IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTON-HOLE SEWING MACHINES
Year: 1884

page_text: I JOHN KING MACDONALD Secretary of the Singer Manufacturing Company of
Glasgow in the County of Lanark, North Britain do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN BUTTON-HOLE SEWING MACHINES to
be as follows:-
This Invention which relates to improved mechanism for forming the stitch in
button-hole sewing machines, is designed to be attached to the well-known "Singer"
button-hole sewing machine in place of the stitch-forming mechanism ordinarily
used thereon.
In carrying out these improvements, as represented on the accompanying
drawing there is provided a swinging looper carrier g, pivoted in any convenient
manner to the plate Q, of the machine and operated from a groove a, preferably
formed in the upper side of a cam C, carried by the upright spindle B, of the
machine. A groove preferably formed at the underside of this Cam C, is used for
the operation of the feed lever. The groove a for operating the looper-carrier g,
operates the same through a bell-crank lever D, which is pivoted at E, to the
plate Q, of the machine and connected at its shorter end to the said looper-carrier g,
by a link G, and arm e, and rocking shaft f. During the reciprocation of the
looper-carrier it actuates a pair of spreaders c, and d, with whose outer surfaces
a roller carried by the said looper-carrier g, comes in contact. The looper-carrier g,
consists of a ring fastened at one side to the rocking shaft f, carrying the before-
mentioned roller on its opposite side and provided with the long and short loopers
respectively marked 7 and n, projecting inwards from the ring. The looper-carrier g,
oscillates to and fro below the spreaders. The long looper 2, is provided with an
opening or slot on its back in which the lower thread passes and through an
eye-hole near its point. The long and short loopers are attached to the looper-
carrier g. The short looper n, is provided on its lower surface with a projecting
shoulder or lug. The surfaces of the loopers next the needle are formed on a
circular line struck from the centre of the rocking shaft f, so that in their oscillations
they just clear the needle in its different positions. Pins or stops are provided in
CD77

page_text: the plate Q, of the machine against which the spreaders c, and d, are held by means
of springs. The spreaders are formed of different lengths and are so shaped
relatively to the motion of the looper-carrier g, as to give the necessary forward
and backward motions to the said spreaders. At a short distance from the point of
the long spreader d, there is formed a notch e¹, which receives the lower thread.
The short spreader c, is also provided with a notch k, which receives the lower
thread from the eye of the long looper L, and carries it forward to form a loop
through which the needle descends when it comes down through the cloth.
The mechanism for operating the needle and the cloth-clamp are of the ordinary
construction. The needle descends near each end of a slot formed in the plate-
button, at the lower side of which there is also formed a recess.
A take-up-spring R, is provided and serves to keep the lower thread taut during
the operation of making the stitch. A strengthening cord from the spool P, may
be used in the ordinary manner, passing through the hole in the before mentioned
button.
Instead of using the before mentioned roller for operating the spreaders c, and d,
they may be provided with arms extending forward from their pivotal points
actuated by lugs or rollers on the looper-carrier g, between the loopers l, and n, and
the rocking shaft f.
A single thread may be used in the improved stitch-forming mechanism by
substituting for the long looper l, a looper similar to the short looper n, provided
with a shoulder or lug which prevents the loop of needle thread from passing too
far thereon and carries it upon the point of the short spreader c, by which it is
carried forward forming a loop through which the needle descends in passing
through the fabric.
Din Samabanth dan of Tahnuar 1984

page_text: Figure 7, represents the position of the parts at the beginning of the stitch.
Figure 8, represents the position of the parts when the looper carrier is at the
end of its oscillation to the right.
Figure 9, represents the position of the parts while the looper-carrier is swinging
to the left, showing the loop of upper thread on the short looper.
Figure 10, represents the position of the parts when the looper-carrier has
completed its swing to the left showing the position of the thread about the short
looper and around the point of the long spreader.
4
Figure 11, represents the position of the parts when the long looper is carrying
the lower thread through the loop formed by the needle when it descends in the
button-hole slit.
Figure 12, represents the position of the parts when the short looper is engaged
with the loop of needle thread formed by the needle when it descends through the
cloth.
The present improvements are designed to be attached to the well known
Singer" button hole sewing machine, in place of the stitch-forming mechanism
ordinarily used thereon.
In the accompanying drawings Figure 1, represents the under side of the bed
of a Singer button-hole sewing machine, showing the manner of operating the
improved swinging looper-carrier, from a groove in the cam C, on the upright
spindle B, of the machine, by means of the lever D, and connection G.-The cam C,
is provided, (preferably on its upper side, the under side being furnished with a
cam-groove to operate the feed-lever L) with the cam-groove a, in which runs the
roller b, on the end of the lever D.-By the rotation of the cam C, the roller b, is.
caused to assume the positions indicated at 61, 6, thereby causing the lever D, and
arm F, to oscillate about the stud or pin E, as represented by the dotted lines.
The connection G, is pivoted to the end of the arm F, and receives a longitudinal

page_text: reciprocating movement therefrom; which it transmits to the looper-carrier g,
through the arm e, and rock shaft f.-The arm e, is pivoted to the end of the
connection and attached to the rock-shaft outside of the Journal h¹, which is
secured to the bed of the machine by the foot H. The swinging motion of the
circular looper-carrier, is represented by dotted lines in Figure 1.-During its
reciprocation it actuates the spreaders c, and d, by means of a roller u, (Figure 12)
which comes in contact with the outer surfaces of the spreaders which are pivoted
at their outer ends to the plate Q, at p, and q, Figures 7 to 12.
The looper-carrier consists of a ring g, fastened at one side to the rock shaft f
carrying the roller u, on its opposite side, and provided with the long and short loopers
respectively marked l, and n, projecting inward from the ring.-The looper-carrier
oscillates to and fro immediately below the spreaders c, and d, which may be made
thicker towards their pivotal points (see Figure 6) to receive the impact of the
roller u. The long looper 2, is provided with an opening or slot on its back, or the
side away from the needle, in which the lower thread v, passes, see Figures 11,.
and 12, and through an eye hole near its point.-The long looper l, is attached to
the looper-carrier g, by a clamp block t, and screw h, by which it is held in position
against a lug 8, see Figures 3 and 5-Any other suitable mode of attaching the
looper to the looper-carrier may be adopted. The short looper n, is secured to the
looper-carrier g in a manner similar to that employed on the long looper, by
the use of screw i, clamp block t', and lug 8. The short looper n, is provided on
its lower surface, or that away from the plate Q, with a projecting shoulder or
lug o, Figure 12. The surfaces of the loopers next the needle are formed on a
circular line struck from the centre of the rock-shaft f, so that, in their oscillations,
they just clear the needle in its different positions.
The spreaders c, and d, are held against the pins or stops o¹, o¹¹, by the
springs, 1, Figures 10 and 11.
The form of the spreaders is represented in the drawings-The long spreader is
provided with an arm, which extends inward away from the operator into the
path described by the roller u, in its oscillations, so that the point of the long
spreader is moved forward by the roller as it passes the centre of the to and fro
motion of the looper-carrier. The long spreader d, is provided at its inner end
with a projecting point m, Figures 7 and 10, having a shoulder to prevent the
thread from passing too far on the point.-Back of the point M, there is formed a
notch e¹ Figures 9 and 11 which receives the lower thread v, as represented in
Figures 9 and 10, during the left hand throw of the looper-carrier. The edge of
this notch may be rounded or beveled to prevent abrading the thread.
The short spreader c, is also provided with a notch k, Figures 8 and 11 which
receives the lower thread v, from the eye of the long looper, and carries it forward
to form a loop through which the needle descends when it comes down through the
cloth.
The mechanism for operating the needle, and the cloth clamp are of ordinary
construction. The needlo descends near each end of a slot in the plate-button, w,
Figure 6, its position when down through the button hole slit being represented
at y, Figures 6 and 11, and when down through the cloth at y¹ in Figures 6
and 12-A recess is formed in the lower side of the button w.
The operation of forming the stitch is performed as follows:-the needle comes
down through the slit of the button hole, and by a slight upward motion of the
needle, a loop of thread is thrown out, through which the lower thread is carried
by the motion of the long looper from left to right in Figures 7 and 11. The
needle comes down just forward of the length of thread reaching from the eye
in the point of the long looper to the fabric through the slot in the button w.
The needle rises while the long looper swings to the right into the position
shown in Figure 8, the roller u, striking against the side, of the short spreader c,
and throwing it forward into the position shown in Figure 8, the notch k, of the
short spreader carrying forward the lower thread between the long looper and
the slot as represented in Figure 8, so as to form a loop through which the needle

page_text: descends in passing through the fabric at the right hand end of the slot.-As the
needle descends, throwing out a loop of the upper thread, the short looper swings.
toward the left, the loop of the upper thread which encircles the long looper slips
off the point of the long looper 1, being drawn up toward the fabric by the descent
of the needle through the cloth and the action of the upper take-up spring, which
is of ordinary Construction-As the long looper is swung to the left, the lower
thread is left around the needle in its position at the right hand end of the slot.―
The lower thread has thus formed a loop about the loop of the upper thread
brought down by the needle through the cloth.-As the short looper swings to
the left, its point passes through the loop of upper thread thrown out by the
needle as shown in Figures 9, and 12. The needle rises during the continued
motion of the short looper to the left, which carries the loop of needle-thread to
the left, so that the portion of the loop nearest the operator is caught on and
carried forward by the point m, of the long spreader, as represented in Figure 10,-
the point of the long Spreader being carried forward by the roller u, on the looper
carrier at the extremity of its swing to the left. A loop is thus formed in the
needle-thread, through which the needle in coming down through the slit in
the fabric, brings another loop of needle-thread, through which the lower thread
is carried by the long looper by its motion to the right at the commencement of
the next stitch.
The long spreader is provided with an arm 1, which reaches outward and comes
in contact with the roller u, on the looper carrier at the middle of its reciprocating
path. When the looper carrier swings from left to right, the roller u, carries
forward the inner end of the long spreader, by coming in contact with the arm r¹,
but this motion is without operative effect in the formation of the stitch.-When
the looper carrier swings from right to left, the Spreader is also carried forward
by the roller u, and this forward motion allows the lower thread to pass back of
the point m, of the Spreader, into the position in the notch e', in the end of the
spreader, as represented in Figures 9, and 10.
The lower take up spring R, Figure 1, serves to keep the lower thread taut
during the operation of making the stitch.
A strengthening Cord from the spool P, Figure 1, may be used in the ordinary
manner passing through the hole a', Figure 8, in the button w.
The advantages which this improved stitch-forming mechanism possesses over
the devices for the same purpose generally in use, are that the strength of the
lower take-up spring may be reduced, thereby avoiding the unthreading of
the lower thread at the completion of the button-hole, the motion of the loopers
and spreaders is obtained from a single cam-groove, so that there is no liability of
their getting out of the proper relative time, the oscillating motion of the loopers
is shortened, thereby reducing wear and friction, the parts are more readily
accessible and susceptible of finer adjustment.-This improved stitch-forming
mechanism is also more durable at high speeds.
It is obvious that the looper-carrier g, may be made of a form other than the
circular one shown in the drawings.-Instead of using the roller u, the spreaders
may be provided with arms extending forward from the pivotal points, actuated
by lugs or rollers on the looper carrier between the loopers and the rock-shaft.—
A single thread may be used in the improved stitch-forming mechanism by
substituting for the long looper a looper like the short looper herein shown,
provided with a shoulder or lug which prevents the loop of needle thread from
passing too far thereon, and carries it upon the point of the short spreader c, by
which it is carried forward forming a loop through which the needle descends in
passing through the fabric.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this Inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what is
claimed is:-
First. The combination with the reciprocating looper-carrier g, carrying the
loopers 7, and n, of the separately pivoted spreaders c, and d, the latter being

page_text: provided with notch e¹, and arm 7, substantially as and for the purposes herein-
before set forth.
Second. The combination with the reciprocating looper-carrier g, provided with
loopers, and n, and arranged to operate the Spreaders c, and d, of the rock-shaft f,
arm e, connection G, bent lever D, F, and cam-groove a, substantially as herein-
before described.
Third. In a mechanism for stitching button-holes, the combination of the
horizontally swinging looper-carrier g, provided with the loopers l, and n, roller u,
and the pivoted Spreaders c, and d, substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore
set forth.
Fourth. In a mechanism for stitching button holes, the combination with the
reciprocating looper-carrier, loopers and moveable spreaders of a single cam-groove
and suitable connecting mechanism for operating the looper carrier from the
cam-groove, and for operating the Spreaders from the looper-carrier substantially
as and for the purposes herein before set forth.
.
Fifth. The combination in a mechanism for stitching button holes, of the
reciprocating looper carrier g, having loopers l, and n, and roller u, with the
Spreaders c, and d, substantially as and for the purposes herein before described.
Sixth. The combination in a mechanism for stitching button holes, of the
spreaders c, and d, provided with suitable cam surfaces adapted to impart the
proper motion thereto, with the pin or roller u, and suitable mechanism for
operating the same from the single cam-groove a, which also operates the loopers,
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
Seventh. In a mechanism for stitching button-holes, the combination of the
single reciprocating pin or roller u, with the pivoted spreaders c, and d, provided
with suitable cam-surfaces, adapted to actuate the spreaders at each end of the
reciprocation of the roller by contact therewith, substantially as and for the
purposes herein before set forth.