Improvements in Button-hole Sewing Machines.
Year: 1890

page_text: te of Application, 2nd Aug., 1890-Accepted, 8th Nov., 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Button-hole Sewing Machines.
We DAVID HERMANN and LEO FLATOW of the firm of Herumann and Flatow
Manufacturing Engineers of 56 Königgrätzerstrasse in the City of Berlin Germany
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:
The button hole sewing machine described in the Specification of Her Majesty's
Letters Patent No. 11863 A.D. 1889 granted to us is provided with an arrangement
for automatically reversing the motor mechanism from the barring to the edging
position after about from 6 to 8 bar stitches have been made.
In the barring position the machine is reversed by the machinist turning over a
lever & or actuated by hand. The machine is now furnished with such improve-
ments that the machinist has merely to depress a knob for the machine to carry out
its own reversal.
Moreover the machine is not merely reversed when the needle is in its highest
position but likewise when the parts of the machine which are in motion do not impart
a horizontal motion to the needle, even should the latter be placed at the time in the
button hole which is being stitched, as in such case the needle cannot break owing
to its not accomplishing any lateral motion in the button hole when such reversal
takes place.
Further improvements effected in the machine enable us to obtain a better arrange-
ment of the whole mechanism, this said mechanism which is automatically reversed
from the barring to the edging or purling position being capable of receiving a
modification.
The button holes above referred to which have a bar at each end are particularly
applicable in the case of washing articles such as collars and the like.
For garments
such as gentlemen's coats, button holes are used which show only one bar while the
other end of the button hole is stitched round as clearly shown in Fig. 10. This
invention extends accordingly to that class of button hole making machines in which the
material furnished with a button hole is fed below the needle accomplishing
successive side stitches first in the direction of the length of the button hole after
which the said material. turns while it is being stitched and is then moved back in
order to finally receive its end bar.
This improved machine operates throughout automatically, it carries the button
hole in the manner above stated by mechanism which is already known, the needle
bar is placed in the position for barring and returns automatically after such bar is
effected into the position wherein it accomplishes edge or purl stitching.
The accompanying drawings illustrate the improvements in the machine,
Fig. 1 showing the said machine in the barring position.
Fig. 2 shows the mechanism in the edging or purl stitching position.
Fig. 3 is a section on line 1, 3, of Fig 1, and through the adjusting lever 1.
Fig. 4 is a cross section on line 3, 4 of Fig. 2.
Figs. 5, 6 and 7 show parts of the automatically reversing mechanism.
Figs. 8 and 9 show the driving cam wheel.
Fig. 10 is a button hole for coats and the like.
Fig. 11 shows the button hole stitching machine, with its mechanism in the
position for purl stitching i.e. for stitching on the edges of the button hole.
Fig. 12 shows the mechanism in position for barring i.e for locking the ends of
the button hole.
Fig. 13 is an underside view of the machine with the mechanism for moving the

page_text: Fig. 14 is a top view of the said mechanisın.
Figs. 15, 16 and 17 are views of the reversing lever.
Figs. 18 and 19 show the driving cam wheel for the machine as illustrated in
Figs. 11 to 14.
The mode of operation of the machine being previously known from the Specifi
cation of our former Letters Patent No. 11863 A.D. 1889 hereinbefore mentioned,
similar parts or parts operating in a similar manner have been furnished in this case
with like letters of reference to facilitate the understanding of this description. The
lever (Fig. 1 and 2) is not connected with the lever directly but by means of a
link whereby the slot guide (in the former Specification) is dispensed with. It
will be assumed here that the lever is to be used as a hand lever.
"
The driving wheel connected with the cam c¹ (Figs. 8 & 9) is provided with a
sunk or recessed spiral path or curve 4, while the pin of the lever (Figs. 1, 2, 3)
by means of which the reversal of the machine is operated is movable in order to
be pressed in the spiral path when the machine has to be reversed from the
purling" to the "barring" position. When the knob 15 is depressed, the lever
which is arranged to oscillate in the hub of the lever upon the screw pin 1, and
is covered by the lever turns upon and the pin held back by the spiral
spring (Fig. 3) is moved forward upon its roller 10 whereby or 11 as the case
may be passes below by the plane of the crown of the driving wheel until it
reaches tlie place (Fig. 9) so that enters with its roller 10 (Fig. 3) the helicoidal
path. The latter operates the pin which is gradually guided out by reason of
the rotation of the driving wheel, the lever following the mechanism assuming
the "barring position (Fig. 1).
