US2960049A

US2960049A - Button positioner attachment for sewing machines

Info

Publication number: US2960049A
Application number: US708943A
Authority: US
Inventors: Harry R Guedry
Original assignee: HAROLD S BONCK
Current assignee: HAROLD S BONCK
Priority date: 1958-01-14
Filing date: 1958-01-14
Publication date: 1960-11-15
Anticipated expiration: 1977-11-15

Description

Nov. 15, 1960 H. R. GUEDRY 2,960,049

BUTTON POSITIONER ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 14, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet l Harry R. Guedry INVENTOR.

BY Wyn 25m Nov. 15, 1960 H. R. GUEDRY 2,960,049

BUTTON POSITIONER ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 14, 1958 5 Sheets-$heet 2 Fig.2

Harry R. Guedry INVENTOR.

Nov. 15, 1960 H. R. GUEDRY 2,960,049

BUTTON POSITIONER ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 14, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 1 l l /05 14a Him 52 Nov. 15, 1960 Filed Jan. 14, 1958 BUTTON POSITIONER ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING lllACI-HNE'S 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. 7

Harry R. Guedry INVEN TOR. /76 /72 [78 BY Wm WW E an-5 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 H. R. GUEDRY Nov. 15, 1.960

BUTTON POSITIONER ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 14, 1958 T u 4 Wm .A u m MW 6 PM 1 .a. H J R 8 a U QM 4 HM! r m 6 Q. Q W 7 5 .v m a w BUTTON POSITIONER ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES Harry R. Guedry, 1809 Broad St., New Orleans, La., 25-

signor of fifty percent to Harold S. Bonck, New Orleans, La.

This invention comprises a novel and useful button positioner attachment for button sewing machines and more particularly relates to a device adapted to be applied to a conventional button sewing machine automatically operable for orienting buttons and positioning them upon a garment or article with the buttonholes properly disposed for passage of the sewing machine needle therethrough. V

The primary object of this invention is to provide a button positioning attachment for button sewing machines which shall be interconnected with the driving mechanism thereof and timed with respect thereto whereby to automatically feed buttons from a hopper, orient the holes in the buttons with respect to the needle of the sewing machine, and then move a button beneath the needle of the sewing machine in proper position upon a garment for attachment thereto by the needle.

A further object of the invention is to provide an attachment which shall be capable of receiving in a hopper buttons discharged thereinto at random, and thereafter automatically feed the buttons as required and orient them with respect to the needle of a sewing machine for attachment to a garment thereby.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a button positioning attachment for button sewing machines which shall hold, transmit and place a button in proper position upon a garment for attachment thereto in a simplified and improved manner.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a conventional form of sewing machine showing the button positioning attachment of this invention applied thereto, a part of the base of the sewing machine being broken away to show the position of certain of the driving elements of the attachment;

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 2-2 of Figure 1, a part of the sewing machine being omitted therefrom and parts being broken away, and showing in particular the button orienting and feeding mechanism together with a mechanism for operating the slide which moves an oriented button into proper position upon the garirfient by engagement by the sewing machine needle;

Figures 3 and 4 are fragmentary detail views, showing a portion of the mechanism of Figure 2 in different positions of the operating mechanism;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 5-5 of Figure 2 and showing the arrangement and details of the button positioning attachments operating mechanism;

itates Patent 2,960,049 Patented Nov 15, 1960 Figure 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 6-6 of Figure 5 and showing in end elevation and proper in section further details of the operating mechanism;

Figure 7 is a group perspective view of elements forming the button clamp for holding the button in position for sewing upon a garment; and

Figure 8 ha group perspective view of the elements forming the slide by which the oriented button is conveyed to the clamp to'be held thereby positioned'for sewing to a garment. 1

Referring first to Figure lit will be seen that the numeral 10 designates a conventional button sewing machine to which the button positioning attachment of this invention has been applied. This machineas shown in cludes the supporting base 12 having the usual standard 14 and arm 16 thereon together with a horizontally and laterally projectingbed 18 carried by the arm 14 and across which the article to be sewed is adapted to be passed and with which the button positioning attachment of the present invention cooperates. I

The sewing machine is provided with the usual needle bar 20 carrying a needle 22. The sewing machine is provided with the usual driving mechanism, not shown, but which includes an electric motor 24 for operating the same.

The attachment of the present invention is mounted upon the base 12 and the bed 18 of the sewing machine and is Operatively connected with the motor 24 whereby the operation of the attachment is coordinated with and timed with the operation of the conventional sewing machine.

From further reference to Figure 1 it will be seen that the attachment forming the subject of the present invention and as applied to the conventional sewing machine 19 consists of a casing or framework 26 housing the operating mechanism of this invention, a button receiving hopper 28 disposed beneath the arm 16 of the sewing machine, slide and clamp assemblies to be described in detail hereinafter which receive buttons from the hopper 28 and position them beneath the needle 22 of the sewing machine; together with a driving mechanism connected to the motor 24 by which the various movable elements of the attachment are operated in timed relation to operation of the sewing machine needles. v

The conventional driving mechanism by which the electric motor is Operatively connected to the sewing machine needle bar 20 has not been shown, since this construction is of any conventional design and is well understood by those skilled in the art. However, the driving means by which the electric motor is also connected with the movable elements of this attachment is indicated in Figure 1 as consisting of a driving pulley 36 mounted on the motor shaft 32 and over which is entrained a belt or sprocket chain 34 connected to a driven pulley 36 forming a part of a reduction gear assembly 38. Since the details of the reduction gear assembly in themselves form no part of the present invention, it merely being necessary that this assembly shall provide the requisite speed ratio between the sewing machine motor 24 and the elements of the attachment of this invention, the description and illustration of the reduction gearing assembly has been omitted as being unnecessary. However, this assembly includes an output pulley 40 which is connected as by a belt or chain 42 with a driven pulley 44 journaled in any suitable manner from the base 12 of the sewing machine.

Operatively attached to the pulley 44 is a sprocket 46 having a chain 48 which in turn drives a pulley 50 carried by a shaft 52, the latter extending through the casing or framework 26 and constituting the actual driving shaft of this attachment. The base 12 of the sewing machine is provided with a slot 54, either a slot originally formed therein or one provided for the purpose of applying this attachment thereto. Either the pulley 50 or the pulley 44 may be provided with a single revolution clutch mechanism of any desired type, so that when a single rotation has been imparted to the shaft 52, the clutch will be thrown out in readiness for the next application of the driving means thereto.- It may be here noted that the sewing machine operator works the sewing machine and the attachment by means of two foot pedals. One pedal controls the operation of the sewing machine in the conventional manner, while the other pedal throws the clutch on the

pulleys

44 or 50 into operation as desired, the automatic clutch then throwing the driving mechanism for the shaft 52 out of operation after a single revolution of the latter has been eifected.

A one pedal arrangement can also be employed to opcrate the sewing machine and the attachment both in one continuous cycle. However, inasmuch as the invention claimed herein does not require and does not reside in the construction of the above mentioned pedal control means, further reference thereto is deemed to be unnecessary.

Referring now especially to Figures 2-6, it will be seen that the casing 26 includes a base plate 60 having at its opposite sides a pair of angle iron members 62 together with screws 64, see Figures 2 and 5, by which the angle iron members and the base plate are secured to the sewing machine base 12. Additional screws 66 extending through the sides of the angle iron members attach the parallel vertical plates 68 which comprise the side walls of the casing.

A pair of mounting plates 70 having elongated slots 72 therein are provided with setscrews 74 extending through these slots and engaging screw threaded apertures in the side walls 68, whereby the mounting plates 70 may be supported by and adjusted longitudinally of these side walls.

As shown more clearly in Figure in conjunction with Figures 2-4, the previously mentioned driving shaft 52 is journaled in the mounting plates 70 and extends through enlarged holes in the side walls 68. Additionally, there are provided two parallel axles or

pivots

76 and 78 respectively for a purpose to be subsequently apparent.

The driving shaft 52 carries a pair of

cams

80 and 82 thereon for a purpose to be subsequently apparent.

