OR IMPROVED SPRING MECHANISM FOR ACTUATING SEWING MACHINES AND BOTTLE JACKS, AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Philip Bache, of West Bromwich, in the County
of Stafford, Manufacturer, for the Invention of "NEW OR IMPROVED SPRING
MECHANISM FOR ACTUATING SEWING MACHINES AND BOTTLE JACKS, AND FOR
OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
Sealed the 5th April 1878, and dated the 31st October 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Philip Bache at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 31st October 1877.
THOMAS PHILIP BACHE, of West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford, Manu-
facturer. "NEW OR IMPROVED SPRING MECHANISM FOR ACTUATING SEWING
MACHINES AND BOTTLE JACKS, AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
My Invention consists in constructing and arranging spring mechanism for
actuating sewing machines and bottle jacks, and for other like purposes, in the
manner herein-after described, whereby simplicity of construction and efficiency in
action in the said mechanism are obtained.
Upon an axis, capable of receiving a rotatory motion, I place a series of any
required number of coiled band springs, that is, springs made of bands or strips of
hardened and tempered steel coiled after the manner of the mainspring of a watch.
Each of the said springs is contained within a box or case, the outer end of the
spring being fixed to the case.
The inner end of the first spring is keyed or connected to the axis; and the inner
end of each succeeding spring is connected with the one preceding it in the following
manner:- -Each spring box has a concentric tubular socket on one of its sides, the
said tubular socket sliding freely on the axis, and supporting the spring box and
spring on the axis. The said tubular sockets are capable of rotating as well as
sliding on the axis.
The several springs are strung on the axis, and connected as follows:-The inner
end of the first spring, as already stated, is connected to the axis, and its outer end

page_text: is connected to the circumference of its case, and through the rigid case to the
tubular socket of the case. This tubular socket has a slot in it, which, when the
second spring and case are passed on to the axis, the inner end of the said second
spring engages. The tubular socket of each spring has similarly a slot in which
the inner end of the spring next passed on to the axis engages. The inner ends
of the several springs are thus respectively connected to the outer ends of the
springs following them. The case of the last spring may carry a toothed wheel,
which gears with the machinery to be actuated by the springs.
The action of the mechanism is as follows:-On turning the axis by a winch or
otherwise the first spring is coiled up from its inner end. When the tension of the
first spring has been increased to the required degree the further turning of the
axis causes the case of the first spring to turn on the axis its tubular socket by its
motion commencing the winding up of the second spring to which it is connected.
When the tension of the second spring has been increased to the required degree its
case begins to turn, and its tubular socket to wind up from its inner end the third
spring, and so on in succession to the last of the series. By means of a pawl and
ratchet the backward rotation of the axis is prevented, and the elastic force of the
springs, as they uncoil themselves, it transmitted to the machine to be actuated
through the toothed wheel on the box of the last spring; or the last spring box
may be fixed, and the reverse or uncoiling motion of the axis be made to actuate
the machinery.
'
By my Invention a large amount of motive power may be accumulated and stored
up in the system of springs, and given out again with a uniformity unattainable by
the use of a single spring.
Where desired sets of springs on two or more axes may be arranged and connected
in the manner described.
Although the connecting of the springs by the inner end of one engaging with
the tubular socket of the next, by entering a slot in the said, tubular socket
answers well in practice, yet the springs may be connected together by keys or
screws, or otherwise.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed ·
by the said Thomas Philip Bache in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
26th April 1878.
"
THOMAS PHILIP BACHE, of West Bromwich, in the County of Stafford, Manu-
facturer. NEW OR IMPROVED SPRING MECHANISM FOR ACTUATING SEWING
MACHINES AND BOTTLE JACKS, AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
My Invention consists in constructing and arranging spring mechanism for
actuating sewing machines and bottle jacks, and for other like purposes, in the
manner herein-after described, whereby simplicity of construction and efficiency in
action in the said mechanism are obtained.
Upon an axis, capable of receiving a rotatory motion, I place a series of any
required number of coiled band springs, that is, springs made of bands or strips of
hardened and tempered steel coiled after the manner of the mainspring of a watch.
