IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTON ATTACHING SEWING MACHINE
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Raphael Hunter Brandon, of 1 Rue Laffitte, Paris, in
the Republic of France Engineer and Patent Agent for an Invention of
IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTON ATTACHING SEWING MACHINE communicated to
him by Lawrence John Driscoll, of Somerville, County of Middlesex, and
State of Massachusetts, United States of America
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Raphael Hunter Brandon
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 27th December 1883.
RAPHAEL HUNTER BRANDON of 1 Rue Laffitte, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Engineer and Patent Agent "IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTON ATTACHING SEWING
MACHINE a communication to me by Lawrence John Driscoll of Somerville,
County of Middlesex and State of Massachussetts, United States of America.
"
In the machine to be herein described the buttons are placed in a button holding
gage mounted upon the bed plate of the machine and made movable automatically
to place one and then another eye of the button in correct position under the usual
eye-pointed needle, in order that the latter may enter the eyes of the button and
have its thread taken, by the usual device below the bed plate, to form a stitch.
The button to be attached to a garment rests with its face downward and with
its back exposed at the upper side of the button holding gage, and the fabric or
garment to which the button is to be stitched is laid upon the back of the button
so held and across the holding gage, and the needle in its descent penetrates the
fabric or garment before it enters the eye of the button to secure them together,
the fabric or garment being held closely against the button and gage by a presser
foot.
One feature of this invention consists in the combination with the stitch forming
mechanism of an organized sewing machine, of a movable button holding gage
adapted to hold the button with its face down, and with a presser or foot to retain
the fabric or garment against the back of the button and top of the gage while the
button is being attached, as will be described.

page_text: Another feature of this invention consists in the combination with the stitch
forming mechanism of a sewing machine, of a button holding gage, and stopping
mechanism substantially such as described, or its mechanical equivalent, whereby
the movement of the sewing parts are stopped after a certain number of stitches
have been taken through the eyes of a button.
This invention also consists in the combination with the button holding gage,
and presser foot to hold the fabric or garment between it and the gage and button,
of means substantially as described, or equivalent means, whereby the said gage
is moved automatically upon the bed plate to place the button and fabric or
garment in proper position to permit the needle to descend through the eye of the
button.
Also, in the combination with the automatically operated button holding gage, of
a presser-foot provided with rollers to bear upon the fabric or garment resting on
the said gage and the button therein, as will be described.
Also, in the combination with the button holding gage, of the longitudinally
movable slide block and stitch regulating plate thereon, and with mechanism
substantially as described between the said plate and button holding gage to
effect the longitudinal movement of the latter at the proper times as set forth.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Raphael Hunter Brandon in the Patent Office on the 12th March
1884.
RAPHAEL HUNTER BRANDON of 1 Rue Laffitte, Paris, in the Republic of France,
Engineer and Patent Agent "IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTON ATTACHING SEWING
MACHINE"
a communication to me from Lawrence John Driscoll of Somerville,
County of Middlesex and State of Massachussetts, United States of America
In the machine to be herein described, the buttons are placed in a button holding
gage mounted upon the bed plate of the machine and made movable automatically
to place one and then another eye of the button in correct position under the usual
eye-pointed needle, in order that the latter may enter the eyes of the button and
have its thread taken, by the usual device below the bed-plate, to form a stitch.―
The button to be attached to a garment rests with its face downward and with its
back exposed at the upper side of the button holding gage, and the fabric or
garment to which the button is to be stitched is laid upon the back of the button
so held and across the holding gage, and the needle in its descent penetrates the
fabric or garment before it enters the eye of the button to secure them together,
the fabric or garment being held closely against the button and gage by a pressor
foot.-1° One feature of this invention consists in the combination with the stitch
forming mechanism of an organized sewing machine, of a movable button holding
