DIRECT ACTION SPRING MOTOR
Year: 1885

page_text: I SYLVESTER ALEXANDER WATKINS of 30 Saint George's Square. Regent's
Park N.W. in the County of Middlesex, Horologist, do hereby declare the nature
of my invention for A DIRECT ACTION SPRING MOTOR to be as follows:-
My Invention is a spring band in combination with a driving shaft, which when
wound up by a key actuates direct from the said shaft an arrangement of wheels,
in conjunction with which is an automatic adjuster for equalising the driving.
power.
And my Invention is intentionally, and especially adapted for driving sewing
machines, and others of a similar nature; by which great saving of time and labor
is effected.
10 My Invention has for its object the construction of a mechanical motive
power in such a manner as to obtain direct equalised action from the main
driving shaft, the equalising motion being conveyed by means of a novel apparatus
in conjunction therewith, acting upon a rotary wheel or disc, and in connection
with the shaft before stated. Thereby superseding indirect and complicated
methods such as those with drum, chain, and spiral, which are costly and liable to
get out of order, and become useless through breaking of the chain.
15 And my Invention has for its object the simplification and arrangement of
the mechanism so as to considerably lessen the cost of manufacturing the same.
20 A particular feature of my Invention, and a most important one, is the arrange-
ment whereby I obtain short arbors to the gearings, thereby minimising the spring
of same, and preventing loss of power.
25 With reference to particular parts of the motor, my Invention consists of a
main driving shaft to revolve on bearings, preferably through plates on which is fitted⚫
one or more sleeves, with one or more elastic spring bands as may be required, the
outer end or ends being fastened to a standard. Screwed or otherwise fastened
on the shaft is the automatic adjuster, consisting of a wheel with an endless chain
or cord thereon, connected with a similar wheel, or wheel and pinion (or an
eccentric with rod thereon, the other end working on an eccentric, or rotary disc
with pinion) gearing into a toothed multiplying wheel, the arbor of which, has
two contrary worns, acting horizontally through two parallel arms attached to a
standard. On the inner plane of each arm through an orifice, is fitted a rod
encircled by a spiral spring, and capped with a friction disc surfaced with leather,

page_text: or other suitable material. Revolving between the friction discs is a wheel on
either of the rotary shafts, the motion of which is retarded by the action of the
spring discs upon the surface thereof. Attached to the main driving shaft between
the said plates is a going toothed wheel, with ratchet wheel and spring stops
attached thereon. The going wheel is in gear with a train of multiplying wheels,
the last of which is connected to a fly wheel.
30 And my Invention comprises an elastic spring governor for purposes of
controlling and regulating the speed of the machine at the will of the operator,
consisting of two flat springs, the inner surfaces lined with leather, or other soft
substance, attached to a standard and running parallel on both sides of the fly
wheel or a wheel or diso fixed. on. one of the revolving shafts of the motor. Passing
through the springs is a wormed rod, with thumb screw to work thereon, by which
the springs may be closed upon the wheel between them.
35 The stop-work consists of a finger bar, to work on a worm on the head of
the main shaft, the revolutions of which, cause the bar to press forward a hook
into contact with a catch rotating with the shaft, the contrary motion releasing
the catch.
40 And my Invention also comprises a spring grip brake for stopping the
machine when required, consisting of a double spring (padded or otherwise) to
expand and contract by means of radial arms pivoted to the end of a horizontal
rod, the said rod to be retained in its normal position by. a spiral spring round the
circumference thereof. By pulling the rod, the springs are contracted to grip the
surfaces of a rotary wheel, causing instant stoppage of the machine. The grip
being fixed in its position of tension by a catch falling into a notch in the rod;
the machine regaining its freedom by releasing the catch.
45 The arrangement for winding the motor consists of a wheel fitted to slide on
the projecting square of the main shaft, with endless chain thereon connected with
a toothed wheel into which gears a pinion, on the shaft of which is fitted a key.
50 The motor constructed in the manner above stated can be fitted in a box
underneath the table of a sewing machine, the connection to be made by a toothed
wheel on the driving shaft, or other method most suitable to the class of machine
to be driven.

