Improvements in Button Sewing Machines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Nov., 1891-Accepted, 21st May, 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Button Sewing Machines.
1, WILLIAM MILLS, a citizen of the United States, residing at No. 3958 Mellon
Street, West Philadelphia, in the County of Philadelphia, and State of Pennsyl-
vania, Machinist, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS
IN BUTTON SEWING MACHINES, and in what manner the same is to be performed
to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statements :-
The principal objects of my present invention are first, to provide an efficient,
durable and comparatively simple sewing machine for attaching or sewing buttons
to fabrics more firmly and in a better manner than has heretofore been possible;
second, to provide durable and convenient appliances for engaging and disengaging
the peripheral edges of a button and for holding the same during the sewing
operation by pressure exerted in the plane of the face of the button; third, to
provide compact and efficient mechanism for shifting the buttons and button
retaining appliances beneath the needle twice as often in one direction as in the other
in order to form twice as many straight as diagonal stitches; and fourth, to provide
inexpensive and positive mechanism for automatically throwing the driving pulley
out of engagement after the operation of sewing on cach button has been
completed.
'
My invention consists of a sewing machine having needle actuating and stitch
forming mechanisms and provided with a button carrier having spring actuated
pivotal jaws adapted to operate in the plane of the button and to retain the button
during the sewing operation, a shifting plate, a shifting plate lever attached to said
button-carrier and pivoted to said shifting-plate and means for shifting said plate
and lever with reference to the needle so as to permit the latter to traverse the holes
or eyes in the button.
My invention further consists of a sewing machine having needle actuating and
stitch forming mechanisms and a shaft for driving the same and provided with a
shifting plate, a shifting plate lever pivoted thereto and attached to a button carrier,
a rock-shaft supported by the bed-plate and connected with said shifting-plate lever
by a link, a cam on said main shaft, a bell crank lever pivotally connected with the
bed plate and having one arm engaging said cam and the other arm attached to
said rock-shaft in order to shift the button carrier transversely of the main shaft, a
counter-shaft supported by the bed plate and driven from the main shaft by
suitable gears, a cam on said counter-shaft, an oscillating lever having one
extremity thereof pivoted to the bed-plate and the other extremity in engagement
with said counter-shaft cam and a link connecting the oscillating lever and sliding
plate so as to shift the button carrier in the direction of the main shaft.
My invention further consists of a sewing machine having needle actuating and
stitch forming mechanisms, a main shaft for actuating the same, a driving-wheel on
said shaft, a spring actuated shipper-rod for engaging and disengaging the driving-
wheel and shaft, a ratchet-wheel provided with pins, a peripheral brake for said
ratchet-wheel, a ratchet driven by a cam on said main shaft for actuating said
ratchet-wheel, a slotted collar fast on said shipper-rod, a collar loose on said
shipper-rod and supported against end-play, lugs attached to said loose collar for
engaging the fast collar and for entering the slots therein a spring actuated detent
attached to the loose collar and adapted to engage said pins in order to slightly
rotate the former so as to lock and release said shipper-rod; and
My invention further consists in the improvements in button sewing machines
hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims:

page_text: The nature and objects of my present invention will be more fully understood
from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings
forming part hereof; and in which
Figure 1, is a top view or plan of the lower parts of a sewing machine embodying
features of my invention and showing a button carrier support attached to a sliding
plate lever pivoted to a sliding plate adapted to be reciprocated in the direction of
the main shaft by means of a rock-shaft, cam and link connections, and also showing
link connections actuated by a cam on a counter-shaft for oscillating said sliding
plate lever in order to shift the button carrier transversely of the main shaft, and
also showing a spring actuated shipper-rod and means for automatically releasing
the same.
Fig. 2, is a transverse section on the line 2-2, of Fig. 1, showing means for
imparting motion from the main shaft to the rock-shaft.
Fig. 3, is a transverse section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, showing spur-wheels for
rotating the counter-shaft and also showing a ratchet-wheel provided with pins and
controlled by a spring brake, a cam actuated pawl for rotating the ratchet-wheel
and a detent adapted to mesh with said pins for controlling mechanisms for releasing
the shipper-rod.
Fig. 4, is a transverse section on the line 4-4, of Fig. 1, showing in dotted lines
stitch forming mechanism and also showing the manner of attaching the button
carrier to the sliding plate.
Fig. 5, is a plan view of the under side of a button carrier with the lower
portion thereof removed in order to show the pivotally supported spring jaws for
holding the button; and
This
Fig. 6, is a perspective view of the sliding-plate, needle-bar and button carrier.
