Year: 1886

page_text: 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 to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object to provide a machine for sewing buttons on
fabrics, the buttons to be attached being either lasting or shank buttons, each of
which has a projection or shank on the back.
My invention in the first place, consists of means for holding the button to be
secured in the plane or parallel with the plane or movement of the needle bar of a
sewing machine said plane (when the needle bar, as is usual, is over the cloth-
plate) being perpendicular to that of the cloth-plate, so that the needle in its
movement will pass through the back projection or shank of the button.
My invention consists further in means whereby, when a given number of
stitches is made as a fastening for the button, the machine will stop its movement.
My invention still further consists in means whereby the needle bar may be
stopped automatically in an elevated position, and in the provision of appliances
whereby the stop motion may be adjusted to adapt it to efficient operation for
various speeds of the machine.
My invention still further consists in certain details of construction and com-
binations of parts hereinafter fully described.
The bed-piece or base of the machine is preferably a casting designed and
adapted to rest upon a table like an ordinary sewing machine. In said base there
is suitably supported a main shaft and on said base is a needle arm terminating in
a head, a needle operating lever and a needle-bar, the latter carrying a needle.
Motion is communicated to the main shaft by a belt running alternately on loose
and fast pulleys and motion is transferred from said shaft to the needle operating
lever in any usual or suitable manner, as from a cam.

page_text: On the cloth-plate or upper surface of the bed is fitted a slide which rests in
a dove-tail groove or depression and is designed and adapted to have a longitudinal
reciprocating movement, that is a motion in the direction of the length of the
machine such movement being intermittent, or having a dwell or rest at each limit.
To impart this intermittent reciprocating movement, connection may be made
directly from the said slide with a cain on the main shaft; or slotted connecting
levers with set screws which will perimit an adjustment or variation in the length
of movement of the slide, may be provided.
On the slide is mounted a button holder which is in the form of a disc, plate or
stock having a recess which receives the back of the button to be stitched and
a slot or aperture through which the back projection or shank of the button
extends. The form of the slot or aperture may be varied to suit either a lasting
button which has a "cloth" or teat projection or a button which has a metal
shank or loop.
The disc or plate stands vertically, or parallel with the plane of movement of
the needle-bar and has a groove or slot in its back for the passage of the needle;
so that the latter in descending will pass through the button teat or projection or
the metal shank. The disc or plate may be attached directly an immovably to the
slide, but it is by preference adjustably and removably connected to the latter,
having a rearwardly extending bar with a slot which receives a set-screw said bar
fitting between guides on the slide and said screws entering a threaded opening in
the latter. By these means, the holder may be adjusted on the slide to suit
different thicknesses of fabric on which buttons may be sewed by moving it
towards or from the needle, or laterally on the said slide.
In sewing on a button, it is placed with its back against the fabric or material
to which it is to be stitched. The button and fabric are then laid in or against the
holder and the fabric is laid next to the latter; sufficient thumb or other pressure
is applied to the front of the button, to hold it and the fabric in place against the
holder or in the socket of the latter. The needle-bar now being moved the needle
passes down through the fabric and the projection or shank on the back of the
button, and the needle thread, being looped below by a shuttle, hook or other
stitch-forming device, arises, the said slide remaining stationary, while the needle
is descending and ascending.
As soon as the needle has arisen out of the fabric, the slide is moved by a can,
carrying with it the holder so that when the needle next descends, it will enter the
fabric and button projection at a place slightly to one side of where it entered on
its previous movement. This series of reciprocating intermittent motions of the
slide and holder and movement of the needle while the slide and holder are at rest
continue until a sufficient number of stitches has been formed to unite and firmly
hold the button on the fabric.
Instead of causing the button holder to reciprocate and the needle descend and
ascend always in the same vertical plane, the holder may remain stationary
and the needle reciprocate alternately in parallel vertical planes, as in sewing
machines where the needle has a lateral as well as a vertical movement to make
zigzag stitches.
