Improvements in and relating to Button Sewing Machines.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 21st Dec., 1897-Accepted, 2nd Apr., 1898
[Communicated from abroad by THE SINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, of New York,
United States of America, Sewing Machine Manufacturers.]
Improvements in and relating to Button Sewing Machines.
I, WILLIAM HARVEY INSLEE, Manager of the Singer Manufacturing Company,
Kilbowie, Dumbartonshire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what
manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
me, to be
This invention relates to a machine for sewing eyed buttons to shoes or other
articles to which it may be desirable to attach the same. In the preferred form
of the invention the needle-bar and needle of the machine are periodically given a
series or succession of horizontal movements, while the work remains stationary,
for the purpose of attaching each button to the work by a series of overseaming
stitches formed by passing the needle through the eye of the button shank and the
work and through the work outside of the said eye, alternately. When a button
has thus been attached to the work by a series of stitches, the horizontal movements
of the needle bar and needle are automatically suspended without suspending the
vertical or stitch-forming movements thereof, and the work-feeding mechanism,
which, during the time the button attaching stitches are being formed, is at rest,
is then automatically set into operation to advance the work to the next button
sewing position, and a series of plain stitches will thus be formed between the
buttons. In other words, with the machine operated in the manner described,
each button will be secured to the work by a suitable predetermined number of
overseaming stitches, while the work remains stationary, and the overseaming
movements of the needle-bar and needle will then be suspended, but without,
suspending their vertical movements, and the work-feeding mechanism, which in
the mean time had been idle, will be thrown into operation to advance the work
to a position for sewing on the next button, so that the button attaching or.
overseaming stitches will be practically a part of a continuous seam extending from
button to button.
Instead, however, of shifting the needle horizontally for the purpose of forming
the overseaming stitches, the work may be shifted back and forth beneath the needle
by means of a suitably constructed feeding mechanism. Also, instead of advancing
the work from one button sewing position to another, by means of the automatic
work-feeding mechanism referred to, the work may be shifted from one button
sewing position to another by the attendant, and thus the plain stitches between
the button-attaching stitches will be omitted, and in such case it is preferred to
employ a thread severing mechanism which will automatically sever the needle
thread after each button has been attached.
The machine preferably comprises an automatic stop-inotion device by means of
which the machine may be stopped after each button has been attached, but which
stop-motion device may be so controlled by the attendant as to prevent it from acting
to stop the machine until an entire series of buttons, with which a shoe or other
article is to be provided, have been sewed on. Of course if the work is to be shifted

page_text: from one button sewing position to another by the attendant it will be necessary to
permit the stop-motion device to act in its normal manner to stop the machine
after each button has been attached by the predetermined number of overseaming
stitches.
The buttons are preferably supplied to the stitch-forming mechanism of the
machine by means of a suitable automatically operating button feeding mechanism.
In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a side elevation, from the rear, of one form
of the improved machine. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view
showing part of the work-supporting arm, the lower part of the button chuté, and
adjacent parts. Fig. 4 is a detail plan view of the cam cylinder and feed regulating
devices. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the button feeder and its shaft, and Fig. 6 is a
detail view of the presser-foot. Figs. 7, 8 and 9 are detail views to show the button
guard. Fig. 10 is an elevation of the improved machine provided with a different
form of button hopper and chute from that shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and Figs. 11 to 14,
inclusive, are detail views of the same. Figs. 15 and 16 illustrate the seam
formed with the improved machine. Fig. 17 is an elevation of the improved machine
provided with a thread-severing device, and with the automatic work-feeding device
omitted, and Figs. 18 to 23, inclusive, are detail views to illustrate the thread-severing
mechanism of the machine shown in Fig. 17.
