Button-holes.
Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 8th Feb., 1887.
Specification Accepted, 8th Mar., 1887.
Button-holes.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
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:-
-
This invention relates to button-hole stitching machines, and refers particularly to
the devices for stitching, sewing, barring or staying the end of the button-hole, and
also to the combination of said stitching and barring mechanism with the mechanism
for stitching the sides and eye of the button-hole. It further relates to means whereby
the operation of stitching the sides and eye of the button-hole is immediately followed
by the automatic stitching of the bar or stay, and without stopping the machine.
The invention further relates to means for disconnecting the devices for operating the
clamp-plate feed, so that the feed of the clamp-plate is automatically stopped during
the operation of the devices for barring, or staying the button-hole. It further relates
to the employment of the clamp-plate pin, as the pivot upon which the clamp-plate is
reciprocated or oscillated, to present the button-hole to the stitching mechanism, in the
operation of barring, or staying the button-hole. It further relates to an automatic
tripping device for tripping the feed-pawl, or holding it from the ratchet wheel operated
by the clamp-plate. It further relates to an automatic tripping device operated by the
clamp plate for bringing into action a vibrating or oscillating pin for vibrating,
oscillating, or tripping the clamp-plate for the purpose of barring. It also relates to
mechanism for returning the stop and vibrating clamp-plate, barring-pin, or block,
to their original or normal positions. It further relates to means for adjusting the
tripping block whereby the length of the button-hole to be stitched may be fixed or
predetermined, and of an indicator and scale used in connection with this adjustable

page_text: block, or stop, for the purpose of indicating to the operator the position which the
stop should occupy to secure a stitched" button hole of a given length. It further
relates to an adjustable stop. at the front end of the clamp-plate guiding slot for
regulating the position from which the clamp-plate starts, and against which its pin is
brought in contact upon its backward movement at the completion of the stitching and
barring of the button-hole, and preparatory to stitching another. It further relates to
various details of construction, all of which will hereinafter be explained.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a view of the machine in vertical section on the line a, a of Figure 2,
representing the clamp-plate as engaged with the device for automatically reciprocating
or moving it intermittently, during the operation of barring or staying the end of the
button hole.
Figure 2 is a plan view of the machine showing the clamp-plate beneath the work-
plate, a portion of the bed being broken out to show a part of the operative mechanism
beneath.
Figure 3 is a view in vertical section upon the line y, y of Figure 5, showing the
position of the clamp-plate and its guiding pin in relation to the feeding mechanism
while it is being reciprocated or moved to bar or stay the button-hole.
Figure 4 is a plan view of a portion of the clamp-plate and of the work plate,
showing in full and dotted lines the extent of movement of the clamp-plate and
material in the operation of barring or staying the end of the button-hole.
Figure 5 is a plan view showing the position of the clamping plate and clamp at the
beginning of the stitching operation.
Figure 6 is a view, in plan, of the clamp plate inverted.
Figures 7 and 8 are detail views in section to further illustrate the construction and
operation of the devices for moving or oscillating the clamp-plate in barring, or
staying, button holes.
Figure 9 is a plan view of the operative devices below the bed plate of the machine
inverted.
Figures 10, 11, 12 and 13 illustrate the construction and operation of the feed pawl,
tripping or disengaging devices, hereinafter described.
Figure 14 is a plan view of a complete button hole showing the stay or bar at
the end.
Figure 15 is a section upon the line a¹, a¹ of Figure 14.
Figure 16 is a perspective view of the clamp-plate engaging device, hereinafter
described.
Figure 17 is a vertical section of the throat plate and work plate immediately
adjacent.
The mechanism for operating the throat plate, the needle bar, the clamp-plate feeding
devices, and the stitch forming mechanism, is not specifically described herein, as the
invention herein referred to is adapted for use in connection with or upon button-hole
stitching machines having different stitch-forming and clamp-plate feeding appliances.
A is the needle-bar of the machine, a the needle, B the work plate, which has a
clamp-plate guiding slot is the spring-held roll which bears against the edge of
the clamp-plate. is the clamp-plate, which has the spring pin c, arranged to enter
the clamp plate slot ; c', care the clamp plate feed wheels. At or near the rear or
back end of the clamp-plate slot there is arranged a movable block or tripping stop D,
so placed as to be moved by the edge of the clamp-plate to trip the feed operating
devices. This stop is supported by the plate d, horizontally adjustable in the plate d².