In the drawings a, is the bed-plate of the machine provided with a centrally
located shaft a', a needle-bar a³, and a bifurcated head a³, for supporting the needle-
bar. The front extremity of the main shaft a', is provided with stitch forming
mechanism a, and the rear portion thereof is provided with a cam as, for actuating
the take-up mechanism (not shown) and with an eccentric a, for actuating the
needle-bar a². b, is a sliding-plate provided with a slot ', for the reception of a
perforated button carrier support 62, and supported in ways 63, formed integral with
or attached to the upper face of the bed-plate a, so as to be susceptible of being
reciprocated in the direction of the main shaft. a. is a sliding plate lever
carrying the button carrier support 3, and pivotally attached to the sliding plate b,
by means of a stud %, so that the button carrier support 2, may be reciprocated
transversely of the main shaft by the simple operation of reciprocating the sliding
plate lever, and without affecting in any way the motion of the sliding plate b.
c, is a button carrier adapted to support, retain and carry a flat button.
carrier or bar c, is pivotally attached to the button carrier support b², and is
provided with a spring c', for causing it to normally press the work a, and button y,
into contact with each other and with the button carrier support 63, beneath the
needle c³, and for permitting it to be raised in order to remove the work and button.
A plate ca, is attached to the forward extremity of the bar e, by means of a slotted
connection comprising a slot clo, and a set-screw e¹, so that the plate. c³, may be
shifted with relation to the bar c. c, are jaws provided with conical working faces
for engaging the periphery of a button and pivotally attached to the adjustable
plate c³, by means of studs or screws c. These jaws, are drawn normally
together by means of a spring e', having its extremities attached respectively to
said jaws. c, is a wedge-shaped block adapted to be brought into engagement
with the inner edges of the two jaws c, as clearly shown in Fig. 5, by means of a
threaded stud or screw, engaging a tapped orifice in the wedge c, and having its
head c, in engagement with the plate c³, and its shank c³, adapted to work in a
slot, in the plate c³, in order that the respective jaws may be readily caused to
assume the required positions for the reception of buttons of different diameters to
be applied to fabrics.

page_text: It may be remarked that the hereinabove described construction of the pivotally
supported spring actuated jaws entirely obviates the disadvantages incident to the
use of button carriers in which both of the jaws are formed, of one continuous piece
of metal, because such piece of metal is in use exceedingly apt to split or crack at
or near the shanks of the jaws, thereby rendering the whole device inoperative.
In use a button y, is inserted in suitable recesses formed in the interior edges of
the jaws.e, and these jaws are reciprocated in the direction of the main shaft and
transversely thereof so as to cause stitches to be formed both straight and diagonally:
across the eyes of the button (Fig. 6). Excellent results have been attained in
practice by forming twice as many straight as diagonal stitches and therefore!
preference is given to the employment of such stitches.
Having described the appliances for holding the button and the manner of
attaching the same to a sliding plate, a description will now be given of the
mechanism for shifting the sliding plate in the direction of the main shaft and
afterwards of mechanism for shifting the button holding devices transversely of the
sliding plate.
d, is an oscillating lever pivoted to the underside of the bed plate a, and provided
at or near the center thereof with a slot d¹, and at or near the free extremity.
thereof with a traveller d². d³, is a counter-shaft supported in bearings a' depending,
from the underside of the bed-plate a. This counter-shaft d³ is provided with a
switch-cam d', engaging the traveller d² and with a gear d³, meshing with a gear d³,
on the main shaft a and having a smaller diameter than the gear d', so that when
the main shaft a¹, is revolved the counter-shaft d³, is also revolved by the inter-
vention of the differential gears d³ and do, and in the present instance, one half as fast;
as the main shaft. The revolutions of the shaft d³ and cam d, cause the lever d, to
be oscillated back and forth around its point of pivotal connection with the bed-plate a,
in one direction or the other after every two succeeding revolutions of the main
shaft a'. ', is a link pivotally attached to the sliding plate and to the oscillating
lever d, by means of a screw engaging the slot d', so that the oscillations of the lever d,
are transmitted to the sliding plate b, and cause the latter to reciprocate back and
forth in the ways 63, and in the direction of the main shaft a', and inasmuch as the
button carrier c and button carrier support 2, are attached to the shifting-plate
lever, which is pivoted to the shifting plate b, it follows that the button carrier e
and button y are oscillated with the sliding plate, so that stitches are formed
straight across two of the eyes of the button. Moreover, the throw of the link d',
and consequently the amount of travel of the button y, in the direction of the main
shaft a', may be increased or diminished according to the distance between the eyes
of the button by the simple operation of shifting the point of connection between
the link d and the oscillating lever d, nearer to or farther from the pivotal
connection between the latter and the bed-plate a.
