IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES AND BUTTON-FEEDING DEVICES ADAPTED TO BE USED THEREWITH
Year: 1881

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Raphael Hunter Brandon, of No. 1, Rue Laffitte, Paris,
France, Engineer and Patent Agent, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
SEWING MACHINES AND BUTTON-FEEDING DEVICES ADAPTED TO BE USED
THEREWITH." A communication from James Henry Morley, Mechanical
Engineer, of Holyoke, County of Hampden and State of Massachusetts,
United States of America.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Raphael Hunter Brandon at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th January 1881.
RAPHAEL HUNTER BRANDON, of No. 1, Rue Lafitte, Paris, in the Republic of
France, Engineer and Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN SEWING MACHINES AND
BUTTON-FEEDING DEVICES ADAPTED TO BE USED THEREWITH." A communi-
cation from James Henry Morley, Mechanical Engineer, of Holyoke, County of
Hampden and State of Massachusetts, United States of America.
This Invention consists in mechanism for automatically sewing shank buttons
on to fabrics, and in means for carrying out said operation in sewing buttons on to
shoes and other articles, and the further object of my Invention is to form a double
threaded transverse stitch on the top side of the material being sewed upon trans-
versely to the direction of feed, and on the reverse side of the material to parallel
lines of stitches at right angles to the first named ones; to make alternately long
and short stitches, and to so feed buttons to be sewed by the said machines
as to present them at the proper time and in the proper place to be operated
upon.
I attain the above named objects by the devices and construction illustrated in
the accompanying Drawings, in which
Figure 1 is a front elevation of my machine with the take-up and the tension
removed, including the button-feed partly in section, and the end-plate 34, Figure 5,
thereof opposite the driving wheel being removed.
Figure 2 is a side elevation of the button-feed hopper and valve partly in section
and the valve-rod in part, and a portion of its operating arm.
Figure 3 is a cross section of the button feed trough.
Figure 4 is an end elevation of the machine and button feed, with said plate 34
and cover 47, over the end of trough 45 also removed.

page_text: Figure 5 is a rear elevation of the machine, partly in section, with the button-
feed removed.
the button turning
Figure 6 is a view of the button-plunger, its operating cam,
wheel, and the front end of the button clamp showing their operative relation.
Figure 6a is a rear view of the swinging needle-bar frame in perspective.
Figure 7 is a view of the needle plate.
Figure 8 is a view of the cloth and needle plates combined and shewing the
needle backer thereon.
Figure 9 is a view shewing the tension take-up and its operating cam, the
swinging needle bar frame and its operating cams, needle bars, the needles, the
presser-foot, the helper-bar, the cast off and the end plate 34 of the machine, all in
their respective relative positions, and shewing the course of the thread from
around the tension to the needle, the needle plate being partly shewn in dotted lines.
Figure 10 is a view of that portion of the swinging needle bar frame carrying
the vertical-needle-bar, the cam-plate attached thereto, the studded face-plate
engaging with said cam-plate, and a part of the crank which actuates the needle-
bar.
Figure 11 is an enlarged view of the ends of the cast-off, the hooked needle, and
shewing their operative relation to the loops formed in sewing.
Figure 12 is a view of the open side of the button-clamp, the front-end of the
clamp-carrier and its spirally grooved bearing.
Figure 13 is a view of the parts shewn in Figure 12, but with the button
clamps turned up to receive a button, a section of the button turning wheel, and
the button plunger shewing the relative operative position of said plunger, wheel,
and button-clamp, when a button (there shown) has been turned around and
is being carried into said clamp.
Figure 14 is a view of the end of the button carrier and button-clamp turned
over and holding a button with its shank flatwise towards the vertical needle-point
.showing the inclined needle up through the said shank, the vertical needle, the
presser foot and helper-bar in their relative positions, and a portion of the needle
plate.
Figure 14a is a front perspective view of the needle bar frame.
Figure 15 is a longitudinal section through line O, O, of Figure 13 of the front
end of the button carrier and clamps, showing the form of the button-clamps
within the carrier and the manner of fastening them therein.
Figure 16 is an end elevation of the swinging needle bar frame, showing an
edge view of an actuating spring attached to frame D, and the outer ends of two
feed-adjusting screws working in said frame.
Figure 17 is a view of the swinging needle bar frame, showing the relative
positions of the two needle-bars therein, its pivots points, the pivoted cam-bearing
thereon, and the feed-cams on the end of shaft T adapted to operate upon said
bearings.
'
Figure 18 is a plan view of the button-turning wheel with button pockets therein,
and showing the end of the wheel-holder and pawl-hook contiguous to said
wheel.
Figure 19 is a perspective view of the button-clamp, the forward end of the
button carrier with its guide pin, and a spirally grooved bearing therefor.
Figure 20 illustrates a modified construction of the button-clamp delivery end of
the button feed trough, a flexible button-stop attached thereto, and shows the
receiving position of the modified button clamp thereunder, and the relative
operating position of the needles to said clamp and trough.
Figure 21 is a plan view of a modified construction of button-clamp showing it
turned over on its side, and a button in the clamp.
Figure 22 is a side elevation of the parts shewn in Figure 21.
Figure 23 is a view of the end of a trough shewn in Figure 20, but with the
button-stop in a position to prevent buttons from dropping out of it.

page_text: Figure 24 is a sectional view taken through the line 1-2, Figure 1, in the
direction of the arrow.
Like letters and numbers refer to like parts in the various Figures.
Upon a suitable frame D I mount a shaft A adapted to be driven as in any
ordinary sewing machine shaft.
Upon said shaft A is fixed a gear 2 and a cam 9.
Said shaft A has also formed in it a crank d, and on it beyond said crank is fixed
a crank-disk 11, in which is fixed a crank stud 12.
Said gear 2 drives a second shaft B through a gear 3 twice the size of gear 2 fixed
to a shaft B, which is located above and parallel to the shaft A.
Said cam 9 on shaft A operates against the take-up to move it from said shaft,
and a spring 69 throws it in the opposite direction.
The crank d on the shaft A is connected with a pitman e by a ball and socket
joint in the latter to permit the upper end of said pitman to have a vibratory
motion.
The crank-stud 12, which is fixed in the crank disk 11, engages in the cam-slot
in the cam-plate 13, which is secured through a vertical slot in the swinging needle-
bar frame O, as seen in Figure 10, to the vertical needle bar 14, and reciprocating
vertical motion is thereby given to said needle bar by the revolution of shaft A.
The second shaft B has fixed upon it a grooved cam 4 and 3 other cams.
g, n, n¹.
The grooved cam 4 through its engagement with the short arm 5e of a lever 5
operates to vibrate an arm 5a fixed on the end of a transverse shaft 6 rocking in the
frame, and to which said lever 5 is secured.
The said cam g operates to drive down the button-plunger by striking against
an arm extending from its vertical portion, as seen in Figure 6, and a spring i there
shown carries the plunger up when released by the cam.
Cams n and n¹ operate against adjustable bearing points on the swinging needle-
bar frame o to swing it from shaft B with different movements, and a spring 25
attached to frame D, Figure 16, operates to throw said frame o towards said cams
and against a stop 29 on the edge of plate 34, Figure 9.
The swinging needle-bar frame o is pivotted to frame D at r¹, Figures 5, 7, and
9, and to plate 34, Figure 5, at r, which latter plate is firmly secured to said
frame D.
The said needle-bar frame is provided with suitable bearings thereon, as shown,
for the inclined needle-bar 10 to slide in having a slot 24, Figure 5, in it directly
back of said needle-bar, in which a guide arm f attached to the needle-bar slides to
prevent the needle-bar from turning.
The end of said frame o back of plate 34 is provided with a vertically grooved
face, as seen in Figures 4, 10, 16, and 17, and in said groove is fitted to slide therein,
the flat vertical needle-bar 14 heretofore spoken of, the helper bar 21, and the
cast-off bar 70.