>>
There is only one annular projection 2 (Fig. 8) in this machine, the same being
arranged upon the driving cam wheel, and hence it is obvious that the mechanism
can likewise be reversed when the cam c¹ does not operate the needle while moving
in a sense which is not horizontal. This will occur until the parts of the machine
operate upon the lever e when they do not move or only to a slight extent in a
vertical direction.
The curve of the cam c¹ must be formed accordingly and the position of the
projection must be properly determined. The needle may also under certain
circumstances happen to be inserted in the button hole when a reversal takes place
in such a case the cam e' must not influence the lateral & horizontal motion of
the needle during such reversal. The annular projection comes into play in
such cases.
The mechanism for automatically reversing or guiding back the machine from the
barring position Fig. 1 to the purling position Fig. 2 has likewise received an
alteration or modification in so far that the sliding guides Av, 3, (Figs. 17 to 19)
described in our former Specification No. 11863 A.D. 1889 is replaced by a jointed
lever.
In the helicoidal path on the machine shaft w engages the pin 4 of a lever v
which pivots in a vertical direction upon v and in a horizontal direction upon v³
(Figs. 5, 6 and 7). The spring 3 tends always to act upon the lever horizontally
when the latter assumes the extreme position shown on the right side of Figs. 7
and 2 and vertically in the uppermost position in order to bring it in the position
shown in full lines in Fig. and in dotted lines in Fig. 5 while the pin v is placed
outside the screw thread 70¹.
As soon as the machine has purled the button hole a
pressure is exerted upon the knob 15 as above stated whereby the lever k passes from
the purling position of Fig. 2 to the barring position of Fig. 1 and the projection k³
of the lever k strikes upon the lever so that the pin of the latter engages with
the screw thread or path w¹ (Figs. 1, 5, 6, 7). vis carried away by the screw
rotating in the direction of the arrow and turns upon the pin as shown in dotted
lines in Fig. 7. During its motion the lever v presses against the lever arm u¹
Fig. 1 so as to cause the other lever arm u² to move downwardly until its end u³ is
finally pushed away from the piece which can be adjusted upon 1, whereupon the
stretched spring draws the lever as well as the lever k in the other extreme

page_text: which
position (Fig. 2). The projection of the lever k releases now the lever
returns under the action of the spring va into its original position and remains there
until the machinist presses again upon the knob and brings the mechanism back
to the barring position.
As soon as the lever has assumed its left hand side position (Fig. 1) while the
pin has arrived on the outer periphery of the spring brings the double
lever, u², from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shewn in Fig. 1.
The time elapsed during the motion of the double lever until its end ³
moves away from the sleeve corresponds to the number of bar stitches made,
which number may be varied by shifting the sleeve against the sides of which the
end u³ abuts.
There remains now to describe the parts serving to stitch the button hole and
shown in Fig. 10 while the working parts of the machine are shown in Figs. 11
to 19.
Whereas according to the arrangement shown in Fig. 1 of the Specification of the
Letters Patent above mentioned, the button hole was first stitched upon its left handed
edge and then barred, the material being afterwards turned in order to purl stitch
the original right handed edge and bar stitch the end; now according to this
arrangement the right handed edge a² is first stitched, the material being turned
round while being at the same time continuously stitched at one end (sewn around),
the other edge a being then sewn and finally bar stitched. The position of the
mechanism is accordingly altered the pin being placed in the left handed end
position when purl stitches are made and in the right handed position when bar
stitches are made whereas in the former construction the arrangement was reversed
see Figs. 11 and 12. . The lever k has in the present case the form of a plate pivoting
upon the fixed point, the projection (Fig. 1 and 2) is arranged as a lever ³
of peculiar form oscillating upon k' the other end of which carries a pin engaging
in a slot of the plate k. The link engages with the plate in the manner above
'described, the forked lever e being connected with the said link . The lever
swinging upon the fixed point is constantly drawn to the left (whereas according
to the previous arrangement I was drawn to the right hand side) until it strikes upon
the nipple 3 of the lever arm 2 Fig. 11. In the other end position the end of the
lever is placed against the anvil ut of the lever arm ². The driving cam wheel μL
is not furnished (as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 of the former drawings) with an out-
wardly guiding, but with an inwardly guiding excentric groove as shown in
Figs. 18 and 19.
