Year: 1887

page_text: Date of Application, 12th July, 1887
Complete Left, 24th Apr., 1888
Complete Accepted, 25th May, 1888
A communication from JOHN WESLEY BLODGETT, of the City of Chicago, in the
County of Cook, and State of Illinois, United States of America, Manufacturer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E. do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to an improvement in button hole attachments for sewing
machines; and it consists in certain novel peculiarities of the construction and
arrangement of the same substantially as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.
The bed plate of the attachment is either provided or formed with a vertical side
wall upon which the shifting and oscillating mechanism is carried.
The cloth clamp guide consists of a plate formed with a transverse slot in which is
seated a boxing or block resting on the base plate and having a shouldered retaining
screw passed through it thus admitting of this plate being freely turned or oscillated
or shifted from side to side bat preventing any longitudinal motion. Upon the plate
on either side of the slot are secured two studs each of which is provided with a
friction roller for ease of operation.
The cloth clamp proper is made in two parts the lower one being a trough like
plate, having its longitudinal edges flanged up in order that it may closely embrace
the guide plate and near its rear end it is formed with a slot of sufficient size to
allow it to be fed forward and back around the boxing. Near its forward end it is
also provided with a slot for the passage of the needle while working the button hole
and its sides are provided with upwardly projecting arms in which is journalled a
cross bar having its outer end bent up to form a handle and provided with a cam
which bears upon the upper spring arm of the clamp to retain the cloth firmly in
position. The upper part of the cloth clamp consists of a spring plate the rear end of
which is firmly engaged with the flanged edges of the lower plate, and which is
provided on its forward end with a clamping plate having a downwardly flanged
opening the flange of which secures the cloth firmly in place when the cam is turned
down.

page_text: To the back plate or the vertical back of the base plate is secured a stud upon which
is the shifting and feeding cylinder formed with a peripheral groove having at two
points a cam incline.
This cam groove engages and operates a stud on the guide plate and its effect is to
hold said stud and plate stationary during the passage of the straight parts of the cam
groove, and to shift the stud and plate laterally in one direction or the other as the
inclined parts of the groove come into action. This shifting takes place at the ends
of the button hole, and is for the purpose of bringing both edges of the same properly
under the needle as well as to work the ends and in ordinary button holes is all that is
required for the purposo; but in such as are to have eyelet ends upon them, the
inclines of the cam grooves are, at one or both ends formed with a sharp depression
which at once returns to the general line of the groove, and the proper movement
of the work under the needle to work an eyelet end is thus ensured.
To feed the cloth clamp backward and forward to work the button hole from
end to end a pitman is employed which is at one end connected to the clamp. and at
the other is connected to a suitable wrist pin upon the end of the feeding and shifting
cylinder. This must be made readily adjustable to accomodate button holes of various
lengths and some means must also be provided to equalize the feed of the clamp as it
is evident that with any ordinary crank or pin the motion imparted will vary in speed
from the centre to the end of the stroke and give a consequent inequality to the
length of the stitches taken. This is remedied as follows:-the end of the cylinder is
formed with a radial dove tailed slot, in which is seated a similarly shaped slide which
is adjusted to or from the centre of the cylinder by a screw passed through one side of
the same and having its end entered in the slide.
It will be at once seen that by turning this screw the slide is drawn in either
direction to give the required throw to the wrist pin which consists of a triangular
projection having rounded or convex faces.
The pitman is at this end formed with a square opening which is passed over the
triangular wrist pin and held in place by a screw and washer. As the cylinder is
revolved the longitudinal movement of the wrist pin increases to the centre of the
throw and decreases in speed toward the end and its peculiar form is such that acting
upon the square opening of the pitman the latter is given by the corner of the pin
(which comes into play at exactly the right time) an accelerated speed in exact
accordance with the gradually diminished speed of the pin, and the feed or motion of
the pitman and clamp is thus equalized and made the same from end to end of the
stroke.
The inner end of the feeding and shifting cylinder is turned down and formed with
two shouldered parts on which is placed a friction feeding clutch consisting of two
plates. The first of these is formed with an opening which closely fits the shouldered
cylinder; and the second is also formed with an opening but of sufficient size to
permit of its having a free rocking motion without touching the cylinder.
latter plate is firmly secured a pin which passes through one side of the opening in
the clutch plate and is upon one side cut away upon a line with the curve of this
opening.
In this
The clutch plate is thus in reality the clutch and the rocking plate is simply an
operating arm and while for convenience it is formed somewhat like the other plate
it may equally well be only an arm or lever passing around one side only of the
cylinder. One end of this clutch arm is provided with a spring to return it to place
after being depressed and the other end is extended and provided with a pin or stud
which projects through an opening in the main back plate for engagement with the
operating lever as will be presently explained. When this clutch lever or arm is
pressed down the first effect is to rock the clutch pin and cause it to firmly clutch the
cylinder and the cylinder and clutch are thus carried forward together the extent of
the stroke and this clutching is so nearly instantaneous as to give no appreciable lost
motion. As soon as the forward motion ceases the spring draws the whole clutch
back to position for another stroke. This stroke will need to be varied as it is desired
to form the stitches at a greater or less distance apart and to regulate this a stop

page_text: screw is provided on the main frame against which the clutch arm rests when it is
drawn back and by adjusting this screw the stroke is lengthened or shortened to suit
the requirements.
To produce the lateral oscillation of the cloth clamp by which the needle is caused
to descend alternately through the material and the button hole to produce the
overstitch an oscillator cylinder is employed upon a stud secured on the vertical back
plate of the main frame or base. This cylinder is formed with a peripheral groove
formed with a series of cam inclines or of a zig zag form which act upon the stud of
the guide plate and shift it laterally in the proper manner.
The inner end of this
cylinder is formed with a series of ratchet teeth which are engaged by a feeding
pawl carried upon a pawl plate which is held upon the stud in the back plate. The
main operating lever of this attachment consists of a lever arm forked at its outer
end for engagement with the needle bar or nut of a sewing machine in the manner
usual in this class of attachments. The lever is fulcrummed on the vertical part of
the main plate and is formed with a suitable opening which receives and acts upon a
stud projecting from the pawl plate and by means of which this plate and its pawl are
given the necessary motion in feeding the oscillator cam cylinder. The rear end of
the operating lever is formed with an opening the upper edge of which is curved
one part being concentric and the other eccentric to its fulcrum, and which receives
and acts upon the stud on the clutch arm and gives to this the proper movements to
feed forward the feeding and switching cam cylinder. In order to prevent this
cylinder from being moved backward by the return stroke of the clutch a hole is
bored through one side of the same through which is passed a small pin to bear
against the stud on which the cylinder revolves and against this pin bears a spring set
up by a screw to produce the proper friction for the purpose.
In use this attachment is secured upon the bed plate of a sewing machine and its
operating lever engaged with the needle bar as usual. The rise and fall of the
needle bar imparts motion to the operating lever and it in turn moves the pawl plate
and its pawl to feed the oscillator cylinder around, the cam groove in which gives the
proper motion to the guide and cloth clamp in producing the overstitching.
At the s
same time the lever operates the clutch to feed the shifting and feeding
cylinder and its pitman gives to the clamp the necessary forward and backward
motion to feed the button hole from end to end beneath the needle; and also shifts
the guide and clamp to bring first one side and then the other of the button hole
under operation. During this operation the retaining screw acts only to hold the
guide plate in place and that the studs at the sides of the seat act alternately each as
a fulcrum upon which the other moves the clamp, and that the rear stud is not only
shifted bodily over as it is acted upon by the inclines but that as the action proceeds
the fulcrum upon which the clamp is moved shifts from one stud to the other and
back again and each is at different times in the operation the fulcrum point of the
guide and clamp.