In a portion of frame D adjoining said grooved end of the needle bar frame o is
the presser bar adjusted to slide in a groove in said frame D; a spring 28, Figure 4,
draws said presser bar upward.
On the face of the helper bar 21, and laying against it and the needle bar, is
pivoted elbow lever 26. A pin 85 set in the needle-bar, as shown, projects through
said slot in lever 26, and the end of the horizontal arm of said lever extends over a
pin 27 in the presser-bar.
The operation of the cast-off 20 and its bar 70 relative to the needle bar 14 is
well known, they being used in this connection in waxed thread sewing machines.
The operation of the needle-bar, the helper-bar, and the presser-bar in conjunction
with the lever 26, applied as shown in Figure 4, is set forth in the American Patent
to J. A. Davis, dated October 9th, 1866, No. 58614.
For the purpose of properly securing the different feed actions of the needle-bar
frame o, as hereafter explained, adjustable bearing points 8, s¹, against which
cams n, n, strike, are provided, which consist of two arms, as shown, pivoted on

page_text: frame o, in the lower ends of which are placed friction rollers, against which said
cams strike in revolving.
In a projecting block or boss t on the rear edge of frame o are placed two feed-
adjusting screws v, vl, adapted to be screwed against the back sides of the pieces 8, 8¹,
to cause their lower ends to project more or less beyond the side of said frame next
to the cams n, n¹.
The pitman e above mentioned as connected to crank d by a ball and socket joint
is connected by its upper end with a collar on the inclined needle-bar 10, Figure 1,
by an arm on said collar provided with a ball which fits a spherical cavity in said
pitman, the latter being divided longitudinally into two parts which are secured
together, and upon the crank and said arm on the needle bar collar by transverse
screws, as shewn.
On the frame o are fixed two thread-guide eyes 16 and 17, as shown in
Figure 9.
In the vertical needle bar 14 is secured hooked needle 19, and in the inclined
needle bar 10 is secured an eye-pointed needle, which operates with and by the
devices herein described as hereinafter set forth.
The cloth plate 23, Figure 8, is secured to the frame D over the needles, as
shown in Figures 1, 4, and 5. This plate is provided with a slot cut from near
the front edge to the back edge.
In suitable grooves formed in the edges of said slot in the cloth plate is fitted
the needle plate 32, Figure 7, and there secured by the removable plate 72.
Upon the top of the cloth-plate just at the rear end of said slot therein is fixed
the needle-backer 33, provided with two short projecting points reaching out over
the said slot, and a point z at the base of the slot in the needle-plate lays under
point of the needle-backer when the said plate is in position, as seen in
Figure 8. The needles pass up in the spaces each side of the point z' on the
needle backer.
The purpose of the narrowed part 69 of the needle-plate is explained further on.
A thread-tension of ordinary construction is located as shewn in Figure 4.
The lever 5 is connected with the end of a button-carrier 7 by a ball and socket
joint as shewn, the said parts being so adjusted one to the other as to allow of the
requisite vertical slide in such joint to permit of three movements of the parts
while said carrier is moved reciprocally by the action of said lever, and to permit
the carrier to rotate reciprocally.
A tubular bearing 8 is fixed on frame D through which carrier 7 passes, and
in said bearing is cut a spiral groove a, and a screw-pin b is inserted through said
groove into the said carrier, so that when the latter is moved back and forth
through said bearing carrier 7 is caused to rotate as aforesaid.
t
In the end of said carrier opposite to lever 5 are fixed two flexible button-
clamps x, x, as shown in Figures 12, 13, 19, and 15, and provided with a button
socket between their projecting ends, as shown in Figure 12.
Said clamps are secured in a socket formed in the end of carrier 7, as seen in
Figure 15.
Their shanks from their cup-portions inward are flexible, their outer sides being
straight; on the inner side of each one near their rear ends is formed a thick
rounded projection, as seen, forming curved bearings for the rear ends of the clamps
one against the other.
Through the sides of the carrier and projecting into the said thick portion of
the clamps are inserted four screws, two into each one, as shewn in Figure 15.
The said button-clamps when they are in a backward position under the button-
turning wheel 60 present their open side under one of the cups in said wheel
ready to take a button, and when moved forward they turn one quarter over, as
seen in Figure 14, actuated by the above described devices which control the
movements of carrier 7.
To the arm 5 is connected a pawl hook 41 engaging with a series of teeth formed
on the periphery of the button-turning wheel 60.

page_text: The said wheel is pivoted to frame D and adapted to be revolved in a horizontal
plane intermitently by the action of said pawl-hook.
Attached to any suitable part of the frame is a spring wheel holder 59, Figure 18,
adapted to spring behind the teeth on said wheel 60 and prevent it from being
revolved backwardly by the forward movement of the pawl-hook.
A button-plunger h, whose operating devices have already been described, moves
down against a button brought around under it by wheel 60 pushing it into the
clamp jaws x, x, beneath said wheel.
A button-hopper 44, Figures 1 and 2, to receive the buttons to be sewed on is
constructed with an inclined bottom 73 to cause the buttons to gravitate to the
left part thereof, and in said bottom is cut a passage for the hopper-valve 56 to
slide through, said hopper valve being a short inverted flat-bottomed trough, and
above said passage in said bottom is a second opening through which the end of
a hopper-valve guard 57 is moved back and forth with and by the hopper-valve
to which it is attached.
That portion of the top side of the hopper-valve which is exposed under the pile
of buttons in the hopper is provided with a single circular opening 74 and
projecting downward from the rear side of this circular opening is a short arm 75.
Attached to the rear side of the hopper and extending into the end thereof under
the arm 70 is a spring hopper-valve bottom 58, the end of which in the valve is
adjustable vertically by bending up and down.
When the hopper-valve moves to the left under the mass of buttons in the
hopper, the end of the hopper-valve guard 57 which projects over the opening 74
in the valve prevents more than one button from passing under it and into the
opening in the valve.
The spring bottom 58 is adjusted up and down to give room for a larger or
smaller class of buttons.
Thus when a button drops through the opening 74 it falls upon the spring
bottom 58, and the returning movement of the valve causes the arm 75 to draw
against the button, carrying it out from under the hopper into a straight portion of
a feed trough 45.
A rod 52 is secured to the hopper-valve and passes through a ring 51 on the end
of an arm 50 which is pivoted to arm 5 and reaching up therefrom to the edge of
the trough 45, extends across its top.
The end of rod 52 is headed, as shown, and a ring 76 is fixed on it between the
head and hopper-valve.
Thus when arm 5 is vibrated arm 50 is drawn longitudinally back and forth on the
upper side of trough 45, causing ring 51 to carry the hopper-valve into the hopper
by abutting against ring 76, and to draw it out by striking the head of rod 52.
A flexible corrugated strip 53 is attached pivotally to that portion of arm 50
which lays across trough 45, and has a cross-bar 54 attached to it to prevent it
falling below the edge of the trough, and when arm 50 is moved, as just described,
said corrugated strip is moved longitudinally over the buttons in the trough, and
operates upon them as hereafter described.
A light spring 55 is attached to the hopper, and its free end bears upon the top
of the corrugated strip to hold it down.
The hopper-trough 45, to one end of which the hopper 44 is attached, is
pivotally secured to frame D at 46 thereon, Figure 1, and is caused to have a
limited vibratory movement in order to facilitate the movement of the buttons as
follows:-
A lever 47 is pivoted on frame D, on one end of which the hopper end of the
trough rests, as seen in Figure 1. A downwardly bent arm on said lever 47 is
arranged to ride on the edge of a serrated segment 43 secured to arm 5, and when
said lever vibrates the hopper and trough are caused to be shaken for the purpose
just stated.
A continuation of lever 47 reaches up under the trough, as shewn, and to it is
attached a spring 49 to draw said lever against the segment 43.

page_text: The cover 47 is fixed to frame D, and the end of the trough vibrates slightly
under it, for the purpose hereafter explained.
The operation of my sewing machine is as follows, vizt. :-The thread is passed
from the spool around the tension, thence through a guide-eye on the swinging
needle-bar frame, thence through the end of the take-up and back through a
second guide-eye on the said swinging frame, and then through the eye of the
inclined needle, and the end of the thread is left as in ordinary machines.
To sew stitches, such as are described below, of uniform length, the cam-
bearings 8, 8, pivoted on frame o are adjusted by screws v, v¹, so that each one
when operated upon by its cam n or n¹ on shaft B will cause the frame o to be
swung an equal distance from the centre of said shaft B, and to sew alternately
long and short stitches; each one of said cam bearings may be adjusted by said
screws to cause the needle-bar frame to be swung alternately more or less.
The eye-pointed needle is a common Howe sewing machine needle, and rises
through the fabric, the supply side of it coming against the back-up, which throws
the loop in the opposite direction for the hook-needle to take it.
The eyed needle is retracted slightly to cause a loop to be formed on the side of
it opposite the back-up, as in any ordinary shuttle machine.
The vertical hook-needle rises through the material and passes between the
needle and the said loop on the side of it.
The frame supporting both needle-bars now swings, causing the needles which
are up through the material to feed the latter along between the needle-plate and
presser-foot.
The hook-needle is in such position that when the eyed needle moves down
the thread drawn by the take-up around the hook-needle will be engaged by the
hook.
Thus while one end of the thread is held by the fabric and around the hook-
needle the take-up draws from the spool the requisite quantity of thread for the
stitch, yielding the thread up as the hook returns back through the fabric with
the loop.
The hook now draws the loop down through the fabric, and between it and the
loop cast-off. The take-up has now let off the thread, and the swinging needle bar
frame now returns to its starting point actuated by spring 25.
The helper-bar begins to rise in advance of the hook-needle against the under
side of the fabric, the presser-foot descending simultaneously with the rising of
said bar; the latter holds the cloth against the needle plate while the book-needle
passes through it, and remains against it while the hook-needle draws out, when
the presser-foot returns against the fabric, holding it in position while the
swinging frame returns to its starting point as aforesaid. The hook-needle
penetrates the fabric at a point some distance to one side of the eye-needle, so
that the aforesaid movements of the stitching devices produced the first stitch,
carrying the thread from one perforation to the other across the upper face of the
material in a line transverse to the direction in which the latter is being fed.
In forming the next stitch the loop of the first stitch which was drawn down
through the fabric, as above described, is held by the hook-needle; the eyed-needle
now moves upward (drawing its thread supply from the slack portion thereof
between the tention and the needle); the hook-needle, around the barbed end of
which the first loop still is, follows it in the manner described in making the first
stitch, but passing through the said loop. The cast-off follows the upward move-
ment of the hook-needle carried by its needle-bar up and passes between the loop
of the first stitch and the hook-needle. The hook-needle now descends as before
described, drawing the loop of the second stitch back of the cast-off, and down
through the loop of the first stitch, which is held open for that purpose by the cast-
off. The hook needle continues to descend, carrying the loop with it until its point
is below the point of the cast-off.
The latter then follows, moving down and casting off said loop of the second
stitch on to the loop of the prior stitch, making a common loop-stitch, the loop of

page_text: the last stitch being held by the hook-needle as aforesaid ready for a succeeding
stitch.
The said stitch is a double threaded transverse stitch on the top side of the
material, and on the under side thereof there are two parallel lines of stitches.
The heretofore described construction of the take-up devices of this machine
operate conjointly with the swinging frame to draw such an amount of thread as
may be required for the stitch which the machine may be adjusted to make, be it
longer or shorter, or long and short stitches, and such conjoint operation is as
follows:-
My take-up begins to draw the thread when the eye of the eyed-needle leaves
the fabric, the swinging frame when the take-up so draws being at its fartherest
point or stop, and finishes drawing the thread before the swinging frame begins to
return to its said starting point, and as the said frame and take-up now swing
towards each other, the thread is slacked up and left free for the above described
operation of the hook upon it.
The swing of the take-up is uniform, but the points of resistance, that is, the
said two thread-guide eyes on the swinging frame through which the thread draws in
two lines assume positions at varying distances from the swinging end of the take-
up, according to the length of the needle-feed movement, thus causing the length
of the thread drawn by the said conjoint action of these elements to be proportionate
to the length of the stitch.
To form stitches of different lengths, such as are adapted to sew buttons on to
shoes, and so sewing them on to lock the button-stitch in to the fabric, so that that
portion of the thread which secures the button shall not be liable to slip, and to
feed to the machine automatically shoe buttons, and cause them to be sewed on
to leather or other material at the requisite distances apart. The machine and
button-feeding devices operate as follows:-
The screws v, v¹, are turned against the pivoted cam bearings S, S¹, as above
described, so as to cause the cams n, n', to act upon the swinging frame, so that
the swinging movements thereof are alternately short and long.
The shoe buttons are fed into the hopper 44, and they fall one by one into the
hopper-valve 56 through the hole 74 in the top thereof, the action of these parts
being properly "timed" to operate with the sewing-on devices, so as to supply a
button from the hopper to the feed-trough as often as one is delivered from the
lower end of the latter. The shaking of the hopper and feed-trough by the above
described devices, together with the inclined position of the trough, causes the
buttons to gravitate towards the delivery end of the trough. When the buttons
first emerge from the hopper-valve they lay in the upper flat bottom portion of the
trough in various positions, but as they pass along through and over that part of
it having the V shaped groove along its bottom, midway between its sides and
under the corrugated strip 53, any buttons whose shanks may not have fallen into
said V shaped groove are turned over by said strip in its reciprocating movements,
compelling them all to assume a uniform position, that is, all with their faces up,
and their shanks in said groove, edge to edge. This action of the corrugated strip
upon the buttons to place them is owing to the fact that there is room for the
buttons to pass under said strip if they are in proper position in the groove, and
not be hit by it, but if they lay on their sides or faces they cannot pass under it
without being hit by it and turned over.
Thus the buttons pass towards the delivery end of the trough 45, the lower end
of which has a continuous vibratory motion against a fixed cover 47, preventing
the moving column of buttons from clogging in their passage, and allowing them to
drop freely from the end of the trough.
As above described the button-turning wheel 60 is located under the end of the
trough, and over a fixed bottom cut away on one edge to allow the button-carried 7
to pass under it, and to let a button pass from a pocket in the wheel to the clamp-
jaws. Said wheel receives the buttons one by one into its pockets, and is turned
so far around after receiving'a button and before delivering it as to cause the

page_text: shank of that button to lay towards the needles instead of from them, as it did
when first dropped into the wheel. When said button has been by said wheel
carried around under the button-plunger the latter will descend, pushing said
button through the wheel between the jaws x, x, of the button-carrier, which lay
open directly under the pocket in the wheel from which the button has been so
conveyed to them, and slightly forcing said jaws apart, the button is there held, its
shank still in the same position as when it was in the trough, so far as the opening
through its eye is concerned.
The button-carrier now moves forward, turning as it moves, carrying the button
forward, and turning in one quarter over, so that the opening through its shank is
inoved over the point of the eyed-needle beneath it, with its narrow portion laying
upon the thin part 69 of the needle-plate, Figure 7, its head upon the material
back of it, and the shank lays under the projections Z1, Z2, of the needle-backer 33,
its outer side laying between the said projections Z¹ of the backer and Z of the
needle-plate.
Thus the shank is in a measure cramped flatwise between said points which
co-operate with the clamp-jaws of the button-carrier to hold the button firmly,
while the eyed-needle passes up through the fabric and the eye of the button
shank.
The above description explains the operation of the machine in conveying a
button from the hopper on to the leather or fabric ready to be sewn on.