To cause the machine to stop as soon as a sufficient number of stitches has been
made, I provide a belt shifter or fork by means of which the belt is shifted. This
shifter is secured to a bar hereinafter termed a sliding bar designed and adapted to
slide longitudinally of the frame or bed-piece of the machine being fitted in guides
or ways on the latter, below its upper surface or cloth-plate. Said bar or slide
has a handle at one end, or a treadle connection may be used instead, its opposite
end being attached to a retracting or pulling spring, which is connected to a
rod, having a thumb nut. Said sliding bar passes through a rigid cross-bar or
frame piece, so that by turning the nut the tension of the spring may be adjusted.
The sliding bar has a friction brake adapted to bear against the fast pulley when
the sliding bar is moved towards the front end of the machine by the action of the

page_text: spring, and thereby to stop the machine. Said brake has a foot with slots and set
screws, by means of which it may be adjusted on the sliding bar.
To hold the sliding bar against the tension and pull of the spring with the
brake out of contact with the fast pulley, and the shifter in line with said
pulley, said slide is formed with a notch which receives the end of a detent or
dog, pivotted on a stationary bracket supported on the bed piece, and having a
spring so arranged that its exertion will throw the end of said detent into said
notch. Now, to throw off said detent and thus allow the sliding bar to be moved
by the spring to shift the belt from the fast pulley to loose pulley, and to bring the
brake into frictional contact with said fast pulley. I provide an excentric on the
main shaft which excentric is encircled by a strap and has attached to it a pawl
which engages
with a ratchet mounted on a bracket supported on the base or bed-
piece. Said ratchet has teeth upon its periphery, and pins or studs projecting from
its sides, which pins are so located or arranged that as the ratchet revolves, they
come successively into contact with a pin or projection on the detent, which
passes through a slot in the bracket: There are considerably more teeth on the
ratchet than there are pins. In practice I prefer say six to one, (though the pro-
portion may be different) and so inake said ratchet with eighteen teeth and three
pins. At every revolution of the main shaft, the pawl moves the ratchet a
distance of one tooth, so that once every six revolutions of said shaft a ratchet
pin comes in contact with a projection on the detent, and throws off said detent,
or moves it out of engagement with its notch.
As a stitch is made for every revolution of the main shaft, it follows that as soon
as six stitches are made the machine is instantly stopped, as when the detent
is thrown off, the sliding bar is moved by the spring, the belt shifted from the
fast pulley to the loose pulley, and the brake brought into contact with said fast
pulley. By duly arranging the ratchet with reference to the cam the detent will
be thrown off in time to stop the machine while the needle is out of the fabric.
Due regard, in this connection, must be had to the tension of the spring, as
more tension is required with high than low speed, and the tension may be adjusted
for all speeds by turning a nut, so that, no matter what speed, the machine will be
stopped with the needle raised out of the fabric.
The ratchet shaft has a threaded end and a washer by means of which friction
is obtained to prevent the ratchet from being moved too far by the pawl.
To start the machine the sliding bar is moved outwardly against the resistance
of the spring, by the operator taking hold of a handle provided for the purpose, or
by an equivalent treadle connection movement, until the lower end of the detent
enters its notch.
It may be here remarked that before the machine stops, the ratchet is always
moved far enough by the pawl for the pin which had just thrown off the detent to
pass or clear the projection on said detent, so as to offer no impediment to the
latter entering the notch, when the sliding bar is drawn out manually by the
operator as already described.
In operation, then, the fabric and button being applied to the holder as already
described, the sliding bar is drawn outwardly. If the machine is run by power,
it will at once start; if by treadle, it is started by operating the latter.
As soon
as the desired number of stitches has been made the machine automatically stops
sewing, the needle remaining raised. The fabric and button are then moved away
from the holder, and the operations repeated as desired.
