IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO TREADLES OF SEWING AND OTHER MACHINES
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Olark, of 53, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO TREADLES OF SEWING AND OTHER
MACHINES."-A communication from abroad by James William
Washington Gordon, of Newport, County of Campbell, State of
Kentucky, United States of America.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Alexander Melville
Clark at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 4th October 1871.
I, ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County
of Middlesex, Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO TREADLES OF SEWING AND
OTHER MACHINES," to be as follows :—
This Invention has for its object to so construct the treadles of sewing
machines, lathes, and other machinery driven by muscular power that

page_text: the power of the muscles of the calf and foot may be increased without
straining the muscles of the thigh and body.
As treadles are now used but little power further than that obtained
from the weight of the leg and foot can be exerted without either leaning
the body forward, which is exceedingly injurious to the muscles and 6
other parts of the abdomen and to the spinal column, or resting the body
against a back support, which removes the head too far from the
machinery to be observed. The proper upright position of the body
cannot be retained when power is actually required, nor can motion be
kept up for any length of time, even when the body is leaned back, with- 1
out excessively fatiguing the muscles of the leg.
This Invention consists in the application to the treadle of a cushion,
strap, or spring, whereby the knee of the operator is held down to press
the lower joint of the leg upon the treadle. The muscles of the calf and
foot are thereby braced to operate without loss of power. For this 1
purpose I can employ either a vertically adjustable cushion, which is
suspended from slotted pendants or from the sides of the machine of
which the treadle forms part; or a strap with both ends secured to the
treadle and laid over the knee; or a spring, cushioned or plain, may be
used to press upon the knee. A spring may also be secured to the 2
treadle to hold the knee against the strap or cushion. In this manner
the lower part of the leg is locked to the foot, so that a greater leverage
and more powerful action upon the treadle can be obtained.
I may also affix the treadle to the lower portion of a U shaped axle,
which has its upper ends hung in the frame of the machine. The depression 2
in the axle is such that when the foot is on the treadle its ankle joint will
be about in line with the said ends. The foot is preferably applied so that
the heel is behind the line of the axle, thereby a mere oscillation of the
foot on its ankle joint will suffice to impart the proper motion to the
treadle and to the machinery connected therewith; and in order to still a
more simplify the action of the feet I use the cushion or pressure pad in
connection with the treadle when so constructed, said pad pressing on the
knees of the operator as before described. A spring may be applied
against the under side of the treadle, under the front end of the same,
holding the same up far enough to enable the foot to apply power to the a
treadle, and to move the same in the desired continuity from a state of

page_text: rest. Such a spring may, if desired, be as well applied and with equal
effect to the pitman which connects with the treadle. By making the
foot swing on the ankle joint the leg itself remains quite at rest, the knee
not moving up and down as on ordinary treadles. This admits the use of
the bracing cushion before described.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 26th March 1872.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, ALEXANDER.
MELVILLE CLARK, of 53, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex,
Patent Agent, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fourth day of October, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fifth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give
and grant unto me, the said Alexander Melville Clark, Her special
licence that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, my executors, adminis-
trators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Alexander Melvillo
Clark, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any time
agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times thereafter
during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and
Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IM-
PROVEMENTS IN AND APPLICABLE TO TREADLES OF SEWING AND OTHER MACHINES,"
a communication to me from abroad by James William Washington
Gordon, of Newport, County of Campbell, State of Kentucky, United
States of America, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the
said Alexander Melville Clark, my exccutors or administrators, by
an instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office
within six calendar months next and immediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.

page_text: NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement, reference being had to the Sheet of Drawings
hereunto annexed, and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that
is to say) :—
This Invention has for its object to so construct the treadles of sewing
machines, lathes, and other machinery driven by muscular power that
the power of the muscles of the calf and foot may be increased without
straining the muscles of the thigh and body.
As treadles are now used but little power further than that obtained
from the weight of the leg and foot can be exerted without either leaning
the body forward, which is exceedingly injurious to the muscles and
other parts of the abdomen and to the spinal column, or resting the body
against a back support, which removes the head too far from the
machinery to be observed. The proper upright position of the body
cannot be retained when power is actually required, nor can motion be
kept up for any length of time even when the body is leaned back, with-
out excessively fatiguing the muscles of the leg.
This Invention consists in the application to the treadle of a cushion,
strap, or spring, whereby the knee of the operator is held down to press
the lower joint of the leg upon the treadle. The muscles of the calf and
foot are thereby braced to operate without loss of power.

page_text: part of the leg is locked to the foot, so that a greater leverage and more
powerful action upon the treadle can be obtained: '
I also construct the treadles as follows, of which. Figure 4 represents a
side and Figure 5 a front view :-
A' represents a treadle of suitable shape. It is affixed to the lower
portions of a U shaped axle B', which has its upper ends hung in the
frame O of the machine. The depression in the axle is such that when
the foot is on the treadle its ankle joint will be about in line with the
said ends. The foot is preferably applied so that the heel is behind the
line of the axle, as in Figure 4, thereby a mere oscillation of the foot on
its ankle joint will suffice to impart the proper motion to the treadle and
to the machinery connected therewith. In order to still more simplify
the action of the feet, I may use the cushion or pressure pad A in
connection with the said treadle when so constructed, said pad pressing
on the knees of the operator, as before described. E' is a spring applied
against the under side of the treadle under the front end of the same,
holding the same up far enough to enable the foot to apply power to the
treadle, and to move the same in the desired continuity from a state of
rest. Such a spring may, if desired, be as well applied and with equal
effect to the pitman F, which connects with the treadle, as shown at d
in Figure 4. By making the foot swing on the ankle joint the leg itself
remains quite at rest, the knee not moving up and down as on ordinary
treadles. This admits the use of the bracing cushion before described.
Having described the nature of the Invention, and the manner of
performing the same, I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be
protected by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, —
-
1st. The cushion, strap, or spring, combined with the treadle, for the
purpose of drawing down the knee of the operator, substantially as
herein shown and described.
2ndly. The foot piece A', rock shaft B', and spring E', when con-

page_text: treadle to save the waste of power in moving the entire lower limb at
every vibration of the crank shaft.
In witness whereof, I, the said Alexander Melville Clark, have
hereunto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-sixth day of March,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
two
Witness,
W. G. E. SwINNOCK,
53, Chancery Lane,
London.
A. M. CLARK. (L.S.)