Each of the said springs is contained within a box or case, the outer end of the
spring being fixed to the case:
'
The inner end of the first spring is keyed or connected to the axis, and the
inner end of each succeeding spring is connected with the one preceding it in the
following manner-Each spring box has a concentric tubular socket on one of its
sides, the said tubular socket sliding freely on the axis, and supporting the spring
box and spring on the axis. The said tubular sockets are capable of rotating as
well as sliding on the axis.
The several springs are strung on the axis, and connected as follows:-The inner
end of the first spring, as already stated, is connected to the axis, and its outer end is
connected to the circumference of its case, and through the rigid case to the
tubular socket of the case. This tubular socket has a slot in which, when the
second spring and case are passed on to the axis, the inner end of the said second
spring engages. The tubular socket of each spring has similarly a slot in which
the inner end of the spring next passed on to the axis engages. The inner ends of the
several springs are thus respectively connected to the outer end of the springs
following them. The case of the last spring may carry a toothed wheel which gears
with the machinery to be actuated by the springs.
The action of the mechanism is as follows:-On turning the axis by a winch or
otherwise the first spring is coiled up from its inner end. When the tension of the
first spring has been increased to the required degree the further turning of the
axis causes the case of the first spring to turn on the axis, its tubular socket by its
motion commencing the winding up of the second spring to which it is connected.
When the tension of the second spring has been increased to the required degree its
case begins to turn, and its tubular socket to wind up from its inner end the third
spring, and so on in succession to the last of the series. By means of a pawl and
ratchet the backward rotation of the axis is prevented, and the elastic force of the
springs, as they uncoil themselves, is transmitted to the machine to be actuated
through the toothed wheel on the box of the last spring; or, the last spring
box may be fixed, and the reverse or uncoiling motion of the axis be made to
actuate the machinery.
Where desired sets of springs on two or more axes may be arranged and connected
in the manner described.
Although the connecting of the springs by the inner end of one engaging with
the tubular socket of the next by entering a slot in the said tubular socket answers
well in practice, yet the springs may be connected together by keys or screws, or
otherwise.

page_text: I will now proceed to describe, with reference to the accompanying Drawing, the
manner in which my Invention may be performed.
Figure 1 represents partly in longitudinal section and partly in elevation spring
mechanism for actuating sewing machines, and for other like purposes, constructed
and arranged according to my Invention.
Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same, and Figure 3 represents in side and
front elevation one of the spring boxes or cases of the same detached.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
a is the axis, capable of a rotatory motion, on which axis the series or system of
band springs and their boxes or cases are strung and connected together. The said
axis a is supported in bearings in any convenient way, and is turned by a winch or
handle placed on its square end at a² for winding up the system of springs. The
spring boxes, each containing a spring band arranged on the axis a, are marked
respectively b, c, d, and e.
Instead of four springs and their boxes a greater or less number than four may
be used. Each of the said spring boxes b, c, d, and e contains a band spring of the
kind represented in the boxes b and c, the said band springs being marked respec-
tively and g. Each of the spring boxes is open at one side and closed (or partly
closed) at the other side, the closed side of each box being furnished with a con-
centric tubular socket h having a longitudinal slot i in it (see the separate view,.
Figure 3).
By means of these tubular sockets the spring boxes are supported on the axis. a,
the said sockets being capable of sliding and rotating upon the said axis. The last
spring box or case e has upon it a toothed wheel k to which the machinery to be
actuated by the spring mechanism is geared.
The several springs in the spring boxes b, c, d, e, are strung on the axis a, and
connected one to the other in the following way:-The first box or case 6 being
placed on the axis a, the inner end of its spring f is connected to the axis a by the
key or stud at l. The outer end of the said spring is connected at m to the cir-
cumference of its case b, and through the said case to its tubular socket h. The
second spring box or case c being passed on to the axis a with its open side pre-
sented to the closed side of the first spring box b, the inner end of the spring g of
the said second box c is engaged in the slot i of the socket h of the first box b, as
best seen in Figure 3, where a portion of the spring of one box or case is repre-
sented engaged in the tubular socket of the box or case immediately in front of it.
The outer end of the spring y in the second box or case is connected at n to the
circumference of its case c, as described with respect to the outer end of the first
spring The boxes d, e, with their springs are in succession passed on to the axis
a, and the inner ends of the said springs are connected in a like manner to the
tubular sockets h, h, of the spring boxes preceding them, the outer ends of the springs
in the said boxes d, e, being connected to the circumferences of their respective
boxes. In this way the inner end of the first spring of the series is keyed or
connected to the axis a, and the inner end of each succeeding spring is .connected
with the one preceding it through its tubular socket and case.
