CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1866

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Walker Bates Bartram, of Redding, in the County
of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, United States of America, for the
Invention of CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Walker Bates Bartram
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on
the 4th May 1866.
I, WALKER BATES BARTRAM, of Redding, in the County of Fairfield and
State of Connecticut, United States of America, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," to be
as follows:-
My Invention consists of certain improvements attached to a sewing
machine to adapt it to making button holes, as herein-after more fully
described.
On the accompanying Drawings Fig. 1 is a top view of a sewing machine
with my improvements attached; Fig. 2 is an end view of the same; Fig. 3.
is a vertical longitudinal section of the front part of the machine through the
line x, x, Fig. 2.
In my improved machine the cloth plate A is kept in place upon the

page_text: supports B, B', by screws C passing through slots D in the said plate, so as
to allow the plate to have a backward and forward motion to enable the
stitch to be transferred alternately from the cloth to the slit which forms the
button hole, as herein after more fully described. The motion of the plate A
is regulated by stops on the under side of the plate acting against the
supports B, B', one of which stops is shown at E, Fig. 2. To the eccentric
strap F is attached, in the manner represented in Fig. 3, an arm H, which
as the eccentric revolves takes hold of one of the teeth of the spur wheel I,
and turns it for the purpose herein-after stated. The spur wheel I is double,
or rather the half of the said wheel, which is shewn in Fig. 2, is furnished
with a set of teeth, which are one half the size of the teeth of the other half,
shown in section in Fig. 3. The said spur wheel I is pivoted to a standard
attached to the bed plate of the machine, as represented in Figs. 2 and 8.
J is a catch attached to the under side of the plate A, as shown in Fig. 3; it
has a projection catching into the larger set of teeth of the wheel J. K is a
rod or bar extending across the machine, and resting against the supports B, B¹,
as shown in Fig. 3. To the bar K, near its ends, and to the lower side of
the plate A are attached two springs, one of which is shewn at L, Fig. 3. To
the upper side of the plate A, beneath the presser M, is attached a small
circular plate N, provided with slots for the passage of the needle and feed.
O is a cloth holder for holding the cloth in which the button hole is to be
made. The ends of this cloth holder are circular, but the sides are straight,
as represented in Figure 1; its central part is also cut away, so as to form a
slot with circular ends; said slot is of such a size as to exactly fit the small
circular plate N, and allow the holder O to slide along the top of the plate A,
and to be turned around thereon, the circular plate N being all the time
within the slot of said cloth holder. P is a guide attached to the top of the
plate A, and at a distance from the circular plate N, equal to the breadth
of the side of the said holder between the outer edge of the slot and the outer
edge of said holder, so as to guide the holder as it slides along the plate A,
and is turned about the circular plate N.
holder O is furnished with projecting pins to
its position upon said cloth holder while the
Button holes of any size may be made on this holder O by beginning on the
inner end of the button hole, working round the outer end, and back to the
place of beginning; or a set of holders may be provided, graduated in size to
the size of the intended button hole. In forming a button hole it is necessary
where a square end is needed in order to strengthen it to bar the ends; to
do this the extent of the backward and forward motion of the plate A must
The upper side of the cloth
keep the cloth from changing
button hole is being made.

page_text: be doubled; this is accomplished as follows:-The stop lever K is forced
up against the end of the feed bar, so as to force the feed away from the cam
which operates it and stop the feed; then by pulling upon the ring or handle
of the catch J I increase the throw of the plate A, the stop E preventing the
plate from moving farther than just enough to double the length of the stitch
and allow the barring to extend from the outer row of stitches on one side of
the button hole to the outer row of stitches on the other side of the button
hole, thus finishing and strengthening its ends.
OPERATION.
As the eccentric draws the end of the eccentric rod forward and raises
it to operate the needle it also throws forward and raises the arm H, which
forward and upward motion causes the arm H to take hold of one of the
smaller teeth of the wheel I, and revolves said wheel one notch. This partial
revolution of the wheel I causes the projection of the catch J to slide up the
inclined side of one of the larger teeth of the wheel I, and leaves the said
projection resting upon the broad end of the tooth instead of being in the
notch between two teeth; this moves the plate A, the cloth holder O, and
the cloth forward, so that the next stitch will be taken within the slip for the
button hole instead of being taken through the cloth. The next revolution
of the eccentric causes the arm H to revolve the wheel I one notch further;
this brings the projection of the catch J into the next notch between the
larger teeth of the wheel I, and allows the plate A, the cloth holder O, and
the cloth to be drawn back by the springs, one of which is shown at L. The
stitch is now taken through the cloth, and so on continuously until the button
hole is completed. When the end of the button hole is reached, if a square
end is needed, it is strengthened and barred across the end by stopping the
feed by means of the stop lever R, and doubling the throw of the plate A by
operating said plate by means of the ring or handle of the catch J, as
herein-before described.
o SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Walker Bates Bartram in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 3rd November 1866.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WALKER
BATES BARTRAM, of Redding, in the County of Fairfield, and State of
5 Connecticut, United States of America, send greeting.