To prevent the operator from seeing the needle, or from getting a finger in
contact with the latter, a shield or guard in the form of an upwardly extending
plate or projection from the holder is or may be provided.
a
The slide may be a single piece directly engaging with the cam or with a lever,
or it may be in two sections fastened together by a set screw passing through
slot in one, and entering a screw hole in the other, which will permit adjustment
of the centre of the holder, with reference to the plane or line of movement of
the needle.

page_text: To sew buttons of various diameters, different sizes of holders will be required,
and by providing a set of such holders one can be readily substituted for another
as occasion may require.
Outside of or beyond the slide, and fitted in the same groove there is or may be
a stationary plate having a depression which serves as a guard to prevent contact
with the hook or shuttle. But this plate may be omitted as it is not essential.
In order to properly form a stitch on the machine in sewing a button it is
desirable or necessary that the shank or projection on the back of the button
should be brought close to the hook or looper below the cloth-plate, and it is
obvious that this could not be accomplished if the holder stood wholly above
the plane of the cloth-plate. Hence the lower edge of the holder is located below
the plane of the upper surface of the cloth-plate or bed-piece, in order that the
bend of the fabric or part of the material directly below the shank or projection
on the back of the button through which the needle passes will be in the same or
about the same position relative to the hook, shuttle or looper that fabric usually
is when being stitched in the ordinary manner on a sewing machine.

page_text: Improvements in Machinery for Sewing Buttons upon Cloth or
other Material.
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 :-
My invention has for its object to provide a machine for sewing buttons on
fabrics, the buttons to be attached being either lasting or shank buttons each of
which has a projection or shank on the back.
My invention in the first place, consists of means for holding the button to be
secured in the plane or parallel with the plane of movement of the needle bar of a
sewing machine said plane (when the needle bar, as is usual, is over the cloth plate)
being perpendicular to that of the cloth plate, so that the needle in its movement
will pass through the back projection or shank of the button.
My invention consists further in means whereby, when a given number of
stitches is made as a fastening for the button, the machine will stop its movement.
My invention still further consists in means whereby the needle bar may be
stopped automatically in an elevated position, and in the provision of appliances
whereby the stop motion may be adjusted to adapt it to efficient operation for
various speeds of the machine.
My invention still further consists in certain details of construction and com-
binations of parts hereinafter fully described.
In the accompanying drawings
Figure 1 is a side elevation partly broken away of a machine illustrating my
invention.
Figure 2 is a plan view of machine shown in Figure 1, the needle arm being
removod or shown in section.
Figure 3 is a plan view of operative mechanism below the top-plate of bed-piece
of the machine, showing some of the parts seen in Figure 2.
Figure 4 is a vertical transverse section on line x, x Figure 1.
Figure 5 is an end elevation.
Figure 6 is a perspective view of a holder for lasting buttons.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a holder for metal shank buttons.
Figure 8 is a front elevation of the device shown in Figure 7.
Figure 9 is a perspective view of a detent hereinafter described.
Figures 10 and 11 are perspectives of a lasting button, and a shank button
respectively.
Figure 12 is a perspective view of a sewing machine embodying my invention
some parts being broken away.
A designates the bed-piece of base of the machine which is preferably a casting
designed and adapted to rest upon a table like an ordinary sewing machine. In
said base there is suitably supported a main shaft B and on said base is a needle
arm C terminating in a head c, a needle operating lever c, and a needle bar c³, the

page_text: latter carrying a needle c³. Motion is communicated to shaft B by a belt running
alternately on pulleys D1 and D2 the former being a loose and the latter a fast
pulley and motion is transferred from said shaft to the needle operating lever in
any usual or suitable manner, as from a cam B¹.
On the cloth-plate or upper surface of the bed A there is fitted a slide E which
rests in a dovetail groove or depression and is designed and adapted to have a
longitudinal reciprocating movement, that is a motion in the direction of the
length of the machine, such movement being intermittent, or having a dwell or
rest at each limit. To impart this intermittent reciprocating movement, connection
may be made directly from the said slide E with a cam F on the main shaft B, or
slotted connecting levers f, f¹, f with set screws f, which will permit an
adjustment or variation in the length of movement of the slide, may be provided.