In operating the machine to sew on buttons, the operator places the leather
between the presser foot and the needle-plate, as heretofore described, and makes a
stitch through it before sewing through the shank of the button, this stitch being
for the purpose of locking the end of the thread in the leather. The machine now
feeds for a short stitch, the button being placed upon the leather as just described,
and the eyed needle passes up through the shank of the button, and the hook needle
passing up outside of the button shank and operating as aforesaid engages with the
loop above the button shank.
The machine now feeds the distance required between the buttons, after which
the stitch is completed as aforesaid, and in this case a double thread is drawn
down over the button shank, fastening it there firmly, and said operations are
repeated.
The direction of feed of the machine being from the needle-backer 33, the buttons
pass out between the sides of the slots in the needle and cloth plates which lead to
the outer edge thereof. The formation of the stitch on the material in a line
transverse to the direction of feed of the machine necessitates the employment of
a needle-plate as described, having in it a slot constituting a clear passage from
the point between the needles where the stitch is formed to the outer edge of the
needle-plate.
Figures 20 and 21 show a modified construction of the button-clamp on the end
of the button-carrier 7, and illustrate the manner of making a clamp to operate to
take a button from the end of the button-feed trough when the latter terminates
at the right of the needles, as shown in Figure 20, there being attached to the
trough a flexible button stop 68, and to the machine a stop-plate 67 to co-operate
with the parts of the button-clamp to deliver buttons to the latter and to cause
the release of the button when it is carried over the needles to be operated
upon.
This construction dispenses with the use of the button-turning wheel, 60
and its operating devices, and also with the button-plunger h, and operates as
follows:-
The button carrier 7 is operated as already described, carrying the button-clamp
under the end of the feed-trough, as seen in Fig. 20. In so moving the clamp-
head 64 strikes against the end of the button stop 68, springing it away from under
the button column in the trough, and allowing a button to drop between the head
and a spring 65, the latter having been bent back, as seen in Figure 20, to allow
the button to drop freely there between.

page_text: Said spring 65 is bent into the position, seen in Figure 19, by the impingement
of pin 66 against the stop-plate 67, and upon the return movement of the carrier 7,
backward spring 65, which is slotted to let the shank of the button project through
it, as shown, springs against the button, holding it firmly, and the carrier retires
and rolls over into the position seen in Figure 21, letting the stop 68 spring across
the end of the trough and bringing the shank of the button flatwise over the
needles in proper position to be operated upon by them, and when it is sewed on
the feed movement of the leather will cause the button to be drawn out of the
clamp.
With such a carrier and arrangement of trough the needles occupy reversed
positions, as shown in Figure 20.
Having thus described the machine and construction set forth in the Drawings,
I wish it to be understood that the same is only one of the different mechanisms
which I have contemplated, and which may be effectually employed for carrying
out the main features of my Invention, to wit, the automatic mechanical sewing of
buttons to a fabric.
Thus different means may be adopted for carrying the thread through the eye of
the button into the fabric, as, for instance, passing the hook-needle through said eye
to a position to seize the thread from the straight needle, or from a suitable
carrier, and then draw the loop down through the fabric to be secured beneath by a
shuttle or needle thread; or the eye-pointed needle may be used in connection
with a loop-spreader and shuttle for carrying a thread through the loop, a single
thread or two threads being used. It will further be understood that wires may
be sometimes substituted for threads, and that other feed mechanisms may be
employed, the needles moving with but not controlling the fabric, as in the
construction described.
I claim,―
1. The combination in a machine for sewing buttons to fabrics of button-feeding
mechanism, appliances, for passing a thread through the eye of the buttons, and
locking the loop to the fabric and feeding-mechanism, substantially as set forth.
2. The combination in a machine for sewing buttons to fabrics of a needle and
operating mechanism, appliances for bringing the button successfully to positions to
permit the needle to pass through the eye of each button, and means for locking the
loop of thread carried by the needle to secure the button to the fabric, substantially
as setforth.
3. The combination in a sewing machine of two independent needle-bars,
needles, and operating devices, a movable frame carrying both needle-bars at an
angle to each other, and arranged as described, so that the needles shall penetrate
the cloth at different points on lines transverse to the line of feed, substantially
as set forth.