"
A denotes the standard of the machine frame and from which standard extend
forward horizontally the integral overhanging arm A¹ and the work-supporting arm
or cylinder A2, these three parts constituting the frame of the machine. B is the
driving shaft journalled in the frame and carrying at its forward end a cylinder b
having a cam groove for operating the take-up lever b' and a crank-pin connected by
a link or pitman 62 with the needle-bar f. The stitch-forming and work-feeding
mechanism of the machine herein shown is that of the well-known "Singer
oscillating shuttle machine, the rocking shuttle operating shaft C being actuated
from the crank c of the driving shaft through the pitman c¹ and rocker c², as is
common with machines of this class. D is the feed operating rock-shaft having at
its rear end an arm d to which is jointed the lower end of the connecting rod d¹ forked
at its upper end to embrace the feed-cam d² on the shaft B. The rock-shaft D
imparts the horizontal or feeding movements to the feed-dog at the forward end of
said shaft, and the extent of such feeding movements, or the entire suspension
thereof, depend on the relative positions of adjustment of the rod d, the link d³ and
the arm d of the feed controller, said link being jointed at its upper end to said
rod d¹, and at its lower end to said arm; this being the well-known "Singer" toggle
feed. The arm d is fast to the rear end of a short feed-controlling shaft d³ having at
its forward end a second rigid arm do provided with an adjustable pin or roller
stud d' extending into a slot in a lever d³ pivoted at dº to the machine frame and
having in turn, at its free end, a pin or roller stud d¹º extending into a cam groove in
the rear face of the cam cylinder E loosely mounted on the driving shaft B and
intermittingly rotated by a cam-actuated lever-dog e engaging teeth e¹ formed on
said cam cylinder. The cam-groove in the cylinder E, into which the roller stud
carried by the lever de extends, serves, at the proper times, to move the feed controlling
shaft d' so that the arm d' thereof will be in such positions as to cause the feed to
operate or to be entirely suspended, this cylinder E being similar to that described in
the Specification of Letters Patent No. 21637/96 granted to me.
The needle-bar f is reciprocated vertically in a horizontally movable frame F
pivoted on center-screws f¹ and having a short horizontal arm connected by
the rod or link f³ with the free end of a horizontal lever pivoted at f³ and
provided between its ends with a pin or roller stud entering a cam-groove e² in
the cam cylinder E, said cam groove having a serpentine or acting portion part
way around the said cylinder and a straight or non-acting portion the rest of
the distance around said cylinder, so that the needle-bar and needle will be
moved horizontally to make a series of overseaming stitches while the feed of
the work is suspended, and will then have its horizontal movements suspended
to form a series of plain or successively disposed stitches when the feed is

page_text: operating; the cains controlling the feed and the horizontal movements of the needle-
bar being relatively so arranged as to secure these results.
To vary the lengths of the plain stitches formed between the overseaming or
button-attaching stitches, and thus vary the spacing of the buttons, the pin or stud d'
is adjustable in the slotted arm of the shaft 5 and in the slot in the lever d³
by means of the feed-regulating screw, so that the feed can be varied in a well-
known manner.
G is the button-hopper from which the buttons pass down through the button
chute H to the needle, the lower end of said chute being adjacent to the work-plate or
throat-plate I, the button shank slot h at the said lower end of said chute registering
with a slot k in the presser-foot K. The driving shaft B is provided with a worm 6³
meshing with a worm-wheel g on the lower end of a vertical shaft g' extending up
within the hopper G and carrying a series of brushes g² which serve to force the
buttons from said hopper into the chute H, said hopper having in its bottom a slot g³
for receiving the shank of the buttons and which slot communicates with the upper
end of the slot h of the button-chute. To ensure a more perfect button-feeding
operation of the brushes g² the bottom of the hopper is provided with one or more
brush lifters g' which may be either plates or wires and which have inclined parts up
which the brushes will ride. When, in their operation, the rotating brushes reach
the rear ends of said lifters they fall by their own resilience onto the buttons the
shanks of which are entered into the slot g³, and thereby hold them in the said slot,
so that they cannot fail to be forced out of the button-exit of the hopper into the
chute H so long as there is room for them in said chute, which will thus always be
unfailingly supplied with buttons. A guard p in the hopper, overlapping the upper
end of the slot h, prevents the buttons, the shanks of which are not entered into the
slot g³, from clogging the button-entrance to said chute.
