US1655067A - Work support for button-sewing machines - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 3, 1928. 1,655,067

R. L. LYONS WORK SUPPORT FOR BUTTON SEWING MACHINES Filed Feb.l4. 1923 E' P w I Ai 4 f G "z D x L t al; f ll y l 1 A1 v D1l D H O J D2 Q X IN VEN TOR Maw gam WWW.

ATTORNEY lPatented Jan. 3, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.Y

ROBERT I. LYONS, OF WAITHAM, MASSACHUSETTSF .ASSIGNOR TO FREDERICK OSANN COMPANY, or New YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK..

WORK SUPPORT FOR BUTTON-SEWING MACHINES.

Application iled February 14, 1923. Serial No. 618,889.

Thewgeneral object of my present invention is to provide an improved work holder for button sewing machines comprising simple and eii'ective provisions `for holding a stay button in register with a main button during the operation of sewing them to an -interposed garment or other article. A more specic object of my invention is to provide a stay button clamp especially adapted for lo use as a removable attachment to a widely used type of button sewing machine work support interchangeablywith the under support for tl/ie\work ordinarily employed in the usual buttonsewing operations.

The various features of novelty which characterize my invention are pointed out with JIparticularity in the claims annexed to and orming a, part of this specification. For a better understanding of the invention, its advantages and specific objects attained vwith its use, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings andi descriptive matter in which Ihave illustrated and described preferred embodiments of my invention.

Of the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the work holder;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a portion of a Y sewing machiney equipped with the work holder of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan elevation of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2 with parts broken away and in section;

Fig. 4 is la partial section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; j

Fig. 5 is an end elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a small scale plan of the stay button clamp portion of the work holder.

In the drawings I have illustrated the application of my invention to a sewing machine of the type in which the work holder comprises a support B, mounted on the bed A of asewing machine, andfmoved relatively to the latter to successively present di'erent thread holes of the buttons to the needle A carried by the lreciprocating needle bar A2.

The work holder support B, as shown, is'

pivotally connected to the bed A of the sewing machine by means of a pivot screw A3V carried by the bed and passing through an elongated slot B in the work holder support. The support 4B is given reciprocating movements toward and away from theneedle and transversely of the latter by means comprising levers A* and A's mounted on the bed-A and plvotally connected to the support B. The support B is provided with ears B2 in which the main button clamp supporting lever C is journalled on the pivot pin or axle B3. To the front end ofl the lever C 1s secured the main button'clamp D which as shown comprises clamping jaws D at the oppos1te sides of the main button X, and a button centering finger or jaw D2. D3 represents an operating part by which the jaws D and D2 may be moved away from the axis of the button to release, or permit. the insertion of a main button X. A spring E acting on the rear end of the button clamping lever C normally depresses the button clamp D to thereby hold an inserted button X snugly against the fabric. A chain F connected t0 the button clamp D forms part of the mechanlsm, usually treadle actuated, for lifting the button clamp D to permit the insertion and removal of the work.

In so far as above described, the work holder and button clamping means disclosed contain nothing now novel with me, but on the contrary, is of the standard type which is employed on a majority of the button sew- 111 machines now in use 1n this country.

y novel stay button clamp attachment comprises a late-like member G attached to 4the front en of the support B by screws H.

The member G is formed at its front end, a

with a passage G large enough to permit the passage of the needle and needle thread in the i'erent relative positions of the needle and workA holder. Pivotally connected to the member G, as by the vertical pivot screws J, are a pair of iiat plate-like stay but-ton clamping jaws I. The jaws I are formed with opposed button receiving recesses I2, the edges of which areppreferably serrated as shown, and each jaw I carries at its under side a pivot pin or stud I working in a corresponding slot K in a jaw operating member K. The latter works in a recess G2 in -thevmember G, and is formed with an elongated guide portion K2 working in a slot G5 formed. in the member G. Resilient means are provided for normally ressing the mem- ;ber K forward, so that t e oppositely inclined slots Kf will draw the two studs I together, and thereby cause the jaws I to grip the opposite edges. The resilient means shown forthis pur ose, comprise a helical compression spring s surrounding a guide against the coupling L.

rod L secured by a coupling member L to the member K. One end of the spring L bears against the coupling member L,while the other end bears against a stud G* carried by the member G, and providedwith an aperture in which the corresponding end of the .member L is slidingly received. The stud G4 passes through a slot K2 formed in the guide K. The member K may be retracted to spread the jaws I, at the time of inserting or releasing a stay button, by means of a lever M pivotally connected to the member G, as by a pivot screw M, and bearing O represents a stay button clamp cover member secured to the member K as by means of the screws O', and cut away or recessed at its underside, as shown, to provide clearance for the movable parts of the stay button clamp. The re-r cessed cover plate O in conjunctionwith the plate member G forms a chambered casing which is arranged with the projecting portion of the plate G forming an extension of the bottom wall of the casing. At its front" end, the cover O terminates in prongs O2 which fit closely over the stay button clamping jaws I, and hold the fabric to which t e buttons are being attached, away from all other movable parts of the stay button clamp.

In the intended operation of the apparatus disclosed, the stay button Z is put in place between the clamping jaws I which are spread apart for the purpose by -pressure applied to `the lever M. Ordinarily -and preferably the stay button is thus put in place with the main button clamp D elevated, and prior to the insertion of the main button X, so that the operator can readily place the stay button Z in the position in which the thread holes in the stay button are properly disposed. The main button X is then put in place in the button holder D and the garment or other article to which the buttons are to be sewed is properly placed between the stay and main buttons, yafter which the main button holder D is allowed to move dwn under the tension of the spring E and thereby clamp the `interposed garment or other article in place while the sewing machine mechanism 1s operated to sew the main and stay buttons thereto. In the types of button sewingmachine i-n most general use in this country,the work holder D is raised at the conclusion of the button sewing operation, to lift thel 4main button and attached work and'thereby breakv the thread at the under side of the work. With the presentv apparatus when the work is thus lifted pressure may be applied to the lever M, to spread the stay button clamping jaws I, so that the lifting of the work will not be impeded by thegripping action of the stay button clamping jaws I on the stay button. In general, however, the grip of the ,main button is withdrawn from the main button clamp and the machine is then ready for another button sewing operation.

In the type of button sewing machine in which the work is moved relative to `the machine bed, to present different button thread holes to the needle, the work support must comprise a part interposed between the bed of the sewing machine proper and the work on which the latter rests and against which it is ordinarily clamped by the main-button clamp. In the type of work holder in most general use on button sewing machines, this work supporting platform part is aplatelike member commonly called a cloth plate or cloth support, which is attached to the work holder support B by the screws H. The special stay button clamp illustratedl herein is adapted for attachment to the support B iny lieu of the ordinary cloth plate with which it may be interchangeably used. The stay button clamp construction illustrated possesses the advantage that it forms l an effective device for holding the stay button in place with the desired security,"and in which the buttons may be readily and accurately put in place, while at the same time.

work is held in the sewing operation diminishes the amount of lift which can be imparted to the main button yclamp in the thread breaking operation. This lift is not great in any event as it must terminate short of the level of the lower end of the needle when the latter is in its elevated position. The cutting away of the cover member O between the prong portions O2 provides clearance for the main button centering linger D2, and thusfadds tothe compactness of the apparatus as a whole. The manner in which the jaws I are mounted and operated, permits of a range of jaw movement ample to take care of stay buttons of very diferent sizes. The location 'of the free end of the lever M alongside `the operating part D3 of the main button clamp is convenient for the operator, and facilitates the rapid and accurate insertion of the stay buttons.

With the described construction, the garment or other article to which buttons are being sewed, is securely gripped between the main button and the main button clamping and centering jaws D and D2 acting on the upper side of the article, and either or both the stay button and the stay button clamping jaws I acting on the underside of the work. Preferably the parts are so proportioned that in sewing relatively big main buttons,

such as over-coat buttons, on relatively heavy Work (where the greatest work clamping force is required,) all or a considerable portion of the pressure transmitted by the main button and main button clamp through the work to the under support for the latter will be borne by the clamping jaws I, but whether this pressure is transmitted through the work to the stay button itself or to the jaws I, it assists in preventing' displacement of the stay button, since when the portion of this pressure borne by the clamping jaws I acts frictionally to prevent the latter from spreading. To increase this frictional holding effect, the upper sides of the jaws I may be roughened as indicated at I3.

The serration of the button engaging edges I2 of the clamping jaws I, also desirably assists in holding the stay button firmly enough to prevent its displacement under the stresses imposed on it during the initial portion of the button sewing operation. These stresses are due largely to the lateral pull on the stay button of the thread loops passing from the holes in the stay button to the rotary looper or other stitch forming mechanism beneath the work, and are due in part to the needle itself. The displacement stresses due to the needle arise from the fact that in the practical operation of a button sewing machine, the needle is required to bend to accommodate inaccurate register of the needle and the button thread holes caused by inevitable inaccuracy in the placing of the buttons in the button clamps and by nonuniformity in shape of the buttons.- The special form of the serrated edges I2 of the clamping jaws I enable those jaws to securely hold stay buttons of different sizes.