C
The button carrier and button carrier support are shifted transversely of the
main shaft a', by the simple operation of reciprocating the free end of the sliding-
plate lever 64, about the stud 6%, and this result is accomplished in the following
manner.
e, is a rock-shaft supported in bearings attached to the underside of the bed plate a,
and provided at the respective extremities thereof with arms e², (Fig. 2) and e',
(Fig. 4). 3, is a bell-crank lever pivotally attached to the underside of the bed
plate a, and having one arm thereof in engagement with the arm e², and the other
arm provided with a traveller e, adapted to engage a switch-cam e, attached to the
main shaft a¹, so that the shaft e, is oscillated first in one direction and then in the
other at each successive revolution of the main shaft a¹. e, is a link pivotally
attached to the shifting plate lever, and to the arm e¹, provided with a screw
This screw e', is pivotally connected by means of a screw e, working in a slot e, so
that the shifting plate lever, button-carrier c, and button y, are reciprocated
transversely of the main shaft and so that the throw of the link e, and extent of the
travel of the button y, may be adjusted by means of the slotted connection between
he arm e', and link e.

page_text: The result of the above described reciprocating motion is to cause the button
to be attached to the material a, by means of straight and diagonal stitches. In
practice, each button is attached to the work by ten stitches, after the completion
of which the machine is automatically stopped, so that the work may be advanced
and another button attached thereto.
The machine is automatically stopped in the following manner.
, is a positively driven pulley provided with a shipper-groove f¹, and friction-
wheel, and mounted loose on the shaft a. g, is a friction-wheel keyed to the shaft
and provided with a projecting peripheral portion for a purpose to be hereinafter
described. 3, is a shipper for shifting the loose pulley f, into or out of engagement
with the friction-wheel g, so as to cause the loose pulley f, to drive the main shaft a¹ or
to permit the loose pulley to run loose thereon., is a brake attached to the shipper f³
and adapted to contact with the projection on the wheel g, so as to stop the main
shaft from rotating after the wheel f, has been shifted out of contact with the
wheel g. 5, is a shipper-rod attached to the shipper f³, and supported in suitable
bearings secured to the bed-plate a, so as to be capable of being shifted in the
direction of its length. f, is a spring interposed between a flange a depending
from the rear of the bed plate a, and a collar attached to the shipper-rod f³, in
order to shift the latter normally towards the left in Fig. 1, so as to permit the
pulley, to run loose on the shaft a'. f, is a bell-crank lever pivoted to the
shipper-rod and having one arm thereof inserted in a recess formed in the bed-
plate a, and the other arm provided with a chain f8, for shifting the shipper-rod f³,
towards the right in Fig. 1, in order to force the pulley f, into engagement with
the wheel
h, is a loose collar or sleeve provided with notches 1', and mounted on the
shipper-rod, but supported against end-play by means of a projection ²,
attached to the bed-plate a. ³, is a collar keyed or screwed to the shipper-rod f",
and provided with lugs *, adapted to engage with the edge of the collar h, as
shown in Fig. 1, in order to hold the shipper-rod f³, in its extreme right-hand
position and also adapted to enter the notches ', when the collar h, is turned so as
to permit the spring f, to shift the shipper-rod f³, into its extreme left-hand
position. , is a detent attached to the collar h, and provided with a spring 8,
attached to the bed plate a, so as to maintain the edge of the collar h, normally in
contact with the lugs /*. i, is a ratchet-wheel supported loosely on an extension of
the counter-shaft d³, which latter is journalled in a bearing a depending from the
underside of the base plate a. This ratchet wheel i is provided with pins ¹, for
engaging the detent, in order to slightly rotate the collar h, so as to permit the
lugs, to enter the notches ', and thus permit the shipper-rod f, to be shifted to
the left (in Fig. 1) by the spring f, thereby disengaging the wheels f and g.
2, is a pawl attached to an eccentric strap embracing an eccentric on the main
shaft a', and provided with a spring, attached to the bed plate a, in order to
maintain the pawl, in engagement with the ratchet-wheel i, so that when the
shaft a', is rotated the pawl 2, causes the ratchet-wheel i, to be advanced the space
of one tooth for each revolution of the shaft and when the ratchet-wheel i, has
been advanced ten teeth, one of the pins i", contacts with and raises the detent h³,
thus throwing the machine out of gear. In the present instance the ratchet-
wheel, is provided with twenty teeth and two pins, so that the main shaft is
rotated ten times and causes the formation of ten stitches before the shipper-rod is
released and the machine thrown out of gear.
k, is a spring brake contacting with and embracing the periphery of the hub of
the ratchet-wheel i, in order to prevent the latter from being rotated when the
pawl, is being drawn back over the teeth of the ratchet-wheel i, before each
successive forward stroke. The respective extremities of this spring brake are
formed into loops and surround a screw stud ¹ connected with a lug a projecting
from the bearings a°, Fig. 3. 12, is a spring interposed between the head of the
screw stud k³, and the loops of the spring brake k, in order to increase the elasticity
thereof. It may be remarked that the spring brake is much more positive and

page_text: reliable in action than a leather washer or analogous device and therefore much
better results are attained by its use than were heretofore possible.
The mode of operation of the hereinabove described machine, is as follows :—
After a button has been properly inserted between the spring jaws c³, the
machine is thrown into gear by pulling the chain f³, so that the subsequent
revolutions of the shaft a¹, cause the button to be shifted beneath the needle in
such manner that ten stitches are formed straight and diagonally across the eyes of
the button. When the ten stitches are completed one of the pins i, contacts with
the detent h, and rotates the collar or sleeve / slightly, thus permitting the
spring f, to shift the shipper-rod f³, towards the left, so as to throw the machine
out of gear, whereupon the above described operations are repeated in order to
effect the operation of sewing on additional buttons.
Although I have described my invention in connection with a so-called "Wheeler
and Wilson Sewing Machine No. 10," still it will be obvious that it can with slight
modifications in the details thereof, be applied to other types of sewing machines,
and hence I do not limit myself to the exact arrangement of parts herein set forth
and illustrated'; but
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature and objects of my
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that
what I claim is :-
1. In combination, a sewing machine having needle actuating and stitch forming
mechanism, a button-carrier provided with pivotal jaws adapted to operate in the
plane of a flat button, a spring tending to close said jaws, a wedge adjustably
connected with said carrier and interposed between the shanks of said jaws to limit
the closing thereof and means, as described, for shifting and reciprocating said
button-carrier beneath the needle, for the purposes set forth.
2. In combination, a sewing machine provided with needle actuating and stitch
forming mechanisms, a button-carrier having recessed jaws as described adapted to
operate in the plane of a flat button, a spring connected with and tending to close
said jaws, a wedge interposed between the interior of the shanks of said jaws to
limit the movement thereof, means, as described, for shifting and clamping said
wedge to adapt said jaws for operation in connection with flat buttons of different
sizes, and mechanism, as described, for reciprocating said carrier with relation to
the needle, for the purposes set forth.
3. In combination, a sewing machine having needle actuating and stitch forming
mechanisms, a slotted button-carrier provided with two pivotal jaws adapted to
operate in the plane of a flat button, a spring connected with said jaws for
maintaining the same normally in closed position, a wedge interposed between'
the shanks of said jaws for limiting the motion thereof, a set screw working
in the slot of said button-carrier, and means, as described, for shifting and
reciprocating said button-carrier with relation to the needle, for the purposes set
forth.
}
4. The combination with a sewing machine having needle actuating and stitch
forming mechanisms, of a button carrier having spring actuated pivotal jaws
adapted to operate in the plane of the face of the button, a shifting-plate, a shifting
plate lever attached to said button carrier and pivoted to said shifting-plate, and
means for shifting said plate and lever beneath and with relation to the needle,'
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
5. The combination with a sewing machine having needle actuating and stitch
forming mechanisms and a main shaft for driving the same, of a shifting plate
provided with a slot, a shifting plate lever pivoted to said plate, a button carrier
attached to said lever and adapted to work in said slot, a rock-shaft supported by
the bed of the machine and connected with said shifting plate lever by means of a
link, a cam on said main shaft, a bell-crank lever pivotally attached to the
bed plate and having one arm engaging said cam and the other arm connected
to said rock-shaft to shift the button carrier transversely of the main shaft and

page_text: means driven by the main shaft and connected with said sliding plate for recipro-
cating the button carrier in the direction of the main-shaft, substantially as
described.
6. The combination with a sewing machine having needle actuating and stitch
forming mechanisms and a main shaft for driving the same, of a shifting plate, a
shifting plate lever pivoted to said plate, a button carrier attached to said lever, a
rock-shaft, an adjustable link connected with said shifting plate and rock-shaft,
a cam on said main shaft, a bell-crank lever having one arm engaging said cam and
the other arm connected to said rock-shaft, to shift the button carrier transversely
of the main-shaft and means connected with said sliding-plate for reciprocating
the same in the direction of the main shaft, substantially as described.