On the slide E is mounted a button holder G, which is in the form of a disc,
plate or stock g having a recess g¹ Figure 6 which receives the back of the button
to be stitched and a slot or aperture g² through which the back projection or
shank of the button extends. The form of the slot or aperture g² may be varied
to suit either a lasting button like that shown in Figure 10, which has a "cloth"
or teat projection 1 or like that shown in Figure 11, which has a metal shank or
loop 2.
The disc or plate g stands vertically, or parallel with the plane of movement of
the needle-bar, and has a groove or slot g³ in its back for the passage of the needle;
so that the latter in descending will pass through the button teat or projection 1
or the metal shank 2, extending through the opening g². The plate g may be
attached directly and immovably to the slide E, but it is by preference adjustably
and removably connected to the latter having a rearwardly extending bar g' with
slot g and which receives set screw 9, said bar g₁ fitting between guides e, e on
the plate E, and said screws entering a threaded opening in the latter. By these
means, the holder G may be adjusted on the plate E, to suit different thicknesses of
fabric on which buttons may be sewed, by moving it towards or from the needle,
or laterally on the slide E.
In sewing on a button, it is placed with the back against the fabric or material
to which it is to be stitched. The button and fabric are then laid in or against
the holder G and the fabric is laid next to the latter; sufficient thumb or other
pressure is applied to the front of the button, to hold it and the fabric in place.
against the holder or in the socket of the latter. The needle-bar now being moved
the needle passes down through the fabric and the projection or shank on the back
of the button, and the needle thread, being looped below by a shuttle, hook or
other stitch-forming device, arises, the slide E remaining stationary, while the
needle is descending and ascending.
As soon as the needle has arisen out of the fabric, the slide E is moved by the
cam F, carrying with it the holder G, so that when the needle next descends, it
will enter the fabric and button projection at a place slightly to one side of where
it entered on its previous movement. This series of reciprocating intermittent
motions of the slide and holder and movement of the needle while the slide and
holder are at rest continue until a sufficient number of stitches has been formed to
unite and firmly hold the button on the fabric.
Instead of causing the button holder to reciprocate and the needle descend and
ascend always in the same vertical plane, the holder may remain stationary and
the needle reciprocate alternately in parallel vertical planes, as in sewing machines
where the needle has a lateral as well as a vertical movement to make zig-zag
stitches.
To cause the machine to stop as soon as a sufficient number of stitches has been
made, I provide the following combination of devices or mechanism. H is a belt
shifter or fork by means of which the belt is shifted from the pulley D¹ to pulley 1)²,
and vice-versa. This shifter is secured to a bar I designed and adapted to slide
longitudinally of the frame or bed-piece of the machine, being fitted in guides or
ways on the latter, below its upper surface or cloth-plate. Said bar or slide I has

page_text: a handle i at one end, or a treadle connection may be used instead, its opposite end
being attached to a retracting or pulling spring I, which is connected to a rod 12,
having a thumb nut 22. Said rod passes through a rigid cross-bar or frame piece a,
so that by turning the nut 2 the tension of the spring I' may be adjusted. The
slide I has a friction brake K adapted to bear against the fast pulley D' when the
slide I is moved towards the front end of the machine by the action of the spring I¹,
and thereby to stop the machine. Said brake has a foot K¹ with slots ki, k¹ and
set screws k, 2 by means of which it may be adjusted on the slide I.
