US1188942A - Buttonhole-stitching machine. - Google Patents

Description

J. KIEWICZ.

BUTTON HOLE SIITCHING MACHINE.

APPUCATION' FILED IAR. 26, 1914.

151 88,942. Patented June 27,1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET I.

w- 5V "iwerwm;

365 N arm} &

Y a [ax C WI agsa g I .l. KIEWICZ. BUTTONHOLE STITCHING MACHINE. nrucmon FILED um. 26. m4.

Patented June 27, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

J. KlEWICZ.

BUTTONHOLE smcume MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26, I914.

Patented June 27, 1916.

5 SHEETS$HEET 3- J. KIEWICZ.

BUTTONHOLE STITCHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 26. 1914.

Patented W 27, 1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

J. KIEWICZ. BUTTONHOLE STITCHING MACHINE.

"5' APPLlCATlON FILED MAR. 25/1914.

1,188,942. Patented June 27,1916.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

my! a er ezz/zc M h5g5 1 mm mm; Msmmm u c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN KIEWICZ. OF HYDE PARK, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE REECE BUTTON- HOLE MACHINE COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

BUTTONHOLE-STITCHING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 26, 1914. Serial No. 827,276.

To all whom it muy con ern lie it known that I, Jens Kinwicz,a citizen of the l nited States, residing at Hyde lark. in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts. have. invented certain new and useful Improvements in Buttonhole-Stitching Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to buttonhole stitching machines, particularly of that-type wherein a frame carrying the stitch forming mechanism on the one hand and a work support or clamp on the other hand are relatively movable. so asto enable the stitch- .ing to be carried along the sides of the buttonhole and around its end or ends.

The general object of the present invention is by reorganization of structure and mode of operation to generally improve the running qualities and efficiency of buttonhole stitching machines and to permit increase tif speed of operation without introducing objectioiuible shock, vibration or no se. I

Other objects hereof will be made apparent during the "hereinafter following description of the nature of the invention.

First will be described one form in which the present improvements may be carried out and afterward the novel features will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims. 5

1n the. accmnliaii' ving five sheetsof drawings forming a par. he eof. Figure 1 is a left elevation of a buttonhole stitching machine with its base and legs omitted, embodying the present invention. In this and the other figures the parts are shown in that stage of operation where the work clamp has automatically opened. but before the same has shifted completely rearwardly the cutting position. Fig. 2 shows at the left in top view and at the right in ear view the type of buttonhole adapted t(' be made on the specifically illustrated machine hereof. Fig. is a bottom plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1. The side nearest the observer in this figure will be referred to as the right-hand side of the machine. Fig. -t is a top plan view thereof with the entire stitching mechanismbroken off. Fig. 5 is a bottom view of a detail. of

Fig. Fig. (3 is a top view of a detail of Fig. 4. Fig. T is a section on the plane 7-7 of Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a partial right elevation of the mechanismof Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is a front elevation partly in section on the plane 9-9 of Fig. 4. Fig. 10 is a right elevation on the plane 10-10 of Figs. 1 and 9. Fig. 11 is a left elevation partly in section of the cutter, anvil and under stitching mechanism, the latter being shown shifted for convenience to a position facing the observer. Fig. 12 is an elevation of the under stitching mechanism seen from the rear of Fig 11. Fig. 13 is an elevation thereof seen. from the right of Fig. 11. Fig. H is a plan view of the under stitching mechanism and certain other parts beneath the table. Fig. 15 is a front view showing certain details of Fig. 11. Fig. 16 is a section on the plane 10 1c of Fig. 12.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the several figures.

The invention is shown applied to a SPPCIOS of machine in which. briefly stated. the operation may be substantially as follows: In the initial position the work clamp is open. the cutter and anvil are retracted and both needles are out of the work. The operator positions the work beneath the clamp and presses the hand it "er for starting the mechanism. This operation throws into action the primary or what may be termed the quick feed clutch. in a manner similar to the action described in prior Patent X0. 1.030.589. This quickly rotates the feed shaft which. through the main cam, effects first the closing of the clamp upon the work. where it becomes locked. the forward swingingof the anvil and the operation of the cutter to cut the buttonhole, the separation and retraction of the cutter and anvil, followed by a quick forward movement (e. g. three-fourths inch) of the clamp plate or work support from cutting position to the position where stitching commences, during which forward movement the work is stretched to spread the buttonhole slit. *At

this point the lnain cam. acting through theshipper lever. throws the quick feed clutch automatically out of action. and throws the stitching clutch and shaft into action. The stitch shaft. while operating the needles,

also effects through the feed shaft and main cam slow stepbystep feed of the'work.

During the feed movement around the buttonhole the clamp moves forwardly along one edge and back along the other edge of the buttonhole. At the ends the clamp has a lateral. movement and during such lateral movement the entire stitching mechanism revolves about its vertical axis so that the stitches are properly laid around the margin of the buttonhole slit, as seen in Fig. 2. At

the completion of the stitching, the main cam automatically operates the stitch clutch to fibril the shaft. and thereupon the quick feed clutch is again thrown into action by the shipper lever to shift the clamp plate quickly rearwardly to init al or cutting position. At the beginning of tl'ns quick rearward movement the clamp is hutomatically s n-ung open, permitting, the removal of 'the work. It is in this stage in the cycle of operations that the parts are illustrated in the drawings hereof. The work clainp continues its rearward movement, at the end of which the quick feed clutch is thrown out of action,

;,and the entire machine comes to a stop with the cutter elevated, the needles out of the 'Ul'l and the clamp open, as at the beginning, ready for the rcq'iositioning of the work and the operation of the hand lever, which has meanwhile sprung upward.

Referring specifically to the different elements of the illustrated structure, the bed plate .20 may be swingingly attached to a base 21 indicated in dotted lines, Fig. l. .The bed plate supports the head 22, which,

by its foot 23, is secured fast to the bed plate, and has an overhanging arm 24 supporting the upper needle fittin Beneath the bed plate 20 is a cam casing -o inclosing the large circular main ram 26. This main cam affords the general control of the machine, and itself is adapted to rotate first rapidly, then slowly, then rapidly, during the formation of each buttonhole, and the main cam has peripheral teeth for the purpose of such slow rotation.

The main cam 26 contains a number of cam grooves or surfaces for the various purposes of the machine, as follows; namely, at the'upper surface of the cam disk 26 is provided near the center the cutter operating cam 26, and outside of that the cam 26 which effects the forward and back 'ard movement of the work clamp, and near the periphery the cam 26*, which controls the clutch of the stitch shaft. The underneath side of the cam disk '26 contains near its center the cam '26, which effects the late 'al or right and left motion of the work clamp, and outside of that the cam. 26, which effects the circular oscillation of the stitching mechanism as the stitches are laid around the ends of the buttonhole, and near the periphery the cam 26, which effects the closing of the work clamp upon the work. Generally this main cam is a well-known element in this type of machine, but its difierent portions effect novel operations, as will be hereinafter described.

Another important member of the operating mechanism is the so-called shipper lever 28, corresponding generally with the three-armed lever a of said prior patent. The shipper lever is seen dotted in Fig. 3 and various portions are seen in other figures, namely, the lever has a fixed pivot 28 about which it may be horizontally swung, there being a spring 25" tending to move it to the left. The lever has a rearward cX- tension :55, which cooperates with a wedge rod 112 to be hereinafter described; also an offset 28" from extension 28 whose function is to shift the quick feed clutch; also a square recessed extension 25 which cooperates with the clutch of the stitch shaft, so that the latter is enabled to control the shifting of the quick feed clutch; also an offset 28 from the extension 28", the purpose of which is to preclude possibility of closing the quick feed clutch before the stitching mechanism has been properly thrown out of action.

It will be understood that the machine possesses miscellaneous devices in the nature of take-ups, tensions and other accessories which par 86 form no part of the present improvement and of which either description orillustration will be omitted.

In the following description the various departments of the machine will be taken up in the following order: The work clamp and clamp plate; the cutter and anvil; the starting lever and the quick drive clutch; the stitching mechanism; the stitch drive shaft and connections.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 4, 8, 9 and 10, the clamp plate 30 is shown at the forward upper side of the bed plate confined in its proper plane of movement by the overhanging guide ledges 31 which permit both the forwardly and backwardly and the sideto-side movements. Supported on the clamp plate are a pair of upper clamp members 32 whose hubs loosely surround a horizontal transverse axle 33. Eeneath the upper clamp members are the under clamp members 34 in the nature of bars pivoted at their front ends and drawn to ard each other at their rear ends by spring 35. Rear extensions of the members 32 are pulled down by spring 36 tending, therefore, to open the clamp.

For depressing the upper members and closing the clamp, the left-hand member 32 is provided with an upwardly extending dog 37 adapted to be forced forwardly by an arm 38 which is fast on the axle 33, While a dog 39, also fast on the axle, underlies the rear extension of the right-hand clamp member for lifting the same and thereby depressing the member. \Vith this arrangement the forward rotation of the axle depresses and closes the clamp.

Above and to the left of the rear portion of the clamp plate is a rock shaft 40 carrying a cam or eccentric 41, adapted to push the arm 38 forward for closing the clamp, the same having an extension contacting a stop pin -42 (Fig. 10) to maintain the parts in the prbper position with the clamp open. The rock shaft 40 is oscillated through a crank lever 43 thereon which may be pulled down at certain times from the main cam of the machine, or may be depressed by a hand lever 44 operable at will. When the clamp has been pulled down to close it upon the work, it is automatically locked in that position by a pivoted lock 45, which engages in a. notch at the upper end of the a m 38.

For the automatic closing of the clamp the lever 43 upon the rock shaft 40 has an offset crank-like portion, as seen in Fig. 9, cooperating with. which is hook 47 whose shank extends downwardly to where at its lower end it is pivoted to the forward end of the clamp-closing cam lever 48 (Fig. 1). A spring 49 tends to hold the hook 47 forwardly in the position shown, while a. spring 50 tends to sustain the forward end of the cam lever 48 against the tendency of the cam 26, acting upon the roller 51 carried by the lever 48, to depress the latter.

By the described arrangement the action of the clamp closing cam is to depress the cam lever, thereby pulling down the hook which rotates the rock shaft 40, depressing the upper clamp members and closing the clamp, which becomes locked by the device, 38, 45, until released by other means.

The automatic release or opening of the clamp may be effected by means of the illustrated clamp opening contact arm 53 (Figs. 1 and 9). This is a passive instrument and has at its extremity a leftward projection 54 (Fig. 9), which cooperates with the lock 45 to cause the lifting of the latter as the clamp plate moves back to initial position after the completion of a buttonhole. A pin-andslot device 55 permits the arm 53 to lift slightly to freely permit the forward move ment of the lock 45, which is carried with the clamp plate.

As the clamp plate moves rapidly forward from initial position to the position where stitching commences and after the buttonhole slit has been cut, the work is stretched to open the slit by means of a cam member 58, shown in detail in Fig. 7, it being yoked to straddle the axle 33 and having flat exterior faces, so that, when the curved arm 59 thereof contacts a fixed cam 60 (Fig. 4), the member 58 is swung so as to wedge apart the under and upper clamp members.

The connections for shifting the clamp plate forwardly and backwardly may include slide bar 63 (Figs. 1, 3, 4). This extends longitudinally near the center of the bed plate and is cut away at ditlerent places, as shown, to avoid conflict with other elements. At the forward right-hand corner the slide bar (13 has an upright springpressed projection (34, which normally is en gaged by a hook ()5 on the clamp plate 30 (Fig. (i) so that the plate moves with the bar, while the manual displacement of the projection 4 permits disengagement for entirely withdrawing the clamp plate from the Inachine. The forward and backward movements of the slide bar (33 are effected by a cam roller (36 thereon engaging the cam 26".

The right and left-hand movements of the clamp plate may be effected by the following mechanism: The clamp plate at its under side has a longitudinal groove (Fig. 9), which is constantly engaged by a rib 71 formed on a slide 72 located beneath the bed plate anl capable of right anl lefthand movements, a spring 73 tending to force the slide 72 to the right and the slide having beneath it a contact 74 adjustable by a screw 75 (Fig. 5) to properly cooperate with a cam arm 76 (see also Fig. 3) pivoted centrally at 77 and swung horizontally laterally by stud roller 78 at the rear extremity of the cam arm engaging with the cam groove 26 of the main cam.

The upright spring pressed projection 64, above referred to, which is carried by the forwardly and reaiwvardly sliding bar 63, constitutes a latch leveradapted to engage with and be disengaged. from the book ()5 secured at the rear righthand corner of the clamp-plate. Fig. 4 shows these parts in plan view; and they are further shown in Figs. 8 and 9. This constitutes a simple form of lat'ch or connection which can be easily disconnected. \Vhen connected, the clamp-plate partakes of the forward and rearward movements of the bar 63. These movements and the latching and unlatching and the sliding out of the clamp-plate do not conflict in any way with the means for effecting lateral clamp movements, namely, the rib and groove arrangement 70, 71. When the latch 64, ('35 is opened, the clampplate in its entirety is capable of being removed from the machine by a simple forward sliding. The rib and groove 70, 71 extend forwardly and rearwardly, and so do the overhanging ledges 31, which constitute guides for the plates longitudinal movements. Not only do the parts 70, 71, 31 extend forwardly and rearwardly, but, as will be clear from the figures, the bed plate 20 is opened or' cut away at the front, thereby permitting the unobstructed outward sliding of the clamp-plate and its removal from the machine. To replace the clamp-plate it is merely necessary to insert it at the front beneath the guide ledges 31 and push it rearwardly by hand until the hook 05 snaps into engagement with the. latch lever (H.

The cutter is at the forward end of an arm 81 (see Figs. 1 and 8) fulcrumcd near its middle and having a contact tongue 813 at its rear extremity resting upon the cam groove 20 near the center of the upper side of the main cam whereby the cam efl'ects the cutter operations in opposition to a suitable spring.

Opposed to the cutter, below the clamp plate, is the anvil consisting of a removable piece supported at the extremity of the anvil arm 87 (see Figs. 1 and 11). The anvil arm is shiftable, rendering the anvil capable of advancing to cutting position and, after cutting, withdrawing to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 11. The anvil arm is a solid member capable of receiving a heavy blow by the cutter and is so shaped in the irregular manner shown as to permit the fulcrum S8 at the arms lower end to be located, as shown, in substantially direct alinement with the blow of the cutter so as to give the greatest solidity of resistance and avoidance of tendency to deflection. A spring 89 coiled around the fulcrum 88 tends to retract the anvil from cutting position. The anvil carrier 87 may be described as recessed at 90 at its forward side, the recess accommodating portions of the under stitching mechanism while the latter is idle and the anvil is operative. In this effective way the cutting position is enabled to be located in close proximity to the stitching position so that the amount of quick feed between cutting and stitching positions is materially reduced, not only obviating the mechanical disadvantages of a more extensive jump of the work -arried in the clamp plate but causing a substantial saving of time, at the same time securing simplicity, solidity and effectiveness of mechanism and operation. The described arrangement secures the advantages that would be had by a fixed anvil on the clamp plate, but obviates the very practical disadvantage that such fixed anvil would necessarily be .too light and therefore incapable of performing its work.

Hereinafter another advantage in the described arrangement will appear in that the withdrawal of the anvil during stitching permits the under stitching mechanism to be designed. as shown, with a curved under needle oscillating about a simple pivot located substantially as high as the clamp plate permits. \Vithout the withdrawal of the anvil, as is clear in Fig. 11, there would be conflict between the anvil and the under needle pivot upon bodily rotating the under mechanism. as is necessary.

The movement of the anvil and carrier may be effected through an extension 93 formed on the clamp closing cam lever 48.

so that the movement of the lever to close the clamp simultaneously shifts the anvil into position beneath the descending cutter. As seen in Fig. l, the extension 93 is held up by a spring 9 extending downwardly from the cam lever 48. The cam lever 48 is caused to descend a considerable distance in closing the clamp, and in such descent it carries the extension 93 with it, the extension thereby striking the contact arm 0."), which, being depressed, rocks the shaft J0 so as to swing forwardly the rocker arm 97. which. as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 11, presses the anvil carrier into operating position.

The novel features of the described cutter and anvil mechanism are not herein claimed, but are made the subject of divisional application, Serial No. 47,405, filed August 26, 1915.

The starting lever 100, when depressed by the finger of the operator, may effect the commencement of operations and the throwing in of the clutch of the quick drive shaft by the following mechanism. The start lever besides swinging is capable of sliding by reason of a sleeve 101 interposed between it and a trigger post 102 (Fig. 1), the spring 103 tending to hold the sleeve in lower position, the sleeve having a' pair of notches at the lower edge, either of which is adapted to engage an outstanding pin 104 on the trigger post. These two notches correspond with two positions which the starting lever may be made to assume by horizontal swinging, the outer or left-hand position, shown dotted in Fig. 4, being inoperative and the lever only capable of descending when in the inner or right-hand position, shown in full lines Fig. 1. This insures that when the operator hasswung the start lever to the left to remove the clamp plate the machine cannot be accidentally started; and when in operative position the lever is very conveniently accessible to the operator, whose hands are engaged in positioning the work. The means which. prevents the depression of the start lever, unless in the full line position, consists of the safety pin 105 "depending from the lever adapted to enter a hole 106 in the bed plate corresponding to the right-hand or operative position of the lever and pin. The trigger post 102 is continued beneath the bed plate in the form of a trigger 107. By the described devices the start lever is capable of operating the trigger when and only when the parts are in the proper position. \Vhcn the clamp plate is to be bodily removed the operator naturally shifts the lever outwardly and thus makes it impossible to accidentally prematurely restart the machine.

The depression of the start lever by swinging the trigger rearward releases the for ward extension 109 of a locking lever 110 which is centrally pivoted near the left of the machine. At a later stage in the operashipping lever is pulle tions when it is desired to reset the locking lever a pushing spring 111 serves to force to the right the rear end of the locking lever, thus bringing the forward end to the left of the trigger.

The rear end of the locking lever does not connect directly with the clutch of the feed shaft but controls the latter through certain. other parts. Thus, an upwardly projecting stud, at the rear of lever 110, engages against a wedge rod 112, and-the wedge rod engages against a downwardly projecting stud at the rear end of the extension 28 of the shipper lever 28. In this way the locking lever 110 normally holds the shipping lever to the right thereby maintaining the quick feed clutch open. When the start lever is depressed and the lockin lever released the forcibly to the left by the spring 28", which is of greater strength than the spring 111. The shipper lever in moving to the left operates, through its extension 28, to. effect the closing of the clutch, 'as will be later described.

The wedge rod112 will be seen to have a narrow portion at the extremity and a wider portion at the rear of the extremity, the two connected by an inclined wedge surface.

Normally the narrow part of thegwedge rod stands between the two studs, namely, those; of lever 110 and extension 28. In that condition the'rod serves merely as a contacting communication between the two studs. In Fig. 3 the rod is shown intheact of moving forward for the purpose of, wedging the shipper lever to the right thereby opening the quick feed clutch. This movement is efl'ected through a spring actuated lever 113 centrally pivoted and having a contact 114 adapted to contact directly with the rear of the sliding bar 63, which effects the rearward movement of the clamp plate. Thus, at the end of the operations of stitching a buttonhole the return of the clamp plate to initial position operates, through the lever 113 and the wedge rod 112, to automatically stop the machine.

The feed shaft 116 serves to drive the main cam 26 by a worm 117 on the shaft engaging inclined teeth around the periphe of the cam. The left end of the feed sha t is provided with a belt pulley 118, and outside of that may be provided a handle for hand adjustment. With the pulley'118 is embodied a clutch, the details of which will not be described herein as they form the subject of a clutch comprises a portion 119 by which the clutch is controlled. The. part 119 when pushed to the left closes the clutch so that the belt pulley drivesthe feed shaft, and at, other times the pulley runs idlv. The shipswingin ing the making of each buttonhole, first by" the main cam shifting the shipper lever at the time the stitching mechanism is thrown into operation, and finally by the wedge rod 112 when the machine is brought to a final stop. It. should be stated that the outer groove 26 at the u per side of the main cam efiects'the swinging of the shipper lever at the same time that the cam closes the stitch shaft clutch, and the precise .connections will-be mom easily described in connection with the stitching mechanism. 1

The stitching mechanism itself, see Fig. 1'

and Figs. 11 to 16, comprises an upper needle bar or carrier-I124, which is capable of shifting up and down and of rotating, it eccentricall carrying an eye-pointed needle .125 at its ower end. 'Op osite the upper needle is the under stitc ing mechanism 0 mprising a shifta'ble croscillating stock 126, which carries the movable parts, so that the latter may be bodily rotated in unison with the rotation of the upper needle. The under needle 123 is also capable of-up and (flown movement and is shown of the curved orm.

The oscillating stock 126 has near its upper end an annular portion 127 rotatable in a fixed bearing 128, which is annular save for a cut away portion at the rear to admit the anvil carrier 87. The oscillating stock has a lower fixed bearing 130.

To rotate the under and upper stitching mechanisms .in unison each is provided with a pinion 131, and each pinion is engaged by a toothed segment or rack 132, and both such segments are secured upon so as to oscilla e with a vertical shaft 133, this shaft having near its lower end a rock arm 134 connectedv by a link 135 with a cam lever 136, said cam lever having a central'stud projecting into the intermediate groove 26 at the under side of the main cam. See also Fig. 3.

Referring more specifically to the under stitching mechanism the needle 123 is s9 cured to. an oscillating carrier or block 140. Ode advantageof the presentin-vention is that an extremely' simple under needle mounting is permitted Thus the needle or arm 141 extending -to'the axle or pivot block 140 isrigidly connected to'a spoke 142, so that asimple swinging is permitted and a sliding raceway dispensed with. The

pivot 142 may be'located at an elevated positlon, as shown, practically as high as the under side of the clamp plate. The higher 126 would ordinarily cause the pivot 1-l-2 to strike the anvil, but the retraction of the anvil according to this invention, prevents such conflict and. therefore, the retractlng anvil while giving adequate opposition to the cutter allows the constructor to employ.

a simple and :ulvantageously located pivot for swinging the under needle.

The tinder mechanism may have the usual throat lll. the usual looper 11.), the carrier 116 therefor." which is swiveled and pivoted,

the usual threearmed takeup lever H7, tension 14S and hollow -.erticall v reciprocating actuator rod H9. The course of the under thread may be from the opening in the hollow rod to lhe tension H3, to the takcup 1.17, to the eye 1.70 on the needle carrier and thence to the needle 12 For actuating the under needle 123 there ma be. provided an irregular block 152 secured to the actuator 1 l1 said block having a guiding exten ion 152; for steadymg it.

This is adjustable for wear, as shown in detail in Fig. 16. Extending upwardly from the block 152 is a long upright link 154., pivotally connected at its upper end in an adjustable manner to a swinging arm 155 secured at the rear end of the short axle 142 with which the needle oscillates. By this simple means the up and down movement of the actuator causes the desired under needle movements.

The looper H5 and its carrier 146 may be mounted, as shown in detail in Fig. 15, namely, by means of a swivel shaft 157 to which the looper carrier is secured. This shaft is journaled in portions of an irregularly shaped lever 158 having a fixed pivot 159 and a cam slot, at 160, below the pivot engaged by apin 1-61, see Fig. 11, projecting from the actuator 149. The cam and pin effect the bodily shifting movement of the looper. The slight necessary tipping movement of the looper to carry it around the path of the needle may be effetced by a spring-pressed rock arm 162 projecting from the swivel shaft 157, said rock arm coopcrating with a rock arm 163 carried by the vertical rock shaft 164, see Fig. 12. The two rock arms contact each other substantially in line with the pivot 159 constituting the axis about which the looper swings, so that the bodily swinging of the looper does not disturb the operative relation between the rock arms. The rock shaft 16-1 may be oseil lated through astud and roller projecting from its lower end and engaging the cam end of a crosslever 166 swung upwardly and downwardly by a link 167 operated from the actuator 149.

By the described connections the actuator 5 in its up and down movement effects the up has a universal connection to the actuator H5). The rearend of the leveris connected by an eccentric rod 172 with anveccentrie mounted directly on the stitch shaft 214, hereinafter to be more fully referred to.

The driving connections for the stitching mechanism will now be described. stitch shaft 214 is a laterally extending shaft revolubly nnumted in the head 22 of the machine. 'lhe stitch shaft 2H corresponds with the stitch shaft 14 in my prior application Ser. No. 783,047, filed Sertember 4th, 1913, and indeed all the refer: aces hereinafter from 211 to 28!) inclusive correspond with the references 14 to 89 respectively in said prior application. The prior application refers more particularly to the driving and stop mechanisms for the stitching mechanism, and may, therefore, be referred to for details not fully herein described or illustrated. .Tpon the stitch shaft 211 are loose and fast pulleys 215 and 216, from one to the other of which a belt may be shifted for either driving or disengaging the shaft. A laterally movable belt shifter, concealed in Fig. 8, is secured at its lower end to a collar 222 upon a short horizontal fulcrum shaft mounted in a forwardly and rear- Wardly extending bearing 223. Projecting to the right or toward the observer, in Fig. 8, is a lug 225 carried b v.the collar 222, and a spring 226 tends to depress the lug and thereby move the belt shifter to the right so as to shift the belt to the fast pulley. Therefore the stitching mechanism will operate unless rendered inoperative, as hereinafter described.

The stopping device 230 serves both to shift the belt and to apply a brake, and it consists of a hollow upright portion 231 from which forwardly extends the arm 232 secured to shaft 233, so that by swinging the shaft the stop device may move toward and from the stitch shaft 214. A yielding lug 234 is formed at the upper cndof a bolt- 235 Within the hollow member 231 and is adapted to engage a cooperating lug- 241 The 241 projecting therefrom so as to engage at certain times with the yielding lug 231. The lug 241 may also be yielding.

\Vhen the stop device 230 is swung to ward the driving shaft the lug 234 extends in the path of the liig 241, so that the latter strikes the former for stopping the shaft.

In the illustrated construction however the engagement of the lugs is preceded by a shifting of the belt to the loose pulley and is accompanied by the application of the brake. Thus the shifting of the belt is effected by the upward swinging movement of thestop device 230 through connections, not shown, between the device and the belt shifter, and the brake is applied by the resilient yielding of the lug 23-1 acting upon a brake lever 253, the latter carrying a brake shoe 254. adapted to be pressed against the circumference of the drum or hub 240 through a stiff spring 255. The brake lever is shown pivoted to a fixed bracket 257 and the levers rear extremity extends into a re ce-ss 258 formed in the hollow member 231 and a recess 259 in the bolt 235, so that in the final stoppage of the stitch shaft the lifting of the bolt by the contacting of the lugs 234, 241, applies the brake, all as more fully described in said prior application. 3.6

' The control of the stopping devices from the main cam may be effected by the following arrangement which, as before stated, also effects a control of the clutch of the feed shaft. Referring to Fig. 8, the short shaft 233 has rigidly movable with it three parts, namely, the supporting arm 232 for the stop device, also a downwardly projecting arm 268 and also a forward extension 277 having a contact pin78 at the front of it. These associated elements may be bodily tilted or swung to a slight extent from the main cam by means of a vertically sliding pin 279, whose lower end rests upon the cam groove 26 of the main cam. At the proper time the main cam lifts the pin 279, which lifts the extension 277, thereby swinging the shaft 233 and the arms 232 and 268. A spring 282 is employed tending always to swing the extension 277 downward or to swing the stop device 230 inward.

When the main cam lifts the extension 277 and swings forwardly the arm 268 the latter, which is engaged in the square recess 28 of the shipper lever (as seen in Fig. 3), serves to swing the shipper lever so as to open the quick feed clutch 119; at the same time the supporting arm 233 in swinging downwardly carries the stopping device out: wardly disengaging the brake shoe and disengaging the lugs 234 and 2 11 and shifting the belt to the fast pulley, thus initiating the stitching operations.

The stitching operations continue as long 'as the pin 27 9 is held elevated by the main cam. \Vhen the cam allows the pin to drop this causes the stopping device to come into play to stop the stitch shaft. The stoppage does not take place instantaneously. the stopping device springs forward. It is pro vidcd with a guard 287, which contacts the rim of the hub 2-1-0, as seen in Fig. 8; a notch 281 in that hub releases the guard at a proper point in the rotation. and afterward the guard is restored under control of the spring 288. 'hen the guard has dropped into the notch the lugs 23%: and 241 are adapted to engage, and after a portion of a revolution they do engage, so that with the aid of the brake shoe the stitch shaft is brought positively, yet easily, to a definite stopped position with both needles disengaged from the work. At the end of this stitching operation the shipper lever is to be moved back so as to again close the quick feed clutch, but a safety device may be provided to prevent this occurring until after the stitch shaft has been brought to rest in proper position. This safety device includes a locking arm 271 loosely mounted on shaft 233 and projecting downwardly to the rear of the extension 28 of the shipper lever. The locking arm 271 is provided with an upward extension272 adapted to drop into a notch 273 in the hub 240 when the stitch shaft is brought to rest with the needles out of the work. If the shaft is brought to rest in any other position the extension 272 is unable to drop into the notch so that the arm 271 holds the shipper lever extension 28 forward, thus preventing the 100 shipper lever from swinging under the ini fluence of its spring 28 to close the quick feed clutch.

It will be understood that in the first stage of the operation of the machine while 105 the quick feed clutch is closed the worm on the feed shaft drives the main cam 26 at fairly high speed, during which the cutting is effected and the clamp is quickly shifted from cutting to stitching position, where- .110 upon the main shaft operates to lift the pin 270 and throw out the quick feed clutch and to throw in the stitch shaft clutch; thereupon the stitching proceeds and simultaneously the feed shaft is slowly revolved 1 5 from the stitch shaft. For example, this may be done by an eccentric or cam 300011 the stitch shaft, Fig. 8, cooperating with a yoke 301 forming part of a bell crank lever, whose other portion or arm 302 is con- 120 nected by a downward link 303 with an oscillating arm 304, whose oscillation serves, through a pawl carrying device 305, to intermittently advance a ratchet wheel 306 fast on the feed shaft. This mechanism 125 and the further details will be more fully described and claimed in a separate application Serial No. 827,588, filed March 27, 1914.

-At the end of the stitching operation. after -iwmimimcwvtana its necessary path and the stitching mechanism has revolved about the ends of the buttonhole, the main cam releases the upright pm 279, thereby permitting the stitch shaft stopping device to come into play to stop the stitch shaft. As soon as this is effected the shipper lever is permitted to reinstate the quick feed clutch so that the feed shaft shifting of the shipper lever to throw the stitch mechanism into operation.

By adjustment in connection with cam lever 76 the size of the eye of the buttonhole may be varied.

It will thus be seen that I have described a buttonhole machine attaining the objects and advantages and embodying the novel principles of the present invention. Since many matters of design, detail and other features may be variously modified without departing from the main principles hereof,

no limitation to such features is intended excepting so far as set forth in the appended claims.

\Vhat is claimed is: l

1. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination a bed, operating mechanism, stitching mechanism actuated thereby, a work holding means comprising a clamp device wholly carried by a movable clamp plate, said movable clamp plate, horizontal slideways connecting said clamp plate to the bed to permit operative movement of the work holding means during stitching, said slideways extended to permit said work holding means to be bodily slid in. a horizontal direction completely out of connection with the machine, connections from said operating mechanism for bodily moving the work holding means horizontally during the stitching of each buttonhole, said connections including an easily accessible latch device, and connections whereby the work clamp is opened or closed by said operating mechanism, said last named connections being such as to permit the work holding means to be slid out of the machine upon the opening'of said latch device.

A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination a bed, operating mechanism, stitching mechanism actuated thereby, a work holding means comprising a clamp device wholly carried by a movable clamp plate, saidmovable clamp plate, horizontal slideways connecting said clamp plate to the bed to permit operative movement of the Work holding means during stitching, said slideways extended to permit said work holding iii-cans to be bodily slid in :1 horizontal direction completely out of connection with the machine, connections from said operating mechanism for bodily moving the work holding means horizontally during the stitching of each buttonhole, said connections including a spring-closed latch, and connections whereby the work clamp is opened or closed by said operating mechanism.

3. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination a bed, operating mecha nism, stitching mechanism actuated thereby, a work holding means comprising a clamp device wholly carried by a movable clamp plate, said movable clamp plate, said clamp device including a clamp closing arm and a lock for locking the clamp closed, horizontal slideways connecting said clamp plate to the bed to permit operative movement of the work holding means during stitching, said slideways extended to permit said work holding means to be bodily slid in a horizontal direction completely out of connection with the machine, connections from said operating mechanism for bodily moving the work holding means horizontally during the stitching of each buttonhole, said connections including a detachable connection or latch, connections from said operating mechanism for pressing on said clamp closing arm to close and lock the clamp, and means for automatically opening said look after the completion of a buttonhole.

4. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination a bed, stitching mechanism carried by said bed, a work clamp plate, means connecting said plate to said bed, permitting movements of the plate, means for moving said plate during the stitching of each buttonhole, work clamping means carried by said plate comprising an axle, an upper clamp member loose on the axle and depressible relatively thereto, springs tending to raise the member, an overlying part on the axle to depress the member upon the rotation of the axle, an arm on said axle for rotating it, and a lock for locking the arm, axle and clamp in closed position, together with a shiftable unlocking device mounted on a fixed part of the frame adapted to displace said lock by the movement of said plate on its return movement only, after the completion of the buttonhole and means for operating said axle rotating arm to close the clamp.

5. A buttonhole stitching machine including in cou'ibination a bed, stitching mechanism carried by said bed, a work clamp plate, means connecting said plate to said bed permitting relative movements of the former, means for relatively moving said plate during the stitching of each buttonhole, work clamping means carried by said plate comprising an axle, a pair of upper clamp members swingable about said axle, means for depressing said members to clamp the work, a clamp spreading cam between said members adapted to force them apart,

a cam operating arm movable with said plate, and a fixed cam surface cooperating with said arm to spread the clamp members and the work on the movement of the plate toward stitching position.

6. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination a bed, stitching mechanism, a work clamp, driving mechanism, and a depressible starting lever adapted to be horizontally shifted over said bed between operative position near said clamp, and inoperative position removed therefrom, means to prevent the depression ofthe lever in its inoperative position, and means whereby the depression of the lever indicates the action of the driving mechanism.

7. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination a bed, stitching mechanism, a work clamp, driving mechanism, and a depressible starting lever adapted to be horizontally shifted over said bed between operative position near said clamp, and inoperative position removed therefrom, and means to prevent the levers depression unless in operative position.

8. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination a bed, stitching mechanism, a work clamp, driving mechanism, and a depressible starting lever adapted to be horizontally shifted over said bed between operative position near said clamp, and inoperative position removed therefrom, and means to prevent the levers depression unless in operative position comprising a safety pin upon the lever and a recess in the bed beneath said pin when the lever is in operative position.

9. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination a bed, operating mechanism, stitching mechanism actuated thereby, a Work holding means comprising a clamp device wholly carried by a movable clamp plate, said movable clamp plate,horizontal slideways connecting said clamp plate to the bed to permit operative movement of the work holding means during stitching, said slideways extended to permit said work holding means to be bodily slid in a horizontal direction completely out of connection with the machine, connections from said operating mechanism for bodily moving the work holding means horizontally during the stitching of each buttonhole, said connections including a releasable device located for easy access above the bed, and connections whereby the work clamp is opened or closed by said operating mechaas to permit the work holding means to be slid out of the machine upon the opening of said latch device. I

10. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination a bed, operating mechanism, stitching mechanism actuated thereby, a Work holding means" comprising a clamp device wholly carried by a movable clamp plate, said movable clamp .plate, connections from said operating mechanism for moving the clamp plate transversely during stitching while permitting free longitudinal movement, connections from 'said operating mechanism for bodily moving the clamp plate horizotnally during stitching, said connections including an easily releasable device located for access above the bed, and connections whereby the work clamp is opened or closed by said operating mechanism, said last named connections being such as to permit the clamp plate and clamp to be slid out longitudinally; whereby on releasing said device the clamp plate and clamp may be readily removed from the machine.

11. A buttonhole stitching machine including in combination a bed, operating mechanism, stitching mechanism actuated thereby, a Work holding means comprising a clamp device wholly carried by a movable clamp plate, said movable clamp plate, horizontal slideways connecting said clamp plate to the bed to permit operative movement thereof both longitudinally and transversely during stitching, said slideways extended to permit said clamp plate to be bodily slid in a horizontal direction completely out of connection with the machine, connections from said operating mechanism for moving the clamp plate transversely during stitching while permitting free longitudinal movement, connections from said operating mech anism for bodily moving the clamp plate horizontally during stitching, said connections including an easily releasable device located for access above the bed, and connections whereby the work clamp is opened or closed by said operating mechanism, said last named connections being. such as to permit the clamp plate and clamp to be slid out longitudinally; whereby on releasing said device the clamp plate and clamp may be readily removed from the machine.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN KIEWICZ.

Witnesses:

J. WARREN NICHOLS, WM. C. BOISVERT.

00,1 of his patent may be obtained (or he cents each, by addressing the Commoner 01 2mm,

. Wuhhflon, D. 0."

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,188,942, granted June 27, 1916, uponthe application of John Kiewicz, of Hyde Park, Massachusetts, for an improvement in Buttonhole-Stitching Machines, errors appear in the printed specification requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 44, for the article the, first occurrence, read to; page 9,1ine 21, claim 6, for the word indicates read initiates; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 15th day of August, A. D., 1916.

min F. W. H. CLAY,

Acting Commiss'iomr of Patents.

Images