This plate is shaped in plan as represented in Figure 2; that is, it has the end bar d²
and the two side bars d³, d, and it is held or supported in a shallow recess between the
bed B and the work plate B, the edges of the side bars bearing against the side edges
of the recess. The plate also has the slots d, through which the screws for
fastening the work-plate to the bed pass, and it is connected by means of the stud 7,
extending from the side bar d³ through the hole d, in the bed plate, with slide bar d
which is arranged to slide or be moved in suitable hearings upon the under surface of
the bed against the stress of the spring D', and has a slot d, which receives the end

page_text: of the stud d, which is a screw stud provided with the nui ", and by means of which
and the slot the position of the slide plate d' in relation to the stud is varied. The
slide plate d' carries at its rear end an arm di2, which supports a laterally extending
thin curved piece of metal 13 so shaped and arranged as to cover, upon the movement
of the slide bar, the teeth of the feed ratchet wheel or that wheel with which the
reinforcing feed pawi engages in operating the feed rolls or wheels c', e².
The feed pawl is arranged to ride off the ratchet wheel upon its backward movement
on to a thin plate 5 extending over the ratchet teeth, and the movable ratchet teeth
covering plate d¹³, has one end extending under this fixed plate d¹³, so that when it is
pushed in to cover the ratchet wheel teeth, the pawl, upon its forward feed movement
rides from the stationary plate on to this other plate, and is held thereby from engaging
with the ratchet teeth. It is therefore obvious that upon the movement of this covering
plate or pawl-disengaging device into position over the ratchet wheel the pawl no
longer acts to operate the feed rolls or wheels, and that they must therefore become
stationary and remain stationary until the covering plate has been withdrawn. And
it is obvious that by thus disengaging the feed-operating pawl so that the feed is
stopped, the sewing or stitching operation of the machine can still continue, and this
is, in fact, the operation of the machine. After the disengagement of the feed pawl
from the feed ratchet wheel, the clamp plate is immediately vibrated or oscillated to
move the end of the button hole back and forth beneath the needle, which continues
its stitching and forms a bar or stay across the end of the button hole, as many cross
stitches being taken as may be desired.
To bring into operation devices for providing the clamping plate with this oscillating
or reciprocating movement, I connect the tripping stop D by means of its holding
plate d and the side bar d thereof, with an intermittently oscillating or vibrating
pin which is vertically movable in the bed and work-plate, of the machine and which
is held latched down until it is necessary to bring it into engagement with a wall, or
shoulder, integral with the clamp plate, or formed upon an arm attached thereto, when
it is automatically released or unlatched and moved upward sufficiently to bring its end
into operative contact with said surface or shoulder. It preferably is shaped as
represented in Figure 16. It has the downward extending section or stude which
enters the guide hole e¹ in its holding block e². It has the enlarged section e³ which
fits the enlarged portion of the hole in its holding block. Between the shoulder c
and the under surface of this enlarged portion et is arranged a coiled spring e which
surrounds the post and serves to lift it upward when it is released, as hereinafter
explained. To this enlarged portion there is attached or formed thereon a latch
block e', which extends without the hole, and upon which the end of the side bar d'
closes to hold the pin in its lowest position and against the stress of the lifting spring.
From the enlarged section of the device extends upward through a slot in the
work-plate the pin E. The pin-holding block is constantly reciprocated during the
operation of the machine at intervals by means of the sliding bar es, which carries the
block supporting the spring pin, which may be integral therewith, or attached thereto,
the bent lever pivotted at e, the link connecting one arm of the lever with the
slide bar, and the cam e12, which receives the cam-pin e¹³ upon the other arm of the
lever.
The clamp-plate has the lateral extension c, formed integral therewith, or arranged
separate and attached thereto, which has a recess c³ to form a shoulder or vertical
surface or abutment c; it also has the inclined surface c', the office of which is to
depress or throw down the vibrating pin E after the barring has been completed, and upon
the movement of the clamp-plate back to its original position.