gage adapted to hold the button with its face down and with a presser or foot to
retain the fabric or garment against the back of the button and top of the gage
while the button is being attached, as will be described.-2° Another feature of
this invention consists in the combination with the stitch forming mechanism of a
sewing machine, of a button holding gage, and stopping mechanism substantially
such as described, or its mechanical equivalent, whereby the movement of the
sewing parts are stopped after a certain number of stitches have been taken
through the eyes of a button.-3° This invention also consists in the combination
with the button holding gage, and presser foot to hold the fabric or garment
between it and the gage and button, of means substantially as described, or
equivalent means, whereby the said gage is moved automatically upon the bed
plate to place the button and fabric or garment in proper position to permit the
needle to descend through the eye of the button.-4° Also in the combination with
the automatically operated button holding gage, of a presser foot provided with
rollers to bear upon the fabric or garment resting on the said gage and the button
therein, as will be described.-5° Also, in the combination with the button holding
gage, of the longitudinally movable slide block and stitch regulating plate thereon,
and with mechanism substantially as described between the said plate and button
holding gage to effect the longitudinal movement of the latter at the proper times
as set forth. 6° Also in the combination with the holding gage, and with the eye
pointed needle of a sewing machine, of means substantially as described or
equivalent means to both vibrate the button holding gage and move it longitudinally
to enable a four holes button to be secured to the fabric, substantially as described.―
Fig: 1 is a side elevation partially broken out of a sewing machine embodying
this present invention.-Fig: 2 is a detail of the outer portion of the bed plate,
part of which is broken away from fig: 1.-Fig: 3 is an underside view of the
machine represented in fig: 1.-Fig: 4, is a plan view of the parts of fig: 1, below
the dotted line xx with part of the bed plate broken away to show the devices

page_text: below it. Figs: 5 and 6, are respectively enlarged details showing in top view
and longitudinal section the button holding gage. Fig: 7 is a partial section of
fig: 4, on the dotted line x³-Fig: 8 is a detail to be referred to.
The main shaft A, needle bar actuating shaft A¹ connecting link A², take-up
lever A³, cam A4, to operate it, needle bar A, arm A, bed-plate A7, and the
rotating hook A8, to cooperate with the usual eye pointed needle carried by the
needle bar are all substantially as common to the Wheeler & Wilson class of sewing
machines upon which the button holding gage is shown as applied.
The presser bar B has fast on it two collars b, b¹, between which is placed an
arm b², the hub of which is loose on the presser bar and the said arm is acted upon
by the usual lifting lever b³.
The presser-bar, at its lower end is provided with a presser foot 6 forked at its
front end and provided with anti friction rolls b³, which are adapted to bear upon
the upper but inner side of the material composing the garment or other article to
be stitched to the button B¹, the said material at its lower but outer side resting
upon the button holding gage m to be described.
The anti-friction rollers 65 in the presser foot permit the button holding gage
to be moved longitudinally under the presser foot without undue friction, and the
presser bar being loosely connected with the arm 62 enables the presser bar and its
attached foot to oscillate in inison with the vibration of the button holding gage,
as will be described.
The button holding gage m is shown as a forked jaw, pivoted at m¹ upon
a block m² having its fulcrum m³, see figures 3 and 5, on an adjustable arm m³,
secured by screw m³ to a lug mo fast to the underside of the bed plate, the
said fulcrum pin m³ extending loosely through a slot, in the usual needle hole or
throat plate.
The block m² has a tail piece m which is provided with a clamp m³, to which
is pivoted a rod m³, the opposite end of which is adjustably connected, see figure 4,
with an arm m10 pivoted at m12 on the bed plate, and provided at its inner end
with a pivoted shoe, see dotted lines figure 4, placed loosely on the stud m10, the
said shoe entering the grooves of the switch-cam B³, fast on the shaft A, the said
switch-cam effecting the movement of the button holding gage, vibrating the
same as is necessary to enable the needle carried by the needle bar to descend
first through one and then through another hole of the pair of holes in the button
at one side of its center, preferably putting twelve stitches in the said two holes,
when the button holding gage will be moved longitudinally and automatically as
will be described to enable other twelve stitches to be made through other two
holes in the same.