page_text: I SYLVESTER ALEXANDER WATKINS of 30 St George's Square Regent's Park N.W.
in the County of Middlesex, Horologist, 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 :-
-
My Invention is a spring band in combination with a driving shaft, which when
wound up by a key actuates direct from the said shaft an arrangement of wheels,
in conjunction with which is an automatic adjuster for equalising the driving
power. And my invention is intentionally and especially adapted for driving
sewing machines, and others of a similar nature, by which great saving of time
and labor is effected.
10. My Invention has for its object the construction of a mechanical motive.
power in such a manner as to obtain direct equalised action from the main driving
shaft, the equalising motion being conveyed by means of a novel apparatus in
conjunction therewith, acting upon a rotary wheel or disc and in connection with
the shaft before stated. Thereby superseding indirect and complicated methods
such as those with drum, chain and spiral, which are costly and liable to get out of
order, and become useless through breaking of the chain.
•
15. And my Invention has for its object the simplification and arrangement of
the mechanism so as to considerably lessen the cost of manufacturing the same:
20. A particular feature of my Invention, and a most important one, is the
arrangement whereby I obtain short arbors to the gearings, thereby minimising
the spring of same, and preventing loss of power,
25. With reference to particular parts of the motor, my Invention consists of a
main driving shaft to revolve on bearings, preferably through plates, on which is.
fitted one or more sleeves, with one or more elastic spring bands as may be
required, the outer end or ends being fastened to a standard.
Screwed or
otherwise fastened on the shaft is the automatic adjuster; consisting of a wheel
with an endless chain or cord thereon, connected with a similar wheel, or wheel
and pinion (or an eccentric with rod thereon, the other end working on an
eccentric, or rotary disc with pinion,) gearing into a toothed multiplying wheel;
the arbor of which, has two contrary. worms, acting horizontally through two
parallel arms attached to a standard. On the inner plane of each arm through an
orifice, is fitted a rod encircled by a spiral spring, and capped with a friction disc
surfaced with leather, or other suitable material. Revolving between the friction
discs is a wheel on either of the rotary shafts, the motion of which is retarded by
the action of the spring discs upon the surface thereof. Attached to the main
driving shaft between the said plates is a going toothed wheel, with ratchet wheel
and spring stops attached thereon. The going wheel is in gear with a train of
multiplying wheels, the last of which is connected to a Ay wheel. ...
30. And my Invention comprises an. elastic spring governor for purposes of
controlling and regulating the speed of the machine at the will of the operator.
Consisting of two flat springs, the inner surfaces. lined with leather or other soft
substance, attached to a standard, and running parallel on both sides of the fly
wheel, or a wheel or disc fixed on one of the revolving shafts of the motor.

page_text: 75. Fig. 5. is a back elevation of the automatic adjuster. S, is the rod or
standard fixed through the plates, to which the parallel arms T, T are loosely
attached. On winding the motor, the main shaft U carries round the wheel V,
connected to which, by means of an endless chain is a similar wheel W, fixed on
the arbor X with contrary worms, the revolutions of which, approximates the arms,
causing the friction discs y, y, to rub the surfaces of the rotary wheel Z. The
friction being lessened reciprocally and in the same ratio with the decreasing force
of the motive power as the machine runs down, thereby compensating the driving
power. The amount of retarding force given off by the discs, is governed
principally by the strength of the spiral springs a, a.
In figure 6 is represented the adjuster with multiplying wheel and pinion, for
purposes of compensating more gradually, if so required.
80. Fig. 7. is an end elevation of the motor with stand, illustrating the gearing
and winding apparatus. a. is the stand supporting fraine b. On the winding
square c, is fitted a small toothed wheel d, gearing into a large multiplying wheel e,
to which is attached an endless chain running on winding wheel f which is fitted
to slide on the square end of the main shaft U, in union with which works the
automatic adjuster W. is the going wheel in gear with train wheel Z, 2. the
last of which drives the fly wheel F, controlled by the governor L, represents
the brake.
85. Fig. 8. is a front elevation of the motor. By means of a key applied to the
square c, the shaft U actuated by the winding apparatus before illustrated, will
turn on its bearings carrying the sleeve 8, thereby causing the spring band t, to
which it is attached, to be wound up; the necessary amount of mechanical energy
being thus in readiness to work the machine by the reaction of the spring band,
equalised by the adjuster direct from the main shaft.
90. By the above simple arrangement, sufficient power can be obtained to drive
any ordinary sewing machine.
In the event of more power being required, the same may easily be obtained by.
having an additional spring band.
95. Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
First. The elastic spring governor as described and illustrated in figure 3.
Secondly. The arrangement for winding the motor, as described and illustrated
in figure 7.
Thirdly. The automatic adjuster, as set forth described and illustrated in
figures 5 and 6.
Fourthly. The spring grip brake, as described and illustrated in figure 1.
Lastly. The arrangement and combination of parts for obtaining direct action
motive power, and in conjunction with the automatic adjuster for driving sewing
himas and othom of a similar notum nuhatantially as donomihod and illustrated.