I would here remark that the backward movement of the tripping stop D serves to
bring into operative position the vibrating or reciprocating pin E, but by so doing is
itself locked back from operative position by the pin, and that before it can be returned
again to operative position it is necessary that the vibrating pin shall be depressed or
moved out of operative position, and that this movement of the pin brings into
operation the automatic latching down or locking device which holds the pin depressed,
and which also brings into operative position, or moves forward, the tripping stop.

page_text: The back tripping stop, as before mentioned, preferably is made adjustable in the
plate d', as its position in the clamp-plate slot, determines the length of the button hole,
or, in other words, the position which it occupies at the instant the feel of the clamp-
plate is stopped. And I have shown it, instead of being directly attached to plate i
or formed integral therewith, which it may be, as formed upon the end of a slide
plate d, which is movable on the plate d by a screw, attached by a collar, or in any
other way, to the plate and having a screw-stem which screws into a nut carried by
the slide plate. The slide plate also carries a pointer or indicator and the bed plate
has a scale which indicates, in connection with the pointer, the position to which
the tripping stop should be moved to stitch a button hole of any given length. At the
front end of the cam plate slot I have arranged the stop G, which is attached to the
front edge of the slide plate g. This plate is attached to the bed or bed plate in a
manner to permit it to be moved backward and forward and it has a nut ¹, which
receives the screw thread of the operating screw. This operating screw is
attached by a collar to the hed plate of the machine. The slide-plate also carries a
pointer or indicator g, which is adapted to be used in connection with a scale go on the
bed-plate to indicate the length of the stitching of the button-hole, the movement of
the stop and indicator being of course governed by the scale which correctly represents
the position which the stop should occupy in adjusting the clamp-plate to stitch
accurately various lengths of button-hole.
It will be seen that the length of the stitch-forming har, or stay, can be varied by
changing the position of the end-of the linke" upon the arm e" of the lever, upon said
lever, the inward movement of the link towards the fulcrum of said lever giving a
shorter bar and an outward movement giving a longer bar and the lever is
represented as provided with a slot to permit these movements of the end of the link
in relation thereto.
In operation the front stop is adjusted to bring the indicator g opposite the line of
the scale bearing the length of the button-hole to be stitched. The clamping plate is
moved backward to bring its spring pin in contact with the front stop. The material
is placed on the plate and clamped. The rear tripping stop is also properly adjusted
for the length of the button-hole to be stitched. The machine is then set in operation
and the clamping plate is moved and turned; the spring roll bearing against its
edge serving to keep it in contact with the throat-plate. Upon the completion of the
stitching of the last side of the button-hole the edge of the clamp plate comes in
contact with the tripping stop and moves it backward sufficiently to trip the
reciprocating or vibrating stud or pin E, and this backward movement of the stud also
stops the feed by disengaging the feed pawl from the feed ratchet wheel, and holding
it disengaged, the feed wheel coming to rest. The spring-pin e is held in position by
the recesses or grooves in the feed wheel c², and the side edges of the clamping plate
slot which enables me to use the pin as the fulcrum of the clamping plate and these
parts as the pivot or fulerum holder. The vibrating barring pin, having been released
by the latch, moves upward and immediately enters the recess c and engages the
shoulders or edges thereof and moves the plate laterally and holds it while the needle
takes a stitch in the part of the material brought beneath it. It then, upon the
upward movement of the needle, moves backward and returns the plate to its original
or normal position, or allows the spring roll to do so, when the needle makes
another stitch through the portion of the material which is then brought beneath it,
which is across upon the line of the button-hole cut. The pin is then again moved, to
again move the vibrating plate and the needle takes another stitch, and this backward
and forward movement of the clamping plate and of the material held thereby
continues until enough cross stitches have been taken to make the bar. After the
barring, and upon the turning of the clamping plate to bring it into its normal position,
the inclined surface c' of the clamp plate is brought in contact with the upper surface
of the pin or stud, which is somewhat rounded or inclined at that point, and is pressed
downward thereby, sufficiently to cause its holding latch to operate to hold it down,
and this operation of the latch brings the tripping stop into operative position, and also
uncovers the feed ratchet wheel, or releases the pawl, so that the pawl, upon the starting

page_text: of the machine is in position to operate the feed. I have called the pin or stud E an
oscillating or vibrating stud; it does not, however, have a continuous oscillating or
vibrating motion, for it has a period of rest at the end of each movement in one
direction sufficiently long to enable the needle to make a stitch. I would state that I
do not confine myself to the especial form or application of the devices herein described
for stopping the feed of the clamp plate and for automatically bringing into operation
the oscillating movement or feed of the clamp plate, but may use any mechanical
equivalent for said devices.
I would further state that I do not limit the application or use of this invention to
the especial form of button-hole stitching mechanism herein described, as the same
results may be produced by the same, or substantially the same organization or
mechanisin upon other button-hole stitching machines.
It will be seen that the throat-plate has the recess h, ', upon its side into which the
edges of the clamp-plate enter; also that the recess is sufficiently deep to permit
the lateral movement of the clamp plate in relation to the throat in the operation of
barring. In other words, while the clamp plate is held down by the extension of the
throat plate over it, and is guided in its movement by the contact of the edge of the slot
with the edge of the throat plate as it is moved or held against the same by the spring
held roller, yet the slot and recess bear such relation to each other that the clamp plate
may have a lateral movement in relation to the throat plate, the recess being
sufficiently deep, or the slot sufficiently wide to allow this lateral movement to take
place.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me by my foreign
correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a button-hole stitching machine, the combination with stitching mechanism of
a clamp-plate and clamp, a feeding device for feeding the clamp-plate, and a device for
communicating an intermittent oscillating or vibrating movement to the clamp plate,
automatically, and at the end of the feed movement, and in continuation thereof, all
substantially as described.
2. The combination in a button-hole stitching machine, of the stitch-forming devices,
the clamp plate carrying material clamping mechanism, feeding devices for feeding the
clamp-plate, a tripping stop or block adapted to be operated or moved by the clamp-
plate and devices operated by said tripping stop or block for disconnecting the feed
operating devices and stopping the feed, substantially as described.
3. In a button-hole stitching machine, the combination of the clamp-plate having a
shoulder or recess adapted to be moved or brought into operative contact with a block,
post, stud, or other intermittingly reciprocated part, all substantially as described.
4. The combination of a plate supporting work-clamping devices, a feeding device
for moving said plate relatively to the stitch-forming mechanism, and an intermittingly
operating stud, post, or block adapted to engage the plate and to move the same to
cause the material to be transferred or moved back and forth under the needle to form
a bar, or stay, at the end of the button-hole, all substantially as described.
5. The combination of a movable plate supporting the work-clamping devices, the
throat plate, a feeding device for feeding the clamping plate to present the work to
the sewing mechanism, the throat plate of the machine, the spring-held roll, adapted
to bear against the edge of the clamping plate, and the intermittingly moving stud,
pin, or post, or other moving part, arranged to engage the clamping plate and move
it automatically upon the end of its feed movement, all substantially as described.
6. The combination in a machine for stitching button-holes of a movable plate
having a guiding pin, the said pin, work-holding or clamping devices carried by said
feeding devices for moving and feeding said plate to present the work to the sewing
mechanism, the feed mechanism and guide slot adapted to hold the end of the said pin
at the end of the feed movement of the plate, and devices for operating or moving
the said clamping plate laterally under the needle and upon the said pin as a centre,
all substantially as described.

page_text: 7. In a button-hole stitching machine, the movable post, block, or arm adapted to
be moved by the contact of the clamping plate therewith, and feeding devices for
feeding said clamp plate, and intermediate devices operated by said block, arm, or
post to disengage the devices operating the said feeding mechanism, and thereby
automatically stopping the feed, all substantially as described.
8. The combination of a block, post, or arm, a latch connected therewith controlling
the operative position of the device for oscillating or reciprocating the clamp-plate with
the said clamp-plate, all substantially as described.