A small detaining spring h¹ at the lower end of the button-chute prevents the
buttons from escaping therefrom except as they are positively removed by the button-
feeder, which feeder consists of a horizontally movable or swinging arm m attached
to the lower end of a vertical rock-shaft M having at its upper end an arm m¹ joined
by a rod m² to the lower or free end of a lever m³ pivoted at me, and having between
its ends a pin or roller stud m³ entering the cam groove es of the cylinder E.
The
spring me, between the collar m² on said rod and the lever m³, forms a yielding con-
nection between said lever and rod, so that the feeder m can accommodate itself to
different sizes of buttons or irregularities in the shapes of buttons of similar size, the
said lever, in the backward movement of the button-feeder, engaging the collar m³
secured to the rod m².
For convenience in emptying the button-hopper, as when said hopper is to be
supplied with buttons of a different size, the side of the said hopper is preferably
provided with an opening which extends to the bottom of the hopper, said opening
being norinally closed by a removable gate g5 which is held in place by a spring go,
but which can be removed by sliding the same upwards in the dovetailed recess
provided for it in the side of the hopper.
In supplying buttons having large flat heads (such for example as are sewed to
leggings and gaiters) to the stitch-forming mechanism of the machine, the button-
hopper and button-chute are preferably constructed as shown in Figs. 10 to 14,
inclusive, and these forms of the button-hopper and buttou-chute will serve as well
for use in connection with ordinary shoe buttons, as they may be depended upon to
furnish an unfailing supply of buttons, in that the entrance to the button chute can
never become clogged. In this form of the invention the vertical wall g of the
hopper G is cut away at its bottom on one side of the hopper to form the slot or
opening g between said wall and the horizontal bottom g7 of the hopper, this slot
or opening being of a proper size or width vertically to permit the heads of the
reversed buttons ho to project outward through said slot or opening with their shanks
disposed flatwise against the inside of the vertical wall of the hopper as the said
buttons are pressed against by the revolving brushes g2 travelling around in the
bottom of the hopper and carried by the vertical shaft gl provided at its lower end

page_text: with the worm-wheel g meshing with the worm 63 on the rotating driving shaft B
of the machine.
The button-chute, in this form of the invention, comprises the cylindrical upper
part H¹ having the spiral shank-slot h², the lower inclined part H having the
shank-slot h, and the curved plates h³ separated from each other to form between
them the shank-slot h communicating with the spiral slot h² which in turn
communicates with or opens into the slot h. The shank guideway at the button
exit from the button-hopper to the slot h is inclined, as is more clearly shown in
Fig. 14, forming a switch which turns the button shanks, which are forced against
the inner wall of the hopper above the slot or opening go by the brushes g², outward
into the slot at the top of the button chute. This inclined shank guideway or
exit passage is above the said slot or opening 90 and extends horizontally outward
through the bottom of the wall 950 (see Fig. 13) said inclined exit passage being
formed by the outwardly and inwardly bent fingers gs and formed from the metal
of the wall of the hopper G, the finger go on the far side of the inclined button-shank
guideway or exit passage preferably projecting inwardly slightly from the line of the
inner side wall of the hopper to form a stop which prevents the button shanks from
passing the inclined guideway or exit passage, and thereby ensures the exit of the
buttons from the hopper and their entrance into the button chute or guideway under
the action of the revolving brushes 92, which, as stated, force the buttons outward
positively from the hopper into the button-chute. Thus, when the machine is in
operation the button-chute is always kept filled so that there will be an unfailing
supply of buttons passing to the stitch-forming mechanism of the machine.
Owing to the fact that the buttons enter the button chute with their shanks
upward, it is necessary to give them a partial turn so that they may be presented to
the needle with their shanks horizontal, to permit the needle to pass through the
eyes of the button shanks, and this is effected by the spiral slot h² which gives the
buttons a quarter turn as their shanks pass downward in said slot. The cylinder H¹
has within it the central spindle he against which the heads of the buttons impinge
and which thus serves to prevent the shanks of the buttons from escaping from the
spiral slot h².
The throat-plate I is provided, beneath the presser-foot K, with a raised portion i
so that the shanks of the buttons can be held level during the attaching operation,
and in order to do this with large sized buttons said throat-plate is also preferably
formed with a groove or slot ¹ to receive the heads of these large buttons without
requiring the raised part i to be so high as to be too much elevated above the shuttle
or other loop-seizing device constituting a part of the stitch-forming mechanism.
The groove ¹, it will be observed, has a level bottom, or, in other words, is some-
thing more than a mere pocket to receive the heads of the buttons, this level bottom
of the groove permitting a button, after it has been attached to the work to be fed
forward with the latter without requiring the head of the button to be raised from
the groove or slot.
The machine is preferably provided with an automatic stop-motion mechanism
which will now be described. The driving shaft B is provided at its rear end with
the loose pulley 64 and fast pulley 65. N is a starting and stopping lever having a
belt shifter n for transferring the driving belt from the loose pulley to the fast pulley,
or vice versa, and having also an arm n¹ to be engaged by a hook on the rear end of
a retaining latch 2, the upper end of said lever being pressed out ward, or towards
said pulley, by the spring n³ interposed between the standard A and said lever.
Rigid with the lever N is an arm N¹ to be connected by a rod n with a treadle which,
when pressed upon by the operator, will remove the belt from the loose to the fast
pulley, or will hold the said lever N in position to keep the machine in operation.
The inner or forward end of the latch n extends within range of a pin e5 on the cain
cylinder E so that at the proper time in the rotation of said cylinder, when a series
of button-attaching stitches have been completed, said pin will trip said latch and
release its rear end from engagement with the arm n¹ of the lever N, to permit the
machine to be stopped. This tripping mechanism would normally cause the machine

page_text: to be automatically stopped at each rotation of the cam cylinder E after each button
has been attached, but so long as the operator presses down on the treadle the said
tripping mechanism will be inoperative and the machine will continue to run to sew
on a series of buttons, but when the last button of a series, or of a shoe, is being
sewed on, the operator will remove his foot from the treadle so that the machine will
be automatically stopped at the proper time.
The lever N is provided with a yoke comprising the brake-arms n³ and no, the
former to be acted on by a tappet 60 on the fast pulley 65 to press the arm no against
the said fast pulley. A spring-acted latch n on the arın n³ is intended to catch over.
the tappet 6 to prevent back-motion when the machine is suddenly stopped.
This stop-motion mechanisin just described is, however, merely illustrated as
showing a convenient form of such mechanism which may be employed, and any well-
known or equivalent stop-motion mechanism may be used instead.
The presser-foot may be raised, to release the work, by the ordinary lifter ¹ or by a
lever O to be connected with a knee-lever or treadle.
The general operation of this machine is as follows: The machine being started the
buttons are transferred at the proper time from the lower end of the button chute to
sewing position by the button-feeder m. Each button a, (Figs. 15 and 16) is attached
to the boot A2, or other piece of work, by a series of overseaming stitches 612 (in the
present instance twelve) passing alternately through the eye of the button-shank and
the material and through the material outside of said eye, these overseaming or
button-securing stitches in one place, or piled on top of each other, being due to the
horizontal novements of the needle-bar and needle while the operation of the feeding
mechanisin is suspended. The series of stitches to sew on a button having been
completed, the horizontal movements of the needle-bar and needle are suspended and
the feed is thrown into operation to advance the work to position for the next button,
thereby forming a series of plain stitches c¹³ between the button-securing stitches;
and these operations are repeated until all the buttons of a button-piece or shoe have
been sewed on, when the machine will be automatically stopped, as above described.
Thus the buttons will be attached to the work in a strong and reliable manner, and
by a seam which will not rip and which will secure the buttons to the work in a neater
and more sightly manner than is done by the button-sewing machines now in use.
the use of these improved machines, in sewing on buttons in the manner described,
and in which the overseaming button-attaching stitches form a part of a continuous
seam in the material, it will be understood that it is desirable to use a relatively fine
thread so that the seam between the buttons will not be unsightly, and for this
reason quite a number, say six to ten or twelve, overseaning button-attaching stitches
will be necessary to securely hold the buttons to the work.
In
When it is desired to omit the plain stitches c¹³ between the button-attaching
stitches 612 (see Figs. 15 and 16) the improved machine preferably provided with
an automatic thread-severing mechanisin by means of which the needle-thread is
severed beneath the work so that there will be no thread extending from one button
to another on the upper or fair side of the work. The improved machine provided
with this automatic thread severing mechanism is illustrated in Figs. 17 to 23,
inclusive, and in this form of the invention the rocking shaft D, heretofore used as
the feed-shaft, is employed as the thread-cutter operating shaft and is provided at its
rear end with an arm d18 to which is jointed the lower end of a rod d¹º connected at
its upper end to an arm 12 of a short shaft d20 having a second arm do provided with
a pin or roller-stud entering a cam-groove e in the rear face of the cylinder E. The
shaft D is provided at its forward end with a rigidly attached arm or disk 50 carrying
a block having a lug d entering a notch in a slide c¹¹ horizontally movable in a
suitable guideway formed at the top of the shuttle-race ring Cand which slide carries
a blade or knife cl2 co-operating with a stationary knife or cutter c20 fixed to said
shuttle-race ring. Thus when, in the operation of the machine, a desired number of
button-attaching stitches have been made, the shaft D will be rocked slightly from
the cam-groove e to move the blade c¹² towards and slightly past the cutting edge
of the stationary cutter c20 to sever the needle-thread beneath the work.

page_text: To prevent the end of the severed needle-thread from being pulled upward through
the eye of the needle by the take-up, a thread nipper which engages with the end of
the thread between the cutting device and the needle is provided, said thread-nipper,
in the form of the invention herein shown, consisting of the block pressed against
by the spring 40 to cause said block to move forward with the knife c¹². The forward
end of the block c30 normally projects beyond the cutting edge of the knife c¹² so that
said end of said block will come in contact with the lower part of the cutter c20 (to
nip the part of the loop of needle-thread extending downward between these parts at
the time the cutting device is to be operated) before the knife c¹² passes by the
edge of the cutter c20 to sever the thread, said block being yieldingly held in contact
with the lower part of the cutter c20 during the thread-nipping operation, by the
spring co
When the cutter or knife c12 is retracted by the return or backward
rocking movement of the disk 650, moving with the shaft D, the block do engages the
slight lip on the rear end of the block and thus causes said last-nained block to be
moved away from the cutter c20 to release the thread.
Although it might appear from the drawings that the thread was severed between
the nipping device and the needle (owing to the location of the said nipping device
below the cutters) such, however, is not the case, as one limb only of the downwardly-
extending needle-loop is severed, the thread running from the nipping device
downward and thence again upward, at one side of the cutters, to the needle, so that
the nipping device really holds the needle-thread between the cutting device and the
needle, as stated.
In the operation of the improved machine having the thread-cutting device just
described, the parts are so timed that when a desired number of button attaching
stitches have been made, and just before the machine is to be automatically stopped,
or, in other words, just as the last one of a series of button-attaching stitches is being
completed, the thread cutter c12 is operated to sever the thread and the machine will
then be stopped by the automatic stop-motion mechanism hereinbefore described,
with the end of the severed needle thread held by the thread nipping device.
