IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO SPRING MOTORS FOR SEWING MACHINES AND ANALOGOUS USES
Year: 1874

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nicholas Jenkins, of New Haven, in the County
of New Haven, and State of Connecticut, in the United States of
America, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO SPRING
MOTORS FOR SEWING MACHINES AND ANALOGOUS USES."
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Nicholas Jenkins at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition and
Declaration, on the 14th December 1874, pursuant to the 9th
Section of the Patent Law Amendment Act, 1852.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NICHOLAS
JENKINS, of New Haven, in the County of New Haven, and State of
Connecticut, in the United States of America, send greeting.
WHEREAS I am in possession of an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS
RELATING TO SPRING MOTORS FOR SEWING MACHINES AND ANALOGOUS USES," and
have petitioned Her Majesty to grant unto me, my executors, adminis,

page_text: and
trators, and assigns, Her Royal Letters Patent for the same,
have made solemn Declaration that I am the first and true Inventor
thereof.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Nicholas Jenkins, do hereby declare
that the following Complete Specification, under my hand and seal,
fully describes and ascertains the nature of the said Invention, and
in what manner the same is to be performed, in and by the following
statement thereof, that is to say :—
-
I employ two or more springs wound around separate shafts, both or
all geared together through another shaft with which the wheels of both
engage. In the preferable form I employ two or more sets of such
apparatus gearing with another shaft which receives power from the
whole. The speed is regulated by a peculiar frictional governor.
The accompanying Drawing represent one of the simplest means of
carrying out all the parts of the Invention.
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the apparatus with some of the parts
removed.
Figure 2 is a view from below of the interior of the frictional
governor.
Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in both Figures.
A is the fixed framework, and 61, 6, are separate shafts mounted
therein with squared ends adapted to receive successively a key, not
represented, by which they may be turned, and thus wind the long flat
springs B¹, B', one end of which is fast to the respective shaft, and the
other to a fixed post on the framing. The gear wheels O¹, C³, are
mounted loosely on the respective shafts 61, 62, connected thereto by
ratchets with spring pawls, both wheels O', 0, gear with a single
wheel D.
In another part of the machine shafts g³, g³, with squared ends corre-
spond to the shafts 6', 6', and are similarly equipped with springs G¹, G³, |
and gear wheels, and the required ratchets and pawls. Both the last-
named wheels gear with a single wheel on the shaft i. The wheel D is
fixed on a shaft d which carries a large gear wheel D¹.
shaft i also carries a large gear wheel I¹. The wheels
The aforesaid
D' and I¹ both

page_text: gear into a small wheel M. The power of the set of springs B¹, B³, is
communicated to the wheel D¹. The power of the set of springs G¹, G²,
is communicated to the wheel I'. The power of both is received by the
wheel M. The motion of the latter is multiplied by the train of gearing
as represented until it gives a quick motion to a shaft p which carries a
pulley P adapted to receive a belt, not represented, and give the proper
motion to a sewing machine or analogous machine. For regulating the
speed a large wheel P¹ on the shaft p gears into a small wheel on an
upright shaft ", which carries on an extended revolving frame R¹ two
levers T, T, hung on centres 2, and enclosed within a hollow cylindrical
casing A¹. Springs V exert their force to hold the loaded ends of the
levers T in near the shaft r, but when the centrifugal force due to the
rotation exceeds the force of the springs V, the loaded levers T will
swing outward and will create friction against the interior of the
casing A', which friction will restrain the motion. J is a treadle turning
on a centre and connected by a tie rod, as shown, to a brake lever K
which is lifted by a spring L into contact with a pulley on the
shaft p.
To operate the machine the shafts b¹, b², g¹, g³, are forcibly turned by
the proper key until the respective springs are wound up. There is still
no motion because the brake lover K actuated by the spring L holds the
mechanism, which may be supposed to be in the space under a sowing
machine. The belt being properly applied on the pulley P and applied
on the pulley of the sewing machine above, the operator touches the
treadle J, and by depressing it sets the machinery in motion by the
action of the several springs. It will continue with a nearly uniform
motion until the treadle is again liberated or the force of all the springs
is exhausted. For some work only one spring may be required to be
wound up, but for most sewing machine work all the springs should bo
wound. The arrangement will allow of a much greater number of
springs, but I deem it important that they be arranged in sets, two or
more springs B¹, B³, working on the gear wheel D, the springs of another
set working on the corresponding gear wheel on the shaft i, and the action
of both, as also of several other sets if required, being communicated to
the common wheel M, and thus to the sewing machine.
The gear wheels D', I', act on widely separared points on the wheel M,
and with nearly equal force. So far as they approximate to a position

page_text: opposite to each other they impart the rotatory motion to the shaft m
without friction on the bearings. So also the wheels C', 0³, act with an
approximately balanced action on their driven wheel D, and the same
with the wheels of the other set or sets.
.
The elasticity of the metal in the springs is more available by reason
of its distribution in a number of small springs. A part or the whole
may be used at will, and the failure of one or more springs does not
incapacitate the machine for useful service.
The treadle J acting on the brake K in opposition to the spring L,
allows the motion to be arrested gently and started again as often as may
be required without involving the use of the hands, and by an action
peculiarly favorable for controlling a sewing machine. The whole of
the apparatus is well adapted to apply in the space under the table of a
sewing machine.
The frictional levers T may cach have a large bearing surface nicely 1
matched to the interior of the casing A¹. The loads on the lovers T or
the force of the springs V may be made adjustable by any ordinary
means, and the motion will be controlled with sufficient accuracy for
the general purposes of sewing machine work. The regulation is thus
effected by very simple mechanism.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner
of performing the same, I claim as my Invention,-.
1st. A set of two or more springs B³, B³, gearing to the single shaft d
in the manner and for the purposes herein specified.
2nd. The compound trains of mechanism impelled by two or more 2
sets of springs B¹, B², G³, G², connected through the wheels D', I', with
a single shaft m, as and for the purposes herein specified.
3rd. The loaded levers T, t, and the springs V turning on the quick
shaft within the circular casing A' in combination with impelling
springs, and a train of gearing so as to control the velocity and impart
an approximately uniform motion adapted for sewing machines, as herein
specified.
:
4th. The treadle J and connected brake K in combination with one or
more sets of springs with suitable gearing, and a speed regulating device“

page_text: adapted to stand under a sewing machine, and impart the proper motion
thereto at the will of the operator, as specified.
In witness whercof, I, the said Nicholas Jenkins, have here-
unto set my hand and seal, this Fifth day of November, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four
Witness,
E. T. ALLEN,
J. E. ROBERTSON.
NICHOLAS JENKINS. (L.S.)
1