Improvements in Button-hole Attachments for Sewing-machines.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 12th Sept., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Button-hole Attachments for Sewing-machines.
I, EDWARD OLIN BENNETT, of the Town of Haywards, in the County of
Alameda, State of California, United States of America, Machinist, 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 :-
My invention relates generally to sewing-machine attachments for stitching
button-holes, and my invention embraces the mechanical structure of an attachment
that is actuated from the feed-operating mechanism of the sewing-machine to which
it may be attached for operation, and that is well adapted for use on almost any of
the different kinds or makes of family sewing-machines at present known.
It has the capacity when applied and connected with the sewing mechanism of
the machine to produce a finished button-hole either with or without an eye at the
end and to work several different sizes of button-holes.
The improvements constituting my said invention consist in mechanism of novel
construction that vibrates the work-carrying clamp; and changes the angular
direction of such vibrations on radial lines to produce the eye of the button-hole;
also in mechanism so actuating the work-holding clamp that a button-hole stitch
composed of two successive stitches or interlockings of the upper and the under
thread is produced on the cut edge of the button-hole slit to one stitch or inter-
locking in the fabric back of the slit; also in special mechanism for actuating
all the working parts of the attachment from the feed-bar of the sewing
machine; also in novel means of adjusting such actuating mechanism whereby
the attachment is readily connectable to the feed-bar of different makes of sewing
machines.
The manner in which I proceed to construct, combine and apply my said improve-
ments, and to produce an improved attachment of the kind mentioned is fully
explained in the following description in which reference is had to the
accompanying drawings that form part of this specification.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:-
Figure 1 is a perspective-view of my complete button-hole attachment in position
for work under the needle bar of a sewing-machine;
Figure 2 is a perspective-view of the main operating shaft and the parts
connecting it with the feed-bar of the sewing-machine;
Figure 3 is a perspective-view of the work-holding clamp and the stripper-foot
removed from the other parts;
Figure 4 is a top-view of the principal parts of the stationary bed-plate and the
carriage, showing the top-plate of the carriage broken away and some of the
parts removed.
Figure 4 is a side-view showing portions of the bed-plate in section at the
front and the rear;
Figures 5 and 6 are diagrams illustrating two different styles of button-holes
made by this attachment;
Figure 7 is a diagram illustrating the character of the stitch which this
attachment produces.
Figure 8 is a front-view on an enlarged scale, showing the work-holding clamp
and the stripper-foot in cross section on a vertical line just in front of the stripper-
foot as it is seen in Figure 1.

page_text: Figure 9 is a top-view of the stationary bed-plate and the carriage, with the
top-late of the carriage removed;
Figures 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 show in detail the parts of the mechanism
that produce the progressive movements of the work-holding clamp, and those that
change the angular direction of the vibrations;
Figure 17 is a top-view of the bed-plate:
Figure 18 is a top-view of the parts that connect the actuating shaft of the
attachment with the sewing-machine feed-bar.
Figure 19 is a top-view of the carriage.
Figures 20 and 21 are details in top-view of the compound slide, or that part of
the operating mechanism to which the work-holding clamp is connected.
Figure 22 is a perspective-view of one of the parts of such slide.
Figures 23 and 24 show the parts of the work-holding clamp in top-view.
Figures 25, 26 27 and 28 are details in elevation and on an enlarged scale of the
parts that vibrate the work-holding clamp.
Figure 29 is a vertical-section taken through the center of the turn-post M, with
those parts omitted that are carried by the turn-post.
Figure 30 is a view of the part M taken from the right hand side of Figure 25,
with the parts separated, but in their relative positions.
Figures 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, and 36 are views in detail of the part M and the
several pieces of the mechanism that are mounted on it.
Figure 37 is a top-view of the circular guide that regulates the widening of the
line of stitches along the curved edges at the end of the button-hole slit ;
Figure 38 is a side elevation of the same.
Figure 39 is a top-view of the part M, the circular guide and parts of the
stationary bed-plate and the switch-piece that controls the guide.
Figure 40 is a top-view of the principal parts that move the carriage and rotate
the turn-post to change the direction of the vibrations.
Figures 41 and 42 are details of the parts of the switch-piece that control the
circular guide and regulate the length of travel of the carriage to produce
button-holes of different lengths.
The stationary bed-plate of the attachment consists of the flat base-plate A,
with the tubular projection A' at the front and the perpendicular standing
part A at one side.
This part is fixed on the bed of the sewing machine in position under the
needle-arm by means of the ordinary gauge-screw that is used to hold in place the
hemmer and other attachments of the sewing-machine. A hole is provided for such
screw in the part A', but as the hole provided in the sewing-machine bed for
this screw will be found to vary in different machines in its position with relation to
the needle-hole in the machine throat-plate, I arrange the hole for such screw iu
my attachment in a circular turn-plate C set in an opening in the part A' and in
that piece I provide a curved slot C for the fastening screw, so that by revolving
such part C in the bed-plate the curved slot can be brought into a position
wherein some portion of the slot will set directly over the screw-hole in the machine-
bed beneath, and the clamp-screw can be inserted and screwed down. In connection
with this means of fastening the attachment in place I provide an adjustable
clamping-dog H movable in the extension A' to hold the bed-plate A down at the
front. This part II is composed of a threaded nut fitted to move in a slotted
recess in the under side of the part A', and threaded to work on a screw-shaft H'
that extends through the recess and is exposed at the front end of the part A', so
that the screw-shaft can be turned from the outside to move the nut longitudinally
in the slot.
From the bottom of the nut projects the dog H, which being curved backward
is made to engage the edge of the machine-bed by turning the screw-shaft.
This lastening serves to hold the attachment against either lateral or
perpendicular movement out of place under the needle.
The part B is a sliding carriage mounted on and movable in the bed-plate in a

page_text: longitudinal direction only. In this movement starting from the extreme position
at the rear end of the bed-plate A to the extreme forward position at the front and
thence back again to the starting-point it rarries the work-holding clamp D and
operates the same under the sewing mechanism.
The progressive or step-by-step movements of the carriage that space the
stitches along the slit, are produced by the following parts showa in detail in
Figures 2 to 16 inclusive :-
The rock-shaft I supported in bearings provided on the front end of the bed-plate
and at the left hand side of the attachment, the forked arms 3 secured on the end
of the shaft and embracing a pin 2 on a horizontal slide-rod I that extends forward
at the side of the work-bolding clamp, and the reciprocating slide-plate G that
engages with the feed-bar of the sewing-inachine and thereby produces reciproca-
tions of the bar 1 from the feed-mechanism of the machine. A coil-spring on the
rod behind the slide-plate G produces return movement of the plate G after
every throw produced by the feed-bar.
The pinion T is fixed on the top face of a horizontally set disk T formed with
a bottom flange, as seen in Figure 12 and mounted to rotate on the screw-stud
that is fixed in the top of the support A on the bed-plate, and on such flange is
supported a ring T loosely fitting and turning on the disk.
To such ring T is pivoted at a dog T having a tooth or painted oil that sets
against the rim of the disk and grips the same by friction when the opp wite end of
such dog is moved in one direction, but slips on the disk without biting when
niovement in the contrary direction takes place. That outer end of such dog Tis
attached to a horizontally vibrating angle-piece U, which is centered to turn on an
upright stud V on the top of the standing part of the bed-plate at the front, and
to such piece U the end of the dog is attached by a stud U¹ and a slot in
the dog.
The other arm or member of that part U is attached by means of a knuckle-
joint or a ball-and-socket joint V₁ V to the end of the upright rocker-arm V³ that
is fast on the rock-shaft I.
Thus the rock-shaft I by its vibrations moves the picce U in a horizontal are
and throws the outer end of the dog T first in one direction, whereby it grips and
turns the disk T, and then in the opposite direction whereby it slips and takes a
fresh grip on the disk for the next step.
The pinion T gives the carriage intermittent progressive movement through the
medium of the rack S, which is a frame having internal toothed portions S S* S*
on the two sides and across one end, and also a central guide-bar S extending
longitudinally across the top. The rack is pivoted at on the carriage B and
swings in an are on that part as a center. The straight portions of the rack set at
equal angles on both sides of the bar S and each vertical face of that bar is
parallel with the pitch-line of the rack opposite. In the space between such
guiding edge of the bar and the teeth of the onposite rack the pinion T moves
along in mesh with the rack, and a roller on the stud of the pinion bears against
and travels along the side of the bar S.
The toothed-portion S at the end of the rack is struck on an are from the
pivot at the center, whereby the rack is moved over to the opposite side when
the pinion leaves the straight portion S and engages the curved portion. Thus the
pinion T starting from the outer end of the rack S* will draw the carriage forward
step by step to the front of the stationary bed-plate, and then being shifted over
to the opp site side of the frame S the pinion T'engaging the opp site rack S* will
draw the carriage back step by step to the starting-point.
These step by step movements of the carriage feed the work-holding clamp
forward to lay the stitches along one side of the button-hole slit, and then back
again to stitch the opposite side of the slit.
The function of the guide-bar S' is to hold the pinion in mesh with the racks on
both sides, and the bar is cut away at S on the underside to let the roller on the
piniou-stud pass under the bar from one side to the other of the frame.

page_text: The game-oar is hinged at S' (Fig. 16) and is lifted at the outer end when a
button-hole is completed, in order to set the rack S back by hand and so bring
the pinion T into gear with the rack S* in starting to work another button-hole.
The reverse movement of the rack-frame S takes place at the end of the button-
hole where the eye is formed, and consequently the carriage has no progressive
movement at such time, and the work-holding clamp is acted on only by that part
of the mechanism which gives the vibratory movements.
The work-holding clamp is composed of two jaws hinged at the rear end and
opening at the front end to receive and clamp the cloth between them and having
an open center for the needle to work in. These two parts should so co-act,
especially when the slit is cut in the cloth before the button-hole is worked, that
the cloth is firmly seized and confined all around the edges of the slit; and the
best work is obtained when the upper jaw moves as nearly as possible parallel with
the plane of the lower jaw under the cloth and presses uniformly upon the cloth.
It is also essential in the construction of these clamps that the cloth should lie as
closely as possible to the surface of the needle-throat plate in the sewing-in ichine
bed, in order to bring the interlocking of the two threads uniformly on the edges
of the cloth and produce an even stitch.
All these features and results are secured in my construction of clamp. Its
bottom-jaw D has standing sides slightly curved on their inner face and a flat,
cloth-supporting surface extending around a central opening for the needle to work
in. This plate is considerably thicker at the back part than its cloth-supporting
portion, and the sides are cut away, as shown in Figures 3 and 8 to receive the side
bars of the upper-jaw D*.
Said part D is a plate of spring metal made with an open center for the needle
and a narrow rim or portion of metal extending around the sides and on the ends
of such opening. It has side-bars D2 cut integral with the metal of the bottom
and bent up to form parallel arms standing backward, as shown in Figures 3 and 23.
Such arms are attached by screws d* to the back end of the jaw D, so that the
upper jaw opens and shuts on these screws as pivots.
The lower jaw is formed of thin steel, and its opening conforms in outline to the
shape of a button-hole, but somewhat larger than the largest size which the
attachment is capable of making. The edges of this opening should lie just
outside of the live on which the needle enters the cloth, and the corresponding
opening in the upper jaw should be somewhat smaller, so that its edges just
overlap the edges of the lower opening. The side-bars of such upper jaw are
turned up on a curve where they join the body of the clamp near the front end and
from that point they are cut away to lie over the raised sides of the bottom-plate D
as seen in Figures 1 and 3. Such clamping surfaces are flat and lie closely
together around the button-hole opening. but along the sides of the clamp they
extend upwardly in a curve, whereby the cloth is firmly gripped lengthwise of the
button-hole along both sides, and is held down smoothly around the opening through
which the needle works. The upper jaw presses firmly upon the cloth at the rear
and front ends of the button-hole slit.
This construction is especially adapted for the thinner kinds of fabric, such as
linen and muslin that are difficult to stretch and clamp smoothly. The upper jaw
is opened and closed by the eccentric d³ turning ireely in a recess in the thick
portion of the lower jaw and working at both ends in slots in the side bars of the
upper jaw (Figures 3, 44, 23 and 24) so that the eccentric when turning in these
slots will move the jaw. A lever D' is fixed to one end of the eccentric to turn it.
Under the hottom-plate of the cloth-clamp a thin metal plate L is fixed to the
front of the bed-plate A to cover the feed-points of the sewing-machine, and it has
a hole L' for the needle. When the cloth is held in the work-clamp this plate is
practically the only thickness of metal that intervenes between the cloth and the
surface of the needle-throat plate of the sewing-machine, so that the cloth in the clamp
is raised but little above the normal plane or position in which such cloth would be
if it were being sewed in the machine.

page_text: The device F which I term the stripper-foot, is used to prevent the cloth from
rising with the needle and the cut edges of the button-bole from being drawn up by
the thread during the formation of the stitches on the edge. The foot F* of this
piece does not rest directly upon the cloth, but it sets in the opening of the clamp
across the slit and in such close relation to the surface of the cloth around the
needle that it strips the cloth from the needle and holds it down whenever there is
any tendency to rise or be drawn up as the needle leaves the cloth and the stitch
is tightened. This part F F is adjusted therefore to hold the cloth down without
actually pressing upon it during the movements of the cloth-clamp. The foot F*
on the side next the needle has a turned down lip /* corresponding in breadth to
the space between the edges of the opening in the upper jaw and setting in the
opening between the edges, so that in the vibratory or sidewise movements it is
carried by and moves with the clamp but it is not affected by the progressive
movements of the clamp. It retains its position in front of and close to the needle
and bridges the opening in the clamp just at that point, and the part F is fixed to
a sleeve F2 fitted to slide on the rock-shaft I across the front of the frame and
move sidewise with the clamp, but it is capable also of being turned on the rock-
shaft so that the foot can be raised up out of the way to inspect the work or to
adjust the cloth in the clamp. A set screw F³ in the upper end of the foot
bearing against the front cross-bar of the frame regulates the position of the foot
and determines the upward movement according to the kind or thickness of material
being worked. The cross-bar of the frame is cut away, as shown in Figures 1, 8
and 17 to let such set-screw back into the frame so that the foot can he turned up
and thrown back out of the way when the needle is raised. The bar F is pivoted
at and turning up and down on that point it can be set across the frame to close
the opening A and form a bearing for the set screw F, or else drawn away to
uncover the opening A and let the screw F3 set back as iudicated in dotted lines
Figure 8, and the stripper-foot is thus turned up out of the way.
The work-holding clamp is attached to the carriage by the compound slide P Px
and such slide connects the clamp with the mechanism that imparts the vibrations
or sidewise movements. By the combined action of one part in the other peculiar
angular movements of the carriage are produced, by which the stitches are
laid substantially at right angles to the cat edges of the button-hole around
the curved or circular portions as well as at the straight portions of the opening.
All the vibratory movements of the clamp are produced from an eccentric K, on
a counter-shaft K mounted in bearings B B on the rear end of the carriage and
geared into the principal shaft E by gears 9-10.
The parts that operate the eccentric K consist of the rock-shaft I, the rocker-
arm and the toothed-segment E2 on the end of that arm, the shaft E which is
geared into the eccentric shalt by the bevel gears 9-10 and the ratchet-drum 5 on
the shaft E. The toothed-segment E' engages a bevel gear E³ on the drum and
that part being fitted to turn loosely on the shaft E surrounds the ratchet tooth
portion E formed on that part of the shaft E which is covered by the drum.
That part which I have termed the ratchet-drum, has a recess in one end containing
a pivoted pawl (Figure 11) that engages the ratchet-teeth on the shaft, and thus
as the arm 4 is vibrated by its shaft I the drum is turned on the shaft F alternately
forward and back producing intermittent rotary motion of the shaft E and through
that movement turuing the eccentric-carrying shaft in one direction with
intermittent motion.
The gear 9 is mounted on the carriage and the shaft E is mounted on the
stationary frame but is fitted to slide through that gear to which it is connected by
a groove and feather.
The shaft E also forms a guide for the carriage in its movements backward and
forward in the stationary frame. The two blocks or posts B' B slide on the shaft
and are a part of the carriage.
The eccentric K operates a pivoted lever 12 through the medium of a strap or
sleeve surrounding the eccentric and provided with arms 11 between which is

page_text: pivoted one end of the lever 12. The inner end of the lever forked at 14 takes a
sliding collar 17 and is attached to that piece by screw-pivots. The collar 17 is
fitted to slide upon an upright turn-post M, which has a bearing at the upper end
in the top-plate of the carriage, and a circular plate M formed integral with the
lower eud of the post is secured to a circular block or turn-table MP. Such
part 3 that forms the bottom of the turn-post is fitted into a circular rece-s B in
the bed of the carriage and the turn-post is centered in this manner in the top-plate
and in the bed of the carriage to turn smoothly in the-e bearings.
The bleck M is recessed horizontally from end to end (Figures 29 and 34) and
has a long slot 30 in the bottom. In such recess is fittel a slide-plate 22 having a
slot 21 in the top-face near one end. The oscillating motion of the lever 12 gives
reciprurating movement to such elide 22 through the agency of the collar 17 anl
a pivoted lever Nattached to the collar by a link 18. The lever N is pivoted
at 19 between lugs M on the top of the plate Mx and its lower end sets into the
slot 21 in the slide, so that the movement of the lever on its pivot 19 produces
reciprocating movement of the slide in the guide-block M. A movable shoe 23 is
fitted into the grooved bottom-face of the slide 22 and locked to it by a pivoted
tumbler 26.
The slide-plates P P that carry the work-holding clamp are connected to that
piece by a socket 25 on the plate and a stud 24 on the bottom face of the shoe.
The stud 24 sets through the slot 30.
These parts connect part P of the compound slide with the lever 12 and produce
vibratory motions of the clamp by which the stitches are laid from the edge of the
button-hole inwards into the cloth.
The lever 12 is actuated by an eccentric and it is so adjusted that its forked end
shall vibrate in an are of greater or less length having its center at the fulcrum 13
as indicated in Figure 26, whereby a peculiar button-hole stitch of the character
illustrated in the diagram Figure 7 (Sheet 1) is produced. In this stitch the
needle makes two stitches or interlockings of the threads on the edge of the slit to
one stitch in the cloth back from the edge, thus forming a "pearl-fiuish" directly
on the edge of the slit of a strong and substantial character that will not ravel
when it is cut or is worn at any point.
The shaft Kis genred into the shaft E, and the eccentric is moved and timed
with respect to the carriage-feed to produce two vibrations simultaneously with two
progressive steps of the carriage followed by one progressive step without a
vibration; so that while the eccentric is passing over the center the needle takes
one stitch in the cloth and lays the threads, ( Figure 7,) from the edge of the
slit into the cloth and back again, but while the eccentric is passing under
the center no vibrations of the clamp are produced and the feeding movement
alone acts on the cloth-clamp during that time to cause the needle to make two
stitches in the slit.
The three acting points at which the stitches are formed in every complete
revolution of the eccentric are indicated at y Figure 26. In passing
from y tor, and then from a to the two long stitches on the cloth are made,
but in passing from to y the eccentric produces no vibration of the forked
lever 12, and the shurt stitch is made in the lit while the eccentric is passing
under the center between the two points zy. Thus the long stitches laid from the
edge into the cloth being produced from the vibrations of the lever 12, the length
of these stitches is determined by the length of the vibrations of the outer or
forked end of the lever and such, vibrations are changed in length by shifting
the fulcrum-block 13 nearer to or farther from the turn-post M.
This block 13 slides in a slot in the top-plate B and is threaded to work on a
screw-shaft W supported in lugs at the front and rear ends of a rectangular
opening in the top-plate and having a capstan-head on the outer end. The fulcrum
for the lever 12 in this block is formed of a cross-pin n loosely fitting the block
and having a transverse aperture through it for the lever, so that while the pin
itself is confined in the block it is free to turn or rock in it, and at the same time

page_text: the pin will slide along the lever when that part is being shifted forward or
hackward in the opening of the top-plate to change the position of the lever's
fulcrum.
It will be noticed that the screw-shaft W has an inclined position in the frame
of the carriage and at the front end it is higher than at the rear end instead of
being horizontal.
This in-lined position makes the forked end 14 of the lever start from the same
point in beginning its downward stroke. at which time the opposite end of the lever
is at the lowest point and the eccentric is passing from 2 to y, and during such time
the needle is making the stitch in the slit of the button-hole. But if the fulcrum-
block were to be shifted on a horizontal line the change in position of the fulcrum
would vary the length of throw of the end 14 of the lever in such manner that the
starting-point at the top of the are described by such end 14 would he changed as
the length of the are it describes was changed, and consequently the needle would
not start always from the slit of the button-hofe in laying the long stitches into the
cloth.
But by dropping the falerum 13 as it is moved back and by raising it as it is
moved forward in any change of position, I make the lever 12 start from the same.
point in beginning its downstroke in all adjustments of the fulcrum-block.
The slide P sets in the longitudinal groove in that piece P (Figures 21 22
and 23) and an intersecting groove crossing at right angle in such piece P* takes
the guide-ribs &" on the bottom of the carriage. The jart P therefore enn slide
transversely on the carriage but cannot move lengthwise and the part P is free to
move lengthwise only in the other part. The combined sliding movements of these
two pieces produced by the reciprocating shoe 22 which is connected thereto as
before described will control and change the angular direction of the vibrations
according as the position of that piece 22 is changed by rotating its actuating
lever N about a vertical axis.
At the beginning of the operation to stitch a button-hole, the post M that forms
such vertical axis is set in the position represented in the top-view 39 with the
plane of oscillation of the lever N standing at a right angle to the line of
the hutton-bole slit; so that the slide 22 reciprocates across the carriage and not
lengthwise. In this position of the post M the slide P has no movement but
the other plate P heing moved transversely on the guide-ribs it gives lateral
movement to the part P that rests in it, and conscquently the vibrations of the
cloth-clamp are produced in the direction of the straight arrow Figure 39 at a
right angle to the button-hole slit and from one side of the center line of the slit
inwards and hack again.
By these vibrations the stitches are laid along one side of the button-hole from
the inner end to the eye, and at that point the angular direction of the stitches is
changed by rotating the post M in the direction of the curved arrow Figure 39,
whereby the center 19 on which the lever N vibrates is rotated about the post as
a center until the same has made a complete half-turn or revolution from a to y,
Figure 39. At such time the slide 22 acts upon both parts of the compound
slide P 1x and the combined movements of the one slide in the other have the
effect to lay the stitches around the circular edge of the eye and into the cloth in
radial lines.
When the lever N in its rotation comes to the opposite side of the center, as
indicated in Figure 1 and at y, Figure 39, the vibrations will take place in a
direction at right angles to the line of the button-bole slit, and the stitches will
be laid along the opposite sides of the button-hole from the eye back to the
starting-point.
In forming a button-hole with an eye at one end the line of the slit where its
straight edge joins the eye recedes gradually on a curve, or widens on both sides
to join the hall-circle that completes the eye, as indicated in Figures 6 and 7; so
that it is necessary to shift the line of vibrations away from or back of the center
line at these points. These two divergent lines of stitches, as from y to

page_text: Figures 6 and 7, on both sides are produced by simply moving the shoe 23 in the
slide 22 a small amount to throw the stud 24 away from its normal center position
under the center line of the turn-post; and by this means the starting-point of such
vibratory movement of the slide P is shifted to one side of the center, while the
length of the vibrations remains praetirally the same.
The shoe 23 Figures 30, 31, 36 sets into the grooved hottom of the slide 22 and
that piece in turn sets into the recessed block that forms the bottom of the
turn-post R; whereby the length of the vibrations of the slide produced by
the lever are not affected by shifting the shoe in the slide, although the
starting-point of the work-holding clamp in each vibration will be set back from
the center line to conform to the widening of the slit.
The parts that shift the shoe to produce this widening of the button-hole at the
eye consist of the tumbler 26, the grooved keeper-plate 38 and the lifting-pin 36
mounted on the turn-post M, and the curved guide R mounted on the carriage.
Both the grooved plate 38 fixed on the end of the lifting pin 36 and the
tumbler 26 are set in a recess in the side of the slide 22. The lifting-pin which is
supported in a socket in the block M³ and is movable up and down therein acts on
the shoe 23 when moved up or down to shift that part in the slide 22 through the
medium of the grooved plate and the tumbler 26 before mentioned.
For the tumbler which is pivoted at 27 connects the shoe 23 to the lifting-pin,
and, as that last mentioned piece is raised or lowered by the curved guide R before
described, the tumbler is caused to set the shoe 23 either forward or backward in
the slide 22.
This last-mentioned piece is recessed for the tumbler and the grooved plate 38,
as seen in Figures 31 and 35 of the drawing.
The guide R raises and depresses the pin 36 and holds it at rest when the turn-
post is rotated on its center; and thus when the guide R is raised it moves the
shoe to one side or backward from the center, or when it is lowered it brings the
shoe back to the center again.
Figures 37, 38 39 show the shape and the position of this guide on the carriage.
Such guide R is raised and depressed by the pin 31 fixed in the post R', and a
slotted switch-piece composed of two grooved or slotted plates 32, 33 (Figures 41 42)
in a recess in the standing sides A2 of the bed-plate. The cad of the pin 31 travels
in the slot formed by the switch-piece for the entire movement of the carriage,
from its extreme position at the back to its farthest position forward on the bed,
and thereby controls the length of movement of the carriage and also lifts and
depresses the circular guide.
The two parts 32 33 of the switch-piece on the part A' of the frame are
adjustable to form a guide-slot of greater or less length and either with or without
a rise or upward inclination at the front end. One piece 33 is movable horizontally
in the recess and is held by a clamp-screw 35 working through a slot in the
part A, and the other piece 32 movable in an are in the recess in such part A' is
held by a clamp-screw 34. Its inner face is grooved as shown in Figures 41
and 42, so that in all positions its slot is a continuation of the slot formed by the
piece 33. The pin 31 travelling along these pieces is guided hy, and follows the
direction of, the slot which such pieces form, so that the guide R is held at rest by
the straight portions of the slot, and is either elevated or depressed by the inclines
at the ends of the slot during the travel of the carriage in the bed. As I have
before described, the office of the guide R is to raise and lower the lifting-pin 36
and by moving that piece up or down the stud 24 on the bottom of the reciprocating
piece 22 is moved either away from or back to the center line of the turn-post.
This movement of the piece 22 shifts the starting-point of the vibrations either
away from, or towards, the straight line of the button-hole slit, so that the stitches
are laid in divergent lines from the edges of the slit around the eye. These stitches
begin to diverge when the straight line meets the curve, as at y Figure 6, and
continue until the line has widened sufficiently to form the eye, and then from that
point the stitches are laid in a semi-circle around to the opposite side; and that

page_text: point y is the point at which the circular guide ceases to move the sliding-shoe 23
and at which the turn-post M begins to turn on its center making a half revolution.
Such change in the angular vibrations has the effect to lay the stitches around the
half circle to the point y, and when that point is reached the turn-post M has
carried the lever N around to the outer side, as shown in Figure 1 and by broken
lines in Figure 39. In that position the turn-post M remains while the carriage
moves back step by step to finish the other side of the button-hole.
Such rotation of the turn-post M is producel by the pinion 29 on the upper part
of the post and the curvel rack S2 which is a part of the rack S; and the curved
rack S2 is always in mesh with that pinion 29.
These parts are so adjusted that when the driving-pinion T engages the teeth S
at the end of the rack-frame and the frame svings on its pivot 6 the carriage has
completed its forward travel and one side of the button-hole from the end to the
half-circle of the eye has been finished. Afterwards the turn-post M is rotated by
the rack-frame S turning on its pivot, and the carriage itself has no progressive
movement while that takes place; but before this rotative movement of the turn-
post begins, the pin 31 has reached the end of the inclinel groove in the piece 32
and the guide R is thereby elevated throwing the shoc 23 off the center and
shifting the starting point of the vibrations back of the center line. After this,
the extreme front end of the slot is reached by the pin 31 and the carriage moves
no farther forward and the rack S turns the post M around one half-revolution
step by step to lay the stitches in radial lines around the half-circle of the eye.
When such half-circle is completed the carriage begins to feed backward step by
step and the pin 31 moves backward and down the incline until it strikes the
straight portion of the guide-slot in the piece 33. The line of stitching is thereby
converged or thrown in from the end of the half-circle by the gradual drawing
down of the guide R in the same manner as it was thrown out during the divergence
or widening of the line by the lifting of the guide R, and the stitches are laid in
the cloth and along the straight line of the button-hole slit.
In the operation of stitching a button-hole, the length of the slot formed by the
switch-piece 32 33 determines the length of the button-hole, and the pitch of the
incline at the front end determines the form of the button-hole at the end. These
pieces are made adjustable to enable several different sizes and styles of button-
holes to be made in the same attachment. The straight piece 33 sliding in the
frame A is set forward or back according to the length of the button-hole to be
made, and the piece 32 is turned to set its slot at greater or less pitch above the
horizontal according to the size of the eye to be formed in the button-hole. If a
button-hole without an eye is to be stitched the piece 32 is set straight, as showa
by the full lines Figure 41.
The groove of the switch-piece is inclined downwardly at the rear end in which
the pin 31 rests when the carriage begins to move forward, for the purpose of
depressing the curved guide R and thereby setting the starting-point of the lateral
vibrations directly upon the center line of the slit when the work begins, and
afterwards throwing several stitches gradually back from the line on an angle until
the slit in the cloth is reached. This incline on the rear end of the piece 33,
therefore, gradually elevates the guide R, and causing the shoe 23 to draw towards
the center axis of the turn-post it shifts outward the starting-point of the
vibrations in the cloth-clamp. Several stitches are thus laid at the inner end of
the button-hole, as indicated in Figure 5, to stay the end of the slit.
As the pin 31 leaves the incline and runs int the straight portion of the switch-
piece it holds the guide R stationary until the straight line of the slit is finished
and the incline at the front end is reached. In the return movement of the
carriage the pin 31 controls and moves the guide R in the same manner, and the
inner end of the button-hole is finished with several stitches laid gradually inwards
by the depression of the guide R on the carriage. Thus both ends of the button-
hole are stitched and finished by shifting the starting-point of the vibrations of the
B

page_text: work-holding clamp away from the center line of the button-hole slit to stitch one
side, and towards such center-line to stitch the opposite side of the button-hole.
All the movements of the carriage and the work-holding clamp attached to the
carriage are obtained from the rock-shaft I, and the other shafts deriving their
movement from it have motion of rotation always in one direction, and there are no
abrupt reversing movements in these drivers. This has the effect to produce
smooth, even and uniform vibrations of the cloth-clamp and enables short or fine
stitches to be sewed successfully, especially in thin fabrics.
The plate G is fitted to slide in the bed-plate A and has a catch that engages
the front end of the feed-bar. But as the position of the feed-bar is found to vary
sometimes in machines of different makers it is necessary to change this catch g to
accommodate the feed-bar. For this purpose I form the catch g in one piece with
a disk G' centered on a pivot g² in the plate and movable on that plate as a center.
This allows sufficient lateral adjustment of the catch g to meet any variation in the
position of the feed-bar.
The rod 1 plays in a long recess in the bed-plate and a coil-spring 15 sets behind
it to hold the slide-plate G in contact with the feed-bar. In its operation that
plate is practically connected to the feed-bar of the sewing-machine and does not
break or separate from it during its reciprocation. The force of the spring is
regulated by a set screw 16 placed behind the rear end as shown in Figures 2 and 4.
The length of feed or longitudinal movement of the carriage B to which the
cloth-clamp is attached is varied by changing the throw of the lever T3 that
rotates the disk T¹ (Figures 9 and 12) and the number of stitches produced by the
mechanism in any given length of button-hole is increased or reduced by changing
the feed or length of movement that takes place at every stroke of the needle.
The length of stroke of the lever T is regulated by changing the throw of the
pivoted piece U which done by loosening the set-screw in the piece V3 which is
held by the screw on the rock-shaft I and then shifting that piece longitudinally on
the rock-shaft either towards, or away from, the center of vibration of the piece U,
which is the post or stud V on the frame. The pin V2 of the piece V³ sets into the
slot in the lower side of the lateral arm of the piece U, the lever T³ is attached to
the rearwardly extending arm of that piece; thus by shifting the piece V³ farther
from the center V the length of vibrations of the arm moving the lever T will be
increased, while a contrary adjustment of the piece on the rock-shaft will reduce
the vibrations.
Such
In Figures 9 and 17 it will be seen that the cloth-clamp rests and is moved upon
a thin plate instead of resting directly upon the cloth-plate or the machine.
plate prevents the feed-bar from acting on the cloth and forms a smouth level
surface for the cloth-clamp to work on; it also supports the cloth directly around
the needle in the open part of the clamp. The slide G that connects with the
feed-bar is located beneath this plate as shown in Figure 17.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
1. In an attachment for sewing-machines the combination of a stationary
bed-plate, a carriage having longitudinal movement therein, a cloth-clamp receiving
longitudinal movement from said carriage, and mechanism mounted on the carriage
for vibrating the cloth-clamp, consisting, essentially, of the pivoted lever N,
eccentric K, aud eccentric shaft K K*, means connecting such shaft with the
feed-bar of the sewing machine to rotate said eccentric intermittently, means
connecting the lever N with said eccentric whereby the same is vibrated from the
feed-bar of the machine, and the compound slide composed of the parts P P
connecting the cloth-clamp to the carriage, and the carriage with said lever N,
constructed for operation as described.
2. The combination, with the cloth-clamp, of the carriage having longitudinal

page_text: movement to space the stitches, the compound slide connecting the cloth clamp
with the carriage, and mechanism for vibrating said slide consisting, essentially, of
a pivoted-lever moving in a vertical plane and having vibratory movement on its
center and means for turning said center of vibration around a vertical axis
to change the angular direction of the vibrations without affecting the length
of such vibrations.
3. The combination, with the cloth-clamp, of the compound slide consisting
of the sliding-piece having longitudinal movement, and the sliding piece having
transverse movement only, a lever vibrating in a vertical plane and capable of
rotation about a central axis to change the angular directio of such vibrations,
and means connecting said lever with one sliding-piece, the other sliding-piece
being attached to the carriage.
4. The combination, with the cloth-clamp, of the compound slide P P*, the
turn-post M, the pivoted vibrating-lever N mounted in the turn-post, the
reciprocating slide 22, the shoe 23, tumbler 26, keeper-plate 38, lifting-pin 36,
curved guide R and means of elevating and depressing such curved guide,.
constructed for operation as described.
5. The combination, with a cloth-clamp, of the eccentric K, pivoted vibrating
lever N capable of rotation about a vertical axis, the lever 12 connecting said
vibrating lever with the eccentric and having an adjustable fulcrum for varying
the length of stroke of the lever, and means connecting the vibrating lever with
the cloth-clamp; the said eccentric being connected and timed with relation to the
step by step progressive movement of the cloth-clamp as described to produce one
complete vibration of the cloth-clamp forward and back again when passing over
the center, and none while passing under the center.
6. In a button-hole attachment the combination, of a cloth-clamp, a carriage to
which said clamp is attached having longitudinal movement only that feeds the
cloth-clamp under the needle from end to end of the button-hole, and means
producing said movement step by step from the sewing mechanism of the machine
consisting of the slide-plate & adapted to engage the feed-bar of the machine, the
spring-rod, rock-shaft I connected with said rod, swinging rack-frame S attached
to the carriage having toothed portions along two sides and across oue end,
guide-bar Spinion T and means connecting said pinion with the rock-shaft and
producing intermittent rotative movement of the pinion from the vibrations of the
rock-shaft, constructed for operation as described.
7. In a button-hole attachment, the reciprocating-plate G having an adjustable
catch-piece g to engage the feed-bar of a sewing machine and a spring to hold the
same against the feed-bar, said catch-piece being adjustable laterally on its plate,
constructed for operation as described.
8. The combination, with the vibrating lever N capable of rotative movement
about a vertical axis to change the angular direction of its vibrations, of the
slide 22, shoe 23, stud 24 adapted to connect the shoe with the part to be vibrated
by the lever, and means for shifting the shoe in the slide and thereby changing the
starting points of its reciprocating movements without affecting the length of such
movements.
9. The combination with the cloth-clamp having vibratory movements under the
needle of the machine; of the stripper-foot F having the foot-piece Fx the slide F
fitted to turn and slide on the shaft I whereby the foot can be turned up clear of
the work in the cloth-clamp, and the adjustable stop adapted to limit the upward
movement of the foot when at work.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45 Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.