page_text: WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-six, in the twenty-ninth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Walker Bates Bartram, Her special licence that I, the said
Walker Bates Bartram, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Walker Bates Bartram, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES," upon the
condition (amongst others) that J, the said Walker Bates Bartram, my
executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their,
or one of their hands and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be
performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Walker Bates Bartram, do hereby
declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement (that is to say) :-
My Invention consists of certain improvements in or additions to sewing
machines to adapt them to the making of button holes, as herein-after more
fully described.
In the accompanying Drawings Figure 1 is a top view of a sewing
machine with my improvement attached; Figure 2 is an end view of the
same; Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section of the front part of the
machine through the line x, x, Figure 2.
The general construction of the machine to which my improvements are
represented as being attached is that of the well-known Wheeler and Wilson
sewing machine.
In my improved machine the cloth plate A is kept in place upon the
supports B, B1, by screws C passing through slots D in the said plate, so as
to allow the plate to have a backward and forward motion to enable the
stitch to be transferred alternately from the cloth to the slit which forms the
button hole, as herein-after more fully described. The play of the plate A
is regulated by stops on the under side of the plate acting against the

page_text: supports B, B', one of which stops is shown at E, Figure 2. To the
eccentric strap F is attached, in the manner represented in Figure 2, an
arm H, which as the eccentric revolves takes hold of one of the teeth of
the spur wheel I, and turns it for the purpose herein-after stated. The spur
wheel I is double, or rather the half of said wheel, which is shown in
Figure 2, is furnished with a set of teeth which are one half the size of the
teeth of the other half shown in section in Figure 3; said spur wheel I is
machine, as repre-
pivoted to a standard attached to the bed plate of the
sented in Figures 2 & 3. J is a catch attached to the under side of the
plate A, as shown in Figure 8. It has a projection catching into the larger
set of teeth of the wheel I; K is a rod or bar extending across the machine
and resting against the supports B, B', as shown in Figure 3. To the bar K
near its ends, and to the lower side of the plate A, are attached two springs,
one of which is shown at L, Figure 3. To the upper side of the plate A,
beneath the presser M, is attached a small circular plate N, provided with
slots for the passage of the needle and feed. O is a cloth holder for holding
the cloth in which the button hole is to be made. The ends of this cloth
holder are circular, but the sides are straight, as represented in Figure 1 ;
its central part is also cut away, so as to form a slot with circular ends; said
slot is of such a size as to exactly fit the small circular plate N, and allow
the holder O to slide along the top of the plate A, and to be turned around
thereon, the circular plate N being all the time within the slot of said cloth
holder. P is a guide attached to the top of the plate A, and at a distance
from the circular plate N equal to the breadth of the side of said holder
between the outer edge of the slot and the outer edge of said holder, so as
to guide the holder as it slides along the plate A, and is turned about the
circular plate N. The upper side of the cloth holder O is furnished, with
projecting pins to keep the cloth from changing its position upon said cloth
holder while the button hole is being made. Button holes of any size may
be made on this holder O by beginning at the inner end of the button hole,
working around the outer end, and back to the place of beginning; or a set
of holders may be provided graduated in size to the size of the intended
button hole. In forming a button hole it is necessary where a square end is
needed in order to strengthen it to bar the ends; to do this the extent of
the backward and forward motion of the plate A must be doubled; this is
accomplished as follows:-The stop lever R is forced up against the end of
the feed bar, so as to force the feed away from the cam which operates it and
stop the feed; then by pulling upon the ring or handle of the catch JI
increase the throw of the plate A, the stops E preventing the plate from

page_text: moving farther than just enough to double the length of the stitch and allow
the barring to extend from the outer row of stitches on one side of the
button bole to the outer row of stitches on the other side of the button hole,
thus finishing and strengthening its ends. As the eccentric draws the end
of the eccentric rod forward and raises it to operate the needle it also throws
forward and raises the arm H, which forward and upward motion causes the
arm H to take hold of one of the smaller teeth of the wheel I, and revolve
said wheel one notch. This partial revolution of the wheel I causes the
projection of the catch J to slide up the inclined side of one of the larger
teeth of the wheel I, and leaves said projection resting upon the broad end
of the tooth instead of being in the notch between two teeth; this moves
the plate A, the cloth holder O, and the cloth forward, so that the next stitch
will be taken within the slit for the button hole instead of being taken through
the cloth. The next revolution of the eccentric causes the arm H to revolve
the wheel I one notch further; this brings the projection of the catch J
into the next notch between the larger teeth of the wheel I, and allows the
plate A, the cloth holder O, and the cloth to be drawn back by the springs,
one of which is shown at L. The stitch is now taken through the cloth, and
so on continuously until the button hole is completed. When the end of the
button hole is reached, if a square end is needed, it is strengthened and
barred across the end by stopping the feed by means of the stop lever R,
and doubling the throw of the plate A by operating said plate by means of
the ring or bandle of the catch J, as herein-before described.
Having thus fully described my Invention, and the manner of operating it,
I claim-
First, the combination of the arm H with the wheel I and the eccentric
of the driving shaft, or other movement of a sewing machine, substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
Second, the combination of the wheel I with the arm II and the catch J,
substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Third, the combination of the catch J and the plate A, substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
Fourth, the combination of the cloth holder O with the plate A and the
circular plate N, substantially as described and for the purpose set forth.
Fifth, the combination of the circular plate N with the plate A, substan-
tially as and for the purpose set forth.
Sixth, the combination of the guide P with the plate A and the cloth
ho'der O, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
Seventh, the combination of the plate A with the wheel I and the springs

page_text: L, or equivalent, to give an alternate backward and forward motion to the
plate A, substantially as described and to the effect stated.
Eighth, the combination of the stop lever R with the feed bar of a sewing
machine, or equivalent device, substantially as described and for the purpose
set forth.
In witness whereof, I, the said Walker Bates Bartram, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Second day of October, A.D. 1866.
WALKER BATES BARTRAM. (L.S.)