Improvements in Sewing Machine Tables or Stands.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 7th Jan., 1896-Accepted, 7th Mar., 1896
[Communicated from abroad by THE SINGER MANUFACTURING CO., of New
York, United States of America, Sewing Machine Manufacturers.]
Improvements in Sewing Machine Tables or Stands.
I, WILLIAM HARVEY INSLEE, Manager of The Singer Manufacturing Company,
Kilbowie, Dumbartonshire, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in
what manner the same is to be performed as communicated to me to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
My invention relates to that class of sewing machine tables or stands which are
so constructed as to permit the sewing machine, when not in use, to be dropped
down below the surface of the table, so that by folding down the leaf which forms
an extension of the table on to the surface of the latter the opening in the table
top, through which the machine is dropped, is covered, thereby adapting the table
for use as an ordinary table; this class of stands being known to the trade as
"drop cabinets" or "drop stands."
My invention has for its object to provide a table or stand, of the class referred
to, which may be so cheaply constructed that it will cost but little if anything
more than an ordinary table or stand, as well as to provide a drop stand in which
the wooden box which forms the receptacle below the table for the machine,
when the latter is dropped down below the top of the table, will serve as a brace
to connect the iron legs or side frames of the stand, so that the table will be
sufficiently strong and firm in use without requiring an iron cross-brace such as is
ordinarily required in sewing machine stands to connect the legs or side frames
thereof and to render the table stiff and firm.
Another object of my invention is to provide such a construction of the parts
connected with the swinging platform on which the sewing machine is mounted
that a simple curved plate spring may be employed for the purpose of counter-
balancing the weight of the sewing machine mounted thereon.
In another modification of my invention I provide a brace for the class of sewing
machine stands or tables referred to, which brace is of such construction that the driving
wheel of the machine may be mounted thereon and be out of the way of the operator,
the brace being so made that it may be quickly and cheaply secured to the legs or
side-frames of the table, and the screws by which the bottom portions of the brace
are secured to the said legs or side-frames serving also as centre screw bearings for
the treadle. The bearing for the driving wheel is of such construction that it may
be adjusted to compensate for wear.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a front view partly in vertical section, of a sewing machine table
embodying my invention: Fig. 2 is a cross section of the same.
Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the table part of the stand showing the plate spring
which counterbalances the swinging platform. Fig. 4 is a partial top view
illustrating the same feature.
Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 are detail views.
Fig. 9 is a front view of a sewing machine stand embodying the brace constituting
part of my invention, the legs or side frames of the stand and the table portion
thereof being denoted simply by dotted lines.
Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view of the bearing for the driving wheel.
Fig. 11 is a detail sectional view of one of the bearings for the treadle, and
Fig. 12 is a partial cross section showing the receptacle for the machine when the
same is dropped beneath the table.

page_text: Referring to Figures 1 to 8 of the drawings A A denote the iron legs or
side frames of a stand and B the table proper attached to the tops of the said
legs or side frames by bolts or screws b. The table B is provided with an opening
surrounding which and secured to the upper surface thereof is a frame C, and on
a level with the latter is a swinging platform or support D pivoted or hinged at its
rear side and adapted to be dropped below the surface of the table as also to be
raised above the same. This swinging platform or support sustains the sewing
machine, the bed plate of which latter is received in a suitable recess or opening
formed in the said platform or support, the latter being adapted to be dropped
below the surface of the table when the sewing machine is not in use, or to be
elevated above the surface of the table on its hinges when access to the under
side of the sewing machine is desired. To the front side of the frame C is
hinged a small leaf c having a suitable lip con which rests a lip d of the
platform D so as to support the front side of said platform when the sewing
machine is in operative position. The leaf c is adapted to be lifted so as to
disengage the lips e and d when it is desired to depress the swinging platform D
below the surface of the table.
E denotes a box or compartment arranged below the table B, and of such size
and form as to receive the sewing machine sustained by the platform or support D
when the latter is to be depressed below the surface of the table. This box or
receptacle E is permanently closed except at its top and is preferably formed of
wood, and the ends thereof are of sufficient thickness to receive screws e passing
through lugs a formed on the legs or side frames A so as to firmly secure the said
box or compartment in place in such a manner that it will form a brace strongly
connecting the upper ends of said legs or side frames, thus rendering the table
strong and firm. The sides and bottom of the said box or receptacle E are prefer-
ably formed of a single bent piece of comparatively thin wood, and the whole box
or compartment forms an enclosed receptacle into which the sewing machine may
be dropped, and when in this position it will be protected from dust and dirt, and
will also be entirely concealed from view.
F denotes a swinging leaf hinged at f to one end of the frame C in such a manner
that it may be turned down over the said frame, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, thus
covering the opening in the said frame through which the sewing machine passes
when dropped below the top of the table, said leaf thus forming a complete table
top to adapt the table for use for any desired purpose when the sewing machine has
been depressed into the receptacle E. When it is desired to raise the sewing
machine above the table to its operative position the leaf F may be turned down
outward to the position denoted by dotted lines in Fig. 1 so as to form an
extension leaf for the table, and thus to give plenty of room for the convenience of
the operator.
To the ends of the swinging platform or support D at the rear side of the latter
are secured metal plates G having depending lugs or ears which are in contact
with a bent plate spring H near the ends of the latter, the said spring being placed
in a suitable recess formed therefor in the table B and the centre of the said
spring resting against a convex part of the said table, this convex support thus
permitting the said spring to be bent backward beyond a straight line when the
swinging platform D' is lowered below the surface of the table and the spring is
under tension. The outer surface of the lower ends of the lugs or ears g of the
plates are rounded so as to permit an easy turning contact thereof with the
spring H.
To the under side of the table B are attached plates I having upwardly
extending ears or parts having holes, entered by pins g' in the ears or legs of
the plates G, the said pins forming the pivots or hinges of the swinging platform
or support D. The ends of the spring II, as herein shown, rest against the ends
of the lugs i when the swinging platform or support D is in its raised or operative
position, the said lugs i thus serving as stops for the ends of the said spring. The
front walls of the recess in the table B into which the ends of the spring H

page_text: extend, would, however, serve as stops for the ends of the said springs if the lugs i
were not extended back far enough to serve this purpose.
The spring H is of sufficient strength to nearly or quite counterbalance the
weight of the sewing machine which is to be sustained by the swinging platform
or support D, so that when it is desired to raise the sewing machine to its operative
position when it has been dropped into the box E very little lifting force need be
applied by the operator. This simple plate spring H, while performing all the
offices of more complicated springs heretofore used in this class of table for a
similar purpose, is very cheap, and is easily applied in position, and this feature
of my invention contributes largely to the simplicity and cheapness of my drop
stand.
Referring to Figures 9 to 12 of the drawings, A A denotes the legs or side
frames of a sewing machine stand or table, these being usually of cast iron. B is
the table portion of the stand, and C denotes a receptacle beneath the table into
which the machine may be dropped when not in use. The sewing machine
(denoted by dotted lines in Fig. 12) is mounted upon a hinged section of the
table B, said hinged section b being supported in front by a second smaller hinged
section which, when the section bis lifted slightly, may be turned upward to
permit the said section with the sewing machine mounted thereon to fall down
below the table B into the receptacle C in the direction denoted by the arrow in
Fig. 12. The vertical brace which connects the legs or side-frames A, and which
serves to stiffen and steady the table, comprises the curved outer parts or bars d
and the horizontal bars d', d, the latter having the extension d³.
The outer ends of the upper horizontal bar d' are screwed or bolted to the side-
frames A in any suitable manner, and the lower ends of the bars d are secured to
the said legs or side-frames by means of screws a tapped through the said legs or
side-frames, and passing loosely through the lower ends of the bars d of the Erace,
the said screws being rounded or pointed at their inner ends to serve as centre or
bearing screws for the treadle E which is mounted thereon, as more clearly shown
in Fig. 11 set nuts a being provided to hold the screws in any desired position of
adjustment to firmly lock the lower ends of the brace to the legs or side frames of
the table.
The upper horizontal arm d¹ serves as a support for the box or receptacle C
which encloses the machine when the latter is dropped below the table. The
part 3 of the lower horizontal bar d2 extends outside of one of the bars d and is
preferably formed conical at its outer end, as shown in Fig. 10, so that it may fit
in a correspondingly shaped recess or counter-sink in the inner side of the hub of
the driving wheel F, the outer side of said hub being also countersunk for the
reception of the conical head on the screw which is tapped in the extension or
bar da and which screw serves as a bearing for the said driving wheel. The screw f
may be turned, when desired, to compensate for wear at the hub of the driving
wheel, and is secured in any desired position of adjustment by the set screw f¹.
By arranging the driving wheel, as shown, outside of one of the curved bars of
the vertical brace, the latter, it will be observed serves as a guard to prevent the
dress of the operator from coming in contact with the driving wheel or with the
pitman G which connects said wheel to the treadle E.
It will thus be seen that by the simple form of brace herein shown and described
I am enabled to provide an efficient compensating bearing for the driving wheel,
and a bearing for the treadle as well as a dress guard, while the brace itself,
although simple in construction serves as a support for the receptacle C and
strongly braces the whole table and renders it firm and efficient.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what
I claim is :-
1. A sewing machine stand consisting of iron legs or side frames and a table
secured to the tops thereof, combined with a box or receptacle below the said table

page_text: and of suitable size to receive the sewing machine when the latter is depressed
below the table, the said box or receptacle being permanently closed except at its
top and filling the space between the upper ends of the said legs or side frames
and being attached at its ends thereto so as to serve as a brace connecting the said
legs or side frames and rendering the table firm and strong without requiring the
use of an iron brace.
2. A sewing machine stand consisting of iron legs or side frames and a table
secured to the tops thereof, combined with the box or receptacle E placed below
the said table and of suitable size to receive the sewing machine when the latter is
dropped below the table, the said box or receptacle consisting of wooden end pieces
and a single bent strip of comparatively thin wood which forms the sides and
bottom thereof, the said legs or side-frames being provided with lugs a to which
the said end pieces of the said box or receptacle are firmly attached, so that the
said box or receptacle will strongly connect the said legs or side-frames and serve
as a brace for the stand.
3. In a sewing machine stand, the combination with the legs or side frames and
the table attached to the tops thereof, of a swinging platform or support having a
suitable hinged or pivotal connection with the said table and provided on its under
side with depending ears or lugs, and a plate spring, as H, arranged to engage the
said ears or lugs on the said swinging platform or support and serving to counter-
balance the weight of the sewing machine sustained by the latter.
4. The combination with the table and legs or side frames of a sewing machine
stand provided with a receptacle into which the sewing machine may be dropped
when not in use, of a brace connecting said legs or side frames and to the outer
part of one side of which the driving wheel is journaled, said brace having an
upper cross-bar serving as a support for said receptacle and being provided at its
lower end with screws which serve to secure the same to said legs or side-frames of
the stand and which also serve as bearing screws for the treadle.
5. The combination with the legs or side frames of a sewing machine stand, of
a table attached to the tops of said legs or side frames, a receptacle beneath said
table into which the sewing machine may be dropped when not in use, and a brace
connecting said legs or side frames and to the upper part of one side of which the
driving wheel is journaled, said brace having an upper cross bar serving as a support
for said receptacle, substantially as set forth.
Dated this 6th day of January 1896.
WALLACE FAIRWEATHER,
Chartered Patent Agent,
62 St. Vincent Street, Glasgow, Ageut for the Applicant.