure upon the sections a a¹ of the clamp
plate sufficient to tend to throw them towards each other or together when they are
otherwise free to be moved into this relation.
Thus far I have described the mechanism depending upon its operation or in part
operated by the independent power shaft C². This mechanism operates in this order
and does the following things: First, the tripping of the clutch closes the clamps
upon the fabric on the clamp plate, which are automatically locked in their closed
position; second, the rotation of the shaft causes, first, the intermediate plate a³,
the clamp plate, clamps, and material to be drawn backward into a position to be
operated upon by the button-hole cutting knife; the button-hole cutting knife is
then immediately operated to cut a hole and punch an eye in the material.

page_text: Immediately after the cutting of the hole and eye, the clamps are spread to stretch
the material and open the hole, the intermediate plate a³, clamp plate, clamps, and
material are then returned to their original position, and are in operative relation
to the stitching nechanism; the driven member of the clutch of the stitching
mechanism is engaged with the driving member thereof, and the stitching mechanism
started, and the shaft C2 then automatically stopped by disengagement of its driven
clutch from its driving pulley, and this shaft is not again rotated or operated during
the operation of the stitching mechanism in stitching the button-hole.
I will now describe the stitching mechanism.
D is the upper straight eye-pointed needle and D' is the lower straight eye-
pointed needle. They are reciprocated on parallel vertical planes, the upper needle
being slightly offset from its needle bar d and from the centre of rotation of the bar,
while the lower needle D' is in line with the centre of rotation of the lower needle
bar (see Fig. 25). E is the upper looper, and E¹ the lower looper. For
reciprocating the upper needle and its needle bar d, there is used the lever (see
Fig. 1), pivoted at (see Fig. 2), and operated through a link d' by a compound
eccentric upon the shaft A'; the upper needle bar is carried by the cylindrical
block d' (see Fig. 5), which is rotated or turned a half revolution at the desired
time, namely, during the stitching of the eye of the button-hole, by the rack
bar de (see Figs. 1, 5, and 25), which engages the pinion fastened to the block,
and which has a forward step-by-step motion imparted to it by a rock shaft and
cam upon the cam shaft a. The lower needle bar d' is reciprocated by means of
the lever (see Figs. 1 and 2), pivoted at , an eccentric upon the shaft A', and
a connecting link d. The needle bar is supported by the block ", which is
rotated in unison with the block d' by means of a rack bar d¹ (see Figs. 25 and 26),
which engages a pinion 3 fast to the block d. This rack bar is given a step-by-
step movement forward or in one direction by means of the rock shaft and cam
above specified.
The upper looper slide e (see Figs. 3, 5, 28) has a vertical movement imparted to
it by the levere (see Fig. 1), pivoted at e³, and actuated by an eccentric E on the
shaft A', and a connecting link. The looper slide e³ of the lower looping mechanism
is operated by the lever et (see Figs. 1, 2, 5), pivoted at e and connected with an
eccentric E on the shaft A' by a link. The movements given the upper and lower
loopers are the same, and the mechanism for imparting movements to them is
similar. I will first fully describe the mechanism operating the upper looper, and
then briefly describe that operating the lower.
The looper E is well shown in Figures 25, 26, 27, and 28, and it is formed with a
straight shank e, a curved section bent at very nearly a right angle to the shank e³,
and having a slight laterally turned flattened end e', from the lower edge of which
extends a looper point or shoe e practically wedge shaped in plan and quite thin.
The path which this looper point takes in relation to the needles is as follows:
Starting from a position of rest at one side of the line of reciprocation of the lower
needle, it passes by the front of the said needle, engages the loop, and moving by a
diagonal path across the plane of reciprocation of the lower needle and the plane
of reciprocation of the upper needle, it engages the loop presented to it by the
lower needle, which, riding on the wedge, is spread thereby and held by the
shoulder while the upper needle moves down through the loop; the looper then,
instead of moving backward upon the same path in which it was moved forward,
follows a curved path back of the plane of reciprocation of the upper needle,
releasing the loop as it moves, and then still following a curved track to the point
of rest; in other words, it describes a long, oval path or track about the planes of
movement of the two needles and passes from outside of the lower needle to a point
inside the upper needle at the time the two needles are separated or at that portion
of their throw. This description applies to the movements of the looper and needles
at the beginning of the stitching of the first side of the button-hole, and before the
stitching of the eye. To provide the looper with these movements it is fastened
by its shank to a lever 1, the lower end of the lever having a hole which receives

page_text: the shank of the looper, the shank being secured therein by a set screw e". This
lever is pivoted at e" to a rock lever es (see Figs. 27, 28, and 29), and the rock
lever is in turn pivoted at e¹ to a bracket els carried by the rotary block d. The
rock lever es has movement imparted to it by means of the looper slide e, a cam.
pin e¹ thereon which enters a cam groove or recess e¹ in an upwardly extending
arm of the rock lever e¹, and this causes the rock lever to be turned downward and
upward upon a horizontal axis at the desired interval and by this means the
horizontal movement of the looper point, or more strictly speaking, its movement
upon the arc of a circle, across the plane of reciprocation of the needles is obtained;
but this, however, does not provide the looper point with any variation as to its
track or path, and this is obtained by means of a lever having the cam
arms ele; the cam arm e" has a guiding surface e; against this guiding surface
an arm of the lever 0 is held by a spring e. The shape of this guiding surface
of the came is such that upon the movement of the end of the lever e" upon it,
it causes the lever elo, and therefore the looper, to be moved upon an arc of a circle
in one direction, and this movement upon the forward movement of the looper
causes the looper to take the curved path in relation to the needles above spoken
of. In order that the looper may not return by the same path by which it advanced,
it is necessary that this cam e" be moved after the looper has reached the end of
its forward movement and to accomplish this the lever 18 which supports it, is
caused to be moved by means of a projection or came on the needle bar which
comes in contact with the cam surface 26 on the arm 20 and moves the lever e¹
sufficiently to move the came at the time when the looper is about to make its
return movement. This moves the cam e" into a different plane or position and
causes the looper to be slightly transferred and return upon a different path from
that in which it was advanced, as a contact is maintained between the needle bar
cam e" and the came on the arm e sufficiently long to permit of a portion of the
return movement of the looper and the lifting of the end of the lever e" upon the
cam e; while the cam el is thus held in its second position. The lever 18 may of
course be a slide if desired; it is pivoted at e to the block d, and is rotated
therewith. The position which the looper bears at its point of rest preparatory to
engaging the loop of the lower needle is represented at a, Fig. 30. Its position
when partially advanced to engage the loop is represented at 6, Fig. 30. Its
position after it has engaged the loop and has advanced through the planes of
movement of the two needles to spread the loop and present it to the upper needle
is represented at c, Fig. 30. The first position upon its return movement, or that
which it takes to move the point backward from its upper needle to drop the loop,
is represented at d, Fig. 30, and from that point it takes an oval path to the point
of rest or position represented at e, Fig. 30.
The lower looper E' (see Figs. 33, 34, 35 and 36) has a shank e", a curved
section e, which is somewhat flattened at its end, and from which extends laterally
a looper point e", the looper point extending from the end of the section eat an
acute angle, and being thin in plan and wedge shape in elevation, having a straight
under edge, and a tapering upper edge (see Fig. 33); it is held by the lever eo,
which is pivoted at its lower end e" to a second lever es, and this leveres is pivoted
at e to the lower rotary block d". This lever has a cam plate extension ein
which is a curved cam groove or slot e", and a cam pin e" at the upper end of the
looper slide e enters this cam recess or slot and gives movement to the lever at
the proper interval of time. This causes the looper to be advanced and retracted.
To give it the lateral movement in relation to the upper and lower needles
necessary, there is used a cam plate e fastened to the block carrying the
button A², and the upper end of the lever e20 is moved into contact with the cam
plate upon its forward movement, which causes the looper point to be deflected from
what otherwise would be a straight line. Upon the reverse or backward movement
of the looper the lever is disengaged from the cam plate which guided it during
its outward movement by the contact of the lower needle bar with a projection e
upon the levere. This moves the lever and looper point laterally, so that the

page_text: return movement is made in a different path from that of the advance movement,
and this path is maintained until the lever and looper finally come to rest. A
spring serves to maintain the lever in contact with the guide cam plate e and
with the needle bar. This mechanism fcr operating the looper is simple and easy,
strong and not liable to get out of order. It will be understood of course that at
the stopping of the machine the rotary blocks, the needles, and loopers
are returned to their original position by a spring or springs acting through the
rack bars.
11
The button-hole is barred by a stitch of the same length as that used in stitching
the sides. To enable it to be used the clamp plate is provided with a slight lateral
movement sufficient to move the material relatively to the needles to bring them
upon opposite sides of the button-hole cut, and at the same time one section of the
clamp plate is moved towards the other to relieve the fabric from the straining
action to which it has been subjected during the stitching of the sides and eye, and
to cause it to be brought together at the barring end of the button-hole in the form
of a slight ridge or pucker, and the bar is sewed while the material is thus held, as
many stitches being used as required. Of course these movements of the clamp
plate are automatic and do not interfere or stop the operation of the stitching
mechanism. The means by which the clamp plate is thus moved to shift the
material transversely and bring together the sections of the clamp are shown in
Figures 21 and 22, and comprise a lever F attached to a rock shaft f. The upper
end of this lever is in a position opposite a lug f projecting downward from the
section a of the clamp plate at the time of its operation. The rock shaft fis turned
at the required interval by means of a lever f³, a link f* connecting its end fo with
an incline fe on a lever pivoted at 8, and by means of the cam recess in the
edge cam fo, and a lever pivoted at f, having its outer end 13 held in contact
with the edge of the cam 10 by a spring f". This lever fll is connected with the
rod by a box f arranged to swivel or turn upon a lug of the lever f". This
rod f' is free to slide in this box. At the end of the stitching of the last side of the
button-hole, the cam recess f' comes in line with the end of the lever and allows
the lever to be moved by the spring f" inwardly a limited distance. This
movement of the lever inward draws the rod / from the position represented in
dotted line in Figure 21 to that shown by the full line and into and up upon the
incline fe upon the lever f'. This moves the lower end f" of the lever finto a
position to be engaged by a section of or plate 18 upon the lower needle lever, and
upon the upward movement of the needle lever d³, the lever f' is moved outwardly
thereby giving a movement to the rod f, which in turn through the lever f³ turns
the shaft sufficiently to cause the lever F to move the section a of the clamp plate
transversely not only sufficiently to release the tension upon the material, caused by
the clamps, but to form a pucker therein and to move the other section or part of
the clamp a' over, where it remains until the material is released; as many barring
stitches as may be desired are sewed, and the rod f is then disengaged from the
lever by the inclined section " of the cam operating to lift or throw out the
lever f, which causes the rod f to be moved from the lever f' and allows
the spring to move the said fever out of operative relation with the rod and
with the lower needle bar lever (see dotted outline Figure 21).
Now in regard to the moving of the clamp plates in the barring position, at the
completion of the stitching of the last side of the button-hole the clamps are still
spread, but by the first impulse of the lever F the clamps are not only closed by
the movement of one section towards the other but both sections are moved slightly
but sufficiently to bring the centre of the button-hole slit midway between the
planes of reciprocation of the upper and lower needles, and after the material has
been thus moved the clamp plates are held stationary in this new position during the
subsequent stitching of the two or three barring stitches by the binding or clamping
action of the said cams acting through the clamps upon the clamp plates, and
while it is true that the lever F continues to be moved with every subsequent
B

page_text: reciprocation of the lower needle it does not accomplish any purpose after its first
action in moving the clamp plates to their barring position.
To press the clamp plates towards each other at their front ends I arrange the
pivot holes which receive the pivots a² in slide blocks . (see Fig. 23), arranged in
recesses in the front cross bar of the intermediate plate a³, and these slide blocks
are movable in the slides in opposition to the springs. This construction is
desirable to permit the lateral movement of the plates in barring and for the purpose
of returning them to their normal position. To permit the movement of the plates
in barring, it is also necessary that the front stop " be attached to a spring a so as
to be movable in the direction in which the clamp plates are moved in barring
(see Fig. 23), the movement of the section a of the plate being such as to bring the
surface of the recess in contact therewith, and requiring that it should have a
slight movement with the plate to permit the plate to be sufficiently moved.
To automatically release the clamp latch 613 at the stopping of the stitching
mechanism I employ a lever G, (see Figs. 4 and 24), which is pivoted at g and the
edge g' of which is in contact with the stop 63 near its lower end but not connected
with it. This permits the horizontal movement of the stop with the plate a³. The
edge of the lever G is moved against the lower end of the stop 13 at the end of
the operation of the barring mechanism by means of the tappet g on the shaft g*
which operates the rack bars. There is attached to the lever G a latch bar ga
which is pivoted thereto at g swinging downward in opposition to the spring 9.
This latch bar has a latch. The tappet 2 has a shoulder g and the rounded
surface (see Fig. 13). The movement of the tappet in one direction as the racks
are moved causes it to come in contact with the latch and depress it without
moving the lever G, and the tappet is moved sufficiently to clear the projection g'
or latch, which is then moved up in line with it, by the spring 7. Upon the
reverse movement of the tappet the tappet surface comes in contact with the latch,
does not depress it, rides upon its bevelled end, and throws the end of the lever
away from it until it rides by the same; it will be seen that the latch g' has in
addition to the side bevel at its outer end the inclined shoulder at its forward
end upon which the tappet rides in depressing it to pass by it upon the feed
movement of the rack bars; this causes the end of the lever to be moved
sufficiently to move the clamp latch 6 from locking engagement with the lever 616
and permits the clamps to be released.
While the cam which operates the rack bars des holds them after they have
turned the blocks ded", needles, and loopers until about the time the machine has
stopped, I have also used a latching device which holds the rack bars in the
position to which they have been moved in turning these blocks, needles, etc., until
released at the very instant of the stopping of the machine and after the needles
have been withdrawn from the work after the last stitch. This mechanism is
represented in Figs. 1, 17, 18, 19 and 20, and it embraces a latch H, carried upon
the lower arm of the rack lever operating the rack bars, and a slide rod h having a
latch-engaging hook end . This rod h is attached at its end ² to the bent lever ³
pivoted at (see Fig. 5) and the arm is bent to come in line with a push rod
carried by the stop shipper (see Figs. 1, 5, and 17). A spring / bears against
the lower arm of the lever ³ and serves to hold outward the latch bar and the
push bar in a position to be engaged by the stop pin attached to the driven
member of the clutch when the shipper has been moved into position to stop the
machine, the pin being of sufficient length to come into contact with the upper end
of the push rod and push the same downward, thereby causing the lower end of
the lever /* to be moved inward, and the latch ' to be disengaged from the catch H.
The engagement between the latch and the catch takes place at the end of the
backward movement of the rack bars. The catch comes in contact with the inclined
surface of the latch and moves it inward sufficiently to permit the catch to ride
past it, when the spring draws the latch into engagement with the catch as
represented in Fig. 19. The stitching mechanism is stopped automatically by

page_text: means of the stop wheel M upon the shaft a8 (see Figs. 4, 17, 18, and 20). This
stop wheel has a limited independent rotation upon the shaft of between an eighth
and a sixteenth of a revolution in opposition to the coil spring m.
There is
attached to the rock shaft ca lever or arm m' (see Fig. 18), which has a slight
movement upon the shaft c, and it is held in contact with the edge of the stop
wheel M by a spring m³. There is in the stop wheel a recess m³, extending inward
from its edge. Upon starting the sewing mechanism the partial rotation of the
shaft moves the lever m¹ from the recess m³ of the stop wheel. The instant it
is moved beyond the edge of the wheel the coil spring m causes the wheel to be
turned immediately removing the recess from below the lever and bringing the edge
of the wheel in position to receive it. This prevents the return of the lever m¹ to the
recess m until the wheel has made a complete revolution, when the end of the lever
drops into the recess m³ and acting through the rock shaft c" moves the shipper c
into position to move the driven member of the clutch from the driving member.
On account of the time which it takes to transmit this movement, the machine does
not come to rest until the shaft bearing the stop wheel M has turned somewhat,
sufficiently to cause the stopping of the rotation of the wheel M to produce tension
in the spring m.
I would not be understood as limiting myself to the precise form of construction
herein described, but may use in lieu thereof any mechanical equivalents capable of
providing like movements to the working parts.
The operation of the machine is as follows: The material is placed upon the
clamp plate beneath the clamps. The movement of the operating lever 10 first
clamps the material upon the clamp plate, the clamps being automatically latched
thereon, and then starts the supplemental shaft C³; the intermediate bed, clamp
plate, clamps, and material are then automatically drawn to the button-hole cutting
mechanism, the button-hole slit and eye are immediately cut, the sections of the clamp
plate and clamp automatically spread or separated to open the button-hole cut, the
intermediate plate, clamp plate, clamps, and material returned to the stitching
position, and the stitching mechanism immediately started, and if the said power
shaft C is connected with the mechanism of the stitching devices, the stitching
devices are automatically set in operation and the stitching of one side of the
button-hole begins, the lower needle plying in the button-hole slit and the upper
needle through the material; the clamp plate, clamps and material then have a
step-by-step movement in an outward direction or towards the front of the machine
during the stitching of the straight portion of this side of the button-hole. The
feed movement of the clamp plate, clamps, and material then becomes slower, and
an additional traversing movement is at the same time imparted to the clamp plate,
clamps, and material, and at the same time the needles and looping devices begin
to rotate. This rotation and traversing movement of the clamp plate is continued
until the eye of the button-hole has been stitched, when the movement of the clamp
plate is step-by-step inward or away from the front of the machine, and the needles
and their looping devices then bear a position the reverse of that occupied at the
stitching of the first side. This position is maintained until the end of the stitching
of the last side of the button-hole, when the stretching action of the clamps upon
the fabric is released by the movement of one section of the clamp plate and its
clamp towards the other clamp plate and clamp sufficiently not only to release this
tension upon the fabric, but also to move the other section of the clamp plate and
its clamp somewhat and to form a pucker in the material at the bar. The sewing
mechanism still continues and sews a barring stitch of the same length as the other
stitches, both needles then passing through the fabric; as many of these barring
stitches are taken as desired, and the stitching mechanism is then automatically
stopped, the clamps automatically released, the rack bars released, and the needles
and loopers automatically turned a half revolution to their original position.
When no connection is used between the power shaft C and the starting
mechanism of the sewing devices after the operation of clamping the material,

page_text: moving the plate to the button-hole cutter, cutting the button-hole, spreading the
clamps and material, and returning the material and clamps to their original
position, the machine comes to rest and the stitching mechanism is independently set
in operation by a movement of the operating lever
In Figures 1 1° is shown a portion of the mechanism connecting the pulley
shaft A with the intermediate shaft a" for imparting to it intermittent periods of
rotation and rest. It embraces a lever having a fulcrum upon the shaft a" and
carrying a slide block which is adjustable in the lever and connected with an
eccentric upon the shaft A' by means of a pitman or connection. This lever is
connected with a rotary case or sleeve surrounding a block fast upon said shaft a¹¹
and having tangential surfaces which support balls or rolls, preferably rolls, and
these rolls are caused upon the rotation of the case in one direction to be moved
towards the deepest portions of the recesses formed in said block, and upon the
partial rotation of the case upon the other side to be moved in an opposite direction
and wedged between said surfaces and the inner wheel of the case, so that motion
is imparted by the case to the block and the shaft a partially rotated, the move-
ment continuing so long as the case is caused to be moved in that direction, but
stopping upon the reverse movement of the case.
In Figures 254, 274, 27°, and 27", the connection between the upper looper lever
and the looper slide is clearly shown; the looper lever is connected by a pivot with
the piece 1. This piece is reciprocated by the lever and carries a piece 2 in the
nature of a yoke which engages a looper-operating slide e carried by the block or
barrel and rotated with it..
In Figures 38, 39, 40, 41, and 42, we show in detail the devices which we prefer
to employ for disconnecting the power shaft of the stitching mechanism from its
belt wheel. They cousist of the belt wheel having on one side a recess which is
annular in shape excepting at 1 whore the side projects inward from the circle of
the remainder of the wall of the recess. In this recess is the clutch 2, and a pawl 3,
of peculiar shape pivoted to the arm 4 fast to the shaft.
The clutch has a limited movement upon the main shaft. It is moved in one
direction by the spring 5 to a position to cause its end 6 to act against the end 7 of
the pawl and move it outward and hold it outward and in contact with the straight
portion 1 of the wall of the belt wheel recess as represented in Figure 4.
To disengage the clutch, it is necessary to remove its end from engagement with
the pawl. This result is obtained by means of the lever which is moved into
the path of the rotation of the end 8 of the clutch and holds the clutch stationary
and disengages its end from the end of the pawl so that the pawl is no longer held
clamped between the face 1 of the belt wheel and the clutch, and the belt wheel thus
disengaged from the clutch is free to continue its rotation. To prevent the stop
wheel from rebinding, there is formed on its edge a notch 9 with which the stop
pawl 10 is brought into contact by the spring. The movement of the lever c
outward causes the main shaft to be started by allowing the spring 5 to draw the
clutch 2 against the pawl 3 which moves it outward against the inner face of the
belt wheel.
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 stitching machine, a button-hole cutter automatically actuated
independently of the stitching mechanism, as and for the purposes described.
2. In a button-hole stitching machine, the automatic button-hole cutting
mechanism operated independently of the stitching mechanism, and a clamp plate
and clamps having automatic movement between the stitching mechanism and the
button-hole cutting mechanism before the operation of the stitching mechanism, as
and for the purposes described.
3. In a button-hole stitching machine the clamp plate, the clamps and mechanism

page_text: connecting them with the starting lever of the button-hole cutting mechanism, and
the said button-hole cutting mechanism whereby the work is clamped in the act of
starting the button-hole cutting mechanism, as and for the purposes described.
4. In a button-hole stitching machine, in combination with an independently
operated automatic button-hole cutter, a clamp plate, work clamps, and an automatic
clamp-spreading device to operate to spread the clamps after the action of the
cutter, as and for the purposes described.
5. The combination in a button-hole stitching machine of an independently
automatically operated button-hole cutter, a clamp plate and clamps having an
automatic movement towards and from the button-hole cutter, an automatic clamp
spreader to spread the clamps after the operation of the cutter, and operated by
mechanism independent of the stitching mechanism, as and for the purposes described.
6. The combination in a button-hole stitching machine of the independently
automatically operated button-hole cutter, the clamp plate, the clamps, mechanism
for moving the clamps upon the clamp plates, and an automatic lock or latch for
holding said clamps depressed, operated independently of the stitching mechanism,
substantially as described.
7. The combination in a button-hole stitching machine of an independently
automatically actuated button-hole cutter, the clamp plate having automatic move-
ments towards and from the cutter, the clamps and mechanism connecting them
with the starting lever whereby the movement of the starting lever causes the
clamps to be depressed upon the clamp plate, an automatic latch or lock for latching
the clamps in their depressed position, and an automatic clamp spreader for spreading
the two sections or parts of the clamp after the operation of the button-hole cutting
mechanism, all operating independently of the button-hole stitching mechanism, as
and for the purposes described.
8. The combination in a button-hole stitching machine of a shaft independent of
the button-hole stitching mechanism, a button-hole cutter-actuating device carried
thereby, an intermediate connecting lever, and driving and driven members of a
clutch upon said shaft, and mechanism for disengaging the driving from the driven
member upon one revolution thereof, substantially as described.
9. The combination, in a button-hole stitching machine, of an independently
operated power shaft, and a hand starting and automatic stopping mechanism
therefor, a cam upon said shaft for operating the button-hole cutter through a con-
necting lever, a cam upon said shaft connected with the clamp plate for moving it
to the button-hole cutter, as and for the purposes described.
10. The combination, in a button-hole stitching machine of an independently
operated power shaft, and a hand starting and automatic stopping mechanism
therefor, a cam upon said shaft for operating the button-hole cutter through a con-
necting lever, a cam upon said shaft connected with the clamp plate for moving it
to the button-hole cutter, and springs for moving the clamp plate in a reverse
direction after the action of the button-hole cutter, as and for the purposes
described.
11. The combination, in a button-hole stitching machine, of an independently
operated power shaft. and a hand starting and automatic stopping mechanism
therefor, a cam upon said shaft for operating the button-hole cutter through a
connecting lever, a cam upon said shaft connected with the clamp plate for moving
it to the button-hole cutter, and a third cam upon said shaft connected with and
operating a clamp spreader, as and for the purposes described.
12. In a button-hole stitching machine, in combination with the independent
shaft and cams thereon for operating the button-hole cutter, moving the clamp
plate, and spreading the clamp as specified, a starting mechanism comprising a
pulley having a fixed tooth thereon, a driven member of a clutch having a laterally
movable spring tooth thereon, a slide finger for holding said movable tooth of the
driven member of the clutch from engagement with the fixed tooth of the pulley
held and moved into such position by a spring, and drawn from such position by a

page_text: lever and tripping connection, and said lever and tripping connections, as and for
the purposes described.
13. The combination, in a button-hole stitching machine, of independent auto-
matically operated button-hole cutting mechanism, with the button-hole stitching
devices, substantially as described.
14. The combination in a button-hole stitching machine, of automatic button-hole
cutting mechanism actuated independently of the stitching mechanism, the button-
hole stitching devices, and an actuating connection between the independent auto-
matic button-hole cutting mechanism and the stitching mechanism whereby upon the
completion of the operation of the button-hole cutting mechanism power is com-
municated automatically to the stitching mechanism and the stitching mechanism
started, substantially as described.
15. The combination in a button-hole stitching machine of an independent
power shaft, a starting and stopping mechanism for the same, and a button-hole
cutter operated from said shaft, with the main shaft of the stitching mechanism,
its separate starting and stopping mechanism, and the stitching devices operated
thereby, substantially as described.
16. The combination in a button-hole stitching machine of a frame, a shaft
mounted upon said frame actuated by a belt, a starting and stopping mechanism
therefor, and a button-hole cutter actuated from said shaft, a second shaft mounted
upon said frame operated independently of the first named shaft by a separate or
independent belt, an independent starting and stopping mechanism therefor, and
stitching mechanism operated from said shaft, substantially as described.
17. The combination of the independent button-hole cutter-actuating shaft C,
the button-hole cutter operated therefrom with an actuating device upon said shaft
connected with the starting mechanism of the butten-hole stitching machine, as and
for the purposes described.
18. The combination of the independent shaft C, its separate starting and
stopping mechanism, a came upon said shaft, the main shaft A' of the stitching
mechanism, its independent starting and stopping devices, and a connection between
the cam and the shipper of the starting and stopping mechanism on said shaft A'
comprising the bent lever c, lever and rod or shaft connecting said lever with
the shipper, substantially as described.
19. The combination in a button-hole stitching machine of the members a a¹ of
the clamp plate movable towards and from cach other, and the two clamps B B²,
one carried by the plate a and the other by the plate a', as and for the purposes
described.
20. The combination of the intermediate slide plate a³ having the slide blocks *,
movable in opposition to the springs a³, with the two sections a a' of the clamp
plate pivoted respectively one to one slide block and the other to the other, in
combination with the clamps B B', and the sewing mechanism, substantially as
described.
21. The combination of the members a a¹ of the clamp plate pivoted at their
front ends respectively to yielding blocks carried by the intermediate slide plate a³,
said slide plate, the rear positioning springs 617 68, and the stitching mechanism,
substantially as described.
22. The combination of the clamp plate, the intermediate traversing slide plate
upon which the clamp plate is mounted, the slide bed plate, the clamps B B', their
holders, an automatic lock or latch 6 carried by the intermediate plate a³, and an
automatic device to move said latch from engagement with the clamp holder at the
end of the operation of the machine, substantially as described.
23. The combination of the intermediate traversing plate a³, the sections a a¹ of
the clamp plate pivoted at their forward ends respectively to yielding blocks
carried by said plate a³, and the stop and yielding stop c", substantially as
described.
24. The combination of the clamp plate, the clamps B B³, the clamp-depressing

page_text: holders, the latch therefor, and the automatic latch-disengaging mechanism com-
prising the lever g', one end of which engages the latch and the other of which
carries a tripping latch, and a tappet which trips the tripping latch moving in one
direction, but rides over it and causes the operation of the lever moving in the
reverse direction, substantially as described.
25. The combination of the clamp plate, the clamp depressers and holders, and
a latch or lock for locking the clamp holders comprising a bar pivoted upon a
horizontal pivot, and a spring for moving it in one direction, and a lever for
moving it in a reverse direction, substantially as and for the purposes described.
26. In combination with the stitching mechanism, the movable clamp plate,
separable clamping mechanism and mechanism for automatically closing the
members of the clamp towards each other and at the same time moving the clamp
plate transversely to close the button-hole slit and change the location of the
stitching mechanism in relation to the material in sewing a bar without changing
the length of the stitch, substantially as described.
27. The combination of the sections a a' of the clamp plate secured to the
intermediate traversing plate a³ to be laterally movable thereon, a separable clamp,
and an actuating device to engage one of the sections of the clamp plate to move it
and a member of the clamp towards the other plate and clamp, and with the other
plate and clamp a limited distance, and the stitching mechanism, as and for the
purposes described.
28. The combination with the stitching mechanism of the clamp plate in two
sections a a', and the separable clamps B 13', the said plates a a¹ being transversely
movable upon the plate a³ in opposition to spring pressure, a lever to engage one
of said plates, a cam connected with said lever for determining the time of its
operation, and a second lever connected with the first named or operating lever by
intermediate mechanism brought into operative relation therewith by said cam
whereby the end of said lever is brought into operative connection with a
reciprocating part of the machine, preferably the lower needle bar lever, and said
lever, as and for the purposes described.
29. As a means of closing the clamps of a button-hole stitching machine together
and moving the clamp plate transversely in relation to the stitching mechanism a
lever to engage one member of the clamp plate attached to a rock shaft, said rock
shaft, an arm connected with said rock shaft bearing a pivoted connecting rod, a
lever connected with said rod and operated by a cam for moving said rod into and
out of relation with an actuating lever and said actuating lever, the lower needle
bar lever, and the springs fis, f, substantially as described.
30. The combination of the mechanism for rotating the blocks supporting the
needles and loopers with a latch to engage said mechanism at the end of their
movement in one direction, and a latch-disengaging device operated by a portion
of or attachment to the driven member of the clutch at the time of the disengagement
of the driven member from the driving member, substantially as described.
31. The combination of the rotary blocks for carrying the needle bars and
looping mechanism, their rotating mechanism, a latch to engage the rotating
mechanism at the end of its movement in one direction comprising the catch H and
the latching bar having the latch ', substantially as described.
32. The combination of the latch upon the mechanism for rotating the blocks
carrying the needle rods and loopers with a catch to engage said latch at the end
of the movement of said rotating mechanisin in one direction connected with an
actuating rod carried by and movable with the shipper whereby it is caused by the
shipper to be moved into position to be engaged by an actuating projection upon
the driven member of the clutch, and the latch released simultaneously with the
stopping of the machine, as and for the purposes described.
33. In a button-hole stitching machine in combination with reciprocating eye-
pointed needles, the loopers E E movable in relation to the needles as specified, as
and for the purposes described.

page_text: 34. In a button-hole stitching machine as a means of operating the looper an
oscillating lever, a looper holding lever pivoted thereto at a right angle to the line
of movement of the first named lever, and a cam for controlling the movement of
.said looper holder, and means for automatically varying the position of said cam
during the movement of the looper, substantially as described.
35. The combination of the lever el pivoted to the bracket e and having an arm
provided with a cam slot e", a cam pin upon a slide to travel in said slot to oscillate
the lever, a looper holding lever e pivoted to said first named lever, a cam lever e¹8
having the cams e", one of which operates directly upon the looper lever, and
the other of which is operated upon by the needle bar for the purpose of varying
the position of the first named or looper lever operating cam, and the spring e
substantially as described.
36. The combination in a button-hole stitching machine of the reciprocating eye-
pointed needles D D', the clamp plate and clamps, and the loopers E E, each of
which describes a forward movement in relation to the two needles upon a curved
path, and a return movement upon a path of a different curve, as and for the
purposes described.
37. The combination in a button-hole stitching and barring machine of a bed
slide having a step-by-step movement forward towards the front of the machine
and back, a traversing plate carried thereby, a clamp plate supported by the
traversing plate, and having a transverse yielding movement upon said traversing
plate, the separable work clamps, the stitching mechanism comprising the
needles D D', and the loopers E E', means for rotating the needles and loopers
during the stitching of the eye of the button-hole, and an actuating device for
moving one clamp towards the other, and the clamp plate laterally with relation
to the stitching mechanism after the stitching of the last side of the button-hole,
but before the machine comes to rest, whereby the material is released from strain,
slightly puckered, brought into a new relation to the sewing mechanism, and a
barring stitch of the same length as the other stitches sewed, substantially as
described.
38. The combination in a button-hole stitching and barring machine of the slide
bed plate having an intermittent movement forward and back in the bed, a
traversing plate carried thereby, a clamp plate supported by the traversing plate,
the work clamps, the work clamp holders, a latch for locking the holders upon
the work clamps, the reciprocating needles D D', the loopers E El, mechanism for
rotating the same in stitching about the eye of the button-hole, the latch for
engaging and holding the said rotating mechanism at the end of its movement,
and devices for disengaging the clamp holder lock or latch and the latch for
holding said rotating mechanism simultaneously with the operation of the stopping
mechanism of the machine, as and for the purposes described.
39. In a button-hole stitching and barring machine, the combination of a
common frame, an independently actuated shaft, having independent starting and
stopping mechanism, cams carried thereby and connected with the clamp plate to
move the same to the button-hole cutter, with the button-hole cutter to operate
the same, and with a clamp spreader to spread the clamps, and with the starting
mechanism of the button-hole stitching machine, a clamp plate depresser or holder
connected with the starting mechanism of the first named shaft, an automatic
latch or lock for engaging said holder to lock the same after it has been actuated
to depress the clamps, the bed plate having a feed movement forward and back
upon the bed of the machine, a traversing plate carried thereby, a separable clamp
plate carried upon said traversing plate and laterally movable thereon, stitching
mechanism comprising the needles D D', the loopers E E' operated and rotated
substantially as described, a movable device to act against one of the members of
the clamp plate after the stitching of the last side of the button-hole to close the
plates and clamp and to also move them laterally to vary the position of the
material with regard to the needles, mechanism for automatically disengaging

page_text: the latch or lock from the clamp depressers and holders at the end of the stitching
of the bar, an automatic stopping mechanism and mechanism for returning the
needles and loopers and their actuating rotating devices to their original position
upon the stopping of the machine, substantially as described.
40. In a button-hole stitching machine, the combination of the clamp plate and
the work clamp having a longitudinal movement ending in a swinging movement
upon a longitudinally movable centre followed by a return swinging movement
and then a longitudinal movement, with stitch-forming mechanism adapted to be
turned during said swinging movement of the plate, as and for the purposes
described.
41. The combination of a clamp plate and its clamp provided first with a
longitudinal movement in one direction in relation to the stitch-forming mechanism,
then a combined longitudinal and lateral movement forward and back during the
stitching of the eye of the button-hole, and then a continued reverse longitudinal
movement in combination with stitch-forming mechanism, as and for the purposes
described.
42. The combination of a clamp plate and its clamp provided first with a
longitudinal movement in one direction in relation to the stitch-forming mechanism,
then a combined longitudinal and lateral movement forward and back during the
stitching of the eye, and then a continued reverse longitudinal movement in
combination with stitch-forming mechanism adapted to be partially rotated or
turned during the combined longitudinal and lateral movements of the plate in
stitching about the eye of the button-hole, as and for the purposes described.
43. The combination of the clamp plate, having a longitudinal movement in one
direction, then a combined longitudinal and traversing movement forward and
back during the stitching of the eye, and then a reverse longitudinal movement,
with stitch-forming mechanism adapted to be operated in the same positions
during the stitching of the straight side of the button-hole, then to be turned
during the stitching of the eye to a position substantially opposite to that first
occupied, and then to be held in said second position during the stitching of the
last sido of the button-hole, and to then be returned automatically to their original
position, substantially as described.
44. The combination, in a button-hole stitching machine, of the clamp plate,
cam for moving the same longitudinally adapted to have intermittent rotary
movement imparted to it and directly connected with the plate, substantially as
described.
45. The combination of the clamp plate, a slide upon which the same is mounted,
a cam having a cam groove, and a cam pin upon said slide to enter the groove,
substantially as described.
46. The combination of the clamp plate, a slide upon which it is mounted, a cam
for imparting to the said slide plate intermittent longitudinal movements, as and
for the purposes described.
47. The combination of the clamp plate mounted upon a slide plate, and cams
for imparting to the slide plate an intermittent feed movement forward and back,
and to the clamp plate a traversing movement, as and for the purposes specified.
48. The combination of the slide plate having an intermittent longitudinal
movement in the bed of the machine, a plate carried by said slide plate and
pivoted at one end thereto, and adapted to have a transverse movement imparted
to it during a portion of the longitudinal movement of the slide plate, and a clamp
plate mounted upon said pivoted plate, and the sewing mechanism, substantially as
described.
49. The combination of the slide plate carrying the clamp plate, its operating
cam, the cam shaft, a worm wheel upon said shaft, and an intermittently rotated
worm to engage said worm wheel and provide the cam with intermittent periods of
rotation and rest, substantially as described.
50. The combination of a cam constructed and connected with the stitching
mechanism to impart a rotary movement in one direction to said mechanism and to
2

page_text: permit another force to return said stitching mechanism to its original position to
be again operated by said cam, with said force, in this case a spring, and the stitch-
forming mechanism, substantially as described.
51. The combination in a button-hole stitching machine of a needle bar support
adapted to be turned or rotated during the stitching of the eye of the button-
hole by a mechanism substantially as specified, and said needle bar and looping.
mechanism, substantially as described.
52. The combination in a button-hole stitching machine of a straight eye-
pointed upper needle, means for reciprocating it, a straight eye-pointed recipro-
cating lower needle, appropriate looping devices above and below the work plate,
and means substantially as specified for rotating the looping devices and needles
simultaneously and returning them to their original position, as and for the purposes
described.
53. The method of stitching and barring button-holes consisting in spreading
the material by suitable clamps after the cutting of the button-hole slit and eye
and while held spread sewing an overedge stitch about one side, the eye, and
other side of the button-hole, then moving the clamps towards each other to
relieve the material from strain at the end of the button-hole slit opposite the eye,
and while thus relieved from strain, sewing in the material thus relieved from
strain a barring stitch across the end of said slit or in line therewith, as and for
the purposes described.
54. The method of barring button-holes which comprises the spreading of the
material at the bar end of the button-hole slit in suitable clamps, the bringing of
the clamps together to form a slight pucker or its equivalent at the bar end of the
slit, and the sewing of a barring stitch across said pucker while held by clamps,
as and for the purposes described.
55. In a button-hole stitching and barring machine, the belt wheel having the
surface 1, the clutch 2, shaped as described, the pawl 3 pivoted and shaped as
specified and the spring 5 substantially as described.
56. The combination of the clutch 2, shaped and secured to the power shaft as
specified, the pawl 3, shaped as specified, the belt wheel having the surface 1, the
stop lever and spring 5, substantially as described.
57. The combination of a wheel or disc having the stop notch 9, the clutch 2,
pawl.3, belt wheel having the surface 1, stop lever c, and the stop lever pawl 10,
substantially as described.
01
A
1001
Dated
ated this 21st day of April 1001.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant.