Improvements in Button-hole Finishing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 19th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 1st Oct., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Button-hole Finishing Machines.
I, WILLIAM FULTON FAIR, of 85, Highbury Quadrant, in the County of
London, Machine Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in that kind of button hole finishing
machines which form the bar of the button hole by a series of stitches at right
angles to the button-hole and another series of stitches overlying the front series
of stitches at right angles thereto.
For the facility of description I will describe my improvements as applied to a
lock-stitch sewing machine having a horizontal shaft for actuating the shuttle, such
as a "Wheeler and Wilson" machine.
In carrying out the invention I provide a spring clamp for holding the material
with the button-hole to be barred beneath the needle of the machine, the said
clamp being adapted to feed the material in order to enable the needle to effect the
stitches as above described.
In order to impart the movement to the clamp which is necessary to effect the
series of stitches at right angles to the button-hole, I connect thereto a lever
adapted to be operated by a cam, and for imparting the movement to the clamp
necessary to effect the series of overlying stitches I connect another lever to the
said clamp (also adapted to be operated by a cam) to give the length of the stitch,
the said cams being advantageously driven from the main shaft of the machine by
suitable gearing. The feed necessary to form the said overlying stitches side by
side is effected by another cam through the medium of the first named lever, the
said cam being advantageously driven from the main shaft by a worm and wheel.
Suitable means such as cams driven by the said worm gearing are employed for
putting the levers into and out of contact with their respective cams at the required
time.
In order that the end of the button-hole to be barred shall be placed in proper
position beneath the needle of the machine, I provide the clamp with projecting
stop onto which the button-hole can be placed with the end to be barred bearing
against it but, as the said stop would be in the way of the needle, I arrange on the
clamp means for moving the stop out of the way as the clamp is closing to hold the
material.
In order to start the machine I provide a suitable hand lever connected to a
sliding spring-bar having a belt fork for throwing the driving belt from the loose
onto the fast driving pulley. The said bar is provided with two catches, one of
which serves to engage with a lever to maintain the belt on the fast pulley, the
said lever being also adapted to engage with a projection on the worm wheel
hereinbefore mentioned so that, when the said wheel has completed a revolution,
which is necessary to form the barring, it moves the said lever, which thereby allows
the strap fork to move and throw the belt off the fast pulley. The other catch
serves when the belt is thrown off as described to engage with a tooth on a disc on
the main shaft to stop the machine when the needle is at its highest point.
Dated the 20th day of October 1891.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Button-hole Finishing Machines.
I, WILLIAM FULTON FAIR, of 85, Highbury Quadrant, in the County of
London, Machine Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascer-
tained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements in that kind of button-hole finishing
machires which form the bar of the button hole by a series of long stitches at right
angles to the button hole and another series of stitches overlying the first series of
stitches at right angles thereto.
For facility of description I will describe my improvements as applied to a lock-
stitch sewing machine having a horizontal shaft for actuating the shuttle or hook,
such as a
"Wheeler and Wilson" machine.
In carrying out the invention I provide a spring-clamp for holding the material
with the button hole to be barred beneath the needle of the machine, the said clamp
being adapted to feed the material in order to enable the needle to effect the
stitching as above described.
In order that the end of the button hole to be barred shall be placed in proper
position beneath the needle of the machine, I provide the clamp with a projecting
stop or guide onto which the button hole can be placed with the end to be barred
bearing against it but, as the said stop would be in the way of the needle, I arrange
on the clamp means for moving the stop out of the way as the clamp is closing to
hold the material.
To impart the necessary movement to the clamp when applying the series of
long stitches at right angles to the button hole, I connect to the said clamp a lever
adapted to be operated by a cam, and for imparting the movement to the clamp
necessary for applying the series of overlying stitches I connect another lever to
the said clamp also adapted to be operated by a cam, the said cams being advan-
tageously driven from the main shaft of the machine by suitable gearing. The
feed necessary for applying the overlying stitches side by side is effected by
another cam through the medium of the first named lever, the said cam being
advantageously driven from the main shaft by a worm and wheel. Suitable means
such as cams driven by the said worm gearing are employed for putting the levers
into and out of connection with their respective cams at the required times.
One
important advantage of this combination of parts for giving the necessary movements
to the clamp is, that it affords the means of readily regulating the number and
closeness of the stitches and so adapting the machine to different classes of work,
by changing the worm and worm wheel as hereinafter described. Such a result
I believe to be quite novel in this kind of machines.
To start the machine I provide a lever connected to a sliding spring-bar having
a belt fork for throwing the driving belt from the loose onto the fast driving pulley.
The said bar. has two catches, one of which serves to engage with a lever to
maintain-the belt on the fast pulley the said lever being also adapted to engage
with a projection on the worm-wheel hereinbefore mentioned so that, when the said
wheel has completed a revolution, which is necessary to form the barring; it moves
the said lever, thereby allowing the strap fork to move and throw. the belt.offithe
fast pulley. The other catch serves when the belt is thrown off as described to
engage with a tooth on a disc on the main shaft to stop the machine when the
needle is at its highest point.
To enable my invention to be fully understood I will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :-
Figure 1 is an underside view of a "Wheeler and Wilson" lockstitch sewing
machine having my improved button-hole barring mechanism applied thereto.:

page_text: Figure 2 is an elevation of the same partly in section, the section being taken on
the line 2, 2, Figure 1:
Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of the head of the machine, the section being
taken on the line 3, 3, Figure 2:
Figure 4 is a plan view of the work-plate:
Figure 5 is a section on the line 5, 5, Figure 3:
Figures 6 and 7 are underside views partly in section shewing the arrangement
of cams and levers for operating the work holding clamp:
Figures 8, 9 and 10 are sections on the lines 8,8; 9, 9; and 10, 10 respectively
of Figure 1:
Figures 11 to 20 are views of the different cams detached.
Figure 21 is a view shewing how the stitches forming the bar of a button hole
are applied.
Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.
a is the bed-plate of the machine, the swan-neck, e the driving shaft carried
in bearings d, d; e the cage or cradle for the hook or shuttle, and a cam for
operating the take up g, all of which parts are of ordinary construction, and require
no further description.
his my work holding clamp which comprises a sliding bar or plate adapted
to slide upon the upper side of the work-plate and having attached to or formed
integral with it an arm h³ designed with the bar h¹ to embrace the work-plate and
to bear against the underside of the same, as shewn most clearly in Figure 3, and
also comprising a movable jaw, shewn in the drawings as a spring-arm h, secured to
the bar and having its free end serrated or roughened and adapted to hold the
work between itself and a correspondingly serrated or roughened surface upon the
bar h'. In the clamping ends of the clamp are formed openings h*, through which
the needle of the machine can pass, the said openings being of sufficient size to
allow the necessary movements of the work holding clamp to take place relatively
to the needle.
i is the stop which ensures that the end of the button-hole shall be placed in the
work holding clamp in proper position relatively to the needle of the machine.
This stop is located in a groove in the bar hand is attached to or formed integral
with a bar sliding upon the bar h, as shewn most clearly in Figure 5, screws i³, 1
being passed through the bar ¹ for the purpose of guiding it. The opposite end of
the bar to that carrying the stop i is jointed to an arm attached to the spring-
arm h³, as shewn in Figure 3, in such a manner that when the clamping end of the
spring bar descends to clamp the work the said bar will be moved so as to
draw the stop i to a position in which the needle cannot come into contact with it.
When the clamp is again opened the stop i is moved back again ready for fixing
the position of another button-hole. The opening of the clamp is effected by
connecting the spring-arm ³ to the lifting-bar ; in the head of the machine by
means of a chain . With this arrangement it will be understood that when the
bar jis lifted by means of the lever, Figure 2, the clamp will be opened, and that
when the bar jis again allowed to descend the clamp will close and hold the work.
Instead of forming the arm ³ as a spring-arm it may be rigid and connected to the
bar h' by a spring hinge joint.
k is the lever through the medium of which the necessary movements of the clamp
when applying the series of long stitches are effected, the said lever being pivotted
to the base-plate at k¹ and connected to the arm h³ of the clamp by means of a
rod, which rod, as shewn, is formed in two parts connected by screws so as to
make it readily adjustable as regards length. This lever k carries a pivotted
arm provided at its free end with a roller and is operated by a cam secured
to a bevel gear-wheel mounted upon a stud k² and driven by a bevel-pinion *
upon the main shaft c of the machine. The gear-wheel and the pinion are
shewn in the drawings in the proportion of two to one so that for two revolutions
of the pinion the wheel k makes one revolution. The cam ko, which is shewn in
face and edge view in Figures 11 and 12 respectively, is so shaped that during one

page_text: half of its revolution, that is, whilst the driving shaft makes a complete revolution
and the needle moves down and up again, the clamp will be in a position corre-
sponding to one end of the long stitches and that during the other part of its
revolution the clamp will be in a position corresponding to the other end of the
long stitches, that is to say, after each down and upward movement of the needle
to form a stitch the clamp will be moved in one or the other direction, as indicated
by the two arrows 1 in Figure 4. A is a spring which, after the lever k has been
moved by the cam in one direction, returns the said lever to its original position.
is the lever by means of which the clamp is moved in the directions of the
arrows 2 of Figure 4 for the application of the overlying stitches, the said lever
being pivotted at to the base-plate and at one end pivotted to the arm h² of the
clamp whilst the other end is acted upon by a spring is the cam by means of
which this lever is actuated, the said cam, which is of substantially the same shape
as the cam and which is shewn in face and edge view respectively in Figures 13
and 14, being secured to the cam and moving therewith. This cam acts upon
the lever through the medium of the arm carrying the roller l' and acted upon
by the spring 16, the said arm having formed integral with it a lever-arm 17 for a
purpose hereinafter described.
With this arrangement it will be understood that,
assuming the roiler 1 to be in contact with the periphery of the cam, the
movement of the latter will cause the movement of the lever upon its pivot ľ
and thereby move the work clamp in the direction of the arrows 2, Figure 4.
In the operation of the machine the clamp is first of all moved to apply the long
stitches and then to apply the overlying stitches. It is therefore obvious that
while the long stitches are being applied the roller of the lever / must be out of
contact with its cam and during the time that the overlying stitches are being
applied the roller of the lever k must be out of contact with its cam k. Further
it is necessary whilst applying the overlying stitches that the work clamp should be
caused to travel in the required direction to cause the stitches to be applied side
by side.
In order to produce these different results I provide three cams m, n, o secured to
a worm-wheel p carried upon a stud p₁ and adapted to be driven by a worm p³ upon
the driving shaft c of the machine.
The cam m which is shewn in face and edge view in Figures 15 and 16 is designed
to hold the roller out of operative contact with its cam during the time that
the roller is in operative contact with its cam. This cam m acts against a
projection upon a lever m², one end of which is pivotted at m³ whilst the other
end m is adapted to bear upon the lever-arm of the arm in such a manner that
when the high part of the cam m is in contact with the projection m' the lever m
will with its end m* press upon the lever-arm land hold the roller in the required
position as in Figure 6.
To ensure that when the lever m³ acts upon the lever of the arm the lever /
shall remain stationary, the spring (* is made stronger than the spring so that
the latter will yield and allow the necessary movement of the arm 1.
To ensure also that whilst the work clamp is being moved for the application of
the long stitches it shall be in such a position (as regards its movement in the
direction of the arrows 2, Figure 4) that the needle when applying the overlying
stitches shall enter the work at equal distances from the two sides of the said long
stitches I provide in the armi a screw which when the roller is in the position
shewn in Figures 1 and 6 will bear against the end of the lever and so ensure that
the position of the work clamp shall be absolutely-controlled by the high part of
the cam m.
The cam n which is shewn in face view and edge view respectively in Figures 17
and 18 is designed to act upon a projection n' upon an arm n' pivotted to the base
plate at n³ and at one end acted upon by a spring n', the other end being slotted or
recessed to embrace the lever k³ carrying the roller k. When the high part of the
cam n acts against the projection n' the lever n² will be lifted against the pressure
of the spring n in order to hold the arm k so that its roller is out of operative

page_text: contact with the cam k, as shewn in Figure 7. When, however, the arm n' is
in contact with the low part of the cam n the lever will drop sufficiently
to place its roller k in operative contact with the said cam k³, as shewn in
Figure 6.
The cam o which is shewn in face and edge view respectively in Figures 19
and 20 is adapted to act against a projection o' (Figures 6 and 7) upon the lever k
and the difference between the highest and lowest parts of the cam o correspond to
the length of bar to be formed upon the button hole so that as the said cam o is
rotated it will, by acting against the projection o¹, move the lever k and con-
sequently also the work-clip h the required distance.
The cams m, n, o are so arranged relatively to each other that the high part of
the cam m operates against the projection m¹ of the lever m³ during the time that
the arm n¹ of the lever n' is in contact with the low part of its cam and vice versa,
and that whilst the high part of the cam n is in contact with the projection n¹ of
the lever n² and the lower part of the cam m in contact with the projection m' the
part of the cam o of gradually increasing diameter will be acting upon the pro-
jection of to move the work clip h to cause the stitches to be applied side by side.
In order to regulate the number of stitches in the bar and the number and closeness
with
of the overlying stitches it is only necessary to provide worm-wheels such as /
a greater or less number of teeth and to provide corresponding worms so that the
needle will make a greater or less number of up and down movements during one
rotation of the worm-wheel. Thus by changing the worm and worm-wheel the
number and closeness of stitches required for different classes of work can be
obtained. In all prior machines no such provision for adaptation was secured, and
it is an important feature of my present arrangements that the cams k and with
the parts which they operate are so arranged in relation to the cams m, n and o and
the worm and worm-wheel p that this adaptability is secured.
q is the belt or driving pulley fixed to the shaft c, and q' is a loose pulley upon
which the belt runs during the time that the work is being introduced into and
removed from the work holding clamp. 2 is the belt fork which serves to transfer
the belt g from one pulley to the other. This fork is secured to a rod q* sliding in
guides at q, q in the underside of the bed-plate a, as shewn in Figures 1 and 10.
Upon this rod q' is a collar q* and between this collar and one of the guides q³ is a
spring q which tends to move the fork into the position for the belt to run upon
the loose pulley q¹. In order to move the fork to transfer the belt from the loose
to the fast pulley I extend the shaft r, Figures 2 and 10, (upon which the take-up g
is free to oscillate) through the side of the swan-neck 6 and upon this projecting
end I fix a levers. I also fix to the shaft r an arm t which acts against the
collar in such a manner that when the lever is depressed the said collar
and with it the rod q' will be moved against the pressure of the spring 9. To
retain the rod q* in this position so that the belt will run upon the fast pulley
I attach to the said bar a catch or collar having an inclined or conical
surface adapted, when the said rod q is moved to shift the belt onto the fast
pulley, to impinge against one end of a lever v, the other end of which is
pivotted at ', Figures 1 and 9, and which is acted upon by a spring in such
a manner that when the collar u impinges against the free end of the snid
lever it will cause the same to descend, the spring after the collar has
passed, drawing the said lever behind the collar so as to prevent the rod q*
from moving back again.
In order that, when the bar is finished, the machine shall be automatically
stopped, I fix upon the worm-wheel p a lug or projection designed at each
revolution of the said wheel to act upon an arm y upon the lever in such a
manner as to lower the said lever v sufficiently to disengage the free end
thereof from the collar u, thereby allowing the bar q' to be moved back under
the action of the spring q'.
From the description of the cams m, n, o hereinbefore described it will be
understood that the worm-wheel p makes one revolution during the formation of

page_text: each bar the said projection must therefore be placed in such a position upon
the said wheel that it only acts upon the army when the bar is completed.
To ensure that when the machine is thus stopped the needle shall be in its
uppermost position clear of the work, I form upon the cam fa tooth or pro-
jection which, when the bar q moves to the position to shift the belt onto the
loose pulley, impinges against the collar 78 (referred to in the Provisional
Specification as a catch) which is at the same time moved into its path.
In order to minimise the concussion between the tooth z and the collar q* the
latter is provided with a buffer spring z¹.
22 is a spring detent pawl which engages with a notch in the periphery of the
cam to prevent the machine from being worked in the wrong direction.
The operation of the machine hereinbefore described is as follows:-Assume
a piece of work to be placed in the work-holding clamp has hereinbefore
described and assume the belt to be running upon the loose pulley q¹ and the
roller to be in operative contact with its cam, as shewn in Figure 1. The
levers is now depressed in order to shift the belt onto the fast pulley whereby
motion will be imparted to the needle and, at the same time, the cam being
rotated from the driving shaft c, a to-and-fro motion will be imparted to the
work-holding ciamp in order to apply the long stitches as indicated in Figure 21.
When a sufficient number of long stitches has been applied, which number is
regulated by the shape of the cam n, the said cam acts upon the lever n³ to
shift the roller out of contact with the cam and at the same time the
cam m has moved so far as to allow the roller to make contact with its
cam under the action of the spring so that the necessary movement is
applied to the work-holding clamp for the application of the overlying stitches,
the said clamp being at the same time caused to travel by means of the cam o
in order to lay the said overlying stitches side by side also as indicated in
Figure 21. By the time a sufficient number of overlying stitches has been
applied the wheel p has travelled so far that the projection thereon comes
into contact with the army of the lever whereby the latter is lowered to dis-
engage the said lever from the catch or collar u so that the spring q' moves
the belt fork g' to throw the belt onto the loose pulley, the collar q being at
the same time thrown into the path of the tooth z upon the cam f whereby the
latter is stopped in the required position.
In the foregoing description I have referred to the starting of the machine as
being effected through the medium of a hand-lever: if desired, however, this
operation may be effected through the medium of a foot-lever. In this case I
form the arm t with an extension t', as indicated by dotted lines in Figure 2, and
to the said extension I connect a chain t which is suitably attached to a pedal.
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. The combination with a sewing machine of mechanism for finishing button-
holes arranged in such a manner that by the use of change wheels (such for
instance as the worm-wheel p and worm p' or their equivalents) the number and
closeness of the stitches may be regulated and the machine so adapted for different
kinds of work, substantially as herein before described.
2. The combination of the clamp. traversing cams and 1 and the governing
cams m, n and o and the levers operated thereby with the driving shaft c and gear
intermediate between the driving shaft and the cams, in such a manner that by
changing the worm wheel and worm p³ the number and closeness of the stitches
may be regulated, substantially as described.
3. In a button-hole finishing machine the combination with the work-holding
clamp of a stop or guide such as i operated by the movable jaw of the said clamp
in such a manner that when the clamp is opened for the insertion of the work the
said stop or guide will be moved into position for ensuring the button-hole to be

page_text: finished being in its proper position relatively to the needle and that when the said
clamp is closed the said stop or guide will be moved out of the path of the needle,
substantially as described.
4. In a button-hole finishing machine having a work-holding clamp adapted to
be moved in one direction to apply a series of long stitches and then in another
direction to apply a series of overlying stitches, the combination with the said clamp
of levers having pivotted arms acted upon by peripheral cams (such as k³, 13) and
arranged in conjunction with other peripheral cams (such as m, n) whereby the
said arms are alternately moved into and out of contact with the main operating
cams, substantially as described.
5. In a button-hole finishing machine the combination with the operating parts
which give the motions of the clamp necessary for the application of the long
stitches, of a cam such as o for giving the motions of the clamp necessary for the
application of the overlying stitches through the medium of the same intermediate
parts, substantially as described.
6. In a button-hole finishing machine having a work-holding clamp operated in
one direction to apply a series of long stitches and then in another direction to
apply a series of overlying stitches, a belt shifting fork attached to a rod sliding in
guides and adapted to be held in one position with the belt upon the fast or driving
pulley of the machine by means of a pivotted lever engaging with a catch or collar
upon the said rod and to be released so that a spring may move the rod to shift the
belt onto the loose pulley by means of a cam or projection secured to a wheel
designed to make one complete revolution during the time that the necessary
number of stitches for finishing a button-hole is being applied, substantially as
described.
7. In a button-hole finishing machine having a work-holding clamp designed to
be operated as described and having a belt shifting fork fixed to a sliding-bar, the
arrangement upon a cam or disc upon the main driving shaft, of a tooth adapted
when the said bar is shifted to impinge against a collar which is at the same time
thrown into the path of the said tooth, substantially as, and for the purpose,
described.
8. The combination with a sewing machine of mechanism for finishing button-
holes, constructed and arranged substantially in the manner hereinbefore described
and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
9. The improved button-hole finishing machine consisting of the parts con-
structed and combined substantially in the manner hereinbefore described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings and operating as, and for the purposes,
set forth.
Say
August 1
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.