IMPROVEMENTS IN TREADLE MECHANISM FOR DRIVING SEWING AND OTHER MACHINES
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Alexander Melville Clark of the firm of A. M and
W Clark of 53 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex Fellow of the
Institute of Patent Agents for an Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN TREADLE
MECHANISM FOR DRIVING SEWING AND OTHER MACHINES Communicated
to him from abroad by George Barclay Ward, of New York in the County
and State of New York, United States of America, Gentleman
-
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Alexander Melville Clark at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th January 1883.
ALEXANDER MELVILLE CLARK of the firm of A. M. and W. Clark of 53 Chancery
Lane in the County of Middlesex, Fellow of the Institute of Patent Agents.
"IMPROVEMENTS IN TREADLE MECHANISM FOR DRIVING SEWING AND OTHER
MACHINES." Communicated to ine from abroad by George Barclay Ward of New
York, in the County and State of New York, United States of America, Gentleman.
The object of this Invention is to substitute for the ordinary treadle by which
sewing machines and analogous mechanisms are kept in motion, a rotating crank
shaft driven directly by the feet, so that by its means, a greater speed can be
obtained and the needle held under more perfect control by the feet of the
operator.
The Invention consists in the employment in such a machine, of a double crank
shaft, of which the cranks stand at an angle of about 180° to one another and
which have swivelled foot supports in combination with a belt or chain or other-
wise with an intermediate shaft carrying fly wheel and with a belt from the inter-
mediate shaft to the shaft to be driven.
In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sewing machine provided with
the improved treadle mechanism. Figure 2 is an end elevation of the same.
Figure 3 is a top view of the treadle mechanism, and Figure 4 a detail longitudinal
section through one of the swivelled foot supports.
A represents the frame of a suitable sewing machine; B is the sewing machine;
C the shaft of the machine which is to be revolved; D a belt or chain passing over

page_text: a pulley a on shaft C, and over a pulley 6 on another shaft E that carries a fly
wheel as shown. The shaft E receives its rotary motion by a belt or chain
which passes over a pulley d on shaft E and over another pulley e on a shaft G.
The shaft G is hung in the lower part of the frame A and is provided with two
cranks fand g that project preferably in diametrically opposite directions from the
axis of said shaft G, but may be placed at another angle if desired.
Upon each of the cranks fg is swivelled a foot support H which has a proper
surface on top for the support of the foot of the operator, and which, embracing the
crank pin, allows the latter to revolve freely while the foot board is held in the
horizontal position. The operator seated on a suitable chair or bench, holds the
feet on the swivelled foot supports H H and by very slight exertion will be enabled
to impart rotary motion to the shaft G. The motion of the shaft is transmitted by
the belts or chains F and D to the shaft C of the sewing or other machine.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same, I declare that what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters'
Patent is..
The rotary shaft G having cranks fg and swivelled foot supports H H combined
with the belt or chain F, shaft E having fly wheel belt or chain D, and shaft C to
be driven, and with frame A, substantially as herein shown and described.
In Witness whereof I the said Alexander Melville Clark have hereunto set my
hand and seal this second day of January, A.D. 1883.