The arrangement of the lever is the same as described with reference to Figs. 5
to 7. Upon the shaft is mounted the cam cylinder for the up and down motion
of the needle bar; the cam cylinder for the motion of the shuttle and the cam
cylinder for feeding the material the button holes of which are being stitched.
The shuttle is arranged in a boat which has a swinging motion and the construction
and motion of which is supposed to be generally known.
The feeder for the material is also of well known construction and is only
described so far as is required for the intelligence of the mechanism used in con-
junction therewith. In the top plate B (Figs. 11, 13) of the machine is arranged a
cam D turning around the ring and provided below with two cam shaped paths
or grooves D. D². The roller E' fixed to a lever E (Fig. 13) engages in the
path D. The pin E of the lever E rests upon an arm E3 which carries a clamp E.
The rotation of the cam cylinder causes the lever arm F to oscillate upon its fixed
fulcrum while a pin 13 of the other lever arm F¹ presses upon a lever E and
moves the latter in such a manner as to cause it to pivot upon the axis of the
roller E. Hence the arm E³ is drawn the piece E is firmly clamped in D' and the
cam receives a small motion. As F and F pivots back, the spring E pulls
the armn E and the lever E in their former position whereby the clamp E* slides
forward in the path D¹ and the roller E moves in the path D² until the operation
recommences. Thus the cam D receives an intermittent motion. The object now is
to convert this turning motion of the cam D into a motion taking place along a

page_text: semicircular way in one sense and back in the other for the purpose of stitching the
button hole and accordingly the following well known mechanism is made use of.
The material with the button holes is firmly held upon a plate by means of any
suitable clamp such as shown at G (Fig. 11). The cam H has a slot H' surrounding
the hole C (Figs. 13 & 14) and a pin H2 below (Fig. 14) which engages with a
groove or recess B² formed in the plate B' which is connected with the frame B
(Fig. 11). The said groove is provided centrally with a semicircular curve around C¹
(Fig. 14) but its two extremities are in a straight line.
The pivotting cam D carries on its upper part a heart shaped cam 13³ with which
the pin H likewise engages. When the cam D accomplishes its intermittent motion
as above stated the heart shaped cam D³ drives the pin H back towards the centre C,
the said pin H2 following. while in gear with B the straight way of the slot B
hereinbefore described subsequently passing along its semicircular part and finally
returning along its straight part as required for the stitching of the button hole.
As the pin H2 is fixed to the plate H and the latter is guided by the point C¹, the
said plate H, the clamp G and the material with the button hole will be compelled
to follow the same course. The arm D pivotting upon D is also fixed to the
cam D and as it accomplishes its circular motion, its projection D5 abuts against the
pin Has the latter enters the semicircular part of the groove B2 whereby this
pin H accomplishes without hindrance its motion in the groove B². While this
semicircular motion at the button hole is proceeding and its round end is being
stitched it is requisite to allow the material to move faster than when the purl stitches
are made on the edges of the button hole, in order to produce a button hole having
a good appearance.
This is attained by reason of the peculiar form of the path D around the cam D.
As soon as the roller E' and the lever E have reached such a position, that the
pin F strikes, instead of the pin F3, against the said lever E the arm E3 will move
à larger distance as the action of the pin F is more intense than that of the pin F³,
and hence the cam D and the cam H will also proceed faster.
As soon as the button hole is stitched on both sides and along its rounded end
it then becomes necessary to form the bar stitches and for this purpose the
mechanism which operates the horizontal and lateral motion of the needle bar must
be reversed i.e. the machine must be brought from the purl stitching position shown
in Fig. 11 to the bar stitching position shown in Fig. 12.
This is effected automatically by the machine itself. As soon as the plate H
returns after having accomplished its circular motion upon the straight portion of its
path, it comes into close proximity to the edge of the top plate B (Figs. 13 and 14)
and finally strikes against the projecting end I" of the lever 1 pivoting at 12 in
consequence whereof 1' is pushed back and the lever I turns.
The other end 13 of the lever I operates as it moves in the direction of the arrow,
upon a lever K the fulcrum of which is placed at K. The slide bar K² connected
with K is likewise moved upon the guide K³ in the direction of the arrow.
