US1140372A - Button-sewing machine. - Google Patents

Description

G. S. GATCHELL.

BUTTON SEWING MACHINE.

APPUCATION men JUNE 29,1912.

1 JAE-@ 372, Patented May 25, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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G. S. GATCHELL. BUTTON SEWING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29.1912.

WITNESSES:

THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHoTc-LITHO.. WASHINGTON. u. c.

arnn ent re.

GEORGE S. GATCHELL, 0F ROSELLE PARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

BUTTON-SEWING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, 1915.,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE S. GAToHELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Roselle Park, in the county of Union and tate of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Button- Sewing Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has for its object to adapt the button-feeding mechanism of buttonfastening machines to accommodate shankbuttons of a wide range of style, shape and size, and to prevent the breaking or marring of button-heads made of brittle material, such as glass, vegetable ivory and shell or covered with paint or other material easily marred in the handling of the buttons.

In its preferred embodiment, the buttonfeeding device comprises a chute formed with spaced side walls affording a buttonhead guideway and having one of the walls provided with a longitudinal slot to produce a button-shank guideway, the delivery end of the chute being directed toward and at an inclination with the reciprocating needle of the fastening means and the work-support through which it passes, above which latter is disposed the Presser-foot formed with the usual needle-aperture and button-head and button-shank guideways in register with those of said chute and intersecting and crossing the 11eeclleaperture. Adjacent its delivery end, the side wall of the chute formed with the button-shank guideway is constructed with a laterally swinging section composed of two spaced and independently pivoted parts yieldingly maintained in normal position by independent springs of which one has its extremity extended within the button-shank slot beyond the end of the opposite comparatively rigid side wall to afford a yielding stop-finger to check the advance of the foremost of a series of buttons within the chute.

The rigid wall of the chute terminates above but suihciently near the level of the stop-finger for the wall to engage the upper portion of the button-head so as to confine it within the lower end of the chute for subsequent dislodgment by the button-pusher entering the button-shank guideway beneath the same and forcing the button through the guideways of the presser-foot and into contact with a button-shank stop upon the latter in fastening position. The pusher is preferably provided with a yielding plate having one end secured thereto and provided in its opposite end with a notch to embrace the button with its inner extremity engaging the button-shank for moving it into forcible engagement with the stop of the presser-foot and holding it to the same during the initial portion of a fastening operation. The button-shank engaging plate rests against the button-head guideway of the chute, which it slightly displaces laterally in its advance, and the corresponding rigidly sustained guideway of the presser-foot so as to accurately position the button-shank to receive the fastening stitches. The yielding buttonchute section is so positioned as to normally press the smallest sized button-head lightly against the opposite wall of the guideway to insure against the buttons dropping out in the extreme retracted position of the pusher.

To prevent the marring of the button-head by a rubbing action of the pusher thereon, the latter receives in addition to its circular button-advancing movement, slight rising and falling movements, to cause it to move in an inclined path corresponding to that of the lower end of the button-head and button-shank guideways, and the notched yielding plate of the pusher not only serves to shield the button-head from frictional contact with the guideway under the pressure of the pusher, but retains the button-shank in proper register with the fastening member, particularly when in fastening position wherein it is disposed in register with and crosswise of the needleaperture of the presser-foot. The button-engaging member of the pusher is preferably pivotally mounted and spring-retained in normal position from which it is adapted to tilt downwardly during the rise and retrograde lateral movement of the pusher near the end of a fastening operation so as to prevent the dislodgment of the button from the fabric still clamped upon the work-support by the presser-foot.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a rear side elevation of a button sewing machine embodying the present improvements with the parts in stopping position, and Fig. 1 a detail of the button-holding and work-clamping parts in starting position, and with the presser-foot lowered; Fig. 2 is a front end elevation of the machine. Fig. 3 is a perspective view, upon a larger scale, of the button-delivery and button-fastening devices. Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the lower portion of the chute, the pusher and the presser-foot, representing a shankbutton held in fastening position. Fig. is a perspective view of the lower portion of the button-chute and Fig. 6 is a similar view of the pusher. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the, pivoted parts of the laterally swinging section of the button-chute. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the resser-foot, taken from the rearward side.

In general constructive features, the present mechanism is substantially the same as that disclosed in the pending applicationof William L. Barron, Serial No. 641,518, filed July 31, 1911. The machine is constructed with a frame comprising the hollow standard 1 with the lateral work-supporting arm or horn 2 and the hollow overhanging arm 3 in which latter isjournaled the main-shaft 4 carrying at its rearward end the fast and loose pulleys 5 and 6 and at the forward end the take-up cam-cylinder 7 provided with the crank-pin 8 connected by means of the pitman 9 with the usual stud upon the collar. 10 fixed upon the needle-bar 11 which carries theeye-pointed needle 12. The reciprocating needle-bar is journaled in the swinging frame 13 fulcrumed within the head of the bracket-arm and provided with a lateral arm 14 operatively connected by suitable means including the link 15 with the groove 16 of the cam-cylinder l7 deriving step-by-step rotary movements from a suitable driving connection with the mainshaft 4.

Coiiperating with the needle 12 is the oscillating shuttle 18 journaled inthe race 19 and provided with the thread-case 20. The shuttle is actuated by means of the driver 21 at the forward end of the rock-shaft, 22 mounted within the horn 2 and having at its rearward end the crank 23 connected by means of the rocker 24 and pitman 25 with the actuating crank 26 of the'main-shaft.

Secured upon the outer end of the arm 2 is the throat-plate 27 formed at the outer and forward extremity of its upper face with the projection 28 upon the top and over the rearward edge of which the work is pressed by the presser-foot, as represented in Fig. 3. p

Secured to the lower end of the presser-bar 29 by means of the screw 30 is the shank 31' of the presser-foot 32 which is formed upon the bottom of its forward portion with a flat operative face 33 rearward of which it is cut away beneath the shank to form the curved transverse button-head guideway 34 with connected button-shank guideway 35 a stop-shoulder 38 against which the button. is pressed by the pusher when in fastening position, (Fig. 4.) The presser-bar is surrounded by the usual spring 39 interposed between a collar 40 fixed thereon and the lower end of the bushing 41.

Upon the boss 42 of the bracket-arm is secured the button-hopperf43 formed with the delivery aperture 44. Depending from thehopper adjacent the aperture 44 is the I bracket-piece 45 whose outer face constitutes the. upper portion of the button-head guideway of the chute, and is provided with the button shank guiding groove 46, the buttons being, confined to said guides in issuing from the hopper by means of the capplate 47 sustained by the bracket-piece 45.

The body of the button-chute comprises the downwardly inclined bar 48 whose rearward face affords one of the side walls of a button-head guideway continuous with'that of the member 45. It has therein a longitudinal slot or guideway 49 in register at its upper end with the slot 46 of the member 45 and at its lower end with the slightly flaring mouth of the button-shank guideway 35 of the presser-foot in its operative position (Fig. 1 The upper end of the bar 48 is secured to the member 45 by screws 50 only one of which is visible, and its lower end is suitably sustained by means of a bracket 51 depending from the head of'the overhang- I ing arm 3. Overlying and spaced from the operative face of the bar 48 is the coverplate or bar 52 which is attached to the guiding bar 48 by means of the stud-screws 53 secured to the one and passing through an aperture in the other, and is maintained seated yieldingly upon an interposed spring 54 by means of the nut 55 applied to said stud-screw.

As represented more particularly in Figs. 4 and 5, the lower portion of the bar 48 is formed with transverse notches at opposite sides of the slot 49. In the lower notch is fitted the tongue 56 of the laterally swinging member 57 fulcrumed therein by means of the pivotal pin 58, the upper edge of the der 59, alforded by the end of the receiving notch of the bar 48, by means of the flat spring 60 secured upon the bar 48 by means of the screw 61. In the notch of the bar 48 at the opposite side of the slot 49 is pivotally secured by means of the pin 62 a tongue 63 of the laterally swinging member 64 (Fig. 7) whose lower edge is continuous with the upper wall of the slot 49, and forms in conjunction with the adjacent edge of the member 57 an extension of the button-shank guideway 49. As represented particularly in Figs. 5 and 7, the member 64 is formed in its upper side with a slot 65 for reception of the arm 66 of a wire spring secured at one end by means of the screw 67 upon the bar 48 and having its opposite end inclined downwardly and across the extension of the button-shank slot 49 to serve as a stop-finger in checking the advance of the foremost button within the chute. The springarm 66 is so formed and secured in position that it yieldingly maintains the member 64 in norin al position relative to the fixed member 48 of the chute. The members 57 and 64 constitute independently yielding parts of a laterally yielding lower section of the button-chute which is in practice so adjusted as to loosely confine therein the smallest button-head which the machine is designed to accommodate, the yielding section being temporarily displaced in the conveyance of the button to attaching position by the pusher.

The button-feeding mechanism comprises the rock-shaft 68 journaled in the head of the arm 3 and having fixed upon its lower end the collar 69 provided with the lateral wing 7 O to which is Secured by means of the screw 71 the slotted upper end of the depending rigid pusher-arm 72. The arm 72 is formed at its lower end with the lateral projection 73 to which is pivotally connected by means of the shouldered fulcrum-screw 74 the extension 75 which is normally held with its upper face flush with that of the projection7 3 by means of the spring 76 attached at one end to the extension 75 and at its opposite end to the arm 72 (Fig. 6). In the retracted position of the pusher, the top of the button-engaging member 75 extends beneath the lower end of the button-chute member 52 and supports the head of the button next above that sustained by the stopfinger within the path of movement of the forward end of the pusher.

The pusher member 75 has secured to its outer face by means of screws 77 the rearward portion of the curved resilient plate 78 whose opposite end is forked to form a slot 79 adapted to loosely embrace the shank of a button and whose inner end engages the latter in the operative movement of the pusher and carries it into forcible engagement with the stop-shoulder 38 of the presser-foot (Fig. 4). By straddling the button-shank the forked plate 78 is adapted to afford a shield for maintaining the but ton-head out of rubbing contact with the guideway 34 of the presser-foot to bridge the needle-aperture 36 which intersects such guideway, and to prevent the button-shank from turning during its maintenance in forcible engagement with the stop-shoulder 38 and while extending across the needleaperture. While the plate 78 is sufficiently rigid to sustain the button-head when grasped by the pusher, its resilience is such as to enable it to conform closely in its advance with the button-head guideway 34 of the presser-foot so as to insure precision in the presentation of the button to the fastening devices.

The pusher-arm 72 carries upon one side the fulcrum screw-stud 80 disposed transversely of the rockshaft 68 and upon which is mounted the swinging lever 81 having at its lower end the lateral extension 82 notched to embrace the button-engaging member 75 of the pusher-arm and having a lateral face 83 constituting a gripping jaw acting in conjunction with the plate 78 in holding the button-head in its movement from the end of the chute and maintenance in fastening position. Secured to the rearward edge of the arm 72 by the fastening screw 84 is the wire spring 85 whose free end bears upon the rearward edge of the lever 81 and normally forces the same into gripping relation with the button-head.

The rock-shaft 68 has adjustably secured thereon by means of the clamp-screw 86 a split collar 87 formed with a lateral arm 88 to which is pivotally connected one end of the thrust-rod 89 passing through an aperture in the lower end of the swinging lever 90 fulcrumed on the stud-screw 91 and car rying the stud 92 enteringthe cam-groove 93 of the cylinder 17 by means of which the lever 90 is periodically shifted upon its fulcrum-stud. The rod 89 has secured thereon by means of set-screws 94 the thrust collar 95 held yieldingly in contact with the lever 90 by means of the spring 96 in terposed between the latter and the collar 97 adjustably secured upon the rod 89. The rod 89 is thus caused to follow the swinging movements of the lever 90 in rocking the shaft 68 excepting when the latter is abnormally obstructed, when the spring 96 is com pressed and the connection between such parts is adapted to yield to prevent breakage or abnormal strain upon the parts.

The lever 81 is extended upwardly above the fulcrum-stud 80 and is provided with a laterally projecting cam-arm 98 whose operative edge 99 is normally disposed at a slight inclination to the direction of circular movement derived from the arm 72 of the rock-shaft 68. Fixed in and depending from the head of the overhanging arm 3 is the stud 100 carrying an anti-friction roller "101 so disposed within the normal range of movement of the cam-edge 99 that it forcibly engages-the same when the pusher is withdrawn from button-attaching position into extreme retracted position and thereby retracts the button-engaging jaw 83 to ad mit a button from the lower end of the collar 102 carrying the laterally extending roller-stud 103 adapted for engagement with the upper cam-shaped edge 104 of the sta tionary segmental cam-plate 105 rigidly secured upon the lower member of the bracketarm head by means of the screwv 106. The rockshaft 68 is pressed downwardly to maintain the stud 103 in contact with the cam-plate 105 by means of the surrounding spring 107 interposed between the splitcollar 87 thereon and the bearing lug 108 of the bracket-arm head.

In the retracted position of the pusher represented in Figs. 1 and 2, the roller-stud 103 rests upon the upper step of the camedge 10-1, and the pusher is elevated to extreme position in which the top of the button-engaging member is adapted to just clear the lower end of the bar 52 while the slot 79 of the holding plate 78 is in register with the shank of the lowermost button resting against the yielding stop-finger 66. As the pusher advances for a feeding movement under the action of the cam 93 in turning the rock-shaft 68, the fork of the plate 7 8 straddles the'button-shank and propels the button by engagement of the shank with the inner end of the slot 79. During the turning movement of the rock-shaft 68, the rollerstud 103 rides down the inclined portion of the cam-plate 105 which permits the lowering of the rock-shaft and its attached pusher under the action of the spring 107, the camedge 101 being so shaped as to cause the path of movement of the pusher to closely follow the inclination of the button-guiding parts of the chute and presser-foot.

In the use of the machine as thus de scribed, the fabric m is interposed between the presser-foot and throat-plate and the stop lever shifted into running position, therebyv releasing the presser-foot and permitting it to descend upon the work. After the formation of one or more anchoring stitches, the feeder or pusher advances and simultaneously descends, carrying with it a button 5 whose shank bis embraced by the fork of the holding plate 78, the buttonshank traversing the guiding groove 35 therefor in the presser-foot and being thrust into forcible contact with the stop-shoulder 38 where it is held by the action of the spring 96 without pressure upon the buttonhead excepting that imposed by the lever 81 under the action of its light spring 85. Before the completion of the button-fastening operation, and after one or more fastening stitches s have been applied, the pusher performs its retrograde movement under the simultaneous and independent actions of the cam members 93 and 104. In its rising movement the pusher has a tendency-to lift the button now attached to the fabric, and I would thus be liable to injure the fastening were it. not for the pivotal mounting of the pusher member 75 which is adapted to yield in opposition to its spring 76 to temporarily assume an inclination proportionate to the rise of the pusher shaft relatively to the work-support until the holding plate 79 is wholly disengaged from'the button-shank when the member 75 reassumes its normal relation with the pusher member 73 under the action of the spring 76.

It will be observed that, although the buttons are sustained by the pusher in their travel between. the lower end of the chute and attaching position, the button guideway is continuous between the point at which the pusher engages the buttons and that at which they are secured to the fabric, this portion of the guideway, comprising in the present relatively to the needle. 'By making the.

wall of the chute containing the buttonshank slot in a yielding section with two separate and independently movable parts, the lower end of the chute is adapted tobe normally contracted to such an extent as to accommodate the smallest or most deformed button-heads which the machine is designed to take, the yielding section being adapted to readily recede to accommodate buttons of normal size or those having larger heads, any variations in size or shape of the button-heads of a charge placed in the hopper not being effective in clogging or disarranging the feeding device and the holding of the button to receive the fastening stitches,

It is evident that changes in shape, arrangement and specific construction of the component parts of the present improvement may be made without departure from the scope of the present invention.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is 1. The combination with button-fastening means including a reciprocating needle, of a buttonfeeding device comprising a guideway inclined to the needle-path and leading toward the needle and into fastening position, and a button-propelling member movable in a path substantially corresponding in inclination with said guideway and adapted to propel buttons along said guideway to said fastening means and to sustain said buttons during the fastening thereof.

2. The combination with button-fastening means, including a reciprocating needle, of a button feeding device comprising a guideway inclined to the needle-path and leading toward the needle, a button propelling member, a support for said member, actuating means for said member, and means independent of said guideway and actuating means and adapted to act upon said support to guide the button propelling member in a path corresponding in inclination with said guideway.

3. The combination with button-fastening means including a reciprocating fastening member, of a button-feeding device comprising a guideway inclined to the path of movement of said fastening member and leading toward the latter, a button-propelling member adapted to propel the buttons along said guideway to said fastening means, means for imparting to said button-propelling member feeding movements from a retracted position toward said button-fastening means, and means independentthereof for imparting simultaneously to said propelling member movements substantially in the direction of reciprocation of said fastening member for production of a resultant movement corresponding with the inclination of said guideway.

4. The combination with button-fastening means includingv a button-fastening mem ber, of a button-feeding device comprising a guideway inclined to the path of movement of said fastening member and leading toward the latter, a rock-shaft substantially parallel with the path of reciprocation, of said fastening member, a button-pusher carried by said shaft, means for oscillating the rock-shaft, and means for imparting endwise movements to the rock-shaft.

5. The combination with button-fastening means including a button-fastening mem ber, of a button-feeding device comprising a guideway inclined to the path of movement of said fastening member and leading toward the latter, a rock-shaft substantially parallel with the path of reciprocation of said fastening member, a button-pusher carried by said shaft, a lateral stud carried by said rock-shaft, means for oscillating the rock-shaft, and a stationary cam engaging said stud and adapted to impart to the rockshaft endwise movements simultaneously with its oscillatory movements.

6. The combination with button-fastening means including a reciprocating needle, of a buttonchute, a button-holding member formed with a needle-aperture, a buttonhead guideway and a button-shank guideway transverse to and in intersecting relation with said needle-aperture and disposed in register with said buttoncl1ute, a buttonpusher adapted to propel the buttons along said guideway to fastening position, and means carried by said pusher for preventing the turning of the button-shank within the needle-aperture during the fastening operation.

7. The combination with button-fastening means including a reciprocating needle, of a presser-foot formed with a needle-aperture and button-head and button-shank guideways intersecting said aperture, a buttonpusher for propelling the buttons along said guideways into fastening position, and a yielding plate carried by said pusher and adapted to rest in contact with the button head guideway to support the button-head in conjunction with the latter when in fastening position.

8. The combination with button-fastening means including a reciprocating needle, of a presser-foot formed witha needle-aperture and button-head and buttonshank guideways intersecting said aperture and provided with a button-shank stop, a buttonpusher for propelling the buttons along said guideways into fastening position, and a yielding plate secured at one end to said pusher and having at its opposite end a notch to embrace the button-shank and having an extremity for engaging said buttonshank and maintaining the same in contact with said stop.

9. The combination with button-fastening means, of a work support, a button guideway leading to button-fastening position above said support, and a button-pusher comprising a reciprocating carrier with a button-engaging member pivotally mounted thereon and provided with an element engaging the button-shank, said button-pushing member being yieldingly maintained in normal position upon said carrier by means of a spring but adapted to yield toward said support in the withdrawal of the pusher after an initial portion of the fastening operation has been performed.

10. In a button-fastening machine, the combination with the fastening means, of a button-chute formed with button-head and button-shank guideways and having at its delivery end one rigid side wall and an opposite *laterally yielding side wall provided with a into operative relation with the button-fastening means.

11. In a button-fastening machine, the combination with the fastening means, of a button-chute formed with button-head and button-shank guideways and having one rigid side-wall and an opposed yielding side wall afforded by alaterally swinging section composed of two independently pivoted parts yieldingly maintained in normal position by independent springs, and a button-pusher adapted to engage and propel the buttons along said guideways into operative relation with the button-fastening means.

12. In a button-fastening machine, the

combination with the fastening means, of a walls being rigid and the other-being afforded by a laterally swinging section composed of two independently pivoted parts yieldingly maintained in normal position by independ- Copies of this patent may be obtained for ent springs, of which one has its extremity extended Within the button-shank guide- Way intermediate said pivoted parts to afford a yielding stop-finger to check the advance of the foremost button within the chute, and a button-pusher adapted to engage and propel the buttons along said guideways into operative relation with the button-fastening means.

13. The combination With button-fastening means and a Work-support, of a rockshaft disposed in angular relation with said support, a button-feeding member carried by said rock-shaft, means for turning said rock-shaft to impart feeding movements to said member, and means for imparting to said rock-shaft endwise movements toward and from said work-support.

In testimony whereof, I have signed 111 name to this specification, inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses.

Witnesses:

D. QBURNIE, H. J MILLER.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of lat ents, Washington, D. G." r 1 GEORGE s. GATOHELL. I

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