It may be remarked that the details herein given respecting many of the parts
may be varied somewhat as may be found desirable in practice under different
conditions and for different work thus with regard to the pitman and wrist pin the
latter may be made a straight sided triangle and the former given curved or convexed
sides. This would be a reversal of the former case and it will be understood that the
differential motion of the parts may be varied by varying the extent of convexity
given the pin or pitman opening and thus any given acceleration or retarding of the
pitman may be had.

page_text: pets in Dutton-vie Attachments for Sewing Machines.
A communication from JOHN WESLEY BLODGETT, of the City of Chicago, in the
County of Cook, and State of Illinois, United States of America, Manufacturer.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E. do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement :-
This invention relates to an improvement in button hole attachments for sewing
machines; and it consists in certain novel peculiarities of the construction and
arrangement of the same, substantially as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.
In order to enable others skilled in the art to which this invention pertains to make
and use the same I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation referring
to the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the invention, as it is constructed for use.
Fig. 2 is a top plan view.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same.
Fig. 4 is a rear elevation showing the reverse side from that seen in Fig. 3.
Fig. 5 is a plan view of the cloth clamp and slide.
Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through the centres of the feeding and oscillator
cam cylinder.
Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal section of the machine taken through the centre of
the cloth clamp and cylinders.
Fig. 8 is a similar view of the cam cylinders taken on a line with the faces of their
feeding devices, showing the latter in elevation.
Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are end views of the switching and feeding cam cylinder and
the pitman connection.
Fig. 12 is a face view of the feeding clutch.
Fig. 13 a view of the operating plate or arm of the same.
Fig. 14 is a detail perspective view of the holding and guiding plate for the cloth
clamp.
Fig. 15 a similar view of the main plate of the cloth clamp.
Fig. 16 a similar view of the upper clamping plate used in connection with
Fig. 15.
Fig. 17 is a view of the cam shifting cylinder used in forming eyelet ended button
holes and
Fig. 18 is a modification of the pitman and wrist pin connection.
a represents the bed plate of the attachment either provided or formed with a
vertical part a¹ upon which the shifting and oscillating mechanism is carried.
The cloth clamp guide consists of a plate b shown in detail in Fig. 14, and in several
other figures in connection with other parts. This plate is formed with a transverse
slot in which is seated a boxing or block 62 (see figs. 5 and 7) resting on the base
plate, and having a shouldered retaining screw 6 passed through it, thus admitting of
this plate being freely turned or oscillated, or shifted from side to side, but preventing

page_text: on either side
with a friction
Near
any longitudinal motion, as will be evident at a glance. Upon plate
of the slot are secured the studs each of which is provided
roller for case of operation.
The cloth clamp proper is made in two parts, the lower one c being a trough like
plate having its longitudinal edges flanged up as in fig. 15, in order that it may closely
embrace the guide plate ; and near its rear end it is formed with a slot c¹ of sufficient
size to allow it to be fed forward and back, around the boxing b² as in fig. 7.
its forward end it is also provided with a slot c³ for the passage of the needle while
working the button-hole, and its sides are provided with upwardly projecting arins c³
in which is journalled a cross-bar ct having its outer end bent up to form a handle and
provided with a came which bears upon the upper spring arm of the clamp as in the
drawings, to retain the cloth firmly in position. The upper part of the cloth clamp
consists of a spring plate d the rear end of which is firmly engaged with the flanged
edges of the lower plate and which is provided on its forward end with a clamping
plate d having a downwardly flanged opening 2, the flange of which secures the
cloth firmly in place when the cam is turned down, as will be at once understood by
reference to fig. 7.
To the back plate, or the vertical back of the base plate a is secured a stud e upon
which is the shifting and feeding cylinder e¹ formed with a peripheral groove e² having
at two points a cam incline e³ as clearly seen in figs. 2 and 6.
This cam groove engages and operates the stud 64 on the guide plate and its effect
is to hold said stud and plate stationary during the passage of the straight parts of the
cam groove, and to shift the stud and plate laterally in one direction or the other, as
the inclined parts of the groove come into action. This shifting takes place at the
ends of the button-hole and is for the purpose of bringing both edges of the same
properly under the needle, as well as to work the ends, and in ordinary button-holes
is all that is required for the purpose; but in such as are to have eyelet ends upon
them, the inclines e³ of the cam grooves are at one or both ends formed with a sharp
depression e which at once returns to the general line of the groove and the proper
movement of the work under the needle to work an eyelet end is thus insured as seen
in fig. 17.
To feed the cloth clamp backward and forward to work the button hole from end
to end, a pitman is employed which is at one end connected to the clamp, in
the present instance being shown as connected to the cross bar of the clamping
handle c and at the other is connected to a suitable wrist pin upon the end
of the feeding and shifting cylinder. This must be made readily adjustable to
accomodate button-holes of various lengths and some means must also be provided to
equalize the feed of the clamp as it is evident that with any ordinary crank or
pin the motion imparted will vary in speed from the centre to the end of the
stroke and give a consequent inequality to the length of the stitches taken. This
is remedied as follows: By referring to figures 6, 9, 10 and 11 it will be seen
that the end of the cylinder el is formed with a radial dove-tailed slot, in which
is seated a similarly shaped slide 9 which is adjusted to or from the centre of the
cylinder by a screw g¹ passed through one side of the same and having its end
entered in the slide.
It will be at once seen that by turning this screw, the slide is drawn in either
direction to give the required throw to the wrist pin g² which consists of a triangular
projection having rounded or convex faces, as in the drawings.
The pitman is at this end formed with a square opening f1 which is passed
over the triangular wrist pin and held in place by a screw and washer. As
the cylinder is revolved the longitudinal movement of the wrist pin increases to
the centre of the throw and decreases in speed toward the end, and its peculiar
form is such that acting upon the square opening of the pitman the latter is given
by the corners of the pin, (which come into play at exactly the right time) an
accelerated speed in exact accordance with the gradually diminished speed of the
pin, and the feed or motion of the pitman and clamp is thus equalized and made
the same from end to end of the stroke.

page_text: The inner end of the feeding and shifting cylinder is turned down and formed
with two shouldered parts h h on which is placed a friction feeding clutch con-
sisting as will be more fully seen in figs. 6, 8, 12 and 13 of two plates ² h³.
The first of these is formed with an opening which closely fits the shouldered
cylinder; and the second is also formed with an opening but of sufficient size to
permit of its having a free rocking motion without touching the cylinder. In this
latter plate is firmly secured a pin which passes through one side of the opening
in the clutch plate, and is upon one side cut away upon a line with the curve of this
opening.
The clutch plate his thus in reality the clutch and the plate is simply an operating
arm and while for convenience it is formed somewhat like the other plate it may
equally well be only an arın or lever passing around one side only of the cylinder.
One end of this clutch arm is provided with a spring i to return it to place after being
depressed, and the other end is extended and provided with a pin or stud i¹ which
projects through an opening in the main back plate for engagement with the operating
lever as will be presently explained. When this clutch lever or arm is pressed down
the first effect is to rock the clutch pin and cause it to firmly clutch the cylinder,
and the cylinder and clutch are thus carried forward together the extent of the stroke,
and this clutching is so nearly instantaneous as to give no appreciable lost motion.
As soon as the forward motion cases the spring i draws the whole clutch back to
position for another stroke. This stroke will need to be varied as it is desired to form
the stitches at a greater or less distance apart, and to regulate this a stop screw is
provided on the main frame against which the clutch arm rests when it is drawn back,
and by adjusting this screw the stroke is lengthened or shortened to suit the require-
ments, as will be evident at once by an inspection of the drawings.
at
m,
To produce the lateral oscillation of the cloth clamp by which the needle is
caused to descend alternately through the material and the button-hole, to produce
the overstitch an oscillator cylinder k is employed upon a stud k¹ secured on the
vertical back plate of the main frame or base. This cylinder is formed with a
peripheral groove ², formed with a series of cam inclines, or of a zig-zag form,
which act upon the stud 6, of the guide plate, and shift it laterally in the proper
manner. The inner end of this cylinder is formed with a series of ratchet teeth as
in figs. 6 and 8, which are engaged by a feeding pawl m³, carried upon a pawl
plate m², which is held upon the stud k as shown. The main operating lever of this
attachment is most clearly shown in fig. 4, and it consists of a lever arm n, forked at
its outer end for engagement with the needle bar or nut of a sewing machine, in the
manner usual in this class of attachments. The lever is fulcrumed on the vertical
part of the main plate a¹, and is formed with a suitable opening n' which receives and
acts upon a stud m³, projecting from the pawl plate, and by means of which this plate
and its pawl are given the necessary motion in feeding the oscillator cam cylinder.
The rear end of the operating lever is formed with an opening, the upper edge of
which is curved as shown, one part being concentric and the other eccentric to its
fulcrum as at n², and which receives and acts upon the stud ", on the clutch arm, and
gives to this the proper movement to feed forward the feeding and switching cam
cylinder. In order to prevent this cylinder from being moved backward by the
return stroke of the clutch, a hole is bored through one side of the same as in fig. 6
and a small pino placed therein to bear against the stud on which the cylinder
revolves, and against this pin bears a spring of, set up by a screw o³, to produce the
proper friction for the purpose.
In use this attachment is secured upon the bed-plate of a sewing machine, and its
operating lever engaged with the needle bar as usual. The rise and fall of the needle
bar imparts motion to the operating lever and it in turn moves the pawl plate and its
pawl to feed the oscillator cylinder around, the cam groove in which gives the proper
motion to the guide and cloth clamp in producing the overstitching.
At the same time the lever operates the clutch to feed the shifting and feeding
cylinder, and its pitman gives to the clamp the necessary forward and backward
motion to feed the buttonhole from end to end beneath the needle; and also shifts the

page_text: guide and clamp to bring first one side and then the other of the buttonhole under
operation.
It will be noted that during this operation the retaining screw 63 acts only to hold
the guide plate in place and that the studs act alternately each as a fulcrum upon
which the other moves the clamp, and that the rear stud is not only shifted bodily
over as it is acted upon by the inclines, but that as the action proceeds the fulcrum
upon which the clamp is moved shifts from one stud to the other, and back
again and each is at different times in the operation the fulcrum point of the guide
and clamp.
It will be obvious that the particular form herein given to many of the parts, is not
arbitrary and may be changed somewhat as may be found desirable in practice under
different conditions and for different work. Thus in figure 18 is shown a modified
form of the pitman and wrist pin, in which the latter is made a straight sided triangle
and the former given curved or convexed sides. This is a reversal of the former case,
and it will be understood that the differential motion of the parts may be varied by
varying the extent of convexity given the pin or pitman opening and thus any given
acceleration or retarding of the pitman may be had. This pitman is shown as con-
fined to place by a spring washer f³ which bears upon it with sufficient force to prevent
any unequal slip during the operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention, as commnunicated to me by my foreign correspondent, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a button-hole attachment for sewing machines the combination with a cloth
clamp and its actuating pitman formed in its inner end with an angular opening of a
feeding cylinder provided with a wrist pin formed with three convex sides and moans
for operating the cylinder from the needle bar substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
2. In a button-hole attachment for sewing machines the combination with a cloth
clamp and a pitman for operating the same, of a feeding cylinder, means for driving
the same from the needle bar of a sewing machine a wrist pin sliding in a radial
dove-tailed groove in the end of said cylinder and a regulating screw passed through
one side of the cylinder into the pin substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
3. In a button-hole attachment for sewing machines the combination with a cloth
clamp and its actuating pitman having a square opening of a feeding cylinder provided
with a radially adjustable wrist pin formed triangular with convex sides and means