As will be readily apparent from the drawings, the top of the casing 26 is open and a pair of levers 84 are fixed upon the shaft 76 and have fingers 86 which project upwardly above the open top of the casing for pivoting movement for imparting reciprocation to the button carrying slide as set forth hereinafter. One of these levers carries an antifriction roller 88 which engages the cam 82 whereby oscillatory movement is imparted to the levers upon rotation of the driving shaft 52.

Also mounted on the shaft 78 is a second lever 90 which intermediate its ends is provided with an antifraction roller 92 engaging the previously mentioned cam 80 on the shaft 52 whereby upon rotation of this shaft oscillating movement will be imparted to the lever 90. As will be best apparent from Figure 1, the outer end of the lever 90 is provided with an angulated upwardly projecting end portion 94- to the extremity of which is secured an angle bracket 96. The latter in turn includes an upper horizontally extending arm 98 which overlies the sewing machine bed 18 for the purpose to be subsequently set forth.

Referring now especially to Figures 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8, it will be seen that the button carrying slide mechanism consists of a flat plate 100 'apertured as at 102 for the reception of screws 104 by which the plate is secured to a member 105 mounted upon the top. surfaceof the bed 18. The member 105 is a conventional element of a button sewing machine, such as the well known Singer Model 69, and is connected to the sewing machine so that during operation of the machine it has a side to side and back and forward movement in timed relation to the operation of the needle, for successively positioning buttonholes beneath the needle. Use is therefore made of this member for purposes of this invention.

The plate is provided with side walls 106 between which is slidably received a slide in the form of a plate 108. It will be observed that at one end the side walls are projected upwardly and provided with inturned retaining horizontal flanges 110 to assist in retaining the slide upon the plate. An adjustable slide stop is provided in the form of a crossbar 112having depending side walls 114, one of which is elongated and is sloted as at 116 to receive a setscrew 118, whereby the crossbar is longitudinally adjustable upon the base plate 100 to thereby adjust the limit of the travel of the slide. Thus, the side walls where they merge with the flanges 110 are provided with vertically extending shoulders 120 and the crossbar is provided with a vertically transversely extending surface 122. As set forth hereinafter, the shoulders 120 and the surface 122 limits the reciprocation of longitudinal travel of the slide 108 upon the base 100.

Adjacent its forward end of the slide 108 is provided with a medially disposed longitudinally extending rib 124 having 'a concave surface 126 at its forward end providing a seat for a button. A plurality of pins 128 project upwardly from the slide in proper disposition to the seat 128 to permit a button to be seated upon these pins by engagement of the holes of the buttons thereon to thus hold the button in properly oriented position with respect to the needles of the sewing machine. As hereinbefore pointed out, the cyclic movements of the member 105 and the plate 100 carried thereby will successively shift the button to align its holes sequentially with the needle 22.

At its rearward end the slide has an upwardly extending bracket 130 which is secured as by screws 132 to a transversely extending rod 134. The latter, as shown in Figure 2, is adapted to overlie the crossbar 112 when the slide is in its rearward position, and is positioned to be engaged adjacent its opposite ends by the two fingers 86 of the levers 84, whereby when these levers are oscillated by the cam 82, the slide will be forced forwardly carrying with it a button to be delivered to the holding members. A spring 136 has one extremity secured to the rod 134, and its other extremity secured to the standard 14 of the sewing machine as will be readily apparent from Figure 1. The spring constitutes a return means normally urging the slide to its rearward position, with the bracket 130 engaging the stop surface 122 of the crossbar 112, at which time the pins 128 on the slide and the seat 126 thereof are positioned to seat a button from the button feeding mechanism as set forth hereinafter.

Reference is now made particularly to Figures 1-7 for an understanding of the button clamp assembly. A vertically rocking blade 140 is provided having at one end a downturned flange 142. The flange 142 is pivotally received in a semi-cylindrical groove 143 formed in the bottom wall of a recess 145 in a block 148 which is carried by or is integral with the plate 100. A flat leaf spring 147 is secured by a screw 146 to a shoulder or seat 149 in the recess 145 in a position overlying the blade 140, as shown in Figure 2, to urge the latter downwardly.

At its opposite extremity, the blade 140 is provided with a rectangular, laterally enlarged end portion 150 having an enlarged hole 152 therethrough for a purpose to be subsequently set forth. The enlarged end portion 150 is provided at its outer extremity with an aperture 154, while immediately inwardly of the hole 152 there is provided a pair of apertures 156. At the junction of the enlarged portion with the main body of the blade there is provided a further aperture 158.

A bar 160 is secured beneath the enlarged portion 150 by means of an apertured lug 162, a screw 164, see Figure 7, being provided extending through the apertured lug 162 and the aperture 154. As will be best apparent from Figures 1 and 5, the outer end of the bar 160 is provided with a curved end portion 166 which is positioned to overlie the horizontal arm 98 of the bracket 96 whereby the bar 160 and the laterally enlarged portion 150 of the blade will be lifted against the action of the spring 147 when this bracket is lifted, for a purpose to be subsequently set forth.

There are further provided a pair of fiat metal strips or arms 168 which at one end thereof are apertured as at 170 whereby they may be pivotally secured to the enlarged portion 150 of the blade 140 by means of the fastening screws 172 engaged in the apertures 156. Thus, these arms are mounted upon the blade for pivotal movement towards and from each other.

Intermediate their ends the inner edges of the arms are recessed or cut away as at 174 to define an opening registering with the previously mentioned opening 152 for a purpose to be subsequently set forth. At their other ends the arms are provided with downturned portion 176 comprising flanges which at their lower extremities have laterally disposed lugs or flanges 178 defining jaws having adjacent concave gripping surfaces 180 adapted to clamp a button therebetween as set forth hereinafter.

A tension spring 182 is connected to the arms 168 by the apertures 183 therein to thereby yieldingly urge the arms and jaws toward each other and to gripping engagement with a button. A wedge plate 184, apertured as at 186 is disposed between the pivoted ends of the arms 168, being clamped to the underside of the blade 140 as by fastening screw 188 which is received in the screw threaded aperture 158. The wedge plate 184 comprises a stop which limits movement of the jaws toward each other under the resilient force of the spring 182.

Referring now specifically to Figure 1 it Will be observed that there is provided a support standard 190 suitably mounted as by flange 192 and screws 194 to the base 12 of the sewing machine, this standard having a horizontally disposed arm 196 having a pair of guide pulleys 198 thereon. Disposed in a convenient manner below the sewing machine arm 16 is a shallow hopper 200 carried by a standard 201, Figure 2, likewise mounted on the base 12, which hopper is open at its top for the reception of buttons to be positioned for sewing by this device. The hopper has an opening overlying a rotatable tube 202 which constitutes a button discharge tube or chute. The lower end of this tube extends through the opening 152 in the blade 140 and through the opening between the arms 168 defined by the recesses 174, and its lower end terminates a short distance above the slide 108.

Adjacent its lower end, the tube 202 is rotatably supported by a diametrically enlarged cylindrical ball bearing assembly 204 which is received within and retained by setscrews 206 carried by a band 208 which in turn is supported by the bracket 210, the latter being secured by fasteners 212, see Figure 1, which will engage in aperture 214, see Figure 8, in the side wall 106 in the slide assembly base plate 100. Thus the bearing

assembly

204, 208 supports the tube 202.

Secured to the bottom wall 216 of the hopper is a bearing 218 in which is rotatably journaled a shaft 220 having a pulley 222 thereon. This shaft extends into the hopper and is provided with an arm 224 which upon rotation of the shaft is adapted to rotate upon the bottom wall of the hopper and thus agitate or stir the buttons therein and direct the same toward the discharge chute or tube 202. A belt 226 is operatively connected to the pulley 222 and surrounds the tube 202 whereby upon rotation of the latter operation will be imparted to the agitator shaft. A further belt 228 is operatively entrained about the tube 202, over the idler'pulleys "198, and about a driving pulley 230 secured to the sprocket gear 50. Thus, upon rotation of the sprocket gear, the pulley belt 220 will cause rotation of the tube 202; and the latter will in turn impart rotation to the agitatory arm 224. Thus buttons will be swept into the tube 202 and stacked therein, and will be dispensed from the lower end of the tube as set forth hereinafter and during such dispensingwill be oriented.