The button holding gage m is kept down upon the button by a spring m15
connected with the head m" by a screw m¹º.
The arm m is connected by link c with an intermediate lever c¹ pivoted at c²
which lever acts upon one end of a lever c³ having its fulcrum c at the underside
of the bed plate A7, the outer end of the said lever c³ having two adjusting screws
c, c, the former of which by striking against the flange B' of the bed plate, see
figures 2 and 3, stops the movement of the outer end of the lever c³ due to the
spring c7, the said spring being permitted to act, to cause the screw c³ to strike the
said Hange when the end of the screw c, which is held against the adjustable
stitch regulating plate d of the slide block D by the spring c² passes beyond the
end of the said screw co, as is the case when the first two of the four holes in the
button have been filled with stitches.
મ
As soon as the plate d is moved beyond the end of the screw co, the spring c³,
one end of which is connected with a fixed stud 2, effects the movement of the
arm m³ and its attached fulcrum pin m³ and button holding gage, and moves the
same longitudinally far enough to place the second pair of holes in the button
under the needle, and thereafter, by the vibration of the button holding gage, the t

page_text: button will be moved to enable the needle at each descent to enter one of the
second pairs of holes to receive stitches through them.
Adjustment of the screw c accomodates the longitudinal movement of the
button holding gage to the distance apart of the pairs of holes to be entered by
the needle.
The stitch regulating plate d is adjustably attached to the block D by screw d¹
shown best in dotted lines, figure 2.
The block D is square in cross section, and placed loosely on the shipper
rod D', is provided at its outer side with a series of ratchet teeth as at 3 figures 3
and 4 and a stud or pin 4 figure 9 in the said block enters a groove 5 made in the
shipper rod.
A spring d² connected at one end with the said block and at its other end with
the frame work at 6, normally keeps the rear end of the block D against the hub
of the handle d³ which is extended up through a slot in the bed plate, the said
slot being long enough transversely of the said plate to permit the said handle
to move therein as the shipper rod is oscillated in its bearings, as will be described,
to throw its arm d into the path of the dog e, as will be described, when the
locking device composed as herein shown of the slide bar D³ slotted and guided
by pins D4, D5, on the flange B4, see figure 3, is moved sufficiently far in the
direction of the arrow on the said bar to release the hooked end 7 of the said slide
bar from the stopping arm D6 fast upon the shipper rod and having attached to it
and the fixed pin f, a strong spring f¹.
The slide bar D³ is normally held with its end 7 pressed toward the arm D° by
a spring 12.
The slide bar has a stop E adjustably attached to it by screws 13. The slide
block D in figures 1 and 3, is supposed to be in position to start the machine to
enable the needle to descend through the material, a garment or other article
placed between the presser foot and button holder and with its outer or right face
against a button held with its back up by the holder to enable the needle to stitch
the said material and button together from what is to be the inner face of the
garment or other article.
The shaft A is provided with a face cam g, which at each rotation of the said
shaft and at each stitch, acts against a suitable stud 16 on a lever g¹ having its
fulcrum g upon the under side of the bed plate, the said stud being kept pressed
against the said cam by a suitable spring 17.
The lever g¹ has attached to it a pawl gs, the engaging hook of which is kept
in contact with the ratchet teeth 3 of the block D, by a suitable spring, shown
at 18, so that as the lever g¹ is vibrated, the said pawl, by its action on the teeth
of the block D, causes the latter to be moved forward on the shipper rod, one step
for each stitch to be made.
During the forward movement of the pawl g³ its end rides upon the detent g*
pivoted at g and held in engagement with the teeth of the block D by a suitable
spring 19.
Preparatory to commencing to stitch a button, the screw co will be placed against
the stitch regulating plate d, near its end, as in figure 3.
At each stitch, the pawl g³ will move the block D forward one step, and by the
time that two of the holes in the button have been stitched the plate d will pass
beyond the screw c and the screw c³ will come against the flange B, and during
such movement, the button holding gage will be moved longitudinally, as before
stated.
Farther movement of the block D in the same direction will cause it to strike
the stop E and move the slide bar D³ in the direction of the arrow on it figure 3,
far enough to release the arm De of the shipper rod D³, and as the said rol is
turned or oscillated by the spring f¹, the cam or projection h will strike the short
arm of the detent g' and release the block D, so that the spring d² referred to will
return it to its normal position against the hub of the handle d³.

page_text: The shipper rod having been released by the movement of the locking device D³,
the spring f will cause the inclined face 20 of the arm d to be brought into
position to be struck by the dog e pivoted at e¹ on a block or shoulder e fast on
the shaft A, so that the dog as it strikes against the said arm d' will be moved
about its pivot and be drawn back or out from engagement with the pin or
projection h², on the band or fly wheel G, loose on the shaft A, thus permitting the
said wheel to run without moving the stitching parts.
The dog is acted upon by a spring e.
To arrest the movement of the shaft A positively but yet not with a blow, it
has been provided with a rather stiff spring n fastened at one end to the cam 1
hub A, while the other end n¹ of the said spring projects far enough to strike the
arm De just after the dog e is moved to release the wheel G.
When the shipper rod was turned by the spring f¹, the block D was also turned
or oscillated with it owing to the pin 4 of the block which enters the groove 5
and as the cam h acting upon the short arm of the detent caused the long arm
thereof to lift the pawl g³ away from the teeth 3, the said block D was left free to
be moved backward quickly by the spring d' until the block met the hub of the
handle d³.
The oscillation of the shipper rod by the spring f1 places the arm D° in such
position immediately behind the end 7 of the bar D³, moved forward as described
by the block D, as to prevent the said bar from being moved in the direction
opposite the arrow thereon under the spring 12 until after the return of the
block De to its position figure 3, which is done by oscillating the rod D' back into
its position, figure 3, by the handle d³.
Movement of the handle d³ in the direction of the arrow on its head, see figure 4, 2
causes the rod D to be oscillated to remove the arm d' from the path of the dog e,
and also causes the arm De to pass beyond the end 7 of the locking device Ds
and releases the hold of the cam h on the detent, and the stitch regulating plate
by its action against the screw ce effects the movement of the button holding gage
into its normal position.
1. The combination with a stitch forming mechanism, of an organized sewing
machine, with a movable button holding gage adapted to hold the button with
its face down and with a presser or foot to retain the fabric or garment against the
back of the button and top of the gage while the button is being attached,
substantially as described.
2. The combination with the stitch forming mechanism, of an organized sewing
machine, of a button holding gage and stopping mechanism, substantially such as
described, or its mechanical equivalent, whereby the movement of the sewing parts
are stopped, after a certain number of stitches have been taken through the eye of
a button, substantially as described.
3. The combination with the button holding gage, and presser foot to hold the
fabric or garment between it and the gage and button, of means substantially as
described, or equivalent means whereby the said gage is moved automatically upon
the bed plate to place the button and fabric or garment in proper position to permit
the needle to descend through the eye of the button, substantially as described.
4. The combination with the automatically operated button holding gage, of a
presser foot provided with rollers to bear upon the fabric or garment, resting on the
said gage and the button therein, substantially as described.
5. The combination with the button holding gage, of the longitudinally movable
slide block and stitch regulating plate thereon, and with mechanism substantially
as described between the said plate and button holding gage, to effect the longi-
tudinal movement of the latter at the proper times, as set forth.
6. The combination with the holding gage, and with the eye pointed needle of

page_text: a sewing machine, of means substantially as described or equivalent means to
both vibrate the button holding gage and move it longitudinally to enable a four
holed button to be secured to the fabric, substantially as described.
In Witness whereof, I the said Raphael Hunter Brandon have hereunto set my
hand and seal this 26th day of February in the year of our Lord 1884.
R H BRANDON
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