Improvements in Treadle Apparatus for Driving Sewing or other Machines.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 13th Jan., 1893-Accepted, 11th Feb., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Treadle Apparatus for Driving Sewing or other
Machines.
I, JAMES LYONS SAMPSON, of Wenlock Road, London N. Engineer, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows: :-
With ordinary treadle apparatus acting upon a crank there are two positions or
dead centres from which the crank cannot be moved by pressure on the treadle and
the object of my invention is to obviate this disadvantage. For this purpose with
the treadle and the rod that connects the treadle with the crank I combine a
spring adapted, when the crank occupies either of the two positions above
indicated, to exert force between the treadle and the connecting rod in such a
manner as to cause the crank to move; thus carrying it over the dead centre.
In one arrangement the spring is a tension spring connected at one end to the
connecting rod and at the other end to a lug or projection on the treadle so
arranged that when the treadle occupies either of the extreme positions corre-
sponding to either of the dead centres the lug or projection will form an angle with
the connecting rod and the spring will exert a pull upon the connecting rod in a
direction to move the crank as required. Where a reverse direction of rotation is
desired a spring in compression may be substituted for a tension spring. In some
cases a spring surrounding the joint pin that connects the treadle to the connecting
rod may be so arranged that its respective ends will act against a pin or projection
on the connecting rod, one end of the spring serving to carry the crank over the
one dead centre and the other end of the spring to carry the crank over the other
dead centre.
Dated this 19th day of April 1892
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Treadle Apparatus for Driving Sewing or other
Machines.
I, JAMES LYONS SAMPSON, of Wenlock Road, London N. Engineer, do
hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be.
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
With ordinary treadle apparatus acting upon a crank there are two positions or
dead centres from which the crank cannot be moved by pressure on the treadle and
the object of my invention is to obviate this disadvantage. For this purpose in
treadle apparatus of the kind wherein with the treadle and the rod that connects
the treadle with the crank there is combined a spring adapted, when the crank
occupies either of the two positions above indicated, to exert force between the
treadle and the connecting rod in such a manner as to cause the crank to move;
thus carrying it over the dead centre. I adopt the following arrangements.
Referring to the accompanying drawings,
Figs. 1 and 2 are diagrammatic views at right angles to each other showing one
arrangement of springs combined with treadle apparatus according to this
invention.
In this arrangement the tension springs, of which there are two, are each connected
at one end to the connecting rod and at the other end to a lug or projection on the

page_text: treadle so arranged that when the treadle occupies either of the extreme positions
corresponding to either of the dead centres, the lug or projection will form an angle
with the connecting rod and the spring will exert a pull upon the connecting rod in
a direction to move the crank as required.
1 is the treadle pivoted at 2 and connected by the rod 3 to the crank 4 which
rotates in the direction of the arrow 5. 6, 6 are tension springs each connected at
one end to the connecting rod 3 by a pin 7 and at the other end to a lug or
projection 8 on the treadle 1. As will be seen the point of connection of the
lower ends of the springs with the treadle is so arranged that during the time the
treadle is moving toward each of its extreme positions, corresponding to the dead
centres of the crank, the line a b joining the points of connection of the springs and
connecting rod with the treadle will form a gradually increasing angle with the
connecting rod so that the springs will be gradually extended, and when the treadle
occupies either of its extreme positions the springs will exert a pull upon the
connecting rod in a direction to move the crank over its centre in the required
direction.
a
Where a reverse direction of rotation is desired, as for example for driving.
lathe, compression springs 6* are substituted for the tension springs as shown in
Figs. 3 and 4 which are similar views to Figs. 1 and 2 respectively.
In this case whilst the crank is moving towards each dead centre the springs will
be compressed, instead of being extended as in the previous case, so that when the
treadle occupies either of its extreme positions, the springs will exert a thrust on
the connecting rod and cause the crank pin to move over its dead centre in the
required direction of rotation. As will be obvious one spring may be used instead.
of two if desired, but a more even action will be obtained with two springs.
Figs. 5 and 6 are elevations at right angles to each other illustrating an arrange-
ment of treadle apparatus with compression springs specially suitable for a lathe,
the treadle and connected parts being shown in one of their extreme positions.
Fig. 7 is a similar view to Fig. 5 showing part of the treadle and attached parts-
in the other extreme position.
Figs. 8 and 9 are views at right angles to each other, and to a larger scale than
Figures 5, 6 and 7, showing the construction of the connecting rod and the manner
of mounting the compression springs thereon.
In this arrangement the connecting rod 3 is jointed to a pin 3* carried by two
oval plates 1 that are each jointed near one end to the treadle 1. Each of these
plates carries a pin 7 on which one of the end abutment pieces 6* of one of the
compression springs 6* is mounted. The other end abutment pieces 6° for the said
springs are each mounted on a pin 3b projecting laterally from the side of the
connecting rod, the connection being effected by a pin 6 that extends from the
cap piece 6 and passes through the corresponding cap piece 6' and lateral pin 3b.
The treadle 1 is a pendulous one carried by a rock shaft 2* mounted to oscillate on
fixed centres; by this means it can be operated by a swinging movement of the leg
of an operator about the knee joint as a centre, which operation can be effected in
a more advantageous manner than when the treadle is pivoted in the ordinary
manner shown in Figs. 1 and 3.
As in the last described arrangement the springs 6* will be compressed whilst
the treadle and crank pins are moving into each of their extreme positions. When
the parts are in the extreme positions shown in Fig. 5, the springs will exert a
pressure upon the crank pin in the direction of the arrow c, and when they are in
the other extreme position shown in Fig. 7 the springs will exert a pressure in the
direction of the arrow d, the pressure in each case being in a direction to move the
crank over its dead centre in the required direction of rotation.
Figs. 10 and 11 are elevations at right angles to each other and
Fig. 12 is a sectional plan, to a larger scale, of a further modified arrangement,
shown applied to the treadle apparatus and stand of a machine such as a sewing
machine. In this arrangement a spring 6 is arranged to surround the joint pin 1
that connects the treadle to the connecting rod 3 its respective' ends 6-8” being¨¯|

page_text: so arranged that they will act alternately against a pin or projection 11 on the
end 3 of the connecting rod 3, one end of this spring serving to carry the cranks 4
over the one dead centre, and the other end of the spring to carry the crank over
the other dead centre. 10 is a pin or projection carried by the treadle 1 and
against which each end of the spring alternately bears whilst the other end of the
spring is acting against the pin 11 on the connecting rod. By the arrangement
described it will be seen that whilst the crank is moving towards each of its dead
centres, the ends 6º, 6b of the spring will be pressed apart against the elasticity of
the coiled portion of the spring, and that when the treadle comes into the position
corresponding to either dead centre, the end of the spring resting for the time
being on the pin 11 will by acting through such pin and the connecting rod 3, move
the crank over its dead centre in the required direction.
In this arrangement the treadle is shown as a pendulous one as in the last
described arrangement mounted to oscillate about pivots 12, 12".
The said coiled
spring can however be used with treadles mounted in the ordinary manner.
Thus in each arrangement it will be seen that owing to the varying angular
movement of the connecting rod relatively to the treadle, power is stored in the
spring or springs during a part of each half revolution of the crank, and that
when the crank arrives at its dead centre such power will be expended in causing
the connecting rod to move in such a direction as to move the crank over its dead
centre.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is :-
1. The construction and arrangement of treadle apparatus for driving sewing or
other machines wherein a tension spring (or springs) is connected at one end to
the connecting rod and at the other end to a lug or projection on the treadle
substantially as described with reference to the arrangement illustrated in Figs. 1
and 2 of the accompanying drawings so that when the treadle occupies either of
the extreme positions corresponding to either of the dead centres the lug or
projection will form an angle with the connecting rod and the spring will exert a
pull upon the connecting rod in a direction to move the crank as required.
2. Treadle apparatus of the kind referred to in the preceding claim for driving
sewing or other machines but in which a spring (or springs) in compression
substituted for a tension spring as described with reference to the modifications
illustrated respectively in Figs. 3 and 4 and in Figs. 5 to 9 inclusive of the
accompanying drawings.
3. The particular construction and arrangement of treadle apparatus for driving
sewing or other machines wherein a spring surrounds a joint-pin that connects the
treadle to the connecting rod and is arranged as shown in and described with
reference to Figs. 10 to 12 inclusive of the drawings so that its respective ends will
act against a pin or projection on the conuecting rod, one end of the spring serving
to carry the crank over the one dead centre and the other end of the spring to
carry the crank over the other dead centre.
Dated this 13th day of January 1893.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.