7. The combination, with a sewing machine having needle actuating and stitch
forming mechanisms and a main-shaft for driving the same, of a shifting plate
provided with a slot, a shifting plate lever pivoted to said plate, a button carrier
attached to said lever and adapted to work in said slot, means actuated by the
main shaft for oscillating the shifting plate lever, a counter-shaft supported by the
bed plate and driven from the main shaft by differential gears, a cam on said
counter-shaft, an oscillating lever having one extremity thereof pivoted to the bed
plate and the other extremity in engagement with said cam and a link connecting
the oscillating lever and sliding plate for reciprocating the sliding-plate, sub-
stantially as and for the purposes described.
8. The combination, with a sewing machine having needle actuating and stitch
forming mechanisms and a main-shaft for driving the same, of a shifting plate, a
shifting plate lever provided with a button carrier and pivoted to said plate, means
actuated by the main shaft for oscillating said shifting plate lever, a counter-shaft
driven from the main shaft by suitable gears, a cam on said counter-shaft, an
oscillating lever having one extremity thereof pivoted to the bed plate and the
other extremity in engagement with said cam and an adjustable link connecting the
oscillating lever and sliding plate for reciprocating the sliding-plate, substantially
as and for the purposes described.
9. The combination, with a sewing machine having needle actuating and stitch
forming mechanisms and a shaft for driving the same, a shifting plate provided
with a slot, a shifting plate lever pivoted thereto, a button carrier attached to said
lever, a rock-shaft supported by the bed-plate, a link connected to an arm on said
rock-shaft and to the shifting plate lever, a cam on said main shaft, a bell-crank
lever pivotally connected with the bed plate and having one arm engaging said
cam and the other arm attached to said rock-shaft for shifting the button carrier
transversely of the main shaft, a counter-shaft supported by the bed plate and
driven from the main shaft by suitable gears, a cam on said counter-shaft, an
oscillating lever having one extremity thereof pivoted to the bed plate and the
other extremity in engagement with said counter-shaft cam and a link connecting
the oscillating lever and sliding plate for shifting the button carrier in the direction
of the main shaft, substantially as and for the purposes described.
10. The combination with a sewing machine having needle actuating and stitch
forming mechanisms and a shaft for driving the same, a shifting plate, a shifting
plate lever pivoted to said shifting plate and provided with an adjustable button
carrier, a rock-shaft supported by the bed plate, an adjustable link connected to
an arm on said rock-shaft and to the shifting plate lever, a cam on said main shaft,
a bell crank lever having one arm engaging said cam and the other arm attached
to said rock-shaft for shifting the button carrier transversely of the main shaft, a
counter-shaft driven from the main shaft by differential gears, a cam on said
counter-shaft, an oscillating lever having one extremity thereof pivoted to the
bed plate and the other extremity in engagement with said counter-shaft cam and
an adjustable link connecting the oscillating lever and sliding plate for shifting the
button carrier in the direction of the main shaft, substantially as and for the
purposes described.
11. The combination of a sewing machine having needle and button carrier

page_text: actuating and stitch-forming mechanisms, a main shaft for actuating the same, a
two-part driving-wheel on said main shaft, a spring actuated shipper-rod for shifting
one member of said driving-wheel for throwing the machine into and out of gear, a
ratchet-wheel provided with pins, a peripheral brake for said ratchet-wheel, a
pawl driven by a cam on said main shaft for actuating said ratchet-wheel, clamping
devices for releasing said shipper-rod and a spring actuated detent on said
shipper-rod for actuating said clamping devices, substantially as and for the
purposes described.
12. The combination, of a sewing machine having needle and button carrier
actuating and stitch-forming mechanisms, a main shaft for actuating the same, a
two-part driving wheel on said main shaft, a spring actuated shipper-rod for
shifting one member of said driving-wheel for throwing the machine into and out
of gear, a ratchet-wheel provided with pins, a peripheral brake for said ratchet-
wheel, a pawl driven by a cam on said main shaft for actuating said ratchet-wheel,
a slotted collar loose on said shipper-rod and supported against end play, a collar
fast on said shipper-rod, lugs attached to said fast collar for engaging the loose
collar and for entering the slots therein, a spring actuated detent attached to the
loose collar and adapted to engage said pins, substantially as and for the purposes
described.
Dated this 24th dow of October A D 1901
WILLIAM MILLS.
W. P. Thompson & Boult,
Agents for the Applicant.