To hold the slide I against the tension and pull of spring I with the brake K
out of contact with the pulley D¹, and the shifter M in line with said pulley, said
slide is formed with a notch 3 which receives the end of a detent or dog 1,
Figure 9, pivotted at l¹ on a stationary bracket L supported on the bed-piece A
and having a spring 13, so arranged that its exertion will throw the end of
said detent into said notch 3. Now, to throw off said detent and thus allow the
slide I to be moved by the spring I¹ to shift the belt D from the fast pulley D₁ to
loose pulley D2, and to bring the brake K into frictional contact with said fast
pulley D¹, the following arrangement is provided. M is an excentric on the
shaft B and M' a strap encircling the same, and having attached to it a pawl m
which engages with a ratchet N mounted on a bracket N' supported on the base
or bed-piece A. Said ratchet has teeth n on the periphery and pins or studs n¹
projecting from its sides, as shown, which pins are so located or arranged that as
the ratchet revolves, they come successively into contact with a pin or projection 72
on the detent l, which passes through a slot in bracket L. There are con-
siderably more teeth n on the ratchet N than there are pins n¹. In practice
I prefer say six to one (though the proportion may be different) and so make said
ratchet with eighteen teeth and three pins. At every revolution of the shaft B,
the pawl m moves the ratchet N a distance of one tooth so that once every six
revolutions of said shaft a ratchet pin n¹ comes in contact with a projection 12 on
the detent 1, and throws off said detent or moves it out of engagement with its
notch i³.
As a stitch is made for every revolution of the shaft B, it follows that as soon as
six stitches are made the machine is instantly stopped, as when the detent Z is
thrown off the slide I is moved by the spring I, the belt D shifted from the fast
pulley D¹ to the loose pulley D, and the brake K brought into contact with said
fast pulley D. By duly arranging the ratchet N with reference to the cam B¹ the
detent will be thrown off in time to stop the machine while the needle is out of
the fabric. Due regard, in this connection, must be had to the tension of the
spring, as more tension is required with high than low speed. The tension may
be adjusted for all speeds by turning the nut i, so that, no matter what speed, the
machine will be stopped with the needle raised out of the fabric.
The ratchet shaft has a threaded end and a washer by means of which friction
is obtained to prevent the ratchet from being moved too far by the pawl m.
To start the machine the slide I is moved outwardly against the resistance of
the spring I by the operator taking hold of a handle i provided for the purpose
or by an equivalent treadle connection movement, until the lower end of detent
enters the notch i³.
It may be here remarked that before the machine stops the ratchet N is always
moved far enough by the pawl m for the pin n¹ which had just thrown off the
detent to pass or clear the projection on said detent, so as to offer no impediment
to the latter's entering the notch, when the slide is drawn out manually by the
operator as already described.
In operation, when the fabric and button being applied to the holder G as
already described, the slide I is drawn outwardly. If the machine is run by power,
it will at once start, if by treadle, it is started by operating the latter. As soon as
the desired number of stitches has been made the machine automatically stops
sewing, the needle remaining raised. The fabric and button are then moved away
from the holder, and the operations repeated as desired.

page_text: To prevent the operator from seeing the needle, or from getting a finger in
contact with the latter, a shield or guard g' in the form of an upwardly extending
plate or projection from the holder G may be provided.
The slide E may be a single piece directly engaging with cam F or with the
lever f, or it may be in two sections fastened together by a set screw E¹ passing
through a slot in one, and entering a screw-hole in the other, which will permit
adjustment of the centre of the holder G, with reference to the plans or line of
movement of the needle.
To sew buttons of various diameters, different sizes or holders will be required,
and by providing a set of such holders one can be readily substituted for another as
occasion may require.
Outside of or beyond the slide E, and fitted in the same groove may be arranged
a stationary plate O¹ having a depression o³ which serves as a guard to prevent
contact with the hook or shuttle, (shown in figure 2). But this plate may be
omitted as shown in Figure 12 as it is not essential.
In order to properly form a stitch on the machine in sewing a button it is
desirable or necessary that the shank or projection on the back of the button
should be brought close to the hook or looper below the cloth-plate, and it is
obvious that this could not be accomplished if the holder G stood wholly above the
plane of the cloth-plate. Hence the lower edge of the holder is located below the
plane of the upper surface of the cloth-plate or bed-piece, in order that the bend of
the fabric or part of the material directly below the shank or projection on the
back of the button through which the needle passes will be in the same or about
the same position relative to the hook, shuttle or looper that fabric usually is
when being stitched in the ordinary manner on a sewing machine. The relative
position of the parts is shown in figure 1 where a represents the upper surface of
the bed-piece; E the slide to which the holder G is attached; c³ the needle; and
A the hook or looper.
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;-
First. A holder or device for holding a button and fabric or material while being
stitched together said holder consisting of a plate, disc or stock, having a socketted
or recessed face and a slot for the passage of the fabric and button projection or
shank, substantially as shown and described.
Second. A button holder or device for holding a button while being stitched on
fabric or material, said holder consisting of a plate, disc or stock having a recess or
socket on its face, a slot for the passage of the fabric and button projection or
sbank, and a slot or groove on its back for the passage of the needle, substantially
as shown and described.
Third. The combination with the stitch-forming devices of a sewing machine,
comprising a needle bar and means for looping or engaging the needle thread, of a
holder or device for holding a button on its edge or in a vertical position while
being stitched to the fabric or material said holder consisting of a plate, disc or
stock, against which the button is pressed or held, and which is located in the
plane or line or parallel with the line of movement of the needle, substantially as
shown and described; whereby the needle will pass through a shank or projection
on the back of the button as described.
Fourth. The combination with the stitch-forming devices of a sewing machine
and a cloth-plate or bed-piece of the following parts, viz-a slide E carrying &
vertical button holder G and means substantially as described for intermittently
reciprocating said slide and button holder whereby a button is held on its edge,
and, while so held is stitched to the fabric or material, substantially as shown and
described.
Fifth. The combination with the needle bar of a sewing machine, of a holder
or device for holding a button for the passage of such needle through a shank or

page_text: projection on its back, said holder having means for adjusting its position
relatively to the needle, substantially as set forth and shown.
Sixth. The combination with the stitch-forming devices of a sewing machine
and a bed-piece, of a slide fitted to move on said bed-piece, a button holder adapted
and arranged to hold a button on its edge or vertically, and having a slot or groove
for the passage of the sewing machine needle, and means substantially as described
for imparting an intermittent reciprocating movement to said slide and holder, as
set forth.
Seventh. The combination with the main shaft and stitch-forming mechanism of
a sewing machine, of means for automatically stopping the machine when a
predetermined number of stitches has been made, said means comprising the
following parts: a main shaft by which motion is communicated to said stitch-
forming mechanism; a fast and a loose pulley on said shaft; a slide having a
retracting spring for moving it in one direction; a belt shifter and a brake con-
nected to said slide; a detent for holding said slide against the action of the slide
spring; a ratchet wheel having pins or studs which successively contact with a
projection on said detent; a pawl which engages with said ratchet and imparts
a step-by-step movement thereto; an eccentric on the main shaft and a strap on
said eccentric connected to said pawl, said parts being constructed and combined
for operation, substantially as shown and described.
Eighth. The combination with the main shaft, having fast and loose pulleys, and
the stitch-forming mechanism of a sewing machine, of a slide carrying a belt shifter
and a brake, and a spring for moving said slide to shift the belt and bring the
brake into contact with the pulley, said spring having means for adjusting its
tension to adapt the brake to stop the machine at varying speeds with the needle
elevated, substantially as set forth.
Ninth. The combination with the main shaft and stitch-forming mechanism of a
sewing machine, of a fast and a loose pulley on said shaft, a slide, a belt shifter and
a brake on said slide; a spring for moving said slide; a detent for holding said
slide against the action of said spring, and means operating substantially as
described for automatically releasing the slide to cause it to move under the
influence of the spring, substantially as set forth.
Tenth. The combination with the stitch forming mechanism of a sewing machine
of a device for holding fabric and material and a button while being stitched
together, said device consisting of a vertical or upright disc with a socketted face
and a slotted back located between the needle and cooperating part of the stitching
mechanism, whereby the needle in its movement passes through the fabric above
and below the shank or projection of the button, substantially as shown and
described.
2000