On turning the axis a by a winch applied to its square end at a², the first spring f
is coiled up from its inner end at l. As the first spring f is being wound up it
communicates first a slow and afterwards a more rapid rotation to its case b, the
tubular socket h by its motion commencing the winding up of the second spring g,
to which it is connected through the slot i. As the winding up of the spring g
proceeds its case c begins to turn, and its tubular socket to wind up from its inner
end the spring in the third case d, and in like manner the spring in the fourth
case e and the other springs following it (when more than four are used) are
wound up.
A pawl and ratchet wheel or other equivalent arrangement (not shown in the
Drawing) is employed to prevent the backward rotation of the axis a.
The elastic force of the series of springs in the boxes or cases, as the said springs

page_text: uncoil themselves, is transmitted to the machine to be actuated through the toothed
wheel on the box e of the last spring.
Instead of connecting the inner end of each of the springs after the first to the
spring box or case preceding it in the manner described, and illustrated in Figures
1, 2, and 3, the said springs may be connected to one another in the manner
illustrated in Figures 4, 5, and 6, Figure 4 representing a front elevation of a spring
and its case; Figure 5, a section of the same; and Figure 6, a side elevation of the
same.
In this arrangement the tubular socket p of the box or case q is made square
externally, and the inner end of the spring r within the box or case is furnished
with a square bush 8 of a size proper to fit tightly on the square socket of the next
spring box or case. .
When the second box or case and its spring, constructed as described, and
illustrated in Figures 4, 5, and 6, is placed on the axis a (the first box or case
having a square external socket) the square bush of the said second spring takes
upon the square external socket of the said first spring, case, or box, and the said
second spring is connected to the first one; and in like manner the succeeding
springs are in succession connected to the second and following springs.
When greater power is required than can be conveniently obtained by a system
of band springs coupled together and arranged on a single axis, two or more parallel
axes, each axis carrying a series of band springs of the kind described and repre-
sented, may be geared together by toothed wheels similar to the toothed wheel k,
and made to constitute one mechanism.
Figure 7 represents partly in section and partly in elevation a portion of a bottle
jack, the spring mechanism of which is arranged according to my Invention, and
Figure 8 is a front elevation of one of the spring boxes of the same.
The parts of the bottle jack which I have omitted are of the ordinary kind, and
constitute no part of my Invention. t is the winding axis of the bottle jack, and
u, v, are two spring boxes, each containing a band spring. The closed back of the
first spring box or case u has a slotted tubular socket w, to which the inner end
of the spring in the next box or case v is affixed in the manner before described.
The box or case is fixed to the bracket x. The spring mechanism of the bottle
jack is wound up, and the elastic force of the two springs communicated to the
axis t is transmitted to the jack mechanism by the toothed wheel y in the ordinary
way.
The last spring box of the mechanism, Figure 1, may be fixed to the axis a instead
of being loose thereon. In this case the first spring box or case b is fixed to the
foundation or framing of the machine, the reverse or uncoiling motion of the axis a
being made to actuate the mechanism through a toothed wheel similar to the wheel
k fixed on the said axis.
By my Invention a large amount of motive power may be accumulated and
stored up in the system of springs, and given out again with a uniformity unattainable
by the use of a single spring.
Having now described the nature of my Invention, and the manner in which the
same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood that I do not limit myself to
the precise details herein deseribed and illustrated, as the same may be varied
without departing from the nature of my Invention; but I claim as my Invention,
the new or improved spring mechanism for actuating sewing machines and bottle-
jacks; and for other like purposes herein-before described, and illustrated in the accom-
panying Drawing; that is to say, spring mechanism consisting essentially of a series
or system of two or more band springs and their boxes or cases strung or arranged
on an axis capable of rotatory motion, the inner end of the first spring being keyed
or connected to the said axis, and the outer end to its box or case; and the outer
end of each succeeding spring being connected to its box or case, and the inner end
being connected to the outer end of the preceding spring through the box or case
of the said preceding spring, substantially as described and illustrated, whereby a

page_text: large amount of motive power may be accumulated, and stored up and given out
again with a uniformity unattainable by the use of a single spring.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Philip Bache, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-fourth day of April, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight.