US3858536A

US3858536A - Button sewing attachment

Info

Publication number: US3858536A
Application number: US416608A
Authority: US
Inventors: Isaac Pope
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1973-11-16
Filing date: 1973-11-16
Publication date: 1975-01-07
Anticipated expiration: 1992-01-07
Also published as: DE2527572A1

Abstract

A button sewing attachment incorporating a spring buffered arm which connects to the cam of a sewing machine to move a button clamp assembly from a first position to a second position to sew the forward button holes and the rearward button holes of a button retained in the clamp assembly. When the assembly is rotated through ninety degrees, the arm is engaged so that the button sewing stitches are employed as wrapping stitches for sewing a button post and the cam movement is absorbed by the spring buffer to prevent any movement of the button itself. The button clamp assembly includes an operating mechanism to position a button in a horizontal position for straight sewing and to rotate the button to a vertical position for receiving the wrapping stitches.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Jan. 7, 1975 Pope [ BUTTON SEWING ATTACHMENT [76] Inventor: Isaac Pope, 6246 N. Smedley St.,

Philadelphia, Pa. 19141 [22] Filed: 7 Nov. 16, 1973 [21] Appl. No: 416,608

1521 US. Cl. 112/114 [51] int. Cl D05b 3/00 [581 Field of Search 112/105-114 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,739,550 3/1956 Patterson et al.... 112/110 3,125,046 3/1964 Pedersen 112/110 3,182,618 5/1965 Pedersen "112/110 3,246,618 4/1966 Johnson et al 112/110 Primary ExaminerGeo. V. Larkin Attorney, Agent, or FirmKarl L. Spivak, Esq.

[57] ABSTRACT A button sewing attachment incorporating a spring buffered arm which connects to the cam of a sewing machine to move a button clamp assembly from a first position to a second position to sew the forward button holes and the rearward button holes of a button retained in the clamp assembly. When the assembly is rotated through ninety degrees, the arm is engaged so that the button sewing stitches are employed as wrapping stitches for sewing a button post and the cam movement is absorbed by the spring buffer to prevent any movement of the button itself. The button clamp assembly includes an operating mechanism to position a button in a horizontal position for straight sewing and to rotate the button to a vertical position for receiving the wrapping stitches.

19 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures Patented Jan. 7, 1975 4 3,858,536

5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Jan. 7, 1975 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I Hi] Al w Om W Patented Jan. 7, 1975 BUTTON SEWING ATTACHMENT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates in general to the machine sewing art, and more particularly, is directed to a button sewing attachment adaptable for use with presently available button sewing machines.

It is the usual practice to manufacture articles of clothing having one or more buttons affixed thereto. Some buttons, for example, the front buttons of mens and womens jackets-and overcoats are not sewn flat against the material, but rather are first sewn and then wrapped in a post to space the button from the clothing material to facilitate buttoning and unbuttoning the garment. The wrapping stitches have heretofore been performed by hand or by machine in an operation entirely separate from the flat sewing. In the case of machine sewn garments, button sewing machines have been developed to facilitate applying wrapping type stitches to form the post automatically. Most prior art button sewing machines function to first sew the forwardly positioned button holes and then the rearwardly positioned button holes by means of automatic machine cam operation to affix the button to the front of the garment. In order to sew the wrapping stitches to form the post, it was necessary to perform an entirely separate operation by holding the button in vertical alignment with the travel of the sewing needle and to provide additional cams or other mechanisms to change the function of the sewing needle from the rearward and forward hole sewing operations to a wrapping operation. The present invention completely eliminates the need for additional cams and other basic machine parts and results in extended periods of machine life by reducing the stresses which normally result from the movement from one cam sewing position to another cam sewing position as required in prior art button sewing machines.

The present method of button sewing comprises the steps of first taking a coat from a rack, sewing the buttons on a button sewing machine, returning the coat to the rack, a second operator removing the coat a second time, wrapping the button stitches on a conventional machine and then reracking the garment. Thus two operators and two machines are required and considerable handling time is built into the operations. By utilizing a button sewing attachment in accordance with the present invention, a single conventional machine which is controlled by one operator can be modernized to sew and wrap between 85 and 90 percent of what it now requires the efforts of two operators to produce. Thus, one button sewing attachment when properly employed in conjunction with a conventional button sewing machine and requiring only one operator can take the place of two machines and two operators.

In addition to being relatively slow in operation, the button sewing machines which are presently in use require that the operators be trained over an extended period of time until they can develop the necessary skills to function the machine at an acceptable rate of production. Also, the presently available equipment must be specially set up for either straight sewing or post sewing as required by the operation being performed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 5 needle during the wrapping operations. The action of the jaws pinches the post to thereby facilitateproduction of desirable, tightly sewn, post stitches.

The button chuck assembly is carried upon a spring buffered arm which is movable from a rearward position to a forward position by conventional cam operation of the button sewing machine. The arm is free during the flat sewing stitches to move the button to allow the machine to sew through the rearward holes and the forward holes of the buttons. When the button chuck assembly is rotated through the movement of the button chuck assembly is restrained whereby the spring buffer absorbs the movement of the feed plate carrier arm and prevents movement of the button. In this manner, the usual flat sewing stitches can be employed as wrapping stitches without any change in cam operation of the machine itself. The feed carrier arm is spring buffered to take up the movement of the machine cam when the post wrapping stitches are sewn so that there is no additional cam movement required within the machine itself. Thus the machine sews exactly the same stitches whether sewing the forward and rearward holes of a button or wrapping a post about the previously sewn stitches.

The button sewing attachment of the present invention is considerably easier to operate than the currently available equipment and requires less experienced operators to produce acceptably sewn buttons. The machine is semi-automatic in operation and is practically foolproof so that an operator may be trained in its use quite rapidly and can develop the necessary skills very easily to produce an acceptable finished product. The only skill actually required is to properly place the button itself in proper position in the button chuck assembly. Once this operation has been mastered, the machine itself does all of the remainder of the button sewing and post wrapping operations without requiring any additional skills on the part of the operator.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved button sewing attachment of the type set forth.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel button sewing attachment which is compatible for use with presently available button sewing machines without requiring extensive alterations.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel button sewing attachment which incorporates spring buffered arm means to permit the sewing of both straight button sewing stitches and post wrapping stitches without changing the cam operation of the machine itself.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel button sewing attachment which includes a button chuck assembly designed'to hold a button in spaced relationship over a garment and also to rotate the button through 90 after being sewn to receive post wrapping stitches.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel button sewing attachment which incorporates a button chuck assembly which is capable of rotation through 90, the button chuck assembly including a pair of spring biased jaws which align vertically when the assembly is rotated to provide a needle guide during the post wrapping operation.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel button sewing attachment which incorporates button chuck means for holding and rotating a button through 90 and includes means to compensate for cam movement when the button is rotated to the vertical position.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a novel button sewing attachment that is inexpensive in manufacture, rugged in construction, and trouble free when in operation.

Other objects and a fuller understanding of the invention will be had by referring to the following description and claims of a preferred embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein like reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views and in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a button sewing machine equipped with a button sewing attachment and showing the button sewing attachment in button sewing position.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 showing the button sewing attachment in post wrapping position. v

FIG. 3 is an enlarged, partial, perspective view of the button chuck assembly arranged for flat sewing the forward button holes.

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing the button chuck assembly rotated through 90 for application of post wrapping stitches as in FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, partial, top plan view of the button chuck assemblyarranged for flat button sewing as in FIG. 1, when in the first cam position to sew the front button holes. v

FIG. 5A is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the button sewing attachment in the second cam position to sew the rear button holes.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the button chuck assembly rotated through 90 for sewing a button post as in FIG. 2, when in the first cam position.

FIG. 6A is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the but ton sewing attachment in the second cam position for sewing a button post.

FIG. 7 is an end elevational view of the button sewing attachment looking from line 77 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a partial, enlarged top plan view of a button partially sewn to a garment. 7

FIG. 9 is a top plan view similar to FIG. 8 showing the button fully sewn to the garment.

FIG. 10 shows the button of FIGS. 8 and 9 after being rotated through 90 for wrapping of the button post.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Although specific terms are used in the following description for the sake of clarity, these terms are intended to refer only to the particular structure of my invention selected for illustration in the drawings, and are not intended to define or limit the scope of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings, I show in FIGS. 1 and 2 a conventional commercial type button sewing machine 10, such as manufactured by The Singer Company or by Consolidated Sewing Machine Company, which includes a conventional button sewing needle 12. A usual feed plate carrier arm 14 (FIG. 5) is affixed to the machine 10 in the usual manner and is conventionally, pivotally mounted to permit pivotal movement of the arm between a lower, sewing position near the throat plate 108 as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 to an upper position (not shown) wherein the garment material 16 can be readily applied over and removed from the throat plate 108 before and after the button sewing operations of the machine 10. A conventional foot pedal 76 and link chain 118 are employed to pivot the feed plate carrier arm (and the affixed button chuck assembly) between its upper and lower positions. Additionally, the feed plate carrier arm 14 reciprocates through conventional cam operation (not illustrated) from a rearward position to position the forward two holes of a four hole button 38 beneath the needle 12 to a forward position to thereby place the rearward two holes of the button beneath the needle 12 for complete button sewing purposes. In the machine illustrated, the needle 12 continuously reciprocates transversely between a right position for sewing right button holes to a left position for sewing left button holes. Accordingly, the cam operation which reciprocates the feed plate carrier arm in the directions indicated by the arrow 59 and the resiliently affixed button chuck assembly 24 between a forward position 36 (FIG. 5) and a rearward position 34 (FIG. 5A), serves to longitudinally reciprocate the button chuck assembly 24 to properly position the button 38 to sew all four

holes

42, 44, 46, 48 in the least possible interval of time.

Referring now to FIGS. 3, 5 and 6, it will be seen that the feed plate carrier arm 14 extends forwardly from the pivotal connection 116 to the machine cam mechanism (not shown) and terminates forwardly in a cross head 18 which carries a pair of forwardly projecting

pins

20, 22. The

pins

20, 22 are resiliently affixed to the button chuck assembly 24 by means of

springs

26, 28 which preferably coil about the

respective pins

20, 22.

A threaded centering stud 30 forwardly projects from the cross head 18 and recipricates within the longitudinal recess 32 from a rearward position 34 (FIG. 6) to a forward position as illustrated in FIG. 6A. Longitudinal adjustment of the travel of the button chuck assembly 24 can be provided by use of the nut 31.

The button chuck assembly 24 connects to the forward end of the feed plate carrier arm 14 in a resilient mounting supplied by the

springs

26, 28. The button chuck assembly 24 serves to hold a button 38 in hori zontal position 40 for flat sewing the button to the garment material 16 as in FIGS. 3, S and 5A. As hereinbefore stated, the sewing needle12 is conventionally arranged to transversely reciprocate relative to the longi-' ventional sewing of the forward pair of right and left button holes 46, 48 and then the rearward pair of right and left button holes 42, 44. See FIGS. 5, 5A, 8 and 9.

During the flat sewing operations when the needle 12 is functioned to sew through the right and left button holes 42, 44 and 46, 48, as seen in FIGS. 3, 5 and 5A, the button chuck assembly 24 maintains the button chuck plate 50 and the button 38 in horizontal alignment 52. The button holding clamp 54 secures the button 38 above the button clamp plate 50 to thereby space the button from the garment material 16 a distance equal to the thickness of the plate 50 to facilitate sewing a post 56 in the manner hereinafter more fully set forth. Thus, when flat sewing the button 38 to the garment material 16, the button clamp arm 14 reciprocates the button clamp assembly 24 longitudinally as indicated by the arrow 58 to sew the forward and rearward button holes 42, 44, 46, 48 as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 5A.

Following the flat sewing of the button 38, the button post 56 (FIG. may be developed by the same needle 12 which sews the same transverse stiches as in the flat button sewing operation without any machine cam adjustment whatsoever by employing the present invention. An air cylinder 60 affixes to the sewing machine 10 at the pivotal connection 116 and reciprocates a piston rod-62 from a forward position as in FIGS. 1, 3, 5, 5A to a rearward position as illustrated in FIGS. 2, 4, 6, 6A. The piston rod 62 terminates forwardly in crank operating block 64 which is employed to pivotally rock the button clamp assembly 24 through 90. The block 64 is machined or otherwise treated to provide a vertical slot 66 which receives therein in sliding engagement the crank operator 68 of the button clamp assembly 24.

The crank operator 68 is affixed to the crank arm 70 in a permanent connection and projects laterally outwardly therefrom. The crank arm 70 forms part of a generally U-shaped carriage 72 which is arranged for pivotal movement within the U-shaped frame 74 of the button clamp assembly 24. As best seen in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6, the U-shaped carriage 72 is pivotal within the U-shaped frame 74 about the opposed pivot pins 86, 88 from a position wherein the button clamp plate 50 is in horizontal alignment 52 as in FIGS. 1, 3, 5 and 5A to a vertical position wherein the button clamp plate 50 is vertically aligned as in FIGS. 2, 4, 6 and 6A. A pair of

jaws

90, 92 are pivotal about the button clamp plate 50, and are moveable about the respective pivot pins 100, 102 from a button clamping position as in FIGS. 3, 5 and 5A to a needle guide position as in FIGS. 4, 6 and 6A wherein the jaws serve to guide the needle 12 for sewing the post 56. A spring 98 biases between the pivot pin extensions which respectively project upwardly from the pivot pins 100, 102 through the button clamp plate 50 and the button holding clamp 54.

As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the

jaws

90, 92 extend rearwardly of the pivot pins 100, 102 and terminate in the rearwardly extended cam surfaces 104, 106. The spring 98 normally biases the

jaws

90, 92 to the button clamping position as in FIGS. 3, 5 and 5A to cause the cam surfaces 104, 106 to extend rearwardly of the button clamp plate 50. When the U-shaped carriage 72 is rotated through 90 by function of the air cylinder 60 as hereinbefore described, the extended cam surfaces 104, 106 will contact the sewing machine throat plate 108 to pivot the

jaws

90, 92 inwardly about the respective pivot pins 100, 102. It will be noted that each of the

jaws

90, 92 is inwardly formed with a

concave edge

110, 112. The

concave edges

110, 112 serve two purposes in utilizing the button sewing attachment of the present invention. When employing the button sewing attachment for sewing the post 56, the carriage 72 is first rotated through as in FIGS. 6 and 7 and the interaction of the cam surfaces 104, 106 upon the throat plate 108, pivots the jaws together from the position illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 7 to the position illustrated in full lines. When the

jaws

90, 92 are pivoted to the full line pivoted position of FIG. 7 and as illustrated in FIG. 6, the respective

concave edges

110, 112 form a rounded opening 114 which is positioned directly beneath the sewing needle 12. Thus, when the needle is energized for the post sewing operation, the respective

concave edges

110, 114 of the

jaws

90, 92 form the rounded opening 114 which serves as a guide for the needle to control the post sewing stitches. The

jaws

90, 92 can also be employed for button holding purposes when it is desired to utilize the button sewing machine 10 for flat button sewing without a post such as when sewing cuff buttons. In this use, a cuff button (not shown) is manually fed into the

concave edges

110, 112 of the

jaws

90, 92 beneath the button clamp plate 50 for positioning in alignment beneath the sewing needle 12. It will be noted that the

jaws

90, 92 are located beneath the button clamp plate 50 and accordingly, when the garment fabric 16 is placed over the throat plate 108 of the sewing machine 10, the

jaws

90, 92 serve to place the cuff button (not shown) directly upon the garment material 16. Upon operation of the sewing needle 12, the cuff button (not illustrated) will be sewn directly to the garment material in tight stitches without leaving any looseness for wrapping a post.

In order to use the button sewing attachment of the present invention, the foot pedal 76 is depressed by the operator (not shown) to pivot the button clamp arm 14 upwardly about its pivotally connected end 116 by means of the conventional link chain 118 to raise the button clamp assembly 24 above the machine throat plate 108. With the button clamp assembly 24 thus raised, the garment material 16 is placedon the throat plate 108 to the exact, desired position which has been previously marked to receive the button 38. The button 38 is either manually or automatically placed upon the top surface of the button clamp plate 50 where it is retained in position by action of the button clamp 54. The springs 124., 126 mount on the

respective pins

128, 130 which project upwardly from the button clamp plate 50. The

springs

124, 126 serve to bias the clamp 54 toward the button clamp plate 50 for button holding purposes. The operator need only align the button holes 42, 44, 46, 48 with the longitudinal axis of the machine 10 to thereby position the button 38 in the exact, desired location beneath the needle 12.

The air cylinder 60 is functioned either manually or automatically to push the piston rod 62 to its forward position as in FIGS. 1, 3 and 5 to orient the carriage 72 and the button 38 in a horizontal plane. The foot pedal 76 is then released to lower the button clamp assembly 24 directly upon the garment material 16. The operating switch 78 is then depressed to function the needle 12 through the first phase of its usual cam twocycle operation wherein the forward right and left button holes 46, 48 are sewn. See FIGS. 5 and 8. Automatic continuton rod and crank operating block 64 rearwardly to its I rearward position as in FIGS. 2, 4 and 6. The action of the block 64 and the crank arm-70 serves to rotate the carriage 72 through 90 as the crank operator 68 rides within the vertical slot 66.

It will be noted that the button 38 is retained in association above the button clamp plate 50 by the button holding clamp 54 at all times when the carriage 72 is either horizontally oriented or vertically oriented relative to the throat plate 108. When the U-shaped carriage 72 is rotated through 90 as caused by function of the air cylinder 60, the previously sewn

button holding stitches

120, 122 are rotated through 90 and are positioned beneath the needle 12. As previously stated, the button 38 is spaced from the garment material 16 by the button clamp plate 50 to thereby allow sufficient looseness for sewing the post 56. With the button 38 rotated to its vertical position as in FIGS. 2, 4, 6, 6A, the operating'switch 78 is again pressed to thereby energize the sewing machine 10 through its usual two cycle button sewing stitches. However, it will be noted that with the parts arranged as in FIGS. 2, 4, 6 and 6A, the crank operating block 64 will be tightly held by action of the air cylinder 60 to thereby absolutely prevent any movement of the button clamp assembly 24 relative to the needle 12.

Thus, when the machine functions through its first phase to sew the first button holding stitches 120, these stitches will be utilized in wrapping the post 56. Then, when the normal cam operation (not shown) of the sewing machine 10 pushes the button clamp arm 14 forwardly as would be normal to sew the second button holding stitches 122, the air cylinder 60, piston rod 62 and crank operating block 64 all cooperate to lock the button clamp assembly 24 in its initial position, and to prevent any movement of the button clamp assembly 24 relative to the button clamp arm 14. The forward movement of the button clamp arm 14 is absorbed by the

springs

26, 28 which compress sufficiently to absorb all movement of the button clamp arm 14 without permitting movement of the button clamp assembly 24. The centering stud 30 will reciprocate within the longitudinal recess 32 but will not contact the frame member 74. Thus, when the needle 12 functions through the second phase under machine cam operation to sew the second group of button holding stitches 122, the button 38 and the garment material 16 will have not moved relative to the needle 12 and accordingly, the second group of stitches 122 will also be employed in sewing the post 56. As best seen in FIGS. 6 and 6A, the

concave edges

110, 112 of the

jaws

90, 92 center the post 56 beneath the needle 12 and serve as a guide for tight wrapping during the post sewing operation. Upon completion of the button sewing operations and the post sewing operation, the sewn button 38 is simply pulled forwardly out of its association with the button holding clamp 54. The air cylinder 60 is then automatically or manually functioned to push the piston rod 62 forwardly to return the carriage 74 to its horizontal position to receive a button to start the next button sewing operation.

Although I have described the present invention with reference to particular embodiments therein set forth, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should not be limited by the foregoing specification, but rather by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim: 7

1. In a button sewing attachment for use with a button sewing machine having a cam which is reciprocal between a forward position and a rearward position, the combination of A. a feed plate carrier arm responsive to the cam,

1. said feed plate carrier arm being moved between a forward position and a rearward position;

B. a button chuck assembly carried upon the feed plate carrier arm,

1. said button chuck assembly including button clamp means to hold a button in horizontal orientation,

2. said feed plate carrier arm reciprocating the button clamp means between a forward position and a rearward position when the button is maintained in horizontal orientation;

C. operator means to rotate the button clamp means and the button through and to maintain the button in vertical orientation; and

D. holding means to retain the button clamp means and the button in stationary position when the button is vertically oriented as the feed plate carrier arm is moved between the forward position and the rearward position.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein the button chuck assembly includes a button clamp plate and a pair of button clamp jaws pivotally connected to the plate, said button clamp jaws having a thickness equal to the height of the post, said button being retained in association with the button clamp means between the button clamp plate and the button clamp jaws.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein the button clamp jaws extend rearwardly of the button clamp plate and terminate rearwardly in extended cam surfaces.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein the button clamp jaws each have an inwardly formed edge, said edge being formed to a concave configuration.

5. The invention of claim 4 and resilient mounting to maintain the said button clamp jaws in spaced relation on the button clamp plate.

6. The invention of claim 5 whereby the resilient mounting serves to maintain a button in association with the button clamp jaws when the button is applied between the respective inwardly formed edges of the jaws.

7. The invention of claim 4 wherein the extended cam surfaces contact a portion of the sewing machine when the button clamp means is rotated through 90 to vertically orient the button.

8. The invention of claim 7 wherein the interaction of the extended cam surfaces on the portion of the sewing machine pivots the button clamp jaws relative to the button clamp plate.

9. The invention of claim 8 whereby the button clamp jaws are pivoted to a position whereby the respective concave edges of the jaws are pivoted into proximity with each other.

10. The invention of claim 9 whereby the concave edges, when pivoted together, form a rounded opening, the said rounded opening forming a post wrapping stitch guide.

11. The invention of claim 1 wherein the button chuck assembly includes a resilient connection to the feed plate carrier.

12. The invention of claim 10 wherein the resilient connection is movable from an unstressed condition to a compressed condition.

13. The invention of claim 12 wherein the resilient connection is stressed to its compressed condition by the forward movement of the feed plate carrier arm when the button is held in vertical orientation by the button clamp means.

14. The invention of claim 12 wherein the resilient connection is maintained in the unstressed condition when the button is held in horizontal orientation by the button clamp means.

15. The invention of claim 14 wherein the resilient connection is moved by the feed plate carrier arm between a forward location and a rearward location as the feed plate carrier arm moves between its said forward position and rearward position.

16. The invention of claim 1 wherein the button chuck assembly includes a- U-shaped carriage having pivotal connections therein, the said button clamp means affixing to the carriage at the said pivotal connections, the button clamp means being pivoted between a horizontal orientation and a vertical orientation within the carriage.

17. The invention of claim 16 wherein the operator means includes a crank arm which laterally extends from the button clamp means.

18. The invention of claim 17 wherein the operator means further includes means to pivot the crank arm.

19. The invention of claim 18 wherein the means to pivot the crank arm comprise a cylinder, a rod reciprocated by the cylinder and a block carried by the rod, the said block functioning the crank arm through upon activation of the cylinder.

Claims

1. said feed plate carrier arm being moved between a forward position and a rearward position; B. a button chuck assembly carried upon the feed plate carrier arm,

2. said feed plate carrier arm reciprocating the button clamp means between a forward position and a rearward position when the button is maintained in horizontal orientation; C. operator means to rotate the button clamp means and the button through 90* and to maintain the button in vertical orientation; and D. holding means to retain the button clamp means and the button in stationary position when the button is vertically oriented as the feed plate carrier arm is moved between the forward position and the rearward position.

7. The invention of claim 4 wherein the extended cam surfaces contact a portion of the sewing machine when the button clamp means is rotated through 90* to vertically orient the button.

16. The invention of claim 1 wherein the button chuck assembly includes a U-shaped carriage having pivotal connections therein, the said button clamp means affixing to the carriage at the said pivotal connections, the button clamp means being pivoted between a horizontal orientation and a vertical orientation within the carriage.

19. The invention of claim 18 wherein the means to pivot the crank arm comprise a cylinder, a rod reciprocated by the cylinder and a block carried by the rod, the said block functioning the crank arm through 90* upon activation of the cylinder.