The end K of the slide bar K2 presses upon the before described pin of the
lever 1, which pin is connected to the said lever in such a manner as to have a
constant tendency of springing back (Fig. 17). The pin is pressed in the manner
before mentioned against the driving wheel r. As soon as the wheel passes in
the course of its rotation with the recess 5 Fig. 18 below the pin the latter enters
in the recessed cam path and is thereby led from the position * to the position **
the lever turning from the position shown in Fig. 11 to that shown in Fig. 12
and hence in the position in which the needle bar accomplishes its greatest lateral and
horizontal motion that is to say in the bar stitching position. The lower end of the
lever has now arrived in front of the projection u of the lever u¹, u, so that is
firmly clamped therein, the action of the slide bar K2 upon the pin ceasing after
the plate H at the lever end I' has moved on.
The motion of the lever causes the pin 13 (Figs. 11 and 13) to move from the
left to the right hand side and as the said pin is directly connected with the rod q
the latter moves likewise to the right while the projection 7 screwed upon the rod

page_text: comes to bear against the projection E of the arm E³ whereby each arm is locked
in such a manner that the clamp E' cannot move any further and hence the cam D
is locked that is to say the material with the button holes does not accomplish any
further progressive motion as it should be in making bar stitches.
Owing to the lever having reached the position shown in Fig. 12 (bar stitching
position) the lever plate has been turned upon A under the action of the rod
The pin has been moved upwards by its corresponding slot so that the lever /
turned upon the point &', while pressed in the manner hereinbefore described upon
the lever and brings its pin in gear with the screw path w¹ of the shaft w. The
number of bar stitches is thereby counted after the lever bas moved from the
position shown in Fig. 12 to the left hand side and the lever arm u¹ has turned until
the projection * of the arm u² of the lever has slid away, the spring excersises
its power and brings the lever back to the position shown in Fig. 11, the machine
returning to the purl stitching position. The projection 9 releases now the pro-
jection of the arm E³ so that the feeder comes again into position for purl
stitching another button hole. It is obvious from the foregoing, that the reversal
of the motion of the machine from the bar stitching to the purl stitching position
will be noticable owing to the production of a chattering noise which indicates to
the machinist that the bar stitching is finished whereupon she leaves the machine
alone and prepares a new button hole for stitching. The said machinist is moreover
able to see if the machine makes the proper stitch for the particular part of the button
hole which is being sewn.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is.-
1. In button hole sewing machines the reversal of the motion of the lever k from
the purl stitching to the bar stitching position effected by depressing a knob which
causes a pin, hold back by a spring to be pressed forward until it becomes in
contact with the curved edge of the cam driving wheel whereby the lever /
and are gradually moved to their extreme positions substantially as and for the
purpose described.
2. In button hole sewing machines the use of only one annular projection > upon
the can driving wheel in such a manner that the lever or the lever may be set
in motion either when the needle is in its highest position or when it is placed in
the button hole, the mechanism acting on the needle without moving it in a lateral
sense substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. In button hole sewing machines the automatic reversal of the mechanism from
the bar stitching to the purl stitching position carried out by reason of the pin k³
of the lever depressing the lever which is capable of moving vertically and
horizontally is impelled along the screw path of the shaft wo and presses against
the double lever uu in order to disconnect the stop lever u u¹ from the set lever
substantially as and for the purpose described.
4. In button hole sewing machines the automatic reversal of the mechanism from
the purl stitching to the bar stitching position effected by reason of the material
clamping device or plate H carrying the same moving at the proper time a lever I
which causes the pin to be pressed forward against the driving wheel » provided
with a cam shaped path whereby the levers I and k are set in motion substantially as
and for the purpose described.
5. In button hole sewing machines the combination of the lever with the feeding
mechanism and with the rod in such a manner that the projection of the said
rod bears against a projection of the carrier arm E³ whereby the latter is firmly locked,
the device feeding the material stopping when bar stitches are being made substantially
as and for the purpose described.
6. In button hole sewing machines the combination of the lever Z with the lever k
and the rod to ensure the free motion of the mechanism substantially as and for
the purpose described. .

page_text: 7. In button hole sewing machines the combination of the lever k having the form.
of a plate with a pin 48 guided by a slot of the said plate and depressing the lever k
which pivots at in order to bring the pin of the lever in the screw path w
for the purpose of counting the number of bar stitches and for the subsequent
reversal of the motion of the machine substantially as and for the purpose described.
8. In button hole sewing machines the arrangement of the lever u¹² in such a
manner that the lever is locked in its two extreme positions by the projections u³u
of the lever arm u² while the lever is constantly pressed outwardly by a spring
substantially as and for the purpose described.
Dated this 2nd day of August 1890
HUGHES, SON & Co.,
38, Chancery Lane, London, Agents.