Buttonhole sewing machine

摘要

A sewing machine for sewing buttonholes in a workpiece comprises a stationary lower part and an arm having one end pivotally mounted on the lower part and having an opposite end which carries a rotary hook which cooperates with a reciprocating needle carried in the lower part. The arm is pivotal relative to the base part to move the arm from a fixable sewing position with said hook spaced by a predetermined distance from the needle at a stitch-forming area to a rest position in which it is spaced away from the stitch-forming area. A thread-monitoring device is located adjacent the needle for monitoring the thread and detecting any breakage thereof. The machine includes a buttonhole cutting mechanism which is connected to the drive means so as to periodically cut the workpiece. A clamp is carried by the upper arm and it has a lower portion which rests on a resilient support which is biased upwardly by a spring. The upper part of the clamp carries a rod which is biased downwardly by a spring having a lower characteristic than the spring biasing the arm upwardly, and it engages over a presser frame to urge the frame into engagement with the workpiece. A locking mechanism is associated with the support upon which the lower clamping part rests, and it is effective to lock the support arm in a selected position whenever it is actuated by the thread monitor.