IVhile the button clamping attachment in the form ilustrated was especially devised for use in connection with the work holder of a sewing machine in which the work is moved transversely to the needle to successively present different button thread holes to the needle, the invention in its general aspects is well adapted for use in button sewing machines of different type, and part-icularly in button sewing machines in which the needle is'moved transversely to its line of reciprocation to successively engage different thread holes in a stationary button.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes, I have illustrated and described the best forms of my invention now known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that some changes in form may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims, and that some features of my invention may sometimes be used to advantage Without a corresponding use ot other eatures.

I-Iaving now described my invent-ion, what y I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

l. In a work holder for button sewing machines, the combination with a support of a main button clamp mounted on said support, and a stay button clamp mounted on said support beneath said main button gripped between them, and jaw operating means including a movable jaw engaging` part and a spring located Within said casing.

2. In a Work holder for button sewing machines, the combination with a. support of a main button clamp mounted on said support, and a stay button clamp mounted on said support beneath said main button clamp and separated therefrom by a Work receiving space, said stay button clamp co1n' prising a chambered casing having a wall extension, and button clamping jaws mount` ed within said casing and comprising flattened button engaging portions projecting from said casing over said extension and having their adjacent edges shaped to provide serrated seats for stay buttons of different sizes, and jaw operating means including a movable jaw engaging part and a spring located within said casing.

3. In a work holder for button sewing machines, the combination with a support of a main button clamp mounted on said support, and a stay button clamp mounted on said support beneath said main button clamp and separated therefrom by a work receiving space, said stay button clamp comprising a chambered casing having a wall extension, relatively movable button clamping jaws mounted within said casing and comprising button engaging portions projecting from said casing over said extension and roughened at their upper sides to provide a c oth supporting surface at the margin of a stay button gripped between them, whereby the Vtendency of downwardly acting pressure transmitted to said jaws through cloth'extending over said roughened sides to prevent movement of the jaws relative to one another and to said cloth is augmented.

. 4. A staybutton clamp for a button sewmg machine comprising a chambered casing having a wall extension, and relatively movable button clamping jaws mounted within lll said casing .and comprising flattened button engaging portions projecting fromv said casing over said extension and roughened at their upper sides to provide a cloth supporting surface at the margin of a stay button gripped between them, whereby the tendency of downwardly actingnpressure transmitted to said jaws through cloth extending over said roughened sides to prevent movement of the jaws relative to one another and to said cloth is augmented.

5. ln a work holder for button sewing machines, the combination with a support of a main button clamp mounted on said f support, and a stay button clamp mounted on said support beneath said main button clamp and separated therefrom by a work receiving space, said stay button clamp comprising a ehambered casing with a plate-like extension formed with a needle opening, button clamping jaws mounted within said casing and provided with button engaging portions resting on said extension and movable toward and away from one another to grip and release the edges of a button resting on said extension at the margin of said needle opening, said extension being formed with a recess in its upper side and operating means for said jaws including a spring and a movable part. mounted in said recess.

6. A work holder for button sewing machines, comprising a support, a main button clamp pivotally connected to said support and comprising the usual side gripping jaws D and central centering finger D2, a. stay button clamp secured to said support beneath said main button clamp and comprising .a chambered casing with` a plate-like extension at its front end, a pair ot' stay button clamping jaws mounted in said casing and having relatively movable button clamping jaws projecting from said casing over said extension, the upper portion of said casing being shaped to provide extensions at its front end extending one over each of the last mentioned clamping jaws at opposite sides of said centering finger.

7 A work holder for button sewing machines, comprising a support, a main button clamp connected to said support andcomprising button engaging jaws and an operating part D3 for giving relative movements to said jaws, a stay button clamp secured to said support beneath said main button clamp and comprising button clamping jaws, and means for moving the last mentioned jaws to grip and release stay buttons of different sizes, said means comprising an operating member located adjacent said operating part whereby said operating member and operating part are readily accessible for simultaneous operation by the operator.

Signed at Boston in the county of Suiolk and State of Massachusetts this seventh day of February, A. D. 1923.

ROBERT L. LYONS.

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