When
the machine is again started by the operator the thread nipping device will still hold
the thread until a first fastening stitch has been made, and the button-feeder mis
then operated to carry a button from the lower end of the button-chute H and
present the same to the needle, and the button-sewing and thread-severing operations
are then repeated for the next button. When no automatic work-feeding device is
employed the work will be fed or moved forward, after each button-attaching and
thread-severing operation, by the attendant.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. In a button sewing machine, the combination with a stitch-forming mechanism
comprising automatic means for changing the relative horizontal positions of the
needle and the work for a series of three or more times in succession, to form a series
of button-attaching stitches in one place and which pass alternately through the eye
of a button-shank and the work and through the work outside of the said eye, of
automatic means for periodically suspending the operation of the device which
changes the relative horizontal positions of the needle and work during the time
required for making a series of successively disposed stitches, without stopping the
machine, and an automatic button-feeding mechanism for successively presenting the
buttons to the said stitch-forming mechanism.
2. In a button sewing machine, the combination with a stitch-formning mechanism
comprising means for reciprocating the needle-bar and needle horizontally a series of
three or more times in succession while the work remains stationary, to forin a series
of button-attaching stitches in one place and which stitches pass alternately
through and outside of the eye of a button-shank, of automatic means for
suspending the horizontal movements of the needle during the time required to
make a series of successively disposed stitches, without stopping the machine, when

page_text: a predetermined number of button-attaching stitches have been made, and an
automatic button-feeding mechanism for successively presenting the buttons to said
stitch-forming mechanism.
3. In a button sewing machine, the combination with a stitch-forming mechanisın
comprising automatic means for changing the relative horizontal positions of the
needle and the work for a series of three or more times in succession, to form a
series of button attaching stitches in one place and which pass through the eye of
the button-shank and the work and through the work outside of the said eye, of
automatic means for periodically suspending the operation of the mechanism which
changes the relative horizontal positions of the needle and work, an automatic
button-feeding mechanism for successively presenting the buttons to the said
stitch-forining mechanism, and a mechanism for automatically stopping the machine
when a desired number of stitches has been formed.
4. In a button sewing machine, the combination with a stitch-forming mechanisın
comprising means for reciprocating the needle-bar and needle horizontally a series
of three or more times in succession while the work remains stationary, to form a
series of button attaching stitches in one place and which pass alternately through
and outside of the eye of a button shank, of automatic means for suspending the
horizontal movements of the needle, during the time required to make a series of
successively disposed stitches, and without stopping the machine, when a pre-
determined number of button-attaching stitches have thus been formed, an
automatic button-feeding mechanism for successively presenting the buttons to said
stitch-forming mechanism, and an automatic work-feeding mechanis:n for advancing
the work to space the buttons.
5. In a button sewing machine, the combination with automatic button-feeding
devices, of a stitch-forming mechanism comprising a horizontally movable needle-bar
and needle, and an automatic work-feeding mechanism, independent of said
needle-bar and needle, for advancing the work to space the buttons, of an automatic
mechanism acting to suspend the work-advancing action of the feed and the
horizontal movements of the needle, alternately, and without stopping the machine
and during the time required for making a series of button attaching stitches and a
series of plain or successively disposed stitches, respectively, whereby overseaming or
button-attaching stitches will be formed when the work is at rest and plain or
successively disposed stitches between the buttons.
6. In a button sewing machine, the combination with a stitch-formning mechanism
comprising a needle and means for imparting vertical and horizontal movements
thereto, of an independent automatic work-feeding mechanism, automatic devices for
presenting buttons to the said needle, a needle-bar controlling-cam by which lateral
movements are imparted to the needle periodically and which also serves to suspend
the said horizontal movements during the time required to make a series of suc-
cessively disposed stitches, and a feed-controlling cam to throw the feed into and out
of operation, said cams being so timed relative to each other that when the horizontal
movements of the needle are suspended the work-feeding mechanism is operative,
and when the said work-feeding mechanisin is inoperative, horizontal movements will
be imparted to the said needle.
7. In a button sewing machine, the combination with a stitch-forming mechanism,
of an automatic feeding mechanism for advancing the work to spice the buttons,
button feeding appliances comprising a stationary or fixed button chute or guideway
and a button-feeding device for transferring buttons from said chute to sewing position,
and an automatic stop-motion mechanisin normally acting to suspend the operation
of the machine after each button has been attached.
8. In a button sewing machine, the combination with a stitch-forming mechanism,
of an automatic feeding mechanism for advancing the work to space the buttons,
button feeding appliances comprising a stationary or fixed button chute or guideway
and a button feeding device for transferring buttons from said chute to sewing
position, an automatic stop-motion mechanism normally acting to suspend the
operation of the machine after each button has been attached, and a controlling device

page_text: by which the operator may, when desired, suspend the action of the said stop-
motion mechanism so that the machine will run continuously to sew on a series of
buttons.
9. In a button sewing machine, the combination with button-feeding devices, of a
stitch-forming mechanism comprising a horizontally movable needle-bar and needle
and an automatic feeding mechanism, independent of said needle-bar and needle, for
advancing the work to space the buttons, of an automatic mechanism acting
alternately to suspend the horizontal movements of the needle and the work-advancing
action of the feed, to form overseaming or button attaching stitches when the work is
at rest and plain stitches between the buttons.
10. In a button sewing machine, the combination with a stitch-forming mechanism
comprising a needle and means for imparting vertical and horizontal movements
thereto, of an independent automatic work-feeding mechanism, automatic devices
for presenting buttons to the said needle, a needle-bar controlling cam by which
lateral movements are imparted to the needle-bar and needle, when desired, and
which also serves to suspend the said horizontal movements, and a feed controlling
cam to throw the feed into and out of operation, said cams being so timed relative
to each other that when the horizontal movements of the needle are suspended the
feeding mechanism is operative, and when the feeding mechanism is inoperative,
horizontal movements will be imparted to the said needle-bar and needle.
11. In a button sewing machine, a throat-plate provided with a raised portion, to
sustain the shank of a button in a level position, and with a level groove or slot
adjacent to said raised portion, in combination with stitch-forming and button-feeding
mechanisms.
12. In a button sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming appliances,
of a button hopper having interiorly, at its bottom, rotating brushes, one or more
lifters, at the bottom of said hopper, for raising said brushes so that they may be
caused to bear on the buttons to be fed from said hopper, and means for conducting
the buttons to said stitch-forming appliances.
13. In a button sewing machine, the combination with a stitch-forming mechanism,
of a button receptacle or hopper having a curved slot or recess in its bottom and
within the periphery of the latter, for the reception of the shanks of the buttons, a
button chute having also a button-shank groove or recess into which the said slot or
recess in the bottom of the hopper opens, and a button stirring device or pusher
within said hopper serving to force the buttons outward from said hopper into said
chute with their shanks in the groove or recess of the latter.
14. The combination with the button hopper G, having the slot g³ in its bottom
of proper size to admit the shanks of the buttons while excluding their heads, of the
button-chute H having the button shank slot h connecting with the said button-
shank slot g³, and the guard p extending into the bottom of said hopper and arranged
to overlap the upper end of the said slot h of the button chute, said guard serving to
prevent the buttons whose shanks are not entered in said slot h³ from clogging the
button entrance to the said chute.
15. In a button sewing machine, the combination with a stitch-forming mechanism,
of a fixed or stationary button chute, as H, the rock-shaft M, the horizontally movable
button feeder m at the lower end of said shaft and serving to transfer the buttons
from the lower end of said chute to the needle, the rod m³ for operating said feeder,
and automatic mechanism for operating said rod.
16. In a button sewing machine, a fixed button hopper provided with a button-
head receiving-slot between the bottom of a portion of the vertical wall of said hopper
and the horizontal bottom thereof and with an inclined button-shank exit-
passage, near one end of said slot, combined with a button-chute having a button
shank-slot into which the said button-shank exit-passage opens.
17. In a button sewing machine, a fixed button hopper provided with a button-
head receiving-slot between the bottom of a portion of the vertical wall of said
hopper and the horizontal bottom thereof and with an inclined button-shank
exit-passage, near one end of said slot, combined with a button-chute having

page_text: a button-shank-slot into which the said button-shank exit-passage opens, and rotating
brushes within said hopper serving to force the buttons outward positively from said
hopper into said chute.
18. In a button sewing machine, a fixed button hopper provided with a button-
head receiving-slot between the bottom of a portion of the vertical wall of said
hopper and the horizontal bottom thereof and with an inclined button-shank exit-
passage, near one end of said slot, combined with a button-chute having a button-
shank-slot into which the said button-shank exit-passage opens, one side of said
passage being formed by a finger projecting inwardly within the vertical line of the
inner wall of the said hopper.
19. The combination with the fixed hopper G having the slot or opening 960 at
its bottom, and an inclined button shank exit-passage near one end of said slot or
opening, of the button-chute consisting of the part H' having the spiral button-shank
slot h², the part H having the button-shank-slot h, and the separated plates h³ having
the button-shank slot ht between them and into which slot h4 the said inclined exit-
passage opens.
20. The combination with the fixed hopper G having the slot or opening 900 at
its bottom, and an inclined button shank exit-passage near one end of said slot
or opening, of the button-chate consisting of the part H¹ having the spiral button-
shank slot h2, the part H having the button-shank slot h, and the separated plates h³
having the button-shank-slot h between them and into which slot h the said
inclined exit-passage opens, one side of said exit-passage being formed by the inwardly
projecting finger or stop 9º.
21. The combination with the fixed hopper G having the slot or opening 900 at
its bottom, and an inclined button shank exit-passage near one end of said slot or
opening of the button-chute consisting of the part H¹ having the central spindle ho
and the spiral button-shank slot. h², the part H having the button-shank-slot h, and
the separated plates h³ having the button-shank slot h between them and into
which slot h the said inclined exit-passage opens.
22. In a button sewing machine, the combination with a stitch-forming mechanism
comprising a needle and a loop-taking device co-operating therewith in the formation
of stitches, of an automatic button-feeding mechanism for successively presenting
buttons to said stitch-forming mechanism and for holding the same in place while
being sewed to the work, and an automatic thread-cutting device for severing the
needle-thread after each button has been attached.
23. In a button sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming and button-
feeding and holding mechanisms, of an automatic stop-motion device, and an automatic
thread-cutting device for severing the needle-thread after each button has been
attached and just before the machine is stopped by the said stop-motion device.
24. In a button sewing machine, the combination with a stitch-forming mechanism
comprising a needle and a loop-taking device co-operating therewith in the formation
of stitches, of a button-feeding mechanism serving to successively present buttons to
said stitch-forming mechanism and to hold them in place while being attached to the
work, an automatic thread-cutting device, for severing the needle thread after each
button has been attached, and an automatic thread-nipping device for holding the
end of the needle thread when severed.
25. In a button sewing machine, the combination with a stitch-forming mechanism
comprising a needle and a loop-taking device co-operating therewith in the formation
of stitches, of a button-holding device which retains the buttons in place while being
attached to the work, an automatic thread cutting device for severing the needle
thread after each button has been attached, and an automatic thread-nipping device
for holding the end of the needle-thread when severed.
26. The herein described seam, consisting of the combination with a shoe or other
article, of a series of buttons, a series of overseaming stitches passing through and
outside of the eye of the shank of each button, and through the material, and a series
of connecting stitches formed in continuity with each other and passing through the
material between each button and joining the button-attaching stitches and forming,
B

page_text: with the latter, a continuous seam in the material of the article to which the buttons
are attached.
Dated this 20th day of December 1897.
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Of the Firm of Cruikshank & Fairweather,
Chartered Patent Agents,
62, Saint Vincent Street, Glasgow, Agent for the Applicant.