IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER MECHANISM FOR OPERATING SEWING MACHINES, AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION loft by John Bruce Howie at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th February 1882.
JOHN BRUCE HOWIE, of Glasgow, in the County of Lanark, North-Britain.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN MOTIVE-POWER MECHANISM FOR OPERATING SEWING MACHINES,
AND FOR OTHER LIKE PURPOSES "
This Invention relates to certain improvements in the construction and
arrangement of motive-power mechanism or apparatus to be used for operating
sewing machines, knitting machines, and other sinall machines, such as those used
in dentistry for example, and for such purposes as the rocking of children's
bassinettes or cradles; the object of the Invention being to dispense with hand
labour or the working of foot treadles in such operations.
The Invention consists essentially in a new arrangement of sets of coiled springs
and gearing fitted within a box or framing for convenience of attachment to the
sewing or other machine, which is operated by the uncoiling of the springs, and in
combination therewith, the fitting of a brake arrangement as a means of regulating
the power to be given out by the springs, and thereby controlling the speed at
which the machine is driven.
In one modification of the improved motive-power mechanism adapted for
driving sewing or knitting machines, one or two sets of coiled springs are fitted on
a spindle or on parallel spindles, the number and strength of the springs on the
spindle or spindles being varied according to the amount of power required. The
outer ends of the spring coils are attached to the inside of the box or framing which
encloses the whole, and on each coil spindle is fitted a toothed wheel in gear with
a pinion on a shaft also within the box. In gear with this pinion is fitted a train
of wheels, the number of which may be varied to suit the length of time and speed
at which the machine is to be driven without re-winding the coil springs; and on
the spindle of the last wheel of the train is fitted a driving pulley, over which a
belt is passed to the usual small pulley on the balance wheel of the sewing machine.
The box containing the springs and the whole of the gearing is fitted below the
table of the machine, being by preference bolted or clamped to the side framing,
and arranged so that the driving wheel may be under the balance wheel of the
machine. The springs are wound by means of a hand crank applied either to each

page_text: coil spindle in succession, or simultaneously by means of gearing, a ratchet and
pawl being provided to prevent uncoiling of the springs, and a fusee arrangement
may be provided to regulate the speed.
As a means of controlling the speed at which the machine is driven, and
compensating for the variation in power of the springs when newly wound and
after uncoiling, if a fusee is not used, a brake is applied to the rim of the balance
wheel, and consists of a rubber pad or roller, which is pressed against the balance
wheel by means of a screw regulated by hand. As an auxiliary brake arrangement,
the rubber pulley of the usual spool winding attachment is employed, and for this
purpose is provided with a regulating screw, by which the rubber pulley
can be pressed against the balance wheel to such an extent as to stop entirely the
motion of the machine.
The arrangement of apparatus described is applicable for driving other small
machines similar to sewing and knitting machines, and by modifying the connections
to give a reciprocating instead of a rotatory motion, as by the use of a crank or
eccentric and connecting rod, the same apparatus can be applied to swing or rock a
bassinette or cradle, or for any analogous purpose.