4. The combination with the frame D, needle-bar frame O pivoted to frame D,
and adjustable cam-bearings S, S₁, of the shaft B, cams N, N', on said shaft, and a
suitable spring to swing said frame O towards said cams, substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
5. The combination with the needle-bar frame of the needle bars 10 and 14,
the eyed-needle 18, the hook-needle 19, and the cast-off 20, helper-bar 21, presser-
foot 22, elbow-lever 26, and devices for operating said parts, substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
6. The combination with swinging needle-bar frame O and the needle-bars 10
and 14 of the crank d, shaft A, and the studded face-plate on said shaft, pitman e,
and the cam-plate 13, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
7. In a needle-feed sewing machine the combination with the needle-plate 32
and the presser-bar operating in the frame of the machine of the needle-bar
frame O, needle-bars 10 and 14, and their needles, the helper-bar 21, and cast
off-20, adapted, to be oscillated by and with the needle-frame and actuating
mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose described.
8. The combination in a machine for sewing buttons to fabrics of button-feeding

page_text: and sewing appliances, substantially as set forth, and feeding appliances and
operating mechanism whereby the feeding devices are moved alternately different
distances to alternate short button stitches with long stitches between the buttons,
as specified.
9. The combination with the frame D, swinging needle-bar frame O carrying the
needle-bars 10 and 14 and their needles, and provided with the thread-guide
eyes 16 and 17, and adapted swing in frame D with irregular degrees of oscillation,
of the thread-take up c adapted to swing with regular vibratory movements, and
appliances for operating the frame O, needle-bars, and take up, substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
10. The combination with the cloth plate 23, having a slot from one edge
inwardly therein, as shown, of the slotted needle-plate 32, constructed with the
projection Z at the base of its slot and the narrow side. 69 at one side thereof and
the needle-backer secured to the top of said cloth-plate, and provided with the
projection Z¹ and Z³, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
11. The needle-plate 32 constructed with an unobstructed passage in it as shewn
from the front between the needles where the stitch is formed to the outer edge
thereof, combined with devices for feeding buttons above said plate and presser-
foot below the same, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
12. The combination with cam 4 on shaft B and lever 5 secured to shaft 6 of
the button-carried 7, having pin b therein, and having the clamp-jaws X, X, secured
in one end thereof, and the spirally slotted bearing 8, substantially as and for the
purpose set forth.
13. The combination with button-sewing appliances, of a trough appliances for
carrying the buttons successively from the trough to the sewing devices, and
mechanism for operating said appliances and sewing devices as set forth.
14. The combination with the frame D and button-feed trough 45 pivoted to
frame D of the lever 47, spring 49, and the separated segment-43, lever 5ª, and
operating mechanism, substantially as and for the purpose described.
15. The combination with the trough 45 provided with the longitudinal
channel 47 adapted to the reception of the shanks of the buttons therein, as shown,
of the corrugated strip 53 provided with the cross-bar 54 and mechanism for
imparting reciprocating longitudinal movement to the strip over the said trough,
substantially as and for the purpose described.
16. The combination with the hopper-valve 56 of the headed valve rod 52
provided with the ring 76, the arm 50 provided with the ring 51, and the arm 5ª
and mechanism for vibrating said arm, substantially as and for the purpose set
forth.
17. The combination with hopper and trough of the corrugated strip 53 and the
spring 55 secured to the hopper 44, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
18. In combination the hopper 44 provided with the inclined bottom 73, having
openings therein, as shown, the hopper-valve provided with the guard 57, mechanism
for operating said valve, the opening 74, and the arm 75, and the spring valve-
bottom 58, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.
In witness whereof I, the said Raphael Hunter Brandon, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the 22d day of January, in the year of our Lord One
hdd and nighter ana
Witness,
D. H. BRANDON,
1, Rue Laffitte,
Paris
R. H. BRANDON. (L.S.)