for operating said cylinder by connection with the neodle bar of a sewing machine
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
4. In a button-hole attachment for sewing machines the combination with a cloth
clamp and a guide on which it is held and moved provided with a pivotal stud or
projection, and means substantially as described for automatically shifting this pivotal
stud at the ends of the button hole of a cam grooved oscillator cylinder connected
directly to the guide plate, and a connection between said cylinder and the needle bar
of a sewing machine whereby the guide and clamp is oscillated upon its automatically
shifting pivot, in properly working the button hole, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
5. In a button hole attachment for sewing machines the combination with the cloth
clamp and its guide plate, and means substantially such as described for switching the
same laterally, of an oscillator cylinder connected to the needle bar of the sewing
machine, and a stud or roller upon the cloth clamp guide for engaging the oscillator
cylinder, and serving both to oscillate said guide and clamp and as a fulcrum upon
which they are switched laterally at the ends of the button hole, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
6. In a button hole attachment for sewing machines the combination with the cloth
clamp and its guide, and means substantially as described for oscillating them in
making the over edge stitch, of a switching cam and means for feeding it forward and
a stud or roller upon the cloth clamp guide for engaging said cam, whereby said stud

page_text: or roller is made to act both as a connection to switch the clamp and guide at the ends
of the button hole, and as a fulcrum upon which they are oscillated in over stitching
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.'
7. In a buttonhole attachment for, sewing machines the combination with the cloth
clamp, the guide plate for the same formed with a transverse guide slot, and having a
retaining screw passed through the same to hold it longitudinally, but permit a free
lateral shifting, of' a shifting cam and a oscillator cam, connected directly to the cloth
clamp guide, upon diametrically opposite sides of its retaining slot and screw,
- means substantially as described for imparting an intermittant motion from the needle
bar of a sewing machine, to the two cams substantially as and for the purpose
set forth.
and
8. In a button hole attachment for sewing machines the combination with the cloth
clamp and its guide plate provided with a stud or projection for engaging its switching
cam, of ac am cylinder formed with a peripheral cam groove having at one or more
points a sharp lateral bend returning at once to the main line of direction of the
groove, whereby an eyelet is worked at the end of the button hole, substantially as
shown and described.
9. In a button hole attachment for sewing machines the combination with the cloth
clamp and its guide plate, the latter provided with a switching stud or roll of a com-
bined feeding and switching cylinder, formed with a peripheral cam groove for
switching the guide and clamp by engagement with said stud or roll and also provided
with a wrist pin on its end, and a pitman connecting this pin directly with the cloth
clamp for feeding it forward and backward in its guide. substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
10. In a button hole attachment for sewing machines the combination with the
cloth clamp and its guide, a switching and feeding cylinder connected by a pitman
with the clamp and formed with a peripheral cam groove engaging a stud on the
guide, and a main operating lever for connection with the sewing machine needle bar
of a friction feeding clutch composed of two parts one of which is closely fitted upon
the cylinder and the other engaged with the operating lever, and connected to the
first part by a clutch pin which rocks loosely in the edge of the opening which embraces
the cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
11. In a button hole attachment for sewing machines the combination with the
cloth clamp guide, and its clamp, means for oscillating the same in forming the
over edge stitch; a cam groove cylinder for shifting the clamp and guide at the end
of the button hole, and a clutch upon said cylinder having one arm extended, and
provided with a regulating check screw, of a main operating lever fulcrumed on the
main frame and provided with a cam portion for engagement with the extended clutch
arm and a pawl for feeding the oscillator cylinder, also engaged with said lever,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
12. In a button hole attachment for sewing machines the combination with the
main drive lever having a rear extension, and a pawl, the oscillator cam provided with
a ratchet, the feeding and switching cam cylinder, and the friction clutch, of the guide
plate connected at opposite ends to the oscillator cam, and the switching and feeding
cam, the cloth clamp sliding in said guide plate, and the pitman connecting it with
the feeding cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.