US2613446A - Buttonhole guide for facilitating layout of buttonholes - Google Patents

Description

M. HEIMLICH Filed March 29, 1950 BUTTONHOLE GUIDE FOR FACILITATING LAYOUT OF' BUTTONHOLES INVENToR. /w/LTOA/ Ham/CH BY 1 f 1 Aoefv Patented Oct. 14, 1952 BUTToNHoLE GIDE Foa FAoILITAriNG `LAYOUT oF BUTToNHoLEs Milton Heimlich, Larchmont, N. Y. Application March ,29, 1950, Serial No. 152,625

My present invention relates to a device for facilitating the lay-out of buttonholes. y

It is a general objectof the invention to provide an inexpensive and handy tool of simple construction, for use by dressmakers and tailors to aid inthe proper preliminary laying outof buttonholes to be formed in a garment or the like.

I It is necessary to make a buttonhole longer than the diameter of the button for which it is intended, morder to allow forfree passage of the button .through the buttonhole. This is due to the fact that as the hole is widened by passage of the button its length is decreased by an amount slightly less than the thickness of the button. The `buttonhole length should therefore exceed the diameter of the button by an amount approximately equal to the thickness of the button. Since buttons differ widely both. as to diameter and thickness, their corresponding buttonhole lengths. must also diifer to compensate for both dimensions. y

The present tool not only enables one to determine quickly the proper lengths of buttonholes to compensate for button thicknesses, but serves also as a convenient means for marking the spacing between buttonholes.

More specifically, my invention lies in the provision of a tool which will automatically Vdetermine the length of a buttonhole needed for a given button, and which requires only one button gauging operation, i. e., one in which a single button measurement will` yield the buttonhole length without the need for separately measur ing both the diameter and the thickness of the button.

I achieve these objects, and such other objectives and advantages as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out, in the manner illustrated in the appended drawings. wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan View showing a tool constructed in accordance withmy invention and shown inoperative relation to a button;

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the tool, with the parts occupying the same positions as in Figule 1;

Figure 3 is a sidev elevation similar to Figure 2 but with a different button being gauged;

Figure 4 is an end View of the device with the button omitted, as viewed along the direction 4 4 of Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view showing the manner of application of the buttonhole guide to an illustrative lay-out of buttonholes.

The buttonhole guide illustrated herein comprises a iiat relatively rigid strip or base member 6 claims. (o1. as rin III which may be formed of any material suitable for use as a rule or for measuring purposes, suchv as metal, plastic, wood, etc. The strip is preferably thin having upper and lower surfaces II( and I2, side edges I3 and end edges I4. One or.y

tion 2D is a nger which projects outwardly,.I i. e., laterally, preferably from the calibrated edge' I3 of the strip, and having an index edge 23:

which is preferably aligned lwith the zero marking of the scale I5 and the base or intersection line 22 of the inclined surface 2 I.

The strip I0 is provided with a longitudinal slot I6 having side walls ITwhich are parallel to the edges I3. Disposed Withinithe slides 3U and 3l. Each slideis preferably of resilient material, such as metal, formed rof an initially flat strip and provided `with a medial loop portion 32 which extends above the upper surface of the guide I6. Below the loop are neck'lportions 33 and a pair of foot portions 34 and 35il turned outwardly to lie-adjacent to the undersurface i 2 of the guide strip; Each slide'is formed with an indexing edge on its foot portion 35. The indexing edge on the slide 30 is designated 36,'and the corresponding edge on the slide 3| is designated 37.

Slide 3| constitutes an adjustable abutment in. tended to cooperate with the elevation 20, and may, for example, carry a member 38 cemented or otherwise secured to the slide in such manner as to present a hat surface 39 in opposition to the fixed and inclined surface 2I. Member 38 is so connected to the slide 3| as to move therewith, and its surface 39 is aligned with the indexing edge 31.

The slide construction described may be simply fabricated from strip stock of resilient'material by rst stamping and forming the loop and neck portions; the foot portions may then be inserted through slot tions are then bent outwardly into their iinal positions. When thus formed and assembled each slide is freely movable along slot t6, the resilience of the loop portion exerting pressure outwardly against slot edges I1 through the neck portions 33 to hold the slide frictionally in any desired position.

The guide is used as follows: In order to determine the proper length of the buttonhole to be formed for any given button, the button is laid slot are separate I6, from the top and the foot poron the upper surface ofthe guide near the elevation and the slide 3| is pushed toward it until the button is snugly interposed between the inclined surface 2| and the upright surface 39. Where the surface 2| is formed at a 45 angle to the strip l0, an isosceles triangle is subtended between the button and the surfaces 2| and in which triangle the two equal sides are equal to the thickness of the button (see Fig. 2). Therefore the length of the buttonhole measured between the indexing edges 23 and 31 is equal to the diameter of the button plus its thickness. If buttons of varying thickness are applied to the guide in the above manner, the lengths measured between edges 23 and 31 will correspondingly vary. Compare, for example, Figures 2 and 3 wherein the relative positions of the elements are indicated when the guide is applied first to a thick button A (Fig. 2) and then to a button B having the same diameter, but thinner (Fig. 3).

It has been found that placing the surface 2| at a. 45 angle yields satisfactory results. However, other angles may be used if desired, to provide a different button-thickness compensatory adjustment.

The slide is utilized as an index to the spacing between the holes. If, for example, vin a garment C (Fig. 5), it is desired to form a row of buttonholes D, for a given size button A, and the buttonholes are to be spaced by a distance S, slide 30 is moved to a position in which the distance between its edge 36 and the fixed edge 23 is exactly S. The guide I0 is then laid on the cloth C with edge 23 at a selected starting point and the' cloth is marked at edge 36. The guide is then lifted to shift edge 23 to the last-made mark, and the new location of edge 36 is marked, and so on. This procedure is repeated until the entire row of holes D, with spacings S, is completed.

The button A is then placed on the guide |0 and the slide 3| positioned against it, in the manner previously described, to determine the proper length L of the hole D. The button may then be removedand the guide applied to the cloth at each of the previously-made markings, as shown at the right, in Figure 5. The required-and exact length L of each hole is then marked on the cloth or may be cut directly into the cloth, by cutting between finger edges 23 and 31. Having thus laid out the buttonholes on the material with the desired spacing and the exact length, each hole may be cut, sewn, and completed in the usual manner.

While I have described my invention as applied to the making of buttonholes it may ybe capable of usein other fields. It will also be understood that those skilled in the art may make modifications in the material, shape and details of the exemplified embodiment without necessarily departing from the scope and spiritof the appended claims.

p Having thus described my invention and illustrated its use, whatI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

Y l. A buttonhole guide comprising a base member, a fixed element having an overhanging surface projecting upwardly .from said base member, a fixed `indicating finger carried by and projecting from said base member adjacent to said fixed element, a movable element projecting upwardly 4 from said base member and provided with an indicating finger projecting in the same direction as said fixed finger, said movable element and finger being slidably carried by said base member so as to allow the engagement on said base member and between said projecting elements of buttons of Varying diameter and thickness, the distance between said fingers varying in proportion to varying button diameters and also to varying button thicknesses whereby said distance serves to indicate the proper length of buttonhole required for the particular button engaged between said projecting elements.

2. A `buttonhole guide as set forth in claim l wherein said overhanging surface is formed at an angle of substantially 45 to said base member.

3. .A buttonhole guide comprising: a, fiat member for application to material in which a buttonhole is to be formed, a. fixed element having an overhanging surface projecting upwardly from the upper surface ofl said flat member, a fixed indicating finger havingV an edge aligned'with the lowermost edge of said element, a second element projecting upwardly from said flat member and provided with an upstanding surface facing to ward said fixed' element and an indicating finger having an edge aligned with said upstandingv surface, said second element being slidably carried by said at member so as to allow the engagement on said flat member and between said projecting. elements of buttons of varying diameter and. thickness, the space between saidngers indicatiing theproper length of buttonhole to be` formed to compensate for buttons of varying thickness.

4. A buttonhole guide as described in claim .3 wherein said overhanging surface is formed at an angle of substantially 45 with the upper surface. of said flat member.

5. A buttonhole guide as described in claim 3 wherein said indicating fingers project from one edge of the flat member and said edge is provided with length markings.

6. Abuttonhole guide comprising: a at strip, an inclined surface fixedto and extending .from the upper surface of the strip near one end thereof for engaging one edge of a button,.a fixed index finger adjacent'to the inclined surface and projecting from anedge of the strip,.an elongated sloti'n the strip parallel to said edge, and a slide movable in said slot and. presenting. a surface for engaging the opposite edge of thebuttonI said slide having'an indicating finger projecting beyond'said edge of vthe strip.

MILTON HEIMLICH.

REFERENCES CITED lThe following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

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