9. The combination, in a machine for stitching button-holes, of the tripping block,
post or arm operated by the contact of the clamp-plate therewith, an intermittingly
reciprocating clamp-plate, post, spindle or block, and connecting mechanism whereby
upon the movement of the tripping block, post or arm, the reciprocating clamping
plate, post, stud or block is brought into operative position, and upon the vertical
movement of said reciprocating clamping plate, post, stud or spindle, the tripping
block, post or arm is brought into position to be again moved by the clamping plate,
all substantially as described.
10. The combination of the clamping plate holding or supporting the work-clamping
devices, devices for moving the same to present the work to the stitching mechanism,
and an intermittingly reciprocating post, stud, or block adapted to engage the clamp-
plate and move it, means for moving said post, block, or stud vertically in its support,
a spring for moving it in one direction, and a latch for locking it down against the
spring pressure, all substantially as described.
11. The combination, in a button-hole stitching machine, of an intermittingly
reciprocating block, post, or stud having a vertical movement in its carrier or support,
a spring for moving and holding it upward in relation thereto, and a latch for holding
it in its lowest position, in relation to the spring, all substantially as described.
12. The combination of the clamping plate, movable as described, and having the
inclined surface e', with the vertically movable intermittingly reciprocating stud, block,
or post E, substantially as described.
13. The combination of the clamp-plate, inovable as described having the inclined
surface with the vertically movable intermittingly reciprocated block, stud, or post and
the latch substantially as described.
14. The combination of the slide bar having a block provided with a recess or hole,
the pin, or post E having the section e which enters said recess or hole, and the latch
block e, the spring e, and the automatic latch d, all substantially as described.
15. The combination of the slide plate or block supporting the pin, post, or stud E,
the cam e, the lever e and the connecting link el substantially as described.
16. The combination of the tripping block D, the slide plate d, the reciprocating
block, carrying the vertically movable pin or post E, and the latch & substantially
as described.
17. The combination of the block D, the slide block or bar d, the arm and the
covering plate or shield 3 adapted upon the movement of the slide bar to be brought
over the feed ratchet wheel, and to form a surface upon which the head may move,
substantially as described.
18. The combination in a machine for stitching button-holes, of a block or stop D,
and devices for intermittingly reciprocating the clamp plate, adapted to be moved into
operative position upon the release of a latch, said latch connected with said block or
stop, a feed disconnecting device for disconnecting the feed operating mechanism from
the feed roll or wheel, also connected with said block, whereby upon the movement of
said block the operation of feeding is discontinued and the clamp plate oscillating
device automatically brought into operation, all substantially as described.
19. The combination in a button-hole stitching machine of the block or stop D and
means for adjusting it, substantially as described.
20. The combination of an adjustable back-stop, a pointer f¹, and the scale ƒ all
substantially as described.
21. The combination of the clamp-plate slot b, with the adjustable front stop G, all
substantially as described.

page_text: 22. The combination of the clamping-plate slot /, the stop G, and the adjusting
screw, substantially as described.
23. The combination of the front stop G, the indicator g', and scale g', substantially
as described.
24. the combination of the tripping block D and a latching device for holding it
locked back during the movement of the button-hole barring devices, substantially as
described.
25. In a machine for stitching button-holes, the combination of stitching devices, a
movable plate supporting the work-clamping, and holding, and presenting devices, and
feeding mechanism for automatically moving the plate to present the work to the
stitching mechanism, a tripping device for tripping the feed operating devices, a device
for engaging the clamp plate and intermittingly moving the same in the operation of
barring, or staying, the button-hole, all combined and arranged so that the stitching
of the sides and eye is followed by the immediate automatic forming or stitching of
the bar or stay, whereby the entire stitched and barred or stayed button hole is made
in one continuous operation of the machine, all substantially as described.
26. The combination of the throat plate having the deep recess and the clamp
plate having a slot sufficiently wide to permit the reciprocating or oscillating
movement of the plate in the recess in relation to the throat during the operation of
barring, as described, all substantially as set forth.
27. The combination of the throat-plate having the deep recess ', the clamp plate
having the recess or slot wide enough to permit the oscillating or reciprocating
movement of the clamp plate in barring, and the spring roller for bearing against the
edge of the clamp-plate and holding the edge of the said recess or slot in contact
with the edge of the throat plate within the recess, all substantially as described.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.