From the foregoing, it is believed that the operation of the device will be understood. When the gear 50 is rotated in properly timed relation to the operation of the sewing machine, it will impart rotation to the shaft 52 and the cams and 82 carried thereby; and also to the tube 202 or discharge chute from the hopper. This in turn will operate the agitator causing buttons in the hopper to be swept into the discharge tube or chute 202 and stacked up therein in readiness for dispensing therefrom. The cam 82 will operate the lever 84 which in turn will move the slide forward against resistance of the spring 136. This forward movement of the slide will cause the same to move from beneath the discharge end of the tube with the button receiving pins 128 disposed therebeneath and holding a button thereon. Upon rotation of the tube, the holes in the buttons will eventually align with the pins 128, whereby a button may drop upon the pins, the button then being received upon the pins and against the curved seat 126. Forward movement of the slide will then carry this button forwardly and between the jaws 178 from the rear thereof, where the button will be retained between the jaws by the tension of the spring 182. During this forward movement of the button, the rib 124 of the slide 108 will close the lower end of the tube 202 and will prevent the dispensing of the next button from the chute or tube 202 comprising a rotary magazine for the buttons until the slide has again moved to the rear and the pins 128 again underlie the tube.

If, in the unlikely event the button positioning slide should move forward to the resilient clamping jaws carrying an ill-formed button, or no button at all, the operator can cancel all subsequent, automatic, sequential operations of the machine and initiate an entire new button placing cycle by moving the control pedal which throws into operation the clutch on the

pulleys

44 or 50 as is described earlier.

Thereafter, the cam 80 then lifts the lever which by engagement of the arm 98 with the bar 160 will lift the blade and button from the slide as indicated in Figure 4. Thereafter, the cam 82 allows the lever 84 to be moved back to its original position shown in Figure 2 under the impetus of its return spring 136.

The cam 80 then allows the arm 90 to drop and place the button carried within the jaws upon the garment in proper position to be sewed thereto by the needles 22 of the sewing machine.

Interchangeable wedges 184 and slides 108 with different springs of pins 128 and sets 126 will be provided to adapt the device to handling various sizes of buttons. Obviously, a plurality or multiple of the positioning units could be provided for spacing the buttons correctly upon a single garment.

By journaling the driving shaft 52 in the mounting plates 70 and providing enlarged holes in the side walls 68 to receive the driving shaft as previously mentioned, provision is made for adjusting the driving shaft towards or from the shaft 76. This permits easy adjustment of the stroke of the arms 84 thereby adjusting the motion of the slide 108 and the positioning of a button carried thereby relative to the needle of the sewing machine. This adjustment is effected through loosening the setscrew 74 and moving the mounting plates 70 relative to the side walls 68.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is 'believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the'scope of the in vention as claimed. T

What is claimed as new is as follows:

In combination with a button sewing machine having a drive means and resilient clamping jaws for holding a button, a button orienting and positioning attachment including a rotatably mounted vertically disposed button discharge-tube mounted on said sewing machine rearwardly of the clamping jaws and having an interior di ameter such that the buttons delivered pass freely through the tube but sufiiciently close fitting with respect to the button that rotary motion is imported to the buttons passing through said tube, a belt drive means interconnected between the sewing machine drive means and the discharge tube for rotatably driving said tube, a button holding hopper mounted on said sewing machine and located at the upper end of the rotatably mounted discharge tube adapted to supply buttons to saidtube in stacked array, a horizontal slide slidably mounted on said machine and located at the bottom of the discharge tube, means interconnected between the sewing machine drive means and said slide for reciprocating said slide, said reciprocating slide being provided with at least two stationary button needle hole orienting pins for receiving individual rotating buttons from the lower end of to rotating but? ton discharge tube to stop the rotation of an individual button in correctly oriented needle hole position, said slide being in alignment with said resilient clamping jaws for delivery of oriented buttons into said clamping jaws through the back side thereof.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,460,195 Eames et a1 June 26, 1923 1,941,027 Vaughan Dec. 26, 1933 2,097,610 Wilsey Nov. 2, 1937 2,597,912 Troll May 27, 1952 2,753,822 Nessle July 10, 1956 2,786,566 Toggart et a1 Mar. 26, 1957