GB2254862A - Sewing a button through a button hole - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of attaching a button to a garment in engaged relationship with a button hole provided on the garment or in a pocket secured thereto comprises locating the button hole overlaying the appropriate part of the garment, engaging the button hole causing opening thereof, displacing the button hole into pressure contact with the garment and sewing a button (43) to the garment through the open button hole. A sewing machine attachment for achieving this comprises arms (11, 12) with fingers (16, 17) having pins (27) which engage the lips of the button hole when the latter is closed and means such as a solenoid (34) which advances a member (28) to engage pegs (29, 31) to separate the arms (11, 12) and thus open the button hole. <IMAGE>

Description

SEWING MACHINE ATTACHMENTS The invention concerns sewing machine attachments, and has more particular reference to attachments for use in sewing pocket buttons to garments.

In the manufacture of garments having a pocket and a button which serves to secure said pocket in a closed condition, it is the usual practice to apply the button to the garment and to sew the pocket in place, the button being engaged with a button hole provided in the pocket as a subsequent manual operation.

The need for a manual engagement of the button with the button hole of the pocket is an inconvenient and time consuming operation, and adds to the cost of manufacturing the garment.

The object of the present invention is to provide an attachment for a sewing machine whereby the button might be secured in position in such manner as to avoid the need for a subsequent buttoning step.

According to the present invention there is proposed a method of attaching a button to a garment in engaged relationship with a button hole provided on the garment or in a pocket secured thereto comprising the steps of locating the button hole in appropriate overlying relationship with regard to the relevant part of the garment, engaging the button hole at a first position, in closely spaced disposition with respect of the plane of the garment, opening the button hole in a direction parallel to the said plane, displacing the button hole towards and into pressure contact with the garment by movement from the said first to a second position, and sewing a button to the garment through said open button hole.

According to another aspect of the invention there is proposed a sewing machine attachment for use in sewing a button to a fabric through a buttonhole in an overlying fabric layer which includes a plurality of fingers engageable with the button hole and displacement means adapted, upon actuation, to move said fingers apart thereby to open up the button hole and thus provide direct access to the underlying fabric layer for sewing purposes.

According to a preferred feature, the attachment comprises two pivotally mounted support arms each supporting a respective finger, and the displacement means is operable to pivot said support arms and thereby move said fingers.

According to a still further preferred feature, the displacement means comprises a conical displacement member arranged in cooperative relationship with bodies secured to the respective arms and solenoid means adapted, upon actuation, to bring the displacement member into camming engagement with said bodies and effect pivotal motion of the support arms.

According to another feature of the invention, the attachment includes mounting means for securing said attachment to a sewing machine head the mounting means being adapted selectively to locate the fingers at a remote position with respect to the fabric feed plate of the sewing machine and at first and second operative positions adjacent said feed plate, the first said position corresponding to initial contact with the workpiece whereat limited pressure is applied thereto and the second position corresponding to a sewing position whereat sewing pressure is applied to the workpiece, the displacement means being actuable to separate the fingers in the said first position.

The invention will now be described further, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which : Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the attachment of the invention as applied to a sewing machine; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the attachment, with parts omitted in the interests of clarity; and Fig. 3 is a front elevation, showing the positioning of the work piece engaging parts of the attachment in relation to the support arms of the button feeder.

Referring now to the drawings, an attachment for use in sewing a button to a garment through a button hole in a pocket as applied thereto comprises support arms 11, 12 arranged in spaced apart parallel disposition for pivotal motion about respective axes 13, 14 generally parallel to the line of reciprocation of the needle 15 of the sewing machine and symmetrically positioned with respect thereto, an inwardly directed finger 16, 17 at the lower end of each respective support arm 11, 12 and displacement means 18 operable, upon actuation, to pivot the support arms 11, 12 about their respective axes 13, 14 to move the fingers 16, 17 from a first position, wherein the free ends 19, 21 thereof are in closely adjacent relationship, to a second positions wherein said ends are spaced apart.

The attachment further includes stop means 22 limiting inward pivotal movement of the support arms 11, 12 and spring means against the restraint of which said arms 11, 12 pivot in moving the fingers 16, 17 from the first to the second position of the free ends thereof.

Each support arm 11, 12 comprises a flat plate of cranked configuration to the lower end 23 of which is secured a respective finger 16, 17 and the upper end 24 of which supports a part of the displacement means 18, as will hereafter become apparent. The plate further includes a rearwardly extending lug 25 (as seen in the drawing) to receive a mounting pin (not shown) on which the arm 11, 12 is pivotally supported. The fingers 16, 17 are of isosceles triangular form and of thin sheet material, the base of each triangular shape presenting a lip 26 by means of which the finger is secured to the respective support arm and the free end of the finger carries a depending pin 27 for engagement with the workpiece.The fingers 16, 17 are of such length, in relation to the space between the support arms 11, 12 that the pins 27 at the free ends 19, 21 thereof lie in closely adjacent disposition in the absence of actuation of the displacement means 18.

The displacement means 18 consists of a solenoid-actuated displacement member 28 of conical form movable into engagement with and between the shaped ends of two aligned pegs 29, 31 provided one at the upper end of each of the support arms to extend inwardly therefrom.

The displacement means 18 further includes a return spring 32 the ends of which are secured to dogs 33 formed integrally with the respective support arms 11, 12 to extend forwardly therefrom. The return spring 32 is in generally horizontal alignment with the pegs 29, 31 and resists outward pivotal movement of the support arms 11, 12 on actuation of solenoid 34 to move the pegs apart.

The stop means 22 is provided between the support arms 11, 12 and a fixed abutment 35 on the sewing machine,the stop means each comprising a rod 36 in screw-threaded engagement with a threaded hole in each respective support arm 11, 12 and adjustably positionable therein.

The attachment as aforesaid is mounted on a sewing machine in symmetrical disposition with respect to the needle in lieu of the conventional presser foot, and is adapted for vertical movement between a retracted position, wherein ready access might be had to the sewing position, and an operative position wherein the attachment serves to clamp the workpiece 37 against the fabric feed plate 38.

However, in accordance with the invention, movement of the attachment into the operative position is a two-stage operation, the attachment providing only a light clamping action on the workpiece at a first position and a more positive clamping action, at which position the button hole 39 is opened (as is shown in Fig. 3) and a heavies clamping action, appropriate for sewing, at a second position.

It will be appreciated that the attachment hereinbefore described will ordinarily be used in conjunction with an automatic button feed and that the attachment will be so positioned that the fingers 16, 17 thereof will lie at the underside of the button gripping arms of such feed, the ends 41, 42 of such arms being shown in chain dot lines in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

In operation, and assuming the attachment and button feed are in the retracted position with a button 43 engaged with the ends 41, 42 of the gripping arms of the button feed, the workpiece 37 is positioned on the fabric feed plate 38 beneath the sewing machine needle with the button hole 39 of the pocket 44 overlying the fabric 45 of the garment and the feed plate 38 of the machine. The displacement means 18 is in the retracted condition and the depending pins 19, 21 at the free ends of the fingers 16, 17 thus lie in closely adjacent relationship.

The attachment is moved downwardly towards the workpiece to the first operative position, whereat the depending pins 19, 21 engage the slit in the button hole 39.

Actuation of the displacement means brings the conical displacement member 28 into engagement with the opposing shaped ends of the pegs 29, 31 and causes such ends to move apart, thereby pivotting the support arms 11, 12 outwardly.

Pivotal movement of the support arms 11, 12 moves the depending pins 19, 21 apart, thus opening the button hole, the open condition thereof being retained on movement of the attachment, in the manner of a presser foot, to the second operative position.

On completion of the sewing operation the attachment and button feed are raised to the retracted position and the displacement member is withdrawn from its position of engagement with the pegs, thus allowing the return spring to pivot the arms inwardly within limits determined by engagement of the stop rods with the fixed abutment. The workpiece is then removed.

In use of the device it may be found desirable to provide a reinforcement behind the fabric of the garment, and such reinforcement can readily be achieved by utilising a pre-punched tape arranged in overlying disposition with respect to the fabric feed, a disc-shaped portion of the tape positioned in alignment with the button being readily separable from the tape on completion of the sewing operation and the tape being indexed for the next operation.

The invention is not limited to the detail of the embodiment hereinbefore described, since alternatives will readily present themselves to one skilled in the art.

Thus, for example, an alternative form of displacement means to that described and illustrated may be preferred, whilst the stop means may be embodied with the displacement means, if desired.

The particular attachment described and illustrated is intended for use with an automatic button feeder cf a particular kind, and an analogous structure may be provided for use with other forms of feeder. Indeed, it is not necessary that the attachment be used in combination with an automatic button feeder.

Claims (8)

1. A method of attaching a button to a garment in engaged relationship with a button hole provided on the garment or in a pocket secured thereto comprising the steps of locating the button hole in appropriate overlying relationship with regard to the relevant part of the garment, engaging the button hole at a first position, in closely spaced disposition with respect of the plane of the garment, opening the button hole in a direction parallel to the said plane, displacing the button hole towards and into pressure contact with the garment by movement from the said first to a second position, and sewing a button to the garment through said open button hole.

2. A sewing machine attachment for use in sewing a button to a fabric through a button hole in an overlying fabric layer which includes a plurality of fingers engageable with the button hole and displacement means adapted, upon actuation, to move said fingers apart thereby to open up the button hole and thus provide direct access to the underlying fabric layer for sewing purposes.

3. An attachment according to claim 1, the attachment comprising two pivotally mounted support arms each supporting a respective finger, and the displacement means is operable to pivot said support arms and thereby move said fingers.

4. An attachment according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said displacement means comprises a conical displacement member arranged in cooperative relationship with bodies secured to the respective arms and solenoid means adapted, upon actuation, to bring the displacement member into camming engagement with said bodies and effect pivotal motion of the support arms.

5. An attachment according to any one of claims 2 to 4 including mounting means for securing said attachment to a sewing machine head, the mounting means being adapted selectively to locate the fingers at a remote position with respect to the fabric feed plate of the sewing machine and at first and second operative positions adjacent said feed plate, the first said position corresponding to initial contact with the workpiece whereat limited pressure is applied thereto and the second position corresponding to a sewing position whereat sewing pressure is applied to the workpiece, the displacement means being actuable to separate the fingers in said first position.

6. A method substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. A sewing machine attachment substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

8. A sewing machine incorporating an attachment according to any preceding claim.